Prose Chapter 8 - Reach for the Top

AP- SCERT / NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive 

Chapter 8 Reach for the Top

Answer these questions in one or two sentences each. 

1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised?

The 'holy man' was surprised as he predicted Santosh's mother would have a son to bring fame, but she had a daughter.

2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. 

Santosh, as a young girl, wouldn't accept unfairness. For instance, she left a school where her friend was punished unfairly.

3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school? 

Santosh was sent to the local school because her parents wanted her to receive an education and believed in the importance of schooling.

4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why? 

Santosh left home for Delhi when she was 16 years old to do higher education. She wanted to study further and expand her horizons.

5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident?

Santosh's parents supported her education in Delhi due to her determination, dedication, and strong desire for knowledge, showcasing her mental qualities.

Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?

Santosh began to climb mountains at the age of 19 when she joined a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.

2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates?

During the Everest expedition, Santosh showed concern for her team-mates by providing support and encouragement, helping them overcome challenges, and making sure they were safe and taken care of.

3. What shows her concern for the environment?

Santosh's dedication to preserving the Himalayas' beauty is clear as she brought down 500 kilograms of garbage, showing her environmental concern.

4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?

On Everest's summit, Santosh felt indescribable and spiritual emotions. Unfurling the Indian flag, she was immensely proud as an Indian, realizing its significance.

5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt. Everest. What were the reasons for this?

Santosh Yadav made history by becoming the first woman to climb Mount Everest twice, a testament to her outstanding mountaineering skills and unwavering determination.

III. Complete the following statements:

1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to ………………

2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because ………………

3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her ……………… while ……………… endeared her to fellow climbers.

Answers:

1. … see the villagers going up the hill and suddenly vanishing after a while.

2.… she was going directly for training and not home which she should have done.

3.… climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength while working together endeared her to fellow climbers.

IV. Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions. (Look in the paragraphs indicated.)

1. took to be true without proof

………………………………

2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable

………………………………

3. the usual way of doing things (para 3):

………………………………

4. a strong desire arising from within (5):

the power to endure, without falling

ill (7): …………………….

Answers:

1. blessing

2. rational

3. custom

3. urge

4. resistance/endurance

Thinking about the text

(Page 107)

Working in small groups of 4-5 students, go back over the two passages on Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova and complete the table given below with relevant phrases or sentences.

Points of Comparison/Contrast Santosh Yadav v/s Maria Sharapova

1. Their humble beginning  

2. Their parents’ approach  

3. Their will power and strong desire to succeed  

4. Evidence of their mental toughness  

5. Their patriotism

Santosh Yadav Maria Sharapova

1. Santosh’s parents were affluent landowners who could afford … My father was working as much as he could to keep ….

2. Wishing always to study ‘a bit more’, and with her father slowly getting used to her urge … The latter (her mother) was compelled to stay back in Siberia …. [My father working as much … either.]

3. Equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental… Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.

4. The culmination of her hard work and sincerity came in 1942 … And that something in her lifted her on Monday, 22 August 2005 to the world number one position in women’s tennis.

5. Then I unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it….. indescribable…… I felt proud as an Indian … My blood is totally Russian. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me.

Thinking about language

(Page 107)

Look at the following sentences. They each have two clauses, or two parts each with their own subject and verb or verb phrase. Often, one part (italicised) tells us when or why something happened.

1. I reached the market when most of the shops had closed. (Tells us when I reached.)

2. When Rahul Dravid walked back towards the pavilion, everyone stood up. (Tells us when everyone stood up.)

3. The telephone rang and Ganga picked it up. (Tells us what happened next.)

4. Gunjan has been with us ever since the school began. (Tells us for how long he has been with us.)

I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below by underlining the part that gives us the information in brackets, as shown above.

1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. (Contrasts her dress with that of others.)

Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.

2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first action.)

She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.

3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to fight the system?)

She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived.

4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. (Tells us when Maria was sent to the US?)

Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States.

II. Now rewrite the pairs of sentences given below as one sentence.

1. Grandfather told me about the old days. All books were printed on paper then.

Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.

2. What do you do after you finish the book? Perhaps you just throw it away.

Perhaps you just throw the book away after reading it.

3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.

After giving the little girl an apple, he took the computer apart.

4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.

You have nothing which makes you very determined.

5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.

I never thought of quitting as I knew what I wanted.

Dictation (Page 108)

Read the passage once. Then close your books. Your teacher will dictate the story to you. Write it down with the correct punctuation and paragraphing.

The Raincoat

After four years of drought in a small town in the Northeast, the Vicar gathered everyone together for a pilgrimage to the mountain, where they would pray together and ask for the rain to return.

The priest noticed a boy in the group wearing a raincoat.

“Have you gone mad ?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained in this region for five years, the heat will kill you climbing the mountain.”

“I have a cold, father. If we are going to ask God for rain, can you imagine the way back from the mountain ? It’s going to be such a downpour that I need to be prepared.”

At that moment a great crash was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. A boy’s faith was enough to bring about a miracle that not even those most prepared truly believed in.

(translated by James Mulholland)

Answer: Do it yourself.

Speaking (Page 108)

Imagine that you are Santosh Yadav, or Maria Sharapova. You have been invited to speak at an All India Girls’ Athletic Meet, as chief guest. Prepare a short speech to motivate the girls to think and dream big and make an effort to fulfil their dreams, not allowing difficulties or defeat to discourage them. Thefollowing words and phrases may help you.

Self confident/confidence/sure of yourself

self assured/assurance/belief in yourself

morale/boost morale/raise morale

giving somebody a boost/fillip/lift

demoralising/unsure of yourself/insecure/ lack confidence

Answer :

Hello everyone,

I'm very happy to be here with all of you at this special All India Girls' Athletic Meet. You are all amazing examples of strength and determination. I want to talk to you about something important: believing in yourself.

Believing in yourself is like having a special power. It means you know you can do great things and overcome any problems. When you believe in yourself, it can inspire others too. So, my message to you is to be confident, trust in your hard work, and always remember how incredible you are.

As you chase your dreams, you might face challenges and setbacks. But don't let them stop you. They are opportunities to become even stronger. When things get tough, find support from your family, friends, and coaches. They believe in you, and their belief can lift you up.

Success isn't just about winning medals. It's about working hard and never giving up on your dreams. So, dream big, be brave, and always believe in yourself.

I believe in each one of you, and I know you can achieve amazing things. Let's inspire and support each other to make our dreams come true.

Thank you, and may all your dreams soar high!

Writing 

Working in pairs, go through the table below that gives you information about the top women tennis players since 1975.Write a short article for your school magazine comparing and contrasting the players in terms of their duration at the top. Mention some qualities that you think may be responsible for their brief or long stay at the top spot.

Top-Ranked Women Players

1.The roll of honour of women who enjoyed life at the summit since everybody’s favourite player, Chris Evert, took her place in 1975.

Answer:

Here's a list of amazing women who excelled in tennis. Steffi Graf from Germany held the top spot for an incredible 377 weeks, followed by Chris Evert from the US at 362 weeks. Martina Navratilova, also from the US, enjoyed 33 weeks as number one. Martina Hingis from Switzerland had it for 209 weeks, while Monica Seles from the US held it for 178 weeks. Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport, both from the US, had 57 and 82 weeks as number one, respectively. Maria Sharapova from Russia joined this prestigious club for 1 week. They all worked hard, stayed fit, and showed great determination, mental strength, and talent to reach the top in the world of tennis.

2. Which of these words would you use to describe Santosh Yadav? Find reasons in the text to support your choices, and write a couple of paragraphs describing Santosh’s character.

contented determined resourceful

polite adventurous considerate

weak-willed fearful independent

pessimistic patient persevering

Answer:

Santosh Yadav can be described as a determined, adventurous, and persevering person based on the information in the text. She shows great determination in pursuing her dreams, especially her passion for mountain climbing. Even when faced with difficulties and setbacks, she stays focused on her goal and doesn't give up easily. Her adventurous spirit is evident in her daring mountain expeditions, including conquering Mount Everest twice. This showcases her willingness to take risks and push herself to the limit. Moreover, Santosh's perseverance shines through as she persists in the face of challenges, demonstrating her resilience and determination to succeed. She is a true inspiration for those striving to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.