TENSE & ITS APPLICATIONS

Tense indicates the time of an action. There are three kinds of tenses.

Present Tense

Past Tense

Future Tense

Present Tense has four forms.

1-Simple Present Tense,

2- Present Continuous Tense,
3- Present Continued Tense, (He goes on laughing) (Included in Present Continuous Tense)

4- Present Perfect Tense,

5- Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

Past Tense has four forms.

1-Simple Past Tense,

2 -Past Continuous Tense,
3 - Past Continued Tense, (She went on laughing) (Included in Past Continuous Tense)

4- Past Perfect Tense,

5- Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

Future Tense has four forms.

1-Simple Future Tense,

2- Future Continuous Tense,

3- Future Perfect Tense

4- Future Perfect Continuous Tense.        

Simple Present Tense indicates the time of action which is taken place in (at) present. Sometimes it shows habitual actions.

Ex:-He walks in the morning.

She goes to bed early.

They play cricket.

Structure:-1. ( S'+V'),          2. (S''+V'').

Structure 1 indicates that if the subject is singular verb will be singular. Structure 2 indicates that if the subject is plural verb will be plural. Exception:-I, You. It means only two subjects 'I' and 'You' don't follow the rules.

Examples:- (I go . You go.) In these two sentences one can see that the subject 'I' and 'You' are singular but the verb 'go' is plural with them. Take another example; ( He reads English. One can see here that the subject 'He' is singular so the verb 'reads' is also singular.) (They read English. One can see here that the subject 'They' is plural so the verb 'read' is also plural.) We should know that verbs are originally found in their plural order, like- go, eat, write, laugh, these all verbs are plural. All the verbs are made singular by adding 's' or 'es' with them, as it is required, like-goes, eats, writes, laughs, these all verbs are singular.

Structure: Subject + verb (singular/plural) + object.(Positive)

He plays football.

Subject + do/does + not + verb (plural)+ object. (Negative)

He does not play football.

Do/ Does + subject + verb (plural) + object?(Interrogative)

Does he play football?

Wh/H + do/does + subject + verb (plural) + object?(Interrogative)

Why does he not play cricket?

Present Continuous Tense indicates the time of a verb that is taking place at present.

 He is going to school. I am playing cricket. You are writing a letter.

Structure:- Subject + is/am/are + verb + ing + object.(Positive)

 He is going to school. I am playing cricket. You are writing a letter.

Subject + is/am/are +not + verb + ing +object.  (Negative)

 He is not going to school. I am not playing cricket. You are not writing a letter.

Is/Am/Are +subject +verb +ing +object?  (Interrogative)

 Is he going to school? Am I playing cricket? Are you writing a letter?

Wh / H +is/am/are + subject +verb + object? (Interrogative)

 Why is he going to school? How is he playing cricket?

 Who is playing in the class?  

Present Perfect Tense indicates the time of verb which has already been taken place.

Ex:-He has done his homework.

I have done my homework.

She has not done her homework.

Have we done our homework?

Who has not done his homework?

 Structure:

Subject + have/has + past participle + object. (Positive)

Subject +have/has + not + past participle + object. (Negative)

Have/Has + subject + past participle + object? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + have/has + subject + past participle + object? (Interrogative)

Now we can see the above mentioned examples. 'Have' is a plural verb and 'has’ is a singular verb.

We know that if the subject is singular verb will be singular, and if the subject is plural verb will be plural, exceptions are 'I' and 'You'.  

Present Perfect Continuous Tense indicates the time of verb which has been taking place. It is both continuous and perfect tense. It indicates continuous perfection in the present.

Ex:-He has been studying in this school for seven years. (Positive)

You have been studying in this school since 2008. (Positive)

She has not been doing her homework since last Tuesday. (Negative)

Have you been in London for a few months? (Interrogative)

Why have you been in London for a few months? (Interrogative)

Structure:- Subject + have/has + been + verb + ing + object + for/since + period of time/point of time.(Positive)

He has been writing a letter for three hours.

Subject + have not/has not + been + verb + ing + object + for/since + period of time/point of time. (Negative)

She has not been going to school for four days.

Have/Has + subject + been + verb + ing + object + for/since + period of time/point of time? (Interrogative)

Has she been learning in this school since her childhood?

Wh/H +have/has + subject + been + verb + ing + object +for/since + period of time/point of time? (Interrogative)

Why has she been your friend since your childhood?

Here we have to note that 'for' indicates the period of time whereas 'since' indicates the point of time.             

Simple Past Tense indicates the time of verb which was taken place in the past.

Ex:- He went to school. (Positive)

He did not go to school. (Negative)

Did he go to school? (Interrogative)

When did he go to school? (Interrogative)

Structure:-Subject + past form of verb + object. (Positive)

Subject + did + not + verb + object. (Negative)

Did + subject + verb + object? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + did + subject + verb + object? (Interrogative)

We should note that the verb 'did' is the past form of the verb 'do'. In the Simple Past Tense 'did' is used as an auxiliary verb when the sentence is Negative or Interrogative. The verb 'did' is also used as a principal verb when the sentence is Positive.

He did his work well. (Positive).  Here 'did' is used as a principal verb.

He did not do his work well. (Negative). Here 'did' is used as an auxiliary verb.

Did he do his work well? (Interrogative). Here 'did' is used as an auxiliary verb.  

 Past Continuous Tense indicates the time of verb which was being taken place in the past.

Ex:-She was writing a letter. (Positive)

They were not writing their notes. (Negative)

Were you writing your notes? (Interrogative)

Why were you not writing your notes? (Interrogative)

Structure: Subject + was/were + verb + ing + object. (Positive)

Subject + was not/were not +verb + ing + object. (Negative)

Was/Were + subject + verb + ing + object? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + was/were + subject + verb + ing + object? (Interrogative)

We should note that 'was' and 'were' are the two auxiliary verbs used in the Past Continuous Tense. The verb 'was' is singular and 'were' is plural. The verb 'was' is used with the singular subject and the verb 'were' is used with the plural one. The verb 'was' is not used with the subject 'You'. So if you write ''You was playing'' will absolutely be the wrong sentence. ''You were playing'' is the correct sentence.                     

Past Perfect Tense indicates the time of verb which had taken place in the past.

He had done his homework. (Positive)

He had not done his homework. (Negative)

Had he done his homework? (Interrogative)

Why had he not done his homework? (Interrogative)

Structure: Subject + had + past participle + object. (Positive)

Subject + had + not + past participle + object. (Negative)

Had + subject + past participle + object? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + had + subject + past participle + object? (Interrogative)

We should note that the above-mentioned sentences of Past Perfect Tense are not normally used as Simple Sentences. If a sense represents Past Perfect in the form of a Simple Sentence the sense is constructed in Simple Past Tense. Past Perfect Tense is normally used as Complex Sentence.

Example: The students had done their projects before their teacher came.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense indicates the time of verb which is continuous in its perfect manners.

He had been playing cricket for three hours. (Positive)

He had not been playing cricket since morning. (Negative)

Had he been playing cricket since morning? (Interrogative)

Why had he not been coming to school for seven days? (Interrogative)

Structure: Subject + had + been + verb + ing + object + for/since + period/point of time. (Positive)

Subject + had + not + been + verb + ing + object + for/since + period/point of time. (Negative)

Had + subject + been + verb + ing + object + for/since + period/point of time? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + had + subject + verb + ing + object + for/since + period/point of time? (Interrogative)

This is the basic structure of Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

Simple Future Tense indicates the time of verb which will simply take place in the future.

Ex:-We shall go to Patna tomorrow. (Positive)

He will not play cricket tomorrow. (Negative)

Shall we do our work properly? (Interrogative)

Why will she do her homework in class? (Interrogative)

Structure:- Subject + shall/will + verb + object.(Positive)

She will wait for me.

Subject + shall/will not + verb + object. (Negative)

She will not wait for me.

Shall/Will + subject + verb + object? (Interrogative)

Will she wait for me?

Wh/H + shall/will + subject + verb + object? (Interrogative)

Who will wait for me.

We should note that 'shall' may be used as an auxiliary verb with the subject 'I' or 'we'.   

Future Continuous Tense indicates the time of verb which will remain continued in the future.

Ex:-She will be preparing her notes. (Positive)

They will not be writing their notes. (Negative)

Shall we be visiting a film tomorrow? (Interrogative)

Why will you not be playing cricket tomorrow? (Interrogative)

 Structure: Subject + shall/will + be + verb + ing + object.(Positive)

Subject + shall/will + not + be + verb + ing + object.(Negative)

Shall/Will + subject + be + verb + ing + object?(Interrogative)

Wh/H + shall/will + subject + be + verb + ing + object?(Interrogative)

The above mentioned structure of Future Continuous Tense is very useful for the young learners. 

 Future Perfect Tense indicates the time of verb which will have taken place in the future.

Now a day Future Perfect Tense is not normally used, but the learners must know the form.

Ex:-He will have done his work. (Positive)

He will not have done his work. (Negative)

Will he have done his work? (Interrogative)

Why will he not have done his work? (Interrogative)

Structure : Subject + shall/will + have + past participle + object.(Positive)

Subject + shall/will + not + have + past participle + object. (Negative)

Shall/Will + subject + have + past participle + object? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + shall/will + subject + have + past participle + object? (Interrogative)

We should note that these are the basic structures of Future Perfect Tense.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense indicates the time of verb which will have been taking place in the future in a perfect way.

Ex:-He will have been playing football on the field. (Positive)

He will not have been playing football on the field. (Negative)

Will he have been playing football on the field? (Interrogative)

Why will he have been playing football on the field? (Interrogative)

Structure: Subject + shall/will + have been + verb + ing + object.(Positive)

Subject + shall/will + not + have been + verb + ing + object. (Negative)

Shall/Will + subject + have been + verb + ing + object? (Interrogative)

Wh/H + shall/will + subject + have been + verb + ing + object? (Interrogative)

These are the basic structures of Future Perfect Continuous Tense.

An Approach to English Grammar & Composition Book 6: Page 38:

Use of Tense

Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks with suitable forms of the Verbs given in the brackets:

(i) My father writes to me every week.                                              (write)

(ii) She read when he was sleeping.                                                    (read)

(iii) Where does he go to play in the evening.                                    (go)

(iv) He has been working with us for five years.                                (work)

(v) He has always felt for the poor.                                                     (feel)

(vi) We are putting up a show.                                                             (put up)

(vii) If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.                                 (be)

(viii) I returned from Darjeeling last night.                                         (return)

(ix)  I have not yet given up hope.                                                       (give)

(x) If you are hungry, you can eat.                                                       (be)

(xi) It is raining now.                                                                            (rain)

(xii) The bell has rung just now.                                                           (ring)

(xiii) You have been waiting for me since morning.                            (be)

(xiv) This book has cost fifty rupees.                                                   (cost)

(xv)The hen laid four eggs.                                                                  (lay)

(xvi) He has already completed the work.                                            (complete)

(xvii) They learn their lesson before the teacher arrives.                      (learn)  

(xviii) They came here while I was reading a book.                             (read)

(xix) A good boy always obeys his parents.                                         (obey)

(xx) Dear Somu, thank you for your letter which I received (receive) last week. It was really good to hear from you. You said you met (meet) Anadi recently, but you did not say how he was (be). I have been (be) in Kolkata for six weeks, and I’m enjoying life here very much. I have been working (work) very hard since I arrived, but the job is interesting and everybody is kind to me.    

2. Pick out the verbs from the following sentences and write their Tense. Two have been done for you.

(i) She reads a book.

Verb – reads

Tense – Simple Present

(ii) They are playing cricket.

Verb – are playing

Tense – Present Continuous

(iii) I wrote a letter.

Verb – wrote

Tense – Simple Past

(iv) She was singing a song.

Verb – was singing

Tense –Past Continuous

(v) They have done the work.

Verb – have done 

Tens – Present Perfect

(vi) He had come before I left.

Such types of sentences are basically decided on the structure of the main clause (He had come) which indicates here Past Perfect.

Verb – had come

Tense – Past Perfect (had come)

                Simple Past  (I left)

(vii) We have been living here for five years.

Verb – have been living

Tense – Present Perfect Continuous

(viii) He will be doing it.

Verb – will be doing

Tense – Future Continuous

(ix) I shall never go there.

Verb - shall go

Tense - Simple Future

(x) They came after we had left.

Such types of sentences are basically decided on the structure of the main clause (They came) which indicates here Simple Past.

Verb - came (Simple Past)

            had left (Past Perfect)

(xi) We drink milk.

Verb – drink

Tense – Simple Present

(xii) He was taking medicine.

Verb – was taking

Tense – Past Continuous

(xiii) She had been swimming for an hour.

Verb – had been swimming

Tense – Past Perfect Continuous

(xiv) They will have finished.

Verb – will have finished

Tense - Future Perfect

(xv) The child was crying.

Verb - was crying

Tense – Past Perfect

(xvi) He will have been running this mill for three years.

Verb - will have been running

Tense – Future Perfect Continuous

(xvii) She will have left before you get there.

Verb – will have left

Tense – Future Perfect

(xviii) By next March he will have been working here for five years.

Verb - will have been working

Tense - Future Perfect Continuous

(xix) He will have left for Kalka by next Sunday.

Verb – will have left

Tense – Future Perfect

(xx) She will get a prize.

Verb – will get

Tense – Simple Future

(xxi) I had been reading before I went for a walk.

Verb – had been reading

Tense - Past Perfect Continuous

(xxii) When I saw them, they were playing cricket.

Verb – saw

Tense – Simple Present

(xxiii) She has been living here since January.

Verb – has been living

Tense – Present Perfect Continuous

(xxiv) He is seeing his advocate tomorrow.

Verb –is seeing

Tense – Present Continuous (for future planning)

(xxv) I went to school daily.

Verb – went

Tense - Simple Past

3. Fill up the blanks with the correct verb form from those given in brackets:

(i) He bought a new scooter last week. (bought/have bought/had bought)

(ii) It has been raining since morning. (rained/raining/has been raining)

(iii) The earth moves around the sun. (move/moves/moved)

(iv) We had returned home before it began to rain.(returned/has returned/had returned)

(v)When I got home, Rajani was waiting for me. (waited/was waiting/had been waiting)

(vi) Don’t disturb me. I am doing my homework.(do/did/am doing)

(vii) He jumped off the train while it was moving. (moved/has moved/was moving)

(viii)He will explain it to you when he will come back. (comes/came/will come)

(ix) Ravi wants to be a doctor. (wants/wanting/is wanting)

(x) The girls were playing cricket when I saw them. (play/played/were playing)

(xi) The train left after we had reached the station. (left/has left/had left)

(xii) If you work hard you will succeed. (work/worked/will work)

(xiii) My uncle arrives here tomorrow. (arrives/will have been arriving)

(xiv) I hear a strange noise. (hear/am hearing/ have been hearing)

(xv) By this time next year Rekha will have taken her University Degree. (takes/will take/will have taken)

(xvi) We have been living here for the last ten years. (lived/ are living/ have been living)

(xvii) When he lived in Barauni, he went to the cinema hall almost every week. (goes/went/was going)

(xviii) She – to Delhi tomorrow. (is going/has gone/has been going)

(xix) He was stung by a scorpion while he was walking in the garden. (walked/was walking/had walked)

(xx) He thanks us for what we have done. (have done/had done/had been doing)

                

The Little Girl: ncert solution - Class 9

Thinking about the Text (page 38)

1. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A with the items in Column B

        A

1. fear or terror

2. glad sense of relief

3. a "funny" feeling perhaps of understanding              B

(i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss

(ii) noise of the carriage grows fainter

(iii) father comes home

(iv) speaking to father

(v) going to bed when alone at home

 (vi) father comforts her and falls asleep

(vii) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

Ans:  1.  - (iii) father comes home

           2. - (ii) noise of the carriage grows fainter

           3. - (iv) speaking to father 

II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?

Ans: Her father is very strict in his activities, uses harsh statements, and did not treat her as a good father treats with his children lovingly.

2. Who were the people in Kezia's family?

Ans: There are four members in Kezia's family. They are Kezia herself, her father, mother, and grandmother.

3. What was Kezia's father's routine

(i) before going to his office?

Ans: Before going to his office his work was to offer her a kiss without showing any affection.

(ii) after coming back from his office?

Ans:: After coming back from his office his first work was to order Kezia to provide the newspaper and tea.

(iii) on Sundays?

Ans: On Sundays, he used to lay on the sofa stretching out. He used to sleep snoring for a little longer.

4. In what ways did Kezia's grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Ans: Kezia,s grandmother wanted her to gift something on her father's birthday so that he could be pleased with her. So she advised her to make a pin-cushion to gift him.

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

1. Kezia's effort to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Ans: Kezia's effort to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. Whenever her father would come home he used to ask her to put off his shoes and ask her if she was a good girl. She would answer in a different way, it seemed she was not bold enough to answer the questions. She stutters in answering those questions. When her father would take rest she would stare at him a little longer. These activities of Kezia were not likely for her father at all.

Kezia was preparing a pin-cushion to gift her father on his birthday. She prepared the gift with the papers which were very important for her father. When her father wanted to get the paper he came to know the gifted episode and consequently he got angry at Kezia.

2. Kezia decides that there are "different kinds of fathers". What kind of father was Mr. Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia's father?

Ans: It is true that there are different kinds of fathers. Kezia has seen the affection and treatment of fathers in her neighborhood. So she decides that there are different kinds of fathers. Macdonald shows his affection to his children always. He plays and runs along with them whenever he needs to do that. His children love him very much. They hand on to his pockets and he loves the activities and attitudes of children.

Kezia's father does not like to play with her. He is fond of scolding her. She does not get any opportunity to laugh with her father. She never plays and runs with her father or vice - versa.

3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?

Ans:  Kezia was very much afraid of her father. One day she dreamt a fearful dream. She saw that a butcher approached her with a knife. She cried bitterly but she saw her father was standing there. Now she was made up completely.

Once when her father was very tired he asked Kezia to rub her feet against his leg to make them warm, Kezia did it very well. She now understood that her father had to do better than before to be a good father. She accepted that her father had a big heart.

Thinking about Language

1. Look at the following sentence.

There was a glad sense of relief when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter…

Here, glad means happy about something.

Glad, happy, delighted, thrilled, and overjoyed are synonyms (words or expressions that have the same or nearly the same meaning.) However, they express happiness in certain ways.

Read the sentences below.

She was glad when the meeting was over.

The chief guest was pleased to announce the name of the winner

1. Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.

(i) She was thrilled by the news of her brother-------(very pleased)

(ii) I was delighted to be invited to the party. (extremely pleased and excited about)

(iii) She was overjoyed at the birth of her granddaughter. (extremely happy)

(iv) The coach was pleased with the performance. (satisfied about)

(v) She was very happy with her results. (happy about something that has happened)

2. Study the use of the word big in the following sentence.

He was so big – his hands and his neck, especially his mouth……

Here, a big means large in size.

Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of big in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

(i)You are a big girl now. older

(ii)Today you are going to take the biggest decision of your career. most important

(iii)Their project is full of big ideas. very important

(iv) Cricket is a big game in our country. popular

(v) I am a big fan of Lata Mangeskar. great

(vi) You have to cook a bit more as my friend is a big eater. remarkable

(vii)What a big heart you’ve got, Father dear. large-hearted

Writing

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception of your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parents’ behavior vis-a-vis yours? Who has become more understanding? What steps would you like to take to build a relationship based on understanding? Write three or four paragraphs (150-200 words) discussing these issues from your own experience.

Ans: My life has been different from the life of Kezia. My father was a loving one who always ask for my well-being. Whenever he would come he would ask where I was. Until or unless he would get me he would not sit or take a rest. He used to ask me about my games and spots, about my participation and performance. Sometimes I would say I was defeated he would start laughing by saying that learning 'how to play is far better than winning a match.

Sometimes he would stop me from going from school by saying that studying every day is not essential. It is true that he would take me wherever he go when I was very young. He would show me circus, and magic very often. I can say that My father has a good understanding of the requirements of young children. Young children's first important thing is their playing. If children are not allowed to play they would not develop properly. Both mental and physical development depends on the opportunities provided by the parents.

Children study the attitudes of their parents with their behavior. If their behavior is very soft they feel it very well, if their behavior is harsh they are hurt by it.  Regarding the understanding of behavior, I want to say that my father is the same to same but I have changed myself to a limit. I honor and respect my father for his full support and for providing an opportunity to study properly. I have no issue with misunderstanding so everything is fine. I want to follow in the footsteps of my father who helps me on every step.

Wind: ncert solution - Class - 9

Thinking about the Poem

1. 1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?

Ans: The wind  (i) damages the shutters of the windows, (ii) disperses the papers, and (iii) disposes of the books kept on the shelf. It plucks the pages of the books.

2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing? (Give the word in your language, if you know them.)

Ans: India is a country of farmers. Indian farmers used natural wind for winnowing. People winnow grain at home or in a paddy field with the help of natural wind. This is called OSAUNI in my language.

3. What does the poet say the wing god winnows?

Ans: The wind god winnows the following.

(i) Homes, (ii) Doors, (iii) Wood, (iii) Rafters, (iv) bodies, (v) Lives and hearts.

4. What should we do to make friends with the wind?

Ans: We can make friends with the wind by joining the doors firmly, by practicing to firm the body, and by making the heart steadfast.

5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?

Ans: The last four lines indicate that the wind creates troubles for the weak things and the weak people. If things and the people are strong enough, wind cannot make any harm. So we have to be brave and strong to face the power of the wind.

6. How does the poet speak to the wind  - in anger or with humor? You must also have seen or heard of the wind "crumbling lives". What is your response to this? Is it like the poets?

Ans: The poet is well prepared to face the wind. That is why he has suggested some measures. The poet speaks to the wind in a  humorous way. The poet wants to say that the wind harms only those things which are weak and those people who are not strong. It means it is quite clear that the poet has a challenging attitude towards the wind.

II. The poem you have just read is originally in Tamil. Do you know any such poem in your language?

Ans: Yes I know a poem which is in Hindi. HAWA HUN HAWA MAI BASANTI HAWA HUN.

The Sound of Music 2: ncert solution - Class - 9

Thinking about the Text (page 26)

iii. Answer these questions in 30-40 words.

1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

Ans: Aurangzeb did not like the sound of pungi at all. He thought pungi to be an unnecessary musical instrument that produced unpleasant and irritating sounds in his court. So he banned the playing of the pungi.

2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

Ans: A pipe of a natural hollow stem is used to make shehnai. It is bigger than pungi. Holes are made on the pipes so that they can produce different kinds of tunes. It is normally broader than pungi. It is like a flute which is played by opening and closing the holes made on it.

3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

Ans: The place where shehnai was played traditionally was the Vishnu Temple of Varanasi. Ali Bux, maternal uncle of Bismillah Khan was fond of playing shehnai in the Vishnu Temple of Varanasi. Bismillah Khan was inspired by him and used to play the same in the temple of Mangala Maiya and Balaji. After he got some experience he started creating Raagas with fine tunes by playing on shehnai. Consequently, shehnai was completely changed.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

Ans: The place where Bismillah Khan got a big break is Lucknow. He performed for All India Radio in 1938.

5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?

Ans: It was a very precious occasion when India was going to celebrate Independence Day on the 15th of August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort in Delhi. This event was historic because the first Prime Minister of India along with Mahatma Gandhi witnessed his performance of Raag Kafi.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?

Ans: Bismillah khan was very fond of his soil and its natural beauty. He did not forget his native land even during his staying abroad. He likes Ganga, he loved Banaras and he loved mattha of Dumraon. The above-mentioned things and environment would never be availed in the U.S.A. and so he rejected the proposal of shehnai school in the U.S.A.

7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.

Ans:  It is true that Bismillah Khan loves India ans Banaras. He said that when he was in foreign he wanted to see his native land India. When he was in Mumbai he wanted to see Varanasi and the holy Ganga. He remembered the mattha of Dumraon.

Thinking about Language

I. Look at these sentences.

⦁ Evelyn was determined to live a normal life.

⦁ Evelyn manages to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers.

The italicized parts answer the questions: "What was Evelyn determined to do?" and "What did Evelyn manage to do?" They begin with a to-verb (to live, to conceal)

Complete the following sentences. Beginning with a to-verb, try to answer the questions in brackets.

1. The school sports team hopes to win the match. (What does it hope to do?)

2. We all want to get success. ( What do we all want to do?)

3. They advised the hearing-impaired child's mother to get the child diagnosed. ( What did they advise her to do?)

4. The authorities permitted us to play indoor games. (What did the authorities permit us to do?)

5. A musician decided to perform better than before. (What did the musician decide to do?)

II. From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words and phrases that match these definitions and write them down. The number of paragraphs where you will find the words/phrases has been given for you in brackets.

1. the home of royal people (1) - the royal residence

2. the state of being alone (5) - solitude

3. a part which is absolutely necessary (2) - an indispensable component

4. to do something not done before (5) - improvise

5. without much effort (13) - effortlessly

6. quickly and in large quantities (9) - thick and - fast

III. Tick the right answer.

1. When something is revived, it (remains dead / lives again).

2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped/started).

3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it / avoid it).

4. When we take to something, we find it (boring/interesting).

5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful / find it of no use).

6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the first time / for the second time).

7. When we come to terms with something, it is (still upsetting/ no longer upsetting).

Writing

"If you work hard and know where you're going, you'll get there," says Evelyn Glennie.

You have now read about two musicians, Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan. Do you think that they both worked hard? Where did they want to 'go'? Answer these questions in two paragraphs, one on each of the two musicians.

Ans: Evelyn Glennie: Evelyn Glennie was very young when she became deaf. But she did not stop due to her deafness. She was able to see and follow the instruction of her teacher. She followed cent percent instructions of her teachers and got grand success in her life. Parts of her body were developed in a way that they became able to sense the tones and sounds of music. Whatever she wanted to achieve she achieved by working hard. She bagged most of the top awards after all.

Ustad Bismillah Khan:  Ustad Bismillah Khan was very fond of playing shehnai since his childhood. He was mostly inspired by his maternal uncle who used to play shehnai in the Vishnu Temple of Varanasi. He used to follow the uncle very keenly and interestingly. He started practicing shehnai sitting on the bank of the holy Ganga in solitude and got success in improvising new Raagas. He was honored around the world for his magnificent performance in shehnai and awarded Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India.

The Sound of Music 1: ncert solution - Class 9

Thinking about the Text (page 20)

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Ans: Evelyn was almost seventeen when she went to the Royal Academy of Music.

2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

Ans: Evelyn's mother noticed her deafness when she was eight. It was confirmed when she was eleven.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30-40 words).

1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Ans: Her potential was first noticed by a percussionist, Ron Forbes. He advised Evelyn to listen to the music in different ways. Two drums were tuned to produce different notes so that she could differentiate the tuned notes slightly. He got successful in his experiment and Evelyn answered him positively.

2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

Ans: She was an inspiration to the young musicians and handicapped. She was very much interested in music and concerts. She performs in hospitals and prisons freely.

III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words).

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

Ans: Evelyn does not hear music through her ears because she is deaf. But it is true that she hears the music. She feels the vibration of music from the waist up and down. Her different parts of the body are adapted to sense the vibrations of the music and drums. So is the case with her brain. her brain has become so sensitive that it can sense sound and vibration like a normal human brain.

It seems she has develops every part of her body in a way that even her cheekbones, her hair have also been adapted to sense music very well. She says that she can feel even the resonance moving through her body.

The Road not Taken: ncert solution - class 9

I. 1. Where does the traveler find himself? What problem does he face?

Ans: The traveler finds himself standing at a junction intersected by two roads. He faces a great problem with the decision he has to take.  He is in a state of confusion about the selection of the road on which he will start traveling.

  2. Discuss what these phrases mean to you.

 (i) a yellow wood

Ans: The phrase ''yellow wood' indicates autumnal forest.

 (ii) it was grassy and wanted wear

Ans: The phrase "it was grassy and wanted wear" means the road is full of grass because people did not travel much more on the road, and so the road wants the people to tread on.

(iii) the passing there

Ans: The Phrase "passing there" indicates the treading on the road which looks the same as the first one

 (iv) leaves no step had trodden black

Ans: The phrase "leaves no step had trodden black" indicates that the leaves on the road seem to lay as usual. It means people did not tread on the road. That is why leaves are unchanged.

 (v) how way leads on to way

Ans: The phrase "how way leads on to way" indicates that a way or road leads to another way or road. It also indicates how a road leads a traveler to another road.

  3. Is there any difference between the two roads as the poet describes them

(i) in stanzas two and three?

Ans: There is no difference between the two roads in stanzas two and three because they were not trodden over. The leaves on the road were unchanged.

 (ii) in the last two lines of the poem?

Ans: Last two lines of the poem provide a great message to the learners about the decision taken by the poet which has changed his life. He wants to convey that one should be very keen and careful in making decision in his life.

  4. What do you think the last two lines of the poem mean? (Looking back, does the poet regret his choice or accept it?)

Ans: The last two lines indicate the theme of the poem. The poet wants to convey that one should take his decision and be on the same. It means decision should be very strong based on individual's strength. Once the decision is taken should never be turned down. One must think again and again before taking decision. One must assess the obstacles on the way to success. We must not underestimate the obstacles created on the way to our progress and development. Let us suppose, someone wants to achieve spiritual enlightenment, and strives for eleven years and at last he does not achieve the goal. Now he wants to be an engineer. He wants to join the school. We must keep in mind that he has already spent eleven years achieving spiritual enlightenment which will never come back. So before making decision it is essential to assess every thing properly along with the person's ability and capability.

II. 1. Have you ever had to make a difficult choice (or do you think you will have difficult choices to make)? How will you make the choice (for what reasons)?

Ans: Yes, I had to make a difficult choice when I was in class viii. It was 8,O' clock in the morning, our History teacher entered the class gloomily, and did not respond to our greets. We were shocked to see him sad. We wanted to ask him why he was sad, but instead of doing so, every student was staring at him anticipating him to disclose the reasons. After sometimes he said that someone was murdered and his body was taken away by the criminals. The spot of incident was just three KM far from our school and on the way to my home. I, the then was a day scholar, so I had to leave my school for my home. I was habituated to come to school on my own without any escort. When our Principal announced that the school would be dismissed just after the third period, I had to find the way out of it. After all, I started my journey along with my friends who were afraid of the incident. I made them bold and said we were innocent ones so no harm would be made. Ultimately we got our destination.

2. After you have made a choice do you always think about what might have been, or do you accept the reality?

Ans: Whenever I make choices I think a lot before I come to the conclusion. I try to assess the situation also. As I expressed my aforesaid experience, I got information that police have escorted the spot, we started moving from school. I accept the reality and that is why I don't want to take any decision without thinking over properly.