How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Class 9 Questions and Answers | NCERT Kaveri

Looking for accurate and easy-to-understand answers of CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read from the NCERT Kaveri book? In this post, you will get complete NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 1 written by Sudha Murty. These solutions cover all textbook questions and answers including comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, extract-based questions, and critical thinking questions in simple language. The answers are prepared according to the latest CBSE syllabus and are helpful for school exams, homework, and revision.

Reflect and Respond

I. Complete the given word web

Why is it important to learn how to read and write?

Ans.

• To gain knowledge
• To communicate with others
• To become independent
• To get better job opportunities

II. Read the questions given below and share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. What is something that the elderly in your family cannot do easily but enjoy watching you do?

2. Which language(s) do your grandparents or elderly relatives speak?

3. How do they spend their time? How do you spend time with them?

4. What is your favourite experience with them?

Ans. 1. My grandparents speak Hindi and Bengali.

2. They spend their time watching TV, reading religious books, and talking to family members. I spend time with them by talking, listening to their stories, and helping them in small tasks.

3. My favourite experience is listening to their childhood stories and learning life lessons from them.

4. They cannot use mobile phones or technology easily but enjoy watching me use them.

III. Read the following passage. Match the highlighted words with their meanings given in the box below.

The casting for the (i) protagonist of our school’s annual play was done after a lot of (ii) debate as many
good actors had auditioned for the role. We had decided to present an (iii) episode from an inspirational story. It was a life story of a group of children who worked with the (iv) community to spread literacy. Every day, we reached school early to practise with (v) concentration. We waited (vi) eagerly for the final presentation. All of us played our roles in a very (vii) convincing manner as our theatre teacher had (viii) guided us well.

Ans.

(i) protagonist → 7. main character
(ii) debate → 4. discussion
(iii) episode → 5. a part of a story
(iv) community → 3. people living in one particular area
(v) concentration → 6. focus
(vi) eagerly → 1. excitedly
(vii) convincing → 2. believable
(viii) guided → 8. directed

Check Your Understanding - I

1. Complete the cause and effect table given below based on Part I of the story. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Ans.

2. Do you think the narrator expected to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village?

Ans. No, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother in tears because she had never seen her cry even in difficult situations. She was surprised and worried to see her grandmother crying.

3. How might the narrator help her grandmother to fulfil her desire to learn to read and write?

Ans. The narrator might help her grandmother by teaching her the Kannada alphabet, helping her read and write daily, giving her practice exercises, and encouraging her regularly.

Check Your Understanding - II

1. State whether the following sentences are true or false. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

• i. The grandmother wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet to gain independence.
• ii. The grandmother asked someone in the village to read Kashi Yatre to her while the narrator was away.
• iii. The narrator was the grandmother’s first teacher and taught her how to read Kannada.
• iv. The grandmother believed that there was no age limit for learning.
• v. The grandmother touched the narrator’s feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher.
• vi. The narrator was disappointed with the progress her grandmother made in learning to read.

Ans.

• i. True
• ii. False
• iii. True
• iv. True
• v. True
• vi. False

Critical Reflection

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. When I came back to my village, I saw my grandmother in tears. I was surprised, for I had never
seen her cry even in the most difficult situations. What had happened? I was worried.

'Avva, is everything all right? Are you okay?’

I used to call her Avva, which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.

She nodded but did not reply. I did not understand and forgot about it. In the night, after dinner, we were
sleeping in the open terrace of our house. It was a summer night and there was a full moon. Avva came
and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.

(i) Complete the following sentence with the appropriate option.

The phrase ‘never seen her cry in the most difficult situations’ tells us that the grandmother was ___________.

A. strong-willed
B. understanding
C. considerate
D. bold

(ii) Complete the following with the correct option from those given in the brackets.

Grandmother did not reply when the narrator asked if she was alright because she might have been too ____________ (emotional/tired) to respond.

(iii) Identify the clue from the extract that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs.

(iv) Which lines of the extract establish a tender atmosphere?

(v) Which of the following aspect is NOT emphasised in the given extract?

A. the emotional turmoil of the grandmother
B. the affectionate bond between the narrator and her grandmother
C. the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education
D. the narrator’s concern for her grandmother

Ans. (i) A. strong-willed

(ii) Grandmother did not reply when the narrator asked if she was alright because she might have been too emotional to respond.

(iii) The clue that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs is:
“we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house. It was a summer night and there was a full moon.”

(iv) The lines that establish a tender atmosphere are:
“Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.”

(v) C. the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education

2. ‘I have decided I want to learn the Kannada alphabet from tomorrow onwards. I will work very hard. I
will keep Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as the deadline. That day I should be able to read a novel on
my own. I want to be independent.’

I saw the determination on her face. Yet I laughed at her.

‘Avva, at this age of sixty-two you want to learn the alphabet? All your hair is grey, your hands
are wrinkled, you wear spectacles and you work so much in the kitchen…’

Childishly I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled.

‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. I will work harder than
anybody but I will do it. For learning there is no age bar.’

(i) What does the grandmother’s statement, “I want to be independent,” reveal about her character?

A. She wanted to be literate.
B. She desires self-sufficiency.
C. She wants to prove her intelligence to others.
D. She feels pressured by society to learn.

(ii) Fill in the blank with the appropriate option from those given in brackets.

The grandmother’s determination shows that learning has no _______. (age limit/gender bias/cultural barriers)

(iii) Complete the following with a suitable reason.

The narrator laughs at her grandmother’s decision to learn the alphabet at the age of sixty-two because _______.

(iv) List any two qualities displayed by the grandmother.

(v) How can we say that the narrator is making assumptions about her grandmother?

Ans. (i) B. She desires self-sufficiency.

(ii) The grandmother’s determination shows that learning has no age limit.

(iii) The narrator laughs at her grandmother’s decision to learn the alphabet at the age of sixty-two because she thought that old people could not learn new things easily at that age.

(iv) Any two qualities displayed by the grandmother are:

• Determination
• Hardworking nature
• confident,
• independent,
• positive,
• dedicated

(v) We can say that the narrator is making assumptions about her grandmother because she believes that a sixty-two-year-old woman is too old to learn the alphabet just because of her age and physical appearance.

II. Answers the Following Questions

1. Why do you think the grandmother felt embarrassed to ask someone else to read to her while the narrator was away?

Ans. The grandmother felt embarrassed because she was uneducated and did not want others to know that she could not read. She also felt dependent and helpless.

2. Why does the narrator initially laugh at her grandmother’s determination to learn at the age of sixty-two?

Ans. The narrator initially laughs because she thinks that old people cannot learn new things easily at such an advanced age.

3. What significance does the story of Kashi Yatre have in both the grandmother’s life and the story?

Ans. Kashi Yatre played an important role in the grandmother’s life because she strongly connected with the story and eagerly waited to know what happened next. It also became the reason for her decision to learn reading and writing.

4. What does the grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflect about her?

Ans. It reflects her determination, self-respect, independence, and eagerness to learn despite her old age.

5. What lessons can we infer from the grandmother’s action of touching the narrator’s feet?

Ans. It teaches us that teachers deserve respect regardless of their age. It also shows the grandmother’s humility and respect for education.

6. What does the following line tell us about the broader theme of the story?

‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle.’

Ans. This line highlights that determination and hard work can help a person overcome difficulties. It also shows that there is no age limit for learning.

7. How effectively does the story highlight the value of education in supporting personal independence?

Ans. The story effectively highlights that education gives confidence, self-respect, and independence. The grandmother felt dependent because she could not read, but after learning the alphabet, she became confident and independent.

Vocabulary and Structures in Context

I. The expression ‘hide and seek’ is used in the text. This is called a binomial.

Binomials are expressions consisting of two words, usually linked by a conjunction like ‘and’ or ‘or’,
that are commonly used together in a fixed order.

For example: odds and ends, right or wrong.

Match the binomials in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. You may refer to a dictionary

Now, use any five of the above binomials in sentences of your own.

Ans.

Sentences using Binomials

1. Sink or swim – In a competition, sometimes you must sink or swim on your own.
2. On and off – It rained on and off throughout the day.
3. Mix and match – She likes to mix and match her clothes to create new styles.
4. Sooner or later – Sooner or later, hard work always brings success.
5. Leaps and bounds – Technology is developing in leaps and bounds nowadays.

II. Read the following words from the text given in the box below.

These words are made by adding suitable prefixes (‘un’, ‘ir’, and ‘in’) to give an opposite or negative meaning to the words.

Now, make words by adding the suitable prefixes given in the box to the words from the text in Column 1. Write the prefixed words in Column 2. One example has been done for you.

III. Identify any five words with prefixes from the story and make sentences using each.

Ans.

1. Unhappy – The child felt unhappy after losing his favourite toy.
2. Unfortunately – Unfortunately, we missed the bus.
3. Independent – My grandmother wanted to become independent by learning to read.
4. Irrespective – We should respect everyone irrespective of age.
5. Unusual – It was unusual to see the streets so empty.

IV. In the sentence, “I knew, then, that my student had passed with flying colours”, the phrase “passed with flying colours” is an idiom. It means outstanding performance.

Now, match the idioms related to ‘learning’ given in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. You may refer to a dictionary.

Ans.

Sentences using the Idioms

1. To hit the books – I need to hit the books before my final exams.
2. To draw a blank – I drew a blank when the teacher asked me the answer.
3. To learn the ropes – It took me a few days to learn the ropes at my new school.
4. To rack one’s brain – She racked her brain to solve the difficult puzzle.
5. To learn by heart – We had to learn the poem by heart for the competition.
6. Burn the midnight oil – The students burned the midnight oil to prepare for the board exams.

V. Read the following sentences from the text and underline the verbs.

1. Secretly, I bought Kashi Yatre which had been published as a novel by that time.
2. I knew, then, that my student had passed with flying colours.

In sentence 1, verb ‘bought’ is in simple past tense.
In sentence 2, verb ‘had passed’ is in past perfect tense.

We use past perfect tense to indicate two completed actions — one occurring earlier (later past) and the other more recently (recent past). The more recent action is expressed in the simple past, while the earlier action takes the past perfect tense.

Examples

• By the time I reached the party, everyone had finished eating.
• When she returned home, her brother had finished the project.

(i) Fill in the blanks with simple past and past perfect tense form of the verbs given in brackets.

A. When the delegates (arrive) at the conference, the keynote speaker (already begin) the session.

B. After the students (learn) how to identify fake news online, they (start) verifying information before sharing it.

C. Before Kiran (start) using digital payment platforms, she (ensure) her understanding of online fraud prevention.

D. By the time Varun (recognise) the importance of budgeting, he (exhaust) most of his savings.

E. When Raghu (log in) to the cybersecurity webinar, the instructor (already discuss) the importance of strong passwords.

Ans. A. When the delegates arrived at the conference, the keynote speaker had already begun the session.

B. After the students had learned how to identify fake news online, they started verifying information before sharing it.

C. Before Kiran started using digital payment platforms, she had ensured her understanding of online fraud prevention.

D. By the time Varun recognised the importance of budgeting, he had exhausted most of his savings.

E. When Raghu logged in to the cybersecurity webinar, the instructor had already discussed the importance of strong passwords.

(ii) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in brackets.

Last year, my parents and I A. (take) a financial planning course. When we B. (review) our expenses, we realised we C. (spend) too much on unnecessary purchases. After my parents D. (discuss) ways to save, I E. (open) a savings account.

By the time we F. (set) our budget, the course G. (already introduce) investment strategies. We H. (hurry) to take notes, but many participants I. (complete) their financial plans. Despite that, we J. (enjoy) learning how to manage money wisely.

Ans. Last year, my parents and I A. took a financial planning course. When we B. reviewed our expenses, we realised we C. had spent too much on unnecessary purchases. After my parents D. had discussed ways to save, I E. opened a savings account.

By the time we F. set our budget, the course G. had already introduced investment strategies. We H. hurried to take notes, but many participants I. had completed their financial plans. Despite that, we J. enjoyed learning how to manage money wisely.

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