NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

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Q. Have you ever helped your grandparent learn anything new about technology? List your experiences about the following :

Task	Your feelings/ experiences	Qualities grandparent displayed
Teaching them how to use a smartphone.
Teaching them how to log in for virtual get-togethers.
Teaching them how to access online newspapers.
Teaching them how to browse internet to watch a show.

Ans: Do it yourself.

Q. Have you ever been on a trip to any place in India, where you did not know the language spoken locally? How did you feel? How did you manage to communicate?

Ans: Do it yourself.

Q. Note: Read the fiction, How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, given in the book.
A. Now that you have enjoyed reading the story, answer the following questions by choosing the correct option.
(i) The grandmother could relate to the central character of the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ as___________

(a) both were old and uneducated.
(b) both had granddaughters who read to them.
(c) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi.
(d) both were determined to learn how to read.

Ans: (c) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi.

(ii) Why did the women at the temple discuss the latest episode of ‘Kashi Yatre’?

(a) to pass their time.
(b) the writer, Triveni was very popular.
(c) they could relate with the protagonist of ‘Kashi Yatre’.
(d) women have a habit of discussing stories.

Ans: (c) they could relate with the protagonist of ‘Kashi Yatre’.

(iii) The granddaughter found her grandmother in tears on her return as _________.

(a) the grandmother had been unable to read the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ on her own.
(b) the grandmother had felt lonely.
(c) the grandmother wanted to accompany her granddaughter.
(d) she was sad she could not visit Kashi.

Ans: (a) the grandmother had been unable to read the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ on her own.

(iv) Why did the grandmother touch her grand-daughter’s feet?

(a) She did it as a mark of respect for her teacher.
(b) It was a custom in their family.
(c) Girls should be respected.
(d) She had read the story of ‘Kashi Yatre’ to her.

Ans: (a) She did it as a mark of respect for her teacher.

(v) “Childishly I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled.” The smile of the grandmother explains that she understood that her granddaughter

(a) was determined to teach her.
(b) might be too immature to understand her pain.
(c) would ridicule her later.
(d) could be contemplating.

Ans: (b) might be too immature to understand her pain.

(vi) “Those days, the transport system was not very good, so we used to get the morning papers only in the afternoon.” What can you infer from this?

(a) The transport system, especially the bus service, was running at loss.
(b) The transport system, especially the bus service, was not fully functional in rural areas.
(c) The transport system, had stopped services in villages.
(d) The transport system failed to introduce the bus service in rural areas.

Ans: (b) The transport system, especially the bus service, was not fully functional in rural areas.

B. Answer the questions based on the extracts by selecting the correct options.
1. Many times, I rubbed my hands over the pages wishing to understand what was written. But I knew it was not possible. If only I was educated enough …. I waited eagerly for you to return. I felt you would come early and read for me. I could have asked somebody in this village but I was too embarrassed to do so. I felt so very dependent and helpless. We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent?

(i) What made the grandmother feel inadequate?

(a) She was unable to read the story.
(b) She was unable to stay attentive.
(c) She was unable to buy the magazine.
(d) She was unable to understand the story.

Ans: (a) She was unable to read the story.

(ii) Select the relevant option that best supports the context of the given extract:

1. Grandmother was elated to get the magazine.
2. Grandmother was embarrassed to ask for help.
3. Grandmother eagerly waited for her granddaughter’s arrival.
4. Grandmother loved gazing at the pictures from the story.

(a) Only 1 and 2
(b) Only 2 and 3
(c) Only 3 and 4
(d) Only 1 and 4

Ans: (b) Only 2 and 3

(iii) Select the option that tracks the progression of emotions experienced by the grandmother in the given extract.

(a) reassured – inquisitive – thankful – uncertain
(b) surprised – grateful – perplexed – excited
(c) yearning – uncertain – dejected – helpless
(d) perplexed – uncertain – panic-stricken – appreciative

Ans: (c) yearning - uncertain - dejected - helpless

2. She said, “I am touching the feet of a teacher, not my granddaughter; a teacher who taught me so well, with so much of affection that I can read any novel confidently in such a short period. Now I am independent. It is my duty to respect a teacher. Is it not written in our scriptures that a teacher should be respected, irrespective of the gender and age”? I did return namaskara to her by touching her feet and gave my gift to my first student. She opened it and read the title Kashi Yatre by Triveni and the publisher’s name immediately. I knew, then, that my student had passed with flying colours.

(i) Choose the option that lists the most likely response to “…I am touching the feet of a teacher”.

(a) feel shy
(b) get anxious
(c) feel overwhelmed
(d) get upset

Ans: (c) feel overwhelmed

(ii) “A teacher should be respected irrespective of gender and age.” Select the quote that suggests a reason for this sentiment.

(a) Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education.
(b) A teacher aims to give equal attention to all the students.
(c) A teacher elevates the mind and gives energy to the character.
(d) Teaching is a profession that teaches all other professions.

Ans: (a) Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education.

(iii) Select the sentence that best brings out the meaning of ‘confidently’ as used in the extract.

(a) Some of the information was confidently misleading.
(b) The report asserts confidently that the world economy will boost from the market collapse.
(c) The present memoir is confidently a tribute to his ability and character.
(d) The pandemic has confidently brought down the market.

Ans: (b) The report asserts confidently that the world economy will boost from the market collapse.

(iv) Which of the given option stands closest in meaning to “flying colours”?

(a) risky
(b) courageous
(c) profitable
(d) successful

Ans: (d) successful

Q. Answer the following questions briefly :

(a) Why did the grandmother depend on her granddaughter to know the story?

Ans: Grandmother did not know how to read and so she depended on her granddaughter to read the next part for her, every week.

(b) Pick out two sentences showing that the grandmother was desperate to know what happened next in the story.

Ans: She would forget all her work and listen with the greatest concentration. I waited eagerly for you to return.

(c) Could the grandmother succeed in accomplishing her desire to read? How?

Ans: Yes, grandmother succeeded in accomplishing her desire to read. She did this with her strong will and dedication. She worked hard and achieved her goal.

(d) Which of the following traits are relevant to the character of the narrator’s grandmother?

(i) determined
(ii) selfish
(iii) emotional
(iv) mean

Ans: (i) determined

Grandmother decides to learn and to read. She works hard towards achieving her goal and becomes successful in her attempt. This shows that she was determined.

Give reasons for your choice:

(e) “Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” How does this apply to the grandmother after she had finished reading Kashi Yatre? Explain with a reason.

Ans: The grandmother was psychologically anxious about reading ‘Kashi Yatre’ that appeared weekly. Each week there was a new episode and being unable to read she had to be dependent on her granddaughter to read out. Her absence would make her anxious. She didn't want to be dependent on anyone and strived to learn reading. After reading the entire story, it would bring grandmother a feeling of achievement and comfort.

(f) ‘Kashi Yatre,’ was the catalyst in the transformation of the grandmother. Support with an example.

Ans: The grandmother strongly related herself to the central character of the story Kashi Yatre which appeared in a series in the weekly magazine
Karamveera. It was the story of an old lady who desired to go to Kashi to worship Lord Vishweshwara and there was also a young orphan girl who could not marry because she had no money for the wedding. In the end, the old lady gives away all her savings to the girl without going to Kashi as she considered the happiness of the orphan girl more important than even worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi. The grandmother identified herself with the novel’s protagonist, who never went to school and her ardent desire was to go to Kashi which was believed to be the ultimate punya. The narrator would read to her grandmother each week and the narrator's absence yearned in her the desire to be able to read. This ambition towards the desire to be able to read Kashi Yatre brought transformation to the grandmother's life.

(g) What message does the story, “How I Taught My Grandmother” hold for the present generation and the elders?

Ans: The text "How I Taught My Grandmother" delivers a message that we need to be compassionate, kind, respectful and loving. There is no specific age to learn anything and we can learn from anyone irrespective of their gender and age. The text also highlights the importance of education and how education brings independence along with it and how determination, hard work and the desire to achieve a dream can move mountains and lead a person to success just like the author's grandmother educated herself at the age of sixty-two.

(h) Grandmother comes across a post online: ‘Don’t let age be a concern. Live your dream!’ As grandmother, write a short paragraph expressing
your heartfelt emotion on your achievement.

Ans: I belong to times when education for girls was not considered essential. My mother died when I was still a child and I got married off early. I belong to a well-off family but what is the use of money without education. Recently I have learned to read the Kannada alphabet. My granddaughter presented me with the magazine in which ‘Kashi Yatre’ was published. I got so interested in the novel that I used to wait for the next episode so that my granddaughter would read that to me. But once in her absence, I could not read it. I felt anxious, helpless and void. This fanned my desire to learn. There and then I decided to read and I am independent now at the age of 62. I feel if one has sheer determination and dedication they can even move mountains at any age.

Q. Here are some direct quotations from the story. Identify the speaker and write what each quotation suggests about the speaker. You can use the adjectives given in the box and may also add your own.

amiable, tender, gentle, sympathetic, understanding, determined, diligent, kind, concerned, systematic, wise, helpful, enthusiastic, selfish, cruel, humble, religious, prudent, grateful, respectful

Speaker	Quotation	Quality Highlighted
A.	'Avva, is everything all right? Are you O.K.?
B.	'At times, I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well.'
C.	'Avva, don't cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in anyway?'
D.	'We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent.'
E.	'I will keep Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline.'
F.	'For a good cause if you are determined you can overcome any obstacle.'
G.	I am touching the feet of a teacher not my granddaughter.

Ans:

Speaker	Quotation	Quality Highlighted
A. The author	'Avva, is everything all right? Are you O.K.?	concerned
B. Grandmother	'At times, I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well.'	determined, concerned, diligent
C. The author	'Avva, don't cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in anyway?'	consoling, concerned
D. The grandmother	'We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent.'	helplessness, wise
E. The grandmother	'I will keep Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline.'	determined
F. The grandmother	'For a good cause if you are determined you can overcome any obstacle.'	enthusiastic, encouraging
G. The grandmother	I am touching the feet of a teacher not my granddaughter.	humble

Listening Task:

Q. The teacher will read out the story of a young girl about a special day.
(i) Based on your listening of the story complete the boxes given below

Ans: (a) they decorated the hall

(b) sang songs for them

(d) talked to them

(ii) List any three feelings of the old people as expressed in this story.
(a) ______________________________________
(b) ______________________________________
(c) ______________________________________

Ans: (a) loneliness
(b) excitement
(c) insecurity

(iii) Complete the following:
(a) We can make our grandparents happy by _____________________.
(b) We can avoid constructing more and more Old Age Homes by________________________.

Ans: (a) We can make our grandparents happy by spending time with them.
(b) We can avoid constructing more and more Old Age Homes by arranging for our elders to live a happy life with us.

Writing Task:

Q. Imagine you are the grandmother. How would you feel if your granddaughter gave you the novel ‘Kashi Yatre’? Write your feelings in your diary.

Ans: To make your diary entry interesting, read the following information about what is a diary entry. A diary entry is a purely personal piece of writing. The writer expresses his/her thoughts and feelings. Reactions to incidents are generally poured out in a diary. Hence, expressions that are emotionally charged are used. For example: When you are happy about something, you could start like this:

Ans: 8th July, 20XX, Wednesday 8:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
Oh! I can’t thank Sudha enough! How thoughtful of her to gift me ‘Kashi Yatre’! I am thrilled to finally own a copy of this novel by Triveni and especially now that I am able to read. It will be such a pleasure now reading the story on my own at my own free will. Neither will I have to wait for Wednesdays any more and nor will I have to be dependent upon Sudha. Thank you Sudha---for the novel and also for the gift of the ‘ability to read’.

Q. Read the story about Swami and his grandmother from the book. After reading the excerpt, change it into a conversation between Swami and his Grandmother.

Ans: Do it yourself.

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