NCERT English Class 9 Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Literature Reader

How I Taught My Grandmother To Read – Class 9 English | Literature Reader Chapter 1 Explanation

Page No 6:

Question 4(a):

The grandmother could relate to the central character of the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ as __________.
(i) both were old and uneducated
(ii) both had granddaughters who read to them
(iii) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi
(iv) both were determined to learn to read

Answer:

(iii) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi

Page No 7:

Question 4(b):

Why did the women at the temple discuss the latest episode of ‘Kashi Yatre’?
(i) to pass their time
(ii) the writer, Triveni, was very popular
(iii) they could relate with the protagonist of the serial
(iv) women have a habit of discussing serials

Answer:

(ii) the writer, Triveni, was very popular

Question 4(c):

The granddaughter found her grandmother in tears on her return as__________.
(i) the grandmother had been unable to read the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ on her own
(ii) the grandmother had felt lonely
(iii) the grandmother wanted to accompany her granddaughter
(iv) she was sad she could not visit Kashi

Answer:

(i) the grandmother had been unable to read the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ on her own

Question 4(d):

Why did the grandmother touch her granddaughter’s feet?
(i) As a mark of respect to her teacher
(ii) It was a custom in their family
(iii) Girls should be respected
(iv) She had read the story of ‘Kashi Yatre’ to her

Answer:

(i) As a mark of respect to her teacher

Question 5(a):

What made Triveni a popular writer?

Answer:

Triveni (1928 − 1963), originally Anasuya Shankar, was a popular Kannada writer. She was known for the subjects she chose to write on, her writing style or narrative, easy to understand, made her popular among masses. Her writings targeted complex psychological problems faced by ordinary people. An author of distinction, she was loved and fondly read by people even forty years after her death.

Question 5(b):

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

Answer:

Avva could not read or write. Therefore, every Wednesday the granddaughter used to read out the next episode of Kashi Yatre to her, which used to appear in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera. Avva never went to school because in her time people didn’t consider education essential for girls. Also, she got married at an early age and got occupied by responsibilities. However, she always regretted never going to school.

Question 5(c):

Pick out two sentences which state that the grandmother was desperate to know what happened in the story.

Answer:

Two sentences in the story that show the desperation of the grandmother to know what happened in Kashi Yatre are given below.
1. “Every Wednesday, the magazine would come and I would read the next episode of this story to her. During that time, she would forget all her work and listen with the greatest concentration.”
2. “Later, she could repeat the entire text by heart. My grandmother too never went to Kashi, and she identified herself with the novel’s protagonist. So more than anybody else she was the one most interested in knowing what happened next in the story and used to insist that I read the serial out to her.”

Question 5(d):

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

Answer:

The grandmother was resolute to learn to read and write and asked her granddaughter to teach her Kannada alphabet. She wanted to be independent, to be able to read a novel on her own and decided the Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline for this. She was a keen student and regular with her homework. Even the little child was astonished to see the doggedness in her grandmother. Finally, on the day of Saraswati Pooja she got the novel Kashi Yatre as a prize from her granddaughter, for accomplishing her mission, and she thanked her little teacher by touching her feet as she was gratified.

Question 5(e):

Which of the following traits would be relevant to the character of the narrator’s grandmother?
(i) determined
(ii) selfish
(iii) emotional
(iv) mean
Give reasons for your choice.

Answer:

(i) determined
Give reasons for your choice.
The grandmother was indomitable and sincere to learn the Kannada alphabet. She set Saraswati Pooja as the deadline to accomplish her resolution. “Avva was a wonderful student” as the narrator tells in the story. She not just used to do her homework with all her sincerity but even used to read, repeat, write and recite. She was determined to be independent and wanted to be literate. She always regretted not being educated and thus with the help of her granddaughter she learnt to read and write Kannada alphabet and even received the novel Kashi Yatre as a reward from her granddaughter.

Page No 8:

Question 6:

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

	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.’

Answer:

	Speaker	Quotation	Quality Highlighted
a	Granddaughter	‘Avva, is everything all right?Are you O.K.?’	Sympathetic
b	Avva (Grandmother)	‘At times, I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well.’	Wise, determined
c	Granddaughter	‘Avva, don’t cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in anyway?’	Concerned and helpful
d	Avva (Grandmother)	‘We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent.’	Determined
e	Avva (Grandmother)	‘I will keep Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline.’	Religious
f	Avva (Grandmother)	‘For a good cause if you are determined you can overcome any obstacle.’	Prudent and determined
g	Avva (Grandmother)	I am touching the feet of a teacher not my granddaughter.’	Humble

Page No 10:

Question 9:

You are the grandmother. How did you feel when your grandaughter gave you the novel ‘Kashi Yatre’? Write your feelings in your diary.

Answer:

Any answer supported with an argument or explanation would solve the purpose. However, a sample solution has been provided for students’ reference.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the solution on their own.
09th Nov’11 Today, I am very elated by my present situation. It is a turning point in my life. I have, at last, learnt the Kannada alphabet. My joy knows no bounds. I am overwhelmed by the unexpected action of my granddaughter. I was choked with emotions when she gifted me a copy of Kashi Yatre-something I always wanted to read on my own. What touches me deeply is not the gift but her love for me. I will never be able to return the favour offered by my teacher who showed immense patience and maturity and helped bring about this new day in my life when I can enjoy reading a book on my own.

Question 10:

Here is a story about Swami and his grandmother. After reading the excerpt, change it into a conversation between Swami and his Grandmother.
After the night meal with his head on his granny’s lap, nestling close to her, Swaminathan felt very snug and safe in the faint atmosphere of cardamom and cloves.
‘Oh, Granny!’ he cried ecstatically. ‘You don’t know what a great fellow Rajam is.’ He told her the story of the first enmity between Rajam and Mani and the subsequent friendship.
‘You know, he has a real police dress,’ said Swaminathan.
‘Is it? What does he want a police dress for?’ asked Granny.
‘His father is the Police Superintendent. He is the master of every policeman here.’
Granny was impressed. She said that it must be a tremendous office indeed. She then recounted the days when her husband, Swaminathan’s grandfather, was a powerful sub-magistrate, in which office he made the police force tremble before him and the fiercest dacoits of the place flee. Swaminathan waited impatiently for her to finish the story. But she went on, rambled, confused, mixed up various incidents that took place at different times. ‘That will do, Granny,’ he saidungraciously. ‘Let me tell you something about Rajam. Do you know how many marks he gets in arithmetic?’
‘He gets all the marks, does he, child?’ asked Granny.
‘No silly. He gets ninety marks out of one hundred.’
‘Good. But you must also try and get marks like him. You know, Swami, your grandfather used to frighten the examiners with his answers sometimes. When he answered a question, he did it in a tenth of the time that others took to do it. And then, his answers would be so powerful that his teachers would give him two hundred marks sometimes.
‘Oh, enough, Granny! You go on bothering about old unnecessary stories. Won’t you listen to Rajam?’
‘Yes, dear, yes.’
‘Granny, when Rajam was a small boy, he killed a tiger.’
Swaminathan started the story enthusiastically: Rajam’s father was camping in a forest. He had his son with him. Two tigers came upon them suddenly, one knocking down the father from behind. The other began chasing Rajam, who took shelter behind a bush and shot it dead with his gun.
‘Granny, are you asleep?’ Swaminathan asked at the end of the story.
Now read the dialogue and complete the conversation

Swami:	You don’t know what a great fellow Rajam is! In the beginning I could not get along with him but now he is my good friend. And you know, he has a real police dress.
Grandmother:	Is it? What does he want a police dress for?
Swami:	His father is the Police Superintendent. He is the master of every policeman here.
Grandmother:	I think, it must be a tremendous office. Do you know, yourgrandfather was a powerful sub-magistrate and the Police Force trembled before him? Even the fiercest dacoits of the place fled.
Swami:	That will do, Granny. It’s so boring. Let me tell you something about Rajam. Do you know how many marks he gets in arithmetic?
Grandmother:	He gets all the marks doesn’t he, child?

Answer:

A model answer has been provided for students’ reference.

It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.

Swami: No silly. He gets ninety marks out of one hundred.
Grandmother: Good. But you must also try and get marks like him. You know, Swami, your grandfather used to frighten the examiners with his answers sometimes. When he answered a question, he did it in a tenth of the time that others took to do it. And then, his answers would be so powerful that his teachers would give him two hundred marks sometimes.
Swami: Oh, enough, Granny! You go on bothering about old unnecessary stories. Won’t you listen to Rajam?
Grandmother: Yes dear yes.
Swami: Granny, when Rajam was a small boy, he killed a tiger.
Rajam’s father was camping in a forest. He had his son with him. Two tigers came upon them suddenly, one knocking down the father from behind. The other began chasing Rajam, who took shelter behind a bush and shot it dead with his gun.
Granny, are you asleep?

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