Gujarat Board GSEB Class 9 English Textbook Solutions Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.
Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top
GSEB Class 9 English Reach for the Top Text Book Questions and Answers
Part I: Santosh Yadav
Thinking about the Text
I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each : (The paragraph numbers within brackets provide clues to the answers.)
Question 1.
Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised ? (1)
Answer:
The ‘holy man’ was surprised because he had assumed that Santosh’s mother wanted a son. But her grandmother told him that they did not want a son.
Question 2.
Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. (2)
Answer:
Santosh, from the very beginning, lived life on her own terms. She was not content with the traditional way of life and was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
Question 3.
Why was Santosh sent to the local school ? (3)
Answer:
Even though Santosh’s parents could afford to send their children to the best schools, she was sent to the local village school due to the’ prevailing custom in the family.
Question 4.
When did Santosh leave home for Delhi and why ?
Answer:
When she turned sixteen and was under pressure to get married, Santosh threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. Therefore, she left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
Question 5.
hy did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi ? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident ? (4)
Answer:
When Santosh’s parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part time to pay her school fees. Then, her parents agreed to pay for her schooling in Delhi. This shows that Santosh was a mentally-strong girl and was determined to work very hard to get herself properly educated.
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words):
Question 1.
How did Santosh begin to climb mountains ?
Answer:
From her room in Kasturba Hostel, she watched people going up the Aravalli Hills and vanishing after a while. On investigating, she found nobody except a few mountaineers, and she asked if she could join them. They agreed and even motivated her to take to climbing and so she later accompanied them on their climbing expedition. This was how she began climbing mountains.
Question 2.
What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates ?
Answer:
During the Everest mission, Santosh showed immense concern for her fellow climbers. Though she was unsuccessful in saving the life of one of them, she did manage to save another climber by sharing her oxygen with him.
Question 3.
What shows Santosh’s concern for the environment ?
Answer:
Santosh was a fervent environmentalist. Her concern for the environment is evident from the fact that she collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.
Question 4.
How does Santosh describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest ?
Answer:
Santosh asserted that her feeling at the summit of the Everest was ‘indescribable’. Unfurling the Indian flag on the top of the world was a spiritual moment for her and she felt proud as an Indian.
Question 5.
Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt. Everest. What were the reasons for this ?
Answer:
When Santosh Yadav first scaled Mt. Everest, she became the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat. When she scaled the Everest the second time, she became the only woman to have scaled it twice.
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.
Answer:
(1) From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch villagers going up the hill and suddenly vanish after a while.
(2) When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because
she had got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without his permission.
(3) During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength while her concern for others and desire to work together with them 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 (1) : ………………….
(2) based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2) : …………………
(3) the usual way of doing things (3) : ………………….
(4) a strong desire arising from within (5) : ……………
(5) the power to endure, without falling ill (7) : …………………
Answer:
(1) took to be true without proof
(1) : Assumed
(2) based on reason; sensible; reasonable
(2) : Rational
(3) the usual way of doing things
(3) : Custom
(4) a strong desire arising from within
(5) : Urge
(5) the power to endure, without falling ill
(7) : Resistance
Part II: Maria Sharapova
Thinking about the Text
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 | Maria Sharapova |
| 1.Their humble beginning
2. Their parents’ approach 3. Their willpower and strong desire to succeed 4. Evidence of their mental toughness 5. Their patriotism |
Answer:
Santosh Yadav:
1. There humble beginning : She was born in the small village of Joniyawas of Rewari District in Haryana.
2. Their parents’ approach : In line with the prevailing custom in the family, Santosh had to make do with the local village school.
‘At sixteen, most of the girls in her village used to get married. Santosh was also under pressure from her parents to do the same.’
‘her parents refused to pay for her education.’
‘her father slowly getting used to her urge.’
3. Their willpower and strong desire to succeed: ‘Wishing always to study a bit more’
‘her urge for more education’
‘She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.’
‘She saved money and enrolled in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering’.
‘headed straight for the training.’
4. Evidence of their mental toughness : ‘She began living life on her own from the start.’ ‘From the very beginning I was determined that if I chose a correct rational path, the others around me had to change, not me.’ ‘She politely informed them of her plan to earn money by working part time to pay school fees.’ ‘Santosh went on an expedition every year.’ ‘an amazing mental toughness.’ ‘mental strength impressed her seniors.’
5. Their patriotism : ‘Then I unfurled the Indian tricolor held it aloft on the roof of the world feeling is indescribable. The Indian flag flying on top of the world. It was truly a spiritual moment. I felt proud as an Indian.”
Maria Sharapova:
1. Their humble beginning :‘The Siberian born teenager.’
2. Their parents’ approach : ‘She was packed off to train in the United States.’
‘Trip of Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom.’
‘My father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis-training going.’
3. Their willpower and strong desire to succeed: ‘Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.’
Unwavering desire to succeed and readiness to sacrifice.
‘I work hard at what I do.’
‘The most important thing is to become number one in the world. That is the dream that kept me going.’
4. Evidence of their mental toughness : ‘I learnt how to take care of myself. I never thought of quitting because I knew what I wanted.’
‘I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than to steadfastly pursue my dream.’
5. Their patriotism : “I’m Russian. It’s true that the U.S. is a big part of my life. But I have Russian citizenship. My blood is totally Russian. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me.”
Thinking about Language
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.
- I reached the market when most of the shops had closed. (Tells us when I reached.)
- When Rahul Dravid walked back towards the pavilion, everyone stood up. (Tells us when everyone stood up.)
- The telephone rang and Ganga picked it up. (Tells us what happened next.)
- 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:
Question 1.
Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. (Contrasts her dress with that of others.)
Answer:
Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
Question 2.
She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first action.)
Answer:
Santosh left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
Question 3.
She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to fight the system.)
Answer:
Santosh decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived.
Question 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 U.S.)
Answer:
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.
(2) What do you do after you finish the book ? Perhaps you just throw it away.
(3) He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.
(4) You have nothing. That makes you very determined.
(5) I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.
Answer:
(1) Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.
(2) After finishing the book, perhaps you just throw it away.
(4) Having nothing makes you very determined.
(3) He gave the little girl an apple and took the computer apart.
(5) I never thought of quitting as I knew what I wanted.
Writing
Question 1.
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
The roll of honour of women who enjoyed life at the summit since everybody’s favourite player, Chris Evert, took her place in 1975.
| Name | Ranked on | Weeks as No. 1 |
| Maria Sharapova (Russia) | 22 August, 2005 | 1 |
| Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) | October, 2004 | 82 |
| Amelie Mauresmo (France) | 13 September, 2004 | 5 |
| Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) | 20 October, 2003 | 45 |
| Kim Clijsters (Belgium) | 11 August, 2003 | 12 |
| Serena Williams (U.S.) | 8 July, 2002 | 57 |
| Venus Williams (U.S.) | 25 February, 2002 | 11 |
| Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) | 15 October, 2001 | 17 |
| Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) | 12 October, 1998 | 82 |
| Martina Hingis (Switzerland) | 31 March, 1997 | 209 |
| Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spain) | 6 February, 1995 | 12 |
| Monica Seles (U.S.) | 11 March, 1991 | 178 |
| Steffi Graf (Germany) | 17 August, 1987 | 377 |
| Tracy Austin (U.S.) | 7 April, 1980 | 22 |
| Martina Navratilova (U.S.) | 10 July, 1978 | 331 |
| Chris Evert (U.S.) | 3 November, 1975 | 362 |
Answer:
Top Women Players Over The Years
Women’s tennis has seen many legends since Chris Evert of the U.S., who bagged the top position in 1975 and maintained it for 362 weeks. From 1978-97, Martina Navratilova (U.S.), Steffi Graf (Germany), Monica Seles (U.S.) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland) were some other mentally tough and determined girls who retained their top ranks for 331, 377, 178 and 209 weeks respectively. The confidence they had in their capabilities and the urge to excel in life helped them to lead in their career.
Sharing these traits of personality were women like Tracy Austin (U.S.), Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) twice top-ranked woman player Jennifer Capriati (U.S.), Venus Williams (U.S.), Serena Williams (U.S.), Kim Clijsters (Belgium), Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium), Amelie Mauresmo (France) and Maria Sharapova (Russia), who topped the women’s tennis from the year 1980 to 2005.
Though the period for which these players retained their positions were not equivalent to the likes of Chris Evert or Steffi Graf, yet they too have showcased their competitiveness in a sport like tennis.
Question 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:
Words describing Santosh : determined, polite, adventurous, considerate, independent, persevering
(1) Determined:
When her parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part time to pay for her school fees.
(2) Polite:
(i) She politely informed her parents to earn money on her own to pay the school fees.
(ii)Just four years after she had shyly asked the Aravalli mountaineers if she could join them.
(3) Adventurous:
Santosh went on an expedition everywhere.
(4) Considerate:
(i) Santosh had to make do with the local village school.
(ii) Santosh decided to fight the system in her own way when the right moment arrived.
(5) Independent:
Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father without whose permission she got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi.
(6) Persevering :
(i) Santosh developed a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude.
(ii) Equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness, she proved herself repeatedly.
GSEB Class 9 English Reach for the Top Additional Important Questions and Answers
Part I: Santosh Yadav
Reading Comprehension
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
The only woman in the world who, has scaled Mt. Everest twice was born in a society where the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing, and a daughter, though not considered a curse, was not generally welcome. When her mother was expecting Santosh, a travelling ‘holy man’, giving her his blessing, assumed that she wanted a son.
But, to everyone’s surprise, the unborn child’s grandmother, who was standing close by, told him that they did not want a son. The ‘holy man’ was also surprised ! Nevertheless, he gave the requested blessing ………….. and as destiny would have it, the blessing seemed to work. Santosh was born the sixth child in a family with five sons, a sister to five brothers. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas of Rewari District in Haryana.
Questions:
1. What is the unique achievement of Santosh Yadav ?
A. She was born in an orthodox society.
B. She scaled Mt. Everest twice.
C. She was an unwanted child.
D. None of these three
Answer:
B. She scaled Mt. Everest twice.
2. ………………. was generally not welcomed in the society in which Santosh was born.
A. Inter-caste marriage
B. Holy man’s blessings
C. Girl child’s birth
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
C. Girl child’s birth
3. ……………… did not want son for Santosh’s mother.
A. Santosh’s father
B. Santosh’s mother
C. Santosh’s grandfather
D. Santosh’s grandmother
Answer:
D. Santosh’s grandmother
4. Santosh was a sister of …………….. brothers.
A. one
B. three
C. five
D. four
Answer:
C. five
Question 2.
Thereafter, Santosh went on an expedition every year. Her climbing skills matured rapidly. Also, she developed a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude. Equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness, she proved herself repeatedly. The culmination of her hard work and sincerity came in 1992, just four years after she had shyly asked the Aravalli mountaineers if she could join them.
At barely twenty years of age, Santosh Yadav scaled Mt. Everest, becoming the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat. If her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength impressed her seniors, her concern for others and desire to work together with them found her a special place in the hearts of fellow climbers.
Questions:
1. …………….. includes Santosh’s climbing skills.
A. Resistance to cold
B. Resistance to the altitude
C. Resistance to physical endurance
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
2. The qualities that Santosh was equipped with were ……………..
A. iron will.
B. physical endurance.
C. amazing mental toughness.
D. All of these three
Answer:
D. All of these three
3. Santosh learnt her initial mountaneering lessons climbing ……………………
A. Aravalli mountains.
Himalayan range of mountains.
C.Vindhya mountain range.
D. Satpuda mountain range.
Answer:
A. Aravalli mountains.
4. ………………. qualities of Santosh won the hearts of her fellow climbers.
A. Her concern for others
B. Her desire to work together
C. Her amiable nature
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Question 3.
Within twelve months, Santosh found herself a member of an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition that invited her to join them. She then scaled the Everest a second time, thus setting a record as the only woman to have scaled the Everest twice, and securing for herself and India a unique place in the annals of mountaineering. In recognition of her achievements, the Indian government bestowed upon her one of the nation’s top honours, the Padmashri.
Describing her feelings when she was literally ‘on top of the world’, Santosh has said, “It took some time for the enormity of the moment to sink in… Then I unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it aloft on the roof of the world. The feeling is indescribable. The Indian flag was flying on top of the world. It was truly a spiritual moment. I felt proud as an Indian.”
Questions:
1. …………………. of her first scaling of Mt. Everest, Santosh could manage to scale Mt. Everest the second time.
A. After twelve months
B. Within twelve months
C. Before a period of one year
D. Both ‘B’ and ‘C’
Answer:
D. Both ‘B’ and ‘C’
2. The meaning of ‘annals’ here is ……………..
A. ‘a periodical journal’.
B. ‘happening every year’.
C. ‘happening recurrently’.
D. All of these three
Answer:
A. ‘a periodical journal’.
3. The phrase ‘bestow upon’ is ………………
A. ‘bless with’.
B. ‘assigned’.
C. ‘give something as an honour or present’.
D. All of these three
Answer:
C. ‘give something as an honour or present’.
4. What is termed as ‘a spiritual moment’ by Santosh ?
A. The time when Santosh had the idea of becoming a mountaineer.
B. The moment when she unfurled the tricolour on the Mt. Everest.
C. The moment when she reached the Mt. Everest the second time.
D. The moment when she was given away the Padmashri.
Answer:
B. The moment when she unfurled the tricolour on the Mt. Everest.
Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
Does Santosh have the attribute as her name suggested ?
Answer:
‘Santosh’ means ‘contentment’ but Santosh is not always content with her place in a traditional way of life.
Question 2.
Brief the financial status of Santosh’s parents.
Answer:
Santosh’s parents were rich landowners who could afford to send their children to the best schools, even to the country’s capital, Delhi.
Question 3.
When did the ‘right moment’ came into Santosh’s life ?
Answer:
The right moment came in Santosh’s life when she was sixteen. Santosh was under pressure to get married at sixteen according to the prevailing custom. But Santosh threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education.
Question 4.
What top honours did Santosh get for her achievements ?
Answer:
In recognition of her achievements, Santosh was bestowed one of the nation’s top honours, the Padmashri by the Indian Government.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
Where did Santosh take a professional training of mountaineering ? How did she manage to do it ?
Answer:
Santosh saved money and enrolled in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Her college semester in Jaipur was to end in April but it ended on the nineteenth of May. And she had to join the training institute from the twenty-first of May, therefore she could not find enough time to go back home, take permission of her parents and come back. She went straight to the institute and wrote a letter of apology to her father for not taking his permission.
Question 2.
What qualities did Santosh cultivate for her climbing skills to mature ?
Answer:
Santosh developed a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude. She proved herself repeatedly becoming equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness. She went on improving her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength. These qualities impressed her seniors.
Question 3.
Santosh had a sympathetic heart. Illustrate.
Answer:
During the 1992 Everest mission, Santosh Yadav provided special care to a climber who lay dying at the South Col. Unfortunately she could not save him. On another occasion, she managed to save a climber, Mohan Singh, by sharing her oxygen with him. If she had not helped him that time, he would have died.
Part II: Maria Sharapova
Reading Comprehension
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure; Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena. The latter was compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions. The nine-year-old girl had already learnt an important lesson in life – that tennis excellence would only come at a price.
“I used to be so lonely,” Maria Sharapova recalls. “I missed my mother terribly. My father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis-training going. So, he couldn’t see me either.
Questions:
1. Before Maria entered into her tenth year she went to Florida from ……………… .
A. America
B. Russia
C. Netherlands
D.West Indies
Answer:
B. Russia
2. What was one of the sacrifices that Maria made for her career ?
A. She sacrificed her childhood.
B. She was separated from her mother Yelena for two years.
C. She could not make good friends.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
3. She had to stay back in Siberia for two long years as ……………….
A. She could not get visa.
B. She had to take care of her ill mother.
C. No tennis association invited her to play.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘C’
Answer:
A. She could not get visa.
4. Maria’s father could not see her so often as …………..
A. he had to stay back in Siberia.
B. he had to spend most of his time taking care of her mother.
C. he had to keep working to keep her tennis-training going.
D. Maria kept too busy with her training.
Answer:
C. he had to keep working to keep her tennis-training going.
Question 2.
While her journey from the frozen plains of Siberia to the summit of women’s tennis has touched the hearts of tennis fans, for the youngster herself there appears to be no room for sentiment. The straight looks and the answers she gives when asked about her ambition make it amply clear that she considers the sacrifices were worth it. “I am very, very competitive. I work hard at what I do. It’s my job.” This is her mantra for success.
Though Maria Sharapova speaks with a pronounced American accent, she proudly pafades her Russian nationality. Clearing all doubts, she says, “I’m Russian. It’s true that the U.S. is a big part of my life. But I have Russian citizenship. My blood is totally Russian. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me.”
Questions:
1. Siberia is a ……………… country.
A. hot
B. moderate
C. cold
D. temperate
Answer:
C. cold
2. There appears no room for sentiments while ………………….
A. playing.
B. making sacrifices for achievements.
C. thinking about parents.
D. talking about own country.
Answer:
B. making sacrifices for achievements.
3. ‘She proudly parades her Russian nationality’. What is this sentence used in reference to ?
A. Her dress.
B. Her way of playing.
C. Her speech.
D. Her behaviour.
Answer:
C. Her speech.
4. One of these sentences does not talk about Maria’s being proud of her country:
A. I have Russian citizenship.
B. The U.S. is a big part of my life.
C. My blood is totally Russian.
D. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me.
Answer:
B. The U.S. is a big part of my life.
Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
Why could Maria’s mother not accompany her to U.S. ?
Answer:
Maria’s mother could not accompany her to U.S. because she lived in Siberia, Russia. She needed a visa to come to the U.S. She could not get visa for that on account of certain restriction.
Question 2.
What important lesson did the nine- year-old Maria learn ?
Answer:
The nine-year-old Maria learnt an important lesson that ‘tennis excellence would only come at a price.’
Question 3.
What sacrifice did Maria’s father do to keep her tennis-training going ?
Answer:
From the parents of Maria, only her father could manage to come along with her to the U.S. For the reason that Maria could keep her tennis-training going, he had to work there very much; so much so that he could hardly squeeze any time to meet Maria. This was a great sacrifice.
Question 4.
What did Maria learn after her humiliating experience with her senior tennis- mates ? What statement did she make in this regard ?
Answer:
After her humiliating experience with her senior tennis-mates, she learnt that she needed to put up with much more humiliation and insults than that to steadfastly pursue her dream. In this regard, she made the statement that ‘when you come from nothing and have nothing, then it makes you more hungry and determined.
Question 5.
How does Maria parade her Russian : nationality ? ’
Answer:
Maria was born in Siberia, Russia. At the age of hardly ten, she migrated to the U.S. with her father. There she got used to speak English, but she speaks it with a pronounced American accent. Thus, the impact of her Russian
language is quite apparent even when she speaks English. This is how she proudly parades her Russian nationality.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
What sacrifices did Maria did to make her career ?
Answer:
Hardly at the age of ten, Maria left her native place – Siberia and left for U.S. to make – her career. Only her father could come along with her to the U.S. and it was a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena.
She missed her mother a lot and a nine-year- old girl learnt an important lesson in life – that tennis excellence would come at a price. She was the youngest in the sports hostel there, and the senior tennis pupils made her do chores for them and humiliated her now and then. But she wanted to pursue her dream, so she learnt to put up with humiliation and insults.
Question 2.
What is the ‘Success Mantra’ of Maria Sharapova? How does she put it into practice ?
Answer:
The ‘Success Mantra’ of Maria Sharapova is ‘work hard to pursue your goal’. Maria, right from her age of hardly ten, being migrated from Siberia, Russia to America, has made great sacrifices. They include a heart-wrenching two- year separation from her mother Yelena, the humiliation and insults endured by her at the sports hostel and so on. No room for sentiment has been left for her and she has made herself quite competitive.
Question 3.
Maria Sharapova cannot be pigeon¬holed or categorised. Explain.
Answer:
Maria Sharapova has a unique talent. She possesses unwavering desire to succeed and readiness to sacrifice. These inborn qualities have lifted her to the top of the world. Looking to whatever she has sacrificed to accomplish her place at the top of the world, few would grudge her the riches she is now reaping. In this way, she cannot be pigeon-holed or categorised.
Vocabulary And Grammar
Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks choosing the correct words given in the brackets:
(1) (enrolled, looking, saved, determined)
Then there was no ……………a………… back for this …………..b…………… young girl. She …………..c…………. money and …………..d…………… in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
Answer:
a. looking
b. determined
c. saved
d. enrolled
(2) (enormity, literally, describing, moment)
……………..a………….. her feelings when she was ……………b…………… ‘on the top of the world’, Santosh has said, “It took some time for the ……………..c……………. of the ………….d………….. to sink in……”
Answer:
a. Describing
b. literally
c. enormity
d. moment
Grammar
Rectify the errors in the passage:
(1)
The girl gave the name ‘Santosh’, which means contentment. And Santosh was not always content to her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms with the start. Where another girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred short.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) gave | was given |
| (b) And | But |
| (c) to | with |
| (d) with | from |
| (e) another | other |
| (f) short | shorts |
(2)
Answer:
A marriage as early as this was the last thing in her mind. She threatened her parents that she will never marry if she did not get a proper education. She left home but got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. Where her parents refused to pay for her education, she decides to work part time to pay her school fees.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) this | that |
| (b) in | on |
| (c) will | would |
| (d) but | and |
| (e) Where | When |
| (f) decides | decided |
(3)
Answer:
Wishing always to study ‘a bit more’ so with her father slowly get used to her urge for more education, Santosh passes the high school examinations and went to Jaipur. She joined Maharshi collage and got a room in Kasturba Hostel. Santosh remembered, “Kasturba Hostel to face the Aravalli Hills.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) so | and |
| (b) get | getting |
| (c) passes | passed |
| (d) collage | college |
| (e) remembered | remembers |
| (f) to face | faced |
Fill in the blanks using article(s), conjunctions(s) and preposition(s) at the correct places:
(1) ……………a……………. twelve months, Santosh found herself ……………b…………… member ………….c……… an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition …………d…………….. invited her to join them. She ……………e………….. scaled ……………f…………….. Everest a second time.
Answer:
a. Within
b. a
c. of
d. that
e. then
f. the
(2) “My college semester ……………..a………….. Jaipur was to end in April ………….b…………. it ended ………….c…………. the nineteenth …………….d……………. May. ……………e………….. I was supposed to be in Uttarkashi on ……………f…………… twenty-first.
Answer:
a. in
b. but
c. on
d. of
e. And
f. the
Punctuate the following passage:
I used to be so lonely maria Sharapova recalls I missed my mother terribly my father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis training going so he couldn’t see me either.
Answer:
“I used to be so lonely,” Maria Sharapova recalls. “I missed my mother terribly. My father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis-training going. So, he couldn’t see me either.
Convert the following into Indirect Speech:
“Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.
I learnt how to take care of myself. I never thought of quitting because I knew what I wanted.
Answer:
Sharapova said that instead of letting that depress her, she had become more quietly determined and mentally tough.
Then she added that she had learnt how to take care of herself. Continuing the speech she said that she had never thought of quitting because she had known what she had wanted.
Rewrite as directed:
(1) The girl was given the name Santosh. (Change the Voice.)
(2 ) The right moment came when she turned sixteen. (Make it Simple.)
(3) She would never marry if she did not get proper education. (Use ‘Unless’.)
(4) I used to watch villagers from my room. (Use ‘accustomed to’.)
(5) Yelena was compelled to stay back because of visa restrictions. (Use ‘therefore’.)
(6) Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough. (Use ‘but’.)
(7) I work hard for my deeds. (Turn into Complex.)
Answer:
( 1 ) The parents of the girl gave her the name Santosh.
(2) At her age of sixteen, the right moment came.
(3) She would never marry unless she got proper education.
(4) 1 was accustomed to watch villagers from my room.
(5) There were some visa restrictions, therefore Yelena was compelled to stay back.
(6) 1 did not let that depress me, but I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.
(7) 1 work hard at what I do.
Reach for the Top Summary in English
Part I: Santosh Yadav
Santosh Yadav Introduction:
Santosh Yadav is an Indian mountaineer. She is the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest twice and the first woman to successfully climb Mt. Everest from Kanshung Face. She climbed the peak first in May, 1992 and then again in May, 1993. During her Everest mission of 1992 she saved the life of another climber, Mohan Singh, by sharing oxygen with him.
Santosh Yadav Summary:
Santosh Yadav is the only woman in the world who has conquered Mt. Everest twice. She was born in a society where the birth of a son was considered a blessing. The birth of a daughter was thought to be a curse. But Santosh’s family was a little different. They had five sons already. So they welcomed the birth of a daughter. She was born in a small village of Haryana. Her parents were quite rich. They had a lot of land in the village. Santosh was the only sister of five brothers.
Even as a child, Santosh wanted to live life according to her own desires. She did not want to live a traditional sort of life. While the other girls in the village wore traditional and Indian dresses, Santosh loved to wear shorts. Her parents had enough money. They could send her to any of the best schools in Delhi. But then it was not the custom to send girls away from home. So she was sent to the village school. When she was sixteen, her parents decided to have her married. But now Santosh said that she would never marry if she was not given proper education.
Santosh left home and joined a school in Delhi. After passing her high school examination, she joined Maharani College at Jaipur. She got a room in Kasturba Hostel. This hostel faced the Aravali Hills. From her room, Santosh could see villagers going up the hills and then and then again in May, 1993. During her Everest mission of 1992 she saved the life of another climber, Mohan Singh, by sharing oxygen with him.
vanishing suddenly. One day, she herself went to see who these people were. She came to know that they were mountaineers. When she met them, they encouraged her to become a mountaineer. A strong desire arose in Santosh to become a mountaineer. There was now no looking back for her. Santosh saved some money and joined a course at Uttarkashi Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.
After doing this course, she started going on a climbing expedition every year. Her climbing skills matured rapidly. Her willpower was as strong as iron and her mental toughness was amazing. And just after four years, she was able to conquer Mt. Everest. She was then hardly twenty-years-old. She became the youngest woman to achieve this feat. She did it a second time after a year. Thus she set a record. She became the only woman who conquered the Everest twice.
For her achievements, she was awarded the Padmashri which is one of the nation’s top honours. Santosh Yadav impressed her seniors not only by her climbing skills but also by her desire to help the fellow climbers. During the 1992 Everest mission, she shared her oxygen with a fellow climber and thus saved his life. She is a true environmentalist also. Once she collected 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas and brought it down.
Part II: Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova Introduction:
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova (Born April 19, 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player. A United States resident since 1994, Sharapova has competed on the WTA tour since 2001. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions, for a total of 21 weeks. She is one of ten women and the only Russian, to hold the career Grand Slam. She is also an Olympic medallist, having earned silver for Russia in Women’s singles at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Maria Sharapova Summary:
Maria Sharapova has always a ready smile on her face. She is fond of nice colourful clothes. She seems to be an ease-loving and delicate woman. But, in fact, she is very tough and hard¬working. In 2004, she bagged the ladies’ singles crown at Wimbledon. The following year, she became world’s number one in women’s tennis. She was then just in her teens. She won this title on Monday, 22 August, 2005. Maria took just four years to reach the top of the world in tennis. She was not even ten-years-old when she was sent to train in the United States.
Her father went with her, but she had to remain away from her mother for two years. Her father, too, could see her very little because he had to labour hard at his work. Thus Maria had to sacrifice a lot to gain excellence in tennis. “I used to be so lonely I missed my mother terribly,” recalls Sharapova. Maria was very young at that time. She used to go to bed at 8 pm. The other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. They would wake her up and order her to clean the room. But Maria didn’t lose heart. She became even more determined. She became mentally more tough.
She learnt how to take care of herself. Thus Maria had to struggle and sacrifice a lot in her life. But she thinks that her sacrifices were worth it. She says, “I work hard at what I do. It’s my job.” Maria had begun the journey of her life from the frozen plains of Siberia. Her journey has touched the hearts of all tennis fans. Though she has lived most of her life in the U.S., she is proud of being a Russian. She says proudly. “My blood is totally Russian. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me.”