Students can use Kaveri Book Class 9 Solutions and Class 9 English Book Kaveri Chapter 1 Question Answer How I Taught My Grandmother to Read as a quick reference guide.
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Class 9 Question Answer
Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 1 Question Answer
Kaveri Book Class 9 Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Question Answer
Reflect and Respond (NCERT Page 1)
I. Complete the given word web.
Answer:
- To become independent and not depend on others.
- To gain knowledge and education.
- To communicate better and understand the world.
- To build confidence and get better opportunities in life.
II. Read the questions given below and share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
1. Which language(s) do your grandparents or elderly relatives speak?
2. How do they spend their time? How do you spend time with them?
3. What is your favourite experience with them?
4. What is something that the elderly in your family cannot do easily but enjoy watching you do?
Answer:
Do it yourself.
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.
Answer:
(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 (NCERT Page 6)
I. Complete the cause and effect table given below based on Part I of the story. Share your answers with classmates and teacher.
Answer:
| Cause | Effect |
| 1. The transport system was not good in the village. | (i) The morning papers arrived late and weekly magazines came one day late. |
| 2. The grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school. | (ii) She could not read or write and depended on others to read for her. |
| 3. The narrator used to read Kashi Yatre to her grandmother every week | (iii) She was deeply interested in the story and discussed it with her friends. |
| 4. The narrator went to a wedding for a week. | (iv) The grandmother could not read the next episode and felt helpless and sad. |
| 5. In her childhood, girls’ education was not considered important | (v) The grandmother never went to school. |
| 6. The grandmother regretted not going to school. | (vi) She decided to learn reading and writing and become independent. |
II. Do you think the narrator expected to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer:
No, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother crying when she returned because she had never seen her cry, even in the most difficult situations.
III. How might the narrator have helped her grandmother to fulfil her desire to learn to read and write?
Answer:
The narrator helped her grandmother by becoming her teacher. She taught her the Kannada alphabet daily, gave homework and encouraged her until she could read the novel independently by Dassara.
Check Your Understanding (NCERT Page 9)
I. 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.
Answer: True
(ii) The grandmother asked someone in the village to read Kashi Yatre to her while the narrator was away.
Answer: False
(iii) The narrator was the grandmother’s first teacher and taught her how to read Kannada.
Answer: True
(iv) The grandmother believed that there was no age limit for learning.
Answer: True
(v) The grandmother touched the narrator’s feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher.
Answer: True
(vi) The narrator was disappointed with the progress her grandmother made in learning to read.
Answer: False
Critical Reflection (NCERTPage 10)
I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract 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
Answer:
A strong-willed
(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.
Answer:
emotional
(iii) Identify the clue from the extract that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs.
Answer:
The clue from the extract that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs is, “We were sleeping in the open terrace of our house… there was a full moon.”
(iv) Which lines of the extract establish a tender atmosphere?
Answer:
Line of the extract that establishes a tender atmosphere is “Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.”
(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
Answer:
C the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education
Extract 2
“I have decided I want to learn the Kannada alphabet from tomorrow onwards. I will work very hard. I will keep Saraswati Pooja 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.
Answer:
B. She desires self-sufficiency.
(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).
Answer:
age limit
(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 _________ .
Answer:
the narrator believed tnat learning at the age of sixty-two was difficult and unusual
(iv) List any two qualities displayed by the grandmother.
Answer:
Two qualities of grandmother
- Determined
- Hardworking
(v) How can we say that the narrator is making assumptions about her grandmother?
Answer:
The narrator assumes her grandmother is too old to learn when she laughs at her decision. She believes age and physical appearance make learning difficult. This shows the narrator judges her grandmother’s ability without understanding her determination and strong desire to become independent.
II. Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
Why do you think the grandmother felt embarrassed to ask someone else to read to her while the narrator was away?
Answer:
The grandmother felt embarrassed because she was illiterate and did not want others to know that she could not read. Even though she was well-off, she felt helpless and dependent. Asking someone else would make her feel ashamed, so she waited eagerly for her granddaughter to return and read the story to her.
Question 2.
Why does the narrator initially laugh at her grandmother’s determination to learn at the age of sixty-two?
Answer:
The narrator initially laughs because she believes learning at the age of sixty-two is unusual and very difficult. Seeing her grandmother’s grey hair, wrinkled hands and spectacles, she assumes that old people cannot learn easily. She does not realise at first that strong determination can help a person learn at any age.
Question 3.
What significance does the story of ‘Kashi Yatre’ have in both the grandmother’s life and the story?
Answer:
Kashi Yatre plays an important role in the story as it inspires the grandmother to learn how to read. She eagerly waited for each episode and felt helpless when she could not read it herself. This made her realise the importance of education and motivated her to become independent and fulfil her lifelong wish to read.
Question 4.
What does the grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflect about her?
Answer:
The grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflects her strong determination and self-respect. She does not want to remain dependent on others for reading.
Even at the age of sixty-two, she shows courage and a willingness to learn, proving that there is no age limit for education and personal growth.
Question 5.
What lessons can we infer from the grandmother’s action of touching the narrator’s feet?
Answer:
The grandmother touching the narrator’s feet teaches us that teachers deserve respect regardless of age or relationship. It shows the value of education and gratitude towards those who help us learn. The moment also highlights humility and reminds us that learning and teaching are noble acts worthy of honour.
Question 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.”
Answer:
This line highlights the main theme of the story that determination can help a person overcome any difficulty. The grandmother’s strong will helps her learn to read at an old age. It shows that with hard work and dedication, no goal is impossible and learning has no age limit.
Question 7.
How effectively does the story highlight the value of education in supporting personal independence?
Answer:
The story effectively shows that education brings independence and confidence. The grandmother feels helpless when she cannot read and depends on others. After learning to read, she becomes self-reliant and proud.
Her journey proves that education empowers people, builds self-respect and helps them live with dignity at any age.
Vocabulary and Structures in Context (NCERT Page 13)
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.
I. 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.
Answer:
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| 1. sink or swim | (vii) succeed or fail without help |
| 2. on and off | (v) sometimes, occasionally |
| 3. mix and match | (i) put different things together to get a range of possibilities |
| 4. all or nothing | (viii) something to be done completely or not at all |
| 5. part and parcel | (ii) complete part of or belong to |
| 6. pick and choose | (iii) choose only the best (things, people, etc.) |
| 7. sooner or later | (iv) at sometime in the future |
| 8. leaps and bounds | (vi) increase or develop very quickly |
Sentences using five binomials
- When I joined the team, I had to sink or swim on my own.
- It rained on and off throughout the day.
- She likes to mix and match her clothes.
- Honesty is part and parcel of a good character.
- The child is growing by leaps and bounds.
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.
Answer:
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| 1. popular | (i) unpopular |
| 2. belief | (ii) disbelief |
| 3. important | (iii) unimportant |
| 4. respect | (iv) disrespect |
| 5. correct | (v) incorrect |
| 6. continue | (vi) discontinue |
| 7. understand | (vii) misunderstand |
| 8. ordinary | (viii) extraordinary |
| 9. interesting | (ix) uninteresting |
| 10. possible | (x) impossible |
III. Identify any five words with prefixes from the story and make sentences using each.
Answer:
The given words with prefixes from the story are
- Unhappy The grandmother felt unhappy when she could not read the magazine.
- Independent She worked hard to become independent.
- Unusual It was unusual for an elder to touch a child’s feet.
- Irrespective A teacher deserves respect irrespective of age.
- Unfortunately Unfortunately, she never went to school in her childhood.
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.
Now, use these idioms in sentences of your own.
Answer:
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| 1. to hit the books | (iii) to study seriously |
| 2. to draw a blank | (v) to be unable to remember |
| 3. to learn the ropes | (vi) to understand how to do an activity |
| 4. to rack one’s brain | (ii) to think very hard |
| 5. to learn by heart | (i) to memorise something |
| 6. burn the midnight oil | (iv) to study or work late into the night |
- Hit the books I need to hit the books because my exams are near.
- Draw a blank I tried to remember the answer but drew a blank.
- Learn the ropes It took me a week to learn the ropes at my new school.
- Rack my brain I racked my brain to solve the difficult maths problem.
- Learn by heart We had to learn the poem by heart for the test.
- Burn the midnight oil She burnt the midnight oil to complete her project.
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.
Fill in the blanks with simple past and past perfect tense form of the verbs given in bracket.
A. When the delegates _________ (arrive) at the conference, the keynote speaker _________ (already.begin) the session.
Answer:
arrived, had already begun
B. After the students _________ (learn) how to identify fake news online, they _________ (start) verifying information before sharing it.
Answer:
learned, started
C. Before Kiran _________ (start) using digital payment platforms, she _________ (ensure) her understanding of online fraud prevention.
Answer:
started, had ensured
D. By the time Varun _________ (recognise) the importance of budgeting, he _________ (exhaust) most of his savings.
Answer:
recognised, had exhausted
E. When Raghu _________ (log in) to the cybersecurity webinar, the instructor _________ (already discuss) the importance of strong passwords.
Answer:
logged in, had already discussed
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.
Answer:
A. took
B. reviewed
C. had spent
D. discussed
E. opened
F. set
G. had already introduced
H. hurried
I. had completed
J. enjoyed
Writing Task (NCERT Page 19)
I. As a socially responsible citizen, you strongly believe that students can contribute significantly in promoting adult literacy. Write a letter to the Editor of a local newspaper emphasising the importance of student participation in adult literacy camps conducted by various organisations.
Discuss the benefits of such initiatives for both students and society. Suggest effective ways to spread awareness and encourage more students to volunteer for this noble cause.
A letter to the editor is a formal letter-in which the writer gives suggestions and creates awareness on an issue of public interest or an issue already raised in an article/write-up published letter.
Answer:
A-23, Green Park
New Delhi – 110016
8 March 20XX
The Editor
The Times of India
New Delhi-11XXXX
Subject: Importance of Promoting Adult Literacy
Sir/Madam
This is with reference to recent reports highlighting the problem of adult illiteracy in our country. As a concerned citizen, I would like to draw your attention towards the urgent need to promote adult literacy programmes.
A large section of society still lacks basic reading and writing skills, which affects employment opportunities and overall development.
Adult literacy campaigns can bring many benefits to both individuals and society. Educated adults become more confident, independent and capable of making informed decisions. Students who volunteer in such initiatives also develop empathy, responsibility and practical knowledge.
I request the authorities and educational institutions to organise awareness drives and encourage students to participate in teaching programmes. Workshops, community classes and online learning platforms can be introduced to reach more people.
Yours truly
ABC