Reach for the Top Class 9 Questions and Answers
Part – I
Textbook Questions
Thinking about the Text
I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each (The paragraph numbers within brackets provide clues to the answers.)
निम्नलिखित प्रश्नों के उत्तर एक या दो वाक्यों में दें। (उत्तर के लिए कोष्ठकों में दिए गए पैरा नम्बर का प्रयोग करें)
Question 1.
Why was the holy man who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised ? (Para 1)
जिस साधु ने संतोष यादव की माँ को आशीर्वाद दिया था वह चकित क्यों हुआ था ?
Answer:
He was surprised that instead of a son she wished to give birth to a daughter.
Question 2.
Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. (Para 2)
एक उदाहरण दो जिससे यह स्पष्ट हो जाए कि संतोष यादव जब छोटी थी तो भी कोई अविवेकी बात स्वीकार करने को तैयार न थी।
Answer:
She refused to wear traditional clothes. She wore shorts.
Question 3.
Why was Santosh sent to the local school? (Para 3)
उसे स्थानीय स्कूल में क्यों भेजा गया ?
Answer:
She was sent to the local school because it was the tradition of the family.
Question 4.
When did she leave home for Delhi, and why? (Para 4)
वह घर से दिल्ली कब गई और क्यों ?
Answer:
She left her home when she was sixteen and her parents wanted her to marry. But she wanted to have proper education.
Question 5.
Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident? (Para 4)
संतोष के माता-पिता उसके स्कूल का खर्च देने को क्यों मान गए। संतोष का क्या मानसिक गुण प्रकट होता है ?
Answer:
They agreed to pay for her schooling because they didn’t like her to work to earn money. This shows that Santosh knew how to have her way.
Short Answer type Questions:
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
इनमें से प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर संक्षिप्त पैरा में दें ( 30 शब्दों के लगभग )।
Question 1.
How did Santosh begin to climb mountains ?
Answer:
Santosh wanted to climb the Aravalli Hills. She went there and met a few mountaineers. They let her join them. Then she began climbing mountains.
Question 2.
What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her teammates ?
एवरेस्ट अभियान के दौरान कौन-सी घटनाएँ दिखाती हैं किसंतोष को अपने सहयोगियों की चिन्ता रहती थी ?
Answer:
During the Everest expedition two members of her team were dying. She could not save one of them. But the other she saved. She shared her precious oxygen with him.
Question 3.
What shows her concern for the environment ?
किस बात से पता चलता है कि उसे पर्यावरण की चिन्ता थी ?
Answer:
Some mountaineers carelessly leave garbage on the mountains. It harms the environment. She collected 500 kg of such garbage and brought it down.
Question 4.
How does she describe her feelings at the summit of Everest?
एवरेस्ट की चोटी पर वह अपनी भावनाओं का वर्णन कैसे करती है ?
Answer:
Santosh felt proud of being an Indian. She unfurled the tricolor flag of India and held it high. She felt elated that the flag of India was flying on top of the world.
Question 5.
Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she conquered Mt. Everest. What were the reasons for this?
संतोष यादव का नाम रिकॉर्ड की पुस्तकों में दोनों बार आया जब उसने एवरेस्ट पर विजय प्राप्त की ? इनके कारण क्या थे ?
Answer:
Santosh yadav conquered Everest twice. Each time she set a record. The first time as the youngest woman to have conquered Everest. The second time as the only woman in the world to have conquered Everest twice.
III. Complete the following statements :
वाक्य पूरा करो :
Answer:
- From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch villagers going up the hill.
- When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because she had joined the institute of mountaineering without his, permission.
- During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her skills and strength while her teammates loved her for her desire to work together.
IV.Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions. (Look in the paragraphs indicated.)
पाठ में से उन शब्दों को चुनो जिनका अर्थ निम्नलिखित शब्दों व अभिव्यक्तियों जैसा हो। (इंगित पद्यांशों में देखो।)
Answer:
- assumed
- rational
- custom
- urge
- resistance
Iv. Very Important Examination Questions:
Extract-based Objective Type Questions:
Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions with the help of the given options :
Question 1.
A marriage as early as that was the last thing on her mind. She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. 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 her school fees.
(i) How did she fight the system?
(a) She went on a fast.
(b) She threatened to commit suicide.
(c) She threatened to leave the house.
(d) She refused to marry so early and joined a school in Delhi.
Answer:
(d) She refused to marry so early and joined a school in Delhi.
(ii) Her parents refused to pay for her education as :
(a) they could not afford it.
(b) they thought that they would refrain her from getting an education.
(c) they wanted to put pressure on her for not pursuing further education.
(d) they thought that they would force her to drop the idea of getting the proper education.
Answer:
(d) they thought that they would force her to drop the idea of getting the proper education.
(iii) She intended to pay her fee by :
(a) taking a loan from the bank.
(b) doing a part time job.
(c) using her saved pocket-money.
(d) taking tuitions.
Answer:
(b) doing a part time job.
(iv) The noun form of ‘threatened’ is :
(a) threatening
(b) threateningly
(c) threat
(d) threatens
Answer:
(c) threat
(v) What did Santosh want to do before marriage?
Answer:
She wanted to get a proper education before marriage.
(vi) What did her parents refuse ?
Answer:
Her parents refused to pay for her education.
(vii) When did she leave home for Delhi,and why?
Answer:
She left her home when she was sixteen and her parents wanted her to marry. But she wanted to have proper education.
(viii) Why did she threaten her parents?
Answer:
She threatened her parents because she wanted to get proper education before marriage.
(ix) What was her threat to her parents ?
Answer:
She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education.
(x) Why did she leave home ?
Answer:
She left home to get herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
(xi) What opinion do you form of Santosh Yadav from the above passage ?
Answer:
She is polite, firmly determined and has great will-power.
(xii) What were her plans ?
Answer:
She planned to earn money by working part time to pay for her school fees.
Question 2.
The girl was given the name “Santosh”, which means contentment. But Santosh was not always content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living her life on her own terms from the start. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. Looking back she says now, “From the very beginning I was quite determined that if I chose a correct and a rational path, the others around me had to change, not me.”
(i) Why was Santosh not really content with her life?
Answer:
Santosh was not really content with her life because she was not always satisfied with her place in a traditional way of life.
(ii) What was she determined to achieve in her life ?
Answer:
She was determined to follow a correct and a rational path in life making others change rather than herself.
(iii) How was Santosh different from other girls ?
Answer:
Santosh was different from other girls as when other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, she preferred shorts.
(iv) How did she dress herself differently from other girls ?
Answer:
She preferred shorts whereas other girls wore traditional Indian dresses.
(v) What does her name stand for ?
Answer:
Her name stands for ‘contentment’.
(vi) What did she want in her life ?
Answer:
She wanted to live her life on her own terms.
(vii) How did Santosh start living her life ?
Answer:
Santosh began, living her life on her own terms from the start.
(viii) What path was she determined to choose from the beginning ?
Answer:
From the very beginning, Santosh was quite determined to choose a correct and a rational path.
Question 3.
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.
(i) The quality Santosh Yadav developed as a climber was :
(a) resistance to cold and altitude.
(b) physical endurance.
(c) mental toughness.
(d) strong will.
Answer:
(a) resistance to cold and altitude.
(ii) Other personal qualities that helped her to prove her power were :
(a) iron will, physical endurance and sincerity.
(b) iron will, mental toughness and honesty.
(c) mental toughness, physical endurance and co-operation.
(d) iron will, mental toughness and physical endurance.
Answer:
(d) iron will, mental toughness and physical endurance.
(iii) She conquered Everest in :
(a) 1990
(b) 1992
(c) 1994
(d) 1991
Answer:
(b) 1992
(iv) The word ‘culmination’ means :
(a) the show.
(b) the end.
(c) the height.
(d) the peak.
Answer:
(d) the peak.
(v) Where did Santosh go every year ?
Answer:
Santosh went for a mount climbing expedition every year.
(vi) Which skills did she develop ?
Answer:
She developed her climbing skills rapidly coupled with a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude.
(vii) What qualities did Santosh have as a mountaineer ?
Answer:
Santosh Yadav had strong will power, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness.
(viii) How did she prove hereself repeatedly ?
Answer:
She proved herself with an iron will, physical, endurance and an amazing mental toughness.
Question 4.
Describing her feeling 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 lying on top of the world. It was truly a spiritual moment. I felt proud as an Indian.” Also a fervent environmentalist, Santosh collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.
(i) ‘Literally on top of the world’ implies that she was :
(а) actually on top of the world.
(b) on top of the Mount Everest, the highest peak of the world.
(c) very happy.
(d) her name was on top of the list of women achievers.
Answer:
(b) on top of the Mount Everest, the highest peak of the world.
(ii) When Santosh reached at the top of the Mt. Everest it took her some time to :
(a) realise what great achievement she had accomplished.
(b) believe what she had achieved.
(c) feel the greatness of the moment.
(d) to realise the greatness and importance of the event.
Answer:
(a) realise what great achievement she had accomplished.
(iii) While on top of the world, she felt :
(a) that it was truly a spiritual moment.
(b) elated
(c) extremely happy.
(d) a surge of pride.
Answer:
(a) that it was truly a spiritual moment.
(iv) The verb form of ‘achievements’ is :
(a) achieve
(b) achiever
(c) achievable
(d) achieving
Answer:
(a) achieve
(v) Why did the event take some time to sink in ?
Answer:
It was too good to be true. Santosh could not believe at the first sight that she was standing at the Mt. Everest. She was overwhelmed by the feeling of overcoming Mt. Everest.
(vi) What happened when she reached at the top of the Mt. Everest ?
Answer:
When she reached at the top of the Mt. Everest, it took her sometime to realise what great achievement she had accomplished.
(vii) The phrase ‘roof of the world’ is used for _____
Answer:
The phrase roof of the world has been used for the sky above on top.
(viii) Which ‘feeling’ is she talking about as indescribable ?
Answer:
When she unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it aloft on the roof of the world, the feeling was indescribable.
(ix) Who is Santosh Yadav ?
Answer:
Santosh Yadav is a famous mountaineer.
(x) Explain “held it aloft”.
Answer:
‘Held it aloft’ means to hold it up high. The phrase is used to describe the glorious moment when Santosh .Yadav unfurled the tricolour on top of the Everest.
(xi) How did she feel on the Mount Everest ?
Answer:
It took sometime for the enormity of the moment to sink in. According to her, the feeling was ‘indescribable’. It was a spiritual moment and she felt proud to be an Indian.
(xii) What did she collect and bring down from the Himalayas ?
Answer:
She collected and brought down 500 kgs of garbage from the Himalayas.
Question 5.
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
(i) Identify ‘her mother’ in the first line of the passage.
Answer:
The phrase ‘her mother’ refers to the mother of Santosh Yadav.
(ii) Who visited their house and what did he do?
Answer:
A ‘holy man’ visited their house and he blessed the expecting mother of Santosh Yadav.
(iii) What was asked by the child’s grand¬mother ?
Answer:
The unborn child’s grandmother asked the holy man to bless Santosh’s mother wishing her to give birth to a daughter rather than a son.
(iv) What did the holy man assume ?
Answer:
The holy man assumed that the expected mother also wanted a son.
Short Answer Type Questions:
II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words:
Question 1.
Santosh Yadav was quite determined to choose a correct and rational path. Give details from the text to support your answer.
संतोष यादव सही और तर्कसंगत राह चुनने को स्थितप्रज थी। अपने उत्तर के समर्थन में पाठ से विस्तृत जानकारी दें।
Answer:
Santosh Yadav was always determined to choose a correct and rational path rather than opting for a traditional way of life. She always lived on her own terms such as wearing shorts, refusing marriage, going to Delhi to study, and opting for mountaineering as a career, etc.
Question 2.
How did Santosh react when her parents wanted to marry her off at an early age of sixteen ?
जब उसके माता-पिता उसका विवाह सोलह वर्ष जैसी कम उम्र में करने को उद्यत हुए तो संतोष यादव पर इसकी क्या प्रतिक्रिया हुई?
Answer:
Marriage at an early age of sixteen was the last thing on her mind. So, she threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education.
Question 3.
Why was Santosh sent to the local school ?
संतोष को स्थानीय विद्यालय में क्यों भेजा गया?
Answer:
Santosh’s parents were affluent land owners who could afford to send their children to the best schools, but following the customs in the family, they sent Santosh to the local village school.
Question 4.
In what way did Santosh not like the traditional life in the family ?
परिवार के पारंपरिक जीवन को संतोष क्यों पसंद नहीं करती थी?
Answer:
Santosh Yadav did not like the traditional life in her family. She dressed up in shorts rather than the traditional Indian dresses. She refused to get married at sixteen. She even left home and went to Delhi to study further. And she opted for mountaineering as a career.
Question 5.
Why did Santosh not go back home after her college semester in Jaipur ?
जयपुर में महाविद्यालय की तिमाही परीक्षा के उपरांत संतोष अपने घर वापस क्यों नहीं गयी?
Answer:
Santosh did not go back home after her college semester in Jaipur because she wanted to attend a training programme at Uttarakashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. She wanted to make mountaineering climbing her profession and passion both.
Question 6.
How did Santosh Yadav pressurise her affluent parents to pay for her education in Delhi ?
अपने समृद्ध माता-पिता पर दिल्ली में अपनी शिक्षा के लिए संतोष यादव ने कैसे दबाव डाला?
Answer:
When her parents refused to pay for her studies in Delhi, Santosh politely informed them that she would earn by working part time and pay her school fees. Her parents relented and they agreed to pay for her education.
Question 7.
How did Santosh feel when she was on the summit of the Everest ?
संतोष यादव को क्या महसूस हुआ जब एवरेस्ट की चढ़ाई चढ़ रही थी?
Answer:
On reaching the summit of the Everest, Santosh took sometime for the enormity of the moment to sink in. According to her, the feeling was ‘indescribable’. It was a spiritual moment and she felt proud to be an Indian.
Question 8.
Santosh Yadav scaled the Mount Everest twice. Both the times she got into record books. What were the reasons behind this ?
संतोष यादव दो बार एवरेस्ट पर चढ़ चुकीं। दोनों ही बार उसे रिकॉर्ड पुस्तक में स्थान मिला। इसके पीछे क्या कारण थे?
Answer:
Santosh Yadav conquered Everest twice. Each time she set a record. The first time it was as the youngest woman to have conquered Everest. For the second time, it was as the only woman in the world to have conquered Everest twice.
Question 9.
How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
संतोष ने पहाड़ चढ़ना कैसे प्रारंभ किया?
Or
What inspired Santosh to become a mountaineer ?
किस चीज ने संतोष को पर्वतारोही बनने की प्रेरणा दी?
Answer:
Santosh had joined a college in Jaipur. Her hostel faced the Aravalli Hills. She used to watch people climbing the hills. Once she went there and came across the mountaineers who permitted her to join them. They motivated her to take up mountaineering.
Question 10.
Why was the holy man who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised ?
वह महात्मा जिसने संतोष की माँ को आशीर्वाद दिया था, आश्चर्यचकित क्यों हुआ?
Answer:
The holy man was surprised to hear the unborn child’s grandmother. He thought that she would ask for a boy, but instead, she said they did not want a boy but a girl.
Long Answer Type Questions:
III. Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words :
Question 1.
“Concern for others is a human virtue.” How is it reflected in the character of Santosh Yadav ? Bring out the values in her character.
‘औरों के विषय में चिंतित होना मानवीय गुण है।’ संतोष यादव के चरित्र में यह किस प्रकार परिलक्षित होता है? उसके चरित्र की उन विशेषताओं का उल्लेख करें।
Answer:
Santosh was a girl of strong will and firm determination. Also, she was a girl of concern for others. She fought for her rights and showed the courage to refuse marriage at the age of sixteen. She even chose the unconventional career of being a mountaineer. Her determination even saved the life of her teammate, Mohan Singh who would have died if Santosh had not shared her oxygen with him. Not only did her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength impress her seniors but also, her concern for others and desire to work together with them found her a special place in the hearts of fellow climbers. She also had concern for the environment as she collected and brought down 500 kg of garbage from Himalayas.
Question 2.
What qualities of Santosh’s character impress you most ? How important are these qualities to accomplish one’s dreams ?
संतोष यादव के चरित्र की कौन-सी विशेषताएँ आपको प्रेरित करती हैं? ये सारे गुण अपने सपने को साकार करने में किस प्रकार महत्त्वपूर्ण हैं?
Answer:
Santosh was not content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start. She had great determination and thus, focussed well on her destination to become an Everest climber. She was hard-working. Santosh decided to become a mountaineer and pursued her training all by herself. She fought hard with her family to achieve her dreams. She was equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness all of which, she proved consistently. She was hard-working and sincere. At barely 20 years of age, she scaled Mt. Everest and possessed a great climbing skill, physical fitness and mental strength. These qualities are very much important to accomplish one’s dreams. Only by hard work, determination, and focussed iron will can turn your dreams true.
Question 3.
You are Santosh Yadav. Your parents want you to settle like other girls in your society. But you are an ambitious girl and want to do something more in life. Write a letter to your father telling him what you think about your future.
आप संतोष यादव हैं। आपके माता-पिता चाहते हैं कि आपके समाज की अन्य लड़कियों की तरह आप भी विवाह कर घर बसा लें। लेकिन आप एक महत्त्वाकांक्षी लड़की हैं और आप जीवन में कुछ बड़ा करना चाहती हैं। अपने भविष्य के बारे में आप क्या सोचती हैं, बताते हुए अपने पिता को पत्र लिखें।
Answer:
10, Tilak Marg,
New Delhi-110001
6th April, 20….
Respected Father,
Through this letter, I want to share with you, the aim of my life. I know, being the only girl child and the sister of five loving brothers, I have got all kinds of liberty but, I do not like the traditional life of the family. I dress up in shorts rather than the traditional Indian dresses because I feel comfortable in them. Now, you want me to get married at the age of sixteen only. You think this is the right age to settle down like other girls, but I do not want to get married now. I want to study further and make my career before setting down. I know it is not an easy decision for you and the family to accept as you are bound by your old family customs, but this is my final decision. I want you to accept my decision too. I am ready to do a part-time job in order to pay the fees for further studies.
Your loving daughter,
Santosh Yadav
Question 4.
How does Santosh Yadav’s initiative motivate us to save our environment? Highlight the values you would imbibe.
संतोष यादव के द्वारा प्रारंभ किए गए कदम हमें अपने वातावरण को सुरक्षित रखने को किस प्रकार उद्धेलित करते हैं? उन मूल्यों को रेखांकित करें जिन्हें आप आत्मसात् करेंगे।
Answer:
Santosh Yadav was a great mountaineer. She not only scaled the Everest twice at a very young age, but also tried to clean the garbage left by other mountaineers. She collected and brought down 500 kgs of garbage from the Himalayas and set an example for others. She became a motivation for all. It made the authorities aware of the increasing garbage day-by-day in the mountains. Here action motivates even us to keep our surrounding clean. Now, it had become a mission for the government to clean Himalaya.
Part II
Textbook Questions
Thinking about the Text
Working in small groups of $4-5$ students, go back over the two passages on Ms. Yadav and Ms. Sharapova and complete the table given below with relevant phrases or sentences.
4-5 विद्यार्थियों के समूह में ‘संतोष यादव और मेरिया शारापोवा’ पाठों को फिर से देखो और नीचे दिए कोष्ठक को उपयुक्त वाक्यांशों व वाक्यों द्वारा पूरा करो।
Answer:
Table
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 (underlined) 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.
निम्नलिखित वाक्यों को रेखांकित करते हुए उन दो भागों को पहचानो जो कोष्ठक में दी गई सूचना देते हों।
Answer:
- Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
- She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
- She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived.
- Little Maria had not to vet celebrate her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States.
II. Now put the sentences in pairs below into one sentence, in a suitable way.
निम्नलिखित वाक्यों के जोड़ों को उपयुक्त तरीके से एक वाक्य में रखो।
Answer:
- Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.
- Perhaps you just throw the book away after you finish it.
- He gave the little girl an apple and took the computer apart.
- If you have nothing, it makes you very determined.
- I never thought of quitting because I knew what I wanted.
Iv. Very Important Examination Questions
I. Extract-based Objective Type Questions
Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions with the help of the given options :
Question 1.
“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.”
Because I was so young, I used to go to bed at 8 p.m. The other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. and wake me up and order me to tidy up the room and clean it.
Instead of letting that depress me, Ibecame 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. When you come from nothing and you have nothing, then it makes you very hungry and determined… I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than that to steadfastly pursue my dream.”
(i) She was terribly lonely because she :
(a) missed her parents, specially her mother.
(b) had no friends there.
(c) had no one of her age.
(d) her seniors bullied her.
Answer:
(a) missed her parents, specially her mother.
(ii) The passage reflects that young Maria:
(а) was understanding.
(b) was tolerant.
(c) sacrificed much to achieve her aim.
(d) was determined to achieve her goal.
Answer:
(c) sacrificed much to achieve her aim.
(iii) The adjective form of ‘learnt’ is :
(a) learn
(b) learning
(c) learned
(d) learner
Answer:
(c) learned
(iv) Her room mates used to bully her. They would wake her up and told her to :
(a) prepare tea for them.
(b) iron their clothes.
(c) polish their shoes.
(d) tidy up and clean the room.
Answer:
(d) tidy up and clean the room.
(v) The insults and humiliation made her :
(a) angry
(b) depressed
(c) disheartened
(d) all the more determined.
Answer:
(d) all the more determined.
(vi) The passage reflects that her seniors were :
(a) heartless
(b) unsympathetic
(c) bullies
(d) inconsiderate
Answer:
(c) bullies
(vii) The noun form of ‘depress’ is :
(a) depressed
(b) depressing
(c) depressible
(d) depression
Answer:
(d) depression
(viii) Why did Maria go to bed so early ?
Answer:
Maria went to bed so early because she was quite young.
(ix) What would the other pupils ask her to do?
Answer:
They would wake her up asking her to tidy up the room and clean it.
(x) Did she ever think of quitting the game ?
Answer:
She never thought of quitting the game.
(xi) What made her determined to pursue her dream ?
Answer:
Insults and humiliations by her fellow players led her to become more determined to pursue her dreams.
(xii) Who is T in the above lines ?
Answer:
T refers to Maria Sharapova in the above
(xiii) What other pupils used to do ?
Answer:
The other pupils used to. wake her up and order her to tidy up the room and clean it.
(xiv) What had Maria learnt with this ?
Answer:
She became more determined to pursue her dream. She learnt how to take care of herself.
(xv) How did she feel about his/her mother ?
Answer:
She missed her mother terribly.
(xvi) Where was Maria living at that time ?
Answer:
She was living in Florida, USA.
(xvii) What was she doing there ?
Answer:
Being good at tennis, she was sent to the United States for training so that she could achieve excellence in the game.
(xviii) Why her father had to work very hard ?
Answer:
Her father was working as hard as he could do to keep her tennis training going.
(xix) What did she learn from her circumstances ?
Answer:
She learnt how to take care of herself and became more determined to achieve her goal.
(xx) Why did Maria go to bed so early?
Answer:
Maria went to bed so early because she was quite young.
(xxi) What was it that the speaker wanted to be ?
Answer:
The speaker, Maria Sharapova wanted to achieve excellence in tennis. She won the women’s singles at Wimbledon in 2004.
(xxii) What would the other pupils ask her to do?
Answer:
The other pupils used to wake her up and order her to tidy up and clean the room.
(xxiii) When, according to Maria, one becomes more determined?
Answer:
When you come from nothing and have nothing then, it makes you very hungry and determined.
Question 2.
Though Maria Sharapova speaks with a pronounced American accent, she proudly parades her Russian nationality. Clearing all doubts, she says, “I’m Russian. It’s true that the US 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.”
(i) Maria Sharapova parades her Russian nationality by :
(a) saying her blood is totally Russian and she would play Olympics for Russia if they want her to.
(b) speaking in Russian language.
(c) wearing Russian costumes.
(d) singing Russian songs.
Answer:
(a) saying her blood is totally Russian and she would play Olympics for Russia if they want her to.
(ii) About USA she says :
(a) it is much advanced and developed.
(b) it is a big part of her life.
(c) it has great sports institutions.
(d) it encourages good players and trains them to reach the top.
Answer:
(b) it is a big part of her life.
(iii) She would like to play the Olympics for:
(a) U.S.A.
(b) Russia
(c) England
(d) any country that would pay her the most.
Answer:
(b) Russia.
(iv) The noun form of ‘pronounced’ is :
(a) pronounce
(b) pronouncing
(c) pronunciation
(d) pronounceable
Answer:
(c) pronunciation.
(v) How does Maria parade her patriotism ?
Answer:
Maria Sharapova is proud of her Russian nationality. She says her blood is totally Russian and she will play the Olympics for Russia if they want her.
(vi) Why does she speak with a pronounced American accent ?
Answer:
She speaks with a pronounced American accent because she had been in America since she was nine.
(vii) Which feelings of Maria get reflected in these lines ?
Answer:
True patriotism and love for her country.
(viii) What was her nationality ?
Answer:
She was a Russian.
Question 3.
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 heartwrenching 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 leamt an important lesson in life — that tennis excellence would only come at a price.
(i) Maria (Sharapova) is one of the top players of:
(a) tennis
(b) badminton
(c) table tennis
(d) hockey
Answer:
(a) tennis
(ii) She left home to come to Florida at the age of:
(a) 9 years
(b) 11 years
(c) 12 years
(d) 14 years
Answer:
(a) 9 years
(iii) She was accompanied by her :
(a) coach
(b) mother
(c) brother
(d) father
Answer:
(d) father
(iv) The noun form of ‘celebrated’ is :
(a) celebrate
(b) celebrates
(c) celebrating
(d) celebration
Answer:
(a) celebrate
(v) ‘it’ in the first sentence refers to :
(a) Maria’s going to Florida in U.S.A.
(b) Maria’s training for tennis in U.S.A.
(c) Maria’s path of success and stardom as one of the top tennis players of the world.
(d) Maria’s leaving Russia for training in U.S.A.
Answer:
(c) Maria’s path of success and stardom as one of the top tennis players of the world.
(vi) Her mother could not accompany her because :
(a) she was not well.
(b) she could not get the visa.
(c) she had to look after the rest of family.
(d) she did not want to leave her home.
Answer:
(b) she could not get the visa.
(vii) Yelena was Maria’s :
(a) sister
(b) mother
(c) friend
(d) aunt
Answer:
(b) mother
(viii) The phrase ‘heart-wrenching’ means :
(a) heart-breaking.
(b) very painful.
(c) very sad.
(d) heart throbbing.
Answer:
(b) very painful.
(ix) The lesson that Maria learnt at such an early age was :
(a) to be patient.
(b) to obey her elders and seniors.
(c) that tennis excellence will come at a price.
(d) to be tough and tolerant.
Answer:
(c) that tennis excellence will come at a price.
(x) Why could Maria’s mother not accompany her to the United States ?
Answer:
Maria’s mother could not accompany her to the US due to some visa restrictions.
(xi) What important lesson had Maria learnt early in life ?
Answer:
She had learnt that ‘excellence comes at a price’.
(xii) For the training of which game had Maria been sent to the United States ?
Answer:
Maria had been sent to the U.S. for the training of tennis.
(xiii) What change came in Maria’s life after her trip to Florida ?
Answer:
The trip to Florida with her father launched her on the path to success and stardom.
Short Answer type Questions:
II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words:
Question 1.
What is Maria’s mantra for success ?
सफलता के लिए मारिया का मंत्र क्या है?
Answer:
Her mantra for success is determination. One should be firmly determined and should never think of quitting. This is what she says, “When you come from nothing and you have nothing, then it makes you very hungry and determined.”
Question 2.
Why was Maria sent to the United States ? Who accompanied her ?
मारिया को यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स क्यों भेजा गया? कौन उसके साथ गया?
Answer:
Maria was sent to the United States to get her training to become a tennis player. Her father accompanied her. She went to Florida with her father learning a lesson that tennis excellence would only come at a price.
Question 3.
‘Experience is the best teacher.’ Elaborate with reference to the life of Maria Sharapova.
‘अनुभव सर्वोत्तम शिक्षक है।’ मारिया सरापोवा के जीवन के संदर्भ में इसकी मीमांसा करें।
Answer:
‘Experience is the best teacher.’ The idea is mirrored in the life of Maria Sharapova. At the age of nine, she was separated from her mother for two years. It taught her that excellence in tennis would only come at a price. Further, she was bullied by other pupils because she was too young. This experience also made her quitely determined and mentally tough too.
Question 4.
“Excellence would only come at a price.” How did Maria Sharapova learn this important lesson ?
‘सर्वाधिक उत्तम होने की एक कीमत होती है।’ मारिया सरापोवा ने यह महत्त्वपूर्ण पाठ कैसे सीखा?
Answer:
Maria Sharapova had to stay away from her mother for two years learning an important lesson that “excellence would only come at a price”.
Question 5.
Why was there no room for sentiment in Maria’s life ?
मारिया के जीवन में भावनाओं का कोई स्थान क्यों नहीं था?
Answer:
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. Her hunger to achieve excellence in the field of tennis kept the flame alive. With great determination and hard work, devoid of any sentiments brought her to the top levels of championship.
Question 6.
What lifted Maria to the top of the world ?
मारिया को किस चीज ने संसार के सर्वोच्च शिखर पर पहुँचा दिया?
Answer:
Her strong determination, talent, the spirit of never giving up and readiness to sacrifice, took her to the top of the world. She always knew what she wanted. Instead of letting the hardships depress her, she became more determined and mentally tough.
Question 7.
Was Maria a patriot ? Substantiate your answer with examples.
क्या मारिया देशभक्त थी? अपने उत्तर के समर्थन में सोदाहरण प्रस्तत करें।
Answer:
Note : Maria a patriot : Although Maria had been living in America since the age of nine, and she spoke with an American accent, she was, and is, a true patriot.
Substantiate : Maria Sharapova calls herself Russian because not only does she have Russian citizenship, but she also has Russian blood in her veins. She would like to play Olympics for Russia if the nation wants her to.
Question 8.
What motivates Maria to keep going ?
आगे बढ़ते रहने के लिए मारिया को कौन-सी चीज उद्वेलित करती रहती है?
Answer:
Ans. The firm determination and the positive attitude motivated her to keep going. The hard work of her parents, and separation from her mother served to make her stronger and win the Wimbledon in 2004 . She agreed that money was a motivation, but the most important thing was to become number one in the world, and that kept her going.
Long Answer type Questions:
III. Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words :
Question 1.
Apart from her passion for tennis, Maria Sharapova has some other interests and hobbies. Write a note on it.
टेनिस से अत्यधिक लगाव के अलावा मारिया सरापोवा के कुछ और भी रुचिकर खेल एवं कार्य हैं। उन पर टिप्पणी लिखें।
Or
What are Maria’s hobbies ? What are her likes ?
मारिया के रुचिकर कार्य/खेल क्या हैं? वह क्या पसंद करती है?
Answer:
The tennis ace, Maria Sharapova has quite a few interests and hobbies other than the game that she plays so fervently. She likes to dress up and like any number of teenaged sensations, she lists fashion as one of her hobbies. She is fond of sophisticated evening gowns. Singing and dancing are also among quite a few of her other interests. She enjoys pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks. Besides, she loves to read the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle. So, she is a multidimensional personality.
Question 2.
Why was there no room for sentiment in Maria’s life ?
मारिया के जीवन में भावनाओं का कोई भी स्थान क्यों नहीं था?
Answer:
“Age does not decide maturity of a person.” It holds true in the case of Maria Sharapova. She was just nine, when she moved to Florida in the US along ith her father. Her mother had to stay back at Siberia due to visa restrictions, and she had to endure a two-year long separation from her mother. She worked hard to become a professional. She was bullied at the hands of other pupils. However, she never thought of quitting. By dint of her work and firm determination, she won the women’s singles at Wimbledon in 2004 . Her age was never an obstacle in achieving her dreams. She was always sure about what she wanted. She learnt to take care of herself even at the tender age of nine. All the hardships only served to make her more determined and ‘hungry’ for success since her childhood.
Question 3.
Describe the qualities required to realise one’s dream with reference to Maria’s life.
मारिया के जीवन के संदर्भ में उन गुणों का वर्णन करें जिनके द्वारा हम अपने सपने साकार कर सकते हैं?
Answer:
Maria Sharapova was a focussed girl with great will power and determination. She started her training at a very tender age learning that tennis excellence would only come at a price. Her hunger to achieve excellence in the field of tennis kept the flame alive. With great determination and hard work devoid of any sentiments brought her to the top levels of championship. She had great determination and focussed well on her destination to become a tennis player and fought at the international level to become a champion.
Question 4.
Compare and contrast the characters of Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova.
संतोष यादव एवं मारिया सरापोवा के चरित्रों की तुलना करें एवं विरोधाभास ढूँढ़ें।
Answer:
Both Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova went through hardships during their childhood. But both of them have been very determined to achieve what they wanted. Also, both worked hard to be where they are today. However, apart from these similarities, there are quite a few differences between their lives as well. Santosh’s parents have been affluent land owners whereas Maria’s father worked as hard as he could do to continue her training. Also, he accompanied his daughter to Florida whereas Santosh had to leave her home on her own to go to Delhi in order to continue with her studies.
Question 5.
Who is Maria Sharapova? What sacrifices does she make in her life to become successful ? What qualities of Maria helped her in becoming successful?
मारिया सरापोवा कौन है? सफलता पाने के लिए जीवन में उसने क्या-क्या बलिदान किए? मारिया के किन गुणों ने उसे सफलता दिलाने में मदद की?
Answer:
Maria Sharapova is a world renowned Tennis player. On 22nd August 2005, she acquired number one position in women’s tennis. Poised beyond her years, the Siberian born teenager took just four years as a professional to reach the pinnacle. To attain success, she underwent a level of sacrifice only few children would be prepared to endure. She took a trip to Florida with her father to train herself in the sports of tennis. She had to bear a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena who was compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions. She missed her mother terribly. As. she was quite young amongst the other tennis pupils, she had to take orders from them to tidy up the room and clean it. Eventually, she learned to take care of herself.
Maria possessed the essential qualities that made her successful despite all the hardships. Instead of getting depressed by the sacrifices that she had to make and the bullying she had to face, she became more quietly determined and mentally tough. She was ready to put up with all the humiliation and insults in order to successfully pursue her dream. She continued on her path to success refusing to quit. She was dauntless and there was possibly nothing that could waver her efforts to achieve the heights of success.
I. Summary In English
Maria Sharapova reached the top position of women’s tennis on August 22, 2005 at the age of 18.
Maria comes to USA :
Maria was poor. She was born in Siberia, Russia. She was a good tennis player and her father decided to help her. She was less than ten years old when her father brought her to Florida, USA. Her mother had to stay back on account of visa restriction. Separation from her mother was a great sacrifice this young girl had to make. She was lonely and sad. But she was determined to achieve excellence in tennis.
Her training:
She was young and went to bed at 8 p.m. Other tennis players came to the room at 11 p.m. They would wake her up and ordered her to clean and tidy the room. This was humiliating. But she did not complain. She did it all quietly. But this made her still more firm in her determination to achieve her aim. She wanted to reach the top.
Her ascent:
Her rise was sudden and rapid. It took her only four years as a professional to reach the top position. In 2004 she won the ladies’ single crown at Wimbledon. The following year she reached the number one position. The secret of her success is hard work and her mental toughness. She is very competitive and is determined to retain her position. This keeps her on her toes.
Her hobbies:
Like many teenagers she has sensational hobbies. She likes to wear sophisticated evening gown. She likes fashions, singing and dancing. She reads the detective novels of Arthur Conan Doyle. She loves to eat pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks.
Her attitude to money :
Tennis is a business and she gains fabulous wealth. She admits that money is a-big motivation. But she thinks that more important than that is to become the number one in the world.
Her patriotism:
Maria Sharapova is a Russian. She lives in America and speaks with a clear American accent. But she remains Russian at heart. She still retains her Russian citizenship. If she gets a chance to play at Olympics she will play for Russia.
• As you read, look for the answers to these questions.
- Why was Maria sent to the United States ?
- Why didn’t her mother go with her ?
- What are her hobbies ? What does she like ?
- What motivates her to keep going ?
• Why was Maria sent to the United States ?
मेरिया को अमरीका क्यों भेजा गया ?
Answer:
Maria was good at tennis. She was sent to the United States for training so that she could achieve excellence in, this game.
• Why didn’t her mother go with her ?
उसकी माँ उसके साथ क्यों न जा सकी ?
Answer:
Her mother could not go with her on account of visa restrictions.
• What are her hobbies ? What does she like?
उसकी हाबी क्या है ? उसे क्या पसन्द है ?
Answer:
Fashions, singing and dancing are her hobbies. She likes to read Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels. She likes to eat pancakes with chocolate spread, and fizzy orange drinks.
• What motivates her to keep going?
उसे कार्य में लगे रहने के लिए क्या प्रेरित करता है ?
Answer:
Money and her desire to retain her number one position in the world keeps her going.
II. Complete Text With Hindi Translation
Text (Page 104): There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire. And that something in her lifted her on Monday, 22 August, 2005 to the world number one position in women’s tennis. All this happened in almost no time. Poised beyond her years, the Siberian born teenager took just four years as a professional to reach the pinnacle.
Vocabulary : disarming (डिसआर्मिग) something that makes you feel friendly मैत्रीपूर्ण; at odds (एट ऑड्ज) in contrast, not agreeing with असंगत; glamorous (ग्लेमरस) attractive and exciting भड़कीले व आकर्षक; attire (अटायर) clothes वस्त्र; lifted ( लिफ्टिड) raised ऊँचा उठाया; poised (पॉइज्ड) calm and confident शांत व संयम में; pinnacle ( पिनकल) highest point शिखर।
अनुवाद : मेरिया शारापोवा में कुछ ऐसी बात है जो उसकी तुरन्त मुस्कान व भड़कीले कपड़ों से भिन्न है और जो आपका संशय तुरन्त दूर कर देती है। और उसी बात ने सोमवार के दिन, 22 अगस्त 2005 को उसे संसार भर में महिलाओं के टेनिस के प्रथम स्थान पर चढ़ा दिया। यह सब कुछ लगभग झटपट हो गया। साइबेरिया में पैदा हुई यह किशोरी जो अपनी आयु वालों की अपेक्षा अधिक शांत व संतुलित है, चार वर्ष में पेशेवर खिलाड़ी के रूप में चोटी पर पहुँच गई।
Text (Page 105) : 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 heartwrenching 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 lifethat tennis excellence would only come at a price.
Vocabulary : ascent (असैन्ट) rise चढ़ाई, ऊपर जाना; fiercely (फिअर्सलि) violently घमासान रूप से; endure (एन्डयोर) withstand सहन करना; pack off ( पेक ऑफ) sent away भेज दिया; trip (ट्रिप) journey यात्रा; launched (लांच्ड) set going चला दिया; stardom (स्टारडम) celebrated player प्रख्यात खिलाड़ी; heart-wrenching (हार्ट-रेंचिंग) saddening दु:खदायक; compelled (कम्पेलड) forced मजबूर कर दिया; visa restrictions ( विजा रिस्ट्रिश्शन्ज ) permission to enter a country किसी अन्य देश में प्रवेश करने की अनुमति।
अनुवाद : परन्तु इस घमासान प्रतियोगिता वाले संसार में यह तीव्र गति की चढ़ाई नौ वर्ष पूर्व कुर्बानी के उस स्तर पर आरम्भ हुई जिसे सहन करने के लिए शायद ही कोई और बच्चे तैयार होंगे। नन्ही मेरिया ने अभी अपना दसवाँ जन्मदिन भी न मनाया था कि उसे प्रशिक्षण के लिए अमरीका भेज दिया गया। अपने पिता यूरी के साथ फ्लोरिंडा की उस यात्रा ने उसे सफलता व प्रख्यात खिलाड़ी बनने के मार्ग पर चला दिया। परन्तु इसके साथ ही उसे अपनी माँ येलेना से दो वर्ष की दु:खदायक जुदाई भी सहनी पड़ी। विजा की पाबन्दी के कारण उसकी माँ को साइबेरिया में ही रुकना पड़ा। नौ वर्ष की इस लड़की ने जीवन में पहले ही महत्त्वपूर्ण पाठ पढ़ लिया था-कि टेनिस में विशिष्टता प्राप्त करने के लिए मूल्य चुकाना पड़ेगा।
Text (Page 105): “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.”
Vocabulary : recalls ( रिकाल्ज़) remembers याद करती है; terribly (टेरिब्लि) painfully कष्टदायक ढंग से।
अनुवाद : मैं अकेली हुआ करती थी, “मेरिया शारापोवा याद करते हुए कहती है”, “मुझे अपनी माँ की याद सताती थी। मेरे पिताजी मेरे टेनिस के प्रशिक्षण को चालू रखने के लिए जितना प्रयास हो सके कर रहे थे। इसलिए मैं उनसे भी न मिल सकती थी।”
Text (Pages 105-106) : “Because I was so young, I used to go to bed at 8 p.m. The other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. and wake me up and order me to tidy up the room and clean it.
Vocabulary : tidy up (टाइडी अप) neat and clean सुव्यवस्थित।
अनुवाद : “क्योंकि मैं बहुत छोटी थी, मैं 8 बजे सो जाती थी। अन्य टेनिस-शिष्य 11 बजे आते थे और मुझे जगा देते थे और कमरा सुव्यवस्थित करने का आदेश देते थे।
Text (Page 106): “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. When you come from nothing and you have nothing, then it makes you very hungry and determined …… I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than that to steadfastly pursue my dream.”
Vocabulary : depress ( डिप्रेस) dishearten भिराश; quitting (क्विटइंग) giving up छोड़कर चले जाना; humiliation (द्युमिलिएशन) insult अपमान; steadfastly (स्टेड फास्टलि) firmly, without wavering अटलता से; pursue (परस्यु) aim at लक्ष्य प्राप्ति के लिए लगे रहना।
अनुवाद : निराश होने की बजाए, मैं चुपचाप अधिक दृढ़ संकल्प व मानसिक रूप से कठोर बन गई। मैंने सीख लिया कि अपना ध्यान स्वयं कैसे रखा जाता है। मैंने कभी छोड़कर भागने की न सोची क्योंकि मैं जानती थी कि मैं क्या चाहती हूँ। जब आपके पास न कुछ था और न कुछ है तो आप बहुत भूखे और दृढ़ संकल्प वाले बन जाते हों….. मैं अपने लक्ष्य की प्राप्ति में अटलता से लगे रहने के लिए, उससे भी अधिक अपमान सहने को तैयार थी।
Text (Page 106): That toughness runs through Maria even today. It was the key to her bagging the ladies’ singles crown at Wimbledon in 2004 and to her meteoric rise to the world’s number one spot the following year.
Vocabulary : toughness (टफनेस) firmness दृढ़ता; bagging ( बेगइंग) winning जीतना; meteoric (मीटेरिक) rapid like a meteor तीव्रगति से; $\operatorname{spot}$ (स्पॉट) position/rank स्थान।
अनुवाद : वह दृढ़ता मेरिया में आज भी विद्यमान है, यह 2004 में उसका विम्बलडन में महिलाओं के सिंगल खिताब प्राप्त करने का और उसका अगले वर्ष विश्व में प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त करने का रहस्य है।
Text (Page 106) : 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 competitive. I work hard at what I do. It’s my job.” This is her mantra for success.
Vocabulary : frozen (फ्रोज़न) covered with ice and snow बर्फ से जमे हुए; plains (प्लेन्ज) tracts of level country मैदान; fans (फैन्ज़ ) admirers प्रशंसक; sentiment ( सेन्टिमेन्ट) emotions भावुकता; amply (एम्प्ली) sufficiently पर्याप्त रूप से, काफी।
अनुवाद : जबकि साइबेरिया के बर्फ से जमे मैदानों में महिलाओं के टेनिस के शिखर पर पहुँचने की उसकी यात्रा से टेनिस के प्रशंसकों के मन गदगद हो गए हैं, वह स्वयं इतनी छोटी आयु की है कि ऐसा लगता है कि उसके मन में भावुकता के लिए कोई स्थान नहीं। जिस प्रकार से वह सामने देखकर बात करती है और जिस प्रकार वह उसकी आकांक्षा के बारे में पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्नों के उत्तर देती है, उससे यह पर्याप्त रूप से स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि जो कुर्बानी उसने की वह करनी आवश्यक थी। “मैं बहुत प्रतियोगिताशील हूँ। जो कुछ मैं करती हूँ, मैं उसे परिश्रम से करती हूँ। यह मेरा काम है।” यह उसकी सफलता का मंत्र है।
Text (Page 106) : Though Maria Sharapova speaks with a pronounced American accent, she proudly parades her Russian nationality. Clearing all doubts, she says, “I’m Russian. It’s true that the US 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.”
Vocabulary : pronounced (प्रोनाउंस्ड) clear स्पष्ट; accent (एक्सेन्ट) way of speaking उच्चारण का ढंग; parades ( पेरेडज) shows off प्रदर्शन करना; nationality (नेशनेलिटी) nation to which one belongs नागरिकता।
अनुवाद : यद्यपि मेरिया शारापोवा का उच्चारण स्पष्ट अमरीकी ढंग का है, वह अपनी रूसी नागरिकता का गर्वपूर्वक प्रदर्शन करती है। सब सन्देह स्पष्ट करते हुए वह कहती है, “मैं रूसी हूँ। यह सत्य है कि अमरीका मेरे जीवन का बड़ा भाग है। परन्तु मैं रूसी नागरिक हूँ। मेरा रक्त पूर्णतः रूसी है। यदि वे चाहेंगे तो मैं ऑलिम्पिक में रूस की ओर से खेलूँगी।
Text (Page 106) : Like any number of teenaged sensations, Maria Sharapova lists fashion, singing and dancing as her hobbies. She loves reading the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle. Her fondness for sophisticated evening gowns appears at odds with her love of pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks.
Vocabulary : sensations (सेन्सेशन्ज) excitements उत्तेजना; lists ( लिस्ट्स) enumerates गिनती करना; sophisticated (सफिस्टिकेटिड) complicated and showy जटिल व दिखावटी; pancakes ( पेनकेक्स) thin flate cakes पुआ; fizzy (फिजी) frothy drink बुदबुदाने वाली पेय।
अनुवाद : अन्य किशोरों की भाँति मेरिया शारापोवा में कई उत्तेजनाएँ हैं, और फैशन, गाना और नाचना उसके शुगुल हैं। उसे आर्थर कोनन डोयल के उपन्यास पढ़ने अच्छे लगते हैं। उसका जटिल व दिखावटी सायं का गाउन पहनना, उसकी चॉकलेट से भरा पुआ व बुदबुदाने वाली संतरे की पेय की चाह से मेल नहीं खाती।
Text (Pages 106-107): Maria Sharapova cannot be pigeon-holed or categorized. Her talent, unwavering desire to succeed and readiness to sacrifice have lifted her to the top of the world. Few would grudge her the riches she is now reaping. This is what she has to say about her monetary gains from tennis: “Of course, money is a motivation. Tennis is a business and a sport, but the most important thing is to become number one in the world. That’s the dream that kept me going.”
Vocabulary : pigeon-holed ( पिजनहोल्ड) classify किसी श्रेणी में रखना; categorized (केटेगराइज्ड) put in a category or group वर्गीकरण करना; talent (टेलेंट) special skill प्रतिभा, विशेष गुण; unwavering (अनवेवरिंग) unshakable दृढ़, स्थिर; grudge (ग्रज) to envy ईर्ष्या करना; riches (रिचिज) wealth धन; reaping (रीपिंग) earning कमाना; monetary (मोनेटंरी) concerning money धन सम्बन्धी; motivation ( मोटिवेशन) inspiration प्रेरणा; kept me going (केप्ट मि गोइंग) urged on व्यस्त रखा।
अनुवाद : शारापोवा को किसी एक श्रेणी में नहीं रखा जा सकता। वह अपनी प्रतिभा, जीतने की दृढ़ इच्छा, और कुर्बानी के लिए तत्परता के कारण विश्व के शिखर पर पहुँच गई। जो धन वह कमा रही है उससे शायद ही किसी को ईष्या हो। टेनिस से धन लाभ के बारे में वह कहती है, “निःसन्देह धन प्रेरणाजनक है। टेनिस व्यापार भी है और खेल भी। परन्तु सबसे महत्त्वपूर्ण बात संसार में प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त करने की है। यह मेरा लक्ष्य है जो मुझे इसमें लगाए रखता है।”