Words and Expressions Class 9 Solutions Unit 9

Look at the pictures given below. Discuss with a friend and answer the following questions briefly.
Words and Expressions Class 9 Solutions Unit 9 IMG 1
Question 1.
Do you think animals have emotions?
Answer:
Yes, animals have emotions and they try to express them through various gestures and cries.

Question 2.
Do you think most people care for animals? Why do you think so?
Answer:
No, most people do not care for animals. There are poachers who kill endangered species for personal profit. There are also people who run circus which exploits animals.

Question 3.
What kind of animals can you keep as pets?
Answer:
Dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, turtles, parrots are some animals that we can keep as pets.

Question 4.
Are you scared of some animals? Why?
Answer:
I am scared of snakes because many of them are poisonous.

Question 5.
Can you name any endangered species?
Answer:
Blackbuck, Bengal Tiger, Snow Leopard, Indian Rhionoceros are a few of the endangered animals.

Question 6.
What can people learn from animals?
Answer:
We can learn several lessons like compassion, patience, perseverance and survival instincts from animals.

Class 9 English Literature Reader NCERT Solutions

Reading Comprehension:

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow.

Text – I

Though the house and grounds belonged to my grandparents, the magnificent old banyan tree was mine – chiefly because Grandfather, at sixty-five, could no longer climb it.

Its spreading branches, which hung to the ground and took root again, forming a number of twisting passages, gave me endless pleasure. Among them were squirrels and snails and butterflies. The tree was older than the house, older than grandfather, as old as Dehra Dun itself. I could hide myself in its branches, behind thick green leaves, and spy on the world below.

My first friend was a small squirrel. At first, he seemed to resent my invasion of his privacy. But when he found that I did not arm myself with a catapult, he became friendly, and when I started bringing him pieces of cake and biscuit he grew quite bold and was soon taking food from my hand. Before long, he was delving into my pockets and helping himself to whatever he could find. (Source: An extract from The Banyan Tree, by Ruskin Bond)

Read the statements given below and tick the correct option to complete each statement.

Question 1.
The writer says that the tree belonged to him because
(a) his grandfather had gifted it to him.
(b) his grandfather was too old to climb it.
(c) he was very fond of it.
(d) his friend the squirrel lived in it.
Answer:
(b) his grandfather was too old to Climb it.

Question 2.
The tree was ________.
(a) as old as the grandfather.
(b) as old as the house.
(c) as old as Dehra Dun.
(d) as old as the writer.
Answer:
(c) as old as Dehra Dun.

Question 3.
The writer could hide behind the trees because ________.
(а) it was old.
(b) it had branches with thick green leaves.
(c) he was small.
(d) there were many creatures on the tree.
Answer:
(b) it had branches with thick green leaves.

Question 4.
Which of the following happened first in the story?
(a) the squirrel delved into my pocket.
(b) the squirrel resented my presence.
(c) the squirrel started taking food from my hands.
(d) the squirrel became friendly.
Answer:
(b) the squirrel resented my presence.

Question 5.
The main purpose of the last paragraph was ________.
(a) to describe the banyan tree.
(b) to describe what the squirrel liked to eat.
(c) to describe the writer’s friendship with the squirrel.
(d) to describe the creatures living in the tree.
Answer:
(c) to describe the writer’s friendship with the squirrel.

Text – II

I was lying on a ridge scanning with field glasses a rock cliff opposite me for the most sure-footed of all Himalayan goats. On a ledge halfway up the cliff, a tahr (a mountain goat) and her kid were lying asleep. Presently the tahr got to her feet, stretched herself, and the kid immediately began to feed. After a minute, the mother freed herself and took a few steps along the ledge. She poised for a moment, then jumped down on to another narrower ledge some twelve to fifteen feet below her. As soon as it was left alone, the kid started running backwards and forward, stopping every now and then to peer down at its mother.

But the kid was unable to summon the courage to jump down to the mother. For below the narrow ledge, was a sheer drop of a thousand feet. I was too far away to hear whether the mother was encouraging her young. But from the way her head was turned, I believe she was doing so. The kid was now getting more and more agitated. Fearing that it would do something foolish, the mother went to what looked like a mere crack in the vertical rock face. She climbed it and reached her young. Immediately on doing so she lay down, presumably to prevent the kid from feeding.

After a little while she got to her feet again and allowed the kid to drink for a minute. Once again she poised carefully on the brink, and jumped down. The kid again ran backwards and forward above her. Seven times in the course of the next half-hour, this procedure was gone through. Finally the kid, abandoning itself to its fate, jumped and landed safely beside its mother. The kid was rewarded by being allowed to drink its fill. (Adapted from Snippets (online) W.M. Hoerr, 1954, PP. 115-116; Living in Amazement- The Evolution-Path/snippe tsevolution-path.com)

Question 1.
Which of the following best describes the tahr as a surefooted mountain goat?
(a) the mother was encouraging her young
(b) poised carefully on the brink, and jumped down
(c) it was safe to follow where she led
(d) Seven times.. this procedure was gone through
Answer:
(b) poised carefully on the brink, and jumped down

Question 2.
Which of the following can replace “abandoning itself to its fate”?
(а) making the most of the situation
(b) taking the bull by the horns
(c) resigning to one’s luck
(d) compromising with the situation
Answer:
(c) resigning to one’s luck

Question 3.
How was the kid encouraged to follow its mother?
Answer:
The mother kept encouraging her kid to jump by patiently showing him how to do it. After she jumped for the seventh time, the kid followed her. He was rewarded by being allowed to drink to its fill.

Question 4.
Select the pair of words that tell us how the mother taught the kid:
(a) with agility and surefootedness
(b) with severity and punishment
(c) with patience and perseverance
(d) with praise and reward
Answer:
(c) with patience and perseverance

Question 5.
The mother goat feared that the kid “would do something foolish” like ________.
(а) drink more milk than required
(b) throw itself off the cliff
(c) follow her down the vertical rock face
(d) continue to pace up and down indefinitely
Answer:
(b) throw itself off the cliff

Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Look at the sentences below. The words in italics are adjectives. See how the adjectives are used.
1. He scratched me with his hooked claws. (The claws are hooked.)
2. Everybody saluted the armed Forces. (The Forces are armed.)
3. Students happily completed all the delightful activities. (The activities are delightful.)
4. The useful tips given by the grandmother were beneficial for us. (The tips are useful.)
Now fill in the blanks with the appropriate adjective given in the brackets after every sentence.
(a) Children suffer in winter because of nose. (blocking/blocked)
(b) The Municipality was commended for the gardens. (beautified/beautiful)
(c) The young students are looking for buildings. (protective/protected)
(d) My sister is a dancer. (gracious/graceful)
(e) We are thankful for his hospitality. (extensive/extended)
Answer:
(a) blocked
(b) beautiful
(c) protected
(d) graceful
(e) extended.

Question 2.
Read the sentence from the chapter given below.
1.I got him for her by accident.
The meaning of the sentence is – I brought him (Bruno) for her (my wife) by accident. ‘Got’ is the past tense of ‘get’.
Now read the sentences given below and try to find out the meaning of‘got’ from the context. You may use a dictionary to know the use of ‘got’ in a variety of situations.
Then write the meaning in the bracket provided.
(a) She got nothing for all the troubles she took.
( _____________________ )

(b) I requested her and she got a pillow for me.
( _____________________ )

(d) He got information from the Railway station.
( _____________________ )

(e) Rita got high marks in Economics.
( _____________________ )

(f) Vijayan could not play badminton as he had got his arm broken.
( _____________________ )
Answer:
(a) Here ‘got’ means ‘to receive’. She received nothing for all the troubles she took.

(b) ‘Got’ means brought in this sentence.
I requested her and she brought a pillow for me.

(c) Here ‘got’ means ‘brought’.
I brought groceries from the market. id) ‘Got’ means ‘to acquire’ in this sentence.
He acquired information from the Railway station.

(d) ‘Got’ means ‘to acquire’ here.
Rita acquired high marks in Economics.

(f) ‘Got’ means ‘to be afflicted with; come down with or suffer from’.
Vijayan could not play badminton as he came down with his arm broken.

Grammar:

1. Adverbs:
You have already read about adverbs in Unit 1 of Beehive, Class IX. Adverbs are used to modify verbs. Use the adverbs given in the box appropriately to complete the passage below.
geographically, exclusively, consequently, gradually, initially.
Project Tiger aims at the conservation of tigers. For this purpose, the government is creating forests for the tiger population. ________ in 1973, there were only nine tiger reserves but ________ the number has risen to fifty. These reserves are ________ meant for tigers but many more other animals also find a habitat in these reserves. the number of all types of wild anihials is on the rise. Project Tiger now covers ________ 2.2% of the country’s total area.
Answer:
(1) Initially
(2) gradually
(3) exclusively
(4) consequently
(5) geographically

2. Narrative present:
We sometimes use the present tense to describe past events. This is called the ‘narrative present’. This has been explained in the lesson ‘Bond of Love’, Beehive, page no. 121. Read again the explanation and exercises. Change the following narration given in the past tense using the present form and rewrite in the box provided.

The book was open on the boy’s lap, but he did not look at it. He sat with his eyes glued to the passing scenery outside the train’s window. The cattle grazed in the fields. A child ran with a kite along the tracks. Flowers swayed with the wind. The train entered slowly into the platform. When it stopped, he thrust his book into his backpack, picked it up and got out.
Answer:
The book is open on the boy’s lap, but he does not look at it. He sits with his eyes glued to the passing scenery outside the train’s window. The cattle graze in the fields. A child runs with a kite along the tracks. Flowers sway with the wind. The train enters slowly into the platform. When it stops, he thrusts his book into his backpack, picks it up and gets out.

Editing:

Question 1.
Read the story given here. Use inverted commas wherever necessary, punctuate the story and correct the spelling errors. Then rewrite the story in the space provided.
Puppies for Sale:
A little boy appeared under the store owner’s signboards, “Puppies for Sale.” “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked polite.
The store owner replied, Anywhere from Rs 300 to Rs 500.
I have Rs 150, the little boy said soft. Can I please look at them ?
The store owner smiled and whistled, and out of the kennel came five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerab behind. Immediate the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said curious, What’s wrong with that little dog ?

The owner explained that it had no hip socket, it would always be lame. The little boy became excited. That is the little puppy that I want to buy. The store owner said apologitic, Nd, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him. I’ll just give him to you.

The little boy got quite upset. He looked strainghtly into the store owner’s eyes. Pointing his finger, he said, I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you Rs. 150 now, and 5 rupees a month until I have him paid for.

The store owner countered forcib, You really don’t want to buy this little dog. It is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies. to this, the little boy slowingly reached down and rolled up his trousers leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understand it!
(Source: Steps to English, Workbook for Class X, NCERT, 2003, P. 98 [An excerpt from Chicken Soup for the Soul, by Dan Clark])
Answer:
A little boy appeared under the store owner’s signboards, “Puppies for Sale.” “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked politely. The store owner replied, “Anywhere from Rs 300 to Rs 500.” ‘

“I have Rs 150”, the little boy said softly. “Can I please look at them ?”

The store owner smiled and whistled, and out of the kennel came five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately, the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said curiously, “What’s wrong with that little dog ?”

The owner explained that it had no hip socket, it would always be lame. The little boy became excited, “That is the little puppy I want to buy.” The store owner said apologetically, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes. Pointing his finger, he said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you Rs. 150 now, and 5 rupees a month until I have paid for him.”

The store owner countered forcibly, ‘You really don’t want to buy this little dog. It is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.” To this, the little boy slowly reached down and rolled up his trousers leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands it!”

Question 2.
Rearrange each set of words to make sentences. Use appropriate punctuation marks.
(a) in suspense, thing, it is, to live, a miserable
(b) lessons, taught, us, has, experience, many
(c) boy, all work, a dull, Jack, and, makes, no play
(d) skill, requires, to drive, care, a motor-car, and
(e) at the end, very tired, the postman, looked, of the day
Answer:
(a) It is a miserable thing to live in suspense.
(b) Experience has taught us many lessons.
(c) All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
(d) To drive a motor-car requires skill and care.
(e) The postman looked very tired at the end of the day.

Listening:

Teacher: The callous attitude of man towards the animals has put their existence in peril. Killing animals for food, fun and sport has endangered many a species.

Listen to this text on the dangers to wildlife. As you listen, tick the correct choice to complete the sentences: Wild animals are under constant danger of extinction due to many reasons. Fewer and fewer natural wildlife habitat areas are available to the wild animals each year. The forests and bushy lands that remain now are so damaged, they do not look like the wild areas which existed in the past. Loss of forests due to cutting down of trees is the main threat to the survival of wildlife.

Another reason is global warming. Due to this, the summer days are getting hotter. There is more rainfall. Flooding of rivers has become heavier due to more rain. Storms are getting stronger. Heat, floods and storms are also causing dangerous changes to our world.

Illegal hunting of wild animals is another cause behind the loss of wildlife. Pollution released into the environment affect wild animals in exactly the same way those affect the humans. Pesticides and chemicals make the environment toxic for all wild animals.

What can we do to change such a situation? What can improve the size and the conditions of our forests?

Question 1.
Tick the correct answers as you listen. Complete the sentences using the correct answers after you have listened to the passage.
(a) For many reasons, ________ (forests/wild animals) are under constant threat.
(b) The natural wildlife habitat is ________(decreasing/remaining) in size.
(c) The other reasons that threaten wildlife are ________ (hotter summer days and floods, wild areas).
(d) People kill wild animals ________ (illegally/ legally).
(e) The environment for all the wild animals has become toxic because of ________ and ________ (pesticides, flood water, chemicals, hot wind).
Answer:
(a) wild animals
(b) decreasing
(c) hotter summer days and floods
(d) illegally
(e) pesticides, chemicals

Speaking:

Question 1.
Find out the following information about your favourite wild animal.
(a) Where it lives
(b) How it looks
(c) What it eats
(d) When it comes out to search for food
(e) What its babies are called
(f) Who its friends are
(g) Who its enemies are
(h) How human beings can help its survival?
Answer:
My favourite wild animal is Sloth Bear.
(a) It occurs in a wide range of habitats including wet and dry tropical forests, Savannahs, scrublands and grasslands below 1,500 m on the Indian subcontinent, and below 300 m in Srilanka’s dry forests.

(b) Sloth bear fur is completely black. It is long, shaggy and unkempt. Its muzzles are thick and long, with small jaws and bulbous snouts with wide nostrils. It has a long lower lip. It is lanky, has mane around the face and long, sickle shaped claws.

(c) Sloth bear mainly eats termites. It may supplement its diet with fruit and plant matter. They are also fond of honey, sugarcane, grubs etc.

(d) It comes out in search of food in the late evenings and at night. Female sloth bear with its cubs prefers to hunt for food during daytime to escape the nocturnal predators.

(e) Babies of sloth bear are called ‘CUBS’.

(f) Its friends are Asiatic black bears, Sun bears.

(g) Its enemies are tigers, leopards, wolves.

(h) Human beings can help its survival by protecting their natural habitats and by preventing their hunting by the poachers. Strict enforcement of laws which are made by the government can save them from extinction.

Question 2.
Now, pretend that you are your favourite animal. Tell the class about yourself using the information you have collected.
Answer:
Bengal Tiger:
Hello friends!
I am the famous Bengal Tiger. I rank among the biggest wild cats alive today. I am the national animal of both India and Bangladesh.

I inhabit tropical moist evergreen forests, tropical dry forests and mangroves. Today these kind of habitats are found near the Himalayas and the Sunderbans.

I look fierce and glorious with my striped coat which ranges from yellow to orange colour. My tail is orange with black rings. I am a solitary animal. I generally hunt and eat forest and tall grassland animals such as chital, sambar, gaur, wild boar, nilgai etc. I generally hunt at night.

My young ones are called cubs. I stay away from larger animals such as Indian elephant and rhinoceros. Human beings pose a threat to my existence. Poaching, illegal occupation of land, destruction of wild areas are resulting in decrease in our population.

There is a need to have protected wildlife regions for our species and other endangered species, strict action and penalty should be imposed on pdachers.

Writing:

Discuss the picture with a friend. Together write an imaginary dialogue between the bear and the girl.
Words and Expressions Class 9 Solutions Unit 9 IMG 2
Girl : ________
Bear : ________
Girl : ________
Bear : ________
Girl : ________
Bear : ________
Girl : ________
Bear : ________
Answer:

Girl : “Hello there ! How are you, Mr. Bear ?”
Bear : “Oh hello, little girl. I am fine.”
Girl : “Is it true that your grandparents were tied up and made to perform antics on roads by human beings ?”
Bear : “Sadly, yes ! My grandfather died after he was beaten up by his master.”
Girl : “That’s horrible ! I hope you are free to do things as you please.”
Bear : “I’m in a zoo. It’s a comfortable place but I wish I were in forest, free as a bird.”
Girl : “I hope your dream becomes a reality soon. Bye, bye Bear.”
Bear : “Thanks, little girl. Bye bye”.

Project:

Visit your school library, read newspapers and discuss with your elders in your family to get information related to various activities, campaigns and news items about animal welfare. You can also do web search using keywords like endangered animals, animal rights, animal welfare, etc.

Write a note of about 300 – 400 words describing the facts on the animal. Draw/paste picture as suitable.
Note the following points:
1. animal in concern
2. year of origin of the project/activities/campaign, etc.
3. information regarding the animal
4. human – animal relationship
Answer:
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle:
Words and Expressions Class 9 Solutions Unit 9 IMG 3
Turtles have had an infamous past when it comes to the stories told by humans. The turtle who won the race despite being slower than a rabbit, is cited by many.

The Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea) is found in abundance in Pacific and Indian Oceans. However, large scale exploitation and trading of Olive Ridley skins has made it necessary to include these turtles in the ‘Vulnerable’ list by IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Olive Ridley turtles are best known for Arribada – their unique mass nesting. In this the same beach is used by hundreds and thousands of females to lay eggs. Growing to about 2 feet in length and weighing around 50 kg, it has an olive colored carapace which is rounded and shaped like a heart. They are carnivores and feed on fish, shrimp, snails, crabs and their eggs.

Olive Ridley turtles face serious threats from animals like jackals, birds, hyenas and even dogs. WWF India along with fishermen have been involved in protecting the mass nesting site at Rushikulaya, Orissa. Olive Ridleys also face threats from turtle unfriendly fishing practices, development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, and centres for tourism. To reduce accidental killings in India, Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) are mandatory. Such measures have helped to reduce the accidental killings.

Words and Expressions Class 9 Solutions

Class 9 English Literature Reader

Class 9 English Beehive (Prose)

Class 9 English Beehive (Poem)

Chapter 1 The Road Not Taken [Poem]
Chapter 2 Wind [Poem]
Chapter 3 Rain On The Roof [Poem]
Chapter 4 The Lake Isle Of Innisfree [Poem]
Chapter 5 A Legend Of The Northland [Poem]
Chapter 6 No Men Are Foreign [Poem]
Chapter 7 The Duck and the Kangaroo [Poem]
Chapter 8 On Killing A Tree [Poem]
Chapter 9 The Snake Trying [Poem]
Chapter 10 A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal [Poem]

Class 9 English Moments