Reach for the Top , Class 9, SEBA, All Textual Questions & Exercises

Reach for the Top  Class 9 SEBA: All Textual Questions & Exercises

Reach for the Top — I. Santosh Yadav

1. Very Short and Short Answer Questions

1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised?
   Answer: He was surprised because Santosh’s grandmother requested blessings for a daughter, whereas most people ask for a
2. Give an example showing Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable.
   Answer: She preferred wearing shorts instead of traditional dresses like other girls, showing her independent thinking
3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school?
   Answer: Due to family custom, even though her parents could afford better schools, she was sent to the local village school.
4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why?
   Answer: She left home at sixteen to get a better education in Delhi.
5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities does this show?
   Answer: Her parents agreed because she planned to support herself through a part-time job, showcasing her determination and resolve.

1. Short Paragraph Questions (About 30 Words Each)

1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
   Answer: While staying in Kasturba Hostel, she watched villagers going up the Aravalli Hills and was inspired to join a mountaineering course    .
2. What incidents show her concern for others?
   Answer: During the Everest mission, she saved a climber’s life by sharing oxygen and cooled a teammate’s resentment with her calm attitude.
3. How does she describe her feelings at the Everest summit?
   Answer: She said the enormity of the moment took time to sink in. She proudly unfurled the Indian Tricolor.
4. Why did Santosh get into the record books both times?
   Answer: She was both the youngest woman to climb Everest and the first woman to scale it twice.

1. Complete the Statements

• From her hostel room, Santosh used to watch villagers climbing the hill, who disappeared over its summit.
• She apologized to her father for joining the mountaineering institute without his permission.
• Her team seniors admired her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength during expeditions.

1. Match Words With Meanings

Expression	Word
took to be true, without proof (1)	Assumed
based on reason, sensible (2)	Rational
traditional way of doing (3)	Custom
strong desire arising from within (5)	Urge
power to endure without falling ill (7)	Endurance

Reach for the Top — II. Maria Sharapova

1. Textual Question Answers

1. Why was Maria sent to the United States?
   Answer: For tennis training and better opportunities in the sport.
2. Why didn’t her mother accompany her to the US?
   Answer: Due to visa restrictions, her mother had to stay in Russia for over two years.
3. What are Maria’s hobbies and likes?
   Answer: She enjoys fashion, singing, dancing, reading novels (Arthur Conan Doyle), pancakes with chocolate spread, and fizzy orange drinks.
4. What keeps Maria going?
   Answer: Her ambition to be world number one is her biggest motivator. Although money is important, her focus is on tennis excellence.
5. What was Maria’s achievement in August 2005, and how quickly did she rise?
   Answer: She became the world number one in women’s tennis in just four years.

1. Vocabulary

Phrase	Meaning
something disarming	makes you feel friendly, removes suspicion
at odds with	not agreeing, in contrast
poised beyond her years	maturity well above her age
heart-wrenching	causing deep sadness
glamorous attire	fashionable/exciting clothing
packed off	sent away

 

On Killing a Tree — Gieve Patel

1. Summary/Substance

• The poem is a satire on humanity’s ruthless destruction of nature. It describes in detail the persistent, destructive process needed to actually kill a full-grown tree — hacking isn’t enough; the roots must be uprooted, dried, and killed completely. Patel highlights nature’s resilience and the tragic futility and violence of human acts against the environment
• B. Textual Questions & Answers

1. Who composed the poem “On Killing a Tree”?
   Answer: Gieve Patel.
2. How much time does it take to kill a tree?
   Answer: It takes a long time—a simple jab of a knife or chopping can’t kill a tree quickly.
3. What can’t kill a tree?
   Answer: A simple jab of a knife can’t kill a tree as it heals and grows again.
4. Which part is most sensitive?
   Answer: The white, wet root buried in the earth is most sensitive.
5.  What needs to be done to kill a tree completely?
   Answer: The tree must be uprooted, the roots exposed to sunlight and air, then dried, scorched, and withered until dead.
6. Justify the title “On Killing a Tree”.
   Answer: The title is fitting as the poem meticulously details how killing a tree is not simple and highlights the tragic persistence and violence of such destruction. It also symbolizes the broader destruction of nature by humans.
7. What is the bleeding bark, and how does it heal?
   Answer: After a tree is cut, the bark ‘bleeds’ (oozes sap) but eventually heals and even sprouts new branches, showing nature’s resilience.

1. Central Theme

• The poem warns against human carelessness and the devastating, irreversible impact on nature. There is an urgent environmental message — trees are deeply rooted, resilient, and killing them is a long, destructive process that symbolizes humanity’s violence