BSEB Class 9 English Chapter 8 My Childhood Important Question Answers from English Panorama-I Book
BSEB Class 9 English My Childhood Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for BSEB Class 9 English Panorama-I Book Chapter 8 My Childhood? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 9 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 8 My Childhood now. The questions listed below are based on the latest BSEB exam pattern. All the Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered.
Related:
BSEB Class 9 English Chapter 8 My Childhood Textbook Questions
A. Answer these questions orally:
1. Who is the only scientist to have become the President of India?
Ans. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is the only scientist to have become the President of India.
2. Name any three scholars who have been the President of India.
Ans. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Dr. Zakir Hussain, and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam are the three scholars who have been the President of India.
3. Who is called the ‘Missile Man of India’?
Ans. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is called the ‘Missile Man of India’.
B.1.1 Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements:
1. Kalam was born in a high-class family.
2. Kalam was eight years old when the Second World War broke out.
3. India joined the Allied Forces.
4. Jalaluddin helped Kalam earn his first wages.
5. Kalam is now ashamed of how he earned his own money for the first time.
6. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born in a Tamil family at Rameswaram in Madras.
Ans.
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. False
6. True
B.1.2. Answer the following questions very briefly:
1. Who were the parents of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam?
Ans. His father was Jainulabdeen and his mother was Ashiamma.
2. When was his ancestral house built?
Ans. His ancestral house was built in the middle of the nineteenth century.
3. When did the Second World War break out?
Ans. The Second World War broke out in 1939.
B.2. 1. Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements:
1. Kalam had three close friends: Ramanandha Sastry, Aravindan and Siva Prakasan.
2. All the three boys were from orthodox Hindu Brahamin families.
3. The ancestral business of their family was cooking.
4. Events from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet were the bedtime stories that his mother and grandmother used to tell the children.
Ans.
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
B.2.2. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the text:
1. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the high …. Of Rameshwaram Temple.
2. During the annual……….. Ceremony our family used to arrange boats for special platform for carrying idols from the temple to the marriage site.
3. Kalam used to wear ……. which marked him as a Muslim.
4. He used to sit in front…………… next to Ramanadha Sastry.
Ans.
1. priest
2. Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam
3. cap
4. row
B.2.3. Answer the following questions very briefly:
1. What qualities did he inherit from his parents?
Ans. He inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and kindness from his mother.
2. What was the occupation of his family?
Ans. Fishing was the occupation of his family.
3. How did the new teacher behave with Kalam and what did he do?
Ans. The new teacher behaved badly with Kalam due to his religion and shifted him to the last bench so he wouldn’t sit beside Ramanadha Sastry.
4. What profession did his three friends adopt on growing adult?
Ans. Ramanandha Sastry took the priesthood of the Rameswaram Temple after his father. Aravindan became a businessman providing transport service to visiting pilgrims. Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.
5. How many brothers and sisters did Kalam have?
Ans. He had three brothers and one sister.
B.3.1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the text:
1. Kalam’s father Jainulabdeen possesed great……………… wisdom and a true…………… of spirit.
2. The Second World War broke out in ……. .
3. Rameswaram, his birth place, is an …… .
4. He had a very secure……., both materially and emotionally.
5. Samsuddin helped Kalam to…………… his first wages.
6. Kalam’s ancestral house was built in the middle of ………century.
Ans.
1. innate, generosity
2. 1939
3. island
4. childhood
5. earn
6. the nineteenth
B.3.2. Answer the following questions briefly:
1. Paint out the modes and manners of Sivasubramania Iyer, Kalam’s Science teacher?
Ans. Sivasubramaniam Iyer was Kalam’s Science teacher. He was an orthodox Brahmin. He was a flexible individual who rebelled against the societal barriers between Muslims and Hindus. He battled the barriers quietly, like when he did not get upset with his wife when she refused to serve Kalam from her own hands. He was a devoted teacher who connected well with the children and gave them inspiration and advice.
2. Who was the eleventh President of India?
Ans. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the eleventh President of India.
3. Who was the man whose projects in space, defence and nuclear technology guided India into the twenty first century?
Ans. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the man whose projects in space, defence and nuclear technology guided India into the twenty-first century.
4. Where did Kalam go for his higher studies after leaving Rameswaram?
Ans. Kalam went to study at the district headquarters of Ramanathapuram for his higher studies after leaving Rameswaram.
B.3.3. Answer the following questions very briefly:
1. Why did Sivasubramania lyer invite Kalam to his house? What was the reaction of lyer’s wife?
Ans. Sivasubramania lyer invited Kalam to his house for a meal. Iyer’s wife was horrified at the thought of a Muslim boy eating in her pure kitchen.
2. When was India’s freedom declared imminent?
Ans. India’s freedom was declared imminent when Gandhiji declared that Indians would make their own India after the end of the Second World War.
C.1. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Elucidate the circumstances leading to a materially and emotionally secured childhood of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Ans. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born into a middle-class family. His father was a humble and wise man with average wealth and education. He believed in having all the necessities but no inessential comforts and luxuries. There were no restrictions on necessary clothes, food, and medicine, creating a down-to-earth environment. Therefore, this led to materialistic security. His mother was kind, charitable, and generous, who cooked and fed not just her family but also the outsiders. He was inspired by the innate wisdom, honesty, and self-discipline of his father. The example his parents set and their wisdom and protection, provided emotional security. The limited luxuries but fulfilment of necessities combined with the traits he inherited from his parents led to a materially and emotionally secure childhood of Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
2. Describe the circumstances which helped Kalam in earning his first wages during the outbreak of the Second World War.
Ans. During the Second World War, a state of emergency led to the suspension of train stops at Rameswaram station in India. Newspaper bundles were then thrown from moving trains, and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s cousin, Samsuddin, a local newspaper distributor, needed help collecting them. Kalam was a young boy at the time who was hired by Samsuddin to catch and gather these bundles before they scattered. His first wages, earned with hard work, filled Kalam and marked his initial sense of financial independence. Even after fifty years, he felt immense pride and satisfaction as he recalled earning those first wages.
3. What relationship did Kalam have with his three friends – Ramanandha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan?
Ans. Ramanadha Sastry was Abdul Kalam’s childhood friend. He was from an orthodox Hindu Brahmin family. At school, when Abdul Kalam was asked to sit in the last bench by one of the teachers because he was a Muslim, Ramanadha did not like it and complained about the teacher to his father, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the head priest of the Rameswaram Temple. Aravindan and Sivaprakasan were two childhood friends who were also from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families. Throughout their friendship, they rarely felt the differences of their religions due to an open-minded upbringing. Kalam had a positive friendship with Ramanandha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan despite being a Muslim boy.
4. Describe the circumstances that led to Kalam’s punishment by his new teacher when he was in standard fifth.
Ans. When Kalam was in the fifth class, he used to sit in the front row with his friend, Ramanadha Sastry. He was a Muslim, while Ramanadha was a Hindu. He wore the white cap and Ramanadha wore the sacred thread. The new teacher was a person who followed the societal barriers and could not tolerate a Muslim sitting beside a Brahmin. Kalam was punished by being shifted to the last row.
5. How was the teacher compelled to withdraw the punishment inflicted on A.P.J. Abdul Kalam?
Ans. The new teacher was a person who followed societal barriers and could not tolerate a Muslim sitting beside a Brahmin. Kalam was punished by being shifted to the last row. The punishment hurt both Kalam and Ramanadha. Kalam’s friend went to his father, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the priest of the Rameswaram Temple. Ramanadha complained about the unfair treatment towards Kalam. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry then scolded the teacher for spreading messages about social inequality and communal intolerance in a school. The new teacher still believed in the societal barriers between Hindus and Muslims, but the strength in Lakshmana Sastry’s words compelled him to withdraw the punishment inflicted on A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
6. How did Kalam’s science teacher, Sivasubramania lyer, try to break social barriers in the small town of Rameswaram?
Ans. Sivasubramaniam Iyer was Kalam’s Science teacher. He was an orthodox Brahmin. He was a tolerant and flexible individual who rebelled against the societal barriers between Muslims and Hindus. He used to spend time with Kalam and encourage him to develop and be on par with highly educated people from big cities. He faced challenges even from his own family. He invited Kalam to his house one day for a meal. His wife was horrified to know that a Muslim boy would eat in her pure kitchen. She denied him entry in the kitchen. But, without losing faith in his belief that caste and religion do not segregate people, he served the young Kalam himself. Thus, he reformed his wife not by force but by setting an example.
C. 2. DISCUSSION
Discuss the following in groups or pairs:
1. Should there be discrimination on the basis of caste and creed?
Ans. No, there should not be discrimination on the basis of caste or creed, as it violates fundamental principles of equality, human dignity, and social justice upheld globally and in India. India’s Constitution bans such discrimination through Articles 15 and 17. Caste and creed-based discrimination encourages inequality, denies access to education, jobs, and services, and inflicts social exclusion. Ethically, it contradicts universal human rights that demand equal treatment regardless of birth or belief. Discrimination hampers social mobility, economic growth, and national unity. Discrimination fosters division instead of fraternity
C. 3. СOMPOSITION
1. Write a letter to your friend describing Kalam’s childhood and how it inspired you to the path of success.
Ans.
[Your Address]
Greetings [Friend’s name]
Hello! How are you? I hope the letter finds you in the highest of spirits. I am writing a letter to describe our dear late President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s childhood and how it inspired me on the path to success.
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s childhood displays the importance of humility and hard work. In his childhood, he learnt the importance of living only with necessities but not indulging in excessive comfort and luxuries. He was always grateful for everything he had at that moment. He never gave up an opportunity where he had to work hard or help someone, like how he helped his cousin Samsuddin to distribute newspapers. He developed positively because he was surrounded by adults like Pakshi Lakshaman Shastry and Sivasubramaniam Iyer, who rebelled against social inequality. From him, I learnt to be grounded, to work hard at every given opportunity, and to surround myself with positivity and open-mindedness. This led me to make the right decisions in life and achieve success.
I hope my letter will teach you something important and inspire you in the right direction.
Yours sincerely
[Your Name]
D. 1. WORD STUDY
Correct the spelling of the following words:
| rabel | marriege | pilgriem | tample |
| luk | allide | wajes | bussines |
Ans.
| rebel | marriage | pilgrim | temple |
| look | allied | wages | business |
E. GRAMMAR
E.1. Synthesis means the combination of two or more simple sentences into one new sentence – simple, compound or complex.
Ex. Study the following sentence in the lesson.
My father, Jainulabdeen, had neither much formal education nor much wealth.
The words in bold letters in the sentence given above are co-relatives. With the help of co-relatives or sentence connectors or sentence linkers or conjunctions you can connect or link the words or sentences.
The following words are Conjunctions which are used to combine sentences:
As, since, while, than, until/till, just/then, because, unless, lest, before, after, when, but, so/ therefore, if, as soon as, as long as, also/ or/ otherwise, although/though
The following are some pairs of words which are used to combine sentences:
| either ……… or | neither …… nor |
| not only ……….. but also | not……… but |
| though ……….. yet | as/so………… as |
| so………… that | as………….. so |
| I hardly …………. when/before | scarcely ………… when/before |
| no sooner ………… than |
E. 2. Find out some Conjunctions in the lesson.
Ans. My father, Jainulabdeen, had neither much formal education nor much wealth.
I do not recall the exact number of people she fed every day, but I an quite certain that far more outsiders ate with us than all the members of our own family put together.
I used to collect the seeds and sell them to a provision shop on Mosque Street.
He looked utterly downcast as I shifted to my seat in the last row.
He bluntly asked the teacher to either apologise or quit the school.
However, my science teacher Sivasubramania Iyer, though an orthodox Brahmin with a very conservative wife, was something of a rebel.
He did his best to break social barriers so that people from varying backgrounds could mingle easily.
Then the Second World War was over and India’s freedom was imminent.
E.3. With the help of Conjunctions make five sentences.
Ans.
1. I like apples but not oranges.
2. I went to the market and bought apples, oranges, pears, and bananas.
3. Although I love sweet things, I do not like white chocolate.
4. Neither my mother nor my father discouraged my passion for music.
5. I was late because it was raining heavily.
Learn this also:
A clause is a group of words forming a part of a sentence and containing a Subject and a Predicate of its own.
Ex.1. Give examples of simple, compound and complex sentence.
Ans. Examples of simple sentences:
1. Alice ran to the stadium.
2. I like ice cream.
3. The dog barked.
Examples of compound sentences:
1. He worked hard, but he failed.
2. The children ate lunch, but the teacher did not.
3. We enjoyed the festival, so we decided to go again.
Examples of complex sentences:
1. Students stood up when the teacher entered.
2. We laughed at the silly animal sounds after we read the book.
3. He tried hard, but he failed because he didn’t study enough.
Ex.2. How many kinds of clauses are there?
Ans. There are two kinds of clauses: independent and dependent. Dependent clauses can be further divided into subtypes.
Ex.3. Write the types of clauses and their definitions.
Ans. Types of clauses are as follows:
1. Independent clauses express a complete thought and stand alone as sentences, like “She sings well.”
Dependent clauses cannot stand alone and begin with words like “because” or “when,” such as “because she was happy.”
2. Dependent clauses can be divided further.
I. Noun clauses act as nouns (e.g., “What he said surprised me”).
II. Adjective (relative) clauses modify nouns (e.g., “The book that I read was great”).
III. Adverb clauses modify verbs or adjectives (e.g., “She left after the meeting ended”).
IV. Coordinate clauses join equal independent clauses with “and” or “but.”
V. Conditional clauses express “if” scenarios.
Ex.4. Write the definition of Simple Sentence, Compound Sentence and Complex Sentence and give at least two examples of each.
Ans.
A simple sentence expresses a complete thought with a single subject and predicate, without dependent clauses.
For example:
1. Birds fly south in winter.
2. She reads every evening.
A compound sentence connects two or more independent clauses using coordinating conjunctions like “and,” “but,” or “or.”
For example:
1. I wanted to attend, but it rained heavily.
2. He studied hard, so he passed the exam.
A complex sentence includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, often introduced by subordinators like “because,” “when,” or “although.”
For example:
1. Although it was late, we finished the project.
2. She smiled when she saw the gift.
Ex.5. We can change Simple Sentences into a single Compound Sentence by using Participles, Absolute Phrases, Prepositions with Nouns or Gerunds, Infinitives etc.
Ans. Using Participles
Participles (e.g., -ing or -ed forms) act as adjectives to connect ideas without a full conjunction.
Original: Birds fly south in winter. They escape the cold.
Combined: Flying south in winter, birds escape the cold.
Original: She reads every evening. She enjoys novels.
Combined: Reading every evening, she enjoys novels.
Using Absolute Phrases
Absolute phrases (a noun + participle, not directly modifying a word) add context to the main clause.
Original: Birds fly south in winter. The weather turns harsh.
Combined: Birds fly south in winter, the weather turning harsh.
Original: She reads every evening. Her day ends.
Combined: She reads every evening, her day ending peacefully.
Using Prepositions with Nouns or Gerunds
Prepositions link gerunds (-ing nouns) or nouns to blend actions smoothly.
Original: Birds fly south in winter. They seek warmth.
Combined: Birds fly south in winter to seek warmth. (Preposition “to” with infinitive-like gerund action)
Original: She reads every evening. Reading relaxes her.
Combined: After reading every evening, she relaxes fully. (Preposition “after” with gerund)
Using Infinitives
Infinitives (“to” + verb) express purpose or result, connecting clauses.
Original: Birds fly south in winter. They survive better.
Combined: Birds fly south in winter to survive better.
Original: She reads every evening. She gains knowledge.
Combined: She reads every evening to gain knowledge.
E. 4. SYNTHESIS
Ex.1 Combine the following pairs of sentences using appropriate Conjunctions:
1. He worked hard, He felt tired.
2. He drew his sword. He rushed at his enemy.
3. The agreement was signed. All were satisfied.
4. The creditors were ruined. The bank was locked.
5. He made a promise. He kept it also.
6. He has lost his health. It has added to his difficulties.
7. He is a wise man. This is well known.
Ans.
1. He worked hard, though he felt tired.
2. He drew his sword and rushed at his enemy.
3. All were satisfied because the agreement was signed.
4. The creditors were ruined, and the bank was locked.
5. He made a promise and kept it.
6. He has lost his health, which added to his difficulties.
7. He is a wise man, and this is well known.
Ex. 2. Fill in the blanks with suitable Sentence Connectors / Conjunctions:
She can run faster…….. her brother.
She can run faster than her brother.
1. She sang…. she danced.
2. Не сannot walk ……. he is very weak.
3. ……. he is poor, he is honest.
4. He cannot buy a flat, ………. he has no money.
5. She is afraid to go out alone, ……. the streets are unsafe at night.
6. I would rather die ……….beg.
7. Milk is more wholesome ………….bread.
8. Let us wait …………the rain stops.
9. Many stars are larger ……….the sun.
10. He fell asleep ……….he was doing his homework.
Ans.
1. She sang while she danced.
2. Не сannot walk because he is very weak.
3. Although he is poor, he is honest.
4. He cannot buy a flat, because he has no money.
5. She is afraid to go out alone, because the streets are unsafe at night.
6. I would rather die than beg.
7. Milk is more wholesome than bread.
8. Let us wait until the rain stops.
9. Many stars are larger than the sun.
10. He fell asleep while he was doing his homework.
G. TRANSLATION
Translate the following sentences into English:
1. ज्यों ही मेरे पिताजी आये वर्षा शुरू हो गई।
2. यदि वर्षा होगी तो मैं बाहर नहीं जाऊँगा।
3. सुबह में टहलो नहीं तो बीमार पड़ जाओगे।
4. हमलोग जानते हैं कि सुबह की हवा दिनभर की दवा है।
5. सुभाष चन्द्र बोस को अब तक लौट जाना चाहिए था।
6. डा० कलाम मध्यम वर्गीय परिवार में जन्मे थे।
7. वह पढ़ना चाहता है लेकिन उसकी आर्थिक स्थिति संतोषप्रद नहीं है।
8. मैं चल भी नहीं सकता लेकिन तुम दौड़ जाते हो।
9. यद्यपि उसे सब कुछ है तथापि वह पढ़ नहीं सकेगा।
10. यद्यपि तुम तेज हो तथापि गृह कार्य नहीं करते।
Ans.
1. As soon as my father arrived, it started raining.
2. If it rains, I will not go outside.
3. Take a walk in the morning, or you will fall ill.
4. We know that the morning air is the medicine for the whole day.
5. Subhash Chandra Bose should have returned by now.
6. Dr Kalam was born into a middle-class family.
7. He wants to study, but his financial condition is not satisfactory.
8. I cannot even walk, but you run off.
9. Although he has everything, he will not be able to read.
10. Although you are intelligent, you do not do your homework.
Bihar Board Class 9 English Chapter 8 My Childhood Extra Question and Answers
Extract-Based questions
1.
I was one of many children — a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents. We lived in our ancestral house, which was built in the middle of the nineteenth century. It was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick, on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram. My austere father used to avoid all inessential comforts and luxuries. However, all necessities were provided for, in terms of food, medicine or clothes. In fact, I would say mine was a very secure childhood, both materially and emotionally.
Q1. In what way was Kalam’s childhood secure?
Ans. Kalam received all of the needs, including food, medication, and clothing. Aside from that, his parents loved him dearly and gave him excellent care.
Q2. What did Kalam mean by ‘material security’?
Ans. Kalam defines material security as having access to all the requirements of life that a child need and that can be bought with money.
Q3. What is meant by emotional security?
Ans. The love and care one needs to flourish and thrive are found in emotional security.
Q4. How did his parents provide Kalam with material and emotional security?
Ans. By ensuring that he had access to all basics, including food, medicine, and clothing, Kalam’s parents gave him both material and emotional stability. They also ensured that he had a happy and safe upbringing.
2.
The Second World War broke out in 1939, when I was eight years old. For reasons I have never been able to understand, a sudden demand for tamarind seeds erupted in the market. I used to collect the seeds and sell them to a provision shop on Mosque Street. A day’s collection would fetch me the princely sum of one anna. My brother-in-law Jallaluddin would tell me stories about the War which I would later attempt to trace in the headlines in Dinamani.
Q1. Which seeds did the narrator like to collect?
Ans. Kalam collected tamarind seeds.
Q2. Why did he collect these seeds?
Ans. Since these seeds could be easily sold for a substantial profit during the Second World War and were in high demand in the market, Kalam collected them.
Q3. What did he do with the collected seeds?
Ans. The provision shop on Mosque Street would buy the seeds that Kalam had gathered.
Q4. What light does the extract throw on the narrator?
Ans. The excerpt demonstrates Kalam, the narrator, as being exceedingly ambitious and diligent. His belief in the worth of labour led him to gather the tamarind seeds and sell them.
3.
I was one of many children, a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents. We lived in our ancestral house, made of limestone and bricks, on Mosque Street in Rameshwaram. My austere father used to avoid all inessential comforts and luxuries. However, all necessities were provided for, in terms of food, medicine or clothes.
Q1. How was Kalam different from his parents in appearance?
Ans. Kalam was a short boy with average appearance, in contrast to his tall, attractive parents.
Q2. What details about his home does Kalam provide?
Ans. The Kalam family resided in their ancestral home in Rameshwaram’s Mosque Street, which was constructed of brick and limestone.
Q3. How can we be certain that Kalam’s father was frugal/austere?
Ans. Every unnecessary luxury and comfort was avoided by Kalam’s father.
Q4. What was Kalam’s childhood like?
Ans. Kalam had a comfortable, happy and safe upbringing.
4.
The first casualty came in the form of suspension of train halt at Rameswaram station. The newspaper had now to be bundled and thrown out from the moving train on the Rameswaram road between Rameswaram and Dhanuskod. That forced my cousin Samsuddin, who distributed the newspapers in Rameswaram to look for a helping hand and catch the bundles and as if naturally filled the slot.
Q1. What did Kalam mean by ‘first casualty’?
Ans. The suspension of the train stop there was the first blow to Rameswaram, which had so far escaped the effects of the war.
Q2. Who was Samsuddin? What did he do?
Ans. Samsuddin was the cousin of Abdul Kalam. In Rameswaram, he used to deliver papers.
Q3. Why did the cousin require assistance? How did he assist Kalam in getting paid?
Ans. Bundles had to be caught after being thrown off a moving train on the Rameswaram Road between Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi since the train did not stop at Rameswaram. Samsuddin hired Kalam to assist him in catching the bundles since he needed a hand.
4. How did Kalam afterwards feel about his employment?
Ans. For the first time, Kalam felt proud of himself for being able to support himself.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1- When did Kalam become India’s 11th President?
A) 2000
B) 2001
C) 2003
D) 2002
Ans. D) 2002
Q2- Where was Kalam born?
A) Rameswaram, Madras State.
B) In Tamilnadu
C) In Karnataka
D) In Chennai
Ans. A) Rameswaram, Madras State.
Q3- From where has this chapter ‘My Childhood’ been taken?
A) From childhood memories
B) From Prof A.P.J Kalam’s book ‘Wings on Fire’
C) From famous writer Khushwant Singh’s Book
D) None
Ans. B) From Prof A.P.J Kalam’s book ‘Wings on Fire’
Q4- What does Prof. Kalam talk about in his book Wings of Fire?
A) His childhood experiences
B) His parents
C) His friends
D) All
Ans. D) All
Q5- What is essential for all round growth according to the lesson?
A) Tolerance
B) Acceptance
C) Brotherhood, happiness
D) All
Ans. D) All
Q6- What can resolve the hindrances in the way of growth?
A) Mutual trust, and ease of communication
B) Wings of Fire
C) Fighting
D) All
Ans. A) Mutual trust, and ease of communication
Q7- In what sense was Kalam’s childhood secure?
A) He was getting all the necessities of life like food, clothes,study
B) Parents’ love and support
C) Good society
D) All
Ans. D) All
Q8- What does material security mean in the lesson?
A) All the basic necessities of life
B) Love and warmth
C) Wealth
D) Riches
Ans. A) All the basic necessities of life
Q9- What does emotional security mean?
A) Balance in life
B) Bank Balance
C) Control over emotions
D) Love and care to lead a stress free life
Ans. D) Love and care to lead a stress free life
Q10- What did Kalam’s father teach him?
A) Hatred
B) Honesty and self discipline
C) To fight
D) To be arrogant
Ans. B) Honesty and self discipline
Q11- What kind of a person was Kalam as a child?
A) Enterprising and hardworking
B) Naughty
C) Caring
D) None
Ans. A) Enterprising and hardworking
Q12- Who was Samsuddin?
A) Kalam’s brother
B) Kalam’s friend
C) Kalam’s neighbourer
D) Kalam’s cousin
Ans. D) Kalam’s cousin
Q13- What did Samsuddin do?
A) Distributed newspapers in Rameswaram
B) Helped to collect seeds
C) Helped getting money
D) Helped in selling seeds
Ans. A) Distributed newspapers in Rameswaram
Q14- Who helped Kalam in getting his first wages?
A) His neighbourer
B) His parents
C) His cousin Samsuddin
D) Teachers
Ans. C) His cousin Samsuddin
Q15- Why did the teacher separate Kalam from his friend?
A) They were talking in the class
B) Because of his own notion of social ranking, religious discrimination
C) They were not doing their work
D) They were disturbing the class
Ans. B) Because of his own notion of social ranking, religious discrimination
Q16- What kind of a person was Kalam’s father ?
A) Kind
B) Generous and dynamic
C) Wise
D) All
Ans. D) All
Q17- What did Kalam think and say about his parents?
A) They were tall
B) Handsome
C) Wise
D) All
Ans. D) All
Q18- Which word in the lesson means unnecessary?
A) Inessential
B) Innecessity
C) Essential
D) None
Ans. A) Inessential
Q19- What was Kalam’s age during the second world war?
A) 9 years
B) 10 years
C) 8 years
D) 11 years
Ans. C) 8 years
Q20- Sivasubramania’s expectations from Abdul Kalam was _____________.
A. That Abdul will become the president
B. That Abdul will become the Prime Minister
C. That Abdul will be just as intelligent as people who live in large cities
D. That Abdul will become filthy rich
Ans. C. That Abdul will be just as intelligent as people who live in large cities
Extra Questions
Q1. Kalam’s childhood was a secure one both materially and emotionally. Illustrate.
Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam described his childhood as being secure because of his loving and caring parents, who provided for their children’s emotional and physical needs and showed them love and direction. They gave their kids everything they needed, including food, medicine, and clothing.
Q2. What were the qualities that Abdul Kalam admired in his parents?
Ans. Kalam’s parents were honourable and kind people. Despite being a frugal guy, his father gave his family everything they needed, whether it was food, medicine, or clothing. He appreciated his mother’s belief in compassion and kindness as well as his father’s integrity and self-control. His parents’ tolerance for all religions was something he appreciated.
Q3. How was Kalam’s appearance different from that of his parents?
Ans. Kalam didn’t resemble his tall, attractive parents. He had an ordinary appearance and was a rather short lad. His looks were unremarkable, unlike those of his parents who were highly distinctive.
Q4. Briefly describe Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house.
Ans. The ancestral home of Abdul Kalam was at Rameswaram, on Mosque Street. It was a reasonably substantial pucca house composed of limestone and brick that had been constructed in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Q5. How did the Second World War give Abdul Kalam the opportunity to earn his first wages?
Ans. Samsuddin, Kalam’s cousin who distributed newspapers in Rameshwaram, begged him for assistance in gathering newspaper bundles that were flung off the running train after stoppage of trains at Rameshwaram was cancelled due to World War II. This enabled Abdul Kalam to receive his first salary.
Q6. What are Kalam’s views about his first jobs?
Ans. When he was a little boy, Kalam assisted his cousin Samsuddin in gathering papers thrown from a moving train so that they may be distributed. Even 50 years later, Kalam would still experience a rush of pride at finally being able to support himself.
Q7. What characteristics does Kalam say he inherited from his parents?
Ans. Having acquired genuine love and trust in goodness from his mother, Kalam also inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father.
Q8. Who were Kalam’s school friends? What did they become later?
Ans. Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan were Kalam’s three closest childhood pals. They all made successful transitions into adulthood. The Rameswaram temple’s priestly duties were passed down to Ramanadha from his father. Sivaprakasan started working as a caterer for the Southern Railways, while Aravindan started organising transportation for travelling pilgrims.
Q9. What incident took place at the Rameswaram Elementary School when a new teacher came to the class?
Ans. Kalam, a Muslim, wore a headgear, while Ramanadha Sastry, a friend who is the son of the Rameswaram temple’s chief priest, wore a sacred thread designating him as a Brahmin. In accordance with social ranking as the new teacher perceived it, Abdul Kalam was asked to leave and sit on the back bench when the new teacher arrived because he could not bear the sight of a Muslim boy sitting next to the son of a Hindu priest.
Both the boys were sad. As Kalam moved to his seat in the final row, Ramanadha Sastry was completely dejected, and Kalam could see tears in his eyes. The incident was described to the parents by both children. The teacher was summoned and censured by Lakshmana Sastry for indoctrinating young children with the venom of socioeconomic injustice and intergroup hostility. The teacher was given the choice of leaving the school and the island or offering an apology. In addition to regretting his actions, the teacher was finally changed by Lakshmana Sastry’s powerful sense of conviction.
Q10. Right from his childhood Kalam was very enterprising. Comment.
Ans. Kalam was a resourceful youngster who used to seize opportunities as they presented themselves. He used to gather tamarind seeds during the war and sell them to a supply shop close to his house to make an anna per day when there was a high demand for them in the market. He was able to make some money for himself as a result. Later, he began working for pay by gathering newspapers for his cousin Samsuddin. These occurrences demonstrate his strong sense of initiative.