Class 9 English NCERT Solutions of Chapter 8 Reach for the Top Question Answers

Class 9 English NCERT Solutions

CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 8 Reach for the Top Question Answers from Beehive Book 

Reach for the Top Question Answers : Here is the CBSE Class 9 English NCERT Solutions of Chapter 8 Reach for the Top Question Answers from Beehive Book. Students can Practice the important Questions and prepare well for the Exam. Also, to take a Free Online Test for Class 9 Click Here

 

Reach for the Top Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Q1. Which of the following is a synonym of ‘pursue’?

1. a) forget
2. b) leave
3. c) follow
4. d) Hang

Ans : (c)

 

Q2. Which of the following words means ‘to make someone lose respect of oneself’?

1. a) steadfast
2. b) humiliation
3. c) hungry
4. d) lonely

Ans : (b)

 

Q3. What does the name ‘Santosh’ mean?

1. a) rich
2. b) A goddess
3. c) success
4. d) contentment

Ans : (d)

 

Q4. When Santosh’s parents refused to pay her fee, what did she tell them?

1. a) She would work part time
2. b) She would steal money
3. c) She begged them for the fee
4. d) She returned home

Ans : (a)

 

Q5. ‘Santosh had to make do with the local village school’. Which option is the most suitable meaning of “make do”.

1. a) Work hard to achieve success
2. b) Make the best use of something
3. c) Manage with something that is of poor quality
4. d) Do a lot of homework 

Ans : (c)

 

Q6. ‘There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire’. What does “at odds with” mean?

1. a) In disagreement with
2. b) Strange appearance
3. c) Living in poverty
4. d) At war with

Ans : (a)

 

Q7. Which of these is a synonym of “poised”?

1. a) confused
2. b) composed
3. c) inclined
4. d) dedicated

Ans : (b)

 

Q8. Maria made sacrifices which a few children would be prepared to endure. Which of these did she do?

1. Left her home.
2. Left her country.
3. Lived alone.
4. Gave up studies
5. Suffered humiliation
6. Worked part time

 

1. a) All of these
2. b) 1, 3, 5
3. c) 1, 2, 3, 5
4. d) 1, 2, 3, 4

Ans : (c)

 

Q9. Which of these is not one of Maria’s hobbies?

1. a) Reading
2. b) fashion
3. c) singing
4. d) dancing

Ans : (a)

 

Q10. What was Maria’s dream?

1. a) To earn a lot of money
2. b) To rank no. 1 in world tennis
3. c) To become a good tennis player
4. d) To be a celebrity sportsperson

Ans : (b)

 

NCERT Solutions of Chapter 8 Reach for the Top Subjective Questions

 

Q1. What motivated Maria to keep going?

Important Points-

A. Her dream to become number one tennis player, competitive spirit, desire to succeed and readiness to sacrifice.

 

Q2. Can Maria Sharapova be considered as a patriot? Substantiate your answer with examples.

What does Maria say about her Russian origin?

Important Points

A. American accent

Proudly parades her Russian nationality

Says that her blood is Russian and she will play Olympics for Russia.

 

Q3. Courage can lead to great things. Explain with reference to ‘Reach for the top’.

Important Points-

A. Maria and Santosh

Humble beginning

Courageous, brave, mental toughness, determined

Will power and desire to succeed

Made sacrifices

Great achievements of both (can be mentioned)

 

Q4. How did Maria’s loneliness prove to be a boon for her?

Important Points-

1. Separation from parents at an early age – made her tough. She made big sacrifices and accepted them. Learnt – excellence would come at a price.

 

Q5. How did Maria achieve her success?

Important Points-

A. Sacrifices

Will power

Dream

Competitive spirit

 

Q6. What qualities did Santosh possess as a mountaineer? Support your answer with examples.

Important Points-

A. strong will power, great physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness. resistance to cold and high altitude. Desire to work in a team. Saved lives.

 

Q7. Character sketch of Santosh Yadav

Important Points-

 A. born in a traditional family

not always content with her place in a traditional way of life

she was a determined child

developed a love for mountaineering

only woman in the world who has scaled Mount Everest twice

She was a person with an iron will physical endurance and amazing mental toughness. 

She helped in saving a climber 

She was awarded Nation’s top honour Padam Shri award. 

Not only this she was a person who care about nature 

 

Q8. ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’ What values made Santosh serve the society?

Important Points-

A. only woman in the world who has climbed Mount Everest.

iron-will, physical endurance and mental toughness helped her to set a record of being the only women to have climbed Mt. Everest twice. 

Adventurous and hard working and was always open for challenges. 

Ardent lover of environment she worked for the betterment of it. 

True patriot who felt very proud to unfurl the Indian Tri Colour on map of the-world. She always felt that we should not ask on as to what country could do for you but see to it that what you could do for the country. She proved this by getting 500 kilograms of rubbish from Himalyas.

English Chapter 8 Reach for the Top Extra Question Answers

Part 1 – Santosh Yadav

Answer these questions in one or two sentences each. (The paragraph numbers within brackets provide clues to the answers.)

Q1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised?

A. The holy man who blessed Santosh’s mother was surprised because Santosh’s grandmother said that they did not want a son. As she already had five sons, they only wanted to be blessed with a gifted child. The holy man was surprised because every mother wanted to give birth to a son, contrary to Santosh’s mother.

 

Q2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable.

A. Santosh was not always content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.

 

Q3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school?

A. Although her parents were wealthy and could send her to a good school in the city of Delhi, they sent her to the village school because they followed the traditions.

 

Q4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why?

A. At the age of sixteen, Santosh left for Delhi and got admission in a school there. She wanted to get good education before getting married. Although her parents did not support her initially, they heeded to her determination and accepted her decision.

 

Q5. 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?  

A. Initially, Santosh’s parents refused to support her financially. She accepted this and decided to work part – time to pay her school fee. Then, her parents softened and consented to support her. This shows she was determined and did what she thought was right and that others had to change their path accordingly.

 

Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

Q1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?

A. When Santosh joined the Maharani college at Jaipur, she resided at the Kasturba hostel. It was located near the Aravalli hills. Every day she saw the villagers climb the hills and disappear behind them. She grew inquisitive and finally, one day, joined a group of mountaineers to unfold the mystery. This way she started climbing mountains.

 

Q2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates?

A. Santosh tried to save a fellow climber but was unsuccessful at it. Later, she was successful in saving the life of a fellow climber named Mohan Singh by sharing her oxygen cylinder with him.

 

Q3. What shows her concern for the environment?

A. She brought down five hundred kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas. This shows her concern for the environment.

 

Q4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?

A. Santosh was full of happiness and pride when she was literally on top of the world. As she unfurled the Indian flag, she felt proud of being an Indian. It was a spiritual moment for her.

 

Q5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?

A. The first time when Santosh climbed the Everest, she became the youngest woman to scale the Everest. When she climbed it the second time, she became the first woman in the world to have climbed the Everest twice.

 

Complete the following statements.
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to _________
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because _________
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her _____________
while ___________ endeared her to fellow climbers.

A.
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch the villagers climb the Aravalli hills.
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because she had enrolled for a mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi.
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her determination
While her concern for others endeared her to fellow climbers.

 

Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions. (Look in the paragraphs indicated.)
1. took to be true without proof (1): _________
2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): ____________
3. the usual way of doing things (3): _______________
4. a strong desire arising from within (5): ____________
5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): __________________

A.
1. assumed
2. rational
3. custom
4. urge
5. resistance

Part 2 – Maria Sharapova

Working in small groups of 4–5 students, go back over the two passages on Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova and complete the table given below with relevant phrases or sentences.

Points of Comparison/Contrast	Santosh Yadav	Maria Sharapova
1. Their humble beginning
2. Their parents’ approach
3. Their will power and strong desire to succeed
4. Evidence of their mental toughness
5. Their patriotism

A.