NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 The Snake and the Mirror

We have tried to provide NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 The Snake & The Mirror covering each & every question of the textbook Beehive. Students will improve their answer writing skills by referring to the following NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 The Snake and the Mirror

Thinking about the Text

I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph.

Que 1. “The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When & why did the sounds stop?

Answer-

The doctor heard the sound of rats four times with which he was familiar. The phrases are ‘Again I heard that sound from above’, ‘Again came that noise from above’, and ‘Suddenly there came a dull thud as if a rubber tube has fallen’. After the snake appeared, the sounds stopped.

Que 2. What two “important” &“earth-shaking” decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror

Answer-

Two ‘important’ & ‘earth-shaking’ decisions were taken by the doctor :

1. He decided to shave daily & grow a thin mustache so that he would look more handsome.
2. He would always have an attractive smile on his face.

Que 3. “I looked into the mirror & smiled,” says the doctor. A little later he says, “I forgot my danger & smiled feebly at myself.” What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when (i) he first smiles & (ii) he smiles again? In what way do his thoughts change in between, & why?

Answer-

When he first smiled, the doctor felt that he had a good smile. But a little later when he smiled, he laughed at his destiny. His thoughts changed because of the snake & he felt he was quite near to his death.

II. This story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams & reality. Some of them are listed below.)

Que 1. 

1. The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
2. The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)

Answer- 

1. The doctor has meager earnings. He had a small rented room, only 60 rupees, some shirts, dhotis & a black coat.
2. He believes in looking handsome, so he decided to shave daily & grow a thin mustache.

Que 2. 

1. The person he wants to marry
2. The person he actually marries

Answer-

1. He wants to marry a fat woman doctor with plenty of money.
2. He married a thin reedy person who had the gift of a sprinter.

Que 3.

1. His thoughts when he looks into the mirror
2. His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm

Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer.

Answer-

1. When he looks in the mirror, he thought he had a very attractive smile. So he decides to keep that smile on his face always & to shave daily. When he looks into the mirror, he feels content.
2. When the snake is coiled around the doctor’s arm, he sits there holding his breath. Terrified by the snake’s presence, he starts thinking that he is a poor & stupid doctor.

Thinking about Language

I. Here are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tells you that the author: (a) was afraid of the snake, (b) was proud of his appearance, (c) had a sense of humor, (d) was no longer afraid of the snake.

1. I was turned to stone.
2. I was no mere image cut in granite.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, ‘O God’.
5. I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry out.
6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
8. I was after all a bachelor and a doctor too on top of it!
9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness…! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.
10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a mustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead.

Answers-

(a) was afraid of the snake	(b) was proud of his appearance	(c) had a sense of humor	(d) was no longer afraid of the snake
1. I was turned to stone. 3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength. 4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, ‘O God’. 5. I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry out.	6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile. 8. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!	9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness…! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water. 10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a mustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead	2. I was no mere image cut in granite. 7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.

Que 2. Expressions used to show fear

Can you find the expressions in the story that tells you that the author was frightened? Read the story and complete the following sentences.

1. I was turned ……………….
2. I sat there holding ……………….
3. In the light of the lamp, I sat there like ……………….

Answers-

1. I was turned to stone.
2. I sat there holding my breath.
3. In the light of the lamp, I sat there like a stone image in the flesh.

Que 3. In the sentences given below some words and expressions are italicized. They variously mean that one

• is very frightened.
• is too scared to move.
• is frightened by something that happens suddenly.
• makes another feel frightened.

Match the meanings with the words/ expressions in italics, and write the appropriate meaning next to the sentence. The first one has been done for you.

1. I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits.
2. I got a fright when I realized how close I was to the cliff edge.
3. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him.
4. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that.
5. Wait until I tell his story—it will make your hair stand on end.
6. Paralyzed with fear, the boy faced his abductors.
7. The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle.

Answers-

1. I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits, (very frightened)
2. I got a fright when I realized how close I was to the cliff edge. (too scared to move)
3. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him. (frightened by something that happens suddenly)
4. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that. (made someone feel frightened)
5. Wait until I tell his story—it will make your hair stand on end. (very frightened)
6. Paralyzed with fear, the boy faced his abductors. (too scared to move)
7. The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle. (too scared to move)

Que 4. Reported questions

Study these sentences:

• His friend asked, “Did you see the snake the next day, doctor?”

His friend asked the doctor whether/if he had seen the snake the next day.

• The little girl wondered, “Will I be home before the TV show begins?”

The little girl wondered if/whether she would be home before the TV show began.

• Someone asked, “Why has the thief left the vest behind?”

Someone asked why the thief had left the vest behind. The words if/whether are used to report questions that begin with: do, will, can, have, are, etc. These questions can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Questions beginning with why/when/where/how/which/what are reported using these same words. The reporting verbs we use in questions with if/whether/why/when etc. are: ask, inquire & wonder.

Report these questions using if/whether or why/when/where/how/which/what. Remember the italicised verbs change into the past tense.

1. Meena asked her friend, “Do you think your teacher will come today?”
2. David asked his colleague, “Where will you go this summer?”
3. He asked the little boy, “Why are you studying English?”
4. She asked me, “When are we going to leave?”
5. Pran asked me, “Have you finished reading the newspaper?”
6. Seema asked her, “How long have you lived here?”
7. Sheila asked the children, “Are you ready to do the work?”

Answers-

1. Meena asked her friend if he (she) thought his (her) teacher would come that day.
2. David asked his colleague where he would go that summer.
3. He asked the little boy why he was studying English.
4. She asked me when they were going to leave.
5. Pran asked me if I had finished reading the newspaper.
6. Seema asked her how long she had lived there.
7. Sheila asked the children if they were ready to do the work.

Speaking

Using some of the expressions given above in exercise III, talk about an incident when you were very scared. You may have a competition to decide whose story was the most frightening.

Once we went to Jim Corbett for a school trip. I was asleep along with my friend Monika in our room at the resort when we heard some noises- leaves rustling, scratching sound on our door & pebbles rattling. Both of us woke up all of a sudden. I sat up on my bed, all scared. There was silence for a few minutes & then again we heard the scratching sound. I was really scared this time. I was unable to move, Monika got up from the bed & went to look out of the glass window. I could only see darkness all around when she removed the blinders. All of a sudden, we saw a hooded figure moving in the darkness. Seeing this, our hair stood on end. Both of us started crying & shouting for help when we heard our names being called out. The lights in our room were turned on & we saw some of our friends standing. They had pulled a prank on us. To date, I remember how horrified I was that day. I was scared out of my wits.

Dictation

The following paragraph is about the Indian cobra. Read it twice and close your book. Your teacher will then dictate the paragraph to you. Write it down with appropriate punctuation marks.

The Indian cobra is the common name for members of the family of venomous snakes, known for their intimidating looks & deadly bite. Cobras are recognized by the hoods that they flare when angry or disturbed; the hoods are created by the extension of the ribs behind the cobras’ heads. Obviously, the best prevention is to avoid getting bitten. This is facilitated by the fact that humans are not the natural prey of any venomous snake. We are a bit large for them to swallow whole & they have no means of chopping us up into bite-size pieces. Nearly all snakebites in humans are the result of a snake defending itself when it feels threatened. In general, snakes are shy & will simply leave if you give them a chance.

The Indian cobra is the common name for members of the family of venomous snakes, known for their intimidating looks & deadly bite. Cobras are recognized by the hoods, which flare when angry or disturbed; the hoods are created by the extension of the ribs behind the cobras’ heads. Obviously, the best prevention is to avoid getting bitten. This is facilitated by the fact, that humans are not the natural prey of any venomous snake. We are a bit large for them to swallow whole & they have no means of chopping us up into bite-size pieces. Nearly, all snakebites in humans are the result of a snake defending itself when it feels threatened. In general, snakes are shy & will simply leave if you give them a chance.

Writing

Que 1. Try to rewrite the story without its humor, merely as a frightening incident. What details or parts of the story would you leave out?

Answer-

Once we went to Jim Corbett for a school trip. I was asleep along with my friend Monika in our room at the resort when we heard some noises- leaves rustling, scratching sound on our door & pebbles rattling. Both of us woke up all of a sudden. I sat up on my bed, all scared. There was silence for a few minutes & then again we heard the scratching sound. I was really scared this time. I was unable to move, Monika got up from the bed & went to look out of the glass window. I could only see darkness all around when she removed the blinders. All of a sudden, we saw a hooded figure moving in the darkness. Seeing this, our hair stood on end. Both of us started crying & shouting for help when we heard our names being called out. The lights in our room were turned on & we saw some of our friends standing. They had pulled a prank on us. To date, I remember how horrified & scared I was that day.

Que 2. Read the description given alongside this sketch from a photograph in a newspaper (Times of India, 4 September 1999). Make up a story about what the monkey is thinking, or why it is looking into a mirror. Write a paragraph about it.

A monkey preens itself using a piece of mirror, in the Delhi ridge. (‘To preen oneself’ means to spend a lot of time making oneself look attractive, and then admiring one’s appearance. The word is used in disapproval.)

Monkey

The Fairest of All

A monkey was walking in the garden, on a sunny day. He found a piece of mirror in the corner of the garden. The monkey looked in the mirror. At first, he was very happy when he looked at his face in the mirror. He thought that God has given him a human face. Again, in the mirror, he looked at his hands & fingers. He felt very proud when he realized he had long hands in which he could hold things easily. At last, he decided to look at his body in the mirror. He was not so much happy this time, as his body was full of hair. The monkey’s hands started trembling, he was sad. Unfortunately, the mirror fell down from his hand & broke into several pieces. When he tried to look at his face in the mirror pieces, he saw his cut face. This made him angry & he left the place.

Translation

The text you read is a translation of a story by a well-known Malayalam writer, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. In translating a story from one language to another, a translator must keep the content intact. However, the language and the style differ in different translations of the same text. Here are two translations of the opening paragraphs of a novel by the Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami. Read them and answer the questions given below.

A

B

When the phone rang I was in the kitchen, boiling a potful of spa­ghetti and whistling along with FM broad­cast of the overture to Rossini’s The Thiev­ing Magpie, which has to be the perfect music for cooking pasta. I wanted to ignore the phone, not only because the spaghetti was nearly done, but because Claudio Abbado was bringing the London Symphony to its musical climax.

I’m in the kitchen cooking spaghetti when the woman calls. Another moment until the spaghetti is done; there I am, whistling the prelude to Rossini s La Gazza Ladra along with the FM radio. Perfect spaghetti­ – cooking music! I hear the telephone ring but tell myself, Ignore it. Let the spa­ghetti finish cooking. It’s almost done, and besides, Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra are coming to a cre­scendo.

Compare the two translations on the basis of the following points.

• the tense of narration (past and present tense)
• short, incomplete sentences
• sentence length

Which of these translations do you like? Give reasons for your choice.

Answer-

• The tense of narration (past and present tense)

Opinion: In Column A, sentences are written in the past tense whereas in Column B, they are written in the future tense.

• Short, incomplete sentences Opinion: In Column B short sentences are used which are framed in the present tense.
• Sentence length

Opinion: Column B has short sentences which are simple & easily comprehensible. Besides, they are framed in the present tense.

Reason: I like the paragraph marked as B. The sentences are framed in the present tense which gives out clear-cut ideas in its simple form. It is easy to remember the facts expressed in the present tense.

FAQs on NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5

Q 1. Does the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 help students with their board exam preparation?

Answer-

NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 created by GeeksforGeeks faculty will help students in their exam preparation. This will help the students solve questions easily. It gives a detailed explanation to the problems given in the exercises in the NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 5. In accordance with the NCERT guidelines, by covering the entire syllabus these solutions will help the students in their upcoming examinations.

Q 2. Which book is best for Class 9 English Chapter 5?

Answer-

The best book is the NCERT textbook for the Class 9 exam. NCERT English Beehive book adheres to the CBSE curriculum. It forms the base for the Board examinations as it contains question papers that are set as per the prescribed CBSE syllabus of the subject.

Q 3. What is the price of the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 at Geeksforgeeks?

Answer-

The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 GeeksforGeeks is free of cost. Students just need to search for the solutions online & then they can easily access the study materials for all the chapters. The subject experts at GeeksforGeeks help students improve their performance & score well in their exams.