Class IX, Interact In English Main Course Book
Unit 1: PEOPLE (A. Dead Men’s Path)
CBSE guide NCERT solutions for Main Course Book for English (Communicative)
Question A.1: You must have noticed that no two people are alike. In other words, we all have different qualities. Read the list of qualities below. How many do you know?
Stubborn Narrow-minded Argumentative
Frank Domineering Systematic
Modest Inquisitive Enthusiastic
Tactful Diligent Submissive
The following are different types of behaviour. Write one word from the box above, to describe each type of behaviour.
1. Does his work in a well-planned way.
2. Is nervous in the company of others.
3. Is not willing to change her mind.
4. Is careful not to offend or upset others.
5. Has the capacity to work hard.
6. Does not like to about his own good qualities.
7. Tries to find out details about other people.
8. Is always willing to yield to the authority of others.
9. Is polite, considerate and respectful.
10. Often quarrels in an attempt to convince others.
11. Has a high opinion of her own abilities (rightly so).
12. Very open and direct in what he says.
13. Tries to control other people, with no consideration for their feelings or opinions.
14. Shows lots of excitement and eagerness.
15. Fits in easily with other people.
16. Is unwilling to seriously consider opinions or views that are different to his own.
Answer 1: Systematic. Answer 2: Shy. Answer 3: Stubborn. Answer 4: Tactful. Answer 5: Diligent. Answer 6: Modest. Answer 7: Inquisitive. Answer 8: Submissive. Answer 9: Courteous. Answer 10: Argumentative. Answer 11: Proud. Answer 12: Frank. Answer 13: Domineering. Answer 14: Enthusiastic. Answer 15: Adaptable. Answer 16: Narrow-minded.
Question A.3: In A.4, you will read a short story entitled “Dead Men’s Path”. While reading it, you will probably find some words that are unfamiliar to you. You need NOT look up all these words in your dictionary. Instead, you can and should USE YOUR HEAD to “puzzle out” the meaning of unfamiliar words, with help from clues in the text itself.
The following are extracts from “Dead Men’s Path”. Notice how you can “puzzle out” the meanings of the circled words with help from other words or phrases.
Extract – 1
It had always been an unprogressive school, so the Mission authorities decided to send a young and energetic man to run it. Obi accepted this responsibility with enthusiasm. He had many wonderful ideas and this was an opportunity to put them into practice.
Answer: Fill in the top box ‘young and energetic’ and in the young box ‘he had many wonderful ideas’.
A second example:
2. She looked at him as he sat folded up in a chair. He was stoop-shouldered and looked frail. But sometimes he surprised people with sudden bursts of physical energy.
Answer: Fill in the top box ‘sat folded up in a chair…. Was stoop-shouldered’ and in the bottom box ‘but… surprised people with sudden bursts of physical energy’. Hence, the meaning of frail is “weak and feeble, not strong and healthy”.
Now “puzzle out” for yourself the meanings of words circled in the following extracts. Complete a box if you think that there is a word in the passage that helps you understand the circled words. WRITE IN PENCIL.
Question 3: It set him apart from the other headmasters in the mission field. He was outspoken in his condemnation of the narrow views of these older and less educated ones.
Possible meaning: _________
Answer: Fill in the top box ‘outspoken’, in the bottom box ‘views, less educated’ and in the blank ‘strong disapproval’.
Question 4: In their two years of married life she had become completely infected by his passion for modern methods and his denigration of these old and superannuated people in the teaching field.
Possible meaning: __________
Answer: Fill in the box ‘old and superannuated people’ and in the blank ‘unfair criticism’.
Question 5: Beautiful hibiscus and allamanda hedges in brilliant red and yellow marked out the carefully tended school compound from the rank neighbourhood bushes.
Possible meaning: ________
Answer: Fill in the box ‘beautiful, brilliant, and carefully tended’ and in the blank ‘untidy, uncontrolled’.
Question 6: He was an old man and walked with a slight stoop. He carried a stout walking stick which he usually tapped on the floor, by way of emphasis, each time he made a new point in his argument.
Possible meaning: ________
Answer: Fill in the top box ‘tapped on the floor’ and bottom box ‘made a new plant’ and in the blank ‘stress, extra importance’.
Question A.5: Below given are eight incidents from the story, but their order is mixed up. Decide on the order in which they occurred in the story. Then either write out your re-ordered sentences as a paragraph without the numbers 1-8, or use these points to write your own summary of the story.
1. But Obi would not listen, and he blocked the path.
2. He and his wife talked about their plans to improve the school.
3. The villagers became very angry after a woman died in childbirth, and they demolished one of the school buildings.
4. But one day, Obi saw an old village walk through the flower beds, and across the compound.
5. Michael Obi was appointed Headmaster of Ndume Central School.
6. The village priest tried to convince Obi about the importance of the path in the villagers’ life.
7. They made the school compound beautiful.
8. One of the teachers explained to Obi that the path had religious significance for the villagers.
Answer: Michael Obi was appointed Headmaster of Ndume Central School. He and his wife talked about their plans to improve the school. They made the school compound beautiful. But one day, Obi saw an old village woman walk through the flower beds, and across the compound. One of the teachers explained to Obi that the path had religious significance for the villagers. But Obi would not listen, and he blocked the path. The village priest tried to convince Obi about the importance of the path in villagers’ life. The villagers became very angry after a woman died in childbirth, and they demolished one of the school buildings.
Question A.6: Copy and complete the following sentences briefly.
1. Obi was looking forward to his new appointment because it ______
2. Nancy was quite ______ about her husband’s ideas for the school.
3. Nancy herself was looking forward to the new school because _______
4. The village priest reminded Obi that _______
5. The villagers believed that by blocking the path Obi had ________
Answer 1: Obi was looking forward to his new appointment because it would give him a grand opportunity to show the old people how a school should be run.
Answer 2: Nancy was quite excited and appreciated about her husband’s ideas for the school.
Answer 3: Nancy herself was looking forward to the new school because she helped to lay beautiful gardens and become an object of envy.
Answer 4: The village priest reminded Obi that the path had religious significance for the villagers because it was used by their dead relatives and ancestors and the children coming in to be born.
Answer 5: The villagers believed that by blocking the path Obi had insulted their ancestors and made them angry.
Question A.10: Copy and complete the following report of the School Inspector: (Refer to “CODER” on the next page)
Report of the School Inspector on the Problems at Ndume Central School
I visited Ndume Central School on… and held a meeting with….
(Headmaster), the… and one of the teachers. Having heard all their views, my opinion is that.
1. Mr. Michael Obi…
2. The path…
Report of the School Inspector on the Problems at Ndume Central School.
I visited Ndume Central School on October 10, 19…, and held a meeting with one of the teachers, the village priest and Mr. Obi, the new headmaster. Having heard all their views, my opinion is that:
1. Mr. Michael Obi be advised to go slow with his reformative zeal, avoid confrontation with the village people and allow them to use the path that runs across the school compound.
2. The path is certainly a very old one and is held sacred by the villagers. Blocking the passage means hurting the sentiments of the villagers. It is in the interest of the school to avoid the trouble.
CBSE Guess and Guide for Lesson 1, Class 9 English Main Course Book - Dead Men's Path (Extra Questions Answers)