CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 6 My Childhood NCERT Solutions
This is a summary of CBSE Class 9 English, Chapter 6, 'My Childhood,' focusing on the early life of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The chapter explores his formative years, detailing his relationships with family, friends, and teachers. It highlights significant events that shaped his perspective, such as his experiences during the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony and an incident involving a new teacher. The narrative also touches upon his interactions at Sivasubramaniam Iyer's house, illustrating themes of social equality and religious tolerance. The solutions aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of these experiences, enabling them to analyze the chapter's core messages and prepare thoroughly for their examinations. The content emphasizes personal growth and the impact of early influences on an individual's life journey.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 9 |
| Subject | English |
| Session | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Type | NCERT Solutions |
| Chapter | 6 My Childhood |
Chapter summary
NCERT Solutions for 'My Childhood' (Chapter 6) for Class 9 English focus on understanding the formative experiences of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The solutions cover extract-based questions that require close reading of passages about family traditions, social harmony, and challenging societal norms. Short answer questions explore themes of security, parental love, and the consequences of communal intolerance. These solutions aid students in grasping the chapter's narrative and its underlying messages about upbringing and societal values.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the significance of the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony in the context of the chapter.
- Analyze the role of family and community in shaping childhood experiences.
- Explain the concept of social inequality and communal intolerance as depicted in the passage.
- Identify instances of courage and conviction in challenging societal norms.
- Interpret the meaning of specific words and phrases within the given context.
- Evaluate the teacher's actions and the consequences he faced.
Topics covered
Paper topics
- Childhood experiences of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony
- Social inequality and communal intolerance
- Role of parents and elders
- Challenging societal norms
- Religious harmony
- Vocabulary from the passage
- Character analysis
- Understanding narrative context
- Impact of teachers on students
Important topics
- Childhood experiences and influences
- Social inequality and communal intolerance
- Courage to challenge norms
- Family values and traditions
- Vocabulary and comprehension
PDF preview
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Questions and Solutions
Question 1
During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, our family used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha which was near our house.
(i) What was the annual event held in Rameshwaram?
(ii) Where did the boats carry the idols of the Lord?
(iii) Find a word from the passage that means "images of God". (Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-014)
Solution:
(i) The annual event that took place in Rameshwaram was the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony.
(ii) The boats were used to transport the idols of the Lord from the temple to the designated marriage site, which was located in the middle of the Rama Tirtha pond.
(iii) The word from the passage that means "images of God" is idols.
Question 2
During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, our family used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha which was near our house. Events from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet were the bedtime stories my mother and grandmother would tell the children in our family.
(i) How did the speaker's family help in the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony?
(ii) What light does the passage throw on the speaker's family?
(iii) Find the word in the passage which means the same as "the place where some event takes place". (Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-016)
Solution:
(i) The speaker's family contributed to the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony by arranging boats equipped with a special platform designed to carry the idols of the Lord.
(ii) The passage reveals that the speaker's family was deeply respectful of different religious traditions. They not only participated in Hindu ceremonies but also shared stories from the Ramayana and the life of the Prophet, indicating a secular and inclusive outlook.
(iii) The word from the passage that means "the place where some event takes place" is site.
Question 3
After school, we went home and told our respective parents about the incident. Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher, and in our presence, told the teacher that he should not spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. He bluntly asked the teacher to either apologize or quit the school and the island. Not only did the teacher regret his behaviour, but the strong sense of conviction Lakshmana Sastry conveyed ultimately reformed this young teacher.
(i) What brought about a change in the teacher?
(ii) What kind of society did the speaker live in?
(iii) Find the word/phrase in the passage which means "strong opinion or belief". (Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-017)
Solution:
(i) The teacher's change of heart was brought about by the strong sense of conviction expressed by Lakshmana Sastry, who firmly addressed the issue of social inequality and intolerance.
(ii) The speaker lived in a society that, despite instances of intolerance, was fundamentally secular and valued equality, as demonstrated by Lakshmana Sastry's intervention.
(iii) The word/phrase from the passage that means "strong opinion or belief" is conviction.
Question 4
His wife watched us from behind the kitchen door. I wondered whether she had observed any difference in the way I ate rice, drank water or cleaned the floor after the meal. When I was leaving his house, Sivasubramaniam invited me to join him for dinner the next weekend. Observing my hesitation, he told me not to get upset, saying "Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted." When I visited his house next week, Sivasubramaniam Iyer's wife took me inside her kitchen and served me food with her own hands.
(i) Why did the teacher's wife watch them from behind the kitchen door?
(ii) Why was the narrator hesitant to eat food with a Hindu family?
(iii) Find the word from the passage that means "to deal with". (Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-017)
Solution:
(i) The teacher's wife watched from behind the kitchen door likely due to her adherence to social segregation and perhaps a reluctance to directly interact with or serve someone from a different social or religious background in her kitchen.
(ii) The narrator felt hesitant to eat food with the Hindu family because he perceived a sense of unease or segregation, possibly due to his religious identity, and was unsure if he would be truly welcomed or if his presence would cause discomfort.
(iii) The word from the passage that means "to deal with" is confronted.
Question 5
Sivasubramaniam Iyer was not perturbed, nor did he get angry with his wife, but instead, served me with his own hands and sat down beside me to eat his meal.
(i) Who is "he" and "me" in the first sentence?
(ii) Why was his wife horrified?
(iii) Find the word from the passage that means "agitated/upset". (Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-
Solution:
(i) In the first sentence, "he" refers to Sivasubramaniam Iyer, and "me" refers to Abdul Kalam.
(ii) His wife was horrified at the prospect of serving food to a Muslim boy (Abdul Kalam) within the ritualistically pure confines of her kitchen, reflecting the social prejudices of the time.
(iii) The word from the passage that means "agitated/upset" is perturbed.
Question 1
Why did A.P.J. Abdul Kalam call his childhood a secure childhood? (Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-015) OR "Kalam's childhood was a secure one, both materially and emotionally". Illustrate the fact.(Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-042)
Solution:
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam described his childhood as secure because he experienced deep love and care from his parents. He was provided with all the essential necessities of life, including adequate food, clothing, and medical care, ensuring both his material well-being and emotional security.
Question 2
Do you think the new teacher deserved the treatment meted out to him? Why/why not?(Board Term 1, 2012, ELI-016)
Solution:
Yes, the new teacher deserved the treatment he received. His actions of spreading the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance among innocent children were highly inappropriate and harmful. Such behavior, which undermines the values of a secular society, warrants strong condemnation and corrective action, making him deserving of the consequences.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the details of different events mentioned in the passage.
- Misinterpreting the meaning of vocabulary words in context.
- Failing to connect the teacher's actions to the broader theme of social inequality.
- Not providing sufficient detail in short answer responses.
- Overlooking the emotional and material security aspects of Kalam's childhood.
Revision tips
- Reread the chapter 'My Childhood' to refresh your memory of the events.
- Focus on understanding the characters' motivations and actions.
- Practice answering extract-based questions by identifying relevant sentences in the text.
- Pay attention to the vocabulary used and its meaning in context.
- Summarize the key themes of social harmony and personal growth discussed in the chapter.
Practice MCQs
Q1. What was the annual event mentioned in the passage that involved the family arranging boats?
Explanation: The passage explicitly states that during the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, the family used to arrange boats.
Q2. What did Lakshmana Sastry tell the teacher about spreading poison in children's minds?
Explanation: Lakshmana Sastry confronted the teacher for spreading the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance among innocent children.
Q3. Why was Sivasubramaniam Iyer's wife horrified at the idea of the narrator dining with them?
Explanation: The wife was horrified because she believed in the ritualistic purity of her kitchen and did not want a Muslim boy to dine there.
Q4. What does the word 'perturbed' mean in the context of Sivasubramaniam Iyer's reaction?
Explanation: The passage uses 'perturbed' to describe Sivasubramaniam Iyer's state, indicating he was not upset or agitated by his wife's reaction.
Q5. What did the new teacher do that led to Lakshmana Sastry's intervention?
Explanation: The teacher was reprimanded because he was instilling harmful ideas of social division and intolerance in the young minds of the children.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chapter 6 of CBSE Class 9 English about?
Chapter 6, 'My Childhood', is an excerpt from the autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, detailing his early life, his family, his experiences with social discrimination, and the values he learned.
What kind of questions are covered in these NCERT Solutions?
These solutions cover extract-based questions that require understanding specific passages, and short answer questions that explore the chapter's themes and characters in more detail.
How do these solutions help in exam preparation?
The solutions provide clear, concise answers with explanations, helping students understand the chapter's content, practice answering different question types, and revise key concepts for their exams.
What are the main themes discussed in 'My Childhood'?
The main themes include the importance of a secure childhood, the impact of social and religious intolerance, the courage to stand against injustice, and the influence of family and mentors.
Are the questions in the source document preserved?
Yes, all questions from the source document are retained exactly as they appear, including their numbering and specific wording, while the solutions are rewritten for clarity and detail.
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