Thinking about the Text (Page 20)
I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.
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1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?
Evelyn was not quite seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
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2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?
Evelyn's deafness was first noticed when she was eight years old by her mother, but it was confirmed by the time she was eleven years old.
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30-40 words).
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1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Percussionist Ron Forbes helped Evelyn continue with music. He tuned two large drums to different notes and told her not to listen through her ears, but to try to sense them some other way. This helped her learn to open her mind and body to sounds and vibrations.
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2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
Apart from regular orchestral and solo concerts, Evelyn gives high priority to free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also conducts classes for young musicians and is a shining inspiration for deaf children.
III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words).
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1. How does Evelyn hear music?
Evelyn hears and experiences music not through her ears, but by sensing vibrations and feelings across her entire body. Since her hearing loss was gradual and profound, she learned to open her mind and body to sounds. When she plays the xylophone, she senses the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she can feel the resonances flowing into her body. When performing on a wooden platform, she removes her shoes so that the vibrations pass through her bare feet and up her legs. She states that music pours in through every part of her body, tingling in her skin, cheekbones, and even in her hair.
Thinking about the Text (Page 25)
I. Tick the right answer.
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1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a 'reeded noisemaker.'
Answer: pungi
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2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Answer: A barber
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3. Bismillah Khan's paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
Answer: professional musicians
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4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
Answer: Ali Bux
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5. Bismillah Khan's first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
Answer: Afghanistan
II. Find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah Khan's feelings about the items listed below. Then mark a tick in the correct column.
| Bismillah Khan's feelings about | Positive | Negative | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. teaching children music | ✔ | ||
| 2. the film world | ✔ | ||
| 3. migrating to the U.S.A. | ✔ | ||
| 4. playing at temples | ✔ | ||
| 5. getting the Bharat Ratna | ✔ | ||
| 6. the banks of the Ganga | ✔ | ||
| 7. leaving Benaras and Dumraon | ✔ |
Thinking about the Text (Page 26)
III. Answer these questions in 30-40 words.
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1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because it had a shrill, unpleasant sound and became the generic name for reeded noisemakers.
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2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
A shehnai is a natural hollow stem pipe that is longer and broader than a pungi. It has seven holes on its body and produces soft, melodious sounds, unlike the shrill and unpleasant sound of a pungi.
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3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Traditionally, the shehnai was played in temples, as part of royal courts' traditional ensembles (naubat), and at weddings. Ustad Bismillah Khan brought this instrument onto the classical stage.
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4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Bismillah Khan got his big break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938. He soon became an often-heard and appreciated shehnai player on the radio.
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5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort. The event was historic because India gained independence on that day, and he became the first Indian to greet the nation with his music.
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6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Bismillah Khan refused because he was exceedingly fond of Benaras and Dumraon. He asked his student if he would be able to transport River Ganga as well, highlighting his deep emotional attachment to his homeland.
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7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
First, when asked about moving to Pakistan during the Partition, he firmly replied, "God forbid! Me, leave Benaras? Never!" Second, while abroad, he constantly yearned to see Hindustan, thinking only of Benaras and the holy Ganga.
Thinking about Language (Page 26)
I. Complete the following sentences. Beginning with a to-verb, try to answer the questions in brackets.
- 1. The school sports team hopes to win the championship.
- 2. We all want to live a peaceful and happy life.
- 3. They advised the hearing-impaired child's mother to consult a specialist and send her to a school for the deaf.
- 4. The authorities permitted us to enter the restricted area.
- 5. A musician decided to participate in the upcoming national music conference.
II. From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words and phrases that match these definitions and write them down.
- 1. the home of royal people (1): royal residence / chambers
- 2. the state of being alone (5): solitude
- 3. a part which is absolutely necessary (2): indispensable
- 4. to do something not done before (5): improvise / invent
- 5. without much effort (13): effortlessly
- 6. quickly and in large quantities (9): thick and fast
Thinking about Language (Page 27)
III. Tick the right answer.
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1. When something is revived, it (remains dead / lives again).
Answer: lives again
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2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped / started).
Answer: stopped
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3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it / avoid it).
Answer: welcome it
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4. When we take to something, we find it (boring / interesting).
Answer: interesting
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5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful / find it of no use).
Answer: find it good and useful
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6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the first time / for the second time).
Answer: for the second time
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7. When we come to terms with something, it is (still upsetting / no longer upsetting).
Answer: no longer upsetting
IV. Dictionary work
Consult your dictionary and complete the following table.
| Adjective | Only before noun | Not before noun | Both before and after the verb be |
|---|---|---|---|
| indispensable | ✔ | ||
| impressed | ✔ | ||
| afraid | ✔ | ||
| outdoor | ✔ | ||
| paternal | ✔ | ||
| countless | ✔ | ||
| priceless | ✔ |
Writing (Page 29)
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"If you work hard and know where you're going, you'll get there," says Evelyn Glennie. You have now read about two musicians, Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan. Do you think that they both worked hard? Where did they want to 'go'? Answer these questions in two paragraphs, one on each of the two musicians.
Both Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan demonstrated extraordinary dedication and worked exceptionally hard to achieve pinnacle success in their musical careers. Despite losing her hearing completely at a young age, Evelyn refused to give up. Through sheer determination, expert guidance, and rigorous practice, she trained herself to feel music through her body, eventually becoming the world's most sought-after multi-percussionist and reaching the highest echelons of global classical music.
Similarly, Ustad Bismillah Khan dedicated his entire life to mastering and elevating the shehnai. From practicing for hours in solitude near the temples of Benaras and the banks of the Ganga to introducing a temple instrument to the prestigious classical stage, his relentless practice and deep passion earned him India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna. Both musicians wanted to excel in their respective arts, bring global recognition to their instruments, and share the pure joy of music with millions.
Thinking about the Poem (Page 31)
I. Answer the following questions.
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1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?
In the first stanza, the wind breaks the shutters of windows, scatters the papers, throws down books on the shelf, tears the pages of the books, and brings rain again.
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2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing?
Yes, farmers and villagers winnow grain to separate the grain from chaff and husk. People use a winnowing fan (known as 'chajjah' in Hindi or 'cheta' in Telugu) and let the wind blow away the lighter chaff while the heavier grains fall straight down.
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3. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?
The poet says that the wind god winnows and crushes all frail and weak things, such as crumbling houses, doors, rafters, wood, bodies, lives, and hearts.
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4. What should we do to make friends with the wind?
To make friends with the wind, we should build strong homes, joint the doors firmly, practice to firm our bodies, and make our hearts steadfast and strong.
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5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?
The last four lines convey a profound message that the wind (symbolizing the hardships and challenges of life) destroys weak people and things, but helps strong and determined people grow and flourish. Obstacles only strengthen those who are courageous and resilient.
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6. How does the poet speak to the wind—in anger or with humour? You must also have seen or heard of the wind "crumbling lives". What is your response to this? Is it like the poet's?
The poet speaks to the wind with a firm, challenging, and realistic tone rather than mere anger or humour. When facing hardships ("crumbling lives"), our response should be like the poet's: instead of complaining about difficulties, we must build inner strength, resilience, and courage to overcome them.
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