NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2: The Sound of Music

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Ans: Evelyn went to the Royal Academy of Music in London when she was just seventeen years old.

2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

Ans: When Evelyn was around eight her deafness was first noticed but was confirmed when she turned eleven.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph.

1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Ans: Even after being deaf Evelyn was encouraged to pursue music by Percussionist Ron Forbes. He taught her gradually and asked her to sense the sound in some other manner rather than listening to it.

2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

Ans: Evelyn gave solo performances at regular concerts internationally. She also performed for free in prisons and hospitals. Apart from that, she accorded high priority to classes for young musicians.

III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words).

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

Ans: Evelyn was declared deaf at the age of eleven, yet she had a deep interest and taste in music. It was fascinating to watch her create beautiful pieces of music without actually being able to listen to it. She was encouraged by Rin Forbes to try to sense music without using her ears. He tuned two drums into two different notes and she indeed could feel the higher drum from her waist up and the lower tuned drum from her waist down. 

Similarly, she played the xylophone. She could feel the vibration of the music from the stick into her fingertips. While performing on a wooden platform she removed her shoes to feel the vibrations from her feet, up her legs, and poured each cell of her into the music. It tingled her and the sensation helped her develop a deeper bond with music.

Part II

I. Tick the right answer.

1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’

Ans: The pungi was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’

2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.

Ans: A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.

3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).

Ans: Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were professional musicians.

4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).

Ans: Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux.

5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).

Ans: Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.

II. Find the words in the text that show Ustad Bismillah Khan’s feelings about the items listed below. Then mark a tick (✓ ) in the correct column. Discuss your answers in class.

Ans: 

III. Answer these questions in 30–40 words.

1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

Ans: Pungi had a shrill and unpleasant sound and was disliked by Aurangzeb. Hence, he banned the playing of pungi.

2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

Ans: Shehnai is a hollow pipe made from a stem and has holes in its body. It has a better sound quality than pungi.

3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this? 

Ans: Shehnai was played in royal courts, temples, and weddings. Ustaad Bismillah Khan changed the tradition by bringing it onto the classical stage.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

Ans: In 1938 when All India Radio was opened in Lucknow, Bismillah Khan was invited to perform shenai on the radio. He got his big break then and soon became an often-heard player on the radio.

5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?

Ans: Bismillah Khan played Raag Kafi from the Red Fort on 15 August 1947 and it was a historical event because India received independence on that day from the British empire.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?

Ans: Bismillah Khan loved his country and would not leave it for any monetary gains. he felt rooted living near Benaras, the River Ganga. He declined his student’s request to start a shehnai school in U.S.A.  

7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.

Ans: Bismillah Khan loved his country. He declined a student’s offer to start a shehnai school in U.S.A. since it would keep him away from his country. He also refused Shekhar Gupta’s offer to move to Pakistan during partition and was stern ot never leave Benaras.

never leave Benaras.

Thinking about Language

I. Complete the following sentences. Beginning with a to-verb, try to answer the questions in brackets.

1.The school sports team hopes______________ (What does it hope to do?)

Ans: The school sports team hopes to win the match.

2.We all want ____________ (What do we all want to do?)

Ans: We all want to go to succeed in our life.

3. They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother ____________ (What did they advise her to do?)

Ans: They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to consult a doctor.

4. The authorities permitted us to ____________(What did the authorities permit us to do?)

Ans: The authorities permitted us to construct the building.

5. A musician decided to ____________ (What did the musician decide to do?) 

Ans: A musician decided to open a school for children.

II. From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words and phrases that match these definitions and write them down. The number of the paragraph where you will find the words/phrases has been given for you in brackets.

1.the home of royal people (1) _____________

Ans: the royal residence

2.the state of being alone (5) _____________

Ans: solitude

3.a part which is absolutely necessary (2) ____________

Ans: indispensable

4.to do something not done before (5) ____________

Ans: invent

5.without much effort (13) _______________

Ans: effortlessly

6.quickly and in large quantities (9) ____________and _____________

Ans: thick and fast

III. Tick the right answer.

1. When something is revived, it (remains dead/lives again).

Ans: When something is revived, it lives again.

2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped/started).

Ans: When a government bans something, it wants it stopped.

3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it/avoid it).

Ans: When something is considered auspicious, welcome it.

4. When we take to something, we find it (boring/interesting).

Ans: When we talk about something, we find it interesting.

5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful/find it of no use).

Ans: When you appreciate something, you find it good and useful.

6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the first time/for the second time).

Ans: When you replicate something, you do it for the second time.

7. When we come to terms with something, it is (still upsetting/no longer upsetting). 

Ans: When we come to terms with something, it is no longer upsetting.

IV. Consult your dictionary and complete the following table. The first one has been done for you.

Use these words in phrases or sentences of your own.

Ans:

Some sentences using these adjectives are:

1. She is indispensable for the successful completion of the project.

2. Sunita was impressed by my singing.

3. He is afraid of the dark.

4. I enjoy the company of my paternal uncle.

5. Gennie was showered with countless gifts.

6. My grandmother gave me a priceless piece of advice.

Speaking:

I. Imagine the famous singer Kishori Amonkar is going to visit your school. You have been asked to introduce her to the audience before her performance. How would you introduce her? Here is some information about Kishori Amonkar you can find on the Internet. Read the passage and make notes of the main points about: • her parentage • the school of music she belongs to • her achievements • her inspiration • awards

Padma Bhushan Kishori Amonkar, widely considered the finest female vocalist of her generation, was born in 1931, the daughter of another great artist, Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar. In her early years, she absorbed the approach and repertoire of her distinguished mother’s teacher Ustad Alladiya Khan. As her own style developed, however, she moved away from Alladiya Khan’s ‘JaipurAtrauli gharana’ style in some respects, and as a mature artist her approach is usually regarded as an individual, if not unique, variant of the Jaipur model. Kishori Amonkar is a thinker, besotted by what she calls the mysterious world of her raagas. She dissects them with the precision of a perfectionist, almost like a scientist, until the most subtle of shades and emotions emerge and re-emerge. She is very much inspired by the teachings of the ancient Vedic sages, written at a time when vocal music was highly devotional in character. This 2024-25 2024-25 The Sound of Music / 29 soul searching quality of her music, coupled with a very intellectual approach to raaga performance has gained her quite a following in India and has helped to revive the study of khayal. Significant awards bestowed on this artist include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1985), the Padma Bhushan (1987), and the highly coveted Sangeet Samradhini Award (considered one of the most prestigious awards in Indian Classical Music) in 1997.

II. Use your notes on Kishori Amonkar to introduce her to an imaginary audience.

You may use one of the following phrases to introduce a guest:

I am honoured to introduce…/I feel privileged to introduce…/We welcome you…

Ans: I feel privileged to introduce you to one of the greatest female vocalists of her time, Kishori Amonkar. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, she was born in 1931 to the legendary Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar. Kishori Amonkar is renowned for her deep exploration of ragas, meticulously unveiling their most nuanced expressions. Her artistry is profoundly influenced by the wisdom of Vedic sages. Throughout her illustrious career, she has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1985, the Padma Bhushan in 1987, and the esteemed Sangeet Samradhini Award in 1997.

Writing

“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.

Ans: If we work hard no one can stop us from achieving our dreams and we get there. Evelyn Glennie had a love for music in the deepest corners of her heart and worked hard to achieve her dreams. She was deaf and often discouraged for her pursuit and love for music. It was her teacher Ron Forbes who encouraged her to pursue music and taught her to identify music vibrations from different parts of her body. She worked and climbed her way up to the Royal Academy of music. She won various Academy awards and in 1991 presented with the Soloist of the Year Award. With her determination, she not only excelled in the field but also brought laurels to her country.

Ustad Bismillah Khan had an inclination towards music from a very young age. He was given training in music by his uncle. He belonged to a family of musicians and his pursuit was encouraged. He practiced hard and invented ragas for shehnai that were considered beyond the scope. His contribution to Indian classical music was commendable and he was awarded various national awards including Bharat Ratna.

Benefits of NCERT Solutions for the Sound of Music Class 9

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2, The Sound of Music Question answers are very beneficial to the students as:

1. The Answers are accurate and to the point, which helps the students in their exam preparation.

2. The Solutions follow the guidelines and standards of CBSE, which ensures the quality of the answers.

3. The solutions to Beehive Class 9 Chapter 2 are prepared by subject matter experts at Vedantu who hold years of experience in the field, thus ensuring the accuracy of these solutions.

4. The NCERT Solutions to Class 9th English Chapter 2 are given in simple language, which helps students grasp and understand the answers easily.

5. The Class 9th English Chapter 2 offers students all the required answers and info. This helps in mitigating any additional irrelevant content that students might come across.

6. The NCERT Solutions to Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2 Question Answers use real-life examples to reach the students and help them empathise more with the highlights of the chapter. 

NCERT solutions for class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2 Question Answers are available on Vedantu. Students can download it for free from Vedantu’s official website and mobile application. They can also sign up for live classes and doubt-clearing sessions.

Now that you have a good grasp on the NCERT Solutions for the Sound of Music Question Answers, you can use NCERT English Class 9 Chapter 2 Summary as an additional material to further boost your study process. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 2 - "The Sound of Music" offers a comprehensive understanding of the power and influence of music in our lives. Through this chapter, students are introduced to the life story of Maria von Trapp and her deep connection with music. The solutions provide insights into the transformative effect of music, its ability to evoke emotions, and its capacity to bring people together.

The chapter also explores the importance of preserving cultural heritage through music, as demonstrated by the von Trapp family's dedication to sharing their folk music traditions. Moreover, the solutions highlight the significance of music education in schools and its positive impact on children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. Students are encouraged to embrace music as a means of self-discovery and creative expression.

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