Parents often use SCERT Kerala Syllabus 9th Standard English Notes Pdf Unit 4 Chapter 3 Walk Alone Poem Textual Questions and Answers Activities Notes Pdf to assist their kids with homework.
Class 9 English Walk Alone Question Answer Notes Kerala Syllabus
Std 9 English Walk Alone Question Answer
9th Class English Walk Alone Question Answer – Let’s rewind and rejoice
Answer the following questions: (താഴെ പറയുന്ന ചോദ്യങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉത്തരമെഴുതുക.)
Question 1.
What does the poet advise one to do if no one listens to one’s call?
ആരും ശ്രദ്ധിക്കാത്ത ഒരാൾക്ക് എന്ത് ഉപദേശമാണ് കവി കൊടുക്കുന്നത്?
Answer:
If no one listens to one’s call, then you must walk on alone; move on alone.
ആരും ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചില്ലെങ്കിൽ അയാൾ തനിയെ നടക്കണം. ഒറ്റക്ക് തന്നെ മുന്നോട്ട് പോകണം.
Question 2.
When should you speak out your mind?
എപ്പോഴാണ് നിങ്ങൾ മനസ്സ് തുറന്ന് സംസാരിക്കേണ്ടത്?
Answer:
You should speak out your mind, if no one speaks to you, if everyone turns the other way, if everyone is afraid.
ആരും നിങ്ങളോട് സംസാരിക്കാനില്ലെങ്കിൽ എല്ലാവരും പുറം തിരിഞ്ഞു നിൽക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, എല്ലാവർക്കും പേടിയാണെങ്കിൽ നിങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളുടെ മനസ്സു തുറന്ന് സംസാരിക്കണം.
Question 3.
“If… no one joins you on your journey.” What does the journey signify?
“ഇഫ് ………….നോ വൺ ജോയിൻസ് യു ഓൺ യുവർ ജേണി.” ഈ യാത്ര എന്തിനെയാണ് കാണിക്കുന്നത്?
Answer:
The journey signifies the journey of life, seeking joy and success.
ഈ യാത്ര കാണിക്കുന്നത് ജീവിതയാത്രയേയാണ്. ജീവിതയാത്രയിൽ നമ്മൾ സന്തോഷവും വിജ യവും അന്വേഷിക്കുന്നു.
Question 4.
Which line in the poem conveys the power of resilience in one’s life?
ജീവിതത്തിലേക്ക് തിരിച്ചു വരാനുള്ള ഒരാളുടെ കഴിവ് ഈ കവിതയിൽ ഏത് വരിയിലാണ് കാണുന്നത്?
Answer:
“With the flame from a roaring lightning set your heart on fire and shine alone that many may aspire.”
കവിതയിൽ കൊടുങ്കാറ്റിന്റേയും രാത്രിയുടേയും ഇടിമിന്നലിന്റേയും ചിത്രങ്ങളുണ്ട്.
Question 5.
What do the images of the storm, the night and lightning imply?
ഈ ചിത്ര ങ്ങൾ എന്തിനെ പ്രതിനിധീകരിക്കുന്നു?
Answer:
The images of the storm, the night and lightning imply the difficulties, problems and the crises we face in life. Life is not a bed of roses and the thorny realities of life often make us bleed.
അവ പ്രതിനിധീകരിക്കുന്നത് ജീവിതത്തിലെ പ്രയാസങ്ങളും, പ്രശ്നങ്ങളും, പ്രതിസന്ധികളും ആണ്. ജീവിതം റോസാപ്പൂവുകൾ വിരിച്ച ഒരു കിടക്കയല്ല. ജീവിത യാഥാർത്ഥ്യങ്ങൾ കൂർത്ത മുള്ളുകൾ പോലെ നമ്മെ മുറിപ്പെടുത്തുകയും വേദനിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.
Question 6.
What does ‘the flame from a roaring lightning’ symbolise’?
ശക്തമായ ഇടിമിന്നലിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ജ്വാല എന്തിനേയാണ് കാണിക്കുന്നത്?
Answer:
The flame from a roaring lightning’ symbolises hope, optimism and faith,
അത് കാണിക്കുന്നത് പ്രതീക്ഷ, ശുഭാപ്തി വിശ്വാസം, ദൈവവിശ്വാസം എന്നിവയൊക്കെയാണ്.
Question 7.
How is the poem relevant in contemporary times?
ഈ കവിതയ്ക്ക് എങ്ങിനെയാണ് സമകാലിക പ്രസക്തി കൈവരുന്നത്?
Answer:
The poem is relevant in contemporary times because in spite of the growth in science and technology, man’s problems of life still exist. Indifference, animosity, jealousy and greed have only increased making life more complicated.
സയൻസും, ശാസ്ത്രവും, സാങ്കേതിക വിദ്യകളുമൊക്കെ നിരന്തരം പുരോഗമിക്കുന്നുണ്ടെങ്കിലും മനുഷ്യന്റെ പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ എന്നും നിലനിൽക്കുന്നു. മറ്റുള്ളവരുടെ കാര്യങ്ങളിൽ കാണിക്കുന്ന താൽപ്പ ര്യക്കുറവ്, ശത്രുത, അസൂയ, അത്യാഗ്രഹം എന്നിവ ഇന്നും മനുഷ്യനെ വേട്ടയാടുന്നു. ശരിക്കും പറഞ്ഞാൽ അത്തരം ചീത്ത കാര്യങ്ങൾ പണ്ടത്തേതിലും കൂടുതലാണ്, സമകാലീന സമൂഹ ത്തിൽ. ജീവിതത്തെ കൂടുതൽ സങ്കീർണ്ണമാക്കുകയാണ് അവ ചെയ്യുന്നത്.
Question 8.
How is the concept of personal sacrifice portrayed in the poem?
ഈ കവിതയിൽ എങ്ങിനെയാണ് സമർപ്പണത്തേയും ബലിയേയും പറ്റി സൂചിപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്?
Answer:
The concept of personal sacrifice is portrayed in the poem when the poet says “If no one joins you on your journey, then you must crush the thorns on your path with your bleeding feet and walk ahead alone”.
കവി പറയുന്നുണ്ട്, നിങ്ങളുടെ യാത്രയിൽ ആരും നിങ്ങളുടെ കൂടെ കൂടുന്നില്ലെങ്കിൽ നിങ്ങളുടെ കാലുകൾ കൊണ്ട് പാതയിൽ ഉളള മുള്ളുകളെ ചവിട്ടി മെതിച്ച് മുന്നോട്ട് പോകണമെന്ന്.
9th Standard English Walk Alone Notes – Let’s recall and recreate
Activity 1:
The poem “Walk Alone” encourages us to follow our own path in life, even when hindered by challenges and uncertainty. How is this thought reinforced through the poem? Discuss.
“വോക്ക് എലോൺ എന്ന കവിത നമ്മുടെ സ്വന്തം വഴിയേ മുന്നേറാൻ നമ്മളെ ആഹ്വാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. വെല്ലുവിളികളും അവിചാരിതമായ കാര്യങ്ങളും നമ്മെ തടസ്സപ്പെടുത്തിയേക്കാം. ഈ കാര്യം എങ്ങിനെയാണ് കവിതയിൽ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ഊന്നി പറയുന്നത്?
Answer:
The poem “Walk Alone” encourages us to follow our own path in life. We are often hindered by challenges and uncertainty. This idea is reinforced by the poet when he says “if no one listens to your call”, “if no one speaks to you” and “ if everyone turns the other way* in the first stanza. In the second stanza he says, “if everyone turns away”, “if as you walk alone on a dark road no one joins you on your journey”, etc. In the last stanza we are told “if no one holds up a light on a dark, stormy, and rainy night” and “if everyone seeks refuge behind a closed door”. All these are indicative of challenges and uncertainties that will hinder us on our journey.
Activity 2:
Tagore persuades the readers to face the challenges in life following their heart’s wisdom. What might have prompted the poet to compose these lines?
Answer:
Being a man of great learning, wisdom and insight, Tagore had seen that life is not at all easy for the people. There was a lot of poverty and ignorance among the people of India when this poem was written. India was under the British rule and the Indians were fighting for their independence. Tagore knew independence will not come that easily and the British would do all they can to suppress the freedom movement and ruin the aspirations of the people. The British would even make the people fight among themselves in the name region and religion to keep the people divided. Their policy was “Divide et Empera”, a Latin phrase meaning “Divide and Rule”. Tagore had foreseen all these troubles and that prompted him to compose these lines.
Activity 3:
Imagery helps to capture the essence of a poem through sensory experiences. Tagore has used multiple images to depict the journey of life with its hurdles and challenges. Pick out the sensory experiences in the poem.
Answer:
Sensory experiences are the sorts of experiences we have when we see, hear, touch, smell, or taste something. In the poem “Walk Alone” we have multiple images. We can see the image of someone walking alone. He is calling people but no one listens to him. We see people turning the other way. We see the dark road full of thorns and the man’s bleeding feet. We can see the dark, stormy and rainy night. Everyone is seeking shelter behind a closed door. Then we see powerful lightning which sets the heart of the man on fire. The images in this poem are mostly visual images.
Activity 4
Poetic devices enhance the meaning and beauty of the poem. Tagore has used a number of poetic devices. List them.
Answer:
| Device | Examples | Purpose (musical/ thematic) |
| Alliteration | Trample – tread
flame from |
thematic |
| Anaphora | If no one; If everyone | musical and thematic |
| Symbolism | Crush the thorns Bleeding feet Roaring lightning; | thematic |
| Metaphor | The thorns in your path | Thematic |
| Assonance | Must crush Bleeding feet Rainy night | Musical |
| Repetition | Move alone, move alone | Musical and thematic |
Activity 5:
The poem “Walk Alone” beautifully conveys the power of resilience and independence. Based on your reading and analysis, write an appreciation of the poem focusing on its theme and poetic devices.
Answer:“Walk Alone” is a beautiful poem by Rabindranah Tagore, often called “Gurudev”. Tagore got the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1931 for his > “Gitanjali”. He is the one who composed the Indian national anthem “Gana Gana Mana” and the Bangladesh national anthem “”Amar Shonar Bangla”. The poem “Walk Alone” celebrates the beauty of life and the resilience and independence of the human spirit.
The poem has 3 stanzas. In the first stanza the poet says, if no one listens to your call – then you must walk on alone. Move on alone. If no one speaks to you, if everyone turns the other way, if everyone is afraid, then open your heart and speak out your mind alone.
In stanza 2, this is the advice of the poet: If everyone turns away, if as you walk alone on a dark road no one joins you on your journey, then you must crush the thorns on your path with your bleeding feet and walk ahead alone.
In the final stanza the poet tells us: If no one holds up a light on a dark, stormy, and rainy night and if everyone seeks refuge behind a closed door, then, with the flame from a roaring lightning set your own heart on fire and shine alone that many may aspire.
Tagore has used different poetic devices to make his poem beautiful. He has used alliteration as in “flame from”. Assonance can be found in “must crush”, “bleeding feet”, and “rainy night”. Anaphora can also be seen in the use of “you’ for the ‘hapless one’. The poem is full of symbolism as in “crush the thorns” “bleeding feet” and “roaring lightning”. A fine metaphor can be seen in “the thorns in your path”. Repetition is the most obvious poetic device here. The phrases “oh my hapless one” and “walk alone” are repeated. The imagery of the unfortunate man walking alone deeply touches our heart. All these devices have helped in making the poem rich in its theme and highly musical.
The poem’s theme is resilience and independence. We may have a lot of problems before us. But we should not give up even if we are alone. With determination, a will to win, and hard work we are sure to succeed as out hearts are set on fire with hope and optimism.
Activity 6:
The poem “Walk Alone” motivates us to face the challenges of life courageously. Below you can see the poem “Invictus”: by W.E. Henley. Examine the theme of the poem and attempt a thematic comparison of the two poems.
Answer:
INVICTUS – W.E. Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am,the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
“Invictus” is a Latin word meaning “Unconquerable”. The poet is happy that he has an unconquerable soul. He is facing very difficult problems. He is wounded but he is not defeated. He may find himself alone but he remains unafraid. He feels he is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul.
“Invictus” is very similar to “Walk Alone” in its theme. Both poems extol the resilience and independence of the human spirit. Both poems exhort people to be self reliant. With its rhyming scheme and the powerful imagery of the bleeding man courageously fighting his way, to me the poem “Envictus” is a better one than “Walk Alone”.
Walk Alone Activities – Let’s Play With Words:
Activity 1:
Here is a real-life story for you. Go through it carefully.
A True Story of Survival
In a strange tale of courage and resilience, four children, one as young as eleven months, survived the unimaginable turmoil of a deadly plane crash deep in the Colombian Amazon. For 40 days, they overcame a daunting maze of challenges, demonstrating extraordinary strength.
Aboard the Cessna 206, they, along with three adults, including their mother, had embarked on a journey from Araracuara to San José del Guaviare to join their father. But mid-flght, a Mayday alert regarding engine failure hindered their plans. The plane was ditched into the dense jungle. Remarkably, the children, seated at the back, escaped injury. Dazed and troubled, the tension of the older children increased rapidly. The weather was also unstable, raining in between. Despite all the dangers lurking in the Amazon forest, they eventually walked out to safety. The ray of light for the relatives of the children and their anxious well-wishers everywhere was ‘Operation Hope,’ a rescue mission led by the Colombian Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces. After 40 days, the children were located in a remote area of the jungle. They were weak and shocked, but their physical condition was surprisingly good, given the circumstances.
Some words in the news story are in bold type. Replace them choosing suitable words from those given in the brackets below.
[chaos, escalated, bizarre, interrupted, incredible, stunned, inconsistent]
Answer:
strange – bizarre
turmoil – chaos
extraordinary – incredible
hindered – interrupted
increased rapidly – escalated
unstable – inconsistent
shocked – stunned
Activity 2:
“There were … so many people coming to see me and give me pep talks,” says Bethany.
What would be the nature of these pep talks? Some examples of statements that could figure in pep talks are given below.
It’s going to be okay.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this.
Take your time to heal.
You’re bold and strong.
I believe in you.
This too shall pass.
What is a pep talk?
A pep talk is a form of speech aimed at motivating, inspiring, and boosting the morale or confience of an individual or a group of people. Pep talks are typically delivered in a positive and supportive manner, often using words and phrases of encouragement to help individuals overcome doubts, fears, or challenges and to encourage them to perform at their best.
Now, note down some expressions for pep talks that you could use in different situations.
1. Facing challenges
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
2. Preparing for exams
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
3. Preparing for a competition (in sports, arts, etc.)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
4. Facing failure
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
A few examples are given here.
Answer:
1. Facing Challenges
It’s going to be okay.
You are not alone.
I’m here for you.
I’m sure you will overcome the problems.
You will be the winner in the end.
2. Preparing for exams
It will be alright for you.
You have been doing well and this time it won’t be different.
It is going to be okay.
Take it easy and don’t worry.
3. Preparing for a competition (in sports, arts, etc.)
This time you will be the winner!
Aim high and strive for greatness.
Be cheerful! You will be the champion!
Your determination will lead you to victory.
4. Facing failure
Things will get better.
Life is not always a bed of roses.
It’s going to be okay.
Take it easy.
Activity 3:
Read the sentences given below.
‘I hope the surf picks up soon.’
‘I go almost every morning to surf with my friend.’
Look at the underlined words.
In the fist sentence, the word ‘surf’ means …………………………………… .
In the second sentence, it means ………………………………… .
Does the word serve the same purpose in both the sentences? ……………
In the fist sentence, it serves the purpose of …………….. .
In the second sentence, it serves the purpose of ……………. .
a) Pick out more words from the passage, that can be used both as noun/adjective and verb. Construct sentences using these words as nouns as well as verbs.
Answer:
Stub
He threw away the stub of his pencil, (the small remaining pat) – Noun
Stub your cigarette in the ashtray, (extinguish) – Verb
Saw
I have a saw in my house. (a hand tool for cutting wood) – Noun
I sawed the timber. (cut) – verb
crash
The crash was the result of the carelessness of the pilot. (Noun)
The plane crashed killing all the passengers and the crew, (verb)
light
There was no light in the room, (noun)
Please light the candle, (verb)
The light rain helped the weather to become cool, (adjective)
Activity 4:
Read the sentence given below.
It came literally ‘out of the blue.’
What does the expression ‘out of the blue’ mean?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Does the expression ‘out of the blue’ differ from the meaning of its words?
What would you call such expressions?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
a. Pick out idioms from ‘The Unstoppable Soul Surfer’ which mean the following.
Answer:
| i. a split second | a very short moment of time. |
| ii. crystal clear | perfectly or transparently clear |
| iii. put on a brave face | to behave as if a problem is not the cause of concern. |
| iv. put your mind to | to put a lot of thought and effort into doing something. |
b. Find the meanings of the following idioms:
Answer:
| i. the last straw | a further difficulty or annoyance. |
| ii. A blessing in disguise | an apparent misfortune that turns out to be a blessing |
| iii. call it day | decide or agree to stop doing something. |
| iv. beat around the bush | discuss a matter without coming to the point. |
| v. once in a blue-moon | very rarely |
| vi. crocodile tears | tears or expressions of sorrow that are insincere. |
| vii. hit the sack | go to bed |
| viii. pull someone’s leg | deceive someone playfully; tease someone. |
| ix. shades of grey | the issue does not have a clearly right or wrong position |
| x. kick the bucket | die |
c. Now, use the idioms we have already come across to complete the passage given below.
The Crocodile Hunter
Steve Irwin, known as the ‘Crocodile Hunter,’ was a wildlife icon who tragically passed away in a freak accident. His passion for wildlife conservation was ……………………………..to all the viewers of his show. He educated the world about the importance of preserving nature. Irwin’s energetic personality and enthusiasm were infectious. He would readily ………….………………………………………. any adventure, regardless of personal danger. His death was a heart-wrenching one which came literally ……………………………………….. Such legendary fiures grace our world only ………………………………… .
Answer:
a) infectious (or intoxicating)
b) leap into (or embark upon)
c) as a bolt from the blue.
d) once in a blue moon.
Activity 5:
Read the following sentence from ‘The Unstoppable Soul Surfer’.
‘My parents had no doubt that I probably could fiure out a way to get up on a board.’
Can you substitute the phrase in italics with another word or phrase?
a. A list of phrasal verbs that can be formed in combination with the preposition ‘out’ is given below. Match them with their meanings.
Write the phrasal verbs and their meanings in the table below. You may search for other phrasal verbs formed in combination with ‘out’.
Answer:
figure out – to solve a problem or discover the answer,
freak out – to become extremely emotional
pass out – to become unconscious
roll out – to launch or introduce a new product, service or system,
make out – to understand or infer something.
Phrasal verbs with “out “and their meanings:
| figure out | solve a problem or discover the answer |
| break out | started – The Sepoy Mutiny broke out in 1857. |
| came out | resulted – His efforts came out as a success, |
| came out | feel jealousy when hearing of the success of others, |
| eat your heart out | reveal the secret |
| let the cat out of the bag | not belong to a situation; feel strange in a situation |
| odd man out | leave a place/become known |
| get out | started |
| set out | extinguish |
| put out | to do revenge |
| take out | act correctly or stop doing something |
| shape up or ship out turn out | result |
b. Fill in the blanks using appropriate phrasal verbs.
1. At fist Bethany couldn’t …………………………………………. what had happened.
2. They immediately …………………………………………. for the hospital with her.
3. Father would …………… her …………….. to the beach for practice.
4. The fie fihters ……………………………. the fie in the building.
Answer:
1. figure out
2. set out
3. let her out
4. put out
Activity 6:
Let’s have some fun: (Tongue Twisters)
Collect more tongue twisters and practise them with your friends.
Answer:
1. Give grandpa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
2. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
3. Which witch switched the Swiss wristwatches?
4. She sells seashells by the seashore.
5. Can you can a can as a canner-can can a can?
9th English Walk Alone Question Answer – Let’s analyse
Activity 1:
Bethany is an icon of resilience. One of your friends, Anand, is fascinated by her autobiography. He meets Bethany Hamilton unexpectedly. Out of curiosity he asks her a few questions. Complete the conversation.
Anand : Hello Bethany, How are you?
Bethany : Hi! I’m fie.
Anand : How nice to see you! I read your autobiography only the other day. It’s truly inspiring.
Bethany : Thank you.
Anand : Let me ask you, what did you feel when the shark attacked you?
Bethany : ……………………….. . But I didn’t feel any pain at that time.
Anand : ………………………………… you doing at that time?
Bethany : I was waiting …………………………………………. .
Anand : How …………….………………………………….. ?
Bethany : Holt didn’t freak out. He tried his best to keep me from bleeding out.
Anand : ………………………………. you realise that you had lost your arm for ever?
Bethany : I realised it when the doctor told me so.
Anand : ………………………………………………………………………?
Bethany : I thought my surfig days were over. So I thought of becoming …………….……………….
Anand : ……………………………………………………………………… ?
Bethany : ………………………. is the best of all my many motivators.
Answer:
Bethany : I felt a lot of pressure and a couple of pulls. But I didn’t feel any pain at that time.
Anand : What were you doing at that time?
Bethany : I was sitting and relaxing on my board with my right hand on the.
nose of the board. My left arm was dangling in the water. I was waiting for a strong tide to surf.
Anand : How did Holt react when he saw your left arm was gone? »
Anand : When did you realise that you had lost your arm for ever?
Anand : What did you think then?
Bethany : I thought my surfing days were over. So I thought of becoming the best surf photographer.
Anand : Who is your best motivator?
Bethany : My father is the best of all my motivators.
Activity 2:
The conversation between Bethany and Anand was reported in a magazine.
This is how the report began:
Anand, from our own local school, had a meeting with none other than Bethany Hamilton the other day. They had a very warm conversation. Anand asked Bethany what she had felt when the shark attacked her. Bethany replied that it had been a terrible incident. She added that she hadn’t felt any pain at the time.
Go through the underlined sentence.
What was Anand’s question?
……………………………….….…………………………………………………………………………………………
How is it reported?
……………………………….….…………………………………………………………………………………………
Now, discuss.
What is the reporting verb used here?
Which word functions as a conjunction/linker?
Do you notice any change in the pronouns used? List them.
What is the change in the tense of the verb?
Is there any change in the word order?
When a question is reported, it becomes a ………………………………………….
Now, let us complete the report. Give it a title too.
…………………………………………………..
(Title)
Anand, from our local school had a meeting with none other than Bethany Hamilton the other day. They had a very warm conversation. Anand asked Bethany what she had felt when the shark attacked her. Bethany replied that it had been a terrible incident. She added that she hadn’t felt any pain at the time. Anand asked her what she ………………………………. then. She replied that she had been waiting on the board for a strong tide to surf. Anand enquired how Holt …………………………. . With a smile she replied that Holt hadn’t freaked out. But he had tried his best to keep her from bleeding out. Anand asked when she ………………….. that she had lost her arm for ever. She said that she had realised it when the doctor told her so. Anand remembered that she had thought of becoming a surf photographer. So he enquired why ……………………………. to become a surf photographer. With a sigh she answered that she had believed her surfig days were over and so she thought of becoming a surf photographer. He asked her who …………………………………….. was. She replied that her father was the best of her many motivators. She is indeed a great inspiration to all.
Let’s summarise the changes in each question when reported.
Discuss the changes in the form and position of words in a sentence when it is reported.
- Reporting verbs
- Pronoun (in subject/ object position)
- Backshift / the change of tense
- Word order
- Time – place expressions
Now, report the following conversation.
Father : Darling, what are you thinking of?
Bethany : Dad, I am thinking about my future.
Father : Why are you worried? You will be all right soon.
Bethany : How can I surf again without an arm?
Father : Don’t worry, Bethany. You can do anything you put your mind to.
Bethany : When will I get on the board again?
Father : Very soon, Bethany, I believe.
Answer:
Anand: “What did you feel when the shark attacked you?”
It is reported as: “Anand asked Bethany what she had felt when the shark attacked her.”
What is the reporting verb used here?
asked
Which words function as a conjunction/linker?
what
Changes in the pronouns:
“You” becomes she and her.
What is the change in the tense of the verb?
Past tense becomes past perfect.
Is there any change in the word order?
Yes, there is change in the word order.
When a question is reported it becomes a statement.
Complete the report and give it a title.
THE INDOMITABLE BETHANY HAMILTON
felt
reacted
realised
she wanted
her best motivator
Summarising the changes in each question when reported.
- Reporting verbs are in the past tense.
- pronoun – she, in subject position, her in object position
- past tense in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the reported speech.
- Word order changes as there is no inversion in the reported speech.
- Time and place expressions change – “now” becomes “then”, “here” becomes “there”, “today” becomes “that day”, “this” becomes “that”, “these” becomes “those” and so on.
Report the conversation:
Bethany’s father asked her what she was thinking of. She told him tht she was thinking about her future. Her father wanted to know why she was worried. He assured her that she would be alright soon. Bethany then asked him how she could surf again without an arm. He consoled her by saying not to worry as she could do anything she put per mind to. She wanted to know when she would get on the board again. He told her that he believed it would be soon.
Activity 3:
In the hospital Bethany went through a current of emotions. Thoughts overflwed her mind. Some of her feelings are mentioned here.
‘I wish I were at the tides now.’
Where is Bethany now?
………………………………………………………………………………….. .
Is she thinking about a situation in the present?
…………………………………………………………………………………… .
Is it possible to change the situation according to her wishes? Why?
….………………………………………………………………………………. .
Now, examine how she expresses her wish.
I wish I were at the tides now.
Which form of the verb is used here?
‘I wish,’ along with ………………. form of the verb is used to express an impossible wish to
change a situation or an action in the present or future.
Now, here is another example of Bethany’s thoughts.
‘I wish I hadn’t gone to surf that day.’
Which day does she mention here?
…………………………………………………………………………………… .
Does she think her wish could make a difference? Why do you say so?
…………………………………………………………………………………… .
Examine how she expresses her wish to change a past situation/action.
I wish I hadn’t gone to surf that day.
Which form of the verb is used here?
‘I wish,’ along with ………………. form of the verb is used to express an impossible wish to change a situation or an action in the past.
Examine the pictures given below and write the thoughts of the characters in the space provided.
Answer:
Unlikely/Improbable/Imaginary conditions:
To make a conditional sentence we need two clauses – one “if-clause” and the other “main close”. There are three types of conditions – Probable (Likely), Improbable (unlikely or imaginary) and Impossible. The use of tenses makes the difference in the conditions.
Probable conditions: If clause present tense; main clause future.
E.g. If you study, you will pass, (present + future).
If you drop that glass it will break. (present+ future)
If you scold me, I will cry, (present + future)
Improbable Conditions: The above three sentences can be changed into improbable/unlikely or imaginary conditions by changing the tenses of the verbs. If clause will be in the past tense and the main clause will be conditional (would + verb stem).
If you studied, you would pass, (past + conditional)
If you dropped that glass it would break, (past + conditional)
If you scolded me, I would cry, (past + conditional)
Special Rule:
In improbable conditions, we can use a plural verb with a singular subject in the ‘if-clause’.
E.g. If he were my friend, he would help me.
If she were beautiful, he would marry her.
If I were the Prime Minister, I would make higher eduction free for all.
Impossible Conditions:
Now we can make the conditions imposible by again changing the tenses. If clause in past perfect (had + past participle) and main clause in conditional perfect (would +have + past participle).
If you had studied, you would have passed, (past perfect + conditional perfect) If you had dropped that glass, it would have broken, (past perf.+ cond. perfect.) If you had scolded me, I would have cried, (past perfect + conditional perfect)
Answer:
I wish hadn’t ridden so rashly.
I wish I hadn’t eaten all that food
I wish I had carried an umbrella.
I wish I hadn’t slept so long.
I wish the rain had stopped.
I wish I hadn’t used the mobile while descending the steps.
Activity 4:
Edit the passage given below.
Neerja asked the hijackers why they had hijack the plane. They reported that they want their demands to be met and threatened to kill the passengers otherwise. Realising the gravity of a situation, she asked all the passengers to stayed calm and follow his instructions.
Unfortunately, she was shoot dead in her effrts to save the passengers. Her heroism, who cost her her life, saved the lives of innocent childrens and many others in the flght
Answer:
Neeija asked’the hijackers why they had hijacked the plane. They reported that they wanted their demands to be met and threatened to kill the passengers otherwise. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she asked all the passengers to stay calm and follow her instructions. Unfortunately she was shot dead in her efforts to save the passengers. Her heroism, which cost her her life, saved the lives of innocent children and many others in the-flight.
9th Std English Walk Alone Notes – Let’s converse
Activity 1:
a. Many organisations offered to help Bethany’s family overcome the fiancial crisis.
In a fundraiser, people donated over $75,000/- to meet her hospital expenses. Her father received a number of phone calls offering support. Some of the offers are given below.
‘May I offer you some money to buy a new surf board for your daughter?’
‘Would you like me to pay the hospital bills?’
‘If you permit, I will conduct an auction of my paintings for Bethany.
Read the above sentences and analyse the phrases used to express the offers.
Some more phrases to present offers are given below.
- Can I ……………………………. ?
- Shall I ……………………………. ?
- Would you like …………………………?
- Do you want me …………………………?
- If you like, I can ………………………..
- Let me ……………………………………
- I’d be happy to …………………………..
- May I offer you …………………………..?
- If you don’t mind………………………………..
b. How do we accept or refuse an offer? Go through the table below.
Now, prepare a conversation between Bethany’s father and the Managing Director of The Rip Curl Company who had offered all support for Bethany’s return to surfig.
Answer:
MD : Hello! Good Morning! Is that Mr. Hamilton, Bethany’s father?
Hamilton : Good Morning! Yes, I’m Bethany’s father. May I know to whom I’m speaking?
MD : I’m the Managing Director of The Rip Curl Company. We heard about the shark attack on Bethany.
Hamilton : Yes, in the attack she lost her left arm. Currently she is under treatment in a hospital in Hawaii.
MD : We were so sorry to hear of the accident. We know Bethany personally. She and her friends used to buy their surfboards from our company. We want to be of help to her during this period crisis.
Hamilton : Thank you for your offer. At the moment we don’t need any financial help as the government has already promised to pay the treatment expenses. What she needs now is your good wishes and prayers.
MD : Our good wishes and prayers will always be with her. Please contact us if you need some help any time in the future.
Hamilton : Thank you for your concern. I shall tell Bethany that you had called. She has already told me that she will go back to surfing in spite of the handicap.
MD : Bethany is a brave girl and I am sure her resilience will help her to pursue her dream. We all wish her an early recovery.
Hamilton : Thank you! Thank you, very much!
Let’s team up (Group project) :
You have gone through the inspiring life story of Bethany Hamilton. There are many such individuals in different filds such as sports, adventure, literature, fim, etc. Form four groups in the class, collect more information about such personalities and prepare an inspirational video on each of them. Provide voice over for the video. Also give an appropriate title, an introduction, and subtitles for each video.
Answer:
Let’s team up: This is practical work to be done in groups.
Here are the names of some people who inspired the world in spite of their disabilities.
1. Helen Keller – She was blind, deaf and mute. She had met Gandhi in India.
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt – He was afflicted with polio. He was elected the US President 4 times.
3. John Milton – He became blind when he was 43. He wrote the great books of poetry “Paradise Lost”, “Paradise Regained” and “Samson Agonistes” after he became blind.
4. Sudha Chand&n – The Indian Bharatanatyam dancer and actress who appears on Indian television and films. Her right leg was amputated.
5. Albert Einstein – suffered from dyslexia.