NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

Unit 1 of Kaveri opens with Sudha Murty’s well-known autobiographical story about a twelve-year-old girl who teaches her sixty-two-year-old grandmother, Krishtakka, to read Kannada. The story is set in a village in north Karnataka and revolves around the grandmother’s deep desire to read the serial novel Kashi Yatre on her own. It celebrates literacy as a path to independence and dignity and ends with a deeply moving gesture – the grandmother touching her granddaughter’s feet as a mark of respect for her teacher. The companion poem, Bharat Our Land by Subramania Bharati, is a patriotic ode celebrating India’s natural grandeur, spiritual heritage and timeless wisdom.

I. Complete the given word web.

Answer:

II. Read the questions given below and share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
1. Which language(s) do your grandparents or elderly relatives speak?
See AnswerMy grandparents speak Hindi and Bhojpuri. They are most comfortable conversing in their mother tongue, which connects them deeply to their roots and culture.

2. How do they spend their time? How do you spend time with them?
See AnswerMy grandparents spend their time praying, reading religious texts, gardening, and watching television. I spend time with them by listening to their stories, helping them with technology like video calls, and sharing meals together. These moments are truly precious.

3. What is your favourite experience with them?
See AnswerMy favourite experience is sitting with my grandmother during winter evenings when she narrates old folk tales and stories from her childhood. Those stories are full of wisdom and warmth that no book can ever replace.

4. What is something that the elderly in your family cannot do easily but enjoy watching you do?
See AnswerMy grandfather cannot use a smartphone easily, but he enjoys watching me video call our relatives abroad. He is always amazed and delighted to see technology connect us instantly across distances.

III. Read the following passage. Match the highlighted words with their meanings given in the box below.

The casting for the (i) protagonist of our school’s annual play was done after a lot of (ii) debate as many good actors had auditioned for the role. We had decided to present an (iii) episode from an inspirational story. It was a life story of a group of children who worked with the (iv) community to spread literacy. Every day, we reached school early to practise with (v) concentration. We waited (vi) eagerly for the final presentation. All of us played our roles in a very (vii) convincing manner as our theatre teacher had (viii) guided us well.
Answer:

I. Complete the cause and effect table given below based on Part I of the story. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Answer:

II. Do you think the narrator expected to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village? If yes, why? If no, why not?
See AnswerNo, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village. The narrator herself says, “I was surprised, for I had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations.” This clearly shows that the grandmother was known for her strength and resilience. She was someone who faced life’s hardships without breaking down. The narrator had gone away simply for a wedding and had no reason to anticipate any emotional disturbance at home. The sight of tears on her grandmother’s face was therefore completely unexpected and alarming for her.

III. How might the narrator help her grandmother to fulfil her desire to learn to read and write?
See AnswerThe narrator could help her grandmother fulfil her desire by teaching her the basic Kannada alphabet patiently, starting from simple letters and gradually moving to words and sentences. She could use picture books or simple texts to make learning more engaging. She could dedicate a fixed time each day for this purpose, maintaining consistency. She could use the very serial of Kashi Yatre as a reading practice tool, since the grandmother is already emotionally invested in that story. Encouragement, patience and affection would be the most important tools not just academic instruction.

I. State whether the following sentences are true or false. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Answer:

1. When I came back to my village, I saw my grandmother in tears. I was surprised, for I had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations.
What had happened? I was worried.
‘Avva, is everything all right? Are you okay?’
I used to call her Avva, which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.
She nodded but did not reply. I did not understand and forgot about it. In the night, after dinner, we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house. It was a summer night and there was a full moon. Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.

(i) Complete the following sentence with the appropriate option.
The phrase ‘never seen her cry in the most difficult situations’ tells us that the grandmother was ______________________.
A. strong-willed
B. understanding
C. considerate
D. bold
See AnswerA. strong-willed

(ii). Complete the following with the correct option from those given in the brackets.
Grandmother did not reply when the narrator asked if she was alright because she might have been too______________________ (emotion/tired) to respond.
See AnswerGrandmother did not reply when the narrator asked if she was alright because she might have been too 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 to respond.

(iii). Identify the clue from the extract that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs.
See AnswerThe clue from the extract that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs is: “We were sleeping in the open terrace of our house on a summer night.” This suggests a village home with an open terrace, which is a traditional practice in rural India where families sleep outdoors during hot summers.

(iv) Which lines of the extract establish a tender atmosphere?
See AnswerThe lines that establish a tender atmosphere are: “Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.” These lines show the warmth, love and gentle care of the grandmother towards the narrator, creating a soft and emotional atmosphere.

(v) Which of the following aspect is NOT emphasised in the given extract?
A. the emotional turmoil of the grandmother
B. the affectionate bond between the narrator and her grandmother
C. the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education
D. the narrator’s concern for her grandmother
See AnswerC. the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education