TS 9th Class English Guide Unit 1A The Snake and the Mirror

Telangana SCERT 9th Class English Guide Pdf Telangana Unit 1A The Snake and the Mirror Textbook Questions and Answers.

TS 9th Class English Guide Unit 1A The Snake and the Mirror

Look at the picture and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
What would have prompted the monkey to look at its own reflection in the mirror?
Answer:
It might have seen any human looking into the mirror and admiring his/her own beauty, (or) It might have seen its own reflection in a clear stream.

Question 2.
What could be the monkey thinking at this point?
Answer:
The monkey could be thinking that it had missed the admiration of its own beauty till then.

ORAL DISCOURSE:

Question.
Speech – “Role of humour in our life.” .
Answer:
Good morning to respected Principal, teachers and dear students.
I, Gautam, IX A stand here to speak on the role of humour in our life.
‘Laughter is the best medicine’ is a saying which is popular with almost all of us. Most of us would always come across people who are fond of jokes. It can be claimed that leaving aside the few odd individuals, all of us do like humour and would prefer humorous friends, and even humorous life-partners.

In everyday life, the individual human being suffers from a lot of stress and tensions. The school-going children are increasingly being burdened with exams and competition, the college- goers are to look for jobs, the’bread-earner has to be concerned about his family and the housewife has to care for all the domestic issues in the house. Everyone is caught up in this vicious circle of life. There, at times, seems to be no way out of all these. Even though we may try to bring about a sense of real-life humour, circumstances do not permit it.

Most of us may be aware of the fact that in India film industry is a dream industry. The reason as to why most people would go to the cinemas is when a comedy film is being screened. Most Indian movie channels would and do go to great lengths to show comedy movies over and over again. The target audiences never seem to get tired with comedy.

Even the scenario with the TV fraternity is not so different. The TV channels mainly focus on comedy serials, even in the face of increasing shift of the audiences towards reality shows.

Comedy has the power of changing human moods. It can take a person out of depression and make him/her feel better. This is the factor on which the film and television fraternity bases its existence. Even if it is for a moment, the viewer completely finds himself in a world which is tension-free. Therefore it is not surprising to see that many doctors would suggest patients with the ‘laughter therapy’ even though it is an informal way or treatment. Laughter, if properly utilized, can break the ice in conflicts both domestic and abroad.

Thus, it can be safely confirmed that laughter is indeed the best medicine.
Thank you.

Comprehension:

I. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
The doctor heard a sound coming from above three times. What was it?
Answer:
The doctor heard a sound coming from above three times. The sound was the hissing of a snake moving under the roof. But the doctor thought it was the movement of rate.

Question 2.
Why did the doctor sit like a stone?
Answer:
The doctor sat like a stone image holding his breath without a slight movement because the snake’s head with the spread hood was hardly three or four inches from his face. He feared greatly that, if he moved, the snake would bite him.

Question 3.
What made the doctor forget his fears and have a sense of relief?
Answer:
The doctor sat like a stone in fear of the snake’s bite. But unknowingly he thought of the. medicine he had to take if he was bitten by the snake. Then he realised that there were no medicines in the room to relieve him from the danger of the snake’s bite. When he realised the thing he felt that he was poor, foolish and stupid. Those thoughts made the doctor forget his fears and have a sense of relief.

Question 4.
Did the snake admire its beauty? Yes or no? Pick the lines from the passage in support of your answer.
Answer:
Yes, the snake admired its beauty looking into the mirror. The following lines support that the snake admired its beauty looking into the mirror.
(a) The snake unwound itself from my arm and slowly slithered into my lap.
(b) From there it crept onto the table and moved towards the mirror.
(c) Perhaps it wanted to enjoy its reflection at closer quarters.
When we logically think we can say that the snake would have more surprised at its own reflection rather than admired its own beauty.

Question 5.
Why did the doctor want to marry a woman doctor? What kind of woman doctor would he like to marry?
Answer:
He wanted to marry a woman doctor who had plenty of money and a good medical practice because he hoped that he would get out of his financial troubles by marrying such a woman doctor. He also hoped that the woman doctor had to be fat because he wanted that she should not be able to run after him and catch him if he made some silly mistake and needed to run away.

Question 6.
In those days, I was a great admirer of beauty. Do you think looks are more important than skills and behavior? Why?
Answer:
I don’t think so. One’s looks are temporary whereas one’s skills and behaviour bring him/her fame and make him/her great. One’s success depends upon one’s skills and behaviour. One’s beauty doesn’t make him/her successful.

Question 7.
What did the doctor think about the snake when it looked into the mirror?
Answer:
When the snake began looking at its reflection, the doctor thought whether the snake was admiring its own beauty and was trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead.

He also thought whether it was male or female. He finally thought that the snake wanted to enjoy its reflection. All the thoughts of the doctor were humorous and imaginary.

Question 8.
Why did the doctor run to his friend’s house? Did the snake want to harm the doctor? Why or why not?
Answer:
The doctor ran to his friend’s house because of his fear. Moreover he needed a bath, clothes, shelter and consolation.
The snake did not want to harm the doctor because its attention was diverted towards its reflection when it looked into the mirror. It did not even follow the doctor when he ran out of the room.

II. Here is a list of sentences from the story. Tick (✓) the sentences that tell you that the doctor was afraid of the snake.

Answer:

Sentence	Boxes for Ticking
1. I don’t tremble. I don’t cry out.	✓
2. I sat there holding my breath.	✓
3. I forgot my danger and smiled feebly at myself.
4. Holding my breath I got up from the chair.	✓
5. I leapt into the yard and ran for all I was worth.	✓
6. I don’t claim that it was the first snake that had ever looked into a mirror.

Vocabulary:

I. Tick (✓) the correct meaning of the words underlined below.

Question 1.
The house was not electrified.
a. There was no electricity in the house.
b. The house was not away from the electricity board.
c. The house was not lit up.
Answer:
a. There was no electricity in the house.

Question 2.
The earnings were meagre.
a. very high
b. very small
c. nil
Answer:
b. very small

Question 3.
I also possessed one solitary black coat,
a. single
b. unique
c. expensive
Answer:
a. single

Question 4.
I made another earth-sfrakinc; decision,
a. valuable
b. dangerous
c. important
Answer:
c. important

Question 5.
The room was surrounded bu darkness,
a. full of
b. covered
c. encircled
Answer:
c. encircled

Question 6.
Some thief had removed most of my things,
a. damaged
b. destroyed
c. stolen
Answer:
c. stolen

II. Read the following sentence from the text and notice the underlined word.

Suddenly there came a dull thud as if a mbber tube had fallen to the ground.
Thud means to fall with a low dull sound.
Here is a list of words related to sounds. Say what these words mean. Refer to a dictionary.

Answer:

Word	Meaning
bang	a sudden loud noise
clang	a Loud ringing sound
buzz	a continuous low sound
ring	a sound that a bell makes / a loud clear sound

III. Use the linkers given in the box to complete the story. A linker may be used more than once.

A young doctor lived in a village. The doctor told his friends an interesting story about himself and a cobrAnswer: It was a hot summer night. when (1) he opened the door, he heard a sound which (2) was well known to him. He and rats shared the same room. There was no electricity in the house, so (3) he took out a box % of matches and lit a kerosene lamp. He took off his clothes and lay down but (4) he could not sleep. He got up from the bed and started reading a story-book. Near the table there was a mirror, which (5) tempted him to look into at himself. He was unmarried so (6) he was particular about his handsomeness. He wanted to marry a woman doctor who (7) had plenty of money and should be fat. while (8) he was having such thoughts, suddenly he felt as if (9) a mbber tube had fallen to the ground when (10) a snake landed on his shoulder. At that time the only thing he could do was to pray to God. The snake would bite him at any moment but (11) suddenly it turned its head and started admiring its beauty in the mirror. The doctor was thus saved.

Grammar:

I. Read the following sentences from the story.

We found we had little to carry. Some thief had removed most of my things.
In the above two sentences, the first one is in the simple past (found, had) and the second is in the past perfect tense (had removed).
As you can see, the action which occurred earlier, is expressed in the past perfect tense, whereas the action which occurred later, is expressed in the simple past tense.

Here are a few more examples.

1. Sujatha had arrived at the station before the train came.
2. The doctor arrived after the patient had died.
3. I bought the ticket as soon as I boarded the bus.

When two actions occur nearly simultaneously in the past, both are expressed in the simple past tense.
Now combine the following patrs of sentences using the past perfect and the simple past.
fuse after, before or when as linkers)
The first one has been done for you.

Question 1.
I brushed my teeth. I took my breakfast.
Answer:
After I had brushed my teeth, I took my breakfast. (Or)
I had brushed my teeth before I took my breakfast.

Question 2.
She started to go to market. It rained heavily.
Answer:
After she had started to go to market, it rained heavily. (Or)
She had started to go to market before it rained heavily.

Question 3.
He completed his homework. He went to bed.
Answer:
After he had completed his homework, he went to bed. (Or)
He had completed his homework before he went to bed.

Question 4.
I finished my dinner. Then my father came.
Answer:
After I had finished my dinner, my father came. (Or)
I had finished my dinner before my father came.

Question 5.
I fell seriously ill. I met my family doctor.
Answer: After I had fallen seriously ill, I met my family doctor. (Or)
I had fallen seriously ill before I met my family doctor.

Question 6.
I locked the door. I went out to meet my friend at a restaurant.
Answer:
After I had locked the door, I went out to meet my friend at a restaurant. (Or)
I had locked the door before I went out to meet my friend at a restaurant.

II. Phrasal Verbs:

Look at the following phrasal verbs and their meanings.

1. take out – to remove something from inside
2. set up – to arrange for something to happen / to start
3. take off – to remove
4. lie down – to take rest
5. take time off – to take some time for something
6. look into – to observe keenly
7. ook at – to have a look at something
8. get up – to wake up
9. change into – to turn into
10. leave behind – to leave something as a token of memory or gift

As you can see, a phrasal verb is a unit of a verb and one or more particles / a preposition. It cannot be understood on the basis of the meanings of the individual parts in isolation, but rather it must be taken as a whole.

Use the above phrasal verbs in the blanks. Make necessary changes in the verb forms.

Venkata Rao was a rich man. He wanted to set up (1) some business in the town. So he took out (2) a lot of money from the bank. On an auspicious day he started his medical business, which prospered by leaps and bounds. He became so busy that he could not take time off (3) for any rest. He used to get up (4) very early in the morning and go to his office. In the afternoon he would take off (5) his shirt and lie down (6) on his couch in the office. After a nap he would put on his shirt. Then he would look into (7) the mirror and look at (8) himself admiringly. Anyhow he left behind (9) some fame in the town even when he went abroad. Everybody believed that he changed into (10) a new man.

Writing:

I. Write a descriptive essay on any unusual or humorous incident you may have witnessed or experienced.
Features :

• Title
• Introduction/Thesis statement
• Providing main ideas/details
• Providing supporting ideas/details
• Sequencing of ideas
• Giving appropriate conclusion

Answer:

An Unusual Incident

An unusual incident took place recently at the Lecture Hall in our school. It was on the occasion of 50th anniversary of our school and we had invited a guest speaker from a local educational trust to present a speech.

It was 2.30 p.m. and the huge crowd of children was already waiting at the old Lecturing Hall. Outside, it was drizzling and this caused some uneasiness among the organisers as they have planned to have the reception out in the front lawn.

The speaker arrived on stage at 2.45 p.m. The rain got heavier and it became very dark. A damp patch appeared on the ceiling directly above the speaker who was then engrossed in his speech. Tiny drops of water began to fall from the patch on the ceiling. The speaker pretended to ignore this but he could not do this for long as the sudden downpour outside caused water to really fall down from the ceiling.

The speaker was drenched from head to toe. A few of the organizers rushed up onto the stage. There was confusion on the stage as people tried to persuade the speaker to come down. Before he could do so, the ceiling collapsed directly.above him. The unfortunate speaker was hurt very badly and was given first aid treatment on the spot. Panic in the hall continued as the speaker was taken away.

While the commotion was continuing, a voice announced over the public address system that the meeting which was scheduled after the reception was to be cancelled.

A Funny Incident

I still remember it was 19th of May in summer holidays. It was the day after my 13th birthday. That night, I went for a session of spoken English class which was started at 7.00p.m. and ended at 9.30 p.m.

When the class was over, I rushed out from the institute and sat on my bag waiting for my car. I was so angry because my car had not arrived yet. I wanted to msh home to continue to play a computer game as Friday was the only day I can play computer games.

After I waited for 5 minutes, eventually I saw my car turning into the road where I was and stopped in front of me. I opened the back door immediately and got into the car. Then, I closed the door of the car and then, the car started to move. On the way, I was taking a nap so that I can play longer later in the night. But after two minutes I felt the car turning here and there. I had the feeling of the car was not going. But I was too lazy to open my eyes.

Ten minutes later, the car engine was off and I opened my eyes slowly. To my surprise, I was in an unknown place, a house which I never came before. I quickly raised my head to the front and wanted to have a look at the driver. I was so surprised that it was neither my parents nor siblings. The driver had a great shock too when he saw me. And only now, both of us realized that we were wrong. The father thought I were his son while I thought the driver was one of my family members.

Fortunately the car was OK in five minutes. He brought me to my house in his car and went in hurry in search of his son. Everybody at home felt happy on seeing me returning safe.

II. Preparation of a Poster :

Tell the names of some important events/happenings.
If you want to puplicize the matter, what would you do ?

Look at the poster given below.

Now reflect on the following questions.

1. What are the elements of an effective poster?
(colour, size, layout, font size, language etc.)

2. Who issued the poster?
(THE HYDERABAD LAUGHING CLUB, Nampally, Hyderabad)

3. What is the purpose of the poster?
(Awarding THE RAJABABU PRIZE for the best write-up on THE ROLE OF COMEDY IN HUMAN LIFE)

4. What is the deadline?
(July 27)

5. What are the other details highlighted?
(Write-up languages, Amount of the prize money, Contact Details)

6. What should be highlighted in a poster?
(Issuing Authority, Purpose, Deadline, Contact Information, Targeted Audience, Other Details)

7. What are the target audience of the poster?
(Print Media Journalists)

Now prepare a poster using the information given below by arranging it in a proper sequence.

Highlights	Information
Theme	Humour
Occasion	The Laughter Day
Category	Stories, Songs, Poems, Essays, Articles and Cartoons
Award	Best Comic Writer Award
Prize Amount	₹ 10,000
Contact No.	98XXXXXX49
Deadline	9th August
Issued by	ABC Laughing Club, Dhannur, Adilabad Dist. 504 304
Target Audience	Writers, Journalists, Poets, Essayists,Cartoonists and Lyricists

Answer:

Study Skills:

Here is a short narration. Read it carefully and make a list of important points, especially with regard to what are facts and what are superstitions. Suggest a suitable title for it.

The young doctor married a rich fat foreign woman. He told her ‘the episode of the snake and the mirror’. She laughed heartily. He went on talking about cobras and some funny facts (associated) related to them. He said to her “Cobras are the most ‘poisonous, active and dangerous snakes. But, surprisingly, most Hindus worship them. It is funny to know that some women drop eggs and pour milk into the anthills where cobras usually reside.

It is funny to know that some people believe cobras dance to the tunes of charmers. In fact, they have no ears. It is equally humorous to’be aware of the fact that most cobra victims go to the charmers instead of the doctors. The charmers enchant some so-called mantras taking some rxeem leaves into their hands. The cobra victim dies and they say the victim came late to them. It is funnier to know that some farmers cremate cobras and perform funeral rites as if one of the members of their family has died.” “Are there any other funny stories related to cobras?” The young wife enquired. “Yes”. There are so many stories to tell but I will tell them tomorrow. The patients may be waiting for me at hospital.” The doctor said and left for hospital in a hurry. ‘
Answer:
COBRAS : SOME BELIEFS AMONG HINDUS

• An Indian doctor tells his foreign wife about cobras and some beliefs about them.
• Cobras are the most poisonous, active and dangerous snakes.
• Yet, most Hindu women worship cobras.
• Women offer eggs and milk to cobras.
• People believe cobras dance to the tunes of charmers. Cobras do not have ears.
• Cobra victims go to charmers, instead of to doctors.
• Some farmers cremate cobras and perform funerals.

Listening:

Practise listening carefully. Then you will be able to speak,
Your teacher will tell you the story, ‘Master of the Game. ’ Listen to it carefully and answer the following questions.

Master of the Game

An old man who lived in a small side street in the city of Mumbai had to put up with the nuisance of having boys play cricket outside his house, at night.

One evening when the boys were particularly noisy, he went out to talk to them. He told them that he would enjoy boys playing his favourite game, cricket. He said he would give them ? 25 each week to play in the street at night. The boys were thrilled. They were being paid to do something they enjoyed!

At the end of the first week they knocked at the old man’s house and asked to be paid. He did so.

The second week when they asked for payment he said he had run out of money and sent them away with only ₹ 15.
The third week the man said he had not yet received his pension and gave them only ₹ 10. The boys were very disappointed but there was not much they could do about it.

The fourth week the man said he could not afford to pay them ₹ 25 as he had promised, but would give them ₹ 5 each week without fail. This was unbearable for the boys.
“You expect us to play seven days a week for a measly ₹ 5!” they yelled. “Go to blazes.” They stormed away and never played on the street again.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What made the old man talk to the boys?
Answer:
The old man lived in a small side street in the city of Mumbai. He had to put up with the nuisance of having boys play cricket outside his house at night. One evening the boys were particularly noisy. That made the old man talk to the boys.

Question 2.
Why did the boys stop playing cricket in the night outside the old man’s house?
Answer:
The old man made the children feel they were playing for money by offering money to them. In the beginning he gave them ₹ 25 each week. Later in the fourth week he paid only ₹ 5 instead of ₹ 25. So the boys decided not to play in the street for just ₹ 5.

The Snake and the Mirror Summary in English

‘The Snake and the Mirror’ is a frightening tale told in a humorous way. The story has been written by VM. Basheer, a well known Malayalam writer. The incident in the story is both humorous and frightening. It also has a surprise ending. It is about a doctor’s encounter with a snake in his room.

An unmarried doctor (homeopath) with a very little income lived in a small rented room. The valuables in his room were some shirts, dhotis, a black coat, a vest, a box, a large mirror, a small comb, a kerosene lamp, a box of matches, a bed and sixty rupees of money in a suitcase. The room had no electricity but it had many rats on its beams making noise.

On a hot summer night the doctor reached his room after finishing his meal. He heard a familiar noise from above as he opened the door. He lighted the kerosene lamp and took off his clothes and hung them. As he could not sleep, he sat down on the chair and started reading the book ‘The Materia Medica’ at the table on which stood the lamp and the large mirror.

He felt tempted and took a look into the mirror. He began to admire his handsomeness and adjusted the parting of his hair. He had many youthful thoughts and decided to grow a thin moustache and to have an attractive smile on his face. Meanwhile the doctor heard that sound two times from above.

He continued to have some more funny and silly thoughts like marrying a fat rich woman doctor. Suddenly there came a dull sound as if a rubber tube had fallen to the ground. When he turned to look what it was, a snake landed on his shoulder. The doctor became silent and did not make a move in fear. The snake coiled around his left arm. He sat in the chair like a stone image in panic mood holding his breath. Fortunately the snake turned its head. It looked into the mirror and saw its reflection. It slowly moved into his lap, crept onto the table and moved towards the mirror. The doctor became a normal man and got up from the chair. He quietly went out through the door and ran till he reached a friend’s house.

The next morning he took his friend and one or two others to his room to move his things. But to his surprise all his valuables were stolen by a thief except his dirty vest. He felt it was an insult for him the thief leaving his vest treating it as a useless thing. Finally the doctor laughed saying that the snake was attracted by its own beauty and he had never seen it since.

About the Author :

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (21 January 1908 – 5 July 1994) was a Malayalam fiction writer from the state of Kerala in India. He was a humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and a short story writer.

He is noted for his down-to-earth style of writing that made him equally popular among literary critics as well as the common man. He is regarded as one of the most successful and outstanding writers from IndiAnswer: Translations of his works into other languages have won him worldwide acclaim. The story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ was translated into English. His notable works include Baalyakaalasakhi, Shabdangal, Mathilukal, andAnarga Nimisham. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1982. He is fondly remembered as the Beypore Sultan.

Glossary:

coil (v) : wind into circles
full-blooded (adj) : strong
homeopath (n) : a doctor who treats illness using homeopathic methods
attentively (adv) : carefully and with interest
familiar (adj) : well known, often heard
shared (v) : use something at the same time
medical practice (n.ph): the work or business of treating illness
meagre (adj) : small in quantity
solitary (adj) : single
possessed (v) : had/owned
took off (phr.v) : removed
vest (n) : a garment worn under a shirt/a piece of underwear
gable (n) : upper part of a wall below a sloping roof
ceiling (n) : the top inside of surface of a room
lay down (phr.v) : took rest
got up (phr.u) : woke up
taken time off (phr.v) : taken sometime for something
took out (phr.v) : removed/took something from inside
the Materia Medica (n) : a reference book used in medical practice
tempted (v) : attracted
look into (phr.v) : observe oneself keenly
presence (n) : the fact of being
parting (n) : a line on a person’s head where the hair is divided with a comb
bachelor (n) : an unmarried person
earth-shaking (adj) : important and momentous
pace (v) : to walk up and down many times
valid (adj) : (here) logical or true
thud (n) : (here) a dull sound made when a heavy object falls

wriggled (v) : moved by twisting and turning
landed (v) : came down by falling
simultaneous (adj) : happening or done at the same time
tremble (v) : shake in fear
slithered (v) : moved/glided
elbow (n) : the part in the middle of the arm, where it bends
at closer quarters (phr. v) : from a short distance away
hood (n) : an expanded part of a snake’s head
merely (adv) : simply
I was turned to stone : The doctor sat like a stone without a movement
surrounded by : encircled
Creator (n) : God (here)
leaden (adj) : heavy
molten (adj) : heated to a very high temperature
crushing (v) : pressing/squeezing
drained (v) : made weaker
slightest (adj) : smallest
strike (v) : hit hard/bite
lurk (v) : be about/lie in wait
stupid (adj) : lack of thought
feebly (adv) : very weakly
appreciated (v) : (here) recognized/understood
claim (v) : say that something is true
mascara (n) : a substance put on eyelashes to make them look dark and thick
vermilion (n) : bright red in colour
sex (n) : gender/sexual category (male or female)
crept (v) : crawled
at closer quarters (n) : the parts closely
I was no mere image cut in granite : the doctor no longer stood there like a statue
a man of flesh and blood : a normal man (The doctor became normal.)
leapt (v) : jumped a long way
Phew ! (IntJ) : a sound that shows happiness
heaved a sigh of relief (phr) : made a slow sound that expresses relief
willed (v) : made happen
life companion (n.phr) : wife
reedy (adj) : not pleasant
sprinter (n) : a fast runner
smeared (v) : spread
changed into (phr.v) : put on (wore) different clothes
taken with (phr.v) : attracted by