The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2 – “The Sound of Music” provides detailed and insightful answers to all the questions in the chapter. This chapter is divided into two parts: the first is about the life and struggles of renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie, and the second part tells the story of Ustad Bismillah Khan, the legendary Shehnai maestro. The solutions help students understand the themes of perseverance, dedication, and passion in both stories. These solutions are designed to enhance comprehension and critical thinking skills, making it easier for students to interpret the text and excel in their exams.
I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.
Question 1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?
Answer: Evelyn went to the Royal Academy of Music in London when she was just seventeen years old.
Question 2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?
Answer: When Evelyn was around eight her deafness was first noticed but was confirmed when she turned eleven.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph.
Question 1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Answer: Ron Forbes, a percussionist, pushed Evelyn to pursue music even though she was deaf. He took his time teaching her, asking her to feel the sound instead of just hearing it.
Question 2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
Answer: Evelyn performed alone at frequent shows across the globe. She also gave free performances in hospitals and jails. Aside from that, she gave lessons for aspiring musicians of first importance.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words).
Question 1. How does Evelyn hear music?
Answer: Even though Evelyn was diagnosed as deaf at the age of eleven, she had a great appreciation for and taste in music. Her ability to compose lovely music without having the chance to hear it was amazing to watch. Rin Forbes urged her to try perceiving music with her senses other than her ears. She could actually feel the lower-tuned drum from her waist down and the higher-tuned drum from her waist up as he tuned the two drums to two different notes.
She also performed on the xylophone. She could sense the music vibrating through her fingertips from the stick. She took off her shoes to feel the vibrations travel up her legs and from her feet as she performed on a wooden stage, giving her all to the music. She felt tingly, and the feeling strengthened her connection to music.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Part II
The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan Thinking about the text
Tick the right answer.
Question 1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
Answer: The pungi was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
Question 2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Answer: A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Question 3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, and professional musicians).
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were professional musicians.
Question 4. Bismillah Khan learned to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, and Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
Answer: Bismillah Khan learned to play the shehnai from Ali Bux.
Question 5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Question 6. 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.
| 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 |
Answer:
| 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 | ✓ |
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
III. Answer these questions in 30–40 words.
Question 1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Answer: Pungi had a shrill and unpleasant sound and was disliked by Aurangzeb. Hence, he banned the playing of pungi.
Question 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.
Question 3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Answer: Shehnai was played in royal courts, temples, and weddings. Ustaad Bismillah Khan changed the tradition by bringing it onto the classical stage.
Question 4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Answer: 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.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Question 5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
Answer: On August 15, 1947, Bismillah Khan performed Raag Kafi from the Red Fort. This was a momentous occasion since it marked India’s independence from the British Empire.
Question 6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Answer: Bismillah Khan loved his country and would not leave it for any monetary gain. he felt rooted living near Benaras, the River Ganga. He declined his student’s request to start a Shehnai school in the U.S.A.
Question 7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
Answer: Bismillah Khan cherished his nation. He turned down a student’s invitation to establish a Shehnai school in the United States because it would require him to leave his home nation. During the partition, he also turned down Shekhar Gupta’s invitation to relocate to Pakistan and was adamant about never leaving Benaras.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Thinking about Language
Question 1. 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?)
Answer: The school sports team hopes to win the match.
2. We all want ____________ (What do we all want to do?)
Answer: We all want to go to succeed in our lives.
They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother ____________ (What did they advise her to do?)
Answer: They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to consult a doctor.
The authorities permitted us to ____________(What did the authorities permit us to do?)
Answer: The authorities permitted us to construct the building.
A musician decided to ____________ (What did the musician decide to do?)
Answer: A musician decided to open a school for children.
Question 2. 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) _____________
Answer: the royal residence
2. the state of being alone (5) _____________
Answer: solitude
3. a part which is absolutely necessary (2) ____________
Answer: indispensable
4. to do something not done before (5) ____________
Answer: invent
5. without much effort (13) _______________
Answer: effortlessly
6.quickly and in large quantities (9) ____________and _____________
Answer: thick and fast
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Question 3. III. Tick the right answer.
1. When something is revived, it (remains dead/lives again).
Answer: When something is revived, it lives again.
2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped/started).
Answer: When a government bans something, it wants it stopped.
3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it/avoid it).
Answer: When something is considered auspicious, welcome it.
4. When we take to something, we find it (boring/interesting).
Answer: 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).
Answer: 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).
Answer: 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).
Answer: When we come to terms with something, it is no longer upsetting.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
8. Consult your dictionary and complete the following table. The first one has been done for you.
| Objective | Only Before Noun | Not Before Noun | Both Before and After the Verb Be |
| Indispensable | ✓ | ||
| Impressed | |||
| Afraid | |||
| Outdoor | |||
| Paternal | |||
| Countless | |||
| Priceless |
Use these words in phrases or sentences of your own.
Answer:
| Objective | Only Before Noun | Not Before Noun | Both Before and After the Verb Be |
| Indispensable | ✓ | ||
| Impressed | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Afraid | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Outdoor | ✓ | ||
| Paternal | ✓ | ||
| Countless | ✓ | ||
| Priceless | ✓ |
Some sentences using these adjectives are:
She is indispensable for the successful completion of the project.
Sunita was impressed by my singing.
He is afraid of the dark.
I enjoy the company of my paternal uncle.
Gennie was showered with countless gifts.
My grandmother gave me a priceless piece of advice.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Speaking:
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 that 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
Answer: Padma Bhushan Born in 1931, Kishori Amonkar is regarded as the best female vocalist of her period. Her mother, Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar was also a famous artist. She took up the methods and repertory of her mother’s renowned master, Ustad Alladiya Khan, in her early years. But as her own style evolved, she diverged in certain ways from Alladiya Khan’s “JaipurAtrauli gharana,” and as a more experienced artist, her method is typically recognized as a distinct, although not entirely original, interpretation of the Jaipur model. Thinker Kishori Amonkar is enthralled with what she refers to as the enigmatic realm of her raagas.
She breaks them down almost like a scientist, with the exactitude of a perfectionist, until the smallest nuances and feelings resurface. Her writings, which were composed during a period when vocal music had a strong religious quality, are heavily influenced by the teachings of the ancient Vedic sages. She has developed a sizable fan base in India thanks to the soul-searching nature of her music and her highly intelligent approach to raga performance, which has also contributed to the resurgence of khayal studies.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1985), the Padma Bhushan (1987), and the highly sought-after Sangeet Samradhini Award (regarded as one of the most prestigious distinctions in Indian classical music) in 1997 are among the notable honors bestowed upon this artist.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
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…
Answer: I have the honor of introducing you to Kishori Amonkar, one of the finest female vocalists of all time. Born in 1931 to the renowned Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan. Kishori Amonkar is well known for her careful examination of ragas, revealing their most subtle meanings. The knowledge of the Vedic sages has a deep influence on her artistic creations. She has won various important honors over her remarkable career, such as the Sangeet Samradhini Award in 1997, the Padma Bhushan in 1987, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1985.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
Writing
Question: “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.
Answer: If we work hard, no one can stop us from reaching our goals and getting there. Evelyn Glennie had a profound love for music and worked hard to make her goals come true. She was deaf and frequently discouraged in her pursuit and passion for music. Her teacher, Ron Forbes, encouraged her to pursue music and taught her how to recognize music vibrations from various regions of her body. She worked and climbed her way to the Royal Academy of Music. She has received numerous Academy Awards, including the Soloist of the Year Award in 1991. With her determination, she not only excelled in the field but also brought honor to her country.
Ustad Bismillah Khan had an interest in music from a young age. His uncle taught him music. He came from a musical family, thus his passion was supported. He worked hard and created ragas for shehnai that were previously thought to be beyond the scope. His contribution to Indian classical music was outstanding, and he received numerous national prizes, including the Bharat Ratna.
Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2- The Sound of Music
For the Next Chapter Solution Click Below
CHAPTER 2 – The Sound of Music
CHAPTER 4 – A Truly Beautiful Mind
CHAPTER 5 – The Snake and The Mirror
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