NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3

The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl provides comprehensive answers to all questions in the chapter. This story, written by Katherine Mansfield, revolves around a young girl named Kezia and her evolving relationship with her strict father. The solutions offer detailed explanations of the themes, character development, and the emotional journey of Kezia as she realizes her father’s love despite his stern demeanor. These solutions are crafted to help students understand the narrative better, improve their analytical skills, and prepare effectively for their exams, in line with the latest NCERT guidelines.

Here Are The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Thinking about the Text

Question I. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A with the items in Column B.

A	B
1. Fear or terror	(i) Father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss
2. Glad sense of relief	(ii) Noise of the carriage grows fainter
3. A “funny” feeling, perhaps of understanding	(iii) Father comes home
	(iv) Speaking to father
	(v) Going to bed when alone at home
	(vii) Father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

Answer:

A	B
1. Fear or terror	(i) Father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss (iii) Father comes home (iv) Speaking to father(v) Going to bed when alone at home(vii) Father stretched out on the sofa, snoring
2. Glad sense of relief	(ii) Noise of the carriage grows fainter
3. A “funny” feeling, perhaps of understanding	(vi) Father comforts her and falls asleep

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Answer the Following Questions in One or Two Sentences.

Question 1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?

Answer: Kezia feared her strict father. He was always walking about the house, directing everyone. He worked hard at work and never took the time to play or talk to her. She was afraid of the way he peered at her over his glasses. Even his appearance scared her. He had large hands, a heavy face, and a wide mouth, particularly when he yawned.

Question 2. Who were the people in Kezia’s family?

Answer: Kezia had a small family consisting of her mother, father, grandmother, and herself.

Question 3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine

(i) Before going to his office?

Answer: Kezia used to go to her room to give her a casual kiss before going to the office.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

(ii) After coming back from his office?

Answer: He needed tea in the drawing room when he returned back from the office. He asked Kezia to pull off his boot and his mother to bring him newspaper and slippers.

(iii) On Sundays?

Answer: He would sleep comfortably on the sofa on Sundays. He would stretch out on the sofa, cover his face with a handkerchief put his feet on cushions, and doze off.

Question 4. In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Answer: Kezia’s grandmother asked her to improve communication between her parents. She asked her to talk with them in the drawing room and suggested she make a beautiful pincushion from yellow silk as a gift for her father’s birthday.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

Question 1. Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Answer: Grandmother recommended Kezia to improve her relationship with her father by conversing more. On Sunday, she sent her to the drawing room, but instead of talking, her presence irritated him, and he referred to her as ‘little brown owl.’

For her father’s birthday, her grandma suggested she make a yellow silk pincushion. When she finished stitching the three sides, she looked about for something to fill the cushion with, and she found sheets. It turned into a disaster because the sheets contained an essential speech for the Port Authority. He reprimanded her for touching and caressing his crucial papers, then whacked her with a ruler on the palm.

Question 2. Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr. Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?

Answer: Kezia compared her father to another father who lived next door. He was a compassionate parent with a caring and forgiving spirit. He was friendly to his children and played with them. He had the opposite vibe of her own father. He never punished his children. On the other side, Kezia’s father was harsh and disciplinarian.

Question 3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?

Answer: Kezia was fearful of her father. His physical presence and the way he gazed at her both terrified her. Her feelings about him, however, shifted with time. Kezia was once left at home by her grandma and mother because they needed to go to the hospital. She had a nightmare at night and called her grandmother.

Because they were not at home, his father looked after her in such a situation, taking her in his arms and snuggling her to sleep close to him. He slept before her, and she knew he worked hard and must be exhausted from the daily grind. This alters her feelings for her father, which she expresses to him by saying he has a ‘large heart’.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 - The Little Girl

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Thinking about Language

Look at the Following Sentence.

Question 1. Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.

(i) She was_____________by the news of her brother’s wedding. (very pleased)

Answer: She was thrilled by the news of her brother’s wedding.

(ii) I was ____________ to be invited to the party. (extremely pleased and excited about)

Answer: I was delighted to be invited to the party.

(iii) She was ___________at the birth of her granddaughter. (extremely happy)

Answer: She was overjoyed at the birth of her granddaughter.

(iv) The coach was ___________ with his performance. (satisfied about)

Answer: The coach was pleased with his performance.

(v) She was very ___________with her results. (happy about something that has happened).

Answer: She was very happy with her results.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Question 2. Study the use of the word big in the following sentence. He was so big− his hands and his neck, especially his mouth… Here, big means large in size.

Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of big in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

(i) You are a big girl now. older

(ii) Today you are going to make the biggest decision of your career. _________

Answer: most important

(iii) Their project is full of big ideas. ____________

Answer: innovation

(iv) Cricket is a big game in our country. _____________

Answer: Popular

(v) I am a big fan of Lata Mangeskar. ___________

Answer: Great

(vi) You have to cook a bit more as my friend is a big eater. _____________

Answer: gourmand

(vii) What a big heart you’ve got, Father dear. ____________

Answer: generous

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 - The Little Girl

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

II.

Question 1. Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.

(i) He says he will enjoy the ride.

Answer: He says she will enjoy the ride.

(ii) Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

Answer: Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

(iii) No one told us that the shop was closed.

Answer: No one told us that the shop was closed.

(iv) He answered that the price would go up.

Answer: He answered that the price would go up.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

(v) I wondered why he was screaming.

Answer: I wondered why he was screaming.

(vi) Ben told her to wake him up.

Answer: Ben told her to wake him up.

(vii) Ratan apologised for coming late to the party.

Answer: Ratan apologized for coming late to the party.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Question 2. Some verbs of reporting are given in the box. Choose the appropriate verbs and fill in the blanks in the following sentences.

were complaining shouted replied remarked ordered suggested

(i) “I am not afraid,” ____________ the woman.

Answer: “I am not afraid,” replied the woman.

(ii) “Leave me alone,” my mother ______________.

Answer: “Leave me alone,” my mother shouted.

(iii) The children _____________ that the roads were crowded and noisy.

Answer: The children were complaining that the roads were crowded and noisy.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

(iv) “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” ______________ the master.

Answer: “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” remarked the man.

(v) “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” ______________ the sports teacher.

Answer: “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” suggested the sports teacher.

(vi) The traffic police ____________ all the passers-by to keep off the road.

Answer: The traffic police ordered all the passers-by to keep off the road.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Speaking

Form pairs or groups and discuss the following questions.

This story is not an Indian story. But do you think there are fathers, mothers, and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country?
Was Kezia’s father right to punish her? What kind of a person was he? You might find some of these words useful in describing him:

undemonstrative

loving

strict

hard-working

responsible

unkind

disciplinarian

short-tempered

affectionate

caring

Indifferent

Ans:

1. This narrative is not set in India, but the characters behave similarly to those we see in India. They have a cultural hierarchy established on similar principles. Men are viewed as the leaders of society and families, and regardless of their actions, they must be backed by dutiful women and girls in the home. Their decision is final and must be followed diligently. Trustworthy fathers, like Kezia’s, rule and govern their families for their benefit.

2. It was vital to make Kezia recognize her error and learn her lesson. The father could have been more helpful and attempted to understand her problem from her perspective.

Kezia’s father initially portrays himself as a harsh and emotionless father. He arranged everything about the house. He had a short temper and wore his fury on his sleeves. He chastised Kezia for her mistakes and never communicated properly with her. When Kezia tore his speech paper, he beat her severely. By the end of the novel, we learn that he had a lovely heart and was genuinely affectionate and caring.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 – The Little Girl

Writing

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception of your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parent’s behavior vis-à-vis yours? Who has become more understanding? What steps would you like to take to build a relationship based on understanding? Write three or four paragraphs (150–200 words) discussing these issues from your own experience.

Ans: My childhood experience was comparable to Kezia’s. My parents never physically punished me, but I battled to be accepted for who I was. I was constantly pushed to study more, get better grades, and be an all-rounder. They never appreciated me when I worked hard but didn’t get a spot in class or a competition. This forced me to push myself beyond my comfort zone, causing a great deal of tension between us. Yes, over the years, they have come to accept me for who I am. We sought to strengthen our communication skills and have a better grasp of our preferences and dislikes.

Proper communication is essential for developing a connection based on understanding. No one should try to modify the other based on their own expectations of how the other person should be. This not only undermines their identity but also makes them feel unwanted for being themselves. Accept the individual as they are and tell them if there is something about them that makes you uncomfortable.