Chapter 3: The Little Girl Poem: Rain on the Roof

Q2Written answer

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 take the biggest decision of your career. __________

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

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

(v) I am a big fan of Lata Mangeshkar. __________

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

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

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Worked solution

(i) You are a big girl now. older

(ii) Today you are going to take the biggest decision of your career. most crucial

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

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

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

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

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

II. Verbs of Reporting

Study the following sentences.

• “What!” screamed Mother.

• “N-n-no”, she whispered.

• “Sit up,” he ordered.

The italicised words are verbs of reporting. We quote or report what someone has said or thought by using a reporting verb. Every reporting clause contains a reporting verb. For example:

• He promised to help in my project.

• “How are you doing?” Seema asked.

We use verbs of reporting to advise, order, report statements, thoughts, intentions, questions, requests, apologies, manner of speaking and so on.

Q1Written answer

Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.

(i) He says he will enjoy the ride.

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

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

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

(v) I wondered why he was screaming.

(vi) Ben told her to wake him up.

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

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Worked solution

(i) He says he will enjoy the ride.

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

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

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

(v) I wondered why he was screaming.

(vi) Ben told her to wake him up.

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

Q2 (2)Multiple choice

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

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

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

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Correct option: A

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Worked solution

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speaking

Form pairs or groups and discuss the following questions.

Q1 (2)Written answer

Question 1. 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?

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Worked solution

Answer: Yes, there are fathers, mothers and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country. In their efforts to make their children disciplined, parents sometimes forget that their children need their love and care too. They forget that their child is yet to learn and accept their environment. Giving the kid time, compassion and care is very necessary so that the kid grows up having good bond with their parents. Punishing and creating an extremely strict image of oneself only makes children slip away from their parents’ hands emotionally.

Q2 (3)Written answer

Question 2: 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

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Worked solution

Answer: No, Kezia’s father was not right to punish her. He should have understood that Kezia is a child and that it is okay for her to make mistakes. He could have explained her how important those papers were to him and that she should never do such a thing again.

He is a father who is undemonstrative, strict and short-tempered. He also has a loving and affectionate heart but he lets his disciplinarian behaviour get the better of him. He does unkind actions like beating her with a ruler, but then he is also a caring dad who pacifies her when she wakes up from a bad dream.

Writing

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception about your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parents’ behaviour 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.

Answer: Do it yourself.

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Thinking about Language

Access answers to NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 3 Poem Rain on the Roof