NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 1 The Fun They Had(Writing (Page 12))

Writing (Page 12)

A new revised volume of Isaac Asimov’s short stories has just been released. Order one set. Write a letter to the publisher, Mindfame Private Limited, 1632 Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi, requesting that a set be sent to you by Value Payable Post (VPP), and giving your address. Your letter will have the following parts.

• Addresses of the sender and receiver
• The salutation
• The body of the letter
• The closing phrases and signature Your letter might look like this:

Your address ……………………………………..
………………………………..
Date ………………. (DD/MM/YY)
The addressee’s address
………………………………..
………………………………..
Dear Sir/Madam,
………………………………..
………………………………..
Yours sincerely,
Your signature

Remember that the language of a formal letter is different from the colloquial style of personal letters. For example, contracted forms such as ‘I’ve’ or ‘can’t’ are not used.

Answer:

516, Sec. 15
Panipat
11 Oct, 20XX
M/s, Mindfame Private Ltd.
1632, Asaf Ali Road New Delhi

Sub: Request for the new volume of Isaac Asimov’s short stories.

Sir,

I just came to know that a new revised volume of Isaac Asimov’s short stories has just been released. I will be very grateful if you send one set of this volume as early as possible to my mailing address.

Yours faithfully,
Rahim Khan

Encl:
1. A DD for ₹ 2000/- (State Bank of India, DD No. 131205 payable at New Delhi).

Speaking (Page 14)

In groups of four discuss the following topic.

‘The Schools of the Future Will Have No Books and No Teachers! ’

Your group can decide to speak for or against the motion. After this, each group will select a speaker to present its views to the entire class.

You may find the following phrases useful to present your argument in the debate.

• In my opinion . . .
• I/we fail to understand why . . .
• I wholeheartedly support/oppose the view that . . .
• At the outset let me say . . .
• I’d/we’d like to raise the issue of/argue against. . .
• I should like to draw attention to . . .
• My/our worthy opponent has submitted that . . .
• On the contrary . . .
• I firmly reject . . .

Answers:

In favour of the motion.

The schools of the future will have no books and no teachers because of . . .

1. the emerging computer and digital technologies.
2. the widespread availability of internet links.
3. the innovative educational and application software.
4. the parents attitudinal changes.
5. the non-availability of skilled, competent, and experienced teachers.
6. considerable emphasis on vocational courses.
7. the pupils’ broader perspective.
8. the modern and latest electronic gadgets.
9. ingenious invention of educational CD’s and TV programmes.
10. excessive wastage of stationery.

Against the motion.

The schools of the future will have no books. As a result,

1. the modem students will become the slaves of machines.
2. the teachers will be replaced by mechanical instructors.
3. the educationists will not intend to teach the students humanity and ethics.
4. the modern man will become materialistic and commercial.
5. the human beings will have no sentiments and human values.
6. the students will become arrogant and indisciplined.
7. the future of posterity is in dark.
8. the students will have no respect for their parents, elders, and peers.
9. the feelings of fraternity will be no more.
10. the harmonious growth of a child will have no significance.

Extract Based Questions (3 marks each)

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1:

“Today Tommy found a real book!”
It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper. (SA-1,2014-15)

1. The old book was found by ………….
2. Margie was surprised to see the book because ……….
3. Pick out a word from the following which means ‘small’:
   (a) old
   (b) once
   (c) little
   (d) very

Answer:

1. Tommy
2. all the stories were printed on paper
3. Little

Question 2:

It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper. They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to-on a screen.

1. Why the pages of the book were yellow ?
2. Did Margie see the book for the first time ?
3. Trace a word from the passage that means ‘with many folds or lines’.(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-014)

Answer:

1. The pages of the book were yellow because the book was quite old.
2. Yes, Margie saw the book for the first time.
3. Crinkly.

Question 3:

Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.

1. Where was Margie’s schoolroom ?
2. Explain ‘mechanical teacher was on’.
3. Write the opposite of ‘regular’. (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-022)

Answer:

1. Margie’s school room was next to her bedroom.
2. The computer was on.
3. Irregular.

Question 4:

“Because it’s not our kind of school, stupid. This is the old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundreds of years ago.” He added loftily.

1. Who is ‘he’ in the above lines?
2. “Our kind of school.” What kind of school do they have?
3. Trace the word from the extract that means “in a superior way”.(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-031)

Answer:

1. ‘He’ in the above lines is Tommy.
2. They have future classrooms with mechanical teachers.
3. Loftily.

Question 5:

Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. “Because it’s not our kind of school, stupid. This is the old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundreds of years ago.” He added loftily.

1. Why did Tommy call Margie stupid?
2. What does ‘they’ here refer to?
3. Find the word which means “in a superior way”. (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-034)

Answer:

1. Tommy called Margie stupid because she was too ignorant.
2. ‘They’ here refers to the students of centuries ago.
3. Loftily.

Question 6:

Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfather’s grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighbourhoods came, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom going home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so that they could help one another with the homework and talk about it.

1. Which school is Margie thinking about in the above lines?
2. What is the advantage of those old schools?
3. Which word in the passage means “breathing out deeply”? (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-036)

Answer:

1. Margie is thinking about the school of her grandfather’s grandfather when he was a little boy.
2. The advantage of the old school was that everyone used to learn the same thing and could help each other in the homework. The children could go and come together also.
3. Sigh