Gujarat Board GSEB Class 9 English Textbook Solutions Beehive Chapter 2 The Sound of Music Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.
Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2 The Sound of Music
GSEB Class 9 English The Sound of Music Text Book Questions and Answers
Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens To Sound Without Hearing It
Thinking about the Text
I. Answer these questions in a few words or in a couple of sentences each:
Question 1.
How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music ?
Answer:
Evelyn was seventeen-years-old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Question 2.
When was her deafness first noticed ? When was it confirmed ?
Answer:
Evelyn’s deafness was first noticed by her mother when Evelyn was eight-years-old. She was once waiting to play the piano. When her name was called, she did not move. That was when her mother realized that Evelyn had not heard anything. Her deafness was confirmed when she was eleven.
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30 – 40 words):
Question 1.
Who helped Evelyn to continue with music ? What did he do and say ?
Answer:
Percussionist Ron Forbes was the first person to notice Evelyn’s potential. He began by tuning two large drums to different notes. He asked Evelyn not to listen through her ears but to try and sense the sound in some other manner. Suddenly Evelyn realized that she could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower drum from the waist down. Forbes repeated the exercise and Evelyn realized that she could sense certain notes in different parts of her body.
Question 2.
Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
Answer:
Evelyn always delighted her audience. She had toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra. She had a very hectic international schedule. Apart from the regular concerts, she gave free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She gave high priority to classes for young musicians because of which she was a shining inspiration for deaf children.
III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words):
Question 1.
How does Evelyn hear music ?
Answer:
Evelyn heard music by sensing the notes in different parts of her body. When ? Ron Forbes tuned two drums and asked her l to sense the sound without using her ears, she realized that she could feel the higher drum ? from the waist up and the lower drum from S the waist down.
When she played the xylophone, she could, s sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she could feel the resonances flowing into her body,s On a wooden platform, she removed her shoesso that the vibrations could pass through her bare feet. She herself said that music poured s in through every part of her body. It tingled in the skin, her cheekbones and even in her hair.
Part II: The shehnai Of Bismillah Khan
Thinking about the Text
I. Tick / select the right answer and complete the sentences:
(1) The (shehnai, pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker’.
(2) (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
(3) Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
(4) Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
(5) Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
Answer:
(1) The pungi was a ‘reeded noise- maker’.
(2) A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
(3) Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were professional musicians.
(4) Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux.
(5) Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
II. Find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah Khan’s feelings about the items listed below. Then mark a tick (√) in the correct column. Discuss your answers in class.
III. Answer these questions in 30-40 words:
Question 1.
Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi ?
Answer:
Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence for it had a shrill and unpleasant sound. It became the generic name for reeded noisemakers.
Question 2.
How is a shehnai different from a pungi ?
Answer:
Shehnai is a pipe with a natural hollow stem that is longer and broader than the pungi. It has seven holes on its body. When it is played, the closing and opening of some of the holes produces soft and melodious sounds.
Question 3.
Where was the shehnai played traditionally ? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Answer:
Traditionally, the shehnai was part of the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. It was used only in temples and weddings. However, Ustad Bismillah Khan brought in the change by bringing it on to the classical stage.
Question 4.
When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break ?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan had accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference at the age of fourteen. At the end of his recital, Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted his back and told him to work hard and he shall make it big in life. He got his big break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on radio.
Question 5.
Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947 ? Why was the event historic ?
Answer:
On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort. It was a historic day as India gained independence on that day. He became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. His audience included illustrious names such as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi.
Question 6.
Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. ?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he could not live outside India. His student, who had asked him to head the shehnai school, promised that he would recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples in the city. However, he wanted to know if his student could also transport River Ganga, which his student obviously could not. He himself said that whenever he was in a foreign country he kept yearning to see Hindustan.
Question 7.
Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
Answer:
Bismillah Khan immensely loved India, particularly Benaras and Dumraon. In his initial years, the temple of Balaji, Mangala Maiya, and the banks of River Ganga in Benaras became his favourite haunts where he could practise in peace and solitude. River Ganga’s flowing waters inspired him to improvise and invent raagas that were once thought to be beyond the range of shehnai.
Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he could not live outside India. His student, who had asked him to head the shehnai school, promised that he would recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples in the city. However, he wanted to know if his student could also transport River Ganga, which his student obviously could not.
Thinking about Language
I. Look at these sentences.
- Evelyn was determined to live a normal life.
- Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers.
The italicised parts answer the questions : “What was Evelyn determined to do ? and “What did Evelyn manage to do ?”
They begin with a to-verb (to live, to conceal).
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 ?)
(2) We all want …………… .(What do we all want to do ?)
(3) They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother ……………. . (What did they advise her to do ?)
(4) The authorities permitted us to ………….. (What did the authorities permit us to do ?)
(5) A musician decided to ………………….. (What did the musician decide to do ?)
Answer:
(1) The school sports team hopes to do better than the last time.
(2) We all want to go on a vacation.
(3) They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to take her to a specialist.
(4) The authorities permitted us to organize a charity event.
(5) A musician decided to take India’s music to the world.
II. 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 the brackets:
(1) the home of royal people (1) ……………….. .
(2) the state of being alone (5) ………………. .
(3) a part which is absolutely necessary (2) …………………. .
(4) to do something not done before (5) ……………….. .
(5) without much effort (13) …………………… .
(6) quickly and in large quantities (9) ………………. . and ……………. .
Answer:
(1) palace
(2) solitude
(3) indispensable component
(4) invent
(5) effortlessly
(6) thick and fast
III. Tick / select the right answer and complete the sentences:
(1) When something is revived, it (remains dead /lives again).
(2) When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped / started).
(3) When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it /avoid it).
(4) When we take to something, we find it (boring / interesting).
(5) When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful/ find it of no use).
(6) When you replicate something, you do it (for the first time /for the second time).
(7) When we come to terms with something, it is (still upsetting /no longer upsetting).
Answer:
(1)When something is revived, it lives again.
(2) When a government bans something, it wants it stopped.
(3) When something is considered auspicious, welcome it.
(4) When we take to something, we find it interesting.
(5) When you appreciate something, you find it good and useful.
(6) When you replicate something, you do it for the second time.
(7) When we come to terms with something, it is no longer upsetting.
IV. Dictionary work:
- The sound of the shehnai is auspicious.
- The auspicious sound of the shehnai is usually heard at marriages.
The adjective auspicious can occur after the verb be as in the first sentence, or before a noun as in the second. But there are some adjectives which can be used after the verb be and not before a noun.
For example :
Ustad Faiyaz Khan was overjoyed.
We cannot say: *the overjoyed man.
Look at these entries from the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005).
(A) Consult your dictionary and complete the following table: (The first one has been done for you)
(B) Use these words in phrases or sentences of your own:
Answer:
(1) This book is indispensable resource for researchers.
(2) She was clearly not impressed by our behaviour in the restaurant.
(3) Don’t be afraid to say what you think.
(4 ) Hockey is an outdoor game.
(5) They still live in their paternal house.
(6) 1 have heard it played countless times on the radio.
(7) A priceless collection of vases was destroyed.
Writing
“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:
Yes, both the musicians had worked very hard to reach where they reached.
1. When Evelyn came to know that she became deaf and should be fitted with hearing aids and would be sent to the school for the deaf, ‘everything suddenly looked black’ to her. But she was not going to give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her interest in music. With the encouragement of Ron Forbes, she opened her mind and body to sounds and – vibrations. The rest was sheer determination and hard work.
She gradually moved from orchestral work to solo performances. She mastered more than 1000 traditional and unconventional percussion instruments from around the world and has performed with a wide range of musical talents. Almost impossible ! But she could achieve it with her passion and perseverance.
2. Bismillah Khan was born in a small town of Bihar – Dumraon. His father was a shehnai player in the court of Maharaja of Dumraon and he took to shehnai. In his childhood, he went to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing Bhojpuri ‘chaita’ and earn a big laddu as a prize from the Maharaja. At the age of three, his mother took him to his maternal uncle’s house in Benaras. Young Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncles practise shehnai.
He started getting lessons from his uncle Ali Bux and started practising himself throughout the day. The temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya and the bank of the Ganga became his favourite haunts to practise in solitude. At the age of 14, at Allahabad Music Conference, he got pat on the back from Ustad Faiyaz Khan. And the journey went on. He has a number of awards and loads of appreciation to his credit which he had never dreamt of. This could happen only with hard work and perseverance.
GSEB Class 9 English The Sound of Music Additional Important Questions and Answers
Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens To Sound Without Hearing It
Reading Comprehension
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
But Evelyn was not going to give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her interest in music. One day she noticed a girl playing a xylophone and decided that she wanted to play it too. Most of the teachers discouraged her but percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her potential. He began by tuning two large drums to different notes.
“Don’t listen through your ears,” he would say, “try to sense it some other way.” Says Evelyn, “Suddenly I realised I could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower one from the waist down.” Forbes repeated the exercise and soon Evelyn discovered that she could sense certain notes in different parts of her body. “I had learnt to open my mind and body to sounds and vibrations.” The rest was sheer determination and hard work.
Questions:
1. The phrase ‘to give up’ means ……………….
A. to offer.
B. to leave.
C. to surrender.
D. to accept.
Answer:
B. to leave.
2. ‘Spotted her potential’ means ……………….
A. knew her ability.
B. disqualified her.
C. selected her.
D. appreciated her.
Answer:
A. knew her ability.
3. From Ron Forbes, Evelyn learnt to …
A. play drums.
B. play xylophone.
C. sense musical notes.
D. know the difference between the music of higher drum and lower drum.
Answer:
C. sense musical notes.
4. What, according to Evelyn, could she achieve through determination and hard work?
A. Playing on different musical instruments.
B. Singing along with music.
C. Learning from different musicians.
D. None of these three
Answer:
A. Playing on different musical instruments.
Question 2.
She never looked back from that point onwards. She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra and by the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy. She gradually moved ] from orchestral work to solo performances. At the end of her three-year course, she had l captured most of the top awards.
And for all this, Evelyn won’t accept any hint of heroic achievement. “If you work hard and know where you are going, you’ll get there.” And i she got right to the top, the world’s most sought-after multi-percussionist with a mastery of some thousand instruments and hectic international schedule.
Questions:
1. ‘She never looked back’ means ……………..
A. ‘She never saw back to find something’.
B.‘ She became more and more successful’.
C. ‘She kept on listening to more music’.
D. ‘She discontinued her progress’
Answer:
B.‘ She became more and more successful’.
2. What achievement of Evelyn is mentioned in the extract ?
A. She toured the U.K. with a youth orchestra. I;
B. She decided to make music her life.
C. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of academy.
D. All of these three
Answer:
C. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of academy.
3. From where did Evelyn’s journey start as a s solo singer ?
A. From an orchestra performer.
B. From a street singer.
C. From a group dancer,
D. From a music composer.
Answer:
A. From an orchestra performer.
4. The meaning of the phrase ‘sought-after’ in this extract is ……………………
A. ‘a successful person’.
B.‘greatly in demand’.
C.‘forgotten afterwards’.
D.‘remembered for ever’.
Answer:
B.‘greatly in demand’.
Question 3.
Not surprisingly, Evelyn delights her audiences. In 1991, she was presented with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Soloist of the Year Award. Says master percussionist James Blades, “God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary. What we hear, she feels-far more deeply than any of us. That is why she expresses music so beautifully.”
Evelyn confesses that she is something of a workaholic. “I’ve just got to work ……… often harder than classical musicians. But the rewards are enormous.” Apart from the regular concerts, Evelyn also gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also gives high priority to classes for young musicians. Ann Richlin of the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children says, “She is a shining inspiration for deaf children. They see that there is nowhere that they cannot go.”
Questions:
1. …………… is not surprising.
A. That Evelyn learnt the music herself
B. That Evelyn has great interest in music
C. That Evelyn delights her audience
D. That Evelyn is very famous
Answer:
C. That Evelyn delights her audience
2. ‘Percussionist’ is a person who produces music by ………………
A. blowing air into the instrument.
B. blowing strings of the instrument.
C. plucking the strings of the instrument.
D. hitting, shaking or scraping the instrument.
Answer:
D. hitting, shaking or scraping the instrument.
3. Evelyn admits that ‘She is workaholic’. It means ……………………..
A. she likes to play music.
B. she keeps herself engrossed in work all the time.
C. she keeps listening to music.
D. she likes to enjoy different drinks.
Answer:
B. she keeps herself engrossed in work all the time.
4. What charity work does Evelyn carry out ?
A. She gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals.
B. She plays music for deaf and other disabled children.
C. She offers monetary assistance to poor children.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
When and how did Evelyn loose her power of hearing ?
Answer:
Evelyn lost her power of hearing due to gradual nerve damage. At the age of 8 it was noticed and then at the age of 11 it was confirmed that Evelyn had lost her hearing ability.
Question 2.
Why was Evelyn nervous while going to Royal Academy of Music ?
Answer:
Evelyn was nervous while going to the Royal Academy of Music as she was just 16 years old and was fresh from the Scottish farms, to add to her nervousness.
Question 3.
How did Evelyn’s deafness come to light ?
OR
When did Evelyn’s mother notice that something was wrong with her hearing ?
Answer:
At the age of 8 when her name was announced to play on the piano, she did not respond. At the age of 11, her marks deteriorated. The headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist and her hearing impairment was discovered.
Question 4.
Who helped Evelyn to continue with music ? What did he do and say ?
Answer:
When Evelyn wanted to pursue her career in music, everyone discouraged her. It was a Percussionist Ron Forbes who helped and encouraged her to listen to the music and feel the music through her body.
Question 5.
How did Evelyn hear music despite being deaf?
Answer:
Evelyn could sense music through her body. While playing on the xylophone, she could sense music through her fingertips and would lean against drums to sense. On the wooden floors, she used to remove her shoes and sense music pass through her bare feet moving up her legs.
Question 6.
What is Evelyn’s secret of success and what message does she give to achievers ?
Answer:
Evelyn’s secret of success was strong determination and hard work. The message that she gives to achievers is that work hard and get what you want.
Question 7.
How has Evelyn Glennie inspired handicapped people ?
Answer:
When the handicapped people used to see Evelyn Glennie, they used to say, “If she can do it, I can,” and so, she resulted in inspiring them.
Question 8.
Write down Evelyn’s message for the people.
Answer:
Evelyn’s message to the people is that-Strong determination and hard work with sincerity/honesty leads to success. Aim for your goal and try to reach your goal with full determination and concentration.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
How did Evelyn Glennie fight with her physical disability ?
Answer:
Evelyn Glennie was a very brave girl. She learnt to open her body and mind to the sounds and vibrations. She used to feel as if music was flowing through her body. So she joined an orchestra and later the Royal Academy of Music. She did not want to be deprived of the joy of music that made her happy. She later even gave solo performances on stage in many countries and became famous.
Question 2.
In spite of her towering success, Evelyn Glennie does not accept any hint of heroic achievement. Explain.
Answer:
Evelyn Glennie had a hearing loss and was discouraged by most of the teachers but she did not give up. Ron Forbes guided her to listen through her body not ears. Eventually, Evelyn learnt to open her body and mind to sound and vibrations. She scored the highest marks in the history of Royal Academy of Music. She also captured many top awards and brought percussion to the front of the orchestra. She has given pleasure to millions and in spite of her towering success, she does not accept any hint of heroic achievement and is a very modest person.
Question 3.
Evelyn’s determination to overcome her disability has made her source of inspiration for deaf children. Comment.
Answer:
When Evelyn became deaf, she was determined to lead a normal life. She was encouraged by her percussion teacher. She learned to sense music through different parts of the body and opened her mind and body to vibrations. She could feel the higher drum from waist up and the lower one from the waist down and xylophone music through fingertips. She used to remove her shoes on the wooden floors. She was the master of a thousand instruments and most sought after as a multi-percussionist.
Question 4.
How is Evelyn Glennie helping other with her popularity and skill ?
Answer:
In spite of Evelyn’s deafness she joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Music and won the “Soloist of the Year” award. Evelyn used to practise for hours learning languages such as Japanese and French. She earned a lot but was kind at heart. She used to give free performances in prisons and hospitals and also proved a personal example of tireless hard work and firm determination.
Question 5.
How did Evelyn succeed in pursuing her interest in music ?
Answer:
Evelyn decided not to give up. It was Ron Forbes who recognized her potential and supported her. He advised her not to listen through her ears but to open her body and mind to the vibrations. She mastered the art of interpreting different vibrations of sound on her body to different notes. She could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower drum from the waist down. After the practice she could sense music in different parts of her body. And by this, Evelyn succeeded in pursuing her interest in music.
Part II: The shehnai Of Bismillah Khan
Reading Comprehension
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
The sound of the shehnai began to be considered auspicious. And for this reason it is still played in temples and is an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding. In the past, the shehnai was part of the naubat or traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts, Till recently it was used only in temples and weddings. The credit for bringing this instrument on to the classical stage goes to Ustad Bismillah Khan.
As a five-year-old, Bismillah Khan played gilli-danda near a pond in the ancient estate of Dumraon in Bihar. He would regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’, at the end of which he would earn a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg, a prize given by the local Maharaja. This happened 80 years ago, and the little boy has travelled far to earn the highest civilian award in India – the Bharat Ratna.
Questions:
1. The shehnai became an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding because ……………..
A. it was the only music played in North India.
B. there were no other musicians in North
India who played other instruments.
C. the sound of the shehnai began to be considered auspicious.
D. All of these three
Answer:
C. the sound of the shehnai began to be considered auspicious.
2. The word ‘ensemble’ here means ……………..
A. different kinds of musical instruments,
B. a group or unit of complementary instruments to create a single effect.
C. playing on a musical instrument.
D. All of these three
Answer:
B. a group or unit of complementary instruments to create a single effect.
3. The credit goes to Bismillah Khan for ……………
A. playing shehnai with great mastery.
B. playing shehnai at royal courts.
C. bringing shehnai to the classical stage.
D. playing shehnai at weddings.
Answer:
C. bringing shehnai to the classical stage.
4. ‘Chaita’ is ……………..
A. an award given by the local Maharaja.
B. an ancient game like gilli-danda.
C. a prayer sung at temples.
D. a Bhojpuri eatable.
Answer:
C. a prayer sung at temples.
Question 2.
The young boy took to music early in life. At the age of three when his mother took him to his maternal uncle’s house in Benaras (now Varanasi), Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncles practise the shehnai. Soon Bismillah started accompanying his uncle, Ali Bux, to the Vishnu temple of Benaras where Bux was employed to play the shehnai.
Ali Bux would play the shehnai and Bismillah would sit captivated for hours on end. Slowly, he started getting lessons in playing the instrument and would sit practising throughout the day. For years to come the temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya and the banks of the Ganga became the young apprentice’s favourite haunts where he could practise in solitude. The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent raagas that were earlier considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai.
Questions:
1. The meaning of the phrase ‘took to’ in the extract is ……………….
A. ‘learnt’.
B. ‘began as a habit, hobby’, etc.
C. ‘showed great interest in’.
D. ‘did practice’.
Answer:
B. ‘began as a habit, hobby’, etc.
2. The meaning of the word ‘captivated’ is ……………
A. ‘attracted intensely and fixedly’.
B. ‘arrested and locked up’.
C. ‘thoughtlessly’.
D. ‘intentionally’.
Answer:
A. ‘attracted intensely and fixedly’.
3. The words ‘favourite haunts’ are used for ……………..
A. ‘interesting people’.
B. ‘preferred places’.
C. ‘sacred places of worship’.
D. None of these three
Answer:
B. ‘preferred places’.
4. Practising on the banks of the Ganga, Bismillah Khan ……………..
A. devised ragas.
B. invent new ragas.
C. abandoned some traditional ragas.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Question 3.
In spite of having travelled all over the world – Khansaab as he is fondly called-is exceedingly fond of Benaras and Dumraon and they remain for him the most wonderful towns of the world. A student of his once wanted him to head a shehnai school in the U.S.A., and the student promised to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples there.
But Khansaab asked him if he would be able to transport River Ganga as well. Later he is remembered to have said, “That is why whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to i see Hindustan. While in Mumbai, I think of only Benaras and the holy Ganga. And while in Benaras, I miss the unique mattha of Dumraon.”
Questions:
1. To Bismillah Khan, Benaras and Dumraon remained ……………….
A. the most important towns.
B. the most sacred towns.
C. the most wonderful towns,
D. the most inspired towns.
Answer:
C. the most wonderful towns,
2. A student of Bismillah Khan wanted him to ………………
A. stay on in the U.S.A. for ever.
B. teach him various raagas.
C. head a shehnai school in the U.S.A.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
C. head a shehnai school in the U.S.A.
3. From the reply to the lucrative offer of his student, we can learn how much Bismillah Khan……………….
A. loved playing on shehnai.
B. loved his students.
C. missed Benaras and Dumraon.
D. was devoted to music.
Answer:
C. missed Benaras and Dumraon.
4. While being in a foreign country, Bismillah Khan yearned to ………………
A. make that particular place his hometown.
B. leave that place as fast as possible.
C. return to India.
D. visit that place quite often,
Answer:
C. return to India.
Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
How did ‘pungi’ transform into a Shehnai?
Answer:
‘Pungi’ a musical instrument was banned because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. But a nai modified and perfected it and s played it for the first time in Shah’s chamber, thus it came to be known as ‘Shehnai’.
Question 2.
Who had brought shehnai to the classical stage ? What was he honoured with ?
Answer:
Shehnai was brought to the classical s stage by Ustad Bismillah Khan. He started picking up the nuances of shehnai under the guidance of his maternal uncle Ali Bux. He had been honoured with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and s Padma Vibhushan.
Question 3.
Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to j start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. ?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he could not live outside India. He was in love with Benaras and Dumraon and missed it whenever he was abroad.
Question 4.
Why did emperor Aurangzeb ban the playing of pungi in the royal residence ?
Answer:
Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because of its shrill unpleasant sound. It was regarded more as a noisemaker than a musical instrument.
Question 5.
What is the difference between a Pungi and a Shehnai ?
Answer:
The difference between a Pungi and Shehnai can be noticed by the difference in their shapes and the sound produced by them. A Shehnai is longer than a pungi. The latter has a shrill, unpleasant sound whereas, the former has a soft, melodious sound.
Question 6.
How do we know that the sound of Shehnai is considered auspicious ?
Answer:
We know that the sound of the Shehnai is considered auspicious because it is played in temples and is a must for all auspicious occasions like marriages.
Question 7.
What were the recurring themes of Bismillah Khan’s music ?
Answer:
The recurring themes of Bismillah Khan’s music was the relationships between the human beings and the flowing waters of the Ganga. He thought that Benaras and Dumraon were the most wonderful towns of the world.
Question 8.
How did ‘pungi’ get its new name ? What was it ?
Answer:
Pungi was modified and perfected by a barber which was very much appreciated by the emperor. Since, it was played for the first time in Shah’s chamber by a nai, it came to be known as ‘Shehnai.’
Question 9.
What place did Shehnai have in the past ? What place has it now ?
Answer:
In the past, the Shehnai was a part of the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. Then, it was used in temples and weddings but now it is used also in the classical concerts.
Question 10
When and how did Bismillah Khan get the break ?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan, at the age of 14, accompanied his uncle to Allahabad Music Conference where Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted his back. He got encouraged and worked hard and got a big break from the All India Radio in 1938.
Question 11.
Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15th August 1947 ? Why was the event historic ?
Answer:
When India gained independence on 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan was the first Indian to greet the nation with shehnai and played ‘Raag Kafi’ from the Red Fort. The event was historic because the audience included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who gave the famous speech ‘Tryst with Destiny’.
Question 12.
Why did Bismillah Khan regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple in his childhood and what did he earn ?
Answer:
At the age of 5, Bismillah Khan would regularly visit the Bihariji temple to sing Bhojpuri ‘chaita’. For his melodious singing he used to earn a laddu weighing 1.25 kg from the local Bhojpuri king.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
‘There is always a teacher to bring out the latent potential of a pupil’. Justify with reference to the role played by Ron Forbes and Ali Bux in the lives of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan.
Answer:
Teachers craft us to become better individuals both personally and professionally. Ron Forbes understood Evelyn’s passion for music. He taught Evelyn the nuances of hearing music not through her ears but through her body. He taught her to feel the vibrations in her hands and parts of legs to get the pitch. So, he crafted her to be more musical and confident. Bismillah Khan’s teacher and mentor was his maternal uncle Ali Bux. Bismillah used to be transfixed when Ali Bux used to play Shehnai.
As a child, Bismillah used to accompany his maternal uncle to Vishnu Temple of Benaras where Ali Bux was employed to play Shehnai. Bismillah picked up the nuances of Shehnai and practised for hours on the banks of river Ganga. He attained perfection only because of his uncle and mentor.
Question 2.
Give a brief character sketch of Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Answer:
Ustad Bismillah Khan was a Shehnai master of great national and international fame. He was a great musician. Ali Bux, his maternal uncle perfected him in music. Shehnai was brought to the classical stage by Ustad Bismillah Khan. He practised for hours and worked very hard to attain perfection. It was his melodious music that made him the first Indian to greet independent India. Ustad Bismillah Khan created many new raagas. He was given many awards and he even received the ‘Bharat Ratna’. He was a true patriot who declined many offers to settle abroad. He was a true artist but a simple man. He had great regard for Hindustani Classical Music.
Question 3.
How did the young Bismillah develop his interest in Shehnai?
Answer:
Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncle practice the Shehnai when he was only three. He was deeply fascinated by the music of Shehnai. Soon Bismillah started accompanying his uncle Ali Bux, to the Vishnu Temple of Benaras where Bux was employed to play Shehnai. Bismillah picked up the nuances of Shehnai and practised for hours on the banks of river Ganga. The themes of his music were deeply affected by the sounds of flowing water of the Ganga. At the age of 14, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to Allahabad Music Conference where Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted his back which inspired and encouraged him to work harder.
Question 4.
How was Bismillah Khan’s music recognized internationally ?
Answer:
Bismillah Khan was not only renowned in India but also internationally. He promoted Shehnai at international levels of participating in the world exposition, Cannes Art Festival and Osaka Trade Fair. He became the first Irtdian to be invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Central Hall in the United States of America. So well-known did he become internationally that an auditorium in Tehran was named after him, “Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.”
Vocabulary And Grammar
Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks choosing the correct words given in the brackets:
(1) (twice, accomplished, brought, most)
Evelyn Glennie has already …………..a…………… more than …………..b…………. people …………..c……………… her age. She has …………d…………… percussion to the front of the orchestra.
Answer:
a. accomplished
b. most
c. twice
d. brought
(2) (harder, confesses, enormous, workaholic)
Evelyn …………..a………… that she is something of a …………b………… . “I’ve just got to work… often ………….c…………. than classical musicians. But the rewards are …………….d……………. .
Answer:
a. confesses
b. workaholic
c. harder
d. enormous
Grammar
Rectify the errors in the passage:
Evelyn Glennie’s lost of hearing, has been gradual. Her mother remembers to notice something was wrong where the eight-year-old Evelyn was waiting to play the piano. “They said her name and she moved.”
Answer:
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) give in | loss |
| (b) determine | had |
| (c) but | noticing |
| (d) play | when |
| (e) which | called |
| (f) teacher | didn’t move |
(2)
Answer:
But Evelyn was not going to give in. She was determine to lead a normal life but pursue her interest in music. One day she noticed a girl play a xylophone and decided which she wanted to play it too. Most of the teacher discouraged her.
| Corrections | Errors |
| loss | (a) give in |
| had | (b) determine |
| noticing | (c) but |
| when | (d) play |
| called | (e) which |
| didn’t move | (f) teacher |
(3)
Answer:
Evelyn confesses that she is everything of a workaholic. “I’ve just get to work ………… often harder then classical musicians. Since the rewards are enormous.” Apart of regular concerts, Evelyn also gives free concerts with prisons and hospitals.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) everything | something |
| (b) get | got |
| (c) then | than |
| (d) Since | But |
| (e) of | from |
| (f) with | in |
Fill in the blanks using article(s), conjunctions(s) and preposition(s) at the correct places:
(1) As ………..a………… music, she explains, “It pours ………..b……….. through every part …………..c………. my body. It tingles in ………….d……… skin, my cheekbones ……….e……….. ……………f…………. in my hair.
Answer:
a. for
b. in
c. of
d. the
e. and
f. even
(2) It is intriguing to watch Evelyn function …………….a……….. effortlessly ………….b……….. hearing, …………….c………. our two hour discussion she never missed …………..d………… word. “Men …………..e…………. bushy beards give me trouble.” “It is not just watching ……………f……….. lips, it’s the whole face.”
Answer:
a. so
b. without
c. In
d. a
e. with
f. the
Punctuate the following passage:
Men with bushy beards give me trouble she laughed. It is not just watching the lips its the whole face especially the eyes. She speaks flawlessly with a Scottish tilt.
Answer:
“Men with bushy beards give me trouble,” she laughed. “It is not just watching the lips. It’s the whole face, especially the eyes.” She speaks flawlessly with a Scottish tilt.
Convert the following into Indirect Speech:
As for music, she explains, “It pours in through every part of my body. It tingles in the skin, my cheekbones and even in my hair.”
Answer:
As for music, she explained that it poured in through every part of her body. She added that it tingled in the skin, her cheekbones and even in her hair.
Rewrite as directed:
(1) This aspiring musician faced a bigger challenge than most. (Change the Degree.)
(2) Her hearing was severely impaired as a result of gradual nerve damage. (Use ‘Because of’.)
(3) Everything suddenly looked black. (Turn into Negative.)
(4) She never looked back from that point onwards. (Turn into Affirmative.)
(5) She had decided to make music her life. (Turn into Complex.)
(6) If you work hard and know where you are going, you’ll get there. (Use ‘Unless’.)
(7) When she plays the xylophone, she can sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. (Make it Simple.)
Answer:
(1) Most did not face so big a challenge as the aspiring musician (did).
(2) Because of gradual nerve damage, her hearing was severely impaired.
(3) Suddenly nothing looked normal.
(4) She always looked forward from that point onwards.
(5) She had decided that she would make music her life.
(6) Unless you work hard and know where you are going, you’ll never get there.
(7) While playing the xylophone, she can sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips.
The Sound of Music Summary in English
Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens To Sound Without Hearing It
Evelyn Glennie Listens To Sound Without Hearing It Summary:
Evelyn Glennie was a Scottish girl. From her childhood, she was greatly fond of music. She wanted to make music her life, but unfortunately she became deaf when she was eleven. However, she didn’t lose heart. A percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her potential and asked her to sense the sound vibrations not through ears but the other way and she could make to it. She worked very hard and mastered playing on xylophone. At 16, she toured the U.K. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy.
She gradually moved from orchestral work to solo performances. She had the mastery of about 1000 percussion instruments. She won many awards but remained as humble as ever. Besides her regular concerts, she gave concerts to help the deaf children. She became the source of inspiration for the handicapped people. She demonstrated to them that nothing is impossible for the one who has the will to do it and works hard for it.
Part II: The shehnai Of Bismillah Khan
The shehnai Of Bismillah Khan Summary:
This chapter throws light on the origin of Shehnai and the life of all time great Shehnai Vadak – Bismillah Khan. The winner of Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India, his dedication to music and his love for India.
‘Pungi’ a musical instrument, was banned by Emperor Aurangzeb, because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. In fact, it was regarded more as a noise maker rather than a musical instrument. It was modified and perfected by a barber who belonged to a family of professional musicians. He played it in the chamber of the king. Its sound was so appreciated by the emperor that it was made a part of Naubat. Since it was played for the first time in Shah’s chamber by a Nai, it came to be known as Shehnai.
Traditionally, it was played in the temples and on every auspicious domestic occasions also. Its sound was regarded as auspicious. But it was treated as an incomplete musical instrument, not capable of creating independent raagas. But Bismillah Khan broke this myth.
Bismillah belongs to the Benaras Gharana. He was born on 21 March in 1916 at Dumraon, in Bihar. As a five-year-old, he used to visit the Bihariji Temple and sing Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’ there. For his melodious singing he used to earn a big laddu from the local Bhojpuri King. At the age of 6, he moved to Benaras. There under the guidance and training of his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, he started picking up the nuances of shehnai. He used to spend most of his time practising on the banks of the River Ganges.
The themes of his music were deeply affected by the sounds of flowing water of the Ganga. He got the best performer award at All India Music Conference in Allahabad in 1930. National awards like the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan were conferred on him.
In 2001, he was awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. He was invited to play the shehnai from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 1947, becoming the first to greet Indian independent India with his shehnai. He won many international awards also. He became the first Indian to perform at the Lincoln Central Hall, in U.S.A. An auditorium in Tehran was named after him, Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
Bismillah was very fond of Benaras and Dumraon. He declined an offer from one of his students to settle in the U.S.A., as he was not willing to stay away for long from Benaras and its holy river Ganga. He ventured into film world also. He gave his music in two movies. His composition ‘Dil ka khilona hai toot gaya’ for the movie ‘Goonj Uthi Shehnai’, was a chartbuster. But he could not associate himself with the artificial glamour of the film world. For him, music was his soul, his life.