The Pot Maker - NCERT Solution Class 9 English Kaveri

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The Pot Maker- NCERT Solutions Class 9 English Kaveri includes all the questions with solutions given in NCERT Class 9 English textbook Kaveri.

NCERT Solutions Class 9

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The Pot Maker – NCERT Solutions

Q.1: Do you think pot making is easy? If yes, why? If no, why not? In the poem “The Pot Maker”.

Solution:
No, pot making is not easy. The passage shows that it requires a lot of hard work, patience, and skill. The potter has to travel far to collect clay, carry heavy loads, and pound the clay to soften it. Shaping the clay on the wheel also requires great care and practice. After shaping, the pots must be dried in the sun and fired in a kiln at the correct temperature. Even a small mistake in shaping or firing can ruin the entire batch. Therefore, pot making is a difficult and demanding craft.

Q.2: Would Sentila be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a pot maker? Explain.

Solution:
Yes, Sentila is able to fulfil her dream of becoming a pot maker. From childhood, she shows a deep interest in the craft and patiently observes expert potters at work. Even though her mother, Arenla, is initially reluctant to teach her, Sentila continues practising and learning. With the guidance of Onula and by carefully watching her mother’s techniques, she gradually improves. Finally, she succeeds in making a row of beautiful pots that are as good as her mother’s. This shows that her determination, patience, and passion help her achieve her dream.

Q.3: Do you think Mesoba and Arenla would support Sentila? Give a reason. In the chapter “The Pot Maker”.

Solution:
Yes, Mesoba and Arenla would support Sentila. Mesoba already shows support when he tells the village council that people will soon see Sentila making the best pots in the village. Although Arenla is initially reluctant because pot making is hard work and does not earn much money, she eventually teaches Sentila the skill. This shows that despite her worries, Arenla also supports her daughter’s interest and helps her learn the craft.

Q.4: Do you think Onula’s support helped Sentila? If yes, why? In the chapter “The Pot Maker”.

Solution:
Yes, Onula’s support helped Sentila greatly. She encouraged Sentila when she felt frustrated and taught her the correct way to shape a pot. Onula also helped her relax and gain confidence, which allowed Sentila to work better with the clay. She guided Sentila to observe her mother carefully while shaping the mouth of the pot. With this encouragement and guidance, Sentila improved her skills and finally succeeded in making beautiful pots.

Q.5: Sentila observes her mother making pots. What does this tell us about her?

Solution:
This shows that Sentila is very determined, patient, and eager to learn. Even though she faced difficulties at first, she carefully watched her mother’s techniques and tried to understand every step of the process. Her keen observation and strong interest helped her improve and eventually become a skilled pot maker.

Q.6: Arrange the following events of the story in the correct sequence.

Sentila was passionate about pottery but did not share it with her mother.
Sentila observed how other expert potters crafted beautiful pots.
Sentila overheard her mother saying that pot making was a tiring job and earned little money.
The village council called Mesoba to know about Arenla’s unwillingness to teach pottery to Sentila.
Sentila learnt the art of pot making from her mother for a year but was unsuccessful.
Onula guided Sentila in the art of pot making.
Arenla made a new batch of pots and asked Sentila to continue the work as she was unwell.
Sentila was able to make pots quickly and skilfully, just one less than her mother’s.
Onula observed two rows of pots in the shed, which she felt were the work of two people.

Solution:
4, 3, 6, 1, 8, 5, 2, 9, 7

Q.7: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Pounding the stubborn clay inside bamboo cylinders to soften it, is also tedious. So many times I’ve dropped the mould out of sheer exhaustion and have had to start all over again. It takes months to bring out a batch of pots after so much labour. And the reward? A few rupees. But if Sentila learns weaving, she can make much more money besides providing enough cloth for the family. Weaving is not messy like pot making and can be done indoors in all seasons. Also, the time spent on weaving one shawl is much less and the return is handsome.

Choose the correct reason for the given assertion.
The effort in making pots is far greater than the returns.
The process of pot making is exhausting, takes a long time, yet gives a sense of satisfaction.
The process of pot making is quite tiresome and long, and one hardly earns much.
Why does Arenla want Sentila to learn weaving?
State one advantage that weaving has over pot making, as per the extract.
Choose the sentence that uses the word ‘handsome’ in the same way as in the extract.
My father is a handsome man.
They will make a handsome profit selling this property.
‘And the reward?’ What is the author’s purpose of using a question mark here?

Solution:
A. The process of pot making is quite tiresome and long, and one hardly earns much.
Arenla wants Sentila to learn weaving because it earns more money, is less messy, can be done indoors in all seasons, and takes less time than pot making.
One advantage is that weaving can be done indoors in all seasons.
B. They will make a handsome profit selling this property.
The question mark emphasises the very small reward compared to the hard work involved in pot making.

Q.8: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Onula saw her taking out some clay and the implements from her basket quietly. She watched Sentila’s clumsy efforts to make a pot and noticed that Sentila was too tense. As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape. When Sentila wearily let the misshapen lump fall flat on the ground, Onula went to her and said, “Don’t worry, little one, I shall teach you how to make a perfect pot.” Sentila watched in amazement as Onula fashioned a beautiful pot and asked her to try again.

Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason.
Onula feels Sentila’s effort at making a pot is clumsy because .
Choose the correct option to complete the following sentence.
‘Don’t worry, little one, I shall teach you how to make a perfect pot.’
This shows that Onula was .
sincere and generous
forgiving and thoughtful
thoughtful and generous
forgiving and sincere
Which among the following is the effect of a cause?
As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.
Onula saw her taking out some clay and the implements from her basket quietly.
‘Onula fashioned a beautiful pot.’ Here, the word ‘fashioned’ means __ . (created/styled)
How might Sentila have felt when she saw ‘the misshapen lump fall flat on the ground’?

Solution:
Onula feels Sentila’s effort at making a pot is clumsy because she was too tense and unable to shape the clay properly.
C. thoughtful and generous.
A. As a result, the clay seemed unable or unwilling to yield the right shape.
Meaning of ‘fashioned’:
created
Sentila might have felt disappointed, frustrated, and embarrassed when the misshapen lump fell on the ground after her repeated efforts.

Q.9: Describe the process of pot making followed by expert pot makers, as observed by Sentila.

Solution:
Expert pot makers first dig grey and red clay from the riverbank and soak it in a trough. The clay is then pounded inside a bamboo cylinder until it becomes soft and malleable. After that, the potter shapes the clay into a pot by beating it rhythmically with the hand and using a spatula. While forming the mouth of the pot, the rhythm is slowed and a strip of dough is added to make the rim. Finally, the pots are left in the sun to dry.

Q.10: What warning was given to Mesoba by the village council?

Solution:
The village council warned Mesoba that according to their custom, the skill of pot making must be passed on to the next generation. If Arenla refused to teach Sentila, the family might lose their traditional right to practise pottery in the village. Therefore, Mesoba was advised to ensure that Arenla taught her daughter the craft.

Q.11: How did Sentila feel when she failed at pot making even after a year of training with her mother?

Solution:
Sentila felt ashamed, frustrated, and disappointed when she failed to learn pot making even after a year of training with her mother. She hung her head in shame because she could not shape the clay properly despite trying many times. Her repeated failures made her feel discouraged, but she did not lose her interest in the craft.

Q.12: ‘Onula stood there for a long time as if trying to absorb a new phenomenon’. Explain.

Solution:
The line means that Onula was amazed and surprised by what she saw in the shed. She noticed two neat rows of newly made pots that looked exactly alike and could not tell which ones were made by Arenla and which by Sentila. This showed that Sentila had finally mastered the art of pot making. Onula stood there for a long time trying to understand and appreciate this remarkable moment, as it marked the birth of a new skilled pot maker.

Q.13: ‘The tradition and history of the people did not belong to any individual,’ what does this symbolise? In the chapter “The Pot Maker”.

Solution:
The statement symbolises that cultural traditions and skills are the shared heritage of the entire community, not the property of a single person. Crafts like pot making represent the history, identity, and way of life of the people. Therefore, those who possess such skills have a responsibility to pass them on to the next generation so that the tradition continues and does not disappear.

Q.14: What is the significance of the concluding line of the story, ‘A new pot maker was born’?

Solution:
The concluding line, “A new pot maker was born,” signifies that Sentila had finally mastered the skill of pot making. Despite many failures and difficulties, her determination and practice helped her succeed. It also shows that the traditional craft of pot making would continue in the next generation. The line highlights the moment when Sentila truly becomes a skilled pot maker, keeping her family’s tradition alive.

Q.15: What is the role of perseverance in pursuing one’s dreams? Elaborate with reference to Sentila.

Solution:
Perseverance plays a very important role in achieving one’s dreams. It helps a person continue working hard even when they face difficulties or failures. In the story, Sentila strongly wished to become a pot maker. Although she failed many times and could not learn the skill even after a year of training with her mother, she did not give up. She kept observing the potters and continued practising. With the encouragement of Onula and her own determination, she finally succeeded in making beautiful pots. Thus, Sentila’s story shows that perseverance and dedication help a person achieve their dreams.