How I Taught My Grandmother to Read - NCERT Solutions Class 9 English Kaveri

How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – NCERT Solutions Class 9 English Kaveri includes all the questions with solution given in NCERT Class 9 English textbook Kaveri.

NCERT Solutions Class 9

English Kaveri Hindi Ganga Sanskrit Sharada Maths Ganita Manjari Science Exploration Social Understanding Society

Q.1: Complete the cause-and-effect table given below based on Part I of the story. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Cause	Effect
1.	(i) The morning papers arrived late in the day and weekly magazines would come one day late.
2. The grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school.	(ii)
3.	(iii) She was deeply interested in the story and discussed it with her friends.
4. The narrator went to a wedding for a week.	(iv)
5.	(v) The grandmother never went to school.
6. The grandmother regretted not going to school	(vi)

Solution:

CAUSE	EFFECT
1. The morning papers arrived late in the day and weekly magazines would come one day late.	(i) The family eagerly waited for the bus that brought the newspapers, magazines, and post.
2. The grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school.	(ii) She could not read and depended on the narrator to read the story to her.
3. The narrator read the weekly episode of Kashi Yatre to her grandmother every Wednesday.	(iii) She was deeply interested in the story and discussed it with her friends.
4. The narrator went to a wedding for a week.	(iv) The grandmother could not read the new episode of the story and felt helpless and upset.
5. The grandmother saw the magazine but could not read the story.	(v) The grandmother realised the importance of education and decided to learn the Kannada alphabet.
6. The grandmother regretted not going to school.	(vi) She decided to learn to read and write and worked hard to become independent.

Q.2: Do you think the narrator expected to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village? If yes, why? If no, why not? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
No, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village. She was very surprised because she had never seen her grandmother cry, even during difficult situations. Her grandmother was usually cheerful and strong. When the narrator came back after a week and saw her crying, she became worried and confused. Later, she understood that her grandmother felt helpless because she could not read the latest episode of the story Kashi Yatre. This made her realise how dependent she was on others for reading.

Q.3: How might the narrator help her grandmother to fulfil her desire to learn to read and write? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
The narrator can help her grandmother by teaching her the Kannada alphabet step by step. She can begin with simple letters, then help her form words and read short sentences. Regular practice through reading, writing, and repeating lessons will make learning easier. The narrator can also give her homework and encourage her to read small passages every day. By being patient and supportive, she can help her grandmother gradually gain confidence and finally read the novel Kashi Yatre on her own. This will help the grandmother become independent and fulfil her wish to learn.

Q.4: State whether the following sentences are true or false. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

The grandmother wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet to gain independence.
The grandmother asked someone in the village to read Kashi Yatre to her while the narrator was away.
The narrator was the grandmother’s first teacher and taught her how to read Kannada.
The grandmother believed that there was no age limit for learning.
The grandmother touched the narrator’s feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher.
The narrator was disappointed with the progress her grandmother made in learning to read.

Solution:

The grandmother wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet to gain independence. — True
The grandmother asked someone in the village to read Kashi Yatre to her while the narrator was away. — False (She felt too embarrassed to ask anyone.)
The narrator was the grandmother’s first teacher and taught her how to read Kannada. — True
The grandmother believed that there was no age limit for learning. — True
The grandmother touched the narrator’s feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher. — True
The narrator was disappointed with the progress her grandmother made in learning to read. — False (She was proud of her grandmother’s hard work and success.)

Q.5: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
When I came back to my village, I saw my grandmother in tears. I was surprised, for I had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations. What had happened? I was worried.
‘Avva, is everything all right? Are you okay?’
I used to call her Avva, which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.
She nodded but did not reply. I did not understand and forgot about it. In the night, after dinner, we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house. It was a summer night and there was a full moon. Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.

Complete the following sentence with the appropriate option.
The phrase ‘never seen her cry in the most difficult situations’ tells us that the grandmother was .
strong-willed, understanding, considerate, bold
Complete the following with the correct option from those given in the brackets.

Grandmother did not reply when the narrator asked if she was alright because she might have been too (emotional/tired) to respond.
Identify the clue from the extract that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs.
Which lines of the extract establish a tender atmosphere?
Which of the following aspect is NOT emphasised in the given extract?
the emotional turmoil of the grandmother
the affectionate bond between the narrator and her grandmother
the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education
the narrator’s concern for her grandmother

Solution:
(A) strong-willed emotional
Clue that indicates a rural setting with traditional customs:
The line “we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house” suggests a rural lifestyle and traditional living conditions.
Lines that establish a tender atmosphere:
“Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead.”
(C) the grandmother’s regret over her lack of education.

Q.6: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘I have decided I want to learn the Kannada alphabet from tomorrow onwards. I will work very hard. I will keep Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as the deadline. That day I should be able to read a novel on my own. I want to be independent.’
I saw the determination on her face. Yet I laughed at her.
‘Avva, at this age of sixty-two you want to learn the alphabet? All your hair is grey, your hands are wrinkled, you wear spectacles and you work so much in the kitchen…’
Childishly I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled.
‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. I will work harder than anybody but I will do it. For learning there is no age bar.’

What does the grandmother’s statement, “I want to be independent,” reveal about her character?
She wanted to be literate.
She desires self-sufficiency.
She wants to prove her intelligence to others.
She feels pressured by society to learn.
Fill in the blank with the appropriate option from those given in brackets.
The grandmother’s determination shows that learning has no .
(age limit/gender bias/cultural barriers)
Complete the following with a suitable reason.
The narrator laughs at her grandmother’s decision to learn the alphabet at the age of sixty-two because .
List any two qualities displayed by the grandmother.
How can we say that the narrator is making assumptions about her grandmother?

Solution:
B. She desires self-sufficiency.
The grandmother’s determination shows that learning has no age limit.
The narrator laughs because she thinks that sixty-two is too old to start learning the alphabet and assumes her grandmother will not be able to study at that age.

Two qualities displayed by the grandmother:

Determination

Perseverance (hard-working nature)

The narrator assumes that her grandmother is too old to learn because of her grey hair, wrinkles, spectacles, and busy life, without considering her strong determination to study.

Q.7: Why do you think the grandmother felt embarrassed to ask someone else to read to her while the narrator was away? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
The grandmother felt embarrassed to ask someone else to read to her because she was illiterate and felt ashamed of her inability to read. Even though she was well-off, she felt dependent and helpless when she could not understand what was written in the magazine Kashi Yatre. Asking others for help would reveal that she had never been to school. This made her uncomfortable, so she preferred to wait for the narrator to return and read the story to her instead.

Q.8: Why does the narrator initially laugh at her grandmother’s determination to learn at the age of sixty-two? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
The narrator initially laughs at her grandmother’s determination because she thinks that sixty-two is too old to start learning the alphabet. Seeing her grandmother’s grey hair, wrinkled hands, and spectacles, she assumes that studying at that age would be difficult. She also believes that her grandmother is already very busy with household work. Because of these childish assumptions, the narrator does not take her grandmother’s decision seriously at first, though she later realizes her strong determination.

Q.9: What significance does the story of Kashi Yatre have in both the grandmother’s life and the story?

Solution:
The story Kashi Yatre plays an important role in the grandmother’s life and in the narrative. It creates her deep interest in reading because she eagerly waits to know what happens next in the story. When the narrator is away and she cannot read the new episode, she feels helpless and dependent. This incident inspires her to learn the Kannada alphabet and become independent. Thus, the story becomes the main motivation for her decision to learn to read, driving the central theme of the story.

Q.10: What does the grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflect about her? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
The grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflects her determination, courage, and strong wish to become independent. Even at the age of sixty-two, she is willing to work hard to overcome her lack of education. Her decision shows that she values learning and believes that there is no age limit for education. It also reveals her self-respect, as she does not want to remain dependent on others to read the story Kashi Yatre.

Q.11: What lessons can we infer from the grandmother’s action of touching the narrator’s feet? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
The grandmother’s action of touching the narrator’s feet teaches us the importance of respecting teachers and education. Even though the narrator was her granddaughter and much younger, the grandmother respected her as a teacher who helped her learn to read. This shows that knowledge and learning should be honoured regardless of age or relationship. It also highlights humility and gratitude, as the grandmother openly expressed thanks for the help she received in becoming independent.

Q.12: What does the following line tell us about the broader theme of the story?
‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle.’

Solution:
The line highlights the main theme of determination and the power of learning. It shows that if a person is strongly determined to achieve a good goal, they can overcome any difficulty, including age or lack of education. In the story, the grandmother proves this by learning the Kannada alphabet at the age of sixty-two. Her success shows that education has no age limit and that strong willpower can help people achieve their goals and become independent.

Q.13: How effectively does the story highlight the value of education in supporting personal independence? In the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”.

Solution:
The story How I Taught My Grandmother to Read highlights the value of education very effectively. The grandmother feels helpless and dependent when she cannot read the story Kashi Yatre by herself. This makes her realise the importance of being literate. By learning the Kannada alphabet and eventually reading the novel on her own, she gains confidence and independence. Through this experience, the story clearly shows that education empowers people, removes dependence on others, and gives them dignity and self-respect.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9