KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Prose Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady

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Karnataka State Syllabus Class 9 English Prose Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Discuss in pairs and find answers for the following questions:

Question 1.
Read paragraph 2. There are a few lines which say about the grandmother’s features. Pick out those lines and write them.
Answer:
The grandmother was short-fat and slightly bent. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles running from all sides. Her silver locks were scattered untidily over her pale, puckered face.

Question 2.
“………. she used to get me ready for school.” How did the grandmother get the author ready for the school?
Answer:
The author’s grandmother used to wake him up in the morning, bathe him and dress him up all the while singing the morning prayer. Then she would give him his breakfast of thick stale chapati with butter and sugar. She would than hand him his ” wooden slate, tiny earthen ink-pot and a red pen all tied in a bundle and take him to the school.

Question 3.
Why did the grand-mother accompany the author to the school?
Answer:
The author’s school was attached to the temple. While he studied in the school, his grandmother used to sit in the temple and read scriptures.

Question 4.
“That was a ‘turning – point’ in our friendship. What was the ‘turning – point’?
Answer:
After the author’s parents settled comfortably in the city, they brought both the author and his grandmother to the city’. That was a turning point in their friendship.

Question 5.
What made the grandmother unhappy? Why?
Answer:
In the city, the author started going to an English school. He would come home and tell his grandmother English words, western science, the law of gravity, Archimedes Principle, the world being round, etc. Since she was not aware of these things and couldn’t help him with his lessons, she was unhappy. She was also upset that there was no teaching of God and the scriptures.

C2. In groups, discuss the answers for the following questions and present them before the class:

Question 1.
“The thought was almost revolting” what is “the thought” referred to? Why does the author use the word ‘revolting’?
Answer:
The thought that his grandmother had once been young, pretty and even had a husband, was almost revolting to the author. It was revolting because since the time he remembered seeing her, she had been old and wrinkled. Therefore he could not picturize her as a young girl playing games.

Question 2.
How did the grandmother help the author as a boy during his school days?
Answer:
Kushwant Singh’s grandmother used to wake him up in the morning and get him ready for school. She would fetch his wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with yellow chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and a red pen, tie them all in a bundle and hand it to him. She would then accompany him to the school.

Question 3.
Describe the relation between (animals/birds) – dogs and sparrows and the grandmother.
Answer:
In the village, every day the grandmother used to carry with her some stale chapatis while taking the author to school. On their way back home, they used to break these chapathis and feed the stray dogs who used to follow them till their home.

After moving to the city, since the grandmother could not go out, she uses to feed sparrows in the courtyard in the afternoon. She would sit in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits and hundreds of birds used to collect around her chirping and some used to sit on her legs.

But she never used to shoo them away. From these, we come to know that she had a great affinity towards animals and birds and wanted to care for them by feeding them.

Question 4.
Describe the three stages of the relationship between the author and his grandmother (before he went abroad).
Answer:
When the author lived in the village with his grandmother, she took complete care of him. She bathed him, fed him and took him to school and told him about god. When the author’s parents took them to city, he was sent to an English school. He spoke about English, Science etc. which were new to her. She felt bad that scriptures were not taught. So their conversations got reduced.

When the author went to the university, he had a room for himself and the common link of friendship was snapped. His grandmother rarely spoke to anyone, all the time spinning at the wheel and chanting prayers.

Question 5.
Grandmother and prayer were inseparable. Find instances from the lesson to justify this observation.
Answer:

While the author was living with his grandmother, she used to wake him and get him ready for the school. She used to keep chanting the prayer while bathing and dressing him.
In the city when the author went to university, his grandmother stopped talking to people and spent her entire day at the wheel spinning and chanting prayer.
When author had to go abroad for higher studies, she went to the station to see him off. She hugged him and kissed him goodbye all the while, chanting prayer.
When the author returned from abroad after his studies, she was the station to receive him. Again she embraced him while chanting a prayer. These instances reveal that grandmother and prayer were inseperatable.

Question 6.
‘She thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum’. Has the description of the drum anything to do with the grandmother? Explain.
Answer:
The grandmother had become extremely old and her skin was completely wrinkled and sagging. The drum she took to play was also very old. The phrase “sagging skins” describes the age of both the grandmother as well as the drum.

Question 7.
Did the grandmother predict her death? How?
Answer:
Yes, she predicted her death. As she fell ill, she thought differently. She told the family members that her end was near. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads.

Question 8.
How did the sparrows react with her earlier in her life and later after her death?
Answer:
After settling in the city, the grandmother took to feeding the sparrows in the afternoon in the courtyard. She used to break bread into small crumbs and hundreds of sparrows used to crowd around her pecking the food, making nose. Sometimes they used to even perch on her legs, but she never used to shoo them away.

Where grandmother passed away, hundreds of sparrows flew and sat in the courtyard and verandah silently. Author’s mother got same bread, broke them into small crumbs and threw them for the spanous but not even one sparrow pecked a the food. They sat quietly and when the grandmother’s body was taken away for ‘ funeral, all the sparrows flew away leaving the bread crumbs untouched.

Question 9.
What picture of the grandmother do you get from a reading of the lesson?
Answer:
The lesson begins with the picture of the grandmother as a wrinkled old woman with an old bent body. However, her physical description is a contrast to her spirit. On her face, there is a serene, calm look – with love for not only mankind but also for animals and birds. She was a pious person and this must have given her strength to face her death with quiet dignity. The way she faced her death amidst music is an indicator of the satisfied and content life that would have been her lifestyle.

Language activities:

Vocabulary

V1. Match the usage of the word ‘tell’ with its meaning as used in the lesson. The use of the word ‘tell’:

Answer:
1 – d, 2 – c, 3 – b, 4 – a

Grammar and Usage:

G1. A. Fill in the blanks with the past perfect form of the verbs given in the brackets:

I had failed (fail) to catch the train on that fateful day. If 1 had come (come) five minutes earlier I had told (tell) myself, that I would never be late again.

Pick out five more sentences from the lesson having the verbs in past perfect form:

She had been old and wrinkled for the twenty years that 1 had known her.
She had always been short and fat and slightly bent.
She still had no time for words …………….
We had to persuade her to stop to avoid overstraining.
That was the first time since I had known her that she did not pray.

B. Fill in the blanks using the past perfect form of the verbs given in brackets:

When I reached the station, the train had left (leave) already.
By the time the teacher entered the class, the students had stopped (stop) talking.
I would have failed, if I had not worked (work) hard.
If I had walked (walk) fast, I would have won the race.

G2 Prepositions:

Ex. 1. Here is a page from Renu’s diary. It talks about what Renu did in a week in August 2016. Read carefully and complete the following:
eg. Renu went to a movie on Saturday evening.

She telephoned Reerna on Thursday.
She was not doing anything special on Monday.
She had to press her clothes on Sunday.
She went to the library’ on Wednesday in the evening
She went to the music class on Tuesday at 5.30 pm.

Ex. 2.

Where are the people in the picture? Complete the sentence.
The first one is done for you.
Eg. Chandru is standing behind Farooq

Farooq is sitting in front of Esha.
Esha is sitting between Devi and Farooq.
Devi is sitting next to Esha.
Farooq is sitting before Chandru.
Esha is sitting before Bharna.
Arun is standing behind Devi.
Bhama is standing in the middle of Arun and Chandru.

Ex. 3. Mr. Peter asks you how to go to the park from the church. Now direct him using the picture clues. Write the sentences in the blanks given.

Now, rewrite the above framed sentences using bubbles as given here.

Go past the church
Go under the bridge
Go over the hill.
Go down the steps.
Go along this street.
Go across the hotel.
Go over the flyover.
Get into the park.

Ex. 4. Read the information and complete the sentences:

(Sandeep/Tumakuru/2000-2007) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru from 2000-2007.
(Sandeep/Tumakuru/2007) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru until 2007.
Sandeep/Bengaluru/2007-) Sandeep has lived in Bengaluru since 2007.

Ex. 5. Now fill in the blanks using ‘until \ since \ for’:

Eg. My Uncle and aunty have been married since 1985.

I was tired this morning. I stayed in bed until 10 o’clock.
We waited for Usha for half an hour, but she did not come.
“Have you just arrived? No, I have been here since half-past seven.
“How long did you stay in the office Yesterday?” ” Until 8 P.M.”
Don’t open the door of the train until the train stops.
This is my house. I have lived here since I was seven years old.
Sumana has gone away. She will be away until Wednesday.
Next week, I am going to Delhi for three days.
I usually finish work by 5.30, but sometimes 1 work until six.
“How long have you known Harshitha ?” “Since we were at school together.”
Shwetha and I are good friends. We have known each other for ten years.
“I am tired. I am going to lie down for a few minutes.”

G3. Frame questions to get the underlined words as answers:

Question 1.
We have our annual exams during the summer.
Answer:
When do you have your annual exams?

Question 2.
Mr. Rao and his family went to Andamans during vacation.
Answer:
Where did Mr. Rao and his family go during vacation?

Question 3.
Sorry, I am late because of heavy traffic.
Answer:
Why are you late?

Question 4.
My friend walks to school.
Answer:
How does your friend go to school?

Question 5.
Sheetal had toasted bread for breakfast
Answer:
What did Sheetal have for breakfast?

Question 6.
The Indian Ambassador visited the Western countries.
Answer:
Who visited the Western countries?

Question 7.
This is the school’s property.
Answer:
What is this? Whose property is this [Note: If the property is not underlined]

Question 8.
The doctor talked to the patient yesterday.
Answer:
Whom did the doctor talk to yesterday?

Question 9.
Masala dosa is my favourite dish.
Answer:
What is your favourite dish?

Question 10.
The red – colour bag is mine.
Answer:
Which bag is yours?

2. Answer these with Yes /No:

Now answer these questions with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’:

Question 1.
Do you like mangoes?
Answer:
Yes, I do.

Question 2.
Has the doctor arrived?
Answer:
No, he hasn’t.

Question 3.
Is the train running on time?
Answer:
Yes, it is.

Question 4.
Can Rani swim?
Answer:
No. she can’t.

Question 5.
Will your mother accompany us?
Answer:
Yes, she will.

Question – tags :

Now add the question tags to these statements:

Question 1.
It is a beautiful day.
Answer:
isn’t it?

Question 2.
You have been to Paris.
Answer:
haven’t you?

Question 3.
The film wasn’t very good.
Answer:
was it?

Question 4.
Anu lives near your house.
Answer:
doesn’t she?

Question 5.
You don’t know French.
Answer:
do you?

Question 6.
The policeman directs the traffic.
Answer:
doesn’t he?

Question 7.
Some species are getting extinct on earth, day by day.
Answer:
aren’t they?

Question 8.
He has a Benz car.
Answer:
hasn’t he?

Question 9.
We should not tell lies.
Answer:
should we?

Question 10.
Indians love peace.
Answer:
don’t they?

The Portrait of a Lady Additional Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Describe the author’s grandfather as he looked in the portrait?
Answer:
The author’s grandfather wore a big turban and loose-fitting clothes. His long white beard covered the best part of his chest and he looked at least a hundred years old.

Question 2.
What was hard for the author to believe?
Answer:
It was very hard for the author to believe that his grandparents were once young. He could not believe that his grandmother had been young, pretty and even had a husband. His grandfather looked as if he could only have had lots and lots of grandchildren but not a wife or children.

Question 3.
Why did the grandmother take to feeding sparrows?
Answer:
As there were no dogs in the streets in the city, the grandmother took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of their city house.

Question 4.
How did the grandmother spend her day after the author went up to university?
Answer:
The author’s grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation. She rarely left her spinning wheel to talk to anyone. From sunrise to sunset, she sat by her wheel spinning and reciting prayers. In the afternoons she relaxed for a while, to feed the sparrows.

Question 5.
How did the grandmother see off the author when he went abroad for further studies?
Answer:
The grandmother did not become sentimental at this prospect, but went to the station to see him off. She did not talk or show any emotion, her lips kept moving in prayer, her fingers kept telling the beads and silently she kissed his forehead and bid him farewell.

Question 6.
How did the grandmother receive the author upon his return?
Answer:
Grandmother did not utter any word, but clasped him in her arms when he returned.

Question 7.
What did the grandmother do in the evening of the author’s return?
Answer:
That evening, instead of her usual prayer, she collected the women of neighbourhood, got an old drum and started to sing for several hours of the song of the homecoming of the warrior.

Question 8.
How did the grandmother pass away?
Answer:
The grandmother lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads and very quietly. Her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. A peaceful pallor spread on her face and she was no more.

Question 9.
What sight met the author’s family outside?
Answer:
All over the verandah and in her room right up to where the grandmother’s body lay, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor silently without chirruping.

Question 10.
What did the author’s mother do?
Answer:
The author’s mother fetched some bread, broke it into little crumbs and threw for the birds. But the sparrows took no notice of the bread.

The Portrait of a Lady Summary in English

Since the time the writer’s memory holds, he had always remembered his grandmother as a very old woman with wrinkled skin, white hair and slight stoop. Though she used to describe her childhood ‘ and her youth, the writer in his childish innocence could never believe her to have been young at all.

When his parents went to set up their lives in city, the writer was left with his grandmother. She used to wake him up and bathe him, all the while chanting prayers. She used to accompany him to the school which was attached to the temple and while he studied, she used to sit and read scriptures in the temple. On their way back home, they used to throw pieces of stale chapattis to the stray dogs. After the parents settled down in the city, they took both the writer and his grandmother to city with them.

Though both shared a room, they didn’t have much to talk as he started attending an English medium school and the grandmother was not knowledgeable of modern education. She spent her day chanting prayers and telling the beads on the rosary. As she could not feed stray dogs, she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard.

The writer went abroad for five years, for higher studies. His grandmother went to the station to see him off. She didn’t speak but her lips kept on chanting prayer. The writer was doubtful of seeing her after five years, but to his utter delight she was there at the station to receive him again . silently, chanting prayer. That evening, assembling the women of neighbourhood, his grandmother had a musical evening. That was the only time he saw her not chanting prayer.

The next day, she fell sick and she took the rosary in her hand saying that she didn’t have much time to live and the remaining time she wished to spend chanting the name of the Lord. She peacefully passed away with a prayer on her lips and rosary in her hand. An unexpected sight met the onlookers.

Thousands of sparrows sat in the courtyard silently and though the writer’s mother threw food crumbs at them, they didn’t peck at tham at all. The moment, the grandmother’s body was taken away for funeral, all the sparrows flew away leaving the food crumbs uneaten and untouched!

Glossary:

Revolting: disgusting
hobbled: limped
stoop: hunched, bend scoldings
chorus: together
distressed: upset
scriptures: the holy books of any religion
veritable: impressive
bedlam: chaos, noisy,
rebukes: reprimands.
dilapidated condition: rundown, in bad
omitted: left out
pallor: pale