8. Reach for the Top - Part 1 - Santosh Yadav - Summary, Explanation & Q&A Solved - Beehive Class 9 NCERT English

Table of Content

1. Summary of Reach for the Top - Part 1 - Santosh Yadav
2. Thinking About the Text (Q&A)
3. 20 Multiple Choice Questions on 'Santosh Yadav'

Part 1 Santosh Yadav

Summary

The passage describes the inspiring journey of Santosh Yadav, the first woman in the world to scale Mount Everest twice. Born in a conservative society in Haryana where daughters were often not welcomed, Santosh defied traditional norms from a young age, choosing her own path in life. Determined to pursue education, she left home at sixteen when pressured to marry, enrolling herself in a school in Delhi despite her parents' initial resistance. Her passion for mountaineering began in college when she joined a group of climbers in the Aravalli Hills. With her strong will, physical endurance, and mental toughness, Santosh rapidly excelled in mountaineering, eventually becoming the youngest woman to climb Everest at the age of twenty. She displayed remarkable concern for her teammates during her expeditions, and her environmental consciousness was evident when she collected 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas. Her achievements earned her the Padmashri award and a unique place in the history of mountaineering.

 Thinking about the Text

I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each.

1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised? (1)
   The ‘holy man’ was surprised because Santosh's grandmother told him that they did not want a son, which was unusual in their society where sons were generally preferred.

2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. (2)
   Santosh wore shorts instead of the traditional Indian dresses worn by other girls, showing she was determined to live life on her own terms.

3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school? (3)
   Santosh was sent to the local school because it was the prevailing custom in her family, despite her parents being affluent enough to send her to a better school in New Delhi.

4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why? (4)
   Santosh left home for Delhi when she was sixteen because she wanted a proper education and refused to get married at an early age.

5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident? (4)
   Santosh’s parents agreed to pay for her schooling when she informed them that she would work part-time to fund her education. This incident highlights her determination and independence.

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II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
   Santosh began climbing mountains when she saw mountaineers from her hostel room and decided to join them. She was encouraged by their positive response and soon developed a passion for mountaineering.

2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her teammates?
   During the Everest expedition, Santosh tried to save a dying climber and shared her oxygen with another, Mohan Singh, showing her deep concern and selflessness towards her teammates.

3. What shows her concern for the environment?
   Santosh showed her concern for the environment by collecting and bringing down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas during her expeditions.

4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
   Santosh described her feelings at the summit as indescribable and spiritual. She felt immense pride as an Indian when she unfurled the Indian tricolour at the top of the world.

5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?
   Santosh set records by becoming the youngest woman to scale Everest at barely twenty and the first woman to climb it twice, securing a unique place in mountaineering history.

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III. Complete the following statements.

1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch villagers going up the Aravalli Hills and disappearing after a while.
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because she had enrolled in a mountaineering course at Uttarkashi without his permission.
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength while her concern for others endeared her to fellow climbers.

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IV. Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions. (Look in the paragraphs indicated.)

1. took to be true without proof (1): assumed
2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): rational
3. the usual way of doing things (3): custom
4. a strong desire arising from within (5): urge
5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): endurance

20 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) based on Part 1 'Reach for the Top'

1. What is Santosh Yadav known for?
   a) Being the first woman pilot in India
   b) Being the first woman to climb Mount Everest
   c) Being the first woman to climb Mount Everest twice
   d) Being the youngest woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
   Key: c

2. Where was Santosh Yadav born?
   a) New Delhi
   b) Rewari District, Haryana
   c) Jaipur, Rajasthan
   d) Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
   Key: b

3. What unusual wish did Santosh's grandmother express to the holy man?
   a) She wanted twins
   b) She wanted a daughter instead of a son
   c) She wanted wealth for her family
   d) She wanted a son with good health
   Key: b

4. How many brothers does Santosh Yadav have?
   a) Four
   b) Six
   c) Five
   d) Three
   Key: c

5. Why did Santosh choose to wear shorts instead of traditional dresses?
   a) To conform to societal norms
   b) Because it was comfortable for mountaineering
   c) To assert her independence and reject traditional norms
   d) Because her family forced her to
   Key: c

6. Why was Santosh initially sent to a local school?
   a) Her family couldn't afford better schools
   b) It was the custom in her family
   c) She didn't want to leave her village
   d) There were no other schools nearby
   Key: b

7. At what age did Santosh leave home to pursue her education in Delhi?
   a) Fifteen
   b) Eighteen
   c) Sixteen
   d) Seventeen
   Key: c

8. What did Santosh threaten to do if she was not allowed to pursue education?
   a) She would never marry
   b) She would run away from home
   c) She would climb Everest
   d) She would refuse to eat
   Key: a

9. How did Santosh fund her education when her parents refused to pay?
   a) She received a scholarship
   b) She worked part-time
   c) She borrowed money from friends
   d) She sold her belongings
   Key: b

10. What inspired Santosh to take up mountaineering?
    a) Watching a documentary on Everest
    b) Observing villagers climbing the Aravalli Hills
    c) Reading about mountaineering in a book
    d) Her father’s encouragement
    Key: b

11. Where did Santosh receive her mountaineering training?
    a) Himalaya Institute
    b) Aravalli Institute of Mountaineering
    c) Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi
    d) Mount Everest Base Camp
    Key: c

12. What was Santosh’s achievement at the age of twenty?
    a) Completing her education in Delhi
    b) Becoming the first woman to fly a plane
    c) Becoming the youngest woman to climb Mount Everest
    d) Leading a mountaineering expedition
    Key: c

13. During her Everest expedition, how did Santosh display her concern for her teammates?
    a) By cooking for them
    b) By sharing her oxygen with a fellow climber
    c) By carrying extra supplies
    d) By arranging for medical assistance
    Key: b

14. Which climber did Santosh save during her Everest expedition?
    a) Mohan Singh
    b) Tenzing Norgay
    c) Edmund Hillary
    d) Ang Dorjee
    Key: a

15. What did Santosh do to contribute to environmental conservation during her expeditions?
    a) Planted trees on the mountain slopes
    b) Built shelters for animals
    c) Collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage
    d) Organized clean-up drives in her village
    Key: c

16. What honor did the Indian government bestow upon Santosh Yadav for her achievements?
    a) Bharat Ratna
    b) Padma Shri
    c) Arjuna Award
    d) Param Vir Chakra
    Key: b

17. How did Santosh describe her feelings when she was at the summit of Mount Everest?
    a) Fearful
    b) Exhausted
    c) Indescribable and spiritual
    d) Lonely
    Key: c

18. What record did Santosh set with her second climb of Mount Everest?
    a) First woman to reach the summit without oxygen
    b) First woman to climb Everest twice
    c) First Indian woman to climb Everest
    d) Fastest climb of Everest by a woman
    Key: b

19. What motivated Santosh to challenge traditional customs and pursue her own path?
    a) The support of her family
    b) Her rational and determined nature
    c) Financial incentives
    d) Peer pressure
    Key: b

20. What does the name "Santosh" mean?
    a) Courage
    b) Contentment
    c) Ambition
    d) Strength
    Key: b

Unit 3 Against All Odds page by page solution - Workbook 6 - New Learning to Communicate

Page 29: Present Perfect Tense

A. Fill in the blanks in these short news items with the present perfect form of the verbs given in brackets.

1. M. Sreeshankar has jumped (jump) a massive 8.28m at a training camp for long jumpers.
2. Tejaswin Shankar has cleared (clear) a height of 2.29m in the high jump. He has been (be) a student of Kansas State University, USA.
3. Jinson Johnson has run (run) faster than any other Indian in the 1500m this year. He has performed (perform) creditably in the 800m too.

Page 30:

4. Neeraj Chopra has thrown (throw) the javelin further than any other Indian. He has beaten (beat) the best javelin throwers in Asia with ease.
5. Hima Das has clinched (clinch) the silver medal in the 400m at the 2018 Asian Games. She and Dutee Chand have emerged (emerge) as India’s best sprinters.

B. Use the correct adverb forms of the words given in brackets and complete these sentences.

1. Ravi has hurt his wrist so he is writing rather slowly (slow).
2. All our plans are going smoothly (smooth).
3. The NCC cadet marched smartly (smart) up to the dais and received the trophy.

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4. Sheela announced publicly (public) that she was resigning.
5. Test cricketers traditionally (tradition) wear white when they play.

Exercise C:

Complete the conversation with the correct words chosen from the box.

• C: Honestly, I found it difficult to sit through the performance! She danced so clumsily and carelessly.
• L: I don’t know how you can say that! I think she danced gracefully and rhythmically. I don’t think you really know Indian classical dance.

Exercise D:

Fill in the blanks in the sentences with appropriate pairs of adverbs from the box.

1. Meenakshi always expresses her opinions frankly and freely. She is not afraid of anyone.
   
   

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2. Shireen speaks English fluently and correctly. No wonder she won a prize in the elocution contest!
3. What a wonderful singer Rafi was! He sang so sweetly and melodiously.
4. Shikhar needs to improve his batting technique. At present he is batting rather awkwardly and stiffly.
5. Slowly and steadily, Nasreen has worked her way to the top of the organization.
6. On the eve of his retirement, the General thanked his colleagues graciously and profusely.
7. Because of the bomb scare, the meeting ended abruptly and dramatically.

Part E:

Comparison of adverbs:

1. A: How’s it going?
   B: Pretty good.

Page 33:

Continuation from Page 32:

Fill in the blanks:

3. She has lost her job. Even worse, she has lost her house too.
4. A: Want a cup of tea?
   B: There's nothing I'd like more!
5. With her eyesight failing, my grandmother reads less now than she used to.
6. Now that we are friends, we should meet more often.
7. He read the letter more carefully the second time to make sure he hadn’t missed any details.
8. Stop worrying, we’ll be there in less time than no time.
9. The rooms in the hotel were awful, and the food was worse than anything we had ever had.
10. You’ll like her when you get to know her better.

Words in Action:

Choose the correct word:

1. If you were an orthopaedic specialist, you would be interested in bones (teeth/bones/eyes).
2. If you were an ophthalmologist, you would be interested in eyes (teeth/bones/eyes).

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A. Fill in the Blanks

3. If you were a psychiatrist, you would be interested in the mind.
4. If you were a dermatologist, you would be interested in the skin.
5. If you were a cardiologist, you would be interested in the heart.

B. Use -er or -or to Complete the Words

1. solicitor
2. supervisor
3. engineer
4. sailor
5. actor
6. miner
7. councillor
8. producer

C. Match the Expressions with the Settings

1. "Can I help you, madam?" — in a shop
2. "Please take a seat." — in an office
3. "How long have you had this lump?" — in a doctor’s clinic
4. "Stop talking!" — in a classroom
5. "Objection, Your Honour." — in a court of law
6. "The salt, please, son." — at home
7. "What would you like to have, sir?" — in a restaurant

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D-004 Wellkin Park
Begumpet
Hyderabad-500016

10 December 2024

Dear Parthiban,

Thank you so much for inviting me to the hockey match! I would love to come with you next Saturday. It sounds like a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to it.

See you then!

With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Abhishek

Text (Page 36 and 37):

There was once a wise king called Shantanu. He ruled over the kingdom of Hastinapura. The people of Hastinapura loved and respected him. They were truly happy when he made his only son, Devavrata, heir to the throne. They were happy because Devavrata was the best person to take over from Shantanu. Schooled in warfare and horseback riding, Devavrata had all the qualities to succeed to the throne.

However, a little later, Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, the daughter of a poor fisherman, and wanted to marry her. But the fisherman would not approve of the marriage unless Shantanu promised that Satyavati's sons alone, and not prince Devavrata, would succeed him as king. Shantanu, though, was not prepared to make the promise the fisherman wanted. Since he could not forget Satyavati, he became sad and lonely and shut himself in his palace.

Devavrata soon found out why his father was troubled. He went to the fisherman and begged him to give Satyavati in marriage to his father. But the fisherman turned down his request. Devavrata then promised the fisherman that he would never marry and that Satyavati's sons alone would rule Hastinapura after Shantanu's death. At that moment, a chorus of voices from heaven cried out ‘Bhishma!’ in appreciation of Devavrata's great promise. Since that day, Devavrata was known as Bhishma, or ‘the one who makes and keeps a great promise’.

Comprehension Questions (Page 37 and 38):

1. Now answer these questions:

• a. Why were the people of Hastinapura happy when Shantanu made Devavrata his heir?
  
  The people of Hastinapura were happy when Shantanu made Devavrata his heir because Devavrata was the best person to take over as king. He was skilled in warfare and horseback riding and had all the qualities to be a great ruler.
  
  
• b. Why was the fisherman not willing to let Shantanu marry his daughter?
  
  The fisherman was not willing to let Shantanu marry his daughter because he wanted Satyavati's sons to become kings, not Devavrata.
  
  
• c. What happened to Shantanu when he realized that he could not marry Satyavati?
  
  When Shantanu realized that he could not marry Satyavati, he became sad and lonely and shut himself in his palace.
  
  
• d. How did Devavrata persuade the fisherman to let his daughter marry Shantanu?
  
  Devavrata persuaded the fisherman by promising that he would never marry and that only Satyavati's sons would rule Hastinapura after Shantanu.
  
  
• e. What does ‘Bhishma’ mean?
  
   ‘Bhishma’ means ‘the one who makes and keeps a great promise’.
  
  
2. Put the following eighteen words into six groups, according to their meanings. The first group has been made for you.
   
    palace, knowledge, power, institute, altar, horseback, school, battlefield, science, laboratory, warfare, worship, church, courtroom, classroom, justice, court, throne

ANSWER:

a. school, classroom, knowledge

b. palace, throne, power

c. church, alter, worship

d. battlefield, horseback, warfare

e. institute, laboratory, science

f. court, courtroom, justice