The Snake and The mirror Questions and Answers Class 9

Get comprehensive NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 – The Snake and The Mirror. This set of meticulously crafted answers helps students grasp the essence of the story, providing clear explanations and interpretations. Explore the protagonist’s struggle with his distorted self-image and the transformative encounter with a snake in front of a mirror. The solutions elucidate important themes and literary devices, aiding in a deeper understanding of the text. With these well-structured responses, Class 9 students can excel in their English exams while developing analytical skills and appreciation for literature.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 The Snake and The mirror Questions and Answers

Answer the following questions:

I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30 – 40 words).

Q1. “The sound was a familiar one”. What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was how many times did he have it? (Find the places in the text). When and Why did the sounds stop?

Ans: When the doctor came inside his house, he opened all the window doors because there was no electricity inside his house and he also lit a candle. 

After that, he then went to sit in the chair and started reading his medical books and at the same time he did not hear any familiar sound but he did not give any reaction then after a while again, when he heard that voice, he was examined  Check, he came to know that it is the sound of a mouse. 

There were a lot of rats in his house and he was hearing the sound of crying again and again, so I was thinking that I was a familiar voice.  When a snake fell on the ground from the top down, the sound of all the mice stopped.

Q2. What two ‘important’ and ‘Earthshaking’ decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror?

Ans: The doctor takes to a decision while he was looking in the mirror that decides to shave daily and grow the most on his face to look are handsome and a gentleman.

Q3. ” I looked into the mirror and smiled,” says the doctor.  A little later is saying, I forget my danger and smiled at myself.” What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when :

(I) he first Smiles and
(II) he Smiles again?
In what way do his thoughts change in between and why?

Ans: (I)  while looking into the mirror the doctor decided was admiring his attractive smile.

(II)  when he was again smiling because the Hood was spread out and its head was hardly 3 or 4 inches from my face!  suppose it struck,  when he thought that what type of medicine is used when the snake is biting me he thought the medicine present in his room.

he was but a poor foolish and stupid doctor I forget my danger and feebly smile at myself.

II.  This story is about a frightening incident in the narrator in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrast in present between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below).

Q1. (I) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
(II) The kind of person he wanted to be (appearance, ambition)

Ans: (I) Possessions
(II) Ambition

Q2. (I)  the person he wants to marry
(II)  the person he actually marries

Ans: (i) he would marry a fat woman because when he does some mistake the wife Runs to beat him then he does not catch his.

(II)  he got married his wife turned out to be very thin and a fast runner.

Q3. (I) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror

(ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm

Ans: (I) He thinks that he should look smart. So he decides to shave daily and retain his smile.

(ii) When the snake coiled around his left arm above the elbow, he was afraid of the snake. he kept sitting there holding his breath.

Thinking about language

Q1. Here are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tells you, that the author:

(a) was afraid of the snake,

(b) was proud of his appearance,

(c) had a sense of humour,

(d) was no longer afraid of the snake.

1. I was turned to stone.
2. I was no mere image cut in granite.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, ‘O God’.
5. I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry out.
6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
8. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!
9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness … ! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.
10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead.

Ans:

• The sentences (1), (3), (4), and (5) tell that the author (a) was afraid of the snake.
• The sentences (6) and (8) tell that he (b) was proud of his appearance.
• The sentences (9) and (10) tell that (c) he had a sense of humour.
• The sentences (2) and (7) tell that (d) he was no longer afraid of the snake.

Q2. Expressions used to show fear:

Can you find the expressions in the story that tells you that the author was frightened? Read the story and complete the following sentences.

1. I was turned ……………….
2. I sat there holding ……………….
3. In the light of the lamp, I sat there like ……………….

Ans:

1. I was turned to stone.
2. I sat there holding my breath.
3. In the light of the lamp, I sat there like a stone image in the flesh.

Q3. In the sentences given below some words and expressions are italicised. They variously mean that one:

1. is very frightened.
2. is too scared to move.
3. is frightened by something that happens suddenly.
4. makes another feel frightened.

Match the meanings with the words/ expressions in italics, and write the appropriate meaning next to the sentence. The first one has been done for you.

1. I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits,
2. I got a fright when I realised how close I was to the cliff edge.
3. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him.
4. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that.
5. Wait until I tell his story—it will make your hair stand on end.
6. Paralysed with fear, the boy faced his abductors.
7. The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle.

Ans:

1. I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits, (is very frightened)
2. I got a fright when I realized how close I was to the cliff edge, (is too scared to move).
3. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him. (is frightened by something that happens suddenly)
4. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that, (made someone feel frightened)
5. Wait until I tell his story—it will make your hair stand on end. (is very frightened)
6. Paralysed with fear, the boy faced his abductors, (is too scared to move)
7. The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle, (is too scared to move)

Q4. Report these questions, using if/whether or why/when/where/how/which/what. Remember the italicised verbs change into the past tense.

1. Meena asked her friend, “Do you think your teacher will come today?”
2. David asked his colleague, “Where will you go this summer?”
3. He asked the little boy, “Why are you studying English?”
4. She asked me, “When are we going to leave?”
5. Pran asked me, “Have you finished reading the newspaper?”
6. Seema asked her, “How long have you lived here?”
7. Sheila asked the children, “Are you ready to do the work?”

Ans:

1. Meena asked her friend if he/she thought his/her teacher would come that day.
2. David asked his colleague where he would go that summer.
3. He asked the little boy why he was studying English.
4. She asked me when they were going to leave.
5. Pran asked me if I had finished reading the newspaper.
6. Seema asked her how long she had lived there.
7. Sheila asked the children if they were ready to do the work.

Speaking

Q1. Using some of the expressions given above in exercise III, talk about an incident when you were very scared. You may have a competition to decide whose story was the most frightening.
Answer:
For self-attempt.

Dictation

The following paragraph is about the Indian Cobra. Read it twice and close your book. Your teacher will then dictate the paragraph to you. Write it down with appropriate punctuation marks.

The Indian cobra is the common name for members of the family of venomous snakes, known for their intimidating looks and deadly bite. Cobras are recognized by the heads that they flare when angry or disturbed; the heads are created by the extension of the ribs behind the cobras’ heads. Obviously the best prevention is to avoid getting bitten. This is facilitated by the fact that humans are not the natural prey of any venomous snake. We are a bit large for them to swallow whole and they have no means of chopping us up into bite-size pieces. Nearly all snakebites in humans are the result of a snake defending itself when it feels threatened. In general snakes are shy and will simply leave if you give them a chance.

Writing

Q1. Try to rewrite the story without its humour, merely as a frightening incident. What details or parts of the story would you leave out?
Answer:
Do yourself.

Q2. Read the description given alongside this sketch from a photograph in a newspaper (Times of India, 4 September 1999). Make up a story about what the monkey is thinking, or why it is looking into a mirror. Write a paragraph about it.

The fairest of them all

A monkey preens itself using a piece of mirror, in the Delhi ridge.

(‘To preen oneself ’ means to spend a lot of time making oneself look attractive, and then admiring one’s appearance. The word is used in disapproval.)

Answer:

In the heart of the Delhi ridge, amidst the lush greenery, a curious monkey found itself captivated by a seemingly ordinary piece of glass. As it held the mirror up to its face, the world transformed before its eyes. The monkey, unaware of its reflection, was entranced by the radiant being staring back at it. Mesmerized, it began to mimic the actions of this newfound companion. Delicately, it groomed its fur, stroking every strand with tender care. Each gentle touch instilled a sense of contentment within the primate, and as it continued to preen itself, a feeling of admiration took hold.

In that brief moment, the monkey felt a connection beyond the ordinary. The mirror had granted it a glimpse of an image it had never encountered before—a creature so pristine and striking. The forest around it seemed to fade away as the monkey’s focus remained solely on its mirrored self. The world had melted into a dreamlike haze, leaving the monkey with only one thought: “Am I truly the fairest of them all?”

In a moment of innocence and self-discovery, the monkey had unintentionally stumbled upon a sense of vanity. In the eyes of those who observed, this act of self-indulgence may have been disapproved of, but in the monkey’s mind, it was a transformative experience. From that day forward, the monkey would occasionally visit the mirror in the Delhi ridge, not out of vanity but to explore the deep reservoirs of its own being. It had found a reflection of itself that was beyond the surface— a reflection of its soul, of its essence. And in the simple act of preening and admiring its appearance, the monkey had discovered a profound connection to its own identity.

Translation

The text you read is a translation of a story by a well-known Malayalam writer, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.

In translating a story from one language to another, a translator must keep the content intact. However, the language and the style differ in different translations of the same text.

Here are two translations of the opening paragraphs of a novel by the Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami. Read them and answer the questions given below :

Compare the two translations on the basis of the following points :

• the tense of narration (past and present tense)
• short, incomplete sentences
• sentence length

Which of these translations do you like? Give reasons for your choice.

Answer:

Comparison of the two translations:

1.Tense of narration:

• Translation A: The narration is in the past tense. The events and actions are described as if they have already happened.
• Translation B: The narration is in the present tense. The events and actions are described as if they are happening in the moment.

2. Short, incomplete sentences:

• Translation A: Contains more short, incomplete sentences, giving the text a brisk and choppy feel.
• Translation B: Also includes short, incomplete sentences, but fewer in comparison to Translation A.

3. Sentence length:

• Translation A: The sentences tend to be shorter and more fragmented, contributing to a sense of rapid movement and urgency in the narrative.
• Translation B: The sentences are slightly longer on average, creating a smoother and more flowing reading experience.

Personal preference:
My personal preference would depend on the context in which the translations are used. Both translations have their merits:

• Translation A appears to maintain the original past tense of the narration, which might better resonate with readers who are accustomed to the traditional storytelling style and the notion of looking back on events that have already occurred. The short and fragmented sentences add a sense of excitement and immediacy to the passage, possibly making it suitable for fast-paced scenes or moments of tension.
• Translation B, with its present tense narration, creates a sense of immediacy and directness, making readers feel as though they are experiencing the events alongside the protagonist in real-time. The smoother flow of sentences may appeal to readers who prefer a more continuous and immersive reading experience.

Ultimately, the choice between the two translations depends on the context, the tone, and the specific effect the translator aims to achieve. Both versions have their own unique qualities that can enhance the reading experience in different ways.

FAQs on NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5: The Snake and The Mirror Questions and Answers

1. What is the significance of the title “The Snake and The Mirror” in the chapter?
   The title “The Snake and The Mirror” encapsulates the central themes of the chapter. It refers to the incident where the protagonist, the doctor, encounters a snake while he is trying to focus on his appearance in the mirror. The snake serves as a symbol of danger and fear, while the mirror represents self-reflection and self-awareness. The juxtaposition of these two elements reflects the human tendency to confront one’s fears and insecurities when faced with their own reflections. The title highlights the deeper philosophical aspects of the story, prompting readers to explore themes of introspection, fear, and self-discovery.
2. What are the main themes explored in Chapter 5 of NCERT Class 9 English Beehive?
   In Chapter 5, “The Snake and The Mirror,” several themes are explored. One of the primary themes is the concept of self-awareness and introspection. The doctor’s encounter with the snake in front of the mirror leads him to reflect on his own fears and vulnerabilities. The theme of fear is also prominent, as the doctor’s initial fear of the snake transforms into self-realization and courage. Additionally, the story delves into the idea of one’s self-image and how external situations can impact an individual’s perception of themselves. The narrative encourages readers to contemplate the intricacies of human emotions and the significance of confronting one’s fears.
3. How do the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 help students understand the story better?
   The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 provide comprehensive explanations and answers to the questions posed in the chapter. These solutions aid students in gaining a deeper understanding of the story’s plot, characters, and underlying themes. By providing step-by-step explanations, paraphrasing, and analysis, the solutions enable students to grasp the nuances of the text effectively. Moreover, the solutions offer language and literary insights, helping students improve their language skills and appreciate the literary devices used in the story. Overall, the NCERT Solutions act as a valuable resource to enhance students’ comprehension and interpretation of “The Snake and The Mirror.”

FAQ : NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 The Snake and The mirror

FAQ 1: What are NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 – The Snake and The Mirror?

Answer: NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 – The Snake and The Mirror are a comprehensive set of answers and explanations for the questions related to the chapter. These solutions are designed to help students understand the story’s nuances, themes, and literary devices. They provide step-by-step explanations and interpretations of the text, enabling students to improve their comprehension and analytical skills.

FAQ 2: How can NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 benefit students?

Answer: NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 offer several benefits to students. They serve as a valuable resource for exam preparation, as these well-structured answers help in scoring better marks. Moreover, the solutions encourage critical thinking and enhance students’ understanding of the story’s moral and literary aspects. By studying these solutions, students can build their vocabulary, improve their writing skills, and appreciate the beauty of English literature.

FAQ 3: Are NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 available for free?

Answer: Yes, NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 – The Snake and The Mirror are often available for free on various educational websites and platforms. Many reputable online portals and educational apps provide these solutions at no cost, making them easily accessible to all students. Additionally, schools and teachers might also provide printed or digital copies of these solutions to assist students in their studies and preparation for exams.

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