Reach for the top -Extra Questions and Notes

Part-I

Reach for the top

-Extra Questions and Notes

INTRODUCTION

`Reach for The Top’ topic has been bifurcated in two part. Each part of the topic contains a heroic story of two young girls. The heroine in the first part is a young Mountaineer Santosh Yadav and the heroine of the second part is Maria Sharapova a tennis sensation of the world. Santosh Yadav was born in a small village of Haryana state. She belonged to an agriculturist family. Her family was of the opinion of traditional values and they were patient to keep their prevailing customs but she rose to the highest glory by her hard efforts. In the same way, Maria Sharapova rises to the top of the tennis world by her hard efforts. She became the world’s number one tennis sensation and now becomes the most glamorous sensation of the modern world.

(‘Reach for The Top’ विषय दो भागों में विभाजित किया गया है । विषय का प्रत्येक भाग दो युवा लड़कियों की बहादुरी की कहानी से संबंधित है । पहले भाग में नायिका एक युवा पर्वतारोही संतोष यादव है और दूसरे भाग की नायिका दुनिया की टैनिस हस्ती मारिया शरापोवा है । संतोष यादव का जन्म हरियाणा राज्य के एक छोटे से गांव में हुआ । वह एक किसान परिवार से संबंधित थी । उसका परिवार परम्परागत मूल्यों का विचारक पात्र था और वे अपने वर्तमान रीति-रिवाजों के प्रति दृढ़ थे , परंतु उसने अपनी सख्त कोशिशों के कारण उच्चतम प्रतिष्ठा की ऊँचाईयों को छुआ । इसी तरह, मारिया शरापोवा ने भी अपनी सख्त कोशिशों से टेनिस की दुनिया में नाम ऊँचा किया । वह दुनिया की नंबर एक की टैनिस हस्ती बनी और अब आधुनिक संसार की आकर्षक हस्ती बनी ।)

CHARACTERS

Santosh Yadav

Santosh Yadav has been portrayed as a firm-willed, decisive, courageous, adventurous girl endowed with a rational mind and physical and mental toughness. Born in a small village of Haryana, Santosh Yadav had an independent temperament right from the beginning and wished to live life on her own terms. She knew full well that her conservative family would pressurize her to adhere to the traditional way of life. But at the same time she was aware that if she chose a correct and a rational path, she would be able to change others and win their support.

Santosh Yadav had the courage to oppose what she considered to be wrong. When her parents insisted that she should get married on turning sixteen, she put her foot down and made it clear that her first priority was getting educated. Determined as she was, she got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. When the parents threatened that they would not pay her school fees, she told them that she would work part-time to pay for her education. Her parents had to finally relent before her determination. Later on, her iron will, physical endurance and mental toughness helped her to first join Maharani College Jaipur and then Nehru Institute of Mountaineering at Uttarkashi. Her hard work and determination, mental strength and physical fitness equipped her for undertaking the dangerous journey to reach Mt. Everest, the ‘top of the world’ successfully, not once, but twice.

Santosh Yadav’s humanitarian attitude and team-spirit came to the fore during her expedition when she helped her fellow climbers. Her concern for the environment was evident when she brought down as much as 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.

All these qualities and amazing achievements helped Santosh earn one of the nation’s top awards, Padmashri. She is a motivation for young men and women in the world.

Santosh Yadav’s Parents

Santosh Yadav’s parents were affluent but orthodox, conservative landlords. They liked to live according to the prevailing customs in the family. However, whenever they tried to make Santosh toe the line set by traditions and the girl offered resistance, they yielded because they loved her from the core of their hearts, and knew that she had chosen a correct and a rational path. Thus, Santosh kept on getting support from her parents, which in the long run helped her reach the zenith of glory.

THEME

“Reach for the Top” is based on the theme that success comes to those who dare and do. This theme runs throughout the account of Santosh Yadav’s education, training and success as a woman mountaineer in a country where discrimination against women is rampant. Santosh defied all odds, customs, traditions and prejudices to script her phenomenal success through hard work, persistent effort, focus on the goal and mental and physical toughness. Santosh has really reached the highest top that a woman mountaineer could reach, not just once but twice. She is a wonderful role-model to emulate.

TITLE

The title “Reach for the Top” is an appropriate title for the biographical feature on Santosh Yadav, both literally and metaphorically.

means the mountaintop, especially of Mt. The ‘top’ here not only Everest but also the pinnacle of glory. Santosh reached both the tops with Elan, thanks to her sterling qualities of body and mind, and thanks also to the training and support she received.

“Reach for the Top” as an imperative phrase gives a call to the readers to do their best and strive to achieve excellence and glory in their own area of interest through hard work, persistent efforts, the constancy of purpose, strong will and meticulous planning.

MESSAGE

“Reach for the Top” conveys the message that one must set one’s eyes on the stars and strive hard to achieve the goal through hard work, determination, and constant and persistent efforts. Instead of complaining against the ills in society, one can dare to change the systems and shape one’s own destiny. And once one has achieved great heights, one must shoulder the responsibility to achieve success and glory in their own areas of interest just like Santosh Yadav has done.

Summary:

Santosh Yadav was born in a traditional family. She had five brothers. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas in Haryana. The girl was given the name Santosh, which means contentment. But Santosh was not always content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.

Santosh’s parents were affluent landowners who could afford to send their children to the best schools, even to the country’s capital Delhi, which was quite close by. But, in line with the prevailing custom in the family, Santosh had to make do with the local village school. At the age of sixteen years, her parents wanted to marry her. She threatened her parents that she would never many if she did not get a proper education. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. When her parents refused to pay for her education. she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part-time to pay her school fees. Her Parents then agreed to pay for her education.

Santosh passed the high school examinations and went to Jaipur. She joined Maharani College widget a room in Kasturba Hostel. She developed a love for mountaineering while watching the Aravalli Hills’ She saved money and enrolled in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.

Thereafter, Santosh went on an expedition every year. Her climbing skills matured rapidly’. Also, she developed a remarkable resistance to cold and the altitude. Equipped with an iron will, Physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness, she proved herself repeatedly. The culmination of her hard work and sincerity came in 1992, just four years after she had shyly asked the Aravalli mountaineers if she could join them. At barely twenty years of age, Santosh Yadav conquered Mt. Everest, becoming the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat. If her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength impressed her seniors, her concern for others and desire to work together with them found her a special place in the hearts of fellow climbers.

During the 1992 Everest mission, Santosh Yadav provided special care to a climber who ‘lay dying at the South Col. She was unfortunately unsuccessful in saving him. However, she managed to save another climber, Mohan Singh, who would have met with the same fate had she not shared her oxygen with him. Within twelve months, Santosh found herself a member of an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition that invited her to join them. She then conquered the Everest a second time. –

She was given a Padmashri Award. She is also a fervent environmentalist, Santosh collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.

SUMMARY IN HINDI

संतोष यादव का जन्म एक परम्परागत परिवार में हुआ । उसके पॉच भाई थे । उसका जन्म हरियाणा के जौनियावास नामक छोटे से गांव में हुआ । लड़की का नाम संतोष रखा गया, जिसका अर्थ है सन्तुष्टि । लेकिन जीवन के परम्परागत ढंग से संतोष हमेशा संतुष्ट नहीं थी । उसने शुरु से ही अपनी इच्छा से जीवन जीने की ठान ली थी । जहाँ अन्य लड़कियों परम्परागत भारतीय पोशाक पहनती थी , वही संतोष निक्कर पसंद करती थी ।

संतोष के माता-पिता संपन्न भूमिपति थे जो अपने बच्चों को बढ़िया स्कूल में भेजने का भार वहन कर सकते थे, वे अपने बच्चों को देश की राजधानी दिल्ली में भी भेज सकते थे क्योंकि यह उनके बहुत निकट था । लेकिन, परम्परा का निर्वहन करते हुए जो रिवाज परिवार में प्रचलित था, तो संतोष को अपने गांव के स्थानीय स्कूल में ही पढ़ाई करनी पड़ी । 16 वर्ष की आयु में उसके माता-पिता उसका विवाह करना चाहते थे । उसने अपने माता-पिता को धमकी दे दी यदि उसने उचित पढ़ाई नहीं की तो वह कभी भी शादी नहीं करवाएगी । उसने घर छोड़ दिया और दिल्ली के एक स्कूल में अपना दाखिला करा लिया । जब उसके माता-पिता ने उसकी पढाई का खर्चा देने से मना कर दिया, तो उसने विनम्रतापूर्वक उन्हें बता दिया कि वह स्कूल समय के पश्चात नौकरी करके अपना खर्चा चला लेगी । तब उसके माता-पिता उसकी पढाई का खर्चा उठाने पर सहमत हो गए ।

संतोष ने हाई स्कूल की परीक्षा पास कर ली और वह जयपुर चली गई । उसने महारानी कॉलेज में दाखिला ले लिया तथा कस्तूरबा हाँस्टल में कमरा ले लिया । अरावली पर्वतों को निहारते हुए पर्वतारोहण के प्रति उसका प्यार उमड़ पड़ा । उसने धन की बचत की और उत्तरकाशी में स्थित ‘नेहरु पर्वतारोही संस्थान’ में प्रवेश किया ।

इसके पश्चात से, संतोष हर बर्ष पर्वतारोहण पर जाने लग गई । उसकी पर्वतों पर चढ़ने की निपुणताएँ तेजी से परिपक्व हो गई । इसके साथ ही उसमें दंड और ऊँचाई के प्रति कठोर प्रतिस्पर्धात्मक शक्ति का विकास हो गया । एक फौलादी इच्छा शक्ति, शारीरिक सहनशीलता और एक हैरान कर देने वाली मानसिक मजबूती, उसने इस सबका बार-बार प्रदर्शन किया । उसके द्वारा किए गए कठोर परिश्रम तथा लगन उसको 1992 में प्रसिद्धि के शिखर पर ले गए । जब उसने शरमाते हुए अरावली के पर्वतारोहियों से पूछा था कि क्या वे उसे अपने साथ शामिल कर सकते हैं । मुश्किल से 20 वर्ष की आयु में, संतोष यादव ने माऊंट एवरेस्ट की छोटी विजय प्राप्त कर ली और वह पूरी दुनिया की वह पर्वतारोही बन गई जिसने इतनी कम आयु में यह सफलता पा ती । यदि उसकी पर्वतों पर चढ़ने की प्रवीणता, शारीरिक योग्यता और मानसिक शक्ति ने उसके वरिष्ठ अफसरों को प्रसन्न किया बल्कि दूसरोंके प्रति उसकी और उनकें साथ मिलकर काम करने की इच्छा ने उसके साथ पर्वतारोहण कर रहे पर्वतारोहियों के मन में विशेष स्थान बना दिया ।

1992 के माऊंट एवरेस्ट मिशन के दौरान, संतोष यादव ने एक पर्वतारोही की जो दक्षिणी दर्रे पर पड़ा दम तोड़ रहा था कि विशेष देखभाल की उसका दुर्भाग्य रहा कि वह उसे बचा नहीं सकी । जबकि वह एक-दूसरे पर्वतारोही, मोहन सिंह, को बचाने में सफल रही जिसका कि पहले वाले पर्वतारोही के समान हश्र होता यदि वह अपना आक्सीजन उसके साथ न बांटती । 12 महीनों के अंतर्गत संतोष ने स्वयं को भारतीय नेपाल महिला पर्वतारोही दल के सदस्य के रुप में पाए,जिसने कि इसका सदस्य बनने के आमंत्रित किया था । तब उसने दूसरी बार माऊंट एवरेस्ट पर विजय प्राप्त की ।

उसने पदमश्री पुरस्कार को प्राप्त किया । वह एक सच्ची –पक्की पर्यावरणविद भी है । संतोष हिमालय के ऊपर से लगभग 500 किलोग्राम कूड़ा-कर्कट एकत्र करके नीचे लाई है ।

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

PASSAGE 1

The only woman in the world who has Scaled Mt Everest twice was born in a society where the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing, and a daughter, though not considered a curse, was not generally welcome. When her mother was expecting Santosh, a travelling ‘holy man’, giving her his blessing, assumed that she wanted a son. But, to everyone’s surprise, the unborn child’s grandmother, who was standing dose by, told him that they did not want a son. The ‘holy man’ was also surprised! Nevertheless, he gave the requested blessing… and as Destiny would have it, the blessing seemed to work. Santosh was born the sixth child in a family with five sons, a sister to five brothers. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas in Haryana.

Questions :

(i) Name the woman who had Scaled Mt Everest twice.

(ii) In what sort of society was she born?

(iii) What blessing did the holy man give?

(iv) How many brothers did Santosh have?

(v) Where was Santosh born?

Answers :

(i) Santosh Yaday.

(ii) She was born in a society where the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing.

(iii) The holy man gave the blessing of the birth of a boy.

(iv) She had five brothers.

(v) She was born at Joniyawas village in Haryana.

PASSAGE 2

Santosh’s parents were affluent landowners who could afford to send their children to the best schools, even to the country’s capital Delhi, which was quite close by. But, in line with the prevailing custom in the family, Santosh had to make do with the local village school. So, she decided to fight the system in her own quiet way when the right moment arrived. And the right moment came when she turned sixteen. At sixteen, most of the girls in her village used to get married. Santosh was also under pressure from her parents to do the same.

Questions :

(i) What was the profession of Santosh’s father?

(ii) Where did Santosh get his elementary education?

(iii) Why was she not sent to a good school?

(iv) When did the right time come for her fight with the system?

(v) What pressure did her parents put on Santosh?

Answers :

(i) Her father was an affluent farmer.

(ii) She got her elementary education in the local school in the village.

(iii) She was not sent to a good school following the tradition of the family.

(iv) That time came when she turned of sixteen.

(v) They put pressure on her to go for the marriage.

PASSAGE 3

A marriage as early as that was the last thing on her mind. She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Dell When her parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part-time to pay her school fees. Her parents then agreed to pay for her education.

Questions :

(i) How did Santosh consider a marriage?

(ii) What did she threaten to her parents?

(iii) Why did she leave home?

(iv) Why did her parents refuse to pay for her education in Delhi?

(v) What was Santosh’s plan to make arrangement for her fee?

Answers :

(i) She considered marriage the least important thing in her life.

(ii) She threatened her parents not to marry forever if she did not get a good education.

(iii) She left home to get an education in Delhi.

(iv) Her parents refused to pay for her education in Delhi because they did not want their daughter should live away from home.

(v) She planned to do para t time job to pay her school fee.

PASSAGE 4

Then there was no looking back for this determined young girl. She saved money and enrolled in a course at

Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. “My college semester in Jaipur was to end in April but it ended on the 19th of May. And I was supposed to be in Uttarkashi on the 21st. So, I did not go back home; instead, I headed straight for the training. I had to write a letter of apology to my father without whose permission I had got myself enrolled at Uttarkashi.”

Questions :

(i) Who is the girl mentioned in this passage?

(ii) Where did she enrol herself for mountaineering training?

(iii) Where was she studying in college?

(iv) Why did she write an apology letter to her father?

(v) In which state of India is Uttarkashi?

Answers :

(i) Santosh Yaday.

(ii) In Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.

(iii) She was studying in college in Jaipur.

(iv) She wrote an apology letter to her father because she had got herself enrolled in a mountaineering institute without his permission.

(v) Uttranchal State.

PASSAGE FOR PRACTICE

PASSAGE 5

Thereafter, Santosh went on an expedition every year. Her climbing skills matured rapidly. Also, she developed a remarkable resistance to cold and altitude. Equipped with an iron will, physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness, she proved herself repeatedly. The culmination of her hard work and sincerity came in 1992, just four years after she had shyly asked the Aravalli mountaineers if she could join them. At barely twenty years of age Santosh Yadav conquered Mt Everest, becoming the youngest woman in the world to achieve the feat. If her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength impressed her seniors, her concern for others and desire to work together with them found her a special place in the hearts of fellow climbers.

Questions :

(i) On what expedition did Santosh go every year?

(ii) When did she go on her first expedition to Mt Everest?

(iii) At what age did she conquer Mt Everest?

(iv) How did she impress his seniors?

(v) How did her fellow climbers treat her?

EXTRACTS

(I)

“From the very beginning I was quite determined that if I chose a correct and a rational path, the others around me had to change, not me.”

1. Who speaks these words?

Santosh Yadav, the great mountaineer from Haryana, speaks these words.

2. What was the speaker’s approach to making choices?

Santosh Yadav’s approach was to choose the correct and rational path.

3. How was the speaker able to change those around her?

Santosh Yadav was able to change those around her by making them yield to her firm decision which deviated from the traditional path but was based on logic and rationale.

4. What light do these words throw on the speaker?

These words show that right from her childhood, Santosh wished to change the system for the sake of the right cause rather than to submit to it.

(II)

So, she decided to fight the system in her own quiet way when the right moment arrived. And the right moment came when she turned sixteen.

1. Who is ‘she’ in this extract and which system did she decide to fight?

Here ‘she’ is Santosh Yadav, the celebrated Indian mountaineer who scaled Mount Everest twice. She decided to fight the system of old and stifling traditions which obstructed the progress of a person.

2. How and why did she decide to fight the system?

Santosh Yadav decided to fight the system in her quiet but firm way because she did not want to humiliate or insult those who supported the traditions that obstructed the path to progress.

3. What was ‘the right moment’? What did ‘she’ do at this moment?

The right moment was when she turned sixteen and was under pressure from her parents to get married like other girls in her village. Santosh Yadav did not wish to get married at such a young age, so she threatened her parents that she would never marry if she was denied proper education.

4. What did she do next?

The next thing Santosh Yadav did was to leave home and get herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.

(III)

When her parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part-time to pay her school fees.

1. Who does ‘she’ refer to?

She refers to Santosh Yadav, the famous mountain climber.

2. Why did her parents refuse to pay for her education?

Her parents refused to pay for her education because Santosh did not follow the family tradition of getting married early and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi against their wishes. They thought that their refusal to pay for her education would bring their daughter back home.

3. How did she react to her parents’ decision?

Santosh refused to give up her studies and told her parents that she would manage to pay her school expenses by working part-time.

4. Why did she inform her parents ‘politely’?

She talked to her parents politely but firmly because she loved them and did not intend to insult them. At the same time, she also knew that the path chosen by her was not irrational or incorrect.

(IV)

I had to write a letter of apology to my father without whose permission I had got myself enrolled at Uttarkashi.

1. Who is the speaker here? Why did she have to write a letter of apology to her father?

Santosh Yadav is the speaker here and she had to write a letter of apology to her father because she had got herself enrolled for a mountaineering course without seeking his permission. To top it, she did not have time to visit her parents as her course started immediately after her semester exams.

2. Where had she enrolled herself and why?

She had enrolled herself at the Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in order to get proper training to pursue her interest in mountain climbing.

3. Why didn’t she seek her father’s permission before getting enrolled?

Santosh knew that her father would not allow her to pursue a career in mountaineering, so she decided to let her parents know about it after having joined the institute.

4. What light does this extract reflect on the speaker’s character?

The extract shows that Santosh was adamant and determined to live life according to her choices. She did not mean to insult her parents in any way but at the same time did not wish to forego her dreams and ambition.

(V)

If her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength impressed her seniors, her concern for others and desire to work together with them found her a special place in the hearts of fellow climbers.

1. Whose qualities are being described here?

The qualities of Santosh Yadav, the great Indian mountaineer are being described here.

2. Why were her seniors impressed with her?

Her seniors were impressed with her because of her climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength.

3. What endeared her to her fellow climbers?

Her team-spirit and her concern for her fellow climbers endeared her to them.

4. Give an example of her concern for others.

Santosh Yadav tried her best to save the lives of two fellow climbers. She succeeded in saving the life of one, Mohan Singh, by sharing her oxygen with him.

Very Short Answer Type Important Questions

Additional Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is the special distinction of Santosh Yadav?

Ans. Santosh Yadav is the only woman in the world who has scaled Mt Everest twice.

2. Where was Santosh Yadav born?

Ans. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas of Rewari District in Haryana.

3. What does `Santosh’ mean?

Ans. Santosh means contentment.

4. What did Santosh tell her parents about marriage?

Ans. She told her parents that she would never many if did not get a proper education.

5. Why did Santosh leave home?

Ans. Santosh left home to get herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.

6. Where did Santosh take admission after passing high school?

Ans. After passing high school Santosh took admission in Maharani College Jaipur.

7. Where did Santosh enrol herself for mountaineering training?

Ans. She enrolled herself at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.

8. What great honour was given to Santosh Yadav by the government of India?

Ans. The government of India honoured Santosh Yadav with one of the nation’s top honours the Padmashri.

9. When did Santosh Yadav scale Mt Everest for the first time?

Ans. She scaled Mt Everest for the first time in 1992.

10. Why is Santosh Yadav mentioned as a fervent environmentalist?

Ans. She collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is the special distinction of Santosh Yadav as a mountaineer?

Ans. Santosh Yadav is the only woman in the world who has conquered Mt Everest twice. She is a woman who got this distinction rising up from a rural background.

2. What type of a social system was there is in the village when Santosh was born?

Ans. In those days the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing, but the birth of a daughter was not generally welcomed in the society.

3. Give a brief sketch of Santosh’s family.

Ans. Santosh was born in the small village of ofioniyawas in Haryana. Her parents were affluent landowners. She was the only sister of five Brothers.

4. How did Santosh show the contradiction to her name?

Ans. The girl was given the name Santosh, which means contentment’. But Santosh was not always content with her place in the traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start.

5. What did Santosh tell her parents regarding her marriage?

Ans. Santosh was not in favour of early married life. She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she would not get a proper education.

Important Long

1. Write a brief character sketch of Santosh Yaday.

Ans. Santosh Yadav was born in a traditional family. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas in Haryana. The girl was given the name Santosh, which means ‘contentment.’ But Santosh was not always content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start. Where ever other girls wore traditional Indian dresses. Santosh preferred short. Santosh did not yield to the traditions. In opposition to her family, she enrolled herself in a school in Delhi. When her parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part-time to pay her school fees. This shows that she was a determined child. She developed a love for mountaineering. She saved money and enrolled herself in a course of mountaineering. She scaled Mt. Everest twice. This is the achievement of her heroic character.

QUICK REVIEW

1. In which society was Santosh born?

(A) where the birth of a son was a blessing (B) where the birth of a daughter was a blessing

(C )both (A) and (B) (D) none of the above

Ans. (A) where the birth of a son was a blessing

2. What request did the unborn child’s grandmother make to the holy man?

(A) blessing for a son (B) blessing for money

Ans. ( C) blessing for a daughter

3.Santosh has scales Mt Everest ________.

(A) once (B) twice

Ans. (B) twice

4. What is the name of Santosh Yadav’s village?

(A) Joniyawas (B) Hariyawas

Ans. (A) Joniyawas

5. Which district of Haryana does Santosh belong?

(A) Bhiwani (B) Mahendragarh

Ans. (C) Rewari

6. What does `Santosh’ mean?

(A) contentment (B) discontentment

Ans. (A) contentment

7. Santosh left home to get herself enrolled in :

(A) Rewari (B) Delhi

Ans. (B) Delhi

8.From where did Santosh do her graduation?

(A) Rewari (B) Delhi

Ans. (C) Jaipur

9. For what did Santosh train herself in Uttarkashi?

(A) mountaineering (B) acting

Ans. (A) mountaineering

10. Santosh was fully equipped with :

(A) an iron will (B) physical endurance

Ans. (D) all of the above

11. When did Santosh scale Mt Everest for the first time?

(A) in 1992 (B) in 1993

Ans. (A) in 1992

12. What shows her concern for the environment?

(A) collecting 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas

(B) climbing mountain

(D) all of the above

Ans. (A) collecting 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas

13. At what age did Santosh scale Mt Everest for the first time?

(A) eighteen (B) nineteen

Ans. (C) twenty

14. What is considered the roof of the world?

(A) sky (B) stars

Ans. (C) top of Mt. Everest

Value-based questions-

Short Answer Type Questions (30 to 40 words)

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is the special distinction of Santosh Yadav as a mountaineer?

Ans. Santosh Yadav is the only woman in the world who has conquered Mt Everest twice. She is a woman who got this distinction rising up from a rural background.

2. What type of a social system was there is in the village when Santosh was born?

Ans. In those days the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing, but the birth of a daughter was not generally welcomed in the society.

3. Give a brief sketch of Santosh’s family.

Ans. Santosh was born in the small village of ofioniyawas in Haryana. Her parents were affluent landowners. She was the only sister of five Brothers.

4. How did Santosh show a contradiction to her name?

5. What did Santosh tell her parents regarding her marriage?

Ans. Santosh was not in favour of early married life. She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she would not get a proper education.

6. Why was the ‘holy man’, who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings, surprised? (Textual)

Ans. The holy man expected that like all other families in the villages, the family would be wishing for the birth of a son. However, when he was told by Santosh’s grandmother that they wanted to have a daughter, he was surprised.

7. What kind of society was Santosh born in?

Ans. Santosh was born in Joniyawas, a small village in the Rewari District in Haryana. The society in this region was rigidly patriarchal and gender-biased. The birth of a girl was generally unwelcome and people strictly adhered to conservative traditions.

8. Why did the grandmother (in spite of being a member of a family with conservative views) wish her daughter-in-law to give birth to a daughter?

Ans. Despite being a member of a conservative family, the grandmother wished to be blessed with a granddaughter because there were already five boys in the family. Hence, the family now wished for a daughter.

9. What do you know about Santosh’s family?

Ans. Santosh was the sixth child in a conservative but affluent family of landlords. Her family lived in the backward district of Rewari in Haryana. Though financially well-off, they were orthodox and conservative in matters related to the education and upbringing of girls.

10. Why was Santosh sent to the local school? (Textual)

Ans. Santosh’s parents were affluent and could afford to send Santosh to a school in Delhi. But they sent her to the local village school because they sternly followed tradition and it was customary in their society to send girls to the local school only.

11. Why was Santosh Yadav not content with a traditional way of life? What path did she choose and why?

Ans. Santosh was not content with a traditional way of life because she was a bit of a rebel right from the beginning. She wanted to charter her own course in life, rather than following the age-old customs and traditions.

She chose the path of excellence through education, rational thinking and hard work and achieved unparalleled success as a woman mountaineer.

12. When did Santosh leave home for Delhi, and why? (Textual)

When Santosh turned sixteen, why did she consider it to be the ‘right moment’ to fight the system?

Ans. Santosh left home for Delhi when she turned sixteen because her parents had begun to pressurize her to get married in keeping with tradition. She decided that it was the right moment to rebel and she quietly got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi to continue her studies.

13. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought to light by this incident? (Textual)

Ans. Santosh’s parents agreed to pay for her schooling in Delhi because she told them that she planned to work part-time in order to pay her fees. They realized that their daughter was independent, had a strong will-power and firm self-belief. She could take her decisions and also stand by them.

14. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains? (Textual)

Ans. Santosh Yadav began to climb mountains when she met some mountaineers in the Aravalli Hills, who not only let her join them but also motivated her for mountain climbing. She had gone to the Aravallis after she had seen villagers from her room (at the Kasturba Hostel in Maharani College, Jaipur) cross the hills and disappear beyond.

15. What did Santosh do after being motivated by the Mountaineers to take to climbing?

Ans. Santosh saved money and enrolled herself in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and after completion of her semester in the college, headed straight for the institute to be able to reach for her training in time.

16. Why did Santosh write a letter of apology to her father?

Ans. Santosh had got herself enrolled in the Uttarkashi Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without seeking her father’s permission. She had thought of talking to her family about this during her holidays. However, there was hardly any time between the end of the semester and her reporting date at the institute. Due to her inability to go home, she wrote a letter of apology to her father.

17. As a climber, what qualities was Santosh Yadav gifted with?

Ans. As a climber, Santos was gifted with an iron will, great physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness. All these qualities, coupled with her resistance to cold and altitude helped her prove her mettle in climbing mountains again and again.

18. When did Santosh get an opportunity to scale Mt. Everest?

Ans. Santosh got an opportunity to scale Mt. Everest in 1992, just four years after she had joined the Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. She was hardly twenty years of age at that time when she became the youngest woman in the world to scale the highest peak.

Q19. How did Santosh’s seniors and fellow climbers appreciate her?

Ans. Santosh’s seniors appreciated her for her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength. On the other hand, her fellow climbers admired her for her team spirit and her genuine concern for her fellow climbers.

Q20. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates? (Textual)

Ans. During the 1992 Everest expedition, one of her team-mates was in a very critical condition in South Col. Santosh made all efforts to look after him. Unfortunately, the climber could not be saved. However, she did succeed in saving the life of another fellow-climber, Mohan Singh. Santosh shared her oxygen with him and saved his life. these incidents show her concern for her teammates.

21.when did Santosh scale the mt.everest for the second time?

Ans. Santosh was invited by an Indo-Nepalese Women’s expedition to scale Mt. Everest within a year of her first expedition in 1992. Santosh joined them to climb the Everest for the second time. Thus, she scaled the Everest twice setting a record as the only woman to have scaled the Everest two times.

22. Why is Santosh Yadav’s name recorded twice for climbing Mount Everest?

Ans. Santosh Yadav earned the credit for being the youngest woman in the world to climb the Mount Everest. She was all of twenty years when she scaled the peak for the first time in 1992. She earned another credit when she climbed Mount Everest for the second time soon after. Now her name was recorded again for being the only woman in the world to have climbed the mighty Everest twice.

23. How did the government of India honour Santosh Yadav?

Ans. The government of India recognized Santosh’s achievements as a celebrated mountaineer. Acknowledging her feat as the only woman to climb Mount Everest twice, the government bestowed upon her one of the nation’s top honours, the Padmashri.

Q24. What shows Santosh’s concern for the environment? (Textual)

Ans. Santosh’s fervent concern for the environment is indicated by the fact that she couldn’t stand the sight of the Himalayas littered with garbage. Hence, she collected and brought down as much as 500kg of refuse from the pristine mountains.

Q20. How did Santosh feel when she found herself on the ‘top of the world’ at the summit of the Everest?

How does Santosh describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?

Or (Textual)

What was the most spiritual and proud moment for Santosh Yadav?

Ans. Santosh Yadav, while standing on the ‘top of the world’, was overwhelmed with emotions of patriotism and ecstasy. She felt proud as an Indian when she unfurled the tricolour on Mount Everest. She was so happy that she experienced a kind of spiritual bliss. She found it hard to articulate her feelings.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Write a brief character sketch of Santosh Yaday.

Ans. Santosh Yadav was born in a traditional family. She was born in the small village of Joniyawas in Haryana. The girl was given the name Santosh, which means ‘contentment.’ But Santos was not always content with her place in a traditional way of life. She began living life on her own terms from the start. Where ever other girls wore traditional Indian dresses. Santosh preferred short. Santosh did not yield to the traditions. In opposition to her family, she enrolled herself in a school in Delhi. When her parents refused to pay for her education, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part-time to pay her school fees. This shows that she was a determined child. She developed a love for mountaineering. She saved money and enrolled herself in a course of mountaineering. She scaled Mt. Everest twice. This is the achievement of her heroic character.

2. How did Santosh carve her own destiny?

“If I chose a correct and a rational path, the others around me had to change, not me”, said Santosh Yaday. How does her life justify her words?

Ans. Born to conservative parents in a patriarchal, gender-biased and rigidly conventional society, Santosh did not want to let norms dictate her life. She never wanted to adhere to the irrational, hackneyed customs and wanted to live life on her own terms. In fact, she believed that if she chose a correct and a rational path, others would have to change and align themselves to her choices. Averse to gender discrimination, she resisted the pressure to get married at the young age of sixteen. She declared that she would not marry at all if denied proper education.

Defying tradition, she got enrolled in a school in Delhi. When her parents refused to pay for her schooling, she informed them that she would work part-time to manage her school fees. Realising their daughter’s determination, they had to submit.

Taking up mountaineering as her career was also an independent decision. However, she tried her best not to hurt her parents and wrote a letter of apology to her father for not having sought his permission before joining the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi. Thus, in spite of all the odds, Santosh chose for herself a path which was absolutely unthinkable and unheard of for girls in orthodox society. She, thus, managed to carve her own destiny.

3. Santosh decided to fight the system in her own “quiet way”, says the author. How did Santosh rebel but quietly?

Ans. Santosh was a very rational, progressive, and sensible girl, who wished to shape her life herself. Though it was. not easy for a girl to fight the rigid system of those times, Santosh was confident that if she chose a correct and rational path, she would be able to change things around her. She waited patiently for the right moment to take up the issues with the orthodox, irrational and hackneyed traditions that obstructed her aspirations and her goals. For example, she opposed her parents’ decision to marry her off at the early age of sixteen and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. When her parents refused to pay for her education in the city, she told them politely that she would earn money for her fees by working part-time. She quietly made it clear that she was determined to overcome all obstacles. Finally, her parents had to surrender. Her decision to take up mountaineering as a career was also handled very boldly and fearlessly by her. She took admission in Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without seeking the permission of her parents. Her parents had no choice but to accept her decision. Thus, Santosh rebelled against the orthodox, conservative system in a quiet but sure way.

4. Santosh had all the qualities of a good mountaineer. Comment.

Ans. Mountaineering is a challenging career which demands great physical and mental strength. It requires boldness, fearlessness, sturdiness and faith in one’s abilities. Santosh Yadav was, in fact, made for mountaineering as she was endowed with all the qualities that are pre-requisites for this career. Just within a span of four years of her training in climbing, Santosh successfully scaled Mt. Everest. Again she repeated this feat in less than a year’s time and became the only woman in the world to have scaled the Everest twice. All this was made possible with her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength. Her iron will, physical endurance and mental toughness infused her with immense confidence. Her resistance to cold and altitude proved to be added advantages. All these qualities, coupled with her team-spirit and her concern for her fellow climbers made her not only a good mountaineer but also a very popular one among her superiors and her fellow climbers.

5. Santosh is not only a good mountaineer but also a genuinely good human being. Discuss.

Ans. Santosh Yadav proved her mountaineering skills quite early in her career. She displayed an unflinching will and a fearless mind that fought a rigid, orthodox society to rise to the top. But the stern will and bold decisions did not smother her qualifies of co-operation and concern for others.

That Santosh is endowed with a caring heart is obvious from the fact that she took great care of a climber at the South Col. Though, the climber could not be saved, Santosh’s concern for him was really commendable. In another incident, she saved the life of a fellow climber, Mohan Singh by sharing her own oxygen with him. This sense of sacrifice and team-spirit won for her the esteem of her team-mates. Moreover, Santosh’s heart overflowed with patriotism when she unfurled the national flag on the top of Mt. Everest. Her concern for the purity of the environment also proves that she is a good human being. Such is her love for nature that she brought down five hundred kilograms of rubbish from the Everest. Thus, Santosh is blessed with the human qualities of both head and heart.

6. Imagine you are Santosh Yaday. You are feeling uncomfortable about enrolling yourself for climbing without seeking your father’s permission. Write a letter of apology to your father politely explaining your situation.

Ans.Kasturba Hostel

Maharani College

Jaipur

17th May 1988

Dear Father

Both Mom and you must be looking forward to my visit during the holidays after the college semester. However, Pm afraid we all shall have to forego the pleasure of each other’s company this summer. I’m very sorry about it but let me explain the situation.

I have got myself enrolled for training at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. Dad, my passion for climbing has got the better of me and I couldn’t resist this opportunity to get trained as a mountaineer. Pm sure you’ll understand and forgive me. I assure you both, that I’ll prove myself in this field and make you all proud. I need your and Mama’s blessings.

As for the holiday, my semester has ended today and I have to join the Institute on the twenty-first. So, I do not have enough g time to come home. I hope you’ll bear and forgive your dear daughter who loves you and respects you from the core of her heart.

Yours affectionately

Santosh

Part-II – Reach for the top

- Extra Questions and Notes

INTRODUCTION

‘Reach for The Top’ topic has been bifurcated in two part. Each part of the topic contains a heroic story of two young girls. The heroine in the first part is a young Mountaineer Santosh Yadav and the heroine of the second part is Maria Sharapova a tennis sensation of the world. Santosh Yadav was born in a small village of Haryana state. She belonged to an agriculturist family. Her family was of the opinion of traditional values and they were adamant to.keep their prevailing customs but she rose to the highest glory by her hard efforts. In the same way, Maria Sharapova rises to the top of the tennis world with her hard efforts. She became the world’s number one tennis sensation and now becomes the most glamorous sensation of the modern world.

(`Reach for The Top’ विषय दो भागों में विभाजित किया गया है । विषय का प्रत्येक भाग दो युवा लड़कियों की बहादुरी की कहानी से संबंधित है । पहले भाग में नायिका एक युवा पर्वतारोही संतोष यादव है और दूसरे भाग की नायिका दुनिया की टैनिस हस्ती मारिया शरापोवा है । संतोष यादव का जन्म हरियाणा राज्य के एक छोटे-से गाँव में हुआ । वह एक किसान परिवार से संबंधित थी । उसका परिवार परम्परागत मूल्यों का विचारक पात्र था और वे अपने वर्तमान रीति-रिवाजों के प्रति दृढ़ थे, परंतु उसने अपनी सख्त कोशिशों के कारण उच्चतम प्रतिष्ठा की ऊंचाइयों को छुआ । इसी तरह, मारिया शरापोवा ने भी अपनी सख्त कोशिशों से टैनिस की दुनिया में नाम ऊँचा किया । वह दुनिया की नंबर एक की टेनिस शख्सियत बनीं औरर अब आधुनिक संसार की आकर्षक शख्सियत वनी ।).

THEME

The account is biographical in nature and focuses on the grand achievements of the tennis player, Maria Sharapova who earned the title of the world number one in women’s tennis in 2005. The author reveals that one has to pay a price for reaching the top in the form of hard labour, rigorous training, and sacrifice. Sometimes one has to undergo mental torture too on this path to success, but its rewards are always sweet and satisfying.

TITLE

The title “Reach for the Top” is very appropriate for this account of Maria Sharapova’s journey as a top-class tennis player. This journey started with early training in her childhood and culminated in her becoming the number one in the world of tennis. The ‘top’ symbolizes the highest point reached by Maria Sharapova. She reached this ‘top’ by the dint of her earnest efforts and diligent work. Thus, the title is apt in that it salutes the courage and strong will-power of this young tennis star who overcame all hardships and obstructions to reach the top.

CHARACTERS

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova is among the most renowned woman tennis stars of all times who is equally admired for her game and for her attractive looks. Former number 1, Maria Sharapova is an inspiration for everyone, especially the sportswomen.

Right from her childhood, Maria was calmer, more composed, more confident and more tolerant than other children of her age. She had immense will-power and tenacity that gave her the strength to make sacrifices few people can make – separation from her mother, living alone in a hostile hostel, gruelling training schedules and only occasional meetings with her father. She put up patiently with the torment and humiliation inflicted on her by her fellow trainees. Thus, very early in her life, she learned that excellence comes at a price.

Maria has always been motivated by her spirit of competitiveness and she has always toiled hard to achieve her goals. Her achievements in the world of tennis and her earnings from it are well-earned and most-deserved.

Maria is also a true patriot. Although she has spent many years in the U.S., she takes immense pride in her Russian identity and retains Russian citizenship, although she remains indebted to the country of her adoption for its contribution to her life and career. She wishes to play for Russia in the Olympics if she gets an opportunity.

Maria is as successful a businesswoman as she is as a sportsperson. She has skillfully handled her endorsements and is a fashionista who has a love for sophisticated evening gowns. She loves pancakes and chocolate spread with fizzy orange drinks.

Yuri and Yelena Sharapova

Yuri and Yelena Sharapova are Maria Sharapova’s father and mother respectively. Their contribution to maria ‘s success is immense and cannot be measured in words. They identified their daughter’s potential at a very young age and decided to get her world-class training in the U.S. They knew well that it was going to be expensive and difficult, still they extended their full support to their talented daughter. Yuri worked very hard to pay for Maria’s training and Yelena tolerated the heart-wrenching separation from her dear child for two years. As parents, they displayed unflinching faith in their child’s abilities which gave Maria the boost to keep going ahead and to keep countering the challenges that came her way.

Summary:

There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire. And that something in her lifted her on Monday. 22 August 2005 to the world number one position in women’s tennis. All this happened in almost no time. However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure.

Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But, it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena. The latter was compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions. The nine-year-old girl had already learnt an important lesson in life—that tennis excellence would only come at a price.

That toughness runs through Maria even today. It was the key to her bagging the ladies’ singles crown at Wimbledon in 2004 and to her meteoric rise to the world number one spot the following year. While her journey from the frozen plains of Siberia to the summit of women’s tennis has touched the hearts of tennis fans, for the youngster herself there appears to be no room for sentiment. The straight looks and the answers she gives when asked about her ambition make it amply clear that she considers the sacrifices were worth it.

SUMMARY IN HINDI

मारिया शारापोवा के बारे में निहत्था कर देने वाली और उसकी हर समय बनी रहने मुस्कान तथा सुंदर भड़कीली पोशाक से कोई चीज मेल नहीं खाती । तथा उस चीज़ ने उसे सोमवार 22 अगस्त, 2006 को महिला टैनिस में विश्व के प्रथम स्थान पर बैठा दिया । यह सब कुछ बहुत कम समय में को गया । लेकिन भयानक रुप से प्रतिस्पर्धात्मक विश्व में तेज गति से यह चढ़ाई नौ साल पहले शुरु हो चुकी थी बलिदान के ऐसे स्तर के साथ जोकि बहुत कम बच्चे ऐसा करने को तैयार हो पाते हैं ।

नन्हीं मारिया ने अभी अपना दसवां जन्मदिन भी नहीं मनाया था कि जब उसे प्रशिक्षण प्राप्त करने के सयुंक्त राज्य अमेरिका भेज दिया गया । अपने पिता यूरी के साथ फ्लोरिडा की उस यात्रा ने उसे सफलता और प्रसिद्धि के रास्ते पर चला दिया । लेकिन इसके लिए उसको अपनी मों येलेना से दो साल के लिए दिल को निचोड़ देने वासी जुदाई की आवश्यकता थी ।वीजा की समस्याओं की वजह से मां साइबेरिया में रह गई । उस नौ वर्षीय लड़की ने जीवन का महत्वपूर्ण पाठ पहले ही सीख लिया था टैनिस में सफलता की एक कीमत चुकानी पड़ती है ।

उस मजबूती का संचार मारिया में आज भी होता है । यही रहस्य था कि 2004 में उसने विम्बलडन में महिला एकल के खिताब को जीत लिया था अगले ही वर्ष संसार की नंबर एक पदवी पर अतिशीघ्रता से पहुंचने की सफलता का । जबकि साइबेरिया के बर्फीले मैदानों से लेकर टेनिस की छोटी तक पहुंचने के सफर ने टैनिस प्रेमियों के दिलों को छू लिया हैं, स्वयं उस नवयौवना के लिए भावुक होने का कोई स्थान नहीं है । जब उससे उसके लक्ष्य के बारे में सवाल पूछा जाता है तो उसकी सीधी नज़रे और वह जवाब जो वह देती है इस बात को बिल्कुल स्पष्ट कर देते हैं कि वह अपने बलिदानों को इसके योग्य मानती है ।

किशोरावस्था में सनसनी बन चुके बहुत से सितारों की भांति मारिया शरापोवा को फैशन, गाने तथा नृत्य का शौक है । वह आर्थर कोनन डॉयल के उपन्यास पढ़ना पसंद करती है । अति सुंदर और महंगे सायंकालीन गाऊनों के प्रति उसका शौक, चाकलेट वाले केकों तथा सुं- सुं करते संतरे के पेय पदार्थों के साथ मेल नहीं खाता है । शरापोवा को किसी एक वर्ग या श्रेणी से जोड़कर नहीं देखा जा सकता हैं उसकी योग्यता, सफल होने के लिए दृढ़ इच्छा और त्याग करने की तत्परता ने उसे दुनिया के शिखा पर बिठा दिया है । जो धन आज उसे प्राप्त हो रहा है, उसके लिए कोई भी आज उससे ईर्ष्या नहीं करेगा ।

MESSAGE

This account of Maria Sharapova’s success story conveys the message that diligence, hard work and dedication never go unrewarded. Dreams can be realized only if one works earnestly, putting one’s heart and soul in translating them into reality. Nothing can obstruct those who stick to their path with an unstaggering devotion.

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

PASSAGE 1

There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire. And that something in her lifted her on Monday, 22 August 2005 to the world number one position in women’s tennis. All this happened in almost no time. Poised beyond her years, the Siberian born teenager took just four years as a professional to reach the pinnacle.

Questions:

(i) To which sport is Maria Sharapova attached with?

(ii) To which country does she belong?

(iii) When did she win the world’s number one position?

(iv) How many years did she take to reach the top?

(v) Name the chapter from this passage has been taken?

Answers :

(i) Maria. Sharapova is attached to lawn tennis.

(ii) She belongs to Siberia a part of Russia.

(iii) She won the world’s number one position on 22 August 2005.

(iv) She took nine years to reach the top.

(v) This passage has been taken from the chapter `Reach for the Top’.

PASSAGE 2

However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure. Little Maria had riot yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed to train in the United States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena. The latter was compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions. The nine-year-old girl had already learnt an important lesson in life-that tennis excellence would only come at a price.

Questions :

(i) To what sport is Maria Sharapova attached with?

(ii) At what age was she sent to the United States?

(iii) What is the name of her father?

(iv) How long did she stay in the U.S. A?

(v) What was Maria’s native land?

Answers :

(i) She is attached to lawn tennis.

(ii) At the age of ten years.

(iii) The name of her father is Yuri.

(iv) She stayed there for two years.

(v) Her native land is Siberia which is a part of Russia.

PASSAGE 3

“I used to be so lonely,” Maria Sharapova recalls. “I missed my mother terribly. My father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis-training going. So, he couldn’t see me either.” “Because I was so young, I used to go to bed at 8 p.m. The other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. and wake me up and order me to tidy up the room and clean it.”

Questions :

(i) Who did Maria Sharapova miss so badly?

(ii) Where was Maria living at that time?

(iii) What was she doing there?

(iv) Why had her father to work very hard?

(v) When did the other tennis pupils come?

Answers :

(i) Maria Sharapova missed her mother so badly.

(ii) At that time she was living in the U.S.A. in a tennis training, camp.

(iii) There she was having training in tennis.

(iv) Her father had to work very hard to pay for her tennis fee.

(v) They come at 11 p.m.

PASSAGE 4

Like any number of teenaged sensations, Maria Sharapova lists fashion, singing and dancing as her hobbies. She loves reading the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle. Her fondness for sophisticated evening gowns appears at odds with her love of pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks. Maria Sharapova cannot be pigeon-holed or categorized. Her talent, unwavering desire to succeed and readiness to sacrifice have lifted her to the top of the world. Few would grudge her the riches she is now reaping. This is what she has to say about her monetary gains from tennis: “Of course, money is motivation. Tennis is a business and a sport, but the most important thing is to become number one in the world. That’s the dream that kept me going.”

Questions :

(i) What were Maria’s hobbies?

(ii) Who was her favourite author?

(iii) What sort of desire did she have for winning?

(iv) What does she consider tennis?

(v) How does she consider money for tennis?

EXTRACTS

(I)

That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena.

1. Who does ‘her’ refer to in this extract?

‘Her’ refers to the famous tennis player, Maria Sharapova.

2.From where did she make a trip to Florida and why?

She made a trip from Russia to Florida with the purpose of taking training in tennis.

3. What was the ‘heart-wrenching’ thing about the trip?

The ‘heart-wrenching’ thing was that she had to part from her mother for two years.

4. Why could her mother not accompany her?

Her mother could not accompany her because of visa restrictions.

(II)

Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.

(a)Who does ‘I’ stand for?

‘I’ stands for Maria Sharapova, the world renowned tennis player.

(b)What was ‘that’ which could not depress her?

It was the undue domination and humiliating behaviour of her senior trainees in Florida that could not depress her.

(c)What was the impact of ‘that’ on her?

‘That’ made her more determined and mentally strong.

(d)What does the extract reveal about the speaker’s character?

The extract reveals that the speaker had the ability to encounter difficult situations boldly and to turn them to her advantage.

(III)

“I’m Russian. It’s true that the U.S. is a big part of my life. But I have Russian citizenship. My blood is totally Russian. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me.”

1. Who says these words? Why?

Maria Sharapova, the world-class tennis player, says these words. She says so because she takes immense pride in her nationality.

2. What does she say about the U.S.?

Maria acknowledges the contribution of the U.S. where she took training in tennis and became the world number one tennis player.

3. Why does the speaker say, ‘My blood is totally Russian’?

Maria claims this because she was born to Russian parents in Russia. She did spend a large part of her life in the U.S., but she proudly declares her Russian identity.

4. Given a chance, what will Maria like to do for Russia?

Being a Russian from the core of her heart, Maria would like to represent Russia in the Olympics and make them proud, if given an opportunity.

(IV)

Few would grudge her the riches she is now reaping.

(a)Who does ‘she’ refer to?

She refers to Maria Sharapova, the world renowned tennis player.

(b)How is she ‘reaping’ the ‘riches’?

As she is a famous player internationally and has been declared the number one in women’s tennis, she is naturally earning a lot from her game.

(c)Why would few grudge her riches?

Everybody is aware of the fact that Maria has reached the top by making a lot of sacrifices and working extremely hard. Hence, the riches that she is earning from her game are well deserved and everybody agrees on this.

(d) Why has the word ‘reaping’ been used for riches?

The word ‘reaping’ has been used metaphorically. Just as reaping the harvest is the reward for the hard work of the farmer, similarly earning money is the reward for Maria Sharapova’s earnest efforts and sacrifice.

(V)

Tennis is a business and a sport, but the most important thing is to become number one in the world.

(a)Why does Maria call tennis ‘a business’?

For Maria, playing tennis is a professional game that can be played by following rules and regulations which is similar to how a business is run. Also, as in business, tennis too requires input in terms of hard work and brings profits in terms of name, fame and money.

(b) According to Maria, why is tennis also a ‘sport’ in addition to being a business?

Maria calls tennis a sport, in addition to being a business, as it gives excitement and thrill just like other sporting events do. Every match is filled with expectations and anxiety both among the players and the spectators.

The extract shows that Maria is very objective in her opinions. She does not deny the worth of tennis as a monetarily rewarding sport just to sound politically correct. She is honest in admitting that tennis is like the business. However, she gives greater importance to the sporting element of the game than the money involved.

(d) Why did Maria wish to become number one in the world?

Maria wished to become the number one tennis player in the world because it was her childhood dream. She worked very hard and made a lot of sacrifices to train herself for this feat. She strove for it competitively and considered it her job.

Additional Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Which country does Maria Sharapova belong to?

Ans. Maria Sharapova belongs to Russia.

2. With what sport is Maria Sharapova attached to?

Ans. She is attached to lawn tennis.

3. When did Sharapova attain the number one position for the first time?

Ans. She attained the number one position for the first time on 22 August 2005.

4. Where did Sharapova go for tennis coaching?

Ans. She went to Florida in the United States.

5. Who went to the U.S.A. with Sharapova?

Ans. Her father went with her to the U.S.A.

6. When did Sharapova win the Wimbledon’s women singles final?

Ans. She won this title in 2004.

7. What does Maria Sharapova love reading?

Ans. Maria Sharapova loves reading the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Short Answer Type Questions (30 to 40 words)

Q.1. What is something disarming about Maria Sharapova?

Ans. Maria Sharapova is a girl with a smiling face and glamorous attire. But she is a determined girl who worked excessively hard to win the world number one position in women tennis.

2. Why did Sharapova leave Siberia for the U.S.A.?

Ans. At the age of nine years, Maria Sharapova left Siberia for Florida in the U.S.A. She went there to attend a training camp for women tennis. She undertook hard training for two years. Her father Yuri also went with her.

3. At the age of nine years, what lesson had Sharapova learnt?

Ans. In the U.S.A. Maria Sharapova had to face a heart wrenching two-year separation from her mother. This separation made her learn an important lesson that tennis excellence would only come at a price.

4. How Was Sharapova treated by the seniors in the training camp?

Ans. Maria Sharapova was just nearly ten years old. The senior’s in the training camp treated her badly. They look her up. They asked Maria to tidy up the room and clean it.

5. What does Maria Sharapova say about her Russian nationality?

Ans. Maria Sharapova speaks with a pounced Ameri can accent, She proudly parades her Russ ion nationality. Clearing all doubts, she tells her blood is totally Russian. She is a Russian citizen. She will play the Olympics for Russia.

Important Long

Value-based questions-

1. Write in short Maria Sharapova’s Journey to the top.

Ans. Maria Sharapova was born in Siberia, Russia. At the age of nine years she left Russia for Florida in the U.S.A. she went there with her father Yuri. She had to spend two hard years in the tennis training camp. She did hard efforts in the training camp. It was a heart wrenching two-years separation from her mother. Maria Sharapova learnt an important lesson is a life that tennis excellence would only come at a price. Maria Sharapova was jug for nearly ten years old. The senior’s in the training camp treated her badly. They looked her up. They asked Maria to tidy up the room and clean it, Maria Sharapova bagged the ladies single crown at Wimbledon in 2004. She attained the world number one position on Monday, 22nd August 2005. Today she is a tennis sensation.

2 Draw a Comparison between Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova.

Ans. Today both Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova enjoy the status of a celebrity. To attain this position they both had to work very hard in their life. Both of these girls Were of strong and true determination. They had a clear vision of their life. They wanted to become something in life. They Wanted to raise themselves up from the common people around them. They sacrificed an II comforts and pleasure of I life to achieve their aim. Both of them were able to realise their aims. They reached the world. Santosh Yadav became the only women of the world to scale Mt Everest twice. Maria Sharapova got the fibre position in the world in women tennis. They proved that nothing is impossible before true determination and iron will.

QUICK REVIEW

1. Maria Sharapova belongs to

(A) England (B) Russia

Ans. (B) Russia

2. Which game is Maria Sharapova attached to?

(A) tennis (B) badminton

Ans. (A) tennis

3. When did Maria Sharapova get the world number one position in women’s tennis?

(A) 22 August 2004 (B) 22 August 2005

Ans. (B) 22 August 2005

4. Where was Maria sent to learn tennis?

(A) the United States (B) England

Ans. (A) the United States

5. Who went to the United States with Maria?

(A) her mother (B) her father

Ans. (B) her father

6. How did the senior tennis players in the United States training centre treat her?

(A) badly (B) sympathetically

Ans. (A) badly

7. Depressing treatment in the U.S made Maria :

(A) weak (B) nervous

Ans. (D) tough

8. Which title did Maria win in 2004?

(A) Wimbledon (B) Australian open

Ans. (A) Wimbledon

9. Maria is associated with

(A) Serbia (B) Siberia

Ans. (B) Siberia

10. Maria Sharapova expresses her desire to play for :

(A) America (B) India

Ans. (D) Russia

11. What was the most important thing for Maria?

(A) to earn money (B) to do a good business

Ans. (C) to become number one in the world

Short Answer Type Questions

Q.1. What is something disarming about Maria Sharapova?

Ans. Maria Sharapova is a girl with a smiling face and glamorous attire. But she is a determined girl who worked excessively hard to win the world number one position in women tennis.

2. Why did Sharapova leave Siberia for the U.S.A.?

3. At the age of nine years, what lesson had Sharapova learnt?

4. How Was Sharapova treated by the seniors in the training camp?

Ans. Maria Sharapova was just nearly ten years old. The senior’s in the training camp treated her badly. They look her up. They asked Maria to tidy up the room and clean it.

5. What does Maria Sharapova say about her Russian nationality?

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. What is at odds with Maria’s ready smile and glamorous attire?

Ans:-The maturity, balanced mind and inner strength of Maria do not appear to be in accordance with her glamorous dress and spontaneous smile. There seems to be some mismatch between her attractive outer appearance and her balanced inner-self.

Q2. Explain: “all this happened in almost no time”.

Ans:-The phrase means that Maria’s rise to the top in the world of tennis was very rapid and it took her a very short span of four years as a professional player to be number one in her chosen sport.

Q3. How was Maria different from other children?

Ans:-Maria was calmer and more composed, confident and tolerant than the other children of her age. She also had an inner strength that enabled her to endure the sacrifice that few children could think of facing. Unlike most children, she did not buckle under hardships and adverse circumstances.

Q4. Why was Maria brought to Florida in the U.S. by her father? Why didn’t her mother go with her? How did Maria respond to this separation? Or

Why did Maria leave Siberia for the U.S.? Why didn’t her mother go with her? How did this separation affect her?

Ans:-Maria was brought to Florida in the U.S. by her father, Yuri, to get trained as a professional tennis player and reach great heights of success and stardom in this sport. Her mother, Yelena, did not go with her because of visa restrictions. This two-year separation was too painful for the young girl. But Maria endured this sacrifice to pursue her dreams.

Q5. What important lesson did Maria learn during the first two years of her stay in the U.S., away from her mother?

Ans:- Maria learnt that excellence comes at a price. Since she wished to reach the zenith in the field of tennis, she knew that she would have to make sacrifices and struggle hard. She endured the heart-wrenching separation from her mother for two years to attain excellence in tennis. Moreover, she also learnt how to put up patiently with adverse circumstances.

Q 6. Maria’s father accompanied her to the U.S., but why could he also not see her during her stay there?

Ans:- Maria’s father, Yuri, had brought his nine-year-old daughter to the U.S. to get her trained in tennis. Unfortunately, he too could not see her frequently as he had to work very hard to earn to pay for her training. His work occupied most of his time and he could not see Maria often.

Q7. How did Maria’s co-trainees at the tennis academy trouble her? How did Maria cope with this?

Ans:- Maria’s co-trainees at the tennis academy were much older than her and would return to the room at around 11 p.m when Maria was already asleep. They were so inconsiderate that they woke up Maria and made her tidy up the room. Maria coped with this trouble by not allowing it to depress her. Instead, she strengthened her determination and mental toughness.

Q8. Despite being harassed by her seniors, why didn’t Maria think of quitting?

Ans:- Despite being harassed by her seniors, Maria didn’t ever think of quitting because she was firmly determined to make her dream a reality. She knew that quitting under such pressure would jeopardize her own aspirations and she would never be able to reach the top in the field of tennis.

Q9. What mental qualities of Maria are revealed by her decision not to quit and pack up on being harassed by her fellow-trainees?

Ans:- The torment and humiliation inflicted on Maria by her fellow trainees failed to demoralise her. This reveals that she had a firm determination and was strong-willed. She was much more mature than other girls of her age and knew the art of survival.

Q10. What motivates Maria to keep moving ahead?

Ans:-Maria is motivated by her spirit of competitiveness to keep moving ahead. She works very hard once she has decided to achieve something. She considers it her job to excel despite hardships and severe demands.

Q11. Despite staying in America for years, the core of her heart. Justify.

Ans:- Maria is a Russian at the Maria moved to Florida, U.S., from Siberia at the young age of nine. Since then she has spent most part of her life here. Yet, she remained a Russian through and through. She is proud of her Russian blood and Russian citizenship. She adds that she would play for Russia in the Olympics if given an opportunity.

Q12. Why does Maria call the U.S. a big part of her life?

Ans:- Maria was trained for tennis in the U.S. It is in this country that she attained proficiency in this game. Here she also developed confidence, control, inner strength and endurance – the qualities that are pre-requisites for a person to reach the top in any field. Since she gained all this in the U.S., she calls it a big part of her life.

Q13. Besides tennis, what else is Maria fond of?

Ans:- Maria’s first love is tennis. Apart from this sport, she is fond of fashion, singing and dancing as any other young girl of her age. She also likes to read Arthur Canon Doyle’s novels; is fond of sophisticated evening gowns, and enjoys pancakes with chocolate-spread and fizzy orange drinks.

Q14. What has lifted Maria Sharapova to the top of the world?

Ans:- Maria’s talent, her unwavering determination, her hunger for success, her willingness to work hard, her readiness to endure challenges, and her sacrifices have lifted her to the top of the world. In addition, monetary gains have motivated her to be on the top.

Q15. Why would Maria’s fans not be jealous of her riches?

Ans:- Maria’s fans are aware of the immense hard work that has gone into making her a star sportswoman. The unparalleled sacrifices are investments that she made when other children of her age were having a comfortable life. She is reaping the dividends of her earnest efforts and the money that is pouring in is well earned and well deserved. Therefore, nobody feels jealous of her riches.

Q16. Why does Maria call tennis business and a sport?

Ans:-Tennis is a competitive sport like any other sport and requires stamina, nerve, training, planning and strategising. It is all about winning or losing. It is also a business because it is played professionally for money. Its tournaments involve millions of pounds of money expenditures in sponsorship and prize money. Tennis generates a lot of business for media, drinks, clothes and sports companies.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. What problems did Maria face as a child while she was being trained for tennis in the U.S.? What sustained her?

How did adversity stand Maria in good stead in the long run?

Ans:Marie’s childhood was full of struggle and loneliness. She had to leave for the U.S. at the young age of nine years. Her mother could not accompany her to the U.S. due to some visa restrictions. She missed her mother terribly during the two years of their heart-wrenching separation. Though her father had accompanied her to the U.S., he too could not frequently visit her as he had to spend a lot of time to earn money to be paid for Maria’s tennis training. Apart from it, the other co-trainees used to bully, humiliate and insult her. They were inconsiderate to Maria who was much younger to them. To bully her, they would return to the room late at night, wake her up and make her tidy up the room. All these problems made her life during her training in U.S. miserable and desolate.

However, she was able to sail through these adverse times by never letting herself go into depression or think to quit. Instead, she strengthened her will-power and kept her passion for tennis alive. Eventually, her determined and consistent efforts paid when she became the number one tennis player in the world. She moulded adversity in her favour with her strength, toughness and tolerance.

Q2. The lives of Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova have much in common to prove that determined and consistent hard work paves the way to success. Identify the points of comparison and contrast in the lives of these two great players. (Textual)

Ans:- Santosh Yadav, the legendary mountaineer from India, and Maria Sharapova, Russia’s tennis sensation trained in the U.S., are living examples of determined and consistent hard work. Both these young women started their journey to the top from humble backgrounds. Santosh belonged to a small village in the remote district of Rewari in Haryana while Maria came from the cold Siberia that did not have adequate training facilities for a tennis enthusiast.

Although both were supported by their respective parents, Santosh had to break rules at times to make her conservative family agree to her decisions. However, both the young girls had to sacrifice the loving and protective environment of their homes in order to train for their passion. Both the women had an unwavering determination, physical and mental strength, and undivided focus on their goals. They both rose to the number one position in their respective areas within a short span of four years. While Sharapova moved from the frozen Siberia to the plains of Florida, Yadav moved from the plains of Rewari to the frozen Mount Everest. But both of them are devout patriots and share the dream to reach the top.

Q3. Imagine you are Maria Sharapova. It is your tenth birthday, but you neither have your parents nor your friends with you to celebrate it. You do not talk to your fellow pupils, because they bully you. Write a diary entry in about 150 words recording all your thoughts.

Ans:-

(Day and Date) (Time)

Dear Diary

Today I’ve turned ten and this is my first birthday away from Siberia, where my dear parents and friends live. I feel utterly lonely as my memories take me back to the gala parties of my earlier birthdays, where my friends would dance and sing and my parents would shower their blessings on me.

I clearly recollect how I used to wear a dress of the latest fashion for the occasion. I used to be so enthusiastic about the gifts I received. All that festivity, that celebration is now a thing of the past as my Mom is so far away and my Dad is too busy. I do not have any relatives or friends around. Today I went alone to the market, bought a small cake and candles because Mom called me and told that I must celebrate. I would have invited my fellow players, but they are too snobbish and bullying. I dare not even tell them that it is my birthday.

However, I must cheer myself up because loneliness is the price I have to pay for my high aspirations. I know that the blessings of my parents are there with me now and forever. No barriers of space and time can obstruct them.

Love you, Mom and Dad. And a happy birthday to me!

Maria

Q4. Imagine you are Santosh Yadav or Maria Sharapova. You have been invited to speak at an All India Girls’ Athletic Meet, as chief guest. Prepare a short speech to motivate the young girls to think and dream big and make an effort to fulfil their dreams, not allowing difficulties or defeat to discourage them.

Ans:- My dear shining stars of the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to be here today. It gives me immense joy to see your smiling faces and sparkling eyes with a tinkle of dreams of a bright future. I wish to share some important lessons that I learnt from experience about what is called the ‘mantra’ of success.

My dear girls, the first and foremost requirement is to think and dream big. Unless you have a dream, you cannot achieve much in life. So assess your abilities and aptitudes. Ask what makes you happy and then set a goal for yourself. Your next step should be to make organised, consistent and sincere efforts to fulfil your dreams. Remember, all good things come at a price. So, do not allow difficulties or defeat to discourage you. Don’t forget, “When the time gets tough, the tough get going”. You have the fire in you, you only need to kindle it and keep it glowing.

I am sure that each one of you will excel in life and will keep going with the ‘never say die’ attitude.

I wish you all the best and hope to see you as sparkling stars one day.

Keep Smiling! Keep Shining!

Thank You.

5. Write in short Maria Sharapova’s Journey to the top.

6. Draw a Comparison between Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova.

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Friday, June 14, 2019

Reach for the top -Extra Questions and Notes

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