When she plays the xylophone, she can sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she feels the resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden platform, she removes her shoes so that the vibrations pass through her bare feet and up her legs. She explains that music pours in through every part of her body—it tingles in the skin, her cheekbones, and even in her hair.
1. How old was Evelyn when she waited to play the piano?
Ans: Eight years old.
2. Who noticed something was wrong with Evelyn first?
Ans: Her mother, Isabel Glennie.
3. What did Evelyn want to pursue despite her deafness?
Ans: Music.
4. Which instrument did Ron Forbes play?
Ans: Drums (Percussion).
5. How did Evelyn feel the upper drum?
Ans: From the waist up.
6. How did she feel the lower drum?
Ans: From the waist down.
7. How long was her course at the Royal Academy?
Ans: Three years.
8. Does Evelyn accept any hint of heroic achievement?
Ans: No.
9. How many instruments has Evelyn mastered?
Ans: Some thousand instruments.
10. How is Evelyn's schedule described?
Ans: Hectic international schedule.
11. Why does Evelyn remove her shoes on stage?
Ans: To feel vibrations through her feet.
12. What does James Blades say Evelyn does with music?
Ans: She expresses it beautifully.
13. Who calls Evelyn a "shining inspiration"?
Ans: Ann Richlin.
14. What priority does Evelyn give in her work?
Ans: Classes for young musicians.
15. What has Evelyn brought to the front of the orchestra?
Ans: Percussion.
1. Why was Evelyn nervous yet excited on the train platform?
Ans: Evelyn was nervous because she was a young girl from a Scottish farm going to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. She was excited because she could feel the vibrations of the approaching train, marking the start of her new journey.
2. What explains Evelyn's clear speech?
Ans: Evelyn explains that her speech is clear because she could hear perfectly until she was eleven years old. However, this doesn't explain how she managed to learn French and master basic Japanese later.
3. How does Evelyn contribute to society?
Ans: Apart from being a world-class musician, Evelyn gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also places high priority on conducting classes for young musicians to inspire them.
1. Draw a character sketch of Evelyn Glennie.
Ans: Evelyn Glennie is a woman of immense determination and courage. Despite becoming profoundly deaf at the age of eleven, she refused to give up. She was a hard worker who practiced for hours to perfect her art. She is humble, refusing to accept any hint of heroic achievement. She is also kind and generous, giving free concerts in prisons and hospitals.
2. "God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary." Justify.
Ans: James Blades said this about Evelyn. Although she lost her hearing, she developed a heightened sensitivity to vibrations. She can feel music through her skin, cheekbones, hair, and feet. This allows her to "feel" music far more deeply than others hear it, making her a unique artist.
2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan's paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
5. Bismillah Khan's first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
| Item | Feeling |
|---|---|
| 1. Teaching children music | Positive ("Teach your children music...") |
| 2. The film world | Negative ("Artificiality and glamour") |
| 3. Migrating to the U.S.A. | Negative (Refused due to Ganga) |
| 4. Playing at temples | Positive (Regularly played at Balaji temple) |
| 5. Getting the Bharat Ratna | Positive (Happiness glinting in eyes) |
| 6. The banks of the Ganga | Positive (Favourite haunts) |
| 7. Leaving Benaras | Negative ("Me, leave Benaras? Never!") |
(ii) He refused to move to Pakistan during Partition, saying "Me, leave Benaras? Never!"
I. Completing Sentences (Using 'to-verb'):
- The school sports team hopes to win the match.
- We all want to succeed in life.
- They advised the hearing-impaired child's mother to consult a specialist.
- The authorities permitted us to organize the fair.
- A musician decided to improve the tonal quality of the pungi.
II. Dictionary Work - Word Definitions:
- The home of royal people: Royal residence
- The state of being alone: Solitude
- A part which is absolutely necessary: Indispensable
- To do something not done before: Invent
- Without much effort: Effortlessly
- Quickly and in large quantities: Thick and fast
III. Tick the right answer:
- When something is revived, it lives again.
- When a government bans something, it wants it stopped.
- When something is considered auspicious, welcome it.
- When we take to something, we find it interesting.
- When you appreciate something, you find it good and useful.
- When you replicate something, you do it for the second time.
- When we come to terms with something, it is no longer upsetting.
IV. Adjective Positions:
| Adjective | Only before noun | Not before noun | Both positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| indispensable | ✓ | ||
| impressed | ✓ | ||
| afraid | ✓ | ||
| outdoor | ✓ | ||
| paternal | ✓ | ||
| countless | ✓ | ||
| priceless | ✓ |
Speaking: Introducing Kishori Amonkar
Task: Use notes to introduce her to an audience.
"Good morning everyone. I am honoured to introduce to you a legend of Indian Classical Music, Smt. Kishori Amonkar. Born in 1931, she is the daughter of the great artist Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar. She belongs to the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana but has developed her own unique, intellectual style inspired by ancient Vedic sages. She is a recipient of the prestigious Padma Bhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Please welcome the finest female vocalist of her generation, Kishori Amonkar!"
Writing: Hard Work of Evelyn and Bismillah
Evelyn Glennie: Evelyn Glennie wanted to go to the top of the musical world as a percussionist. Despite becoming deaf at a young age, she worked harder than most classical musicians. She trained her body to feel vibrations, toured with orchestras, and practiced endlessly. Her goal was to separate percussion from the orchestra as a solo instrument, which she achieved through sheer determination.
Bismillah Khan: Ustad Bismillah Khan wanted to go deep into the soul of Indian music. He practiced for years in solitude by the banks of the Ganga to perfect his art. He worked hard to elevate the Shehnai from a wedding instrument to a classical masterpiece. He didn't want to go to foreign lands to settle; he wanted to stay in India and preserve its rich musical heritage.
1. What is 'pungi' also called?
Ans: A reeded noisemaker.
2. Who banned the pungi?
Ans: Aurangzeb.
3. Who improved the pungi?
Ans: A barber (Nai).
4. How many holes does a Shehnai have?
Ans: Seven.
5. What is 'naubat'?
Ans: A traditional ensemble of nine instruments.
6. Where was Bismillah Khan born?
Ans: Dumraon, Bihar.
7. Who was Paigambar Bux?
Ans: Bismillah Khan's father.
8. Who was Rasool Bux Khan?
Ans: Bismillah Khan's grandfather.
9. What is 'Chaita'?
Ans: A folk song (Bhojpuri).
10. Where did he sing Chaita?
Ans: Bihariji Temple.
11. Which river inspired him?
Ans: The Ganga.
12. Where did he play on Independence Day?
Ans: Red Fort.
13. Name the film by Vijay Bhatt.
Ans: Gunj Uthi Shehnai.
14. Name the Kannada film he worked in.
Ans: Sanadhi Apanna.
15. Which US city invited him?
Ans: Lincoln Centre Hall (USA).
16. What is 'coveted'?
Ans: Much desired.
17. What is 'mattha'?
Ans: Buttermilk (speciality of Dumraon).
18. Did he go to Pakistan?
Ans: Yes, once for an hour.
19. Why did he greet Pakistanis?
Ans: To say Namaskar and Salaam Alaikum (humorously).
20. Who is Shekhar Gupta?
Ans: The interviewer in the text.
1. What is the legend behind the name 'Shehnai'?
Ans: The instrument was first played in the 'Shah's' (Emperor's) chambers and was played by a 'nai' (barber). Combining 'Shah' + 'Nai', it was named 'Shehnai'.
2. Why was the event of 15th August 1947 historic for Bismillah Khan?
Ans: It was the day India gained independence. Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his Shehnai from the Red Fort, playing Raag Kafi.
3. Why did Bismillah Khan quit the film industry?
Ans: He quit because he could not come to terms with the "artificiality and glamour" of the film world. He preferred the purity of classical music.
1. Describe the role of Ustad Bismillah Khan in promoting the Shehnai.
Ans: Before Bismillah Khan, the Shehnai was a mere folk instrument played at weddings and temples. It was part of the 'naubat' but had no independent classical standing. Bismillah Khan changed this by improving its tonal quality and inventing new raagas. By performing at prestigious international venues like the Lincoln Centre, he put the Shehnai on the world map and brought it onto the classical stage.
2. How does the author describe Bismillah Khan's love for his motherland?
Ans: Bismillah Khan loved India, especially Benaras and Dumraon. He refused to live in the USA because he could not leave the Ganga. During Partition, he refused to move to Pakistan, saying, "Me, leave Benaras? Never!" He remained a true patriot rooted in Indian culture.