The Sound of Music Class 9 English Question Answer | Chapter 2 | Beehive

This chapter is divided into two parts. Below you will find the complete textbook content, solutions, and additional exam-oriented questions for both parts.

PART I: Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It

Textbook Questions & Answers (Part I)

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Evelyn was seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music in London.

2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

Her deafness was first noticed when she was eight years old (when she didn't move to play the piano). It was confirmed when she was eleven years old after her marks deteriorated and she was taken to a specialist.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30-40 words).

1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Percussionist Ron Forbes helped her to continue with music. He spotted her potential and tuned two large drums to different notes. He said, "Don't listen through your ears, try to sense it some other way."

2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

Apart from her regular concerts, Evelyn gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also gives high priority to classes for young musicians, serving as an inspiration for deaf children.

III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words).

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

Evelyn Glennie does not hear music through her ears; she feels it. After her deafness was confirmed, she learned to open her mind and body to sounds and vibrations. Her mentor, Ron Forbes, taught her to feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower drum from the waist down.

When playing 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.

PART II: The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Textbook Questions & Answers (Part II)

I. Tick the right answer.

1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a 'reeded noisemaker.'
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).

II. Find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah Khan's feelings...

Item	Feeling
1. Teaching children music	Positive ("Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition")
2. The film world	Negative ("I just can't come to terms with the artificiality and glamour")
3. Migrating to the U.S.A.	Negative (He refused because he could not take the Ganga there)
4. Playing at temples	Positive (He regularly went to Balaji and Mangala Maiya temples)
5. Getting the Bharat Ratna	Positive (His eyes glinted with rare happiness)
6. The banks of the Ganga	Positive (His favourite haunts where he practised in solitude)
7. Leaving Benaras and Dumraon	Negative ("Me, leave Benaras? Never!")

III. Answer these questions in 30-40 words.

1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because it had a shrill and unpleasant sound. It became a generic name for reeded noisemakers and was considered a nuisance.

2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

The shehnai is an improved version of the pungi. It is made from a natural hollow stem pipe that is longer and broader than the pungi. It has seven holes on the body and produces soft, melodious sounds.

3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

Traditionally, the shehnai was played in royal courts (as part of the naubat), temples, and North Indian weddings. Bismillah Khan changed this by bringing the instrument onto the classical stage and creating new raagas for it.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

Bismillah Khan got his big break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on the radio.

5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?

He played the shehnai at the Red Fort on 15 August 1947. The event was historic because he was the first Indian to greet the newly independent nation with his music, playing Raag Kafi for an audience including Jawaharlal Nehru.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?

He refused because he could not bear to live away from Benaras and the River Ganga. When a student promised to recreate the temples there, he asked if the student could also transport the River Ganga.

7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.

(i) He refused to settle in the USA because he would miss the Ganga.
(ii) During Partition, he refused to move to Pakistan, saying "Me, leave Benaras? Never!"
(iii) Even while in Mumbai, he said he thought only of Benaras and the holy Ganga.

Grammar & Writing Skills (Thinking about Language)

I. Completing Sentences (Using 'to-verb')

1. The school sports team hopes to win the match.

2. We all want to succeed in life.

3. They advised the hearing-impaired child's mother to consult a specialist.

4. The authorities permitted us to organize the fair.

5. A musician decided to improve the tonal quality of the pungi.

II. Word Definitions

1. The home of royal people: Royal residence

2. The state of being alone: Solitude

3. A part which is absolutely necessary: Indispensable

4. To do something not done before: Invent

5. Without much effort: Effortlessly

6. Quickly and in large quantities: Thick and fast

III. Dictionary Work (Adjective Positions)

Consult your dictionary and complete the table:

Adjective	Only before noun	Not before noun	Both positions
indispensable			✓
impressed		✓
afraid		✓
outdoor	✓
paternal	✓
countless	✓
priceless			✓

Speaking: Introducing Kishori Amonkar

Notes on Kishori Amonkar: Born 1931; daughter of Mogubai Kurdikar; Jaipur-Atrauli gharana but developed unique style; inspired by Vedic sages; awards include Padma Bhushan and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Introduction Speech:

"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.

Additional Exam-Oriented Questions

45 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Part I: Evelyn Glennie

1. Evelyn Glennie is a ______ by profession.

☐ Doctor

☐ Teacher

✓ Multi-percussionist

☐ Dancer

2. Evelyn's mother's name is:

☐ Ann Richlin

✓ Isabel Glennie

☐ Jane Doe

☐ Mary Glennie

3. How old was Evelyn when her deafness was confirmed?

☐ 8

✓ 11

☐ 17

☐ 10

4. Who urged Evelyn's parents to take her to a specialist?

☐ Her music teacher

☐ Her friends

✓ Her headmistress

☐ Her neighbors

5. Evelyn conceals her deafness from:

☐ Her parents

✓ Friends and teachers

☐ Doctors

☐ Ron Forbes

6. Which instrument did Evelyn see a girl playing?

☐ Piano

☐ Flute

✓ Xylophone

☐ Guitar

7. Ron Forbes was a:

☐ Pianist

✓ Percussionist

☐ Vocalist

☐ Doctor

8. Ron Forbes began by tuning two large ______ to different notes.

☐ Guitars

☐ Pianos

✓ Drums

☐ Violins

9. Where did Evelyn audition for?

✓ Royal Academy of Music

☐ Juilliard School

☐ Trinity College

☐ Oxford University

10. Evelyn toured the UK with a:

☐ Rock band

✓ Youth orchestra

☐ Jazz band

☐ Choir

11. Evelyn feels music in her:

☐ Cheekbones

☐ Hair

☐ Skin

✓ All of the above

12. On a wooden platform, she removes her:

☐ Gloves

☐ Jacket

✓ Shoes

☐ Glasses

13. In 1991, she received the:

☐ Nobel Prize

✓ Soloist of the Year Award

☐ Grammy

☐ Oscar

14. Who said, "God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary"?

☐ Ron Forbes

✓ James Blades

☐ Isabel Glennie

☐ Ann Richlin

15. Evelyn confesses she is something of a:

✓ Workaholic

☐ Lazy person

☐ Shopaholic

☐ Reader

16. Evelyn gives free concerts in:

☐ Schools and colleges

✓ Prisons and hospitals

☐ Parks and malls

☐ Hotels and clubs

17. Ann Richlin belongs to the:

☐ Royal Academy

✓ Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children

☐ London Symphony

☐ BBC

18. Evelyn mastered basic:

☐ French

☐ Japanese

✓ Both Japanese and French

☐ Spanish

19. Evelyn is from:

☐ England

✓ Scotland

☐ Ireland

☐ Wales

20. Evelyn's hearing loss was due to:

☐ Accident

✓ Nerve damage

☐ Infection

☐ Heredity

21. Men with ______ give Evelyn trouble.

☐ Glasses

☐ Masks

✓ Bushy beards

☐ Low voices

22. Evelyn scored the ______ marks in the history of the Royal Academy.

☐ Lowest

☐ Average

✓ Highest

☐ Second highest

Part II: Bismillah Khan

23. Who banned the playing of Pungi?

☐ Akbar

☐ Babur

✓ Aurangzeb

☐ Shah Jahan

24. Who revived the Pungi and made it into Shehnai?

☐ A musician

✓ A barber (Nai)

☐ A minister

☐ A soldier

25. Shehnai was first played in the:

☐ Temple

☐ Wedding

✓ Shah's chambers

☐ Playground

26. Bismillah Khan belongs to a family of musicians from:

☐ Uttar Pradesh

✓ Bihar

☐ Bengal

☐ Punjab

27. Bismillah Khan was born in:

☐ 1910

✓ 1916

☐ 1920

☐ 1947

28. His grandfather was the Shehnai-Nawaz of:

☐ Lucknow court

☐ Delhi court

✓ Bhojpur King's court

☐ Gwalior court

29. Ali Bux was Bismillah Khan's:

☐ Father

✓ Maternal uncle

☐ Grandfather

☐ Brother

30. Ali Bux played Shehnai at which temple?

☐ Shiva temple

✓ Vishnu temple

☐ Durga temple

☐ Kali temple

31. Where did Bismillah practice in solitude?

☐ In his room

☐ In the garden

✓ Banks of the Ganga

☐ On the roof

32. Bismillah's big break came with the opening of:

☐ Doordarshan

✓ All India Radio

☐ Cinema Hall

☐ Music School

33. When did the AIR open in Lucknow?

☐ 1930

✓ 1938

☐ 1947

☐ 1950

34. Which Raag did he play on 15 August 1947?

☐ Raag Bhairavi

☐ Raag Deepak

✓ Raag Kafi

☐ Raag Malhar

35. Who gifted him priceless Persian carpets?

☐ King of Nepal

✓ King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan

☐ King of Persia

☐ Queen Elizabeth

36. Which film director named a film 'Gunj Uthi Shehnai'?

☐ Satyajit Ray

✓ Vijay Bhatt

☐ Vikram Srinivas

☐ Raj Kapoor

37. Bismillah Khan's composition "Dil ka khilona hai..." was a:

☐ Flop

✓ Chartbuster

☐ Average song

☐ Folk song

38. An auditorium in ______ was named after him.

☐ Tokyo

☐ London

✓ Teheran

☐ New York

39. When was he awarded the Bharat Ratna?

☐ 1999

☐ 2000

✓ 2001

☐ 2006

40. Bismillah Khan is fondly called:

☐ Ustadji

✓ Khansaab

☐ Guruji

☐ Maulviji

41. Why did he refuse to go to the USA?

☐ He hated flying

✓ He would miss Benaras and Ganga

☐ He didn't like western music

☐ No money

42. Bismillah Khan passed away at the age of:

☐ 80

✓ 90

☐ 100

☐ 85

43. The sound of Shehnai is considered:

☐ Loud

✓ Auspicious

☐ Sad

☐ Scary

44. Bismillah Khan played Gilli-danda near:

☐ A river

☐ A school

✓ A pond

☐ A temple

45. What prize did he get for singing 'Chaita'?

☐ Money

✓ A big laddu (1.25 kg)

☐ Clothes

☐ Sweets

45 Very Short Answer Questions (VSA)

1. Name the girl who inspired Evelyn.
Ans: She is not named, but she was playing a xylophone.

2. Who is the author of Part I?
Ans: Deborah Cowley.

3. Who is the author of Part II?
Ans: The text is adapted (no specific author listed in source).

4. What is a xylophone?
Ans: A musical instrument with a row of wooden bars.

5. Define 'daunting'.
Ans: Frightening.

6. What does 'jostle' mean?
Ans: Push roughly.

7. How old was Evelyn when she went to London?
Ans: Seventeen.

8. Where is the Royal Academy of Music?
Ans: London.

9. Who is James Blades?
Ans: A master percussionist.

10. What did the specialist advise for Evelyn?
Ans: Hearing aids and a school for the deaf.

11. How does Evelyn feel music in her hair?
Ans: Through vibrations.

12. Why does she remove her shoes?
Ans: To feel vibrations through her feet.

13. Which award did she win in 1991?
Ans: Soloist of the Year.

14. What languages did Evelyn master?
Ans: French and Japanese.

15. How many instruments can Evelyn play?
Ans: Some thousand.

16. What is 'pungi' also called?
Ans: A reeded noisemaker.

17. Who banned the pungi?
Ans: Aurangzeb.

18. Who improved the pungi?
Ans: A barber (Nai).

19. How many holes does a Shehnai have?
Ans: Seven.

20. What is 'naubat'?
Ans: A traditional ensemble of nine instruments.

21. Where was Bismillah Khan born?
Ans: Dumraon, Bihar.

22. Who was Paigambar Bux?
Ans: Bismillah Khan's father.

23. Who was Rasool Bux Khan?
Ans: Bismillah Khan's grandfather.

24. What is 'Chaita'?
Ans: A folk song (Bhojpuri).

25. Where did he sing Chaita?
Ans: Bihariji Temple.

26. Who was his mentor in Benaras?
Ans: Ali Bux.

27. Which river inspired him?
Ans: The Ganga.

28. When did AIR Lucknow start?
Ans: 1938.

29. Where did he play on Independence Day?
Ans: Red Fort.

30. Who was present in the audience on 15 Aug 1947?
Ans: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

31. Name the film by Vijay Bhatt.
Ans: Gunj Uthi Shehnai.

32. Name the Kannada film he worked in.
Ans: Sanadhi Apanna.

33. What is 'cellular world' referred to as?
Ans: The film world.

34. Name the auditorium in Teheran.
Ans: Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

35. Which US city invited him?
Ans: He was invited to perform at Lincoln Centre Hall (USA).

36. Name the three Padma awards he received.
Ans: Padmashri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan.

37. What is 'coveted'?
Ans: Much desired.

38. What did he say about Indian music?
Ans: "This is Hindustan's richest tradition."

39. What is 'mattha'?
Ans: Buttermilk (speciality of Dumraon).

40. Did he go to Pakistan?
Ans: Yes, once for an hour.

41. Why did he greet Pakistanis?
Ans: To say Namaskar and Salaam Alaikum (humorously).

42. When did he die?
Ans: 21 August 2006.

43. What is a 'workaholic'?
Ans: A person who finds it difficult to stop working.

44. Who is Shekhar Gupta?
Ans: The interviewer in the text.

45. What does the Shehnai symbolize?
Ans: Auspiciousness.

10 Short Answer Questions (2-3 Marks)

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 in music.

2. What did the headmistress suggest to Evelyn's parents?
Ans: When Evelyn's marks deteriorated at the age of eleven, the headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist. It was then discovered that her hearing was severely impaired due to gradual nerve damage.

3. How did Ron Forbes encourage Evelyn?
Ans: Unlike other teachers who discouraged her, Ron Forbes spotted her potential. He tuned two drums to different notes and asked her not to listen through her ears but to sense the sound in some other way, which helped her discover her ability to feel vibrations.

4. Why does Evelyn perform barefoot?
Ans: Evelyn performs barefoot on a wooden platform so that the vibrations of the music can pass through her bare feet and travel up her legs, allowing her to feel the music physically.

5. 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 the two words 'Shah' and 'nai', the instrument was named 'Shehnai'.

6. How did the young Bismillah Khan practice music?
Ans: The young Bismillah Khan would sit captivated for hours accompanying his uncle Ali Bux. Later, he practised throughout the day in solitude at the Balaji and Mangala Maiya temples and on the banks of the Ganga.

7. Why was the event of 15th August 1947 historic for Bismillah Khan?
Ans: It was historic because India gained independence that day. Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his Shehnai from the Red Fort, playing Raag Kafi before an audience that included Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

8. Why did Bismillah Khan quit the film industry?
Ans: Despite the success of "Gunj Uthi Shehnai", Bismillah Khan quit films because he could not come to terms with the "artificiality and glamour" of the film world. He preferred the purity of classical music.

9. What was Bismillah Khan's advice to Indians regarding music?
Ans: After receiving the Bharat Ratna, he said, "Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music."

10. How did the Ganga inspire Bismillah Khan?
Ans: The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent raagas that were earlier considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai. He practiced in solitude on its banks.

5 Long Answer Questions (5-6 Marks)

1. Compare the character and musical journey of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan.
Ans: Both Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan are legends who reached the pinnacle of success through hard work and dedication. Evelyn, despite being profoundly deaf, fought against her disability to become a world-renowned percussionist. She represents the triumph of spirit over physical limitation. Bismillah Khan, on the other hand, was a prodigy born into a family of musicians. He revived the Shehnai and brought it to the classical stage. While Evelyn's journey was about overcoming a physical barrier, Bismillah's was about elevating a folk instrument to classical status and preserving cultural heritage. Both shared a deep passion for music and remained humble despite their global fame.

2. "God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary." Justify this statement with reference to Evelyn Glennie.
Ans: This statement by James Blades perfectly captures Evelyn's life. Although she lost her hearing, she developed a heightened sensitivity to vibrations that normal people ignore. She can feel music through her skin, cheekbones, hair, and feet. This ability allows her to "feel" music far more deeply than others hear it. Her interpretation of rhythm and nuance is unique because it comes from a physical connection with the sound. Thus, her loss of hearing was compensated by an extraordinary ability to sense and express music, making her a unique and celebrated artist.

3. Describe the role of Ustad Bismillah Khan in promoting the Shehnai.
Ans: Before Bismillah Khan, the Shehnai was just a "reeded noisemaker" or a functional instrument played at weddings and temples. It was part of the royal 'naubat' but had no independent classical standing. Bismillah Khan changed this single-handedly. He practised for years to improve its tonal quality and range. He invented new raagas for the Shehnai, proving it could convey complex emotions just like the sitar or flute. By performing at prestigious international venues like the Lincoln Centre and the Cannes Art Festival, he put the Shehnai on the world map. He is rightly credited with bringing the Shehnai onto the classical stage.

4. How does the author describe Bismillah Khan's love for his motherland?
Ans: Bismillah Khan's love for India, specifically Benaras and Dumraon, is a central theme of his life. He famously refused a student's offer to head a Shehnai school in the USA because he could not live without the River Ganga. He stated that while in foreign countries, he yearned for Hindustan; in Mumbai, he thought of Benaras; and in Benaras, he missed Dumraon's mattha. During the partition, he strictly refused to move to Pakistan, saying, "Me, leave Benaras? Never!" His music was deeply rooted in the soil of India, and he remained a true patriot till his last breath.

5. What values can we learn from the lives of the two musicians described in the chapter?
Ans: The lives of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan teach us several important values. From Evelyn, we learn resilience and determination. She teaches us that physical disabilities are not the end of the road and that hard work can overcome any obstacle. From Bismillah Khan, we learn simplicity, dedication to art, and patriotism. Despite achieving the highest civilian award, he remained a humble man who loved his city and his music above material wealth. Both musicians teach us that passion, combined with relentless practice ("riyaaz"), leads to excellence and that true success lies in touching people's hearts.