My Childhood Important Questions Class 9 Beehive English
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. How old was Abdul Kalam when the Second World War broke out?
Answer
At that time he was just eight years old.
Question 2. How does Kalam show his father was a simple man?
Answer
Kalam’s father was a simple self-disciplined man. He neither had formal education nor much wealth and he avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries.
Question 3. How was Kalam’s appearance different from that of his parents?
Answer
Kalam did not take after his tall and handsome parents. He was a rather short boy with average looks. Unlike his parents who had quite striking features, his appearance was undistinguished.
Question 4. Name three close friends of Abdul Kalam.
Answer
Three close friends of Abdul Kalam were-Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan.
Question 4. What characteristics does Kalam say he inherited from his parents?
Answer
Kalam inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.
Question 5. What was the name of Abdul Kalam’s science teacher?
Answer
The name of Abdul Kalam’s science teacher was Sivasubramania lyer.
Question 6. How did Sivasubramania react to his wife’s behaviour when she refused to serve Kalam (a Muslim boy) in her kitchen?
Answer
Sivasubramania probably expected such behaviour from his conservative wife. So, without getting angry or perturbed, he served Kalam with his own hands and sat beside him to eat his meal.
Question 7. What kind of poison was the young teacher spreading in the class?
Answer
He did not like that a Muslim boy was sitting with a Hindu Brahmin boy. Thus the young teacher was spreading the poison of social inequality and communalism. He was poisoning the minds of children.
Question 8. How did the Indians feel when the nation’s Independence was in full sight?
Answer
Indians were filled with unprecedented optimism when the Second World War ended. India’s independence seemed imminent. Gandhiji declared that Indians would build their own India.
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 2. How did Lakshmana Sastry reform the young teacher?
Answer
Lakshmana Sastry was Ramanadha Sastry’s father. When he came to know that the young teacher had shifted Kahan to the last row he got very angry. He summoned the teacher. He told the teacher that he should not spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. He asked him either to apologize or quit school. Thus the teacher regretted and he was reformed.
Question 2. What were the qualities that Abdul Kalam admired in his parents?
Answer
Kalam’s parents were noble and generous people. Though his father was an austere man, he provided his family with all necessities, in terms of food, medicine or clothes. He admired his father’s honesty and self-discipline and his mother’s faith in goodness and kindness. He admired his parents for respecting all religions.
Question 3. Kalam’s childhood was a secure one both materially and emotionally. Illustrate.
Answer
APJ Abdul Kalam called his childhood a secure one because he had loving and caring parents who gave love and guidance to their children and took care of their emotional and physical needs. They provided their children with all necessities, in terms of food, medicine or clothes.
Question 4. How was Kalam’s mother ideal support to her husband?
Answer
Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma, was ideal support to her husband. She was a picture of goodness and deep kindness. She was tall, good looking and very attached to her children. Like her husband, she was very generous and fed a number of outsiders daily. Kalam inherited the values of kindness and generosity from her.
Question 5. How does Abdul Kalam describe his mother?
Answer
Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma, was tall, good looking and very attached to her children. She was an ideal helpmate to her husband. She was a gentle and kind lady with faith in goodness and deep kindness. Like her husband, she was very generous and fed a number of outsiders daily. Kalam inherited the values of kindness and generosity from her. Kalam inherited the values of kindness and generosity from her.
Question 6. Briefly describe Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house.
Answer
Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was situated on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram. It had been built in the middle of nineteenth century and was a fairly large, pucca house made of limestone and brick.
Question 7. How did the Second World War give Abdul Kalam the opportunity to earn his first wages?
Answer
When stoppage of trains was cancelled at Rameshwaram because of World War II, Kalam’s cousin, Samsuddin, who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram, asked him for help in collecting newspaper bundles which were thrown from the moving train. This helped Abdul Kalam earn his first wages.
Question 8. What was Dinamani? Justify your views.
Answer
Dinamani seems to be the name of a newspaper. Kalam mentions that he gathered information about the world war from his brother-in-law Jallaluddin. Later he tried to trace these stories in the headlines of Dinamani. Headlines are titles of news items, so Dinamani must be a newspaper.
Question 9. Who were Kalam’s school friends? What did they become later?
Answer
Kalam’s three close childhood friends were Ramanad Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. All three of them settled well in life. Ramanadha inherited priesthood of Rameswaram temple from his father, Aravindan took up the business of arranging transport for visiting pilgrims and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.
Question 10. What did Kalam’s family do during the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony?
Answer
During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony, Kalam’s family used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha, which was near Kalam’s house.
Question 11. Why did Lakshmana Sastry summon the new school teacher?
Answer
Ratnanadha’s father, Lakshmana Sastry was deeply distressed to learn that the new school teacher had shifted Kalam to the last bench. He did not approve of this disparity. So he summoned the teacher and told him not to spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in young minds. He bluntly told him to either apologise or leave the school. The teacher not only regretted his action but also reformed himself.
Question 12. Do you think the teacher at Rameswaram Elementary School deserved the treatment meted out to him by Lakshmana Sastry?
Answer
Yes, the teacher deserved the treatment meted out to him by Lakshmana Sastry. He was spreading the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. Spreading such divisive tendencies is a serious crime if a teacher indulges in such an damaging act he deserves no sympathy.
Question 13. Why did Sivasubramania invite Kalam for dinner again the next weekend?
Answer
The young Kalam was upset by Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife’s refusal to serve him food in her kitchen. This, coupled with the desire to transform his wife, probably prompted Sivasubramania to make amends to Kalam. So he invited Kalam to dinner again the following weekend. He also told Kalam, “Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted.”
Question 14. What made Sivasubramania tier’s wife change his mind?
Answer
Sivasubramania lyer’s wife watched Kalam having his man from behind the kitchen door. She did not find any difference in the way he took his meal ‘fins made her change her mind. On his next visit to the teacher’s house, she took Kalin inside the kitchen. She served him food with her own hands.
Question 15. What influence did his teacher Sivasubramania Iyer have on the young Kalam?
Answer
Sivasubramania Iyer taught Kalam to confront prejudice. He told him that if he wanted to bring about a change, such problems needed to be confronted. Sivasubramania Iyer, the science teacher, was a Brahmin. When he invited Kalam for dinner, his orthodox wife thought Kalam’s presence would make it impure and refused to serve him. Sivasubramania Iyer served him with his own hands, and invited him again. This not only changed his wife’s attitude, it also had a profound influence on young Kalam.
Question 16. Why did Abdul Kaiam want to leave Rameswaram?
Answer
Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram because the place did not offer any options for higher education. It just had an elementary school. An ambitious Kalam who was keen to study further wished to go to the district headquarters at Ramanathapuram that had many educational facilities.
Question 17. Why did Kalam’s father allow Kalam to leave Rameswaram and go to Ramanathapuram?
Answer
Though not educated himself, Kalam’s pragmatic father understood the significance of education. He did not want to stand in the way of his children’s growth in any way. Since Rameswaram had nothing more than an elementary school, his father willingly allowed Kalam to go to Ramanathapuram to pursue higher studies and persuaded his wife to do the same.
Question 18. What was the reaction of Abdul Kalam’s father when he wanted to leave home? What was his mother’s reaction?
Answer
Abdul Katam’s father gave him his permission gladly. But his mother was a little worried. At this, his father told her that a child is like a seagull. One day, he has to learn to fly alone like the seagull. This cleared the doubts of his mother.
Question 19. What did Kalam’s father mean to say when he quoted Khalil Gibran? Why do you think he spoke these words?
Answer
Kalam’s father meant that every human being must be given the opportunity to build his life as per his wishes and parents should not hinder this effort. He spoke these words to convince Kalam’s mother that her son’s decision to leave home was right. She should allow him happily to shape his life according to his own ideas.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1. When Sivasubramania told Kalam, “Once, you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted”. What system was he referring to? What are “such problems”? What values did he want to teach Kalam?
Answer
The above sentence refers to religious differences between people. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam belonged to Rameswaram. At that time, the small society of that town was rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups. This system was prevalent in the whole of the country. The high caste people did not like to eat or drink with the people of low castes. The new teacher in Abdul Kalam’s class could not tolerate that a Muslim boy should sit with the son of a Hindu priest. He sent Abdul Kalarn to the back bench. But some people have tried to fight these problems. Abdul Kalam’s teacher, Sivasubramania lyer’s served Abdul Kalam with his own hands. He sat down beside him to eat. Later, his wife realised her mistake. The next week, she served Abdul Kalam in her kitchen. Yet these problems are deep-rooted in India. These have not been tackled even now.
Question 2. What incident took place at the Rameswaram Elementary School when a new teacher came to the class?
Answer
Kalam, who was a Muslim, used to wear a cap and his friend, Ramanadha Sastry, the son of the head priest at the Rameswaram temple, wore a sacred thread which marked him to be a Brahmin. When the new teacher came he could not stomach a Hindu priest’s son sitting with a Muslim boy. In accordance with social ranking as the new teacher saw it, Abdul Kalam was asked to go and sit on the back bench.
Both the boys felt very sad. Ramanadha Sastry looked utterly downcast and as Kalam shifted to his seat in the last row, he saw tears in his eyes. Both the kids narrated the incident to their parents. Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher, and reprimanded him for spreading the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. The teacher was asked to either apologise or quit the school and the island. Not only did the teacher regret his behaviour, but the strong sense of conviction Lakshmana Sastry conveyed ultimately reformed him.
Question 3. How does Abdul Kalam describe his three close friends?
Answer
Abdul Kalam says that in his childhood, he had three close friends. Their names were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. All these boys were from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families. Ramanadha Sastri was the son of Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry. He was the high priest of the Rameswaram temple. When Ramanadha grew up, he took over the priesthood of the temple from his father. Aravindan went into the business of arranging transport for the pilgrims who visited Rameswaram. The third friend, Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways. Abdul Kalam says that although they were from different refigOts, none of them ever felt any difference among themselves because of different religious backgrounds. Their parents were also liberal and generous. Ramanathan’s father rebuked the new teacher for spreading the poison of social inequality in the minds of innocent children.
Question 4. What do you learn about APJ. Abdul Kalam’s family from the lesson “My Childhood”?
Answer
Abdul Kalam tells us that his family was a middle class Tamil Muslim family from Rameshwaram. His parents were good, kind and wise people who gave their children a childhood that was emotionally and materially secure. His father, Jainulabdeen, was not much educated, wasn’t rich but was generous, wise, simple man but was austere and used to avoid all inessential comforts and luxuries. However, all necessities were provided for, in terms of food, medicine or clothes.
His mother Ashiamma was a generous lady, and used to feed unlimited numbers of people. The family respected all religions and took part in Hindu festivals. During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony, Kalam’s family used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha which was near their house. Events from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet were the bedtime stories Kalam’s mother and grandmother would tell the children in the family. The parents always showered their love on their children and never forced their views on them.
Question 5. Suppose you are the new teacher who had sent Kalam to the last row in the class. You realise your mistake after the Hindu priest Lakshmana Sastry reprimanded you. Write a diary entry in about 150 words expressing your regret at your behaviour.
Answer
(Day and Date)
(Time)
Dear Diary
My first day at Rameswaram Elementary School was very eventful. Although I was supposed to teach I actually learnt a valuable lesson myself.
On entering the fifth standard, I noticed a boy in a Muslim cap sitting in the front row next to a Brahmin boy wearing the sacred thread. I coup I do not tolerate this and I asked the Muslim boy, whose name was Abdul Kalam, to go to the last row. The boy and his friend both looked sad but my order was followed.
In the evening, Lakshmana Sastry, the high priest of the Rameswaram temple and the Brahmin boy’s father sent for me. He reprimanded me for poisoning young and innocent minds about the differences based on class and community. He asked me to either apologise or to quit the school and the island. I was shaken as the warning had come from none other than the high priest himself.
I was totally ashamed of my mean behaviour. I regretted having victimized an innocent boy and belittling his religion. I offered my sincere regret and resolved never to let any such prejudice to influence my decisions. I am grateful to Lakshmana Sastry for showing me the right path.
Question 6. Why did the narrator’s father say, “Does the seagull not fly across the sun, alone and without a nest”?
Answer
When Abdul Kalam asked his father for permission to leave Rameswaram and study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram, his father did not get upset, nor did he try to stop him. On the contrary, he encouraged his son to leave Rameshwaram and to spread his wings and go to make his own way. He took example of young seagulls who leave their parents’ nest to leam to fly. His words have very a very important lesson.
Unlike human beings, most of the animals teach their young ones the skills of survival and allow them to fend for themselves after a certain age. This makes them more independent and courageous. For human also after a certain age certain degree of responsibility and independence is always helpful in making a perfect adult. Kalam’s father realised his son wanted to go away to grow.
He was a wise man and was aware of the need of an individual to grow and achieve his/ her full potential. He knew that life is not easy. His son would have to make tremendous efforts to face the hardships of life. The sons and Daughters must live their own lives.