The Sound of Music

Page no. - 20
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?

A. Evelyn was seventeen years old when she got

admission in the Royal Academy of Music, London and
went there.

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

confirmed?

A. When Evelyn was eight years old, her mother,

Isabelle Glennie first noticed her deafness at the piano
class. Evelyn’s loss of hearing was gradual. When she
turned eleven, her deafness was confirmed.

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?

A.Master percussionist Ron Forbes spotted Evlyn's

talent and potential. He helped Evelyn to continue
with music and guided her to feel music some other
way rather than hearing it.
He got two large drums and tuned them to different
notes. He asked Evelyn not to listen true her years but
to try and sense the sound in some other manner.
When he played the drums, Evelyn reacted to the
distinct notes differently. She realized that she could
feel the higher notes produced by one of the drums
through the upper part of her body, above the waist
and the lower notes of the other drum through the
lower part of her body, below the waist. With
repeated practice evening learnt to feel the sounds
and vibrations through different parts of her body
rather than her ears. As a result her mind and body
were able to recognise and distinguish various sounds
and vibrations of music.

2. Name the various places and causes for which

Evelyn performs.

A. Evelyn made her first tour at the age of sixteen

when she performed with a youth orchestra. She
toured the United Kingdom and after that tour she
decided that she would make a career in music. Evelyn
is a popular musician with a busy international
schedule. Apart from the regular concerts, she also
does charity and performs for hospitals and prisons.
She also accorded high priority to classes for young
musicians.

III.Answer the question in two or three paragraphs

(100–150 words).

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

A. Evelyn Glennie was passionate about music but
unfortunately, she lost her sense of hearing by the age
of eleven. Master percussionist Ron Forbes spotted
Evelyn’s potential. He guided her to feel music some
other way than to hear it through her ears. He trained
her by tuning two large drums to different notes.
Evelyn realized that she could sense different sounds
and vibrations through different parts of her body. She
could feel the higher notes produced by one of the
drums through the upper part of her body, above the
waist and the lower notes of the other drum through
the lower part of her body, below the waist. This
experiment worked well for Evelyn and she responded
to the finer sounds of music too. She learnt how to
open her mind and body to sounds and vibrations. It
was sheer determination and hard work. When she
played the xylophone she could sense the vibrations of
sound passing up the stick into her finger tips. By
leaning against the drums she could feel the
resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden
platform she removed shoes so that the vibrations
produced by different instruments could pass through
her bare feet and up her legs. She herself said that
music poured in through every part of her body. It
tingled in the skin , her cheek bones and even in her
hair. Thus, Evelyn has sensitized her body to music.

The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Page No 21:
• Do you know these people? What instruments do
they play?
ANSWER:
(1) Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia plays flute
(2) Ustad Vilayat Khan plays sitar
(3) M. Lalitha and M. Nandini plays violin
(4)Zakir Hussain plays tabla
(5) Ustad Amjad Ali Khan plays sarod
(6) Maestro Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan plays violin
(7) Ustad Sultan Khan plays sarangi
(8) Ustad Bismillah Khan plays shehnai

Page No 25:
Question 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).

ANSWER:
1. The pungi was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
2. A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were
professional musicians.
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali
Bux.
5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
Page No 25:
Question II:
Find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah
Khan’s feelings about the items listed below. Then
mark a tick (√) in the correct column. Discuss your
answers in class.

Bismillah Positive Negative Neutral

Khan’s
feelings
about

1. teaching ✔
children
music

✔
2. the film
world

3. migrating ✔
to the
U.S.A.

4. playing at ✔
temples

5. getting ✔
the Bharat
Ratna

6. the banks ✔
of the
Ganga

7. leaving ✔
Benaras and
Dumraon
 .
Bismillah Khan’s feelings about Words in the text
1. teaching children music - With the coveted award
resting on his chest and his eyes glinting with rare
happiness he said, “All I would like to say is: Teach your
children music, this is Hindustan’s richest tradition;
even the West is now coming to learn our music.’’
2. the film world - “I just can’t come to terms with the
artificiality and glamour of the film world,” he says
with emphasis.
3. migrating to the U.S.A. - But Khansaab asked him if
he would be able to transport River Ganga as well.
Later he is remembered to have said, “That is why
whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to
see Hindustan.”
4. playing at temples - Ustad Bismillah Khan’s life is a
perfect example of the rich, cultural heritage of India,
one that effortlessly accepts that a devout Muslim like
him can very naturally play the shehnai every morning
at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
5. getting the Bharat Ratna - With the coveted award
resting on his chest and his eyes glinting with rare
happiness...
6. the banks of the Ganga - ...and the banks of the
Ganga became the young apprentice's favourite
haunts where he could practise in solitude.
7. leaving Benaras and Dumraon - “That is why
whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to
see Hindustan. While in Mumbai, I think of only
Benaras and the holy Ganga. And while in Benaras, I
miss the unique mattha of Dumraon.”
Page no. - 26
III. (1). Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the
pungi?
Answer. Long time ago when Emperor Aurangzeb was
ruling Hindustan a peculiar musical instrument called
pungi played in the royal court.Pungi had a shrill
unpleasant sound, which seemed more noise than
music. Emperor Aurangzeb did not like the obnoxious
sound of the pungi so he banned the playing of this
musical instrument in the royal residence.

(2). How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

Answer. Pungi had a shrill unpleasant sound, which
seemed more noise than music. Shehnai has better
tonal quality than pungi. It is a natural hollow stem
pipe with holes on its body and is longer and broader
than the pungi. When it was played on closing and
opening some of the holes on the pipe , a sweet ,
beautiful and sonorous sound was produced. Shehnai
is, in a way, an improvement upon the pungi.
(3). Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How
did Bismillah Khan change this?
Answer. The shehnai was played traditionally in the
temple, at the royal courts and on the occasion of
weddings.
Ustad Bismillah Khan change this by introducing this
musical instrument, shehnai , on to the classical stage
by improvising and inventing many ragas that were
earlier considered to be beyond the range of the
shehnai.

(4). When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big
break?
Answer. Bismillah khan got his big break in 1938. The
All India Radio was opened in Lucknow and Bismillah
khan played shehnai on the radio. People liked his
music and soon he became an often-heard player on
the radio. He became the first Indian to greet the
nation with his shehnai from the Red Fort on 15
August 1947.
(5). Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15
August 1947? Why was the event historic?
Answer. Bismillah Khan played the shehnai on 15
August ,1947 at Red Fort. He was the first Indian to
greet the nation with his music. This event was historic
because it was on the occasion of India's
independence from British rule.we got independence
on that day. He poured his heart out in the presence of
a large number of people including Pt. Jawahar Lal
Nehru.
(6). Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai
school in the U.S.A.?
Answer. He refused to start a shehnai school in the
USA because he never wanted to leave India. He loved
India particularly Banaras Dumraon and the river
Ganges so much and he did not want to settle
anywhere except India. He used to get inspiration from
the ambience of numerous ghats in Varanasi. He knew
that he won't be able to get that ambience in the USA.
He himself said that whenever he was in a foreign
country he kept yearning to see Hindustan.

(7). Find at least two instances in the text which tell

you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
Answer. Bismillah Khan immensely loved India
particularly Banaras and Dumraon. In his initial years
the temple of Balaji and Mangal Maiya became his
favourite places where he could practice music in
solitude.The flowing waters of the river Ganges
inspired him to improvise and invent different ragas.

Khansaab refused to start a shehnai school in the USA

because he could not live outside India. His student
who had asked him to head the shehnai school
promised that he would recreate the atmosphere of
Banaras by replicating the temples there however he
wanted to know if his student could also transport the
river Ganga which his student obviously could not. He
himself said that whenever he was in a foreign country
he kept yearning for his homeland. While in Mumbai,
he thinks of only Benaras and the holy river. And when
he is in Benaras, he remembers the unique mattha of
Dumraon.

I.Complete the following sentences. Beginning with a

to-verb, try to answer the questions in brackets.

1.The school sports team hopes ________ (What does

it hope to do?)
2.We all want ________ (What do we all want to do?)
3.They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother
________ (What did they advise her to do?)
4.The authorities permitted us to ________ (What did
the authorities permit us to do?)
5.A musician decided to ________ (What did the
musician decide to do?)
Answer.
1.The school sports team hopes to perform better than
the last time.
2.We all want to go to the zoo.
3.They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to
take her to a specialist.
4.The authorities permitted us to organize a charity
event.
5.A musician decided to take India’s music to the
world.

II.From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words and

phrases that match these definitions and write them
down. The number of the paragraph where you will
find the words/phrases has been given for you in
brackets.

1.the home of royal people (1) ________

2.the state of being alone (5) ________
3.a part which is absolutely necessary (2) ________
4.to do something not done before (5) ________
5.without much effort (13) ________
6.quickly and in large quantities (9) ________ and
________

Answer.
1.the royal residence
2.solitude
3.indispensable
4.invent
5.effortlessly
6.thick and fast

III. Tick the right answer.

1.When something is revived, it (remains dead/lives
again).
2.When a government bans something, it wants it
(stopped/started).
3.When something is considered auspicious, (welcome
it/avoid it).
4.When we take to something, we find it
(boring/interesting).
5.When you appreciate something, you (find it good
and useful/find it of no use).
6.When you replicate something, you do it (for the first
time/for the second time).
7.When we come to terms with something, it is (still
upsetting/no longer upsetting).
Answer.
1.When something is revived, it (lives again).
2.When a government bans something, it wants it
(stopped).
3.When something is considered auspicious, (welcome
it).
4.When we take to something, we find it (interesting).
5.When you appreciate something, you (find it good
and useful).
6.When you replicate something, you do it (for the
second time).
7.When we come to terms with something, it is (no
longer upsetting).

Page no.-28
Consult your dictionary and complete the following
table. The first one has been done for you.

Adjective Only before Not before Both before

noun noun and after
the verb be
Indispensab ✓
le
Impressed ✓ ✓
Afraid ✓ ✓
Outdoor ✓
Paternal ✓
Countless ✓
Priceless ✓ ✓

Use these words in phrases or sentences of your own.

Answer.
Some sentences using these adjectives are:

Discipline is an indispensable part of a good moral

character.
I was impressed by the beauty of nature in Kashmir.
Many people are afraid of spiders.
I love to take part in outdoor games during winter.
My paternal aunt lives in Mumbai.
There are countless waves in the oceans.
Good health is a priceless blessing.