NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 29 A House is Not a Home Solutions to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse through different chapters NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 29 A House is Not a Home and select need one. NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 29 A House is Not a Home Question Answers Download PDF. NCERT English Class 9 Solutions.
NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 29 A House is Not a Home
Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 9 English Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 29 A House is Not a Home and After, NCERT Class 9 English Textbook of Beehive and Supplementary Reader (Moments). for All Chapters, You can practice these here.
A House is Not a Home
Chapter: 29
SUPPLEMENTARY READER – MOMENTS
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Q. 1. What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do?
Ans: One Sunday afternoon the author notices smoke getting into the room through the ceiling. Soon the flames go up. His mother runs back into the house, defying the fire flames. She brings out two things-a box containing important documents and a case containing father’s letters and pictures.
Q. 2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?
Ans: The author just forgets that his dear pet cat was also there in the house. The loss of his house, his new school and his missing cat make him cry and break down in tears.
Q. 3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? What words show his fear and insecurity?
Ans: Next day the author went to school. He was improperly dressed. He was devoid of books and homework as well. His backpack was gone. He was troubled at heart and feet unlucky to be an outcast. He felt that he had not wanted to grow up. He wanted to just curl up and die. He walked around school like a dull and an apathetic person. Everything was looking strange before his eyes. He was indefinite what would happen. He was troubled at the idea that all his security from school, friends, house and cat had been ripped away. The damage put him in a deep shock.
The following words indicate his fear and insecurity:
Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life?
I just wanted to curl up and die. All the security I had known from my old school, friends and my cat had all been ripped away.
Q. 4. The cat and author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?
Ans: Of course, the author and the cat are very fond of each other. The author had rescued it while she was a small kitten. She knew that he was the responsible person who had given her life. She used to be there mostly on the top of the author’s papers. She moved in the house purring loudly and swat his pen for entertainment.
When the fire broke out and almost all the house was burnt, the author realised that she was nowhere to be found. He broke down into tears and cried it won a big loss.
One day they were sitting on the curb, he heard someone walking towards him. She said, ‘Does this cat belong to you?” The author was surprised to see the woman with a cat. He grabbed and hugged her. She too purred happily. It was clear that the cat had been injured by the fire and she ran over a mile away. There was a collar in her neck which had the phone number. She traced the real owner and handed her to him. Thus the woman brought her back.
Q. 5. What action of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?
Ans: The author faced three blows one after the other. He felt isolated and neglected at the high school. His house went up in flames, He lost his dear pet cat. He longed for death. But things changed for the better quite soon. At school he found the students and teachers very helpful and loving. He made new friends. His house was rebuilt. He also got his cat back. Thus he was comforted emotionally and his interest in life was also restored.
Q. 6. What is the meaning of ‘My cat was back and so was I’? Had the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back?
Ans: Here the author wants to point out that his ideology of life has gone a complete change. His schoolmates have helped him with their open hearts. They have extended invitations for their houses. Their genuine concern makes the author touch his heart so much that he breathes a sigh of relief. He feels that the things will be okay very soon. After a month woman came with a cat. The narrator grabbed and hugged her. His friends were hugging the narrator. This overwhelming feelings of loss and tragedy seemed to diminish. He was deeply obliged to the stranger who had brought his cat. He could not help say that he was back to his original self. In reality he had gone nowhere but had become exhausted with life due to colossal loss. He felt that he had returned to his original self like the cat who came to his house.
Q. 7. Have any of your classmates / schoolmates had an experience like that in the story where they needed help? Describe how they were helped?
Ans: Life, let me tell you, is a see-saw of rise and fall, success and failure, victory and defeat. This is normal, natural and unavoidable. No man is destined to achieve his goal easily and in the first attempt. Our rejection is followed by dejection. We feel most depressed when we miss the mark just by a narrow margin. But it is my firm belief that there is no such thing as total or permanent rejection. One must not lose hope and self-confidence. We should take failure as a part of the game, as the stepping stone to success.
I felt acutely depressed when I was rejected for rock climbing because I was found physically not upto the mark. I had a similar feeling when I could not qualify for the state level scholarship. I was in very low spirits. I thought that I was a good-for-nothing fellow. I felt like giving up the fight and even take my own life. I gave a serious thought to all this. I read about the achievements of Santosh Yadav, the girl who conquered Mt Everest twice. I read about Albert Einstein, the great scientist, who was expelled from school for his lack of interest in studies. I wondered why I too cannot reach the top and won the medal if I try again with an iron will. And I accomplished both the goals in the second attempt.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Answer the questions in about 30-40 words each:
Q. 1. What happened one Sunday afternoon when author was at home?
Ans: One Sunday afternoon author was doing his homework. It was very cold outside. His mother was keeping the fire ready. Suddenly the author smelled something strange and saw the fire coming in through the ceiling. In fact the whole house had been caught in flames.
Q. 2. What happened to author’s mother? How did firemen tackle her?
Ans: Author’s mother was caught in the smoke. Firemen come from the house with the mother having an oxygen mask on her face. In fact mother had inhaled little smoke and she would be alright in sometime.
Q. 3. What happened to the author’s cat?
Ans. When the fire broke almost all of the house was burnt. The author realised that cat was no where to be found. It was clear that the cat might have been injured due to fire or run away due to fear.
Q. 4. How much damage had the fire caused to the house?
Ans: The Fire had engulfed the whole house. The house was completely burnt down. A lot of damage had been done it. Whatever had not been burnt was destroyed by water and chemicals which had been used to put out the fire.
Q. 5. How did Zan go to the school the next day?
Ans: Next day author went to school in an embarrassed situation. He was not in school uniform. He looked weird in his clothes. He had neither books nor bag. He felt as if he was an outcast and wanted to die.
Q. 6. What does the author do as soon as he runs out of the burning house? What does his mother do?
Ans: When the author ran out of the house, he noticed his mother running back into the house to get the metal box full of important documents. It contained the pictures of author’s father and his letters. These were the only things his mother had to remind him. The author wanted to run after his mother when a fireman held him back.
Q. 7. What promise does the author make to his old school teacher?
Ans: The teacher of the author from the old school encouraged him to participate in evo school activities and meet new people. They also told him that he would adjust in the new school and would love it more than the old one. They took promise from the author when that happened, he would still come and visit them from time-to-time.
Q. 8. Describe the author’s reaction when a kind lady gave her back, her lost cat?
Ans: When the author saw her lost cat, he was shocked and surprised to see it after such a long time. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The author leapt up and grabbed his cat and held it close to himself and cried into that beautiful orange fur. She also purred happily.
Q. 9. What help did the author get from his school mates after the fire accident?
Ans: The author was touched by the school mates gesture. They had set-up a big table with all kinds of stuff as jeans, tops, notebooks etc. People who had never talked to him came to talk to him. He made a lot of friends that day.
Q. 10. In the story ‘A House is Not a Home’, why does the author break down in tears after the fire?
Ans: The author was completely shocked. He had lost everything. His house was completely burned down. His cat was nowhere to be found. He didn’t know that how he would handle life and he just wanted to die.
Q. 11. Give evidence from the story which shows that the author and his cat were very fond of each other.
Ans: The cat was the author’s regular companion when he was at home. The author has a red tabby cat. They both loved each other very much. She used to sit in his lap, and fall asleep in his pocket. After the burning of author’s house, he missed his cat badly. When one day a stranger woman returned back his cat, the author was overwhelmed with joy and happiness. This showed that the author and his cat were very fond of each other.
THOUGHT PROVOKING MODULE
Study the following Questions:
Q. 1. The author had shifted from his place, somehow he could not adjust at new place. What are the changes we have to face, when we move from one place to another?
Ans: When author had to leave junior high school and move to high school, he felt a kind of strangeness. Things were very different. The school was twice as big as the old school. So when we are placed in a situation like the author we face many challenges. When we move to a new place we face challenges. We meet many new people and have to be emotionally attached to them. As we grow we also go through different psychological changes and handle new responsibilities.
Q. 2. The fire had ruined author’s house. He suffered a lot of loss. A feeling of insecurity made him uncomfortable. What, according to you made his feelings changed?
Ans: The author was already depressed at having moved to new place. This feeling was increased when his house was caught in fire. His house was almost burnt and his cat was no where to be found. The damage had put him in great shock. But the author’s attitude changed when people who had never spoken poured to introduce themselves. Their deep concern touched author’s heart. He was also touched by helpful nature and kindness.
Q. 3. After the disaster the author’s life was not the same. He was open to all the wonderful people around him. He was comfortable after this. What, according to you, made this sudden change?
Ans: When author lost all his belongings, family and even his cat, he was very much depressed. He was troubled at heart and felt an outcast. The damage put him in a deep shock. But now the feeling of embarrassment changed. He found that all the people were acting friendly. They poured every help. They even helped to reconstruct his house. Thus this sudden change I think was due to the help given by all the classmates and faith shown by them.
Q. 4.The author loves his cat very much. He was fond of her and could not even think of living away from her. What kind of relationship do they share with each other? Does the cat also response to his love?
Ans: The author had felt a great loss when his house was burnt down. But this loss was all the more when he realized that his cat was also gone. The author and the cat were very fond of each other. The author had rescued her when it was a small kitten. Both of them spent time together. They shared love with each other. The cat also shared love with the author. She used to there on the top of author’s papers. She moved in the house and even took author’s pen for entertainment. So, I think both author and cat were deeply attached.
LONG ANSWERS TYPE QUESTIONS
Answer the questions in about 100-150 words each:
Q. 1. When I turned around to see who it was, I couldn’t believe my eyes. A woman was standing there holding my cat!
With reference to the above statement, why do you think the narrator of the story ‘A House Is Not a Home’ couldn’t believe his eyes? What values inspired the woman to take the cat in?
Ans: The narrator tried to search for the cat in the house that was charred down to ashes by the fire but was stopped by the firemen. His thought of the cat brought tears in his eyes for the cat had been more than a pet to him. It was a lovely company and an entertainer. She was never far from him. The narrator had rescued her when she was a kitten. Somehow, she knew that he was the one responsible for giving her a ‘good life.” So, the narrator did not want to go to his grandparents after the fire, without knowing the whereabout of his cat. However, he had to do.
After a month, as he sat watching his house being rebuilt, a lady came and handed over him his cat. The cat had run away fearing the fire. The lady had seen it. Though the phone number of the narrator was tagged on it, it was of no use for, the phone was destroyed in fire. Somehow the lady took pains to find the owner of the cat. She had understood how the cat was loved and missed by its owner. These sincere feelings of her made her bring it back to the narrator.
Q. 2. As I sat there with my friends and my cat curled up in my lap, all the overwhelming feelings of loss and tragedy seemed to diminish.
Do you agree that there are many people in this world who need to be helped in a similar manner? By observing which values can you make the world a better place for them? Give examples from the next.
Ans: There are many people like the narrator who need help. In this story, the old teachers of the narrators encouraged him to get involved in different activities of the new school as they would bring him closer to his new atmosphere. It’s true that unless we go w-to people, we would not be able to understand our atmosphere.
For instance, the firemen were very sincere and genuine to hold back the narrator twice from going into the house. They knew human life is more valuable than any other thing.
Also, the new schoolmates of the narrator collected funds to buy clothes, notebooks and other necessities for him. They voluntarily went and introduced themselves to him and also invited him to their houses. This is a genuine concern that everyone has towards others.
We should be open to friendship instead of blocking our minds to new acquaintances. It took a fire for the narrator to understand this.
The lady, who was a stranger, took pains to find out the owner of the cat and handed it over to the narrator. This shows her kindness and the ability to understand the bond between an animal and a human close to it. She understood that the cat had been loved and now missed by its owner.
Q. 3. All the security I had known, from my old school, my friends, my house and my cat had all been ripped away.
Recount the events that led to the narrator of the story ‘A House is Not a Home’ feel this way. What values are required in a person to cheer someone who is depressed?
Ans: As a teenager, the author felt the challenges posed to him by the different kinds of changes occurring in his life including, the change of school, separation from friends and teachers of his old school, the burning down of his house in fire, loss of things carrying emotional attachment, meeting new people, a new school and making new friend. And the greatest of the losses was the loss of his father at a very young age. All these challenges had made the author feel helpless and hopeless in life. The fire had engulfed their house and the related memories. They had no hope for the future. The life needed to be restarted. The values that are needed to cheer up a person on such an occasion are true and genuine concern to help the suffer at this point of time, like the new friends of the author showed towards him. They provided him with things that he needed in this situation. With such care, love and concern, the author was able to forget all his worries and tensions. He was filled with the will to live again.
Q. 4. With reference to the story ‘A House is Not a Home’, explain the meaning of the title. What values according to you are needed in a person to make a house a home?
Ans: When the narrator joined high school at a new school, he felt awkward in the new atmosphere. His closest friends had all gone to a different high school.
He felt isolated and missed his old teachers. Whenever he found time, the narrator visited his teachers who encouraged him to get involved in school activities so that he could meet new people. Still the narrator remained aloof. Then there was a huge fire which razed his house – including his belongings, and his cherished possessions. However, the most grievous thing was that his cat was not gone. He felt embarrassed to be the centre of attention of his schoolmates. Soon, however the narrator understood their good attention when the schoolmates provided him with all the necessities like clothes, shoes, books and other things. Their overwhelming gesture moved the narrator. Their genuine outpouring of concern touched him. He breathed a sigh of relief with a new hope. Soon he got back his cat, and a newly house was being built too. As he saw and watched his new house being built, two friends sat with him. It was then that he feel that he had a ‘home’. He felt gratitude for his life and his friends, and with it; the loss and tragedy diminished. The kind gesture in times of adversity, and friends to fall back on, are the greatest values that made a house, a home.
