NCERT Solutions for Chapter 5 The Snake and the Mirror Class 9 English Beehive
The snake and the mirror is a story within a story was written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer who was a Malayalam writer. The writer tells us a story he heard from a doctor. The story is centered on two things- the snake and the mirror. This story also tells the experiences of a young, unmarried doctor who was practicing medical and he lived in a small room. In the middle of a hot summer night the doctor engages in deep thought about look of himself. During that time, a snake fell on the doctor and he had an encounter with it. Doctor went into shock and frightened at that time but the snake moved towards the mirror soon after seeing its reflection. Snake was more interested in its own reflections than doctor's. Thus, the doctor's life was saved.
Chapter Name | The Snake and the Mirror NCERT Solutions |
Class | CBSE Class 9 |
Textbook Name | Beehive |
Related Readings |
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Thinking about the Text
I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40 words).
Question 1: "The sound was familiar one." What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds stop?
Answer
The doctor heard rats scurrying sound. He thought it was plenty of rats in the room and he found that there was a regular traffic of rats to and from the beam. He heard it three times. When the rats saw a snake suddenly the sound stopped because the rats were scared of the snake.
Question 2: What two "important" and "earth-shaking" decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror?
Answer
The doctor decided to shave every day and grow a thin moustache as an "important" and "earth-shaking" decision while he was looking into the mirror. He also decided to always keep a smile on his face to look more handsome.
Question 3: "I looked into the mirror and smiled," says the doctor. A little later he says, "I forgot my danger and smiled feebly at myself." What is the doctor's opinion about himself when:
(i) The first smiles, and
(ii) The smiles again? In what way do his thoughts change in between, and why?
Answer
(i) When the doctor first smiled while looking into the mirror, he was full of self-admiration. He admired his looks and the fact that he was a handsome bachelor and a doctor.
(ii) The doctor smiled again, but he smiled at his poverty, foolishness, and stupidity. His pride in being a doctor was shattered when he thought he did not have any medicines if the snake struck.
II. This story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below.)
1. (i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
(ii) The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)
2. (i) The person he wants to marry
(ii) The person he actually marries
3. (i) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror
(ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm.
Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer.
Answer
The doctor narrated the story in a humorous way:
1. (i) He lived in a small, un-electrified room filled with full of rats because his financial condition was not so good. He had just sixty rupees in his suitcase, some shirts and dhotis and a solitary black coat.
(ii) He was addicted to looking into the mirror, and he thought to grow a moustache and decided to keep a smile on his face to look attractive. He considered himself an eligible bachelor and he wanted to become a successful doctor.
2. (i) His dream was to marry a rich-fat woman doctor, who would not be able to chase him away if he does some silly mistakes and needed to run away from her.
(ii) He actually married a slim and reedy lady who could run like a sprinter.
3. (i) The doctor thought was full of self-admiration and he thought that he shaved daily, grow a thin moustache to look more handsome and keep an attractive smile on the face.
(ii) When the snake is coiled around his arm he sat like a stone and felt the presence of God. He even tried to write 'O God' outside his heart with his imagination, which makes the frightening incident humorous.
Thinking about language
Question 1: Here are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tell you, that the author:
(a) was afraid of the snake,
(b) was proud of his appearance,
(c) had a sense of humour,
(d) was no longer afraid of the snake.
1. I was turned to stone.
2. I was no mere image cut in granite.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, 'O God'.
5. I didn't tremble. I didn't cry out.
6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
8. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!
9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness...! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.
10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead?
Answer
(a) was afraid of the snake -
1. I was turned to stone.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
5. I didn't tremble. I didn't cry out.
(b) was proud of his appearance-
6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
8. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!
(c) had a sense of humor -
2. I was no mere image cut in granite.
4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, 'O God'.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness...! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.
(d) was no longer afraid of the snake -
10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead?
Question 2: Expressions used to show fear-
Can you find the expressions in the story that tell you that the author was frightened? Read the story and complete the following sentences.
1. I was turned _______.
2. I sat there holding ________.
3. In the light of the lamp I sat there like ________.
Answer
1. I was turned to stone.
2 I sat there holding my breath.
3. In the light of the lamp I sat there like a stone image in the flesh.Question 3: In the sentences given below some words and expressions are italicized. They are variously mean that one-
- is very frightened.
- is too scared to move.
- is frightened by something that happens suddenly.
- makes another feel frightened.
Match the meanings with the words/expressions in italics, and write the appropriate meaning next to the sentence. The first one has been done for you.
1. I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits. (very frightened)
2. I got a fright when I realized how close I was to the cliff edge.
3. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him.
4. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that.
5. Wait until I tell his story — it will make your hair stand on end.
6. Paralyzed with fear, the boy faced his abductors.
7. The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle.
Answer
1. I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits. (Very frightened)
2. I got a fright when I realized how close I was to the cliff edge. (Frightened by something that happens suddenly)
3. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him. (Very frightened)
4. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that. (Frightened by something that happens suddenly)
5. Wait until I tell his story - it will make your hair stand on end. (Makes another feel frightened)
6. Paralyzed with fear, the boy faced his abductors. (Too scared to move)
7. The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle. (Too scared to move)
Question 4: Reported questions:
Study these sentences:
- His friend asked, “Did you see the snake the next day, doctor?”
His friend asked the doctor whether /if he had seen the snake the next day.
- The little girl wondered, “Will I be home before the TV show begins?”
The little girl wondered if/whether she would be home before the TV show began.
- Someone asked, “Why has the thief left the vest behind?”
Someone asked why the thief had left the vest behind.
The words if/whether are used to report questions which begin with: do, will, can, have, are etc. These questions can be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Questions beginning with why/when/where/how/which/what are reported using these same words.
The reporting verbs we use in questions with if/whether/why/when etc. are: ask, inquire and wonder.
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Remember that in reported speech, 1. The present tense changes to past tense 2. Here, today, tomorrow, yesterday etc. change to there, that day, the next day, the day before, etc. 3. I/you change to me/him/he, etc., as necessary. Example:
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Report these questions using if/whether or why/when/where/how/which/what.
Remember the italicized verbs change into the past tense.
1. Meena asked her friend, "Do you think your teacher will come today?"
2. David asked his colleague, "Where will you go this summer?"
3. He asked the little boy, "Why are you studying English?"
4. She asked me, "When are we going to leave?"
5. Pran asked me, "Have you finished reading the newspaper?"
6. Seema asked her, "How long have you lived here?"
7. Sheila asked the children "Are you ready to do the work?"
Answer
1. Meena asked her friend if she thought her teacher would come that day.
2. David asked his colleague where he would go that summer.
3. He asked the little boy why he was studying English.
4. She asked me when we were going to leave.
5. Pran asked me if I had finished reading the newspaper.
6. Seema asked her how long she had lived there.
7. Sheila asked the children if they were ready to do the work.