Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother’s Voice

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother’s Voice

Mother’s Voice In text Questions

A. Choose the correct answer.

Question 1.
Mother was excited because __________.
(a) her son would be home in the spring
(b) her son was coming back to earth
(c) it was her first visit to the moon
(d) her son was going to another galaxy
Answer:
(c) it was her first visit to the moon

Question 2.
On weekdays, as Mother went about the chores __________.
(a) she constantly thought of her son
(b) she was always tired
(c) her singing would be soft and almost inaudible
(d) her singing was muted and a little sad
Answer:
(d) her singing was muted and a little sad

Question 3.
__________ occupies more than a hundred square kilometers on the moon.
(a) Selenopolis
(b) Metropolis
(c) Astrodrome
(d) Orchards
Answer:
(a) Selenopolis

Question 4.
The Community of Nations Square is where people __________.
(a) live on the moon
(b) work on the moon.
(c) walk on the moon
(d) of different nationalities come after work
Answer:
(d) of different nationalities come after work

Question 5.
They are planning an expedition to a neighbouring __________.
(a) galaxy
(b) country
(c) planet
(d) star
Answer:
(a) galaxy

Question 6.
The mother was not able to understand why people wanted to leave the moon because __________.
(a) it was better to remain as a part of solar-system
(b) it was better to remain on the earth
(c) it was not possible to come back
(d) it was a place to enjoy life
Answer:
(a) it was better to remain as a part of solar system.

MCQs – Additional

Question 1.
When she came to the moon, she looked around and __________ the moonscape.
(a) watched
(b) admired
(c) praised
(d) applauded
Answer:
(b) admired

Question 2.
His mother had still a young __________ voice.
(a) ringing
(b) soft
(c) sweet
(d) pleasant
Answer:
(a) ringing

Question 3.
He almost told her about the __________.
(a) journey
(b) voyage
(c) expedition
(d) tour
Answer:
(c) expedition

Question 4.
The words were __________ but the voice was worried.
(a) enthusiastic
(b) cheerful
(c) energetic
(d) joyful
Answer:
(b) cheerful

Question 5.
They’re walking towards the __________.
(a) river
(b) pond
(c) sea
(d) lake
Answer:
(d) lake

Question 6.
They looked quite__________ from a distance.
(a) big
(b) huge
(c) tiny
(d) small
Answer:
(d) small

Question 7.
These are very __________ spaceships Mother!
(a) dependable
(b) reliable
(c) expensive
(d) huge
Answer:
(b) reliable

Question 8.
He felt good __________ to her.
(a) speaking
(b) teaching
(c) listening
(d) preaching
Answer:
(c) listening

Question 9.
He __________ saw everything with different eyes.
(a) suddenly
(b) gradually
(c) abruptly
(d) always
Answer:
(a) suddenly

Question 10.
He __________ pushed a button and the went dark.
(a) picture
(b) image
(c) screen
(d) television
Answer:
(c) screen

B. Identify the character or speaker of the following lines.

  1. It’s so easy to walk here, son!
  2. They’re planning an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.
  3. Why should people go off into the unknown?
  4. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again.
  5. Operator on duty, ………. report to office.

Answers:

  1. Mother
  2. Son
  3. Mother
  4. Son
  5. A voice from the loud Speaker

Identify The Character / Speaker – Additional

  1. ‘It’s so easy to walk here, son! ’
  2. ‘Back home the orchards are in bloom’.
  3. ‘Let’s ride for a bit’.
  4. ‘These are very reliable spaceships, Mother! ’
  5. ‘You may be right, but… ’
  6. ‘Do you know why people settle down on the Moon so easily’.
  7. ‘When will you take your holidays?’
  8. ‘At least try to come in the Autumn’.
  9. ‘You think I don’t want to walk barefoot on the dewy grass?’
  10. ‘They’ve deepened our pond; it’s full of fish now, You like fishing.

Answers:

  1. Astronaut’s Mother
  2. Astronaut’s Mother
  3. The Young Astronaut
  4. The Young Astronaut
  5. The Young Astronaut
  6. Astronaut’s Mother
  7. Astronaut’s Mother
  8. Astronaut’s Mother
  9. The Young Astronaut
  10. Astronaut’s Mother

C. Answer the following questions in about 100 -120 words.

Question 1.
Write a paragraph listing all the sentimental and the scientific reasons given by the mother against the expedition to neighbouring galaxy.
Answer:
The mother’s sentimental and scientific reasons against the expedition to the neighbouring galaxies are that the moon is a beautiful place, easy to walk on. There are lots of fruits on earth. The river Dnieper is better to swim. She asked her son why people should go off into the unknown and ask for trouble. She also suggested that it is advisable for people to settle on the moon first and then on the planets in the solar system.

She philosophized that the moon has the same gravitational field of their native earth, under the native sun. She sentimentally invited her son to come in the autumn for the apples, pears and the watermelons. She persuaded him to come to their deepened pond to fish and indicated that the pond was now full of fish.

Paragraph : Additional Question

Questin 1.
Describe the intimate relationship of the young astronaut with his mother.
Answer:
The young astronaut took his mother along the endless tunnels of Selenopolis, showing the tall structures which propped up the star studded sky. His mother still had a young ringing voice because she had been such a great singer. She had always liked singing. She sang cheerfully, when they had guests during the holidays. But on weekdays , when she was doing her work, her singing was muted and a little sad. When she spoke, it was also in a sing song manner. There was something unusual in her voice, when she stepped into the moon.

She was so excited may be because it was her first visit to the moon. He listened to her familiar voice that was so dear to him. There was worry in her voice, when she questioned her son whether he will come for a holiday in summer. He wanted to tell her about the expedition, but he checked himself, as he did not want to make her get more worried. He felt that she would have guessed of their parting and did not want him to go on an expedition to another galaxy.

D. Think and answer.

“The explorer in this story is travelling to another galaxy. The final destination is an unknown ‘ planet in another galaxy. The travel will take many years”. What qualities and lifeskills do you think an explorer like him must possess? Why? Do you have any of these skills and qualities? Explain.
Answer:
Space explorers work either as pilots who fly spacecraft or as mission specialists who conduct experiments. Regardless of their position, they need certain qualities to survive both NASA’s selection process and space travel itself. The qualities and life- skills needed are intelligence, adaptability, good physique, mental endurance and good ‘ knowledge. I have all these skills except the educational level which I would study as I grow up. ‘

Intelligence:
Astronauts need above-average intelligence and need quick thinking to A handle unexpected problems. They also need the intellectual creativity to dream up new avenues of space-based research into medicine, materials and processes for use N on Earth and in space. Curiosity is key, as are people skills and communication skills.

Adaptability:
Astronauts have many responsibilities in space. They need the flexibility to move from one task to another, different task. They also work on teams with astronauts from other countries and cultures, so they must be open-minded to diversity. They must be willing to change routines to accommodate new procedures.

Physical Condition:
The rigors of space travel are just about as intense as the rigors of space training. Astronauts need eyesight of20/100 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. Their blood pressure can’t be above 140/90. Candidates also must meet military water survival standards, which test for the ability to swim without stopping and to swim and tread water clothed in flight gear.

Astronauts also must be SCUBA-qualified to prepare for spacewalk training. Their bodies must respond well to high and low atmospheric pressures. They also must be prepared for the physical effects of zero gravity training up to 40 times a day. Space travel can last for months, during which the human body must function amid physical stress.

Mental Endurance:
Astronauts who make it through the physical demands of space travel must also grapple with isolation, fear and separation from loved ones. It’s not easy to live in close quarters with virtual strangers for three to six months or more. Astronauts must begin to cope with those long periods away from home during training, which takes two to three years and requires heavy travel to practice with international mission partners.

Education:
Astronauts need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in engineering, biological science, physical science and maths.

E. Based on the understanding of the story, discuss in groups and make a note of the following.

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 1

Additional Questions

I. Short Questions And Answers.

Question 1.
Why did the young astronaut’s mother had a ringing voice?
Answer:
She had a young ringing voice because she had been such a great singer.

Question 2.
Why was his mother excited?
Answer:
She was excited because it was her first visit to the moon.

Question 3.
What was an exotic experience?
Answer:
It was quite an exotic experience to have a swim on the moon.

Question 4.
Where were they planning to go?
Answer:
They were planning to go on an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.

Question 5.
Describe the tunnels of Selenopolls?
Answer:
The endless tunnels of Selenopolis had tall structures and spacious caves with sparkling walls.

Question 6.
Who come to the community of Nations Square?
Answer:
People of different nationalities who work in Selenopolis come there after work. Some tourists also visit this place.

Question 7.
How did the young astronaut listened to his mother’s voice?
Answer:
He listened and listened to her as if drinking water from a spring on the earth in the shade of trees.

Question 8.
What did his mother say about people settling on the moon so easily?
Answer:
She said that people settle down on the moon so easily because they are in the gravitation field of their native Earth, under their native Sun.

Question 9.
What made his mother shrink?
Answer:
She shrank from the thought that her son might go off into space and be lost to his relatives forever.

Question 10.
What does the young astronaut often play on his screen?
Answer:
He often plays his recording of his mother on the moon and he feels, as if he is walking again with his mother, looking down at his native planet.

II. Read The Passage And Answer The Questions.

1. ‘It’s so easy to walk here, son! ’
His mother had still a young, ringing voice: perhaps because she had been such .a great singer! So long as he could remember her, she had always liked singing. On holidays, when they had guests, she sang cheerily and enthusiastically, but on weekdays, as she went about the chores, her singing was muted and a little sad. She even talked in a singsong manner. Now, too, there was something unusual in her voice – perhaps she was excited because it was her first visit to the Moon! As he listened to her familiar voice that was so dear to him, he wondered why it had this ringing sound.

Question (a).
What did his mother say, when she stepped into the moon?
Answer:
She said that she had never realized that it was such a beautiful place.

Question (b).
Where did the young astronaut take her?
Answer:
He took her along the endless tunnels of Selenopolis.

Question (c).
What was his mother?
Answer:
She was a great singer.

Question (d).
How did she sing, when they had guests?
Answer:
She sang cheerfully and enthusiastically.

Question (e).
What was so dear to the astronaut?
Answer:
His mother’s voice was so dear to him.

2. He almost told her about the expedition. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he checked himself. Why make her worry? Worry. That was it. There was worry in her voice. The words were cheerful but the voice was worried. Had she guessed that this was their parting!

‘It’s easy to walk here,’ he said, ‘but the distances are long. Selenopolis occupies more than a hundred square kilometers. Let’s ride for a bit’.

A moving pavement covered with green plastic strips rushed them through echoing tunnels and spacious caves with walls sparkling in the light of the quartz lamps. The elevator delivered them to the surface. She looked in silence at the enormous lily-shaped tent over a crater that was at least a kilometer in diameter.

Question (a).
What was there in this mother’s voice?
Answer:
There was worry in her voice.

Questionc (b).
What does Selenopolis occupy?
Answer:
It occupies more than a hundred square kilometers.

Question (c).
How were the caves?
Answer:
The caves were spacious with walls sparkling in the light of the quartz lamps.

Question (d).
Was it easy to walk there in Selenopolis?
Answer:
Yes, it was easy to walk there.

Question (e).
What was the diameter of the lily shaped tent?
Answer:
Its diameter was one kilometer.

3. ‘The community of Nations Square,’ he told her. ‘People of different nationalities who work in Selenopolis come here after work. And there are some tourists. They’re * walking towards the lake. It’s quite an exotic experience to have a swim on the Moon.’

‘I’m sure it’s better in the river Dnieper when you come to the Earth for your holiday.’
When they looked at the astrodome, where two spaceships the size of the Ostankino TV tower were pointed into the black void of the universe, she sighed again.

‘What are these?’

‘Long-range spaceships, Mother. They’re planning an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.’
She screwed up her eyes to look at the rockets where assembly men were busy. They looked quite small from a distance.

Question (a).
Who come to the community of Nations Square?
Answer:
People of different nationalities who work in Selenopolis come here after work. Some of the Tourists also come there.

Question (b).
What is a exotic experience?
Answer:
To have a swim in the moon is quite an exotic experience.

Question (c).
How many spaceships were there?
Answer:
There were two space ships.

Question (d).
What were they planning to do?
Answer:
They were planning an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.

Question (e).
Who were busy at the rockets?
Answer:
The assembly men were busy at the rockets.

4. He listened and listened as if drinking water from a spring on the Earth, in the shade of trees. His mother, looking in the direction of the vast blue globe, lowered her voice and continued:

‘Look, son, isn’t it a miracle? The Earth floats through space, all by itself. See the snow-cap on the pole, and the glittering ocean! The cradle of life. And you want to leave this fabulous beauty! ’

He suddenly saw everything with different eyes. He saw how beautiful his native planet was, a real wonder of nature.
He had never felt that way before. His heart ached.

Question (a).
How did the astronaut listened to his mother?
Answer:
He listened and listened, as if drinking water from a spring on the Earth in the shade of trees.

Question (b).
What is the fabulous beauty?
Answer:
The Earth is a fabulous beauty.

Question (c).
What was the real wonder of nature?
Answer:
The beautiful native planet was the real wonder of nature.

Question (d).
Who saw everything with different eyes?
Answer:
The young astronaut saw everything with different eyes.

Question (e).
How is the ocean on the earth described?
Answer:
It is described as the ‘glittering ocean’.

5. But he knew very well that there would be no holidays and that his mother was seeing him for the last time. The thought of such a tremendous journey was already sending a chill through his heart.

‘At least try to come in the Autumn, ’ she pleaded, ‘ in time for the apples and pears… and the water-melons.’
‘You think I don’t want to walk barefoot on the dewy grass?’

‘Of course, you’ll walk on the dewy grass. And you could visit your relatives and friends’.
She shrank from the thought that her son might go off into space and be lost to his relatives forever.
‘They’ve deepened our pond; it’s full of fish now, You like fishing… ’

‘Operator on duty, report to office,’ a voice bellowed from the loudspeaker.
He pushed a button and the screen went dark. His mother fell silent.

Question (a).
What thought worried the astronaut?
Answer:
The thought of such a tremendous journey was sending a chill through his heart.

Question (b).
What fruits can we see In Autumn?
Answer:
Apples, pears and watermelons are seen in the Autumn season.

Question (c).
Why did his mother feel sad?
Answer:
She felt sad that her son might go off into space and be lost to his relatives for ever.

Question (d).
Where did the voice come from?
Answer:
A voice roared from the loudspeaker.

Question (e).
How did the screen go dark?
Answer:
The screen went dark, when the astronaut pushed a button.

III. Mind Map

Question 1.

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 2

Answers:

  1. admired the moon scape
  2. a beautiful place
  3. the tall structures
  4. ringing voice
  5. liked singing

Question 2.

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 3

Answers:

  1. expedition
  2. checked himself
  3. voice was worried
  4. parting
  5. worry

Question 3.

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 4

Answers:

  1. he was longing for
  2. the selection commision
  3. his departure
  4. to get upset
  5. so dear to him

IV. Write A Brief Description Of The Story In A Story Map Format.
Answer:
Title: Mother’s
Author: Voice Vasil Berezhnoy
Characters: A young Astronaut, his mother and some of the assembly men.
Settings: A scene in the Moonscape.
Plot: The spirit of discovery that prompts a young astronaut to go looking for another world.
Problem: The young astronaut’s mother did not approve the author’s journey to another galaxy because it was a such a tremendous journey which will take many years to return to the earth.
End: The young astronaut goes to another galaxy leaving his native Sun which was then just a 12th magnitude star, visible through the telescope.

Mother’s voice Textual Activities

Warm up

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 5

Answer:
Yes. If I am given an opportunity to go on a one-way trip to Mars, I will accept it. I shall also take my family and friends with me. I am ready

Mother’s Voice Summary

The story talks about the love and affection between mother and son. The explorer being a son, tries to convince his mother as he is parting from her to neighbouring galaxy where he would never return. He invites his mother to the moon and made her to admire the beauty of it. He showed her echoing tunnels and spacious caves and also showed the tent where the different nationalities work. At first he enjoyed her voice and also listened to her talk. Her talk made him a little diversion towards his native planet.

She highlighted the glittering ocean, snow cap on pole and the fabulous beauty of earth which tempted him! His heart started aching but it’s time to depart from his mother. She pleaded him to give a visit in holidays. But the explorer is not sure about his return to earth. His unlucky mother requested him to return in Autumn to enjoy his favourite fruits and sport. But the explorer heard a voice which would take him to a different world. He pushed the button and the screen went dark.

But he often plays back the recording of his mother’s voice and feels as if he is with his mother on the moon. But they started off to another galaxy to the distance where the sun looked as 12th magnitude star through telescope. They became invisible to the earth.

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 6

Mother’s Voice Mind Map

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 7

Mother’s Voice Glossary

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother's Voice - 8

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions