NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English
Packing NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 7
Packing NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers
Packing Thinking About the Text
I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40 words).
Question 1.
How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them. (Don’t forget the dog!)
Answer:
There are four characters in the narrative. They are Jerome (the narrator), George, Harris and Montmorency (the dog).
Question 2.
Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?
Answer:
Jerome thought that he was the best packer in the world. Nobody could compete with him. He was proud of his ability and wanted to show it. So, he volunteered to do the packing for his friends.
Question 3.
How did George and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?
Answer:
Jerome offered his ability to pack with an intention to superintend his friends. But George and Harris thought that Jerome would do the entire job. They sat idle. It irritated the narrator.
Question 4.
What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?
Answer:
When Jerome offered to pack, his real intention was to supervise their work. He wanted to act as a boss only. But his offer was misused by his friends who did nothing but spoil the things in the name of packing.
Question 5.
What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till then to ask?
Answer:
After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris pointed out that Jerome had not packed the boots. He had waited till then to ask because he wanted him to realise his mistake and ridicule Jerome for his packing skills.
Question 6.
What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?
Answer:
The “horrible idea” that occurred to Jerome a little later was whether he had packed his toothbrush or not. Whenever he travelled he always forgot to pack his toothbrush. This thought haunted him and made his life miserable.
Question 7.
Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?
Answer:
Jerome finally found the toothbrush inside a boot.
Question 8.
Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?
Answer:
Jerome had to reopen the packed bag twice because of his forgetfulness. Once he had to reopen the bag as he had forgotten to pack the boots. The next time, he unpacked when he realised that he had packed his tobacco-pouch in.
Question 9.
What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?
Answer:
George and Harris offered to pack the hampers because they thought that Jerome had taken too much of time. They also wanted to show their skill to Jerome and prove themselves to be better packer than Jerome.
Question 10.
While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things. Tick the statements that are true.
(i) They started with breaking a cup.
(ii) They also broke a plate.
(iii) They squashed a tomato.
(iv) They trod on the butter.
(v) They stepped on a banana.
(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.
(vii) They stepped on things.
(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top.
(ix) They upset almost everything.
(x) They were very good at packing.
Answer:
Statements (i), (iii), (iv), (vi) and (vii) are true.
II.
What does Jerome say was Montmorency’s ambition in life? What do you think of Montmorency and why?
Answer:
Jerome says Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way and be sworn at. Montmorency was a mischievous little dog who loved creating troubles for others. I think that Montmorency was a perfect nuisance because whenever he found people busy with their work, he might feel bored and wanted to get involved. He meant no trouble intentionally. But when people shouted at him or threw things at his head, he got discouraged and then went away to sit silently, which the narrator called the fulfilment of his conceit.
III. Discuss in groups and answer the following questions in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words)
Question 1.
Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from the text.
Answer:
In my opinion, the narrator Jerome is the best packer. George and Harris are not only lazy but worst packers. Jerome makes a few minor mistakes while packing. This is the reason why he liked to pack and repack many times. But ultimately he finished packing in a better way. The way they behaved during packing irritated the narrator.
Hence, out of the three, Jerome is the best packer. He is a person who wants every task to be completed with perfection. Although he is bossy at times yet his patience and helpful nature impresses the reader. We should also try to imbibe his sense of perfection and responsibility.
Question 2.
How did Montmorency ‘contribute’ to the packing?
Answer:
The packing escapade was already a messy job and Montmorency’s contribution to it made it even more tiresome. He did his level best to be a “perfect nuisance”. He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed. He put his leg into the jam and worried the teaspoons. He also pretended that the lemons were rats. So he got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying-pan.
Question 3.
Do you find this story funny? What are the humorous elements in it?
(Pick out at least three, think about what happens, as well as how it is described.)
Answer:
Yes, this story is definitely funny. Not only is the way in which the three friends pack for their trip quite mirthfully, but the way the author narrates all the incidents is also entertaining. The first humorous element is that he offered to pack, George and Harris leave the whole matter to him. Consequently, he has to do packing though his real intention was to boss the job.
The second humorous element is that George placed the butter on the chair and Harris sat on it and it stuck at his back. When they searched it for packing it was missing. They walked and walked round the room. At last, George saw it at Harris’s back. The third humorous element is that Montmorency squirms in where he is not wanted. He wants somebody stumble over him and curse him steadily for an hour. He pretends that lemons were rats.
Packing Thinking About Language
I. Match the words/phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
A | B |
1. slaving | (i) a quarrel or an argument |
2. chaos | (ii) remove something from inside another thing using a sharp tool |
3. rummage | (iii) strange, mysterious, difficult to explain |
4. scrape out | (iv) finish successfully achieve |
5. stumble over, tumble into | (v) search “for something by moving things around hurriedly or carelessly |
6. accomplish | (vi) complete confusion and disorder |
7. uncanny | (vii) fall, or step awkwardly while walking |
8. (to have or get into) a row | (viii) working hard |
Answer:
1. – (viii), 2. – (vi), 3. – (v), 4. – (ii), 5. – (vii), 6. – (iv), 7. – (iii), 8. – (i)
II. Use suitable words or phrases from Column A above to complete the paragraph given below.
A Traffic Jam
During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter ………………. at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by ……………. over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers by, seeing a few policemen ……………. at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having ……………… something.
Answer:
During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter chaos at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by getting into a row over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers- by, seeing a few policemen slaving at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having accomplished something.
III. Look at the sentences below. Notice that the verbs (italicised) are all in their bare form.
Simple commands:
- Stand up!
- Put it here!
Directions: (to reach your home)
Board Bus No. 121 and get down at Sagar Restaurant. From there turn right and walk till you reach a book shop. My home is just behind the shop.
Dos and don’ts:
- Always get up for your elders.
- Don’t shout in class.
Instructions for making a fruit salad:
Ingredients
Oranges – 2
Pineapple – one large piece
Cherries – 250 grams
Bananas – 2 Any other fruit you like
Wash the fruit. Cut them into small pieces. Mix them well. Add a few drops of lime juice. Add sugar to taste. Now add some cream (or ice cream if you wish to make fruit salad with ice cream.)
Question 1.
Now work in pairs. Give
(i) two commands to your partner.
(ii) two do’s and don’ts to a new student in your class.
(iii) directions to get to each other’s houses.
(iv) instructions for moving the body in an exercise or a dance, or for cooking something.
Question 2.
The table below has some proverbs telling you what to do and what not to do. Fill in the blanks and add a few more such proverbs to the table.
Answer:
Positive | Negative | ||
(i) | Save for a rainy day. | (i) | Don’t cry over spilt milk. |
(ii) | Make hay while the sun shines. | (ii) | Don’t put the cart before the horse. |
(iii) | …………. before you leap. | (iii) | ………….. a mountain out of a mole hill. |
(iv) | …………… and let live. | (iv) | ……………. all your eggs in one basket. |
Positive Negative
(iii) Look Don’t make
(vi) Live Don’t put