Jharkhand Board Class 9TH English Notes | REACH FOR THE TOP-I (Maria Sharapova)
JAC Board Solution For Class 9TH English Prose Chapter 10
COMPREHENSION
■ Read the following passage and answer the questions that
follow :―
1. However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world
began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would
be prepared to endure. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her
tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United
States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the
path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching
two-year separation from her mother Yelena. The latter was
compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions. The
nine-year-old girl had already learnt an important lesson in life.
that tennis excellence would only come at a price.
Q. (a) When did Maria's progress start?
(b) What happened when she went to the United States?
(c) How did Maria's mother feel the separation?
(d) What lesson did the nine year old Maria learn?
(e) Find words from the passage which mean the same as-
(i) to bear (ii) wring.
Ans. (a) Maria's progress started nine years ago when she was
nine years old.
(b) Her mother felt separation from her/She was put on the
path to success and stardom.
(c) She felt it as heart-wrenching.
(d) Maria learnt an important lesson in her life that tennis
excellence would only come at a price.
(e) (i) to bear - to endure, (ii) wring - wrenching.
2. "Because I was so young, I used to go to bed at 8 p.m. The
other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. and wake me up and
order me to tidy up the room and clean it. "Instead of letting that
depress me, I became more quietly determind and mentally tough.
I learnt how to take care of myself. I never thought of quitting
because I knew what I wanted. When you come from nothing and
you have nothing, then it makes you very hungry and determined...
I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than
that to steadfastly pursue my dream."
Q. (a) What incident could not let her depress?
(b) Why did the pupils order 'I' this way?
(c) What made 'T' determined and mentally tough?
(d) Why is Maria ready to put up with more humiliations
and insults?
(e) Find words from the passage which mean the same as
the words given- (i) leaving (ii) make up.
Ans. (a) At the hostel, the seniors used to humiliate and insult
her and make her clean the room. This could not let
Maria depress.
(b) The pupils ordered Maria this way because she was the
youngest and non-American.
(c) The odd behaviour of the other pupils made her so.
(d) She is ready to put up with more humiliations and insults
as these make her more steadfastly determined to pursue
her dream.
(e) (i) leaving - quitting, (ii) make up - tidy up.
Long Answer Type Quesions
■ Answer these questions in about 80-100 words each:―
Q.1. What made Maria Sharapova a teenaged sensation?
Or, Which qualities of Maria led her to the World's No.1
position in Woman Tennis?
Ans. Maria Sharapova, with her straight looks, shots and
answers appears to be a true and determined girl. Maria has really
strived too hard to pursue her life's ambition. She is a strong-
willed, single mindedly devoted, and focused. She underwent
many problems but never let them depress her. Her competitiveness,
hard working nature and never-say-die spirit lifted her up the
World's No.1 position of Women Tennis at the mere age of 18
years. Her being young (of 18), glamorous attire, her hobbies of
fashion, singing and dancing and other likings and fondness make
her a teenaged sensation and an idol for many.
Q. 2. How did Maria's stay in U.S. help her in terms of
success?
Or, Why is Maria ready to 'put up with much more
humiliations and insults'.....? Who humiliated her? Why?
Ans. At the very age of 9, Maria came to US for tennis training.
She stayed in a hostel. She was the youngest of all there. So
everyone simple ordered her there. She used to sleep at 8 p.m. but
wake her up and would ask her to tidy up and clean the room. They
insulted and humiliated her. It made her more determined. Besides
these, US played a big role in her present and future life, while
playing for US she became the World's No.1 tennis player. And
was ready to undergo much of humiliations and insult to steadfastly
pursue her dream.
Q.3. Who and what motivates her? How?
Or, What role did Maria's father and mother play in her
success?
Or, What other things motivat her?
Ans. A nine years old child is unable to take such important
decision, to work for them and to go through whatever comes
along with it unless gets the significant support of her parents. It
were Maria's parents who first gave her the ambition on her dream
to be the World's No.1 tennis player and provided for all the
necessary means to achieve that. They got her to train in US they
worked really hard as much as they could to keep her training go
on. Her mother had to stay away for two years. They did everything
from suffering to letting her go through odds to set her on her path
of success. They played the most significant role in her success,
Besides money and her dream to become the World's No.1 tennis
player also motivated her.
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