9th Eng.. Reach For The Top.. Questions and answers (Beehive)

Ch-8 REACH FOR THE TOP (Beehive)

Q1. Why was the holy man' who gave Santosh's mother his blessings surprised?

Ans. In Santosh's hometown, the birth of a daughter was not considered auspicious. The holy man was surprised when her grandmother told him that they wanted a daughter, not a son

Q2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl, Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable.

Ans. Santosh lived her life on her own terms from the very beginning. While other girls in the village wore traditional Indian dresses, she preferred wearing shorts.

Q3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school? 

Ans. In accordance with the prevailing social customs, girls were not sent away for education. So, Santosh was sent to the local school.

Q4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why? 

Ans. She left for Delhi at the age of sixteen. She had completed her studies in the village school and wanted to pursue her study further in a school in Delhi against her parent's wishes.

Q5. Why did Santosh's parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident?   

Ans. When Santosh's parents refused to pay for her education in Delhi, she told them that she would work part time to pay her fee. Seeing her adamant attitude, her parents agreed to pay for her schooling. This incident shows that Santosh was determined to work hard for a proper education,

Q6. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?

 Ans. Santosh joined Maharani College in Jaipur after completing high school. She was living in Kasturba Hostel which faced the Aravali Hills. Once Santosh saw some mountaineers climbing the Aravalli Hills. She asked them if she could join them. They answered in affirmative and encouraged her to take up mountaineering. Santosh saved some money and joined a course at Uttarkashi Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. After doing this course, Santosh went on a climbing expedition every year, 

Q7. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh's concern for her team-mates? 

  Ans. During the 1992 Everest mission, Santosh Yadav provided special care to a climber who lay dying at the South Col. But, she could not save him. Another climber named Mohan Singh too would have died if Santosh had not shared her oxygen with him.

Q8. What shows her concern for the environment?

 Ans. Santosh is a passionate environmentalist. Once she collected and brought 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.

Q9. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?

Ans. When she reached the summit of Mount Everest, she felt as if she were on top of the world. It was a spiritual moment for her. She unfurled the Indian flag and held it aloft on the roof of the world. The feeling was indescribable. She felt proud as an Indian.

Q10. Comment on the theme of the biographical sketch of Santosh Yadav.                                   Ans. "Reach for the Top" is based on the theme that success is achieved by those who dream of doing something different and chart their own path without caring what others think. People who are not afraid of facing the society and their family their goals definitely succeed in their life. for Santosh Yadav's education, training and success as a woman mountaineer in a country where women are constantly discriminated against, exemplifies the theme of an individual struggling and winning against the shackles placed by the society. Santosh conquered all old-customs, patriarchy and prejudices to get success through hard work, persistent effort, and mental and physical toughness.

Q11.. What message can be derived from the biographical sketch of Santosh Yadav?

ans. "Reach for the Top" conveys the message that any goal, no matter how difficult, can be achieved through hard work, determination and constant efforts. Instead of complaining against the evils in society, one should rise against them to achieve one's goal and write one's own script of success.

Q12.What type of society was Santosh born in?

Ans. Santosh was born in Joniyawas, a small village in the Rewari District of Haryana. The society there was rigidly patriarchal. The birth of a girl was generally unwelcome. Girls were supposed to get married very early. They were not allowed to wear modern dresses or go outside the village for education. People strictly followed the conservative traditions.

13.. What did Santosh do on being motivated to take mountain climbing?

Ans Santosh saved money and took admission at Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. After completing her semester in college, she went straight to the institute to reach for her training in time.

Q14. Why did Santosh write a letter of apology to her father? 

Ans Santosh got herself enrolled in the Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without informing her family. She had to join the institute immediately after completing her semester in Jaipur. So she could not go back home and wrote a letter of apology to her father

Q15.What kind of family background did Santosh have?

Ans. Santosh was born in a small village named Joniyawas in Haryana. Her parents were wealthy landowners. She was the only girl child in the family with five elder brothers. Her family was very traditional and believed in upholding age-old traditions. They taught Santosh in a local village school in accordance with the prevailing custom and then wanted to marry her off at the young age of sixteen