Follow That Dream Questions & Answers | Class 9 English | CBSE NCERT

(b) — The mother gives Ming unreserved permission and encouragement to chase her dream.

(c) — "What differentiates greatness from the ordinary is how much effort and sacrifice people invest to realise their dream."

(c) — "One has to be singularly and intensively pursuing the subject for at least ten years."

Irene Chua wrote the letter to her teenage daughter, Ming, on 19 June 1995.

It starts with a passion for a particular interest, followed by the conviction that it is imperative to realise it.

It means exclusively — pursuing the subject with single-minded, undivided focus.

(b) — Before committing, one must honestly assess the years of effort, financial investments and sacrifice involved.

(a) — "Plunge" means to throw oneself wholeheartedly into the activity, not to enter it half-heartedly.

(c) — "When stamina is running out, the prospect of success will keep you on track."

Years of effort, financial investments, and sacrifice.

It means kept afloat — supported, sustained and encouraged, as by the knowledge of doing what one loves best.

Sports, science, arts, business, and design.

(b) — The mother uses a familiar, real-life example to prove that achievers depend on the people who stood by them.

(b) — People say "I wish I could be this or the other" with longing, but without acting on the wish.

(b) — Wishing alone is not pursuing; without committed action, dreams stay wishes.

He/she always thanks a host of people who formed his/her support network.

A large number of people; a whole group of supporters.

Hopeful imagining without any real effort or action to make the wish come true.

(a) — The mother speaks of people whose dream was to attend the then Raffles College, now the National University of Singapore.

(b) — Many chose a safer, more settled life instead of pursuing their dream.

(b) — "The Japanese invasion during World War II changed forever their destiny."

The Japanese invasion during World War II — a circumstance beyond their control.

They had to go out to work so that they could support their siblings through school.

Brothers and sisters.

(a) — Dreams evolve with life's changing circumstances; new hopes and aspirations reshape the original dream.

(a) — A maze of hurdles suggests a path full of confusing obstacles that must be negotiated patiently.

(c) — The mother is optimistic about evolving dreams and encourages Ming to welcome change.

To discourage or dampen someone's dreams and enthusiasm; to be a spoil-sport.

One should go ahead and do something about the dream.

A world of dreams — here, the circle of people and forces that participate in one's dream.

(c) — It is her personal anecdote showing that a changed dream, chased for a decade, still brings real excitement and fulfilment.

(b) — "Publishing this book is a dream I have chased in the last ten years."

(b) — "I am really quite excited about it."

No. It was not the dream of her youth; her original dream changed over the years.

She wishes that at least one of Ming's dreams comes true too.

It closes with "Love, Mum" — a warm, affectionate sign-off showing the loving mother-daughter bond.

Ming must have written about a dream she passionately wished to pursue, seeking her mother's opinion and blessing. The opening line, granting permission unconditionally, suggests Ming had asked whether she should go ahead with her dream.

According to the writer, one must be singularly and intensively devoted to the subject for at least ten years, and count the cost in years of effort, financial investment and sacrifice before committing oneself wholeheartedly to the task.

Mere dreamers stop at wishful thinking, saying "I wish I could be this or the other," while achievers invest effort and sacrifice, stay committed through the uphill stretches, and pursue their dream till it comes true.

She uses it as an example to show that success is never a solo achievement: every winner thanks a host of people who formed his/her support network. She wants Ming to value the group that stands by every achiever.

A "wet blanket" is a person who discourages or dampens others' enthusiasm. The mother clarifies that although she lists costs and obstacles honestly, she does not wish to discourage Ming, only to prepare her.

Their destiny was changed forever by the Japanese invasion during World War II, a circumstance beyond their control. Others had to leave school to work and support their siblings, showing circumstances can alter sincere dreams.

It means making a realistic assessment, before plunging in, of everything the dream will demand, that is, years of effort, financial investments and personal sacrifice, so that one commits with open eyes rather than quitting halfway.

Two things sustain the dreamer: the knowledge that one is doing what one loves best and doing the right thing, and the prospect of success, which keeps one on track when stamina is running out.

She begins with wholehearted encouragement, "By all means follow that dream," then candidly lists the costs, ten years of effort, sacrifice and obstacles, so that Ming commits realistically, and ends optimistically by wishing her dream comes true.

She shares that publishing this book was a dream she chased for ten years, one she never had in her youth. Her original dream changed over the years, yet the new one excited her, proving changed dreams deserve equal pursuit.

She believes dreams that emerge later in life, shaped by experience, carry the same worth and emotional force as youthful dreams. They deserve equal passion, patience and effort, even though they take longer and involve more people.

The salutation and sign-off establish the letter's warm, personal, intimate nature. As a mother-daughter conversation within My Daughter, My Friend, the letter combines a parent's protective caution with deep affection, making the advice trustworthy and heartfelt.

She means the journey towards a dream is mostly difficult, like climbing uphill. Progress demands continuous effort, and the dreamer often has little support beyond the knowledge of doing what one loves and doing right.

The mother wants Ming to understand that achievement is never solitary. Behind every successful person stands a support network of family, friends and mentors whose encouragement and sacrifice make the victory possible, as award winners' speeches prove.

The example shows that family responsibility can force people to sacrifice their own dreams. The mother presents it without blame, teaching Ming to sympathise with such circumstances and to value the education she herself enjoys.

She wants Ming to commit with realistic expectations. Since world-class achievement demands at least ten years of singular pursuit, Ming must honestly judge whether she is prepared to invest those years before plunging into the task.

They present conviction as a powerful, living force inside the body, like fire and flowing blood. A dream worth pursuing must be felt this intensely; only such deep passion can survive years of effort, cost and sacrifice.

The letters celebrate the special bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. Through them, the mother shares valuable insights into life, equipping her daughter with wisdom to face its challenges, as this letter to Ming shows.

The mother insists that the cost be counted before one plunges, and that obstacles be considered before action. Only when conviction still burns after this honest assessment does she advise going ahead and doing something about the dream.

The letter urges Ming to pursue her dream wholeheartedly, with passion and perseverance, while counting the cost honestly. It also teaches that dreams may change with life, and changed dreams, pursued with equal commitment, bring equal fulfilment.

The mother states that great men and women become great because they pursue a dream till it comes true, and that effort and sacrifice separate them from the ordinary. She adds that world-class standard in any field demands singular, intensive pursuit of the subject for at least ten years.

First comes a passion for a particular interest; then the conviction that realising it is imperative. Next one must count the cost in years of effort, financial investment and sacrifice. If the dream still burns in one's blood, one should plunge and commit oneself to the task.

Most people only wish wistfully, saying "I wish I could be this or the other," and never move beyond such wishful thinking. Some prefer to trade their dream for security, while others, like the Raffles College aspirants and young breadwinners, are defeated by circumstances beyond their control.

Both examples show that sincere dreams can be defeated by forces beyond a person's control. War ended the college hopes of the Raffles aspirants, and family poverty forced others to abandon schooling for work. Life, the mother implies, can change even a firmly held destiny.

The mother recalls how every Academy Award winner thanks a host of people who formed his/her support network. From this example she draws the lesson that for one winner there is always a group of people standing by, so achievers must recognise, value and remain grateful to their supporters.

Publishing this book was a dream the mother chased for ten years, yet it was not the dream of her youth; her original dream changed over the years. Her genuine excitement proves that a later, changed dream can be pursued and enjoyed as fully as any youthful one.

She warns that the road may be uphill most of the way, and that fulfilment requires negotiating a path through a maze of hurdles over a much longer time. Yet she also offers hope: doing what one loves, and the prospect of success, keep one on track.

A maze is a confusing network of passages, and hurdles are obstacles. The phrase means that fulfilling a changed dream demands patient, skilful navigation through many difficulties, one at a time, because the way to the goal is neither straight nor easy.

She shows that many abandon dreams to settle for safe, secure lives. This reveals her belief that security, though comfortable, is a quiet enemy of dreams; she wants Ming to choose consciously, prepared to pay the real price of what she loves.

The mother emerges as wise, loving and honest: she encourages Ming's dream wholeheartedly, yet counts its costs candidly. Her memories of wartime Singapore show experience and compassion, while her own decade-long pursuit of publishing shows optimism, perseverance and openness to changed dreams.

Ming's mother punctuates her letter with thought-provoking questions. "Do you know that to reach world-class standard in any field, one has to be singularly and intensively pursuing the subject for at least ten years?" draws Ming into reflection instead of lecturing her. The question about the Academy Awards similarly makes Ming recall, on her own, how winners always thank a host of supporters. Her anecdotes make the argument concrete and credible: people denied Raffles College by the Japanese invasion, those who left school to support their siblings, and her own decade-long chase to publish this very book. Because the examples come from real lives, including her own, Ming receives not abstract preaching but tested wisdom. The persuasive appeal thus rests on honesty, lived experience and maternal affection rather than on parental authority alone, which is exactly why her advice convinces.

The mother identifies several reasons dreams remain unfulfilled. First, wishful thinking: most people only say "I wish I could be this or the other" and never act. Second, the preference for security: some trade their dream for a safer, more settled life. Third, cruel circumstances: the Japanese invasion during World War II forever changed the destiny of those who dreamt of Raffles College. Fourth, family responsibility: children left school to earn for their siblings. The lessons I draw are twofold. Where the obstacle lies within us, we must move beyond wishing to committed pursuit, counting the cost first. Where circumstances are beyond our control, we must, like the mother herself, accept that life may change our dreams, and pursue the new dream with equal passion rather than despair.

Yes, the advice remains strikingly relevant today. The core truth that world-class mastery demands roughly a decade of singular, intensive effort still holds for every serious field. Today's shortcut culture of overnight success and viral fame makes her warning against wishful thinking more necessary than ever. Her insistence on counting the cost applies to every major career decision, including the expense of higher education. Even her gentler insight, that life may change our dreams and that changed dreams deserve equal pursuit, comforts young people facing fast-changing career landscapes. Wars, economic disruption and family obligations still derail dreams, though in new forms. Above all, her balance of encouragement with realism, and of self-belief with honest planning, is timeless guidance for any young person standing at the threshold of a dream.

Kalam's words distinguish a passive daydream from an all-consuming passion, and the letter rests on exactly this distinction. The mother says a dream worth pursuing must be "burning in your blood" and its conviction "coursing through your veins", images of a passion so alive that it keeps one restless and committed. People who merely "wistfully" wish while sleeping over their dreams get nowhere; they remain in "just wishful thinking". A true dream, by contrast, drives ten years of singular, intensive pursuit, survives the counting of costs, and keeps a person "on track" even "when stamina is running out". Thus the letter portrays the genuine dream not as something seen in sleep, but as the fire that gets a person out of bed every morning for a decade.

Though the letter's subject is dreams, its texture is pure affection. It belongs to a collection titled My Daughter, My Friend, which celebrates the special bond between a mother and her teenage daughter, and the warm salutation "Dear Ming" and closing "Love, Mum" frame every argument in love. The mother grants permission freely, "By all means follow that dream," yet her caution about ten years of effort and sacrifice is protective, not restrictive. Her memories of war and of young breadwinners show how deeply she has watched others lose their dreams. Finally, her own confession that publishing this book, a dream of ten years, still excites her, and her closing wish that "at least one of your dreams comes true too", reveal a mother who both understands dreaming and longs for her daughter's happiness. The advice and the love are inseparable.

The mother demonstrates through her own life that dreams are living things which evolve. Her original youthful dream changed over the years, and the dream she finally chased for a decade, publishing this book, was one she never had in her youth. Crucially, she treats these later hopes and aspirations as "no less than the original dream of younger days", deserving equal passion and patience. She is honest that changed dreams take a longer time to realise, that they must negotiate "a maze of hurdles", and that many more people participate in one's dreamscape. Yet her excitement about the book proves that a changed dream can thrill the dreamer as much as any youthful one. The lesson is clear: when life reshapes the dream, the dreamer should not abandon pursuit, but embrace the new dream with the same commitment, courage and joy.

The three texts of Unit 8 divide the journey of a dream into complementary stages. Langley's "Believe in Yourself" confronts the hardest moment, the first step, warning against the comfort of the status quo and insisting that self-belief keeps the future "on track". Hewitt's "Always Believe in Yourself" blesses the dreamer with persistence, courage, kindness to oneself, and open hands and heart to receive life's gifts. The prose letter, meanwhile, supplies the strategy the poems assume: pursue the passion singularly for at least ten years, count the cost in effort, money and sacrifice, plunge only when conviction still burns, build a support network, and accept that life may change the dream itself, as the mother's decade-long chase to publish her book proves. Together, the unit teaches that dreams need both the poet's fire and the pragmatist's plan: belief to begin, endurance to continue, and honest preparation to arrive.

(a) — It is one of the letters from Irene Chua's My Daughter, My Friend.

(b) — The letter opens "Dear Ming."

(c) — 19 June 1995.

(a) — The mother speaks of people whose dream was to attend the then Raffles College, now the National University of Singapore.

(b) — The Japanese invasion during World War II changed forever their destiny.

(b) — They sacrificed their own education so that their siblings could study.

(b) — A "wet blanket" is a spoil-sport; the mother refuses to discourage Ming's dreams.

(d) — The letter stresses cost and struggle; nowhere does it promise quick or guaranteed success.

(b) — '-scape' means 'a view or scene of'; dreamscape = a world of dreams, here the circle of people and forces participating in one's dream.

(b) — The letter celebrates wholehearted pursuit of dreams balanced by a realistic counting of costs and openness to change.

(c) — The assertion is true (she wants a realistic assessment), but the reason is false; she explicitly says she will not "put a wet blanket" on Ming's dreams.

(a) — Both are true, and the ten-year rule flows directly from her belief that effort and sacrifice create greatness.

(d) — The assertion is false while the reason is true; she treats evolved dreams as equally valuable.

(b)

(c)

(b)

(c)

(b)

(b) — It describes an intense, consuming passion. Example sentence: My ambition to become a doctor burns in my blood, so no setback can make me quit.

(a) — Something laborious, like climbing uphill. Example sentence: Cleaning the entire house before the guests arrived proved an uphill task.

(d) — The expression literally means "kept afloat"; here, encouraged and lifted in spirit by the result. Example sentence: The students were buoyed up by the teacher's praise and worked even harder.

(c) Example sentence: Expecting to win a lottery and buy a house is mere wishful thinking.

(a) — One who dampens others' enthusiasm. Example sentence: I did not want to be a wet blanket, so I joined the picnic despite my tiredness.

(b) Example sentence: Courage coursed through the soldier's veins as he faced the enemy.