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How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Questions & Answers | Class 9 English | CBSE NCERT
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About 124 min readHow I Taught My Grandmother to ReadUpdated 29 Sep 2026
Questions and answers
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1. Q1. As a girl of about twelve, the narrator stayed in a village in ______.
(a) coastal Karnataka
(b) north Karnataka
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Maharashtra
When I was a girl of about twelve, I used to stay in a village in north Karnataka with my grandparents. Those days, the transport system was not very good, so we used to get the morning paper only in the afternoon. The weekly magazine used to come one day late. All of us would wait eagerly for the bus, which used to come with the papers, weekly magazines and the post. At that time, Triveni was a very popular writer in the Kannada language.
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(b) north Karnataka
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2. Q2. The morning paper reached the village only in the afternoon because ______.
(a) the post office was closed
(b) the printers were on holiday
(c) the transport system was not very good
(d) the bus drivers were on strike
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(c) the transport system was not very good
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3. Q3. All of them waited eagerly for the bus because it brought ______.
(a) only the newspaper
(b) only the post
(c) vegetables and fruit
(d) the papers, weekly magazines and the post
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(d) the papers, weekly magazines and the post
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4. Q4. How old was the narrator when she stayed in the village?
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She was a girl of about twelve years of age.
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5. Q5. How late did the weekly magazine come to the village?
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The weekly magazine used to come one day late.
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6. Q6. Who was Triveni?
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Triveni was a very popular writer in the Kannada language at that time.
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7. Q1. Triveni's stories usually dealt with ______.
(a) the adventures of kings and warriors
(b) complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people
(c) science and technology
(d) travel and exploration
She was a wonderful writer. Her style was easy to read and very convincing. Her stories usually dealt with complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people and were always very interesting. Unfortunately for Kannada literature, she died very young. Even now, after forty years, people continue to appreciate her novels. One of her novels, called Kashi Yatre, was appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera then. It is the story of an old lady and her ardent desire to go to Kashi or Varanasi.
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(b) complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people
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8. Q2. "Unfortunately for Kannada literature, she died very young." Here 'she' is ______.
(a) the narrator
(b) Krishtakka
(c) Triveni
(d) the orphan girl
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(c) Triveni
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9. Q3. The novel Kashi Yatre was appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly ______.
(a) Sudha
(b) Prajavani
(c) Thuglak
(d) Karmaveera
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(d) Karmaveera
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10. Q4. How is Triveni's writing style described in the extract?
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Her style was easy to read and very convincing.
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11. Q5. What is Kashi Yatre about?
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It is the story of an old lady and her ardent desire to go to Kashi or Varanasi.
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12. Q6. What does the word 'ardent' mean?
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'Ardent' means keen, that is, very strong and eager (a keen desire).
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13. Q1. According to the extract, most Hindus believe that going to Kashi and worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate ______.
(a) dharma
(b) punya
(c) daana
(d) yatra
Most Hindus believe that going to Kashi and worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate punya. This old lady also believed in this, and her struggle to go there was described in that novel. In the story there was also a young orphan girl who falls in love but there was no money for the wedding. In the end, the old lady gives away all her savings without going to Kashi. She says, 'The happiness of this orphan girl is more important than worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi.'
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(b) punya
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14. Q2. In the story, the young orphan girl's wedding could not take place because ______.
(a) she did not wish to marry
(b) there was no money for the wedding
(c) the old lady refused to help her
(d) she had to go to Kashi
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(b) there was no money for the wedding
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15. Q3. In the end, the old lady of the novel ______.
(a) goes to Kashi and worships Lord Vishweshwara
(b) refuses to help the orphan girl
(c) gives away all her savings without going to Kashi
(d) sends the orphan girl to Kashi in her place
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(c) gives away all her savings without going to Kashi
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16. Q4. Why did the old lady give away all her savings?
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She felt that the happiness of the orphan girl was more important than worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi.
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17. Q5. Who is the protagonist of Kashi Yatre?
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The protagonist is an old lady whose ardent desire is to go to Kashi or Varanasi.
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18. Q6. What did the old lady believe about Kashi?
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She believed, like most Hindus, that going to Kashi and worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate punya.
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19. Q1. The grandmother, Krishtakka, could not read because ______.
(a) she was blind
(b) she never went to school
(c) the magazine was in another language
(d) she had lost her books
My grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school so she could not read. Every Wednesday the magazine would come and I would read the next episode of this story to her. During that time she would forget all her work and listen with the greatest concentration. Later, she could repeat the entire text by heart. My grandmother too never went to Kashi, and she identified herself with the novel's protagonist. So more than anybody else she was the one most interested in knowing what happened next in the story and used to insist that I read the serial out to her.
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(b) she never went to school
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20. Q2. The magazine carrying Kashi Yatre came every ______.
(a) Monday
(b) Wednesday
(c) Saturday
(d) Sunday
Show answer
(b) Wednesday
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21. Q3. The grandmother identified herself with ______ of the novel.
(a) the orphan girl
(b) the young lover
(c) the publisher
(d) the protagonist, the old lady
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(d) the protagonist, the old lady
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22. Q4. How did the grandmother listen to the story?
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She would forget all her work and listen with the greatest concentration.
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23. Q5. What could the grandmother do after hearing an episode?
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She could repeat the entire text by heart.
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24. Q6. Why was the grandmother more interested in the serial than anybody else?
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Because she too had never gone to Kashi, she identified herself with the novel's protagonist and was most eager to know what happened next.
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25. Q1. After hearing an episode of Kashi Yatre, the grandmother would join her friends at ______.
(a) the village square
(b) the school
(c) the temple courtyard
(d) the bus stop
After hearing what happened next in Kashi Yatre, she would join her friends at the temple courtyard where we children would also gather to play hide and seek. She would discuss the latest episode with her friends. At that time, I never understood why there was so much of debate about the story. Once I went for a wedding with my cousins to the neighbouring village. In those days, a wedding was a great event. We children enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.
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(c) the temple courtyard
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26. Q2. The children gathered at the temple courtyard to ______.
(a) study
(b) play hide and seek
(c) listen to the story
(d) help the elders
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(b) play hide and seek
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27. Q3. In those days, a wedding was considered ______.
(a) an ordinary affair
(b) a sad occasion
(c) a great event
(d) a small gathering
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(c) a great event
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28. Q4. What did the grandmother discuss with her friends?
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She would discuss the latest episode of Kashi Yatre with her friends.
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29. Q5. What did the narrator never understand at that time?
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She never understood why there was so much of debate about the story among the elders.
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30. Q6. Where did the narrator go with her cousins?
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She went for a wedding to the neighbouring village.
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31. Q1. The children at the wedding could savour their freedom because ______.
(a) the wedding was over
(b) all the elders were busy
(c) they were alone at home
(d) the school was closed
We would eat and play endlessly, savouring the freedom because all the elders were busy. I went for a couple of days but ended up staying there for a week. When I came back to my village, I saw my grandmother in tears. I was surprised, for I had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations. What had happened? I was worried. 'Avva, is everything all right? Are you okay?' I used to call her Avva, which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.
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(b) all the elders were busy
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32. Q2. The narrator went for a couple of days to the wedding but ended up staying for ______.
(a) a fortnight
(b) ten days
(c) three days
(d) a week
Show answer
(d) a week
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33. Q3. The narrator was surprised to see her grandmother in tears because ______.
(a) she had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations
(b) the grandmother never loved her
(c) tears were forbidden in the house
(d) the grandmother was always ill
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(a) she had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations
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34. Q4. What does the word 'savouring' mean in the extract?
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'Savouring' means enjoying something to the fullest; the children enjoyed their freedom completely.
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35. Q5. What does 'Avva' mean, and in which language?
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'Avva' means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.
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36. Q6. What did the narrator see when she came back to her village?
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She saw her grandmother in tears, which surprised and worried her.
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37. Q1. The family slept that night ______.
(a) indoors on cots
(b) in the open terrace of the house
(c) at the temple
(d) in the courtyard
She nodded but did not reply. I did not understand and forgot about it. In the night, after dinner, we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house. It was a summer night and there was a full moon. Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead. I realised she wanted to speak. I asked her, 'What is the matter?' 'When I was a young girl, I lost my mother. There was nobody to look after and guide me.'
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(b) in the open terrace of the house
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38. Q2. The night the grandmother opened her heart was ______.
(a) a rainy winter night
(b) a summer night with a full moon
(c) a cold, dark night
(d) a festival night
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(b) a summer night with a full moon
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39. Q3. The grandmother showed she wanted to speak by ______.
(a) calling out loudly
(b) writing a note
(c) touching the narrator's forehead with affectionate hands
(d) pulling her hand
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(c) touching the narrator's forehead with affectionate hands
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40. Q4. How did the grandmother respond when the narrator first asked, 'Are you okay?'
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She nodded but did not reply, and the narrator did not understand and forgot about it.
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41. Q5. What happened to the grandmother when she was a young girl?
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She lost her mother, and there was nobody to look after and guide her.
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42. Q6. What did the narrator realise when Avva touched her forehead?
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She realised that her grandmother wanted to speak to her.
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43. Q1. The grandmother never went to school because in those days people never considered education essential for ______.
(a) boys
(b) girls
(c) villagers
(d) elders
'My father was a busy man and got married again. In those days people never considered education essential for girls, so I never went to school. I got married very young and had children. I became very busy. Later I had grandchildren and always felt so much happiness in cooking and feeding all of you. At times I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well...' I could not understand why my sixty-two-year-old grandmother was telling me, a twelve-year-old, the story of her life in the middle of the night.
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(b) girls
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44. Q2. The grandmother felt so much happiness in ______.
(a) reading novels
(b) travelling to Kashi
(c) cooking and feeding her grandchildren
(d) attending weddings
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(c) cooking and feeding her grandchildren
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45. Q3. The grandmother telling the story of her life was ______ years old.
(a) sixty-two
(b) fifty-two
(c) seventy
(d) forty-five
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(a) sixty-two
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46. Q4. What did the grandmother make sure of, and why?
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Because she at times regretted not going to school, she made sure that her children and grandchildren studied well.
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47. Q5. Why did the grandmother's father not look after her?
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He was a busy man and got married again, so there was nobody to look after and guide her.
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48. Q6. What could the narrator not understand that night?
Show answer
She could not understand why her sixty-two-year-old grandmother was telling a twelve-year-old the story of her life in the middle of the night.
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49. Q1. The grandmother was usually always ______.
(a) serious
(b) silent
(c) smiling
(d) sleeping
But I knew I loved her immensely and there had to be some reason why she was talking to me. I looked at her face. It was unhappy and her eyes were filled with tears. She was a good-looking lady who was usually always smiling. Even today, I cannot forget the worried expression on her face. I leaned forward and held her hand. 'Avva, don't cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in any way?' 'Yes, I need your help. You know when you were away, Karmaveera came as usual.'
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(c) smiling
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50. Q2. What does the word 'immensely' mean in this extract?
(a) slightly
(b) extremely
(c) rarely
(d) secretly
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(b) extremely
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51. Q3. When the narrator saw her grandmother's unhappy face, she ______.
(a) leaned forward and held her hand
(b) called the neighbours
(c) went to sleep
(d) began to cry loudly
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(a) leaned forward and held her hand
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52. Q4. What does the narrator say she cannot forget even today?
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She cannot forget the worried expression on her grandmother's face that night.
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53. Q5. What came as usual when the narrator was away?
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The magazine Karmaveera came as usual.
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54. Q6. What did the narrator ask her grandmother when she saw her tears?
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She asked, 'Avva, don't cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in any way?'
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55. Q1. The grandmother rubbed her hands over the pages because ______.
(a) the pages were dusty
(b) she wished the pages could understand what was written
(c) she was counting them
(d) she wanted to tear them
'I opened the magazine. I saw the picture that accompanies the story of Kashi Yatre and I could not understand anything that was written. Many times I rubbed my hands over the pages wishing they could understand what was written. But I knew it was not possible. If only I was educated enough. I waited eagerly for you to return. I felt you would come early and read for me. I even thought of going to the village and asking you to read for me.'
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(b) she wished the pages could understand what was written
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56. Q2. What did the grandmother see when she opened the magazine?
(a) a photograph of Kashi
(b) the picture that accompanies the story of Kashi Yatre
(c) a letter from the narrator
(d) an empty page
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(b) the picture that accompanies the story of Kashi Yatre
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57. Q3. The grandmother waited eagerly for the narrator to return because she felt the narrator would ______.
(a) bring sweets
(b) come early and read for her
(c) scold her
(d) take her to Kashi
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(b) come early and read for her
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58. Q4. What did the grandmother wish when she rubbed her hands over the pages?
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She wished that her hands could understand what was written, and that she was educated enough.
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59. Q5. Why could the grandmother not understand anything that was written?
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Because she had never gone to school and could not read; only the picture made sense to her.
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60. Q6. What did the grandmother even think of doing in her eagerness?
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She even thought of going to the neighbouring village and asking the narrator to read for her.
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61. Q1. The grandmother did not ask somebody in her own village to read to her because she ______.
(a) did not know anyone there
(b) was too embarrassed to do so
(c) had no time
(d) disliked the neighbours
'I could have asked somebody in this village but I was too embarrassed to do so. I felt very dependent and helpless. We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent?' I did not know what to answer. Avva continued. 'I have decided I want to learn the Kannada alphabet from tomorrow onwards. I will work very hard. I will keep Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as the deadline. That day I should be able to read a novel on my own. I want to be independent.'
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(b) was too embarrassed to do so
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62. Q2. The grandmother set ______ as her deadline for learning to read.
(a) Ugadi
(b) Deepavali
(c) Saraswati Puja day during Dassara
(d) her sixty-fifth birthday
Show answer
(c) Saraswati Puja day during Dassara
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63. Q3. 'We are well-off' means the family ______.
(a) lived far away
(b) was financially comfortable
(c) was well known
(d) had many relatives
Show answer
(b) was financially comfortable
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64. Q4. What did the grandmother decide to learn, and from when?
Show answer
She decided to learn the Kannada alphabet from the very next day onwards.
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65. Q5. According to the grandmother, what use is money?
Show answer
She says money is of no use when she cannot be independent; she felt very dependent and helpless without literacy.
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66. Q6. What was the grandmother determined to do by her deadline?
Show answer
She was determined to be able to read a novel on her own and become independent.
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67. Q1. The narrator laughed at her grandmother because ______.
(a) the grandmother had failed once
(b) she found it odd for a sixty-two-year-old to learn the alphabet
(c) the grandmother was joking
(d) she wanted to discourage her
I saw the determination on her face. Yet I laughed at her. 'Avva, at this age of sixty-two you want to learn the alphabet? All your hair is grey, your hands are wrinkled, you wear spectacles and you work so much in the kitchen...' Childishly I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled. 'For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. I will work harder than anybody but I will do it. For learning there is no age bar.'
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(b) she found it odd for a sixty-two-year-old to learn the alphabet
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68. Q2. 'For learning there is no age bar' means ______.
(a) schools charge no fees for the old
(b) old people forget quickly
(c) learning is only for children
(d) anyone of any age can learn
Show answer
(d) anyone of any age can learn
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69. Q3. How did the grandmother respond to being laughed at?
(a) she cried
(b) she gave up her plan
(c) she just smiled
(d) she scolded the narrator
Show answer
(c) she just smiled
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70. Q4. What details did the narrator mention while teasing her grandmother?
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She mentioned her grey hair, wrinkled hands, the spectacles she wore and how much she worked in the kitchen.
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71. Q5. According to the grandmother, what can determination overcome?
Show answer
She said that for a good cause, if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle.
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72. Q6. What does the narrator admit about her own behaviour?
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She admits that she childishly made fun of the old lady, even though she saw the determination on her face.
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73. Q1. The grandmother's study routine included reading, writing, reciting and ______.
(a) singing
(b) repeating
(c) dancing
(d) drawing
The next day onwards I started my tuition. Avva was a wonderful student. The amount of homework she did was amazing. She would read, repeat, write, and recite. I was her only teacher and she was my first student. Little did I know then that one day I would become a teacher in Computer Science and teach hundreds of students. The Dassara festival came as usual. Secretly I bought Kashi Yatre which had been published as a novel by that time.
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(b) repeating
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74. Q2. In relation to the grandmother, the narrator was her ______.
(a) classmate
(b) only teacher
(c) headmistress
(d) neighbour
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(b) only teacher
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75. Q3. The narrator secretly bought ______ which had by then been published as a novel.
(a) Karmaveera
(b) a Kannada dictionary
(c) Kashi Yatre
(d) a school textbook
Show answer
(c) Kashi Yatre
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76. Q4. What was amazing about Avva as a student?
Show answer
The amount of homework she did was amazing.
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77. Q5. Who was the narrator's first student?
Show answer
Her grandmother, Avva (Krishtakka), was her first student.
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78. Q6. What did the narrator later become?
Show answer
She became a teacher in Computer Science and taught hundreds of students.
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79. Q1. On Dassara, the grandmother gave the narrator a gift of ______.
(a) a gold bangle
(b) a copy of Karmaveera
(c) sweets
(d) frock material
My grandmother called me to the puja place and made me sit down on a stool. She gave me a gift of frock material. Then she did something unusual. She bent down and touched my feet. I was surprised and taken aback. Elders never touch the feet of youngsters. We have always touched the feet of God, elders, and teachers. We consider that as a mark of respect. It is a great tradition but today the reverse had happened. It was not correct.
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(d) frock material
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80. Q2. The narrator was 'taken aback' because ______.
(a) the gift was too small
(b) elders never touch the feet of youngsters
(c) the puja was over
(d) she did not want a gift
Show answer
(b) elders never touch the feet of youngsters
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81. Q3. Traditionally, people touch the feet of ______.
(a) God, elders and teachers
(b) only parents
(c) guests
(d) the village headman
Show answer
(a) God, elders and teachers
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82. Q4. What does the phrase 'taken aback' mean?
Show answer
It means surprised by something unexpected.
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83. Q5. What unusual thing did the grandmother do on Dassara?
Show answer
She bent down and touched the narrator's feet, which elders never do to youngsters.
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84. Q6. What do we consider the touching of feet as?
Show answer
We consider it a mark of respect; it is a great tradition.
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85. Q1. The grandmother said she was touching the feet of ______.
(a) her granddaughter
(b) an elder
(c) a teacher
(d) a priest
She said, 'I am touching the feet of a teacher, not my granddaughter; a teacher who taught me so well, with so much of affection that I can read any novel confidently in such a short period. Now I am independent. It is my duty to respect a teacher. Is it not written in our scriptures that a teacher should be respected, irrespective of the gender and age?' I did return her namaskara to her by touching her feet and gave my gift to my first student. She opened it and read immediately the title Kashi Yatre by Triveni and the publisher's name. I knew then that my student had passed with flying colours. — Sudha Murty
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(c) a teacher
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86. Q2. According to the scriptures quoted by the grandmother, a teacher should be respected ______.
(a) only in old age
(b) irrespective of gender and age
(c) only if elderly
(d) only during Dassara
Show answer
(b) irrespective of gender and age
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87. Q3. 'Passed with flying colours' means ______.
(a) learnt to fly kites
(b) passed a school examination
(c) achieved outstanding success
(d) learnt to write fluently
Show answer
(c) achieved outstanding success
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88. Q4. How did the narrator return her grandmother's namaskara?
Show answer
She returned her namaskara by touching her grandmother's feet, and gave her gift to her first student.
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89. Q5. What did the grandmother read immediately on opening the gift?
Show answer
She read the title, Kashi Yatre by Triveni, and the publisher's name.
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90. Q6. What did the grandmother declare she had become after learning to read?
Show answer
She declared that she was now independent and could read any novel confidently.
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91. Q1. Why did everyone in the narrator's village wait eagerly for the bus? (2 marks)
Show answer
The transport system was poor, so the bus brought the morning papers only in the afternoon and the weekly magazine one day late. Since it carried the papers, magazines and the post, everyone waited eagerly for it.
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92. Q2. Why did the grandmother identify herself with the protagonist of Kashi Yatre? (2 marks)
Show answer
Like the old lady in the novel, Krishtakka had never been to Kashi although she wished to go. She therefore identified herself with the protagonist and was the most eager to know what happened next in the story.
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93. Q3. Why was the narrator shocked when she returned from the wedding? (2 marks)
Show answer
On returning from the wedding, the narrator found her grandmother in tears. She was surprised and worried because she had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations.
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94. Q4. Why did the grandmother feel "dependent and helpless" even though the family was well-off? (2 marks)
Show answer
The grandmother could not read. When the narrator was away, she could not understand anything written in Karmaveera and had to wait for someone to read it to her. Thus, despite being well-off, she felt dependent and helpless.
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95. Q5. What deadline did the grandmother set for herself, and what was she determined to achieve by it? (2 marks)
Show answer
She set Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline. By that day she was determined to read a novel on her own. She wanted to become independent and not depend on others to read for her.
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96. Q6. How did the grandmother prove to be a "wonderful student"? (2 marks)
Show answer
Avva did an amazing amount of homework. She would read, repeat, write and recite, working harder than anybody, and in a very short period she became able to read any novel confidently.
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97. Q7. Why did the grandmother touch the narrator's feet? Why was the narrator taken aback? (2 marks)
Show answer
The grandmother touched the narrator's feet because she was honouring her as a teacher, not as her granddaughter. The narrator was taken aback because elders never touch the feet of youngsters, so this reverse seemed incorrect.
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98. Q8. What did the grandmother do immediately after opening the narrator's gift? What did this prove? (2 marks)
Show answer
The moment she opened the gift, she read out the title Kashi Yatre by Triveni and the publisher's name. This proved that she had passed with flying colours, for she could now read independently.
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99. Q9. Why do you think the grandmother was embarrassed to ask someone in the village to read the magazine to her? (2 marks)
Show answer
The grandmother was a proud, dignified lady. Admitting her illiteracy before neighbours made her feel ashamed of her dependence on others, so she preferred to wait for her granddaughter to return and read to her.
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100. Q10. What were the circumstances that prevented the grandmother from going to school in her childhood? (2 marks)
Show answer
She lost her mother as a young girl; her busy father remarried. In those days people never considered education essential for girls, so she never went to school. She was married young and soon became busy with children and grandchildren.
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101. Q11. Who was Triveni, and what made her stories special? (2 marks)
Show answer
Triveni was a very popular writer in the Kannada language. Her style was easy to read and very convincing, and her stories dealt with complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people, which made them always interesting.
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102. Q12. What did the grandmother do after hearing an episode of Kashi Yatre? What puzzled the narrator about it? (2 marks)
Show answer
After hearing the next episode, the grandmother would join her friends at the temple courtyard and discuss it with them. The narrator, then a child, never understood why there was so much debate about the story.
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103. Q13. How did the children enjoy themselves at the wedding in the neighbouring village? (2 marks)
Show answer
In those days a wedding was a great event. The children ate and played endlessly, savouring the freedom because all the elders were busy. The narrator went for a couple of days but stayed a week.
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104. Q14. Describe the night scene when the grandmother opened her heart to the narrator. (2 marks)
Show answer
It was a summer night with a full moon, and they were sleeping on the open terrace after dinner. Avva came and sat next to the narrator, touched her forehead with affectionate hands, and began the story of her life.
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105. Q15. Why did the grandmother keep rubbing her hands over the pages of the magazine? (2 marks)
Show answer
She could not understand anything that was written. Wishing that the pages could understand what was written, she rubbed her hands over them many times, but knew it was not possible without education.
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106. Q16. How did the narrator tease her grandmother? How did the grandmother respond? (2 marks)
Show answer
Childishly, the narrator asked how a sixty-two-year-old with grey hair, wrinkled hands, spectacles and endless kitchen work could learn the alphabet. The grandmother only smiled and replied that for learning there is no age bar.
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107. Q17. What happened when Karmaveera arrived while the narrator was away? (2 marks)
Show answer
The magazine came as usual, but the grandmother could not understand anything written in it. She waited eagerly for the narrator to return, feeling dependent, helpless and too embarrassed to ask anyone else to read.
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108. Q18. Why did the narrator secretly buy the novel Kashi Yatre as a gift for her grandmother? (2 marks)
Show answer
The grandmother had set Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline to read a novel on her own. The narrator secretly bought Kashi Yatre, then published as a novel, to reward and test her first student.
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109. Q19. What does the grandmother's life story tell us about the education of girls in those days? (2 marks)
Show answer
In those days people never considered education essential for girls. The grandmother lost her mother early, her father remarried, and she was married very young, so she never went to school and remained illiterate.
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110. Q20. How did the narrator return her grandmother's namaskara on Dassara? (2 marks)
Show answer
The narrator touched her grandmother's feet in return, accepting her respect, and gave her gift to her first student, the novel Kashi Yatre, which the grandmother read at once with confidence.
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111. Q1. Why does the narrator initially laugh at her grandmother's determination to learn at the age of sixty-two? What does this tell us about her? (3 marks)
Show answer
The narrator laughs childishly because she cannot imagine a sixty-two-year-old, with grey hair, wrinkled hands, spectacles and hard kitchen work, beginning to learn the alphabet. Her laughter shows youthful innocence and the common assumption that education belongs only to the young, which the grandmother's success later corrects.
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112. Q2. What significance does the story of Kashi Yatre have in both the grandmother's life and the story? (3 marks)
Show answer
Kashi Yatre was the grandmother's only window to the world of letters. Identifying with its protagonist, an old lady who never went to Kashi, she listened with the greatest concentration and could repeat the text by heart. Its unread arrival also exposed her helplessness and triggered her decision to learn.
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113. Q3. What does the grandmother's desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflect about her? (3 marks)
Show answer
Her desire reflects self-respect, determination and a longing for independence. Though well-off, she refuses to remain dependent on others for reading. She is humble enough to accept her weakness and bold enough to correct it, proving that a strong will can overcome any obstacle.
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114. Q4. What lessons can we infer from the grandmother's action of touching the narrator's feet? (3 marks)
Show answer
Her act teaches that true respect is offered to learning and to the teacher, irrespective of gender and age, as our scriptures ordain. It also shows her humility and gratitude: she bent before her own granddaughter because the child had made her independent through affectionate teaching.
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115. Q5. What does the line "For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle" tell us about the broader theme of the story? (3 marks)
Show answer
The line states the story's central theme: determination conquers every difficulty, and for learning there is no age bar. When the goal is worthy, honest effort backed by a strong will succeeds, as the grandmother's transformation from helplessness to independence proves.
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116. Q6. How effectively does the story highlight the value of education in supporting personal independence? (3 marks)
Show answer
The story shows that without literacy even a well-off person feels dependent and helpless, as the grandmother could not read Karmaveera alone. Once she learned, she could read any novel confidently. That money is useless without independence is the story's convincing message.
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117. Q7. Why do you think the grandmother opened her heart to the narrator, a twelve-year-old, on the moonlit night? (3 marks)
Show answer
The grandmother loved the narrator immensely and trusted her completely. On the peaceful moonlit night, away from the day's work, she confided the story of her life to the granddaughter she had made sure studied well, and asked for her help to become literate and independent.
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118. Q8. Describe the narrator's feelings on the night her grandmother told her the story of her life. (3 marks)
Show answer
The narrator, only twelve, could not understand why her sixty-two-year-old grandmother was telling her life story at midnight. Yet she loved her immensely, and seeing her unhappy, tear-filled face, so unlike her usual smiling self, she leaned forward, held her hand and offered help.
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119. Q9. "Krishtakka was a woman of great determination and strength." Justify with evidence from the story. (3 marks)
Show answer
Krishtakka never cried even in the most difficult situations. At sixty-two she resolved to learn the alphabet, ignored her granddaughter's childish laughter, and worked harder than anybody, reading, repeating, writing and reciting, until she could read a novel independently before Dassara.
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120. Q10. What does the idiom "passed with flying colours" mean? Why was it apt for the grandmother? (3 marks)
Show answer
The idiom means to achieve outstanding success, especially in a test. It was apt because on Dassara the grandmother read the title of Kashi Yatre and the publisher's name immediately and unaided, proving she had met her own deadline and passed her teacher's test.
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121. Q1. Draw a character sketch of Krishtakka, the grandmother, citing evidence from the story. (5 marks)
Show answer
Krishtakka is the heart of the story. She is affectionate and traditional: she finds great happiness in cooking for and feeding her grandchildren, and tells the story of her life on a moonlit night with affectionate hands. She is dignified and emotionally strong; the narrator had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations. She is humble enough to admit her weakness and determined enough to correct it: at sixty-two she decides to learn the Kannada alphabet, works harder than anybody, and reads, repeats, writes and recites until she can read any novel on her own. She is also wise and grateful: on Dassara she touches her young teacher's feet, because she respects the teacher in her irrespective of age and gender, and quotes the scriptures to justify it. Humble, loving, strong-willed and reverent, she proves that determination can overcome any obstacle.
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122. Q2. "For learning there is no age bar." How does the story of the grandmother prove this statement? Support your answer with details from the text. (5 marks)
Show answer
The story proves that learning has no age bar through the grandmother's remarkable transformation. At sixty-two, with grey hair, wrinkled hands and spectacles, Krishtakka decides to learn the Kannada alphabet, setting Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline to read a novel on her own. When her granddaughter laughs childishly at her, she calmly replies that for a good cause determination can overcome any obstacle, and that for learning there is no age bar. She then works harder than anybody, doing an amazing amount of homework: reading, repeating, writing and reciting. On Dassara she confidently reads the title and the publisher's name of Kashi Yatre unaided, and declares that she is now independent. Her achievement shows that age, grey hair and physical frailty are no barriers when the will to learn is strong.
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123. Q3. How is the title "How I Taught My Grandmother to Read" justified? Describe the narrator's role as a teacher. (5 marks)
Show answer
The title is a plain and accurate summary of the story: a twelve-year-old girl teaches her sixty-two-year-old grandmother to read. The very next day after the grandmother's midnight confession, the narrator starts her tuition. She becomes Avva's only teacher, and Avva becomes her first student, a fact made more meaningful because the narrator later became a Computer Science teacher teaching hundreds of students. As a teacher she is affectionate, patient and encouraging; she sets homework, supervises practice and, on Dassara, secretly buys the novel Kashi Yatre as a gift for her student. The grandmother's success, when she reads the title and the publisher's name immediately, proves that the teaching was done "so well, with so much of affection". The title also captures the gentle reversal at the heart of the story, the young teaching the old.
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124. Q4. The relationship between the narrator and her grandmother is one of love and mutual respect. Discuss with examples from the story. (5 marks)
Show answer
The bond between the two is built on deep love. The narrator reads Kashi Yatre to her grandmother every Wednesday, and when she finds her in tears she leans forward, holds her hand and asks how she can help. The grandmother, in turn, trusts the child with the intimate story of her life, joyfully cooks and feeds the family, and gives the narrator a gift of frock material on Dassara. Their mutual respect is most striking on Dassara: the grandmother touches the narrator's feet as a mark of respect for her teacher, and the narrator returns her namaskara by touching her feet and presenting her with the novel. The child teaches; the elder blesses. Each gives and receives with humility and affection, making the relationship one of love, trust and mutual respect.
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125. Q5. How does the story highlight the value of literacy and independence? Explain how education transformed the grandmother's life. (5 marks)
Show answer
The story presents literacy as the key to independence and self-respect. The well-off grandmother is "dependent and helpless" merely because she cannot read; money is useless when one cannot read for oneself. Her tears on the narrator's return, and her act of rubbing her hands over the pages wishing they could understand, show the quiet humiliation of illiteracy. Once she learns the alphabet, she gains freedom: she can read any novel confidently and no longer needs anyone's help. Her own words, "what use is money when I cannot be independent?", carry the story's message. The tale also shows that determined self-effort, an affectionate teacher and respect for learning at any age can transform a life completely, turning dependence into dignity.
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126. Q6. You are the grandmother, Krishtakka. Describe in your own words how you moved from helplessness to independence. (5 marks)
Show answer
When my granddaughter went away for a wedding, Karmaveera arrived as usual, but I could not understand a single word of Kashi Yatre. Many times I rubbed my hands over the pages, wishing they could understand what was written. Though we are well-off, I felt dependent and helpless. That night I confided my life's story to my granddaughter and told her of my decision to learn the Kannada alphabet, keeping Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as my deadline. She laughed at my grey hair and wrinkled hands, but I was determined, for I believed that for learning there is no age bar. I worked harder than anybody, reading, repeating, writing and reciting. On Dassara I read the title of the novel she gifted me, and I knew I had become independent.
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127. Q7. How does Sudha Murty use simple, everyday events of village life to convey deep values in this story? (5 marks)
Show answer
Sudha Murty builds the story out of ordinary village life, such as the afternoon paper, the weekly magazine, the temple courtyard and a wedding in a neighbouring village, and from these draws lasting values. The delayed bus and the Wednesday serial show how precious reading was. The grandmother's tears over an unread magazine reveal the quiet humiliation of illiteracy, while her moonlit confession turns a household scene into a lesson on determination. The Dassara puja, a simple gift of frock material and a secretly bought copy of Kashi Yatre carry the message of gratitude and giving. Finally, the grandmother touching her young teacher's feet, reversing a great tradition, teaches respect for the teacher irrespective of age and gender. Thus homely details, narrated with affection and simplicity, carry the story's themes of love, literacy and independence.
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128. Q1. As a girl of about twelve, the narrator stayed in a village in ______.
(a) coastal Karnataka
(b) north Karnataka
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Maharashtra
Show answer
(b) north Karnataka
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129. Q2. In those days, the morning newspaper reached the narrator's village ______.
(a) only in the afternoon
(b) at dawn
(c) by evening
(d) a week late
Show answer
(a) only in the afternoon
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130. Q3. Triveni was a very popular writer in the ______ language.
(a) Tamil
(b) Telugu
(c) Kannada
(d) Hindi
Show answer
(c) Kannada
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131. Q4. Triveni's stories usually dealt with ______.
(a) the adventures of kings and warriors
(b) complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people
(c) science and technology
(d) travel and exploration
Show answer
(b) complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people
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132. Q5. The novel Kashi Yatre appeared as a serial in the Kannada weekly ______.
(a) Sudha
(b) Karmaveera
(c) Prajavani
(d) Thuglak
Show answer
(b) Karmaveera
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133. Q6. In Kashi Yatre, the old lady finally ______.
(a) goes to Kashi and worships Lord Vishweshwara
(b) gives away all her savings for the orphan girl's wedding
(c) refuses to help the orphan girl
(d) sends the orphan girl to Kashi in her place
Show answer
(b) gives away all her savings for the orphan girl's wedding
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134. Q7. The grandmother identified herself with ______ of Kashi Yatre.
(a) the orphan girl
(b) the young lover
(c) the novel's protagonist, the old lady
(d) the narrator
Show answer
(c) the novel's protagonist, the old lady
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135. Q8. In the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka, 'Avva' means ______.
(a) grandmother
(b) mother
(c) teacher
(d) daughter
Show answer
(b) mother
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136. Q9. The narrator called her grandmother Avva, and the grandmother called the narrator her ______.
(a) only teacher
(b) first student
(c) dearest child
(d) little master
Show answer
(b) first student
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137. Q10. The grandmother set ______ as her deadline for being able to read a novel on her own.
(a) Ugadi
(b) Saraswati Puja day during Dassara
(c) Deepavali
(d) her sixty-fifth birthday
Show answer
(b) Saraswati Puja day during Dassara
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138. Q11. On Dassara, the grandmother gave the narrator a gift of ______.
(a) a gold bangle
(b) frock material
(c) a copy of Karmaveera
(d) sweets
Show answer
(b) frock material
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139. Q12. The narrator's secret gift to her grandmother was ______.
(a) a new pair of spectacles
(b) a copy of the novel Kashi Yatre
(c) a slate and pencil
(d) a Kannada dictionary
Show answer
(b) a copy of the novel Kashi Yatre
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140. Q13. The narrator later became a teacher of ______.
(a) Kannada literature
(b) Computer Science
(c) Mathematics
(d) Sanskrit
Show answer
(b) Computer Science
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141. Q14. In the sentence "I knew then that my student had passed with flying colours," the idiom means the grandmother had ______.
(a) learnt to fly kites
(b) passed a school examination
(c) achieved outstanding success
(d) learnt to write fluently
Show answer
(c) achieved outstanding success
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142. Q15. The weekly magazine used to come to the village ______ late.
Show answer
one day
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143. Q16. Triveni's style was easy to read and very ______.
Show answer
convincing
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144. Q17. After hearing an episode, the grandmother could repeat the entire text ______.
Show answer
by heart
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145. Q18. The narrator went for a wedding to the neighbouring village for a couple of days but ended up staying for ______.
Show answer
a week
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146. Q19. "We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be ______?"
Show answer
independent
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147. Q20. The grandmother would read, repeat, write and ______ as part of her tuition.
Show answer
recite
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148. Q21. The grandmother asked somebody in the village to read Kashi Yatre to her while the narrator was away.
Show answer
False. She was too embarrassed to ask anyone else and waited eagerly for the narrator to return.
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149. Q22. The grandmother believed that there is no age limit for learning.
Show answer
True. She said, "For learning there is no age bar."
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150. Q23. The narrator was disappointed with the progress her grandmother made in learning to read.
Show answer
False. The narrator knew her student had "passed with flying colours"; she was proud of her progress.
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151. Q24. The grandmother touched the narrator's feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher.
Show answer
True. She said she was touching the feet of a teacher, not her granddaughter.
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152. Q25. The narrator found it natural and correct for an elder to touch the feet of a youngster.
Show answer
False. The narrator was surprised and taken aback; elders never touch the feet of youngsters.
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153. Q26. The narrator read out every new episode of Kashi Yatre to her grandmother every Wednesday.
Show answer
True. The magazine came every Wednesday and the narrator read the next episode to her.
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154. Q27. Rearrange the following events in the order in which they occur in the story:
(A) The grandmother touched her granddaughter's feet on Dassara.
(B) The narrator began reading the serial Kashi Yatre to her grandmother every Wednesday.
(C) The narrator returned from a wedding to find her grandmother in tears.
(D) The grandmother announced her decision to learn the Kannada alphabet.
(E) The grandmother read the title and publisher's name of the gifted novel.
Show answer
B → C → D → A → E (the weekly readings of the serial; the wedding trip and the tears; the decision to learn the alphabet; the Dassara puja and touching of feet; finally the reading of the title and publisher's name.)
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155. Q28. Assertion (A): The grandmother felt dependent and helpless even though her family was well-off.
Reason (R): She could not read and had to depend on others to read the magazine for her.
Show answer
(a) Both are true, and the grandmother's inability to read is exactly why she felt dependent despite having money.
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156. Q29. Assertion (A): The narrator laughed at her grandmother's decision to learn the alphabet.
Reason (R): The narrator was confident that her grandmother would fail in her attempt.
Show answer
(c) The Assertion is true, but the Reason is false; the narrator laughed childishly and made fun of her grandmother's age (grey hair, wrinkled hands, spectacles), not because she expected her to fail.
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157. Q30. Assertion (A): The grandmother touched the narrator's feet on Dassara.
Reason (R): She was touching the feet of a teacher, and our scriptures say a teacher must be respected irrespective of gender and age.
Show answer
(a) Both are true, and the grandmother herself quoted the scriptures to explain her action.
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