SEBA Class 9 English MCQ Chapter 2 Solutions The Sound of Music
SEBA Class 9 English MCQ Chapter 2 Solutions The Sound of Music, provides important multiple-choice questions with answers for Class 9 students. This chapter covers the inspiring stories of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan. The study material helps students understand key events, remember important facts, and practise exam-oriented questions. These MCQs are useful for revision, self-study, and improving preparation for school examinations. The content is written in simple English to support better understanding of the lesson.
The Sound of Music – Evelyn Glennie -G. L. Fuentes
VSA (Very Short Answer-type Questions)
Q. Where is the Royal Academy of Music?
Ans: The Royal Academy of Music is located in London.
Q. Where does Evelyn Glennie hail from?
Ans: Evelyn Glennie came from a farm in Scotland.
Q. What is a percussionist?
Ans: A percussionist is a musician who plays percussion instruments such as drums, tablas, or cymbals.
Q. What is the name of Evelyn’s mother?
Ans: Evelyn’s mother was named Isabel Glennie.
Q. Who spotted the potential in Evelyn?
Ans: Ron Forbes recognized Evelyn’s musical talent and encouraged her abilities.
Q. Who is Ron Forbes?
Ans: Ron Forbes was a well-known percussionist who guided Evelyn in music.
Q. What caused Evelyn’s deafness?
Ans: Evelyn’s deafness was caused by gradual damage to the nerves of her ears.
Q. Why do Rush hour crowd jostle and where?
Ans: During rush hours, people push and compete for space on underground railway platforms.
MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)
Q. Who was Evelyn Glennie?
(a) A famous dancer
(b) A deaf musician
(c) A painter
(d) A scientist
Ans: (b)
Q. Which instrument did Evelyn Glennie play expertly?
(a) Guitar
(b) Piano
(c) Drums and percussion instruments
(d) Violin
Ans: (c)
Q. At what age did Evelyn begin to lose her hearing?
(a) Five years
(b) Eight years
(c) Eleven years
(d) Fifteen years
Ans: (b)
Q. What was the name of Evelyn’s teacher who guided her?
(a) Ron Forbes
(b) James Blades
(c) George Glennie
(d) Robert Frost
Ans: (a)
Q. What did Ron Forbes advise Evelyn to do?
(a) Leave music forever
(b) Learn dancing
(c) Feel music through different parts of her body
(d) Use hearing aids all the time
Ans: (c)
Q. Where did Evelyn want to study music?
(a) Royal Academy of Music
(b) Royal Conservatory of Music
(c) Royal Philharmonic School
(d) Oxford University
Ans: (a)
Q. Why was Evelyn discouraged from joining the Royal Academy of Music?
(a) She was too young
(b) She was poor
(c) She was deaf
(d) She had no experience
Ans: (c)
Q. How did Evelyn hear music after becoming deaf?
(a) Through hearing aids only
(b) Through lip-reading
(c) Through vibrations in her body
(d) Through written notes
Ans: (c)
Q. Which part of her body did Evelyn feel the higher drums with?
(a) Fingers
(b) Waist
(c) Face
(d) Legs
Ans: (c)
Q. Which part of her body did Evelyn feel the lower drums with?
(a) Neck
(b) Legs and feet
(c) Hands
(d) Ears
Ans: (b)
Q. What disability did Evelyn Glennie overcome?
(a) Blindness
(b) Paralysis
(c) Deafness
(d) Weak eyesight
Ans: (c)
Q. What message does Evelyn Glennie’s story give?
(a) Money is important
(b) Hard work and determination bring success
(c) Music is difficult
(d) Teachers are always strict
Ans: (b)
Q. How many instruments did Evelyn master?
(a) About fifty
(b) About one hundred
(c) About one thousand
(d) About five hundred
Ans: (c)
Q. What was Evelyn’s aim in life?
(a) To become a doctor
(b) To become a great musician
(c) To become a teacher
(d) To become a writer
Ans: (b)
Q. What was Evelyn’s nationality?
(a) English
(b) Scottish
(c) Irish
(d) American
Ans: (b)
Q. What did Evelyn remove before performing on stage?
(a) Her gloves
(b) Her shoes
(c) Her watch
(d) Her cap
Ans: (b)
Q. Why did Evelyn perform barefoot on stage?
(a) To look fashionable
(b) To dance properly
(c) To feel vibrations better
(d) To follow tradition
Ans: (c)
Q. Which award-winning writer wrote the lesson about Evelyn Glennie?
(a) Ruskin Bond
(b) G. L. Fuentes
(c) R. K. Narayan
(d) Rabindranath Tagore
Ans: (b)
Q. What quality of Evelyn impressed people the most?
(a) Her wealth
(b) Her beauty
(c) Her courage and confidence
(d) Her strict nature
Ans: (c)
Q. What did Evelyn prove through her success?
(a) Disabled people cannot succeed
(b) Determination can overcome difficulties
(c) Music is easy to learn
(d) Hearing aids are necessary
Ans: (b)
Q. What was Evelyn’s first great achievement?
(a) Winning a dance competition
(b) Getting admission to the Royal Academy of Music
(c) Writing a book
(d) Becoming a doctor
Ans: (b)
Q. How did Evelyn inspire disabled people?
(a) By giving money
(b) By showing that disabilities can be overcome
(c) By opening schools
(d) By acting in films
Ans: (b)
Q. What kind of music performances did Evelyn give?
(a) Percussion performances
(b) Classical dance shows
(c) Drama performances
(d) Magic shows
Ans: (a)
Q. What helped Evelyn continue her musical journey?
(a) Her strong determination
(b) Her family wealth
(c) Her hearing aids
(d) Her friends only
Ans: (a)
Q. Which of the following best describes Evelyn Glennie?
(a) Lazy and careless
(b) Talented and determined
(c) Proud and rude
(d) Shy and fearful
Ans: (b)
The Shehnai of Buismillah Khan
Part B
VSA (Very Short Answers)
1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Ans: Aurangzeb prohibited the playing of the pungi because its sound was loud and unpleasant. The instrument was considered unsuitable for performance in royal courts.
2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Ans: The shehnai is longer and broader than the pungi and has seven holes on its body. It produces a soft and melodious sound unlike the sharp noise of the pungi.
3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Ans: Traditionally, the shehnai was played in temples, marriage ceremonies, and royal courts. Bismillah Khan brought the instrument to the stage of classical music and gave it great honour and recognition.
4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Ans: Bismillah Khan became widely famous in 1938 when he started performing regularly on All India Radio in Lucknow.
5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
Ans: Bismillah Khan played the shehnai at the Red Fort on 15 August 1947. The event was historic because it celebrated India’s independence from British rule.
6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Ans: Bismillah Khan refused the offer because he was deeply attached to Varanasi and the holy River Ganga. He could not imagine living away from them.
7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
Ans: Bismillah Khan often spoke lovingly about Benaras and the River Ganga whenever he travelled abroad. He also refused to leave India during Partition, showing his deep affection for his homeland.
8. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Ans: Aurangzeb banned the pungi from royal courts because of its harsh and unpleasant sound.
9. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Ans: The shehnai is made from a longer and broader pipe with seven holes, producing a melodious and pleasant sound unlike the sharp tone of the pungi.
10. Where was the shehnai traditionally played? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Ans: Traditionally, the shehnai was played at weddings, temples, and royal courts. Bismillah Khan raised it to the level of classical music and made it popular on concert
stages.
11. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Ans: Bismillah Khan achieved fame in 1938 after becoming a regular performer at All India Radio in Lucknow.
12. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
Ans: Bismillah Khan played the shehnai at the Red Fort on India’s first Independence Day. The event became memorable because it marked the country’s freedom from British rule.
13. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Ans: Bismillah Khan declined the proposal because he could not imagine living away from Varanasi and the sacred River Ganga.
14. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loved India and Benaras.
Ans: One example is his refusal to settle in the United States because he could not stay away from Benaras and the Ganga. Another example is his emotional attachment to India, which he remembered fondly even during foreign visits.
MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)
Q. Who was Bismillah Khan?
(a) A famous painter
(b) A shehnai player
(c) A scientist
(d) A dancer
Ans: (b)
Q. Which musical instrument made Bismillah Khan famous?
(a) Tabla
(b) Flute
(c) Shehnai
(d) Sitar
Ans: (c)
Q. Where was Bismillah Khan born?
(a) Lucknow
(b) Dumraon
(c) Delhi
(d) Patna
Ans: (b)
Q. In which state is Dumraon situated?
(a) Uttar Pradesh
(b) Bihar
(c) Assam
(d) Punjab
Ans: (b)
Q. What was the profession of Bismillah Khan’s family?
(a) Teaching
(b) Farming
(c) Music
(d) Business
Ans: (c)
Q. Who gave Bismillah Khan his name?
(a) His father
(b) His grandfather
(c) His uncle
(d) A priest
Ans: (b)
Q. Where did Bismillah Khan go to learn music?
(a) Varanasi
(b) Kolkata
(c) Mumbai
(d) Chennai
Ans: (a)
Q. Who trained Bismillah Khan in playing the shehnai?
(a) Ali Baksh
(b) Ravi Shankar
(c) Zakir Hussain
(d) Hariprasad Chaurasia
Ans: (a)
Q. What relation was Ali Baksh to Bismillah Khan?
(a) Brother
(b) Uncle
(c) Cousin
(d) Father
Ans: (b)
Q. Where did Ali Baksh work as a shehnai player?
(a) Vishwanath Temple
(b) Red Fort
(c) Rashtrapati Bhavan
(d) India Gate
Ans: (a)
Q. Which river flowing in Varanasi inspired Bismillah Khan?
(a) Yamuna
(b) Brahmaputra
(c) Ganga
(d) Godavari
Ans: (c)
Q. What was the shehnai earlier considered suitable for?
(a) Cinema halls
(b) Weddings and temples
(c) Political meetings
(d) Schools
Ans: (b)
Q. Who brought the shehnai onto the classical music stage?
(a) Ravi Shankar
(b) Ali Akbar Khan
(c) Bismillah Khan
(d) Tansen
Ans: (c)
Q. On which historic occasion did Bismillah Khan perform at the Red Fort?
(a) Republic Day
(b) India’s Independence Day
(c) Gandhi Jayanti
(d) Children’s Day
Ans: (b)
Q. In which year did Bismillah Khan perform at the Red Fort on Independence Day?
(a) 1945
(b) 1946
(c) 1947
(d) 1950
Ans: (c)
Q. What did Bismillah Khan play from the Red Fort after the Prime Minister’s speech?
(a) Tabla
(b) Flute
(c) Guitar
(d) Shehnai
Ans: (d)
Q. Which highest civilian award of India was given to Bismillah Khan?
(a) Padma Shri
(b) Padma Bhushan
(c) Padma Vibhushan
(d) Bharat Ratna
Ans: (d)
Q. What was Bismillah Khan’s attitude towards music?
(a) He treated it as worship
(b) He treated it as business
(c) He disliked practice
(d) He feared performing
Ans: (a)
Q. What did Bismillah Khan love deeply besides music?
(a) Mountains
(b) Rivers of foreign countries
(c) Banaras and the Ganga
(d) Cricket
Ans: (c)
Q. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to settle abroad?
(a) He disliked travel
(b) He could not leave India and the Ganga
(c) He feared aeroplanes
(d) He wanted to teach only in India
Ans: (b)
Q. Which foreign auditorium invited Bismillah Khan to perform?
(a) Royal Albert Hall
(b) Lincoln Center Hall
(c) Teheran Hall
(d) Sydney Opera House
Ans: (c)
Q. What is the main theme of “The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan”?
(a) Importance of wealth
(b) Patriotism and dedication to art
(c) Political history
(d) Scientific discovery
Ans: (b)
Q. Which city is also called Banaras?
(a) Allahabad
(b) Varanasi
(c) Patna
(d) Agra
Ans: (b)
Q. What quality made Bismillah Khan internationally respected?
(a) His honesty and devotion to music
(b) His political power
(c) His business skill
(d) His acting talent
Ans: (a)
Q. Which of the following best describes Bismillah Khan?
(a) Careless and lazy
(b) Proud and rude
(c) Dedicated and patriotic
(d) Selfish and arrogant
Ans: (c)
