Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about A Question Of Space from Class 9 English_FL. Before we dive into the chapter, let us begin with a warm up activity. Work with your partner on a word search puzzle that contains the names of different professions. The puzzle grid includes words like artist, caterer, musician, jockey, actor, doctor, teacher, scientist, and journalist. One has already been found for you, which is photographer. Would you like to choose any one of these professions? Think about your interests, skills, and the kind of work environment you prefer, and give reasons for your choice. This activity helps us reflect on career paths and personal aspirations.
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Now let us move on to the main prose chapter, A Question of Space, written by Neera Kashyap. The story begins with Vikrant jogging a distance of three point two kilometers. Despite keeping a steady pace, he finishes completely out of breath. His head pounds from the effort, and his mind is heavy with thoughts of the pressure his parents are putting on him. They want him to prepare for medical entrance tests, which are still a year and a half away. Both of his parents are successful doctors, and they are anxious that he gets ready for the highly competitive environment required to enter a prestigious medical college. Class eleven has just begun, and his mother constantly emphasizes how important this year is for building a strong foundation in science and mathematics. She wants him to use this year as practice for the twelfth board exams and medical entrance tests. His father constantly quizzes him on mathematics, physics, and biology until his head spins. These conflicts have grown sharper ever since Vikrant met Anuj on the jogging track. Anuj entered his life like a new universe.
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Anuj is not just someone with dynamic ideas about photography. He also shares deep thoughts about the connection between human beings and all other living species, about self improvement as part of human evolution, and about the cosmos. He quickly becomes a much older friend to Vikrant. While reading a book borrowed from Anuj and experimenting with Anuj’s old Kodak camera, Vikrant realizes that his parents are watching his new interest with growing dismay. His class grades have dropped. He has started skipping group tuitions and even the extra weekend school classes. As an only child, the tension between Vikrant and his parents grows, and so does his identification with Anuj. Panting, Vikrant collapses onto a concrete bench. Just beyond it, Anuj is exercising on metal swing bars fixed into the ground. Anuj leaps off the bars, lands on the bald grass, and says that nothing beats a good workout under the blue sky, which is much better than an air conditioned gym. He notices Vikrant looks grim and asks what is wrong.
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Vikrant shrugs, stays silent for a moment, and then asks if Anuj’s parents pressured him to become a photojournalist. Anuj laughs and says no. He explains that he started in journalism on his own and later took up photography to make his stories visually alive. After a pause, he asks if the pressure at Vikrant’s home is bad. Vikrant tries to shrug but ends up nodding. He remarks that the pressure seems worse for children of doctors, perhaps because medicine is considered the noblest profession and brings prestige. He then asks Anuj how he reacts to pressure. Anuj replies that he explains, argues, snaps, and sometimes walks out, admitting it is worse when he loses control. It is crucial to note that Anuj, acting as the mentor, introduces the concept of body observation to Vikrant. Anuj asks Vikrant if he has noticed how his own body reacts to stress. Vikrant admits he has not really thought about it. Anuj then explains that to gain control over a situation, you must first observe your body’s physical reactions, paying attention to posture, body temperature, muscle contractions, breathing, and even the taste in your mouth.
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Vikrant doubts how this will help. Anuj explains that it helps you witness your reactions as if they were happening to someone else. By observing your body and its reactions, you distance yourself from them. This distance helps you first see, then control your reactions. Vikrant asks why one should not observe the body when feeling happy, excited, or adventurous, rather than only under pressure. Anuj agrees and says our range of expression is quite limited. If we become familiar with our full range, we will become aware of all our habitual expressions. The next step is to practice expressions when there are no actual feelings to be expressed. He knows it sounds silly, but he asks Vikrant to think about expressing emotions without actually feeling them. When Vikrant asks how, Anuj gives an example. He asks how Vikrant would react to winning a free trip to the United States. Vikrant exclaims with exaggerated glee, moving his hands, body, and face so much that both of them collapse laughing.
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Self observation happens much sooner than Vikrant expects. At dinner that night, his father asks if he has found a suitable coaching centre for medical entrance tests. Vikrant simply says no. His father presses him, asking when he intends to enroll if he has not found one yet. Vikrant replies that he does not know, explaining that he is already full up with tuitions in biology, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He says it is tough and he cannot do more tuition. As he speaks, Vikrant notices his mouth is dry, his head feels tight at the temples, and his body is slightly hunched. His father responds that medical entrance tuitions are not just regular tuitions. They coach students for a career and a highly competitive exam where one wrong answer can make all the difference. He advises Vikrant to focus on investigating a coaching centre rather than spending time with junkies and irrelevant things.
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Vikrant feels a strong wave of heat rush through his tired body, pushing him to leave the room without another word. He realizes these conflicts are not helping him. He does not think medicine is entirely wrong for him. He simply does not want to be bulldozed into working three shifts a day, six days a week. He feels he needs time to pursue his own interests and pleasures, especially after meeting Anuj. Anuj speaks to him about the beginnings of life, the places he has traveled, the elements used to compose a photograph, and self observation. Anuj had told him that if you can express yourself without feeling, you can also feel without expressing. When alone, Vikrant tries to practice emotions he has not experienced. At first, he practices joy, spontaneity, and excitement. When he feels more neutral, he practices a wider range including suspicion, hostility, daring, joy, and scorn, each with its own posture and gestures. His experiments with self observation help him see a wide range of body reactions, how different emotions affect the body, and how the mind gets involved.
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However, things do not seem to change with his parents. He realizes they will continue treating him like a child as long as he just gets irritated and reacts. One evening, Anuj advises him not to worry too much about the change. He says you cannot really change anything until things are ready for change, and you should just do your part. Vikrant replies with dejection that it does not help. Anuj thinks for a long time and then explains two more steps. The moment an active feeling comes which you think should be controlled, make a note of it, but do not express it. When Vikrant asks about the last step, Anuj says it is difficult. This step involves expressing an emotion opposite to what you feel, and it can only be done if you are agitated. You observe the agitation, but choose to express calm or warmth instead of coldness. Vikrant laughs a little hopelessly, asking if it is really that simple.
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Vikrant continues his exercises in self observation, practicing emotions he does not feel, and even attempting not to express feelings that come up hot and strong. He feels small stirrings of change. He can see things more objectively even when he cannot fully control his reactions. His parents push less and listen more. He notices that instead of both speaking in one voice during moments of friction, one speaks while the other refrains. This leads to more interaction, except when discussing Anuj. One morning at breakfast, his mother asks if he is still associating with that character, asking for his name. His father waits in expectant silence. Vikrant observes his temples tightening, his hunched shoulders straightening in confrontation, and his pulse becoming irregular. He replies that his name is Anuj Jain, and that Anuj is a friend, in fact more, because he teaches him many things that are hard to explain. His mother asserts that Anuj will not be sitting for Vikrant’s entrance tests, and warns that if he loses his grip on class eleven, he will never catch up in class twelve.
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As Vikrant feels his temples throb, a sudden calm enters his heart. He quietly says that if he is allowed space for new interests, he will also find space for what is important for a career. This time, his father speaks and says fine, telling him to try to achieve a balance and promising they will be with him. At the end of class eleven, Vikrant enrolls for classes at a coaching centre for medical entrance tests. He does this with an awareness that it is the right thing for him to do. Now let us review the glossary words from this chapter. Pounded means to hit or throb. Cosmos means everything or the universe. Daft means silly or foolish. Glee means happiness or delight. Junkies refers to useless or unwanted things. Weary means tired or exhausted. Galvanising means provoking or stimulating. Scorn means contempt or disrespect. Chafe means irritated or annoyed. Dejection means sadness or depression. Agitated means disturbed. Objectively means without prejudice or bias. Refrain means to avoid doing or abstain. Hobnob means to associate or go around with. Confrontation means disagreement.
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Let us now move to the comprehension exercises. For C one, you are asked to rearrange eight jumbled events from paragraphs one to twenty five. The correct sequence is as follows. First, the conflict had acquired a distinct edge ever since he had met Anuj. Second, Anuj had turned into a friend very quickly, a much older friend. Third, his class grades had dropped and he had started skipping group tuitions. Fourth, he felt he needed time to pursue his own interests and pleasures, especially after he met Anuj. Fifth, Anuj had started journalism on his own and took up photography later. Sixth, it seems to me that the pressure is worse for children of doctors. Seventh, if you still have not found out, when do you intend to enroll. Eighth, it will help you witness your reactions as if they were happening to someone else. This sequence follows the narrative flow from rising tension, to friendship, to academic decline, to parental pressure, to Anuj’s advice.
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For C two, we analyze what the extracts tell us about each person. For Vikrant’s father, the extract about investigating a coaching centre instead of spending time with junkies shows that he is highly focused on Vikrant’s career, believes in strict discipline, and dismisses hobbies as distractions. For Vikrant’s mother, her constant harping on the importance of the year for science and maths shows she is anxious about his academic foundation, highly ambitious for his future, and believes early preparation guarantees success. For Anuj, his advice to observe body reactions shows he is self aware, believes in emotional intelligence, and advocates for mindful control rather than impulsive reactions.
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Now for C three, we answer ten short questions in three to four sentences each. First, Vikrant’s mother was anxious that he would not build a strong foundation in science and mathematics during class eleven, which she viewed as crucial preparation for the twelfth board and medical entrance exams. Second, Anuj spun into Vikrant’s life like a new universe because he introduced him to entirely new perspectives on photography, human connection, self improvement, and the cosmos. Anuj was a much older friend who acted as a mentor and guide. Third, Vikrant’s growing identity with Anuj created tension because he started skipping tuitions, his grades dropped, and his parents saw this new friendship as a distraction from his medical career goals. Fourth, Vikrant’s thought that medicine gives prestige is somewhat prejudiced because it assumes medicine is inherently superior, but it also reflects a common societal view that values medical professions highly. I agree that it carries prestige, but every profession has its own dignity. Fifth, Anuj replied that observing body reactions helps you witness them as if they belong to someone else, creating distance that allows you to first see and then control your reactions.
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Sixth, Vikrant started self observation during a tense dinner conversation with his father. He observed his dry mouth, tight temples, and hunched posture, realizing how stress physically manifests. Seventh, Vikrant’s father tried to convince him by explaining that medical entrance coaching is career preparation, not just tuition, and emphasized that one wrong answer can change everything, urging him to focus on coaching rather than distractions. Eighth, the last two steps suggested by Anuj are to note an active feeling without expressing it, and to deliberately express the opposite emotion, such as showing calm or warmth instead of coldness when agitated. Ninth, the word awareness refers to Vikrant’s conscious realization that enrolling in coaching is his own informed choice, made after balancing his personal interests with his career goals, rather than a forced decision. Tenth, the word space in the title refers to both physical and mental room for personal growth, hobbies, and self expression, highlighting the need for balance between parental expectations and individual identity.
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For C four, we explain five extracts in context. First, Hey, what is up, you look grim shows Anuj noticing Vikrant’s exhausted and troubled state after jogging, prompting a conversation about his struggles. Second, But tell me, how do you react to pressure shows Anuj shifting the focus to emotional management, encouraging Vikrant to reflect on his coping mechanisms. Third, Sure, why not, actually our range of expression is quite limited means that people usually only express a narrow set of emotions, and expanding this range through practice increases self awareness. Fourth, If you still have not found out, when do you intend to enroll shows Vikrant’s father’s urgency and impatience, reflecting his anxiety about Vikrant’s delayed preparation. Fifth, You cannot really change anything till things are ready for change means that personal transformation requires timing and internal readiness, and forcing it prematurely is ineffective.
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For C five, we discuss five questions. First, comparing Vikrant and Anuj, Vikrant is a pressured, academically focused teenager struggling with parental expectations, while Anuj is a calm, self aware mentor who values holistic growth. I would prefer to be Anuj because he demonstrates emotional intelligence and balance. Second, the chain of changes in Vikrant begins with physical self observation, moves to practicing unexpressed emotions, then to withholding reactions, and finally to expressing opposite emotions, leading to calmer interactions and parental compromise. Third, Anuj plays the role of a catalyst and guide. The author conveys that self observation, emotional control, and mutual respect are essential for navigating generational conflicts. Fourth, as Vikrant, I would write a letter explaining how I learned to observe my physical stress signals, practiced expressing calm instead of anger, and finally negotiated with my parents for balanced study time, which improved both my grades and my mental peace. Fifth, for the dream question, a model answer would describe a clear goal, the steps to achieve it, the challenges expected, and the commitment to perseverance, written in ten to fifteen sentences focusing on realistic planning and self discipline.
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Now we move to the language activities. For vocabulary V one, we classify emotion words from the lesson into pleasant and unpleasant columns. Pleasant emotions include joy, spontaneity, excitement, glee, delight, and calm. Unpleasant emotions include dejection, sadness, depression, suspicion, hostility, scorn, contempt, irritation, annoyance, and agitation. For V two, we match profession related words. Stevedore matches with one who loads and unloads ships. Chauffeur matches with one who drives a car for someone else. Geologist matches with one who studies rocks and soils. Juggler matches with one who performs tricks with the hands to amuse others. Anthropologist matches with one who studies human development. Auditor matches with one who examines the financial records of a company. Curator matches with one who is in charge of a museum.
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For V three, we study phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb combines a verb with a preposition or adverb to create a new meaning. For example, give up means to stop doing something, while give in means to yield. Now we complete the sentences. One, the dentist says John will have to take two teeth out. Two, videos are cheaper now. Prices have actually come down since the nineteen eighties. Three, he could play the guitar when he was six. I think he is going to be musical when he grows up. Four, slow down, you are driving much too fast. Five, smoking is not allowed in here. Please put that cigarette out. Six, you must be very cold. Sit by the fire and warm up. Seven, there is someone at the door. Can you let them in, please. Eight, look, there is the plug on the floor. You have not plugged the television in. For part B, we find meanings and use them. Come across means to find by chance. Get on means to have a good relationship. Take part means to participate. Get away means to escape. Get through means to succeed or finish. Keep out means to stay outside. Think over means to consider carefully. Take down means to write or dismantle. Look into means to investigate. For part C, we match meanings. Call on means to visit. Call in means to drop by. Call at means to stop at a place. Call off means to postpone or cancel. Come by means to obtain by accident. Come into means to inherit. Come about means to happen. Come off means to succeed.
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Now we move to grammar and usage on comparisons. When we compare two or more entities, we use positive, comparative, or superlative degrees. Note this for your exams. From the examples above we can note that to compare two people, things, concepts, or actions, the comparative form is used. To compare three or more entities, the superlative form with the is used. Rules to be followed in sentence patterns are as follows. When we use the as as pattern, the ordinary form of the adjective or adverb must be used. The comparative form of the adjective or adverb must be followed by than. The superlative form of the adjective or adverb takes the definite article the plus the superlative form. Now we solve G one. One, the Earth is bigger than Venus. Two, the Mona Lisa is the most valuable picture in the world. Three, Canada Tower is taller than Telecom Tower. Four, Oxford University is older than Cambridge University. Five, Toby was the wealthiest dog in the world.
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For G two part A, you must prepare an oral presentation using the sports meet data. The total estimated cost is ninety thousand five hundred rupees. Thirty percent goes to cultural programmes, twenty five percent to sports equipment, fifteen percent to refreshments, fifteen percent to mementoes and trophies, ten percent to tents and decoration, and five percent to invitations. There are seventy events, with fifty track and field and twenty throws and jumps. Seven hundred fifty athletes are participating, with four hundred fifty girls and three hundred boys. Sixty five teachers and twenty support staff are on duty, plus fifteen for parking and security. More girls are participating than boys. As much as a quarter of the money is spent on sports equipment. More than a quarter is for cultural programmes. The number of female teachers is higher than male teachers. The cultural programme budget is the largest single expense. For part B, we fill in the blanks. Fewer girls are sent to school than boys. They get less medical care, so more girls die. Boys get more nutritious food and also more time to play. Fewer jobs are open to girls, and even if they are employed, they are not paid as much as boys. Most of all, they get less respect. They are not given as many opportunities as boys. And yet a girl usually does twice as much work as a boy.
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For part C, we complete sentences. One, there is less crime in the country than in the cities. Two, Louisiana gets the most rain. Three, the Green Party candidate got the fewest votes. Four, in the evenings there are fewer passengers on the buses. Five, Arsenal has the most points. Six, Sellco has made the least profit. Seven, young drivers have a higher accident rate than older drivers. For part D, we complete the conversation. Trains are more comfortable than planes. The plane is not as expensive as the train. It is my least favourite means of transport. I am not as keen on trains as you are. A short flight is less boring than a long train journey. Driving would be the most stressful way. Driving is not as stressful as flying. Planes are less frequent than trains. That will be the most convenient. For part E, we rewrite using the the pattern. One, the later I go to bed, the less well I sleep. Two, the harder I work, the less time I spend with my family. Three, the more cars come into the city, the slower the traffic moves. Four, the hotter you feel, the more you sweat. Five, the more I think about it, the less attractive the idea becomes. Six, the larger the engine, the more petrol a car uses.
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For part F, we write superlative comparisons. One, I like fresh fruit juice best because it is the healthiest and has the most natural vitamins. Two, I like Indian classical dance best because it requires the most discipline and tells the most meaningful stories. Three, I like singing best because it is the most expressive art form and allows the most emotional connection. Four, I like ice creams best because they are the most refreshing and come in the widest variety of flavours. For part G, we correct errors. One, the fastest land animal in the world is the cheetah. Two, his grade is the same as mine is correct, but if comparing, we say his grade is equal to mine. Three, Sarla is slightly taller than Suman. Four, our house is bigger than yours. Five, the Vidhana Soudha is the most prominent building in Bengaluru.
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Now we move to speaking activities. For S one, discuss in pairs or groups the different ways to control emotions, such as deep breathing, counting to ten, stepping away, journaling, or practicing mindfulness. Then divide into two groups to debate whether the aspiration to become an author or journalist is weak in today’s students. Use phrases like in my opinion, I think, excuse me to interrupt, and I am sorry, I do not agree with you. For S two, practice the conversation between Reeta and John, noting how John mistakenly calls a boutique thinking it is a travel agency. Then prepare your own dialogue seeking and giving information about another country, focusing on currency, driving side, language, and payment methods.
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Now let us turn to the poem section. The poem is titled The Pencil’s Story by Florence Hoatson. I will read the complete poem aloud, followed by explanations. I am a little pencil, and my name is H and B, I lie upon the mantlepiece for everyone to see. I am handled forty times a day, it is a weary life, And when my wits are rather dull I am sharpened with a knife. I scrawl when Tommy has me, and I draw all sorts of things, From submarines and aeroplanes to cabbages and kings. I write a lovely letter when Miss Phyllis is about, And if by chance I make mistakes Miss Phyllis rubs them out. And if I slip and tumble down I am certain to be missed, For mother wants me badly when she does the washing list, And Father makes me keep the score when he begins to play. I am just a little pencil, but I have a busy day. I really never am allowed to grow up as I ought, I am getting shorter everyday, it is awful to be short. And when the knife begins on me I ache in every joint, I put it in that way because you are sure to see the point. I am very glad I am useful, though my speech is always dark, But every time they handle me I always make my mark. But sorrow seems to follow me in spite of many a friend, For when I am meditating I am bitten at the end. I am a little pencil, and my name is H and B, I lie upon the mantlepiece for everyone to see. I am getting shorter every day, and every day I am older, And when my last few hours have come they will put me in a holder.
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Let us understand the poem stanza by stanza. The first stanza introduces the pencil as an H and B grade pencil resting on a mantlepiece. It describes its tiring life of being handled constantly and sharpened with a knife when dull. The second stanza shows how Tommy uses it to draw imaginative things like submarines and kings, while Miss Phyllis uses it for letters and erases mistakes. The third stanza explains how the pencil is missed when it falls, used by the mother for shopping lists, and by the father to keep score in games, highlighting its busy daily role. The fourth stanza uses personification to describe the pencil shrinking with use, feeling pain when sharpened, and making a clever pun on the word point. The fifth stanza expresses pride in being useful despite leaving dark marks, but also sadness from being chewed when idle. The final stanza repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the pencil’s aging, shortening life, and eventual placement in a holder when worn out.
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Literary devices in the poem include personification, where the pencil speaks, feels pain, and reflects on life. There is alliteration in handled forty times, and pun in see the point. The rhyme scheme is AABB throughout. Now for the poem comprehension C one. First, the poet sees the pencil lying on the mantlepiece at both the beginning and the end. Second, the life is weary because it is handled forty times a day and constantly sharpened. Third, the pencil is sad when it is bitten at the end, and glad when it is useful and makes its mark. Fourth, wits are rather dull means the pencil’s tip is blunt and needs sharpening. Fifth, speech is always dark refers to the graphite marks it leaves, and it always makes its mark means it leaves a lasting impression or impact. Sixth, rhyming words include see and B, life and knife, things and kings, about and out, missed and list, play and day, ought and short, joint and point, dark and mark, friend and end, older and holder. Seventh, Tommy is likely a young boy, perhaps around six to eight years old, who enjoys drawing imaginative pictures.
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For C two, we list the purposes. Tommy uses it to scrawl and draw submarines, aeroplanes, cabbages, and kings. Father uses it to keep score when playing. Mother uses it to write the washing list. For appreciation, the pencil’s journey from the mantlepiece to the holder can indeed be compared to human life, as both involve growth, service, gradual decline, and eventual rest. Examples of personification include I ache in every joint, I am getting shorter every day, and sorrow seems to follow me. For the writing activity, you are asked to write a similar poem about a daily object, using first person perspective, personification, and a reflective tone. For further reading, the poem The Pencil by an unknown poet conveys a similar message of usefulness, mistreatment, and mortality, but with a more direct complaint tone. The five lessons from the pencil maker are: everything you do leaves a mark, you can correct mistakes, inner quality matters, painful sharpening improves you, and you must allow yourself to be guided.
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About the poet, Florence Mary Hoatson was an English poet born on October thirteenth, eighteen eighty one in Essex, England. Her works include God made little Robin, God whose name is Love, and Hands together softly. She died on January twenty eighth, nineteen sixty four in Gloucestershire, England. Suggested readings include Chasing a Dream by Ramendra Kumar, A Matter of Choice by Cheryl Rao, The Pencil by Raslan Abaji, and Pencils by Carl Sandburg. We have now covered the complete chapter, including the prose narrative, glossary, all comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, phrasal verbs, grammar rules with comparative and superlative degrees, speaking activities, the full poem with stanza explanations, literary devices, and comprehension. I encourage you to practice the grammar exercises repeatedly, memorize the glossary words, and reflect on the theme of self observation and emotional balance from the prose. Remember that understanding your own reactions and giving yourself mental space is a valuable life skill. Review the poem’s personification and rhyme scheme for your literature exam. Attempt the writing activity by drafting your own object poem and sharing it with your peers.
Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]