NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English (Moments) Chapter 3 Iswaran the Storyteller

NCERT
SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 9TH

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Book - Moments Ncert Solutions | Chapter-3 English-2

Class : 9th
Subject : English-2
Chapter : 3
Chapter Name : Iswaran The Storyteller

Q1 In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?

Answer. Iswaran cooked for Mahendra, washed his clothes, and chatted with him at night. He
would narrate various stories on varied subjects. He also had an amazing ability to produce
vegetables and cooking ingredients out of nowhere. He would miraculously cook the most
delicious dishes made with fresh vegetables within an hour of arriving at the new workplace.
Iswaran was quite attached to Mahendra and followed him to wherever he was posted. Hence,
Iswaran was an asset to Mahendra in more ways than one.

Q2 How does Iswaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he want to
create in his listeners?

Answer. Iswaran’s descriptions were greatly in uenced by the Tamil thrillers he read. When he
came across an uprooted tree on the highway, he said very dramatically that the road was
deserted and he was all alone. Suddenly, he spotted something that “looked like an enormous
bushy beast lying sprawled across the road.” He was half-inclined to turn and go back.
However, as he came closer, he saw that it was a fallen tree with its dry branches spread out.
Even if he was narrating the smallest of incidents, he tried to introduce suspense and a
surprise ending to the story.

Q3 How does he narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?

Answer. He started the story of the elephant by giving a prologue in which he called elephants
‘huge well-fed beasts.’ He said that after escaping from the timber yard, the elephant started
roaming about, stamped on bushes and tore up wild creepers. It then came to the main road of
the town and smashed all the stalls selling fruits, mud pots, and clothes. It then entered a
school ground where the children were playing. It pulled out the football goal-post, tore down
the volleyball net, attened the drum kept for water and uprooted the shrubs. All the teachers
and students were so afraid that they climbed up to the terrace of the school building.
According to Iswaran, he was studying in the junior class at that time. He grabbed a cane from
the hands of one of the teachers and ran into the open. The elephant continued grunting and
stamping its feet. It looked frightening. However, he moved slowly towards it. When the

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Book - Moments Ncert Solutions | Chapter-3 English-2

elephant was ready to rush towards him, he moved forward and whacked its third toe nail. It
looked stunned and then collapsed.
This story does not appear to be plausible.

Q4 Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a
TV in Mahendra’s living quarters?

Answer. Iswaran used to narrate different dramatic stories to Mahendra. Not a day passed
when he did not recount some story packed with adventure, horror or suspense. Mahendra
enjoyed listening to these stories, whether it was credible or not, because of the manner in
which they were narrated. It is for this reason that the narrator says that Iswaran seemed to
more than make up the absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters.

Q5 Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a gment of the imagination. What happens to him on a
full-moon night?

Answer. night, Mahendra was woken up from his sleep by a low moan close to the window near
his bed. Initially, he thought it was a cat running after mice. However, the sound was too
guttural for a cat. Mahendra resisted the curiosity of looking outside the window but when the
noise became louder, he could not resist the temptation. When he looked outside, he saw a
dark cloudy form clutching a bundle. He broke into a cold sweat and fell back on the pillow.
When he recovered from this ghastly experience, he concluded that it must have been some
trick that his subconscious mind had played on him. When he got up in the morning, the
terrible memory of the previous night had faded from his memory. However, when Iswaran
con rmed the presence of the female ghost, he immediately resigned from his post and
decided to leave the ‘haunted place.’

Q6 Can you think of some other ending for the story?

Answer. The story could have ended on a more positive note. Instead of resigning from his job,
Mahendra could have been shown as a real courageous man and proving the ghost theory
wrong.
Another ending can be of both Mahendra and Iswaran leaving the place together and in turn
continuing their bond which is depicted earlier in the story. Iswaran has been explained as a
man of all seasons for Mahendra.

Q1 Is Iswaran a fascinating storyteller? Discuss with your friends the qualities of a good

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Book - Moments Ncert Solutions | Chapter-3 English-2

storyteller. Try to use these qualities and tell a story.

Answer. Undoubtedly, iswaran is a fascinating storyteller. He is well-versed in storytelling.
Telling stories is an art It is not everybody's cup of tea He has the quality of making others
realise the true spirit of story. He makes use of gestures and dramatic skills to give sound
effect A good story-teller should be an epitome of the qualities below mentioned:
1. should have vivid imagination.
2. should have good oratorical skills.
3. should be able to act during narration.
4. should use punctuation properly during narration.
5. should have the ability to vary the tone according to the situation.
6. should have amusing personality.
7. should be capable of creating and maintaining interest of the listeners.

Page : 18 , Block Name : Talk About It

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