NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 7 Reach for the top

After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris said, “Ain’t you going to put the boots in?”

He waited till then to ask the question so as to irritate Jerome.

The horrible idea that occurred to Jerome a little later was if he had packed the toothbrush. The narrator says that he doesn’t know why he would always forget whether he had packed his toothbrush or not.

Jerome unpacked everything and began to put the things back one by one. He held everything up and shook it. Then he finally found the toothbrush inside a boot.

Jerome had to reopen the bag because he realised that he had packed his spectacles in it and had to re-open it.

George and Harris offered to pack the hamper. George said that he and Harris would better do the rest of the packing and let Jerome take some rest.

There are four characters in the narrative. They are Jerome (the narrator), George, Harris and Montmorency (the dog).

Jerome volunteered to do the packing because he felt that he knew about more about packing than any other living being. He thought that he would get a chance to boss over the job.

Jerome’s real intention was to boss over the job and George and Harris to follow his orders.

George and Harris reacted very differently from what the author had wanted them to. When Jerome said that he would do the packing, they readily accepted the suggestion. George spread himself over the easy-chair and Harris plonked his legs on the table.

No, Jerome was irritated at their reaction.

The statements that are true are:

(i) They started with breaking a cup.

(iii) They squashed a tomato.

(iv) They trod on the butter.

(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.

(vii) They stepped on things.

Jerome says that Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way and get scolded. The poet says that Montmorency would feel that his day was not wasted if he could squirm in anywhere where he was not wanted and make people mad at him. The narrator continues to say that Montmorency’s highest aim and objective was to get somebody stumble over him and curse him for an hour.

I think that Montmorency is just another dog who seeks love and attention of the people around him. He wants to irritate people so as to make his presence felt.

Of the three, Jerome is the best packer as he knows how to arrange things properly. He is not a flawless packer as he forgets things outside. Later, he searches for spectacles and finds out that he packed them too in the bag. Also, he has an odd habit of forgetting if he had packed his toothbrush.

George and Harris are equally worse in packing. They stepped on things. They put things behind them and then couldn’t find them when they wanted them. They packed the pies at the bottom, and put heavy things on top and smashed the pies in. They upset salt over everything and created a chaos in the room.

Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way and get scolded. The poet says that Montmorency would feel that his day was not wasted if he could squirm in anywhere where he was not wanted and make people mad at him.

Montmorency came and sat down on things, just when they had to be packed. He labored under the fixed belief that whenever George or Harris reached out their hand for anything, it was his cold damp nose they wanted!

He put his leg into the jam and disturbed the teaspoons. He pretended that the lemons were rats. So, he got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could beat him with the frying pan. In this way, he contributed to the packing.

Yes, the story is very funny. All the characters in the story and the way the events are described are humorous. Here are three such elements:

– When Jerome proposes to do the packing, George and Harris readily accept the suggestion. They sit comfortably leaving the entire job to Jerome.

The real intention behind Jerome’s suggestion was that he would boss over the job while George and Harris would follow his orders.

– George trod on the butter. He got it off his slipper and tried to put it in the kettle. Then they put it on a chair. Harris sat on it and it stuck to him. They went looking for it in the entire room. Finally, George saw it stuck on Harris’ back.

– Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way and get scolded. He laboured under the fixed belief that whenever George or Harris reached out their hand for anything, it was his cold damp nose they wanted! He pretended that the lemons were rats. So, he got into the hamper and killed three of them.

During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter chaos at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by getting into a row over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by, seeing a few policemen slaving at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having accomplished something.

(i) Commands: Sit properly.

Respect your elders.

(ii) Dos: Do your homework regularly.

Stand whenever a teacher enters the class.

Don’ts: Don’t leave your lunch unfinished.

Don’t fight in the school.

(iii) From the Globe Chowk, take right turn to arrive onto street 21. Take the first left. You will find a park on the right. Keep walking till you find the end corner of the park on the same road. Take a right turn to arrive onto street 36. Look for the house with two palm trees and that is my house.

(iv) Sit with your spine straight. Take a deep breath. Place both your palms near your head. Put your forefingers above the eyebrows. Place your middle and ring fingers on your eyelids. Place your little finger under your eyes. Make a humming sound while keeping your mouth closed. This is called Bhramari Pranayam.

 Do it yourself.

1. You had better return the book to the library.

2. You had better bring lunch.

3. You had better get enough change for bus fare.

4. You had better tell me the secret you found out about me.

5. You had better not misplace your English textbook.