Reach for the Top & On Killing a Tree

Thinking about the Text

I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each.

1. Why was the 'holy man' who gave Santosh's mother his blessings surprised?

The 'holy man' was surprised because Santosh's grandmother said they did not want a son, contrary to the societal preference for male children.

2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable.

Santosh preferred wearing shorts instead of traditional Indian dresses, showing her determination to live on her own terms.

3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school?

Santosh was sent to the local village school due to the prevailing family custom, despite her parents' ability to afford better schools.

4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why?

Santosh left home at sixteen to enroll in a Delhi school, refusing early marriage and seeking proper education.

5. Why did Santosh's parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident?

Her parents agreed after Santosh threatened to work part-time to fund her education. This shows her determination, independence, and resolve to achieve her goals.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?

Santosh began climbing after watching villagers ascend the Aravalli Hills from her hostel. Curious, she joined mountaineers she met there, who encouraged her to take up climbing.

2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh's concern for her team-mates?

Santosh tried to save a dying climber at South Col and shared her oxygen with Mohan Singh, saving his life, showing her compassion and teamwork during the expedition.

3. What shows her concern for the environment?

Santosh's concern for the environment is shown by her collecting and bringing down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas, reflecting her environmentalist commitment.

4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?

Santosh described feeling overwhelmed, taking time to realize the moment's enormity. Unfurling the Indian flag felt spiritual, filling her with indescribable pride as an Indian.

5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?

In 1992, Santosh became the youngest woman to climb Everest. In 1993, she scaled it again, becoming the only woman to climb Everest twice, setting a unique record.

III. Complete the following statements.

1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to ___

watch villagers going up the Aravalli Hills and vanishing after a while.

2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because ___

she enrolled at Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without his permission.

3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her ___ while ___ endeared her to fellow climbers.

climbing skills, physical fitness, and mental strength; her concern for others and desire to work together.

IV. Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions.

1. Took to be true without proof:

Assumed

2. Based on reason; sensible; reasonable:

Rational

3. The usual way of doing things:

Custom

4. A strong desire arising from within:

Urge

5. The power to endure, without falling ill:

Resistance

Thinking about the Text

Complete the table given below with relevant phrases or sentences.

Points of Comparison/Contrast	Santosh Yadav	Maria Sharapova
1. Their humble beginning	Born in a village in Haryana as the sixth child in a family with five sons.	Born in Siberia, sent to the U.S. at nine with little, facing a two-year separation from her mother.
2. Their parents' approach	Initially followed custom, sending her to a local school; later supported her education after her resolve.	Father worked hard to fund her tennis training; mother stayed back due to visa issues, supporting her dream.
3. Their will power and strong desire to succeed	Refused early marriage, pursued education, and trained relentlessly to climb Everest twice.	Endured loneliness and hardships in the U.S., driven by her dream to become world number one in tennis.
4. Evidence of their mental toughness	Enrolled in mountaineering without permission, saved a teammate's life, and scaled Everest twice.	Overcame humiliation, loneliness, and insults as a young trainee, becoming mentally tough to win Wimbledon.
5. Their patriotism	Unfurled the Indian flag on Everest, feeling proud as an Indian.	Proudly claims Russian citizenship, ready to play Olympics for Russia despite living in the U.S.

I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below by underlining the part that gives us the information in brackets.

1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. (Contrasts her dress with that of others)

Underlined: Santosh preferred shorts.

2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first action)

Underlined: got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.

3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to fight the system)

Underlined: when the right moment arrived.

4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. (Tells us when Maria was sent to the U.S.)

Underlined: when she was packed off to train in the United States.

II. Rewrite the pairs of sentences given below as one sentence.

1. Grandfather told me about the old days. All books were printed on paper then.

Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.

2. What do you do after you finish the book? Perhaps you just throw it away.

After finishing the book, you perhaps just throw it away.

3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.

He gave the little girl an apple and took the computer apart.

4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.

Having nothing makes you very determined.

5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.

I never thought of quitting because I knew what I wanted.

Prepare a short speech to motivate the girls to think and dream big and make an effort to fulfil their dreams, not allowing difficulties or defeat to discourage them.

Dear girls, dream big and believe in yourselves! Like Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova, let self-confidence and determination drive you. Don't let difficulties demoralize you; they're stepping stones. Your hard work will boost your morale, giving you the lift to achieve greatness. Stay resilient, and never lose faith in your dreams!

1. Write a short article for your school magazine comparing and contrasting the players in terms of their duration at the top.

Women at the Top: A Study in Staying Power

Since 1975, women tennis players have fought fiercely to claim the world number one spot. Steffi Graf dominated for 377 weeks, showcasing unmatched consistency and skill. Martina Navratilova (331 weeks) and Chris Evert (362 weeks) also enjoyed long reigns, reflecting their endurance and adaptability. In contrast, Maria Sharapova held the top spot for just one week in 2005, her brief stint highlighting the intense competition she faced. Martina Hingis, with 209 weeks, balanced longevity with early success, while Monica Seles (178 weeks) showed resilience despite challenges. Players like Lindsay Davenport (82 weeks) and Serena Williams (57 weeks) had shorter but impactful tenures, driven by powerful play. Brief stays, like Amelie Mauresmo's five weeks or Sharapova's single week, suggest the difficulty of maintaining dominance in modern tennis. Longevity at the top requires mental toughness, physical fitness, and adaptability, qualities Graf and Navratilova exemplified, while shorter reigns reflect the sport's evolving competitiveness.

2. Which of these words would you use to describe Santosh Yadav? Find reasons in the text to support your choices, and write a couple of paragraphs describing Santosh's character.

I would describe Santosh Yadav as determined, independent, considerate, and persevering. Her determination shone when she refused early marriage and pursued education in Delhi, even threatening to work part-time to fund it. This resolve continued as she enrolled in mountaineering training without permission, driven by her passion to climb. Her independence is evident in her choice to wear shorts, defying traditional norms, and her decision to join mountaineers she met, charting her own path.

Santosh's considerate nature is clear in her concern for teammates, like sharing oxygen to save Mohan Singh during the Everest expedition. Her environmental efforts, clearing 500 kilograms of Himalayan garbage, further show her thoughtfulness. Her perseverance led to scaling Everest twice, earning her the Padmashri and a unique record. Santosh's blend of strength, compassion, and relentless drive makes her an inspiring figure.