CG Board Class 9 English Reader (Flight) Chapter 3 Solutions: Unit 1 Reading C: Saalumarada Thimmakka (सालुमरदा थिम्मक्का) – 2026-27

• persistent: lasting for a long time.
• quarry: a large artificial hole in the ground where stone, sand etc. is dug for use as building material.
• to raise: to take care of a person, animal, or plant until fully grown.
• sapling: a young tree.
• a stretch of: a continuous area of land or water.
• undaunted: still determined and enthusiastic despite problems or lack of success.
• afforestation: plantation of trees on an area of land in order to make a forest.
• uncompromising: not giving space to excuses.
• citation: a statement mentioned in an official record.

• *i) Untiring love
• English: Every morning they carried four pots of water on foot, refilled them from nearby ponds and wells, and treated each sapling as their own child.
• *ii) Ambitious and uncommon mission
• English: Deciding to plant and nurture a row of banyan saplings along a dry, tree-less 4 km road between Hulikal and Kudur.
• *iii) Self and her husband as an ordinary couple
• English: An illiterate quarry worker and a humble cattle herder facing poverty and childlessness.
• *iv) Selfless service
• English: Fencing plants with thorny bushes to protect them from grazing cattle and continuing the mission alone even after her husband passed away in 1991.

• i) The village Kudur was selected by Thimmakka to plant trees along the road side because:

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Answer: c) there were no trees on that road.

• ii) The saplings were watered:

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Answer: a) from the wells and ponds nearby.

• iii) Thimmakka has set up a trust to fulfil her plans because:

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Answer: b) she doesn’t possess the money required.

• *Given Reason: The banyans grow into huge shady trees.
• Reason 1: Ficus (banyan) trees were easily available near her village for grafting saplings.
• Reason 2: Banyan trees are extremely strong, long lasting, and provide immense shade to travelers on hot days.

• *(i) Adjectives from the lesson
• a) hardship: numerous / immense
• b) courage: undaunted
• c) patience: untiring
• d) love: selfless / untiring
• e) crisis: economic
• *(ii) Two additional adjectives for each noun
• a) hardship: severe hardship, unbearable hardship
• b) courage: great courage, remarkable courage
• c) patience: infinite patience, immense patience
• e) crisis: financial crisis, severe crisis
• *(iii) Five words from school environment with suffix ‘-ship’

1. Leadership
2. Sportsmanship

1. Sentence: Despite her hard work at the quarry, she watered the plants every morning.
2. Sentence: In spite of their poor economic conditions, they decided to plant shady trees along 4 kilometres.
3. Sentence: Despite knowing it was not an easy task, they bought saplings and grafted them.
4. Sentence: In spite of her other domestic work, she was worried about storing water for the village.
5. Sentence: Despite all the awards and honour she received, she is as simple and humble as ever.

• (i) Saalumarada Thimmakka was not involved in:

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Answer: d. teaching at a school

• (ii) Thimmakka set up a trust for:

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Answer: b. building a hospital

• (iii) Thimmakka now makes a living:

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Answer: a. from prize money and monthly pension

• i. Thimmakka still lives in economic crisis.
• ii. She has passion for doing good work for humankind.
• iii. Her philosophy of life is that every person on this earth must leave behind some asset for humanity.
• iv. She is an active crusader for spreading the message of afforestation.

• once in a month: Monthly
• once in a week: Weekly
• every day: Daily

• *Word Completion
• afforestation (preserving forests)
• photograph (a picture)
• physical (concerning body)
• fair (a public event / fun)
• traffic (large number of vehicles)
• selfless (without personal interest)
• *Sound Classification Table

• Stanza 1: Strong – Long, Told – Old
• Stanza 2: Tell – Well, Shade – Played

• a. The tree is big, stout and strong.
• b. It is a very long-lived / old tree.
• c. The tree knew a hundred secrets.
• d. It loves those children who sit beneath or play underneath its branches.

• a. A ‘hundred years’ is used to tell the age of the tree.
• b. A ‘hundred secrets’ is used to tell the stories / feelings of the children.

• big, stout, strong

• a. The tree is big, stout and strong. -> T (True)
• b. The tree always provides shade for children to play. -> T (True)
• c. Its branches are not long and leafy enough to provide shelter to the birds. -> F (False)
• d. The tree is not very old. -> T (True – according to poem line “And yet you’re not so very old”)
• e. The tree does not like the children. -> F (False)

• a) Who is ‘I’ in the poem?
• English: ‘I’ in the poem refers to the speaker / child (poet Garnet Engle).
• b) Whose secrets could the tree tell?
• English: The tree could tell a hundred secrets of the children whom it loves so well.
• c) Who sat beneath the tree?
• English: The children sat beneath the shade of the tree.
• d) Who played under the tree?
• English: The children played underneath the branches of the tree.

• big -> small
• stout -> thin
• strong -> weak
• long -> short
• old -> young
• friendly -> unfriendly

• Paragraph: The tree was big and strong when it was young. As it grew older it became thin and weak. The children loved the friendly tree but did not like the unfriendly snakes that lived beneath it.

• Regular Verbs (ending in ‘-ed’): comb, wash, type, open, close, touch, live
• Irregular Verbs (not ending in ‘-ed’): know, drink, write, speak, run, sing, give

• Completed Story:

Long ago, a mynah invited (invite) a snail to her daughter’s first birthday party. “Don’t be late”, she chirped (chirp) and flew (fly) away. The snail set off (set off) the next morning and began (begin) walking towards the mynah’s nest. He walked (walk) and walked (walk) day and night. At last he reached (reach) the mynah’s nest. He saw (see) the celebration. “I’ve reached (reach)” he said (say) to himself. He met (meet) the mynah’s daughter and said (say), “Happy birthday to you”. The mynah’s daughter said (say), “But today is my wedding ceremony.”

• Corrected Story:

There was a large forest with tall grasses in which many different animals lived. Some were small. There were field mice, and wild cats, as well as deer, and wild sheep. There were many tigers, wolves and foxes. Near the forest was a farm which had oxen, bulls and cows. There was an orchard next to the farm in which grew mangoes, bananas and oranges. The farmer had many children who helped him on the farm. On his farm, various different vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, onions and beans were grown.

• Similes List:
• a) as small as a plant
• b) as big as an elephant / palace
• c) as white as milk
• d) as tall as a palm tree
• e) as strong as iron
• f) as heavy as an elephant
• g) as red as a rose
• h) as beautiful as a fairy
• i) as cold as ice
• j) as brave as a lion
• Sentence Completion:
• a) This flower is as red as a rose.
• b) This tree is as tall as a palm tree.
• c) This child is as small as a plant.
• d) This paper is as white as milk.
• e) This girl is as beautiful as a fairy.
• f) He is as brave as a lion.
• g) This machine is as heavy as an elephant.
• h) This house is as big as a palace.
• i) This water is as cold as ice.
• j) This plate is as strong as iron.

• a. Circle the names of birds/animals present in the poem:

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Answer: squirrel, bird, cub of bear, porcupine, tree toad, katydid, mouse with mouselings.

• b. Fill in blanks with listening adjectives:
• quick little squirrel
• big porcupine
• small tree toad
• six little mouselings

• Practice reading the dialogue aloud with a partner where the Neem tree explains its medicinal and shelter benefits to save itself from being cut.

• Rubber Tree: Produces rubber used for water pipes, erasers, tyres, tubes, wire insulation, seals, and toys.
• Mango Tree: Yields ripe fruit for eating and raw fruit for pickles; leaves, flowers, and wood are used in festivals.
• Bamboo Tree: Used for making houses, furniture, sticks, ladders, rafts, and pickles.
• Eucalyptus Tree: Provides medicinal oil and wood for making huts.
• Amla Tree: Fruits are used for making pickle, murabba, jam, jelly, hair oil, and medicines.
• Sagon (Teak) Tree: Provides strong teak wood for furniture, houses, and household items.
• Coconut Tree: Yields edible oil, hair oil, coconut water, dry fruit, coir for mattresses, and leaves for thatched houses.

• Model Paragraph:

There is a huge Banyan tree in my locality near the village square. It is very tall and spreads across a wide area with its broad branches and hanging aerial roots. It produces small, round, red-coloured fruits that attract many birds. Although its flowers are tiny and hidden inside the fruit, the tree offers immense advantages to everyone. Birds make their nests in its dense branches, stray animals rest under its shade, and villagers gather under its cool canopy during hot summer days. It keeps the environment clean, fresh, and full of life for our entire community.