NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 8 - A House is Not a Home

The NCERT Books provide students with in-text questions that are based on various details that are discussed throughout the chapters. These questions are meant to assess and enhance how much students understand from their reading of the chapters. The questions are the basis of framing the exam questions papers. Hence, it is important that students prepare the answers to these questions well. CoolGyan provides well-explained and accurate NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 8 below. These solutions have been framed by experienced professionals to help students save time during their preparation and cover all details they need to answer all questions properly in their exams.

Think About It

1. What Does the Author Notice One Sunday Afternoon? What is His Mother’s Reaction? What Does She Do?

Ans: The author noticed an odd odour one Sunday afternoon. Then he noticed smoke seeping in from the roof cracks and fast filling the room. They couldn't see much at all. The roof was already covered in flames and spreading swiftly by the time they fled out into the front yard. His mother dashed back inside. She'd brought out a little metal box containing critical documents. She intended to take crucial items from the house one at a time. She appeared to be in a 'crazed state.'

2. Why Does He Break Down in Tears After the Fire?

Ans: He burst into tears after the fire since he realized he had suffered a significant loss. He discovered he couldn't find his cat anywhere. The new school, the fire, and his cat all strike him at the same time. He sobbed and wailed at that point.

3. Why is the Author Deeply Embarrassed the Next Day in School? 

Ans: The author was humiliated the next day at school since he was still wearing the clothes he had worn to church that morning when the fire broke out, but he had no shoes because he had lost them in the fire. As a result, he had to borrow his aunt's tennis shoes. Everything had embarrassed him to the point of humiliation. He was dressed strangely, he didn't have any books or homework, and his backpack was missing.

4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?

Ans: The author developed a strong bond with his pet. When he couldn't find his cat after the fire, he wailed uncontrollably. He would return to the location of his home daily in the hopes of finding the cat. He remembered the cat crawling into his pocket and falling asleep, and he yearned for her.

The fire terrified the cat, who bolted a mile away from the house. She was discovered and taken in by a woman. The author's phone number was found on the cat's collar. However, she was unable to contact them because the phone had been turned off due to the fire. The woman then went out of her way to track down the author and return the cat.

5. What Actions of the Schoolmates Change the Author’s Understanding of Life and People, and Comfort Him Emotionally? How Does His Loneliness Vanish and How Does He Start Participating in Life?

Ans: Despite not knowing the author well, the classmates expressed real care for him. They aided him by bringing him provisions, literature, and clothing. People he had never met before began approaching him and befriending him. They also summoned him to their residences. The author gained several new acquaintances. Their affection and teamwork left him speechless. He understood that his new school and the people he was meeting were both positive. He stopped focusing on his worry and nervousness and began to believe that everything would turn out ok.

6. What is the Meaning of “My Cat Was Back and So Was I”? Has the Author Gone Anywhere? Why Does He Say That He is Also Back?

Ans: The author loses interest in life after the fire. He believes he has misplaced everything. He feels a sense of increased comfort after receiving books and other goods from his classmates. The fact that his cat has been found is the cherry on top. He reclaims his best friend. He and his cat are both back to normal now. His phrase implies that he has begun to collect bits and pieces of existence.

Difficult Words and their Meanings for Chapter 8 - A House is Not a Home

Often there are certain words in a chapter that are newly introduced to the students and are difficult to understand. CoolGyan has prepared a list of all such words in Class 9 English Chapter 8 - A House is Not a Home. Students can use the following list to enhance their understanding and vocabulary:

• Awkward: strange in a way that causes embarrassment 

• Freshman: a first-year student at high school or college

• Isolated: lonely or far away from places, people, or buildings

• Purring: the sound made by a cat

• Swatting: the action of hitting or crushing something

• Stoking the fire: the action of feeding and tending the fire

• Groping: to search uncertainty or blindly

• Engulfed: sweep over or completely cover something

• In tow: following or moving behind someone

• Weird: something bizarre or strange

• Destined: something that is certain to happen like it is pre-planned

• Outcast: a person rejected by their social group or society

• Geek: a person highly enthusiastic about something particular

• Zombie: a dull, unresponsive, and apathetic person

• Surreal: bizarre, unreal, strange

• Ripped away: torn apart from something or someone

• Vulnerable: weak, in need of support, easy to influence

• Plight: sad, dangerous, or unfortunate event or story

• Milling around: moving around without any aims or in a confusing way

• Shove: push someone or something in a rough manner

• Curb: edge of the pavement or a raised path

• Freaked: behaved wildly or irrationally

• Tragedy: an unfortunate incident or mishap

• Diminish: fade off or decrease

• Gratitude: being readily appreciating or showing thankfulness
  
  

About the Author

Pearl Polly Adler is the author of ‘A house is not a home’, and her work was posthumously also made into a feature film. Polly was of Russian-Jewish origin and was the eldest of her nine siblings. Her father was a tailor, and her early education started from a village rabbi. Polly travelled to America for further education when the war broke out and prevented her family from joining her. She has later worked as a very seamstress and scarcely ever attended school. In her apartment, she was acquainted with a local gangster to whom she rents her apartment and for whom she later gained some success.

Story Summary

The main focus of the story is to show the line of difference between a house and a home. A house is only a construct made of bricks and cement, whereas a home has more value attached to it associated with love, affection and family. In the story, the narrator’s house is burnt down, and he quickly moves on to buy a new house. In the process, the narrator realizes that the building meant nothing to her and that the love and affection of the family is the most important thing. The story is about Zan, who happens to be sad because of joining a new school and misses his old friends and school.

In order to further aggravate his sadness, Zan’s house catches fire and burns all the remaining photographs he had of his family. Zan is severely affected by this and sinks into melancholy. His sorrow ends when one day at school, he sees a table full of things that his classmates had collected. This makes him see the brighter side of life, and he finds happiness once again. Zan sees his house being rebuilt and feels that his life, just like the house, is being constructed from the last brick once again. When a woman returns Zan the cat which ran away, Zan realizes that life is about love, affection and caring rather than an obsession with material possessions.

NCERT Solutions For Class 9 English Moments Chapter A House is Not a Home

CoolGyan’s NCERT solutions for Class 9 English Moments a house is not a home solution are entirely accurate and are provided in PDF format to ensure accessibility and reliability. The solutions include answers to each and every question in the textbook. In order to score well in the exams, one needs to be well versed with the text and be prepared for all the questions in the book. CBSE Class 9 English Moments Chapter 8 solutions would play a very crucial role in helping students score the maximum marks in their exam.

These answers would help students understand the question pattern and also the answering style with particular emphasis on delivery and critical points. The answers would also help the students understand how the marking style is in the exams, and practice would help the students become better at answering similar questions. The questions can be accessed from the computer or even from the mobile and are available along with the entire syllabus to help the students score well in their exams.