Beehive Chapter 8 Reach For The Top

(a) The girl was often discontented due to her place in a traditional way of life.

(b) She wore shorts whereas the other girls wore traditional Indian dresses.

(c) (i) incorrect.

(ii) irrational.

(i) Santosh wanted to get better and higher education while as per the tradition she had to go to the local village school. So she was not satisfied with the kind of education she received in the village school.

(ii) She decided to fight the system in her own quiet way by revolting against it at the right moment.

(iii) (a) rich, prosperous — affluent.

(b) in accordance with — in line with.

(a) She left home because she wanted to get proper education.

(b) She said that she won’t marry till she gets proper education.

(c) threatened.

(i) T is the two times Mt. Everest conqueror, Santosh Yadav. She was at the Kasturba hostel of Maharani College, Jaipur.

(ii) She used to watch villagers going up the Aravali hills and suddenly vanishing after some time from her room.

(iii) (a) appearing — vanishing

(b) negative — affirmative

(i) The young girl enrolled herself in the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering because she wanted to get training in mountaineering. She did so by saving money

(ii) She did not go to her home because the semester ended late and she had join for train in at Uttarkashi.

(iii) (a) saying sorry — apology.

(b) admitted — enrolled.

(i) The culmination of her hard work and sincerity were Santosh Yadav’s conquering the Mt. Everest in 1992 and becoming the youngest woman in the world to do so.

(ii) Four years ago she had shyly asked the mountaineers if she could join them for an expedition and thus her mountaineering career began.

(iii) (a) timidly — shyly.

(b) peak — culmination.

(a) Santosh was hardly twenty years old when she scaled Mt. Everest.

(b) (i) climbing skills

(ii) physical fitness

(iii) mental strength.

(c) (i) barely.

(ii) concern.

(a) An Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition invited Santosh to join them as a member.

(b) Santosh conquered the Everest twice.

(c) Top honours.

(i) It literally means that Santosh was standing on the highest peak of the world - the Mount Everest.

(ii) She unfurled the Indian Tricolour and held it aloft on the Mount Everest.

(iii) (a) actually — literally.

(b) greatness — enormity.

Santosh’s wish to study in Delhi was fulfilled when she threatened her parents to never getting married if she didn’t get proper education. She left home and enrolled herself in a school in Delhi.

When her parents refused to pay for her fees, she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part time to pay her school fees. Then they agreed to pay for that.

From the room of Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch villagers climb up the Aravali hills and vanishing after sometime. The curiosity made her join a mountaineers group and climb Aravalli hills.

During the Everest expedition, Santosh tried to save a dying team mate by providing him special care and saved another by sharing her oxygen. It shows Santosh’s concern for others.

Santosh Yadav got into the record books for the first time when she scaled Mt. Everest at the age of twenty. She became the youngest woman in the world to climb Mt. Everest. She scaled the Everest for the second time next year, thus becoming the only woman in the world to do so.

It took Santosh sometime to understand the enormity of her achievement. She unfurled the Indian tricolour there. She felt proud as an Indian. It had a spiritual significance for her. She described her feelings as ‘indescribable’.

Santosh’s parents were affluent. They could have sent her to best schools but as per the tradition, she was sent to the local village school.

The travelling ‘holy man’ assumed that like everyone they also wanted a son. When Santosh’s grandmother requested her for a daughter, he was surprised. Yes, his blessings seemed to work.

Right from the beginning Santosh had to fight the system to assert for her right to equality and education. She never lost her spirit and determination. She defied all the customs and traditions which limit the girls within the spheres of family, marriage and children. She ventured into a man’s domain to become a role model for others.

Santosh had a strong will power, great physical endurance and an amazing mental toughness. The single-minded determination and dedication helped her overcome all hurdles to emerge as a winner. She possessed a remarkable resistance to cold and high altitude. Her climbing skills and hard working nature made it easy for her.

Santosh scaled Mt. Everest the second time as a member of an Indo-Nepalese Women’s Expedition. It was important as it secured a unique place for her and India by becoming the only woman to have scaled the Everest twice.

Santosh Yadav was born in a society where the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing and a daughter was generally not welcomed. Her grandmother wanted a girl instead of a boy. 

Santosh’s mother already had five sons. So they no longer had a wish for a son. That’s why, her grandmother asked the holy man for the blessings of a daughter.

Santosh, unlike other girls of her village, was not contended with the traditional way of life. She used to wear shorts and did not get married at sixteen as most of the girls of her village did.

Santosh’s parents were affluent. They could have sent her to best schools but as per the tradition, she was sent to the local village school. She felt discontented and decided to fight the system.

The right moment to rebel against the custom came when she turned sixteen. At that moment Santosh refused to marry like other girls at sixteen and left home to pursue higher education.

Santosh wanted to pursue climbing as a hobby and as a profession. To get trained in climbing, she got herself enrolled in the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi by saving money.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
Therefore keeping our environment clean is a divine virtue. Often we are so careless that we throw waste all over the area. This not only damages the environment, but also effects our health. There are many ways in which we can keep our school campus clean. Students should deposit all the paper bits, wrappers, empty water-bottles etc., in the dustbins which are kept at different corners of the campus. The campus should be declared a plastic-free area and no one should bring their tiffins covered in plastic bags which are often thrown all over the campus afterwards. We must make the maximum use of things so that we don’t have to throw them away very often. Thus through a joint effort, we can keep our school campus clean.

(a) These are her ready smile and glamorous attire.

(b) She is famous for rising to the world number one position in women’s tennis.

(c) (i) pinnacle. (ii) attire.

(i) Maria’s progress started nine years ago when she was nine years old.

(ii) Her trip to Florida launched her on the path to success and stardom.

(iii) (a) to bear — to endure.

(b) forced — compelled.

(i) At the hostel, the seniors used to humiliate and insult her and make her clean the room. This could not let Maria depress.

(ii) The incident made her more determined and mentally tough.

(iii) (a) leaving — quitting.

(b) firmly — steadfastly.

(a) Her pronunciation raises the doubt that she is an American.

(b) Maria says that she is Russian and will play Olympics for Russia.

(c) Pronounce.

(a) (i) Her unwavering desire to succeed.

(ii) Her readiness to sacrifice.

(b) Maria says that money is a motivation for her to play tennis.

(c) (i) monetary.

(ii) grudge.

Maria Sharapova is a famous woman tennis player. She has won the women’ singles at Wimbledon is 2004 and became the world’s No. 1 woman tennis player in 2005. She is a Russian by birth. She got the professional training in United States of America. She loves singing, dancing, reading novels and is very hardworking and dedicated.

Maria had to go to the United States of America for her training. She was to live there for years. While her father accompanied Maria, her mother could not come with her due to the visa problems. She used to miss her mother terribly and had to grow before time to survive independently away from her mother.

Maria works really hard to fulfill her dreams. She does not shy away from any kind of separation. She does not allow herself to be emotional and sentimental. She is very competitive and works hard to be the best in whatever she does. She is led by the dream of becoming the No. 1 in the world. This is her mantra for success.

Maria appears to be highly fashionable as far as her exterior looks are considered. But she possesses a specifically disarming nature that proves her to be friendly and simple. She appears to be sophisticated and delicate but is a hard worker with never-die-spirit. Her love for pancakes and orange drinks appears odd with her fondness for evening gowns.

Maria was just nine years old when she had to leave her home, mother and even country to go to the United States. She had to sacrifice many-a-things. She also had to face a lot of humiliation and insults. But she did not give in before the adverse and challenging conditions. Her competitive nature and hard work helped her become No. 1 tennis player in the world.

Maria was working hard to become world’s No. 1 tennis player. She had no time to retaliate to others discouraging tactics. She also had no time for sentiments. So, instead of retaliating against the humiliation at the hands of the other pupils, she took it as a challenge and worked harder to achieve success.

Maria started working to achieve her goal at a very young age. She had to face separation from her mother and stay in completely unfamiliar and hostile surroundings for years. She also faced humiliation but never let it affect her negatively. She took it as a challenge and with her mental toughness and competitive nature, she succeeded in achieving her goal.

Maria exemplifies the success achieved through hard work and dedication. Her patience and persistence and her success make her an ideal role model for the girls all over the world. Her winning Wimbledon and then becoming world’s No. 1 woman tennis player also makes her achievement significant.

Today’s Sports are More About Making Money Than Entertainment

In ancient times, Athens games were started as a means to entertain as well as celebrate human excellence. Sports persons or the athletes enjoyed a position of high eminence in the society. They did not play to win; but they participated in true spirit of a sportsman. Today all sports activities have been commercialized and sports persons are among then highly paid people in the world. At the time of any sports-event, they make crores of rupees by advertising products. Today, all sports activities are organized as a means to make money. There is much less to celebrate about victory, but more about making money.

Her feelings were indescribable at the summit of Everest. Seeing the Indian flag flying on top of the world, she felt proud as an Indian.  It was truly a spiritual moment.

1. Assumed
2. Rational
3. Custom
4. Urge
5. Resistance

Top Women Players Over The Years

Women's tennis has seen many legends since Chris Evert of the U.S., who bagged the top position in 1975 and maintained it for 362 weeks. From 1978-97, Martina Navratilova (U.S.), Steffi Graf (Germany), Monica Seles (U.S.) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland) were some other mentally tough and determined girls who retained their top ranks for 331, 377, 178 and 209 weeks respectively. The confidence they had in their capabilities and the urge to excel in life helped them to lead in their career.

Sharing these traits of personality were women like Tracy Austin (U.S.), Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Lindsay Davenport (U.S.), Jennifer Capriati (U.S.), Venus Williams (U.S.), Serena Williams (U.S.), Kim Clijsters (Belgium), Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium), Amelie Mauresmo (France), Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) and Maria Sharapova (Russia), who topped the women's tennis from the year 1980 to 2005.

Though the period for which these players retained their positions were not equivalent to the likes of Chris Evert or Steffi Graf, yet they too have showcased their competitiveness in a sport like tennis.