Class 9 English Solution Chapter: 6 Twin Melodies

Chapter 6: Twin Melodies - Complete Solutions

About the Chapter

Twin Melodies is a play written by Mitra Phukan. It tells the story of Shruti Sharma, a young violinist who wants to perform in an Indo-Western fusion concert, but her father, Guru Nabin Sharma (a strict classical violinist), disapproves. The play shows how tradition and modern music can blend together beautifully.

![Violin and Flute Illustration]

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Characters in the Play

Character	Description
Shruti Sharma	A young, aspiring violinist who loves fusion music
Guru Nabin Sharma	Shruti's father, a classical violinist and Principal of Sangeetika Music School
Leela Devi	Shruti's mother, who supports her daughter
Avinash	Tabla player in the fusion group
Iqbal	Flutist in the fusion group
Peter	Keyboard player in the fusion group

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Summary of the Play

Act I

The play opens in Iqbal's room with posters of famous flute players like Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shashank Subramanyam. Four friends - Iqbal (flute), Avinash (tabla), Peter (keyboard), and Shruti (violin) - are practicing an Indo-Western fusion piece.

Avinash reads a newspaper praising Shruti's performance with her father. Iqbal suggests Shruti should throw a party. But Shruti looks worried because she hasn't told her father about the fusion concert. She knows her father believes only classical Hindustani music is worthy of a true artist.

Her friends encourage her to speak to her father. Iqbal tells her, "All ways are right ways, Shruti. He is your father, he will understand."

Act II

During dinner, Shruti tries to tell her father about the fusion concert. When she finally speaks up, her father reacts negatively. He says:

"No is the answer. You know my rule—one performance in every six months. More than that, familiarity breeds contempt."

He criticizes fusion music as "phoo music" (fake music) and refuses to listen. Shruti's mother scolds her for not asking permission earlier. Shruti feels sad and worries that her group won't be able to perform.

Act III

Shruti's friends begin practicing. In the middle of their performance, Shruti's parents enter and watch from a corner. Slowly, her father starts tapping his feet and enjoying the music!

After the performance, he claps and says, "Wah, how soulful! You all have done a wonderful job! You did not lose sight of the notes of the raga even once."

He even offers them the music room for practice. Shruti's mother reveals that Nabin himself had to fight his family to play the violin (his family were vocalists). Nabin says:

"I underestimated the power of our own music. I was afraid you would be lost to us. I realise that my fears were baseless. After all, each bay, its own wind."

The play ends with Shruti hugging her parents.

![Family Hugging Illustration]

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Complete Solutions for All Exercises

Reflect and Respond (Page 189)

I. Identify the stringed musical instruments:

The instruments shown are:

1. M - Mandolin
2. V - Violin
3. G - Guitar
4. B - Banjo

II. Do you play a musical instrument? If given a choice, which one would you choose and why?

Sample Answer: Yes, I play the keyboard. If given a choice, I would choose to play the guitar because it is portable, can be played anywhere, and is used in many types of music - from classical to rock to folk.

III. Is there any difference in the choice of music between children and elders?

Sample Answer: Yes, there is often a difference. Children and young people usually enjoy modern music like pop, rock, or fusion. Elders often prefer classical or traditional music that they grew up listening to. This happens because people connect emotionally with the music of their time.

IV. Complete the paragraph with correct phrases:

The theatre club was winding up their practice. Anil saw Sunny was lost in his thoughts and not speaking to anyone. They had a disagreement in the morning and since then, Sunny was wearing a look of distress. Anil did not want to bring it up and disturb Sunny further but he finally decided to bite the bullet and speak to Sunny. He was sure if he apologised first, his friend would come around. With a lot of anxiety, he found words to apologise. And finally, Sunny smiled! Everyone clapped and asked them to throw a party to celebrate.

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Reading for Meaning

Setting of Act I:

• Where: Iqbal's room
• Description: A small rack, a wooden table stacked with books
• On the wall: Posters of famous Indian flute players - Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shashank Subramanyam

Characters and instruments:

1. Iqbal - flute
2. Avinash - tabla
3. Peter - keyboard
4. Shruti - violin

Speaker and their words:

Speaker	Words	Reason
Avinash	"Oh ho! Wow Shruti! You are a sensation now! The least you can do is throw a party!"	He read the newspaper praising Shruti
Shruti	"There is need to worry Iqbal! You don't know papa."	She is afraid of her father's reaction
Iqbal	"That's the spirit!"	Encouraging Shruti to speak to her father

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Check Your Understanding

Act I:

• II. Will Shruti gather courage to speak to her father?
  Yes, because her friends encourage her, and she finally decides to bring it up during dinner.
• III. What might be Shruti's father's reaction?
  He might be angry or disappointed because he is strict about classical music and dislikes fusion.

Act II Summary (Fill in the blanks):

Shruti was absent-minded during dinner. She finally gathered the courage to inform her father about her wish to participate in an upcoming Indo-Western fusion concert. Nabin reacted negatively, expressing disapproval of fusion music and dismissed the idea. Despite Shruti's plea to him to attend a practice before deciding, Nabin was firm in his decision. Shruti's mother, Leela, scolded her for not seeking permission earlier. The tension highlights the clash between traditional and contemporary musical preferences. Despite the setback, Shruti promises not to hide again.

Act III - True/False Statements:

1. During the rehearsal, Shruti's parents enter the room and are overjoyed at her performance. ✓ TRUE
2. Shruti initially considers telling her friends that she can't join them for the performance, after practising one last time. ✓ TRUE
3. Shruti's father expressed that she had sung a few notes incorrectly during her performance. ✗ FALSE (He praised her for not losing sight of the raga notes)
4. Shruti's father had followed the family's tradition of being a violinist. ✗ FALSE (His family were vocalists; he chose violin against their wishes)
5. Shruti's mother helped her husband realise why he should support their daughter. ✓ TRUE
6. Shruti's father accepts that he underrated the potential of classical music. ✗ FALSE (He underrated fusion music, not classical)

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Critical Reflection (Extract-Based Questions)

Extract 1 (Act I):

(i) Select the option that correctly identifies Shruti's situation:

• D. in a dilemma (She is confused about how to tell her father)

(ii) What does Shruti mean by 'the right way'?
She means finding the right words and the right moment to tell her father so that he doesn't get too angry.

(iii) Complete: We can say the extract reflects the generational gap because...
...Shruti wants to try fusion music while her father believes only classical Hindustani music is worthy of an artist.

(iv) How were Iqbal's words meant as an assurance?
Iqbal assures Shruti that her father will understand because a father's love for his child is stronger than any disagreement about music.

(v) Fill the blank:
The critics argued that only films which provoke thoughtful discussion are of any worth.

Extract 2 (Act III):

(i) Nabin's breakthrough highlights a bridge between:

• B. traditional values and modern expressions

(ii) Fill the blank:
The extract uses the word 'lost' both in the sense of losing connection with family and physical separation.

(iii) Which word does NOT show what 'Shruti hugs her parents' conveys?

• duty (The hug conveys reconciliation, harmony, acceptance, and understanding - not duty)

(iv) What can be inferred about Shruti's future in music?
She will now be able to pursue both classical and fusion music with her father's support and blessing.

(v) Identify the phrase referring to uniqueness of each artist:
"Each bay, its own wind"

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Vocabulary and Structures in Context

I. What is 'aside' used for?
An aside is a theatrical technique where a character directly addresses the audience. The correct option is (iv) (i), (ii), and (iii) - it enables characters to talk about the story, shows what a character thinks or feels, and makes a direct link between audience and character.

II. Non-lexical fillers for emoticons:

Emoticon	Filler
😅 (nervous laugh)	err
😠 (angry)	arrgh
🤔 (thinking)	hmmm
😏 (clearing throat)	ahem-ahem
😅 (relieved)	whew

III. Music-related words matching:

Word	Meaning
1. rhythm	(iii) the pattern of beats or time intervals in music
2. tempo	(iv) the speed or pace at which a piece of music is played
3. bass	(i) the lowest tone or part in music
4. baritone	(v) a male voice between higher and lower ranges
5. cacophony	(ii) a mixture of loud unpleasant sounds
6. pitch	(vii) the perceived frequency of a sound
7. scale	(vi) a series of musical notes moving upwards or downwards

IV. Meanings of underlined phrases:

1. "drown your individual style" - to lose your unique way of expressing yourself by following trends without thinking
2. "sense of musicality" - the ability to understand, appreciate, and express music in a beautiful way
3. "go down the drain" - to be wasted; to fail after putting in effort

V. Sentence types:
Sentences 1 and 2 are exclamatory sentences.

Converting exclamatory to declarative:

1. "Oh, how much I enjoy performing this piece!" → Shruti exclaimed that she enjoyed performing that piece very much.
2. "Wah, how soulful! You all have done a wonderful job!" → Nabin exclaimed with admiration that it was very soulful and that they had all done a wonderful job.

VI. Reported speech for exclamatory sentences:

2. Iqbal exclaimed that it was an incredible achievement and that he couldn't believe they had pulled it off.
3. Shruti's mother applauded that each note had been executed perfectly and the performance was flawless.
4. Iqbal said that he basically had a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day.
5. Shruti apologized to her mother and promised not to hide from her again.
6. Avinash exclaimed with wonder that Shruti was a sensation then and said that the least she could do was throw a party.

VII. Reporting the dialogue:

Asma exclaimed excitedly that she had had a unique experience at the art studio that day. Deepa urged her to tell her as she was eager to hear. Asma said that she had accidentally spilled paint all over her canvas. Deepa pitied Asma. However, Asma replied to her not to worry as the painting then looked better than her original plan. Deepa exclaimed that that was incredible.

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Listen and Respond (Page 188)

I. The yazh (yāḻ):
The yazh is an Indian harp used in ancient Tamil music. It is the ancestor of the modern veena.

II. Notes about the Yazh:

Aspect	Description
Type of instrument	The Indian harp
Was used in	Ancient Tamil music
Earlier version of	Veena
Stem tip shape	Head of mythological animal Yali
Resonator shape	Boat-shaped
Resonator material	Skin-covered (wooden boat-shaped skin-covered resonator)
Design varieties	peacock, crocodile, fish, and bow string

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Speaking Activity (Page 189)

Stress and Intonation Exercises:

Sentence	Stress on	Effect
"I don't want papa to feel that I don't care about his opinions, because I do."	'don't' and 'do'	Highlights contrast in Shruti's internal conflict
"Tonight, at dinner, I promise to bring this up."	'promise' and 'bring this up'	Shows determination and importance of action
"Why are you lost in thought my dear child?"	'lost' and 'thought'	Draws attention to concern in Leela's question
"Each bay, its own wind"	'each' and 'own'	Highlights uniqueness of each person's path

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Writing Task (Page 190)

Story beginning for play script:

Anuradha, a teenager, has been learning tabla at school since her primary years and is an extraordinary tabla player. Her father, a vocalist, is a music teacher in a school. He has never been supportive of her learning the tabla and rather feels she should focus on becoming a vocalist. She has been invited to perform at a prestigious event, and decides to participate in it, despite her father's disapproval. However, Anuradha's mother and brother have always rooted for her. Anuradha sat wondering.

Tips for writing the script:

1. Write a rough draft first
2. Mention setting and characters
3. Use colon (:) after speaker's name
4. Use brackets for delivery instructions
5. Use 'aside' for direct audience address
6. Use non-lexical fillers (Ahem-Ahem, Arrghh!)
7. Use ellipsis (...) for dramatic pauses

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Learning Beyond the Text (Page 191-193)

I. Observations about brackets in dialogues:

1. Why no inverted commas? - Because this is a play script, not a story. In plays, dialogues are written directly without quotation marks.
2. Where do we use colons? - Colons are used after the character's name to indicate that what follows is their dialogue.
3. What is written within brackets? - Stage directions - how the character should speak or move. These are not spoken aloud.
4. How does it help actors? - It tells actors how to deliver their lines - with what emotion, volume, or action.

II. Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay:

• Formed in 2012
• Children play musical instruments made from scrap materials collected from landfills

III. Indigenous musical instruments:

• Crafted from natural materials like bamboo, gourds, animal hides, and shells
• Include percussion instruments (drums, rattles) and wind instruments (flutes)

IV-V. Activities and suggested reading:

• Create rhythm using objects around you
• Read Rigmarole and Other Plays by Sai Paranjpye

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Poem: A Friend Found in Music

by Bryanna T. Perkins

Poem Text

text

Music is the ocean

That pulls me to the shore.

Music is the rhythm

That moves me to the core.

 

Music is the therapy

I need when I feel blue.

Music lifts my spirits

To make sure I pull through.

 

The times when I'm most cheerful,

It's clear, music was there.

Music is the needed friend

When no one seems to care.

![Music Notes Illustration]

Complete Solutions for Poem Exercises

Check Your Understanding (Page 195)

I. Complete the poet's diary:

Today, I've been thinking about how essential music is to me. It is like an ocean that calls me to its shore. Music is the rhythm that harmonises with my core, moving me in ways I can't explain. When I feel sad or upset about things, music is the therapy that eases the ache. It is amazing how music has the power to lift my spirits, and give me strength to pull through difficult times. I know that it is the effect of music whenever I feel cheerful. Music is the much needed, dependable friend when there is no one to care. Thank you, my dear music, for being my all-time comfort.

II. Let us appreciate the poem:

1. The phrase 'moves me' in the line 'That moves me to the core' is an example of personification.
2. Metaphors for music:
• "Music is the ocean" → Simile: Music is as vast and powerful as the ocean
• "Music is the rhythm" → Simile: Music is as essential as the beat of life
• "Music is the therapy" → Simile: Music is as healing as medicine
• "Music is the needed friend" → Simile: Music is as comforting as a true friend
3. Rhyme scheme: The poem follows an ABCB rhyme scheme in each stanza. This creates a flowing, musical quality that matches the theme.
4. Purpose of repeating 'music': The poet repeats the word 'music' to emphasize its importance in her life and to create a rhythmic, song-like quality.
5. Message of the poem: Music is not just entertainment - it is a source of comfort, healing, and friendship that helps people through difficult times.
6. Mood of the poem: (i) nostalgic and thoughtful
7. Evidence that speaker is the poet:
• Use of first-person "I"
• Personal emotions and experiences
• Direct expression of feelings: "I need when I feel blue"

Critical Reflection (Page 196)

Extract 1:

(i) Complete: The phrase 'feel blue' indicates feeling sad or depressed.

(ii) Line showing music makes poet happy: "Music lifts my spirits"

(iii) What does 'pull through' signify? It means to overcome difficulties or survive a challenging situation.

(iv) True or False: ✓ TRUE - Music plays a vital role in the poet's life.

(v) Central idea of the extract: A. Music brings comfort during sadness.

II. Answer the following questions:

1. How is music able to move the poet 'to the core'?
Music deeply affects the poet's emotions and feelings at the deepest level, touching her heart and soul completely.

2. Why does the poet compare music to a 'needed friend'?
Because music is always there for her when she feels lonely or sad, just like a true friend who never leaves your side.

3. Explain the poet's attitude towards music.
The poet has a deeply grateful and loving attitude towards music. She sees music as essential to her well-being - like a friend, therapist, and source of joy.

4. Support the opinion that this poem has universal appeal.
Everyone in the world experiences emotions like sadness, joy, and loneliness. Music is something that exists in every culture, and people everywhere turn to music for comfort and happiness. The feelings expressed in the poem are felt by people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds.

5. Compare your experience of music with the feelings expressed in the poem.
Sample Answer: Like the poet, I also find that music helps me when I feel sad. When I listen to my favorite songs, I feel calmer and happier. Music has helped me get through difficult times, especially when I'm stressed about exams or missing my friends.

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Vocabulary in Context (Page 197-198)

I. Positive and Negative emotions:

Positive Emotions	Negative Emotions
lifts my spirits	feel blue
most cheerful

Fill in the blanks:

1. The familiar tune stimulated a rush of nostalgia, transporting listeners back to cherished moments.
2. The soulful ballad expressed the singer's anguish, leaving the audience moved.
3. The pianist played a soulful melody, creating an ambience of melancholy.
4. The festive symphony filled the air with jubilant tones, lifting everyone's spirits.

III. Phrasal verbs with 'move':

Sentence	Meaning
1. move out of his parents' house	(v) to leave a place where one has been living
2. new neighbours moved in	(ii) to begin living in a new home
3. time I moved on	(i) to start doing something new
4. move over a bit	(vi) to shift position to make space
5. move along	(iv) to go to a new position
6. bus moved off	(iii) to start moving; to leave

IV. Create phrasal verbs:

Verb	Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Sentence
put	put off	to postpone	We had to put off the meeting due to rain.
put	put on	to wear or start	She put on her favorite music.
get	get over	to recover from	He got over his fear of public speaking.
get	get along	to have a good relationship	The two friends get along very well.
look	look after	to take care of	She looks after her younger brother.
look	look up to	to admire	I look up to my music teacher.
break	break down	to stop working	The old car broke down yesterday.
break	break into	to enter by force	Someone broke into the shop last night.

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Listen and Respond (Page 199)

Before listening - Guess the answers:

1. How are the two speakers connected? (i) parent-child (They address each other as mother and son)
2. Where is the conversation taking place? (i) music centre (They mention "music centre is about to close")
3. Which musical instrument is the problem? (ii) santoor
4. What is the problem? (iii) lack of choice of the musical instrument (Teacher comes only twice a week)
5. What has been the unsuccessful solution? (iii) watching videos about playing the instrument
6. What is the final decision? (iii) purchase the musical instrument (Mother will borrow from a friend)

After listening - Verify answers: All answers above are correct based on the transcript.

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Key Takeaways from the Chapter

![Summary Illustration]

Themes:

1. Tradition vs. Modernity - Classical music vs. fusion music
2. Generational Gap - Different views on art between parents and children
3. Following Your Passion - Pursuing what you love despite opposition
4. Family Support - The importance of understanding and encouragement

Life Lessons:

1. Parents may not always understand your choices at first, but they love you
2. Good communication can solve conflicts
3. Different types of music can coexist and complement each other
4. Never give up on your dreams

Vocabulary to Remember:

Word	Meaning
crescendo	gradual increase in volume
contempt	feeling of dislike/disrespect
desecration	disrespect towards something sacred
fusion	blend of different styles
aside	character speaking directly to audience
non-lexical fillers	sounds like 'uh', 'um', 'ahem'