Twin Melodies Class 9 Extra Questions and Answers English Chapter 6

Twin Melodies Extra Question Answer

Question 1.

Why is Shruti hesitant to tell her father about the Indo-Western fusion concert?

Answer:

Shruti is hesitant because her father, Nabin Sharma, is very strict and firmly believes that Classical Hindustani music is the only kind of music an artist of any worth should play. She fears he will consider playing the violin to Western tunes a desecration.

Question 2.

What is Avinash's reaction when Shruti expresses her fear of being scolded by her father?

Answer:

Avinash reacts humorously to lighten the mood, stating that a scolding is nothing to fear since he basically has "a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day".

Question 3.

How does Nabin react when Shruti initially tells him about the fusion concert during dinner?

Answer:

Nabin reacts negatively, calmly but firmly denying her permission. He states that drowning her individual style in an orchestra's hubbub is not a wise choice and mocks the fusion style as 'phoo' music or "noise".

Twin Melodies Short Question Answer

Question 4.

What does the newspaper Parbatpuri Daily Clarion write about Shruti's previous performance?

Answer:

The newspaper praised her by stating, "Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma, daughter of the master violinist Nabin Sharma!".

Question 5.

What was Nabin's own musical rebellion in his youth?

Answer:

Nabin went against his family's traditional heritage of being vocalists to learn the violin, which was considered a Western instrument at the time.

Question 6.

How did Shruti's parents react after secretly watching her rehearsal?

Answer:

They were amazed and proud. Nabin clapped furiously, praised her soulful performance, and noted that she flawlessly maintained the notes of the classical raga during the fusion piece.

Twin Melodies Class 9 Extra Question Answer

Question 7.

What does Leela jokingly suggest to Nabin about the dosa during dinner?

Answer:

Leela suggests that Shruti might be trying to find words to tell Nabin that Leela makes better dosa than him, teasing that Nabin "doesn't have the strength to face the truth".

Question 8.

What does the phrase "bite the bullet" mean in the context of Shruti's decision?

Answer:

The phrase means to deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation in a courageous and determined way. In this context, it refers to Shruti finally deciding to confront her strict father about the concert.

Twin Melodies Long Question Answer

Question 1.

Describe the generational conflict depicted in "Twin Melodies" and explain how it is resolved.

Answer:

The play highlights a generational conflict between Shruti and her father, Nabin. Nabin represents strict tradition, believing Classical Hindustani music is the only worthy art form and dismissing fusion as a "desecration". Shruti represents a modern perspective, wanting to experiment with an Indo-Western fusion band while still valuing her father's opinion. The conflict is resolved when Nabin witnesses Shruti's skill in maintaining traditional raga notes within a modern fusion piece. His wife Leela also reminds him that he, too, rebelled against his family's vocal tradition to learn the violin. This realization helps Nabin accept Shruti's musical choices.

Question 2.

ompare the attitudes of Shruti's friends (Iqbal, Avinash, Peter) towards Nabin's strictness. How do they support her?

Answer:

Shruti's friends provide different types of support to help her overcome her fears. Peter is practical, suggesting she just tell her parents she is going for "practice" without giving full details. Iqbal is optimistic and believes in open communication, stating that since Nabin is her father, he will naturally understand. Avinash uses humor and pragmatism, equating a parent's scolding to a daily routine when he jokes that he has "a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day". Together, they successfully encourage her to "bite the bullet" and talk to her parents.

Question 3.

Discuss the significance of Leela's role in the play 'Twin Melodies'.

Answer:

Leela acts as the crucial bridge between her traditional husband and her aspiring daughter. Initially, she acts as a disciplinarian, scolding Shruti for hiding her practice sessions. However, the emotional turning point in the play is brought about by Leela. She reminds Nabin of his own youth, when his desire to take up a Western instrument (the violin) instead of following his family's traditional vocalist path caused his father pain. By holding up this mirror to Nabin, Leela helps him empathize with Shruti's modern desires, ultimately saving their relationship and granting Shruti artistic freedom.

Question 4.

Explain Nabin Sharma's statement: "I under estimated the power of our own music... After all each bay, its own wind."

Answer:

Nabin initially feared that playing fusion music would cause Shruti to be "lost" to Western influences and abandon her classical roots. However, after hearing her perform, he realizes that Classical Hindustani music is profound and powerful enough to maintain its soul even when blended with modern Western instruments. The metaphor "each bay, its own wind" signifies his newfound understanding that every artist has their own unique journey, style, and method of expression. It shows his complete acceptance that Shruti's musical path will differ from his, but is equally valid.

Twin Melodies Extract Based Questions and Answers

Extract 1

Read the lines following and answer the following:

"Your own father, Shruti, had to go against his family's wishes to play the violin. His was a family of vocalists... Nabin's desire to take up a Western instrument rather than cultivating his voice was painful to his father."

(i) Who is the speaker of these lines?

Answer:

The speaker of these lines is Leela, Shruti's mother.

(ii) What was the traditional musical path of Nabin's family?

Answer:

Nabin's family had a long, highly traditional heritage of being vocalists.

(iii) Why was Nabin's choice to play the violin considered a betrayal of family values at that time?

Answer:

At that time, the violin had not yet been incorporated into classical Indian music and was considered a Western instrument. Choosing it over the family's traditional vocal practices was seen as a betrayal of their heritage.

Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct option for each question.

Question 1.

What kind of music does Shruti's fusion group play?

(a) Pure Hindustani Classical

(b) Indo-Western fusion

(c) Western Classical

(d) Jazz and Blues

Answer:

(b) Indo-Western fusion

Question 2.

According to Nabin Sharma, what happens if an artist performs more than once every six months?

(a) They become too tired.

(b) They lose their sense of musicality.

(c) Familiarity breeds contempt.

(d) They forget their ragas.

Answer:

(c) Familiarity breeds contempt.

Question 3.

Why did Shruti's grandfather view Nabin's choice to play the violin as a betrayal?

(a) The violin was too expensive.

(b) Nabin refused to practice.

(c) Nabin's family was a family of traditional vocalists.

(d) The grandfather disliked all music.

Answer:

(c) Nabin's family was a family of traditional vocalists.

Question 4.

What phrase does Nabin use to signify that every individual has their own unique path?

(a) Bite the bullet

(b) Each bay, its own wind

(c) Familiarity breeds contempt

(d) Through thick and thin

Answer:

(b) Each bay, its own wind

Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with appropriate words from the chapter.

Question 1.

Shruti's friends advise her to "bite the ............" and tell her father the truth about the concert.

Answer:

bullet

Question 2.

Nabin Sharma believes that playing the violin to Western tunes is a ............ of the instrument.

Answer:

desecration

Question 3.

Instead of scolding the children after their rehearsal, Nabin offers them the use of the ............ room so they can practice regularly.

Answer:

music

Question 4.

Shruti's mother reveals that Nabin's father wanted him to cultivate his instrument............. rather than take up a Western

Answer:

voice

True or False

State whether the following statements are True or False.

Question 1.

False (She tells her mother that if he doesn't let her, the group won't perform, and later decides to practice one last time and then quit)

Answer:

(b) Indo-Western fusion

Question 2.

False (They were all vocalists, not violinists)

Answer:

(c) Familiarity breeds contempt.

Question 3.

True (Her father proudly states that she performed the raga to excellence without losing sight of the notes)

Answer:

(c) Nabin's family was a family of traditional vocalists.

Question 4.

False (Iqbal plays the flute; Avinash plays the tabla)

Answer:

(b) Each bay, its own wind

Vocabulary Matching

Match the words in Column A with their correct meanings from the text in Column B.

Answer:

Class 9 English Extra Questions