If you are preparing for Class 9 CBSE English, this chapter is important for understanding perseverance, resilience, and breaking stereotypes. The World of Limitless Possibilities highlights the journey of Dr. Deepa Malik and her achievements in para sports.
Students often find inference-based and value-based questions difficult. This page provides complete NCERT solutions to help you understand answers clearly and improve your writing in exams.
All sections are covered, including Reflect and Respond, Check Your Understanding, Critical Reflection, Vocabulary and Structures in Context, Listen and Respond, and Speaking Activity.
Reflect and Respond (Paralympics)
I (Picture: Sheetal Devi)
Q1. Look at the picture carefully and share your observations.
A. (Any 4–5 points)
She is a para-archer aiming with intense focus.
She appears confident and disciplined, showing strong control and balance.
The picture highlights determination and sports excellence.
It suggests the message: “ability beyond disability.”
It inspires viewers to think about equal opportunities in sports.
Q2. Does this personality inspire you? Explain how.
A. Yes. She inspires me because she shows that hard work, practice and confidence can help someone achieve excellence even with physical challenges.
Q3. Give a caption for this picture.
A. (Any one)
Aiming High, Beyond Limits
Ability Beyond Disability
Limitless Possibilities
II (Table on Paralympics)
Q. Complete the table: “What I know / What I want to know.”
A. Sample answer:
What I know: Paralympics are international games for athletes with disabilities; athletes compete in many sports; it promotes inclusion and excellence.
What I want to know: How classification works; India’s top Paralympic achievements; what support/facilities para-athletes receive.
Check Your Understanding
I (Fact Table)
Q. Fill in the fact table based on the interview with Dr. Deepa Malik.
A.
Diagnosed with spinal tumour at the age of: 29
Result of the surgery: Paralysed waist down / bound to a wheelchair
Named as one of the 10 most inspirational women para-athletes by: International Paralympic Committee
First successful Paralympic event: 2016 Rio Paralympic Games – shot put (silver)
List of ‘firsts’:
(i) First Indian female para-athlete to win an Asian Games medal in athletics
(ii) India’s first female Paralympics medallist across any sport
Awards won: Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri
Two things supported by her:
(i) Empowering women through outdoor sports/adventure activities
(ii) Supporting people from lower socio-economic strata / providing equipment to para sportspersons
II (Fact–Opinion / Cause–Effect)
Q. Choose whether the given statements display fact-opinion or cause-effect.
(1) Rio silver medal + “I feel it was a moment…” → Fact–Opinion
(2) Tumour diagnosis + surgery leading to wheelchair → Cause–Effect
III (Write 1 or 2)
Q. Write 1 (cause-effect) or 2 (fact-opinion).
(i) Working Group member + “It is believed…” → 2
(ii) Paralympics showcases talent + perception shifts → 1
Critical Reflection
I (Extract 1)
Extract: “I had two choices—squander my life in remorse or transform it…”
(i) Q. Why is her decision like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly?
A. Because she didn’t stay trapped in regret; she transformed her life into success.
(ii) Q. Why could she switch to para-athletics comfortably?
A. Because she loved sports and had been a swimmer.
(iii) Q. Complete: The Rio 2016 Games was a breakthrough moment because . A. she won the silver medal in shot put. (iv) Q. ‘In hindsight’ indicates the speaker is .
A. B. reflective
(v) Q. Mention one perception she might have changed.
A. That people with disabilities cannot be top-level athletes / cannot succeed in sports.
I (Extract 2)
Extract: “Paralympics… challenge stereotypes… given me a new lease of life…”
(i) Q. Choose the words that describe the tone.
A. (a) A and D (appreciative and optimistic)
(ii) Q. Complete the analogy: ability : potential :: preconceived notions : __
A. stereotypes
(iii) Q. True or False: Paralympics showcases abilities and questions stereotypes.
A. True
(iv) Q. What does ‘helped me push boundaries’ tell us?
A. She is determined, ambitious, and ready to go beyond limits.
(v) Q. Which phrase suggests she transformed her life?
A. “a new lease of life”
II (Answer the following questions)
Q1. Explain how Dr. Malik’s achievements challenge societal perceptions.
A. They prove that physical limitations don’t define potential, and para-athletes can perform at world-class levels.
Q2. Long-term impact of involving youth in advocacy about disability?
A. It builds an inclusive mindset, reduces stigma, increases awareness, and pushes society toward equal opportunities.
Q3. Why is the title appropriate?
A. She turned a major setback into a life of achievement, showing truly limitless possibilities.
Q4. “Every setback is an opportunity…”—how is this a life lesson for all?
A. Everyone faces failures; this teaches us to treat setbacks as learning and growth, not as endings.
Q5. How does her global recognition contribute to gender equality in sports?
A. It increases visibility of women athletes, breaks stereotypes, and motivates more girls to participate.
Q6. How can ‘ability beyond disability’ guide future para-athletes?
A. It teaches them to focus on strengths, training, resilience and strategy, not limitations.
Q7. What have you learnt and how will you implement it?
A. I learnt self-belief and perseverance; I will implement it by staying consistent, accepting setbacks, and supporting inclusion.
Vocabulary and Structures in Context
I (Match the phrases + use in sentences)
Q. Match Column 1 with Column 2.
defy the odds → (iii)
a new lease of life → (v)
in hindsight → (iv)
breakthrough moment → (i)
turn obstacles into stepping stones → (ii)
Sentences (samples):
She defied the odds and succeeded.
Sports gave her a new lease of life.
In hindsight, she understood the value of that moment.
Winning at Rio was her breakthrough moment.
She turned obstacles into stepping stones through hard work.
II (Word cline: slowest → fastest)
crawl → creep → plod → amble → stroll → saunter → walk → jog → run → sprint → dart
III (Match the highlighted verbs with functions)
could hear → (v) past ability
couldn’t be helped → (vi) impossibility
should give → (iv) obligation
would win → (iii) prediction
IV (Make sentences for each function of modal verbs)
could
I could win if I practise. (possibility)
I could swim when I was five. (past ability / unreal ability can vary by context)
Could you help me? (request)
You could try again. (suggestion)
couldn’t
I couldn’t finish the test in time. (inability)
should
You should drink enough water. (advice)
She should reach soon. (probability)
would
Would you open the window? (request)
When I was young, I would play outside daily. (past habit)
V (Direct / Reported Speech + changes)
Q. The sentences given above are in _ (Direct/Reported). A. Direct Speech Q. The sentences given above are _ sentences.
A. Declarative
Changes to note (fill-ins):
Add reporting verb (said/says)
Add linking word that
Change tense where needed (have been → had been; love → loved)
Change pronouns (you → she; I → she)
VI (Reported speech conversion — Siya–Tarun)
Q. Change the conversation to reported speech (fill blanks 1–4).
A.
Siya said that she had watched a documentary on the para equestrian event on television the previous night.
Siya added that it did and it had been so interesting to watch.
Siya replied that they also had to find and develop their own style of communication with their horse.
Tarun said that he would watch that documentary the following weekend.
Listen and Respond (Announcement)
Q. Fill in the blanks (1–5).
A. (from the transcript)
school auditorium
Interact Club
diversity and acceptance
panel discussion
song
Speaking Activity (Interview prompts)
Q. Interview the Sports Captain (informal) and Sports Coach (formal).
A. This is an activity-based task. If you want, I can write two ready-made dialogues (one informal + one formal) using the exact prompts shown (tell me the sport you want: athletics/football/badminton, etc.).
How to Use These NCERT Solutions
Read the chapter carefully to understand the sequence of events and the key life lessons.
Try answering questions on your own before checking the answers. This will improve your thinking and writing.
Focus on themes like perseverance, determination, and inclusion because these are commonly asked in exams.
Why This Chapter is Important
This chapter highlights the idea that challenges can be turned into opportunities.
It shows how determination and self-belief help overcome limitations.
Questions from this chapter often test interpretation, values, and real-life application.
Who Should Use This
This content is useful for:
- Class 9 CBSE students
- Students preparing for English exams
- Learners focusing on value-based questions
- Students improving answer writing
