SEBA Class 9 English For Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It Important MCQs (2026–27) | Assam Eduverse
By Jamal Ali (M.Sc Physics, 5+ years teaching experience) · Reviewed by Editorial Board
SEBA Class 9 English For Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It Important MCQs are essential for understanding one of the most inspiring chapters in the 2026-27 Assam Board syllabus. This chapter highlights determination, passion, and the power of overcoming challenges, making it highly important for both conceptual clarity and exam preparation.
For complete understanding, students should explore detailed question answers of The Sound of Music along with chapterwise MCQ practice and refer to the latest SEBA syllabus. This combined approach helps improve comprehension, accuracy, and confidence in tackling both MCQs and descriptive questions effectively.
SEBA Class 9 English For Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It Important MCQs – Assam Board 2026–27 Exam Practice
Table of Contents
Before You Start
Read every question carefully. As soon as you tap an option, it is checked automatically — no need to press any button. The explanation unlocks right after you answer the question so that you can learn every concept properly.
Where was Evelyn going on her first day?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The chapter opens with a vibrant description of Evelyn standing on an underground train platform. She is traveling to London to join the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, which was a massive and daunting step for a young teenager from a quiet Scottish farm.
Option Analysis
- A. Royal College of Music is incorrect. While it is a real institution in London, the chapter specifically names the "Academy".
- C. Scottish Music School is incorrect because she was moving away from her homeland in Scotland to study in London.
- D. London Music Institute is an incorrect name not mentioned in the text.
Exam Tip
Be careful not to mix up "College" and "Academy". The textbook explicitly uses the word Academy. Double-checking this exact phrasing will prevent easy marks from slipping away.
Evelyn was nervous yet excited because she was going to ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Standing on the train platform, Evelyn felt the vibrations of the approaching train. She felt a mix of anxiety and excitement because this journey marked her very first day at the Royal Academy of Music. For a seventeen-year-old girl who was completely deaf, entering such a high-profile institution was both thrilling and terrifying.
Option Analysis
- A. give her first performance is incorrect as she was starting her studies as a student, not performing standard concerts yet.
- B. meet a famous musician is incorrect because the focus of her journey was starting her institutional education.
- D. travel abroad is incorrect because traveling from Scotland to England is a domestic journey within the UK, not traveling to a foreign country.
Exam Tip
Look out for questions that describe a character's mixed emotions. The text pairs Evelyn's nervousness directly with her anticipation of starting her classes at the Academy.
Evelyn Glennie was originally from ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The textbook explicitly states that Evelyn was a "fresh teenager from a Scottish farm." Moving from the quiet, rural countryside of Scotland straight into the fast-paced life of London added to her initial nervousness on the train platform.
Option Analysis
- A. England is incorrect; London, England is where she was traveling to, not where she grew up.
- B. Ireland is incorrect as it is never mentioned in relation to her background.
- D. Wales is incorrect and is simply used as a distractor option.
Exam Tip
Keep an eye on geographic changes in biographical texts. Remembering that she left a Scottish farm for a bustling London train station highlights the contrast in her early life.
Evelyn was profoundly ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The core theme of this chapter centers around how Evelyn overcame a massive physical challenge. She was profoundly deaf, meaning she could not hear sounds through her ears at all. Instead, she learned to connect with music by feeling vibrations through different parts of her body.
Option Analysis
- A. blind is incorrect; her sight was perfectly fine, allowing her to closely watch people's lip movements and expressions.
- C. lame is incorrect because she had full physical mobility and could play physically demanding percussion instruments.
- D. ill is incorrect; her condition was a specific sensory disability rather than an ongoing sickness or disease.
Exam Tip
The word "profoundly" means completely or deeply. Knowing this definition reinforces that her hearing loss wasn't just partial—it was absolute, making her musical achievements all the more extraordinary.
When was her deafness first noticed?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn's mother, Isabel Glennie, recalls the exact moment she realized something was wrong. Evelyn was eight years old and waiting to play the piano. When her name was called to perform, she didn't move or respond at all, revealing that she hadn't actually heard the announcement.
Option Analysis
- A. At the age of five is incorrect as she was still functioning with standard hearing during early childhood.
- C. At the age of eleven is incorrect because this is when her condition worsened severely and was formally confirmed by a specialist, not when it was first noticed.
- D. At the age of thirteen is incorrect and is not a timeline benchmark mentioned in the story.
Exam Tip
Pay close attention to the difference between when her condition was first noticed (8 years old) versus when it was officially confirmed and diagnosed by a specialist (11 years old). Examiners love to test students on this distinction!
Evelyn’s hearing loss was ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The narrative explains that Evelyn’s loss of hearing had been gradual. It didn't happen overnight; instead, it faded slowly over time. Because of this slow decline, she was actually able to manage and hide her growing disability from friends and teachers for quite a while.
Option Analysis
- A. sudden is incorrect because it implies her hearing vanished instantly, which contradicts the slow process detailed in the chapter.
- C. accidental is incorrect because the loss was caused by an internal biological condition, not an external injury.
- D. temporary is incorrect because her hearing loss was permanent and could not be medically reversed.
Exam Tip
The word "gradual" is a vital vocabulary term in this chapter. It highlights the emotional weight of the story—how the problem crept up on her slowly until it could no longer be ignored.
What was the main cause of Evelyn’s hearing problem?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
When Evelyn turned eleven, her school grades dropped significantly, prompting her mother to take her to a medical specialist. The doctor discovered that her hearing was severely impaired as a result of gradual nerve damage affecting her auditory system.
Option Analysis
- A. Birth defect is incorrect; she could hear perfectly fine as a young child.
- B. Accident is incorrect as no physical trauma or mishap is noted in her history.
- C. Viral infection is incorrect because the text specifically highlights the deterioration of the nerve itself rather than a basic disease.
Exam Tip
Make sure to memorize the specific medical reason mentioned in the textbook. The exact phrase to look for in your exam is "gradual nerve damage".
What were doctors’ advice to Evelyn after discovering her hearing problem?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Once the profound nerve damage was diagnosed, the medical specialist recommended that Evelyn be fitted with hearing aids to make use of any residual sound and be sent to a specialized school for deaf children, as a conventional school would no longer fit her needs.
Option Analysis
- A. Leave school is incorrect; the doctor wanted her to change environments to a specialized school, not quit education entirely.
- B. Take complete rest is incorrect because her condition was an irreversible sensory loss, not an injury requiring recovery time.
- D. Stop learning music is incorrect; the doctor didn't explicitly comment on her musical interests, though Evelyn felt that everything looked black initially.
Exam Tip
This advice marks the major turning point of the story. Remember both components of the recommendation: hearing aids AND a special school. Both elements are crucial for full marks in subjective answers too.
How did Evelyn react to her hearing disability?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
While the news was shocking and made her feel like her future was dark, Evelyn refused to submit to despair. She was determined not to let her disability define her. Instead, she chose to lead a normal life and firmly pursue her deep passion for music.
Option Analysis
- A. She became depressed is incorrect. Although she was initially shocked, her lasting reaction was one of pure determination, not defeat.
- B. She gave up music is incorrect; her entire journey shows she did the exact opposite by working even harder at it.
- D. She isolated herself is incorrect as she continued interacting openly and pushing boundaries in the mainstream music community.
Exam Tip
Evelyn's story is fundamentally about resilience. Whenever you see a question about her mindset, look for options that reflect determination, normalcy, and strong willpower.
Which instrument did Evelyn first decide to learn after seeing another girl play it?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
One day, Evelyn noticed a girl playing a specific percussion instrument and instantly decided that she wanted to play it too. That instrument was the xylophone. While most of her regular teachers discouraged her because of her deafness, percussionist Ron Forbes stepped in and saw her potential.
Option Analysis
- A. Piano is incorrect; while she did try to play the piano at age eight, the instrument that sparked her deliberate choice after seeing a peer play was the xylophone.
- B. Violin is incorrect and is not a core part of her early musical focus.
- D. Guitar is incorrect and acts simply as a distractor choice.
Exam Tip
The xylophone is the specific instrument that introduced her to percussion and set her on the path to master thousands of distinct instruments. Make sure to remember its spelling and reference context!
Who encouraged Evelyn to pursue music seriously?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
While most of Evelyn's teachers discouraged her after discovering her hearing loss, percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her potential. He didn't look at her deafness as a dead end. Instead, he actively encouraged her to stick with music and changed her life by showing her a completely new way to listen.
Option Analysis
- A. James Blades is incorrect. He was a famous master percussionist who praised her later in life, but he was not the teacher who originally discovered and encouraged her.
- B. Her mother is incorrect. While supportive, her mother didn't have the musical expertise to guide her past the disability.
- D. The headmistress is incorrect because she had actually advised Evelyn's parents to take her to a school for the deaf, rather than push for a mainstream music career.
Exam Tip
Ron Forbes is the ultimate mentor figure in this chapter. Remember his name clearly; he is the one who unlocked Evelyn's talent when the rest of the world doubted her.
Ron Forbes asked Evelyn to feel music through ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Ron Forbes gave Evelyn a crucial piece of advice: "Don't listen through your ears, try to sense it some other way." He began by tuning two large drums to different notes, training her to feel the physical vibrations and resonance through different parts of her body instead of relying on sound waves.
Option Analysis
- A. her ears is incorrect because her auditory nerves were completely damaged.
- B. hearing aids is incorrect because she moved past relying on basic ear amplification to connect deeply with the music.
- D. lip reading is incorrect. While she used lip reading to understand spoken conversation, it wasn't the method she used to perceive musical notes.
Exam Tip
The word "vibrations" is the key to understanding Evelyn's entire musical philosophy. Sound is essentially vibration, and by shifting from "hearing" to "sensing," she completely bypassed her disability.
Evelyn realized she could feel the higher drum from her ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
As Ron Forbes beat the two large drums, Evelyn made an amazing discovery. She noticed that she could feel the faster, higher-pitched frequencies of the higher drum in the upper half of her body, specifically from the waist up.
Option Analysis
- A. fingers is incorrect; while she later felt sound through her fingertips using drumsticks, her initial breakthrough with the high drum was in her upper torso.
- C. feet and D. shoulders are incorrect because they don't match the specific anatomical breakdown given in the text.
Exam Tip
Keep the split clear in your mind: Higher drum = Waist up. It helps to imagine high notes floating upward to remember this detail easily.
She felt the lower drum from her ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
During the same exercise with Ron Forbes, Evelyn realized that the deep, heavy thuds of the lower drum didn't register in her upper body. Instead, she felt those specific low-frequency vibrations from the waist down, tracking them through her legs and feet.
Option Analysis
- A. head and B. chest are incorrect because they belong to the upper section of the body, which picked up higher pitches.
- D. hands is incorrect as it does not align with the textbook's description of how she split her physical awareness to process the two drums.
Exam Tip
Pair these two companion facts together for your study notes: Higher drum = Waist up, and Lower drum = Waist down. These show up frequently as a pair in exams!
At what age did Evelyn decide to make music her life?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra during her early teens. By the time she turned 16, she had experienced the power of performance firsthand and made the firm, definitive choice to dedicate her entire life to music.
Option Analysis
- A. 14 and B. 15 are incorrect because she was still exploring her limits and touring with the youth group during these years.
- D. 18 is incorrect. By age 17 she was already entering the Royal Academy, meaning her life decision was cemented at 16.
Exam Tip
Don't confuse the age when she made music her life (16) with the age when she traveled to London to audition for the Royal Academy (17). Remembering this order keeps your timeline accurate.
How did Evelyn perform in her audition at the Royal Academy of Music?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
When Evelyn auditioned for the world-renowned Royal Academy of Music, her performance was absolutely stellar. Despite her complete inability to hear, she stunned the judges and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy's auditions.
Option Analysis
- A. She barely passed is incorrect because her entrance performance was historic and exceptional, not borderline.
- B. She failed is completely wrong as it contradicts the entire success story of her enrollment.
- D. She withdrew is incorrect since she went on to complete a full three-year course there.
Exam Tip
The phrase "one of the highest marks in the history of the academy" highlights just how extraordinary her innate talent and body-sensing technique really were. It is a key detail highlighting her excellence.
Gradually, Evelyn moved from orchestral work to ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
At the start of her studies, Evelyn performed as part of a collective group in an orchestra. However, as her confidence grew and her unique skill set advanced over her three-year course, she began moving away from group dynamics to focus completely on solo performances.
Option Analysis
- A. teaching is incorrect. While she did perform inside prisons and hospitals later, her primary career shift was stepping out as a headline soloist.
- B. composing and D. conducting are incorrect occupations that are not mentioned as her main professional transition in the text.
Exam Tip
Pay attention to career progressions in biographies. Moving from "orchestral work" to "solo performances" indicates her growth into a confident, independent global icon.
Evelyn became famous as a master of ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn's global fame rests on her unbelievable versatility. She achieved mastery over an extensive array of thousands of different percussion instruments (like drums, xylophones, and cymbals), bringing percussion to the very front of the modern concert stage.
Option Analysis
- A. string instruments (like violins) and B. wind instruments (like flutes) are incorrect, as these families don't produce the heavy structural vibrations she needed to feel music.
- D. keyboard instruments is incorrect because, although she practiced the piano early on, her primary domain of mastery was percussion.
Exam Tip
"Percussion" refers to instruments that make sound when hit, shaken, or scraped. Knowing this musical classification helps connect why it was the perfect fit for someone sensing music through touch and vibration.
Evelyn does not consider herself a hero because she believes that ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn displays deep humility despite her massive global achievements. She strongly believes in a simple, straightforward formula: "If you work hard and know where you are going, you will get there." She looks at her path as the result of simple effort rather than heroic magic.
Option Analysis
- A. she is lucky is incorrect because she places all the emphasis on her personal grit and relentless work ethic, not chance.
- C. music is easy is incorrect; her journey required intense, grueling, daily focus.
- D. she had support is incorrect in this context, because she points directly to personal aim and sweat as the core reasons behind reaching a goal.
Exam Tip
This question directly touches on the moral theme of the lesson. Keep her exact quote in mind regarding clear goals and hard work—it's highly relevant for long-answer character sketches too!
What quality best describes Evelyn’s attitude towards work?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn explicitly calls herself a "workaholic" in the text. She confesses that she simply feels an unstoppable urge to keep working, often putting in hours that are far longer and more intense than even classical orchestral musicians.
Option Analysis
- A. Careless and B. Lazy are completely incorrect as her entire career is defined by flawless precision and extreme diligence.
- D. Indifferent is incorrect because she is deeply passionate and cares intensely about her craft.
Exam Tip
A "workaholic" is someone who chooses to work excessively because they love what they do or feel a compulsive drive to succeed. This exact vocabulary term is used by Evelyn herself in the text, making it a high-probability exam item.
Assertion (A): Evelyn could speak clearly. Reason (R): She could hear perfectly.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The text reveals that Evelyn speaks with a flawless Scottish accent. She explains her clear speech by saying, "My speech is clear because I could hear till I was eleven." Therefore, Assertion (A) is completely true. However, Reason (R) is completely false because she lost her hearing gradually and became profoundly deaf later in life.
Option Analysis
- A and B are incorrect because Reason (R) states she could hear perfectly, which directly contradicts her diagnosis of profound hearing impairment.
- D is incorrect because it falsely claims that Evelyn could not speak clearly.
Exam Tip
In Assertion-Reason questions, check each statement independently first. Since we know from the chapter that Evelyn is deaf, any statement claiming she can "hear perfectly" is immediately false, making option C the only logical choice.
Assertion (A): Evelyn learned French and mastered basic Japanese. Reason (R): She believed she could hear well.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn's incredible determination wasn't limited to music; she also broke down linguistic barriers. She managed to learn French and master basic Japanese through sheer willpower and close visual observation, making Assertion (A) true. Reason (R) is false because her language acquisition relied on visual cues and physical resonance, not on a belief that she could hear sound normally.
Option Analysis
- A and D are incorrect because Reason (R) is factually incorrect according to the text.
- B is incorrect because Assertion (A) accurately records her linguistic achievements.
Exam Tip
Evelyn's mastery of French and Japanese is a brilliant example to quote when writing long answers about her unbreakable determination and focus.
How does Evelyn say music enters her body?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn explains that music isn't just something to be collected by ears; it is a full physical experience. She states that it "pours in through every part" of her, specifically tingling in her skin, her cheekbones, and even through the individual strands of her hair via physical vibrations.
Option Analysis
- A. Through her ears is incorrect because her biological hearing path was completely non-functional.
- C. Through hearing aids is incorrect as she performed without depending on traditional auditory assistance devices.
- D. Through lip reading is incorrect because lip reading applies only to interpreting spoken words, not musical soundscapes.
Exam Tip
Look out for the phrase "every part of her body" or "skin and cheekbones" in the text. Evelyn redefined listening as a tactile, whole-body experience.
When playing the xylophone, she senses the sound through the ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
When Evelyn performs on the xylophone, she stands close to the instrument holding her mallets. The textbook notes that by leaning against the instrument and holding the mallets tightly, she can literally feel the sound traveling up the stick straight into her fingertips.
Option Analysis
- B. air around her is too vague and does not track the specific tactile channel mentioned in the text.
- C. hearing machine is incorrect because she does not rely on mechanical devices during her musical work.
- D. audience reaction is incorrect because she guides her playing through internal timing and tactile sense, not by watching people.
Exam Tip
Make a mental note of how different instruments map to her body parts. For the **xylophone**, the text explicitly connects the sensation to her **fingertips** via the sticks.
Why does Evelyn remove her shoes while playing on a wooden platform?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Whenever Evelyn performs on an elevated wooden stage, she intentionally removes her shoes. Going barefoot allows the resonant acoustic vibrations of the percussion instruments to travel directly through the bare wooden floor, up into her bare feet, and right up her legs.
Option Analysis
- A. For comfort and B. For style are incorrect as her choice is entirely practical and driven by her unique method of sensing sound.
- D. To move freely is incorrect because the primary purpose is sensory reception rather than physical agility.
Exam Tip
This is one of the most famous and frequently examined details from the text. Always link the act of **removing shoes** directly to **feeling vibrations travel up her legs**.
Who presented Evelyn with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Prestigious Soloist of the Year Award in 1991?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
In the year 1991, Evelyn received one of the absolute highest honors in the global classical music community: the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Soloist of the Year Award. The text frames this moment with a powerful quote from master percussionist James Blades, celebrating her historic achievement.
Option Analysis
- A. Ron Forbes is incorrect. He was her early childhood teacher, not the official figurehead associated with this elite 1991 society award.
- B. The Royal Academy is incorrect; while she studied there, the award itself was administered by the Royal Philharmonic Society.
- D. Her headmistress is incorrect as she belongs exclusively to Evelyn's early school years in Scotland.
Exam Tip
Be sure to correlate the year **1991**, the **Soloist of the Year Award**, and the master percussionist **James Blades** together in your revisions.
According to James Blades, what did God give Evelyn in place of her hearing?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
James Blades beautifully summarized Evelyn's genius by saying: "God may have taken her hearing, but he has given her back something extraordinary. What we hear, she feels—far more deeply than any of us." This deep emotional connection explains why she creates such breathtakingly beautiful music.
Option Analysis
- A. Fame and B. Wealth are incorrect because James Blades focused his comment entirely on her art and artistic perception rather than material success.
- D. Supporters is incorrect and does not reflect the famous quote.
Exam Tip
This specific quote by James Blades forms the foundational epigraph/theme of the text. It perfectly captures how a structural loss was transformed into an artistic superpower.
Evelyn gives free concerts in ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Apart from her high-profile commercial classical tours, Evelyn dedicates her time to philanthropic social causes. She regularly performs completely free charity concerts in institutional settings like prisons and hospitals, bringing hope and therapy through percussion.
Option Analysis
- A. schools and colleges is incorrect; although she gives high priority to classes for young musicians, her completely free, chart-topping charity concerts are explicitly tied to prisons and hospitals.
- C. villages and D. theatres are incorrect locations that do not match the textbook's record of her philanthropy.
Exam Tip
When asked about Evelyn’s social contributions or kind nature, always remember the combination: **prisons** and **hospitals**.
Which institution named her as an inspiration for deaf children?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Ann Ribbon, a representative of the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children, explicitly points to Evelyn as a shining beacon of hope. The organization highlights that Evelyn proves to young children facing physical limitations that there is absolutely nowhere they cannot go.
Option Analysis
- A, B, and D are all legitimate musical bodies mentioned elsewhere in connection with her education and awards, but they are not the entity that designated her specifically as an inspiration for deaf youth.
Exam Tip
Associate the word **"Deaf Children"** in the question directly with the **Beethoven Fund** in the options. This keyword match ensures you never pick the wrong institution by mistake.
Evelyn believes the secret of success is ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn rejects the idea that her success is a miracle. She maintains that if a person combines deep hard work with a crystal-clear sense of target direction, success becomes inevitable. Her life stands as an absolute monument to tireless effort.
Option Analysis
- A. talent alone is incorrect because raw talent without application would have left her restricted by her physical barriers.
- B. luck and D. connections are incorrect because she points entirely to internal drive and labor as the keys to the kingdom.
Exam Tip
"Hard work" and "knowing your goal" form the dual mantra of Evelyn Glennie. Keep this core theme handy for direct values-based long questions.
Assertion (A): Evelyn toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra. Reason (R): She wanted to become famous quickly.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
During her early teens, Evelyn did indeed join a youth orchestra and complete a collaborative tour around the United Kingdom, which makes Assertion (A) accurate. However, Reason (R) is completely false because she participated to hone her artistic skills and share her love of music, not out of a superficial desire for instant fame.
Option Analysis
- A and D are incorrect because the Reason statement attributes a cheap motive to Evelyn that is completely out of line with her modest character.
- B is incorrect because the tour itself is a solid, verified historical event in her timeline.
Exam Tip
Always filter motive-based options through the lens of Evelyn’s character. She is consistently portrayed as humble and completely dedicated to her craft, meaning choices implying greed or a hunger for quick fame will be incorrect.
Assertion (A): Evelyn’s marks deteriorated in school. Reason (R): Her deafness increased over time.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Between the ages of eight and eleven, Evelyn tried to hide her growing hearing loss from her peers and teachers. However, because her deafness was gradual and increasing over time, she missed vital classroom instruction, which directly caused her school marks to deteriorate. Therefore, both statements are true, and the reason perfectly explains the assertion.
Option Analysis
- B is incorrect because there is a direct, solid cause-and-effect connection between her failing hearing and her falling academic grades.
- C and D are incorrect because both components are factually true according to the textbook.
Exam Tip
To test if a Reason properly explains an Assertion, read the assertion, add the word **"because"**, and then read the reason. If it makes perfect logical sense, option A is your answer.
What did Evelyn’s headmistress advise her parents to do?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
By the time Evelyn turned eleven, her academic performance had plunged dramatically. Seeing this steep decline, her headmistress strongly urged her parents to take her to a medical specialist to figure out the root cause of her learning issues, which led directly to the discovery of her nerve damage.
Option Analysis
- A. Remove her from school is incorrect; the headmistress advised getting professional help first, rather than instantly expelling or removing her.
- B. Send her abroad is an incorrect distractor not mentioned anywhere in her early childhood timeline.
- D. Make her stop music is incorrect because her musical challenges weren't the issue at that point in time.
Exam Tip
Remember that the headmistress's intervention was the catalyst that led to her official diagnosis. The key vocabulary word to look for is "specialist".
How does Evelyn understand conversations?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
When chatting with people, Evelyn doesn't just look at their mouths. She notes humorously that lip-reading isn't the whole trick; she actually relies on reading the speaker's entire face, paying special attention to their eyes to catch emotional subtleties and hidden context.
Option Analysis
- A. By hearing aids is incorrect because she manages conversation without relying on functional hearing devices.
- B. By watching lips only is incorrect because the textbook explicitly clarifies that it takes more than just the lips—the whole facial expression matters.
- D. By asking repeatedly is wrong and contradicts her smooth, confident conversational style.
Exam Tip
Be careful with options containing limiting words like "only". The textbook explicitly widens the scope beyond just lips by using the phrase "the whole face, especially the eyes".
Which institution named her as an inspiration for deaf children?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn's entire biographical profile is defined by an absolute refusal to surrender to her physical circumstances. When faced with a profound disability, she chose to push forward rather than quit, making determined the single best descriptive adjective for her personality.
Option Analysis
- A. Weak is the complete opposite of her resilient character.
- C. Arrogant is incorrect because the text repeatedly highlights her basic humility and down-to-earth perspective on success.
- D. Careless is incorrect because her global mastery over thousands of percussion instruments required incredible discipline and precision.
Exam Tip
Character trait questions require you to look at the big picture of the lesson. Evelyn's journey is a case study in **unshakable determination**.
Evelyn says music “pours in” through ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn explicitly uses the phrase "pours in" to explain how sound interacts with her anatomy. She explains that the art does not rely on a single gateway; instead, it travels through every single part of her body, bypassing damaged ears to find entry points through touch, bones, and skin.
Option Analysis
- A. her ears is wrong because her hearing was entirely non-functional.
- B. her fingers only and D. her mind only are too narrow and contradict the text's broad focus on whole-body sensory resonance.
Exam Tip
The quote "It pours in through every part of my body" is Evelyn's definitive description of her artistic process. Memorizing this exact phrase will ensure you get top marks on theme-based questions.
The word ‘tingles’ in the chapter means ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
When Evelyn explains how sound travels through her skin, she mentions that the notes "tingle". In this context, to tingle means to cause a slight pricking, stinging, or vibrating sensation, which indicates that her nerves are actively registering acoustic waves through touch.
Option Analysis
- A. burns and C. hurts badly are incorrect because the sensation isn't painful; it is a delicate, artistic way of feeling texture.
- D. becomes numb is the exact opposite of tingling, as numbness means a total absence of feeling.
Exam Tip
Vocabulary questions test your contextual comprehension. Think of the light, dynamic buzz of a drum skin to easily connect "tingle" to a **slight pricking or vibrating sensation**.
What does the word ‘resonances’ mean in the chapter?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The text states that by leaning against the drums, Evelyn can feel the "resonances" flowing into her body. The word resonances refers to the deep, multiplying echoes or prolonged vibrations of sounds that continue to reverberate after an instrument is struck.
Option Analysis
- A. Loud noises is incorrect because resonance is about the quality and extension of a sound, not just its basic volume.
- B. Musical beats is incorrect because beats refer to individual rhythmic intervals, whereas resonance refers to the lingering echo.
- D. Instruments is a structural category error; instruments produce the sound, they are not the sound itself.
Exam Tip
In physics and music, resonance is all about deep, carrying vibrations that echo and linger. Remembering this scientific crossover makes choosing **echoes of sounds** incredibly easy.
Evelyn removed her shoes so that vibrations could pass through her ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The textbook explicitly states that on a wooden platform, Evelyn removes her footwear so that the sonic waves can travel directly through her bare feet and climb straight up into her legs. This physical track acts as her primary way to stay in perfect time with the rhythm.
Option Analysis
- A. hands is incorrect because removing shoes directly impacts her lower limbs, not her hands.
- B. legs is only partially correct; option C provides the complete, accurate physical pathway described in the text.
- D. shoulders is incorrect as it belongs to her upper body.
Exam Tip
When two choices look similar (like "legs" vs "bare feet and up her legs"), always opt for the more detailed, precise description that mirrors the exact wording used in the textbook.
Assertion (A): Evelyn never missed a word in discussions. Reason (R): She could hear everything clearly.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The narrative highlights Evelyn’s flawless engagement by noting that she followed conversations without missing a beat, making Assertion (A) completely true. However, Reason (R) is false because her perfect understanding wasn't achieved by biological hearing; it was the result of incredibly sharp lip-reading, eye tracking, and facial observation.
Option Analysis
- A is wrong because Reason (R) completely misstates her physical reality by claiming she could hear.
- C and D are incorrect because the assertion correctly states that she never missed a word during long discussions.
Exam Tip
Always remember that Evelyn’s ability to follow spoken language flawlessly is a testament to her hyper-focused **visual concentration** (reading faces and eyes), not a sign that her physical hearing somehow returned.
Evelyn’s loss of hearing made her feel ______ initially.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
When the specialist officially confirmed her severe hearing impairment at age eleven, Evelyn recalls that her immediate internal reaction was massive disbelief. She describes that moment by saying, "Suddenly everything looked black." This heavy realization left her completely shocked before she eventually found the strength to fight back.
Option Analysis
- A. confident is incorrect because no one feels instantly self-assured when discovering a profound physical disability.
- B. hopeless is incorrect because, while she was deeply rattled, her ultimate journey proved she never gave up hope.
- D. unaware is incorrect because the official medical confirmation made her acutely aware of her condition.
Exam Tip
Notice the timeline keyword **"initially"**. It asks for her immediate emotional response right after the diagnosis. The phrase *"everything looked black"* directly corresponds to the feeling of being **shocked**.
What challenge did Evelyn face at the Royal Academy?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Entering the world-famous Royal Academy of Music is incredibly competitive for anyone, but Evelyn's primary hurdle was unique: she was entering a mainstream environment while being profoundly deaf. She had to master complex musical pieces and follow instructors without relying on traditional audio cues.
Option Analysis
- A. Financial problems is an outside detail not mentioned as an obstacle in the text.
- B. Language barrier is incorrect; although she was from Scotland, she spoke English perfectly and later learned foreign languages by choice.
- D. Lack of support is incorrect because mentors like Ron Forbes had already given her the foundation to succeed.
Exam Tip
The core conflict of the entire text is her sensory limitation versus her artistic ambition. Therefore, her primary challenge at the institution will always center on her **profound deafness**.
What role did Ron Forbes play in Evelyn’s life?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Ron Forbes was the visionary percussionist who looked past Evelyn’s disability. When other educators saw a dead end, Forbes spotted her hidden potential, tuned two large drums, and actively guided her on how to feel time, pulse, and pitch through different sections of her body.
Option Analysis
- A. He discouraged her is the exact opposite of the truth; he was her biggest champion early on.
- C. He awarded her is incorrect because he was a teacher, not the head of an elite award society.
- D. He treated her illness is structurally incorrect; he was a musician, not a medical doctor.
Exam Tip
Think of Ron Forbes as the master key that unlocked her future. Any question about his character should focus on **discovery, guidance, inspiration, and tactile training**.
Why is it intriguing to watch Evelyn perform?
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Audiences and critics find Evelyn's shows absolutely fascinating because of a striking paradox: she plays intricate, rapid percussion pieces with complete ease and fluid perfection without ever actually hearing the notes through her ears. This effortless mastery looks almost magical to the observer.
Option Analysis
- A. She performs slowly is incorrect because her playing is noted for incredible speed, rhythm, and technical accuracy.
- B. She performs angrily is incorrect and misrepresents her bright, deeply creative emotional presence on stage.
- D. She uses technology is incorrect because her method relies on basic physical touch, raw skin contact, and wooden resonance, not digital audio gear.
Exam Tip
The word "intriguing" means fascinating or mysterious. What mystifies the audience is how someone can be in perfect sync with an orchestra **effortlessly without the ability to hear**.
Evelyn’s speech is clear because ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Evelyn addresses people's surprise at her clear speech by pointing to a specific chronological fact: she could hear normally up until the age of eleven. Because her vocal development occurred while her hearing was intact, she had already successfully learned the phonetic sounds and cadences of language.
Option Analysis
- A. she practices daily is a general guess that isn't the primary explanation she provides in the textbook.
- B. she can hear till she was eleven uses incorrect grammatical tense ("can hear" implies current ability, which is wrong).
- D. she uses a machine is incorrect because her speaking voice is entirely natural.
Exam Tip
Watch your grammar options closely here! Options B and C look almost identical. Always select option C because it uses the correct past tense **"could hear"** to match the historical timeline of her life.
Assertion (A): Evelyn believes she is extraordinary. Reason (R): She refuses to accept any hint of heroic achievement.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
Assertion (A) is completely false because Evelyn does not look at herself as an out-of-this-world or miraculous being. Conversely, Reason (R) is true because she actively declines any credit for heroic achievements, stating simply that her position is the straightforward result of working relentlessly toward a defined goal.
Option Analysis
- A and B are incorrect because Evelyn explicitly pushes back against the label of being an extraordinary hero.
- D is wrong because the Reason statement accurately pinpoints her legendary humility.
Exam Tip
This highlights the theme of humility. Evelyn views herself as a regular individual who simply pushed her boundaries through labor. Hence, the claim that she *believes she is extraordinary* will always be false.
Evelyn has given inspiration especially to ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
While Evelyn's art delights standard concertgoers, her journey has had its deepest impact on the disabled community. The text notes that handicapped people look up to her as a real-world proof of capability, telling themselves: "If she can do it, I can too."
Option Analysis
- A. musicians is partially true because she moved percussion to the front of the stage, but the textbook explicitly focuses its emotional conclusion on her impact as an icon for the handicapped.
- B. teachers and D. doctors are broad profession groups that don't match the specific demographic target highlighted in the final paragraphs.
Exam Tip
Keep an eye out for text-specific words. The textbook explicitly uses the word **"handicapped"** to categorize the group that derives the most significant, life-altering inspiration from her triumphs.
The main theme of the chapter is ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The ultimate goal of this biographical piece is to show students that physical limitations cannot block human potential if there is enough internal drive. The core moral lesson rests on the unbeatable power of absolute determination and unrelenting hard work to overcome any roadblock life throws down.
Option Analysis
- A. Importance of awards is incorrect because medals are shown as minor results of her journey, not the core point.
- C. Difficulties of music is too negative and ignores her ultimate success story.
- D. Life in Scotland is incorrect as her homeland serves only as a brief setting for her early childhood background.
Exam Tip
Theme-based questions assess the moral takeaway of the narrative. Evelyn’s quote about targeting a goal and putting in the sweat points straight to **determination and hard work** as the central message.
Evelyn proved that deafness is ______.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
By rising to the top of the international classical music community while unable to hear sound waves, Evelyn shattered old social stereotypes. She served as living proof to the world that an organic physical condition like deafness is absolutely not an insurmountable barrier to achieving massive personal success.
Option Analysis
- A, B, and D are deeply negative options that completely contradict the uplifting, triumphant, and boundary-breaking conclusion of her biography.
Exam Tip
Evelyn’s legacy is purely positive. Look for options that emphasize **breaking boundaries, overcoming limitations, or unlocking success** despite physical odds.
The chapter ends by highlighting that Evelyn has given ______ to millions.
✅ Correct Answer
Concept Explanation
The very final sentence of the biographical text summarizes her massive impact on cultural history. It states clearly that, above all else, through her breathtaking artistry and beautiful multi-percussion acoustic sets, she has given enormous pleasure to millions of music lovers across the world.
Option Analysis
- A. advice and D. training are minor elements of her Masterclasses, but they do not match the grand scale of the text's final closing statement.
- B. money is wrong because her main gift to the public is her transformative music rather than financial charity.
Exam Tip
Commit the exact final phrases of your textbook chapters to memory. The text literally wraps up using the exact phrase "enormous pleasure to millions", making this a highly predictable factual question.
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SEBA Class 9 English For Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It Important MCQs – Complete Chapter Guide | Assam Eduverse
“The Sound of Music” is divided into two inspiring parts—Part I focuses on Evelyn Glennie, a world-famous percussionist who overcame her hearing disability, while Part II highlights the life of Bismillah Khan, a legendary shehnai player. Both parts are equally important in the SEBA Class 9 English syllabus and are frequently asked in exams.
Part I, “For Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It,” is especially significant because it teaches students about determination, hard work, and the ability to overcome physical limitations. Evelyn Glennie’s journey shows how strong willpower and dedication can help achieve success despite challenges. This makes the chapter both motivational and important from an exam perspective.
Practicing seba class 9 evelyn glennie mcqs helps students focus on key details such as her early life, struggles, training, and achievements. These MCQs are designed to test comprehension and understanding of important facts, which are often directly asked in exams.
In addition, solving class 9 seba english important mcqs regularly improves accuracy and speed. Since MCQs carry a major portion of marks in the written exam, mastering them ensures that students can secure high scores with confidence.
Students should also practice seba class 9 english evelyn glennie objective questions to strengthen their understanding of the chapter’s key concepts. Questions are often based on her methods of sensing vibrations, her training under Ron Forbes, and her achievements as a musician.
Similarly, Part II about Bismillah Khan is equally important, as it highlights Indian culture, tradition, and the importance of music in society. Understanding both parts together helps students prepare comprehensively for the exam.
To enhance preparation, students can refer to Assam Board MCQ collections for broader practice. Additionally, exploring Assamese medium solutions can help students understand concepts in their preferred language, while Assam Board syllabus ensures alignment with the latest exam pattern.
Overall, this chapter is highly scoring when prepared properly. With a strong focus on concepts, regular MCQ practice, and proper revision, students can confidently answer any question from both parts of “The Sound of Music.” This structured preparation not only improves marks but also inspires students through real-life success stories, making learning both effective and meaningful.
Frequently Asked Questions – The Sound of Music (SEBA Class 9 English)
1. Who was Evelyn Glennie and why is she important?
Evelyn Glennie was a deaf percussionist who became world-famous through her determination and hard work, inspiring students with her success story.
2. What is the main message of The Sound of Music Part I?
The chapter teaches that physical disabilities cannot stop a person from achieving success if they have dedication, confidence, and strong determination.
3. Who was Bismillah Khan in The Sound of Music Part II?
Bismillah Khan was a legendary shehnai player who popularized the instrument and contributed greatly to Indian classical music.
4. Why is The Sound of Music important for SEBA Class 9 exams?
This chapter is important because it includes key themes, character-based questions, and factual details frequently asked in MCQs and descriptive sections.
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