How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

NCERT Class 9 · English Based on NCERT Class 9 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview

This chapter is a heartwarming autobiographical narrative by Sudha Murty about her twelve-year-old self teaching her sixty-two-year-old grandmother, Krishtakka, to read the Kannada alphabet. It exists in the syllabus to highlight the values of determination, respect for teachers, the importance of literacy, and the idea that learning has no age bar. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that true independence comes from education, and a teacher deserves respect regardless of age or gender.

Key Concepts (23)

Protagonist

The main character in a story, play, or novel around whom the plot revolves.

e.g. In this story, the grandmother identifies herself with the protagonist of the novel 'Kashi Yatre', an old lady who desires to go to Kashi.

Debate

A formal discussion on a particular topic in which opposing arguments are put forward.

e.g. The grandmother would discuss the latest episode of 'Kashi Yatre' with her friends, and there was much debate about the story.

Episode

One part of a story that is published or broadcast in several parts.

e.g. Every Wednesday, the narrator would read the next episode of 'Kashi Yatre' to her grandmother.

Community

A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

e.g. The story mentions a group of children who worked with the community to spread literacy.

Concentration

The action or power of focusing one's attention or mental effort.

e.g. The grandmother would listen to the story with the greatest concentration, forgetting all her work.

Eagerly

In a manner that shows keen interest or intense desire.

e.g. All of them would wait eagerly for the bus that brought the papers, weekly magazines, and post.

Convincing

Capable of causing someone to believe that something is true or real.

e.g. Triveni's writing style was easy to read and very convincing, dealing with complex psychological problems.

Ardent

Very enthusiastic or passionate; keen.

e.g. The old lady in 'Kashi Yatre' had an ardent desire to go to Kashi or Varanasi.

Savouring

Enjoying something to the fullest; tasting or experiencing with delight.

e.g. The children enjoyed themselves thoroughly at the wedding, savouring the freedom because all the elders were busy.

Immensely

To a very great degree; extremely.

e.g. The narrator loved her grandmother immensely and knew there had to be a reason for her talking in the middle of the night.

Taken aback

Surprised or shocked by something unexpected.

e.g. The narrator was taken aback when her grandmother touched her feet, as elders never touch the feet of youngsters.

Independent

Free from outside control; not subject to another's authority; self-sufficient.

e.g. The grandmother wanted to learn to read so she could be independent and not have to rely on others.

Determination

Firmness of purpose; resoluteness.

e.g. The grandmother showed great determination when she decided to learn the Kannada alphabet at the age of sixty-two.

Obstacle

A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.

e.g. The grandmother believed that for a good cause, if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle.

Age bar

A restriction based on age; an age limit.

e.g. The grandmother stated, 'For learning there is no age bar,' meaning anyone can learn at any age.

Namaskara

A traditional Indian greeting or gesture of respect, made by joining the palms together.

e.g. The narrator returned her grandmother's namaskara by touching her feet as a mark of respect.

Passed with flying colours

To succeed brilliantly; to perform outstandingly well in a test or examination.

e.g. The narrator knew that her student had passed with flying colours when her grandmother read the title of the novel 'Kashi Yatre' immediately.

Saraswati Puja

A Hindu festival dedicated to the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, and learning, celebrated during the Dassara festival.

e.g. The grandmother set Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as the deadline by which she wanted to be able to read a novel on her own.

Kashi Yatre

A novel by Triveni, serialised in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera, about an old lady's ardent desire to go to Kashi (Varanasi).

e.g. The grandmother was deeply interested in the story of Kashi Yatre and identified herself with its protagonist.

Triveni

A very popular writer in the Kannada language, known for her easy-to-read and convincing style dealing with complex psychological problems of ordinary people.

e.g. Triveni's novel 'Kashi Yatre' was appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera.

Avva

The Kannada word for 'mother' as spoken in north Karnataka, used by the narrator to address her grandmother.

e.g. The narrator called her grandmother 'Avva', which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.

Punya

A Sanskrit term meaning merit, virtue, or righteous action; in Hinduism, it is the ultimate spiritual benefit.

e.g. Most Hindus believe that going to Kashi and worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate punya.

Hide and seek

A children's game in which one player hides and others try to find them.

e.g. After hearing the story, the grandmother would join her friends at the temple courtyard where children would gather to play hide and seek.

How It Works

The grandmother's journey from dependence to independence through literacy

Step 1: The grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school and could not read, so she relied on her granddaughter to read the weekly episodes of 'Kashi Yatre' to her.
Step 2: When the narrator went away for a week, the grandmother received the magazine but could not understand anything written, feeling dependent and helpless.
Step 3: The grandmother decided to learn the Kannada alphabet from the next day, setting Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline to read a novel independently.
Step 4: The narrator initially laughed at her grandmother's decision, making fun of her age, grey hair, wrinkled hands, and spectacles.
Step 5: The grandmother remained determined, stating that for a good cause, one can overcome any obstacle and that there is no age bar for learning.
Step 6: The narrator started teaching her grandmother daily. The grandmother worked hard — reading, repeating, writing, and reciting.
Step 7: On Dassara, the grandmother called the narrator to the puja place, gave her a gift of frock material, and touched her feet as a mark of respect for her teacher.
Step 8: The grandmother opened the novel 'Kashi Yatre' and read the title and publisher's name immediately, proving she had passed with flying colours.

💡 Students often forget that the grandmother's motivation was not just to read a story, but to gain independence and self-respect. The touching of feet is a key exam point — it shows respect for a teacher irrespective of age or gender.

The narrative structure of the story (flashback and cause-effect)

Step 1: The story begins with the narrator describing her childhood in a village in north Karnataka with her grandparents.
Step 2: It introduces the context — the delayed arrival of newspapers and magazines, and the popularity of writer Triveni.
Step 3: The narrator explains the serial 'Kashi Yatre' and her grandmother's deep interest in it.
Step 4: The narrator goes to a wedding for a week, and upon return finds her grandmother in tears — a cause-effect moment.
Step 5: The grandmother reveals her helplessness and desire to learn, leading to the resolution of the story.
Step 6: The story concludes with the grandmother successfully reading the novel and honouring her teacher.

💡 Students must understand that the story uses a first-person narrative and a flashback technique. The cause-effect table in the textbook is a common exam question — for example, the cause 'narrator went to a wedding for a week' leads to the effect 'grandmother was in tears because she could not read the story herself'.

Formation of words using prefixes (un-, ir-, in-, im-, dis-)

Step 1: Identify the base word from the text, e.g., 'popular', 'belief', 'important', 'respect', 'correct', 'continue', 'understand', 'ordinary', 'interesting', 'possible'.
Step 2: Choose the appropriate prefix to give an opposite or negative meaning.
Step 3: Add the prefix to the base word to form the new word, e.g., 'un' + 'popular' = 'unpopular'; 'dis' + 'belief' = 'disbelief'; 'im' + 'possible' = 'impossible'; 'ir' + 'respective' = 'irrespective'; 'in' + 'correct' = 'incorrect'; 'dis' + 'continue' = 'discontinue'; 'mis' + 'understand' = 'misunderstand'; 'extra' + 'ordinary' = 'extraordinary'; 'un' + 'interesting' = 'uninteresting'; 'im' + 'portant' = 'unimportant' (though 'unimportant' is more common, the text uses 'unimportant' as a variant).

💡 Students often confuse prefixes. For example, 'irrespective' is formed from 'ir-' + 'respective', not 'in-'. Also, 'unhappy' and 'unusual' are given in the text as examples of 'un-' prefix.

Use of past perfect tense to indicate two completed actions

Step 1: Identify the two actions in the sentence — one that happened earlier (later past) and one that happened more recently (recent past).
Step 2: Use the past perfect tense (had + past participle) for the earlier action.
Step 3: Use the simple past tense for the more recent action.
Step 4: Example from text: 'Secretly, I bought Kashi Yatre which had been published as a novel by that time.' Here, 'had been published' (past perfect) happened before 'bought' (simple past).
Step 5: Another example: 'I knew, then, that my student had passed with flying colours.' Here, 'had passed' (past perfect) happened before 'knew' (simple past).

💡 Students often use past perfect for both actions or forget to use 'had'. The key is that the earlier action takes the past perfect, and the later action takes the simple past.

Understanding and using binomials

Step 1: Identify binomials as expressions consisting of two words usually linked by 'and' or 'or' that are commonly used together in a fixed order.
Step 2: Example from text: 'hide and seek'.
Step 3: Match binomials with their meanings: 'sink or swim' (succeed or fail without help), 'on and off' (sometimes, occasionally), 'mix and match' (put different things together to get a range of possibilities), 'all or nothing' (something to be done completely or not at all), 'part and parcel' (complete part of or belong to), 'pick and choose' (choose only the best), 'sooner or later' (at sometime in the future), 'leaps and bounds' (increase or develop very quickly).

💡 Students must remember that binomials have a fixed order — you cannot say 'seek and hide' or 'later or sooner'.

Understanding and using idioms related to learning

Step 1: Identify idioms as phrases with a figurative meaning different from the literal meaning.
Step 2: Example from text: 'passed with flying colours' means outstanding performance.
Step 3: Match idioms with meanings: 'to hit the books' (to study seriously), 'to draw a blank' (to be unable to remember), 'to learn the ropes' (to understand how to do an activity), 'to rack one's brain' (to think very hard), 'to learn by heart' (to memorise something), 'burn the midnight oil' (to study or work late into the night).

💡 Students often confuse 'learn by heart' with 'learn by rote' — both mean memorisation, but 'learn by heart' is the idiom used in the textbook.

Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes

⚠ Confusing the protagonist of the story with the protagonist of 'Kashi Yatre'

✗ The protagonist of the story 'How I Taught My Grandmother to Read' is the old lady in Kashi Yatre.

→ The protagonist of the main story is the narrator (Sudha Murty as a twelve-year-old) or the grandmother (Krishtakka). The old lady in Kashi Yatre is the protagonist of the novel within the story, not the main story itself.

✓ The protagonist of the main story is the grandmother, Krishtakka, who identifies herself with the protagonist of the novel 'Kashi Yatre'.

⚠ Misunderstanding the grandmother's reason for crying

✗ The grandmother was crying because she missed her granddaughter.

→ While she did miss her granddaughter, the primary reason for her tears was her helplessness and dependence — she could not read the story herself and felt embarrassed to ask anyone else.

✓ The grandmother was crying because she felt dependent and helpless when she received the magazine but could not read it herself, and she was too embarrassed to ask someone else in the village to read it to her.

⚠ Thinking the narrator was the grandmother's first teacher

✗ The narrator was the grandmother's first teacher.

→ The text says 'I was her only teacher and she was my first student.' This means the narrator was the grandmother's only teacher for learning the Kannada alphabet, but it does not say she was the grandmother's first teacher ever. The grandmother had never been to school, so the narrator was her first formal teacher.

✓ The narrator was the grandmother's only teacher for learning the Kannada alphabet, and the grandmother was the narrator's first student.

⚠ Confusing the meaning of 'Avva'

✗ Avva means grandmother in Kannada.

→ The text explicitly states: 'I used to call her Avva, which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.' It does not mean grandmother.

✓ Avva means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka, and the narrator used it to address her grandmother.

⚠ Misinterpreting the grandmother touching the narrator's feet

✗ The grandmother touched the narrator's feet because she was grateful for the gift.

→ The grandmother herself explains: 'I am touching the feet of a teacher, not my granddaughter; a teacher who taught me so well... It is my duty to respect a teacher.' It is a mark of respect for the teacher, not gratitude for the gift.

✓ The grandmother touched the narrator's feet as a mark of respect for her as a teacher, stating that a teacher should be respected irrespective of gender and age.

⚠ Thinking the grandmother learned to read in one day

✗ The grandmother learned the Kannada alphabet in one day and read the novel immediately.

→ The grandmother set Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline, which was several weeks or months away. She worked hard every day, reading, repeating, writing, and reciting.

✓ The grandmother learned the Kannada alphabet over a period of time, with the deadline being Saraswati Puja day during Dassara, and she worked hard daily to achieve her goal.

Compare & Contrast

Level of independence

The grandmother's situation before learning to read

The grandmother's situation after learning to read

Before learning, the grandmother was dependent on her granddaughter to read the story and felt helpless and embarrassed. After learning, she became independent, could read any novel confidently, and even touched her teacher's feet in gratitude.

Attitude towards the grandmother's learning ability

The narrator's initial reaction to her grandmother's decision

The narrator's final reaction to her grandmother's achievement

Initially, the narrator laughed at her grandmother and made fun of her age, grey hair, wrinkled hands, and spectacles, thinking it was childish. Finally, the narrator was proud and knew her student had passed with flying colours, and she returned the grandmother's namaskara by touching her feet.

Sequence of two completed actions

Simple past tense

Past perfect tense

Simple past tense is used for the more recent action (e.g., 'I bought Kashi Yatre'), while past perfect tense (had + past participle) is used for the earlier action (e.g., 'which had been published as a novel by that time').

Exam Focus

Marks pattern: This chapter typically appears in board exams with 2-3 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 short answer question (2-3 marks), 1 long answer question (5 marks), and vocabulary-based questions (2-4 marks).

Most asked: The grandmother's determination and the message that learning has no age bar · The significance of the grandmother touching the narrator's feet · The cause-effect relationship in the story (e.g., why the grandmother cried) · Character sketch of the grandmother and the narrator · Vocabulary: prefixes, binomials, idioms

Don't skip: Long answer question on the theme of 'learning has no age bar' or 'respect for teachers' (5 marks); Character sketch of the grandmother or the narrator (3-5 marks); Extract-based questions from the text (3 marks)

One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)

The story 'How I Taught My Grandmother to Read' is written by Sudha Murty.
The narrator's grandmother was called 'Avva', which means mother in north Karnataka Kannada.
The grandmother never went to school because in those days education was not considered essential for girls.
The grandmother identified herself with the protagonist of the novel 'Kashi Yatre' by Triveni.
The grandmother cried because she could not read the story herself and felt dependent and helpless.
The grandmother decided to learn the Kannada alphabet with Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline.
The grandmother believed that for a good cause, if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle.
The grandmother stated, 'For learning there is no age bar.'
The narrator was the grandmother's only teacher and the grandmother was the narrator's first student.
The grandmother touched the narrator's feet as a mark of respect for her teacher, not her granddaughter.
The grandmother proved she had passed with flying colours by reading the title of the novel 'Kashi Yatre' immediately.
The story teaches that a teacher should be respected irrespective of gender and age.
Triveni was a popular Kannada writer whose style was easy to read and very convincing.
The grandmother's desire to learn reflects her strong will, determination, and desire for independence.
The narrator initially laughed at her grandmother's decision but later felt proud of her achievement.
The story uses a first-person narrative and a flashback technique.
The cause-effect relationship: the narrator went to a wedding for a week (cause) led to the grandmother crying (effect).
Prefixes like 'un-', 'ir-', 'in-', 'im-', 'dis-' are used to form opposite or negative meanings.
Binomials are fixed expressions like 'hide and seek', 'sink or swim', 'part and parcel'.
The idiom 'passed with flying colours' means outstanding performance.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Why did the grandmother identify so strongly with the old woman in Kashi Yatre?

A. Because they both came from wealthy families
B. Because like the old woman, she had never been to Kashi and faced similar life struggles ✓
C. Because they both had grandchildren to support
D. Because Triveni based the character on real people from their village

Answer: B — The narrator explicitly states the grandmother identified with the protagonist because she too had never gone to Kashi, creating a personal connection to the character's journey.

Q2. What does the grandmother's decision to set Saraswati Puja as her learning deadline reveal about her character?

A. She wanted to learn only to impress her religious community
B. She was determined and goal-oriented, treating learning with seriousness despite her age ✓
C. She believed Saraswati Puja would magically give her reading skills
D. She wanted to become a writer like Triveni

Answer: B — By choosing a specific, meaningful deadline, the grandmother demonstrates serious commitment and determination to achieve independence through learning, not casual interest.

Q3. The phrase 'I felt very dependent and helpless' in the grandmother's speech emphasizes—

A. She lacked money to buy books
B. She had physical health problems preventing her from working
C. Her emotional distress at losing control and independence due to illiteracy ✓
D. She was unhappy with her children's care

Answer: C — The grandmother contrasts being 'well-off' financially with feeling 'dependent and helpless,' showing that literacy's true value is emotional independence and dignity, not just access to information.

Q4. Which of the following is NOT a reason why the grandmother eagerly waited for the Wednesday magazine?

A. She wanted to know what happened next in Kashi Yatre serial
B. She enjoyed discussing the episode with friends at the temple courtyard
C. She wanted to learn to read before the narrator returned from weddings ✓
D. She found the story's themes matched her own life experiences

Answer: C — The grandmother's decision to learn reading came only after the narrator returned and she cried; she did not initially plan to learn before the narrator's return.

Q5. Triveni's novels are described as dealing with 'complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people.' What does this suggest about why the grandmother found Kashi Yatre so compelling?

A. She liked stories about famous people and adventures
B. She connected with realistic, emotionally deep stories about people like herself facing real-life dilemmas ✓
C. She preferred light, entertaining stories to escape her daily routine
D. She wanted to learn literary criticism from reading

Answer: B — The grandmother's intense identification with the protagonist and emotional investment suggest she valued stories reflecting authentic human struggles and moral choices relevant to ordinary lives.

Q6. The grandmother's statement 'what use is money when I cannot be independent?' reveals that—

A. She was poor and struggling financially
B. She valued financial wealth more than literacy
C. She understood that true independence and dignity cannot be bought with money alone ✓
D. She wanted to give all her money to the narrator

Answer: C — This statement shows the grandmother's realization that material wealth is meaningless without the ability to read and function independently in her community.

Q7. Why did the grandmother feel embarrassed to ask other villagers to read the magazine for her, even though she knew many people?

A. She did not trust anyone else in the village
B. She feared that admitting her illiteracy would diminish her dignity and reveal her dependence to the community ✓
C. She thought other villagers would charge her money to read aloud
D. She preferred only her grandchildren to read stories to her

Answer: B — The grandmother specifically mentions feeling 'dependent and helpless' when considering asking others, indicating her shame about revealing her illiteracy to the wider community.

Q8. The narrator's midnight conversation with the grandmother on the terrace serves to—

A. Explain the plot of Kashi Yatre in detail
B. Reveal the grandmother's vulnerability, regret, and determination, transforming a child's understanding of learning and independence ✓
C. Persuade the narrator to stop going to weddings
D. Teach the narrator about Hindu religious practices

Answer: B — This intimate scene exposes the emotional and psychological depth of the grandmother's struggle, shifting the story from a simple narrative about reading to a profound meditation on dignity and transformation.

Q9. Scenario-based: A student notices that their elderly parent struggles to use modern technology and feels frustrated. Based on the grandmother's experience in the story, what does this scenario suggest?

A. The parent is lazy and does not want to learn new skills
B. Technology is too complicated for older people to understand
C. The parent's frustration may stem from feelings of helplessness and loss of independence rather than lack of ability ✓
D. Elderly people should not be expected to learn new skills at all

Answer: C — The grandmother's experience demonstrates that feelings of dependence and loss of control drive emotional distress more than actual inability; the parent's frustration likely reflects deeper emotional needs.

Q10. The author's choice to set the story in 'north Karnataka' with specific details about the weekly magazine's late arrival serves to—

A. Make the story boring and less interesting
B. Create historical and regional authenticity, establishing why waiting for the magazine was significant and why illiteracy was more isolating in that time and place ✓
C. Suggest that literacy problems only existed in Karnataka
D. Explain why the grandmother was wealthier than city dwellers

Answer: B — These specific details establish the historical and geographical context showing how geography and infrastructure created isolation and dependence, making the grandmother's struggle more emotionally resonant.

Flashcards

Why did the grandmother cry when the narrator returned from the wedding?

She felt helpless and dependent because she could not read the new magazine episode of Kashi Yatre and had to wait for the narrator to read it aloud.

What is the significance of Triveni in the story?

Triveni was a popular Kannada writer whose novel Kashi Yatre was serialized in the magazine, captivating the grandmother with its story about an old woman's spiritual journey.

What does 'ardent' mean as used in the passage?

Ardent means keen, eager, or passionate desire, as shown by the grandmother's passionate desire to go to Kashi and her concentrated listening to the story.

Why did the grandmother identify with the novel's protagonist?

Because like the old woman in the story, the grandmother had never gone to Kashi and shared the same spiritual and life circumstances as the character.

What deadline did the grandmother set for learning to read?

She chose Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as the deadline by which she wanted to be able to read a novel independently.

What did the grandmother regret most about her life?

She regretted never going to school and receiving education, which made her dependent on others and unable to read independently.

What is the main reason the grandmother felt embarrassed to ask others to read for her?

She felt very dependent and helpless, and despite being well-off financially, she realized that money could not buy independence or the ability to read.

How did the grandmother show her love for the narrator before asking for help?

She came to the narrator on the summer night on the terrace, touched her affectionately on the forehead, and shared her life story emotionally.

What does the grandmother's experience with Kashi Yatre show about literacy?

It demonstrates that literacy is not just about reading texts but about gaining independence, dignity, and the ability to participate fully in community discussions.

Why did the grandmother wait eagerly for Wednesday?

Because the Kannada weekly magazine Karmaveera arrived on Wednesdays with the next episode of the Kashi Yatre serial that the narrator would read to her.

Important Board Questions

Complete the cause-and-effect statement: The grandmother felt helpless when she could not read the magazine because ___________. (2 marks) [2 marks]

Focus on what the grandmother said about independence, dignity, and dependence. She was well-off financially but realized money alone cannot provide personal autonomy.

How did the narrator's week-long absence at the wedding lead to a turning point in the grandmother's life? Explain in 2-3 sentences. (3 marks) [3 marks]

The narrator missed being present to read the magazine episode. The grandmother experienced the helplessness of her illiteracy firsthand and made an emotional decision. This crisis became her motivation for change.

Analyze the symbolic significance of the grandmother choosing Saraswati Puja during Dassara as her deadline for learning to read. What does this choice reveal about her understanding of literacy and her character? (5 marks) [5 marks]

Saraswati Puja honors the goddess of knowledge and learning; Dassara is a significant Hindu festival. This shows the grandmother views literacy as spiritual and sacred, not merely practical. Her deadline demonstrates serious commitment, determination despite age, and belief that learning is a worthy life goal worthy of religious reverence.

Assertion-Reason Questions for How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

Q1. Assertion (A):

The grandmother felt helpless and dependent when the narrator was away at the wedding because she could not read the Kashi Yatre serial on her own.

Reason (R):

The grandmother had never received formal education in school, so she was unable to read Kannada or any other language.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true. The grandmother's feeling of helplessness was directly caused by her inability to read, which itself was the result of never attending school. The reason correctly explains the assertion. The grandmother explicitly states that she 'rubbed my hands over the pages wishing they could understand what was written' but could not read the text, leading to her emotional distress.

Q2. Assertion (A):

Triveni was a highly respected Kannada writer whose novels continued to be appreciated decades after her death.

Reason (R):

Triveni's writing style was difficult and complex, which made her works timeless and challenging for readers.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true; the passage states 'Even now, after forty years, people continue to appreciate her novels.' However, the reason is false. The passage explicitly states that 'Her style was easy to read and very convincing,' not difficult or complex. Her popularity came from her accessible style combined with meaningful content, not from difficulty. Therefore, the assertion is true but the reason is incorrect.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The narrator understood immediately why her grandmother was crying when she returned from the wedding.

Reason (R):

The grandmother's tears were caused by her frustration about being unable to read the magazine while the narrator was away.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, but the reason does not fully explain the assertion. The passage states 'I did not understand and forgot about it,' meaning the narrator did NOT understand immediately why her grandmother was crying. Only later, during their midnight conversation on the terrace, did the grandmother explain the reason. While the reason correctly identifies why the grandmother was upset (inability to read), it does not support the assertion that the narrator understood this immediately.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

Case Study:

Priya, a sixteen-year-old student, noticed that her seventy-year-old grandfather felt increasingly isolated in the modern digital world. He could not read digital messages, emails, or online news, which made him dependent on others. When Priya started reading stories to him from online sources, his face lit up with joy. This sparked a conversation about his childhood regrets regarding his limited education due to poverty. Inspired by their bonding, Priya decided to teach her grandfather basic reading and writing skills, discovering that his enthusiasm and determination matched that of any young learner.

Q1. How is Priya's grandfather's situation similar to the grandmother's situation in 'How I Taught My Grandmother to Read'?

A. Both felt helpless due to their inability to access written content independently ✓
B. Both were from urban areas and had access to modern education
C. Both lived during the same time period as the story
D. Both refused to learn reading despite having the opportunity

Answer: A

Q2. What does Priya's decision to teach her grandfather reveal about her character?

A. She wanted to impress her school teachers with her social work
B. She showed affection, understanding, and a desire to help family members, similar to the narrator in the story ✓
C. She believed older people should not use modern technology
D. She wanted to become a professional teacher

Answer: B

Q3. Which theme from the story is reflected in Priya's experience?

A. The importance of wealth and material possessions
B. The power of literacy to provide independence and dignity ✓
C. The inability of older people to learn new skills
D. The conflict between family members over educational choices

Answer: B

Q4. What can we infer about the grandfather's enthusiasm for learning?

A. He was determined and eager to learn, just like the grandmother in the story ✓
B. He was reluctant to learn because he was too old
C. He preferred to remain dependent on his family members
D. He did not believe that learning could change his life

Answer: A

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