Follow That Dream Questions and Answers | Class 9 Kaveri

Class: 9Subject: EnglishBook: Kaveri (January 2026 edition)Unit: 8 (Prose – Letter)Author: Irene ChuaPaired Poem: Believe in Yourself

Checked against NCERT Kaveri, first edition January 2026, pages 231–244; listening transcript 275. Personal, discussion and creative responses are samples: adapt them to your experience. This independent study guide is not an official NCERT answer key.

Chapter Overview

Follow That Dream is an excerpt from Irene Chua’s My Daughter, My Friend. In a letter dated 19 June 1995, a mother encourages her teenage daughter Ming to pursue her ambition thoughtfully. She discusses effort, cost, sacrifice, support and changing circumstances. Her advice combines encouragement with realistic preparation.

The mother’s reference to at least ten years expresses the letter’s emphasis on sustained effort. It is not a universal scientific rule, a guaranteed timetable or a requirement that every learner must meet. The letter also recognises that war, family responsibilities and other circumstances can alter dreams.

About the Author & the Text

NCERT introduces the excerpt as a letter from Irene Chua’s collection My Daughter, My Friend. The personal-letter form includes a date, salutation, direct advice, examples and the affectionate closing “Love, Mum”. Ming’s earlier letter is not reproduced, so its exact contents and her chosen ambition are unknown.

Summary in English

The mother urges Ming to follow her dream after considering what it requires. Passion must be supported by commitment, effort and an honest assessment of time, money and sacrifice. Enjoyment of meaningful work and hope of success can sustain motivation. Her Academy Awards example highlights the people who support an achiever.

She also recognises that dreams may remain unrealised for different reasons. Some people do not move beyond wishing; others choose security or face circumstances beyond their control. War disrupted some people’s plans to attend Raffles College, while family duties forced others to work instead of finishing school. These examples should not be reduced to a lack of determination.

The mother explains that dreams can change without losing their value. Publishing her book became a later ambition that she had pursued for ten years. She encourages Ming to consider obstacles, make a practical commitment and remain open to evolving hopes.

Summary in Hindi (सारांश हिंदी में)

माँ अपनी बेटी मिंग को सोच-समझकर अपने सपने का अनुसरण करने के लिए प्रेरित करती है। रुचि के साथ संकल्प, प्रयास और समय, धन तथा त्याग का वास्तविक आकलन भी आवश्यक है। अपने प्रिय और सार्थक काम से मिलने वाला आनंद तथा समर्थकों का सहयोग आगे बढ़ने में सहायता कर सकते हैं। दस वर्ष की साधना का उल्लेख पत्र में निरंतर प्रयास पर बल देता है; यह हर क्षेत्र के लिए निश्चित वैज्ञानिक नियम नहीं है।

माँ मानती है कि कुछ लोग केवल इच्छा करने तक सीमित रहते हैं, पर कुछ के सपने युद्ध या पारिवारिक दायित्वों के कारण बदल जाते हैं। इसलिए अधूरे सपनों का कारण हमेशा कम मेहनत नहीं होता। जीवन के साथ नए सपने बन सकते हैं और वे पुराने सपनों से कम महत्त्वपूर्ण नहीं होते। अपनी पुस्तक प्रकाशित करना माँ का ऐसा ही बाद का सपना है। संदेश है—योजना और सहयोग के साथ प्रयास करें तथा बदलती परिस्थितियों को समझें।

A teenager discusses her design sketches and learning plans with her mother at a desk. — Conceptual scene for the planning activity: a student explores design with parental support. These imagined figures do not portray Irene Chua or Ming.

Word Meanings (शब्दार्थ)

Word/Phrase	English Meaning	हिंदी अर्थ
insight	clear and deep understanding	अंतर्दृष्टि
by all means	certainly, definitely	अवश्य, बेझिझक
singularly	exclusively	एकनिष्ठ होकर
imperative	necessary	अनिवार्य
conviction	firm belief	दृढ़ विश्वास
burning in your blood	felt as a passionate desire	रगों में धधकना
plunge	throw oneself into the activity	कूद पड़ना
uphill	difficult, requiring constant effort	कठिन, चढ़ाई भरा
buoyed up	kept afloat, kept in good spirits	सहारा पाए हुए
prospect	the possibility (of something happening)	संभावना
a host of	a large number of	अनेक
wistfully	longingly	ललक के साथ
wishful thinking	hopeful belief unlikely to come true	हवाई ख़याल
put a wet blanket on	discourage, dampen enthusiasm	उत्साह ठंडा करना
coursing through your veins	flowing through your body (strongly felt)	रगों में बहना
negotiate	find a way through	पार करना
maze of hurdles	a confusing series of obstacles	बाधाओं की भूलभुलैया
dreamscape	a world of dreams	स्वप्न-लोक
aspirations	hopes, ambitions	आकांक्षाएँ

NCERT Exercise Solutions

Reflect and Respond

I. 1. What is your dream? 2. Who inspires you to dream? 3. What qualities should you have to fulfil your dream? 4. Abdul Kalam said, “Dream is not that you see in sleep, dream is something that does not let you sleep.” Discuss.

MODEL ANSWERS

1. My dream is to become a doctor and serve in rural India where hospitals are far away.
2. My grandmother, who could not study herself but educated all her children, inspires me; so do achievers like Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Dr. Deepa Malik.
3. Passion, determination, discipline, patience, readiness to sacrifice, and the resilience to rise after failures.
4. The saying attributed to A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in the exercise contrasts a sleeping dream with an ambition that motivates action. “Does not let you sleep” is figurative emphasis, not advice to give up sleep or rest. A strong purpose can guide steady work within a balanced routine.

II. What role can parents and community play to help children achieve their dreams?

ANSWER

Parents can encourage rather than dictate, offer honest counsel (like Ming’s mother — supporting the dream while helping count its cost), provide resources and emotional support, and stand by the child through failures. The community can supply mentors, libraries, coaching, scholarships and platforms — for, as the letter says, behind every winner stands a host of people who supported them.

III. Complete the web chart: Why is it important to follow a dream?

ANSWER

• It gives life direction and purpose • It motivates hard work and discipline • It can help develop our talents • Progress can bring satisfaction • Achieved dreams inspire others • It can encourage learning and contribution • It helps us move from wishing to practical steps.

Check Your Understanding

Answer these statements according to the letter. The first answer reflects the mother’s claim, not a universal rule about expertise.

I. State whether the following sentences are true or false.

ANSWER

1. Reaching the peak of skill in a field typically demands focused and intense dedication for about a decade.	True
2. The mother believes that significant effort and personal sacrifices are essential for turning aspirations into reality.	True
3. The path to achieving the deepest desires has very little difficulty or a few obstacles.	False — the road is uphill most of the way, through a maze of hurdles.
4. The mother is of the opinion that a person’s life goals and hopes can evolve over time.	True
5. Having a strong network of individuals can be a hurdle in pursuing one’s ambition.	False — for every winner there is a group of people who stood by him/her.
6. The mother feels that pursuing a major life goal will not involve any financial expense or sacrifice.	False — she asks Ming to count the cost in effort, financial investment and sacrifice.
7. For many individuals, their aspirations remain just wishes because they don’t move beyond mere daydreaming.	True

Critical Reflection

I. Extract 1: passion and commitment

conviction
B. an early abandonment of the dream. Assessing costs helps one prepare realistically.
complete involvement: “plunge” means commit fully here.
The motivation comes from enjoyment of the work and the feeling that it is meaningful, rather than only from external rewards.
A possible answer is encouragement from family, friends or mentors. Love of the work is another valid answer.

I. Extract 2: changing dreams

evolving or dynamic; both offered words express change.
Later aspirations can be as valuable as youthful ones; change does not make a dream inferior.
“negotiate a path through a maze of hurdles”
A longer, changing journey can involve more relatives, colleagues, mentors and supporters. This is an interpretation of the mother’s observation.
C. optimistic and encouraging.

II.1. What might Ming have written?

She may have described an ambition and asked for advice or support. Her exact goal is not supplied, so an unconventional career or a particular profession should not be asserted as fact.

II.2. Two ways to develop an international level of skill

According to the letter: (1) pursue the subject with sustained, focused effort; (2) commit to the necessary practice and preparation after assessing the time, costs and sacrifices. The mother mentions at least ten years, but this should not be presented as a guarantee of mastery.

II.3. Mere dreaming and achievement

The letter contrasts wishing with taking practical action and persisting. It also recognises that external circumstances may prevent success despite effort. Choosing security or supporting siblings should not automatically be labelled laziness or failure.

II.4. How do questions and examples persuade Ming?

The mother asks her to consider commitment and cost, encouraging reflection rather than simple obedience. Award winners illustrate support networks; war and family obligations show external obstacles; her publishing ambition shows that goals may evolve. Together they make the advice personal and balanced.

II.5. Encouragement and caution

She encourages Ming to act, yet asks her to assess years of work, financial needs, sacrifice and obstacles first. She supports the ambition without pretending that enthusiasm alone removes practical difficulties.

II.6. Is the advice relevant today? — sample

Yes. Students still need opportunities to explore interests, practise, plan costs and ask for help. The recognition that goals can change is also useful. However, the specific time required varies, and circumstances or unequal access to resources can affect outcomes. The advice is a starting point for planning, not a promise of success.

II.7. Costs I would accept or refuse — sample

I would devote regular time to practice, reduce unnecessary screen use and learn from setbacks. I would discuss costs within my family’s means. I would not sacrifice essential rest, honesty, safety or my family’s basic needs. If a plan becomes unworkable, I would seek advice and adjust it.

Vocabulary and Structures in Context

I. ‘-scape’ words: fill in the blanks in the dialogue.

ANSWER

(i) seascape (the Goa pictures) (ii) cityscape (iii) landscape (iv) mindscape
Meanings: mindscape — the inner world of one’s thoughts; seascape — a view of the sea; landscape — a view of an area of land; cityscape — a view of a city.

II. Choose the best meaning for the underlined expressions; use each in a sentence.

ANSWER

1. burn in her blood — (ii) have a passionate desire: The wish to fly fighter jets burns in her blood.
2. an uphill task — (i) a tough challenge: Clearing the entrance exam without coaching was an uphill task.
3. buoyed up — (iv) lifted in spirit: Buoyed up by the audience’s cheers, she sang even better.
4. wishful thinking — (iii) a hopeful belief but unlikely to be true: Expecting top marks without revision is wishful thinking.
5. a wet blanket — (i) spoil-sport: Don’t be a wet blanket; join the celebration!
6. coursing through her veins — (ii) flowing through her body: Determination was coursing through his veins as the race began.

III. Complete the first-conditional sentences using imperatives.

ANSWER (samples)

1. If the idea excites you, pursue it wholeheartedly.
2. If you hear strange noises, inform an elder at once.
3. If this seems too hard, break it into smaller steps.
4. If you care about the issue, speak up and act.
5. If you finish early, revise your answers carefully.

IV. Analyse the usage of ‘could’ and match the sentences with their functions.

ANSWER

1. “It could be in any field…” — possibility
2. “I wish I could be this or the other” — unreal or hypothetical situation
3. “They could have preferred to trade their dream for security.” — past possibility or speculation
4. “…so that they could support their siblings through school.” — past ability or purpose

V. Complete the sentences using ‘could’ with the given functions.

ANSWER

1. I wish I could travel the world without worrying about money. (unreal/hypothetical)
2. They could have taken the shorter route, but they didn’t know about it. (past possibility)
3. When I was younger, I could run for hours without stopping. (past ability)
4. She could be at the library right now — she had mentioned it. (possibility)
5. Could you repeat the question? I didn’t hear it clearly. (polite request)

VI. Fill in the blanks with suitable grammatical forms.

ANSWER

1. helps 2. learned / learnt (used to learn also fits) 3. work 4. apply 5. conducts (may conduct is also possible) 6. analyses 7. must reflect 8. helps 9. is 10. will incorporate

Grammar: in the experiential-learning paragraph, present simple describes general practices, the past form contrasts traditional learning, must reflect expresses necessity and will incorporate expresses the passage’s future prediction. In the idiom question, “lifted in spirit” is the broadest definition of buoyed up; several other options describe its effect in that particular victory context.

Listen and Respond

I. Exact-word answers from the announcement

Item	Answer	Evidence or qualification
1. Course starting month	Not explicitly stated	April is mentioned for registration, not expressly for the first class.
2. Objective	practical skills	These support higher education and careers.
3. Course after Graphic Design	Basic Coding	These two exact words occur in the list.
4. Instructors	trained professionals	The stated course leaders.
5. Forms available at	school office	The stated collection location.
6. Priority applicants	early	Seats are allotted to early applicants.

Item 1 mismatch: the recording says courses begin “from this academic year”. Forms are available from 4 April with an 8 April deadline. April may be the intended classroom answer, but the start month cannot be confirmed from those registration dates alone. No year is stated for these sample dates.

Speaking Activity

I. Four-role conversation — original model

Dreamer: I know this is challenging, but I hope to become a trekking guide. I enjoy learning about routes and helping a group work together.

Parent: I respect your interest. I am concerned about training costs, safety and how you would earn a steady income.

Mentor: Dreams need planning. Let us research recognised training, entry requirements, costs and realistic work opportunities before deciding. Your education can continue while you explore the field.

Friend: I can help compare information. What would your backup plan be if the first route did not work?

Dreamer: I will start with supervised learning, speak to experienced guides and prepare a budget. Then we can review whether this path suits me.

Parent: That gives us a concrete plan to discuss. I will help you gather reliable information.

Writing Task

I. Formal enquiry email — fictional classroom model

From: mira@example.com
To: director@example.org
Date: 15 May 20XX
Subject: Enquiry about the Summer Design Workshop

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Mira, a Class IX student interested in studying design in the future. I read about your summer workshop and would like to know whether students of my age may apply.

Please share the dates, daily timings, duration, topics, venue or online arrangements, fees and available concessions. I would also appreciate details of the application process, deadline and any portfolio or materials required.

I would be grateful for permission to participate if I meet the eligibility requirements. Thank you for your guidance. I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,
Mira
Class IX student
Contact: mira@example.com

The names, date and reserved example email addresses are placeholders, not real institute contacts. Cc and Bcc can be omitted when unnecessary.

Learning Beyond the Text

I. Vision board — adaptable example

Section	Sample content	First practical step
My Dreams	Explore product design	Sketch one everyday object and identify a useful improvement.
I Want to Try	Join a school art or making activity	Ask the teacher about a suitable session.
Goals	Complete four thoughtful sketches this month	Set aside two short practice periods each week.
Places I Will Go	A local museum or design exhibition	Check access and plan a visit with a trusted adult.
Inspiration	A supportive family member, teacher or designer	Write what I can learn from that person.

Use drawings or credited images, then add actions and review dates. A vision board is a planning aid; pictures alone do not cause a goal to come true.

II. Parental influence in the textbook

The activity presents Jijabai’s influence on Chhatrapati Shivaji and the account of Queen Madālasa’s guidance to her children. Keep the source categories clear: Shivaji and Jijabai are historical figures, while Madālasa is presented through Indian scriptural tradition. Discuss the values and support in each account without treating every traditional narrative as a verified historical event.

Extra Questions with Answers

1. What does the ten-year reference mean?

The mother uses it to stress long, concentrated effort in developing expertise. It is a claim within her advice, not an identical timetable for every person and field.

2. Why mention award winners?

Their acknowledgements illustrate the contribution of supporters. The example encourages Ming to value people who help her, rather than imagining achievement as wholly solitary.

3. Which circumstances altered people’s plans?

The letter describes wartime disruption to college hopes and students leaving school to support siblings. These examples show that external conditions can change a goal.

4. What was the mother’s later dream?

Publishing the book. She says she had pursued it for ten years and that it was not her original youthful dream. The earlier dream is not named.

5. Explain the metaphor of a “green signal and a map”.

The letter gives encouragement to proceed, like a green signal, and guidance about preparation, like a map. It identifies costs, obstacles, supporters and the possibility of changing goals. This is a study-guide interpretation, not a phrase quoted from the letter.

6. What can students learn?

Explore a meaningful interest, turn it into manageable actions, seek guidance and assess resources honestly. Value persistence, but also recognise external obstacles and allow goals to change. Achievement is not a measure of a person’s entire worth.

Additional MCQs

1. ‘Follow That Dream’ is a — (a) speech (b) diary entry (c) letter (d) interview

2. The letter is taken from the collection — (a) My Mother, My Guide (b) My Daughter, My Friend (c) Letters to Ming (d) Dreams and Destiny

3. Its author is — (a) Mitra Phukan (b) Asha Nehemiah (c) Irene Chua (d) Temsula Ao

4. The letter is addressed to — (a) Mei (b) Ming (c) Min (d) Mai

5. According to the mother, world-class standard requires intensive pursuit for at least — (a) five years (b) ten years (c) fifteen years (d) twenty years

6. The dream chase starts with — (a) money (b) luck (c) a passion for a particular interest (d) a degree

7. In the mother’s example, award winners thank — (a) their critics (b) a host of supporters (c) the media (d) their rivals

8. The dreams of Raffles College aspirants were destroyed by — (a) poverty (b) floods (c) the Japanese invasion in World War II (d) illness

9. ‘To put a wet blanket on’ means to — (a) protect (b) discourage (c) delay (d) hide

10. The mother’s own ten-year dream was — (a) visiting Singapore (b) becoming a teacher (c) publishing her book (d) opening a school

Answer key: 1-c, 2-b, 3-c, 4-b, 5-b, 6-c, 7-b, 8-c, 9-b, 10-c

Assertion–Reason Questions

Options for each: (a) Both A and R are true and R explains A. (b) Both A and R are true but R does not explain A. (c) A is true, R is false. (d) A is false, R is true.

1. A: The mother asks Ming to ‘count the cost’ before plunging. R: A realistic assessment helps prepare for difficulties and can reduce early abandonment. — (a)

2. A: For many people, dreams remain dreams. R: Some never move beyond wishful thinking; others choose security or face external obstacles. — (a)

3. A: The mother asks Ming to consider the years needed to chase her dream. R: She does not want to put a wet blanket on Ming’s dreams. — (b)

4. A: Dreams formed later in life deserve pursuit. R: Life itself may change a person’s dreams without making them less worthy. — (a)

5. A: The letter values support networks. R: Its award-winner example highlights people who stood by an achiever. — (a)

Revision: connect passion with planning and support, explain how circumstances change dreams, and practise conditional imperatives and the functions of “could”. Distinguish the recording’s registration dates from an unstated course start date.

FAQs

Who wrote Follow That Dream?

It is an excerpt from a letter by Irene Chua in My Daughter, My Friend, addressed to Ming and dated 19 June 1995.

Is ten years a guaranteed rule for success?

No. The mother uses the period to emphasise sustained effort. The letter does not establish a universal timetable or guarantee of achievement.

What is the main message?

Pursue a meaningful dream with effort, realistic planning and support, while recognising obstacles and allowing aspirations to evolve.

← Poem 7 – Words Next: Poem 8 – Believe in Yourself →

Also read: Chapter 7 – Carrier of Words · Kaveri – All Chapters · NCERT Solutions Home. Official textbook PDF: ncert.nic.in