Chapter 2 – Strong Roots Solutions

Content Structure

1. About the author – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
2. Summary of the Strong Roots
3. Word meanings
4. Exercises solutions
5. Additional Questions and Answers
- 5A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. About the author – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a famous Indian scientist and the 11th President of India. He was born on October 15, 1931, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. He is also known as the “Missile Man of India.” He played a key role in India’s space and missile programs and was deeply loved for his humble nature and inspirational speeches. He strongly believed in honesty, hard work, and the power of education. He wrote many books, such as Wings of Fire, which continue to encourage young people to dream big. He passed away on July 27, 2015, but his speeches, words, and ideas still inspire us today.

2. Summary of the Strong Roots

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam looks back on his childhood in the island town of Rameswaram, then part of the Madras state, where he was born into a middle-class Tamil Muslim family. His father, Jainulabdeen, was a very religious man known for his wisdom, kindness, and simple way of living, even though he had no formal education or much money. His mother, Ashiamma, was caring and generous, often serving food not just to the family but also to many people in the neighbourhood. Kalam talks about their safe but simple life in a big, strong house on Mosque Street, where they always had the basics like food, medicine, and clothes, even though they didn’t spend on extra things. As a child, he and his mother would sit on the kitchen floor and eat meals served on banana leaves. Kalam often went with his father to the mosque for evening prayers, where people of all faiths waited for his father’s blessings, believing the water he touched during prayers could help the sick. His father’s close friendship with Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the main priest of the Rameswaram temple, showed the strong bond between communities. His father taught him that prayer was not about religion, age, or wealth, but about feeling connected to a greater power, and that hard times were chances to think deeply. When Kalam asked why he didn’t tell this directly to the people who came to him, his father said that people often need someone to help them feel close to God. As Kalam grew up and worked in science and technology, he tried to follow the values his father had taught him. He believed that a higher power helps people move from confusion and sadness to their true path in life, and that real peace comes when we let go of fear and too much attachment to things.

Extract from the chapter Orientation from Wings of Fire.

3. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Possessed	To have or own something
Generosity	Kindness
Undistinguished	Ordinary
Inessential	Unimportant
Predominantly	Mostly
Convinced	Confident about something
Transcend	Rise above
Manifest	Show
Introspection	Self-thinking
Comprehend	Understand
Enthusiasm	Excitement
Demonic	Evil
Grove	Small forest
Endeavoured	Tried hard to do or achieve something
Melancholy	Sadness

4. Exercises solutions

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives given :

1. What is the significance of the title “Strong Roots” in this extract?
a) It refers to the author’s family tree
b) It symbolizes the important values instilled in the author during his childhood
c) It describes the strong trees near his childhood home
d) It foreshadows the author’s future achievements

Ans: b) It symbolizes the important values instilled in the author during his childhood

2. Who is Jainulabdeen in the extract?
a) A close friend of the author’s father
b) The author’s grandfather
c) The author’s father
d) A teacher of the author

Ans: c) The author’s father

3. What lesson does the author learn from his father’s words about troubles and sufferings?
a) To avoid difficulties at all costs.
b) To view challenges as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
c) To rely on others for help during difficult times.
d) To blame God for misfortune

Ans: b) To view challenges as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.

5. Additional Questions and Answers

5A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. Kalam’s ancestral house was built in the –
(a) mid-19th century
(b) early 20th century
(c) late 19th century
(d) early 19th century

Ans: (a) mid-19th century

2. Kalam had a –
(a) safe and happy childhood
(b) sad childhood
(c) poor childhood
(d) painful childhood

Ans: (a) safe and happy childhood

3. Kalam’s neighbourhood was mostly –
(a) Muslim
(b) Hindu
(c) Jain
(d) Buddhist

Ans: (a) Muslim

4. Kalam’s father took him to the mosque for –
(a) evening prayer
(b) morning prayer
(c) afternoon prayer
(d) night prayer

Ans: (a) evening prayer

5. Kalam’s father explained deep ideas in simple –
(a) Tamil
(b) Urdu
(c) English
(d) Arabic

Ans: (a) Tamil

6. Kalam’s father woke up at –
(a) 4 a.m.
(b) 2 a.m.
(c) 3 a.m.
(d) 5 a.m.

Ans: (a) 4 a.m.

7. Kalam’s mother’s name was –
(a) Ashiamma
(b) Ashamma
(c) Ashianara
(d) Ashiabibi

Ans: (a) Ashiamma

8. The British gave Kalam’s mother’s ancestor the title –
(a) Bahadur
(b) Raja Sahib
(c) Raibahadur
(d) Brahmacharya

Ans: (a) Bahadur

9. “Strong Roots” is an –
(a) autobiography
(b) story
(c) essay
(d) poem

Ans: (a) autobiography

10. Kalam’s mother served food on a –
(a) banana leaf
(b) plate
(c) bowl
(d) paper leaf

Ans: (a) banana leaf

11. Rameswaram was famous for the –
(a) Shiva temple
(b) Kali temple
(c) Ram temple
(d) Swami temple

Ans: (a) Shiva temple

12. “Strong Roots” was written by –
(a) APJ Abdul Kalam
(b) Rabindranath Tagore
(c) RK Narayan
(d) JC Bose

Ans: (a) APJ Abdul Kalam

13. The word “erstwhile” means –
(a) previous
(b) next
(c) later
(d) future

Ans: (a) previous

14. His mother served rice on a –
(a) banana leaf
(b) plate
(c) bowl
(d) steel dish

Ans: (a) banana leaf

15. Rameswaram was famous among –
(a) pilgrims
(b) scientists
(c) tourists
(d) politicians

Ans: (a) pilgrims

16. The water became –
(a) holy
(b) dirty
(c) wasted
(d) useless

Ans: (a) holy

17. The holy water was taken home for –
(a) sick people
(b) children
(c) prayers
(d) guests

Ans: (a) sick people

18. “This water” means –
(a) holy water
(b) clean water
(c) dirty water
(d) distilled water

Ans: (a) holy water

19. Kalam’s father started his day reading –
(a) the namaz
(b) the newspaper
(c) books
(d) stories

Ans: (a) the namaz

20. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the priest of the temple at –
(a) Rameswaram
(b) Kedarnath
(c) Ayodhya
(d) Tirupati

Ans: (a) Rameswaram

21. Kalam’s father carried coconuts –
(a) on his shoulder
(b) on his head
(c) in a basket
(d) on his back

Ans: (a) on his shoulder

22. Kalam’s father and Sastry discussed –
(a) spiritual matters
(b) politics
(c) games
(d) studies

Ans: (a) spiritual matters

23. Kalam’s father followed his daily routine till his –
(a) late sixties
(b) forties
(c) fifties
(d) seventies

Ans: (a) late sixties

24. How far was the coconut grove from Kalam’s house?
(a) Four miles away
(b) One mile away
(c) Two miles away
(d) Half a mile away

Ans: (a) Four miles away

25. In which field did Kalam try to follow his father’s example?
(a) Science and technology
(b) Politics
(c) Social work
(d) Medicine

Ans: (a) Science and technology

26. Where was Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam born?
(a) Chennai
(b) Mumbai
(c) Rameswaram
(d) Madras

Ans: (c) Rameswaram

27. How was Kalam’s father described in the passage?
(a) Rich and rude
(b) Wise and generous
(c) Strict and proud
(d) Rich and honest

Ans: (b) Wise and generous

28. How far was the coconut grove from Kalam’s house?
(a) Three miles
(b) Two miles
(c) Four miles
(d) One mile

Ans: (c) Four miles

29. What language did Kalam’s father use to explain spiritual ideas?
(a) Arabic
(b) English
(c) Sanskrit
(d) Simple Tamil

Ans: (d) Simple Tamil

30. What does Kalam say every desire and pain finds?
(a) A rich friend
(b) A special helper
(c) A quick solution
(d) A clear path

Ans: (b) A special helper