Unit 4 Life & Death: Death is a Fiction – Class 9 English Exercise

Death is a Fiction

The text questions the concept of death and suggests that it is a fiction created by ignorant and unaware individuals. It argues that life and death are intertwined, with each moment being a play between the two. The fragility of life is emphasized, as every breath represents the possibility of death. The inevitability of death is acknowledged, with the idea that everyone is on “death row.”

The fear of death is attributed to a lack of understanding and the formation of misguided ideas about it. The text also criticizes people who claim to know definitively what happens after death, suggesting that such claims are made to provide comfort in the face of uncertainty. Ultimately, the text highlights that death remains a mystery and that individuals’ ideas about it are largely imagined rather than based on true knowledge.

Major Concepts of The Text Death is a Fiction

Death as a fiction: The text challenges the notion of death as a real and separate entity, suggesting that it is a construct created by ignorant individuals who live in unawareness.

Life and death as intertwined: The text asserts that life and death are not separate states but rather interconnected, with each moment representing a play between the two.

Fragility of life: The text emphasizes the delicate nature of life, highlighting how something as simple as the act of exhaling without inhaling again can result in death.

Death as a constant companion: Death is portrayed as constantly present, walking alongside individuals at every step, and being an inevitable part of existence.

Death sentence: The text states that from the moment of birth, individuals are condemned to death, with the only uncertainty being when, where, and how it will occur.

Fear of death: The text suggests that the fear of death arises from a lack of understanding and knowledge about it, and that people create various beliefs and ideas to psychologically cope with the concept.

Human corruption of sacred concepts: The text asserts that human minds have corrupted and twisted sacred aspects of life such as love, relationships, and divinity, but death remains an uncorrupted space.

Lack of knowledge about death: Despite people speaking authoritatively about death, the text claims that they are clueless about it, and that the human mind has formed various imagined ideas and beliefs about death.

Uncertainty about the afterlife: The text questions the certainty of individuals who claim to know where they will go after death, suggesting that such claims are made to provide psychological solace in the face of uncertainty.

Death as a mystery: The text concludes that death is still a mystery and that societies’ discussions about it have led to the formation of ideas and beliefs without true understanding.

Glossary of the Text

Actually (/ˈæk.tʃu.ə.li/) – In reality or fact.

Any (/ˈɛni/) – One or some of a particular or unlimited number or amount.

Authoritatively (/ɔːˈθɒr.ə.tɪv.li/) – In a commanding and confident manner.

Basis (/ˈbeɪ.sɪs/) – The fundamental or underlying principle or foundation.

Clueless (/ˈkluː.ləs/) – Having no knowledge, understanding, or awareness.

Concerned (/kənˈsɜrnd/) – Worried, troubled, or anxious about something.

Confirmed (/kənˈfɜrmd/) – Established as true or definite.

Corrupted (/kəˈrʌptɪd/) – Tainted, spoiled, or contaminated.

Creation (/kriːˈeɪ.ʃən/) – The act of bringing something into existence.

Death (/dɛθ/) – The permanent cessation of all vital functions in a living organism.

Dimension (/daɪˈmɛn.ʃən/) – A measurable extent of any kind.

Distraction (/dɪsˈtræk.ʃən/) – Something that diverts attention or prevents concentration.

Educated (/ˈɛdʒʊ.keɪ.tɪd/) – Having been taught or trained through learning and study.

Existence (/ɪɡˈzɪs.təns/) – The fact or state of living or having objective reality.

Exhalation (/ɛks.həˈleɪ.ʃən/) – The act of breathing out or expelling air from the lungs.

Fiction (/ˈfɪk.ʃən/) – An imaginative creation or invention.

Fragile (/ˈfrædʒ.aɪl/) – Easily broken, damaged, or destroyed.

Hugely (/ˈhjuːdʒ.li/) – To a great extent or degree.

Ignorant (/ˈɪɡ.nər.ənt/) – Lacking knowledge, information, or awareness.

Inhaled (/ɪnˈheɪld/) – Breathed in or drawn into the lungs.

Information (/ˌɪn.fɚˈmeɪ.ʃən/) – Facts or knowledge communicated or received.

Inhalation (/ˌɪn.həˈleɪ.ʃən/) – The act of breathing in or drawing air into the lungs.

Joy (/dʒɔɪ/) – A feeling of great pleasure, happiness, or delight.

Misery (/ˈmɪz.ər.i/) – A state of extreme unhappiness or suffering.

Moment (/ˈmoʊ.mənt/) – A very brief period of time; an instant.

Near (/nɪər/) – Close in distance or proximity.

Nor (/nɔːr/) – Used before the second or further of two or more alternatives.

Okay (/oʊˈkeɪ/) – Satisfactory, acceptable, or agreeable.

Permanence (/ˈpɜr.mə.nəns/) – The state or quality of being permanent or enduring.

Piece (/piːs/) – A portion or part of something.

Process (/ˈprɑː.sɛs/) – A series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end.

Psychological (/ˌsaɪ.kəˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl/) – Relating to the mind, mental processes, or behavior.

Refer (/rɪˈfɜr/) – To mention or allude to something.

Remaining (/rɪˈmeɪ.nɪŋ/) – Continuing to exist or be left after other parts or elements have been used or removed.

Sentence (/ˈsɛn.təns/) – A group of words that expresses a complete thought.

Silly (/ˈsɪl.i/) – Foolish, nonsensical, or lacking seriousness.

Solace (/ˈsɑː.lɪs/) – Comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.

Space (/speɪs/) – A continuous area or expanse that is free, available, or unoccupied.

Sure (/ʃʊr/) – Certain, confident, or convinced about something.

Talked (/tɔːkt/) – Spoke or conversed about something.

Twisted (/ˈtwɪstɪd/) – Distorted, contorted, or deformed.

Unawareness (/ˌʌn.əˈwɛər.nəs/) – Lack of knowledge, information, or consciousness.

Unchanged (/ʌnˈtʃeɪndʒd/) – Not altered, modified, or transformed.

Unclueless (/ʌnˈkluː.ləs/) – Having knowledge, understanding, or awareness.

Underlying (/ˌʌn.dərˈlaɪ.ɪŋ/) – Fundamental, basic, or hidden beneath the surface.

Uneducated (/ˌʌnˈɛdʒʊ.keɪ.tɪd/) – Lacking formal or systematic instruction or knowledge.

Unexplored (/ʌn.ɪkˈsplɔːrd/) – Not yet investigated, examined, or discovered.

Unknowing (/ʌnˈnoʊ.ɪŋ/) – Unaware, ignorant, or lacking knowledge or information.

Unseen (/ʌnˈsin/) – Not seen or perceived; hidden or invisible.

Walked (/wɔkt/) – Moved or travelled on foot.

Exercise of Class 9 English: Death is a Fiction

A. Find the words from the text that have the following meanings.

a. a thing that is imagined- fiction

b. a way of looking at something – dimension

c. to force somebody to leave -dislodge

d. faced somebody so that you could not avoid – confronted

e. to make somebody feel better – solace

B. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

a. Death is a fiction created by a human being.

b. Ultimately, we are moving straight to the grave.

c. According to the speaker, death is guaranteed. It is sure to happen.

d. Human beings have corrupted everything and they have twisted it whichever way they want.

C. Answer the following questions.

a. According to the speaker, there is only life. How?

⇒ According to the speaker, there is only life as nobody has experienced death.

b. According to the speaker, what is life?

⇒ According to the speaker, life is the process of moving from one dimension to another.

c. Why is there nothing wrong with death?

⇒ There is nothing wrong with death because it is a natural part of life, and has to happen.

d. Why do we fear death?

⇒ We fear death because we do not know what it is. We have never experienced it, and we do not know what happens after we die. This uncertainty can be scary, and it can lead to fear.

e. Why do people have an idea of death?

⇒ People have an idea of death because people have been talking about it without knowing about it. /People have an idea of death because they have been told about it by others.

D. What is your view on death? Write a short paragraph.

Death is the end of a life in a living thing. All living and biological actions of the living thing stop, including the mind and the senses. The usual indication for death both in humans and many other animals is that the heart stops beating and cannot be restarted. This can be caused by many things. All living things have a certain lifespan, and they finally die.

Grammar I

Simple Present Tense

A. Rewrite the following sentences using the correct form of the verbs given in the brackets.

a. The winter follows the autumn season.

b. The human body consists of some 60 trillion individual cells.

c. Cows feed on grass.

d. He earns a handsome salary every month.

e. Akila makes delicious cookies.

f. Arati and her husband live in Singapore.

g. Do you like chocolate milk?

h. He doesn’t want to go to the movies.

i. My grandfather adores his pet dog.

j. Plants need water and sunlight for photosynthesis.

k. He has a big apartment in Venice.

B. Make a statement or a question using these prompts. Use the present simple.

I/not/check/my emails when I get to school.

Answer: I don’t check my emails when I get to school.

you/watch/the news on TV every day?

Answer: Do you watch the news on TV every day?

she/wear/a red dress.

Answer: She wears a red dress.

you/have/a school bus?

Answer: Do you have a school bus?

what/you/want to drink?

Answer: What do you want to drink?

you/not/need more reading practice.

Answer: You do not need more reading practice.

your friend/not/like computer games.

Answer: Your friend does not like computer games.

mum/wash/car once a week.

Answer: Does mum wash a car once a week

B. Change the following sentences into negative and questions.

The swimming pool opens everyday at 9: 30 am.

Neg- The swimming pool doesn’t open everyday at 9: 30 am.

Q- Does the swimming pool open everyday at 9: 30 am?

I use my car very often.

Neg- I use my car very often.

Q- Do you use your car very often?

John comes from Mexico.

Neg- John doesn’t come from Mexico.

Q- Does John come from Mexico?

I play the piano very well.

Neg- I don’t play the piano very well.

Q- Do you play the piano very well?

Ann watches television a lot.

Neg- Ann doesn’t watch television much.

Q- Does Ann watch television much?

I write to my parents every month.

Neg- I don’t write to my parents every month.

Q- Do you write to your parents every month?

This car breaks down every five hours.

Neg- This car doesn’t break down every five hours.

Q- Does this car break down every five hours ?

Writing I

Message of Condolence

A. Write a message of condolence to her family on behalf of your school. It will be published in a local newspaper. Use the clues given in the box below.

Subhadra Adhikari (1946 – 2019) …….. passed away at her residence, in Kathmandu, due to respiratory problems …….. famous and wellknown senior actress .……. contributed a lot to the Nepali film industry ………….. Basanti, Basudev, Muna Madan, Chino among superhits ………….heartfelt condolences