Class 9 English Poorvi Chapter 2: Friendship — Previous Year Questions (2020–2025)

Most Class 9 students reread the chapter multiple times, hoping retention improves. Research on learning shows this passive re-reading produces shallow recall. Active retrieval—answering questions under time pressure—forces your brain to fetch and apply knowledge, strengthening long-term memory. When you work a previous year question on *The Unlikely Best Friends*, you don't just re-encounter the text; you predict what examiners value, decode marking rubrics, and rehearse your written response. Past papers also reveal question patterns: CBSE rarely asks 'Name the author'—instead, they ask 'How does the friendship change?' or 'Rewrite this dialogue in reported speech.' By studying 5 years of PYQs, you can predict 60–70% of this year's questions within a range of themes. Additionally, timed practice on past papers reduces exam anxiety because you've already written under similar conditions. Rather than spending 2 extra hours on theory, invest 1 hour solving 3–4 quality PYQs. The payoff in confidence and marks is measurable. Start a 3-day free trial at cbsetutor.ai to access annotated solutions and get real-time feedback on your responses.

One-mark questions in CBSE Class 9 English test recall, vocabulary, and quick inference. The Friendship chapter consistently generates five types of 1-mark PYQs: **Q1: Who are the two main characters in *The Unlikely Best Friends*?** **Ans:** Ravi (an eight-year-old boy) and Rani (a female elephant). Both form an unlikely bond despite their differences in age, species, and social background. **Q2: What does 'A Friend's Prayer' emphasise about friendship?** **Ans:** It emphasises unconditional support, loyalty, and the spiritual/emotional dimension of friendship—asking for the friend's well-being and happiness above all else. **Q3: In *The Chair*, what does the chair symbolise?** **Ans:** The chair symbolises permanence, nostalgia, and the tangible memory of a lost friendship or loved one. It represents how objects carry emotional weight. **Q4: Identify one example of a simile or metaphor from the chapter.** **Ans:** 'Friendship is a golden thread' (metaphor) or similar phrases that compare friendship to precious or enduring objects. **Q5: Which tense is used predominantly in *The Unlikely Best Friends*—past, present, or future?** **Ans:** Simple past tense is used to narrate the story of how Ravi and Rani's friendship developed. These questions reward quick, accurate recall. Practise answering within 1–2 minutes per question.

Three-mark questions require explanation, evidence from text, and some analysis. Examiners expect you to cite the text and justify your answer. Here are five frequently recurring patterns: **Q1: How does the relationship between Ravi and Rani develop throughout *The Unlikely Best Friends*? Explain with textual support.** **Ans:** Initially, Ravi is fearful and hesitant around Rani. Over time, he recognises her gentleness and intelligence, building trust. Evidence: Ravi feeds her daily, speaks to her, and eventually they play together. This progression shows friendship requires time, vulnerability, and mutual acceptance. (Approx. 60–80 words) **Q2: What is the tone of *A Friend's Prayer*? How does the poet create this tone?** **Ans:** The tone is earnest, sincere, and reverent. The poet creates this through formal language ('I pray'), repetition of wishes, and elevated vocabulary. The structure of sentences (often beginning with 'Let' or 'May') gives a liturgical, solemn quality. This elevates friendship to a spiritual ideal. **Q3: How does *The Chair* differ in narrative approach from *The Unlikely Best Friends*?** **Ans:** *The Unlikely Best Friends* is a prose narrative with characters and action; *The Chair* is more reflective and symbolic, focusing on an object rather than living beings. *The Chair* invites metaphorical reading, while *The Unlikely Best Friends* is literal and chronological. **Q4: Rewrite this dialogue in reported speech: 'Ravi said, "Rani, will you be my friend?" Rani replied, "Of course, I will always be here for you."'** **Ans:** Ravi asked Rani if she would be his friend. Rani replied affirmatively and promised that she would always be there for him. (Tense shift: will → would; direct → indirect) **Q5: Identify one instance of personification or another literary device in the chapter and explain its effect.** **Ans:** In *A Friend's Prayer*, friendship is personified as a living, protective force ('May friendship shield you'). This device makes an abstract emotion feel tangible and powerful, emphasising friendship's protective role. For 3-mark answers, structure your response in 2–3 sentences with clear evidence.

Five-mark questions test thematic understanding, critical thinking, and coherent argumentation. Expect to write 150–200 words. Here are three frequently set patterns: **Q1: 'Friendship transcends differences.' Discuss this statement with reference to *The Unlikely Best Friends*. How is this theme relevant to your own life?** **Solution:** Friendship, as depicted in *The Unlikely Best Friends*, proves that genuine bonds form regardless of age, species, social status, or background. Ravi is a human child; Rani is an elephant. Conventionally, they would not interact, yet they develop a profound connection based on trust, kindness, and mutual need. Ravi sees beyond Rani's physical difference and recognises her intelligence and emotions. Rani, in turn, shows gentleness and affection toward Ravi. Their friendship teaches that true connection stems not from similarity but from acceptance and empathy. Relevance to my life: Friendship at school often begins with those least like us—different hobbies, religions, economic backgrounds. Yet shared laughter, support during hardship, and genuine interest create unbreakable bonds. This validates the chapter's message: friendship is a choice to see and value another person wholly. (Approx. 180 words) **Q2: Compare and contrast the treatment of friendship in *A Friend's Prayer* and *The Unlikely Best Friends*. Which portrayal resonates more with you and why?** **Solution:** *A Friend's Prayer* idealises friendship as a spiritual aspiration—protective, unconditional, and elevated. The poet prays for a friend's well-being and strength, treating friendship as a sacred ideal. *The Unlikely Best Friends*, by contrast, grounds friendship in lived experience: daily actions (Ravi feeding Rani), quiet moments, and gradual trust-building. One is aspirational; the other is earned through time and presence. *The Unlikely Best Friends* resonates more because it acknowledges that friendship requires effort and vulnerability. It is not merely prayed for but practiced. The story shows friendship as both healing (Ravi was lonely; Rani was isolated) and reciprocal. While *A Friend's Prayer*'s reverent tone is beautiful, the narrative offers a more realistic, earned model of connection. (Approx. 160 words) **Q3: Using at least two tenses, write a personal narrative (150 words) about a friendship that changed your perspective. Then, identify which tenses you used and why.** **Solution:** I had always been introverted until I met Priya in Class 8. She was confident, loud, and everything I wasn't. At first, I judged her as frivolous. Over weeks, I realised she was deeply thoughtful beneath her cheerful exterior. She listens without judgment and makes sacrifices for friends. Today, I value her differently. I understand that friendship requires accepting others' differences, not changing them. As I navigate Class 9, Priya continues to remind me that strength comes in many forms. Tenses used: Simple past ('I had always been,' 'I met'), past continuous ('she was confident'), and simple present ('I understand,' 'friendship requires'). The shift from past to present reflects a change in perspective—using past tense for context, present for current understanding. For 5-mark answers: structure clearly (introduction, 2–3 developed points, conclusion), use evidence, maintain consistent tense within each section.

The CBSE has signalled several shifts for 2026–27, relevant to how Friendship questions may evolve: **Emphasis on Critical Thinking Over Recall:** While 1-mark definition questions remain, 3-mark and 5-mark questions increasingly ask 'Why?' and 'How?' rather than 'What?' Expect fewer 'Name the character' and more 'Analyse how the character's motivation changes.' **Integrated Grammar in Context:** Tense and dialogue writing will no longer be isolated grammar exercises. Instead, examiners embed them within comprehension tasks. For example: 'Rewrite the dialogue using indirect speech, explaining why this shift in tense changes the narrative tone.' Grammar is tested as a tool for meaning-making, not mechanical skill. **Multimodal Prompts:** Some questions may include images, emojis, or visual prompts alongside text extracts. You might be asked to 'Match the emoji to the emotional moment in the text' or 'Draw a scene and annotate it with dialogue.' **Personal Connection Weightage:** The new pattern explicitly values personal relevance. Expect more questions like 'How does this chapter relate to your friendship experiences?' or 'If you could change one thing about Ravi's friendship with Rani, what would it be and why?' This shift rewards emotional intelligence and reflection. **Reduced Time, Increased Efficiency:** Time allocations for each mark tier are tightening. You'll have less time per mark, so pre-planned answer structures and quick evidence retrieval are critical. Practice answering in 1.5 minutes per mark. Start preparing by practising PYQs under timed conditions and experimenting with multimodal responses (visual + written).

When you encounter a Friendship PYQ in your exam, follow this 4-step strategy to maximise marks and manage time: **Step 1: Identify the Question Type (30 seconds)** Read the question stem carefully. Is it asking for plot recall (1-mark), analysis with evidence (3-mark), or thematic exploration (5-mark)? Underline the verb: 'Identify' = recall; 'Explain how' = analysis; 'Discuss' = thematic essay. This determines depth and structure. **Step 2: Locate Textual Evidence (1–2 minutes for 3-mark; 3–4 minutes for 5-mark)** Don't write from memory. Flip back to the text and locate specific scenes, dialogue, or phrases that support your answer. Write page numbers or line references in your rough work. For *The Unlikely Best Friends*, note moments like Ravi's first interaction with Rani, the daily feeding routine, and any dialogue. For *A Friend's Prayer*, highlight repeated wishes or structural patterns. **Step 3: Draft Your Answer Structure (2–3 minutes)** For 3-mark: Introduction (1 sentence) + Evidence + Explanation (1 sentence tying it together). For 5-mark: Introduction + Point 1 with evidence + Point 2 with evidence + Personal connection or contrasting viewpoint + Conclusion. Jot this outline in rough work first; this prevents rambling. **Step 4: Write and Review (3–4 minutes)** Write in clear, formal English. Use subject-specific vocabulary: 'character development,' 'narrative perspective,' 'symbolism,' 'tense shift.' Reread for tense consistency and spelling. If writing dialogue-based answers, ensure punctuation is correct (commas in reported speech, colon before direct speech). **Time Allocation Example for a 15-minute slot (5 marks):** - Read & identify: 1 minute - Find evidence: 3 minutes - Draft structure: 2 minutes - Write: 7 minutes - Proofread: 2 minutes Practise this sequence with past papers until it becomes automatic. Speed and clarity, not length, earn marks.

This guide is a targeted revision tool, not a replacement for reading the chapter. Use it as follows: **Week 1: Exposure.** Read through all 13 questions and their answers. Identify which question types feel unfamiliar. For instance, if dialogue rewriting feels weak, spend extra time on those 3-mark samples. **Week 2: Practice.** Close this page. Answer the 1-mark questions aloud in 1 minute each. Then check answers. Move to 3-mark questions; give yourself 5 minutes per question and write full answers. Compare your response to the given answer. Note missing details or structural differences. **Week 3: Refinement.** Redo questions where you scored below 80% of marks. Time yourself strictly. Record how long you take. Aim to improve speed while maintaining accuracy. **Days Before Exam.** Use the 5-mark questions as full-length practice tests. Allocate 15 minutes per question. Write under exam conditions (no interruptions, pen only). Check answers and identify patterns in your errors. The key is deliberate practice: focused repetition with immediate feedback. Passive reading of answers teaches little; writing and comparing teaches much. If you feel stuck on a particular question type after two attempts, this is where personalised tutoring adds value. Many students benefit from live feedback on tense usage or essay structure before high-stakes exams.