NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English Chapter 5 The World of Limitless Possibilities
Updated on 2026-09-19
About this chapter
The World of Limitless Possibilities (prose, pages 137–155) is an interview — the whole text is question and answer, so the writer’s voice is the interviewer’s and the argument is Dr. Malik’s own. She was diagnosed with a spine tumour at 29 , was paralysed waist down after surgery, moved from swimming to para-athletics, and won the silver medal in shot-put at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games . The interview is built on a set of ‘firsts’: the first Indian woman para-athlete to win an Asian Games medal in athletics and India’s first woman Paralympics medallist across any sport . Her awards named in the text are the Khel Ratna , the Arjuna and the Padma Shri , and the International Paralympic Committee listed her among the 10 most inspirational women para-athletes globally. Her key phrase is ‘ab
- Nine Gold Medals (poem)
Quick revision
| Word or phrase | What it means | Where it appears in the chapter | Used in a fresh sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| resilience | ability to recover quickly from difficult circumstances (book’s gloss, page 138) | “a thrilling celebration of resilience” (page 138) | The team showed real resilience after losing the first two matches. |
| quell | to overcome (book’s gloss, page 138) | “Paralympics go beyond competition, to quell stereotypes” (page 138) | One honest conversation quelled all the rumours. |
| locomotor | related to bones, joints, or muscles (book’s gloss, page 138) | “athletes with locomotor, sensory, or intellectual disabilities” (page 138) | Physiotherapy helped him recover his locomotor strength. |
| indelible | enduring or permanent (book’s gloss, page 139) | “has left an indelible mark on innumerable aspiring athletes” (page 139) | That coach left an indelible mark on our school. |
| squander | waste (book’s gloss, page 139) | “squander my life in remorse” (page 139) | Do not squander the last week before the exam. |
| remorse | regret (book’s gloss, page 139) | “squander my life in remorse” (page 139) | He spoke with genuine remorse about the missed practice. |
| trailblazer | pioneer or leader (book’s gloss, page 140) | “You’re a trailblazer—the first ever Indian female para-athlete…” (page 140) | She was a trailblazer for girls’ football in our district. |
| accolades | praise and honours (book’s gloss, page 140) | “I truly appreciate these accolades that have been showered on me” (page 140) | The film collected accolades at every festival. |
| coveted | strongly desired by many (book’s gloss, page 140) | “You’ve been bestowed with several coveted awards too” (page 140) | The coveted trophy stands in the Principal’s room. |
| proponent | a person who speaks in support of a particular idea or action (book’s gloss, page 140) | “I’m a proponent of the school of thought, ‘ability beyond disability’” (page 140) | She is a proponent of rainwater harvesting in every colony. |
| fortitude | strength to face adversity or difficulty (book’s gloss, page 141) | “The support of my family, coupled with my fortitude” (page 141) | He bore the long treatment with quiet fortitude. |
| testament | proof (book’s gloss, page 141) | “Your story is indeed a testament to the power of determination” (page 141) | The full stadium was a testament to her popularity. |
| preconceived notions | opinions about something even before knowing the truth (book’s gloss, page 141) | “it breaks down preconceived notions” (page 141) | Travel is the quickest cure for preconceived notions. |
| inclusivity | including everyone and their thoughts and treating them equally (book’s gloss, page 141) | “you’ve become vocal for inclusivity and accessibility” (page 141) | The new ramp and lift were a step towards inclusivity. |
| advocating | supporting or suggesting an idea (book’s gloss, page 141) | “your role in advocating for disability rights” (page 141) | She has been advocating longer library hours all year. |
| unleashed | release of something powerful that cannot be controlled (book’s gloss, page 142) | “a unique strength waiting to be unleashed” (page 142) | One good coach unleashed the talent of the whole team. |
| defy the odds | succeed when most people expect failure (matching item, page 147) | “incredible athletes defy the odds” (page 138) | A village school team defied the odds and reached the state final. |
| a new lease of life | an occasion when you become more energetic and active than earlier (matching item, page 147) | “Paralympics has given me a new lease of life” (page 141) | The repaired cycle gave my old route a new lease of life. |
| in hindsight | the ability to understand something after it has happened (matching item, page 147) | “In hindsight, I feel it was a moment of personal victory” (page 140) | In hindsight, I should have started revising a week earlier. |
| stumbled / staggered | to step awkwardly and almost fall / to walk or move with difficulty (matching items, page 159) | “he stumbled and staggered / And fell to the asphalt instead” (poem, stanza 4) | He stumbled on the last step and staggered into the wall. |
| dashed in the dirt | destroyed (matching item, page 159) | “His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt” (poem, stanza 5) | One injury left his hopes of selection dashed in the dirt. |
| anguish | extreme pain or suffering (matching item, page 159) | “He gave out a cry of frustration and anguish” (poem, stanza 5) | There was anguish in her voice as she read the letter. |
| asphalt | a hard black substance used to make roads and paths (matching item, page 159) | “And fell to the asphalt instead” (poem, stanza 4) | The asphalt was too hot to stand on at noon. |
| standing ovation | loud applause from an audience that rises to its feet — an adjective–noun collocation | “And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces” (poem, stanza 8) | The class gave the retiring peon a standing ovation. |
| collocation | a pair or group of words that habitually appear together (defined on page 162) | “heavy rain”, “strong coffee”, “great success” | ‘Heavy traffic’ is a collocation; ‘strong traffic’ is not. |
| Agitos | the Paralympic symbol, from Latin ‘I move’ (infographic, page 168) | “The Paralympic symbol, also known as the Agitos” (page 168) | The three Agitos were painted across the stadium wall. |
Exercises
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Reflect and Respond Page 137–138
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Check Your Understanding Page 143–144
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Critical Reflection Page 144–147
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Vocabulary and Structures in Context Page 147–151
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Listen and Respond Page 152
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Speaking Activity Page 152–153
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Writing Task Page 153–154
- The World of Limitless Possibilities (interview with Dr. Deepa Malik) — Learning Beyond the Text Page 154–155
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Reflect and Respond Page 156
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Check Your Understanding Page 158–160
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Critical Reflection Page 160–162
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Vocabulary in Context Page 162–163
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Listen and Respond Page 163–164
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Speaking Activity Page 164–165
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Writing Task Page 165–166
- Nine Gold Medals (poem) — Learning Beyond the Text Page 167–168