EnglishCBSE Class 9 · Chapter 4

Vitamin-M Class 9: Summary, Characters and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Vitamin-M by Asha Nehemiah, the prose piece of Kaveri Unit 4, is a humorous story about Ravi, who secretly trails his seventy-five-year-old Grandpa through the city after promising his mother not to let him go out alone. Grandpa outwits him, and it is the mother who forgets his birthday: she is the one who needs 'Vitamin-M'.

What Vitamin-M is about

Vitamin-M is a light, funny short story by Asha Nehemiah in Unit 4 of Kaveri, a unit on family and memory. Ravi's mother, Vidya, wishes someone would invent a 'memory vitamin' for old people, because her father, a retired lawyer, has been forgetful. When Grandpa insists on going out alone, Ravi follows him like a detective, through a park, a tea stall, a barber shop and onto a bus, only to discover he has been trailing a stranger wearing Grandpa's yellow cap. At home, Grandpa coolly tells Ravi's mother that Ravi 'just disappeared', hands out gifts because it is *his* birthday, which his daughter has forgotten, and gives Ravi a book of detective stories. The irony is clear: the mother needs Vitamin-M.

In the R1 paper, a prose extract (Q10, 5 marks) may come from this story, as well as 2-mark short answers (40-50 words) and 5-mark long answers (120-150 words) on character, humour, irony and attitudes to the elderly. The unit practises reported speech of questions, a key Class 9 grammar topic, and an article for the school magazine.

Weightage: Class 9 English is a school examination of 80 marks, but CBSE prescribes the paper design. Section C (Literature, 30 marks) in R1: one prose/drama extract and one poetry extract (5 marks each), five of six short answers (40-50 words, 2 marks each) and two long answers (about 120-150 words, 5 marks each). R2 has three extracts, five of seven short answers and one long answer.Source: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27, Question Paper Design R1 and R2

Vitamin-M: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Part I: the promise. Ravi's mother wishes for a 'memory vitamin', Vitamin-M, for old people. Her father, Ravi's Grandpa, came to live with them a month ago because he had become too old to live alone. In that month he took a double dose of medicine and once got lost on a walk. Earlier, he had fallen in the garden of his small brick house and lain outside all night. Grandpa, a former lawyer of seventy-five, resents being treated like a child; he has looked after himself and kept house since his wife died ten years ago, and he misses the quiet of his old home. Leaving for work, the mother tells Ravi never to let Grandpa go out alone. Ravi winces at her over-loud tone, as if Grandpa were a child. Grandpa plays brilliant chess and remembers famous games, which makes Ravi wonder how he can forget people's names. When Grandpa wants to fetch the Tamil newspaper, he guesses Ravi's instructions, accuses him of treating him like a baby and walks out jauntily with his eagle-headed walking stick and bright-yellow cap. Not wanting to hurt him, Ravi decides to follow him secretly.

Part II: the chase. Grandpa buys peanuts and watches children in the park, while Ravi hides behind an elephant-shaped bush; a child asks if he is playing hide and seek, and the child's mother threatens him with an umbrella. At the tea stall Ravi hides behind a banyan tree and is surrounded by loud vendors. He watches Grandpa enjoy sugary tea, bananas and ice cream, all forbidden at home. Grandpa crosses the traffic and enters a barber shop, though he is bald; Ravi ducks into the shop next door, a ladies' salon, and is thrown out. He follows the yellow cap onto a bus and finds a stranger with a full head of grey hair: Grandpa had given his cap to the man at the barber shop.

Part III: the twist. Frantic, Ravi searches and returns home to find Grandpa peacefully snoring. Full of affection, he hugs him but asks nothing. When his mother returns, Grandpa says he had a quiet morning but Ravi 'just disappeared'. He then gives everyone gifts, as he always does on his own birthday, which his daughter had forgotten despite circling it on the calendar. He remarks that his daughter needs Vitamin-M, and gives Ravi a book of detective stories with tips on avoiding being fooled while trailing a suspect. Ravi cannot tell if Grandpa's twinkle is innocent or mischievous.

Central idea: The elderly deserve respect and independence, not condescension. Age does not make a person less sharp, and the story gently turns the joke back on those who assume it does.

Themes and message

Dignity and independence of the elderly

Grandpa has managed his own life and home for years and hates being treated like 'a baby' or 'a prisoner'. The story asks readers to balance safety with respect. Ravi feels this tension when he follows Grandpa rather than stopping him.

From the text: 'I've been looking after myself for the better part of my seventy-five years.' and 'Treating me like a baby!'

Irony and role reversal

The mother wants a memory vitamin for old people, yet she is the one who forgets her father's birthday. Grandpa, supposedly forgetful, remembers every chess game and his birthday custom. The 'detective' Ravi is the one who gets fooled. The story's humour comes from these reversals.

From the text: 'My daughter needs some Vitamin-M, I think—for her memory.'

Bond between grandparent and grandchild

Ravi is protective, loyal and affectionate. He improves at chess with Grandpa, worries during the chase and hugs him on finding him safe. Grandpa's gift and twinkle show playful love in return.

From the text: 'Ravi was suddenly overcome with affection for his grandfather and gave him a hug'

Age bias and condescension

Ravi winces at his mother's over-loud tone, used as if Grandpa were a child who could not understand. The story criticises the habit of assuming that old age means helplessness. The textbook asks readers to reflect on such bias.

From the text: 'as though she were speaking to a child who couldn't hear or understand too well'

Humour in everyday life

Ravi's embarrassing adventures (the hide-and-seek child, the umbrella-waving mother, the loud vendors, the ladies' salon) are told with comic exaggeration. The light tone makes a serious subject, ageing, warm and enjoyable.

From the text: 'The ultimate humiliation was when Ravi had to crawl out of the park on all fours'

Characters

Grandpa

Ravi's seventy-five-year-old maternal grandfather, a former lawyer.

Independent and proud: resents being forbidden to go out
Sharp and cunning: a 'cool and cunning' chess player who outwits Ravi
Generous: gives his cap to a stranger; gives gifts on his own birthday
Witty and mischievous: the 'Vitamin-M' remark and the detective book
Nostalgic: longs for his quiet brick house and mango tree

'Good,' said Grandpa craftily; 'That was typical of Grandpa, always generous.'; 'the twinkle in Grandpa's eye'.

Ravi

A schoolboy on holiday, left in charge of Grandpa.

Caring and responsible: follows Grandpa to keep him safe
Sensitive: winces at his mother's tone; avoids hurting Grandpa
Loyal: defends his mother when Grandpa questions him
Determined but clumsy 'detective': keeps trailing despite humiliation
Affectionate: hugs his sleeping grandfather

'Ravi decided he would follow Grandpa secretly, at a safe distance'; 'Ravi winced at the over-loud tone'.

Ravi's mother (Vidya)

Grandpa's daughter, a working woman worried about his safety.

Anxious and protective after the hospital and getting-lost incidents
Over-cautious and condescending in tone
Busy and forgetful: forgets her father's birthday
Capable of embarrassment: she flushes when caught out

'It's too dangerous'; 'Ravi's mother flushed and darted a stricken look at the calendar'.

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Situational irony	The mother who wants Vitamin-M for old people forgets her father's birthday	Turns the opening joke back on her and makes the story's point about age bias with humour.
Humour through exaggeration	the vendor who 'would never ever require a megaphone'	Comic overstatement makes Ravi's ordeal funny.
Simile	'Grandpa was as bald as a table tennis ball'; 'more creases than lines on a map'	Vivid, playful pictures of Grandpa that also show Ravi's affection.
Twist ending and ambiguity	'whether the twinkle in Grandpa's eye was an innocent gleam or a mischievous one'	Leaves readers guessing whether Grandpa knew he was being followed.
Sensory detail	'Grandpa smelt of eucalyptus ointment and shaving cream.'	Makes the moment of affection real and touching.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

that somebody would invent a memory — Vitamin-M
Ravi's mother: Opening, while she sets out Grandpa's tablets.
Introduces the title and her assumption that old people are forgetful.
I’ve been looking after myself for the better part of my seventy-five years.
Grandpa: Protesting against being forbidden to go out alone.
Shows his pride and independence.
Treating me like a baby!
Grandpa: When Ravi offers to fetch the newspaper.
Expresses his resentment of condescension.
That was typical of Grandpa, always generous.
Narrator (Ravi's view): On learning Grandpa gave his cap to a stranger.
Shows Grandpa's kindness; it is also how Ravi was fooled.
My daughter needs some Vitamin-M, I think—for her memory.
Grandpa: After she forgets his birthday.
The ironic climax; the title's joke is reversed.
How to avoid getting fooled when one is trailing a suspect
Grandpa: Explaining his gift of a detective book to Ravi.
Hints that Grandpa knew he was being followed.

Vitamin-M in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Respecting independence while ensuring safety

Suppose your grandfather wants to take the bus alone to visit an old friend across the city.

How could you help without treating him 'like a baby'? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Grandpa resented being forbidden.
Offer support, not control.
Phone, route, check-in call.

Answer: Unlike forbidding him, I would help him plan: check the bus route together, save our numbers on his phone and ask him to call when he reaches. This keeps him safe while respecting his independence, which Grandpa in the story valued so much.

Memory hook: Support, don't supervise.

Tone and respect

Imagine your aunt always speaks very loudly and slowly to your grandmother, who can hear perfectly well.

Why might this upset your grandmother, according to the story? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Ravi winced at the over-loud tone.
It suggests the elder cannot understand.
It hurts dignity.

Answer: Ravi winced when his mother used an 'over-loud tone', as if Grandpa were a child who could not understand. My grandmother may feel the same: such a tone suggests she is less capable, which hurts her dignity even when it is meant kindly.

Memory hook: Speak to elders, not down to them.

Not judging by appearances (irony)

Suppose your class assumes the oldest teacher cannot use the new smartboard, but she turns out to be the best at it.

Link this to the irony in Vitamin-M. Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Assumption: old means forgetful or behind.
Grandpa proved sharper than expected.
The assumers look foolish.

Answer: Like Ravi's mother, who assumed old people need Vitamin-M, we assumed age meant weakness. Just as Grandpa proved sharper than everyone, our teacher proved her skill. The irony teaches us that judging by age makes the judge, not the elder, look foolish.

Memory hook: Grey hair, sharp mind.

Topics in this chapter

How the school exam asks Vitamin-M

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Prose extract (Q10 in R1, 5 marks)	Extracts such as Grandpa's longing for his brick house or the birthday scene, with parts on emotion (nostalgic), reason (why he came to the city), an expression with similar meaning ('hear a leaf fall' = pin-drop silence), tone (calm), and true/false.	Pick emotions and tones that the words prove ('coolly' = calm). For 'why' parts, use cause from earlier in the story (the fall, the hospital episode).
Short answer (Q12, 2 marks, 40-50 words)	Two pieces of evidence that Grandpa's memory is sharp; why Ravi worried at the tea stall; was Ravi a good detective; did Grandpa know he was being followed; who needs Vitamin-M.	Give two clear points with details (chess games, birthday custom, the detective book).
Long answer (Q13/Q14, 5 marks, 120-150 words)	Character sketch of Grandpa or Ravi; irony in the story; age bias and how to treat the elderly.	Use the story's events in order and end with a judgement or a link to life.
Grammar: reported speech of questions	Convert questions from the story: Yes/No type with 'if/whether', Wh- type with the same question word; change tense, pronouns and time words.	Turn the question into a statement: 'Ravi asked Grandpa whether they should play chess.'
Writing: article (R1 Q8, 5 marks, 120-150 words)	'Our Inspiring Elderly' for the school magazine, as in the unit's Writing Task.	Title, name and class; introduction; examples; challenges overcome and impact; conclusion.

Tricks to remember Vitamin-M

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Grandpa's route: P-T-B-B
Park (peanuts), Tea stall (tea, bananas, ice cream), Barber shop (cap given away), Bus (stranger in the cap).
Use it when: Sequence and flow-chart questions.
Three ironies
Memory (mother forgets), Detective (Ravi fooled), Bald man at the barber (a cap trick, not a haircut).
Use it when: Long answers on irony and humour.
Reported question rule
Yes/No → if/whether; Wh- → keep the Wh-word; then statement order.
Use it when: Grammar items from the unit.

Vitamin-M: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: The brick house in town

he often spoke, longingly, of his small brick house in town. “Such a wonderful place…! With that big mango tree in the garden! It is so quiet that at dusk you can even hear a leaf fall!”

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The emotion shown by Grandpa here is:
(a) regretful
(b) apologetic
(c) nostalgic
(d) angry
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
'you can even hear a leaf fall' is closest in meaning to:
(a) end of one's life
(b) arrival of autumn
(c) sign of good luck
(d) pin-drop silence
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
The passage begins by telling us that Grandpa hated the 'noise and bustle' of city life. What does the word 'bustle' mean?
(4) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why did Grandpa come to the city despite disliking it?
(5) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which phrase shows that Grandpa spoke of his house with deep feeling?

Show the answersAnswers

(c) nostalgic
(d) pin-drop silence
Busy activity.
He had fallen in his garden and lain outside all night with no one to help, so his daughter brought him to live with her.
'spoke, longingly'

Extract 2: The birthday surprise

“I had a quiet morning, but I don’t know about Ravi. He just disappeared instead of staying at home to look after me like you told him to,” answered Grandpa coolly, while Ravi just looked confused and embarrassed.
Grandpa had another surprise for Ravi.
A gift-wrapped parcel!

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The tone of Grandpa's reply is:
(a) apologetic
(b) hurtful
(c) calm
(d) puzzled
(2) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why was Ravi confused and embarrassed?
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
True or false: Grandpa had a quiet morning at home.
(4) · 1 mark · Assertion-reason
Assertion (A): Grandpa's words suggest he may have known Ravi was following him.
Reason (R): He says Ravi 'just disappeared' instead of looking after him.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
(5) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Find a word in the extract that means 'without showing emotion'.

Show the answersAnswers

(c) calm
Grandpa revealed that Ravi had left home, though Ravi had only followed him to keep him safe; Ravi could not explain without admitting he was trailing him.
False; he went to the park, a tea stall and a barber shop.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
'coolly'

Vitamin-M: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Grandpa's memory is not failing · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Grandpa is shown at first as forgetful. Give two pieces of evidence that disprove this. Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

He remembers famous chess games (Karpov, Fischer vs Spassky).
He remembers his birthday and gift custom; his daughter forgets.
He cleverly fools Ravi.

Answer: Grandpa remembers thousands of chess games, quoting Karpov's opening and Bobby Fischer's mistake against Spassky. He also remembers his own birthday and his custom of giving gifts, which his daughter forgets. His clever trick with the cap shows a sharp mind.

Example 2: Worry at the tea stall · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Why was Ravi worried about what Grandpa had at the tea stall? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Sugary tea, bananas and ice cream.
All forbidden at home, for his health.
Ravi was responsible; mother 'would faint'.

Answer: Grandpa drank sugary tea, ate two bananas and an ice cream, all forbidden at home, probably for health reasons. Ravi was responsible for him that day and knew his mother 'would faint' if she saw it, so he was anxious about Grandpa's health and his own promise.

Example 3: Who needs Vitamin-M? · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

In your opinion, who needs Vitamin-M, and why? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Not Grandpa: sharp memory.
The mother forgot her father's birthday despite the calendar.
Also Ravi, fooled by the cap (humorously).

Answer: Ravi's mother needs it most. She forgot her own father's birthday, though she had circled it in red on the calendar. Grandpa, whom she thought forgetful, remembered it. Even Ravi, fooled by the cap, could use a little Vitamin-M for his detective work.

Example 4: Character sketch of Grandpa · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Write a character sketch of Grandpa in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Background: former lawyer, 75, widower, lived alone.
Independent and proud; resents being treated like a baby.
Sharp and cunning: chess; outwits Ravi.
Generous: cap; birthday gifts.
Witty and loving: Vitamin-M remark, detective book.
Conclusion.

Answer: Grandpa is a seventy-five-year-old former lawyer who has looked after himself and kept house since his wife died. Proud and independent, he resents being treated 'like a baby' and longs for his quiet brick house with its mango tree. He may have had some lapses, but his mind is sharp: he plays 'cool and cunning' chess and remembers famous games. He easily outwits Ravi, slipping away while the boy follows a stranger in his yellow cap. He is also generous, giving his cap away on a hot day and gifts to everyone on his own birthday. Finally, he is witty and mischievous, saying his daughter needs Vitamin-M and giving Ravi a detective book. Grandpa shows that old age need not mean helplessness.

Example 5: Irony in Vitamin-M · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

How does Asha Nehemiah use irony to make her point about the elderly? Answer in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Opening: Vitamin-M for 'old people'.
Grandpa's sharp memory contradicts her.
Ravi the 'detective' is fooled.
Mother forgets the birthday; Grandpa's remark.
Point: assumptions about age are wrong; humour softens criticism.

Answer: The story is built on irony. It opens with Ravi's mother wishing for a 'Vitamin-M' to help old people remember, assuming her father is forgetful. Yet Grandpa remembers thousands of chess games and plans a clever escape. The next irony is that Ravi, playing detective, is himself fooled: he follows Grandpa's yellow cap onto a bus and finds a stranger under it. The final irony is the sharpest. The mother forgets her father's birthday, though she had circled it in red, while Grandpa remembers it and his custom of giving gifts. His dry remark, 'My daughter needs some Vitamin-M', reverses the opening joke. Through these reversals the writer gently shows that we should not assume the elderly are helpless; age bias can make the young look foolish.

Example 6: Safety versus freedom · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Suppose your grandmother, who lives with you, insists on going to the market alone, but your parents fear she may get lost. Using the story, suggest a solution that respects both safety and her dignity. Answer in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Parents' worry: like Vidya's after real incidents.
Grandmother's dignity: like Grandpa's anger at being treated like a baby.
Ravi's secret trailing: well-meant but not ideal.
Solution: talk openly; phone/ID card; familiar route; going together at first.
Conclusion: respect plus safety.

Answer: My parents' fear is real, just as Ravi's mother had reasons after Grandpa took a double dose of medicine and got lost. But forbidding my grandmother outright would hurt her as it hurt Grandpa, who hated being treated 'like a baby'. Secretly following her, as Ravi did, would also be awkward and could break her trust. A better solution is to talk openly with her. She could carry a phone with emergency numbers and a card with our address. We could walk the route with her a few times, then let her go alone to familiar shops at fixed times while she calls us when she arrives. This way she keeps her independence and self-respect, and my parents have peace of mind. Respecting the elderly means caring for their safety without taking away their freedom.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

Was Grandpa aware that Ravi was following him? How do you know? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: probably yes; clues: says Ravi 'just disappeared', detective book with tips on trailing, the twinkle in his eye; the story leaves it open.	1
Expression: clear, concise, within limit.	1

Give two traits each of Grandpa, Ravi and Ravi's mother, with evidence (120-150 words). (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: Grandpa (independent, cunning/generous) with evidence.	1
Content: Ravi (caring, sensitive) and mother (anxious, forgetful) with evidence.	1
Content: linking comment or conclusion.	1
Expression.	1
Accuracy.	1

Where students lose marks in Vitamin-M

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying Grandpa got lost
Following Ravi's panic.
Wrong working
Grandpa got lost in the city and someone brought him home.
Right working
Grandpa returned home on his own and was found snoring.
Do this: Remember the final scene.
Usually costs: Up to 2 marks.
Mistake: Writing that it was Ravi's birthday
The gift is for Ravi.
Wrong working
Grandpa gave Ravi a gift on Ravi's birthday.
Right working
It was Grandpa's birthday; he gives gifts to every child in the house on his own birthday.
Do this: Ravi's birthday was three months earlier.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Stating as fact that Grandpa knew Ravi was following
The text only hints at it.
Wrong working
Grandpa saw Ravi and deliberately fooled him.
Right working
The story hints that Grandpa knew (his remark, the detective book, the twinkle) but leaves it uncertain.
Do this: Use 'suggests' or 'seems'.
Usually costs: Content marks in long answers.
Mistake: Errors in reported questions
Keeping question order.
Wrong working
She asked who are you.
Right working
She asked who he was.
Do this: Statement order, back-shift tense, change pronouns, no question mark.
Usually costs: Grammar marks.

Practice questions on Vitamin-M

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
What did Grandpa say he was going out to buy?
(a) medicine
(b) the Tamil newspaper
(c) peanuts
(d) a cap
Hint
Before he leaves the flat.
Answer
(b) the Tamil newspaper
Q2 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Why did Ravi decide to follow Grandpa secretly? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
He was in a dilemma.
Answer
Value points: dilemma; Grandpa would feel hurt if Ravi went with him; mother would be furious if he let Grandpa go alone; following secretly kept Grandpa safe without hurting him.
Model answer: Ravi was in a dilemma. Grandpa would feel hurt if he insisted on going with him, and his mother would be furious if she knew he had let Grandpa go alone. So he followed him secretly, at a safe distance, to keep him safe without hurting his feelings.
Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Describe two embarrassing moments Ravi faced while trailing Grandpa. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Park, tea stall, salon.
Answer
Value points: park (child asks about hide and seek; mother threatens with umbrella; crawls out on all fours); tea stall (loud vendors surround him); ladies' salon (thrown out amid shrieks).
Model answer: In the park a child's mother thought Ravi was rude and threatened him with her umbrella, so he had to crawl out on all fours. Later he ducked into a shop that turned out to be a ladies' salon and was thrown out amid shrieks.
Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Change into reported speech: Ravi asked, 'Shall we play chess or watch the cricket match on TV, Grandpa?'
Hint
Yes/No-type choice question: use 'whether'.
Answer
Ravi asked Grandpa whether they should play chess or watch the cricket match on TV.
Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Change into reported speech: The boy's mother said to Ravi, 'Who are you?'
Hint
Wh- question: keep 'who', make it a statement.
Answer
The boy's mother asked Ravi who he was.
Q6 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
'Ravi is a good detective.' Give one argument for and one against this statement. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Persistence vs. being fooled.
Answer
Value points: for: persistent, keeps trailing despite humiliation, jumps on the bus; against: noticed, makes noise, follows the cap not the man, fooled by a simple trick.
Model answer: For: Ravi is determined, keeping Grandpa in sight through the park, the tea stall and the traffic, and even jumping onto a moving bus. Against: he is easily noticed and is fooled by a simple trick, following the yellow cap instead of the man.
Q7 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Some people show bias based on age. With reference to Vitamin-M and your own observation, discuss how such bias affects the elderly. Answer in about 120-150 words.
Hint
Tone, restrictions, assumptions.
Answer
Value points: examples from the story (over-loud tone, being forbidden to go out, assumption of poor memory); Grandpa's resentment; reversal at the end; own observation (e.g., elders ignored in family decisions, assumed unable to use technology); effect on dignity and confidence; suggestion.
Model answer: Age bias shows itself in small ways. In Vitamin-M, Ravi's mother speaks to her father in an 'over-loud tone', as though he were a child, and forbids him to go out alone. She even wishes for a pill to fix old people's memory. Grandpa resents this, asking why he is being treated 'like a baby'. Yet the story proves him sharp, generous and witty, and it is his daughter who forgets his birthday. I have seen similar bias when family members decide things without asking grandparents, or assume they cannot learn to use a smartphone. Such treatment hurts their dignity and slowly makes them less confident. We should ask for their opinions, give them responsibilities and offer help only where it is needed. Respect keeps the elderly active and involved.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose Grandpa had written a diary entry that evening. Write it in about 40-50 words, revealing whether he knew Ravi was following him.
Hint
Use clues: cap, detective book, twinkle.
Answer
Value points: first person; evening; the outing; the cap trick; Ravi seen behind the bush/tree; birthday forgotten; playful tone.
Model answer: Monday, 9 p.m. What a morning! I spotted Ravi crawling out of the park and peeping from behind the banyan. Gave my cap to that kind fellow and came home by another road. Vidya forgot my birthday again. Ravi will enjoy his detective book!
Q9 · 5 marks · Long answerExam level
Writing task: Write an article (120-150 words) for your school magazine titled 'Our Inspiring Elderly'.
Hint
Title, name and class; four paragraphs.
Answer
Value points: title and writer's name/class; paragraph 1: introduction to the topic (elders' wisdom and experience); paragraph 2: examples of how elders inspire (skills, stories, values; a quotation if possible); paragraph 3: challenges they overcame and impact on you; paragraph 4: conclusion with a message (respect, spend time, learn from them). Formal but lively language.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.Who wrote Vitamin-M?Show answer
Asha Nehemiah.
2.What was Grandpa's profession?Show answer
Lawyer.
3.How old is Grandpa?Show answer
Seventy-five.
4.What is Ravi's mother's name?Show answer
Vidya.
5.What colour was Grandpa's cap?Show answer
Bright yellow.
6.What was the handle of his walking stick shaped like?Show answer
An eagle's head.
7.What did Grandpa give Ravi?Show answer
A book, The Best Detective Stories.
8.Whose birthday was it?Show answer
Grandpa's.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you list Grandpa's four stops in order?
Can you give two proofs of Grandpa's sharp memory?
Can you explain the three ironies?
Can you argue whether Grandpa knew he was followed?
Can you report two questions from the story?
Can you write a 5-trait sketch of Grandpa?
Can you plan the four paragraphs of 'Our Inspiring Elderly'?

Vitamin-M: frequently asked questions

Who wrote Vitamin-M?

Asha Nehemiah. It is the prose piece of Unit 4 in the Class 9 English textbook Kaveri.

What is Vitamin-M?

An imaginary 'memory vitamin' that Ravi's mother wishes someone would invent for old people. At the end Grandpa says his daughter needs it, because she forgot his birthday.

Why did Grandpa come to live in the city?

He had grown too old to live alone; he had slipped in his garden one evening and lain outside all night with no one to help. So his daughter locked up his brick house and brought him to the city.

How did Ravi lose track of Grandpa?

Grandpa gave his yellow cap to a stranger at the barber shop. Ravi followed the cap onto a bus and found the stranger wearing it.

Did Grandpa know that Ravi was following him?

The story does not say directly, but it hints that he did: he tells Ravi's mother that Ravi 'just disappeared', and gives Ravi a detective book with tips on not getting fooled while trailing a suspect, with a twinkle in his eye.

What is the irony in the story Vitamin-M?

The mother thinks old people need a memory vitamin, but she forgets her father's birthday, while the 'forgetful' Grandpa remembers it and his custom of giving gifts. The one who needs Vitamin-M is the mother.

Based on: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27 (R1 and R2); NCERT Kaveri, Textbook of English for Grade 9 (First Edition 2026), Unit 4: Vitamin-M