7TH ENGLISH NOTES

1. Three Questions

Question 1:
Why did the king want to know answers to three questions?
Solution:
The king wanted to know answers of his three questions because he wanted to be a successful ruler.

Question 2:
Messengers were sent throughout the kingdom

1. to fetch wise men.
2. to find answers to the questions.
3. to look for the wise hermit.
4. to announce a reward for those who could answer the questions.

Solution:
2.to find answers to the questions.

Check
Complete the following sentences by adding the appropriate parts of the sentences given in the box.

1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions  ……………….
2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men  ……………….
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable  ……………….
4. The king requested the hermit  ……………….
5. The king washed and dressed the beared man’s wound  ……………….
   

Solution:

1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions, but their answers were so varied that the king was not satisfied.
2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men to help the king act at the right time.
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable and follow it strictly.
4. The king requested the hermit to answer three questions.
5. The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound but the bleeding would not stop.

Working with the Text
Answer the following questions.
Question 1:
Why was the king advised to go to the magicians?
Solution:
Some of the wise men thought that in order to decide right time for doing something, one must look into the future and only magicians were able to do that. So, they advised the king to go to the magicians.

Question 2
In answer to the second question, whose advice did the people say would be important to the king?
Solution:
In answer to the second question some people, suggested to seek advice of councillors, the priest or the doctors or the soldiers.

Question 3:
What suggestions were made in answer to the third question?
Solution:
For the third question some people said science was the most important business while there were others who believed it was fighting and then there were those who believed religious worship should take the first place.

Question 4:
Did the wise men win the reward? If not, why not?
Solution:
No, the wise men didn’t win the reward because their answers were so different from each other and king was not satisfied with their answers.

Question 5:
How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?
Solution:
The king washed the wound and covered the wound of the man with his handkerchief and kept on dressing it until the bleeding stopped completely.
The king also offered the wounded man water to drink. The hermit helped the king to bring the wounded man inside his hut and allowed the man to spend his night in the hut.

Question 6:

1. Who was the bearded man?
2. Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?

Solution:

1. The bearded man was an enemy of the king. He wanted to take revenge of his brother’s death by killing the king and taking away all his property.
2. The bearded man asked for the king’s forgiveness because he wanted to kill the king but the king has saved his life. He was grateful to the king now.

Question 7:
The king forgave the bearded man. What did he do to show his forgiveness?
Solution:
The king showed his forgiveness by promising the man that he will send his doctor and servants to look after him and also promised to return him all his property.

Question 8:
What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each answer separately. Which answers do you like the most and why?
Solution:
The most important time, the hermit said, is our present because it is the only moment when we have the power to act. The most important person at a moment is we ourselves because the future is unknown and we don’t know whether we will meet anyone in the future or not.
So, we should listen to ourselves.
The most important business is to be kind and good to others because we have been sent in this world to serve this noble cause.
I liked the third answer the most because helping someone in need is like serving God. It makes us a good person and brings a sense of satisfaction and contentment.

Working with Language
Question 1:
Match items in List A with their meanings in List B.
fainted: lost consciousness

Use any three of the given words in sentences of your own. You may change the form of the word.
Solution:

Question 2:
Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the word given in the brackets.
He has ………………. to help me. Do you think he will remember his  ………………. ? (promise)
He has promised to help me. Do you think he will remember his promise?

1. The  ………………. said that only fresh evidence would make him change his  ………………. (judge)
2. I didn’t notice any serious of  ……………….  opinion among the debaters, although they ……………….  from one another over small points.(differ)
3. It’s fairly simple question to ……………….  but will accept my  ………………. as final? (answer)
4. It isn’t ……………….  that  ………………. should always be the mother of invention. (necessary)
5. Hermits are ……………….  men. How they acquire their  ………………. no one can tell. (wise)
6. The committee has ……………….  to make
   Jagdish captain of the team. The  ………………. is likely to please everyone. (decide)
7. Asking for ………………. . is as noble as willingness to  ………………. (forgive)

Solution:

1. judge, judgement
2. difference, differed
3. answer, answer
4. necessary, necessity
5. wise, wisdom
6. has decided, decision
7. forgiveness, forgive

Speaking and Writing
Question 1:
Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting with the hermit. Begin like this: The wise men answered my questions, but I was not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the hermit….
Solution:
I knew the hermit used to help only ordinary men, so I left behind my servants and bodyguards. I went to meet him wearing simple clothes. The hermit was an old man and used to live in a hut amidst the woods. He was digging the ground in front of his hut when I arrived there. He greeted me and continued his work. I informed him the purpose of my visit, but still he continued digging the ground. He looked tired so I offered my help. He agreed, so I took the spade from him and started digging the ground.
After digging for many hours I again repeated my questions, but the hermit did not answer.
Evening was approaching and now I thought of returning. Suddenly, the hermit showed me a bearded man who was running towards us.

Question 2:
Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the king. Begin like this:
One day I was digging in my garden. A man in ordinary clothes came to see me. I knew it was the king….
Solution:
but still pretended to be unaware of his identity. He told me that he has come to me to get answers for his three questions.
I greeted him and continued digging the ground. I was tired digging the ground; the king noticed this and offered his help. I agreed and gave my spade to him.
After digging two beds in the ground the king repeated his questions, I ignored him again and rather asked him if he was tired and would like me to dig the ground. But he refused to do so and continued the task.
Evening was approaching and it seemed that he was ready to leave, at that very moment we saw a man running towards us.

Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1:
Why did the king send two messengers throughout his kingdom?
Solution:
The king sent his messengers to look for wise people.

Question 2:
How did the king promise to reward the person who would answer his questions correctly?
Solution:
The king promised to reward the person with a huge sum of money.

Question 3:
Whose advice did the king finally think of seeking?
Solution:
The king finally thought of seeking the hermit’s advice who lived in a distant jungle.

Question 4:
Who did go alongwith the king to meet the hermit?
Solution:
No one went alongwith the king.

Question 5:
During which time of the day would the hermit would leave the forest and go out?
Solution:
The hermit never used to go out of the forest.

Question 6:
Why did the bearded man press his stomach with his hand?
Solution:
The bearded man pressed his stomach because he was wounded and wanted to stop blood flowing out from his wound.

Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1:
Why was the king advised to listen to his soldiers?
Solution:
Some wise men thought that it were soldiers who used to fight wars for the king and help him extend his territory and power. So, according to them they thought soldiers were the most important people whom the king should follow.

Question 2:
Why did the king refuse to give reward to anyone?
Solution:
The king was not satisfied with the answers of the wise men.
They all had given different answers to the same questions because of which he was unable to come to a conclusion, so he refused giving the reward to anyone.

Question 3:
Why the king changed his clothes and left behind his bodyguards and horse before meeting the hermit?
Solution:
The king was aware that the hermit would meet only simple people.
So, he dressed up like an ordinary man, left behind his horse and bodyguards and went to meet the hermit in his hut in the woods all alone.

Question 4:
Describe the hermit in one or two sentences.
Solution:
The hermit was a weak old man and used to live amidst the woods which he would never leave. He was digging the ground in front of his hut for sowing seeds when the king arrived and the tedious task had made him tired.

Question 5:
“Here comes someone running”. Who has been referred to in this sentence?
Solution:
The bearded man is being referred to in these lines. He had planned to attack the king, but was instead attacked by the king’s bodyguards, as they had recognised him. He had received a wound in his stomach. He was rushing towards the hermit’s hut for help.

Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1:
What were the replies the king received for his first question?
Solution:
In reply to his first question, the king was advised to follow a timetable by some men. There were some people who were of the opinion that it was impossible to decide the right time in advance. The king was suggested to keep a note of all the happenings around him, avoid indulging in excessive pleasure and do everything that seemed important at any particular time. Along with this he should have a team of intelligent people to guide to him to the right thing at the right time.

Question 2:
Describe the king in your own words.
Solution:
The king wanted to be a good ruler. He was seeking answers for the three questions which he thought would help him in his mission. The king was kindhearted, when he found the old man tired of digging the ground, he offered him his help. He kept on bandaging the bearded man’s wound until blood stopped coming out from it. He was down to earth, he dressed up like a common man and spent the night sleeping on floor at the hermit’s hut.

Question 3:
Describe the bearded man in your own words.
Solution:
The bearded man was courageous. He wanted to avenge his brother’s death killing the king. He lacked patience because when the king didn’t return by evening, he became anxious and left his hiding place. He was thankful and obliged by the king’s act.
He repented for his act and asked for forgiveness. He returned the favour by promising the king faithfulness of his entire family for the kingdom.

Question 4:
The king had done right things at the right time. Explain giving three examples.
Solution:
The king had known the hermit’s nature of meeting only ordinary men. So, he gave up his king’s attire, left behind his soldiers and the horse and went alone to meet him.
He offered the hermit his help in digging the ground. He did this till evening. This helped him avoid the attack planned by the bearded man.
He helped the bearded man bandaging his wound and offered him water. He saved his life. This helped him made friends with his enemy.

Value Based Questions
Question 1:
Do you think we should help people in need? Why so?
Solution:
We should always help people in need. We have been sent to this world to do good to others. If we are good and kind towards other, people will respect us for our kindness. Being kind and helpful keeps us happy from within. We feel happiness when we bring smile on the face of others. We earn their good wishes and blessings in return. It makes us a good human being. To help others is the greatest motto of humanity and we should adhere to it.

Question 2:
The king helped the hermit in digging the beds. He even slept on the floor of the hut and lived like a simple man in the hermit’s hut. What lesson we learn from this?
Solution:
The king found the old hermit tired digging the beds so he offered his help to the man. He was accustomed of comfort and lavishness in his palace still at hermit’s home he slept on the floor. At our homes we get all the luxuries but if one day there comes a situation where we have to live without them we should be prepared for that.
In life we might become very rich and affluent one day still we should be simple from heart and must not be ashamed of embracing it at any moment.

The Squirrel (Poem)

Question 1:
Why does the poet say the squirrel “wore a question mark for tail”? Draw a squirrel, or find a picture of a squirrel sitting on the ground. How would you describe its tail?
Solution:
The poet said that the squirrel “wore a question mark for a tail” because its tail is twisted appearing like a question mark.

Question 2:
Do we usually say that an animal ‘wears’ a tail? What do we say?
(Think: Does an animal wear a coat? Consult a dictionary if you like, and find out how ‘wear’ is used in different ways.)
Solution:
We usually say that an animal ‘has’ a set of given characteristics rather than saying ‘wear’. The poet, however, uses the word ‘wear’ to indicate the external characteristics of the squirrel.
The dictionary meaning of ‘wear’ suggests some­thing of an outer covering, for instance clothes.

Question 3:
“He liked to tease and play”. Who is teasing whom? How?
Solution:
The poet liked to tease and play with the squirrel. Whenever the poet went a little close to the squirrel, the squirrel would run away in the other direction.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What is being compared to a gray overcoat?
Solution:
The squirrel’s body is being compared to a gray overcoat.

Question 2:
Discuss the posture of the squirrel as discussed in line 3 of the poem.
Solution:
The squirrel ‘sat up straight’ to eat a nut. Else, the squirrel usually sits and runs with a bended back.

Question 3:
What did the squirrel do if someone came too close to his tree?
Solution:
The squirrel would run away in the opposite direction if someone came too close to his tree.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Having observed the squirrels around us, can we say that a squirrel is a fast paced animal?
Solution:
Yes, based on our observation of the squirrels around us, we can say that a squirrel is a fast paced animal. We rarely come across squirrels sitting still, except when they are biting into the nuts. Usually we see the squirrels running from one place to another with great energy.

Question 2:
What does the poem say about the poet’s choice of subject?
Solution:
The poem is a reflection of the poet’s desire to compose poetry on most mundane elements that we come across in our day to day surrounding. A squirrel is the most commonly found animal that we see around us. Yet, very few of us would have thought of it as a potent subject matter for a writer’s pen. The poet very simplistically discusses the various aspects of the squirrel, which each one of us must have observed closely.

Extract Based Questions
Directions: (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

“He liked to tease and play,

And if we ran around his tree,

He went the other way.”

Question 1:
Give a synonym for ‘like’ in the context of the poem.
Solution:
Relish

Question 2:
Teasing is the poet’s way of…………………. with the squirrel.
Solution:
playing

Question 3:
Use the word, ‘run’ in a sentence of your own.
Solution:
It is a joy to see children running in various directions while playing in the garden.

Question 4:
Choose a befitting adjective to describe the nature of squirrel.
(a) Playful
(b) Scornful
(c) Introvert
(d) Jealous
Solution:
(a) Playful

Question 5:
Identify the ‘he’ in the first line.
(a) The poet
(b) The squirrel
(c) The onlooker
(d) The gardener
Solution:
(a) The poet

Question 6:
Who went the other way?
(a) The poet
(b) The squirrel
(c) The onlooker
(d) The gardener
Solution:
(b) The squirrel

 

2.   Gift of Chappals

Question 1:
What is the secret that Meena shares with Mridu in the backyard?
Solution:
Meena shares the secret of the kitten that they have found in front of their house and have kept in their backyard.

Question 2:
How does Ravi get milk for the kitten?
Solution:
Ravi brings milk from the kitchen saying that he was feeling hungry. He even drinks most of it to prove Paati that he was indeed hungry.
He then brings the tumbler in the backyard and empties it in the coconut shell.

Question 3:
Who does he say the kitten’s ancestors are? Do you believe him?
Solution:
Ravi said that the kitten’s ancestors were the lion of the Pallava kings, the Mahabalipuram Rishi-Cat which has the emblem of the Pallava dynasty. No I don’t believe his story.

Question 4:
Ravi has a lot to say about MP Poonai. This shows that

1. he is merely trying to impress Mridu.
2. his knowledge of history is sound.
3. he has a rich imagination.
4. he is an intelligent child.

Which of these statements do you agree/ disagree to?
Solution:
Ravi has a lot to say about MP Poonai.
This shows that his knowledge of history is sound, he has a rich imagination and he is an intelligent child.

Question 5:
What was the noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran?
Solution:
It was the sound coming out of Lalli’s violin that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran.

Question 1:
The music master is making lovely music.
Read aloud the sentence in the text that expresses the idea.
Solution:
The music-master’s notes seemed to float up and settle perfectly into the visible tracks of the melody.

Question 2:
Had the beggar come to Rukku Manni’s house for the first time? Give reasons for your answer.
Solution:
No, the beggar has been coming to Rukku Manni’s house for last one week. The beggar himself confirms this saying that he has survived for a week because of Rukku Manni’s kindness.

Question 3:
“A sharp V-shaped line had formed between her eyebrows.” What does it suggests to you about Rukku Manni’s mood?
Solution:
The V-shaped line suggests that Rukku Manni was very angry and was about to lose her temper on the children.

Working with the Text

Question 1:
Complete the following sentences.

1. Ravi compares Lalli’s playing the violin to …………….
2. Trying to hide beneath the tray of chillies, Mahendran ………………..
3. The teacher played a few notes on his violin and Lalli ………………
4. The beggar said that the kind ladies of the household ………………
5. After the lesson was over, the music teacher asked Lalli if ………………….

Solution:

1. derailing of a train going off track
2. tipped a few chillies over himself
3. stumbled behind him on her violin
4. have been very generous and helped him survive for a week
5. she had seen his chappals

Question 2:
Describe the music teacher, as seen from the window.
Solution:
The music teacher was a bony figure. He was sitting in front of Lalli with his back towards the window. He was a bald headed man with fringe of oiled hair falling around his ears. He had an old fashioned tuft.
He had a shinning gold chain in his neck and a diamond ring in his hand. He was wearing a golden-bordered dhoti. His large foot was stuck on the floor and he was beating the floor with his scrawny toe.

Question 3:

1. What makes Mridu conclude that the beggar has no money to buy chappals?
2. What does she suggest to show her concern?

Solution:

1. The beggar showed his feet to the children. There were pink blisters on his bare feet which made Mridu conclude that he didn’t have the money to buy chappals.
2. Mridu was concerned about the beggar. She suggested giving an old pair of chappals to the beggar.

Question 4:
“Have you children….” She began and then, seeing they were curiously quiet, went on more slowly, “seen anyone lurking around the verandah?”

1. What do you think Rukku Manni really wanted to ask?
2. Why did she change her question?
3. What did she think had happened?

Solution:

1. Rukku Manni wanted to ask the children what they have done with the chappals.
2. She changed the question finding the children serious and quiet. She became sure that the children had something to do with the chappals.
3. She thought that the children would have hidden the chappals somewhere.

Question 5:
On getting Gopu Mama’s chappals, the music teacher tried not to look too happy. Why?
Solution:
Music teacher’s chappals were old, but he lied to Lalli saying that they were brand new. Gopu Mama had hardly used his new chappals.
The music teacher was happy getting them, but was trying to hide those feelings. He tried to show that he was upset with the children and with his loss.

Question 6:
On getting a gift of chappals, the beggar vanished in a minute. Why was he in such a hurry to leave?
Solution:
The beggar was in a hurry to leave after getting the chappals because he knew that the children have got them for him without seeking the permission of the elders. He feared they might be taken back from him, so he left in a hurry.

Question 7:
Walking towards the kitchen with Mridu and Meena, Rukku Manni began to laugh. What made her laugh?
Solution:
Rukku Manni was laughing imagining Gopu Mama without his chappals. He had the habit of taking out his shoes immediately after coming home and putting on those chappals.
She laughed wondering what excuse would she give to him and what would be his reaction.

Working with Language

Question 1:
Read the following sentences.
(a) If she knows we have a cat, Paati will leave the house.
(b) She won’t be so upset if she knows about the poor beggar with sores on his feet.
(c) If the chappals do fit, will you really not mind?
Notice that each sentence consists of two parts. The first part begins with ‘if’. It is known
as if-clause.
Rewrite each of the following pairs of sentences as a single sentence. Use ‘if at the beginning of the sentence.
(a) Walk fast. You’ll catch the bus.
If you walk fast, you’ll catch the bus.
(b) Don’t spit on the road. You’ll be fined.
If you spit on the road, you’ll be fined.

1. Don’t tire yourself now. You won’t be able to work in the evening.
2. Study regularly. You’ll do well in the examination.
3. Work hard. You’ll pass the examination in first division.
4. Be polite to people. They’ll also be polite to you.
5. Don’t tease the dog. It’ll bite you.

Solution:

1. If you tire yourself now, you won’t be able to work in the evening.
2. If you study regularly, you’ll do well in the examination.
3. If you work hard, you’ll pass the examination in first division.
4. If you are polite to people, they’ll be polite to you.
5. If you tease the dog, it’ll bite you.

Question 2:
Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph.
Today is Sunday. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I ………….. (go) out. I …………… (miss) the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I ……………..(stay) for lunch, I ………………(miss) the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I’ll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.
Solution:
Today is Sunday. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I go out, I will miss the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I stay for lunch, I will miss the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I’ll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.

Question 3:
Complete each sentence below by appropriately using any one of the following:
if you want to / if you don’t want to / if you want him to

1. Don’t go to the theatre …………………..
2. He’ll post your letter …………………….
3. Please use my pen …………………………..
4. He’ll lend his umbrella …………………….
5. My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor ……………………….
6. Don’t eat it …………………………..

Solution:

1. if you don’t want to
2. if you want him to
3. if you want to
4. if you want him to
5. will take you to the doctor if you want him to
6. if you don’t want to

Speaking and Writing

Question 1:
Discuss in small groups
• If you want to give away something of your own to the needy, would it be better to ask your elders first?
Solution:
(a) If there is something that belongs to us we can give it to anyone without seeking the advice of the elders.
(b) Yes, we should ask the permission of our elders before doing anything. Everything we have has been given to us by our parents.
(c) It depends on the purpose and the value of the item that we are giving away to someone. We should decide it based on the situation we are in.
• Is there someone of your age in the family who is very talkative? Do you find/her/him interesting and impressive or otherwise?
Share your ideas with others in the group.
Solution:
(a) I have a cousin sister of 10 years of age. She talks a lot.
(b) I don’t have anyone in my family who talks a lot.
(c) My mami ji talks a lot. But I like the way she  talks and I am very fond of her.
Solution:
(a) I also like my cousin sister the most. She gets close to everyone very easily and it is fun to be with her.
(b) I don’t like people who talk a lot.
(c) My mamiji talks a lot.
• Has Rukku Manni done exactly the same as the children? In your opinion, then, is it right for one party to blame the other?
Solution:
(a) Rukku Manni was wrong, she must have been more strict with the children. She should not have scolded Ravi when she herself was laughing at the incident after a while.
(b) Rukku Manni had been put in an embarrassing situation by the children. The music teacher’s chappals have gone missing from their home. She had to compensate for their act by giving the Gopu Mama’s chappals to the teacher. It was right on her part to be upset.
(c) Children and Rukku Manni were both doing the same so it was not right for either of them to blame each other.

Question 2:
Read the following.

• A group of children in your class are going to live in a hostel.
• They have been asked to choose a person in the group to share a room with.
• They are asking each other questions to decide who they would like to share a room with.

Ask one another questions about likes/ dislikes/preferences/hobbies/personal characteristics. Use the following questions and sentence openings.

1. What do you enjoy doing after school?
   I enjoy ………………
2. What do you like in general?
   I like ……………..
3. Do you play any game?
   I don’t like ………………
4. Would you mind if I listened to music after dinner?
   I wouldn’t ………………..
5. Will it be all right if I  ……………….?
   It’s fine with me …………….
6. Is there anything you dislike, particularly?
   Well, I can’t share ………………
7. Do you like to attend parties?
   Oh, I ……………….
8. Would you say you are ……………….?
   I think ………………

Solution:

1. watching TV
2. playing video games in general
3. playing outdoor games. I play indoor games like ludo and carom.
4. because I love music
5. switch on the light, you can switch on the light whenever you want
6. my pillow with anyone
7. love going to parties
8. a creative person, yes, I am creative

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Who is Mridu and with whom Mridu went to Rukku Manni’s place?
Solution:
Mridu is a young girl Mridu went to Rukku Manni’s place alongwith her Tapi.

Question 2:
Why was Ravi dragging Mridu towards the backyard?
Solution:
Ravi was dragging Mridu to the backyard to show her the newly found cat.

Question 3:
Why were the red chilli kept in the backyard?
Solution:
Kama from Mahabharata used to give away everything he had which even included his gold earnings.

Question 4:
The beggar was leaning against what in Ravi’s garden?
Solution:
The beggar was leaning against the trunk of the neem tree in Ravi’s garden.

Question 5:
Mridu had noticed in front of Meena’s house a pair of chappals. Whom did they belong to?
Solution:
The pair of chappals that Mridu had seen in front of Ravi’s house belonged to the music teacher.

Question 6:
Who used to give away everything he had, which even included his gold earrings?
Solution:
Red chillies were kept in the backyard for drying.

Question 7:
With whom did the music teacher compared Ravi with?
Solution:
The music teacher compared Ravi with the lord Hanuman and called him a Hanuman incarnate.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What was in the cat’s name that pleased Mridu?
Solution:
Ravi had named the kitten Mahendravarma Pallava Poonai, MP Poonai in short. They were calling him Mahendran. Mridu liked the name because it sounded real to her and was different from the usual cute names kept for cats in general.

Question 2:
How did Ravi link his cat with the Pallava kings?
Solution:
Ravi felt that his cat was a descendant of the Rishi Cat of Mahabalipuram. He claimed that during his class trip to Mahabalipuram, he had seen statue of a cat there which he believed was an ancestor of this cat. He felt that the lion in the emblem of the Pallava king was a close relative of his cat.

Question 3:
What made Ravi feel that Lalli will never learn to play the violin?
Solution:
Ravi felt that Lalli will never learn to play violin. The music teacher used to play the perfect notes, but she kept on going off tracks.
It was like her train getting derailed again and again while the teacher’s was running smoothly on the track.

Question 4:
Why Rukku Manni asked Ravi to send away the-beggar?
Solution:
Rukku Manni was fed up with the beggar coming to her place daily for over a week now. She was tired giving him food and other items. She wanted him to find another house and stop coming to their place. So she asked Ravi to send him away.

Question 5:
What did the beggar feel about the ladies of the household?
Solution:
The beggar felt that the ladies of the household were very kind. They have enabled him survive for a week by giving him food to eat. He called them generous and found it hard to believe that they wanted to send him away.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Describe Ravi’s character in the story.
Solution:
Ravi was an intelligent child. He had good observation skills and possessed sound knowledge of history. He was playful, but had a good sense of humour. He managed to get milk for the kitten in front of Paati’s eyes. He also applied his intelligence and gave music teacher’s chappals to the beggar. He was kind and generous and remembered the story of Kama which Rukku Manni had told him.

Question 2:
Compare how the music teacher played the violin with that of Lalli’s.
Solution:
The music teacher played the violin smoothly. His notes seemed to float up and then settled down perfectly into the invisible tracks of the melody. His hand moved the violin’s stem effortlessly and produced a melodious music. Lalli on the other hand seemed to struggle with the violin. The instrument appeared unhappy and helpless in her hands. She kept on missing the tracks and produced a kind of noise which even scared Mahendran.

Question 3:
Why was Ravi upset with the elders?
Solution:
Ravi was upset with the elders because he had always been told by them to be kind towards animals, but whenever he had tried to do so he had received screaming in return.
He had found the same elders calling these animals’ dirty creatures. Rukku Manni had told her about Kama who would give away everything he had to help others. Ravi had tried to help the beggar by giving away the music teacher’s chappals to him, but still Rukku Manni was angry with him.

Value Based Questions

Question 1:
What is the moral of the story, elaborate it.
Solution:
The moral of this story is to help people in need. The beggar was in need of the slippers. He had blisters in his feet. They did the right thing Gopu Mama can buy another pair of slippers but the beggar didn’t have the money to buy them. We should help people in need. There is no harm in giving away a bit of those things that are surplus to us. We should give food, dresses and sweaters ‘ to poor. For us that might not have much value, but it can save someone else’s life.

The Rebel (Poem)

Question 1:
Answer the following questions.

1. If someone doesn’t wear a uniform to school, what do you think the teacher will say?
2. When everyone wants a clear sky, what does the rebel Want most?
3. If the rebel has a dog for a pet, what i everyone else likely to have?
4. Why is it good to have rebels?
5. Why is it not good to be a rebel oneself?
6. Would you like to be a rebel? If yes, why? If not why not?

Solutio:

1. The teacher would scold the student who would not be dressed in the school uniform while coming to the School.
2. When everyone wants a clear sky, the rebel wants the Sun.
3. If a rebel has a dog for a pet, the others are most likely to be cat lovers.
4. It is good to have rebels because they are different and they teach us to be able to accept and tolerate differences.
5. It is not good to be a rebel oneself because the Society never accepts a rebel and always critiques his behaviour.
6. I would like to be a rebel because a rebel is able to think individually rather than following the herd mentality.
   However, it is not easy to be a rebel as the rebels are always critiqued by the Society for their different behaviour.

Question 2:
Find in the poem an antonym (a word opposite in meaning) for each of the following words.

1.  long…………….
2. grow ……………
3. quietness ………….
4.  Sober ………………….
5.  lost…………………

Solution:

1. long – Short
2. grow – cut
3. quietness – disturbance
4. sober – fantastic
5. lost – find

Question 3:
Find in the poem lines that match the following. Read both one after the other.

1. The rebel refuses to cut his hair.
2. He says cats are better.
3. He recommends dogs.
4. He is unhappy because there is no Sun.
5. He is noisy on purpose.

Solution:

1. The rebel lets his hair grow long.
2. He puts in a good word for dogs.
3. He has a preference for cats.
4. When everybody is greeting the rain
5. When nobody talks during the lesson.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What does the rebel do when everybody talks during the lessons?
Solution:
When everybody talks during the lessons, the rebel becomes absolutely silent.

Question 2:
Why does the rebel choose to Wear fantastic Clothes?
Solution :
When the rebel sees everybody dressed in uniform, the rebel chooses to wear fantastic clothes.

Question 3:
Are the rebels rain lovers?
Solution:
The rebels become rain lovers when they realise that the others are enjoying the sun.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why do rebels always contradict the others?
Solution:
The rebels always contradict others because they wish to stand out be different and stand out from the rest of the crowd. They wish to retain their voice and preferences as well as opinions rather than blindly following the crowd.

Question 2:
Why does the society disapprove of the rebels?
Solution:
The rebels do not conform to the standard decisions and choices made by the society at large. They have their own opinions, unique thinking, are different and at times even go to the extent to contradicting others merely to highlight themselves as unique.

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

When everybody talks during the lesson,
The rebel doesn’t say a word.
When nobody talks during the lesson,
The rebel creates a disturbance.

Question 1:
With reference to the above extract, do you think it is good to be a rebel?
Solution:
No, to go against the flow just to show that you are different or to prove your superiority is Wrong. Unnecessarily breaking the rule unless there is some noble cause is not acceptable.

Question 2:
Can there be a good reason behind staying silent when everybody is talking?
Solution:
Yes, sometimes people keep on arguing unnecessarily out of their ignorance of the entire and actual situation. In Such situations, a wise man would stay silent.

Question 3:
Can there be a good reason behind speaking when everybody else is silent?
Solution:
Yes, sometimes people do not dare to raise Voice against the wrong happening. But a rebel cannot tolerate unfair things and raises voice against it. If nobody dares to speak, the once who do wrong are encouraged to do so ever again.

Question 4:
What do you think, the rebel doesn’t like?
(a) Opposing the authority.
(b) Going with the flow.
(c) Taking lessons in a classroom.
(d) Taking advice of an illiterate person.
Solution:
(b) Going with the flow.

Question 5:
What must be the main motto of a rebel, in your opinion?
(a) Teaching the Society to be dutiful.
(b) Obeying the rules.
(c) Bringing disharmony.
(d) Bringing about the change.
Solution:
(d) Bringing about the change.

Question 6:
What does a rebel do when nobody talks during the class?
(a) Creates a disturbance.
(b) Spoils the atmosphere.
(c) Teaches the teacher.
(d) Runs away.
Solution:
(a) Creates a disturbance.

Extract 2

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

“When everybody says, Yes please,
The rebel says, No thank you.
When everybody says, No thank you,
The rebel says, Yes please.
It is very good that we have rebels.
You may not find it very good to be one.

Question 1:
What decides the choices made by the rebel?
Solution:
The society’s opinion can never be a rebel’s Choice. The rebel’s choices are based on what the Society would not accept or agree to.

Question 2:
Why does the poet say it is not good to be a rebel oneself?
Solution:
The poet says that it is not good to be a rebel oneself because one would not be accepted by the society.

Question 3:
Use the word “rebel” in a sentence of your own.
Solution:
Jimmy always disagrees to what others say. He is a rebel.

Question 4:
Who do you think is the character of rebel based on?
(a) A political activist
(b) The poet
(c) The school teacher
(d) A young child
Solution:
(d) A young child

Question 5:
What does the rebel do?
(a) Defy others
(b) Disobey others
(c) Trust, others
(d) Love others
Solution:
(a) Defy others

Question 6:
Who does not like the rebels?
(a) The poet
(b) The political activists
(c) The Society
(d) The rebels
Solution:
(c) The Society

Question 4:
Why does the rebel demand for the rain when everybody is praising the sun?
(a) He is craving for rain.
(b) He hates the Sun.
(c) He is not happy with what everybody likes.
(d) None of the above
Solution:
(c) He is not happy with what everybody likes.

3.       Gopal and the Hilsa Fish (Prose)

Answer the following questions.
Question 1:
Why did the king want no more talk about the Hilsa fish?
Solution:
Everyone around the king was talking about Hilsa fish. This had infuriated the king so he didn’t want anyone to talk about the Hilsa fish.

Question 2:
What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?
Solution:
The king asked Gopal to buy a huge Hilsa fish from the market and to ensure that no one should talk to him about the fish on the entire way from the market to the palace.

Question 3:
What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his Hilsa fish?
Solution:
Gopal half-shaved his face. Smeared ash on his body himself and wore rugs before going out to buy Hilsa fish.

Question 4:
How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?
Solution:
Gopal started singing and dancing in front of the palace at a loud voice. The king heard the noise and asked the man to be brought inside.

Question 5:
Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the Hilsa fish which Gopal had bought.
Solution:
No one was interested about the Hilsa fish. Gopal had bought because of Gopal’s condition. He was wearing rugs, his face was half-shaven and ash was smeared over his body. People were more interested in his appearance than the fish.

Question 6:
Write True or False against each of the following sentences.

1. The king lost his temper easily
2. Gopal was a madman
3. Gopal was a clever man
4. Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes
5. The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong

Solution:

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. False

Working with Language

Question 1:
Notice how in a comic book, there are no speech marks when characters talk. Instead what they say is put in a speech ‘bubble’. However, if we wish to repeat or report what they say, we must put it into reported speech.
Change the following sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.

1. How much did you pay for that Hilsa?
2. Why is your face half-shaven?
   Gopal’s wife asked him……………….
3.  I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
   Gopal told the king ………………..
4. I want to see the king.
   Gopal told the guards ………………….
5. Bring the man to me at once.
   The king ordered the guard ………………….

Solution:

1. The woman asked the man how much did he pay for that Hilsa.
2. Gopal’s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.
3. Gopal told the king that he accepted the challenge.
4. Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the king.
5. The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.

Question 2:
Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in dictionary. Then use them in sentences of your own.

Solution:
Challenge: A call to take part in a contest or competition.
Vikram accepted the challenge of his teacher and won prize in the annual day celebrations.
Mystic: Spiritual, occult
The sufi saints like Salim Chishti were mystic.
Comical: Funny
Mr Bean is one of the most famous comical characters on television.
Courtier: A person, who attends a royal court as a companion or advisor to the king or queen.
Birbal was one of the most important courtiers in Akbar’s court.
Smearing: Coat or mark carelessly with grease or oil.
Before the game, Rakesh smeared his body with oil.

Picture Reading

Question 1:
Look at the picture and read the text aloud.

1. Now ask your partner questions about each picture.
   (a) Where is the stag?
   (b) What is he doing?
   (c) Does he like his antlers (horns)?
   (d) Does he like his legs?
   (e) Why is the stag running?
   (f) Is he able to hide in the bushes?
   (g) Where are the hunters now?
   (h) Are they closing in on the stag?
   (i) Is the stag free?
   (j) What does the stag say about his horns and his legs?
2. Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.

Solution:

1. (a) The stag is standing by the side of a pond.
   (b) The stag is about to drink water when he saw his reflection in the pond.
   (c) Yes, he finds them beautiful.
   (d) No, the stag finds his legs to be thin and ugly..
   (e) The stag is running because he has been chased by the hunters.
   (f) No, he is not able to hide in the bushes because his horns got stuck in them.
   (g) The hunters are just behind the stag.
   (h) Yes, they are closing in on the stag.
   (i) The stag was able to run fast because of his legs and is free now.
   (j) The stag says that he was proud of his horns, but he would have been killed because of them. He was ashamed of his legs, but they saved his life.
2. There was a stag, he lived in a jungle. One day he went to drink water in a pond. He saw his reflection in the pond. He felt proud of his beautiful antlers. Then he saw his legs, he was upset because they were thin and ugly. Suddenly, there were hunters behind him. The stag ran to save his life. He wanted to hide in the bushes, but couldn’t as his antlers were stuck in them. He found the hunters just behind him. He ran for his life and was finally saved.
   At the end he realised that he was feeling proud of his antlers, but he would have been killed because of them. He felt ashamed of his legs, but was able to save his life ultimately because of them. The title is The Stag and his Beautiful Horns’.

Question 2:
Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given below.

1. Mother will be very ………………… If you don’t go to school.
2. As soon as he caught ……………. of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my ……………… Kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?
4. My youngest sister is now a ……………… old.
5. Standing on the ………………. he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don’t make such a ………………. Nothing, will happen.
7. Don’t cross the ……………. till the green light comes on.

Solution:

1. cross
2. sight
3. tiny
4. year
5. roof
6. fuss
7. street

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
How did the fishmongers lure the customers to buy Hilsa?
Solution:
The fishmongers lured the customers by saying that the price had been down that day.

Question 2:
Who was Gopal?
Solution:
Gopal was a courtier in the king’s court known for his wisdom and presence of mind.

Question 3:
What did Gopal’s wife think about him?
Solution:
Gopal’s wife thought that her husband had gone mad.

Question 4:
What were the remarks of two men on seeing Gopal in the market?
Solution:
On seeing Gopal a man said that he must be a madman while the other called him a mystic.

Question 5:
What was the king’s reaction when he came to know that he had lost the challenge?
Solution:
The king was happy about it and congratulated Gopal for winning the challenge.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What happened when the king hear his courtiers talking about Hilsa fish?
Solution:
When the king heard his courtiers talking about Hilsa fish, he lost his temper and warned them that they were courtiers and not fishermen. But the king soon felt guilty, looking at his nervous and humble courtier when he had rebuked. His tone changed and he said that it was the season of Hilsa and nobody could be stopped from talking about it.

Question 2:
Why did Gopal’s wife find his activities strange?
Solution:
Gopal had half-shaven his face. Smeared ash over himself. Had put on rags and was looking disgraceful. She asked Gopal the reason for such weird acts. She stopped him from going out like that but Gopal told her that he was going to buy Hilsa fish. At last she concluded that Gopal had gone mad.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Who was Gopal? What was the challenge given to him by the king? How he won it?
Solution:
Gopal was one of the wise men in the king’s court. When the king was fed up with ongoing talks about Hilsa fish he challenged Gopal.
Gopal happily accepted the challenge of buying a huge Hilsa fish from the market and to ensure on the way from the market to the palace no one should talk to him about the fish.
He was an intelligent man. He dressed up like a mad man and his appearance caught everyone’s attention. He reached the court without anyone talking about the fish as every one was drawn towards his appearance.

Question 2:
Why was Gopal barred entry to the palace?
How did Gopal manage to get in? What was the king’s reaction to Gopal’s deed?
Solution:
Gopal looked suspicious or rather mystic since he had dressed himself filthly. Moreover his beared was half-shaved and ash was smeared on it. Therefore the guards barred his entry to the palace. He started dancing and singing loudly so that the king might hear him and call him inside. The king ordered him to be taken inside but he could not recognise him.
When Gopal reminded him of his challenge and proved that he had fulfilled it the king was surprised and burst into laughter.

Value Based Question

Question 1:
We should not give up in any situation. If we try hard we can definitely find a solution. Why do you think so?
Solution:
Yes, we should not give up in any situation. We should find out a solution to come out of it. Sometimes, it might be tough to find the solution, but if we try hard, nothing is impossible. We learn from the efforts we make in life. If we won’t make efforts then our learning will stop.
It is OK to commit mistake but we should learn bur lesson from them and must not repeat them again. The world remember the great people because they did things differently and took up those risks in life.

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
Listen to me! Please, you can’t possibly go out in those disgraceful rags! What are you upto? How many times I must tell you, woman? 1 am out to buy a huge Hilsa fish.

Question 1:
‘Listen to me! Please, you’ Name the
speaker of these lines.
Solution:
Copal’s wife is speaking in these lines.

Question 2:
Who is going to buy Hilsa fish?
Solution:
Gopal is going to buy Hilsa fish.

Question 3:
Why the man is dressed up like that?
Solution:
Gopal dressed up like that to catch everyone’s attention so that people will talk about him and not about the Hilsa fish.

Question 4:
What does the woman think about the man finally?
(a) He is an intelligent man
(b) He has gone mad
(c) She doesn’t think anything
(d) None of the above
Solution:
(b) He has gone mad

Question 5.
Why does the man want to buy Hilsa fish?
(a) To win the challenge
(b) Because everyone was talking about the fish
(c) Price of the Hilsa fish has gone down
(d) Because to please his wife
Solution:
(a) To win the challenge

Question 6:
Find out one word from the above lines that means ‘shameful’.
(a) Rags
(b) Awkward
(c) Disgraceful
(d) None of these
Solution:
(c) Disgraceful

Extract 2

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
Stop it!
Are you a courtier or a fisherman? I am sorry I lost my temper, it’s the season for Hilsa fish and no one

Question 1:
Who is the speaker of the above lines?
Solution:
The king is the speaker of the above lines.

Question 2:
Why is he feeling sorry?
Solution:
He is feeling sorry for being rude to his courtier.

Question 3:
What is the speaker asking to be stopped?
Solution:
He wants the talks about the Hilsa fish to be stopped for a while as everyone wanted to speak about ‘Hilsa fish’ only.

Question 4:
What did the speaker want?
(a) To eat Hilsa fish
(b) Someone to stop the talks about Hilsa fish for a while
(c) The season for the Hilsa fish to go
(d) He himself was not clear
Solution:
(b) Someone to stop the talks about Hilsa fish for a while.

Question 5:
What made the speaker upset?
(a) A fisherman entered his court.
(b) Gopal was not present in the court.
(c) Everyone including the courtiers were talking about Hilsa fish.
(d) He wanted to discuss serious matter.
Solution:
(c) Everyone including the countiers were talking about Hilsa fish.

Question 6:
Find a word from the above lines is synonym of ‘anger’.
(a) Rage
(b) Ire
(c) Frenzy
(d) Ill-temper
Solution:
(a) Rage

4.  The Ashes that made Trees Bloom (Prose)

Question 1:
Why did the neighbours kill the dog?
Solution:
The neigbours killed the dog in anger. They have expected the dog to help them get a treasure, but the dog had rather taken them to a foul smelling dead kitten.

Question 2:
Mark the right item.

1. The old farmer and his wife loved the dog
   (a) because it helped them in their day-to-day work.
   (b) as if it was their own baby.
   (c) as they were kind to all living beings.
2. When the old couple became rich, they
   (a) gave the dog better food.
   (b) invited their greedy neighbours to a feast.
   (c) lived comfortably and were generous towards their poor neighbours.
3. The greedy couple borrowed the mill and the mortar to make
   (a) rice pastry and bean sauce.
   (b) magic ash to win rewards.
   (c) a pile of gold.

Solution:

1. (b) as if it was their own baby.
2. (c) lived comfortably and were generous towards their poor neighbours.
3. (c) a pile of gold.

Working with the Text

Answer the following questions.
Question 1:
The old farmer is a kind person. What evidence of his kindness do you find in the first two paragraphs.
Solution:
In the first paragraph it is written that the old farmer treated the dog like his own child. He will feed the dog small pieces of fish with their own chopsticks and offer boiled rice to him as much as he wanted. The second paragraph says that to provide food to the birds, the old farmer will often turn up the surface of the ground.
Both these instances proved that the old man was a kind person.

Question 2:
What did the dog do to lead the farmer to the hidden gold?
Solution:
The dog came running towards the farmer. It kept his paws against his legs and with its head it kept on directing towards a spot behind him.
The old man initially ignored the dog, but it kept on whining and running to and from until the farmer followed it to the spot.

Question 3:

1. How did the spirit of the dog help the farmer first?
2. How did it help him next?

Solution:

1. The spirit of the dog came in the farmer’s dream and first asked him to chop the pine tree and make mortar and hand-mill out of it. With the mortar and mill it gave the farmer heaps of gold.
2. The dog’s spirit again came in the farmer’s dream for the second time and told the farmer to collect the ash of the mortar and the mill and sprinkle it on the withered trees and they will blossom.
   The farmer did this in front of the daimio (the landlord) and was awarded with lavish gifts.

Question 4:
Why did the daimio reward the farmer, but punish his neighbour for the same act?
Solution:
The farmer had sprinkled the ash over the withered cherry tree and it blossomed. Daimio was pleased seeing the miracle and he rewarded the farmer. His neighbour poured the ash over the cherry tree, but nothing happened to the tree.
Fine particles from the ash entered the eyes of the daimio and his wife. They began to sneeze and cough.
This spoiled the splendour of the procession and so the neighbour was punished by man of the landlord.

Working with Language

Question 1:
Read the following conversation.
Ravi: What are you doing?
Mridu: I’m reading a book.
Ravi: Who wrote it?
Mridu: Ruskin Bond.
Ravi: Where did you find it?
Mridu: In the library.
Notice that ‘what’, ‘who’, ‘where’, are question words. Questions that require information begin with question words. Some other question words are ‘when’, ‘why’, ‘where’, ‘which’ and ‘how’.
Remember that

• What asks about acting, things etc.
• Who asks about people.
• Which asks about people or things.
• Where asks about place.
• When asks about time.
• Why asks about reason or purpose.
• How asks about means, manner or degree.
• Whose asks about possessions.

Read the following paragraph and frame questions on the italicised phrases.
Anil is in school. I am in school too. Anil is sitting in the left row. He is reading a book. Anil’s friend is sitting in the second row. He is sharpening his pencil. The teacher is writing on the blackboard. Children are writing in their copybooks. Some children are looking out of the window.
Solution:

1. Where is Anil?
2. Which row he is sitting in?
3. What is he doing?
4. Where is Anil’s friend sitting?
5. What is his friend doing?
6. Who is writing on the blackboard?
7. What are some children doing?

Question 2:
Write appropriate question words in the blank spaces in the following dialogue.
Neha: ………… did you get this book?
Sheela: Yesterday morning.
Neha: ………… is your sister crying?
Sheela : Because she has lost her doll.
Neha: …………… room is this, yours or hers?
Sheela: It’s ours
Neha: ……………. do you go to school?
Sheela: We walk to the school. It is nearby.
Solution:
When, Why, Whose, How

Question 3:
Fill in the blanks with the words given in the box.

 

1. My friend lost his chemistry book. Now he doesn’t know …………… to do and ………….. to look for it.
2. There are so many toys in the shops. Neena can’t decide ……………….. one to buy.
3. You don’t know the way to my school. Ask the policeman ………………. to get there.
4. You should decide soon …………….. to start building your house.
5. Do you know …………….. to ride a bicycle? I don’t remember ……………… and …………….. I learnt it.
6. “You should know ………….. to talk and to ………………. keep your mouth shut,” the teacher advised Anil.

Solution:

1. what, where,
2. which
3. how
4. when
5. how, when, where
6. when, where

Question 4:
Add im- or in- to each of the following words and use them in place of the italicised words in the sentences given below.

1. The project appears very difficult at first sight but it can be completed if we work very hard.
2. He lacks competence. That’s why he can’t keep any job for more than a year.
3. “Don’t lose patience. Your letter will come one day,” the postman told me.
4. That’s not a proper remark to make under the circumstances.
5. He appears to be without sensitivity. In fact, he is very emotional.

Solution:

1. impossible
2. incompetent
3. impatient
4.  improper
5. insensitive

Question 5:
Read the following sentences.
It was a cold morning and stars still glowed in the sky.
An old man was walking along the road.
The words in italicised are articles. ‘A’ and ‘an’ are indefinite articles and ‘the’ is the definite article. ‘A’ is used before a singular countable noun. ‘An’ is used before a word that begins with a vowel.

Use a, an or the in the blanks.
There was once ………… play which became very successful. ………… famous actor was acting in it. In ………. play his role was that of ……….. aristocrat who had been imprisoned in …………. castle for twenty years. In……… last act of ……….. play someone would come on ……… stage with ………… letter which he would hand over ……….. to prisoner. Even though …………. aristocrat was not expected to read ………. letter at each performance, he always insisted that ………… letter be written out from beginning to end.
Solution:
(i) a       (ii) A        (iii) the
(iv) an   (v) a         (vi) the
(vii) the(viii) the  (ix) a
(x) the   (xi) the    (xii) the
(xiii) the

Question 6:
Encircle the correct article.

A: Would you like (a/an/the) apple or ‘ (a/an/the) banana?
B: I’d like (a/an/the) apple, please.
A: Take (a/an/the) red one in (a/an/the) fruit bowl. You may take (a/an/the) orange also, if you like.
B: Which one?
A: (A/An/The) one beside (a/an/the) banana.
Solution:
(A) an, a (B) an (A) the, the, an (B) – (A) The, the

Speaking and Writing

Question 1:
Put each of the following in the correct order. Then use them appropriately to fill in the blanks in the paragraph that follows. Use correct punctuation marks.

• English and Hindi/both/in/he writes
• and only / a few short stories/many books in English/in Hindi
• Is/my Hindi / than my English/much better

Ravi Kant is a writer and ………….. Of course, he is much happier writing in English than in Hindi. He has written …………….. . I find his books a little hard to understand ………………… .
Solution:

1. he writes both in English and Hindi
2. many books in English and only few short stories in Hindi
3. My Hindi is much better than my English

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What did the kind farmer do with the money he made from the gold?
Solution:
The kind farmer bought a piece of land, hosted a feast for his friends and helped his poor neighbours.

Question 2:
How did the daimios reward the kind farmer?
Solution:
The daimio was pleased seeing the magic of the withered cherry tree bursting into a blossom. So he rewarded the kind farmer with many gifts.

Question 3:
What did the leader of the van do with the kind old man?
Solution:
The leader of the van allowed the old man to remain seated at the cherry tree considering him to be very old.

Question 4:
Why did the wicked couple drop their tools?
Solution:
The wicked couple found the foul smell of the dead kitten unbearable so they dropped their tools. *

Question 5:
How did the wicked couple behave with the dogs passing by their house?
Solution:
The wicked couple always used to kick and scold the dogs passing by their house.

Question 6:
What preparations did the kind old couple make for the New Year?
Solution:
For the New Year the old couple planned to make rice pastries and bean sauce.

Question 7:
How was the wicked farmer punished for his greed?
Solution:
The wicked farmer was killed brutally by the daimio’s men and was thus punished for his greed.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
How did the kind old couple treat their dog?
Solution:
The old couple treated the dog as their own child. The old farmer had created a cushion made of blue crepe for the dog. During the meals they used to feed the dog plenty of rice and tidbits of fish from their own chopstick.

Question 2:
Describe the change the cherry tree underwent after the kind old poured a pinch of ash over it.
Solution:
It was winter season and the cherry tree in the old couple’s garden didn’t have leaves. The old man sprinkled a pinch of the ashes and blossoms sprouted out of it. Pink flowers came on it and their fragrance filled the air.

Question 3:
How did the dog repay to his masters?
Solution:
The dog made his masters rich by giving them gold coins. His masters became prosperous with it and bought a piece of land.
He then asked them to collect the ashes which had the power to sprout blossoms of a withered tree. This magic was seen by the daimio and rewarded the old couple for this magic.

Question 4:
What happened when the wicked old farmer sprinkled ash over the cherry tree?
Solution:
When the wicked farmer sprinkled the ash over the cherry tree it didn’t bring in a change on it. The fine particles from the ash entered the eyes of daimio and his wife. They began to cough and sneeze. All the lavishness of the procession was spoiled.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Explain three ways in which the dog helped his master.
Solution:
The dog when he was alive guided his master to a heap of gold. After his death he asked his master to prepare a mortar and a mill from the woods of the pine tree.
While making the rice pastries and bean sauce during the New Year using the mortar and the mill, the kind old couple again found the dough to be turned into gold coins and gold dripping out from every drop of the sauce.
The dog then asked the master to collect the ashes of the mortar and mill and sprinkle over the withered trees. The withered trees sprouted into blossom immediately with the magic.

Question 2:
The wicked farmer wanted to be rich like his neighbour. What happened every time when he tried to do so?
Solution:
First time when the neighbour tried to be rich, all he got was a foul smelling dead kitten.
In their second attempt the old couple got heap of worms from the dough of rice pastry and the bean sauce. In the third attempt the old man failed to create magic with the ashes. He spoiled daimio’s procession and was killed by his men as a punishment.

Value Based Questions

Question 1:
Why do you think we should be kind towards animals?
Solution:
Animals are also living beings like us. They can’t speak like us but still can feel the love and emotions. Some animals like dog and horse are very faithful to human beings. We should be kind towards them.
It is good to offer our leftover food to the street dogs because they guard our homes. Chapattis should be offered to homeless cows. In winter we should keep bowls of water for the birds. Injured animals like pigeons, cats and dogs should be taken to veterinary doctors by us.

Question 2:
One should not be greedy. Why do you think so?
Solution:
We should feel contended about what we have. We should strive hard to earn things but not be greedy. Our greed makes us to do many things which are not good or ethical.
We should make just demands that can be fulfilled easily and must make our earnings in honest means. Our greed can turn us into corrupt and dishonest human beings and must restrain ourselves from becoming that. Our needs should be limited and our wishes should be in control.

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

Directions (Q.Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
Then they dragged him out of doors, taking a spade and hoe with them. No sooner had the dog got near a pine tree growing in the garden than he began to paw and scratch the ground, as if a mighty treasure lay beneath.

Question 1:
In the above lines who have been referred as ‘they’?
Solution:
The wicked old couple has been referred as ‘they’ in the above lines.

Question 2:
Whom did they drag out of doors?
Solution:
They dragged the good old couple’s dog from the doors.

Question 3:
Why they did so?
Solution:
They did so to find way to the treasure.

Question 4:
What lay beneath the ground?
(a) Gold coins
(b) A vast treasure
(c) A dead kitten
(d) None of these
Solution:
(c) A dead kitten

Question 5:
Why did they carry spade and hoe with them?
(a) To kill the dog
(b) To dig the Earth
(c) To plough the field
(d) To chase the birds
Solution:
(b) To dig the Earth

Question 6:
What follows immediately after this?
(a) They begin to dig the ground
(b) They killed the dog
(c) They found a cast treasure
(d) They ran away with fear
Solution:
(b) They killed the dog

Extract 2

Directions (Q.Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
“Goody me!’ cried the old hag, as she saw each dripping of sauce turning into yellow gold, until in a few minutes the tub under the mill was full of shining mass of gold. So the old couple was rich again.

Question 1:
Who has been referred as ‘old hag’ in the above lines?
Solution:
The wicked old man’s wife has been referred as ‘old hag’ in the above lines.

Question 2:
From where was she watching the above incident?
Solution:
She was peeping from the window to watch the incident.

Question 3:
……each dripping of sauce which sauce has been referred here?
Solution:
Bean sauce has been referred in above lines.

Question 4:
At what time during the year the above incidence is taking place?
(a) Summer
(b) Winter
(c) New Year
(d) Both ‘b’ and ‘c’
Solution:
(d) Both ‘b’ and ‘c’

Question 5:
Find a word from the given lines that means ‘witch’
(a) Drip
(b) Hag
(c) Wicked
(d) None of these
Solution:
(b) Hag

Question 6:
What is the process that is taking place in the above lines?
(a) Baking of pastry
(b) Preparing of dough
(c) Boiling of rice
(d) Making of bean sauce
Solution:
(d) Making of bean sauce

Extract 3

Directions (Q.Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
He sprinkled a pinch of ashes on it, and lo! It sprouted blossoms until it became a cloud of pink blooms which perfumed the air. The news of this filled the village and everyone ran out to see the wonder. The covetous couple also heard the story and gathering up the ashes

Question 1:
Who has been referred as ‘he’ in the above lines?
Solution:
The kind old farmer has been referred in these lines as ‘he’.

Question 2:
‘It’ sprouted blossoms. What has been referred as ‘it’ in the given lines?
Solution:
The cherry tree has been referred as ‘it’ in the given lines.

Question 3:
What is the wonder that has been referred to in the given lines?
Solution:
The withered bare cherry tree has been transformed into a blossom with the ashes of mill and mortar sprinkled over it. This wonder has been referred in the given lines.

Question 4:
In the given lines what has been burnt down to form the ashes?
(a) The dog
(b) The pine tree
(c) The cherry tree
(d) The mortar and the mill
Solution:
(d) The mortar and the mill

Question 5:
Find synonym of ‘jealous’ from the given lines.
(a) Pinch       (b) Sprinkled
(c) Blooms    (d) Envious
Solution:
(d) Envious

Question 6:
Find a word from the given lines that means ‘flower’.
(a) Blossom     (b) Bloom
(c) Sprouted    (d) Sprinkled
Solution:
(b) Bloom

The Shed (Poem)

Question 1:
Answer the following questions.

1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
2. Is she/he afraid or curious or both?
3. What is she/he planning to do soon?
4. “But not just yet…” suggests doubt, fear, hesitation, laziness or something else. Choose the word which seems right to you. Tell others why you chose it.

Solution:

1. It is not very clear who the Speaker is. Perhaps, the speaker is the poet himself.
2. The speaker seems to be both Curious as well as afraid to go inside the shed. He wants to find out what is inside the shed. At the same time, he is afraid because he thinks that strange voices could be heard from here and there is possibly a ghost who lives inside the Shed.
3. He/She plans to go inside the shed after some day soon.
4. “But not just yet…” seems to suggest lack of preparation. The speaker wants to be further certain and prepare himself for this endeavour. He has already overcome his fears, so there is no fear. However, waiting for the right time Could be a reason for postponing the act.

Question 2:
Is there a room in your house or a house in your neighbourhood/locality where you would rather not go alone, and never at night? If there is such a place and a story to go with it, let others hear all about it.
Solution:
There is a store room in my house which is in the backyard of the house. It is a little away from the main structure. It is full of odd objects and not even lit properly. Thus, going to the store room, at night, calls for a lot of courage. My mother once asked me to fetch certain things from the store room. When I entered the store room, I felt as if I saw the movement of shadows. Screamed with terror, but later got to know that those shadows were nothing but my mind’s imagination.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why were the hinges of the door rusty?
Solution:
Hardly anybody went inside the shed. Since the doors were not opened for a long time, its hinges had become rusty.

Question 2:
What does the speaker usually do while lying in the bed?
Solution:
The speaker generally contemplated the idea of going inside the shed.

Question 3:
What does the broken glass window Suggest?
Solution:
The broken glass panes of the dusty window suggested lack of maintenance. There was hardly anybody who went inside the shed, so cleaning the shed was a distant possibility.

Question 4:
According to the speaker’s brother, where did the ghost hid himself?
Solution:
According to the speaker’s brother, the ghost hid himself under the rotten floorboards of the shed.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What did the speaker’s brother say about the Shed?
Solution:
The speaker’s brother talked about the presence of a ghost inside the shed. He also warned the speaker that if he ever went inside the shed, the ghost might chop off his head. Saying so, the speaker’s brother frightened the speaker.

Question 2:
Comment on the speaker’s resolve to go inside the shed.
Solution:
From our reading of the poem, it becomes amply clear that the speaker is fully determined to go inside the shed. Even when his brother threatens him, he does not give up the idea of going inside to find for himself the truth. His desire to visit only gets postponed and delayed.

Question 3:
What change occurs in the attitude of the speaker?
Solution:
In the first three stanzas the speaker seems to be Scared of the shed. He thinks about the strange voices that come from the shed, somebody mysteriously staring at him, he believed in the ghost stories and so on. However, in the final stanza of the poem, there seems to be a major change in the Speaker’s attitude. He has understood that all these ghost stories were a lie told to him. And, therefore, his resolve to go inside the shed becomes further firm.

Question 4:
Why do you think that the spider web hanging on the door was no longer there?
Solution:
The first time when the speaker describes the shed, the speaker talks about a Spider web hanging across the door of the shed. However, the next time when the speaker describes the shed, the speaker shares that it had been a long time since the spider and the Web Were not to be Seen. Perhaps, the door of the shed had been opened by the speaker’s brother, thereby displacing the Spider’s web that covered the door.

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

There’s a dusty old window around at the side
With three creacked panes of glass,
I often think there’s someone staring at me
Each time that I pass,
I’ll peep through that window one day.

Question 1:
What is the condition of the window described in the poem?
(a) It is sparkling with its new glass panes
(b) Three panes of it are cracked
(c) All panes of it are broken off
(d) The children playing cricket have broken the window completely
Solution:
(b) Three panes of it are cracked.

Question 2:
Why does the poet want to peep through the window as he passes it?
(a) To see the ghost
(b) To steal something
(c) To find out if somebody is staring at him
(d) To see his brother and his friends
Solution:
(c) To find out if somebody is staring at him.

Question 1:
Answer the following questions.

1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
2. Is she/he afraid or curious or both?
3. What is she/he planning to do soon?
4. “But not just yet…” suggests doubt, fear, hesitation, laziness or something else. Choose the word which seems right to you. Tell others why you chose it.

Solution:

1. It is not very clear who the Speaker is. Perhaps, the speaker is the poet himself.
2. The speaker seems to be both Curious as well as afraid to go inside the shed. He wants to find out what is inside the shed. At the same time, he is afraid because he thinks that strange voices could be heard from here and there is possibly a ghost who lives inside the Shed.
3. He/She plans to go inside the shed after some day soon.
4. “But not just yet…” seems to suggest lack of preparation. The speaker wants to be further certain and prepare himself for this endeavour. He has already overcome his fears, so there is no fear. However, waiting for the right time Could be a reason for postponing the act.

Question 2:
Is there a room in your house or a house in your neighbourhood/locality where you would rather not go alone, and never at night? If there is such a place and a story to go with it, let others hear all about it.
Solution:
There is a store room in my house which is in the backyard of the house. It is a little away from the main structure. It is full of odd objects and not even lit properly. Thus, going to the store room, at night, calls for a lot of courage. My mother once asked me to fetch certain things from the store room. When I entered the store room, I felt as if I saw the movement of shadows. Screamed with terror, but later got to know that those shadows were nothing but my mind’s imagination.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why were the hinges of the door rusty?
Solution:
Hardly anybody went inside the shed. Since the doors were not opened for a long time, its hinges had become rusty.

Question 2:
What does the speaker usually do while lying in the bed?
Solution:
The speaker generally contemplated the idea of going inside the shed.

Question 3:
What does the broken glass window Suggest?
Solution:
The broken glass panes of the dusty window suggested lack of maintenance. There was hardly anybody who went inside the shed, so cleaning the shed was a distant possibility.

Question 4:
According to the speaker’s brother, where did the ghost hid himself?
Solution:
According to the speaker’s brother, the ghost hid himself under the rotten floorboards of the shed.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What did the speaker’s brother say about the Shed?
Solution:
The speaker’s brother talked about the presence of a ghost inside the shed. He also warned the speaker that if he ever went inside the shed, the ghost might chop off his head. Saying so, the speaker’s brother frightened the speaker.

Question 2:
Comment on the speaker’s resolve to go inside the shed.
Solution:
From our reading of the poem, it becomes amply clear that the speaker is fully determined to go inside the shed. Even when his brother threatens him, he does not give up the idea of going inside to find for himself the truth. His desire to visit only gets postponed and delayed.

Question 3:
What change occurs in the attitude of the speaker?
Solution:
In the first three stanzas the speaker seems to be Scared of the shed. He thinks about the strange voices that come from the shed, somebody mysteriously staring at him, he believed in the ghost stories and so on. However, in the final stanza of the poem, there seems to be a major change in the Speaker’s attitude. He has understood that all these ghost stories were a lie told to him. And, therefore, his resolve to go inside the shed becomes further firm.

Question 4:
Why do you think that the spider web hanging on the door was no longer there?
Solution:
The first time when the speaker describes the shed, the speaker talks about a Spider web hanging across the door of the shed. However, the next time when the speaker describes the shed, the speaker shares that it had been a long time since the spider and the Web Were not to be Seen. Perhaps, the door of the shed had been opened by the speaker’s brother, thereby displacing the Spider’s web that covered the door.

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

There’s a dusty old window around at the side
With three creacked panes of glass,
I often think there’s someone staring at me
Each time that I pass,
I’ll peep through that window one day.

Question 1:
What is the condition of the window described in the poem?
(a) It is sparkling with its new glass panes
(b) Three panes of it are cracked
(c) All panes of it are broken off
(d) The children playing cricket have broken the window completely
Solution:
(b) Three panes of it are cracked.

Question 2:
Why does the poet want to peep through the window as he passes it?
(a) To see the ghost
(b) To steal something
(c) To find out if somebody is staring at him
(d) To see his brother and his friends
Solution:
(c) To find out if somebody is staring at him.

Question 3:
What feeling of the poet is exhibited in his peeping through the window?
(a) The poet is emotional
(b) The poet is careless
(c) The poet has a lot of time
(d) The poet is curious
Solution:
(d) The poet is curious.

Question 4:
Does the poet get scared at the thought of peeping through the window?
Solution:
No, the poet does not fear at all. It is his own bold decision.

Question 5:
Who according to poet’s brother stares the poet?
Solution:
There might be a ghost as has been told by the poet’s brother.

Question 6:
Why is the window dusty?
Solution:
Because the shed has not been used for long by anybody. Therefore it has become an abode of dust.

Extract 2

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

“My brother tells lies to keep the
shed for his den.
There isn’t anyone staring or
making strange noises.
And the spider has been gone from his web
Since I don’t know when.
I’ll go into that shed one day soon,
But not just yet.”

Question 1:
Why does the speaker’s brother lie to him?
(a) He wishes to mislead the speaker
(b) He wishes to solely use the shed
(c) He wishes to sell away the shed
(d) He is afraid of the ghost
Solution:
(b) He wishes to solely use the shed.

Question 2:
“Since I don’t know when” suggests……
(a) passage of time
(b) spider has been killed by the ghost
(c) the Speaker being a foolish person
(d) the brother being a liar
Solution:
(a) passage of time

Question 3:
Who wishes to go into the shed soon?
(a) The speaker
(b) The speaker’s brother
(c) The ghost
(d) The dog.
Solution:
(a) The speaker

Question 4:
Why does the speaker say that “there isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises”?
Solution:
He speaker has understood that his brother had been lying to him in order to keep him away from the shed.

Question 5:
Identify the line that has been repeated often in the poem.
Solution:
“I’ll go into that shed one day soon.”

Question 6:
What does this passage say about the speaker?
Solution:
The passage indicates a mature : understanding that the speaker has attained.55

5. Quality

Question 1:
What was the author’s opinion about Mr Gessler as a bootmaker?
Solution:
The author was very impressed with Mr Gessler. He liked the boots made only on order and those boots perfectly fitted the customers. Their boots had the best materials and lasted long. He found the work mysterious and wonderful.

Question 2:
Why did the author visit the shop so infrequently?
Solution:
The author visited the shop so infrequently because the boots made by Gessler brothers lasted too long.

Question 3:
What was the effect on Mr Gessler of the author’s remark about a certain pair of boots?
Solution:
Mr (Sessler at first found the remark unbelievable. He argued that the author might have got them wet. He was shocked. He told the author that he will either repair them or adjust the money in his bills.

Question 4:
What was Mr Gessler’s complaint against ‘big farms’?
Solution:
Mr Gessler complained that the big firms didn’t value the money of the customers. They were capturing the markets from advertisements and not from the quality of their work. He was mostly out of work because of those firms and day by day the volume was getting reduced.

Question 5:
Why did the author order so many pairs of boots? Did he really need them?
Solution:
The author felt bad for Mr Gessler who was really talented and made great boots. He ordered so many pairs to help the bootmaker. No, he didn’t really need them.

Working with Language

Language Learning

Question 1:
Study the following phrases and their
meanings. Use them appropriately to complete
the sentences that follow.
look after : take care of
look down : disapprove or regard as
on inferior
look in : make a short visit
(on someone)
look into : investigate
look out : be careful
look up : improve
look up to : admire

1. After a very long spell of heat, the weather is …………..  at last.
2. We have no right to …………. people who do small jobs.
3. Nitin has always ……………. his uncle, who is a self-made man.
4. The police are …………… the matter thoroughly.
5. If you want to go out, I will ………….. the children for you.
6. I promise to ………….. on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.
7. ……………. when you are crossing the main road.

Solution:

1. looking up
2. look down
3. looked up
4. looking into
5. look after
6. look in
7. Look out

Question 2:
Read the following sets of words loudly and clearly.
cot              –     coat
cost            –     coast
tossed        –     toast
got              –     goat
rot               –     rote
blot             –     bloat
knot            –     note
Solution:
Do it yourself.

Question 3:
Each of the following words contains the sound ‘sh’ (as in shine) in the beginning or in the middle or at the end. First speak out all the words clearly. Then arrange the words in three
groups in the table.
sheep                 trash                  marsh                  fashion
anxious             shriek                 shore                    fish

portion             ashes                   sure                      nation

shoe                  pushing              polish                   moustache
Solution:
Initial                Medial                   Final
Sheep                Fashion                Trash
Shriek               Anxious                 Marsh
Shore                Portion                  Fish
Sure                   Ashes                    Polish
Shoe                   Nation                  Pushing
Moustache

Question 4:
In each of the following words ‘ch’ represents the same consonant sound as in ‘chair’. The words on the left have this sound initially. Those on the right have it finally. Speak each word clearly.
choose               bench
child                   march
cheese                peach
chair                   wretch
charming           research
Underline the letters representing this sound in each of the following words.

1. feature
2. archery
3. picture
4. reaching
5. nature
6. matches
7. riches
8. batch
9. church

Solution:

1. Feature
2. Archery
3. Picture
4. Reaching
5. Nature
6. Matches
7. Riches
8. Batch
9. Church

Speaking

Question 1:
Do you think Mr Gessler was a failure as a bootmaker or as a competitive businessman?
Solution:
Mr Gessler was successful as a bootmaker because his customers were immensely satisfied with the boot he made.
This perfectly fit them and lasted long. Yes, he was a failure as a competitive businessman.

He didn’t have money like the big firms so couldn’t invest on advertisements. He lost his business to them. He took time in delivering the boots because he made them alone. He lost his customers because of the delay in delivery.
He worked hard, striving for long hours. Whatever, he earned went on paying the rent for his shop and for buying leathers. He spent days of great penury.

Question 2:
What is the significance of the title? To who or to what does it refer?
Solution:
The title refers to the great quality boots Mr Gessler made. It is an ideal title for the lesson. It refers to the business practices followed these days where no one cares about quality.
For Mr Gessler, quality was of optimum significance. He worked for long hours, didn’t allow anyone else to touch his boots. He lost on business, was spending days in poverty still the man didn’t compromise on quality.

Question 3:

• Notice the way Mr Gessler speaks English. His
  English is influenced by his mother tongue. He speaks English with an accent.
• When Mr Gessler speaks, p, t, k, sound like b,d,g. Can you say these words as Mr Gessler would say them?
  It comes and never stops. Does it bother me? Not at all. Ask my brother, please.

Solution:
Mr Gessler used to speak English with a German accent. His English sounded funny and a bit difficult to understand.
Mr Gessler would have spoken these lines as. Id comes and never sdobs. Does Id bodder me? Nod ad all. Ask my brodher blease.

Question 4:
Speak to five adults in your neighbourhood. Ask them the following questions (in any language they are comfortable in). Then come back and share your findings with the class.

1. Do they buy their provisions packed in plastic packets at a big store or loose, from a smaller store near their house?
2. Where do they buy their footwear? Do they buy branded footwear or footwear made locally? What reasons do they have for their preference?
3. Do they buy readymade clothes or buy cloth and get their clothes stitched by a tailor? Which do they think is better?

Solution:

1. Yes, they prefer buying their provisions loose from the smaller stores near their house.
2. They buy footwear for daily purpose from local shops. For office and part purpose they prefer buying it from branded shops.
   They don’t like spending too much on their regular footwear. So, they buy it from local shops.
   For office and party they want to look good and want the footwear to last long and comfortable. So, they are fine spending on it.
3. They do the both. At times they buy readymade clothes and at times get them stitched from the tailor. They find it easy to buy readymade clothes. They get the latest fashion and it saves time as well.

Question 5:
Look at the picture.

leaving the country. One student repeats Ajit’s statements. The other gives a reason for not agreeing with Ajit. The sentence openings given below should be used.

• If I leave this country, I’ll miss ………….
• There are some things which you can get only here, for example ………….
• There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly ………….
• Most of all I’ll miss ………………. because …………..
• I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because …………..
• How can you leave your own country except when …………… ?
• Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because ……………..
• Maybe for a couple of years ……………..

Solution:
Ajit: I have decided to go abroad for higher studies
Anisa: Have you? I don’t think I’ll ever do that. I love my country.
If I leave this country, I’ll miss my friends and family. I will also miss the food.
There are some things which you can get only here, for example the food, snacks and the care and concern of people around.
There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly the festivals, birthdays and my parents anniversary.
Most of all I’ll miss my sister because we have been very close to each other and I share all my secrets with her. ‘
I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because I love my country and family too much and can’t go too far from them.
How can you leave your own country except when there is an emergency?
Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because I want to celebrate all my special moments with my close ones.
May be for a couple of years I think it should be fine.

Writing

Question 1:
Based on the following points write a story.

•  Your aunt has gone to her mother’s house.
• Your uncle does his cooking.
• He is absent-minded.
• He puts vegetables on stove.
  
• He begins to clean his bicycle outside.
• The neighbour calls out saying something is burning.
• Your uncle rushes to the kitchen.
• To save vegetables, he puts some oil in them.
• Unfortunately, it’s machine oil, not cooking oil.
• What do you think happens to the vegetables?

Solution:
Begin like this Last month my aunt decided to visit her parents. They live in some other city. In absence of my aunt my uncle had to do all the cooking. He is very forgetful and absent-minded. One day he puts vegetable on stove for cooking and at the same time he goes out to clean his bicycle.
My uncle got involved in cleaning his bicycle so much that he completely forgot about the vegetables he had kept on the stove. One of his neighbour came to his place hurriedly telling about some burning smell coming from his kitchen. My uncle remembered about the vegetables he had kept on stove for cooking.
He rushed to the kitchen and to save them from getting burnt he poured some oil over them immediately. Only at the time of eating he realised it was not cooking oil but machine oil. The vegetables were completely spoiled, my uncle had to throw them away.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What proves that Mr Gessler was not an Englishman?
Solution:
Mr Gessler spoke English with an influence of his mother tongue which proved that his wasn’t an Englishman.

Question 2:
Where did Mr Gessler live?
Solution:
Mr Gessler lived in London in his shoe shop.

Question 3:
What distinction Mr Gessler’s shop had?
Solution:
Mr Gessler’s shop didn’t had any other signs except Gessler Brothers written on it.

Question 4:
How did Mr Gessler found that the boot was not comfortable for author?
Solution:
Mr Gessler pressed with his finger at a particular point and he could make it out that the left boot wasn’t giving comfort to the author.

Question 5:
What material Mr Gessler used to make the boots?
Solution:
Mr Gessler made boots from the finest quality leather.

Question 6:
How did Mr Gessler described his brother?
Solution:
Mr Gessler said that his brother was a good man. He made good boots.

Question 7:
Give one stance from the lesson that proves that Mr Gessler was getting older.
Solution:
Mr Gessler failed to recognise the author during his final days which proves that he had really grown old.

Question 8:
Why did the author went to the shoe shop for the last time?
Solution:
The author went to the shop for the last time to thank Mr Gessler for making the great boots.

Question 9:
Why was the name plate missing at Mr Gessler’s shop?
Solution:
Mr Gessler had died and the shop was taken over by another man so his name plate was not there anymore.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why did author preferred boots made by Mr Gessler than that of big firms?
Solution:
The author preferred boots made by Mr Gessler than that of big firms because Mr Gessler’s boots were durable, were made from best leathers and they fitted perfectly well. The author was very attached to Mr Gessler.

Question 2:
The author felt sorry for complaining about his boots. What made him feel so?
Solution:
Mr Gessler was shocked at the complaint. He failed to believe it. He became silent and then started thinking deeply where he went wrong. This made the author regret making such a complaint.

Question 3:
Why the author called those boots bought from big firm ‘ill-omened’?
Solution:
Seeing those boots Mr Gessler for the first time informed the author about the hardships of his trade and the hard times he was going through. Finding Mr Gessler in pain, the author called those boots bought from big firm ‘ill-omened’ ones.

Question 4:
Describe the boots made by Mr Gessler.
Solution:
Mr Gessler made boots only on orders. His boots were perfect in size. They lasted long and wpre made from the best leathers.
For Mr Gessler bootmaking was an art which was exhibited perfectly in each pair carved by him.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Mr Gessler in his last wasn’t in good health. Give three examples to prove this.
Solution:
Author had mistaken Mr Gessler for his elder brother because he looked too old. There was very thin lining of hair left on the top portion of his head. During the last meeting with the author within a period of one year, Mr Gessler had grown older by around 10 years. He looked tired and exhausted.The hardships of the trade have taken a toll on his health. He even failed to recognise the author at first.

Question 2:
Mr Gessler was spending his days with great difficulty. Give suitable arguments in favour of this.
Solution:
Mr Gessler was having a tough time in his final years. He had lost his customers because of the delay in delivery of his orders.

Value Based Question

Question 1:
He used to work really hard to make each pair of shoe. But still everything he earned went on paying the rent of his shop and in buying leather. There wasn’t much money with him. He nearly killed himself working for hours at the shop without any food and rest.
Quality is an important aspect of business. Elaborate
Solution:
Quality plays an important role in business. Every customer looks for quality in the products they buy. Everyone wants to buy an item that has high quality. If we keep the quality of our products high then our customers will visit us again. Popularity of our products also increases in the market. But in other hand if, we sell products of low quality then people might buy them once but will feel being cheated. They will never lose our trust and we will lose them as customer forever.

Question 2:
Whom does ‘his’ refers to in the above lines?
Solution:
‘His’ in the above lines refers to Mr Gessler.

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

Directions: (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
I remember well my shy remarks,
1 day, while stretching out to him my youthfull foot. “Isn’t it
awfully hard to do, Mr Gessler?” And his answer
given with a sudden smile from out of the redness of
his beard: “id is an ardt!”

Question 1:
Whom does T refer to in the above lines?
Solution:
In the above lines T refers to the author.

Question 2:
Why is he feeling awkward?
Solution:
Mr Gessler was many years elder than him, he felt awkward in stretching his feet before him and allowing him to touch them.

Question 3:
What is the art Mr Gessler refers to?
Solution:
Mr Gessler refers to the art of bootmaking.

Question 4:
Find a word from the above lines that means ‘introvert’.
(a) Awful
(b) Shy
(c) Redness
(d) Ardt
Solution:
(b) Shy

Question 5:
Mr Gessler smiled while replying the question because he
(a) agreed with the speaker
(b) felt proud of his work
(c) was pleased that someone had praised him
(d) None of the above
Solution:
(b) felt proud of his work.

Question 6:
Find out one word from the that means ‘terrible’.
(a) Shy
(b) Youthfull
(c) Awful
(d) Hard
Solution:
(c) Awful

Extract 2

Directions: (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
But his face and voice made so deep an impression that
during the next few minutes I ordered many pairs. They
lasted longer than ever. And I was not able to go to him
for nearly 2 years.
It was many months before my next visit to his shop.

Question 1:
Name the speaker in the above lines.
Solution:
The author of the lesson John Galsworthy is the speaker of the above lines.

Question 2:
Whom does ‘his’ refers to in the above lines?
Solution:
‘His’ in the above lines refers to Mr Gessler.

Question 3:
Why his voice and face made such an impact?
Solution:
The author was moved after realising the hard times Mr Gessler was going through. The truth about Mr Gessler’s hardship has made such an impact over the author.

Question 4:
What did the author placed the order for?
(a) Gloves
(b) Boots
(c) Socks
(d) None of these
Solution:
(b) Boots

Question 5:
What has caused such reaction from ‘him’?
(a) The author had bought shoes from a big firm
(b) The author’s shoe didn’t last long
(c) The fact that the Mr Gessler was losing on business and was having a difficult time
(d) The author had not visited Mr Gessler’s shop for long
Solution:
(c) The fact that the Mr Gessler was losing on business and was having a difficult time.

Question 6:
The above lines show that the author was
(a) a kind person
(b) careless about other’s emotions
(c) avoiding going to the shop
(d) a busy man
Solution:
(a) a kind person