NCERT · Poorvi · English
Unit 2 — Wit and Humour
Complete Solutions: Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle · A Funny Man · Say the Right Thing
📖 In-Text Questions — Before/While Reading
I–II. Do you have a pet? / Which animal or bird would you like to speak to and why?
Open personal response. Sample: “I have a pet dog. I enjoy playing fetch and going for walks with him — it teaches me responsibility and gives me companionship. If I could speak to any bird, I would choose an owl, because I’m curious what it observes silently at night while everyone else is asleep.”
III. Study the pictures (duck flapping wings, two dogs snarling, a happy panting dog, a calm cockatoo) — what emotions are being conveyed?
- 1. Duck flapping wings and walking briskly: alarm, excitement, or agitation (perhaps startled or trying to assert itself).
- 2. Two dogs baring teeth/growling at each other: aggression, threat, or a territorial confrontation.
- 3. Dog with tongue out, tail up, panting happily: joy, friendliness, and excitement — a relaxed, welcoming mood.
- 4. Cockatoo perched calmly with crest up: curiosity or alertness, possibly interest in its surroundings.
Let us discuss (after Part I) — I. Why does the Cat’s-food-Man suggest Dolittle become an animal doctor?
4. He believes Dolittle knows more about animals than the local veterinarians. (He says Dolittle’s cat book was “wonderful” and that he “knows all about animals — much more than what these vets here do.”)
II. Fill in the blanks about Doctor Dolittle’s reaction to Polynesia’s revelation.
Doctor Dolittle reacts to Polynesia’s information about animal languages with both excitement and curiosity. He rushes to write the bird words she provides and is interested in learning more.
III. Do you think Doctor Dolittle would be famous as an animal doctor? If yes, why? If not, why not?
Yes, he would become famous — and indeed does, by the end of the story. Because he can actually understand and communicate with animals in their own language, he can diagnose problems no ordinary vet could catch (like the plough horse simply needing spectacles). This unique gift would spread by word of mouth among animals and people alike, exactly as the story shows happening across Puddleby and eventually the whole world.
Let us discuss (after Part II) — I. What became a common sight in Puddleby?
2. Farm animals wearing glasses.
II. What challenges might Doctor Dolittle face if more animals kept coming? How could he overcome them?
He might struggle with overcrowding in his garden, difficulty telling apart which animal needs to be seen next, limited time to attend to each patient properly, and the physical strain of treating so many different species with different needs. He could overcome these by organising patients systematically — which is exactly what he does in the story, by building separate doors and entrances for each type of animal (HORSES, COWS, SHEEP, and even a tiny tunnel for mice) so that everyone could wait patiently and be attended to in an orderly way.
III. Arrange the events of the story in the correct order.
| Order | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 (given) | A man with a stomach-ache visits Doctor Dolittle and suggests he should treat animals instead of people. |
| 2 (given) | The parrot, Polynesia, encourages Doctor Dolittle to become an animal doctor, revealing that animals can talk. |
| 3 | Polynesia teaches Doctor Dolittle animal languages, and he starts understanding and communicating with animals. |
| 4 | Doctor Dolittle decides to stop being a doctor for people and becomes a doctor for animals. |
| 5 | Word spreads, and people start bringing their sick pets and farm animals to Doctor Dolittle for treatment. |
| 6 | A plough horse with vision problems visits Doctor Dolittle, who prescribes green spectacles. |
| 7 | Doctor Dolittle’s ability to communicate with animals helps him diagnose and treat their illnesses effectively. |
| 8 | Animals from near and far come to Doctor Dolittle for help, crowding his garden. |
| 9 | Doctor Dolittle installs special doors for different animals to enter his house for treatment. |
| 10 | Doctor Dolittle gains fame among animals worldwide, and they come to him from various places for his help. |
📝 Exercise Questions
🔎 Let us think and reflect — Extract 1
“If I say, ‘Polly wants a cracker’, you understand me. But hear this: Ka-ka oi-ee, fee-fee?” “Good Gracious!” cried the Doctor. “What does that mean?” “That means, ‘Is the porridge hot yet?’—in bird language.”… “What would have been the good?” said Polynesia… “You wouldn’t have understood me if I had.”
(i) ‘Good Gracious’ can be replaced by:
B. gosh!
(ii) Why had Polynesia never used bird language with the Doctor earlier?
Because it would have been pointless — the Doctor did not yet understand animal language, so speaking to him in bird language before this moment would not have communicated anything to him.
(iii) True or False: Polynesia had been munching on a food item while talking.
True — she is described “dusting some cracker crumbs off her left wing.”
(iv) How did Doctor Dolittle feel according to the extract?
B. surprised.
🔎 Let us think and reflect — Extract 2
“I would like a pair like yours,” said the horse—”only green…” “Certainly,” said the Doctor. “Green ones you shall have.” “You know, the trouble is, Sir,” said the plough horse… “the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals—just because the animals don’t complain. As a matter of fact, it takes a much cleverer man to be a really good animal doctor than it does to be a good people’s doctor.”
(i) Complete the analogy: digging : flower bed :: ______ : field
ploughing — “digging: flower bed :: ploughing: field” (both are actions of preparing/working soil in a specific area).
(ii) Doctor Dolittle’s attitude in the extract is:
C. understanding. He readily agrees to the horse’s requests without dismissing them.
(iii) Based on the extract, doctors take animals for granted because ______.
…animals cannot complain or verbally protest about poor treatment, so people wrongly assume that treating them requires less skill and effort than treating human patients.
(iv) Do you agree with the concluding sentence of the extract? Why/why not?
Yes, this is a reasonable view — a good animal doctor must diagnose problems purely through careful observation and instinct, without the patient being able to describe symptoms in words (in the ordinary sense), which arguably requires greater skill, patience, and attentiveness than treating a human patient who can simply explain what is wrong.
🔎 Answer the following
1. How can we say that Polynesia was a good trainer of animal language?
Polynesia taught the Doctor patiently and systematically — she started with the basic “Birds’ A.B.C.,” asked him to write things down slowly, gave clear real-life examples (like Jip’s nose-twitching), and explained the underlying logic (e.g., “dogs nearly always use their noses for asking questions”). Her structured, patient approach helped the Doctor build real fluency in animal language.
2. Explain how Doctor Dolittle gave equal and individual attention to each animal.
He built separate doors for each type of animal — ‘HORSES’ over the front door, ‘COWS’ over the side door, ‘SHEEP’ on the kitchen door, and even a tiny tunnel for mice into the cellar — ensuring every creature, big or small, had an organised, dedicated way to reach him and wait patiently for treatment, showing that he valued every patient equally regardless of size or type.
3. How does Doctor Dolittle’s readiness to follow the parrot’s advice highlight the importance of listening to different viewpoints?
Even though Polynesia is “just” a parrot, the Doctor takes her suggestion seriously and acts on it, which completely changes and improves his life. This shows that valuable advice and insight can come from unexpected or unconventional sources, and being open-minded enough to listen — regardless of who is speaking — can lead to great opportunities.
4. Which qualities of Doctor Dolittle made him famous among the animals? Explain with evidence.
His willingness to learn (he eagerly studied animal language with Polynesia), his genuine care and attentiveness (he listened to each animal’s specific complaint, like the horse’s need for glasses), and his practical problem-solving (arranging separate doors, promptly getting the horse spectacles) all combined to make him a truly effective and beloved animal doctor.
5. What changes might happen if people suddenly gained the ability to understand and communicate with animals?
People might become far more compassionate towards animals, changing practices in farming, pet care, and wildlife conservation. Veterinary care would improve dramatically since animals could describe their exact symptoms. However, it could also raise new ethical questions — for instance, about eating animals or keeping them in captivity — since their thoughts and feelings would no longer be a mystery.
📚 Let us learn
I. Complete the compound-words table (hyphenated / open / closed).
| Hyphenated Words | Open Compound Words | Closed Compound Words |
|---|---|---|
| check-in (given), well-bred | sailor song, plough horse, harvest mice | teatime, windowsill |
II. Match Column A with Column B to create compound words, then complete the paragraph.
| Match | Compound word |
|---|---|
| 1. fun + (iv) loving | fun-loving (given) |
| 2. high + (iii) flying | high-flying |
| 3. never + (vii) ending | never-ending |
| 4. early + (v) risers | early-risers |
| 5. song + (ii) birds | songbirds |
| 6. over + (i) head | overhead |
| 7. tree + (vi) tops | treetops |
PARAGRAPH — SAMPLE ANSWER
After being treated by Doctor Dolittle, the A. fun-loving dolphins danced playfully in his sanctuary. The B. never-ending chatter of monkeys echoed through the C. treetops, their ailments cured. D. High-flying eagles soared gracefully E. overhead, their health restored. F. Early-risers among the G. songbirds chirped joyfully from the branches. All creatures were happy with Doctor Dolittle’s care.
III. Find the hidden animal names in each sentence (clue given in brackets).
| Sentence | Hidden animal |
|---|---|
| 1. Dr. Dolittle was eating oatmeal for his breakfast. (farm animal) | GOAT (example given) |
| 2. Old ladies began to bring him their pets. (an insect) | ANT |
| 3. The author sees the connection between humans and animals. (farm animal) | EWE |
| 4. The three baby dinosaurs are from ice age. (field animal) | MICE |
| 5. The patients who came late didn’t know where to go. (ship of the desert) | CAMEL |
IV. Identify the palindrome words/sentences.
| Sentence | Palindrome(s) |
|---|---|
| 1. Step on no pets. | The whole sentence is a palindrome (ignoring spaces/case): “steponnopets.” |
| 2. Naman saw a race car at the show. | Naman (name) and race car (racecar) |
| 3. Nitin speaks in Malayalam. | Nitin and Malayalam |
| 4. The engineer used a rotator to check the surface level. | rotator and level |
| 5. The pilot relied on the radar to navigate safely. | radar |
| 6. Eva can I see bees in a cave? | The whole sentence, ignoring spaces/punctuation/case, is a palindrome. |
SAMPLE OF YOUR OWN PALINDROME
“A Santa at NASA.” / “Was it a rat I saw?”
V. Underline the verbs and identify the tense.
1. He is asking you a question. — present continuous
2. Oh, there are plenty of animal doctors. — simple present
3. I am going blind in one eye. — present continuous
4. …the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals. — simple present
2. Oh, there are plenty of animal doctors. — simple present
3. I am going blind in one eye. — present continuous
4. …the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals. — simple present
VI. Fill in the blanks using present perfect tense.
Since becoming an animal doctor, Doctor Dolittle 1. has learnt to communicate with all animals and birds. He 2. has treated countless farm animals and pets with care. The parrot, Polynesia, 3. has taught him bird-language, and he 4. has written books about his adventures. Many people 5. have brought their sick animals to his door. Over the years, Dolittle 6. has become renowned worldwide for his unique abilities.
🎧 Let us listen
I. True or False: Dr. Dolittle’s new clinic presents an offer of free medicines.
False — the announcement does not mention any free medicine offer; it only shares the clinic’s location, timings and the assurance of the best possible care.
II. Complete the details you hear.
| # | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. The new clinic is located in the town of | Woodstock |
| 2. The address is 12, | Rose Lane |
| 3. Open Monday to Friday from | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| 4. Special timings for | birds are on Saturdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| 5. Dr. Dolittle will ensure that animals get the | best care possible |
| 6. All animals — horses, cows, | pets, wild animals, and others are welcome |
🗣️ Let us speak
Role-play a conversation between a doctor and patient using the cue cards (cough & cold; dry lips; sore throat; fatigue).
SAMPLE CONVERSATION (Problem 1: Cough and cold)
Doctor: Good morning! How are you feeling today?
Patient: Good morning, Doctor. Not too well, actually.
Doctor: I’m sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem?
Patient: I have a bad cough and a cold since yesterday.
Doctor: I see. Do you have a sore throat or fever along with it?
Patient: No fever, just a lot of coughing and a blocked nose.
Doctor: Based on that, I’d recommend a mix of ginger and honey a few times a day.
Patient: Should I do anything else?
Doctor: Yes — drink plenty of warm fluids and get proper rest.
Patient: Understood. When should I come back if it doesn’t improve?
Doctor: Come back in three days if the cough hasn’t eased.
Patient: Sure, thank you very much, Doctor.
Patient: Good morning, Doctor. Not too well, actually.
Doctor: I’m sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem?
Patient: I have a bad cough and a cold since yesterday.
Doctor: I see. Do you have a sore throat or fever along with it?
Patient: No fever, just a lot of coughing and a blocked nose.
Doctor: Based on that, I’d recommend a mix of ginger and honey a few times a day.
Patient: Should I do anything else?
Doctor: Yes — drink plenty of warm fluids and get proper rest.
Patient: Understood. When should I come back if it doesn’t improve?
Doctor: Come back in three days if the cough hasn’t eased.
Patient: Sure, thank you very much, Doctor.
✍️ Let us write
Write a notice (~50 words) about the Annual Health Check-up for Grades 6–8.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Sunshine Public School
NOTICE
12 July 20XX
Annual Health Check-up
This is to inform all the students of Grades 6–8 about the Annual Health Check-up.
Date: Thursday and Friday, 27 and 28 July 20XX
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Venue: assembly hall
All students are requested to bring their health card for the check-up.
For queries or further details, please contact the undersigned.
Asma
Asma
In-charge
NOTICE
12 July 20XX
Annual Health Check-up
This is to inform all the students of Grades 6–8 about the Annual Health Check-up.
Date: Thursday and Friday, 27 and 28 July 20XX
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Venue: assembly hall
All students are requested to bring their health card for the check-up.
For queries or further details, please contact the undersigned.
Asma
Asma
In-charge
🔭 Let us explore
I. Plan a visit to a ‘goshala’ to see how cows are cared for.
A goshala (cow shelter) typically cares for cows through regular feeding of fodder and grain, clean drinking water, a covered shelter from sun and rain, routine veterinary check-ups, and volunteers or caretakers who clean the shed daily and tend to sick or elderly cows.
II. Find organisations that work for animal welfare (Ayurveda’s Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Harita Samhita mention animal care).
Some well-known animal welfare organisations in India include the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), People for Animals (PFA), Blue Cross of India, and international bodies like the World Animal Protection and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) for wildlife.
III. What is the best way to take care of stray/abandoned animals? Give reasons.
All three options have value depending on the situation: (1) Providing food and water gives immediate relief and is something anyone can do right away. (2) Taking them to an animal shelter ensures proper medical care, vaccination and safety, especially if the animal is injured or unwell. (3) Adopting them gives the animal a permanent, loving home and is the most complete long-term solution, though it requires resources, time and commitment. Ideally, a combination works best: offer immediate care, get the animal medical attention at a shelter, and adopt if you are able to provide a stable home.
📖 In-Text Questions — Before Reading
Look around for things or people that make you laugh, and share the reasons.
Open personal response. Sample: “My little cousin makes me laugh because he mixes up words while talking. I also find it funny when clowns wear oversized shoes and trip over comically on purpose — the exaggeration itself is what makes it amusing.”
📝 Exercise Questions
💬 Let us discuss
I. Identify the TRUE statements.
| # | Statement | True/False |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The poet had never heard such an amusing song. | True |
| 2 | The funny man was quite ill-mannered. | False (his manners were polite) |
| 3 | The funny man wore two hats on his feet. | True |
| 4 | The funny man hopped on his head to reach home. | True |
| 5 | The funny man gave a rose to the poet. | False (he offered a rose but gave a currant bun instead) |
| 6 | The funny man smiled at the poet. | True |
TRUE statements: 1, 3, 4, and 6.
II. Identify the words based on their meanings.
1. a small seedless raisin — C U R R A N T
2. moved unsteadily — S T A G G E R E D
2. moved unsteadily — S T A G G E R E D
III. Complete the sentences with a reason.
1. The tone of the poem is humorous/light-hearted because it describes the funny man’s absurd, nonsensical actions — wearing a shoe on his head and hats on his feet — in a playful, amusing way that makes the reader smile.
2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB (alternate lines rhyme); it gives the poem a musical, sing-song, ballad-like quality.
3. The poet has frequently repeated the word ‘funny’ in order to emphasise and reinforce just how strange, comical and impossible-to-describe the man’s behaviour was, keeping the humorous tone consistent throughout.
2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB (alternate lines rhyme); it gives the poem a musical, sing-song, ballad-like quality.
3. The poet has frequently repeated the word ‘funny’ in order to emphasise and reinforce just how strange, comical and impossible-to-describe the man’s behaviour was, keeping the humorous tone consistent throughout.
IV. Choose the correct option.
1. The poem uses vivid imagery to create a humorous and nonsensical scene.
2. The structure of the poem is in dialogue form.
3. The phrases ‘sounding sight’ and ‘hopped home’ are examples of alliteration.
2. The structure of the poem is in dialogue form.
3. The phrases ‘sounding sight’ and ‘hopped home’ are examples of alliteration.
V. Rewrite the line in the correct (non-inverted) word order.
Original (inverted): “But never had I seen before / Such a funny sounding sight.”
Correct order: “But I had never seen such a funny sounding sight before.”
Correct order: “But I had never seen such a funny sounding sight before.”
2. Why has the poet used phrases like ‘funny sounding sight’ and ‘funny feeling sound’?
These phrases mix up the senses (sight described using a sound-word ‘sounding’, and sound described using a touch/emotion-word ‘feeling’) — a technique that shows the man’s behaviour was so strange and indescribable that ordinary words weren’t enough. This playful mixing of senses reinforces just how comically bizarre and unforgettable the encounter was.
VI. Real-world situations where people do similar things for fun or performance.
Street performers, circus clowns, mimes, mascots at sports events, and stand-up comedians often dress oddly or act in exaggerated, nonsensical ways purely to entertain an audience — just like the funny man in the poem.
🔎 Let us think and reflect — Extract 1
He said, “Allow me to present Your Highness with a rose.” And taking out a currant bun He held it to my nose. I staggered back against the wall And then I answered, “Well!”
(i) Why does the funny man address the poet as ‘Your Highness’?
He addresses her this way in a playful, exaggerated, mock-royal manner, treating the whole encounter like an amusing, make-believe game of courtly manners — it fits his generally comic, nonsensical way of behaving.
(ii) Phrase indicating a polite request.
“Allow me to present…”
(iii) Which image shows a ‘currant bun’?
B. Image 2 — a small, round, domed bun with dried fruit/currants and a decorative topping.
(iv) ‘Well!’ expresses surprise because ______.
the poet was expecting an actual, fragrant rose but was instead handed a currant bun — an odd, unexpected substitute that startled her.
🔎 Let us think and reflect — Extract 2
You never heard in all your life / Such a funny feeling sound. “My friend, why do you wear two hats / Upon your feet?” I said. He turned the other way about, / And hopped home on his head.
(i) Line that tells us the sound was unique.
“You never heard in all your life / Such a funny feeling sound.”
(ii) The poet calls the funny man ‘my friend’ because ______.
despite his bizarre behaviour, she doesn’t feel threatened by him — she finds him amusing, harmless and even endearing, so she addresses him warmly and casually.
(iii) What does his reaction to her question tell us about him?
He simply turns away and hops off without answering — this shows he is carefree, comfortable with his own eccentricity, and completely unbothered by questions about his unconventional behaviour.
(iv) The last line makes readers feel:
D. cheerful.
🔎 Answer the following
1. Which character trait of the funny man was most appealing to you? Why?
Open response. Sample: “I found his politeness most appealing — despite behaving so oddly, he still greeted the poet with a smile and courteous words, showing that good manners and fun/silliness can go together.”
2. How does the funny man’s unusual behaviour affect the overall mood of the poem?
It creates a light-hearted, playful, whimsical mood throughout, filling the poem with humour and gentle absurdity rather than confusion or unease — the reader is meant to smile and enjoy the silliness rather than question it seriously.
3. Suggest an alternative title with reason(s).
“The Topsy-Turvy Man” — because everything about him is reversed from normal (shoe on head, hats on feet, walking on his head to go home), so the title captures this “upside-down” theme neatly.
4. Why do you think the poet has included dialogues in the poem?
Dialogue makes the poem feel lively, dramatic and personal — it lets readers directly “hear” the funny man’s polite, absurd remarks and the poet’s surprised reactions, adding humour and immediacy that plain description alone couldn’t achieve.
5. What does the poet wish to convey by highlighting the unusual behaviour of the funny man?
The poet wants to show that imagination, silliness and nonsense can bring pure joy and laughter — that it’s fun to occasionally step outside logic and convention, and that humour doesn’t need a deeper reason to be enjoyed.
📚 Let us learn — Phrasal Verbs
I. Match the phrasal verbs to their meanings, then fill in the blanks.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. take up | (iii) to begin to study, practise, or do something |
| 2. take after | (v) to resemble a family member |
| 3. take in | (i) to understand or comprehend something |
| 4. take over | (ii) to assume control or responsibility for something |
| 5. take off | (iv) to become successful or popular quickly |
FILL IN THE BLANKS
1. The new technology is set to take over traditional methods of communication.
2. I tried hard to take in what the writer wanted to say but was unsuccessful.
3. Arjun decided to take up painting as a hobby.
4. The smartphone quickly took off in the market.
5. Sheela takes after her father; they have the same smile.
2. I tried hard to take in what the writer wanted to say but was unsuccessful.
3. Arjun decided to take up painting as a hobby.
4. The smartphone quickly took off in the market.
5. Sheela takes after her father; they have the same smile.
II. Match verbs with adverbs/prepositions and write meanings; then use five in sentences.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look after | take care of (given) |
| run away | to escape or flee from a place/situation |
| put on | to wear or apply something |
| break down | to stop working (machine), or to become overwhelmed with emotion |
| call off | to cancel a planned event |
SAMPLE SENTENCES
• My grandmother looks after the plants every morning.
• The rabbit ran away as soon as it saw the fox.
• She put on her raincoat before stepping outside.
• The old car broke down on the highway.
• The match was called off due to heavy rain.
• The rabbit ran away as soon as it saw the fox.
• She put on her raincoat before stepping outside.
• The old car broke down on the highway.
• The match was called off due to heavy rain.
III. Arrange stagger, walk, jog, hop, trot, run, sprint in increasing order of pace.
Fig: Order of pace — stagger < walk < jog < hop < trot < run < sprint
Blank 1 = jog, Blank 2 = trot, Blank 3 = sprint (Full order: stagger → walk → jog → hop → trot → run → sprint)
🎧 Let us listen
I. Select the picture matching the girl’s narration (mixing up her shoes and lunch plate).
The correct picture is Image 3 — the girl seated at a table with a plate of food — since the key incident in her narration is about eating lunch and then mixing up where she placed her shoes and her plate.
II. Arrange the events in order of occurrence.
| Order | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Prepared for the presentation |
| 2 | Took off shoes |
| 3 | Ate lunch |
| 4 | Placed the plate in the room (by mistake) |
| 5 | Laughed at the mistake |
| 6 | Put the plate in the kitchen (corrected) |
| 7 | Put shoes in the room (corrected) |
🗣️ Let us speak
Practise telling the “million years/million rupees” joke with different voices, then create your own joke.
This is a speaking activity — practise the given joke in pairs with the described narrator/man/God voices. Sample original joke: “Why did the boy bring a ladder to school? Because he wanted to go to high school!”
✍️ Let us write
I. Identify the rhyme scheme of the given limerick.
The rhyme scheme of “There was an Old Man with a beard…” is AABBA (all limericks follow this scheme).
II. Write a limerick of your own following the structure given.
SAMPLE ANSWER
There was a child from Pune,
Who danced by the light of the moon,
She twirled and she spun,
Had heaps of fun,
Then fell fast asleep by noon!
Who danced by the light of the moon,
She twirled and she spun,
Had heaps of fun,
Then fell fast asleep by noon!
🔭 Let us explore
I. Read a story about a witty character from Indian literature (Tenali Rama, Birbal, Mullah Nasruddin, King Vikramaditya and Betal).
Sample summary — Tenali Rama and the Thief: Tenali Rama, the witty court poet of King Krishnadevaraya, once caught a thief trying to steal from his house at night. Instead of shouting for guards, Tenali cleverly persuaded the thief to help him carry out heavy items himself, having convinced him they were “worthless junk,” and the thief left empty-handed and confused — outwitted entirely through Tenali Rama’s presence of mind and humour.
III. Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol — share a similar nonsense poem.
Open response — students can share a nonsense/absurd poem from their own language, similar in spirit to Sukumar Ray’s playful, imaginative verse or Edward Lear’s limericks.
📖 In-Text Questions — Before Reading
I. What does ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’ mean? Why is it important to be polite to guests?
‘Athithi Devo Bhava’ is a Sanskrit phrase meaning “the guest is equivalent to God.” It reflects the Indian tradition of treating guests with the highest respect and hospitality. Being polite to guests is important because it makes them feel welcome and valued, builds and strengthens relationships, reflects well on one’s family and upbringing, and creates a warm, positive atmosphere for everyone.
II. Choose the statements that display polite behaviour with guests.
1. Offer the guests a glass of water. 2. Enquire about the well-being of the guests. 5. Accompany the guests to the door when they leave.
(Statements 3 — asking when they’d leave, and 4 — criticising their habits — are impolite.)
(Statements 3 — asking when they’d leave, and 4 — criticising their habits — are impolite.)
III. How would you deal with rude friends disagreeing over an issue? Share three ways.
- Calmly step in and remind them to speak to each other respectfully, without raised voices or insults.
- Encourage them to take turns speaking and truly listen to each other’s point of view instead of interrupting.
- Redirect the conversation to focus on the actual issue/topic rather than personal criticism, or involve a teacher/elder to mediate if it doesn’t calm down.
📝 Exercise Questions
💬 Let us discuss — Scene I
Complete the table with the speaker’s words and their reason.
| Speaker | Words | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Shaw | “The room looks cleaner now. Put that coat away in your bedroom.” (given) | To instruct Mary to keep the room tidy (given) |
| Mary | “You’re always telling me to put things away.” | To express her mild frustration/annoyance at being repeatedly told to tidy up |
| Mary | “I’m not a child!” | To assert that she feels grown-up and mature, and shouldn’t be treated like a small child |
| Mrs. Shaw | “…you’ll always be right if you’re kind to people. Say things that will please them…” | To highlight the importance of being kind as a way to ensure Mary says the appropriate things when guests arrive (given) |
II. Do you think Mary will follow her mother’s advice successfully? Why or why not?
Most likely not. Although Mary confidently claims she knows how to talk politely, her mother’s doubts (“does anyone want to hear the things that you say?”) foreshadow trouble. Mary shows early signs of over-confidence and a habit of talking without thinking things through, which suggests she is likely to make mistakes when the guests actually arrive — and, as Scene II shows, this prediction turns out to be correct.
💬 Let us discuss — Scene II
Rectify the false statements.
| # | False statement | Rectification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mrs. Harding states that they do not like London. | Mrs. Harding actually states that they like Lanfield very much, even though it is not the same as London. (given) |
| 2 | Mrs. Harding was pleased that Mary was familiar with her children. | Mrs. Harding was NOT pleased — she was displeased/annoyed, because she has no children at all, and Mary insisted she had seen them, which was untrue and awkward. |
| 3 | Mrs. Shaw liked Mrs. Best because she read a lot of newspapers. | Mrs. Shaw simply said she liked Mrs. Best as a nice woman — it was Mr. Best (not Mrs. Best) who read newspapers on the train; Mrs. Shaw’s newspaper comment was a general remark about bankers. |
| 4 | Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Shaw agree that a blue dress with a red coat is unfashionable. | They do not agree it’s unfashionable — Mrs. Shaw quickly said she likes blue dresses and red coats, and Mrs. Harding revealed she herself wears exactly that combination. It was Mary who mocked the outfit. |
| 5 | Mary finds the dog outside the window cute. | Mary actually says she does NOT like dogs, calls the dog dirty, and questions why anyone keeps one — she finds it unpleasant, not cute — and it embarrassingly turns out to be Mrs. Harding’s own dog, Towzer. |
🔎 Let us think and reflect — Extract 1
Mary: What are you going to talk about? Mrs. Shaw: I don’t know. All kinds of things. One day you’ll have to go to some of these houses yourself and talk to the people there… Mary: I can talk very well when I like. I’ll stay with you today and talk to them when they come.
(i) What does Mrs. Shaw imply by “One day you’ll have to go to some of these houses yourself…”?
C. She wants Mary to develop social skills for the future.
(ii) Complete: Mrs. Shaw and Mary are discussing how to ______.
have a polite conversation
(iii) Why did Mary insist on staying with her mother when the guests arrived?
Mary was overconfident about her own ability to talk well and wanted to prove to her mother that she could speak appropriately and make a good impression on the guests.
(iv) Match the character traits: eager, inexperienced, cautious.
Mary: eager and inexperienced (keen to talk, but lacking real social skill). Mrs. Shaw: cautious (careful about the impression they make on new acquaintances).
🔎 Let us think and reflect — Extract 2
Mary: I saw Mrs. Cotter this afternoon. I met her in the street. No one sees her in the morning because she always stays in bed then… I’ve never been to a doctor in my life. Mrs. Harding: I stay in bed in the morning myself.
(i) Mary could spot Mrs. Cotter in the street because ______.
she happened to meet her that afternoon while she was out — unlike the mornings, when Mrs. Cotter usually stays in bed.
(ii) What does Mary’s comment about Mrs. Cotter suggest about her understanding?
B. She is unable to understand why people need medical help.
(iii) How can we say that Mary enjoyed good health?
Mary states, “I’ve never been to a doctor in my life,” which shows she has never needed medical treatment and has therefore always been healthy.
(iv) True or False: Mary might have unintentionally offended Mrs. Harding.
True — Mary’s remark implies that people who stay in bed or need a doctor are somehow strange, when Mrs. Harding herself admits to staying in bed in the mornings, making Mary’s earlier comment feel like an insult.
🔎 Answer the following
1. What does Mary’s comment about Mr. Best reveal about her viewpoint on bankers?
It reveals a narrow, judgmental and rather naive view — she dismisses his disciplined daily routine as “not knowing how to live” and even insults his intelligence (“bankers can’t think”), showing a lack of empathy or understanding for different lifestyles and professions.
2. What can we infer about Mary’s understanding of polite conversation?
Mary confuses “always having something to say” with genuine politeness. She talks confidently and constantly, but her comments are tactless and critical, showing she doesn’t truly understand that politeness means being kind and considerate — not just being talkative.
3. What does the repeated stage direction ‘no one speaks’ indicate?
It indicates an awkward, uncomfortable silence — the guests are quietly offended or embarrassed by Mary’s tactless remarks and don’t know how to respond politely, highlighting the growing social tension in the room.
4. How does Mary’s attitude towards the guests change throughout the play?
She starts off confident and eager, believing she can easily impress the guests. As she keeps making blunders, she becomes visibly embarrassed (turning red, apologising repeatedly) — yet she never fully learns her lesson, since she makes the exact same mistake (“Must you stay? Can’t you go?”) even at the very end, when guests are leaving.
5. What do Mrs. Harding’s and Mrs. Lee’s responses reveal about their characters?
Their calm, measured and only mildly displeased responses — gently correcting Mary rather than reacting with open anger — reveal that they are well-mannered, patient and socially graceful women who avoid embarrassing Mary or her mother further, even when clearly annoyed.
6. In what way does the play show the importance of knowing how to engage in polite conversation?
The play humorously demonstrates that confident talking alone isn’t enough — true polite conversation requires tact, sensitivity, active listening and thinking before speaking. Mary’s repeated blunders, despite her self-assurance, comically show how easily social situations can go wrong without genuine consideration for others’ feelings.
📚 Let us learn — Suffixes
Divide gladly, banker, guidance, quietly, walking into root + suffix.
gladly = glad + ly | banker = bank + er | guidance = guide + ance | quietly = quiet + ly | walking = walk + ing
1. Match suffixes to their meaning/purpose, with examples.
| Word | Suffix | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | -logy | C. a study of (given) | Sociology (given) |
| tolerance | -ance | F. change to a noun | acceptance, guidance |
| stopped | -ed | E. change to past tense | walked, jumped |
| backward | -ward | G. in a certain direction | forward, homeward |
| courageous | -ous | H. change to adjective | dangerous, famous |
| quietly | -ly | A. change to adverb | slowly, happily |
| toughest | -est | D. change to superlative | biggest, fastest |
| tomatoes | -es | B. change to plural | boxes, wishes |
2. Fill in the blanks by adding suitable suffixes.
To communicate (i) effectively, choose your words and topics (ii) wisely. Avoid (iii) discussing things you don’t know much about or that could upset someone. Remember to be (iv) respectful towards others, including yourself, and express your (v) appreciation. Finally, always be (vi) responsive by replying promptly to communicate.
II. Is there a difference between ‘say’ and ‘tell’? Fill in the blanks with fetch/bring, see/look, live/stay, study/learn, speak/talk, hear/listen.
Yes — ‘say’ focuses on the message itself (doesn’t always need a listener specified); ‘tell’ focuses on who receives the message (always needs a listener).
(i) I looked at the photo, but I didn’t see anyone familiar.
(ii) I’d better go and fetch my mother from the station, and then bring her home.
(iii) I need to study for my mathematics exam this weekend, so I hope to learn new concepts along the way.
(iv) I can hear the music from my neighbour’s house, but I need to listen to it carefully to understand the lyrics.
(v) “Could I speak to Mrs. Kalpana, who is going to talk to us about gardening,” said Ritu.
(vi) I live in a small town, but I often stay with my relatives in the city.
(i) I looked at the photo, but I didn’t see anyone familiar.
(ii) I’d better go and fetch my mother from the station, and then bring her home.
(iii) I need to study for my mathematics exam this weekend, so I hope to learn new concepts along the way.
(iv) I can hear the music from my neighbour’s house, but I need to listen to it carefully to understand the lyrics.
(v) “Could I speak to Mrs. Kalpana, who is going to talk to us about gardening,” said Ritu.
(vi) I live in a small town, but I often stay with my relatives in the city.
III. Underline verbs and identify tense; fill blanks with present continuous / present perfect continuous.
“They lived in London before.” / “I met her in a shop…” — simple past tense
“She has been staying with them for a while.” — present perfect continuous
FILL IN THE BLANKS:
The students (i) are organising a play and setting up the stage. They (ii) have been preparing for weeks to make everything perfect. The performers (iii) have been rehearsing every day, and their excitement (iv) has been growing. The sound in-charge (v) is testing the microphones to check the sound quality. Everyone (vi) is working hard, and now the place (vii) is buzzing with energy and excitement.
“She has been staying with them for a while.” — present perfect continuous
FILL IN THE BLANKS:
The students (i) are organising a play and setting up the stage. They (ii) have been preparing for weeks to make everything perfect. The performers (iii) have been rehearsing every day, and their excitement (iv) has been growing. The sound in-charge (v) is testing the microphones to check the sound quality. Everyone (vi) is working hard, and now the place (vii) is buzzing with energy and excitement.
IV. Identify the kinds of sentences and punctuate them.
| Sentence | Type | Punctuated |
|---|---|---|
| (i) the meeting starts at 10.00 a.m. in the conference room | Declarative | The meeting starts at 10.00 a.m. in the conference room. |
| (ii) what an exciting adventure it was | Exclamatory | What an exciting adventure it was! |
| (iii) how did you solve the problem so quickly | Interrogative | How did you solve the problem so quickly? |
| (iv) what is the weather forecast today | Interrogative | What is the weather forecast today? |
| (v) how beautiful is the rainbow | Exclamatory | How beautiful is the rainbow! |
| (vi) clean up your room before dinner | Imperative | Clean up your room before dinner. |
| (vii) the children are planning a surprise party for their mom | Declarative | The children are planning a surprise party for their mom. |
| (viii) turn off the music | Imperative | Turn off the music. |
🎧 Let us listen
I. Fill in the blanks by selecting the correct option.
1. How did the son behave in the grocery queue? — (ii) impatiently
2. The mother finally refers to her son as a — (i) polite young man
2. The mother finally refers to her son as a — (i) polite young man
II. Select four TRUE statements.
| # | Statement | True/False |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The mother uses the grocery incident to teach patience and fairness. | True |
| 2 | The son recognises the value of apologising, understanding it shows he notices others. | True |
| 3 | The son is gradually learning polite words/actions from his mother’s guidance. | True |
| 4 | The mother discourages her son from speaking softly, suggesting people should adjust to his voice. | False (she actually encourages an “inside voice”) |
| 5 | The son feels covering his mouth when coughing matters only at home. | False (he knows it matters in gatherings/public places too) |
| 6 | The son receives all advice readily while understanding its importance. | False (he engages thoughtfully rather than passively — this overstates it) |
| 7 | The mother uses praise to support the polite behaviours she wants him to continue. | True (“You’re becoming a really polite young man.”) |
TRUE statements: 1, 2, 3, and 7.
🗣️ Let us speak — Stress & Intonation
III. Match each stressed sentence (1–5) to the meaning it conveys (i)–(v).
| Sentence (stressed word) | Meaning conveyed |
|---|---|
| 1. I didn’t hurt anyone today. | (iv) I, specifically, did not hurt anyone — possibly implying someone else might have. |
| 2. I didn’t hurt anyone today. | (iii) The action of hurting anyone did not occur. |
| 3. I didn’t hurt anyone today. | (i) I might have done other things, but did not hurt anyone. |
| 4. I didn’t hurt anyone today. | (v) I may have spoken a lot of things, but not a single person was hurt. |
| 5. I didn’t hurt anyone today. | (ii) I might cause hurt usually, but not anyone on this particular day. |
Practise saying each sentence aloud with the bolded word stressed and falling intonation at the end, as instructed in parts I, II and IV of this activity.
✍️ Let us write
Rewrite the play ‘Say the Right Thing’ as a short story.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Mary was a spirited young girl who lived with her mother, Mrs. Shaw, in the quiet town of Lanfield. One afternoon, Mrs. Shaw was expecting two important guests, Mrs. Harding and her sister-in-law Mrs. Lee, and was determined to make a good impression, hoping it might lead to new friendships in their new neighbourhood.
Before the guests arrived, Mrs. Shaw carefully instructed Mary on how to behave — to be kind, to say pleasant things, to keep the conversation going if it grew quiet, and to look sorry rather than relieved when the guests finally rose to leave. Mary, full of confidence, assured her mother she already knew exactly the right things to say, and insisted on staying to prove it.
When Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee arrived, however, Mary’s confidence quickly led to disaster. She insisted she had seen Mrs. Harding’s children — who did not exist. She mocked a banker’s daily train commute, unaware he was Mrs. Lee’s own brother. She criticised a woman for staying in bed in the mornings, only for Mrs. Harding to reveal she did the very same thing. She even mocked a “dirty dog” outside the window, which turned out to be the Hardings’ own pet, Towzer.
Each blunder was met with an awkward, heavy silence, as poor Mrs. Shaw tried desperately to smooth things over. By the time the guests rose to leave — visibly ready to escape — Mary, true to her earlier promise, tried once more to say the right thing. But in her flustered state, she muddled her mother’s advice completely, blurting out, “Must you stay? Can’t you go?” — the exact opposite of what she meant to say, bringing the visit to a comically awkward close.
Before the guests arrived, Mrs. Shaw carefully instructed Mary on how to behave — to be kind, to say pleasant things, to keep the conversation going if it grew quiet, and to look sorry rather than relieved when the guests finally rose to leave. Mary, full of confidence, assured her mother she already knew exactly the right things to say, and insisted on staying to prove it.
When Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee arrived, however, Mary’s confidence quickly led to disaster. She insisted she had seen Mrs. Harding’s children — who did not exist. She mocked a banker’s daily train commute, unaware he was Mrs. Lee’s own brother. She criticised a woman for staying in bed in the mornings, only for Mrs. Harding to reveal she did the very same thing. She even mocked a “dirty dog” outside the window, which turned out to be the Hardings’ own pet, Towzer.
Each blunder was met with an awkward, heavy silence, as poor Mrs. Shaw tried desperately to smooth things over. By the time the guests rose to leave — visibly ready to escape — Mary, true to her earlier promise, tried once more to say the right thing. But in her flustered state, she muddled her mother’s advice completely, blurting out, “Must you stay? Can’t you go?” — the exact opposite of what she meant to say, bringing the visit to a comically awkward close.
🔭 Let us explore
II. How do people greet guests in different languages?
| Language | Greeting |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Namaste / Namaskar |
| Tamil | Vanakkam |
| Punjabi | Sat Sri Akal |
| Japanese | Konnichiwa |
| French | Bonjour |
| Spanish | Hola |
III. ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — what does it mean and why was it chosen as the G20 theme?
It is a Sanskrit phrase meaning “the world is one family” (Vasudha = Earth, eva = is thus, Kutumbakam = family). It highlights the interconnectedness of all people and encourages unity, cooperation and kindness across nations, races and religions. It was chosen as the G20 Summit theme because it captured the shared aspiration for global unity, common bonds and a better, more cooperative future for all nations.