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Working With the Text (Page 131)

A .Complete the following sentences.

1.The old banyan tree “did not belong” to the grandfather, but only to the boy, because_____________________________________ .
2.The small gray squirrel became friendly when_____________________________________
3.When the boy started to bring him pieces of cake and biscuit, the squirrel
4.In the spring, the banyan tree_____________________________________________ and
__________________________________________ would come there.
5.The banyan tree served the boy as a____________________________________________ .
6.The young boy spent his afternoons in the tree____________________________________

Ans.

1. the old man was not strong enough to climb it
2.it found that the boy carried no catapult or air/gun in his hand
3.became bold enough to take pieces of food from his hand
4.was full of small red figs, birds of all kinds
5reading room where he had made a rough platform to sit and read books
6.leaning against the tree, reading story books,

B.Answer the following questions.

1.“It was to be a battle of champions.” (8)
(i)What qualities did the two champions have? Pick out words and phrases from the paragraph above this line in the text and write them down.
Mongoose                                                          Cobm

(a)________________        (a) ______________

(b)_______________            (b) ______________

(c)_______________             (r) ______________

(ii)What did the cobra and the mongoose do, to show their readiness for the fight?

Ans. The cobra produced a hissing sound to challenge the mongoose to a fight. It raised three feet of its body off the ground. It spread its broad hood. The mongoose bushed its tail. The long hair on its back also stood up.

2. Who were the other two spectators? What did they do? (Did they watch, or did they join in the fight?) (10)

Ans. In addition to the narrator, the two other onlookers of the fight were a myna and a wild crow. First of all they sat on the cactus plant to watch the outcome of the fight. In the end, they took part in the game. Both tried to pick up the cobra for their meal.

The crow got bitten and died. The mongoose dragged the snake away into the bushes. The myna also flew away.

3. Read the descriptions below of what the snake did and what the mongoose did. Arrange their actions in the proper order. (11, 16)

4.(i) What happened to the crow in the end? (16)
(ii) What did the myna do finally? (17)

Ans. (i) In the end, the crow got bitten by the cobra and it fell dead.
(ii) The myna flew to the ground, looked into the bushes, gave a shrill cry and flew away.

Working With Language  (Page 133)

1.The word ‘round’ usually means a kind of shape. What is its meaning in the story?

2. Find five words in the following paragraph, which are generally associated with trees. But here, they have been used differently. Underline the words. Hari leavesfor work at nine every morning. He works in the local branchof the firm of which his uncle is the owner. Hari’s success is really the fruit of his own labour. He is happy, but he has a small problem. The rootcause of his problem is a stray dog near his office. The dog welcomes Hari with a loud barkevery day.

Ans.

1. The word ‘round’ in the story means ‘the second course of a fight’.
2.leaves, branch, fruit, root, bark.

B.The words in the box are all words that describe movement. Use them to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.

dived      gliding        sprang      darting

whipped…back        delving

1.When he began to trust me, the squirrel began_______________________ into my pock­ets for morsels of cake.
2. saw a cobra______________ out of a clump of cactus.
3.The snake hissed, his forked tongue______________________ in and out.
4.When the cobra tried to bite it, the mongoose________________________ aside.
5.The snake _________________  his head ________________  to strike at the crow.
6.The birds __________________ at the snake.

Ans. 1.delving / to delve
2.gliding
3.darting / darted                                                                            /
4.sprang
5.whipped, back
6.dived

C. Find words in the story, which show things striking violently against each other.

1. The cobra struck the crow, his snout th___________ ing against its body. (15)
2.The crow and the myna c _ ll_________ in mid-air. (13) ‘
3.The birds dived at the snake, but b____________ d into each other instead (14)

Ans.
1. thudding
2.collided
3.bumped

D. Look at these sentences.

‘Would’ tells us what the author used to do.                                                         Could’ tells us what the author was usually able to do. or what used to happen.                                                                                                                    grandfather is now not able to do.

Choose would and could to replace the italicised words in the following sentences.

Grandfather says, in the old days,

1.elephants were able to fly in the sky, like clouds. They were also able to change their shapes. They used to fly behind clouds and frighten them. People used to look up at the sky in wonder.

2.because there was no electricity, he used to get up with the sun, and he used to go to bed with the sun, like the birds.

3.like the owl, he was able to see quite well in the dark. He was able to tell who was coming by listening to their footsteps.

Ans.

1. elephants could fly in the sky, like clouds. They could also change their shapes. They would fly behind clouds and frighten them. People would look up at the sky in wonder.

2.because there was no electricity, he would get up with sun and he would go to bed with the sun, like the birds.

3.like the owl, he could see quite well in the dark. He could tell who was coming by listening to their footsteps.

Speaking    (Page 135)

Look at these sentences.

• The tree was older than Grandfather.
• Grandfather was sixty-five years old. ‘

How old was the tree? Can you guess?

• The tree was as old as Dehradun itself?

Suppose Dehra Dun is 300 years old. How old is the tree?

When two things are the same in some way, we use as…as.

Here is another set of examples.

• Mr Sinha is 160 centimetres tall.                                                .Mr Gupta is 180 centimetres tall.
• Mrs Gupta is 160 centimetres tall.

Mrs Gupta is as tall as Mr Sinha.

Use the words in the box to speak about the people and the things below, using as., .as or -erthan

       tall – taller cold – colder hot – hotter strong – stronger short – shorter

(Notice that in the word ‘hot’, the letter ‘t’ is doubled when -er is added.)

(i) Shimla is as cold as Gangtok.
(ii) Shimla or Gangtok is not so cold as Srinagar,
(iii)Shimla is not colder than Srinagar.

Writing   (Page 138)

Read again the paragraphs of the story in which the author describes the banyan tree, and what he used to do there. Is there a place in your house, or in your grandparents’ or uncles’ or aunts’ houses, that you especially like? Write a short paragraph about it saying.

• where it is      • what you do there      • why you like it

You may instead write about a place you dislike or are afraid of.

Ans.                                                     My Favourite Place

My favourite place in the house is either the balcony or the cemented platform built round the stem of the peepal tree. I use to sit in the balcony to enjoy the sunshine on winter days and the cool breeze on summer mornings. I learn my lessons and even do my homework there. I like it because it is an isolated, quiet and open place.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I.SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Why did the speaker find the old banyan tree exclusively his own?

Ans. The old banyan tree became the narrator’s own property because his grandfather was too old to climb it. ‘

2. What did the speaker do while hiding himself in the banyan tree branches?
Ans. The author used to read storybooks and watch the world below.

3. When did the banyan tree become a noisy place?
Ans. The banyan tree became the noisiest place in the garden during the fig season.

4. Where did the author usually spend his afternoons?
Ans. The author usually spent his afternoons on the platform he had built halfway up the tree.

5. What exciting scene did the author enjoy from his platform in the banyan tree?
Ans. The author enjoyed the fight between a mongoose and a cobra, a battle of two champions.

6. What trick did the mongoose apply to overpower and kill the cobra?
Ans. He first bit the snake twice on the back. When the cobra was tired, the mongoose caught it by the snout. He finally dragged the dead snake into the bushes.

7.creatures lost their lives in the classic struggle between the cobra and the mongoose. Who were those victims?
Ans. The Cobra and the crow.

II.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What is the story The Banyan Tree about? Narrate the incident in brief.
Ans. The Banyan Tree is about a deadly fight between a mongoose and a snake. The outcome of such a fight is the death of the cobra. The mongoose is faster in movement than his opponent. The writer witnessed such a fight, sitting on a branch of a banyan tree. He enjoyed the fight. Both the mongoose and the cobra were experienced fighters. They could strike with speed. A myna and a crow also arrived to feed on the dead crew. The crow had hard luck. He was bitten and he fell dead. The cobra got tired in the fight and the mongoose dragged it into the bushes.

2. Bring out the relevance/significance of the banyan tree in the title of Ruskin Bond’s story.
Ans. The banyan tree served as a platform for the writer to sit and watch the thrill­ing fight between a cobra and a wild mongoose. The tree was almost the speaker’s property because his grandfather could not climb it. The fight started under that tree in the sunshine. Two other spectators, a myna and a crow, also arrived to feed on the dead cobra. But they sat on a cactus plant, not the tree.

Working With the Text  (Page 117)

A.1. Talk to your partner and say whether the following statements are true or false.

(i) No animal can survive without water.
(ii)Deserts are endless sand dunes.
(iii)Most snakes are harmless.
(iv)Snakes cannot hear, but they can feel vibrations through the ground.
(v) Camels store water in their humps.

Ans: (i)True (ii) False
(iii) True        (iv) True
( v) False.

2. Answer the following questions.
(i) How do desert animals survive without water? (1)
(ii)How do mongooses kill snakes? (6)
(iii)How does the hump of the camels help them to survive when there is no water? (9)                                                        ‘

Ans: (i) The desert animals find ways to survive for many days without water. Gerbils keep themselves cool in underground holes. The beetles catch drops of mois­ture on their legs. The camels get moisture from desert plants.
(ii)Mongooses have very swift reactions. They get away fast when the snake tries to strike. They trouble the snake until it is tired. Then they attack and kill the snake. They themselves don’t get any injury.
(iii)The hump of the camel is meant for storing fat and not water. That fat meets the camel’s need for water and nourishment.

B. Read the words/phrases in the box. With your partner find their meanings in the dictionary.
harsh      conditions       harmless       survive      intruder
threatened       predators      prey     continually

Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the above words/phrases.
All animals in forests and deserts struggle to________________________________ in______ .
Though most of the animals are _______________________ , some are dangerous when
________________ . If an___________________ is noticed, they attack or bite to save
themselves. They struggle _____________________ for food and water. Some animals

are called___________________ because they_____________________ on other animals.
Ans: All animals in forests and deserts struggle to survive in harsh conditions. Though most of the animals are harmless; some are dangerous when threatened. If an intruder is noticed, they attack or bite to save themselves. They struggle continu­ally for food and water. Some animals are called predators because they prey on other animals.

Speaking  (Page 118)

Look at these sentences.

• Deserts are the driest places on earth.
• Gerbils spend the hottest part of the day in cool underground burrows.

Now form pairs. Ask questions using a suitable form of the word in brackets. Try to answer the questions too.

Do you know

1.Which animal is the_________________ (tall)?
2.Which animal runs the_________________ (fast)?
3.Which place on earth is the_______________ (hot) or the_______________ (cold)?
4.Which animal is the_________________ (large)?
5.Which is the________________ (tall) mountain in the world?
6.Which is the________________ (rainy) place on earth?

7.Which is the________________ (old) living animal?

Can you add some questions of your own?

Ans:

1. The giraffe is the tallest animal.
2. Leopard runs the fastest.
3. Aziza Libya is the hottest and the Verkhoyansk (Russia is the coldest).
4. The blue whale is the largest animal.
5. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
6. Mawsynram (Meghalaya) is the rainiest place on earth.
7. The giant tortoise is the oldest living animal.

Thinking about Language (Page 118)

A. Look at these sentences.

• Most snakes are quite harmless, but a few are poisonous.
• Most snakes lay eggs, but the rattlesnake gives birth to its young.

Now write five sentences like these using ‘most’ and the clues below.

1. (90% of) people are honest (10%) are dishonest.
_______________________
2. (Lots of) fruit have plenty of sugar, (some) citrus fruit are low in sugar.
______________________
3.(Every soft drink except this one) has lots of ‘empty calories’.
_______________________
4.(The majority of) films are romances, (a few) are on other topics.
_______________________
5.(A majority of) people agree that he is a good leader, (just a few) disagree.
_______________________

Ans:

1. Most of the people are honest, but a few are dishonest.
2. Most of the fruits have plenty of sugar; but some citrus fruit are low in sugar.
3. Most of the soft drinks except this one have lots of empty calories.
4. Most of the films are romances, only a few are on other topics.
5 .Most of the people agree that he is a good leader, just a few disagree.

Look at these sentences.

• Animals cannot survive for long without water.
• So desert animals have to find different ways of coping.

The first sentence says what cannot happen or be done; the second tells us what must, therefore, be done, what it is necessary to do. Complete these sen­tences using cannot and have to/has to.

1. You______________ reach the island by land or air; you___________________ go byboat.
2.We ______________ see bacteria with our eyes; we ______________________  look at them through a microscope.
3. He ______________ have a new bicycle now; he__________________ wait till next year.
4.Old people often________________ hear very well; they __________________ use a hearing aid.
5.Road users_______________ do what they wish; they___________________ follow the traffic rules.
6.She ______________ accept this decision; she ____________________  question it.
7. You______________ believe everything you hear; you__________________ use your own judgement.

Ans:

1. You cannot reach the island by land or air; you have to go by boat.
2. We cannot see bacteria with our eyes; we have to look at them through a microscope.
3. He cannot have a new bicycle now; he has to wait till next year.
4. Old people often cannot hear very well; they have to use a hearing aid.
5. Road users cannot do what they wish; they have to follow the traffic rules.
6. She cannot accept this decision; she has to question it. ■
7. You cannot believe everything you hear; you have to use your own judgement.

Writing   (Page 120)

Imagine you are journeying through a desert. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what you see and hear.
Ans. A desert is not a place worth living. It is a nightmare to journey through the Thar Desert. From my personal experience, I know how hot the deserts are. I saw the end­less expanse of sand and sand dunes. Only here and there I saw a few thorny bushes. There are very few birds. The camel is a common sight. There are only small villages around oases. Life is very hard there. Water is scarce, so is green­ery.
We hear the blowing of hot winds and the howling of sandstorms. We can hear the calling of mongooses and the howling of jackals. Now and then we can hear the tinkling of bells around the neck of camels.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I.SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Deserts have a very thin population. Why?
Ans. Deserts have very little water and vegetation. There is greenery only around the water springs or oases. So people don’t prefer to live there.

2. What are some of the notable features told about snakes in the lesson?
Ans. There are more than 2300 different kinds of snakes in the world. Some are up to 11 metres long. Not all are poisonous. Most snakes lay eggs, but many of them give birth to their young.

3. Where are rattlesnakes found?
Ans. Rattlesnakes are very common on the American continent. They feed on mice and rats etc.

4. What does the author tell about mongooses?
Ans. Mongooses are very amusing animals to watch. They are a common sight in Africa. They eat beetles and other small creatures. They themselves are eaten up by hawks, eagles and large snakes. They are famous for killing snakes.

5. What do you learn in the lesson about camels?
Ans. Camels live mainly in the desert. They can drink up to 30 gallons of water in just ten minutes. They get all the moisture they need from desert plants. Some camels have only one hump, others have two. Humps are full of fat which is used as food.

II.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How do you define or describe a desert? Name some common desert animals. How do they survive?
Ans. A desert is a very hot and dry place that goes without rain even for years. It is
sandy with hardly any vegetation or villages. There is neither water nor greenery. Still some animals are found there. For example, gerbils, beetles, snakes, mongooses and camels. These animals survive the harsh conditions in their own way. Some live in burrows (holes). Camels have winter coats to keep warm and shorter, tidier coats to keep cool in summer.

2. What information about snakes do you get in the lesson Desert Animals?
Ans. There are more than 2300 different kinds of snakes around the world. Some are harmless, others very poisonous. Some lay eggs, while others give birth to the young one. The rattler lives in the day and rocky deserts of America. Large pythons can go without eating for a year or more. Mongooses are famous for their skill in killing snakes. A camel can drink up to 30 gallons of water in just ten minutes. It eats plants. Its humps store fast-food.

3. What are some of the particular habits of the mongoose and the camel?
Ans. Mongooses like to hunt together. But they are afraid of their enemies like hawks, eagles and snakes. They warn others of the danger by their peculiar calling. They are famous for killing snakes.
Camels were taken as pets long, long ago. They have long or short coats to keep them warm or cool. A camel can drink up to 30 gallons of water at a time. Its humps-single or double-store food that is used as food. They are adapted to desert life.

Working With the Text   (Page 103)

A. Complete the following sentences from memory choosing a phrase from those given in brackets.

1.___________ was held at the time of the Eid festival.
(A big show, A big fair, A big competition)
2.Tradesmen came to the village with all kinds of goods_____________________ .
(to display, to buy, to sell)
3.Uncle told me________________ while he was away.
(not to buy anything, not to go anywhere, not to talk to anyone
4.The owner of the Lucky Shop wanted everybody present_________________ .
(to play the game, to win a prize, to try their luck)
5.The first time I took a chance I got___________________ .
(a bottle of ink, two pencils, a trifie)
6.Uncle told me that the shopkeeper had made_____________________ .
(a fool of me, a good profit, friends with many people)

Ans:
1.A big fair    2. to sell      3. not to buy
4.to try their luck    5.two pencils     6. a fool of me

B. Answer the following questions.

1. Why do you think Rasheed’s uncle asked him not to buy anything in his absence? (3)
Ans: Uncle warned Rasheed not to buy anything in his absence because the shop­keepers could cheat him and take away his money.

2. Why was the shop called ‘Lucky Shop’? (4)
Ans: The shop was named Lucky Shop so as to tempt the people to try their luck and win prizes.

3. An old man won a clock and sold it back to the shopkeeper. How much money did he make? (5)
Ans: The old man made 15 rupees by selling the clock back to the shopkeeper.

4. How many prizes did the boy win? What were they? (6)
Ans: The boy won four prizes-a combs, a fountain pen, a wristwatch and a table lamp.

5. Why was Rasheed upset? (7, 8, 9)
Ans: Rasheed was upset because he thought he was unlucky at the game of chance.

6. In what way did the shopkeeper make a fool of Rasheed? (11)
Ans: The shopkeeper gave Rasheed things of small value. He encouraged the boy to try his luck again and again. Innocent Rasheed lost all his money.

Working with Language    (Page 104)

A. The words given against the sentences below can be used both as nouns and verbs. Use them appropriately to fill in the blanks.

Ans.

B. Notice the use of’ there’ in the following sentences

• There was a big crowd at the fair.
• There were many things I’d have liked to buy.
• A man at the door is asking to see you.
• There is a man at the door asking to see you.

1. This park has beautiful roses.
2. Your story has no fun in it.
3. We have no secrets between
4. My village has two primary schools.
5. This problem can be solved in two ways.

Ans :

1. There are beautiful roses in this park.
2. There is no fun in your story.
3. There are no secrets between us.
4. There are two primary schools in my village.
5. There are two ways to solve this problem.

C.Fill in the blanks in the paragraph below with words from the box.
huge     big foolish      interesting     tiny     unlucky    last

There was a________________ Eid fair in our village. We could buy anything from a
______________ toy to a____________________ camel. I went to the fair on its
______________ day with Uncle and Bhaiya. We went to the Lucky Shop. It was
very_______________ . I tried my luck but did not win any prize. Later, Uncle told
me that I was more _________________ than________________ .
Ans. There was a huge Eid fair in our village. We could buy anything from a tiny toy to a big camel. I went to the fair on its last day with Uncle and Bhaiya. We went to the Lucky Shop. It was very interesting. I tried my luck but did not win any prize. Later, the uncle told me that I was more foolish than unlucky.

Speaking and Reading Aloud   (Page 106)

A.1. Suppose you are Rasheed. Describe in your own words your visit to the fair. Do not refer to the Lucky Shop.
Ans: 1. One-day my uncle took me to the Eid fair. He left me in the company of my domestic help, called Bhaiya. He warned me not to go far from that place. Sec­ondly, I must not buy anything in his absence. He went away to spend some­time with his friends. I along with Bhaiya went from one shop to another. When uncle returned, he bought for me some gifts.

2. Read aloud the two paragraphs that describe the boy and the old man at the Lucky Shop.
Ans: For self-attempt.

3. Listen to these children. What are they talking about?

Ans: For self-attempt.

B. Work in pairs. One of you is an agent and the other is a client looking for accommodation in a hotel. Talk to each other. Use the clues given below.

Ans:

Dictation

1. Some words are given below. Listen carefully to the word from the list the teacher speaks, and write against it another word that has the same pronun­ciation but different spelling. The first is an example.

Ans: For self-attempt.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I.SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What was Rasheed’s fault at the fair?

Ans: He did not heed the advice of his uncle either to buy anything nor to go too far out in his absence.

2. How did Rasheed lose all his money at the Lucky shop? ‘

Ans: Rasheed was tempted to try his luck and win some big prize. He took several chances but won no expensive item. Thus he lost gill his money.

3. How would you describe Rasheed’s ‘bad luck’?

Ans: Rasheed was neither unlucky nor foolish. He was an innocent boy while the shopkeeper was a cheat.

4. How did uncle explain the ‘game of chance’?

Ans: Uncle told Rasheed that the lucky shop man had made fool of him. The old man and the boy who won costly things were, in fact, the shopkeeper’s friends. It was all a trick to tempt the customers,

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What is meant by a ‘game of chance’? What lesson did the narrator learn from his experience at the fair?

Ans: ‘A Game of Chance’ refers to gambling. A person stakes his money in the hope of doubling it. But he can never be sure of winning the lottery. The narrator Rasheed goes to the fair on the occasion of Eid. He is tempted to try his luck at a shop. He is too innocent to see through the shopkeeper’s trick. He loses all his little money in that game of chance. He learnt the lesson that he can be easily be fooled and robbed of his money by witty shopkeepers.

2. What trick did the shopkeeper play to tempt his customers to play the los­ing game?

Ans: The Eid fair was held every year. It attracted tradesmen from far and wide. Rasheed too went to the fair with his servant and his uncle. There he watched a shopkeeper rewarding the persons who staked their money with costly prizes. The game was played with six numbered discs. The winner claimed the article with the winning number. The tricky shopkeeper gave handsome prizes to his own friends. Rasheed too was tempted to try his luck. But he lost the last penny in that game of chance.

Working With the Text   (Page 91)

A.Match the sentences under I with those under II.

I
1. Jumman and Algu were the best of friends.
2. Jumman’s aunt transferred her property to him.
3. The aunt decided to appeal to the
4. Algu was unwilling to support the aunt.
5. Jumman was very happy to hear Algu’s name as’head

II
1. He believed that his friend would never go against him.
2. She wanted justice.
3. In the absence of one, the other took care of his family.
4. The condition was that he would be responsible for her welfare.
5 .The bond of friendship between him and Jumman was very strong.

Ans:

B. Who says this to whom and why?

1. “My wife knows best how to run the house.”
2. “But is it right, my son, to keep mum and not say what you consider just and fair?”
3. “What have you to say in your defence?”
4. “I can’t pay you a penny for the wretched beast you sold me.”
5. “Victory to the This is justice.”

Ans:

1. Jumman speaks these words to his aunt. He wanted to get rid of his aunt. He did not want to give her any allowance.
2. The old aunt says these words to Algu Chowdhry. Algu was unwilling to give his judgement against his best friend.
3. Algu said these words to Jumman when he occupied the seat of the head He was keen to do justice.
4. Sahu said this to Algu Chowdhry. Algu had sold his bullock to Samjhu Sahu. The bullock died because Sahu overworked and underfed the animal. When Algu demanded his money, Algu dishonestly refused to pay him a penny.
5. Jumman was the head He could easily give his verdict against Algu. But the seat of panch made him fair and just. He asked Sahu to pay the money to Algu. At this Algu shouted with joy and welcomed the fair judgement.

C. Answer the following questions.

1. “Then the situation changed.” What is being referred to? (2)
Ans: The situation changed after the transfer of property. Jumman forgot his prom­ise to look after his old aunt. He as well as his wife began to ill-treat her.

2.When Jumman’s aunt realised that she was not welcome in his house, what arrangement did she suggest? (3)
Ans: Jumman’s aunt could not bear insults any more. She wanted to cook her food separately. She demanded monthly allowance from her nephew.

3. What was the villagers’ reaction when the aunt explained her case to them?(4)
Ans. The old woman went to several villagers to explain her case and get their support. But some showed sympathy, and some laughed at her. A few advised her to make peace with Jumman.

4. Why was Jumman happy over Algu’s nomination as head Panch? (6)
Ans: Algu and Jumman were fast friends. So Jumman hoped to get the verdict in his favour. Naturally, he felt happy when the aunt named Algu to act as head Panch.

5. “God lives in the heart of the Panch”, the aunt said. What did she mean? (6)
Ans. The aunt meant that a person in the seat of a judge becomes fair and just like God. He is not guided by his personal likes and dislikes. He can not do any injustice. He is God’s representative.

6. What was Algu’s verdict as head Panch? How did Jumman take it? (7, 8)
Ans: Algu heard the case and gave a fair judgement. He asked Jumman either to pay a monthly allowance to his aunt or transfer the property in her name. Jumman was stunned. He became Algu’s enemy. He decided to take revenge on Algu.

7. Algu found himself in a tight spot. What was his problem? (9)
Ans: Algu sold his bullock to Samjhu Sahu, a cartman. Sahu promised to pay the price within a month. But during this period he took so much work from the animal that it died. Sahu became dishonest. He refused to pay the money.

8. Why was Algu upset over Jumman’s nomination as head Panch? (12, 13)
Ans: Algu was upset because Jumman was already annoyed with him. So he thought  Jumman would take his revenge.

9. What was Jumman’s verdict as head Panch? How did Algu take it? (14, 15)
Ans:  Jumman’s verdict was that Sahu had to pay the price of bullock to Algu. Because when Sahu purchased the bullock from Algu it was hale and hearty. This was a genuine decision. Algu took it happily and said it was a victory of the panchayat.

10. Which of the following sums up the story best?

(i)“I also know that you will not kill your conscience for the sake of friend­ship.”
(ii)“Let no one deviate from the path of justice and truth for friendship or en- , mity.”
(iii)‘The voice of the Panch is the voice of God.”
Give a reason for your choice.
Ans: I think the second statement sums up the story best.
The person in the seat of a judge becomes fair and just.

Working with Language   (Page 92)

A. Replace the italicised portion of each sentence below with a suitable phrase from the box. Make necessary changes, wherever required.

                                   look after         swallow         make it up     keep mum     go into     ease one’s                                                  conscience     as ill luck would have it       a tight spot           take chances      my heart sank

1. The best way to avoid an unnecessary argument is to remain silent
2. Unfortunately, the train I was trying to catch was cancelled.
3. He has been told not to take risks while driving a car through a crowded street.
4. The patient needs to be properly taken care of.
5. Why don’t the two of you end your quarrel by shaking hands?
6. I was in a difficult situation till my friends came to my rescue.
7. When I saw a pile of dirty dishes, I felt very disappointed.
8. I will examine the matter carefully before commenting on it.
9. They criticised him in the meeting but he accepted without protest all the criti­cism.
10. It will free me from worry to know that I had done nothing wrong.

Ans.

1. The best way to avoid an unnecessaiy argument is to keep
2. As ill luck would have it; the train I was trying to catch was cancelled.
3. He has been told not to take chances while driving a car through a crowded street.
4. The patient needs to be properly looked after.
5. Why don’t the two of you make it up by shaking hands?
6. I was in a tight spot till my friends came to my rescue.
7. When I saw a pile of dirty dishes, my heart sank.
8. I will go into the matter carefully before commenting on it.
9. They criticised him in the meeting but he swallowed all the criticism.
10. It will ease my conscience to know that I had done nothing wrong.

B. Look at the following phrases and their meanings. Use the phrases to fill in the blanks in the sentences given below.

set up                 —   put in place or start
set aside            —    save or keep for a particular purpose
set down           —    write or record
set out               —    start on a journey
set in                  _   begin and seem likely to continue

1. Why don’t you________________ your ideas on paper?
2. A fund has been_________________ for the soldiers’ families.
3. We should________________ a little money every month.
4. You should buy some woollens before winter___________________
5. They______________ on the last stage of their journey.

Ans:

1. set down
2. set up
3. set aside
4. sets in
5. set out.

Speaking and Writing   (Page 94)

A. Look at the following pictures. One asks a question, the other answers it. Then the answer is noted in a form as shown below.

B.Work in small groups. Ask your partner the questions given below. If possible, ask him/her a reason for saying Yes or No. Then tick Yes/No, whichever is proper.

1. Do you have a separate room for sleep and study? Yes/No
2. Would you prefer to live in a joint family? Yes/No
3. Do you get on with people? Yes/No
4. Do you like the area you live in? Yes/No
5. Do you find the place overcrowded? Yes/No
6. Do you use public transport? Yes/No
7. Would you like a vehicle of your own? Yes/No
8. Do you like reading? Yes/No
9. Would you like to be a teacher/doctor/engineer/architect? Yes/No

Ans: Do it yourself.

C. Now that you have completed the above project, write a brief report stating what you did, how you did it and the conclusion.

Ans. My friend answered all my questions in a free and frank manner. He said that he would be happy to have a separate room for sleep and study. He preferred to live in a joint family. He loved to meet people and he liked the locality he lived in. The locality was not over-crowded. He didn’t mind travelling by bus. He was fond of ^reading. His ambition was to be an architect.                                                                                                ,

Dictation

Your teacher will speak the words listed below. Write against each a word of opposite meaning.

Examples:               liquid                     solid

hard                       soft

1. old_____________
2. wet_____________
3. open____________
4. blunt____________
5. forget____________

Ans:  1. new                          2. dry                         3. closed                   4. sharp                     5. remember

                                                         MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I.SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How did Algu and Jumman treat each other?
Ans: Algu and Jumman were fast friends. But they became enemies when Algu decided the case in favour of the old aunt. Jumman also got a chance to take revenge. But as head Panch he also acted as fair and just. They became friends again.

2. How did Jumman treat his old aunt?
Ans: Jumman got his aunt’s property transferred in his name. He promised to support her. But soon they were tired of her. His wife insulted their aunt when she gave her little food.

3. How did the old aunt get justice?
Ans: The old aunt presented her case before the village panchayat. She had faith in the honesty of Algu. So she named Algu the head Panch. Algu ignored his friendship with Jumman for the sake of truth and justice.

4. What were the common characteristics between Algu and Jumman?
Ans:  Algu and Jumman belonged to two different faiths. Yet both valued their friendship equally. Both had a clean conscience. Neither allowed his personal feelings to affect their love for truth and justice.

5.What decisions were given by Algu and Jumman as head Panch?
Ans: ‘ Algu told Jumman either to pay his aunt a monthly allowance or transfer her property to her. Jumman as head Panch gave the verdict that Sahu should pay Algu the price of the bullock

II.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Why did Jumman Shaikh and Algu Chowdhry, the two good friends, become sworn enemies?
Ans: Jumman and Algu were fast friends. They trusted each other blindly. But an incident broke them apart. Jumman had got the property of his old aunt. But after some duration he began to ignore and ill treat her. She demanded a monthly allowance or the return of her land. The panchayat was called to hear the case. Algu as the head Panch decided the case in favour of the old aunt. The two friends became sworn enemies.

2. How did Jumman and Algu get over their bitterness and become friends again?
Ans: Jumman Shaikh and Algu Chowdhry broke up when Algu gave his verdict in favour of Jumman’s aunt. Algu heard the voice of his conscience and did justice. But Jumman waited for his turn to take revenge. He got that chance soon. Algu was being cheated by Sahu. Hence, a panchayat was held. Sahu named Jumman as head Panch. But as soon as Jumman occupied that seat of responsibility, he too decided the case on facts and merit. His verdict in favour of Algu brought them closer once again.

3.Which is more desirable-friendship or enmity? When does a person hear strongly the voice of his conscience?
Ans: It goes without saying that friendship is based on goodwill and respect for one another. Enmity is created by hatred and ill-will. Friendship is definitely far better than enmity. Every person has a weakness for friends. But the moment he occupies the seat of judgement, he hears the voice of his conscience and gives a fair verdict.

Working With the Text   (Page 73)

Answer the following questions.

Q1. Peter’s favourite day of the week is Sunday because_______
Ans. ……. on this day the whole family goes to see a film.

Q2. Nasir wants to learn___________________
Ans. … Fr.e art of collecting cotton seeds.                             ‘

Q3.Dolma believes that she can make a good Prime Minister because____
Ans. ……. she hopes to make things better for everyone, to have great scientists and doctors, good hospitals and roads and schools.

B.Write True or False against each of the following statements.

1.Peter is an only child. _________________________ .
2.When Serbjit gets angry he shouts at people. _____________________________
3.Nasir lives in the city. _________________________
4.Radha’s mother enjoys doing things with her. ____________________________
Ans. 1. False;                        2. False;                 3. False;                    4. True.

Working With the Text  (Page 62)

A. Put these sentences from the story in the right order and write them out in a paragraph. Don’t refer to the text.

• I shall be so glad when today is over.
• Having a leg tied up and hopping about on a crutch is almost fun, I guess.
• I don’t think I’ll mind being deaf for a day—at least not much.
• But being blind is so frightening.
• Only you must tell me about things.
• Let’s go for a little walk.
• The other bad days can’t be half as bad as this.

Ans: Let’s go for a little walk. Only you must tell me about things. I shall be so glad when today is over. The other bad days can’t be half as bad as this. Having a leg tied up and hopping about on a crutch is almost fun, I guess. I don’t think I’ll mind being deaf for a day, at least not much. But being blind is so frightening.

B. Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you think the writer visited Miss Beam’s school? (1)
Ans: The writer had heard much about Miss Beam’s new teaching method. So he visited her school to see the new play-way method personally.

2. What was the ‘game’ that every child in the school had to play? (9)
Ans: Every child in the school had to play the role of being blind, deaf, dumb, injured and lame once in a term. It was a sort of game and training.

3. “Each term every child has one blind day, one lame day …”. Complete the line. Which day was the hardest? Why was it the hardest? (9, 11, 15)
Ans:  “… one injured day and one dumb day.” Being blind was the hardest day. The student felt that he/she was going to be hit by something every moment.

4. What was the purpose of these special days? (5, 9)
Ans: The purpose of these special days was to give the children a personal taste of misfortune. They learnt to help the needy in society. Such training made them good citizens.

A.  Match the words and phrases with their meanings in the box below.

paragraph numbers

Ans:

B. Re-word these lines from the story:

1. I had heard a great deal about Miss Beam’s school.
2. Miss Beam was all that I had expected – middle-aged, full of authority.

3. I went to the window which overlooked a large garden.

4.“We cannot bandage the children’s mouths, so they really have to exercise their will-power”.

Ans:
1. The writer had heard people praising the teaching methods at Miss Beam’s school.
2. The writer found Miss Beam a middle aged and dominating woman.
3. The author looked out of the window and saw a large garden.
4. The children had to use their will power to keep quiet.

C. Given below is a page from a dictionary. Look at it carefully and

(i)find a word which means the same as Write down the word and its two meanings.
(ii)find a word meaning a part of the school year.
(iii)find a word that means

Ans:
(i)terrible – (a) causing fear.                            (b) very bad.
(ii)term – (a) a fixed length of time.      (b) a part of the school year
(iii)test – (a) to look at something to see if it is correct.
or will work properly.
(b)to ask someone questions.

2. Now make lists of

(i) all the words on the page (plus any more that you can think of) that begins with terr.
Ans:   terrace, terrible, terrify, territory, terrain
(ii)five words that may follow the last word on the page, that
Ans:   Those, this, theatre
(iii)write down your own meaning of the word Then write down the meaning given in the dictionary.
Ans: The word ‘thank’ means to express gratitude for kindness, gift or service.
Example: There is no need to thank me.
We thanked them for all their help.
She has only herself to thank for what happened.

D.A poem for you to read
      All but Blind

Speaking and Writing   (Page 66)

A.  Make a short list of things you find difficult to do.

For example:

Ans: Attempt yourself.

B. Look at your hands carefully. Now, write down for each finger one action for which that finger is particularly important. For example, the second (or index) finger helps to hold the knife down firmly when cutting.

 MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I.SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Describe the appearance of Miss Beam.
Ans: Miss Beam was middle-aged, dominating, yet kindly. Her hair was turning grey and she was a little fat.

2. What did Miss Beam teach the children at her school?
Ans: The children were taught simple spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying and writing.

3. What was the real aim of Miss Beam’s school?
Ans: The real aim of Miss Beam’s school was not to teach so many subjects to make them thoughtful. They were trained to be kind to others and become responsible citizens. The school aimed at teaching ‘thoughtfulness’.

4. What did the author point out about the children in the playground?
Ans: The .author complained that not all children were healthy and active-looking. Some were blind or lame and crippled.

5. What did Miss Beam tell the author about the game being played among the friends?
Ans: Miss Beam explained to the author that no child was lame, blind or crippled. They were, in fact, being made to understand misfortune. Every child had one blind day. one lame day and one dumb day. They were helped by other children.

6. How did the little-bandaged girl make the author much more thoughtful than he ever thought?
Ans: The bandaged girl asked the author to describe things to her. The author had to observe places and persons very carefully. He noticed the colour of the hair or skirt. He discovered after a while that he had become thoughtful.

II.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. In what respect was Miss Beam’s school different from others?
Ans: Miss Beam ran a school. But it was very different from others. The children were taught how to spell words, do sums and write. The teacher taught to them interesting lessons. But the real aim of the school was to make children sensitive and good citizens, kind and responsible. They were given practical training to develop such a character.

2. What did Beam’s school aim to teach? Why?
Ans: Miss Beam’s school was a training ground to turn out good citizens. Bookish knowledge intends to know what is right and what is wrong. But Miss Beam’s school aimed at developing the habit to help the blind, the lame and the needy

3. Which incident made the visitor to the school ten times more thoughtful than ever?
Ans: The narrator had heard a lot about the unique method of teaching in Beam’s school. At first, he saw a blind girl being led out. Then he saw a lame boy. He thought that the students were not at all healthy and active. But soon he came to know that that they were just acting to be blind, lame, crippled etc. Meanwhile, he was asked to lead a blind girl around. The blind girl asked him many questions. And he had to apply his brain to describe people and things. He realised that he had become ten times more thoughtful than ever.