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NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 3 The Shed are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 3 The Shed.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 3 The Shed

STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct option :
Question 1.
There’s a shed at the bottom of our garden
With a spider’s web hanging across the door,
The hinges are rusty and creak in the wind.
When I’m in bed I lie and I listen,
I’ll open that door one day.
(Page 48)
Word-Notes : Shed-an old store house, एक पुराना स्टोर घर। At the bottom of-in the lowest part, सबसे निचले भाग में। Spider’s web-मकड़ी का जला। Hanging-suspended in the air, हवा में लटका हुआ। Across-from one side to the other, आर-पार/एक सिरे से दूसरे सिरे तक। Hinges-joints, कब्जे। Rusty–having rust, जंग लगे। Creak-make a harsh sound, चरमराते हैं।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : हमारे बगीचे के निचले भाग में एक स्टोर है जिसमें दरवाजे के एक सिरे से लेकर दूसरे सिरे तक एक मकड़ी का जाला लटक रहा है, (दरवाजे के) कब्जों में जंग लग चुकी है और वे हवा में चरमराते हैं। बिस्तर में लेटा मैं सुनता रहता हूँ, एक दिन मैं दरवाजा खोलूंगा।

Paraphrase : The location of the shed is at the bottom of the garden. A spider’s web is seen hanging across the door. When the wind blows, the creaking sound of the rusty hinges attracts the poet’s attention. The poet is in a relaxed mood as he is now in bed and plans to satisfy his curiosity to see what is hidden inside the shed.

Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The shed is located at
(a) the end of the garden
(b) the lower point
(c) the tip point
(d) the point of the garden
Answer.
(d) the point of the garden

Question 2.
The shed has remained
(a) unattended
(b) locked for long
(c) unpainted
(d) dusty
Answer.
(b) locked for long

Question 3.
Across the door, one can see
(a) a rusty chain
(b) a painting
(c) paper frills
(d) the web of a spider
Answer.
(d) the web of a spider

Question 2.
There’s dusty old window around at the side
With three cracked panes of glass.
I often think there’s someone staring at me
Each time that I pass,
I’ll peep through that window one day.
(Page 49)
Word-Notes : Dusty-covered with dust, धूल भरी। Around-close, निकट। Cracked-broken, टूटी। Panes—windowpanes, खिड़की के शीशे। Staring-looking intently, घूर रहा। Peep-look through, झांकना।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : एक तरफ एक धूल भरी पुरानी खिड़की है जिसके तीन शीशे टूटे (चटके) हुए हैं। अक्सर मुझे लगता है कि कोई मेरी ओर घूर कर देख रहा है। ऐसा हर बार होता है जब मैं उधर से गुजरता हूँ एक दिन मैं इस खिड़की से अंदर झाँचूँगा।

Paraphrase : The window that is quite old is covered with dust. Even the three glass panes are seen cracked. The poet thinks that someone is staring at him whenever he happens to pass the shed. He is sure that one day he will peep through the broken window to satisfy his curiosity.
Questions.

1. What is being described in the above passage ?
2. What does the third line show about the speaker’s mind ?
3. Do you think the place is of daily use ? Give a reason for your answer.

Answers.

1. An old shed in the garden is described here.
2. The third line shows that there is fear in the speaker’s mind.
3. No the place is not of daily use. The fact that the old window was dusty and had three cracked panes, reveals it.

Question 3.
My brother says there’s a ghost in the shed
Who hides under the rotten floorboards,
And if I ever dare to set foot inside
He’ll jump out and chop off my head,
But I’ll take a peek one day.
(Page 49)
Word-Notes : Ghost-spirit, भूत। Hides conceals, छिपाता है। Rotten-decomposed, सड़े हुए। Floorboards-the wooden covering of the floor, फर्श पर लगी लकड़ी। Dare-have courage, हिम्मत करना। To set foot-to step in, पैर रखना। Chop off-cut and separate, काट कर अलग करना। Take a peek-look in, अंदर झांकना।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : मेरा भाई कहता है कि स्टोर के अंदर एक भूत है जो फर्श की सड़ी लकड़ी के अंदर छिपा हुआ है, और अगर मैंने कभी अंदर जाने की हिम्मत की तो वह कूद कर बाहर आ जायेगा और मेरा सिर काटकर अलग कर देगा, पर मैं एक दिन अंदर देखेंगा ज़रूर।।

Paraphrase : The poet’s brother tells him that there is a ghost in the shed who lives under the rotten floor boards. If the poet accidentally steps over them, the ghost will jump out and cut off his head. The poet is partially frightened but he does not completely believe his brother and has a plan to look through the broken window one day.

Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The ghost lives under the wooden covering
(a) of the board
(b) of the shed
(c) of the door
(d) of the floor
Answer.
(d) of the floor

Question 2.
It will jump out to
(a) injure him
(b) kill him
(c) cut off the poet’s head
(d) shake hands
Answer.
(c) cut off the poet’s head

Question 3.
‘Dare to set foot inside’ means
(a) go inside
(b) to open the window
(c) put one foot forward
(d) daring act
Answer.
(a) go inside

Question 4.
I know that there isn’t really a ghost,
My brother tells lies to keep the shed for his den;
There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises
And the spider has been gone from his web
Since I don’t know when,
I’ll go into that shed one day soon,
But not just yet…
(Page 49)
Word-Notes : Keep-have, रखना। Den-lair/a place to hide, माँद /छिपने की जगह/एकांत निजी स्थान। Not just yet-not now, अभी नहीं।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : मैं जानता हूँ कि वास्तव में भूत नहीं होता है, स्टोर को अपने अधिकार में रखने के लिए मेरा भाई झुठ बोलता है ; न तो कोई घूर रहा है और न ही विचित्र-विचित्र आवाजें कर रहा है और मकड़ी, मुझे नहीं पता कब, अपना जाल छोड़कर वहाँ से चली गयी है। मैं एक दिन स्टोर में जरूर जाऊँगा, पर अभी तो नहीं…..

Paraphrase : The poet is aware of the clever designs of his brother who tells him not to enter the store because there is a ghost who lives there. He tells lies so that he could have the shed for himself. The poet knows well that there is no one in the shed who is staring at the poet or is making strange noises. He has also observed that even the spider has left its web but he is not sure of the time of its relinquishing it. He does not plan to enter the shed in the present but will certainly do that in the future.
Questions.

1.  What does the speaker’s brother tell him ?
2.  Why does he tell a lie ?
3.  Do you think that the speaker has really no fear or is he simply trying to be courageous ?

Answers.

1.  The speaker’s brother tells him that there is a ghost inside the shed.
2.  He tells a lie to keep the speaker away from the shed.
3.  In fact, the speaker has fear on his mind. In the second stanza he has said that some
   one seems to be staring at him from the shed. So in this stanza, he is trying to fight his fear and be courageous.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Page 49)

Working with the Poem

Question 1.
Answer the following questions :
(i) Who is the speaker in the poem ?
(ii) Is she/he afraid or curious, or both ?   (Imp.)
(iii) What is she/he planning to do soon ?
(iv) “But not just yet…” suggests doubt, fear, hesitation, laziness or something else. Choose the word which seems right to you. Tell others why you chose it.
Answer.
(i) A child is the speaker in the poem.
(ii) She/he is both, afraid and curious.
(iii) She/he is planning to look into the shed soon.
(iv) The phrase suggests hesitation. He hesitates to expose his brother. He wants to keep him away from the shed.

Question 2.
Is there a room in your house or a house in your neighbourhood/locality where you would rather not go alone, and never at night ? If there is such a place and a story to go with it, let others hear all about it.
Answer.
There is no such place in my neighbourhood.
                                               

Or

I live in a village. There are some ruins of a very old building in our neighbourhood. Nobody knows how old these ruins are but people are afraid to go into it even during the day. We children have been particularly warned not to go there. At night even the village policeman doesn’t go anywhere close to it. They say it is a haunted house and strange things happen there at night.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 3 The Shed help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 3 The Shed, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English

• The Squirrel Question Answer
• The Rebel Question Answer
• The Shed Question Answer
• Chivvy Question Answer
• Trees Question Answer
• Mystery of the Talking Fan Question Answer
• Dad and the Cat and the Tree Question Answer
• Meadow Surprises Question Answer
• Garden Snake Question Answer

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 2 The Rebel are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 2 The Rebel.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 2 The Rebel

STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct option :
Question 1.
When everybody has short hair,
The rebel lets his hair grow long.
When everybody has long hair.
The rebel cuts his hair short.
When everybody talks during the lesson,
The rebel doesn’t say a word.
When nobody talks during the lesson,
The rebel creates a disturbance.
(Page 33)
Word-Notes : Rebel—one who revolts, विद्रोही | Grow— उगाना | Creates causes, पैदा करता है। Disturbance-disquiet, अशांति/खलल।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : जब हर कोई छोटे बाल रखता है, विद्रोही अपने बाल बड़े कर लेता है। जब हर कोई अपने बाल लंबे रखता है, विद्रोही अपने बाल छोटे काट लेता है। जब हर कोई पाठ के दौरान बोलता है, तो विद्रोही चुप रहता है। जब पाठ के दौरान कोई नहीं बोलता, तो विद्रोही उत्पात मचाता है।

Paraphrase : The rebel is inclined to keep his hair long when others prefer short hair and vice versa. The rebel believes in keeping quiet when all the children make a noise in the class. But he will create a lot of disturbance when everybody is quiet.

Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The rebel disturbs a class
(a) with his shouts and cries
(b) with his jokes
(c) with his talk
(d) by moving about
Answer.
(c) with his talk

Question 2.
A rebel does
(a) not behave well
(b) everything expected of him
(c) take up challenges
(d) the opposite of what all others do
Answer.
(d) the opposite of what all others do

Question 3.
The rebel will sit quietly when
(a) he is troubled
(b) all others talk
(c) he has fought
(d) he is hurt
Answer.
(b) all others talk

Question 2.
When everybody wears a uniform,
The rebel dresses in fantastic clothes.
When everybody wears fantastic clothes,
The rebel dresses soberly.
In the company of dog lovers,
The rebel expresses a preference for cats.
In the company of cat lovers,
The rebel puts in a good word for dogs.
(Page 33)
Word-Notes : Wears—puts on, पहनता है | Uniform-a prescribed dress, वर्दी | Fantastic-charming, आकर्षक | Soberly-in a simple manner, सादगी से | In the company-साथ में | Expresses-shows, व्यक्त करता है | Preference-liking, पसंद | Puts in a good word-praises, प्रशंसा करता है |

हिन्दी अनुवाद : जब हर कोई वर्दी पहनकर आता है, तब विद्रोही आकर्षक (रंग-बिरंगे) कपड़े पहनता है। जब अन्य आकर्षक कपड़े पहनते हैं, तब विद्रोही सादगी-भरे कपड़े पहनता है। जब वह कुत्ता-प्रेमियों के साथ होता है, तब विद्रोही कहता है कि उसे बिल्लियाँ पसंद हैं। बिल्ली प्रेमियों का साथ होने पर वह कुत्तों की प्रशंसा करता है।

Paraphrase : The dress sense of a rebel is quite different. When other students wear a uniform he will be seen wearing trendy clothes. He clads himself in a simple outfit when other children are seen wearing fantastic clothes. A rebel will love cats when he is in the company of dog lovers and he will prefer to loving a dog if you love a cat.

Questions.

1.  What is the chief characteristic of a rebel ?
2.  Which type of dress does a rebel like ?
3.  Does a rebel love dogs ?

Answers.

1.  The chief characteristic of a rebel is that he does exactly opposite of what most people
   do.
2.  A rebel has no liking for any dress in particular. His only aim is not to dress himself as
   others do.
3.  No, the rebel does not love dogs. However, he will speak in their favour only when someone is speaking well of the cats. He must take a different stand.

Question 3.
When everybody is praising the sun,
The rebel remarks on the need for rain.
When everybody is greeting the rain,
The rebel regrets the absence of sun.
When everybody goes to the meeting,
The rebel stays at home and reads a book.
When everybody stays at home and reads a book,
The rebel goes to the meeting.
(Page 34)
Word-Notes : Praising-appreciating, प्रशंसा करना | Remarks-speaks, उल्लेख करता है | Greeting—welcoming, स्वागत करना | Regrets-feels sorry for, दु:खी | Sun-sun or sunlight, सूरज या धूप। Meeting—सभा। Stays-stops, ठहरता है।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : जब हर व्यक्ति सूर्य या धूप की तारीफ कर रहा होता है, तब विद्रोही वर्षा की जरूरत का उल्लेख करता है। जब हर व्यक्ति वर्षा का स्वागत करता है, तब विद्रोही सूर्य की अनुपस्थिति पर दुःखी होता है। जब अन्य सभी सभा में जाते हैं, तब विद्रोही घर पर ठहर कर कोई पुस्तक पढ़ता है। जब हर व्यक्ति घर पर रुकता है और पुस्तक पढ़ता है, तब विद्रोही सभा में जाता है।

Paraphrase :The rebel expresses the need for rain when everybody else admires the sun. When people welcome the rain, the rebel regrets the absence of the sun. When most of the people attend a meeting, the rebel loves to stay at home and reads a book. The rebel attends a meeting when most other people stay at home and read a book.

Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
Most of the people attend meeting when
(a) the rebel is sleeping
(b) the rebel stays at home
(c) the rebel is busy in file work
(d) the rebel is discussing other matters
Answer.
(b) the rebel stays at home

Question 2.
Reading a book is possible only
(a) at the office
(b) at home
(c) in the public library
(d) in the home library
Answer.
(b) at home

Question 3.
A rebel decides his action
(a) when all are sleeping
(b) when he knows what others are doing
(c) when all are talking
(d) when he is free
Answer.
(b) when he knows what others are doing

Question 4.
When everybody says, Yes please,
The rebel says, No thank you.
When everybody says, No thank you,
The rebel says, Yes please.
It is very good that we have rebels,
You may not find it very good to be one.
(Page 34)
Word-Notes : Says, yes please-accepts with thanks, धन्यवाद सहित स्वीकार करता है | No thank you—makes a courteous refusal, भद्रता के साथ इनक़ार करता है |

हिन्दी अनुवाद : जब हर व्यक्ति किसी भेंट को धन्यवाद सहित स्वीकार कर लेता है, तब विद्रोही उस भेंट को जान-बूझकर नकार देता है। जब हर व्यक्ति किसी चीज को नकार देता है, तब विद्रोही उसे सधन्यवाद स्वीकार कर लेता है। यह बहुत अच्छी बात है कि समाज में विद्रोही होते हैं, पर आपको विद्रोही बनना शायद अच्छा नहीं लगेगा।

Paraphrase : When people around readily accept the offer, the rebel intentionally refuses the offer. But, he accepts the offer when others tend to refuse it. One does not wish to be grebel as he is an add person qut. But a rebel has positive traits too ; and we are fortunate to come across such people.

Questions.

1.  Which things does a rebel accept ?
2.  Which things does a rebel refuse ?
3.  Why will someone not want to be a rebel ?

Answers.

1.  A rebel accepts those things which others refuse.
2.  A rebel refuses those things which others accept.
3.  The rebels are generally not liked by the people, so no one will want to be a rebel.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Page 34)

Working with the Poem

Question 1.
Answer the following questions :

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

Answer.

1.  The teacher will say that he is a rebel because he alone doesn’t wear a uniform.
2.  When everyone wants a clear sky, the rebel wants rain most.
3.  If the rebel has a dog for a pet, everyone else is likely to have a cat.
4.  It is good to have rebels. They help us keep both the aspects of a situation in mind. Thus they keep a balance.
5.  It is not good to be a rebel oneself because the people do not, generally, like rebels. A rebel always finds it difficult to make friends.
6.  I would not like to be a rebel for the sake of being a rebel. For, it will be a kind of perversion. Moreover, nobody likes a rebel.

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

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

Answer.

1.  short
2.  cut
3.  disturbance
4.  fantastic
5.  found

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

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

Answer.

1.  The rebel lets his hair grow long.
2.  The rebel expresses his preference for cats.
3.  The rebel puts in a good word for dogs.
4.  The rebel regrets the absence of sun.
5.  The rebel creates a disturbance.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English
Honeycomb Poem Chapter 2 The Rebel help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 2 The Rebel, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English

• The Squirrel Question Answer
• The Rebel Question Answer
• The Shed Question Answer
• Chivvy Question Answer
• Trees Question Answer
• Mystery of the Talking Fan Question Answer
• Dad and the Cat and the Tree Question Answer
• Meadow Surprises Question Answer
• Garden Snake Question Answer

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 1 The Squirrel are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 1 The Squirrel.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 1 The Squirrel

STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct option :
Question 1.
He wore a question mark for tail,
An overcoat of gray,
He sat up straight to eat a nut.
He liked to tease and play,
And if we ran around his tree,
He went the other way.
(Page 17)
word-Notes : Wore-had, made, पहने था/बनाये था। Question mark-sign of interrogation, प्रश्नचिह्न। For tail in the shape of a tail, पूँछ के रुप में। Overcoat-गाउन। Of gray-gray-coloured, भूरे रंग का। Straight-erect, सीधा/तन कर। Nut-अखरोट। Around-near, पास। Other way opposite direction, उलटी दिशा।

हिन्दी अनुवाद : पूँछ के नाम पर उसके पास एक प्रश्नचिह्न था, वह एक भूरे रंग का ओवरकोट पहने था। एक अखरोट खाने के लिए वह सीधा खड़ा था। वह छेड़ना और खेलना पसंद करता था, और अगर हम उसके वृक्ष के आस-पास दौड़ते तो वह दूसरे रास्ते चला जाता था।

Paraphrase : The formation of the squirrel’s tail that is raised upwards with its tip pointing downwards is identical to a question mark. It is blessed with a gray coat and positions itself straight to eat a nut. The squirrel is quite playful as it loves to run the opposite direction that the prank-loving human beings take when they run around its tree.

Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The squirrel wore
(a) a tail
(b) a wig
(c) a coat
(d) a smile
Answer.
(c) a coat

Question 2.
When the squirrel raises the tail
(a) its tip keeps pointing down
(b) it is never perpendicular
(c) it sends a caution to others
(d) it looks strange
Answer.
(a) its tip keeps pointing down

Question 3.
The squirrel’s hobby is
(a) eating nuts
(b) only playing
(c) to do some funny tricks
(d) to dance around the trees and play
Answer.
(c) to do some funny tricks and play

Question 4.
A squirrel likes to
(a) play with nuts
(b) play with human beings
(c) play around with trees
(d) play at all times
Answer.
(b) play with human beings

Question 5.
If humans ran around, the squirrel
(a) would soon hide itself
(b) would sit at one place
(c) wouldn’t be frightened
(d) would chase the humans
Answer.
(c) wouldn’t be frightened

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Page 17)

Working with the Poem

Question 1.
Why does the poet say the squirrel “wore a question mark for tatl” ? Draw a squirrel, or find a picture of a squirrel sitting on the ground. How would you describe its tail ?    (Imp.)
Answer.
The poet says that the squirrel ‘wore a question mark for tail because the tail of a squirrel appears so. When the squirrel raises it upwards to sit, its tip keeps
pointing to the ground making a sign of interrogation. Its tail can be described as long and bushy. Note. Students should draw a picture of squirrel as directed. Then they are suggested
to describe it in their own words.

Question 2.
Do we usually say that an animal ‘wears’ a tail ? What do we say ? (Think : Does an animal wear a coat ? Consult a dictionary if you like, and find out how ‘wear’ is used in different ways.)
Answer.
No. We do not usually say that an animal ‘wears’ a tail. But we do say that an
animal wears a coat. The different uses of ‘wear’.
(i) to carry or have on the body
Use : He wears a wig. He wears a ring.
(ii) to wear in one’s aspect
Use : He wears a smile.
(iii) to cause to diminish or deteriorate
Use : The waves have worn these rocks.
(iv) to consume gradually by use or any continued process
Use : Illness has worn the bloom from her face.
(v) to retain shape, colour, firmness etc.
Use : It’s a strong fabric that will wear.
(vi) (of time) to pass, especially slowly or tediously
Use: As the day wore on, we grew more discouraged.

Question 3.
“He liked to tease and play”. Who is teasing whom ? How ?
Answer.
The squirrel teases human beings. It does so when it eats nuts and other fruit which human beings eat.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 1 The Squirrel help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem Chapter 1 The Squirrel, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English

• The Squirrel Question Answer
• The Rebel Question Answer
• The Shed Question Answer
• Chivvy Question Answer
• Trees Question Answer
• Mystery of the Talking Fan Question Answer
• Dad and the Cat and the Tree Question Answer
• Meadow Surprises Question Answer
• Garden Snake Question Answer

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

Working with the Text (Page 42)
Answer the following questions :
Question 1.
Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish ?  (Imp.)
Answer.
There was so much talk about the hilsa-fish that the king was fed up with it. So he wanted no more talk about hilsa-fish.

Question 2.
What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever ?
Answer.
The king asked Gopal to buy a huge hilsa and bring that to the palace without anyone asking him a word about it.

Question 3.
What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish ?   (Imp.)
Answer.
Gopal half shaved his face, smeared ash and wore rags before he went to buy a hilsa-fish.

Question 4.
How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish ?
Answer.
At first, the gatekeeper would not let Gopal in. But Gopal began to dance and sing loudly. The king heard the noise. He asked the man making the noise to be brought before him. Thus Gopal got inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish.

Question 5.
Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought. (Imp.)
Answer.
Gopal seemed more worth talking about than the fish in his hand or anything else. So no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.

Question 6.
Write ‘True’ or False’ against each of the following sentences.
(i) The king lost his temper easily.
(ii) Gopal was a madman.
(iii) Gopal was a clever man.
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes.
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong.
Answers.

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

Working with Language
Question 1.
Notice how in a comic book, there are no speech marks when characters talk. Instead what they say is put in a speech ‘bubble’. However, if we wish to repeat or ‘report’ what they say, we must put it into reported speech.
Change the following sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.
(i) How much did you pay for that hilsa ?
The woman asked the man how much he had paid for that hilsa.
(ii) Why is your face half-shaven ?
Gopal’s wife asked him ………………….
Answer.
…….. why his face was half-shaven.
(iii)I accept the challenge. Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king ………………
Answer.
…….. respectfully that he accepted the challenge.
(iv) I want to see the king.
Gopal told the guards ……………
Answer.
……. that he wanted to see the king.
(v) Bring the man to me at once.
The king ordered the guard ………………
Answer.
…… to bring the man to him at once.

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

Answers.

Picture Reading
Question 1.
Look at the pictures and read the text aloud.
Answer.
Do it yourself.

Question 2.
Now ask your partner questions about each picture.
(i) Where is the stag ?
(ii) What is he doing ?
(iii) Does he like his antlers (horns) ?
(iv) Does he like his legs ?
(v) Why is the stag running ?
(vi) Is he able to hide in the bushes ?
(vii) Where Eire the hunters now ?
(viii) Are they closing in on the stag ?
(ix) Is the stag free ?
(x) What does the stag say about his horns and his legs ?
Answers.

1.  The stag is by the side of a pond.
2.  He is drinking water.
3.  He likes his antlers. They are very beautiful.
4.  He does not like his legs. They are thin and ugly.
5.  The stag is running as he has seen hunters.
6.  No. He is not able to hide in the bushes.
7.  The hunters are too close for safety of the stag.
8.  Yes. they are closing in on the stag.
9.  Yes. The stag is free.
10. The stag says that he was proud of his horns which could cause his death.
    About his legs, he says, he was ashamed but the same legs saved him.

Question 3.
Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.
Answer.

Title : The Proud Stag

There lived a stag in a certain forest. Once while drinking water, he saw his image in the pond. He liked his beautiful horns. Then he saw his legs. They were veiy thin. They looked ugly. He felt proud of his horns and sad about his feet. Just then he saw some hunters. He tried to hide in bushes. His whole body was hidden but his horns showed him. The hunters came too close for safety. The stag ran for life. His legs saved him. He understood his folly. He was proud of his horns but they could cause his death. He was ashamed of his legs but they saved his life.

Question 4.
Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given below:

Clues

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

Answer.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

Unity in Diversity in India Question and Answers

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English:

• Three Questions Question Answer
• A Gift of Chappals Question Answer
• Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish Question Answer
• The Ashes that Made Trees Bloom Question Answer
• Quality Question Answer
• Expert Detectives Question Answer
• The Invention of Vita Wonk Question Answer
• Fire: Friend and Foe Question Answer
• A Bicycle in Good Repair Question Answer
• The Story of Cricket Question Answer

Class 12 English NCERT Solutions Flamingo Chapter 1 My Mother At Sixty-Six Poem Free PDF Download

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English

My Mother At Sixty-Six Textual Questions and Answers

Think-as-you-read Questions

Question 1.
What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Answer:
Whenever the poet looks at the colourless and pale face of her mother, her old familiar pain surfaces realising that her mother was ageing and would die soon.

Question 2.
Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’? [Delhi 2010]
Answer:
The young trees are described as “sprinting” because when we look at them from a moving car, they
seem to be running fast in the opposite direction.

Question 3.
Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of these home’?
Answer:
The image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their home’ suggests the idea of youth and beauty in contrast to the ashen-like pale wan face of the ageing mother of the poet. This image emphasises the fact that the old mother has lost vitality, energy, charm, beauty and youth.

Question 4.
Why has the mother been compared to the late winter’s moon? [Foreign 2011. Delhi 2013]
Answer:
The mother has been compared to the late winter’s moon as she is very old and her face is ashen,
pale and withered. She looks very dull and lifeless like the late winter’s moon.

Question 5.
What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Answer:
The parting words express the poet’s optimism. These words console the mother that she would soon visit her again. She smiles to conceal her fear and pain of separation from her mother and gives her ageing mother an assurance of survival.

My Mother At Sixty-Six – Solved Question Bank

Reference-to-context Exercises
Read the extracts given below.

Question 1.
Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with
pain
Answer the following.
(a) The poet was driving from her parents’ home to Cochin. (True/False)
(b) The poet was dozing beside her mother, open-mouthed. (True/False)
(c) On which day did the incident of the poem take place?
(d) What colour, according to the poet, describes the colour of a corpse?
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) Friday morning
(d) ashen

Question 2.
…I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with
pain…
Answer the following.
(a) The poet saw her mother sitting beside her, open mouthed. (True/False)
(b) Her mother’s face looked ashen, as her mother was a corpse. (True/False)
(c) The poet’s mother was sitting beside her and ___________ .
(d) Seeing her mother beside her, brought home to the poet a painful___________ .
Answer:
(a) False
(b) False
(c) dozing
(d) realisation

Question 3.
…that she thought away, and
looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, …
Answer the following.
(a) The poet put aside the thought of being with her mother. (True/False)
(b) The young trees seemed to be___________ .
(c) The merry children were___________ out of their homes.
(d) The poet put away___________ during the journey?
Answer:
(a) False
(b) sprinting
(c) spilling
(d) her thought

Question 4.
…I looked again at her, wan,
pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear.
Answer the following.
(a) When the poet looked at her mother she looked wan and pale. (True/False)
(b) What kind of ache rose in the poet’s mind due to a childish fear?
(c) The poet’s mother’s face looked pale as the ___________ moon.
(d) The reference to a fear is traced to the poet’s ___________ .
Answer:
(a) True
(b) Childish
(c) winter’s
(d) childhood

Question 5.
old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear, [Delhi 2016]
but all I said was, see you soon,
Anima,
all I did was smile and smile and
smile…
Answer the following.
(a) The poet uses the words ‘old familiar ache’ to describe a painful, persistent thought. (True/False)
(b) The familiar ache in the poet’s mind went forward to a childish fear. (True/False)
(c) The parting words of the poet to her mother were: ‘see you ___________, Amma’.
(d) What did the poet do, when she parted from her mother?
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) soon
(d) smile

Question 6.
…and felt that
old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile…
(a) The parting words of the poet suggest passion. (True/False)
(b) The poet smiled in order to conceal a childhood ___________ .
(c) The ‘familiar ache’ had been haunting the poet since her ___________ .
(d) What familiar thing did the poet feel?
Answer:
(a) False
(b) fear
(c) childhood
(d) ache

My Mother At Sixty-Six Short Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What were the poet’s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them?
Answer:
The poet was full of pain and fear of being separated from her ageing mother. The fear of losing her mother gripped her. But she bade her mother goodbye with a smile to give her hope of survival and meeting again.

Question 2.
Why are the youngsters described as springing? [Delhi 2017]
Answer:
Youngsters are described as springing because they are full of energy and vitality. They represent the vibrant youth. The poet is trying to bring in the contrast of her old and ageing mother with the energetic youth.

Question 3.
What was Kamala Das’ fear as a child? Why does it surface when she is going to airport?
Answer:
As a child, the poet always had a fear of getting separated from her mother. There was a sense of insecurity and fear of losing her mother. The childhood fear reappeared when, while going to the airport, she looked at the pale and withered face of her mother. She realised that her mother was ageing and she might lose her soon.

Question 4.
What does the poet’s smile in the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ show? [CBSE 2018]
Answer:
The poet was in reality very sad. But she did not want to show her fears to her mother so she was smiling. Her smile was just a facade. She had fears of losing her mother soon.

Question 5.
How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?
Answer:
In order to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother, the poet starts looking out of the window of the car 2d young trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes.

Question 6.
Having looked at her mother, why does Kamala Das look at the young children? [All India 2017]
Answer:
Kamala Das looked at her mother and painfully realized that she had aged and was inching towards death. To distract herself, she started looking out of the window at the young children playing.

Question 7.
What was Kamala Das’s childhood fear? [All India 2017]
Answer:
Kamala Das’s childhood fear was that one day she would lose her mother and seeing her aged face, she was pained at the thought of separation.

Question 8.
In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’, why does the poet use the word ‘smile’ repeatedly? [All India 2017]
Answer:
The poet has used the word ‘Smile’ in the last line repeatedly to hide her emotions. She tries to give hope to her ageing mother by saying that they will meet again.

Didi Summary

The Religion of the Forest Summary in English

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poetry

• My Mother at Sixty-six Question Answer
• An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum Question Answer
• Keeping Quiet Question Answer
• A Thing of Beauty Question Answer
• A Roadside Stand Question Answer
• Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Question Answer

Class 12 English NCERT Solutions Flamingo Chapter 2 An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum Poem Free PDF Download

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English

An Elementary School Classroom In A Slum Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Tick the item which best answers the following.
(a) The tall girl with her head weighed down means
The girl
(i) is ill and exhausted
(ii) has her head bent with shame
(iii) has untidy hair

(b) The paper-seeming boy with rat’s eyes means
The boy is
(i) sly and secretive
(ii) thin, hungry and weak
(iii) unpleasant looking

(c) The stunted, unlucky heir of twisted bones means
The boy
(i) has an inherited disability
(ii) was short and bony

(d) His eyes live in a dream, A squirrel’s game, in the tree room other than this means
The boy is
(i) full of hope in the future
(ii) mentally ill
(iii) distracted from the lesson

(e) The children’s faces are compared to rootless weeds
This means they
(i) are insecure
(ii) are ill-fed
(iii) are wasters
Answer:
(a) (i) is ill and exhausted
(b) (ii) thin, hungry and weak
(c) (i) has an inherited disability
(d) (iii) distracted from the lesson
(e) (i) are insecure

Question 2.
What do you think is the colour of ‘sour cream’? Why do you think the poet has used this expression to describe the classroom walls?
Answer:
The classroom walls are painted in a dull creamy colour which symbolizes the bleak future of the slum children who study there. They are deprived of quality education.

Question 3.
The walls of the classroom are decorated with the pictures of ‘Shakespeare’, ‘buildings with domes’, ‘World maps’ and beautiful valleys. How do these contrast with the world of these children?
Answer:
The walls of the classroom depict pictures of Shakespeare, sky-high buildings, maps and valleys of flowers. The world of slum children is a real contrast to this. These children live in an environment of poverty, hunger, scarcity, and disease in a pathetic condition in contrast to the prosperous and developing world as depicted on the classroom walls.

Question 4.
What does the poet want for children of the slums? How can their lives be made to change?
Answer:
Stephen Spender wants a quality life with equal opportunities for the slum children to learn and earn. Their lives can be changed when they are given equal opportunities, good education, and a respectable life.

An Elementary School Classroom In A Slum Solved Question Bank

Reference-to-context Exercises
Read the extracts given below.
Question 1.
Far far from gusty waves these children’s faces. [Delhi 2017]
Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor;
The tall girl with her weighed-down head.
Answer the following.
(a) The pale faces of the children are in contrast to the gusty waves. (True/False)
(b) The children looked like rooted weeds. (True/False)
(c) A tall ___________ has a weighed-down head?
(d) What was the condition of the children’s hair?
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) girl
(d) torn

Question 2.
Far from gusty waves these children’s faces.
Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor:
The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper-
seeming boy, with rat eyes.
Answer the following.
(a) The children’s faces wore signs of their rootless condition. (True/False)
(b) The tall girl bows her head with the burden of studies. (True/False)
(c) From which type of landscape is the location described in these lines, far from?
(d) ___________ in the boy’s face have been compared to a rat.
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) Gusty waves
(d) eyes

Question 3.
The stunted, unlucky heir
Of twisted bones, reciting a father’s gnarled disease,
His lesson, from his desk. At back of the dim class One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream,
Of squirrel’s game, in tree room, other than this.
Answer the following.
(a) The boy was an unlucky heir to the throne of his father. (True/False)
(b) The boy had inherited twisted bones from his father. (True/False)
(c) A sweet and young child sat ___________ at the back.
(d) The child was dreaming of a ___________ game.
Answer:
(a) False
(b) True
(c) unnoticed
(d) squirrel’s

Question 4.
At back of the dim class [All India 2017]
One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream,
Of squirrel’s game, in tree room, other than this.
Answer the following.
(a) The class is enjoying a squirrel’s game.
(b) The classroom not being well lit is ___________ .
(c) The boy was sitting at the back of the class ___________ .
(d) The hole where the squirrel was spotted is called a tree ___________ by the poet.
Answer:
(a) False
(b) dim
(c) unnoticed
(d) room

Question 5.
On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare’s head, [Foreign 2017]
Cloudless at dawn, civilised dome riding all cities.
Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley.
Answer the following.
(a) The walls of the classroom were made of sour cream. (True/False)
(b) On the classroom wall there is a head of ___________ .
(c) There are also pictures of the ___________ valley.
(d) At what time of the day is the shot of the Tyrolese Valley taken?
Answer:
(a) False
(b) Shakespeare
(c) Tyrolese
(d) cloudless dawn

Question 6.
…Open-handed map
Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map, their world,
Where all their future’s painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words.
Answer the following.
(a) For the children in the classroom, the only world that they know of is outside their classroom windows. (True/False)
(b) The map in the classroom is pinned to the window of the classroom. (True/False)
(c) The school is located in a ___________ street.
(d) The future of the children is dull and has been compared to a ___________ .
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) narrow
(d) fog

Question 7.
Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a bad example,
With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal—
For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night? On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
Answer the following.
(a) The map is a bad example for the children as it tempts hopes in the children. (True/False)
(b) After seeing ships and sunshine, the children’s minds are slyly turning in their cramped ___________ .
(c) The children’s living quarters are described as ___________ heaps.
(d) What metal is used to make the children’s spectacle frames?
Answer:
(a) True
(b) holes
(c) slag
(d) steel

Question 8.
…On their slag heap, these children [CBSE 2018]
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
Answer the following.
(a) The children’s physique is such that their skins seem to be peeping through their bones. (True/False)
(b) The children’s spectacle glasses are ___________ .
(c) The children wear ___________ of steel.
(d) The cracked surfaces of their mended glasses looks like bottle ___________ lying on stone.
Answer:
(a) True
(b) broken
(c) spectacles
(d) bits

Question 9.
On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
All of their time and space are foggy slum.
So blot their maps with slums as big as doom.
Answer the following.
(a) On their slag heaps are bones and broken spectacles. (True/False)
(b) ___________ peep through the loose skins of the children’s bodies.
(c) In the children’s spectacles what is broken: steel or glass?
(d) Their slum-dwelling has been compared to ___________ .
Answer:
(a) False
(b) bones
(c) glass
(d) doom

Question 10.
Unless, governor, inspector, visitor,
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs.
Answer the following.
(a) The authorities associated with the school are the governor, the inspector, and visitors. (True/False)
(b) The poet urges the authorities to make the classroom map the children’s ___________ to the outer world.
(c) The windows of the classroom have been compared to ___________ .
(d) ___________ in the classroom is an outlet to the world beyond.
Answer:
(a) True
(b) window
(c) catacombs
(d) map

An Elementary School Classroom In A Slum Short Questions and Answers

Question 1.
How is ‘Shakespeare wicked and the map a bad example’ for the children of the school in a slum? [All India 2016]
Answer:
The lives of slum children are far removed from what is displayed on the walls. Shakespeare represents literature and the map shows the foreign land with beautiful landscapes. This civilized world is meaningless for them and will tempt them to take a wrong path.

Question 2.
What does Stephen Spender want to be done for the children of the school in a slum? [Delhi 2016]
Answer:
Stephen Spender wants their lot to improve. He wants education for the slum children which will broaden their horizons, liberate them truly and empower them to create their own history. He wants them to get rid of their dismal lives.

Question 3.
To whom does the poet in the poem ‘An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum” make an appeal? What is his appeal? [Delhi 2014 (C)]
Answer:
The poet appeals to the inspectors, visitors, and governors to improve the lot of the slum children by providing them with quality life and quality education.

Question 4.
Which words/phrases in the poem show that the slum children are suffering from acute malnutrition? [All India 2014 (C)]
Answer:
‘Stunted’, ‘twisted bones’ ‘paper-seeming boy’, ‘skin peeped through by bones’, etc. are some of the words/phrases that show the conditions of acute malnutrition of the slum children.

Question 5.
What changes does the poet hope for in the lives of slum children? [Foreign 2014]
Answer:
The poet hopes that these children will get rid of their poverty and nourished properly. The doors of the world will be thrown open to them. They will get quality education and quality life.

Question 6.
What message does Stephen Spender convey through his poem ‘An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum’? [Delhi 2013, Foreign 2011]
Answer:
Through this poem, Stephen Spender wants to convey the idea of social injustice and class inequality. Expressing his concern at the plight of the slum children, he appeals to the governors, visitors, and inspectors to provide equal opportunities for education to these children.

Question 7.
What is the theme of the poem? [Foreign 2013]
Answer:
The poem deals with social injustice and class inequality. The poet highlights the lack of political will on the part of the authorities and indifference on the part of society that compels these children to live a life of poverty and hunger. They are deprived of their basic rights.

Question 8.
What does the world of the slum children consist of?
Answer:
The world of the slum children consists of dark classrooms and narrow lanes. Their world is full of poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and disease. It is confined to grey and black colours.

Question 9.
What is the only hope for the slum children?
Answer:
The only hope for these children lies in the hands of inspectors, visitors, and governors. They should take immediate action to provide them with equal opportunities for education so that they can move out of their slums and be part of the real world.

Stammer Summary

Guilty Summary in English

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poetry

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