Velammal Bodhi Campus - Theni

(A CBSE - IIT/NEET Integrated Sr. Sec. School)

Class: VII Sub: English

Unit – I: Prose: Three Questions - Leo Tolstoy
I. About the author
Leo Tolstoy (9.9.1828 - 20.11.1910) was a Russian novelist, short story
writer, playwright and an essayist. He became famous for his epic novels “War
and Peace” and “Anna Karenina”. He believed in non-violence and his work has
influenced people like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
II. Gist of the story
*A king determines that he will be able to cope with any occurrence if he
has the answers to three critical questions:
What is the best time to begin everything?
Who are the best people to listen to?
What is the most important thing to do?
*Many educated men attempted to answer the king's questions, but they all
came up with different answers.
*The king decided that he needed to ask a wise hermit in a nearby village.
*After reaching the forest, he helped to the hermit and saved a stranger's
life.
*According to these deeds, the king got the answers.
*The most important time is now.
*The most important person is whoever you are with.
*The most important thing is help the person you are with.
III. Mind Map.

IV. Enhancement of vocabs

New word Synonym Antonym
faithful loyal unfaithful
pleasure delight pain
peace tranquility conflict
seize grab release
faint unconscious revive
necessary mandatory unnecessary
 tired weary energetic
wisdom sagacity folly
Frame sentence.
1. faithful -
2. pleasure -
3. peace -
4. seize -
5. faint -
6. necessary -
7. tired -
8. wisdom -
V. IDIOMS / PHRASES
1. give back
Meaning : return or restore
Sentence : Give back my books.
2. give up
Meaning : stop trying
Sentence : My homework was so difficult. So I gave up.
3. give out
Meaning : to distribute
Sentence : Can you help me to give out the new books to the class, please?
4. give away
Meaning: make a gift
Sentence: I decided to give away all my books to the orphan kids.
5. give forth
Meaning: emit or release something
Sentence: The chimney gave forth a cloud of grey smoke.
VI. Answer the following questions:
1. Why was the king advised to go to magicians?
The king was advised to go to the magicians because the magicians could
foresee the future and decide on the right time to begin something.
2. In answer to the second question, whose advice did the people say would be
important to the king?
In response to the second question, some wise men believed that the king
should have some counsellors to give him advice; some said the priests‟ advice
was the most important. A few others said that doctors‟ advice was most
 important and yet others said that the advice of his soldiers was the most
important.
3. What suggestions were made in answer to the third question?
In response to the third question, some people said science was the most
important business while there were others who believed it was fighting and yet
another group suggested religious worship as the most important thing for the
king to do.
4. Did the wise men win the reward? If not, why not?
No, the wise men didn‟t win the reward because their answers were very
different from each other for all the three questions and the king was not
satisfied with their answers.
5. How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?
The king washed and dressed the wound until the bleeding stopped
completely and offered the wounded man some fresh water to drink.
He then, with the help of the hermit, carried the wounded man inside his hut and
laid him on the bed. The hermit provided the wounded man shelter throughout
the night.
6. (i) Who was the bearded man?
The bearded man was the king‟s enemy who wanted to take revenge on the
king for killing his brother and seizing away all his property.
(ii) Why did he ask for the king‟s forgiveness?
The bearded man asked for the king's forgiveness because he wanted to kill
the king who instead had saved his life. Ironically, he was saved by the very
person whose life he wanted to take.
7. The king forgave the bearded man. What did he do to show his forgiveness?
The king showed his forgiveness by promising the man that he would send
his doctor and servants to look after him and assured to return him all his
property.
8. What were the hermit‟s answers to the questions? Write each answer
separately. Which answer do you like most and why?
In response to the first question, the hermit said that there is only one time
that is important and that time is “the present moment”. It is the only time when
one has any power to act.
The hermit answered the second question by saying that the most important
person is the person you are with at a particular moment. This is because the
future is unknown and we don‟t know if we will meet anyone else in the future.
 The hermit‟s response to the third question was that the most important
thing is to render good deed to the person who is with us at the present moment.
I think all the three answers are linked to each other and have their own
significance. All three answers together tell us to do whatever act of “kindness”
we can for the person we are with “now” and don‟t put it off for the future.
VII. Summary
In the short story, “Three Questions”, Leo Tolstoy explores the theme
of wisdom, acceptance, kindness and forgiveness. The story is about a king who
believed that he would never fail if he knew “what was the right time for every
action, who were the right people to be with and what was the most important
thing to do”.
He sent a message far and wide promising a large sum of money to
anyone who would answer these three questions. Many wise men answered his
questions but very differently. The king, not satisfied with the answers of the
learned men from his country, decided to seek the help of a wise hermit. When
the king reached the hermit‟s place, the hermit was digging the ground. The king
was moved with compassion and started to help him dig the ground. Suddenly
they saw a man, wounded and bleeding, running towards them. The king was
also kind to the man who was wounded and bleeding. He was being righteous
with the wounded man by promising him care and assurance of returning his
property when he came to know why the man wanted to revenge the king. The
king, with his actions - helping the old hermit dig the ground, attending the
wounded enemy and making peace with his enemy, learnt the answers to the
three questions.
The hermit told the king that all the answers are within himself. By
helping the wounded man and by spending time with the hermit he gets to know
the answers through self -realization. He learned to do good deeds to others
without thinking about his own- self.
The story conveys a strong message that we must do whatever act of
“kindness” we can for the person we are with “now” and never put it off for the
future.
VIII. Working with language
1. Match items in List A with their meanings in List B.
A B
wounded got up from sleep
awoke give back
forgive small patches of ground for plants
faithful severely injured
pity pardon
beds loyal
return feel sorry for
Answer:
A B
wounded severely injured
awoke got up from sleep
forgive pardon
faithful loyal
pity feel sorry for
beds small patches of ground for plants
return give back
2. Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Fill in the blanks with
appropriate forms of the word given in brackets
(i) The ___ said that only fresh evidence would make him change his
___.(judge)
(ii) I didn‟t notice any serious ___ of opinion among the debaters, although they
____ from one another over small points. (differ)
(iii) It‟s a fairly simple question to __,but will you accept my ___ as final?
(answer)
(iv) It isn‟t ___ that ____ should always be the mother of invention. (necessary)
(v) Hermits are ___ men. How they acquire their ___ no one can tell. (wise)
(vi) The committee has ___ to make Jagdish captain of the team. The ___ is
likely to please everyone. (decide)
(vii) Asking for ___ is as noble as willingness to ___. (forgive)
Answer:
(i) The judge said that only fresh evidence would make him change his
judgement.
(ii) I didn‟t notice any serious difference of opinion among the debaters,
although they differed from one another over small points.
(iii) It‟s a fairly simple question to answer, but will you accept my answer as
final?
(iv) It isn‟t necessary that necessity should always be the mother of invention.
(v) Hermits are wise men. How they acquire their wisdom no one can tell.
(vi) The committee has decided to make Jagdish captain of the team. The
decision is likely to please everyone.
(vii) Asking for forgiveness is as noble as willingness to forgive.
 Poem: The Squirrel –Mildred Bowers Armstrong
I. About the poet
Mildred Bowers Armstrong was a children‟s book author. She wrote a
total of 53 poems one of them is “The squirrel”. She won the 1928 Yale
Younger Poet‟s prize for her work “Twist O‟ Smoke”.
II. Gist of the story
*The poet saw a squirrel sitting on a tree and eating nuts.
*Its tail was raised upwards with the tip pointing downwards.
*Thus the tail seemed to be making a question mark. It had a gray coat.
*It was so loose that the poet calls it an overcoat‟.
*In order to eat a nut it was sitting straight.
*Squirrel is funny little animal that likes to play with human beings.
* If human beings ran round his tree, the squirrel wouldn‟t be frightened.
*It would like to tease and play. To do so it would also run round the tree
but from the opposite side.
III. Mind Map.

IV. Phrasal verbs

1. ran around
Meaning : to run around an area
Sentence : When I was a kid, I used to run around the neighbourhood with
my friends.
2. ran after
Meaning : to chase
Sentence : I ran after the bus but it didn‟t stop for me.
3. ran into
Meaning : to meet someone unexpectedly
Sentence : I ran into my English teacher at the shopping mall.
4. ran over
Meaning: to take more time than planned
 Sentence: The meeting ran over 20 minutes, so I was late for my next
appointment.
5. ran through
Meaning: explained quickly
Sentence: He ran through the schedule for the tour.
V. Answer the following:
1. Why does the poet say the squirrel “wore a question mark for tail”?
The poet says that the squirrel "wore a question mark for tail" because the
tail of the squirrel curled like a question mark while he was sitting and eating a
nut.
2. “He liked to tease and play”. Who is teasing whom? How?
The squirrel is teasing the poet and his friends. Whenever they ran around
his tree, the squirrel used to go to the other side of the tree.
3. What kind of creature squirrel is according to the poet?
The squirrel is a very playful, innocent, naughty and also intelligent. She
describes the tail of squirrel seems like a questions mark because of its curve
shape.
4. What did the squirrel do if someone came too close to his tree?
The squirrel would run away in the opposite direction if someone came too
close his tree.
5. The poet talks about a small creature with sensitivity. Do you agree or not?
The poem is a reflection of the poet‟s observation we come across in our
day to day surrounding. A squirrel is the most commonly found animal that we
see around us. Yet, very few of us would have thought of it as a subject matter.
VI. Summary
The poem, „The Squirrel‟ by Mildred Bowers Armstrong, is a short
poem describing the squirrel which she observes in her garden. The poet
observes the appearance and movements of a squirrel. The playfulness and swift
movements attract the attention of the poet who dedicated the poem to the
creature of nature.
The poet describes how the squirrel covered in grey fur sits in an
upright position on a tree eating a nut. His tail rolls about like a question mark in
this position. The action of the squirrel displays his naughtiness. The lively
squirrel loves to play with the poet and her friends. The poet tells about the
nature of the squirrel that is innocently naughty and likes tease anyone who
comes near him. Whenever they run around his tree, he would disappear behind
the tree. The poet discusses the various aspects of the squirrel which all of us
must have observed closely.
VII. Working with poem
Answer the following questions:
1. Why does the poet say the squirrel “wore a question mark for tail”? Draw a
squirrel, or find a picture of a squirrel sitting on the ground. How would you
describe its tail?
The poet says the squirrel “wore a question mark for tail” as the tail of the
squirrel curled in a way that it appeared like a question mark.
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.)
No, usually, we don‟t say that an animal „wears‟ a tail. Instead, we say the
animal „has‟ a tail.
According to the dictionary, the word „wear‟ is used to mean something
that is used to cover. For example, we wear clothes.
3. “He liked to tease and play”. Who is teasing whom? How?
“He liked to tease and play”. Here, the poet is teasing the squirrel. The poet
will approach the squirrel, and as soon as he nears the squirrel, it runs away in a
different direction.
Unit – II: Prose: A Gift of Chappals – Vasantha Surya
I. About the author
Vasantha Surya - A journalist, translator, and poet. Vasantha Surya's
stories for the young have appeared in Junior Quest, The Hindu Young
World, and Chatterbox. “Goruchaka Turns Up” is the first of her Mridu in
Madras series.
II. Gist of the story
 Mridu goes to Rukku Manni‟s house where she sees a pair of old
chappals.
 Ravi drags her to the backyard and reveals the secret of a kitten.
 The children gift the music teacher‟s old pair of chappals to a poor
beggar whose feet were pink with blisters.
 The music teacher was given another pair of chappals which
belonged to Gopu Mama.
 The music teacher concealed his happiness and grumbled as he left.
 The children were kind enough to help a needy person without
second thoughts.
III. Mind map

IV. Enhancement of vocabs

New word Synonym Antonym
scrawny skinny plump
suspicious doubtful doubtful
mysterious strange clear
frighten frighten fearless
startle scare calm
Frame sentence.
1. scrawny -
2. suspicious -
3. mysterious -
4. frighten -
5. startle -
V. Idioms & Phrases
1. rush away
Meaning: leave a place in a hurry
Sentence: They rushed away when the police arrived.
2. rush off
Meaning: depart in a hurry
Sentence: Zac rushed off to get his medical appointment.
3. rush in
Meaning: enter or go indoors in a hurry
Sentence: We rushed in when it started raining.
VI. Answer the following:
1. What is the secret that Meena shares with Mridu in the backyard ?
Meena told Mridu that they found a small kitten outside the gate that
morning. They had kept it secretly behind a bush in the backyard.
2. How does Ravi get milk for the kitten ?
Ravi stored milk from the kitchen for the kitten. Paati saw him with a glass
in his hand. He told her that he was very hungry. He wanted to drink it.
3. Who does he say the kitten‟s ancestors are? Do you believe him ?
Ravi says that the Rishi – Cats of Mahabalipuram are the kitten‟s
ancestors. This belief of Ravi is not true.
4. What was the noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran ?
It was the kreeching sound coming from the window that started Mridu and
frightened Mahendran.

5. Describe the music teacher, as seen from the window.

As seen from the window the music teacher was a fellow with a bald head.
He had a fringe of oiled black hair falling around his ears. A gold chain
gleamed round his leathery neck.
6. What makes Mridu conclude that the beggar has no money to buy chappals?
Mridu concluded that the beggar had no money to buy chappals as he was
walking barefooted in the scorching sun. There were blisters all over his feet.
7. What does Mridu suggest to show her concern ?
 Mridu suggested that old chappals lying in the verandah could be given to
the beggar.
VII. Summary
Mridu‟s grandmother (Tapi in the Tamil language) once took her to her
aunt Rukku Manni‟s house to meet her cousins Ravi, Meena, and Lalli.
She was welcomed by her cousins Ravi and Meena into their house. At the
entrance, she observed a pair of slippers that looked old and weary. They dragged
her to the backyard of the house and a little cat was shown to her behind a thick
bitter-berry bush found outside of the gate. They secretly kept the kitten as it
might annoy their grandmother. Ravi had to face great difficulty getting some
milk for the kitten from the kitchen. According to Ravi, the name of the Kitten
was Mahendra Varma Pallava Poonai. He concocted a story behind the name of
the kitten and told that the kitten was a descendant of the Pallava lion, and added
that it was a descendant of Mahabalipuram Rishi-cat. Mridu and Meena smiled at
his cooked-up story. The cat was frightened to hear Ravi‟s sound. She fled from
his place.
Lalli was learning to play violin from a bony and bald music teacher. The
music teacher seemed to be a rich fellow as he wore a gold chain and diamond
ring. Lalli was not good at playing violin. A beggar came to the gate and mother
asked Ravi to tell him to go away as she was fed up with his daily arrival.
The beggar sat under the tree to take some rest. He had large pink, peeling
blisters on the soles of his feet. Children felt sympathized towards the beggar and
wanted to help him by giving him a gift of chappals. They gave him the chappals
of the music teacher. The beggar blessed the children and wore the slippers and
left the house in hurry.
The music teacher didn‟t find his chappals in the Verandah and called Lalli
to help her. He told everyone that he had brand new and expensive chappals.
Rukku Manni and Lalli were embarrassed and looked around suspiciously. The
mother enquired and found the real culprit behind the whole incident. They gave
Gopu Mama‟s slippers to the music teacher. The teacher reacted as if he was not
happy since his own chappals were brand new and expensive. Everyone knew
that it‟s a temporary solution of the problem as Gopu Mama would disapprove of
their acts too.
VIII. Working with language
1. Read the following sentences.
(a) If she knows we have a cat, Paati will leave the house.
 (b) She won‟t be so upset if she knows about the poor beggar with sores on his
feet.
(c) If the chappals do fit, will you really not mind?
Notice that each sentence consists of two parts. The first part begins with
„if ‟. It is known as if-clause.
Rewrite each of the following pairs of sentences as a single sentence. Use „if‟
at the beginning of the sentence.
E.g. (a) Walk fast. You‟ll catch the bus.
If you walk fast, you‟ll catch the bus.
E.g. (b) Don‟t spit on the road. You‟ll be fined.
If you spit on the road, you‟ll be fined.
(i) Don‟t tire yourself now. You won‟t be able to work in the evening.
(ii) Study regularly. You‟ll do well in the examination.
(iii) Work hard. You‟ll pass the examination in the first division.
(iv) Be polite to people. They‟ll also be polite to you.
(v) Don‟t tease the dog. It‟ll bite you.
Answer:
(i) Don‟t tire yourself now. You won‟t be able to work in the evening.
If you tire yourself up now, you won‟t be able to work in the evening .
(ii) Study regularly. You‟ll do well in the examination.
If you study regularly, you‟ll do well in the examination.
(iii) Work hard. You‟ll pass the examination in the first division.
If you work hard, you‟ll pass the examination in the first division.
(iv) Be polite to people. They‟ll also be polite to you.
If you are polite to people, they‟ll also be polite to you.
(v) Don‟t tease the dog. It‟ll bite you.
If you tease the dog, it‟ll bite you.
2. Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph.
Today is Sunday. I‟m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out.
If I ______ (go) out, I _____ (miss) the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I ______
(stay) for lunch, I ______ (miss) the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I
think I‟ll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.
Answer:
Today is Sunday. I‟m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I go
out, I will miss the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I stay for lunch, I will miss
the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I‟ll go out and see the film,
only to avoid getting too fat.

3. Complete each sentence below by appropriately using any one of the

following:
if you want to/if you don‟t want to/if you want him to
(i) Don‟t go to the theatre _________________.
(ii) He‟ll post your letter _________________.
(iii) Please use my pen _________________.
(iv) He‟ll lend you his umbrella _________________.
(v) My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor _________________.
(vi) Don‟t eat it _________________.
Answer:
(i) Don‟t go to the theatre if you don‟t want to.
(ii) He‟ll post your letter if you want him to.
(iii) Please use my pen if you want to.
(iv) He‟ll lend you his umbrella if you want him to.
(v) My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor if you want him to.
(vi) Don‟t eat it if you don‟t want to.
Poem: The Rebel - Dennis Joseph Enright
I. About the poet
Dennis Joseph Enright (11 March 1920 – 31 December 2002) was a British
academic, poet, novelist and critic. He authored Academic Year (1955), Memoirs
of A Mendicant Professor (1969) and a wide range of essays, reviews,
anthologies, children's books and poem.
II. Gist of the story
*The poem describes the nature of a rebel in detail. *A rebel always does just
opposite of what others do around him.
*The rebel always behaves different from others.
*The poet tells that it is not good to be a rebel because rebel cause problems
for others and is left alone
*At the same time it is good because it is rebel who comes with the new ideas
and has guts to stand against the society.
III. Mind Map.

IV. Phrasal Verb

1. bottle away
Meaning: Store up
Sentence: He kept his feelings bottled away.
2. zone out
Meaning: Dissociate yourself from a situation.
Sentence: I put some ambient music on and zoned out.
3. wrap up
Meaning: Cover in paper.
Sentence: They wrapped up the presents and then put a ribbon around
them.
4. go ahead
Meaning: Proceed.
Sentence: We now intend to go ahead with the final stage of the
project.
5. pick out
Meaning: Choose.
Sentence: She picked out the foods she wanted to take and left the rest.
6. prey upon
Meaning: Exploit or harm.
Sentence: They prey upon people's fears in order to get them to buy
products.
7. Look up
Meaning: To get better.
Sentence: Everything is finally looking up for Lucy.
V. Answer the following questions:
1. If someone doesn‟t wear a uniform to school, what do you think the teacher
will say?
The teacher would scold the student who would not be dressed in the
school uniform while coming to the School.
2. When everyone wants a clear sky, what does the rebel want most?
When everyone wants a clear sky, the rebel wants the Sun.
3. If the rebel has a dog for a pet, what i everyone else likely to have?
If a rebel has a dog for a pet, the others are most likely to be cat lovers.
4. Why is it good to have rebels?
It is good to have rebels because they are different and they teach us to be
able to accept and tolerate differences.
5. Why is it not good to be a rebel oneself?
It is not good to be a rebel oneself because the society never accepts a rebel
and always critiques his behaviour.
6. Would you like to be a rebel? If yes, why? If not why not?
I would like to be a rebel because a rebel is able to think individually rather
than following the herd mentality.
However, it is not easy to be a rebel as the rebels are always critiqued by
the society for their different behaviour.
VI. Summary
A rebel is a person who always disagrees with you. He likes to do the
opposite of what everyone loves to do. When everyone has short hair, the rebel
sports long hair. When everybody lets his hair grow long, the rebel cuts his hair
short. When others in the class talk, the rebel keeps silent. But when others are
all quiet, the rebel breaks this silence. When other boys go to school in uniforms,
the rebel puts on colourful clothes.
When other boys are in fancy dress, the rebel‟s dress is simple. If others are
dog lovers, the rebel prefers cats. But in the company of cat lovers, he praises
dogs. When everybody longs for sunlight, the rebel longs for rain. When others
go to the meeting, the rebel stays at home and reads books. When everybody
agrees, the rebel disagrees. The rebels are necessary because they help us look at
life differently. But this practice will not suit everyone.
VII. Working with poem
A. Find in the poem an antonym (a word opposite in meaning) for each of the
following words.
(i) long - (ii) grow - (iii) quietness -
(iv) sober - (v) lost -
Answer:
(i) long – short (ii) grow – cut
(iii) quietness – disturbance (iv) sober – fantastic
(v) lost – found
B. Find in the poem lines that match the following. Read both, one after the
other.
(i) The rebel refuses to cut his hair.
(ii) He says cats are better.
(iii) He recommends dogs.
(iv) He is unhappy because there is no sun.
(v) He is noisy on purpose.
Answer:
(i) The rebel lets his hair grow long.
(ii) The rebel expresses a preference for cats.
(iii) The rebel puts in a good word for dogs.
(iv) The rebel regrets the absence of sun.
(v) The rebel creates a disturbance.
Unit – III: Prose: Gopal and the Hilsa Fish
I. Gist of the story
* It was the season for Hilsa fish and it was Hilsa fish that everyone was
talking about. Even in the royal court courtiers were talking about Hilsa fish.
* This made the king lose his temper. He believed that no one could stop
the people from talking about Hilsa fish.
* Gopal was the wisest man in his court. The king challenged Gopal to buy
a huge Hilsa fish to the palace without asking anyone asking him about it.
* After a few days, Gopal shaved his beard from half of his face and
smeared ash on himself. His wife thought he had gone mad.
* At the market, he bought a huge Hilsa fish and started walking towards
the palace. No one noticed the fish, but everyone was looking at Gopal walking
strangely dressed in shabby clothes.
* He went to meet the king but he was stopped by the guards. He started
dancing and singing loudly in front of the royal palace.
* The king questioned Gopal about the reason for his weird attire.
* Gopal reminded the king about the challenge and told him no one had
asked him a single word about the Hilsa fish.
* The king burst into laughter and accepted that Gopal had done the impossible
once more.
II. Mind map
The king congratulated Gopal for
achieving the impossible again.

Gopal said that nobody spoke The moral of the story is:
about the Hilsa fish in his hand Nothing is impossible in the
from the market to palace. world.

It was the season for Hilsa fish.

The king was astonished to find
The talk of the kingdom was Hilsa
Gopal in the ridiculous dress and
fish and only Hilsa fish.
wanted to know the reason.

GOPAL AND THE The king was fed up of the

HILSA FISH constant discussion on Hilsa
He was not allowed into the
fish.
palace because the guards did
not recognize him.

He did not know how to

stop it.

Every one was bothered about his looks

and no one talked about the Hilsa fish
His intelligent courtier Gopal
he bought from the market.
took this as a challenge.

He dressed up crazily in
disgraceful rags with his face
half shaven to buy Hilsa fish.

III. VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT

WORD SYNONYM ANTONYM
1. downcast depressed elated
2. majesty royalty inelegance
3. comical amusing serious
4. mystic strange ordinary
5. hush quiet noise
6. crazy insane sane
7. ridiculous absurd serious
IV. FRAME SENTENCES USING THE GIVEN WORDS:
1. ridiculous -
2. strange -
3. crazy -
4. interest -
5. achieve -
V. IDIOMS/ PHRASES
1. dress up
Meaning: to put on formal dress for a special occasion
Sentence: The kids were all dressed up for the costume party.
2. get away
Meaning: to leave or to escape from a person.
Sentence: I will get away from work as soon as I can.
3. keep on
Meaning: to continue doing something
Sentence: My sister kept on asking question after question.
4. look at
Meaning: direct your eyes towards it
Sentence: People looked at her in astonishment.
VI. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:
1. Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa fish?
Ans. The king did not want to listen any more talk about hilsa fish because
the entire kingdom kept talking only about hilsa fish and this irritated the king.
2. What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?
Ans. The king asked Gopal to buy a Hilsa fish and bring it to the palace
without anyone asking anything about the fish throughout the way to prove that
he was clever.
3. What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa fish?
Ans. Gopal half-shaved his beard, smeared himself with ash and wore rags
before he went out to buy Hilsa fish.
4. How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the
fish?
Ans. When Gopal asked the guards to let him meet the king, they refused.
Therefore, he began to dance and sing loudly. The king heard the noise and
ordered the man to be brought inside the palace.
5. Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the Hilsa fish
which Gopal had bought.
Ans. Gopal‟s funny appearance attracted the attention of people much more
than the Hilsa fish. No one cared about the Hilsa-fish he was carrying. Everyone
was busy talking about his appearance, half shaven face and disgraceful rags.
VII. SUMMARY:
The lesson is a comic visualization of a story of a king who
challenged his wise courtier Gopal to bring hilsa fish to the palace without
anyone talking about it. He successfully completed the challenge in the funniest
way possible.
The season of Hilsa fish was going on everywhere. People were
talking about Hilsa fish and nothing else. Even the court was not an exception.
The king was tired of this. He made an announcement to buy a Hilsa fish and to
bring it to the palace without anyone asking a word about it.
Gopal, one of the courtiers accepted the challenge. Gopal half-shaved
his beard, smeared himself with ash and wore rags before he set out to the palace
with a big Hilsa fish. Throughout the way everybody talked and laughed on his
strange appearance, but nobody talked about the Hilsa fish. Finally Gopal
reached the palace where the guards stopped him at the entrance. Gopal started
singing so loudly that the king permitted the stranger to come in. Everyone in the
palace seemed to be least interested in the Hilsa fish. Even the king asked about
Gopal‟s dressing and not about the Hilsa fish. In the end, Gopal reminded
the king about the challenge. The king congratulated Gopal for achieving the
impossible task.
VIII. Working with language
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.
For e,g, (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 _________________.
(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king _________________.
(iv) I want to see the king.
Gopal told the guards _________________.
(v) Bring the man to me at once.
The king ordered the guard _________________.
Answer:
(ii) Gopal‟s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.
(iii) Gopal told the king that he accepted the challenge.
(iv) Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the king.
(v) The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.
2. Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the
dictionary. Then use them in sentences of your own.
(Challenge; mystic; comical; courtier; smearing)
Answer:
Challenge: Radhika challenged Kshama to the debate competition.
Mystic: Some sages are considered to have mystic powers.
Comical: Shinchan is a comical character.
Courtier: The courtier had to obey the orders of the king.
Smearing: Smearing oil before playing holi helps in getting the colour off the
skin easily.
3. Now ask your partner questions about each picture.
(i) Where is the stag?
Answer: The stag was by the side of a pond.
(ii) What is he doing?
Answer: He is watching his reflection in the water of the pond.
(iii) Does he like his antlers (horns)?
Answer: Yes, he liked his antlers.
(iv) Does he like his legs?
Answer: No, he does not like his legs as they are very thin.
(v) Why is the stag running?
Answer: The stag is running because hunters are chasing it.
(vi) Is he able to hide in the bushes?
Answer: No, he is not able to hide in the bushes because his horns get stuck in
the bushes.
(vii) Where are the hunters now?
Answer: The hunters are behind the stag.
(viii) Are they closing in on the stag?
Answer: Yes, they were getting closer to the stag.
(ix) Is the stag free?
Answer: Yes, the stag is free.
(x) What does the stag say about his horns and his legs?
Answer: The stag says that he was proud of his horns but it could have caused
the stag‟s death. The legs it was ashamed of saved his life.
4. Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.
Answer: Horns and the Legs
Once upon a time, there lived a stag. One day he was about to drink water
when he saw his reflection in the water of the pond. He felt proud to have such
beautiful horns. Then, he looked at his legs and thought that they were so thin
and ugly.
One day, some hunters came into the jungle and began chasing the stag.
The stag started to run, but his horns got stuck in the bushes. He then put in more
effort and ran away fast.
When he was out of danger, he thought that the horns that he was so proud
of, could have got him killed. Moreover, the legs, which he considered to be
ugly, saved him.
5. Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given
below.

1. Mother will be very ________ if you don‟t go to school.

2. As soon as he caught ________ of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my ________ kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?
4. My youngest sister is now a ________ old.
5. Standing on the ________, he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don‟t make such a ________. Nothing will happen.
7. Don‟t cross the ________ till the green light comes on.
Answer.

Poem: The Shed – Frank Flynn

I. About the poet:
Francis Stanislaus ("Frank") Flynn AC FRACO (6 December 1906, Sydney
– 29 July 2000) was a Northern Territory-based Australian doctor
(ophthalmologist), author and missionary priest. He is notable for his
contributions to religion, medicine and Aboriginal welfare.”
II. Gist of the story:
* There is a shed near the poet's house.
* The poet knows that there is no ghost in the shed.
* His brother tells lies so that the shed can be his own hiding place.
* There is no one in the shed who stares at the poet or makes strange noises.
* The poet says that the spider web is also very old and the spider left it and
went away long back.
III. Mind map.

At the end of the garden in

the poet‟s house, there is a At the door of the shed
shed. there is a spider‟s web.

The joints of the door are

The Shed rusted and when the wind
The poet wants to
blows, they produce a
open the door of the
creaking sound.
shed and look inside,
one day. At night, when the poet
goes to sleep, the creaking
sound is heard.
IV. Vocabulary enrichment:
New Word Synonym Antonym
den lair
peek peep gaze
stare gaze glance
V. Frame sentences on your own:
1. hinges -
2. panes -
3. peep -
4. rotten -
VI. Phrasal Verb:
1. stare at
Meaning: to look steadily
Sentence: The policeman was staring right at me but I didn't see him.
2. chop off
Meaning: to remove something by cutting it with a sharp tool
Sentence: He chopped a branch off the tree.
3. think of
Meaning: to consider somebody/something
Sentence: Don't you ever think of other people?
4. pass through
Meaning: visit a place briefly
Sentence: I'll pass through Ohio on my way to Kentucky.
VII. Summary
The poem, “The Shed” is written by Frank Flynn. The poem is about a shed
at the bottom of the poet's garden and the poet wishes to visit it one day. There is
a spider's web on the door of the shed and its hinges are rusty and creak when the
wind blows. The poet often thinks about it while lying in his bed. On one side of
the shed, there is a dusty window and three of its window panes are broken. The
poet feels as if someone stares at him through the window and whenever the poet
passes by the shed. He is curious to find out who lives there.
The poet's brother fabricates a story of a ghost inhabiting in order to
prevent the poet from entering into the shed and to keep the shed all to himself.
So, the poet‟s brother warns him not to enter the shed and if he dares to enter the
shed, the ghost would chop off his head. Despite these warnings, the poet wishes
to visit the shed and peep inside. The poet believes that his brother tells him
imaginative stories about the ghost as he wants to keep the shed for himself. The
poet no longer feels anyone staring at him or hears any strange noises coming
from the shed. The spider, too, is no longer there. Thus, he decides to enter the
shed.
VIII. Working with poem
1. Answer the following questions:
(i) Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer: The speaker of the poem is the poet.
(ii) Is she/he afraid or curious, or both?
Answer: He is afraid as well as curious. He is curious to enter the shed, and
at the same time, he feels that someone is staring at him.
(iii) What is she/he planning to do soon?
Answer: He is planning to open the door and enter the shed someday 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 think “But not just yet…” suggests hesitation. It shows that the
speaker wants to take some more time to be sure of his thoughts about the
shed. He currently fears that someone stares at him and, at the same time,
also thinks that his brother‟s claim that there‟s a „ghost‟ is just a lie. So, he
is hesitating to take any further steps for now.
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: Yes, there is a room in my house where I do not go alone and
never at night. That room is the store room in the backyard. We keep the things
that are not in use currently. We open that room very rarely, and I feel scared to
go alone there. Once I had gone there alone, and there was a power cut. I
screamed and started shivering with fear. I also heard some noise, which made
me even more frightened. Due to my screams, my family members came running
towards the store room and calmed me down. After some time, the power came
back. Then, we saw a rat roaming around, and I understood where the noise was
coming from. But I still feel very scared to go there alone, especially at night.