Class 7 Lesson 4 Honeycomb NCERT English Questions and answers CBSE Parts The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom and Chivvy.
The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom
Comprehension Check
1. Why did the neighbours kill the dog?
2. Make the right item.
(i) The old farmer and his wife loved the dog
(a) because it helped them in their day-to-day work.
(b) as if it was their own baby.
(c) as they were kind to all living beings.
(ii) When the old couple became rich, they
(a) gave the dog better food.
(b) invited their greedy neighbours to a feast.
(c) lived comfortably and were generous towords their poor neigbours.
(iii) The greedy couple borrowed the mill and the mortar to make
(a) rice pastry and bean sauce.
(b) magic ash to win rewards.
(c) a pile of gold.
Answers:
1. The neighbors killed the dog because they were greedy and believed that the dog would help them find treasure, just as it had done for the old farmer. However, when they dug the ground, they only found a dead kitten, which made them furious. Out of anger and disappointment, they kicked and beat the dog to death.
2. Mark the right item.
(i) The old farmer and his wife loved the dog
(b) as if it was their own baby.
(ii) When the old couple became rich, they
(c) lived comfortably and were generous towards their poor neighbours.
(iii) The greedy couple borrowed the mill and the mortar to make
(c) a pile of gold.
Working with Language
1. Read the following conversation.
Ravi : What are you doing?
Mridu : I’m reading a book.
Ravi : Who wrote it?
Mridu : Ruskin Bond.
Ravi : Where did you find it?
Mridu : In the library.
Notice that ‘what’. ‘where’, are question words. Questions that required information begin with question words. Some other questions words are ‘when’, ‘why’, ‘where’ ‘which’ and ‘how’.
Remember that
What asks about actions, things, etc.
Who asks about people.
Which asks about people or things.
Where asks about place.
When asks about time.
Why asks about reason or purpose.
How asks about means, manner or degree.
Whose asks about possessions.
Read the following paragraph and frame questions on the italicised phrases.
Anil is in school. I am in school too. Anil is sitting in the left row. He is reading a a book. Anil’s friend is sitting in the second row. He is sharpening his pencil. The teacher is writing on the blackboard. Children are writing in their copybooks. Some are looking out of the window.
(i) _____
(ii) _____
(iii) _____
(iv) _____
(v) _____
(vi) _____
(vii) _____
Answer:
1. Frame questions for the italicized phrases from the paragraph:
(i) Where is Anil?
Answer: Anil is in school.
(ii) Where is Anil sitting?
Answer: Anil is sitting in the left row.
(iii) What is Anil doing?
Answer: He is reading a book.
(iv) Where is Anil’s friend sitting?
Answer: Anil’s friend is sitting in the second row.
(v) What is Anil’s friend doing?
Answer: He is sharpening his pencil.
(vi) What is the teacher doing?
Answer: The teacher is writing on the blackboard.
(vii) What are some children doing?
Answer: Some children are looking out of the window.
2. Write appropriate question words in the blanks spaces in the following dialogue.
Neha : _________ did you get this book?
Sheela : Yesterday morning.
Neha : _________ is your sister crying?
Sheela : Because she has lost her doll.
Neha : _______ room is this, yours or hers?
Sheela : It’s ours.
Neha : _______ do you go to school?
Sheela : We walk to school. It is near by.
Answers:
2. Write appropriate question words in the blanks:
(i) Neha: When did you get this book?
Sheela: Yesterday morning.
(ii) Neha: Why is your sister crying?
Sheela: Because she has lost her doll.
(iii) Neha: Whose room is this, yours or hers?
Sheela: It’s ours.
(iv) Neha: How do you go to school?
Sheela: We walk to school. It is nearby.
3. Fill in the blanks with the words given in the box.
how
what
when
where
which
(i) M y friend lost his chemistry book. Now he doesn’t know _____ know _____ to do and _______ to look for it.
(ii) There are so many toys in the shops. Neena can’t decide ________ ______ one to buy.
(iii) You don’t know the way to my school. Ask the policeman _______ to get there.
(iv) You should decide soon _______ to start building your house.
(v) Do you know ______ to ride a bicycle? I don’t remember _____ and ______ I learnt it.
(vi) “You should know _______ to talk and ______ to keep your mouth shut, ” the teacher advised Anil.
Answer:
(i) My friend lost his chemistry book. Now he doesn’t know what to do and where to look for it.
(ii) There are so many toys in the shops. Neena can’t decide which one to buy.
(iii) You don’t know the way to my school. Ask the policeman how to get there.
(iv) You should decide soon when to start building your house.
(v) Do you know how to ride a bicycle? I don’t remember when and where I learnt it.
(vi) “You should know how to talk and when to keep your mouth shut,” the teacher advised Ani.
4. Add im-or in -to each of the following words and use them in place of the italicised words in the sentences given below.
patient
proper
possible
sensitive
competent
(i) The project appears very difficult at first sight but it can be completed if we work very hard.
(ii) He lacks competence. That’s why he can’t keep any job for more than a year.
(iii) “Don’t lose patience. Your letter will come one day.” the postman told me.
(iv) That’s not a proper remark to make under the circumstances.
(v) He appears to be without sensitivity. In fact. he is very emotional.
Answer:
(i) The project appears very impossible at first sight but it can be completed if we work very hard.
(ii) He is incompetent. That’s why he can’t keep any job for more than a year.
(iii) “Don’t be impatient. Your letter will come one day,” the postman told me.
(iv) That’s an improper remark to make under the circumstances.
(v) He appears to be insensitive. In fact, he is very emotional.
5. Read the following sentences.
It was a cold morning and stars still glowed in the sky. An old man was walking along the road.
The words in italics are articles. ‘A’ and ‘an’ is are indefinite articles and ‘the’ is the definite article. ‘A’ is used before a singular countable noun. ‘An’ is used before a word that begins with a vowel.
a boy
a mango
a university
an actor
an apple
an hour
Use a , an or the in the blanks.
There was once __________ play which became very successful. _____ famous actor was acting in it. In _________ play had been imprisoned in ________ castle for twenty years. In _________ last act of _______ play someone would come on ______ stage with _____ letter which he would hand over to ________ prisoner. Even though _______ aristocrat was not expected to read ________ letter at each performance. he always insisted that ________ letter be written out from beginning to end.
Answers:
There was once a play which became very successful. A famous actor was acting in it. In the play, he had been imprisoned in a castle for twenty years. In the last act of the play, someone would come on the stage with a letter, which he would hand over to the prisoner. Even though the aristocrat was not expected to read the letter at each performance, he always insisted that the letter be written out from beginning to end.
Speaking and Writing
1. Do you remember an anecdote or a story about a greedy or jealous person and the unhappy result of his/her action? Narrate the story to others in your class.
Here is one for you to read.
Seeing an old man planting a fig tree, the king asked why he was doing this. The man replied that he might live to eat the fruit, and, even if he did not, his son would enjoy the figs.
“Well,” said the king. “if you do live to eat the fruit of this tree, please let me know.” The man promised to do so, and sure enough, before too long. The old man set out for the palace to meet the king.
The king accepted the gift and gave orders that the old man’s basket be filled with gold.
Now, next door to the old man, there lived a greedy old man jealous of his neighbour’s good fortune. He also packed some figs in a basket and took them to the palace in the hope of getting gold.
The king, or learning the man’s motive, ordered him to stand in the compound and had him pelted with figs. The old man returned home and told his wife the sad story. She consoled hi by saying, “You should be thankful that our neighbour did not grow coconuts.
Answers:
- He writes in both English and Hindi.
- Many books in English and only a few short stories in Hindi.
- My Hindi is much better than my English.
2. Put each of the following in the correct order. Then use them appropriately to fill the blanks in the paragraph that follows. Use correct punctuation marks.
English and Hindi/both/in/he writes
and only/a few short stories/ many books in English/in Hindi
is /my Hindi /than my English /much better
Ravi Kant is a writer, and _________________________. Of course, he is much happier writing in English than in Hindi. He has written __________ I find his books a little hard to understand.
Answers:
Ravi Kant is a writer, and he writes in both English and Hindi. Of course, he is much happier writing in English than in Hindi. He has written many books in English and only a few short stories in Hindi. I find his books a little hard to understand.
3. Are you fond of reading stories? Did you rea one last month? If not, read one or two and then write a paragraph about the story. Use the following hints.
title of the story
name of author
how many characters
which one you liked
some details of the story
main point (s) as why they should also read it.
Answers:
Yes, I am fond of reading stories. Last month, I read a story titled “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry. The story revolves around three main characters: Johnsy, Sue, and an old artist named Behrman. My favorite character was Behrman, the elderly artist, whose selfless act of kindness forms the heart of the story.
The story is set in a small neighborhood where Johnsy falls gravely ill with pneumonia. She becomes pessimistic and believes that when the last leaf falls from a vine outside her window, she too will die. Sue, her friend, worries about Johnsy’s mental state. In the end, Behrman, the old artist, paints a leaf on the wall during a stormy night to give Johnsy hope and save her life. Sadly, Behrman dies of pneumonia after his courageous act.
The main point of the story is the power of hope and sacrifice. I recommend others to read this story because it beautifully highlights the theme of selflessness, friendship, and the importance of faith in life.
Part 2 Chivvy
Working with the poem
1. Discuss these questions in small groups before you answer them.
(i) When is a grown-up likely to say this? Don’t talk with your mouth full.
(ii) When are you likely to be told this? Say thank you.
(iii) When do you think and adult would say this? No one thinks you are funny.
2. The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions. What is the adult now asking the child to do? Do you think the poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable? Why?
3. Why do you think grown-ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem? Is it important that they teach children good manners, and how to behave in public?
4. If you had to make some rules for grown-ups to follow, what would you say? Make at least five such rules. Arrange the lines as in a poem.
Answers:
1. Discuss these questions in small groups before you answer them.
(i) When is a grown-up likely to say this? “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
A grown-up is likely to say this while eating, especially during meals, when they want children to observe good table manners and not speak while chewing food.
(ii) When are you likely to be told this? “Say thank you.”
You are likely to be told this when someone does something kind or gives you something, and you are expected to express gratitude.
(iii) When do you think an adult would say this? “No one thinks you are funny.”
An adult might say this when a child is trying to be funny or is making jokes that are inappropriate or not appreciated by others, perhaps in a situation where the child is interrupting or being disruptive.
2. The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions. What is the adult now asking the child to do? Do you think the poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable? Why?
In the last two lines, the adult is asking the child to make decisions independently: “Can’t you make your own mind up about anything?” The poet may be suggesting that this is unreasonable because, after constantly being told what to do, the child may struggle to develop independence. The continuous instructions make it difficult for the child to learn how to think for themselves.
3. Why do you think grown-ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem? Is it important that they teach children good manners, and how to behave in public?
Grown-ups say these things to teach children proper manners and acceptable social behavior. It is important because children need to learn how to interact politely and appropriately with others in public and private settings. These lessons are essential for their development and for fostering respect and consideration for others.
4. If you had to make some rules for grown-ups to follow, what would you say? Make at least five such rules. Arrange the lines as in a poem.
- Listen to me when I speak, don’t just ignore.
- Give me space to explore and soar.
- Don’t compare me with others all the time.
- Let me make mistakes, it’s not a crime.
- Praise me for trying, not just when I win.
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