Class 7 Lesson 1 Honeycomb NCERT English Questions and answers CBSE Parts Three Question and The Squirrel.
Three Questions
1. Why did the king want to know answers to three
questions?
Ans: The king wanted to know the answers to the three questions because he believed that if he knew the answers, he would never fail in anything he undertook. The three questions were:
- What is the right time to begin something?
- Which people should he listen to?
- What is the most important thing for him to do?
By finding the right answers, the king hoped to always act correctly and make the best decisions for his kingdom.
2. Messengers were sent throughout the kingdom
(i) to fetch wise men.
(ii) to find answers to the questions.
(iii) to look for the wise hermit.
(iv) to announce a reward for those who could answer the questions.
Mark your choice.
Ans: Messengers were sent throughout the kingdom
(iv) to announce a reward for those who could answer the questions.
3. Many wise men answered the king’s questions, but their answers were so varied that the king was not satisfied.
4. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men to help the king fix the proper time for every action.
5. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable and follow it strictly.
6. The king requested the hermit to answer his three questions.
The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound, but the blood would not stop flowing.
Working with text
Answer the following questions.
1. Why was the king advised to go magicians?
Ans: The king was advised to go to magicians because some people believed that in order to decide the right time for doing something, one would need to look into the future, which only magicians could do.
2. In answer to the second question, whose advice did the
people say would be important to the king?
Ans: In response to the second question, some people said that the king’s councillors would be important, others said the priests, a few chose doctors, and some suggested that soldiers were the most necessary to the king.
3. What suggestions were made in answer to the third
question?
Ans: Some wise men suggested science, others chose fighting, while some believed that religious worship was 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 did not win the reward because their answers were so different that the king was not satisfied with any of them.
5. How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?
The king and the hermit helped the wounded man by washing and dressing his wound to stop the bleeding. They then carried him to the hut and laid him on the bed to rest.
6. (i) Who was the bearded man?
(ii) Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?
Ans: (i) The bearded man was the king’s enemy who had sworn revenge on him because the king had put his brother to death and seized his property.
(ii) He asked for the king’s forgiveness because the king had saved his life, even though he had planned to kill the king. He felt guilty and asked for forgiveness, pledging loyalty in return.
7. The king forgave the bearded man. What did he do to show his forgiveness?
Ans: The king showed his forgiveness by promising to send his own doctor and servants to take care of the bearded man and gave back his property.
8. What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions?
Ans: The hermit’s answers were:
The most important time is now because it is the only time when we can act.
The most necessary person is the one you are with at a particular moment.
The most important business is to do good to the person you are with, as that is the purpose of life.
Working with Language
1. Match items in List A with their meanings in list B.
| A | B |
| (i) wounded | got up from sleep |
| (ii) awoke | give back |
| (iii) forgive | small patches of ground for plants |
| (iv) faithful | severely injured |
| (v) pity | pardon |
| (vi) beds | loyal |
| (vii) return | feel sorry for |
Use any three of the above words in sentences of your own. You may change the form of the word.
2. Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the word given in brackets.
He has _________ to help me. Do you think he will remember his _____ ? (promise) He has promised to help me. Do you think he will remember his promise?
(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)
Answers:
- Match items in List A with their meanings in list B:
| A | B |
|---|---|
| (i) wounded | severely injured |
| (ii) awoke | got up from sleep |
| (iii) forgive | pardon |
| (iv) faithful | loyal |
| (v) pity | feel sorry for |
| (vi) beds | small patches of ground for plants |
| (vii) return | give back |
Sentences:
- The soldier was severely wounded in battle.
- She awoke to the sound of birds chirping.
- We must learn to forgive those who hurt us.
- Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the word given in brackets:
(i) The judge said that only fresh evidence would make him change his judgment.
(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.
Speaking and Writing
1. Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting the hermit. Begin like this:
The wise men answered my questions, but I was not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the hermit.
2. Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the king. Begin like this:
One day I was digging in my garden. A man in ordinary clothes came to see me. I knew it was the king……
Answer:
1. Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting the hermit:
The wise men answered my questions, but I was not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the hermit. I had heard that he was a wise man, living a simple life in the forest. Leaving behind my royal attire, I dressed as an ordinary man, hoping to get the truth I was searching for.
As I approached the hermit’s hut, I saw him digging the ground in his garden. He seemed old and frail but was working tirelessly. I walked up to him and greeted him. Without looking up, the hermit continued his work. I told him my questions and stood there, waiting for his response. Instead of answering, he handed me a spade and gestured for me to help him dig. I was puzzled but decided to help.
We worked together silently, and after some time, a wounded man came running towards us. The hermit and I tended to his wounds. After helping the man, the hermit looked at me and smiled. He said, “You have already found your answers.” It was then I realized the true meaning of wisdom — it lies in action, compassion, and helping others.
2. Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the king:
One day I was digging in my garden. A man in ordinary clothes came to see me. I knew it was the king, but he had come in disguise, perhaps to seek some answers to his pressing questions. Without acknowledging his royal status, I continued with my work, waiting for him to speak.
He asked me some profound questions about life, time, and the right way to live. Instead of answering him directly, I handed him a spade and asked him to help me dig. He seemed confused but joined in without protest. We worked together silently, the king and I, sharing the labor of the earth.
While we were working, a man came running towards us, bleeding profusely. The king and I stopped our work and took care of the injured man, cleaning his wounds and bandaging him. The king stayed by the man’s side, showing kindness and concern.
Once the man was stable, I looked at the king and told him that the answers he sought had already been revealed through his actions. He had learned that the best time to act is now, the most important person is the one you are with, and the most important thing to do is to help others. The king understood and left my hut with newfound wisdom.
Part 2 The Squirrel
Working with poem
1. Why does the poet say the squirrel “wrote a question mark for tail”? Draw a squirrel, or find a picture of a squirrel sitting on the ground. How would you describe its tai?
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.)
3. “He liked to tease and play”. Who is teasing whom? How?
Answer:
1. The poet says the squirrel “wrote a question mark for tail” because the squirrel’s tail is curved and fluffy, resembling the shape of a question mark. When a squirrel sits on the ground, its tail curves upward, creating this unique shape. To describe its tail, you could say it is bushy, curved, and stands upright like a fluffy question mark.
2. We usually do not say that an animal “wears” a tail. Instead, we simply say an animal “has” a tail. The poet uses the word “wear” metaphorically, similar to how we describe the fur or coat of an animal as something they “wear” naturally. In this case, “wear” is used to give an artistic description, making it sound as though the squirrel is dressed in an overcoat with its tail as an accessory.
3. “He liked to tease and play” refers to the squirrel teasing the people around him. The squirrel does this by playfully running around the tree, changing direction whenever someone tries to chase it. This back-and-forth motion of the squirrel avoiding humans creates a playful, teasing scenario.
Solution- All Chapters: English Grammar Exercises for Class 7 with Answers