Question 1:
Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?
Answer:
The king did not want to waste the time of the court on irrelevant matters.
Question 2:
What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?
Answer:
The king asked Gopal to buy a hilsa-fish and bring it to the palace. He warned that he (Gopal) should make sure that no one asked him a word about it.
Question 3:
What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?
Answer:
Gopal half-shaved his face. He smeared himself with ash. He wore torn clothes.
Question 4:
How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?
Answer:
When the guards did not allow Gopal to enter the palace, he began to dance and sing loudly. The king ordered the guards to bring the man (Gopal) before him.
Question 5:
Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.
Answer:
His half shaven face, his body which was smeared with ash and his torn clothes attracted people’s attention. Therefore nobody talked about the hilsa-fish bought by him.
Question 6:
The king lost his temper easily.
Answer:
TRUE
Question 7:
Gopal was a mad man.
Answer:
FALSE
Question 8:
Gopal was a clever man.
Answer:
TRUE
Question 9:
Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes.
Answer:
FALSE
Question 10:
The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong.
Answer:
FALSE
Question 11:
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 sentence in the story to reported
speech.
How much did you pay for that hilsa? The woman asked the man _______________
Answer:
The woman asked the man how much he had paid for that hilsa.
Question 12:
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 sentence in the story to reported
speech.
Why is your face half-shaven? Gopal’s wife asked him _______________
Answer:
Gopal’s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.
Question 13:
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 sentence in the story to reported
speech.
I accept the challenge, Your Majesty. Gopal told the king _______________
Answer:
Gopal told the king that he accepted the king’s challenge.
Question 14:
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 sentence in the story to reported
speech.
I want to see the king. Gopal told the guards _______________
Answer:
Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the king.
Question 15:
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 sentence in the story to reported
speech.
Bring the man to me at once. The king ordered the guard _______________
Answer:
The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.
Question 16:
Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use
them in sentences of your own.
challenge
Answer:
Challenge (demanding task) — I accept your challenge to a duel.
Question 17:
Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use
them in sentences of your own.
mystic
Answer:
Mystic (holy man, hermit) — I mistook the mystic for a mad man.
Question 18:
Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use
them in sentences of your own.
comical
Answer:
Comical (odd and amusing) — You look highly comical in this dress.
Question 19:
Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use
them in sentences of your own.
courtier
Answer:
Courtier (assistant of a sovereign at court) — The king punished one of his courtiers.
Question 20:
Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use
them in sentences of your own.
smearing
Answer:
Smearing (spreading something) — He is smearing his face with ash.
Question 21:
Look at the pictures and read the text aloud.
(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 are 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?
Answer:
(i) The stag is by the side of a pond.
(ii) He is looking at his reflection in the water.
(iii) Yes, he does.
(iv) No, he hates them.
(v) He is being chased by hunters. He is running for his life.
(vi) No, he isn’t.
(vii) They are after him.
(viii) Yes, they are.
(ix) Yes, he is.
(x) He says that he was proud of his horns but they could have caused his death. He was
ashamed of his legs but they saved him.
Question 22:
Look at the pictures and read the text aloud.
Answer:
The Vain Stag
A stag was standing by the side of a pond. He looked at his reflection in the water. He was
charmed to see his beautiful horns. Then he looked at his legs. He began to curse God for
his long, thin, ugly legs. Two hunters saw the stag. They ran to catch him.
The stag’s
life was in danger. He ran for his life. The hunters followed him. They were closing in on
the stag. The stag tried to hide himself in some bushes. His horns got stuck in the bushes.
He was about to be killed. He struggled and got free. He ran as fast as he could. His ugly
legs saved his life while his beautiful horns could have caused his death.