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A Multi-Skill Course in English

Question Bank - Coursebook 6


Unit1 Humour
Section I - Frogs in the Fountain
1. What does the author say about marigolds? Why is he wary of them?
2. Children liked to play with the authors double chin. What does this tell
you about his nature? Is he a friendly person?
3. Who can stop me? In what context does the author write this? Is the
statement a challenge?
4. Why do you think the fish died in the fountain? Was it the stagnant water
that killed them or something else?
5. The frogs were sent to the Lucknow zoo. Do you see any humour and
irony in this?

6. Describe the journey of the frogs from the fountain to the zoo.
7. How were the frogs rounded up at the railway station? Would it have been
a simple task?
8. A zoo is the best place for creatures great and small. Do you agree?
Is this always true?

Section II - The Night the Ghost Got In


1. Fill in the blanks using words and phrases from the story.

( a ) I had only a around my waist.


( b ) Mother made one of her quickdecisions.
( c ) Bodwell thought there were .in the house.
( d ) Grandfather thought the police were..from the army.
( e ) Grandfather was in the attic, in the old.
( f ) It was now about .oclock on a night.
2. None of us ever heard the ghost again. Write a few lines about the
ghost.

3. How did Mother call the police? Narrate in your own words.
4. Why was the night a defeat for the cops? What did they want?
5. How did Grandfather end up shooting the policeman? Narrate the
circumstances.
6. Mother tells the cops that there were two or three burglars. Was this
true?
7. Towards the end of the story what is the narrator dressed in? Why did the
reporter look at him with suspicion and interest?
8. Did Grandfather remember the events of the previous night? Elaborate.
Section III - Dear Mum
1. Fill in the blanks using words and phrases from the poem.

( a ) muddy footprints appeared on the.

( b ) the house is..


( c ) a cup went and.
( d ) ..mysteriously overflowed
( e ) cat managed to ..
( f ) .managed to self-raise
2. After saying that he was being good the boy adds honest. Why do you
think he does that?
3. What was special about the blue vase?
4. Can cats turn on washing machines? Yes / No.
5. Does the boy know his mothers nature well? How can you say?
6. Why does the boy choose to go to his grandmothers place and not
anywhere else?
7. Even though the boy is mischievous do you feel angry with him? Why /
Why not?

8. Why does the boy say the house is haunted? Does he really think so?
Unit 2 - Relationships
Section I - How I Have Suffered
1. Why does Mata scold the children when they make fun of their mothers
English? What does she say? What does this tell you about Metas
character?
2. What happened when the childrens father was looking for food in the
fridge? What did he finally eat?

3. Why did Meta often threaten to go back to Chermany? According to her,


how was Germany a better place to live in?
4. Did Meta ever get to see the writers apartment? What happened?
5. How did Meta teach the family about trust, love and loyalty? Discuss and
write.
6. Why did Mata often say How I have suffered here! Did she really
mean it?
7. What does Metas trunk turn out to be full of? What does this tell us about
her emotions and sentiments?

8. Was Meta a caring and affectionate person or was she harsh and distant?
Give reasons for your answer.
9. Do you think one often comes across people like Meta in life? Or are
people like her rare and hard to find?

Section II - Tom Comes Home


1. If a lion came roaring at me, I think youd fight him. What feelings of
Maggie towards her brother does this statement show?
2. Does Maggie have a vivid imagination? Give instances from the story to
support your answer.
3. Maggie forgets to feed the rabbits. Do you think she is a cruel and
heartless girl or is she just careless?
4. Was Tom justified in being upset about the rabbits? In his place, would
you have felt the same?
5. Is Tom a good brother to Maggie? Yes / No.
6. Is Maggie a likeable girl? What qualities of hers do you like / dislike?

7. Do you think Tom would have forgiven Maggie later in the story? Would
you have if you were in Toms place?

8. Maggie experiences a crushing sense of misery. Is she herself


responsible for what happened?

Section III - My Sister Betty


1. Would you say that Betty is an ambitious girl? Give reasons.
2. According to Betty what do famous actresses always look like?
3. According to Betty what do famous actresses always suffer from?
4. What according to Betty was the best thing about being an actress?
5. The childrens mother asks the boy to stop teasing Betty. Was he really
teasing her?
6. For how long does Betty lie on the floor and why?
7. Write a few lines about Betty. Do you know anyone like her?
8. Why did Betty switch off the light in her brothers room?
Unit 3 - Gurus
Section I - Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
1. Write about Kelucharans childhood. Was he exposed to dance and music
as a child?
2. How did Bhalabhadra Sahu react when he saw Kelu dancing? What did he
do for the young boy?
3. What made Kelus father change his mind about his son becoming a
dancer? Did the decision change Kelus life?

4. Describe the relationship between Kelu and his guru.


5. What disease did Kelus guru suffer from? How did Kelu help him?
6. Was it easy for Kelu to establish himself as a teacher of Odissi?
7. Name at least three other classical dance forms of India. For example,
kathak.

8. It is not easy to master dance and music. Do you agree?


9. Take him. He is always jumping and spinning like a top. Who said these
words? What compelled the speaker to say this? What effect did this have on
Kelu?
Section II - The Song of Songs
1. Arrange the following statements in the order in which they appear in the
story.

( i ) Why cant you sing like him, Ustadji?


( ii ) I sing at your command.
( iii) I am long past the age of singing.
( iv ) Thats not the right note, Tansen.
( v ) I shall go as a humble lover of music.
( vi )There is someone else who sings far better than I do.
2. Tansen says, Provided you do not come as the emperor of Hindustan.
Why does he say this? What does he mean?

3. How did Tansen make his teacher sing?


4. Would Sant Haridas have agreed to come to the court to sing? Why / Why
not?
5. Describe Sant Haridas singing in your own words.
6. Suggest at least two suitable titles for this story.
7. Would you say that the emperor was a true lover of music? How can you
say?

8. Why does Tansen say he cannot sing as well as his teacher?


9. How can my music hope to reach those heights? Who said this and to
whom? In what context did he utter these words?
Section III - Metamorphosis
1. Tears and smiles with joy and fear. Is this an apt description of every
childs first day at school?
2. What is the classroom compared to in the poem?
3. What are the children compared to in the poem?
4. Confident and ready for their flight. What flight is the poet referring to?
5. Do the events described in the poem happen every year?
6. Why is the teachers heart filled with pride and celebration?
7. The first three lines of the poem are similar to the last three. Is the poet
talking about the same children?
8. How would you describe the teacher in the poem? Choose words from the
box below.

heartless

loving

caring

cold

cruel

selfish

tender
warm
gentle

Unit 4 - Adventure Sports


Section I - Women Mountaineers: Pinnacle of Success
1. Narrate the incident when Dicky carried a sack of grain uphill. What does
this incident tell you about her?
2. Listed below are important years in Dicky Dolmas life. Write across each
what happened that year.

( a ) 1974
( b ) 1991 ( c ) 1993 3. Write about Dickys association with the Manali Institute.
4. What does Dicky say about her senior Bachendri Pal?
5. What did Santosh Yadav do twice in one year? Is this an unusual
achievement?
6. Listed below are incomplete names of some of the mountains Santosh
Yadav has climbed and the expeditions she has been part of. Complete the
names.

( a ) Num - .
( b ) Mount White
( c ) Indo-Taiwanese..
( d ) Eastern
( e ) Indian Pre -.
( f ) Mount F
( g ) Indo-.
( h ) Mount E
( i ) Andes..
( j ) Mount A..
7. Who were Santoshs companions when she climbed the Everest? How
long did she stay on the peak for?
8. What are Santosh Yadavs plans now?
9. What advice does Santosh give to the youth?
10. Do Dicky Dolma and Santosh Yadav inspire you to take on a life of
adventure? What would it be like to do something nobody has done before?

Section II - Sea Swimming


1. Listed below are important years in Mihir Sens life. Write across each
what happened that year.

( a ) 1958

( b ) 1966 ( c ) 1967
2. What happened between 1983 and 1989? Who inspired swimming
amongst youngsters in those years?

3. Write about the achievements of Taranath Shenoy. Why is his story


specially remarkable?
4. Write a brief note on Anita Sood.
5. Who was C.V. Janaki? What is she known for?
6. What qualities does one need to be a mountaineer or a sea swimmer? Is
just physical strength enough?
7. How many Indians have so far crossed the Channel? Out of these how
many are women?

Section III - The Balloonists


1. What is below the balloonists on the roads and the tracks and what is
above them?
2. Do the passengers in the hot-air balloon know where they are going? Why
not?
3. Balloonists are holding on to their bubble of air. What does this mean?

4. How do you aeroplanes play noughts and crosses? Describe.


5. Why do you think people like to ride on a hot-air balloon? Have you been
on one or know anyone who has?
6. Do you think while in the air a balloonist feels like a

(a) cloud
(b) bird
( c ) wind
( d ) all of the above
7. How is flying in a hot-air balloon different from flying in an aircraft? Is
there any difference?
8. Imagine your city as it would appear to a balloonist. Write a few lines on
behalf of a balloonist.
Unit 5 -Folklore
Section I - Grateful Animals, Ungrateful Man
1. Write True ( T ) or False ( F ).

( a ) The good man helped the barber and the goldsmith.


( b ) The lion and the snake asked the good man to help everyone.
( c ) The kings daughter was bitten by a snake.
( d ) The good man gave a diamond ring to the lion.
( e ) The queen was bitten by the snake.
2. Why did the barber arrest the good man?
3. Who did the lion arrive with in the city? What was the reaction of the king
and his people? How did this help the good man?

4. Did the good man save the queen? Who did and how?
5. What happened to the barber and the goldsmith in the end?

6. What were the barber and the goldsmith punished for?


7. What do you learn from this story? Choose the correct answer.
( a ) never help people
( b ) only help animals
( c ) dont expect everyone to be grateful for what you have done for them

Section II - The Gifts of Wali Dad


1. Listed below are some of the gifts exchanged between Wali Dad, the
queen and the young king. Create a flowchart and arrange the gifts in the
order in which they were exchanged.

( a ) fine silk
( b ) twenty camels loaded with golden anklets
( c ) twelve horses
( d ) gold bracelet
( e ) twenty mules loaded with silver
2. Though your clothes are poor, in your heart you are king. Who says this
and to whom?

3. What did Wali Dads clothes and hut change into? Why was he
bewildered?

4. Wali Dad calls himself a stupid old man. Would you describe him as
stupid? Or was he generous and simple?

5. Did Wali Dad continue to live like a prince? What happened?

6. In the end, what did Wali Dad decide never to do again?


7. Were the queen of Khaistan and the king of Nekabad gracious people?
Did their graciousness add to Wali Dads troubles?
8. Where are you going, Wali Dad? Who said these words? What did Wali
Dad get from them the first time? What did he get the second time?
9. At last Wali Dad had said goodbye to all his guests - Narrate the incident
that happened before that.
Section III - How the Tortoise Got Its Shell
1. Give two examples each of the following. One has been done for you.
( a ) feathered parrot ,
( b ) fliers - , ..
( c ) creepers - , ..
( d ) crawlers - , ..
( e ) gulpers - , ..
( f ) borers - , ..
( g ) furred - , ..
( h ) bald - , ..
2. Who all were invited to Zeus feast? What was the occasion?

3. How long did the feast go on for?


4. Who was the only one missing in the feast?
5. What reason did the tortoise give for not attending the feast?
6. Theres no place quite like home. Do you agree? Should one always stay
at home? Discuss and write.
7. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone were to always stay at
home? Comment.
8. Do you think the tortoise is lucky to be able to carry its home wherever it
goes? Or is it a burden?
9. Was Zeus harsh on the tortoise? If you were in Zeus place what would
you have said to the tortoise?

Unit 6- Feathered Friends


Section I - Birdwatcher
1. What did Cyril enjoy doing more than going to school? Did his parents
approve of this?
2. Cyrils disbelief turned to admiration. Explain the statement. Who did
Cyril admire?
3. Cyril found a birds nest in a huge oak tree. What birds did they turn out
to be? Who told Cyril about them?
4. Write what the story tells you about the black robins of Chatham islands.
Were they rare birds?
5. Why do Dr Rao and Cyril plan to steal the birds eggs? Why was it
important to do that?

6. Do you think it was cruel and thoughtless to move the black robins eggs?
Give reasons for your answer.

7. Describe how Dr Rao and Cyril moved the eggs out of the nest. Was it a
simple procedure?
8. Dr Rao says his friends would soon come and camp near the trees with the
nests. Who were these friends? Why do you think they were going to camp
there?
9. Now we must pull down the black robins nest. Who said this to whom?
Why did he say this?
10. Have you ever had the occasion to do something to save an animal?
Would you like to become part of a team that saves animals from cruelty and
extinction?

Section II - The Kakas of New Zealand


1. Why did George bring a handful of sticky, dried dates from the
bungalow?
2. Describe the first bird that landed on the corrugated roof. Where did it
finally fly to settle down?
3. Fill in the blanks using words and phrases from the story.
( a ) We had come to to see a flock of
( b ) One of the latecomers was a .
( c ) There was a flock ofbirds which came down regularly.
( d ) The baby was excited and he flapped his wings so that he
almost.

( e ) This Kaka tea party started with just..

4. Why did the narrator feel his ear may get amputated? What did he do to
avoid this?
5. What was the narrator occupied with while George told him the story of
the Kakas?
6. Why did the birds become regular visitors to the bungalow?
7. When did the narrator and his group decide to leave Kapiti?
8. What were the narrators thoughts as he was leaving Kapiti?
9. How can the world become one gigantic Kapiti? Would that be
wonderful?
Section III - The Flying Machine
1. Who is the poem addressed to - a huge bird, a monster or something else?
2. Who is the speaker in the poem? Is the tone of the poem respectful?
3. Why can the birds not see the iron branch where they think the
mechanical bird lives?
4. Are the birds in awe of the mechanical bird or do they feel pity for it?
5. Match and complete the following phrases as they appear in the poem.
( a ) monster

bird

( b ) weird

bird

( c ) fire

kite

( d ) mechanical

eater

( e ) adjutant

creature

( f ) no savour

on strings

( g ) iron

a giant

( h ) puppet

wings

( i ) tower like

no sweet

6. Why does the mechanical bird have no voice of its own?


7. Is the mechanical bird really a puppet in the hands of men?
8. Why do the little birds salute the mechanical bird but from far away?

Unit 7- Fantasy
Section I - The Kings Palace
1. What weakness of Grandpas did Iru take advantage of? How did she
amaze him all the time?
2. Explain the following phrases.
( a ) wise beyond her years
( b ) stare open-mouthed
( c ) she worked me up into a state
( d ) give herself great airs
3. What did Iru mean when she said Oh, goodness me! Was it her way of
avoiding giving a direct answer?
4. Why did Iru appear to go to the palace only when Grandpa was in school?
Did she at all visit a palace?

5. Describe the fairies Iru said she saw? Where did they live and what did
they eat?

6. Why could Grandpa never get a glimpse of the palace?


7. What all did Grandpa do to please Iru so as to get the secret magic words
from her? Did it work?
8. Choose appropriate words from the box to describe Iru.
secretive

mean

fun-loving

selfish

imaginative

playful

loving

affectionate

jovial

Section II - Secrets
1. Did Rohan go straight home after he was sent away from school? Where
did he stop?
2. I wish I had a magic rubber. Did Rohans wish come true?
3. Why did Rohan throw the wooden crate into the grate? What happened
when he did that?
4. How did Rohans mother and the house vanish?
5. What could the magic pencil do? How did Rohan use it?
6. What did Rohan do with the magic pencil when it was reduced to a stub?
7. How did Rohan become a well-known artist? Had he ever taken drawing
lessons?
8. What secret did Rohan and the banyan tree share? Was the secret ever let
out?

9. If Rohan were to tell anyone about the magic rubber and pencil would
anyone believe him? Would you?
10. Let him punish you as well.
Who did the teacher say this? What had he done to deserve punishment?
11. I havent any food ready for you yet. Who said this to whom? What
errand was the person given after that? How did he complete the task?

Section III - No Such Thing


1. What makes one of the speakers shake like a leaf?
2. List out creatures like ghosts and fairies mentioned in the poem. Can you
think of any more to add to the list?
3. Though the poem is about ghostly creatures does it really make you feel
scared?
4. What is described as sharp as hooks in the poem?
5. Out of the two speakers in the poem if you were to choose a part to play
which would you choose? A or B?
6. One of the speakers in the poem is imaginative and scared and the other is
a realist and is practical. Do you agree?
7. Would you say that this is a funny poem?

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