WBBSE Class 7 English Chapter 2 Solution | The Riddle |

L E S S O N 2

THE RIDDLE

Let's share:

(a) Can you name any other famous emperor of India?

Ans: Another famous emperor of India was Alauddin Khilji.

(b) Why would a person be called a 'gem'?

Ans:  A person is called a 'gem' for his proficiency in any sphere of knowledge.

(c) Can you name any other 'gem' of Akbar's court other than Birbal?

Ans: 'Tansen' was another gem of Akbar's court. He was a composer, musician and singer of the Indian classical music.

ACTIVITY-1

Choose the correct answers from the given alternatives: 

Answers:

(a) (ii) in the royal garden

(b) (i) most trusted and faithful minister

(c) (iii) worried

(d) (i) in human mind

(e) (iii) the neighbour's friend

ACTIVITY-2

Identify which of the following statements are 'True' and which are 'False'. Give a supporting statement for each of your answer:

Answers:

(a) Emperor Akbar was very worried when he was roaming in his garden. (True)

Supporting statement: O great and powerful king, what is troubling you?

(b) There were no flowers and fruits in the garden of Akbar. ( False)

Supporting statement: His garden was lined with trees that produced the tastiest and juiciest fruits.

(c) Birbal was indifferent to Akbar's trouble. ( False)

Supporting statement: You do not seem to be your usual self.

(d) Birbal succeeded in answering to Akbar's query. ( True)

Supporting statement: 'Your Majesty, it is the human mind!

(e) The people of Akbar's court admired the wisdom of Birbal. (True)

Supporting statement: All round, the people were amazed at the wisdom of Birbal and the speed of the human mind.

ACTIVITY-3

What kind of a Text is this?  It is a (i) play (ii) essay (iii) story.

Answers: It is a- (iii) story.

ACTIVITY-5

Complete the sentences meaningfully : 

Answers:

(a) Akbar asked Birbal to solve a riddle.

(b) Most people of the court of Akbar were puzzled by the question that was troubling Akbar.

(c) The neighbour was outwitted and withdraw his claim immediately.

(d) The human mind is the fastest thing on earth.

ACTIVITY-6

Fill in the chart with information from the text:

Answers:

Cause

Effect

1. Akbar failed to find the answer of a simple question.

1. Akbar was troubled

2. Emperor Akbar asked Birbal to solve a riddle

2. Birbal assured Akbar that he would definitely give an answer to the riddle

3. Neighbour argued that he had just sold him the well, not the water in it.

3. The neighbour wanted to charge money for drawing water from the well.

ACTIVITY-7

Answer the following questions:

(1) What were the things that the great Akbar loved? 

Ans: The great Akbar loved arts, science, music and literature.

(2) Why did Akbar not have peace of mind? 

Ans: The great Akbar had no peace of mind because he wanted to know what the fastest thing on this planet was. 

(3) What was the problem presented by the man from the audience?

Ans: A man from audience complained that he had bought a well from one of his neighbours. But when he wanted to draw water from it, his neighbour wanted to charge money as he sold him only the well not the water in it.

(4) How did Birbal solve the problem?

Ans: Birbal suggested that the neighbour should also pay rent for keeping water in that well. Thus the neighbour was outwitted and he withdrew his claim and the problem was solved.

ACTIVITY-8

Identify the words from the text which are the synonyms of the following words: 

(a) confused— puzzled

(b) demand—claim

(c) argument—dispute

(d) surprised—amazed

ACTIVITY-9

Complete the following sentences with the proper Degree of Adjective: 

Answers:

(a) Shiela has the longest hair in the class.

(b) Mr. Ghosal is busier than Mr. Patnaik.

(c) We should be careful in our speech. 

(d) Shenawaz is as thin as Pulak.

(e) The owl is considered as the wise of all. 

(f) His house is far away from my house than Sanjeev's.

ACTIVITY-10

Fill in the blanks with either Present Continuous Tense or Past Continuous Tense:

Answers:

(a) It is raining now. 

(b) Dr. Monmohan Singh is visiting Kolkata today. 

(c) Hari was studying at 9 p.m. yesterday.

(d) The boys are playing in the field now.

(e) Rahim was talking to his friend when his mother called him.

WORKED OUT SCHOOL QUESTIONS

RANIGANJ HIGH SCHOOL (BURDWAN)

A. Answer the following questions: 

(a) What did Emperor Akbar love?

Ans: The emperor Akbar loved arts, science, literature and music.

(b) What were things that Akbar's garden had?

Ans: Akbar's garden was lined with trees that produced the tastiest and juciest fruits in the whole kingdom. There were flowers of all shapes and sizes in his garden. 

(c) Who was Birbal? 

Ans: Birbal was one of the most trusted and favourite minister of Emperor Akbar. 

B. Tick (✔) the correct alternative: 

(a) 'The king of Kings' refers to-

(i) Emperor Akbar

(ii) Emperor Sahajahan

(iii) Emperor Humaun

Ans: (i) Emperor Akbar  ✔

(b) Akbar was walking-

(i) in his palace

(ii) by the sea

(iii) in his garden

Ans: (iii) in his garden ✔

(c) In Akbar's garden, there were-

(i) both fruits and flowers

(ii) only fruit trees

(iii) only flowering plants

Ans: (i) both fruits and flowers  ✔

GRAMMAR

1. Do as directed:

(i) This book is ------- and those books are. (Fill in the blanks with possessive pronouns)

Ans: mine, yours.

ii) Shila is the —---- (thin) girl in the class. (Fill in  blank with proper degree of the adjective.) 

Ans: Shila is the thinest girl in the class. (superlative degree).

(iii) The sleeping baby is looking beautiful. (Underline the participle adjective)

Ans: sleeping.

(iv) The boy —--- (read) a story book yesterday (Fill in the blank with past continuous tense.)

Ans: The boy was reading a storybook yesterday.

(v) He said, "I am busy." (Change the mode of narration.)

Ans: He said that he was busy. 

(vi) (a) This is your book but where is mine? (Find out the possessive adjective and the possessive pronoun)

Ans: your —-- Possessive adjective. mine Possessive pronoun.

(b) To learn my mother tongue I have to learn its alphabet.

Ans: my —-Possessive adjective.

 its —-- Possessive pronoun.

B. Tick (✔) the correct answer from the given alternative:

 (a) Akbar was troubled by -

(i) his courtiers, (ii) a question, (c) his family members

Ans: (ii) a question,  ☑

  

(b) The fastest thing on earth is - 

(i) the human mind, (ii) bullock cart, (iii) horse

Ans: (i) the human mind ☑

(c) Hearing the question that was troubling Akbar, the courtiers were -

(1) indifferent, (i) certain, (iii) confused  ☑,

Ans: (iii) confused  ☑,

C. Write T' for true and 'F' for false statements:

(i) None of the courtiers could answer the question. (T)

(ii) Birbal was puzzled to answer the question of the king. (F)

(iii) There is nothing faster than mind. (T)

A. Complete the following sentences: 

i)  The man's neighbour wanted for the water of the well to charge him money for it.

ii) His neighbour prevented him from the well to draw water.

iii) His neighbour told the court that he had just sold him the well not the water in it.

B. Write "T' for true and 'F' for false statements: 

(i) No one from the audience came forward with a problem. (F)

(ii) The seller of the well was ordered to appear before the court. (T)

C. Fill in the blanks with words from the passage:

(i) We should help our.-------------

Ans: neighbours.

(ii) I saw him drawing from the well.-----------

Ans: water.

(iii) A young man in the crowd came protest.------------ to

Ans: forward.

A. Answer the following questions: 

(i) Who withdrew his claim and why?

Ans: The neighbour realised that he was outwitted so he withdrew his claim immediately. 

(ii) People were amazed at what?

Ans: People were amazed at the wisdom of Birbal and the speed of the human mind that has the ability to solve a problem instantly. 

B. Write 'T' for true and 'F' for false statements: 

(i) The man paid his neighbour water rent for taking water. (F)

(ii) Birbal was able to satisfy the court by his wise reply. (T)

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