Chapter 3 – Gopal and the Hilsa Fish Solutions
Question - 1 : - Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?
Answer - 1 : - The king did not want to listen any more talk about the hilsa-fish because everyone in the entire kingdom kept talking only about the hilsa-fish and this irritated the king.
Question - 2 : - What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?
Answer - 2 : - The king asked Gopal to prove that he was clever so that while Gopal is on this challenge, he will try as much as possible that people don’t speak anything about the Hilsa-fish.
Question - 3 : - What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?
Answer - 3 : -
The three things that Gopal did before he went to buy his hilsa-fish were:
i) He half-shaved his face.
ii) He smeared ash on his body.
iii) He wore rags.
Question - 4 : - How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?
Answer - 4 : - When he reached the palace, he told the guards that he wants to meet the king. The guards stopped him from going inside. Gopal began to sing and dance loudly. The king heard the noise and ordered to get the man inside the palace. That’s how he got inside the palace.
Question - 5 : - Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.
Answer - 5 : - The reason why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought was that people were more surprised by his appearance- half-shaved face, ash on the body and rugs instead of proper clothes. This made them wonder what happened to him.
Question - 6 : - Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following sentences.
(i) The king lost his temper easily. _________
(ii) Gopal was a madman. _________
(iii) Gopal was a clever man. _________
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes. _________
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong. _________
Answer - 6 : -
(i) The king lost his temper easily. True
(ii) Gopal was a madman. False
(iii) Gopal was a clever man. True
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes. False
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong. False
Question - 7 : - 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 sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.
For e,g, (i) How much did you pay for that hilsa?
The woman asked the man how much he had paid for that hilsa.
(ii) Why is your face half-shaven?
Gopal’s wife asked him _________________.
(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king _________________.
(iv) I want to see the king.
Gopal told the guards _________________.
(v) Bring the man to me at once.
The king ordered the guard _________________.
Answer - 7 : -
(ii) Gopal’s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.
(iii) Gopal told the king that he accepted the challenge.
(iv) Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the king.
(v) The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.
Question - 8 : - Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use them in sentences of your own.
Challenge; mystic; comical; courtier; smearing
Answer - 8 : -
Challenge: Radhika challenged Kshama for the debate competition.
Mystic: The Gods are considered to be mystic.
Comical: Shinchan is a comical character.
Courtier: The courtier had to obey the orders of the king.
Smearing: Smearing oil before playing holi helps in getting the colour off the skin easily.
Question - 9 : - Now ask your partner questions about each picture.
(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 - 9 : -
I. The stag was by the side of a pond.
II. He is watching is reflection in the water of the pond.
III. Yes, he liked his antlers.
IV. No, he does not like his legs as they are very thin.
V. The stag is running because hunters are chasing it.
VI. No, he is not able to hide in the bushes because his horns get stuck in the bushes.
VII. The hunters are behind the stag.
VIII. Yes, they were getting closer to the stag.
IX. Yes, the stag is free.
X. The stag says that he was proud of his horns but it could have caused the stag’s death. The legs it was ashamed of, saved his life.
Question - 10 : - Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title
Answer - 10 : -
Horns and the Legs
Once upon a time, there lived a stag. One day he was about to drink water when he saw his reflection in the water of the pond. He felt proud to have such beautiful horns. Then, he looked at his legs and thought that they were so thin and ugly.
One day, some hunters came in the jungle and began chasing the stag. The stag started to run but his horns got stuck in the bushes. Then he put in more efforts and ran away fast.
When he was out of danger, he thought that the horns that he was so proud of, could have got him killed. And the legs which he considered to be ugly, were his savior.