The forest pool was very clean and cold and inviting, whereas the one in the Rajputana desert was known to be sticky and muddy where buffaloes wallowed and women washed clothes.

Question - 2 : -
The other boy asked Ranji to ‘explain’ himself.

(i) What did he expect Ranji to say?

(ii) Was he, in your opinion, right or wrong to ask this question?

Answer - 2 : -

The other boy expected Ranji to apologize to him for entering the forest pool without seeking his permission. He wanted Ranji to leave the pool immediately.
He was wrong to expect and ask Ranji to leave the pool because the forest pool was open to everyone and he did not have personal right to its property.

Question - 3 : -
Between Ranji and the other boy, who is trying to start a quarrel? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer - 3 : -

The other boy actually started the quarrel between him and Ranji. This is evident from the fact that when Ranji saw the other boy in the pool, he did not try to pick a fight or say a word to him. It was the other boy who deliberately came to fight with Ranji, even when he tried to be friendly with that boy. However, Ranji was taken aback by the hostile behaviour of that boy who strongly demanded that the pool belonged to him and others need to obtain his permission to use it. Soon enough after saying all this, he started a fight with Ranji and referred to himself as a ‘Warrior’, to which Ranji replied that he himself was a ‘Fighter’.

Question - 4 : -
“Then we will have to continue the fight,” said the other.

(i) What made him say that?

(ii) Did the fight continue? If not, why not?

Answer - 4 : -

When both Ranji and the other boy fought for a long while, Ranji refused to leave the pool and the fight ensued. When that boy saw that Ranji did not accept defeat and was not listening to his words, he said that the fight between them will continue the following day.
Apparently, the fight did not continue on the following day as both of them had a bitter experience the previous day and were not willing to continue this fight any further. Although they thought they would continue fighting, neither of them took the initiative or interest to pick a fight again. When the other boy named Suraj, saw that Ranji could dive into the water, he was amazed and asked him to teach him how to do it. Suraj promised that he would help Ranji to become a wrestler if he taught him how to swim and dive into the water just like him.

Question - 5 : -
What is it that Ranji finds difficult to explain at home?

Answer - 5 : -

When Ranji reached home, he found it difficult to explain the cuts and bruises that showed on his face, leg and arms. It was difficult to conceal the fact that he had been in an unusually violent fight with Suraj. Therefore, his mother insisted on his staying at home for the rest of the day.

Question - 6 : -
Ranji sees his adversary in the bazaar.

(i) What does he wish to do?

(ii) What does he actually do, and why?

Answer - 6 : -

When Ranji saw his adversary in the bazaar, he tried to avoid him by turning away and looked elsewhere. He was so angry at that boy that he felt to throw the lemonade bottle at his enemy.
Ranji did not do anything. He just stood his ground and scowled at his passing adversary. He did not want to pick unnecessary fight with the other boy in the market. Even that boy said nothing either but scowled back with equal ferocity.

Question - 7 : -
Ranji is not at all eager for a second fight. Why does he go back to the pool, then?

Answer - 7 : -

Although Ranji was not at all eager for a second fight with the other boy, but he left his home unwillingly. He remembered that he had accepted the challenge and he had to defy his enemy in order to gain respect. If he gave up, this meant that he had acknowledged his defeat to the other boy.

Question - 8 : -
Who was the better swimmer? How do you know it?

Answer - 8 : -

Ranji was definitely a better swimmer. This is evident from that fact that when the other boy made fun of Ranji if he would be able to swim across the pool. Hearing this, Ranji dived straight into the water and surfaced towards the other end of the pool quickly. The other boy named Suraj was amazed at Ranji’s feat and asked him how did he do it so smoothly. He then asked Ranji to teach him how to dive and swim under water and in return, he would help Ranji to become a wrestler.

Question - 9 : -
What surprises the warrior?

Answer - 9 : -

When Ranji dived into the water perfectly, Suraj was amazed to see this. Ranji was able to swim under water as he circled Suraj and came up from behind him. This surprised Suraj and he admired Ranji’s swimming skills.

Question - 10 : -
Now that they are at the pool, why don’t they continue the fight?

Answer - 10 : -

Although both the boys were at the pool together, they were not fighting with each other. Suraj, the warrior was taken by surprise when he saw Ranji’s skills like diving and swimming under water. He wanted to learn these skills from Ranji.

Free - Previous Years Question Papers

Chapter 6 – The Fight Solutions

Subscribe Now!