NCERT Solutions Class 7 English (Honeycomb)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 7 English (Honeycomb) Chapter – 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Chapter – 3 (Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish)
Working with the text
Answer the following questions:
1. Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?
Answer – The king was fed up with the talks going around about Hilsa-fish. It was the season of hilsa-fish and everyone was talking about the fish.
2. What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?
Answer – The king asked Gopal to bring Hilsa fish to the palace without anyone asking a word about the fish.
3. What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?
Answer – Before he went to buy hilsa-fish, Gopal half-shaved his face, smeared himself with ash, and wore disgraceful rags.
4. How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?
Answer – After he had bought the fish, Gopal reached the palace and told the guards that he wanted to see the king. When the guards did not let him in, he began to dance and sing loudly. When the king heard this, and also the comments of the people watching the man sing and dance, he asked for the man to be brought before him.
5. Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.
Answer – No one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought because of Gopal’s ridiculous appearance. Some people found him comical, others thought he was a madman, still others thought he was a mystic. They were so engrossed in discussing his appearance that the hilsa-fish went unnoticed.
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 –
(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)
Working with Language
1. 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.
| (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 –
(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.
2. 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 –
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.
Picture Reading
2. Now ask your partner questions about each picture.
(i) Where is the stag?
Answer – The stag was by the side of a pond.
(ii) What is he doing?
Answer – He is watching his reflection in the water of the pond.
(iii) Does he like his antlers (horns)?
Answer – Yes, he liked his antlers.
(iv) Does he like his legs?
Answer – No, he does not like his legs as they are very thin.
(v) Why is the stag running?
Answer – The stag is running because hunters are chasing it.
(vi) Is he able to hide in the bushes?
Answer – No, he is not able to hide in the bushes because his horns get stuck in the bushes.
(vii) Where are the hunters now?
Answer – The hunters are behind the stag.
(viii) Are they closing in on the stag?
Answer – Yes, they were getting closer to the stag.
(ix) Is the stag free?
Answer – Yes, the stag is free.
(x) What does the stag say about his horns and his legs?
Answer – 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.
3. Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.
Answer –
The Proud Stag
There lived a stag in a certain forest. Once while drinking water, he saw his image in the pond. He liked his beautiful horns. Then he saw his legs. They were veiy thin. They looked ugly. He felt proud of his horns and sad about his feet. Just then he saw some hunters. He tried to hide in bushes. His whole body was hidden but his horns showed him. The hunters came too close for safety. The stag ran for life. His legs saved him. He understood his folly. He was proud of his horns but they could cause his death. He was ashamed of his legs but they saved his life.
4. Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given below.
1. Mother will be very ________ if you don’t go to school.
2. As soon as he caught ________ of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my ________ kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?
4. My youngest sister is now a ________ old.
5. Standing on the ________, he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don’t make such a ________. Nothing will happen.
7. Don’t cross the ________ till the green light comes on.
Answer –
1. Mother will be very cross if you don’t go to school.
2. As soon as he caught sight of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my tiny kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?
4. My youngest sister is now a year old.
5. Standing on the roof, he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don’t make such a fuss. Nothing will happen.
7. Don’t cross the street till the green light comes on.
