NCERT Solutions Class 7 English (Honeycomb) Chapter 9 A Bicycle in Good Repair

NCERT Solutions Class 7 English (Honeycomb) 

The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 7 English (Honeycomb) Chapter – 9 A Bicycle in Good Repair has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise. 

Chapter – 9 (A Bicycle in Good Repair) 

Comprehension Check

Answer the following questions:

1. “I got up early, for me.” It implies that
(i) he was an early riser.
(ii) he was a late riser.
(iii) he got up late that morning.
Mark the correct answer.

Answer – (ii) he was a late riser.

2. The bicycle “goes easily enough in the morning and a little stiffly after lunch.” The remark is _________.
(i) humorous.
(ii) inaccurate.
(iii) sarcastic.
(iv) enjoyable.
(v) meaningless.
Mark your choice(s).

Answer – (i) humorous

3. The friend shook the bicycle violently. Find two or three sentences in the text which express the author’s disapproval of it.
Answer – The following sentences express the author’s disapproval:
“Don’t do that; you’ll hurt it.”
“It doesn’t if you don’t wobble it.”
“Don’t you trouble about it anymore”

4. “…if not, it would make a serious difference to the machine.” What does ‘it’ refer to?
Answer – “It” refers to the small balls of the bicycle, which had been dropped when the author’s friend opened the bicycle.

Working with the text

Answer the following questions.

1. Did the front wheel really wobble? What is your opinion? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer – No, the front wheel did not wobble much. We can say so because the author says “It didn’t wobble, as a matter of fact—nothing worth calling a wobble.”

2. In what condition did the author find the bicycle when he returned from the tool shed?
Answer – After returning from the tool shed, the author found that his friend was sitting on the ground with the front wheel between his legs. He was moving it between his fingers.

3. “Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case.” Comment on or continue this sentence in the light of what actually happens.
Answer – The author’s and took off the gear-case easily. But actually the author wanted that his friend should not take off the gear-case. He tried to stop him because he had learnt that buying of a new cycle was cheaper than repairing the gear-case.

4. What special treatment did the chain receive?
Answer – The author’s friend tightened the chain till it did not move. Then he loosened it until it was twice as loose as it was before.

5. The friend has two qualities — he knows what he is doing and is absolutely sure it is good. Find the two phrases in the text which mean the same.
Answer – The two phrases from the text are- cheery confidence and inexplicable hopefulness.

6. Describe ‘the fight’ between the man and the machine. Find the relevant sentences in the text and write them.
Answer – When the author’s friend doubled himself across the bicycle till he lost his balance and slid over on to his head, he lost his temper and tried bullying it. The bicycle showed spirit and there ensued a fight between him and the machine. One moment the bicycle was on the gravel path and he on top of it. The next moment the position was reversed. He became happy with his victory after the bicycle was firmly fixed between his legs. However, his triumph was short-lived. By a sudden, quick movement, the bicycle freed itself and hit him sharply over the head with one of its handles by turning upon him. After a while, he gave up, saying that. The bicycle looked as if it also had enough of it.

Working with language

1. Read the following sentences.
• We should go for a long bicycle ride.
• I ought to have been firm.
• We mustn’t lose any of them.
• I suggested that he should hold the fork, and that I should handle the wheel.
The words in italics are modal auxiliaries. Modal auxiliaries are used with verbs to express notions such as possibility, permission, willingness, obligation, necessity, etc. ‘Should,’ ‘must’ and ‘ought to’ generally express moral obligation, necessity and desirability.

Look at the following.

• We should go on a holiday. (Suggestion: It is a good idea for us to go on a holiday.)
• He is not too well these days. He must see a doctor before he becomes worse. (Compulsion or necessity: It is absolutely essential or necessary for him to see a doctor.)
• You ought to listen to me. I am well over a decade older than you. (more emphatic than ‘should’: Since I am older than you, it is advisable that you listen to me.)
Note: ‘Should’ and ‘ought to’ are often used interchangeably.
Rewrite each of the following sentences using should/ ought to/must in place of the italicized words. Make other changes wherever necessary.
(i) You are obliged to do your duty irrespective of consequences.
(ii) You will do well to study at least for an hour every day.
(iii) The doctor says it is necessary for her to sleep eight hours every night.
(iv) It is right that you show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
(v) If you want to stay healthy, exercise regularly.
(vi) It is good for you to take a walk every morning.
(vii) It is strongly advised that you don’t stand on your head.
(viii) As he has a cold, it is better for him to go to bed.

Answer –

(i) You must do your duty irrespective of consequences.
(ii) You should study at least for an hour every day.
(iii) The doctor says it is a must for her to sleep eight hours every night.
(iv) You ought to show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
(v) If you want to stay healthy, you must exercise regularly.
(vi) You should take a walk every morning.
(vii) It is a must not to stand on your head.
(viii) As he has a cold, he should go to bed.

2. Use should/must/ought to appropriately in the following sentences.
(i) People who live in glass houses ________ not throw stones.
(ii) You ________ wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.
(iii) You ________ do what the teacher tells you.
(iv) The pupils were told that they ________ write more neatly.
(v) Sign in front of a park: You ________ not walk on the grass.
(vi) You ________ be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.
(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He ________ be here any minute.
(viii) “Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?”
“How ________ I know? I have just arrived.

Answer –
(i) People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
(ii) You must wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.
(iii) You must do what the teacher tells you.
(iv) The pupils were told that they should write more neatly.
(v) Sign in front of a park: You must not walk on the grass.
(vi) You ought to be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.
(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He should be here any minute.
(viii) “Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?”
“How should I know? I have just arrived.

3. Two or more single sentences can be combined to form a single sentence.
Read the following.
     I made an effort, and was pleased with myself.
This sentence is in fact a combination of two sentences.
• I made an effort.
• I was pleased with myself.
Now read this sentence.
     I did not see why he should shake it.
This is also a combination of two sentences.
• I did not see (it).
• Why should he shake it?
Divide each of the following sentences into its parts. Write meaningful parts. If necessary, supply a word or two to make each part meaningful.
(i) I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. (3 parts)
(ii) When I came back he was sitting on the ground. (2 parts)
(iii) We may as well see what’s the matter with it, now it is out. (3 parts)
(iv) He said he hoped we had got them all. (3 parts)
(v) I had to confess he was right. (2 parts)

Answer –
(i) I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. (3 parts)
I went to the tool shed.
I went (there) to see.
What I could find.

(ii) When I came back he was sitting on the ground. (2 parts)
I came back.
He was sitting on the ground.

(iii) We may as well see what’s the matter with it, now it is out. (3 parts)
We may as well see.
What is the matter with it.
Now it is out.

(iv) He said he hoped we had got them all. (3 parts)
He said.
He hoped.
We had got them all.

(v) I had to confess he was right. (2 parts)
I had to confess.
He was right.

4: ‘en’ acts as a prefix (put at the beginning) or as a suffix (put at the end) to form new words.

‘en’ at the beginning or at the end of a word is not always a prefix or a suffix. It is then an integral part of the word.

(i) Now arrange the words given in the box under the three headings — prefix, suffix and part of the word.

(ii) Find new words in your textbook and put them under the same headings.

Answer –
(i)

(ii) evening garden enough when between dozen tighten loosen end ten open forgotten sudden
en (prefix): endangered, enact, entrap.
en (suffix): tighten, loosed, forgotten.
en (part of word): evening, garden, enough, when, dozen, end, ten, open, sudden.