Notice the way Mr Gessler speaks English. His Englishis influenced by his mother tongue. He speaks Englishwith an accent.• When Mr Gessler speaks, p,t,k, sound like b,d,g. Canyou say these words as Mr Gessler would say them?It comes and never stops. Does it bother me? Not atall. Ask my brother, please.

What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each answer separately. Which answer do you like most, and why?

How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?

Why did the king want to know answers to three questions?

(i) Who was the bearded man?
(ii) Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?

Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting the hermit. Begin like this: The wise men answered my questions, but I was not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the hermit...

1. Match items in List A with their meanings in List B.
fainted: lost consciousness

        A.                                                             B
(i) wounded.                                   got up from sleep
(ii) awoke.                                              give back

(iii) forgive.                       small patches ofground for plants
(iv) faithful.                                      severely injured
(v) pity.                                                     pardon
(vi) beds.                                                    loyal
(vii) return.                                          feel sorry for
Use any three of the above words in sentences of your own. You may change the form of the word.

Why was the king advised to go to magicians?

How does Ravi get milk for the kitten?

Complete the following sentences by adding the appropriate parts of the sentences given in the box.
1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions,
2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable
4. The king requested the hermit
5. The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound,

• but the bleeding would not stop.
• to answer three questions.
• but their answers were so varied that the king was not satisfied.
• and follow it strictly.
• to help the king act at the right time.

Why does Maya think Mr Nath is a crook? Who does she say the Sunday visitor is?

What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?

(i) What makes Mridu conclude that the beggar has nomoney to buy chappals?

(ii) What does she suggest to show her concern?

Why does Maya think Mr Nath is a crook? Who does she say the Sunday visitor is?

(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

What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each answer separately. Which answer do you like most, and why?

Read the following sentences.
It was a cold morning and stars still glowed in the sky.
An old man was walking along the road.
The words in italicised are articles. ‘A’ and ‘an’ are indefinite articles and ‘the’ is the definite article. ‘A’ is used before a singular countable noun. ‘An’ is used before a word that begins with a vowel.

Use a, an or the in the blanks.
There was once ………… play which became very successful. ………… famous actor was acting in it. In ………. play his role was that of ……….. aristocrat who had been imprisoned in …………. castle for twenty years. In……… last act of ……….. play someone would come on ……… stage with ………… letter which he would hand over ……….. to prisoner. Even though …………. aristocrat was not expected to read ………. letter at each performance, he always insisted that ………… letter be written out from beginning to end.

What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?

How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?

Why did the author visit the shop so infrequently?