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 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?

Each of the following words contains the sound ‘sh’(as in shine) in the beginning or in the middle or at theend. First speak out all the words clearly. Then arrangethe words in three groups in the table on page 80.

sheep. trash. marsh. fashionanxious.
shriek. shore. fishportion. ashes.
sure. nationshoe. pushing polish
moustache

Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the word given in brackets.
He has to help me. Do you think
he will remember his ? (promise)
He has promised to help me. Do you think he will remember his promise?
(i) The said that only fresh evidence would make him change his .(judge)
(ii) I didn’t notice any serious of opinion among the debaters, although they from one another over small points. (differ)
(iii) It’s a fairly simple question to ,but will you accept my as final? (answer)
(iv) It isn’t that should always be the mother of invention. (necessary)
(v) Hermits are men. How they acquire their no one can tell. (wise)
(vi) The committee has to make Jagdish captain of the team. The is likely to please everyone. (decide)
(vii) Asking for is as noble as willingness to . (forgive)

Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the king. Begin like this: One day I was digging in my garden. A man in ordinary clothes came to see me. I knew it was the king...

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.

In answer to the second question, whose advice did the people say would be important to the king?

Why did the author order so many pairs of boots? Did he really need them?

Fill in the blanks with the words given in the box.

1. My friend lost his chemistry book. Now he doesn’t know …………… to do and ………….. to look for it.
2. There are so many toys in the shops. Neena can’t decide ……………….. one to buy.
3. You don’t know the way to my school. Ask the policeman ………………. to get there.
4. You should decide soon …………….. to start building your house.
5. Do you know …………….. to ride a bicycle? I don’t remember ……………… and …………….. I learnt it.
6. “You should know ………….. to talk and to ………………. keep your mouth shut,” the teacher advised Anil.

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

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

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

What is the secret that Meena shares with Mridu inthe backyard