Literature in English

Prose
Std 6
2023-24
The Questions

A. Answer the following questions with reference to context-

1. ‘What could it be?’
a) What is being referred to in this line?
• The line refers to the contents of the covered copper pot.
b) Why were the ministers wondering what it could be?
• The copper pot brought by the envoy from Kabul was covered with a cloth thus it left
the ministers wondering what could be inside it.
c) Where was this event occurring?
• This event was occurring in the Diwan-i-Khas, a special hall where the Mughal
emperors received courtiers and state guests.
d) What happened after the question mentioned above was asked?
• After the question was asked the courtiers/ministers started making guesses amongst
themselves murmuring what could possibly be inside the covered copper pot.
e) What was in the pot?
• The pot was empty. It contained nothing.
f) Who found the answer? How did he do it?
• Birbal found the answer.
• Birbal made a request to the envoy asking if it was alright if he examined the pot a
little closely, to which the envoy responded by saying it was alright with him.
• Birbal then walked over to the pot and bent down to examine it, then with a sudden
movement, he whipped off the cloth and peered inside.
2. ‘……..but by God’s grace, we were able to do it.’
a) Who had spoken these words and to whom?
• Birbal had said these words to the envoy.
b) What was the speaker able to do?
• Birbal was able to find the answer to the question asked by the envoy of Kabul.
c) Who had asked the speaker to do ‘it’? What did the speaker have to do?
• The envoy from His Majesty, the ruler of Kabul had asked Birbal to do ‘it’. He had
asked Birbal to answer his question which was where the center of the Earth is.
d) Do you think the speaker was clever? Why?
• Yes, Birbal was clever.
• Student’s response.
e) How do you think the speaker outwitted the person who asked the question?
• Student’s response.
f) What stupendous discovery had the speaker made?
• Birbal pointed to a mark he had made on the ground and had said that right there was
the centre of the Earth. He also added that they were fortunate enough to be standing
on it!
• He mentioned that all their research and consultations with experts had revealed this
truth.

B. Answer the following questions:

1. What claim was Birbal asking the envoy to verify? How did the envoy react to it?
Ans. Birbal asked the envoy to confirm his claim of having found the centre of earth at a spot
he had made on the ground if he wanted to. The envoy responded by saying of course
in a faint voice.
2. Was the emperor happy with the outcome of the questions asked by the envoy? Quote the
line from the story to support your answer.
Ans. Yes, the emperor was happy with the outcome of the questions asked by the envoy. The
line ‘Over his sullen head, Emperor’s eyes met Birbal’s full of laughter and admiration’
conveys his happiness with the outcome.
3. Who is an intelligent person?
Ans. Intelligence does not mean only gathering information or knowledge, but a person is
considered intelligent when they have the abilities such as quick thinking and being able to
keep your wits about you.
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