FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH - KSEEB - CLASS 08 - COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Unit – 2

THE BOY WHO SOLD WISDOM

I. Comprehension Exercises:

A. Re-order the following jumbled sentences in the right sequence as they occur in the text:

1) Gupta was unhappy after the incident because his son would have to feign madness always, or else the king would find out.

2) The minister and one of the queens planned to kill the king.

3) According to Nagendra’s advice, Babu went to the king and told him the whole story.

4) Nagendra advised Babu to pretend madness.

5) The king sent for Nagendra.

6) The king bought the wisdom, “Think deeply before doing anything”, from Nagendra.

7) The king ordered that the queen should be hanged.

8) He engraved it on his cups and plates so that he wouldn’t forget it.

Sequenced sentences:

1) Nagendra advised Babu to pretend madness.

2) Gupta was unhappy after the incident because his son would have to feign madness always, or else the king would find out.

3) According to Nagendra’s advice, Babu went to the king and told him the whole story.

4) The king sent for Nagendra.

5) The king bought the wisdom, “Think deeply before doing anything”, from Nagendra.

6) He engraved it on his cups and plates so that he wouldn’t forget it.

7) The minister and one of the queens planned to kill the king.

8) The king ordered that the queen should be hanged.

B. Complete the following sentences:

1) Nagendra’s brilliant idea was to set up a shop.

2) He sold wisdom.

3) Wisdom was bought by quality.

4) Babu’s father was angry with him because he had paid a nickel and bought a piece of advice as wisdom.

5) Nagendra reacted to the fury of Gupta by asking him to return the wisdom his son had bought.

6) He returned the money after making Gupta sign a document which stated that his son would never use his advice and that he would stand and watch people fighting.

7) Babu got into a problem for the second time when he watched the quarrel between the two maids.

8) The dispute between the two maids was over a pumpkin.

C. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each:

1) Why did Nagendra open a shop?

Ans: Nagendra was orphaned and found himself without a job. He went into town and hired the smallest cheapest place he could find and set up a shop.

2) Why is the merchant’s son called a stupid boy?

Ans: A rich merchant’s son Babu, happened to pass by and herd the wisdom seller hawking his wares: “Wisdom! Wisdom of all kinds! He was a stupid boy. He didn’t know what was really being sold. He thought it was a vegetable or a thing he could hold in his hand.

3) What did Nagendra sell for a nickel?

Ans: Nagendra sold the wisdom for a nickel.

4) Why was Babu’s father angry?

Ans: Babu’s father was angry on him because Babu had bought worthless a piece of paper (wisdom).

5) How did Nagendra make Gupta realize the value of wisdom?

Ans: Gupta got angry and scolded Nagendra for selling a piece of paper to his son and demanded him to return his nickel, at that Nagendra made him to sign a document that his son would never use his advice and he would always stand and watch people fighting. After few days Babu struck in a problem, Gupta rushed to Nagendra and requested him to advice him. Thus Gupta realized the value of wisdom.

6) Why did the two maids quarrel?

Ans: Once the two maids of two queens went to market to same shop and decided to purchase a pumpkin. Unfortunately there was only one pumpkin but both maids wanted to buy it, later they stopped conversion and quarreled with each other.

7) Why did Babu and his father go to Nagendra twice?

Ans: As per signed document Babu had to stand and watch fight. Unluckily he watched the quarrel between the two maids of two queens. The queens were now furious and sent complaints to the king. Later each of them sent word to Babu that he was the witness on her side. If he didn’t speak in support of her, she would have his head chopped off. He was too afraid. They went to Nagendra to get wisdom then Nagendra said he would help but the fee would be five hundred rupees.

8) Why was Babu very happy?

Ans: Babu was caught in a situation where his death was sure but Babu followed Nagendra’s advice and he pretended as an insane. The king threw him out by saying him as mad, thus this particular deception had saved his life. So, Babu was very happy.

9) What is the meaning of the expression, “Think deeply before you do anything”?

Ans: “Think deeply before you do anything”, It is very important to be concerned before doing any task. Many don’t think about what is right or wrong before doing it and they would suffer a lot latter. It’s better to think twice before you do anything.

10) Why did the king make Nagendra his minister?

Ans: A conspiracy was going against the king to kill him by one of the queens. As the king was inspired by Nagendra’s advice and the king was following his advice “Think deeply before you do anything”, that particular advice had saved his life and the king made Nagendra his minister.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1) “Think deeply before you do anything.”

a) Who was asked to think deeply?

b) Who gave this piece of wisdom and why?

c) How did this piece of wisdom help the receiver?

Ans: a) The king was asked to think deeply.

b) Nagendra gave this piece of wisdom. The king asked him to sell some wisdom to him.

c) He saved his own life by following Nagendra’s piece of wisdom.

2) “I do not sell wisdom by weight. I sell it by quality.”

a) Who said this?

b) To whom was this said?

c) When was this said?

d) What does it mean?

Ans: a) Nagendra said this.

b) This was said to Babu.

c) When Babu asked Nagendra how much it would cost per kg.

d) It is helpful to judge wisdom only by its eminence to know its significance.

II. Let’s Write:

Imagine that Babu in this lesson writes to his friend Salim narrating how he was saved by Nagendra’s wisdom. Use the hints given below to write the letter.

Hints: One day – passing Nagendra’s shop – bought wisdom – father angry. Nagendra gave back money – condition not to use the wisdom. Watched queen’s maids quarrel …….

Called to king’s court – Nagendra’s advice – pretend insanity. Escape punishment. Nagendra famous. If in trouble visit –

Begin like this:

Dear Salim,

I want to tell you about a very unusual incident.

Two months ago I saw a new shop in the market place. A young boy called Nagendra was selling ‘Wisdom’. So, I went in ……..

Ans:

From,

Babu

Babu Villa

Babu Nagar

Babapur

August 30, 2020

Dear Salim,

I want to tell you about a very unusual incident.

Two months ago I saw a new shop in the market place. A young boy called Nagendra was selling ‘Wisdom’. So, I went in to observe what Nagendra was promoting. I deliberated it was a vegetable or a thing. I inquired Nagendra the price of wisdom per kg. He responded that he did not vend wisdom by mass, but vended it by class.

I asked him to provide me a nickel’s value of wisdom. He wrote that it was not shrewd to stand and look at two people fighting on a piece of paper and gave it to me. I showed it to my father. He became so annoyed that he instantly hurried to Nagendra’s shop and reprimanded him for deceitful me. He stipulated the nickel reverse. But, Nagendra made him symbol an accord which said I should not pursue his suggestion.

I ambled close to the market area. Two women were combating. They were the maids of the two citation me to be their eyewitness. The maids grumbled to their queens and they informed to the king. The two queens demanded that I should converse for them; else they would chop my head.

I was in panic. Then we thought to visit to Nagendra before going to court. Nagendra demanded five hundred rupees and suggested me to be insane in the court. I mocked madness in front of all and did not utter anything. He threw me away and I was saved.

Your lovingly,

Babu

III. Let’s Work With Words:

Write the meanings of the following words with the help of a dictionary and use them in sentences to bring out their meaning.

(furious, wisdom, persuade, feign, errands, contract, document, bargain, witness, ruse.)

Ans:

a) Furious = extremely angry/ full of anger or energy

John became furious when he saw that his iphone was broken by his friend.

b) Wisdom = having knowledge, experience and good judgment/ the quality of being wise.

Tenali was popular in Vijayanagara for his wisdom.

c) Persuade = convince someone to do something/ to believe something.

Minister persuaded him to become his personal assistant.

d) Feign = pretend/ invent

Burglar feigned virtue when he was enquired by security guard.

e) Errands = short journeys made to deliver or collect something/ the purpose or object of an errand.

Tina sent errand to sell her goods.

f) Contract = an agreement/ especially one concerning employment

Adarsh had made a new contract for his shop.

g) Document = record in writing/ a piece of written

A document was prepared by her.

h) Bargain = discuss prices, conditions, terms of trade, etc., in order to reach an agreement / negotiate the terms and conditions of a transaction.

Rohan bargained with shop keeper for new shoes.

i) Witness = a person who sees an event take place/ typically a crime or accident.

Prem had witnessed an accident yesterday.

j) Ruse = trick/ an action intended to deceive someone

It was only a ruse to get her alone.

IV. Let’s Use Language:

A. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the right options:

1) His brilliance brought honour. (brilliantly, brilliance)

2) Wise people solve problems. (wise, wisdom)

3) Though he was clever, he was without a job. (in spite of, though)

4) There was no dearth of sympathy from the people when they heard of the cruel murder. (death, dearth)

5) The paucity of funds made them abandon the project (paucity, pause)