NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa Fish is available here. These solutions are prepared by our subject expert to help students in their exams and homework. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa Fish questions and answers are very helpful for CBSE exam. Students of Class 7 can study the answers provided here to score well in their school exams.
Working with the Text
Answer the following questions.
Question 1. Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?
Answer: The king did not want any more talk about the hilsa-fish because it was the season for hilsa-fish and no one could stop talking about it for even five minutes. He was getting annoyed with all the talk about hilsa-fish.
Question 2. What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?
Answer: The king asked Gopal to buy a hilsa-fish and bring it to the palace without anyone asking anything about the fish throughout the way to prove that he was clever.
Question 3. What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?
Answer: Gopal half-shaved his beard. Smeared ash on his body himself and wore rugs before going out to buy Hilsa fish.
Question 4. How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?
Answer: When he reached the palace, he told the guards that he wants to meet the king. The guards stopped him from going inside. Gopal began to sing and dance loudly. The king heard the noise and ordered to get the man inside the palace. That’s how he got inside the palace.
Question 5. Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.
Answer: No one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought because of Gopal’s ridiculous appearance. Some people found him comical, others thought he was a madman, still others thought he was a mystic. They were so engrossed in discussing his appearance that the hilsa-fish went unnoticed.
Question 6. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following sentences.
(i) The king lost his temper easily – True
(ii) Gopal was a madman – False
(iii) Gopal was a clever man – True
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes – False
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong – False
Working with Language
I. Notice how in a comic book, there are no speech marks when characters talk. Instead what they say is put in a speech ‘bubble’. However, if we wish to repeat or ‘report’ what they say, we must put it into reported speech.
Change the following sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.
(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 ____________
Answer:
(ii) Why is your face half-shaven?
Gopal’s wife asked him why was his face half-shaven.
(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king that he accepted his challenge.
(iv) I want to see the king.
Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the king.
(v) Bring the man to me at once.
The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.
Question 2. 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
Answer:
(i) challenge – ask to contest, dare
The boss challenged Rahul to finish his work before the time.
(ii) mystic – believing in spiritual power
Some people do believe in the mystic forces.
(iii) comical – funny
I liked the comical act of the joker the most.
(iv) courtier – officials of the king’s court
Birbal was one of the clever courtier present in Akbar’s court.
(v) smearing – to apply coat or mark
He smeared his face with ashes.
Picture Reading
Question 2. Now ask your partner questions about each picture.
(i) Where is the stag?
Answer: The stag was by the side of a pond.
(ii) What is he doing?
Answer: He is watching is reflection in the water of the pond.
(iii) Does he like his antlers (horns)?
Answer: Yes, he liked his antlers.
(iv) Does he like his legs?
Answer: No, he does not like his legs as they are very thin.
(v) Why is the stag running?
Answer: The stag is running because hunters are chasing it.
(vi) Is he able to hide in the bushes?
Answer: No, he is not able to hide in the bushes because his horns get stuck in the bushes.
(vii) Where are the hunters now?
Answer: The hunters are behind the stag.
(viii) Are they closing in on the stag?
Answer: Yes, they were getting closer to the stag.
(ix) Is the stag free?
Answer: Yes, the stag is free.
(x) What does the stag say about his horns and his legs?
Answer: The stag says that he was proud of his horns but it could have caused the stag’s death. The legs it was ashamed of, saved his life.
Question 3. Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.
Answer: The suitable title for this story will be “All that glitters is not gold”.
A stag was once drinking water at a pond. He saw his own reflection in the water. He admired his beautiful horns, but he did not like his thin and ugly legs. Suddenly he saw a group of hunters running towards him. He ran into the jungle to save himself. His legs soon carried him far from the hunters. He then tried to hide in the bushes but his horns were caught into the bush. With his best efforts, he was able to free himself. Now he realised that his ugly legs helped him in saving his life, but his beautiful horns could have caused his death.
Question 4. Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given below.
1. Mother will be very ________ if you don’t go to school.
2. As soon as he caught ________ of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my ________ kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?
4. My youngest sister is now a ________ old.
5. Standing on the ________, he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don’t make such a ________. Nothing will happen.
7. Don’t cross the ________ till the green light comes on.
Answer:
1. Mother will be very cross if you don’t go to school.
2. As soon as he caught sight of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my tiny kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?
4. My youngest sister is now a year old.
5. Standing on the roof, he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don’t make such a fuss. Nothing will happen.
7. Don’t cross the street till the green light comes on.