Solutions The Wit that Won Hearts English Poorvi Class 8 CBSE Board

Question Answer For All Chapters – English Poorvi Class 8th

Discuss in Pairs (Page No. 2)

1. Why are qualities like humour and wit important in a person?

Answer: Humour and wit make a person approachable, help resolve conflicts, and create a positive atmosphere. They also show intelligence and creativity, making interactions enjoyable.

2. Why do you think kings and queens preferred to have witty people among their courtiers?

Answer: Kings and queens valued witty courtiers because they could solve problems creatively, entertain the court, and offer clever advice, often diffusing tense situations or disputes.

3. If you were asked to solve a disagreement between two people, what approach would you take?

Answer: I would listen to both sides calmly, understand their perspectives, and suggest a fair solution. Using humor or a light-hearted approach, like Tenali Rama, could help ease tension.

4. Have you ever been in a situation where a small misunderstanding led to a big problem? How was it resolved?

Answer: (This is a personal response, so students should share their own experiences. An example could be:) Once, my friend and I argued because I misunderstood a joke. We resolved it by talking openly and apologizing, which cleared the confusion.

Let us discuss (Page No. 7)

I Rectify the following false statements from the text.

1. The queen insulted the king by speaking against the quality of his poem.

Answer: False: The queen insulted the king by speaking against the quality of his poem.

Correct: The queen yawned while the king recited his poem, which he mistakenly took as disrespect, not an insult to its quality.

2. Tenali Rama immediately went to the king and convinced him to talk to the queen.

Answer: False: Tenali Rama immediately went to the king and convinced him to talk to the queen.

Correct: Tenali Rama took time to devise a well-planned strategy and addressed the issue indirectly during a court discussion about paddy seeds.

3. The courtiers admired the king’s poem and praised his literary talent.

Answer: False: The courtiers admired the king’s poem and praised his literary talent.

Correct: The courtiers avoided the king and made excuses when he tried to recite his poem to them.

4. The ministers in the court were eager to hear Tenali Rama’s idea about paddy cultivation.

Answer: False: The ministers in the court were eager to hear Tenali Rama’s idea about paddy cultivation.

Correct: The courtiers were skeptical and sarcastic, mocking Rama’s idea of “special” paddy seeds.

5. The king never realised his mistake and continued to stay angry with the queen.

Answer: False: The king never realised his mistake and continued to stay angry with the queen.

Correct: The king realized his mistake after Rama’s clever demonstration, apologized to the queen, and reconciled with her.

Let us think and reflect (Page No. 7 to 12)

(i) Why does the queen believe that only Tenali Rama can help the king understand?

Answer: The queen believes only Tenali Rama can help because of his reputation for quick wit, clever problem-solving, and his ability to influence the king with his humorous and wise approaches.

(ii) What does the queen’s statement, “If I had known this would happen, I would have chosen another day”, suggest about her feelings?

Answer: B. She regrets the unintended misunderstanding.

(She feels sorry for the unintended reaction caused by her yawning and wishes she could have avoided it.)

(iii) How does Tenali Rama’s response reflect his wisdom and problem-solving skills?

Answer: Rama’s response shows wisdom by acknowledging the need for a thoughtful, well-planned strategy rather than a hasty solution. It reflects his problem-solving skills as he calmly assesses the situation and assures the queen of his effort, indicating careful planning.

(iv) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and _________ (has a lot of faith/takes great pride) in his poetry.

Answer: The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and takes great pride in his poetry.

2. (i) Complete the following with a suitable explanation:

Answer: When the king said, “I let my pride blind me”, he means that his ego and sensitivity about his poetry caused him to misinterpret the queen’s yawning as disrespect, leading to an unfair reaction.

(ii) Why does the queen say, “If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us”?

Answer: The queen says this to show her willingness to forgive and move past the disagreement, offering a peaceful resolution and expressing her desire to restore their bond.

(iii) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option:

Answer: The king acknowledges that his pride clouded his judgement, which shows maturity and self-awareness.

(iv) State any one characteristic that the queen’s response to the king’s apology shows about her.

Answer: The queen’s response shows her forgiving nature, as she graciously accepts the king’s apology and seeks to reconcile.

II Answer the following questions.

1. Why was the Vijayanagara Empire considered to be in its ‘Golden Era’ during Krishnadeva Raya’s reign?

Answer: The Vijayanagara Empire was considered in its ‘Golden Era’ during Krishnadeva Raya’s reign due to its wealth, cultural achievements, and flourishing art, literature, and architecture. Krishnadeva Raya, a wise and powerful ruler, was also a gifted poet and a patron of learning, supporting scholars like the Ashtadiggajas.

2. How did Tenali Ramakrishna gain a special place in the king’s court?

Answer: Tenali Ramakrishna gained a special place in the king’s court through his quick wit, humor, and ability to solve seemingly insurmountable problems, making him a beloved poet and advisor.

 3. How did the quarrel between the king and the queen affect the palace?

Answer: The quarrel cast a shadow over the palace, making the once cheerful corridors quiet and forlorn, as the king stopped visiting the queen and the atmosphere became tense.

4. What strategy did Tenali Rama use to make the king realise his mistake?

Answer: Tenali Rama used a clever strategy during a court discussion on paddy cultivation. He presented “special” paddy seeds and suggested that yawning while sowing could scatter seeds unevenly, prompting the king to yawn and realize that yawning is natural, not disrespectful, thus helping him understand his overreaction to the queen.

5. What was the reaction of the courtiers when Tenali Rama introduced his ‘special’ paddy seeds?

Answer: The courtiers reacted with sarcasm and mockery, whispering comments like “magic seeds” or suggesting they “grow without water,” and snickering at Rama’s idea.

6. How does the story conclude, and what lesson can be learnt from it?

Answer: Forgiving nature (You may also write: kindness or emotional maturity.)

Let us learn

I Fill in the blanks and complete the paragraph by choosing suitable expressions from the box given below.

My mother is quite witty, and her sense of humour always lightens stressful moments. Once, at a family dinner, an argument began over a minor issue, and

Answer: 1. murmur swept through the room, making everyone feel uncomfortable. Just as things were getting serious, she made a clever remark and laughter

2. rippled through the gathering, making everyone relaxed. The person who started the argument

3. stormed off. Everyone disapproved of the action and

4. a hush fell over. My

5. mind raced back to how my mother had saved other situations like this. Without her, such moments would have

6. cast a shadow over the gatherings. I hope that I grow up to be as witty as my mother.

II The writer uses words like ‘roared’ , ‘murmur’ in the text to indicate the sound produced. Fill in the blanks with suitable sound words from the box given below. You may refer to a dictionary.

Answer: As the teacher began the riddle challenge, a mumble of excitement spread through the classroom.

2. Anaya sighed in relief—she loved riddles more than solving Mathematics problems.

3. ‘Think carefully,’ the teacher began to murmur, as she wrote a riddle on the board.

4. When the question was revealed, a few students gasped, realising it wasn’t as easy as they had expected.

5. Some exchanged snickers, wondering if anyone at all would be able to solve it.

6. Just then, Anaya tapped her book on the desk with a small thud, deep in thought.

7. ‘Ah, I see it now!’ she said stretching with a groan, as if it had taken her great effort.

8. A small breeze made the windows rattle, adding to the suspense of the moment.

9. ‘So, what’s the answer?’ the students roared, their voices filled with playful enthusiasm.

10. Leaning forward with a smile, Anaya whispered, ‘Sometimes, the trickiest questions have the simplest answers.’

III As you have learnt, a compound word is formed when two or more words are combined to create a new word with a distinct meaning. These are of three types: closed compounds (sunlight, courtroom), hyphenated compounds (well-planned), and open compounds (paddy seeds).

1. Create new compound words by matching words in Column 1 with those in Column 2.

Answer: Compound Words

2. Fill in the blanks with the words created in the previous question.

Answer: Ravi was (i) soft-spoken, always speaking calmly even in arguments. He grew up in a lively (ii) household, where he learned to handle different personalities. His friend Arun, however, was (iii) ill-tempered and often lost his patience. Despite this, Arun admired Ravi’s (iv) quick-witted thinking. One evening, as they passed a (v) dance hall, they saw some performers rushing out. Ravi noticed that one of them dropped a (vi) sky blue book on the ground. “Is this yours?” he asked. “Oh thank you, young man!” the performer smiled. “It’s a recent purchase from the (vii) bookstore round the corner.” True to his nature Arun promptly said to Ravi, “It’s (viii) common sense that it’s not from a bakery but bookshop!” Ravi smiled and they walked on.

IV Read the sentences from the text and their explanation given in the table below.

In sentence 1 ‘if you like’ is the subordinate clause (if clause) and ‘I will try my best to resolve this matter’ is the main clause.
Identify the subordinate and main clauses in sentences 2 and 3.

Answer:  Sentence 2: If, by chance something were to go wrong, our farmers would suffer.

Subordinate clause (if clause): If, by chance something were to go wrong
Main clause: our farmers would suffer

Sentence 3: If I had known this would happen, I would have chosen another day.

Subordinate clause (if clause): If I had known this would happen
Main clause: I would have chosen another day

Now, match the subordinate clauses (if clauses) in Column 1 with the appropriate main clauses in Column 2 to make complete sentences.

Answer:

V Complete the following sentences appropriately with either the main clause or the subordinate clause (if clause).

1. Your teacher will be unhappy if _______________________.
2. They would have caught the train if _______________________.
3. _______________________ if you continue to stay up late every night.
4. If she knew the answer, _______________________.
5. _______________________ if she had studied harder.
6. If I had a million rupees, ______________________

Answer: 1. Your teacher will be unhappy if you don’t submit your homework on time.

2. They would have caught the train if they had left the house earlier.

3. You will feel tired and sleepy if you continue to stay up late every night.

4. If she knew the answer, she would share it confidently.

5. She would have passed the exam if she had studied harder.

6. If I had a million rupees, I would donate to charity and travel the world.

VI Complete the following sentences. One example has been done for you.

1. If I were a tree, I would play with the wind and talk to the birds.
2. If I were the Head Teacher of my school, _______.
3. If I were a bird, _______.
4. If I were a magician, _______.
5. If I had studied harder, _______.

Answer: 1. (Example) If I were a tree, I would play with the wind and talk to the birds.
2. If I were the Head Teacher of my school, I would make learning fun with more activities and games.
3. If I were a bird, I would fly high above the clouds and explore new places every day.
4. If I were a magician, I would spread happiness by granting small wishes to everyone.
5. If I had studied harder, I would have scored higher marks in my exams.

Let us listen (Page No. 12 to 14)

I You will listen to a woman narrating a story. As you listen, fill in the blanks in the following sentences by selecting the correct options. (Transcript for teacher on page 46)

1. The rope tying the bundle of sticks was _____.
(i) loose
(ii) thick
(iii) short

Answer: (i) loose.

2. The scholar is finally referred to as ________.
(i) irritable
(ii) mischievous
(iii) arrogant

Answer: (iii) arrogant.

II You will once again listen to the story. As you listen, number the events of the story in the correct order of occurrence.

1. The great scholar was ashamed because he did not know what to say.
2. Rama accepted the challenge thrown by the visitor.
3. Rama had a bundle tied in silk when he came to the palace.
4. The king laughed at the explanation given by Rama.
5. The visitor wanted to show his superiority over others in the palace.
6. Rama showed the work to be a bundle of sticks tied together by a rope.
7. The king wanted to know more about the work mentioned by Rama.
8. The court scholars were afraid of the king’s anger.

Answer: 5. The visitor wanted to show his superiority over others in the palace.

8. The court scholars were afraid of the king.

2. Rama accepted the challenge thrown by the visitor.

3. Rama had a bundle tied in silk when he came to the palace.

7. The king wanted to know more about the work mentioned by Rama.

6. Rama showed the work to be a bundle of sticks tied together by a rope.

4. The king laughed at the explanation given by Rama.

1. The great scholar was ashamed because he did not know what to say.

Let us speak

I While asking questions, it is important to use the appropriate tone to convey the correct meaning.
1. ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ questions have a rising tone at the end.
Are you coming home?
2. ‘-Wh’ questions have a falling tone at the end.
When will you come home?

II ‘What’, ‘Why’, ‘When’, ‘How’, ‘Where’, and ‘Who’ are the words used to ask questions. These words are called question words. Let us use these words and make some questions.
While making questions, remember the correct word order.
• Who is the cleverest character in the story? (Correct)
• Who the cleverest character is in the story? (Incorrect)

Task 1: Questions and Answers about a Trip

Instructions: Work in pairs to ask and answer questions about a planned trip using the correct word order and intonation (falling tone ↓ for Wh- questions). Below are sample questions and answers based on the prompts provided.

Answer:  The destination

Question: Where are you planning to go for your trip? ↓
Answer: I’m planning to go to Shimla.

Purpose

Question: Why are you going on this trip? ↓
Answer: To enjoy the cool weather and explore the hills.

Mode of transport

Question: How will you travel to your destination? ↓
Answer: I will travel by train.

Duration

Question: When will you be going on your trip? ↓
Answer: During the summer holidays in May.

Travel companions

Question: Who are you going with on this trip? ↓
Answer: I’m going with my family and friends.

Activities

Question: What will you do on your trip? ↓
Answer: I will go hiking, visit local markets, and try new foods.

Task 2: Questions and Answers about Witty Characters in Folktales

Instructions: Work in pairs to ask and answer questions about witty characters in folktales or stories, using correct word order and falling intonation (↓) for Wh- questions. The example provided is about Tenali Rama from the story in the document, but responses can also apply to other witty characters like Birbal or a character from another folktale.

Answer:  1. The name of the witty character

Question: Who is the witty character in the folktale? ↓
Answer: The witty character is Tenali Rama.

2. The reason for her/his wit being important in the story

Question: Why was Tenali Rama’s wit important in the story? ↓
Answer: His wit was important because it helped resolve the quarrel between the king and queen, restoring peace in the palace.

3. The most famous trick or clever idea she/he used

Question: What was the most famous trick or clever idea Tenali Rama used? ↓
Answer: He used the idea of “special” paddy seeds to cleverly show the king that yawning is natural, not disrespectful.

4. The time period or setting of the folktale/story

Question: When does the folktale take place? ↓
Answer: The story takes place during the Vijayanagara Empire in the 16th century, around 1509–1529 CE.

5. The way she/he used her/his intelligence to solve a problem

Question: How did Tenali Rama use his intelligence to solve a problem? ↓
Answer: He used his intelligence by presenting a humorous analogy about yawning while sowing seeds, making the king realize his mistake indirectly.

6. The location where the story takes place

Question: Where does the folktale take place? ↓
Answer: The story takes place in the royal court of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Let us write (Page No. 15 – 16)

Q. Write a narrative essay based on any one of the situations given below.

Answer:  A Small Act of Kindness that Made a Difference

One sunny afternoon, I was walking home from school, my backpack heavy with books. The street was bustling with people, but my attention was drawn to an elderly woman struggling with two large grocery bags. She paused every few steps, her face tired and her hands trembling under the weight. Something inside me urged me to help, even though I was in a hurry to get home.

I approached her and said, “Aunty, may I carry your bags for you?” She looked surprised but then smiled warmly and nodded. I took the bags, which were heavier than I expected, and we started walking together. As we went, she told me about her grandchildren and how she loved buying fresh vegetables for them. Her stories made me forget the weight of the bags, and I felt happy to listen. When we reached her small house, she thanked me with a bright smile and handed me a handmade bookmark as a gift. “You’ve made my day, child,” she said.

That small act of kindness stayed with me. I realized that even a simple gesture can bring joy to someone and create a moment of connection. From that day, I started looking for small ways to help others, knowing that kindness, no matter how small, can make a big difference.