Class 5 English · Santoor · Unit 2

Chapter 4: The Wise Parrot

Complete textbook exercise solutions — CBSE / NCERT Santoor, Class 5 English.

Let us Think

AAnswer the following questions.

1. Why did the merchant keep the parrot in a cage of gold?
The merchant was rich and the parrot was very dear to him. So he kept it in a cage of gold.

2. What made the parrot a favourite pet of the merchant?
The parrot was bright and talkative. It had a sharp mind. It entertained the merchant with stories and songs.

3. What message did the parrot ask the merchant to convey to its friends?
The parrot asked the merchant to tell its friends in the jungle that it sent them greetings from its cage.

4. What happened after the merchant gave the message to the parrots?
One parrot dropped like a stone from the tree and fell on the ground. The merchant was distressed and hurried away.

5. How did the parrot escape from the cage?
The parrot pretended to be dead and fell from its perch. The merchant took it out and placed it on the windowsill. Then the parrot flew away.

BThink and discuss.

1. If you were the merchant, how would you respond to the parrot’s request for freedom?

Sample answer

I would open the cage and let the parrot fly. Birds are happy only when they are free.

2. Can you think of a real-life situation where intelligence is more useful than strength?

Sample answer

A heavy box is hard to push. But we can move it easily by putting it on wheels. This needs intelligence, not strength.

3. Which parrot from the chapter was actually ‘wise’ according to you? Give reasons.

Sample answer

The parrot in the forest was wise. It sent a secret message by pretending to die. The pet parrot was also wise because it understood the message and used it to escape.

Let us Learn

AFill in the blanks with suitable phrases.

One winter morning, as I stepped out of my home, I saw that the snow was all over the place. While walking uphill towards my shop, I came across a small puppy. Its leg was injured and it was about to collapse. Being in pain it was unable to stand upright. So, I decided to take it home and look after it. With good care, all its pain went away.

BComplete the sentences with collective nouns.

1. A flight of parrots came to the forest.
2. I saw a flock of sheep in the fields.
3. A pack of wolves was howling loudly.
4. We gave a bouquet of flowers to the chief guest.
5. A swarm of bees hovered around the flowers.
6. An army of ants is moving towards the anthill.
7. I helped my mother find a bunch of keys.

CComplete the sentences using present perfect tense.

a. I have visited Delhi many times. It is a city with many historical sites.
b. My friend Onshangla is an artist. She has drawn pictures of ten monuments.
c. Mr. Joon has bought a new car.
d. I have completed my homework and my brother has revised for his test.
e. They have written letters to their friends.

Use ‘has’ with he, she, it and one person or thing. Use ‘have’ with I, you, we, they and more than one.

Let us Listen

Listen to the paragraph about birds and answer your teacher’s questions.

Why have bird sanctuaries been built?
They have been built to protect birds and their species.

How many bird sanctuaries are there in India?
There are more than 70 bird sanctuaries in India.

Which is the oldest bird sanctuary in India?
The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is the oldest.

Which is the largest bird sanctuary in India?
The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan is the largest.

These are sample questions. Your teacher may ask different questions.

Let us Speak

AListen and repeat: tail–toil, bail–boil, ail–oil, fail–foil, cane–coin, sail–soil.

Say each pair clearly. Notice the difference between the ‘ai’ and ‘oi’ sounds.

BThere are two birds — one in a cage and one flying in the sky. Which bird would you want to be and why?

Sample answer

I would like to be the bird flying in the sky. It is free. It can fly anywhere and live with its friends.

Let us Write

Complete the parrot’s story. After escaping from the golden cage, the parrot decided to fly away …

Sample answer

After escaping from the golden cage, the parrot decided to fly away to the forest. It flew over rivers, fields and hills. At last, it reached the tall tree where its friends lived. The wise parrot who had shown the way was waiting for it. All the parrots welcomed it with happy songs. The parrot ate fresh fruits and drank water from the stream. At night, it slept on a branch under the stars. It never wanted to go back to the golden cage again.

Let us Do

1Look at the pictures of bird feeders and identify the material used to make them.

First feeder — a plastic jar (container) with a plate at the bottom.
Second feeder — a coconut shell hung with strings.
Third feeder — a plastic bottle fixed on a wooden board with a plate below it.

2Make a bird feeder with the material of your choice.

This is a hands-on activity. Make it with the help of your parents and place it at a safe place outside your house.

Let us Explore

Choose any two birds and find out a few interesting facts about them.

Sample answer

Ostrich: It is the largest bird in the world. It cannot fly, but it can run very fast. It lays the biggest eggs.
Tailor bird: It is a small bird. It stitches leaves together with its beak to make its nest. That is why it is called the tailor bird.

Self-assessment 1

Self-assessment 1 — tick the boxes that are true for you.

This sheet is about how you recite poems, learn new words, answer questions, write paragraphs and do activities. Fill it yourself. There are no right or wrong answers.

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