The Wit that Won Hearts
Complete textbook exercise solutions — NCERT Poorvi, Class 8 English (CBSE).
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Let us do these activities before we read
wise clever humorous observant charming creative confident
A witty person thinks quickly and cleverly. He or she notices small things and uses humour to solve problems.
- I can be a friend or a foe… I can bring both joy or pain. — Words
- What is always in front of you but can’t be seen? — The future
- I can be measured, but I cannot be touched… — Time
- What has to be shared before you can keep it? — A secret
1. Why are qualities like humour and wit important in a person?
Humour and wit help a person stay calm in difficult situations. They make others happy. They also help to solve problems without fighting.
2. Why do you think kings and queens preferred to have witty people among their courtiers?
Witty people gave clever solutions to difficult problems. They also kept the court cheerful. So, kings and queens liked to keep them close.
3. If you were asked to solve a disagreement between two people, what approach would you take?
I would listen to both people calmly. I would try to understand the real cause of the problem. Then I would suggest a fair solution that both can accept.
4. Have you ever been in a situation where a small misunderstanding led to a big problem? How was it resolved?
Yes. Once my friend thought I had taken his pen. We stopped talking for two days. Later, he found the pen in his own bag. He said sorry, and we became friends again.
Let us discuss
- The queen did not speak against the king’s poem. She was very tired, so she yawned several times while he recited it.
- Tenali Rama did not go to the king immediately. He took time to plan a strategy and then made the king realise his mistake in the court.
- The courtiers did not admire the king’s poem. The ministers avoided him and made excuses.
- The ministers were not eager to hear Tenali Rama’s idea. They were sceptical and made sarcastic remarks about it.
- The king realised his mistake. He apologised to the queen and their bond was restored.
Let us think and reflect
(i) Why does the queen believe that only Tenali Rama can help the king understand?
Tenali Rama was wise and witty. He had a special place in the king’s court. He was known for clever solutions to very difficult problems. So, the queen believed only he could help.
(ii) What does the queen’s statement suggest about her feelings?
B. She regrets the unintended misunderstanding.
(iii) How does Tenali Rama’s response reflect his wisdom and problem-solving skills?
Rama does not rush. He says the matter needs a well-planned approach. He asks for time to find the right strategy. This shows that he is patient and thinks carefully before acting.
(iv) The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and ______ in his poetry.
takes great pride
(i) When the king said, “I let my pride blind me”, he means that ______.
his pride stopped him from seeing the truth. He was hurt about his poem, so he could not see that yawning was natural.
(ii) Why does the queen say, “If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us”?
She had longed for this moment. She did not want to stretch the quarrel. She wanted peace and happiness to return between them.
(iii) 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 shows about her.
She is forgiving. She does not blame the king and readily accepts his apology.
1. Why was the Vijayanagara Empire considered to be in its ‘Golden Era’ during Krishnadeva Raya’s reign?
During his reign, art, literature and architecture flourished. The empire was famous for its glory, wealth and culture. The king himself was a great patron of learning.
2. How did Tenali Ramakrishna gain a special place in the king’s court?
Tenali Rama was known for his quick wit and humour. He gave clever solutions to problems that seemed impossible. So, he became both a poet and a witty advisor in the court.
3. How did the quarrel between the king and the queen affect the palace?
The king stopped visiting the queen. His absence cast a shadow over the palace. The once cheerful corridors became quiet and forlorn.
4. What strategy did Tenali Rama use to make the king realise his mistake?
Rama brought special paddy seeds to the court. He said the real problem was not the seeds but the person who sows them. He asked what would happen if the sower yawned while sowing. Then he said that everyone yawns and it is as natural as breathing. This made the king realise that yawning is not disrespect.
5. What was the reaction of the courtiers when Tenali Rama introduced his ‘special’ paddy seeds?
A murmur swept through the court. Some courtiers made sarcastic remarks. One asked if they were magic seeds. Another said Rama had found them on the moon. Snickers rippled through the court.
6. How does the story conclude, and what lesson can be learnt from it?
The king apologises to the queen and she forgives him. Rama is given valuable gifts and the palace is full of joy again. The lesson is that we should not let pride blind us or fight over small matters.
Let us learn
1. murmur swept through the room 2. rippled through 3. stormed off 4. hush fell over 5. mind raced back 6. cast a shadow
- As the teacher began the riddle challenge, a murmur of excitement spread through the classroom.
- Anaya sighed in relief—she loved riddles more than solving Mathematics problems.
- ‘Think carefully,’ the teacher began to mumble, as she wrote a riddle on the board.
- When the question was revealed, a few students gasped, realising it wasn’t as easy as they had expected.
- Some exchanged snickers, wondering if anyone at all would be able to solve it.
- Just then, Anaya tapped her book on the desk with a small thud, deep in thought.
- ‘Ah, I see it now!’ she said stretching with a groan, as if it had taken her great effort.
- A small breeze made the windows rattle, adding to the suspense of the moment.
- ‘So, what’s the answer?’ the students roared, their voices filled with playful enthusiasm.
- Leaning forward with a smile, Anaya whispered, ‘Sometimes, the trickiest questions have the simplest answers.’
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Compound word |
|---|---|---|
| (i) quick | G. witted | quick-witted |
| (ii) soft | C. spoken | soft-spoken |
| (iii) common | F. sense | common sense |
| (iv) house | H. hold | household |
| (v) book | E. store | bookstore |
| (vi) ill | B. tempered | ill-tempered |
| (vii) sky | D. blue | sky blue |
| (viii) dance | A. hall | dance hall |
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. … “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!”
Sentence 2: Subordinate clause (if clause) – If, by chance, something were to go wrong; Main clause – our farmers would suffer.
Sentence 3: Subordinate clause (if clause) – If I had known this would happen; Main clause – I would have chosen another day.
| Column 1 (if clause) | Column 2 (main clause) |
|---|---|
| (i) If I had a magic wand, | C. I would give myself wings. |
| (ii) If it rains tomorrow, | E. We will stay indoors and play board games. |
| (iii) If you had listened carefully, | F. You would have solved the puzzle. |
| (iv) If you finish your homework, | A. We will go to the theatre. |
| (v) If I were invisible, | B. I would sneak into the secret room. |
| (vi) If the alarm had rung, | D. The boys would have woken up on time. |
- Your teacher will be unhappy if you do not complete your homework.
- They would have caught the train if they had left home on time.
- You will feel tired in class if you continue to stay up late every night.
- If she knew the answer, she would tell us.
- She would have passed the test if she had studied harder.
- If I had a million rupees, I would build a library for poor children.
- If I were the Head Teacher of my school, I would plant more trees and start a reading club.
- If I were a bird, I would fly high above the mountains.
- If I were a magician, I would make everyone around me happy.
- If I had studied harder, I would have scored better marks.
These are sample answers. Students may write their own.
Let us listen
- 1. The rope tying the bundle of sticks was ______. — (ii) thick
- 2. The scholar is finally referred to as ______. — (iii) arrogant
- (5) The visitor wanted to show his superiority over others in the palace.
- (8) The court scholars were afraid of the king’s anger.
- (2) Rama accepted the challenge thrown by the visitor.
- (3) Rama had a bundle tied in silk when he came to the palace.
- (1) The great scholar was ashamed because he did not know what to say.
- (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.
Correct order of statement numbers: 5, 8, 2, 3, 1, 7, 6, 4.
Let us speak
Rising tone (↗) – ‘Yes/No’ questions: (i) Is this your cat? (iii) Will you be going to your village? (v) Is this where you live? (vii) Can I meet your parents? (ix) Do you have any plans for tomorrow?
Falling tone (↘) – ‘Wh’ questions: (ii) What is the name of your cat? (iv) Why are you going to your village? (vi) Where do you live? (viii) How are your parents? (x) What are you going to do tomorrow?
This is a pair activity. Students should practise it aloud with the correct intonation.
Sample questions:
- Who is the witty character in the story? — Tenali Rama.
- Why is his wit important in the story? — It helps him solve the king’s problems.
- What is his most famous trick? — He made the king realise that yawning is natural.
- When does the story take place? — During the reign of King Krishnadeva Raya.
- How did he use his intelligence? — He used the paddy seeds to teach the king a lesson.
- Where does the story take place? — In the Vijayanagara Empire.
Let us write
The Day I Learnt the Value of Teamwork
Last year, our school announced an inter-house Science model competition. I was chosen as the leader of my group of four. I was excited, but I also wanted to do everything by myself.
For the first few days, I did not listen to my friends’ ideas. I tried to make a model of a water purifier alone. It kept leaking and did not work. Two days before the competition, I felt very worried. Then my friend Meera suggested that we divide the work. Rahul made the chart, Sana wrote the explanation, and Meera and I fixed the model together. Each of us did the part we were good at.
On the day of the competition, our model worked perfectly. We won the second prize. That day, I learnt that many hands make light work. A team can do much more than one person working alone.
Let us explore
Sample Limerick
A boy who was fond of his bed,
Kept a pillow on top of his head.
When the alarm rang,
He jumped up and sang,
Then went back to sleep there instead!
These are library and class activities. Students should do them with the help of the teacher.