JK Academy POINTERS
1. Answer the following questions:
(a) Where does the story take place?
Ans. The story takes place in a village in India.
(b) List the characters in the play and write one or two lines about each.
Ans. (1) Motiram: Motiram is farm owner, who has had a good farm produce this year. But he does to want to advertise about it as it may attract uninvited guests.
(2) Sonabai: Sonabai is also a farm owner, who has had a good farm produce. She feels that uninvited guests can be a nuisance. She can cook up excuses to refuse guests.
(3) Hirabai: Hirabai feels that guest can be a nuisance. She never wastes good food and money on others and finds some polite excuse to refuse guests.
(4) Rupabai: Rupabai belongs to the village and as compared to the others she seems to be a truthful lady. She feels that one shouldn’t refuse guests.
(c) How do the following avoid giving anything to the traveller?
Motiram, Sonabai, Hirabai, Rupabai
(Answer in one or two lines each.)
Ans. Motiram: He blantly tells the traveler that dinner is over and there is nothing left, he can try elsewhere.
Sonabai: She acts as if she can’t hear properly and purposely twists the word, ‘food’ to ‘wood’ and asks the traveler to go to the forest if he wants to chop wood.
Hirabai: She pretends not to understand what the traveler is saying and replies in gibberish by speaking the words backwards. This confuses the traveler and he moves on to the next house.
Rupabai: She lies that her larder is empty and there is nothing left in the house to eat. She also says that she herself is hungry.
(d) Find what Hirabai tells the traveller by reading her words from right to left.
Ans. Hirabai actually says, “Go away. No food and no rest for anyone here.” She also says, “Good, I do not want you to. Go elsewhere.”
(e) Apart from the stone, how many things go into the soup?
Ans. Apart from the stone, the following ingredients were added to the soup – water, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, beans, onions, ginger and salt.
(f) Does the traveller really have a magic stone?
Ans. No the traveller does not have a magic stone. By claiming the stone to be magical, the traveler procures all the ingredients required for the soup from the ignorant villagers.
2. On any one page, note against the speech of every character, what feelings it should show to bring out the meaning best. For example, joy, fear, anger, nervousness, friendliness, dislike, surprise, wonder, excitement, politeness, rudeness, cunning, curiosity.
Ans. Pg 60
Hirabai : (shaking her hand) Doog. I od ton tnaw uoy ot. Og erehwesle. (cunning)
Traveller : So that was her trick. Talking gibberish. I’m not defeated. (wonder, anger)
Rupabai : Yes ? Who are you, young man? I have not seen you around. (surprise)
Traveller : I am a traveller and I wondered if I could get some food as well as a corner to rest for this night. (curiosity)
Rupabai : (thinks) Alas. My larder is empty. I am so hungry myself but I have nothing left in the house. (cunning)
Traveller : I am sorry to hear that. (politeness)
Rupabai : I’m sorry too. But I can’t help it. Sorry! (rudeness)
Traveller : (aloud) Wait, Madam. If you are also hungry, I can make us both some soup. (excitement)
Rupabai : But I told you my larder’s empty. I can’t offer you anything. (anger)
Traveller : All I need is a cooking pot, a spoon and some water. I have a magic stone in my bag. When you boil it in water, it makes a delicious, nourishing soup. (friendliness)
Rupabai : Really ? A magic stone ? And all you need is a pot of water ? I think I can manage that much. (wonder)
Traveller : Yes. Just a pot of water. Only, a big one. (politeness)
Rupabai : Here’s your pot of water. (joy)
Traveller : Thank you. Now just wait and watch. (politeness)
3. Read aloud / Enact the play.
4. Write a recipe for the stone soup.
Ans.
Ingredients required:
Water 2 litres
Chopped vegetables 2 cups
(carrots, potatoes, beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, etc)
Chopped Onions 2
Chopped tomatoes 2
Ginger (finely chopped) 1 piece
Pepper 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) handfull
Method:
Heat water in apot, add all the ingredients. When it starts boiling, lower the flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Serve hot.
5. Form pairs. Write at least one short dialogue for each of the following expressions.
(a) I agree. (b) True! (c) You are right. (d) Why not? (To mean that something can be done.) (e) Thank you.
For example :
Amit : I think all schools should have big playgrounds.
Sumit : I agree!
Ans.
(a) Riya: I think we should have online classes every Saturday.
Priya: I agree. This will save time of commuting to school.
(b) Rohan: All students in high school must be made to take up vocational training as part of school curriculum.
Rohit: True. And the students must be awarded marks or credit points for it.
(c) Sonia: Teacher, we should have a students’ market in school once a month for each class from 5th to 10th.
Teacher: You are right, this way the students will gain confidence in handling money as well as learning about finances.
(d) Samir: Let’s ask our parents to plan a trip to the museum.
Amir: Why not? It will help us gain knowledge of a lot of things
we are learning in History.
(e) Rupa: Since you have forgotten your tiffin today, let me share mine.
Shilpa: Thank you. That was very kind of you.
6. Find the meaning of ‘Charity begins at home’. Find other sayings which have a similar meaning.
Ans. Charity begins at home means that we should first be kind and helpful with the people around us.
Other saying are:
(i) Sharing is caring.
(ii) Spread love every day.
(iii) The more you share the more you care.
(iv) Love only grows by sharing.
7. List five questions from the play which can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
(i) Do you think that is right?
(ii) Can I have some food and a place to rest for the night?
(iii) Any food for a hungry traveller?
(iv) Really? A magic stone? And all you need is a pot of water?
(v) Does it melt away?
8. ‘Smart Answers’: Form a large group. Each person asks the next one a question to get him to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. He/She can use appropriate statements, requests or even other questions as a response. But if he/she says ‘yes’ or ‘no’, he/she is out. Otherwise he/she continues the game. Questions cannot be repeated.
Suman: Do you have a red pen?
Mahesh: Can I borrow your book?
Rohit: Will it rain today?
Priya: Was the movie good?
Tisha: Is a tough exam?
9. Visit a library: Find stories about hosts and guests. Share them with the class. Classify the stories into funny and serious stories.
The fox and the crane
Once a fox invited a crane to have dinner. But the fox served soup in a flat dish. It was very difficult for the crane to have it. The crane had to return without having anything. The crane was very disappointed and decided to teach the fox a lesson. So he invited the fox for dinner the next day. The fox happily accepted the invitation. When the fox had settled down at the table, the crane served the soup in a deep container. The fox tried his best to have the soup but his mouth couldn’t reach it as the container was too deep. He had to return home hungry..
Moral. As you sow, so shall you reap.
Or
Tit for tat.
Extra Questions:
Q1. Complete the web:
Ans. (a) Motiram (b) Sonabai (c) Hirabai (d) Rupabai (e) Traveller
Q2. Match the columns:
| A | B |
| 1. Motiram | a. Never waste good food and money on guests. |
| 2. Sonabai | b. How can we refuse guests? |
| 3. Hirabai | c. Can always cook up some excuses. |
| 4. Rupabai | d. Charity begin and home and stays there. |
Ans. 1 – d; 2 – c; 3 – a; 4 – b
Q 3. How is the start of the story different from its end?
Ans. At the beginning of the story we see that the villagers are not in a happy mood and discussing about ways of avoiding guests. And in the end the villagers are very happy and relishing the delicious soup.
Q 4. List down the words used to describe the stone soup.
Ans. The words used to describe the stone soup are: delicious, nourishing, heavenly, terrific, tempting, magic, famous, mouth watering, flavourful, aromatic, tasty, marvellous and wonderful.
Q 5. Give the character sketch of the traveller in the story ‘Stone Soup’
Ans. The traveller was poor man. Though he was nervous on listening to the villagers’ conversation about guests, he was determined to try his luck. Inspite of being rejected by everyone, he didn’t lose heart but was ready to ask for help from the next person. He was always polite while talking to everyone and did not get offended if they spoke rudely with him. He tactfully procured the ingredients from the villagers for the soup. In the entire story he very cool and calm.
Q 6. List down the interjections used in the lesson.
Ans. Interjections used in the lesson are:
Hmm…!
Aah!
Lovely!
But alas!
Wonderful!
Ah!
Q 7. List the exclamatory sentences from the lesson.
Ans. The exclamatory sentences are:
What hard luck!
And I’m so hungry!
How rude!
You agree!
Fine, then go and chop the wood!
Good evening, Ma’m!
Oh no!
What flavour it had!
You can’t always have the best!
If only I could add a pinch of salt, it would be perfect!
You can taste the goodness of fresh vegetables!
No one would think that this soup was made with a stone!
Such delicious vegetable soup and made with a stone!
You can make it even without the stone!
Passage 1:
Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Pg 58
(Motiram : Your farm produce was really good this year, I’m told…………All neighbours : See you later.
Q 1. Whose farm produce was good this year?
Ans. Motiram’s and Sonabai’s farm produce was good this year.
Q 2. Why didn’t Motiram want to advertise about his good farm produce.
Ans. Motiram didn’t want to advertise about his good farm produce because it might attract guests.
Q 3.What opnion did Hirabai, Sonabai, Rupabai and Motiram have about guests.
Ans. Hirabai felt that guests can be a nuisance, Sonabai felt that uninvited guests are a nuisance. And Motiram was under the impression that uninvited guests are pests. Whereas Rupabai felt that it was wrong to refuse guests.
Q 4. Why do you think Motiram felt that uninvited guests are pests?
Ans. Pests are creatures that irritate us. They enter our homes uninvited and do not go away even if try our best to drive them away. Just like pests, guests also visit us uninvited and stay for a long time.
Q 5. What was Rupabai’s opinion about guests?
Ans. Rupabai disagreed with the others that uninvited guests should not be welcomed. She felt that it was not right to refuse them.
Q 6.Who was listening to the villagers’ conversation?
Ans. A traveller was listening to the villagers’ conversation.
Q7. What is your opinion about guests?
Ans. (students are expected to write this answer on their own)
Passage 2:
Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Pg 58 – 59
(Traveller : What hard luck ! I’m a poor, footsore traveller……. So that was her trick. Talking gibberish. I’m not defeated.)
Q 1. Why did the traveller curse his had luck?
Ans. The traveler cursed his hard luck, because he was poor, footsore and hungry. And after hearing the opinions of the villagers about guests, he felt that they would not offer him food or rest.
Q 2. How does Motiram treat the traveller?
Ans. Motiram spoke very rudely with the traveller and bluntly told him that dinner was over and to try elsewhere.
Q 3. Why did Sonabai put her hands behind her ears when the traveller was speaking?
Ans. Sonabai put her hand behind her ears, because she was pretending to be hard of hearing?
Q 4. Was Sonabai really hard of hearing? Why?
Ans. No, Sonabai was not hard of hearing but putting up an act of not being able to hear as she did not want to entertain the traveller but drive him away.
Q5 Narrate an incident when you tried to avoid someone.
Ans. (students are expected to write this answer on their own)
Passage 3:
Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Pg 60 – 61
(Knocks on Rupabai’s door. She comes out……. Rupabai : Um … I don’t know …)
Q 1. How did Hirabai avoid inviting the traveller?
Ans. Hirabai pretended not to understand his language and at the same time talking gibberish with the traveller by speaking the words backwards to confuse him.
Q 2. How did Rupabai avoid the traveller?
Ans. Rupabai told the traveller that her larder is empty, she too is hungry and has nothing in the house.
Q 3. Was Rupabai telling the truth? How do we know?
Ans. Rupabai was lying, we know this because we can see a family member having food in her house.
Q 4. How did Rupabai behave contrary to what she had spoken earlier?
Ans. When the villagers were talking outside Motiram’s house, Rupabai said that it was wrong to refuse guests, but when the traveller asked her for some food and a place to rest, she avoided inviting him.
Q 5. What did the traveller ask Rupabai to bring from her house?
Ans. The traveller told Rupabai to bring only a cooking, a spoon and some water?
Q 6. How was the traveller going to prepare the soup?
Ans. The traveller said that he had a magic stone in his bag. When we boil it in water, it makes a delicious, nourishing soup.
Q 7. Did Rupabai believe the traveller? How do we know?
Ans. Yes, Rupabai believed the traveller because she readily agreed to bring the cooking pot, a soon and some water.
Q 8. What reason does the traveller give to want the potatoes?
Ans. The traveller says that the soup would taste heavenly if they added one or two potatoes to the soup.
Q9. Have you tried your hand at preparing any dish? Describe it.
Ans. (students are expected to write this answer on their own)
Passage 4:
Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Pg 61 – 62
(Sonabai comes out with some tomatoes………… Curtain as everyone enjoys the soup.)
Q 1. What does the traveller want to add in the soup after adding the potatoes? Why?
Ans. After adding the potatoes the traveller wants to add carrots and tomatoes as he feels that carrots and tomatoes would give it a tempting colour.
Q 2. What do Sonabai and Hirabai give to the traveller?
Ans. Sonabai gives tomatoes and Hirabai brings a few caroots.
Q 3. What does Motiram give to be added in the soup?
Ans. Motiram gives beans, onions and ginger to be added in the soup.
Q 4. How does the traveller describe the soup?
Ans. The traveller says the soup is “Absolutely mouthwatering … what flavour … what aroma … what taste … and … marvelous.”
Q 5. Which ingredient will make the soup perfect and who brings it?
Ans A pinch of salt would make the soup perfect. Rupabai brings the salt.
Q 6. Did the villagers believe that the stone was magical?
Ans. Yes the believed that the stone was magical?
Q 7. Do you believe that the stone had magical powers? Why?
Ans. No, I do not believe that the stone had magical powers. The traveller had made up the story of the magical stone in order to get the ingredients for soup from the rude villagers.
Q 8. List down the things given by each of the villagers for the soup.
Ans.
| A | B |
| 1. Rupabai | Cooking pot, spoon, water, potatoes, salt and bowls |
| 2. Sonabai | tomatoes |
| 3. Hirabai | carrots |
| 4. Motiram | Beans, onion and ginger |
Q 9. I’m sure you must have attended a magic show. Describe it.
Ans. (Students are expected to write the answer in their own words.)
Stone soup Questions answer all
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