- The Secret of Happiness
Que :- Answer each question briefly
- Where did the statue of the Happy Prince stand?
Answer:- The statue of the Happy Prince stood on a tall column high above the city.
- What precious things did the statue have?
Answer:- The Happy Prince was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold. For eyes, he had two bright sapphires. A large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt.
- Why was the prince called the Happy Prince?
Answer:- When he was alive, he did not know what tears were. He lived in the royal palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. His courtiers called him the Happy Prince, and happy indeed he was.
- Where was the swallow going?
Answer:- The swallow was going to Egypt. His friends had already gone there.
- Why did the swallow put up between the feet of the Happy Prince?
Answer:- The swallow put up between the feet of the Happy Prince because it is a fine place with plenty of fresh air.
- What happened when the swallow prepared to sleep?
Answer:- When he prepared to sleep, a large drop of water fell on him.
- Why were the eyes of the Happy Prince filled with tears?
Answer:- The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears seeing misery all around him.
- Why was the seamstress’s little boy crying?
Answer:- little boy had a fever, so he was asking for food. His poor mother had nothing to give him, so the little boy was crying.
- What did the prince do for the seamstress?
Answer:- The prince asked the swallow to pick out the ruby from his sword hilt and take it to the seamstress.
- It was a cold night, but the swallow felt warm. Why?
Answer:- It was because of the good deed he had done.
- What was the young man in the garret doing?
Answer:- The young man was writing a play for the theatre director.
- How was the young man helped?
Answer:- The prince said to pluck out the sapphire from his eye and give the sapphire to the young man. The swallow did as he was told. The young man became happy on getting the sapphire; he was now able to finish his play.
- What did the swallow bring for the little ragpicker?
Answer:- The only sapphire that was left in the prince’s eye.
- Why did the swallow decide to stay with the Happy Prince?
Answer:- The Happy Prince had given away the sapphires of both his eyes. Now he was completely blind. The swallow felt deep pity for the blind prince and decided to live with him forever.
- What happened when the swallow fell down dead?
Answer:- It hurt the prince so much that his leaden heart snapped in two.
- Why was the statue of the Happy Prince pulled down?
Answer:- It was pulled down because it looked very shabby.
- What two things were thrown on the dust heap?
Answer:- The dead swallow and the leaden heart of the Happy Prince.
- How were the Happy Prince and the swallow rewarded by God?
Answer:- God chose them to live forever in his city of gold.
Answer in detail
- Why did the mayor order to pull down the statue?
Answer:- The statue of the Happy Prince had lost all its gold, rubies, and sapphires. Now it looked dull and grey. It looked no better than a beggar. The mayor disliked the statue so much that he gave orders to pull it down and melt it in a furnace.
- Write a short note on the suffering of the poor people in the city.
Answer:- The poor people in the city lived a miserable life. There was a poor seamstress. She had nothing to give her son who was sick. There was a person who had no firewood to keep himself warm. There was a little girl who had no shoes or stockings. There were hungry and homeless children. There was ugliness and misery everywhere.
- What message does the story convey?
Answer:- This story brings out the secret of true happiness. True happiness comes from serving the poor and needy. God also blesses such persons. It is clear from the example of the Happy Prince giving his all for the sake of the poor. The swallow and the Happy Prince, God blesses both of them. He gives them a place in his paradise.
- ‘The living beings always think that gold can make them happy.’ Comment.
Answer:- Living beings are greedy by nature; they are never satisfied. The more they have, the more they want. They think that happiness comes with more and more gold and money. But this is not true. Real happiness lies in sympathy and contentment. A sympathetic and contented heart enjoys heavenly joy.
Grammar in Use
II. Rewrite each sentence using ‘must’ or ‘mustn’t’:
- The workers will have to reach in time.
Answer:- The workers must reach in time.
- I say Atul is not to be trusted.
Answer:- I say Atul mustn’t be trusted.
- Namya will have to do it again.
Answer:- Namya must do it again.
- Vanya still has to finish this work by tomorrow.
(Answer:- Vanya must finish this work by tomorrow.
- You are not to leave this place before seven.
You mustn’t leave this place before seven.
- We shall have to leave early in the morning
.Answer:- We must leave early in the morning.
- You are not to repeat this mistake in future.
Answer:- You mustn’t repeat this mistake in future.
- He says you are not to listen to their useless talk.
Answer:- He says you mustn’t listen to their useless talk.