Scene I: The Road to Ujjain

Let Us Discuss (Page 37)

I. Complete the following sentences with suitable reasons. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. Shiv Datt said, “I believe it has been over a week, perhaps even longer,” because it had been a long time since they left the village.

Answer :- It had been a long time since they left the village. (Example)

2. Dev Datt said, “Indeed, we ought to be united in this hope. That is why we press on towards Ujjain,” because _______________.

Answer :- They hoped to secure an audience with the King of Ujjain and find suitable employment for all four of them.

3. Har Datt said, “Look there, friends. A camel has passed this way. The tracks are fresh,” because _______________.

Answer:- He observed fresh footprints of a camel on the dusty road.

4. Shiv Datt said, “It appears to be a merchant, running as if pursued by trouble,” because _______________.

Answer:- He saw a man approaching them in great haste with a worried expression.

5. The merchant said, “How could you possibly know that? The poor creature has been unwell for two weeks now. Surely you are a healer!” because _______________.

Answer :- Dev Datt correctly guessed that the camel was suffering from stomach pain without ever seeing it.

Question 6 :- Dev Datt said, “You are free to do as you wish, sir. If the King desires our presence, we shall be waiting under that banyan tree yonder,” because ________.

Answer The merchant accused them of stealing his camel, but they were confident that they were innocent.

Scene II: The King’s Court

Let us discuss
I Arrange the following events in order of their occurrence from Scene II of the play. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. The King makes the four young men his advisers, impressed by
   their skills.

2. Ram Datt explains how he infers from the tracks that the camel is lame.
3. The King asks the merchant to clearly state his accusation.
4. The King praises the young men for their observations and dismisses
   the merchant’s accusation.
5. Shiv Datt reveals that the camel is blind in its right eye as it had only
   chewed on the leaves on the left side of the road.
6. Dev Datt explains his observation about the camel’s pain and
   careful movement.
7. Har Datt clarifies how he knew that the camel has a short tail.
8. The merchant accuses the four men of knowing a lot about his
   missing camel.

Answer:-

The King appoints the four young men as his advisers

The King asks the merchant to clearly state his accusation.

The merchant accuses the four young men.

Ram Datt explains how he knew the camel was lame.

Shiv Datt explains that the camel was blind in one eye.

Har Datt explains how he knew the camel had a short tail.

Dev Datt explains the camel’s stomach pain.

The King dismisses the merchant’s accusation.

Let us think and reflect
I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. Dev Datt : Ten days are but a short span in the grand scheme of things.
   We may still have many more roads to wander before we
   find employment befitting all four of us.
   Ram Datt : If only we could secure an audience with the King of Ujjain.
   I am confident he would recognise our talents and appoint
   us to his service.
   Shiv Datt : I share your belief.
   Dev Datt : Indeed, we ought to be united in this hope. That is why we
   press on towards Ujjain.
   Har Datt : (Pausing thoughtfully) Gaining an audience with the King
   is no simple task. We need to devise a strategy.

(i) Identify the false statement from the two given below and
rectify it.
A. Dev Datt believes that finding employment is an easy task.
B. Ram Datt is confident that the King would recognise
their talents

Answer :- Statement A is false because Dev Datt believes finding suitable employment will take time.

(ii) What does Ram Datt’s confidence in gaining the King’s recognition tell us about him?

Answer :- It shows that Ram Datt is optimistic, confident, and believes in the abilities of his companions.

(iii) Complete the sentence given below with the correct option from
those given.
In the line, ‘That’s why we press on towards Ujjain’, the phrase
‘press on’ refers to __.

A. walking with heavy steps
B. moving forward with determination
C. slowing down frequently for rest
D. stopping briefly to save time

Answer :- B. Moving forward with determination.

(iv) Har Datt says, “We need to devise a strategy.” What can be
inferred about Har Datt’s character from his statement?
A. He is doubtful of their abilities and wants to give up.
B. He is eager to rush into the palace without preparation.
C. He is cautious and thoughtful, preferring to plan ahead.
D. He relies on others to make decisions for the group.

Answer C. He is cautious and thoughtful and prefers planning before acting.

2. King : (To the four men) You have demonstrated remarkable intelligence and the ability to see beyond the obvious. Such minds are rare and highly valued in my court. I extend to you the honour of becoming my advisers. Your counsel shall guide my decisions, and your wisdom shall be a beacon for my kingdom. What do you say to my offer?
   Ram Datt : (Stepping forward) Your Highness, it is an honour we had not dared to dream of. (i) Select the option that is true for both Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
   (A): The Merchant left the court feeling humbled and ashamed.
   (R): The King commanded that the four wise men join his court.
   A. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
   B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
   C. (A) is true, but (R) is false.
   D. (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Answer:

B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

(The merchant felt ashamed because his baseless accusations were exposed by the men’s brilliant deductions, not because the King asked the men to join his court.)

(ii) Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct option.
The line, ‘See beyond the obvious’ means that the men had the
ability to __.
A. challenge common beliefs with reasoning
B. interpret information in traditional ways
C. notice details that others might overlook
D. predict what is going to happen in the future

Answer: C. notice details that others might overlook

(iii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason. Ram Datt described the King’s offer as ‘an honour we had not
dared to dream of’ because _.

Answer: …because they were ordinary, travel-worn young men merely hoping to find general employment, and being appointed as the King’s personal advisers was a far more prestigious and powerful position than they could have ever anticipated.

(iv) How does the King’s offer to the four men reflect his values as a ruler?

Answer: It reflects that the King is a just and merit-based ruler who highly values true wisdom, keen observation, and logical reasoning. He rewards genuine talent and intellect rather than judging people based on their wealth, appearance, or social standing.

II. Answer the following questions

1) What does the dusty road leading to Ujjain tell us about the challenges of the young men’s journey?

Answer:- The dusty road leading to Ujjain tells us that the young men’s journey was long, tiring, and difficult. It also shows their hard work and determination to find a better livelihood.

2) Why did the merchant become suspicious of the four men? What does this tell us about him?

Answer:- The merchant became suspicious because the men described his lost camel correctly without having seen it. He thought they could have stolen the camel or harmed it. This shows he was quick to judge and jumped to conclusions.

3) How do the four young men’s observations about the camel serve as a turning point in the play?

Answer:- The four men’s observations about the camel serve as a turning point in the play because they change the story from an accusation of theft to a display of intelligence. This makes the judge see them as wise instead of criminals.

4) Why did the king believe the four young men and not the merchant?

Answer:- The king believed the four men over the merchant because they explained their observations and gave good evidence. This showed that they were wise and observant, not thieves.

5) How does the capability of the four young men make them suitable to become advisors?

Answer:- The capability of the four young men makes them suitable to become advisors because they are observant, intelligent, and good at solving problems. Their wisdom helps them make fair and sensible decisions.

6) Why does the merchant feel ashamed for accusing the young men of stealing his camel? Explain in your own words.

Answer:- The merchant felt ashamed because he had accused the four young men of stealing his camel. He realized that they were intelligent and had used careful observation and logic to describe the camel.

Let us learn
I Complete the sentences by filling in the noun form of the textual words
given in the brackets.

1. Some word games need a lot of thought and deduction. (deduce)

2. We need to make close observations of animals in order to understand their behaviour. (observe)

3. A detailed scrutiny of the documents shows a lot of errors. (scrutinise)

4. You should not make any false accusations against anyone. (accuse)

5. She was given an award in recognition of her contribution to literature. (recognise)

II Match the expressions in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2.

Answer:-

Now, make sentences using any five of the expressions from Column 1.

1. Taken aback: She was completely taken aback by the surprise birthday party her friends had organized.
2. To be precise: The recipe calls for baking the cake for exactly forty-five minutes, to be precise.
3. Catch his breath: After sprinting across the finish line, the runner placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
4. Erupts in applause: At the end of the beautiful musical performance, the entire audience erupts in applause.
5. More than meets the eye: The old, dusty book looked ordinary on the outside, but its fascinating stories proved there was more than meets the eye.

III Match the different meanings of ‘face’ and ‘bear’ with the correct usage in the sentences given in the table below. (n. stands for the word noun and v. stands for the word verb.)

Answer:-

For the word ‘face’:

• 1. (n.) the front part of a person’s head from the forehead to the chin -> (iii) She has a round, smiling face.
• 2. (v.) to be positioned with the face or front towards -> (i) Ravi turned to face his father, when he was called.
• 3. (v.) to deal with a difficult task or situation -> (iv) We should be ready to face life’s challenges.
• 4. (n.) the front or surface of a thing -> (ii) The face of the clock was painted red and blue.

For the word ‘bear’:

• 1. (v.) tolerate -> (iv) I can’t bear the sound of vehicles honking.
• 2. (v.) accept -> (iii) Riya agreed to bear the responsibilities with confidence.
• 3. (n.) a large heavy mammal -> (ii) I spotted a bear on a wildlife safari.
• 4. (v.) produce; give birth to -> (i) The trees that I planted in my garden took a long time to bear fruit.

IV Match the highlighted words in the sentences in Column 1 with the functions they express in Column 2.

Answer:-

V Complete the following story with modal verbs in the box given below by using the clues from the functions given within brackets.

( may must should can might could need to )

An old man, known for his wisdom, lived in a small village. One day, a young boy asked him, “How 1. (ability) I become wise like
you?” The old man smiled and said, “Wisdom 2. (necessity) be earned through patience. You 3. (suggestion) listen, more than
you speak.” The boy thought for a while and replied, “It 4. (weak possibility) take years, but I’ll try.” The old man nodded. “You 5. (obligation) learn from your mistakes too. Wisdom 6. (possibility) come slowly, but it always arrives for those who seek it.” The boy knew he 7. _ (ability) become wise if he followed the old man’s advice.

Answers:

1. can
2. must
3. should
4. might
5. need to
6. may
7. could

VI Rewrite the following sentences using appropriate modal verbs. You may take clues from the highlighted words. One example has been done for you.

1. It is advisable for you to think before you speak.
   You should think before you speak.
2. It is unnecessary to worry about things beyond your control.
3. It is not possible for a person to gain experience without taking risks.
4. It is essential to treat others with kindness, even when they disagree
   with you.
5. It is not allowed to interrupt when someone else is speaking.

Answer:-

3. A person cannot gain experience without taking risks.

4. You must treat others with kindness, even when they disagree with you.

5. You must not interrupt when someone else is speaking.