Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 2 A Gift of Chappals By Vasantha Surya.
A Gift of Chappals By Vasantha Surya
Word Meanings Part-1
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cousins | a child of one’s uncle or aunt. |
| Niece | नीस (a daughter of one’s brother or sister) |
| Nephew | a son of one’s brother or sister |
| Threw open | to open completely and suddenly |
| Rushed out | ran/ jumped out |
| Pulled | खींचा dragged |
| Take off | उतारना remove smth. /clothes /take away or remove |
| Protested | resisted विरोध करना objected, revolted, resisted |
| Set | put |
| Neatly | in an orderly way |
| Pair | a set of two things used together or regarded as a unit. |
| Grey | ligt colour like of a dust |
| Toe | पैर की अंगुली any of the five digits at the end of the human foot. |
| Scrawny | दुबला-पतला skinny, skinny |
| Wonder about | remain uncertain |
| Dragged | pull (someone or something) along forcefully, roughly, or with difficulty. |
| Backyard | मकान के पीछे का आंगन the grounds in back of a house |
| Behind | at the back of (someone) |
| Berry | बेर a small roundish juicy fruit without a stone. |
| Bush | झाड़ी a shrub or clump of shrubs with stems of moderate length. |
| Torn | past participle of tear, ripped |
| Sacking | बोरा jute bag |
| Sand | रेत, बालू a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral (मूँगा) |
| Kitte | बिलौटा, बिल्ली का बच्चा a young cat. |
| Lapping up | drinking |
| Shell | hard cover |
| Mewing | making sound by a cat |
| Secret | confidential, not known to others |
| Scream | shout angrily |
| Throw her off the scent | befool |
| Tumbler | glass |
| Pour | उड़ेलना to cause (a liquid or other substances) flow from a container |
| Suspicious | doubtful |
| Feed | give food to |
| Cute | pretty |
| Breed | race |
| Fur | hairy coat |
| Mane | a growth of long hair on the neck of a horse, lion, or other mammal. |
| Emblem | राज्य-चिह्न royal sign |
| The Pallava dynasty | an Indian dynasty वंश परंपरा that existed from 275 CE to 897 CE |
| Giggled | फूहड़पन से हंसना a foolish or nervous laugh/ chuckled चकल (दबी हँसी हँसना) |
| Joking | telling a lie |
| Mahabalipuram | also known as Mamallapuram, is a town in Chengalpattu district in the south-eastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu |
| Mysteriously | difficult to understand or explain |
| Statue | मूर्ति figure carved in stone |
| Descended | अवतीर्ण came down |
| Scientifically | by means of scientific methods and principles |
| Dynasty | राजवंश a sequence of powerful leaders in the same family |
| Waving | moving in the air |
| Twig | टहनी a thin offshoot- शाखा |
| Sparkling | shining |
| Descendant | संतति successor/ heir एर/ offspring |
| Remind | स्मरण कराना put in the mind of someone |
| Egypt | मिस्र/ दक्षिण मिश्र का एक शहर |
| Exchanged looks | looked at each other |
| Demanded | अनुरोध ask authoritatively or brusquely ब्रस्क्ली- रूखेपन से. |
| Huh | used to express scorn, anger, or surprise. |
| Descended | अवतीर्ण came down |
| Egyptian | मिस्त्र निवासी- of or relating to or characteristic of Egypt or its people or their language |
| Goddess | a female deity डीअटी- देवी |
| Bastet | also called Bast, ancient Egyptian goddess worshiped in the form of a lioness and later a cat |
| That’s it | बस that is enough or the end. |
| Descendants | वंशज came down from the same family |
| Stowaway | छिपकर यात्रा करनेवाला/ बेटिकट यात्री a person who hides aboard a ship or plane in the hope of getting free passage |
| Flourished | लहरायी waved |
| Whoop | चीख a loud hooting cry of exultation or excitement |
| EEK | used to express alarm, horror, or surprise. |
| Shrieked | चीखा sharp piercing cry |
| Alarmed | frightened |
| Sharpening | make or become sharp or sharper. |
| Claws | पंजे के नाखून a sharp curved nails on the end of an animal or bird’s foot |
| Edge | the outside limit of an object, area, or surface. |
| Awful | horrible |
| Kreech | कर्कस आवाज an unpleasant sound |
| Weird | suggesting something supernatural; unearthly. |
| Startled | भौंचक्का taken aback |
| Frightened | afraid |
| Out of wits | confused |
| Bounced | jumped |
| Scurried | तेज चाल to move about or proceed hurriedly |
| Bamboo | बाँस (a giant woody grass which is grown chiefly in the tropics उष्णकटिबंध. |
| Tray | plate |
| Chillies | a green or red fruit of a type of pepper plant |
| Howled | चिल्लाना cried |
| Miserably | in a pitiable or contemptible manner; terribly. |
| Grunted | made a short low sound |
| Whizzing | making a whistling or buzzing sound. |
| Derailing | leaving the right track |
| Track | path |
Word Meanings Part-2
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Crept | जाना, धीरे धीरे चलना moved up crawl धीमी चाल |
| Awkwardly | फूहड़ तरीके से, बेढंगे तरीके से, भद्देपन से not not decently , smoothly or gracefully. |
| Bowstring | प्रत्यंचा the string of an archer’s bow |
| Jutting out | spread out |
| Concentration | keen attention |
| Bony | thin |
| Bald | without hair |
| Fringe | किनारे पर border |
| Tuft | चोटी, पंखों घास बालों आदि का गुच्छा a number of pieces of hair, grass, etc. growing at the base. |
| Gleamed | shone |
| Leathery | चमड़े के समान leatherlike |
| Glittered | चमक, चमचमाना sparkle, shine with a bright, shimmering reflected light. |
| Glided | moved up and down |
| Stem | main body |
| Stuck out | to extend outward beyond a usual point |
| Edge | border |
| Scrawny | lean and thin |
| Stumbled | लड़खड़ाते हुए चलना followed unsteadily |
| Float | rise |
| Settle | स्थिर हो जाना establish, get set |
| Invisible | unseen |
| Track | path |
| Rails | रेल की पटरी a pair formimg a railway track |
| Whizzing | आवाज देना giving noise |
| Stared | looked fixedly |
| Huge | very big |
| Beringed | with rings on |
| Stem | body |
| Squawk | कर्कश आवाज निकालना sound of fear |
| Derailing | गलती करना faulting |
| Wail | sound of moaning |
| Chatting | talking |
| At home | comfortable |
| Leaning | resting |
| Apparently | clearly |
| Snooze | nap, short sleep |
| Alms | offering |
| Sternly | severely |
| Gazed | टकटकी लगाकर देखा stared |
| Choked | रुँधा हुआ blocked |
| Kept my body and soul together | पेट पाल सका हूँ managed to stay alive |
| Generosity | उदारता large heartedness |
| Wail | याचना करना moan, cry of pain |
| Feeble | कमजोर weak |
| Rumble | गहरी हताश आवाज deep muffled sound |
| Withered | उजड़ा हुआ sunk, dried |
| Belly | पेट stomach |
| Booming | जोरदार आवाज loud voice |
| Stained | दाग लगा हुआ marked, coloured |
| Betel | पान a kind of plant whose leaves are chewed as paan |
| Fed up | ऊब चुकी थी bored, disgusted/ tired and unhappy |
| Repeat | दुहराना do again |
| Sighed | आह भरना took a deep breath sadly |
| Wearily | थकी आवाज में in a tired manner |
| Tar | तारकोल a thick black viscous liquid used in making roads |
| Melted | पिघल गया है turned into liquid |
| Blistered | फफोले पड़ गये हैं boils/ bubbles on the skin, from burns or rubbing |
| Stretched | फैलाना spread |
| Whispered | फुसफुसायी said in a low voice |
| Mine | (here) my chappals |
| Shaking out | झाड़ फटकार रहा था rubbing hard to remove dust |
| Tightening | कस रहा था making tight |
| Gleaming | चमक रही थी looking bright |
| Filling | आँसू आना full with tears |
| Fair | सही proper, just |
| Blubbering | जोर से बोलते हुए speaking loudly |
| Frying | आग पर जलना, झुलसा देना heating in a pan/ be excessively hot |
| Step into (phrasal verb) | to take a particular role or do a particular task |
| Odd looking | विचित्र looking strange |
| Glanced | देखा looked |
| Shabby-looking | भद्दी दिखने वाली ugly, unshapely |
| Sturdy | मजबूत strong |
| Beamed | मुस्कुराया smiled with joy |
| Nodded | सिर हिलाया shook head |
| Picking up | उठाते हुए lifting |
| Nervously | घबराई हुई a little afraid |
| Stared | देखा looked |
| Hurriedly | तेजी से quickly |
| Flung | डालना, गुस्से में फेंकना throw with force or recklessness |
| Muttering | बड़बड़ाना, बुदबुदाना speaking in a low voice |
| Blessing | आशीष good wishes |
| Vanished | गायब हो गया disappeared |
| Unappreciative | क्रोधित angry |
| Marbles | काँच की गोलियाँ small balls of coloured glass used as a toy |
| Hurried up | तेजी से आया ran up |
| Scurried | मुड़ा moved |
| Railing | चार दीवारी, जंगला, कठघरा hedge/ a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports |
| Crouching | झुककर बैठा हुआ sitting by bending legs |
| Brand new | बिल्कुल नया quite new |
| Harassed | परेशान troubled |
| Upsetting | चिंता की बात to make yourself feel unhappy, anxious or annoyed |
| Vendors | फेरि वाले hawkers |
| Curiously | दिलचस्पी से, जिज्ञासापूर्वक strangerly, inexplicably, oddly, peculiarly |
| Lurking around | चुपके से घूमते हुए moving secretly/ waiting quietly (without attracting attention) |
| Shiver | कांपना tremble |
| Upset | बेचैन in trouble |
| Sores | फफोले blisters |
| Breath | साँस the amount of air that enters the lungs at one time |
| Boils | फफोले blisters |
| Grimly | कठोरता से severely |
| Groaned | दर्द से कराहा said painfully |
| Generous | उदार, दयालु liberal, charitable |
| Silly | मूर्ख fool |
| Snapped | गुस्से से कहना to break something with a sharp noise |
| Minded | बुरा मानना feel offended or angry |
| Hurried | दौड़ी rushed |
| Put on | नटखट badly behaved or disobedient |
| Lit up | चमक उठी shone with joy |
| Incarnate | अवतार के समान to give a human form to a particular idea |
| Flashed | आँखें क्रोध से लाल हो गईं eyes got red with anger |
| Stiff | कठोर rigid |
| Clattered off | फट-फट करते हुए चलना gone making a sound/ gone off noisily (with the noise or clatter of chappals) |
| Tiffin | नाश्ता refreshment |
| In a hurry | हड़बड़ी में hastily |
| Throw off | पीछा छुड़ाना get rid of |
Textbook Question Answers
Q:1 What is the secret that Meena shares with Mridu in the backyard?
Ans: A kitten inside a torn football filled with sand was hidden behind a thick bitter-berry bush in the backyard. This was the secret that Meena shared with Mridu.
Q:2 How does Ravi get milk for the kitten?
Ans: Ravi got milk for the kitten from the kitchen. When his grandmother saw him holding the glass of milk, he told her that he was hungry. In order to avoid suspicion, he had to even drink most of the milk. When she asked for the tumbler, he told her that he would wash it himself. Then, he ran and poured the milk into a coconut shell. Before his grandmother could get really suspicious, he ran back to the kitchen, washed the tumbler and put it back.
Q:3 Who does he say the kitten’s ancestors are? Do you believe him?
Ans: Ravi said that one of the descendants of the Egyptian cat-goddess was a stowaway in a Pallava ship. The descendant of this cat was the Mahabalipuram Rishi-Cat, and their kitten had descended from the Mahabalipuram Rishi-Cat. His narrative concerning the genealogy of the kitten is unbelievable.
Q:4 Ravi has a lot to say about M.P. Poonai. This shows that–
(i) he is merely trying to impress Mridu.
(ii) his knowledge of history is sound.
(iii) he has a rich imagination.
(iv) he is an intelligent child.
Which of these statements do you agree/disagree to?
Ans: Ravi has a lot to say about M.P. Poonai. This shows that he has a rich imagination.
Q:5 What was the noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran?
Ans: The noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran was an unusual sound, a ‘kreech’. This ‘kreeching’ wasactually Lalli’s attempts at learning to play the violin.
Q:6 The music master is making lovely music. Read aloud the sentence in the text that expresses this idea.
Ans: ‘The music-master’s notes seemed to float up and settle perfectly into the invisible tracks of the melody’. This sentence shows that the music-master was making lovely music.
Q:7 Had the beggar come to Rukku Manni’s house for the first time? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: No, the beggar had to not come to Rukku Manni’s house for the first time. When the beggar arrived, she asked Ravi to send him away. The beggar, she said, had been coming to their house daily the week before. She said it was time he found another house to beg from.
Q:8 “A sharp V-shaped line had formed between her eyebrows.” What does it suggest to you about Rukku Manni’s mood?
Ans: A sharp V-shaped line between the eyebrows refers to a frown. This suggests that Rukku Manni was in an angry mood.
Q:9 Complete the following sentences.
(i) Ravi compares Lalli’s playing the violin to _______________________________
(ii) Trying to hide beneath the tray of chillies, Mahendran _______________________________
(iii) The teacher played a few notes on his violin, and Lalli _______________________________
(iv) The beggar said that the kind ladies of the household _______________________________
(v) After the lesson was over, the music teacher asked Lalli if ___________________________
Answer:
(i) derailing of a train of melody.
(ii) tipped a few chillies over himself.
(iii) stumbled behind him on her violin, which looked helpless and unhappy in her hands.
(iv) were very generous and because of this, he had been able to keep his body and soul together for a whole week.
(v) she had seen his chappals.
Q:10 Describe the music teacher, as seen from the window.
Ans: As seen from the window, the bony figure of the music master, with most of his back to the window, could be seen sitting in front of Lalli. He had a mostly bald head with a fringe of oiled black hair falling around his ears and an oldfashioned tuft. A gold chain gleamed around his leathery neck and a diamond ring glittered on his hand as it glided up and down the stem of the violin. A large foot stuck out from beneath his gold-bordered veshti edge. He was beating time on the floor with the scrawny big toe.
Q:11 (i) What makes Mridu conclude that the beggar has no money to buy chappals?
Ans: (i) When Mridu saw the blistered feet of the beggar, she concluded that he did not have any money to buy slippers.
Q:11 (ii) What does she suggest to show her concern?
Ans: (ii) Mridu asked Ravi if he had any pair of old slippers that they could give to the beggar. Her eyes filled with tears on seeing the unfairness of the situation in which the beggar was, and she suggested that he needed something on his feet.
Q:12 “Have you children…” she began, and then, seeing they were curiously quite, went on more slowly, “seen anyone lurking around the verandah?”
(i) What do you think Rukka Manni really wanted to ask?
Ans: Rukku Manni actually wanted to ask the children if they had seen the music master’s slippers.
(ii) Why did she change her question?
Ans: She changed her question seeing that they were curiously quiet. She suspected that they had something to do with the absence of the slippers.
(iii) What did she think had happened?
Ans: She probably thought that the children had purposely hidden the music master’s slippers, or done something with it.
Q:13 On getting Gopu Mama’s chappals, the music teacher tried not to look too happy. Why?
Ans: Gopu Mama’s slippers were new, while the ones that the children gave away to the beggar were quite old and shabby-looking. Still, the music master lied that his slippers had been brand new. He was quite happy to get new slippers in return for his old ones. However, he tried not to look too happy as he wanted to show his disappointment at what the children had done. Even though his eyes lit up when he saw the new pair of slippers, he pretended as if he will have to somehow manage with it.
Q:14 On getting a gift of chappals, the beggar vanished in a minute. Why was he in such a hurry to leave?
Ans: When the beggar was asked to leave, he raised his eyes and looked fearfully at the road, which was gleaming in the afternoon heat. He knew his feet would burn again. However, when the children got him a pair of slippers, the beggar stared at it in amazement. He hurriedly flung his towel over his shoulder. Then, he pushed his feet into them and left, muttering a blessing to the children. In a minute, he had vanished around the corner of the street. He was tired and his feet were worn out. Since he could not have got anything better and Rukku Manni wanted him out of the house, he left in a hurry.
Q:15 Walking towards the kitchen with Mridu and Meena, Rukku Manni began to laugh. What made her laugh?
Ans: Walking towards the kitchen with Mridu and Meena, Rukku Manni remembered that Gopu Mama was always in a hurry to throw off his shoes and socks, and get into his slippers as soon as he came home. She wondered what he would say that evening when she would tell him that she had given his slippers to the music-master. Thinking of this, she began to laugh.
Q:16 Rewrite each of the following pairs of sentences as a single sentence. Use ‘if’ at the beginning of the sentence.
(i) Don’t tire yourself now. You won’t be able to work in the evening.
(ii) Study regularly. You’ll do well in the examination.
(iii) Work hard. You’ll pass the examination in the first division.
(iv) Be polite to people. They’ll also be polite to you.
(v) Don’t tease the dog. It’ll bite you.
Ans: (i) If you tire yourself now, you won’t be able to work in the evening.
(ii) If you study regularly, you’ll do well in the examination.
(iii) If you work hard, you’ll pass the examination in the first division.
(iv) If you are polite to people, they’ll also be polite to you.
(v) If you tease the dog, it’ll bite you.
Q:17 Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph.
Today is Sunday. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I ______ (go) out, I______(miss) the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I _______ (stay) for lunch, I ______(miss) the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I’ll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.
Ans: Today is Sunday. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I go out, I will miss the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I stay for lunch, I will missthe Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I’ll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.
Q:18 Complete each sentence below by appropriately using any one of the following:
if you want to/ if you don’t want to/ if you want him to
(i) Don’t go to the theatre ________
(ii) He’ll post your letter ________
(iii) Please use my pen ________
(iv) He’ll lend you his umbrella ________
(v) My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor ________
(vi) Don’t eat it ________
Answer:
(i) if you don’t want to.
(ii) if you want him to.
(iii) if you want to.
(iv) if you want him to.
(v) if you want him to.
(vi) if you don’t want to.
I hope that you would have enjoyed NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 2 A Gift of Chappals By Vasantha Surya. If you have any query regarding this chapter, please feel free to get in touch with me through comment box or social media and I assure you to resolve all your queries related to the topic as soon as possible.
