Chapter 1: Snake Bite Textbook Solutions

NIOS Class 10 English Chapter 1 Question Answer

INTEXT QUESTIONS 1.1

I. Answer the following questions.

1. Why do you think the snake hid itself?

Ans: Because it was scared of human beings.

2. What did Raja do when he saw the snake going into the coconut shell?

Ans: Raja put a stone on the mouth of the coconut shell to close it.

3. Why was Grandmother shocked? How did she react?

Ans: Raja’s grandmother was shocked to hear that Raja had brought home a snake. She cried for help.

4. Imagine you are Raja’s grandfather. Raja brings home a snake. How do you think you would react?

Ans: Individual responses.

II. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

1. The snake hid under a stone.

Ans: False

2. Raja was very excited to see the snake.

Ans: True

3. Raja’s grandparents were very worried to see the coconut shell with the snake in it.

Ans: True

4. The coconut shell broke and the snake crawled away.

Ans: False

LET US LEARN NEW WORDS 1.1

I. Find words from the passage which mean the opposite of the following words.

1. Far

2. Opened

3. Appeared

4. Always

Ans:

1. Far – near

2. Opened – closed

3. Appeared – disappeared

4. Always – never

II. Match the words in Column A with their opposites in Column B

Column A	Column B
1. quietly	a. came
2. slowly	b. harmless
3. went	c. noisily
4. dangerous	d. quickly

Ans:

Column A	Column B
1. quietly	c. noisily
2. slowly	d. quickly
3. went	a. came
4. dangerous	b. harmless

INTEXT QUESTIONS 1.2

I Answer the following questions:

1. Why did the bee sting Raja?

Ans: Because Raja tried to catch it.

2. Why did Raja go to his grandmother?

Ans: Because he was in pain and wanted his grandmother to help him stop the pain.

3. What did his grandmother think? Why did she think so?

Ans: Grandmother thought that a snake had bitten Raja because he told her that he had been bitten, and because he had brought home a snake in the morning.

4. What do you think his grandmother should have done when Raja came to her after being stung by a bee?

Ans: Raja’s grandmother should have spoken to him and asked him to tell what had happened.

5. What would have happened if Raja had been bitten by a snake, but his grandmother believed that he was bitten by a bee? Explain in about 30-40 words.

Ans: Individual responses

II. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

1. Raja’s grandfather got very worried to see the blue mark on Raja’s finger.

Ans: True

2. Raja had to run through the paddy fields with his grandfather.

Ans: False

3. Raja and his grandfather ran to catch the bee.

Ans: False

4. Raja’s grandfather had to run a long distance carrying Raja in his arms.

Ans: True

5. Raja’s grandfather shouted because he was angry.

Ans: False

LET US LEARN NEW WORDS 1.2

I. Find words/phrases in the story which are close in meaning to the following words:

stain

far

ache

Ans:

Stain – mark
Far – Some distance away
Ache – pain

II. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using suitable words from the story.

1. She is wearing a diamond ring on her index _____.

2. I have ____ in my legs because I am tired.

3. I grow colourful flowers in my _____.

4. Farmers plough their ____ with tractors.

Ans: 1. finger 2. pain 3. garden 4. fields

III. Read the following sentences.

1. Snakes hiss.

2. Bees buzz.

3. Cats mew.

4. Parrots talk.

The underlined words denote the sounds made by the creatures mentioned in the above sentences. Now match the names of the animals in Column A with their sounds in Column B.

Column A	Column B
1. lions	a. bray
2. elephants	b. chatter
3. donkeys	c. growl
4. monkeys	d. trumpet
5. cows	e. roar
6. bears	f. low

Ans:

1. lions roar

2. elephants trumpet

3. donkeys bray

4. monkeys chatter

5. cows low

6. bears growl

INTEXT QUESTIONS 1.3

I. Answer the following questions:

1. What did Grandfather tell the old man to do?

Ans: Grandfather told the old man to cure Raja of snakebite.

2. What two things did the old man do?

Ans: Took some water in a vessel and recited mantras

3. Why was everyone sad and silent?

Ans: Everybody was sad and silent because they thought Raja had been bitten by a snake and his life was in danger.

4. Why did Raja’s grandfather send gifts to the old man?

Ans: Grandfather sent gifts to the old man as a reward for curing Raja.

5. Do you think the old man cured Raja? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: No, the old man did not cure Raja. The old man knew how to cure a snake bite, but Raja did not have a snake bite. He had a bee sting, and the pain from it stopped before the old man washed his finger and gave him water to drink.

6. If you were Raja would you keep quiet like him?

Ans: Individual responses

II. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

1. The old man gave Raja medicine to cure him.

Ans: False

2. Only Raja knew that he had not been bitten by a snake.

Ans: True

3. Raja’s grandfather did not give Raja a chance to tell what had happened to him.

Ans: True

4. As time passed the pain in Raja’s finger stopped.

Ans: True

LET US LEARN NEW WORDS 1.3

I. Find words in the story which are opposite in meaning to the following words:

1. Loose

2. Happy

3. Loudly

4. Noisy

5. Young

6. Safety

Ans:

1. Loose – Tight
2. Happy – Sad
3. Loudly – Silently
4. Noisy – Quiet
5. Young – Old
6. Safety – Danger

Exercise 1

Find five examples each of past tense forms of regular and irregular verbs in the story.

Ans: Simple past tense verbs appearing in the story

Regular verbs	Irregular verbs
shocked	hid
snatched	went
warned	thought
wanted	held
happened	gave

Exercise 2

Write the simple past tense of the following verbs. Put them in column A (regular) or column B (irregular) as the case may be.

draw, walk, manage, hold, ask, forgive, drive, meet, swim, repair, shake, cook, ring, clean, enjoy, bear, lead, cheat, write, eat.

Ans:

A (regular)	B (irregular)
Walked Managed Asked Repaired Cooked Cleaned Enjoyed Cheated	Drew Held Forgave Drove Met Swam Shook Rang Bore Led Wrote Ate

Exercise 3

Give two examples of verbs that are the same in the present and past tense.

Ans: let and cut

Exercise 4

Form adverbs from the adjectives and use them in your own sentences.

neat, nice, soft, clear, elegant, careful, regular, graceful

Ans: neatly, nicely, softly, clearly, elegantly, carefully, regularly, gracefully.

TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. What do you think Raja felt when he had to sit in front of the old man to be treated for a snake bite?

Ans: Suggested response: he might have felt restless and helpless.

2. Why do you think Raja’s grandfather did not let Raja speak? Do you approve of Raja’s silence?

Ans: Suggested response: Raja’s grandfather did not let him speak because he was very sure about what was wrong with Raja and about what had to be done. He did not want to waste time talking about it because he believed Raja’s life was in danger.

If I were in Raja’s place, I might have freed myself from my grandfather’s arms and run away. However, I do not approve of Raja’s silence; he should have told his father the truth.

3. In your opinion, what kind of a person was the old man?

Ans: Suggested response: He was shrewd and dishonest.

4. If you were the old man would you accept the gifts sent by Raja’s grandfather? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: Individual responses

5. Many people are afraid of snakes. Why do they fear snakes? Do you think they are right? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: Individual responses