Question Bank — The Wit that Won Hearts

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. Why did the queen seek Tenali Rama’s help?
   (a) The king refused to meet her
   (b) She wanted him to write a poem for the king
   (c) She had quarrelled with the king over his poem
   (d) She wanted to leave the palace

2. What quality of Tenali Rama helped resolve the king-queen quarrel?
   (a) His knowledge of farming
   (b) His quick wit and clever strategy
   (c) His skill as a warrior
   (d) His ability to write poems

3. Assertion (A): The king realised his mistake only after Tenali Rama’s paddy-seed episode.
   Reason (R): The king understood that yawning is natural and not a sign of disrespect.
   (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.

4. In the poem “A Concrete Example”, the speaker finds Mrs Jones’s garden unusual because it is full of
   (a) colourful flowers
   (b) stones and tiny plants
   (c) fruit trees
   (d) fountains

5. What does the line “You’re standing on it” reveal about Mrs Jones?
   (a) She is careless about her garden
   (b) She values even the smallest plant
   (c) She dislikes visitors
   (d) She grows only stones

6. Assertion (A): The four young men in “Wisdom paves the Way” were appointed as the king’s advisers.
   Reason (R): They showed remarkable powers of observation and logical reasoning about the camel.
   (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.

7. The merchant accused the four men of stealing his camel because
   (a) they were strangers
   (b) they described the camel accurately without having seen it
   (c) they refused to help him
   (d) they were running away

8. Which word from the unit means “undefeatable”?
   (a) forlorn
   (b) insurmountable
   (c) distraught
   (d) vague

9. The king’s reaction to the queen’s yawning shows that he was
   (a) humble
   (b) proud and sensitive about his poetry
   (c) indifferent to the queen
   (d) fond of farming

10. The refrain in the poem “A Concrete Example” is
    (a) “My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones”
    (b) “has got a garden full of stones”
    (c) “puts little plants between the stones”
    (d) Both (a) and (b)

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“The king thought I was disrespecting his poem and stormed off. Since then, he has not spoken to me… Help me, please, Rama. Only you can help the king understand.”
Rama nodded thoughtfully. “If you like, I will try my best to resolve this matter, Your Highness. But this needs a well-planned approach…”

(i) Who is the speaker of the first part and to whom is she speaking?
(ii) What does the queen’s request reveal about her state of mind?
(iii) Identify the literary device in “stormed off”.
(iv) What does Rama’s reply show about his character?

Extract 2

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device…

(i) Who is the speaker and what is being described?
(ii) Why does the speaker call the path “crazy”?
(iii) Name the literary device used in the repetition of the neighbour’s name.
(iv) What does the description suggest about Mrs Jones’s taste?

Extract 3

Ram Datt: Your Highness, I discovered that the camel is lame in one of its legs.
King: And how did you deduce this?
Ram Datt: From its tracks on the road, I observed that only three feet left distinct impressions…

(i) What context led Ram Datt to make this observation?
(ii) How did Ram Datt reach his conclusion?
(iii) Identify the figure of speech in “the pattern of the tracks told the tale”.
(iv) What quality of Ram Datt is highlighted here?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. Why did the queen’s yawning lead to a quarrel with the king? (40–50 words)
2. How did Tenali Rama use the paddy seeds to make the king realise his mistake? (40–50 words)
3. What impression do you form of Mrs Jones from the poem “A Concrete Example”? (40–50 words)
4. Why did the merchant become angry with the four young men? (40–50 words)
5. How did the four young men prove their wisdom in the king’s court? (40–50 words)

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Character sketch of Tenali Rama. (100–120 words)
   Key points for marking: Quick wit, patience, clever strategy, respect for royalty, ability to resolve conflicts peacefully, use of everyday situations to teach a lesson.

2. “Wisdom lies in careful observation and logical thinking, not merely in seeing with the eyes.” Explain with reference to the play “Wisdom paves the Way”. (100–120 words)
   Key points for marking: Four men’s observations about the camel, each using different clues (tracks, leaves, tail, footprints), king’s appreciation, merchant’s false accusation, appointment as advisers.

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the unit:
   The court was _ with activity. The king’s eyebrows were _. The merchant left the court feeling __. (bustling/furrowed/chastened)

2. Imagine you are the queen after the king apologises. Write a short diary entry (60–80 words) expressing your relief and renewed respect for Tenali Rama’s wisdom.