NCERT Solutions for Class-6 English (Honeysuckle) Chapter-2 How the Dog Found Himself a New Master?

Working with the Text

Question A.
Discuss these questions in pairs before you write the answers.

Question 1. Why did the dog feel the need for a master ? (1, 2)
Solution: The dog was tired of the sort of life it led. He was tired of wandering about by himself looking for food. He was frightened of those who were stronger than he. So he felt the need for a master who could give him food. He also wanted security in return for his services.

Question 2. Who did he first choose as his master ? Why did he leave that master ? (3)
Solution: First, the dog chose a fierce wolf as his master. He left the wolf soon after he saw him afraid of a bear. The dog wanted a master who was not afraid of any one.

Question 3. Who did he choose next ? (3)
Solution: Next, the dog chose bear as his master.

Question 4. Why did he serve the Lion for a long time ? (4)
Solution: The dog served the lion for a long time. There was, indeed, no stronger beast in the forest than the lion. It was a good life. No one dared touch the dog or offend him in any way.

Question 5. Who did he finally choose as his master and why ? (9, 10)
Solution: The dog finally chose man as his master. He found him to be the strongest creature on earth of whom even the lion was afraid.

Question B.
A summary of the story is given below. Fill in the blanks to complete it taking appropriate phrases from the box.

This is the story of __________ , who used to be __________ . He decided to find a master __________ . First he found __________, but the wolf was afraid of __________ . The dog thought that the bear was __________ . After some time the dog met
__________ , who seemed the strongest. He stayed with the lion for a long time. One day he realised that the lion was __________ . To this day, the dog remains man’s best friend.
Solution: This is the story of a dog who used to be his own master. He decided to find a master who was stronger than anybody else. First he found a wolf but the wolf was afraid of the bear. The dog thought that the bear was the strongest of all. After some time, the dog met a lion who seemed the strongest. He stayed with the lion for a long time. One day he realised that the lion was afraid of man. To this day, the dog remains man’s best friend.

Working with Language

Question A.
Each word in the box given below indicates a large number of ‘…
For example, “a herd of cows’ refers to many cows. Complete each of the following phrases with a suitable word from the box.

1. a __________ of ships
2. a __________ of flowers
3. a __________ of chicks
4. a __________ of cattle
5. a __________ of sticks
6. a __________ of sheep
7. a __________ of fish
8. a __________ of wolves
Solution:
1. fleet
2. bunch
3. brood
4. herd
5. bundle
6. flock
7. school
8. pack

Question B.
Make nouns from the words given below by adding -ness or -ity. (For some words we need to add just -ty or -y)
1. honest __________
2. kind __________
3. cruel __________
4. calm __________
5. sad __________
6. active __________
7. creative __________
8. sincere __________
9. cheerful __________
10. bitter __________
11. sensitive __________
12. great __________
Solution:
1. honesty
2. kindness
3. cruelty
4. calmness
5. sadness
6. activity
7. creativity
8. sincerity
9. cheerfulness
10. bitterness
11. sensitivity
12. greatness

Question C.
Wordsearch:

• There are twelve words hidden in this table.
• Six can be found horizontally and the remaining six vertically.
• All of them are ‘describing’ words like ‘good’, ‘happy’, etc.
• The first letters of the words are given below :
  

Solution:
Horizontal Words :

• Hasty
• Ready
• Frightened
• Fierce
• Strong
• Good

Vertical Words :

• Angry
• Worse
• Surprised
• Free
• Loyal
• Quiet

Question D.
Read the following passage and do the exercises that follow. Then complete the family tree of dogs given on the facing page.

The Dog Family

The dog family is one of the 11 families that make up the Carnivores, a large group of intelligent, flesh-eating, back boned animals. In this group
are such varied animals as bears, pandas, raccoons, cats, hyenas, and even seal. The dog or canine family has many wild species like wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals, and wild dogs.
The dog is the only domesticated member of the canine family though now and then someone tames a wolf, fox or coyote as a pet. All members of the dog family are descendants of a wolf-like animal which lived about 15 million years ago. From this distant ancestor, the true dogs gradually developed. But nobody knows the exact ancestor of the modern domestic dog.
Several wild dogs look and behave like domestic dogs. The dingo or wild dog of Australia is one of these. It is possible that the dingo was a tamed dog brought to Australia long ago which then ran wild.
Dogs were the first animals tamed by humans-perhaps 20,000 years ago. Tamed dogs were brought from Asia to the New World 5,000 or more years ago. Dogs were first used for hunting.

Question 1. Find the opposites of these words in the text above.
1. ancestor _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. wild t_m t _ _ _ m _ _ _ _ _
3. ancient _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4. near d _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ t
5. suddenly gr _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Solution:
1. descendant
2. tame
3. modern
4. distant
5. gradually

Question 2. Complete the following sentences.
1. The dingo is (a) __________
2. Dogs were the (a) __________ animals tamed by humans. The other animals tamed by humans are (b) __________ (Think and name some other such animals.)
3. The New World refers to (a) __________ . Dogs were brought there from (b) __________ .
Solution:
1. (a) a wild dog
2. (a) wild (b) horses, elephants, cows etc.
3, (a) America (b) India.

Speaking

Here are some points from a similar story that you might have heard in another language. Dividing the class into two groups try and tell the story in English. One person from each group can speak alternately. Your teacher will help you. As you tell it, one of you may write it down on the board.

Question 1.

A Mouse Maiden

• mouse changed into a girl by a magician ……………….
• wants to marry the strongest person ……………….
• asks whether sun or cloud stronger (why ?) ……………….
• but mountain stronger than clouds (how ?) ……………….
• but mouse stronger than mountain (how ?) ……………….
• girl asks to marry mouse, becomes a mouse again.

Solution:

A Mouse Maiden

Once there was a mouse who lived with a magician. One day the magician turned the mouse into a beautiful girl. Now this girl wanted to marry the strongest being of this universe. She went to the sun and requested him to marry her. The sun said that cloud was stronger because it could hide him whenever it liked. The girl now went to the cloud with the same request. The clouds said that the Mountain was stronger. It was able to force the clouds to fall in the form of rain.
So the girl went to the Mountain and requested him to marry her. The Mountain told the girl that the strongest creatures in the universe are the mice. They could make holes even into the mountains. The girl decided to marry a mouse. She requested the magician to make her a mouse again. The magician agreed and the girl became a mouse.