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NIOS Class 10 English Chapter 27 The Parrot Who Wouldn’t Talk
Also, you can read the NIOS book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) Book guidelines. These solutions are part of NIOS All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NIOS Class 10 English Chapter 27 The Parrot Who Wouldn’t Talk, NIOS Secondary Course English Solutions for All Chapters, You can practice these here.
The Parrot Who Wouldn’t Talk
Chapter – 27
BOOK – II
LET US DO 27.1
From time immemorial, people the world over have kept pets.
1. In the box below are the names of some pets. Find them in the grid. Look horizontally, vertically and diagonally Circle each one when you find it.
| DOG, CAT, FISH, PARROT, HAMSTER, RABBIT, PIGEON, TURTLE |
Ans.
2. Read aloud the names of the pets given in the box above. Now arrange them in.
Ans. canary, cat, dog, fish, guinea pig, hamster, parrot, pigeon, rabbit, turtle alphabetical order.
27.2 LET US UNDERSTAND THE TEXT
27.2.1 PART – 1
You’re no beauty Can’t talk ………. And other nasty comments.
This story is set in the pre-independence era (probably 1944-45). In those days, many people, Indian as well as European kept parrots as pets (mostly parakeets and lovebirds). They were popular because they could mimic the human voice.
In the story, the author’s grandparents do not like to have birds as pets because they have to be kept in cages. But Aunt Ruby (the author’s aunt) buys a parakeet from a birdcatcher and keeps it in a cage. From the beginning the parrot does not like her. She tries very hard to teach it to talk, but it refuses to do so. One day when she puts her face close to the cage, the parrot knocks off her spectacles. Aunt Ruby doesn’t like that at all and after that, starts saying unkind things to her pet, and even makes faces at it.
This section gives an idea about Aunt Ruby’s nature. She has a strong will, gets angry quickly and has no patience. When her pet doesn’t respond to her, she is mean and unpleasant to it.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 27.1
Answer the following questions.
Q.1. ‘You’re no beauty! Can’t talk, can’t sing, can’t dance !’
(a) Who is saying these words and to whom?
Ans. Aunt Ruby is saying these words to his pet parakeet.
(b) Which word is being repeated here? Why?
Ans. Can’t is being repeated. It is repeated to emphasize what is being said.
Q.2. Where was the Parakeet’s cage kept?
Ans. The parakeet’s cage was kept at one end of a long veranda of Granny’s bunglow in North India.
Q.3. Where did Aunt Ruby get the Parakeet from?
Ans. Aunt got this from a birdcatcher selling many types of birds.
Q.4. Why do you think neither Granny nor Grandfather were keen on keeping caged birds as pets? Tick the correct option.
(a) Caged birds were very noisy.
(b) They preferred to keep caged rabbits.
(c) Birdcages were very expensive and Aunt Ruby wanted only ornate ones.
(d) Caged birds were deprived of their freedom.
Ans. (a) Caged birds were deprived of their freedom.
Q.5. Tick (✔) the correct option. The parrot backed away from Aunt Ruby because:
(a) the sunlight was falling directly on it and it couldn’t see properly.
(b) Aunt Ruby had poked it with a chilli
(c) it did not want to be kissed by Aunt Ruby.
(d) Aunt Ruby’s nephew (the author) threw a ball at it.
Ans. (c) It did not want to be kissed by Aunt Ruby.
Q.6. Why did Aunt Ruby become hostile towards the parakeet?
Ans. Once, when Aunt Ruby was near the parakeet’s cage it moved forward. Then it knocked off Aunt Ruby’s spectacles.
This made Aunt Ruby angry.
27.2.2 PART – 2
It fell upon me, then ten years old ………. The parrot had learnt to talk after all!
Children can be observant and sensitive. After Aunt Ruby becomes hostile towards her pet, her ten-year-old nephew (the author) feeds the parrot. A tender relationship develops between the parrot and the boy. He feeds the parrot not just things that the parrot likes but also things that he himself likes, such as slices of mango. The boy empathises with the parrot. He understands how the parrot feels. When no one is around, he leaves the cage door open. Do you think this was the correct thing to do? Did he make the right decision?
If his aunt had seen him, what could have happened?
In this section, you once again see Aunt Ruby’s immature behaviour. She wants to get another bird that she can teach to talk. After some days, the parrot returns. When it sees Aunt Ruby, the parrot says the same unkind words to her that she used to say to it. Aunt Ruby gets what she deserves. This section of the story shows us that one should be careful about what one says, even to one’s pets.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 27.2
Answer the following questions:
Q.1. What all did Aunt Ruby’s nephew (the author) give the parrot to eat?
Ans. The boy gave the parakeet green chillies, ripe tomatoes and slices of mango to eat.
Q.2. Tick the correct option He fed the parrot because:
(a) Aunt Ruby had become hostile towards her pet and someone had to feed it.
(b) Aunt Ruby had gone out of town and had asked him to look after the parrot.
(c) it gave him an opportunity to eat mango on the pretext that he was feeding the bird.
(d) ‘a’ and ‘c’
Ans. (d) ‘a’ and ‘c’.
Q.3. How did the parrot escape from the cage?
Ans. One afternoon when everyone was resting, Aunt Ruby’s nephew purposely left the cage door open soon the parakeet flew away.
Q.4. Aunt Ruby didn’t want the goldfish because:
(a) It couldn’t fly.
(b) It couldn’t talk.
(c) It couldn’t eat chillies.
(d) All the above.
Ans. (d) All the above.
Q.5. The author thinks that the parrot came back because it missed the green chillies. Why do you think the parrot came back?
Ans. The parrot had developed likeness towards Author and also wanted to bully Aunt.
Q.6. Why did Aunt Ruby run inside when she heard the parrot talking?
Ans. As soon as the parrot saw Aunt Ruby, it said, you are no beauty, can’t talk, can’t sing, can’t dance! Aunt Ruby felt ashamed. So she ran inside.
Exercise – 1
Fill in the blanks with the correct phrase from those given above. Change the tense of the verb as required.
1. Ever since Anita’s parents died in a car crash, her uncle and aunt took her ________.
Ans. Ever since Anita’s parents died in a car crash, her uncle and aunt took her under their wing.
2. Vimal owned a small but successful restaurant in Delhi. He decided to _______ and opened two more, one in Mumbai and another in Chennai.
Ans. Vimal owned a small but successful restaurant in Delhi. He decided to spread the wings and opened two more, one in Mumbai and another in Chennai.
3. Raja spotted an unusual insect in his garden but when he went closer, it _________.
Ans. Raja spotted an unusual insect in his garden but when he went closer, it to wing.
Exercise – 2
Look up a dictionary and find the meaning of the following phrases:
1. waiting in the wings.
Ans. Waiting in the wings – be close in the background, available at short notice.
2. wing it.
Ans. Why it speak or act without.
LET US DO 27.3
BIRD SOUNDS
In Part 2 of the story, you read: With a loud squawk, the parrot flew out of her reach ………
Different birds make different kinds of sounds. The loud, harsh sound made by a parrot is called a squawk. The series of short, quick, high-pitched sounds made by parrots (when they are in a group) is called chatter.
Draw lines to connect the pictures of birds given in Column 1 to their names in Column 2 to the sounds they make in Column 3.
Ans. Ans. (1) (c) – (vii)
(2) (g) – (iv)
(3) (f) – (v)
(4) (d) – (vi)
(5) (b) – (ii)
(6) (a) – (iii)
(7) (e) – (i)
Exercise – 1
Fill in the blanks using the correct words from the bracket.
1. _______ I make some coffee for you? (will/shall)
Ans. shell I make some coffee for you?
2. Mother is sleeping. I _______ disturb (must not/must)
Ans. Mother is sleeping. I must not disturb her.
3. _______ you like some tea? (could/would)
Ans. Would you like some tea?
4. _______ you please shut the door? (could/should)
Ans. Could you please shut the door?
5. _______ I borrow your notebook? (may/might)
Ans. May I borrow your notebook?
Exercise – 2
Select the correct modal from the box and fill in the blanks.
| can, could, can’t, will, would, shouldn’t, dare, ought to, must, may |
1. I _______ Bad like to meet the General Manager.
Ans. I would like to meet the General Manager.
2. You scratch my back, and I _______ scratch yours.
Ans. You scratch my back, and I will scratch yours.
3. Beggars _______ be choosers.
Ans. Beggars can’t be choosers.
4. It’s getting late. I _______ go now.
Ans. It’s getting late. I must go now
5. You _______ love your neighbours.
Ans. You ought to love your neighbours.
6. How _______ you open my letter?
Ans. How dare you open my letter?
7. I felt Rani _______ have done much better in the test.
Ans. I felt Rani could have done much better in the test.
8. I _______ run faster than you.
Ans. I can run faster than you.
9. You _______ make fun of others.
Ans. You shouldn’t make fun of others.
10. _______ God be with you and bless you.
Ans. May God be with you and bless you.
Exercise – 1
Fill in the blanks with the present perfect continuous tense of the verbs in the bracket.
1. Arti ________ for five hours. (sleep)
Ans. Arti has been sleeping for five hours.
2. He _______ in this town for the last ten years. (live)
Ans. He has been living in this town for the last ten years.
3. Mrs. Mehra _______ to the students about the importance of time management. (speak)
Ans. Mrs. Mehra has been speaking to the students about the importance of time management.
4. I _______ for the last one hour but the bus has not come. (wait)
Ans. I have been waiting for the last one hour but the bus has not come.
5. Vikram _______ the Ramayana aloud to his ailing grandmother. (read)
Ans. Vikram has been reading the Ramayana aloud to his ailing grandmother.
Exercise – 2
Fill in the blanks with the past perfect continuous tense of the verbs in the box.
| get, teach, watch, eat, wait |
1. We ______ television when the lights went off.
Ans. We had been watching television when the lights went off.
2. Until last year Radha ________ more than 90 per cent marks in Maths.
Ans. Until last year Radha had been getting more than 90 per cent marks in Maths.
3. Mr Sharma ________ chocolates every day till the doctor told him to stop.
Ans. Mr Sharma had been eating chocolates every day till the doctor told him to stop.
4. Anushka _______ for her father to come back.
Ans. Anushka had been waiting for her father to come back.
5. Mr Anant Singh _______ for fifteen years when he decided to start a business.
Ans. Mr. Anant Singh had been teaching for fifteen years when he decided to start a business.
Exercise – 3
Rewrite the following sentences after changing the tenses as directed:
1. We waited for Rajesh for two hours. (to present perfect continuous)
Ans. We have been waiting for Rajesh for two hours.
2. Anjali is washing the dishes. (to past perfect continuous)
Ans. Anjali had been washing the dishes.
3. Shashi is applying for different jobs. (to present perfect continuous)
Ans. Shashi has been applying for different jobs.
4. The art gallery had exhibited his paintings. (to present perfect continuous)
Ans. The art gallery has been exhibiting his paintings.
5. I have been cleaning the house all day. (to past perfect continuous)
Ans. I had been cleaning the house all day.
Exercise – 1
Change the following orders into polite requests. Use the correct punctuation mark at the end of each request.
1. Buy me a wristwatch!
Could ___________________
2. Pass me the salt!
Can ____________________
3. Shut the door!
Will ____________________
4. Get a glass of water!
Can ____________________
5. Clean the table.
Could you possibly. __________________
Ans. C. Requests, Orders and Instructions Exercise – 1
1. Could you buy me a wristwatch, please?
2. Can you pass me the salt, please?
3. Will you shut the door, please?
4. Can you get me a glass of water?
5. Could you possibly clean the table?
Exercise – 2
Arun’s mother went to the market. Before leaving, she gave him instructions to prepare a glass of lemonade (nimboo paani / shikanji).
Select appropriate words from the box and fill in the blanks.
| remove, serve, add, mix, stir, take, cut, squeeze, put. |
1. _______ a glass of water and _______ two tablespoons of sugar into it.
Ans. Take a glass of water and put two tablespoons of sugar into it.
2. _______ it well with a spoon till the sugar dissolves.
Ans. Mix it well with a spoon till the sugar dissolves.
3 ________ a lemon into half.
Ans. Cut a lemon into half.
4. Carefully _______ the seeds from one half.
Ans. Carefully remove the seeds from one half.
5. _______ the lemon to get the juice and add it to the water.
Ans. Squeeze the lemon to get the juice and add it to the water.
6. _______ a pinch of salt.
Ans. Add a pinch of salt.
7. _______ it well again.
Ans. Mix it well again.
8. ________it chilled (with ice in it).
Ans. Serve it chilled (with ice in it).
Exercise – 3
Make a request using the words in the brackets.
1. Manisha has left the window open. (you, shut)
Ans. Will you shut it, please?
2. Mummy, I want to bake a cake. (you, help)
Ans. Will you help me, please?
3. I don’t want to go to the party alone. (Could you possibly, come)
Ans. Could you possibly come with me?
4. I have wanted to read this book for a very long time. (I wonder if, lend)
Ans. I wonder if you could lend it to me.
5. I want to drink lemonade. (you, make)
Ans. Will you make it, please?
Exercise
After listening to the above rhyme:
Q.1. Make a list of words that have been repeated.
Ans. chatter, talk, squawk, natter, what’s
Q.2. Make a list of words that you would associate with ‘parrot’.
Ans. chatter, talk, squawk, group, fly.
Q.3. List the pair of rhyming words in the rhyme.
Example of rhyming words are:
Say – pay.
cat – bat.
sing – ring.
Ans. Talk – squawk.
natter – matter.
no – go.
fly – hi.
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
Q.1. Name all the birds that are mentioned in the story.
Ans. The birds mentioned are parrot, parakeet, love-bird, budgrerias, munnia, sparrow and nightangale.
Q.2. Can you think of another title for this story? Give reasons for your choice in 30-40 words.
Ans. The other suggested title can be “Love for Freedom”
We read in this story that Aunt Ruby tries her best to make parrot talk. But parrot does not speak a word. When author releases the parrot, it feels very normal. It is now he talks and acts in a naughty manner
Q.3. In the story, sometimes the author calls the bird parakeet and sometimes parrot. Is that a mistake?
Ans. No, it’s not a mistake. The bird that Aunt Ruby had bought was a parakeet. But a parakeet is a type of parrot. So it can be called either a parrot or a parakeet.
Q.4. Do you think Aunt Ruby’s method of teaching the parrot to talk was correct? If you were Aunt Ruby, how would you have taught the parrot?
Ans. I don’t think Aunt Ruby’s method was correct. If I were Aunt Ruby I would have developed a friendly relation with parakeet. I would choose simple words to start with. I would be patient and not get angry
Q.5. Find phrases in the text that tell you that parrot was not happy in the cage.
Ans. The phrases which show parrot was not happy are:
1. ‘unfortunate parakeet’.
2. ‘glared morosely at everyone’.
3. eyes getting smaller with anger.
Q.6. Suppose you were a parrot and somebody caged you and kept you as a pet. How would you feel? Give two reasons to support your answer.
Ans. I would not like it at all. We usually see parrots in groups. If I were put into a cage I would be lonely and would miss my friends, the other parrots. I would not be able to fly like other birds.
Q.7. Do you think Aunt Ruby’s nephew (the author) made the right decision when he left the cage door open? What decision would you make if you were Aunt Ruby’s nephew? Give at least two reasons for your answer.
Ans. Yes, I think Aunt Ruby’s nephew made the right decision.
I would also set the bird free because the bird was unhappy, Aunt Ruby was saying unkind things to it, she was not feeding it, she was unfriendly to it.
Q.8. You’re no beauty! Can’t talk, can’t sing, can’t dance!’ The story begins with these words. But when they are repeated at the end of the story, it adds humour to it and makes us laugh. Why?
Ans. In the beginning of the story the bird is locked in the cage And in the cage. Aunt tries to teach parakeet to talk. So these unkind words add to insult.
But at the end, parakeet is free or seeing Aunt Ruby, it repeats the same words. The parrot is witty. It speaks these words to remind her of the past. It seems as if parakeet wants to make fun of her.
