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Karnataka State Syllabus Class 8 English Prose Chapter 2 The Boy Who Sold Wisdom
The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes
Textbook Questions And Answers
I. Comprehension
A. Re-order the following jumbled sentences in the right sequence as they occur in the text:
- Gupta was unhappy after the incident because his son would have to feign madness always, or else the king would find out.
- The minister and one of the queens planned to kill the king.
- According to Nagendra’s advice, Babu went to the king and told him the whole story.
- Nagendra advised Babu to pretend madness.
- The king sent for Nagendra.
- The king bought the wisdom, “Think deeply before doing anything,” from Nagendra.
- The king ordered that the queen should be hanged.
- He engraved it on his cups and plates so that he wouldn’t forget it.
Answer:
4, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 2, 7
B. Complete the following sentences:
1. Nagendra’s brilliant idea was to _________
Answer:
hire the smallest and cheapest place to set up a shop.
2. He sold _______ .
Answer:
Wisdom
3. Wisdom was bought by _________.
Answer:
Babu
4. Babu’s father was angry with him because __________.
Answer:
He had wasted a nickel in buying nonsense advice written in a scrap of paper.
5. Nagendra reacted to the fury of Gupta by ________.
Answer:
Telling him that Gupta had not given back his money and he had only returned the paper.
6. He returned the money after making Gupta sign ______ which stated __________
Answer:
a document; his son would never use his advice and that he would always stand and watch people fighting.
7. Babu got into a problem for the second time when ______.
Answer:
he became a witness to the fight between the two maids of the queen.
8. The dispute between the two maids was over a __________.
Answer:
Pumpkin
C. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each:
Question 1.
Why did Nagendra open a shop?
Answer:
Nagendra’s parents died when he was young. He was jobless and had to earn for his living. Hence he opened a shop.
Question 2.
Why is the merchant’s son called a stupid boy?
Answer:
The merchant’s son was not aware of what was sold in Nagendra’s shop. He thought it was a vegetable or a thing. He told Nagendra to give him wisdom worth a nickel.
Question 3.
What did Nagendra sell for a nickel?
Answer:
Nagendra sold wisdom/advice saying “It was not wise to stand and watch to people fighting’’ that was written on a piece of paper.
Question 4.
Why was Babu’s father angry?
Answer:
Babu’s father felt that paying a nickel for a nonsense advice was foolish. Hence he was angry.
Question 5.
How did Nagendra make Gupta realize the value of wisdom?
Answer:
Gupta gave back the paper of advice and asked Nagendra to return the nickel. Nagendra told him that he would return the nickel on a condition that they should sign a document that stated his son would never use the advice and would stand and watch people fighting.
Question 6.
Why did the two maids quarrel?
Answer:
The two maids quarreled over the same pumpkin from the same shop.
Question 7.
Why did Babu and his father go to Nagendra twice?
Answer:
As babu was the witness to the maids quarreling in the market place he was called by them to speak in support or else his head would be chopped off. Hence to escape the wrath of the king Babu and his father went to Nagendra once. Next time to prove that Babu was not an insane.
Question 8.
Why was Babu very happy?
Answer:
As the advice given by Nagendra. Babu babbled and littered nonsensical syllabus in front of the king for the questions asked. The king lost his patience and sent him out of the courtroom. Babu was happy for the success of the trick.
Question 9.
What is the meaning of the expression, “Think deeply before you do anything”?
Answer:
The expression means that one has to think wisely before doing any action. Do not take hasty decisions listening to others.
Question 10.
Why did the king make Nagendra his minister?
Answer:
Nagendra’s wise advice saved the life of the King hence he was made the King’s minister.
D. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:
1. “Think deeply before you do anything.”
Question a.
Who was asked to think deeply?
Answer:
The King
Question b.
Who gave this piece of wisdom and why?
Answer:
Nagendra gave the piece of wisdom because the king asked him for the advice.
Question c.
How did this piece of wisdom help the receiver?
Answer:
The advice saved the life of the king.
2. “I do not sell wisdom by weight. I sell it by quality.”
Question a.
Who said this?
Answer:
Nagendra
Question b.
To whom was this said?
Answer:
To Babu
Question c.
When was this said?
Answer:
When Babu foolishly asked him the cost of one kilogram of wisdom.
Question d.
What does it mean?
Answer:
It means that wisdom cannot be weighed by valued.
III. Let’s Work With Words:
Write the meanings of the following words with the help of a dictionary and use them in sentences to bring out their meaning.
furious, wisdom, persuade, feign, errands, contract, document, bargain, witness, ruse.
Answer:
1. Furious – Very angry
The teacher was furious when 1 fought with my friend in the classroom.
2. Wisdom – Knowledge Tenalirama was known for his wisdom.
3. Persuade – Convince
I persuaded my mother to send me to the school trip.
4. Feign – Pretend
The deer feigned to be dead.
5. errands – a short journey made in order to get something for somebody. There was an errand organized by the summer camp organizers.
6. Contract – agreement
A contract was signed between the broken and house owner.
7. Document – a written statement giving information or proof.
Ravi signed the document to get back the house keys.
8. Bargain – Something bought cheaply, giving good value for money. Many people bargain for goods.
9. Witness – to give evidence.
People usually hesitate to give witness in accident cases.
10. ruse – trick
Th boys rused the teacher and escaped from the class.
IV. Let’s Use Language:
A. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the right options:
- His _________ brought honour. (brilliantly, brilliance)
- ______ people solve problems. (wise, wisdom)
- ______ he was clever, he was without a job. (in spite of, though)
- There was no _______ of sympathy from the people when they heard of the cruel murder, (death, dearth)
- The _________ of funds made them abandon the project, (paucity, pause)
Answer:
- Brilliance
- Wise
- though
- dearth
- paucity
B. Use “since” or “for” with the following time expressions:
- The film has been on at the theatres ________ July.
- She has been on holiday ______ the last three weeks.
- She hasn’t been here ________ a month.
- No one has lived here ________ 1989.
- It’s the first time I have been here _______ the accident.
Answer:
- since
- for
- for
- since
- since
The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Additional Questions and Answers
I. Explain the reference to context.
1. “All kinds of wisdom for sale! Reasonable prices!”.
Question a.
Who is the speaker here?
Answer:
Nagendra
Question b.
Where was this called out?
Answer:
This was called out by Nagendra in a market place.
Question c.
How did he sell wisdom?
Answer:
He wrote it on a piece of paper and sold it.
2. “There! Now give me back my money”.
Question a.
Who is the speaker?
Answer:
Gupta, Babu’s father.
Question b.
Who had to give back the money?
Answer:
Nagendra
Question c.
Why is the word ‘There’ used?
Answer:
Gupta threw the scrap of paper at Nagendra, hence uses the word ‘there’ which means ‘there it is’.
4. “Think deeply before you do anything”.
Question a.
From which lesson is this line taken?
Answer:
The Boy who sold wisdom
Question b.
Who does you refer to?
Answer:
In this context it refers to the king.
Question c.
Was this advice useful. How?
Answer:
Yes, this advice was useful. It saved the life of the king.
3. “Of course, I’ve plenty to sell”.
Question a.
Who is the speaker here?
Answer:
Nagendra
Question b.
What dis he have in plenty?
Answer:
Wisdom
Question c.
To whom did he want to sell?
Answer:
The King
The Boy Who Sold Wisdom English in Summary
This story conveys a message how a little of common sense, wisdom and intelligence can win power and position. Nagendra was an orphan boy. He wanted to earn his living hence he opens a small shop in a town for hire at a cheapest price. With some meager amount he bought paper, ink and a pen. On a placard he wrote ‘wisdom for sale’ and hung it on his shop. All around his shop there were merchants who owned large shops. People laughed at his shop and no even one bought a piece of wisdom.
One day, Babu, the son of a rich merchant Gupta bought wisdom worth a nickel. The wisdom written on the piece of paper was ‘It is not wise to stand and watch two people fighting’. Knowing this Babu’s father was furious. He threw back the piece of paper on Nagendra and demanded the nickel back. After some argument Nagendra made them sign a document that stated Babu would never make use of Nagendra’s advice and would always stand and watch people fighting.
The king of that land had two queens who hated each other thereby their maids also hated each other. The maids on the order of their queen had come to the market to buy a pumpkin. Both had come to the same shop and as there was only one pumpkin. As there was only one pumpkin both fought for it Babu was witnessing this. The maids went back and complained to their queens regarding the quarrel and also said that Babu was the witness of their fight.
The queens sent word to Babu that his head would be chopped off if he didn’t support each one of them. Babu’s father went to Nagendra’s advice for rupees five hundred. The advice was that Babu had to pretend to be insane and behave as if he didn’t understand anything of what he was asked. And there by Babu was saved. But Babu’s father, Gupta, did not want his son to pretend like insane and was worried of the dire consequences if the King comes to know the truth.
Hence he paid another five hundred rupees for the wisdom. This time Nagendra advised him to meet the King when he was in good mood and to tell the whole story. And the King will find it amusing and forgive Gupta and his son Babu. The wisdom sold by Nagendra had become the talk of the town and the King sent ward for him. The King asked Nagendra if he had more wisdom to sell, Nagnedra demanded rupees one lakh for a piece of advice. He wrote on a piece of paper ‘think deeply befpre you do anything’.
The king made his advice his motto and got it embroidered on his pillows and engraved on his cups and plates, so that he would not forget it. Months later he fell ill. One of his queens and a minister intrigued to kill him by giving him poison along with the medicine. As the king was about to drink he read the advice engraved on his cup and delayed drinking it, looking at the medicine in the cup. The doctor who was watching this felt nervous and confessed the guilt and begged for forgiveness. The king punished the guilty and appointed Nagendra his minister and honored him with wealth.
Glossary:
- weird: strange
- stormed: rush in very fast
- errands: a short journey to get something for somebody
- furious: very angry
- babbled: to talk quickly or in a way that is difficult to understand
- wisdom: experience and knowledge
- banished: send somebody out of the country as a punishment
- persuade: convince
- feign: pretend