Maharashtra Board Class 5 English Chapter 10 Three Sacks of Rice Solutions

English Balbharati Std 5 Digest Chapter 10 Three Sacks of Rice Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1. Find the opposites of the following words from the lesson.
(i) begun
(ii) bought
Answer:
(i) begun – ended
(ii) bought – sold
These words help us understand actions that are the reverse of each other.
In simple words: To find opposites, think of words that mean the exact opposite action or state, like 'start' and 'stop'.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for opposites from a lesson, always check the text first for specific words used in context. If not found, use common antonyms.

Question. Provide the appropriate pairs for the following words:
3. reject
4. eldest
5. lent
6. earned
7. narrow
Answer:
1. begun - cease
2. bought - buy
3. reject - accept
4. eldest - youngest
5. lent - borrow
6. earned - spent
7. narrow - broad
In simple words: This exercise helps you learn pairs of words, often opposites or related terms, to improve your vocabulary and understanding of language.

🎯 Exam Tip: When matching words, always consider if the pair should be a synonym (similar meaning) or an antonym (opposite meaning) based on the context of the exercise. Pay attention to the numbering provided in the answer.

2. Answer The Following Questions.

Question 1. What common qualities did the three brothers have?
Answer: The three brothers had the common qualities of honesty, kindness and willingness to work hard. These virtues made them respected in their community.
In simple words: The brothers were known for being honest, kind, and ready to work hard.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about character qualities, list all relevant traits mentioned in the text and briefly explain their significance.

Question 2. What was the businessman looking for? Why?
Answer: The businessman was getting old. He was looking for a son-in-law who would not only be a good husband to his daughter but also would handle his business well. He sought a capable successor to manage his affairs.
In simple words: The aging businessman wanted a son-in-law who could be a good husband and also manage his business effectively.

🎯 Exam Tip: For "Why" questions, always provide the reason or motivation behind the action or search, as it explains the character's intent.

Question 3. How did the middle brother use the rice?
Answer:
In simple words: The answer to how the middle brother used the rice is not provided in this text.

🎯 Exam Tip: If an answer is not provided in the text, state that the information is unavailable rather than guessing or leaving it blank.

Question 4. Was it right for the youngest brother to ask for a share in the money? Why?
Answer: There was a lot of hard work, effort and money involved in sowing the seeds and harvesting the crop. The youngest brother was therefore justified in asking for a share in the money. It's fair for everyone to benefit from their contributions.
In simple words: Yes, it was right because he contributed to the hard work and money needed to grow and harvest the crop, so he deserved a share of the earnings.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to justify an action, always explain the reasons or circumstances that make the action fair or logical, based on the story's context.

3. Language Study (See Pages 84-88.)

1. Read The Highlighted Words.

Question 1. All three of them were honest, kind and hardworking. You are such an honest person. The highlighted words are adjectives Now find at least five other adjectives from the lesson.
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: To score full marks, ensure you correctly identify the word type (noun or adjective) and provide accurate pairs from the lesson, paying attention to spelling.

2. List As Many Words As You Can That Will Go With The Given Adjective (At Least 3 Each.) Example: Sudden – Sudden Change, Sudden Shower, Sudden Fall.

Question 1. List as many words as you can that will go with the given adjective (At least 3 each.) Example: sudden – sudden change, sudden shower, sudden fall
Answer: Here is a list of words that commonly associate with the given adjectives, expanding your vocabulary.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to list words with adjectives, try to think of common nouns that naturally pair with them. Practice forming sentences with these pairs to solidify your understanding.

Activities

Question 1. Imagine you are one of the three brothers. Write in short what you did with the rice.
Answer: After the businessman left the rice with me, I waited for long for him to come back to take his possession. Alas! He showed no sign of returning. I feared that it may get spoilt and become useless. I thought and thought what I should do with the same and finally thought of a plan. This initial period of reflection was crucial before deciding on a course of action.
In simple words: As one of the brothers, I waited for the businessman to return for the rice. When he didn't, I worried it would spoil and started thinking of a way to use it.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing from a character's perspective, use "I" and describe their thoughts and feelings clearly. Ensure your response directly answers what the character did with the item.

Question 2. Find any other story of three brothers or three sisters and rewrite it in your own words.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to rewrite a story, focus on capturing the main plot points and character traits while using your own vocabulary and sentence structure.

Question 3. Find out how rice is cultivated. Describe the process with the help of pictures or diagrams.
Answer: The diagram illustrates various positive qualities associated with 'Brothers', highlighting their diverse strengths and virtues.

• Brothers
• honest
• hardworking
• clever
• wise
• kind

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing concept maps, identify the central theme and how each connected idea contributes to understanding the main concept.

Group Work

Question 1. Form a group of 4 or 5. Make a 'storyboard for the story "Three Sacks of Rice'. Arrange the story in the form of a sequence of pictures. Decide what you will show in each picture, what words/lines you will write with each picture to explain what

🎯 Exam Tip: For storyboard tasks, clearly outline the key events of the story in chronological order and ensure each picture visually represents a distinct part of the narrative.

Answer the Following Questions

Question 1. What did the three brothers do for a living?
Answer: The elder one ran a shop, the middle one was a priest and the youngest who had just finished his education, took up odd jobs to earn some money. Each brother contributed in their own way to support themselves.
In simple words: The oldest brother had a shop, the middle one was a priest, and the youngest did various small jobs after finishing school.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about characters' occupations, list each character and their specific role clearly to ensure full marks.

Question 2. Write in brief about the mother in the story.
Answer: The mother had worked hard to bring up her sons after the sudden death of their father and all her sons were fond of her. Her dedication was a central theme in their family life.
In simple words: The mother raised her sons alone after their father died, working very hard, and her sons loved her deeply.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a character, focus on their key actions, relationships, and personality traits as revealed in the story.

Question 3. What work did the friend assign to the three brothers?

Question 4. Why did the eldest brother sell the rice which was left with him by the businessman, their father's friend?
Answer: The eldest brother was worried that it would get spoilt so he sold it to his customers. He thought it was better to sell it than let it go to waste.
In simple words: The eldest brother sold the rice because he was afraid it would spoil if kept for too long. He wanted to make sure it was used.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about character motivations, clearly state the reason behind their actions as given in the story.

Question 5. Why did the businessman say that the middle brother had acted wisely and kindly?
Answer: The middle brother was worried that the rice would get spoilt, and so he distributed the rice amongst the poor in the name of the businessman who in turn blessed him for satisfying their hunger. On hearing this, the businessman said that the middle brother had acted wisely and kindly. This act of charity not only prevented waste but also brought blessings to the businessman's name.
In simple words: The businessman praised the middle brother because he wisely gave the rice to the poor instead of letting it spoil. This was a kind act that also brought good reputation.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight both the 'wise' (preventing spoilage) and 'kind' (helping the poor) aspects of the character's actions to score full marks.

Question 6. What confession did the youngest brother make?
Answer: The youngest brother confessed that since the sack of rice was lying with him for a long time, he sowed it in the unused plot of land. He added that fortunately the crop had grown well and yielded twenty-five sacks of rice. He had kept five of the sacks and sold the rest. His innovative thinking turned a single sack into a bountiful harvest, demonstrating great foresight.
In simple words: The youngest brother admitted he planted the rice in a field because it was with him for a long time. This clever idea resulted in 25 sacks of rice, from which he kept some and sold the rest.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a confession, clearly state what was admitted and the outcome of that action, including any specific numbers or details.

Activity

Complete the web diagram with words / adjectives from the story describing the three brothers.

Do As Directed

Question 1. I often go to the neighbouring farm to help with the work. (Pick out the articles)
Answer: Articles: a, the. These words are used before nouns to specify them.
In simple words: Articles are words like 'a', 'an', and 'the' that come before nouns to specify them.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that 'a' and 'an' are indefinite articles, used for general nouns, while 'the' is a definite article, used for specific nouns.

Question 2. The crop grew well. (Pick out the verb and state its tense)
Answer: grew - simple past tense. The verb 'grew' indicates an action completed in the past.
In simple words: The verb 'grew' tells us what the crop did, and 'simple past tense' means the action happened completely in the past.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify the tense, look at the form of the verb. 'Grew' is the past tense of 'grow'.

Read The Following Passage And Answer The Following Questions

Question 1. Arrange the following in chronological order: (Order in which they occurred) Put the correct number in the box:
1. The youngest son borrowed an unused plot of land. []
2. The crop grew well and yielded twenty-five sacks of rice. [ ]
3. The sack was lying with the youngest son for a long time. [ ]
4. Sowed the rice. []
Answer: The events in chronological order are:
1. The youngest son borrowed an unused plot of land. [1]
2. Sowed the rice. [2]
3. The crop grew well and yielded twenty-five sacks of rice. [3]
4. The sack was lying with the youngest son for a long time. [4]
In simple words: To arrange events chronologically, think about the natural sequence of actions, from what happened first to what happened last.

🎯 Exam Tip: When arranging events chronologically, look for keywords that indicate time or sequence, such as 'first', 'then', 'after', or cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 2. Complete the table
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: When completing tables for singular and plural forms, pay attention to common patterns like adding 's' or 'es', and irregular plurals if any are present in the text.

Question 3. What does the extract deal with?
Answer: The extract deals with how the middle brother and the youngest brother used the rice which the businessman had left with them. This shows their different approaches to handling responsibility.
In simple words: The extract is about what the middle and youngest brothers did with the rice given to them by the businessman.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about the main theme or subject of an extract, summarize the core events or actions described in a concise sentence.

Question 4. How did the middle brother use the rice?
Answer: The middle brother distributed the rice among the poor in the name of the businessman. This act of charity reflected his compassionate nature.
In simple words: The middle brother gave the rice to poor people, saying it was from the businessman.

🎯 Exam Tip: For questions about character actions, clearly state what the character did and, if possible, briefly mention the intention or outcome.

Question 5. Why did the businessman refuse to take the money which was offered by the middle brother?

Question 6. Pick out a sentence from the passage to prove the following:
Answer: The businessman was welcomed warmly by the youngest brother. When the friend went to visit the youngest son, he, too welcomed him with love and respect. This shows the youngest brother's kind nature.
In simple words: Find the sentence that describes how the youngest brother welcomed the businessman's friend, showing his hospitality.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to prove something from a passage, quote the exact sentence or sentences that directly support the statement.

Question 7. Pick out a compound word from the extract.
Answer: Twenty-five. Compound words are formed by joining two or more words.
In simple words: A compound word is made by combining two smaller words, like "twenty" and "five" to make "twenty-five".

🎯 Exam Tip: Look for words that are clearly made up of two separate words joined together, often with a hyphen, to identify compound words.

Question 8. Pick out two abstract nouns from the extract
Answer: 1. love
2. affection. Abstract nouns represent ideas or qualities rather than physical objects.
In simple words: Abstract nouns are words for feelings or ideas you can't touch, like 'love' and 'affection'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that abstract nouns refer to concepts, qualities, or states, not concrete objects. Think of things you can feel or think about, but not physically see or touch.

Question 9. Pick out the noun form from the extract for the following words.
Answer: laborious: labour
monetary: money. Understanding word forms helps in building vocabulary.
In simple words: For words like 'laborious' (an adjective), find its noun form, which is 'labour'. Do the same for 'monetary' (an adjective) to find 'money'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Practice identifying different forms of words (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) as it's a common grammar exercise. Pay attention to suffixes that often indicate a word's form.

Question 10. Fortunately, the crop grew well. State the part of speech of the underlined word.
Answer: crop – noun. A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea.
In simple words: 'Crop' is a noun because it names a thing (the plants grown in a field).

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify the part of speech, consider how the word functions in the sentence. Nouns are typically subjects or objects, while verbs show action, and adjectives describe nouns.

Question 12. Why do you think a wide smile spread on the friend's face?
Answer: The friend was impressed by the youngest brother's wise act. He had proved himself to be not only hard working but also wise and foresighted. These qualities were suitable to become a good husband to the friend's daughter and also to handle his business well. So a wide smile spread on the friend's face. The friend recognized the youngest brother's potential for both personal and business success.
In simple words: The friend was happy because the youngest brother showed he was smart, hardworking, and planned for the future, making him a perfect match for his daughter and business.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to explain a character's reaction, always link it back to their observations or understanding of the situation and the character's qualities.

Three Sacks Of Rice Summary In English

Summary:

'Three Sacks of Rice' is a thought provoking story of three brothers – All three of them were honest, kind and hardworking. They were fond of their mother, a widow who worked hard to bring up the three of them. The elder one ran a shop, the middle one was a priest while the youngest who had just finished his education had started taking up odd jobs to earn money and learn a trade.

One day, their father's friend visited them as he was on the lookout for a son-in-law. He wanted someone who would not only be a good husband to his daughter but also handle his business well. He liked all the three brothers but wanted to choose the best for his daughter.

He discussed a plan with their mother who readily agreed. As a part of the plan, the friend went to each of the three brothers and gave them a sack of rice to be looked after, till he returned a few months later. Nearly after an year, he came back and visited each one of them to collect the sack of rice.

He learnt that all the three brothers had used the bag of rice to the best of their abilities. But he found the youngest to be the wisest and foresighted. Thus his mission of searching a son-in-law was fulfilled.

Meanings:

• clever (adj) – one who is quick at learning and understanding
• honest (adj) – truthful or trustworthy
• priest (n) – one who is authorized to perform certain religious rites
• fond (v) – liking someone
• sudden (adj) – quick
• prosperous (adj) – financially successful.
• business (n) – trading activities
• son-in-law (n) – daughter's husband
• permit (v) – allow
• plan(n) – a proposal to achieve something
• necessary (adj) – important (here)
• eldest (adj) – oldest
• spoilt (adj) – unfit for eating
• customers (n) – those who buy goods and services
• greeted (v) – address someone politely on meeting
• joy (n) – something causing delight
• affection (n) – love
• hunger (n) – lack of food
• permission (n): consent
• wise (adj) : sensible person with knowledge, experience and sound judgement
• kind (adj): gentle
• respect (V) : regard for others
• neighbouring (adj) : situated nearby
• fortunately (adv): luckily
• share (n): a part given to a person out of something
• labour (n): hard work

English Balbharati Workbook Std 5 Answers Unit 2