Maharashtra Board Class 7 English Unit 2 Chapter 2.3 Abdul Becomes a Courtier Solutions

Question 1. From the play, find all the words that are related to the following. Add other related words you know to the list.
1. knowledge and learning
2. books
3. works
Answer:
1. Student, smart, thirst for knowledge, learned, philosophy, astronomy, arabic, persian, scholar, intellectual, sagacious, astute, university, degree.
2. Student, smart, knowledge, learned, scholar, words, e-book.
3. Merchant, serve, clerk, pay, office, poultry, keeper, salary, job.
In simple words: The words relate to education (knowledge, learning, degrees), literature (books, e-books), and professions (merchant, clerk, job, salary).

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for related words, think broadly about synonyms, associated concepts, and different forms (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives) that fit the context.

Question 2. Discuss the following.
(a) Abdul gets what he wants in the end. What is the major factor that contributes to this success?
• His learning of books
• His intelligence
• His attitude
• His relations with other people
• His luck
Answer:
His attitude
In simple words: Abdul's success primarily stems from his positive attitude and willingness to do his best in every task, even when it wasn't what he initially desired.

🎯 Exam Tip: For opinion-based questions, clearly state your choice and be prepared to provide a brief justification based on the story's events.

Question 2. Discuss the following.
(b) The Emperor says he had realised earlier that Abdul has great talent. Does this tally with his actions? Give your opinion.
Answer:
No, it does not. But according to me the Emperor wanted to know whether Abdul could put all his knowledge into practical use.
In simple words: The Emperor's actions of giving Abdul mundane jobs initially don't seem to match his realization of Abdul's talent; he was testing Abdul's practical application of knowledge.

🎯 Exam Tip: Analyze character actions and statements for consistency. Sometimes, characters test others, and their initial actions might not reflect their true understanding or belief.

Question 3. Write a letter from Abdul to the Emperor, requesting the Emperor to give Abdul a suitable job.
Answer:
Your Royal Highness,
I, Abdul, am a subject in your kingdom. I have learnt everything books could teach me. I would like to be at your service.
I will serve you with all the knowledge, I have gained, if your royal highness will give me the opportunity. All my knowledge would really be of great use and if given a chance I will do everything I can to the best of my ability. Hoping and awaiting a positive reply. Thanking you in anticipation.
Your loyal subject,
XYZ (Abdul)
In simple words: Abdul's letter to the Emperor expresses his desire to serve, highlights his acquired knowledge, and respectfully requests an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing a formal letter, ensure proper salutation, clear purpose, polite tone, and a suitable closing. Highlight your skills and eagerness to contribute.

Question 4. Rewrite the play in the form of a story.
Answer:
Abdul, the Achiever
Once upon a time during the reign of Emperor Akbar, there lived a very humble school teacher. He had an equally humble and down to earth son named Abdul. Abdul dreamt of becoming a scholar. His father could not fund him for the books because they were very costly. His father tried to borrow books from the school library but was unsuccessful. Abdul was disheartened.
He hit upon a brilliant idea to solve his problem. He decided to work for the rich, instead of taking money for services, he requested them to allow him to read the books in their stores. Abdul read and read and became a learned scholar that too one in a million. Now that he had completed his education he aspired to work in the Emperor's office. The Emperor heard of him and was ready to appoint him. He was first put in charge of the Murgikhana.
Abdul was disappointed at first but then decided to put in his best. His efforts paid him well. The hens were healthier than before. The Emperor was surprised that Abdul had not used any money from the treasury. The Emperor was worried that the hens had died but Abdul told the Emperor that all the hens were in the pink of health because he was feeding them with the left-overs from the Emperor's kitchen, which was free of cost and something the hens enjoyed and that was the secret of their health.
The Emperor was happy and put him in charge of the library. Abdul was unhappy because he aspired to be a courtier. But he took his job too as a challenge and started making changes in the library. A year later when the Emperor entered the library he was shocked to see that all the books had very expensive covering.
He thought that this would have cost a fortune. Abdul clarified the Emperor's doubt and told him that it has cost nothing because he used the rich, discarded fabrics of the bags in which requests were sent to the Emperor. Abdul said that he had asked the royal tailors to stitch the jackets and covers for the books. The Emperor was so impressed that he immediately appointed Abdul his courtier.
Moral: Waste not, want not.
In simple words: This story narrates Abdul's journey from a humble background to becoming a courtier by cleverly using his knowledge and resourcefulness, even when faced with challenging initial tasks, ultimately impressing the Emperor with his innovative solutions.

🎯 Exam Tip: When converting a play to a story, focus on narrative flow, changing dialogue to descriptions, and ensuring all key plot points and character developments are included in prose form.

Question 5. Suggest at least one method of creating something useful or beautiful from waste.
Answer:
I can suggest making decorative items like flower vases or pen holders from old plastic bottles by cutting, painting, and adding embellishments.
In simple words: One can transform old plastic bottles into useful and decorative items like vases or pen holders through creative cutting and painting.

🎯 Exam Tip: For creative suggestions, think of common waste items and simple crafts that can be done with them. Focus on practicality or aesthetic appeal.

Question 6. Write how you take care of your books.
Answer:
I see to it that my books are always covered, with my name written on it. I do not throw my books anywhere. I keep them neatly whether in my bag or on my table at home. I do not eat or drink anything with my books in front of me so as to avoid spilling and getting oil stains on my books.
In simple words: I keep my books covered, labeled, stored neatly, and avoid eating or drinking near them to protect them from damage and stains.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing personal habits, use clear and direct language. List practical steps to show a comprehensive approach to book care.

Question 7. Language Study: Common nouns 3: Common nouns can be classified in one more way - concrete nouns and abstract nouns. Concrete nouns stand for things that you can actually touch or see.
Examples: school, house, bags, buttefflies, child.
Abstract nouns stand for ideas, feelings, qualities, actions, states, etc.
Examples: life, time, goodness, progress, kindness, childhood, honesty, mathematics
Can you spot at least three abstract nouns in the following paragraph?
'We put the plan of action in motion immediately. We kept it a secret. We wanted to give Mrs Desai a surprise. But her intelligence is really appreciable. She spotted the change within a week.'
Answer:
secret, surprise, intelligence.
In simple words: Abstract nouns are words representing concepts, ideas, or qualities that cannot be physically touched, such as secret, surprise, and intelligence in the given paragraph.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify abstract nouns, look for words that represent qualities, states, or concepts rather than physical objects. Consider if you can perceive them with your five senses.

Now you know that plural forms of nouns have -s, -es, or -ies at the end. But the plurals of some nouns are formed differently. Look at the following forms.
• child - children man - men
• tooth - teeth foot - feet
• leaf - leaves mouse - mice
Some nouns have the singular and the plural alike.
Examples: sheep, deer.

Answer The Following Questions.

Question 1. How did Abdul manage to feed the birds well without spending money?
Answer:
Abdul was in charge of the Emperor's 'Murgikhana'. He fed the birds with the left-overs from the kitchen, like scraps, shells and kitchen waste, which the hens enjoyed. This diet not only made the hens healthy but was also free of cost.
In simple words: Abdul fed the emperor's hens with kitchen leftovers, making them healthy and saving money.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the innovative solutions Abdul applied to tasks, especially those demonstrating resourcefulness and efficiency without expenditure.

Question 2. How did the Emperor reward Abdul for his work? Do you think the Emperor's action was right?
Answer:
The Emperor rewarded Abdul by making him in charge of the library. Yes, I think the Emperor's action was right because he wanted to see how well Abdul would handle this task too.
In simple words: The Emperor made Abdul in charge of the library, which was a good decision as it tested Abdul's adaptability and intellectual skills further.

🎯 Exam Tip: When evaluating a character's actions, consider their motivations and the potential outcomes. The Emperor's move was a test, not a demotion, highlighting Abdul's diverse capabilities.

Question 3. How did Abdul manage to get expensive jackets for the books?
Answer:
Abdul had noticed that all the formal requests that came to the Emperor were in bags made of the best of fabrics which were discarded. He used these discarded silk, velvet and brocade to make beautiful covers and jackets for the books in the library.
In simple words: Abdul cleverly used discarded, high-quality fabric bags, meant for official requests, to create beautiful and expensive-looking covers for the library books without spending money.

🎯 Exam Tip: This question highlights Abdul's resourcefulness and keen observation. Explain the source of the materials and how he repurposed them.

Reading Skills, Vocabulary And Grammar

Read The Following Passage And Do The Activities.

Simple Factual Questions:

Question 1. Complete the sentences.
1. Abdul's father was a ..........
2. Abdul wanted his father to lend him
Answer:
1. schoolmaster
2. a little gold
In simple words: Abdul's father was a schoolmaster, and Abdul asked him for a little gold to pursue his studies.

🎯 Exam Tip: For fill-in-the-blank questions based on a passage, scan the text carefully for the exact phrases or information needed to complete the sentences accurately.

Complex Factual Questions:

Question 1. How many books could Abdul's father get for him?
Answer:
Abdul's father could not get any books for him.
In simple words: Abdul's father could not afford or acquire any books for Abdul.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure your answer directly addresses the question. If the passage states 'could not get any', then that is the precise factual answer required.

Question 2. What does Abdul want to do? How does he plan to do it?
Answer:
Abdul wants to acquire knowledge and become a scholar. He plans to buy books and study them to rise high and become famous.
In simple words: Abdul aims to become a scholar by acquiring knowledge through buying and studying books, hoping to achieve success and recognition.

🎯 Exam Tip: When a question has multiple parts, make sure to answer each part distinctly and completely, referencing details from the text.

Question 3. What are books and manuscripts compared to?
Answer:
Books and manuscripts are compared to treasures rare and exclusive.
In simple words: Books and manuscripts are likened to valuable and unique treasures due to their precious knowledge.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to similes and metaphors used in the text to understand how concepts are compared or described.

Vocabulary:

Question 1. Frame a sentence with the phrase 'brighter tomorrow'.
Answer:
Rohan worked day and night for a brighter tomorrow.
In simple words: Rohan toiled tirelessly, aspiring for a more promising future.

🎯 Exam Tip: When framing a sentence, ensure the phrase is used correctly in context and the sentence is grammatically sound, conveying a clear meaning.

Grammar:

Question 1. How many books could you get? (Identify the kind of sentence)
Answer:
Interrogative.
In simple words: This sentence asks a question, making it an interrogative sentence.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the basic types of sentences: declarative (statement), interrogative (question), imperative (command), and exclamatory (exclamation).

Question 2. Pick out a word from the extract which means - to hope or to dream.
Answer:
aspire.
In simple words: The word "aspire" means to have a strong desire or hope to achieve something.

🎯 Exam Tip: To find a word with a specific meaning, scan the passage for vocabulary that aligns with the definition provided.

Question 3. Guess the meaning of 'a brighter tomorrow' in context of the play.
Answer:
A brighter tomorrow means a better or brighter future.
In simple words: In the play's context, 'a brighter tomorrow' refers to a more promising and improved future.

🎯 Exam Tip: Contextual meaning relies on how a phrase is used within the story's narrative, characters' aspirations, and overall themes.

Personal Response:

Question 1. Do you like to read books? Why?
Answer:
Yes, I like to read books. I like to read books because it helps to increase our knowledge, gives us a lot of information and keeps us occupied when there is nothing to do. For me. books are my best friends.
In simple words: Yes, I enjoy reading books because they expand my knowledge, provide information, keep me engaged, and serve as my constant companions.

🎯 Exam Tip: For personal response questions, express your genuine opinion and provide clear, concise reasons to support it. Structure your answer to be thoughtful and well-articulated.

Question 2. Abdul got the Royal Tailors to work for making the jackets. What skills does it reflect?
Answer:
The skill which comes out is making best from waste. It not only saves money but also helps to save the environment.
In simple words: This reflects Abdul's skill in repurposing waste materials creatively, demonstrating resourcefulness, cost-saving, and environmental consciousness.

🎯 Exam Tip: Analyze Abdul's actions for underlying skills. His ability to utilize discarded materials points to ingenuity, economy, and an eco-friendly mindset.

Read The Following Passage And Do The Activities.

Simple Factual Questions:

Question 1. Complete the sentences.
1. You appear to be smart,
2. Quench my
3. I am pleased with you
4. made a poultry people?
Answer:
1. be my clerk
2. thirst for knowledge
3. work and loving care!
4. Intellectual, sagacious, astute
In simple words: The sentences can be completed to describe someone smart enough to be a clerk, to satisfy a thirst for knowledge, pleased with dedicated work, and inquiring about the appointment of intelligent poultry keepers.

🎯 Exam Tip: Fill-in-the-blank questions require careful reading of the surrounding text in the passage to find the exact phrasing or contextually appropriate words.

Complex Factual Questions:

Question 1. What request must Abdul have sent to the Emperor?
Answer:
Abdul must have requested the Emperor to give him a position in his court because he had gained all the knowledge which would help him in the job.
In simple words: Abdul likely requested a position in the Emperor's court, confident that his vast knowledge would make him suitable for the role.

🎯 Exam Tip: Infer the request based on Abdul's aspirations and the skills he developed throughout the story. His goal was always to serve the Emperor.

Question 2. What was the merchant's reaction to Abdul's work?
Answer:
The merchant was very pleased with Abdul's work and wanted to reward him.
In simple words: The merchant was highly impressed and satisfied with Abdul's work, leading him to offer a reward.

🎯 Exam Tip: Look for descriptive words or phrases in the text that indicate the merchant's feelings or response to Abdul's service.

Question 3. What job did the emperor give Abdul?
Answer:
The Emperor made Abdul his poultry keeper, in charge of the Royal Murgikhana.
In simple words: The Emperor initially appointed Abdul as the poultry keeper for the Royal Murgikhana.

🎯 Exam Tip: Recall the specific initial positions or tasks assigned to Abdul by the Emperor, as these are direct factual details.

Vocabulary:

Question 1. Find words/phrases meaning 'rare'.
Answer:
One in a million; a gem; unique
In simple words: Words meaning 'rare' include phrases like 'one in a million' and terms like 'a gem' or 'unique,' indicating something uncommon and valuable.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for synonyms or phrases, consider different ways the text might express the same idea, focusing on adjectives and descriptive phrases.

Question 2. Guess the meaning of 'a gem' in the context of this play.
Answer:
The context 'a gem' in the play means someone very precious, of great value.
In simple words: In this play, 'a gem' refers to a person of exceptional value and preciousness.

🎯 Exam Tip: Interpret figurative language based on the character being described or the context of the situation in the play. 'A gem' often refers to a person with outstanding qualities.

Question 3. Find pairs of rhyming words used in this passage.
Answer:
• serve - deserve
• clerk - work
• care - rare - fair
• store - more
• learned - yearned
• notice - office
• prayer - care
• scholar - keeper
• refuse - use
• Persian - million.
In simple words: The passage contains several pairs and sets of rhyming words, such as serve/deserve, clerk/work, care/rare/fair, and store/more, among others.

🎯 Exam Tip: To find rhyming words, read through the passage and identify words that have similar ending sounds, regardless of spelling.

Grammar:

Question 1. Write the noun forms of:
1. move
2. direct
3. explore
4. determine
5. estitute
6. hesitate
7. compel
8. treat
Answer:
1. movement
2. direction
3. exploration
4. determination
5. destitution
6. hesitation
7. compulsion
8. treatment
In simple words: The noun forms for the given verbs are: movement, direction, exploration, determination, destitution, hesitation, compulsion, and treatment.

🎯 Exam Tip: Practice identifying common suffixes that form nouns from verbs (e.g., -ment, -ion, -tion, -sion) to accurately convert word forms.

Language Study

Do As Directed.

Question 1. Can you spot at least three abstract nouns in the following paragraph?
'We put the plan of action in motion immediately. We kept it a secret. We wanted to give Mrs Desai a surprise. But her intelligence is really appreciable. She spotted the change within a week.
Answer:
secret, surprise, intelligence.
In simple words: The abstract nouns in the paragraph are 'secret', 'surprise', and 'intelligence', as they represent concepts rather than physical objects.

🎯 Exam Tip: Abstract nouns denote ideas, feelings, qualities, or states. Think about words that you cannot physically see, touch, smell, taste, or hear.

Question 2. Now you know that plural forms of nouns have -s, -es or -ies at the end. But the plurals of some nouns are formed differently. Singular :
1. woman
2. person
3. goose
4. half
5. wife
6. potato
7. cactus
8. fungus
9. oasis
10. syllabus
11. datum
12. focus
13. louse
Answer:
Plural:
1. women
2. persons /people
3. geese
4. halves
5. wives
6. potatoes
7. cacti
8. fungi
9. oases
10. syllabi/syllabuses
11. data
12. foci
13. lice
In simple words: Many nouns form plurals irregularly, such as 'woman' to 'women' or 'cactus' to 'cacti', rather than just adding -s, -es, or -ies.

🎯 Exam Tip: Memorize irregular plural forms as they do not follow standard rules. Pay attention to Latin or Greek origins for some scientific or academic terms.

Question 3. More of nouns having singular and plural alike. Singular :
1. news
2. aircraft
3. species
4. darts
5. pants
6. trousers
7. jeans
8. glasses
9. scissors
10. fish
11. salmon
12. headquarters
13. Chinese
Answer:
Plural:
1. news
2. aircraft
3. species
4. darts
5. pants
6. trousers
7. jeans
8. glasses
9. scissors
10. fish (if it is the same species)
11. salmon
12. headquarters
13. Chinese
In simple words: Some nouns like 'news', 'species', 'fish', and 'headquarters' have the same form for both singular and plural.

🎯 Exam Tip: For nouns that have the same singular and plural form, determine the number (singular or plural) based on the context of the sentence or accompanying verbs.

Question 4. I'm happy to announce, now you are my courtier! (Kind of sentence)
Answer:
Exclamatory sentence.
In simple words: This sentence expresses strong emotion or excitement, classifying it as an exclamatory sentence.

🎯 Exam Tip: An exclamatory sentence conveys strong emotion and typically ends with an exclamation mark. It is used to express excitement, surprise, joy, or anger.

Question 5. The Royal tailors made the jackets. (Change the voice)
Answer:
The jackets were made by the Royal tailors.
In simple words: To change the voice from active to passive, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb changes form.

🎯 Exam Tip: To change voice, identify the subject, verb, and object. In passive voice, the object becomes the new subject, 'be' verb is used, and the main verb is in past participle form, usually followed by 'by' and the original subject.

Question 6. Abdul enters and bows before the Emperor. (Pick out the conjunction and state its kind)
Answer:
and - coordinating conjunction.
In simple words: The word 'and' joins two independent clauses or equally important parts of a sentence, making it a coordinating conjunction.

🎯 Exam Tip: Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS - for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) connect grammatically similar elements such as words, phrases, or independent clauses.

Question 7. Days passed by, he learned and learned. (Identify the figure of speech and explain)
Answer:
Repetition: The word 'learned' has been repeated for better poetic effect.
In simple words: The repetition of the word 'learned' emphasizes the continuous and extensive nature of his learning, creating a stronger impact.

🎯 Exam Tip: Repetition is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis or to create a particular rhythm or effect. Look for words or phrases used more than once.

Question 8. I need nothing more. (Identify the figure of speech and explain)
Answer:
Alliteration: The sound of the letter 'n' has been repeated for better poetic effect.
In simple words: The repeated 'n' sound in "need nothing" is an example of alliteration, enhancing the sentence's auditory appeal.

🎯 Exam Tip: Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in words that are close to each other. Focus on the sound, not just the letter.

Abdul Becomes A Courtier Summary In English

The story in this lesson revolves around Abdul who is very wise and intelligent and loves reading and learning. His father cannot afford the costly books and so Abdul works and accepts his reward only in kind and that too he asks for nothing more than reading books. He quenches his thirst for knowledge and desires to work in the Emperor's office. Let us see how he gets this honourable position.

Introduction:

The lesson 'Abdul Becomes a Courtier' is taken from the series of Akbar and Birbal stories. It has been adapted into the dialogue form by Pratibha Nath who is a wonderful story teller and weaves stories for children.

Glossary:

1. erudition (n) - learning, scholarly work
2. scores (n)- sets of twenty
3. clerk (n) a person who keeps records, accounts, etc.
4. quench (v) - to satisfy
5. office (n) - position, responsibility
6. prayer (n) (here) - request
7. sagacious (adj) - wise
8. astute (adj) - intelligent, one who knows how to use a situation to his advantage
9. zeal (n) - enthusiasm
10. drive (n) an effort made to achieve a certain purpose
11. brains (n) - intelligence
12. shirk (y) - avoid
13. brocade (n) - rich fabric woven with golden or silver thread
14. papers (n) - official documents
15. aspire (y) - to hope or dream
16. manuscripts (n) - written by hand, handwritten
17. rare (adj) - uncommon, unique
18. exclusive (adj) - of high quality
19. dejected (adj) - sad
20. rejected (adj) - not accepted
21. yearned (v) - to long for
22. conviction (n) - firm belief
23. passion (n) - love
24. relish (v) - enjoy
25. thrive (v) - grow
26. perseverance (n) - continuing to do something regardless of failure
27. chores (n) - work
28. poultry keeper (n) a person who looks after chickens, ducks and other birds that are kept for their egg and meat.
29. ration (n) (here) - food.
30. jacket (n) - outer covering.
31. discarded (v) - disposed off, thrown away.
32. courtier (n) - a person who attends a royal court as an adviser to the king or queen.
33. expensive (adj) - costly.
34. ponders (v) - thinks deeply.