NCERT Solutions Class 5 English Santoor Chapter 04 The Wise Parrot

Question 1. Why did the merchant keep the parrot in a cage of gold?
Answer: The merchant adored the parrot deeply, so he kept it in a golden cage to protect it and ensure it remained near him at all times.
In simple words: The merchant loved the parrot so much that he put it in a gold cage to keep it safe and with him.

Exam Tip: Focus on the merchant's emotional attachment - examiners look for the words "loved" and "safe" to show you understood his motivation.

Question 2. What made the parrot a favourite pet of the merchant?
Answer: The parrot earned this special place because of its sharp mind, its gift for talking, and the way it kept the merchant entertained with amusing stories and pleasant songs.
In simple words: The parrot was smart, could talk, and made the merchant happy by telling stories and singing.

Exam Tip: Always mention at least two qualities - intelligence and the ability to entertain - when answering about why something is favored.

Question 3. What message did the parrot ask the merchant to convey to its friends?
Answer: The parrot wished the merchant to carry its warm regards to its companions living in the jungle and to let them know it still thought of them even though it lived in a cage.
In simple words: The parrot asked the merchant to tell its jungle friends hello and that it missed them.

Exam Tip: The key point is that the parrot still remembers and longs for its friends - this shows emotional connection despite captivity.

Question 4. What happened after the merchant gave the message to the parrots?
Answer: When the merchant delivered the parrot's message in the forest, one of the wild parrots suddenly dropped down from its branch and fell to the ground, appearing lifeless.
In simple words: One of the wild parrots fell from the tree and looked like it had died.

Exam Tip: This is the turning point of the story - the wild parrot is sending a clever signal that the caged parrot must recognize and act upon.

Question 5. How did the parrot escape from the cage?
Answer: The parrot copied what the wild parrot had done - it acted as though it were dead. The merchant, thinking it had passed away, placed it on the windowsill, and at that moment the parrot came back to life and flew off into freedom.
In simple words: The parrot pretended to be dead like its friend did. When the merchant put it on the window, it woke up and flew away.

Exam Tip: Emphasize the parrot's intelligence and its ability to learn and act quickly - these are the main ideas the question is testing.

Question 1. If you were the merchant, how would you respond to the parrot's request for freedom?
Answer: If I held the parrot's place, I would try to understand what the parrot felt in its heart. I would set it free because I would realize that real joy does not come from putting something beautiful in an expensive cage and giving it the finest food - true happiness comes from being free.
In simple words: I would let the parrot go free because I would know that freedom makes the parrot happier than a nice cage and good food.

Exam Tip: Show your understanding of the parrot's emotional needs and recognize that love sometimes means letting go - this is the deeper meaning of the story.

Question 2. Can you think of a real-life situation where intelligence is more useful than strength?
Answer: Yes, there are many cases where brains work better than muscles. For instance, when you face a tough puzzle to solve or need to find your way out of a tricky spot, clever thinking and smart planning serve you far better than just using physical power.
In simple words: Being smart helps more than being strong when you need to solve hard problems or get out of difficult situations.

Exam Tip: Provide a specific example from daily life - this makes your answer concrete and shows genuine understanding, not just abstract ideas.

Question 3. Which parrot from the chapter was actually 'wise' according to you? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: The parrot living in the cage showed the greatest wisdom because it observed what its friend in the forest did and then used that knowledge to get away from the cage. Rather than struggling with force, it relied on its mind and careful thinking to achieve freedom.
In simple words: The caged parrot was the wisest because it learned from its friend and used its brain instead of fighting to escape.

Exam Tip: Always support character judgments with specific actions from the text - say what the character DID that shows they are wise.

Let Us Learn (Page 46 - 48)

Question. Fill in the blanks with suitable phrases given in the box to make a meaningful paragraph.
Phrases: stand upright, all over, look after, stepped out, went away, came across, about to

One winter morning, as I ________ of my home, I saw that the snow was ________ the place. While walking uphill towards my shop, I ________ a small puppy. Its leg was injured and it was collapse. Being in pain it was unable to ________ . So, I decided to take it home and ________ it. With good care, all its pain ________ .

Answer: One winter morning, as I stepped out of my home, I saw that the snow was all over the place. While walking uphill towards my shop, I came across a small puppy. Its leg was injured and it was about to collapse. Being in pain it was unable to stand upright. So, I decided to take it home and look after it. With good care, all its pain went away.
In simple words: I went out in the winter, found a hurt puppy in the snow, and took it home to care for it until it felt better.

Exam Tip: When filling blanks, read the whole paragraph first to understand the story, then match each phrase to its correct spot based on meaning and grammar.

Question 1. A flight of parrots came to the forest.
Answer: flight

Question 2. I saw a ________ of sheep in the fields.
Answer: flock

Question 3. A ________ of wolves was howling loudly.
Answer: pack

Question 4. We gave a ________ of flowers to the chief guest.
Answer: bouquet

Question 5. A ________ of bees hovered around the flowers.
Answer: swarm

Question 6. An ________ of ants is moving towards the anthill.
Answer: army

Question 7. I helped my mother find a ________ of keys.
Answer: bunch

Collective Nouns - Important Note

Collective nouns are special words we use when we talk about groups of animals or things together. Each collective noun is used only for certain types of groups:

• A flight of parrots or birds
• A flock of sheep or birds
• A pack of wolves or dogs
• A bouquet of flowers
• A swarm of bees or insects
• An army of ants
• A bunch of keys, bananas, or flowers

Learning these words helps you speak and write more clearly in English. Try to use them when you talk about groups of things in your daily life.

C. Read the following.

Understanding Present Perfect Tense

Look at these two sentences:

1. I have come from Jalandhar. The underlined part shows that the action of coming from Jalandhar took place sometime in the recent past.

2. Rita has read all the poems written by Sarojini Naidu. The underlined part tells us about an experience of reading that took place in the past but still matters in the present.

Both of these sentences use the present perfect tense.

We use present perfect tense to talk about:

• Actions that were completed in the recent past
• Actions or experiences that happened in the past but affect the present

Rule: Subject + has/have + Verb + Object

Question 1. I ________ (visit) Delhi many times. It is a city with many historical sites.
Answer: have visited
In simple words: Use "have visited" because you (I) have gone to Delhi more than one time, and those visits happened before now.

Exam Tip: With "I" and plural nouns, always use "have" - with "he," "she," or "it," use "has."

Question 2. My friend Onshangla is an artist. She ________ (draw) pictures of ten monuments.
Answer: has drawn
In simple words: Use "has drawn" because Onshangla is one person (she), and drawing those pictures is something she completed and can still do.

Exam Tip: Remember - "he," "she," "it," or singular names take "has" + past participle (drawn, bought, written, etc.).

Question 3. Mr. Joon ________ (buy) a new car.
Answer: has bought
In simple words: Use "has bought" because Mr. Joon is one person, and buying the car is something that just happened.

Exam Tip: Singular subjects (he, she, it, Mr. Joon) always pair with "has" - never use "have."

Question 4. I ________ (complete) my homework and my brother ________ (revise) for his test.
Answer: have completed, has revised
In simple words: Use "have completed" for yourself (I) and "has revised" for your brother because he is one person.

Exam Tip: When a sentence has two subjects, check each one separately - "I/we/you/they" use "have," while "he/she/it" and singular names use "has."

Question 5. They ________ (write) letters to their friends.
Answer: have written
In simple words: Use "have written" because "they" is plural - more than one person - so it always takes "have."

Exam Tip: Plural subjects like "they," "people," "children," or "students" always use "have" - this is one of the clearest rules to remember.

Let Us Listen (Page 48)

Question. Your teacher will read the paragraph given below. Listen to the paragraph carefully. Your teacher will ask you some questions, which you can try to answer.

Birds are beautiful creatures with feathers and wings. Due to various reasons, many species of birds have become endangered. To protect these birds and their species, bird sanctuaries have been built. There are more than 70 bird sanctuaries in India. The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, located in Tamil Nadu, is the oldest bird sanctuary in India. The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, located in Rajasthan, is the largest bird sanctuary in our country.

Answer: Classroom task - your teacher will ask follow-up questions after reading this passage aloud. Listen carefully and try to answer based on what you hear.

Let Us Speak (Page 49)

Question. Look at the pictures below. There are two birds. Which bird would you want to be and why? Share your views with the class.
Answer: I would prefer to be the bird that is flying in the sky because it is free. For me, freedom is far more valuable than living in an expensive cage and eating delicious food.
In simple words: I would want to be the flying bird because freedom is better than a fancy cage and nice meals.

Exam Tip: When answering opinion questions, always give your choice clearly, then explain your reason - examiners want to see both your preference and your thinking.

Let Us Write (Page 50)

Question. In the story, you read how the parrot tricked the merchant into releasing it, but the story does not end here. Use your imagination to complete the parrot's story. After escaping from the golden cage, the parrot decided to fly away ...
Answer: After escaping from the golden cage, the parrot decided to fly away to the jungle. It found its old companions and told them the tale of how it had outsmarted the merchant. The parrot finally felt truly happy, soaring freely among the trees and singing joyful songs about its newfound freedom.
In simple words: The parrot flew to the jungle, saw its old friends again, and lived happily flying free and singing.

Exam Tip: Creative writing answers should match the tone and lesson of the story - show that the parrot values freedom and celebrates reuniting with its friends.

Let Us Do (Page 50)

Understanding Bird Feeders

A bird feeder is an object made to hold food for birds. You may have seen bird feeders placed outdoors in balconies, gardens, or parks to attract birds and provide them with meals. They are filled with seeds, grains, or nuts and placed in safe spots to make it easy for birds to find and eat the food they need.

Question 1. Look at the pictures of bird feeders given below and try to identify the material used to make them.
Answer: Do it yourself - look at the pictures and name the materials you can see (examples might include plastic, metal, wood, glass, clay, or coconut shells).
In simple words: Bird feeders can be made from many things around your home - plastic bottles, wooden spoons, or clay pots.

Exam Tip: When identifying materials, look closely at the color, texture, and shape to make a good guess - and explain why that material would work well for holding food.

Question 2. Make a bird feeder with the material of your choice. Fill it up with water, seeds, and grains like millets. With the help of your parents, place it at an appropriate location outside your house. Happy feeding!
Answer: Do it yourself - this is a hands-on activity where you will create your own bird feeder using materials you choose and then set it up in a safe outdoor spot.

Let Us Explore (Page 52)

Question. Choose any two of the above birds and find out a few interesting facts about them.
Answer:

• Parrot: Parrots have the talent to mimic human sounds and speech. They rank among the brightest and most social birds in the animal kingdom.
• Ostrich: Ostriches hold the title of the world's largest bird species and are unable to fly. They can move at speeds of up to 70 km per hour.
• Macaw: Each macaw has a one-of-a-kind facial pattern that works like a human fingerprint. When macaws find their life partner, they stay together faithfully for their whole lives, unlike most other creatures.
• Sparrow: This is a tiny brown bird, roughly the size of a tennis ball, with black markings running down its back. The males and females look quite different from one another - not in how big they are, but in their coloring.
• Crow: Crows stand out for their sharp minds, their talent for fitting into many settings, and their loud, rough "caw" sound. These birds are quick-witted, inquisitive, and live in tight groups. Scientists keep finding surprising things about how smart these animals really are.
• Seagull: Seagulls, which people also call gulls, have many fascinating qualities. They show high levels of intelligence and flexibility, able to pick up complex ways of acting and even teach these skills to their young, especially when hunting for food. They form strong bonds with their flock, residing together in large numbers and using a rich mix of calls and body signs to stay in touch.
• Pigeon: Pigeons astound us with their remarkable sense of direction, their skill at making milk, and their long partnership with humans stretching back thousands of years. They also display surprising intelligence - a few pigeons have even managed to recognize themselves in a mirror test.
• Flamingo: Flamingos catch the eye with their bright pink feathers, tall thin legs, and unusual ways of eating. These creatures enjoy living together in huge groups and have the power of flight. The striking pink hue comes from what they eat - algae and tiny shrimp that hold special pigments called carotenoids.
• Weaver bird: Weaver birds, most famously the Baya Weaver, create amazingly detailed woven homes. These small, sparrow-sized birds live mostly in Africa and Asia and craft intricate, rounded nests using dried grasses and leaves, which they dangle from tree limbs or stems. Baya Weavers stand out for the way they move and rest as a group. Historically, they have shown impressive smarts and can be trained - some have even pulled off remarkable tricks like carrying sweets to people or operating tiny toy cannons.
• Tailor bird: Tailorbirds get their name from their incredible nest-building skill - they sew leaves together using plant threads or silk from spiders to make a safe home. These nimble, singing birds live in South and Southeast Asia and are recognized by their distinctive "tui-tui-tui" call.

Exam Tip: When researching bird facts, focus on unusual or special features that make each bird different - this shows you truly learned something new and interesting about these creatures.