NCERT Solutions for Class 3 English Unit 03 Good Food Chapter 09 Madhu's Wish

Unit 3: Good Food - Chapter 9. Madhu’s Wish

A. Answer the following.

Question 1. What did Madhu enjoy?
Answer: Madhu loved eating many different kinds of snacks and delicious food. [1]
In simple words: Madhu liked to eat many different types of tasty food. [1]

Exam Tip: Start your answer with "Madhu enjoyed..." to write a complete sentence.

Question 2. Do you think the old man had magical powers? How do you know?
Answer: Yes, the old man had magic powers. We know this because his magic made different foods appear on the tree for Madhu. [1]
In simple words: Yes, he had magic because he made food grow on the tree. [1]

Exam Tip: Say "Yes" first, then explain that the food appearing on the tree proves his magic.

Question 3. Why did the tree ask Madhu to 'think over' his wish?
Answer: The tree wanted Madhu to think again because wishing only for food might not be a very wise choice. [1]
In simple words: The tree told him to think again because having only food is not always a good wish. [1]

Exam Tip: Explain that the tree wanted Madhu to make a wiser wish.

Question 4. Name some of the things that Madhu ate.
Answer: Madhu ate many tasty snacks like sweet fruits, samosas, kachoris, mathri, potato chips, and vadas. [1]
In simple words: Madhu ate fruits, samosas, kachoris, chips, and vadas. [1]

Exam Tip: List at least four to five food items mentioned in the story to write a complete answer.

B. Think and say.

Question 1. Have you experienced hiccups?
Answer: Yes, I have had hiccups many times in my life. [2]
In simple words: Yes, I get hiccups sometimes. [2]

Exam Tip: A simple "Yes, I have" is a perfect way to start this answer.

Question 2. What do you do when you get hiccups?
Answer: Usually, I drink a glass of cold water or take deep breaths to stop my hiccups. [2]
In simple words: I drink cold water or take deep breaths to stop my hiccups. [2]

Exam Tip: Give one or two simple remedies like "drinking water" or "holding your breath" to complete your answer.

Question 3. Do you think water is important? Why do you think so?
Answer: Water is highly important because we need it daily to drink, cook, and clean. No living thing can survive without water. [2]
In simple words: Water is important because we need it to live, drink, and clean every day. [2]

Exam Tip: Mention that water is essential for life and survival to make your answer strong.

Question 4. If you were in Madhu's place, what would you wish for and why?
Answer: If I had a magic wish like Madhu, I would wish for good health, knowledge, and happiness for my family. [2]
In simple words: I would wish for good health and happiness for my family. [2]

Exam Tip: Describe a thoughtful wish instead of just asking for toys or food.

Let us learn

Question A. Madhu enjoyed the following items. Write them in the correct basket. [banana, kheer, melon, guava, kachori, potato chips, laddoo, vada, jackfruit, samosa]
Answer: The foods grouped by their baskets are: [3]

In simple words: This activity groups different foods into fruits, sweets, and salty snacks. [3]

Exam Tip: Make sure you place items like kheer and laddoo in the sweets column, and samosa and kachori in the salty snacks column.

Question B. Choose a word from the box to describe the people below. [brave, polite, selfish, lazy]
Answer: The describing words matched with the sentences are: [4]
1. Pramod doesn't share his toys with anyone. He is **selfish**.
2. The woman saved the boy from the robber. She is **brave**.
3. Advait is always lying in bed and doing nothing. He is **lazy**.
4. Prerna always wishes everyone in the morning. She is **polite**.
In simple words: We use describing words (adjectives) to tell how a person behaves, like calling a helpful person polite. [4]

Exam Tip: Read the clue sentence carefully to match the correct quality from the help box.

Question C. Rewrite the following sentences using ‘and’, or ‘but’:
Answer: The completed joined sentences are: [5]
1. **I eat an apple, an orange and a peach.**
2. **I like to watch cartoons but my sister likes to watch movies.**
3. **Anita and Anju play volleyball.**
4. **Dolma wants a new comic book but she has spent all her pocket money on sweets.**
5. **Rajesh wants to go to the park but he has not finished his homework.**
In simple words: We use 'and' to join similar ideas, and 'but' to join opposite or contrasting ideas. [5]

Exam Tip: Conjunctions like 'and' and 'but' help us join short sentences into one smooth sentence.

Let us listen

Question. Listen carefully to the story and tell what happened after that:
Answer: The next part of Madhu's story is described below: [5]
1. At once, a massive basket overflowing with laddoos appeared. Soon after, the basket filled up with fresh fruits, and then hot samosas, kachoris, mathri, potato chips, and vadas appeared inside.
2. He looked all around for some water to drink, but there was none. He tried drinking sweet sharbat, kheer, and badam milk to stop his hiccups, but they only became louder.
In simple words: First, a giant basket of sweets and snacks appeared. When he got hiccups, there was no water, so he drank sweet milk, but his hiccups got louder. [5]

Exam Tip: Describe how his wish for only food backfired when he got hiccups and had no plain water to drink.

Let us write

Question A. Complete the following story.
Answer: The story completed with the proper sequence of events is: [6, 7]
**Madhu's Wish**
Vijaya is a young girl. She lives with her father, mother, grandmother and grandfather in a small village. Each day she went to the forest for a walk. There, she saw a boy named Madhu eating many delicious snacks. She was surprised and asked him how he got so much food. Madhu explained that he prayed to a magical tree.
However, one day, Madhu got terrible hiccups and wanted water, but he could not get any. The magic tree refused to give him water because Madhu had wished only for food and nothing else. Later on, after learning his lesson, Madhu prayed again and finally received water. Vijaya and Madhu realized that we should never be greedy, and we must think carefully before making a wish.
In simple words: Vijaya saw Madhu getting food from a magic tree. When Madhu got hiccups and could not get water, they learned that greed is bad and we should make wise wishes. [6, 7]

Exam Tip: Complete the story using simple past tense words like "went", "saw", "prayed", and "realized".

Fun with Words

Question. Notice that the first letter of each word has the same letter. Write down similar words as shown above using your name or any name of your choice.
Answer: The word pyramids starting with the same letters are: [7, 8]
- **Pyramid (C):** Carrots -> Cut Carrots -> Chandu Cut Carrots
- **Pyramid (A):** Apples -> Ate Apples -> Anu Ate Apples
- **Pyramid (B):** Bread -> Baked Bread -> Bablu Baked Bread
In simple words: These are word pyramids where every word starts with the same letter, like 'Bablu Baked Bread'. [7, 8]

Exam Tip: This is an alliteration activity. Choose simple verbs and nouns that start with the same letter as your name.

Question 1. Madhu shared his food with the old man because _________
Answer: Madhu shared his food with the old man because he felt kind and sorry for the hungry traveler. [8]
In simple words: He shared his food because he felt sorry for the old man. [8]

Exam Tip: The key reason is that Madhu felt "sorry" or "compassion" for the old man's hunger.

Question 2. Madhu was happy because _________
Answer: Madhu felt extremely happy because he now had the magical blessing to get any food he wanted. [8]
In simple words: He was happy because he could get any food from the magic tree. [8]

Exam Tip: Mention the "blessing" of getting any food as the source of his happiness.

Question 3. After eating fruits, Madhu asked for savouries because _________
Answer: After eating many sweet fruits, Madhu wanted savouries because he got tired of eating only sweet things. [9]
In simple words: He wanted salty snacks because he got tired of eating only sweet fruits. [9]

Exam Tip: Explain that he got "bored" or "tired" of eating only one kind of sweet food.

Question 4. Madhu asked for water because _________
Answer: Madhu desperately wanted water because he started getting loud hiccups after eating too many snacks. [9]
In simple words: He wanted water because he got hiccups from eating too much. [9]

Exam Tip: The reason he needed water was that he was "getting hiccups".

Poem 9 : Don't Tell - Reading is fun

Question 1. How old is the speaker?
Answer: The speaker of the poem is a young child, who is likely between eight and ten years old. [10]
In simple words: The speaker is a young child about eight to ten years old. [10]

Exam Tip: The child's age is estimated to be "8-10 years" based on the activities mentioned.

Question 2. Who are ‘they’ and ‘them’ in the poem?
Answer: The words 'they' and 'them' refer to the child's parents and other grown-ups. [10]
In simple words: They are the child's parents and other big people. [10]

Exam Tip: Identify 'they' as the "grown-ups" or "parents" who stop the child from doing things.

Question 3. What is the secret the speaker is hiding?
Answer: The child is keeping a secret that inside, he is actually a strong, grown-up giant who can do anything. [10]
In simple words: His secret is that he is a giant on the inside. [10]

Exam Tip: The secret is that the child is "a giant from inside".

Talk time

Question 1. Think of three things that ‘they’ won’t let you do.
Answer: Three things that the grown-ups do not let me do are:
1. They do not allow me to drive a real car on the road. [10]
2. They do not let me use the gas stove to cook chapatis in the kitchen. [10]
3. They do not allow me to go alone to the market far away. [10]
In simple words: Grown-ups do not let me drive a car, cook on the stove, or go to the market alone. [10]

Exam Tip: List three common activities that are unsafe for young kids but fine for adults.

Question 2. What are the things you’d like to do when you are grown-up that you can’t do now?
Answer: When I grow up, I would love to do these things:
1. Go shopping alone at the market and select my own clothes. [11]
2. Drive my own car and travel to different cities. [11]
3. Cook delicious meals in the kitchen without anyone's help. [11]
In simple words: When I grow up, I want to drive a car, cook food, and go shopping on my own. [11]

Exam Tip: List fun and responsible adult actions like driving or cooking independently.

Word building

Question 1. Using the letters of the given word, make three words. One is done for you. [blackboard, mother, vegetable, thousand, helicopter]
Answer: The smaller words created from the letters of each given word are: [11]

In simple words: We can make smaller words using the letters of a big word, like 'table' from 'vegetable'. [11]

Exam Tip: Check that every letter you use in your new words is present in the main word.

Question i. Now write the full forms of the following words: Can't, It's, Isn't, What's, That's
Answer: The full forms of the contracted words are: [12]
- Can't - **Can not**
- It's - **It is**
- Isn't - **Is not**
- What's - **What is**
- That's - **That is**
In simple words: Contracted words are short forms of words, like "can't" instead of "cannot". [12]

Exam Tip: Learn these full forms to improve your spelling and reading skills.

Question ii. Make sentences using the following: [He’s, She’s, You’re, We’re]
Answer: The sentences formed using the contractions are: [12]
1. **He's:** He's the fastest runner in our school class.
2. **She's:** She's my elder sister, and she plays piano beautifully.
3. **You're:** You're going to love the surprise gift I bought for you.
4. **We're:** We're planning to go to the zoo this weekend.
In simple words: These are sentences using short words like He's (He is) and We're (We are). [12]

Exam Tip: Remember that these short words are contractions. Read them as full words when checking your sentences.

Question iii. Now write about two things you’ll do when you grow up. You can begin like this : When I grow up I’ll _________
Answer: When I grow up, I'll become a doctor and help sick people feel better. I'll also travel to many beautiful places around the world. [12]
In simple words: When I grow up, I will become a doctor and travel around the world. [12]

Exam Tip: Start with "When I grow up, I'll..." and write about your dream job or travels.

Question. Choose and tick (✓) the words with a ‘j’ sound:
Answer: The words with a 'j' sound are: [13]
- **January** (✓)
- **gem** (✓)
- **jam** (✓)
- **jacket** (✓)
- **giraffe** (✓)
- **July** (✓)
- **giant** (✓)
- **June** (✓)
In simple words: These are words that make a 'j' sound, like January, giant, giraffe, and June. [13]

Exam Tip: Note that letters like 'g' can also make a 'j' sound in words like 'giant', 'gem', and 'giraffe'.

Chapter 9: He is My Brother - Reading is fun

Question 1. Where were the people going?
Answer: All the people in the story were walking up the path to visit a holy temple. [13]
In simple words: The people were going to a holy temple. [13]

Exam Tip: The destination of the path was "a holy place" or temple.

Question 2. What did the man say to Meena?
Answer: The man kindly asked Meena why she was carrying the young boy on her back, wondering if she felt his heavy weight. [13]
In simple words: The man asked Meena why she was carrying the boy and if he felt heavy. [13]

Exam Tip: The man asked about the "load" or "weight" of the boy on her back.

Question 3. Why do you think Meena was carrying her brother?
Answer: Meena carried her brother because he was only four years old and his legs were too weak to climb the steep hill. [14]
In simple words: She carried him because he was small and could not walk up the hill. [14]

Exam Tip: Explain that the brother's physical inability to walk is why Meena happily carried him.

Talk time

Question. Choose the correct answer.
Answer: The correct answers from the story are: [14]
1. What went up the hill? -> **(a) a path**
2. What is the name of the girl in the story? -> **(c) Meena**
3. How old was Meena? -> **(c) Twelve**
4. How old was Meena’s brother? -> **(b) Four**
In simple words: These multiple-choice questions check if you remember the characters and details of 'He is My Brother'. [14]

Exam Tip: Read the story carefully to remember names, ages, and locations of the characters.

Let’s write

Question. Fill in the blanks using the correct given words: [rat, sip, box, rug, cot, den, pit]
Answer: The completed sentences are: [14, 15]
1. The boy fell in the **pit**.
2. I **sip** hot milk.
3. The kid is in the **cot**.
4. My toy is in the **box**.
5. The lion is in the **den**.
6. The cat runs after the **rat**.
7. I sit on the **rug**.
In simple words: These sentences are completed with naming words that describe common actions and places. [14, 15]

Exam Tip: Choose the word that logically fits the action described in each sentence.

Question 1. Fill in the blanks with the opposite of the underlined word given in the sentence.
Answer: The sentences completed with correct opposites (antonyms) are: [15, 16]
i. The rat ran **in** when the cat ran **out**.
ii. The lion is **big** but the ant is **small**.
iii. The giraffe has a **long** neck but owls’ are **short**.
iv. The sun appears in the **day** and the moon at **night**.
v. The tea is **hot** but the water is **cold**.
vi. Trees are **tall** but the bushes are **short**.
vii. Ram was **sad** but Radha was **happy**.
In simple words: This activity helps you learn antonyms like big-small, hot-cold, and sad-happy. [15, 16]

Exam Tip: Read the underlined word and write its exact opposite in the blank.

Team Time

Question 1. What are the difficulties that a child who can’t see will face?
Answer: A child who cannot see will find it difficult to walk alone safely, read books, or enjoy colorful pictures and television. [16]
In simple words: They cannot walk alone safely or see books and television. [16]

Exam Tip: Describe how not being able to see makes simple tasks like "walking alone" harder.

Question 2. Would you help a child who can’t walk to school?
Answer: Yes, I would happily help a classmate who cannot walk by pushing their wheelchair or holding their bag. [16]
In simple words: Yes, I would help them reach school safely. [16]

Exam Tip: A helpful "Yes" followed by a simple action (like pushing a wheelchair) is a great answer.

Question 3. How can you help such a child and make the child feel one of you?
Answer: I would hold their hand, include them in our classroom games, and talk with them so they feel happy and confident. [16]
In simple words: I will play with them and hold their hand so they feel happy and part of our group. [16]

Exam Tip: Mention including them in "games" and building their "confidence" to show real support.

Chapter 9: The Magic Show (Reading Note)

This chapter describes a fun conversation about a magic show: [17, 18, 19]
Yogesh and Priya returned home from a magic show with their father and discussed how the magician carried out his tricks. Yogesh thought the magician had superpowers, but Father explained that magic is actually clever tricks learned through hard work. A magician works hard to learn tricks, using simple things like hat ribbons, milk, and tables. Yogesh decided he wanted to become a magician when he grew up, and Father encouraged him, saying hard work is the key to fulfilling any wish.
In simple words: Yogesh and his sister talked about a magic show. Their father explained that magic is just clever tricks, not real superpowers, and requires hard work to learn. [17, 18, 19]

Exam Tip: This story teaches us that what looks like magic is actually the result of practice, skill, and hard work.

Skill Test - WORK OUT

A. Answer the following questions :

Question 1. What did Yogesh think about the magician ?
Answer: Yogesh believed the magician was truly amazing because his tricks looked completely real and impossible. [18]
In simple words: Yogesh thought the magician was great because his tricks looked real. [18]

Exam Tip: Describe Yogesh's admiration for the magician's "impossible" tricks.

Question 2. Who carries a magic wand ?
Answer: A magician typically holds and uses a magic wand during his performance. [18]
In simple words: A magician carries a magic wand. [18]

Exam Tip: The person who carries the wand is a "magician".

Question 3. What were the comments of father about the magician ?
Answer: Father said that magicians are ordinary men who perform smart tricks using a lot of practice and effort. [18]
In simple words: Father said magicians are not supermen, they just do clever tricks with hard work. [18]

Exam Tip: Mention that according to the father, magic is "clever tricks" and "hard work", not real magic.

Question 4. Why does a magician have to practice his tricks for hours ?
Answer: A magician must practice for hours to make his movements fast, smooth, and perfect so nobody can spot the trick. [18]
In simple words: He practices for hours to do his tricks quickly and smartly without getting caught. [18]

Exam Tip: The goal of long practice is to perform tricks "quickly and smartly".

Question 5. What should you do to fulfil your wishes ?
Answer: To make our dreams come true, we must work very hard and put sincere effort into our goals. [18]
In simple words: We must work hard and make sincere efforts to fulfill our wishes. [18]

Exam Tip: The formula to fulfill wishes is "hard work" and "sincere effort".

B. Who said the following words ?

Question. Identify the speaker and listener of each statement:
Answer: The speakers and listeners of the dialogues are: [19]
- **“I liked the magician ! He is great !”** -> Said by **Yogesh** to **Priya and Father**.
- **“No, I wasn’t sleeping. But I still cannot believe it.”** -> Said by **Priya** to **Yogesh and Father**.
- **“I want to become a magician when I grow up.”** -> Said by **Yogesh** to **Father and Priya**.
- **“Oh, yes ! A magician works very hard to learn to play his tricks.”** -> Said by **Father** to **Yogesh and Priya**.
In simple words: This activity identifies who spoke each dialogue in the story of 'The Magic Show'. [19]

Exam Tip: Remember who was amazed (Yogesh), who was doubtful (Priya), and who explained things (Father) to answer correctly.

GRAMMAR

Question A. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions :
Answer: The completed sentences with prepositions are: [19]
1. The cat is sitting **on** the table.
2. The sticks are stacked **in** the corner.
3. The children were coming **with** their father.
4. These things help him **to** show his tricks.
5. He practices his tricks **for** hours.
In simple words: Prepositions like 'on', 'in', and 'with' tell us where things are or how actions are done. [19]

Exam Tip: Choose the preposition that best completes the sentence logically (like 'sitting on' a flat surface).

Question B. Use suitable pronouns to complete the sentences :
Answer: The sentences completed with pronouns are: [19]
1. **He** is a very good magician.
2. **They** are going to Delhi tomorrow.
3. **She** is wearing a red-coloured frock.
4. **He / It** is a smart boy.
5. **It** is a black-coloured dog.
In simple words: Pronouns are used in place of nouns, like 'he' for a boy, 'she' for a girl, and 'it' for animals or objects. [19]

Exam Tip: Identify the subject in the sentence to choose the correct pronoun (like 'she' for a girl wearing a frock).

Question C. Complete the sentences choosing the right form of the verbs given in the brackets :
Answer: The correct verb forms used in the sentences are: [19]
1. Amit **lives** (lives/live) in Australia.
2. The students **stand** (stands/stand) in a queue.
3. Do you **help** (help/helps) your sister ?
4. Didn’t you **see** (sees/see) him doing so ?
5. A fairy **carries** (carry/carries) a magic wand.
6. The magician **plays** (plays/play) clever tricks.
7. I want to become a magician when I **grow** (grow/grows) up.
8. It all **looks** (looks/look) so real.
In simple words: Singular subjects take verb forms ending in '-s' or '-es', while plural subjects take the base form of the verb. [19]

Exam Tip: For simple present tense, match the singular/plural subject with the correct verb ending. Note that after helper verbs like "didn't", we always use the base form of the verb (like 'see').

VOCABULARY

Question A. Match the opposites:
Answer: The opposite pairs of words are: [20]

In simple words: Opposites are words with completely different meanings, like real and imaginary. [20]

Exam Tip: Learn these opposite pairs to improve your vocabulary skills.

Question B. Make sentences using the given words :
Answer: Sentences formed using the given words are: [20]
1. **home:** We should return home before it gets dark.
2. **show:** The family went to see a beautiful puppet show.
3. **magician:** The magician pulled a white rabbit out of his hat.
4. **wand:** The fairy waved her magic wand to help the prince.
5. **trick:** The clever dog learned a new trick to catch the ball.
In simple words: These sentences show how to use each word in a simple, correct sentence. [20]

Exam Tip: Keep sentences short, clear, and make sure to use correct punctuation.

COMPOSITION

Question. Write a paragraph on ‘A MAGIC SHOW’ :
Answer: Last Sunday, I went to see a grand magic show with my parents. The magician wore a bright red coat and held a shiny black wand. He performed many amazing tricks that kept everyone clapping. In one trick, he made a white pigeon vanish into thin air, and in another, he pulled long colorful ribbons from his mouth. It was a very exciting and memorable afternoon for me. [20]
In simple words: I saw a magic show with my family. The magician did amazing tricks like making a bird vanish and pulling out ribbons. It was very fun. [20]

Exam Tip: Write about the magician's clothes, his wand, and two fun tricks (like vanishing objects) to make your paragraph interesting.

FUN TIME

Question. Complete the number puzzle :
Answer: The solved mathematical equations in the number puzzle are: [20]
- **Horizontal 1:** `(2 + 10) ÷ 4 = 3`
- **Horizontal 2:** `80 ÷ 10 = 8`
- **Horizontal 3:** `2 x 20 = 40`
- **Vertical 1 (Left):** `11 - 11 = 0` (with helper `2 + 9 = 11`)
- **Vertical 2 (Center):** `10 + 1 = 11`
- **Vertical 3 (Right):** `3 + 8 = 11`
In simple words: This activity is a fun math puzzle where we complete numbers to solve horizontal and vertical equations. [20]

Exam Tip: Solve the horizontal lines first, then check if they make correct vertical equations too.

If Pigs Could Fly (Poem Reading Note)

This poem describes funny, impossible things: [21]
"If pigs could fly, I'd fly a pig To foreign countries small and big To Italy and Spain, To Austria, where cowbells ring, To Germany, where people sing And then come home again. I'd see the Ganges and the Nile; I'd visit Madagascar's isle, And Persia and Peru. People would say they've never seen So odd, so strange an air-machine As that on which I flew. Why, everyone would raise a shout To see his totters and his snout Come floating from the sky; And I would be a famous star Well known in countries near and far If only pigs could fly!"
In simple words: This poem is a funny story about flying on a pig to different countries like Spain and Italy.

Exam Tip: This poem uses imagination to describe a travel adventure on a flying pig, visiting places like the Ganges and the Nile.