NCERT Solutions for Class 4 English Chapter 05 The Old Stag

Question 1. Why was the old stag popular?
Answer: The old stag gained fame among all the animals and birds because of his gentle and loving nature. He would greet each animal and bird every day with warmth, which made them love and respect him very much.
In simple words: The stag was liked by everyone because he was kind and friendly to all the animals.

Exam Tip: When answering about character traits, mention specific actions (greeting, showing affection) that prove the quality you're describing.

Question 2. Why did the old stag not go down the hillock to meet his friends?
Answer: The old stag had become so feeble from his sickness that he could not make his way down the hillock. His heart was ready to go, but his body was too weak to obey his wishes.
In simple words: The stag wanted to go down but his body was too weak because he was ill.

Exam Tip: Look for contrast words like "though" or "but" in the passage - they often show what the question is really asking about.

Question 3. Why did the green cover of the hillock slowly vanish?
Answer: The green grass on the hillock began to disappear because all the visiting animals kept eating it whenever they came to see the old stag.
In simple words: The grass was eaten by the many animals that came to visit the stag.

Exam Tip: This question tests whether you understand cause and effect - what caused the change, and why it happened gradually.

Question 4. Did the animals realise their mistake towards the end? What did they do?
Answer: Yes, eventually the animals understood what they had done wrong. Feeling very sorry for their thoughtless actions, they stopped eating the grass on the hillock. They even started bringing fresh leaves and greens for the stag to eat. Their actions showed how sorry they truly were.
In simple words: The animals felt bad and stopped eating the grass. They brought leaves for the stag instead.

Exam Tip: Two-part questions need two clear answers - always address both parts separately and fully.

Question 5. Did the animals do the right thing in the end? Why do you think so?
Answer: Yes, the animals made the right choice in the end. Once they saw how bad their careless behaviour was, they took real steps to fix it. They stopped taking from the stag's home and even helped him get better by bringing him food. The story shows us that it is never too late to correct a wrong choice.
In simple words: Yes, they did the right thing because they stopped their bad behaviour and helped the stag instead.

Exam Tip: For opinion questions, always back up your yes/no answer with specific reasons and examples from the story.

Question 6. What would happen to the green plants around us if each one of us thought only of our own needs?
Answer: If we all only cared about our own wants, the greenery around us would slowly disappear, just like nature running out of what it can offer. The balance of nature would break, and we would use up all the resources. Being selfish with nature harms everyone in the long run.
In simple words: If everyone only thought about themselves, all the green plants would die and we would have nothing left.

Exam Tip: This is a thinking question that connects the story to the real world - show how the lesson applies beyond just the tale.

Question 7. Match the words to their meaning.
Answer:

Question 8. Circle the adverbs that describe how something is done.
Answer: All the words given in the table are adverbs - soon, badly, lately, cheerfully, quietly, early, carefully, highly, fast, regularly, nearby, and loudly.
In simple words: An adverb tells us HOW something happens. All these words show the way or manner in which an action takes place.

Exam Tip: Remember that adverbs often end in "-ly" and they describe verbs - they answer the question "how?"

Question 9. Write a sentence for each adverb.
Answer:
Soon: I will reach my home soon.
Badly: He played badly because he had not practiced.
Lately: I visited the Taj Mahal lately.
Cheerfully: She greeted her friends cheerfully every morning.
Quietly: The cat walked quietly through the grass.
Carefully: The artist painted the picture carefully.
Highly: The teacher spoke highly of the student's efforts.
Fast: The dog ran fast to catch the ball.
Regularly: He exercises regularly to stay fit.
Nearby: The bike is parked nearby.
Loudly: The children sang loudly during the school concert.
In simple words: Each sentence uses an adverb to show HOW the action happens.

Exam Tip: Make sure your sentence makes sense and clearly shows what the adverb does - how the action takes place.

Question 10. How would you feel if the jalebis were almost finished, but some friends hadn't had enough yet?
Answer: I would feel a bit sad and feel guilty inside. It would be unfair if some friends did not get a turn. I would want to make sure all my friends also get to enjoy some jalebis.
In simple words: I would feel sorry because my friends would not get any and that would not be fair.

Exam Tip: For feelings questions, name the emotion and explain why you would feel that way.

Question 11. What will happen to the bowl of jalebis after some time?
Answer: As time passes, the bowl will have nothing left in it if all the friends keep taking more without thinking about others. The jalebis will run out because of selfish eating.
In simple words: The bowl will become empty because everyone will eat all the jalebis without sharing.

Exam Tip: This question asks you to predict what happens - use the cause (selfish taking) to show the effect (empty bowl).

Question 12. Why is it important to share when we have something that everyone enjoys?
Answer: Sharing shows that we care about others and think about their feelings. When we share, all our friends feel happy and included. It also helps us stay good friends because no one feels left out or sad.
In simple words: Sharing is important because it makes everyone happy and keeps friendship strong.

Exam Tip: When answering "why" questions about values, give two or three clear reasons that show the benefit to everyone.

Question 13. How can we make sure there are enough jalebis for everyone to enjoy?
Answer: We can count how many jalebis there are and divide them fairly among all our friends. Each person could take only one or two at first. This way, everyone gets to have some and no one feels left behind.
In simple words: We should divide the jalebis equally so that everyone gets some.

Exam Tip: Solution questions need practical steps - give a clear method that would actually work.

Question 14. Create a Thank You Card from the Old Stag.
Answer: Draw a picture of the stag surrounded by his friends in the forest yourself. Inside, write a kind message like this: Dear friends, I am very grateful to all of you for being there for me during my illness. All of you stopped eating the grass on the hillock so I would have enough to eat. Some of you even brought green leaves for me. I will never forget how much you cared for me. Because of your kindness and help, I feel strong and healthy again. Thank you so much. From: The Stag
In simple words: Write a message saying thank you to your friends and tell them how much their help meant to you.

Exam Tip: For thank you cards, be specific about what the person did and explain how it made you feel.