A.2. On the basis of your reading of the story, complete the following:
(i) The rich lady asked the artist to
paint her portrait.
(ii) The lady refused to take the portrait as
her dog did not recognize her in it.
(iii) The artist did not argue with the lady because
he was a worldly-wise man and understood rich people.
(iv) The artist made Tomy lick the portrait by
rubbing it with a juicy piece of meat.
A.3. Answer the following questions:
(i) Why did the artist laugh after the lady had left the studio?
The artist laughed because he had tricked the lady by rubbing meat on the portrait so the dog would lick it, making her believe the dog liked the painting.
(ii) The lady admires her dog for its cleverness. Do you think the dog was really clever?
No, the dog was not really clever. It licked the portrait only because it smelled meat, not because it recognized its mistress.
(iii) The lady was foolish. Justify the statement with evidence from the story.
The lady was foolish because she believed her dog was so clever that it could judge her portrait. She accepted the painting only when the dog licked it.
(iv) How was the artist rewarded for his cleverness?
The artist was rewarded with a large sum of money from the rich lady who happily bought the portrait after being tricked.
A.4. Tick (✔) the correct answers:
(i) The old lady was very fond of her dog because she thought-
it was very good looking.
O it was a good companion.
it was the cleverest animal in the world.
Answer – ✔ it was the cleverest animal in the world.
(ii) The lady refused to take the portrait the first time because-
she looked ugly in it.
Oher dog showed no interest in it.
the artist was rude to her.
Answer – her dog showed no interest in it.
(iii) The artist did not argue with the lady because-
he did not know how to talk.
he was scared of the lady.
he was a wordly-wise man.
Answer – he was a worldly-wise man.
A.5. Complete the table using words from the box. Work in pairs and see who can do it first. One has been done for you as an example.
Positive | Comparative | Superlative | |
(i) | clever | cleverer | cleverest |
(ii) | fat | fatter | fattest |
(iii) | near | nearer | nearest |
(iv) | good | better | best |
(v) | bad | worse | worst |
(vi) | little | less | least |
A.6. Complete the following sentences with words from the boxes. One has been done for you as an example.
(i) An artist uses a brush to paint pictures.
(ii) A boatman uses oars to row his boat.
(iii) A teacher uses a piece of chalk to write on the blackboard.
(iv) A doctor uses a thermometer to take your temperature.
A.7. The following words have been taken from the story. Their opposites are given in the pot. Find them out and write in the appropriate spaces. One has been done for you.
(i) laugh – cry
(ii) old – young
(iii) beautiful – ugly
(iv) wealthy – poor
(v) clever – foolish
A.8. Complete the table with words from the story to make meaningful phrases. One has been done for you as an example.
Describing Words | Naming Words | Phrases |
old | lady | an old lady |
well-known | artist | a well-known artist |
wealthy | lady | a wealthy lady |
big | price | a big price |
juicy | piece of meat | a juicy piece of meat |
A.9. Get into pairs. With the help of the given hints, complete the crossword puzzle by filling in appropriate words.
- Studio – workroom of a painter
- Artist – person who practices painting
- Portrait – a painted picture of a person
- Strange – unusual; surprising
- Wag – make the tail move
A.10. Life Skills
Do you appreciate the artist for his cleverness? Can you narrate any incident/story where the cleverness of a person got him reward?
Answer – Yes, I do appreciate the artist for his cleverness. Instead of arguing, he used his intelligence to solve the problem in a humorous way and got rewarded for it.
Story Example:
Once, a farmer’s donkey fell into a dry well. After trying hard to pull it out, the farmer gave up and decided to fill the well with mud. As he threw mud, the donkey shook it off and stepped up. Eventually, the donkey came out alive. The donkey’s clever reaction saved its life!
A.11. Value Based Question
Is cleverness a positive virtue or a negative quality? Discuss citing reasons.
Answer – Cleverness is a positive virtue when used wisely. It helps solve problems, avoid conflicts, and find creative solutions—like the artist did. However, if used to cheat or trick others unfairly, it can become a negative quality. So, cleverness with honesty is a great trait.
A.12. Imagine that the rich lady of the story is your aunt. She has written to you how she decided to purchase her portrait. Would you appreciate her purchase? Write a letter to your aunt expressing your feelings in the space provided.
40-C
Vikas Nagar
Mumbai
4 October 20XX
My dear Aunt,
I have got your letter. I am happy to know that you finally purchased your portrait and that Tomy approved of it. It was really funny to read how Tomy licked the painting, and you were convinced it looked just like you!
To be honest, I think the artist was very clever. He solved the problem without making you feel bad. I admire your love for Tomy, but maybe next time, you can trust your own eyes instead of his nose!
Still, I’m glad you are satisfied with the painting. I can’t wait to visit and see how the portrait turned out!
Yours lovingly,
Your nephew,
Avinash