Chapter -3. A Hero , English Literature, DAV Class VII, The Best Solutions.

Pre-reading Task

1. Work in groups of four or five and list the qualities that make a person a hero.

Answer – A hero is someone who shows exceptional character and inspires others. The following are qualities that make a person a hero:

Qualities of a Hero –

Courage

Honesty

Compassion

Selflessness

Determination

Integrity

Responsibility

Willingness to help others

Leadership

Resilience

2. ‘Courage is an attitude. It is there in the mind.’ Do you agree? Discuss with reasons.

Answer – Yes, I agree that courage is an attitude. It doesn’t always mean doing something dramatic or dangerous — it often means facing fears, standing up for what’s right, or doing the right thing despite difficulties. A person may feel fear, but their mindset and determination help them act bravely. Many people show courage daily in simple but meaningful ways, like speaking up against injustice or helping others in crisis.

Word Meaning

Summary in English:

The story is about a young boy named Swami who is forced by his father to prove his courage by sleeping alone in the office room. Swami, who usually sleeps beside his grandmother, is terrified of the dark and the idea of ghosts. He tries to avoid the task but is made to do it. That night, filled with fear and nightmares, Swami ends up under the bench and unknowingly catches a notorious burglar by biting his leg. He becomes a local hero and is praised by everyone, including his school and the police. However, he returns to sleeping beside his grandmother. The story humorously shows how a fearful boy accidentally becomes brave and gains confidence.

Summary in Hindi:

यह कहानी एक छोटे लड़के स्वामी की है, जिसे उसके पिता साहसी बनने के लिए अकेले ऑफिस रूम में सोने के लिए मजबूर करते हैं। स्वामी, जो आमतौर पर अपनी दादी के साथ सोता है, अँधेरे और भूतों से बहुत डरता है। वह इससे बचने की कोशिश करता है लेकिन उसके पिता उसे अकेले सोने पर ज़ोर देते हैं। उस रात, डर और बुरे सपनों से परेशान स्वामी बेंच के नीचे जाकर सो जाता है। तभी वह अनजाने में एक चोर को पकड़ लेता है जब वह उसे काट लेता है। अगली सुबह वह नायक बन जाता है और स्कूल व पुलिस से प्रशंसा प्राप्त करता है। हालाँकि, वह फिर से अपनी दादी के पास सोने लगता है। यह कहानी हँसी-हँसी में यह सिखाती है कि कैसे डरपोक बच्चा भी परिस्थितियों में बहादुर बन सकता है।

Understanding the Story

1. Each statement given below contains one wrong word/phrase, which makes the complete statement false. Underline the wrong words/phrases and replace them with the correct ones to make the statements true. One has been done for you.
2. Swami’s father read the report of a lad’s bravery in a newspaper weekly.

Answer – magazine.

2. The boy was rescued by some people who captured the tiger.

Answer – killed the tiger

3. Swami seemed convinced of the boy’s bravery.

Answer – doubtful

4. Swami had always slept beside his mother.

Answer – granny

5. Swami proposed to sleep alone beginning with the same night.

Answer – next month

6. Swami studied in fourth grade.

Answer – second form

7. Swami had to sleep alone in the hall.

Answer – office room

B. Answer the following questions briefly in about 30 words.

1. How did Swami react to the news of the village lad’s bravery? How was his reaction different from his father’s reaction?

Answer – Swami doubted the boy’s ability to fight a tiger, thinking he must be strong and grown-up. His father believed courage mattered more than age or strength.

2. What was the challenge given to Swami by his father? How did he receive it?

Answer – His father challenged him to sleep alone in the office room. Swami was frightened and reluctant but could not disobey his father’s firm command.

3. Describe Swami’s feelings in the office room at night.

Answer – Swami was terrified, imagining ghosts and devils. The darkness and silence intensified his fear, making him feel helpless and lonely.

4. How did Swami catch the burglar?

Answer – Mistaking the burglar for a ghost, Swami bit him in panic. His act accidentally helped catch a notorious house-breaker, earning him praise.

C. Of the following words, which would you choose to describe Swami and why?

1. meek
2. clever
3. cowardly
4. courageous
5. boastful
6. strong

Answer – Swami is best described as courageous and clever. Though initially fearful, he showed unexpected bravery in a difficult moment and cleverly used his instincts to act.

D. Various incidents in the story evoke contradictory reactions from Swami and his father. Complete the table given below highlighting the difference of opinion between the two.

Answer –

HOTS

Courage is everything, strength and age are not important. Do you agree? Why/Why not?

Answer – Yes, courage enables one to face fear and challenges bravely. True courage often overcomes physical weakness and age, as seen when Swami unknowingly caught a burglar.

Life Skills

1. Would you call Swami ‘a hero’? Why/Why not?

Answer – Yes, Swami acted with bravery in a frightening situation. Despite his fear, his actions led to the capture of a criminal, proving his heroism.

1. Should children be allowed to face nasty situations in life or should they be mollycoddled?

Answer – Children should be gently encouraged to face challenges to build confidence. Overprotecting them may hinder their emotional growth and ability to handle real-life problems.

Values

It is said that Swami did not like the strain of cruelty in his father’s nature. Is Swami’s father really cruel?

Answer – Swami’s father was strict, not cruel. He wanted to build Swami’s character and bravery, though his methods seemed harsh from a child’s perspective.

Writing Skills

After the Headmaster narrates to the class how Swami caught the burglar, one of Swami’s friends writes a report on the incident to be published in the Malgudi Times. Write the report in about 100 words.

Answer – Swami, a young student from Malgudi, became a hero overnight after bravely confronting a burglar in his father’s office room. Terrified to sleep alone, Swami was unknowingly put to the test. Mistaking a moving figure for a ghost, he bit the intruder in panic. The scream alerted the household, and the burglar—one of the most wanted criminals—was caught. Swami’s bravery was praised by his headmaster, teachers, and classmates. The police also acknowledged his role. This incident showed that courage can shine through in the most unexpected moments. Swami is now hailed as Malgudi’s youngest hero.

Additional Questions and Answers – 01

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What prompted Swami’s father to challenge him?

(a) Swami’s poor grades

(b) A story about a boy fighting a tiger

(c) Swami’s fight with his friend

(d) Swami breaking a window
Answer: (b)

2. What was Swami’s excuse for not sleeping in the office room?

(a) He had homework to complete

(b) The room had ghosts

(c) The room might have scorpions

(d) It was too cold
Answer: (c)

3. How did Swami ultimately catch the burglar?

(a) He shouted for help

(b) He hit him with a stick

(c) He bit his leg

(d) He locked the door
Answer: (c)

4. What does Swami’s father threaten him with if he goes to Granny at night?

(a) He will be sent to boarding school

(b) He will be scolded in front of classmates

(c) He will become the laughing-stock of the school

(d) He will sleep outside
Answer: (c)

5. How does Swami feel when he is first told to sleep alone?

(a) Excited

(b) Brave

(c) Frightened

(d) Angry
Answer: (c)

Short Questions and Answers

1. What was the story that Swami’s father read aloud?
   It was about a village boy who bravely fought a tiger and climbed a tree to save himself.
2. Why was Swami reluctant to sleep alone?
   He had always slept beside his granny and was scared of sleeping in the dark.
3. What did Swami do when he was frightened in the office room?
   He hid under the bench and later bit a burglar thinking he was a ghost.
4. How did the burglar react when Swami bit him?
   The burglar cried out in pain, which woke the household and led to his capture.
5. What did Swami’s classmates and teacher do after the incident?
   They praised him and his teacher patted his back in appreciation.

Competency-Based Reasoning and Assertion Questions

Question 1
Assertion (A): Swami’s father forced him to sleep alone to make him brave.
Reason (R): Swami was scared of darkness and supernatural stories.

• (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
• (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
• (c) A is true, but R is false.
• (d) A is false, but R is true.
  Answer: (a)

Question 2
Assertion (A): Swami’s act of bravery was accidental.
Reason (R): He caught the burglar while trying to escape a nightmare.

• (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
• (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
• (c) A is true, but R is false.
• (d) A is false, but R is true.
  Answer: (a)

Long Answer Questions (50–60 words)

1. Describe the events that led Swami to become a hero.
   Swami’s father challenged him to sleep alone to build courage. Though scared, Swami complied. That night, frightened by shadows and noises, he mistook a burglar for a ghost and bit his leg. This act led to the burglar’s capture, and Swami was praised for his bravery by the police and his school.
2. How does the story reflect the theme of courage?
   The story shows that courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to act despite fear. Swami, though terrified, ends up doing something brave. His actions, though accidental, display how fear can sometimes push individuals into heroic deeds.
3. What role did Swami’s father play in his transformation?
   Swami’s father was the driving force behind his transformation. He challenged Swami’s notions of courage and pushed him beyond his comfort zone. Though strict, his father’s actions indirectly helped Swami to discover his inner strength and bravery.
4. Why did Swami feel relieved at the end of the story?
   Swami felt relieved because his father finally gave up trying to make him sleep alone after the burglar incident. He was happy to return to the safety and comfort of sleeping beside his granny, away from the fear of the dark.

Additional Questions and Answers – 02

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What inspired Swami’s father to challenge him to sleep alone?
   a) A story about a boy fighting a tiger
   b) Swami’s fear of the dark
   c) A conversation with Granny
   d) Swami’s desire to join the cricket club
   Answer: a) A story about a boy fighting a tiger
2. Why did Swami think the boy in the newspaper story wasn’t a boy?
   a) He was too old
   b) He seemed too strong to be a boy
   c) He climbed a tree too quickly
   d) He was a friend of Swami’s
   Answer: b) He seemed too strong to be a boy
3. What was Swami’s usual sleeping arrangement?
   a) In his father’s office room
   b) Beside his granny in the passage
   c) In the hall with his mother
   d) Under a bench in the office
   Answer: b) Beside his granny in the passage
4. How did Swami try to avoid sleeping alone?
   a) He pretended to be asleep
   b) He argued about his cricket club
   c) He hid under the bench
   d) He asked for a lamp
   Answer: b) He argued about his cricket club
5. What did Swami mistake for a devil in the office room?
   a) A shadow on the wall
   b) A burglar
   c) His father
   d) A scorpion
   Answer: b) A burglar
6. How did Swami become a hero?
   a) He fought a tiger
   b) He caught a burglar by biting him
   c) He saved his granny from danger
   d) He joined the police
   Answer: b) He caught a burglar by biting him
7. What did Swami’s father say about courage?
   a) It is less important than strength
   b) It is everything, and strength is not important
   c) It comes with age
   d) It is only for adults
   Answer: b) It is everything, and strength is not important
8. How did Swami’s classmates react to his actions?
   a) They ignored him
   b) They looked at him with respect
   c) They laughed at him
   d) They were jealous of him
   Answer: b) They looked at him with respect
9. What did the police inspector suggest to Swami?
   a) To become a teacher
   b) To join the police when grown up
   c) To join the cricket club
   d) To write for the newspaper
   Answer: b) To join the police when grown up
10. What was Swami’s mother’s reaction to his father’s challenge?
    a) She supported it fully
    b) She argued Swami should sleep where he likes
    c) She ignored the situation
    d) She blamed Granny
    Answer: b) She argued Swami should sleep where he likes

Short Questions and Answers

1. What did the newspaper story describe that inspired Swami’s father?
   Answer: It described a village boy fighting a tiger and climbing a tree until help arrived.
2. Why did Swami dispute his father’s theory about courage?
   Answer: He believed a tiger would overpower him despite courage.
3. Where did Swami usually sleep?
   Answer: Beside his granny in the passage.
4. What did Swami’s father threaten to do if he returned to Granny’s side?
   Answer: Make him the laughing-stock of his school.
5. What noises did Swami hear in the office room at night?
   Answer: Ticking of the clock, rustling trees, snoring, and insect humming.
6. What did Swami do when he heard a rustling sound?
   Answer: He crawled out from under the bench and bit the intruder.
7. Who was the intruder Swami bit in the office room?
   Answer: A notorious house-breaker (burglar).
8. How did the school react to Swami’s actions?
   Answer: His classmates respected him, and his teacher and headmaster praised him.
9. What did Swami dream about in the office room?
   Answer: A tiger chasing him while his feet were stuck to the ground.
10. What was Swami’s real ambition for his future career?
    Answer: To be an engine driver, railway guard, or bus conductor.

Competency-Based Questions (Reasoning and Assertion)

1. Assertion (A): Swami became a hero by accident.
   Reason (R): He bit a burglar thinking it was a devil out of fear.
   Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
   Explanation: Swami’s heroic act of catching a burglar was unintentional, driven by fear of a “devil” in the dark, not a deliberate act of bravery, making his heroism accidental.
2. Assertion (A): Swami’s father believed courage was more important than strength.
   Reason (R): He challenged Swami to sleep alone to prove his courage.
   Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
   Explanation: Swami’s father argued that courage outweighs strength and age, using the newspaper story to challenge Swami to sleep alone, testing his courage rather than physical ability.
3. Assertion (A): Swami was terrified to sleep alone in the office room.
   Reason (R): He recalled stories of ghosts and devils, increasing his fear.
   Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
   Explanation: Swami’s fear of sleeping alone stemmed from his imagination, fueled by stories of devils and ghosts, causing him to hide under a bench and cover himself in fear.
4. Assertion (A): Swami’s mother opposed his father’s challenge to sleep alone.
   Reason (R): She believed it risked Swami’s safety and allowed him to sleep with Granny.
   Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
   Explanation: Swami’s mother argued against the challenge, insisting he could sleep where he felt safe, showing her concern for his well-being and preference for his usual sleeping arrangement.

Long Questions and Answers (50-60 words)

1. How did Swami’s father use the newspaper story to challenge him?
   Answer: Swami’s father read a story about a boy who bravely faced a tiger, emphasizing that courage, not strength, matters. He challenged Swami to prove his courage by sleeping alone in the office room, dismissing Swami’s doubts about fighting a tiger and insisting that courage could be cultivated through such tests.
2. Why was Swami so afraid to sleep alone in the office room?
   Answer: Swami was terrified because he usually slept beside his granny and feared the dark. Stories of ghosts and devils, like the devil slapping Munisami’s father, haunted him. Noises like ticking clocks and rustling trees heightened his fear, and nightmares of a tiger chasing him made him feel vulnerable and alone.
3. Describe how Swami’s actions led to him becoming a hero.
   Answer: Out of fear, Swami mistook a burglar for a devil in the dark office room. He crawled from under the bench, bit the intruder’s ankle, and caused him to fall, alerting others. This accidental act of capturing a notorious house-breaker earned him praise from his school and the police, making him a hero.
4. How did Swami’s mother and father differ in their views on his sleeping arrangement?
   Answer: Swami’s father insisted he sleep alone to build courage, viewing his attachment to Granny as babyish. His mother opposed this, arguing Swami should sleep where he felt safe, prioritizing his comfort. She angrily defended his right to sleep with Granny, accusing the father of risking his safety with the challenge.