Uncover the tale of Taro, a hardworking woodcutter, and his quest to fulfill his father's wish. Explore NCERT solutions that guide you through comprehension, vocabulary building, and themes of honesty and filial piety in Taro's Reward. This chapter imparts the valuable lesson that hard work yields results and emphasizes the importance of honoring and obeying parents. For a more in-depth understanding of the story, students can freely access the NCERT Solutions provided.
WORKING WITH THE TEXT:
A: Answer the following questions.
1. Why did Taro run in the direction of the stream? (5)
Ans:
Taro hurried towards the stream because he felt really thirsty. In that area of the woods, he had never come across a fast-flowing stream or listened to the sound of water falling before.
Q 2: How did Taro’s father show his happiness after drinking sake? (7)
Ans :
Taro’s dad felt really happy with the sake. When he took a sip, he stopped shaking and got full of energy. He even danced a bit in the middle of the room.
Q 3: Why did the waterfall give Taro sake and others water? (12)
Ans :
Because Taro was a kind and responsible son to his parents. He always served his parents with commitment and honesty. The sake from the waterfall was a gift for his kindness. In contrast, the folks in his village received regular water because they were selfish.
Q 4: Why did the villagers want to drown Taro? (10, 11)
Ans :
When the villagers went to the waterfall with large pitchers and containers to gather saké, they only received ordinary water from the waterfall. They believed that Taro had deceived and fooled them. Consequently, they chose to punish him by submerging him in the same waterfall.
Q 5: Why did the Emperor reward Taro? (13)
Ans :
Taro was a devoted son to his parents, always serving them faithfully. The Emperor gave him twenty pieces of gold as a reward for his goodness and kindness to his parents. The Emperor even named the fountain after Taro. This reward was the Emperor’s way of saying Taro is a good example for all kids, encouraging them to love, respect, and listen to their parents.
B: Mark the right item.
1. Taro earned very little money because
(i) he didn’t work hard enough.
(ii) the villagers didn’t need wood.
(iii) the price of wood was very low.
2. Taro decided to earn extra money
(i) to live a more comfortable life.
(ii) to buy his old father some sake.
(iii) to repair the cracks in the hut.
3. The neighbor left Taro’s hut in a hurry because
(i) she was delighted with the drink.
(ii) she was astonished to hear Taro’s story.
(iii) she wanted to tell the whole village about the waterfall.
Ans:
1. Taro earned very little money because
(iii) the price of wood was very low.
2. Taro decided to earn extra money
(ii) to buy his old father some sake.
3. The neighbor left Taro’s hut in a hurry because
(iii) she wanted to tell the whole village about the waterfall.
WORKING WITH LANGUAGE:
A: Strike off the words in the box below that are not suitable. Taro wanted to give his old parents everything they needed. This shows that he was …
| thoughtful | hardworking | loving | honest |
| considerate | trustworthy | efficient | kind |
Ans:
honest, trustworthy, efficient.
B: 1. “This made Taro sadder than ever.” ‘This’ refers to
(i) a strong wind that began to blow.
(ii) Taro’s father’s old age.
(iii) Taro’s inability to buy expensive sake for his father.
(Mark the right item.)
2. “This, said the emperor, was to encourage all children to honor and obey their parents.”
‘This’ refers to
(i) the most beautiful fountain in the city.
(ii) rewarding Taro with gold and giving the fountain his name.
(iii) sending for Taro to hear his story.
(Mark the right item.)
Answer:
1. “This made Taro sadder than ever.” ‘This’ refers to
(iii) Taro’s inability to buy expensive sake for his father.
2. “This, said the emperor, was to encourage all children to honor and obey their parents.”
‘This’ refers to
(ii) rewarding Taro with gold and giving the fountain his name.
B: 1. “This made Taro sadder than ever.” ‘This’ refers to
(i) a strong wind that began to blow.
(ii) Taro’s father’s old age.
(iii) Taro’s inability to buy expensive sake for his father.
(Mark the right item.)
2. “This, said the emperor, was to encourage all children to honor and obey their parents.” ‘This’ refers to
(i) the most beautiful fountain in the city.
(ii) rewarding Taro with gold and giving the fountain his name.
(iii) sending for Taro to hear his story.
(Mark the right item.)
Ans :
1. “This made Taro sadder than ever.” ‘This’ refers to
(iii) Taro’s inability to buy expensive sake for his father.
2. “This, said the emperor, was to encourage all children to honor and obey their parents.” ‘This’ refers to
(ii) rewarding Taro with gold and giving the fountain his name.
C : Arrange the words below in pairs that rhyme.
Example: young – lung
money – sunny
| young | sad | money | chop | lung | last |
| wax | could | bad | sound | axe | wood |
| way | stop | sunny | fast | round | day |
Ans :
| sad | bad |
| chop | stop |
| last | fast |
| wax | axe |
| could | wood |
| sound | round |
| way | day |
D: 1. Fill in the blanks with words from the box.
| lonely | little | hard | young |
| thoughtful | delicious | beautiful | |
A ——————–— woodcutter lived on a ——————–— hillside. He was a ——————–——— son who worked ——————–——— but earned ——————–——— money. One day he saw a ——————–——— waterfall hidden behind a rock. He tasted the water and found it ——————–———.
Ans:
A young person who cut wood resided on a quiet hill. He was a considerate child who put in effort but made little money. One time, he discovered a lovely waterfall tucked away behind a rock. Trying the water, he discovered its delightful taste.
2. Find these sentences in the story and fill in the blanks.
(i) This made Taro ——————–——— more than ever. (3)
(ii) He decided to work ——————–——— than before. (3)
(iii) Next morning, Taro jumped out of bed ——————–——— than usual.(4)
(iv) He began to chop even ——————–———. (4)
(v) Next morning, Taro started work even ——————–——— more than the morning before. (10)
Answer:
(i) This made Taro sadder than ever.
(ii) He decided to work harder than before.
(iii) Next morning, Taro jumped out of bed earlier than usual.
(iv) He began to chop even faster.
(v) Next morning, Taro started work even earlier than the morning before.
A: Speak the following sentences clearly but as quickly as you can. Learn them by heart.
(i) How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood?
(ii) Betty bought a bit of butter, but the bit of butter was a little bitter so she bought some better butter to make the bitter butter better.
Ans :
Activity to be done by yourself.
B : (1) The story ‘Taro’s Reward’ shows that Taro is thoughtful, hardworking and also wise. Read aloud the parts of the story that show these qualities in Taro.
2. (i) Like Patrick in the story ‘Who Did Patrick’s Homework’, Taro is helped by magic. Do you believe in magic? What are the magical things that happen in these stories?
(ii) Which story do you like better, and why? Do you know such stories in other languages? Discuss these questions in class.
Ans:
Activity to be done by yourself.
3. Now write a paragraph or two about these two stories, comparing them.
Ans :
“But Taro had been wise enough to slip behind a rock when he saw how things were going.”
(For the second part of the question, please attempt by yourself).
The tale “Who did Patrick’s homework?” tells of a boy who really disliked doing his homework. One day, he rescues a tiny elf from a cat, and as a thank you, the elf grants him a wish. Patrick asks the elf to handle his homework until the semester ends, and the elf agrees. It’s a common story for students who don’t like homework and wish someone else would finish it for them.
In contrast, “Taro’s Reward” is about a diligent young woodcutter who cares for his parents. He works hard to make them happy, and his thoughtfulness is rewarded by God. A magical waterfall provides sake instead of regular water for his elderly father to drink. The story teaches us that hard work pays off, and we should always respect and obey our parents, who make sacrifices for us.
C : Listen to these children. What are they talking about?
Ans :
The three boys are talking about their challenges. The first boy thinks that swimming is harder than driving. The second boy has a different opinion, believing that swimming is easier than driving. On the other hand, the third boy believes that learning English is the toughest compared to swimming and driving.
2. Work in groups. Come to an agreement on each of the activities given below. Decide which is the most interesting, dullest, most dangerous, safest, most rewarding, most exciting.
| cooking | fishing | playing football |
| knitting | dancing | listening to music |
| reading | sewing | mountain climbing |
| walking | swimming | learning languages |
| painting | watching TV | stamp collecting |
Ans :
most interesting: dancing, watching TV, listening to music
dullest: knitting, sewing, learning languages
most dangerous: mountain climbing
safest: walking, stamp collecting
most rewarding: cooking, reading, fishing, painting
most exciting: playing football, swimming
Dictation:
Q 1: Your teacher will speak the words given below. Write against each two new words that rhyme with it.
Ans :
A young boy lived with his parents on a hillside. He was a woodcutter. He used to work very hard to take good care of his parents and to fulfill their wishes. One day, they were sitting in their cottage and his father felt very cold. He expressed a wish to get a cup of sake which would help him beat the chilly cold wave.
Taro got up earlier than his routine time and worked harder even after sunrise. Hard work made him thirsty and he started sweating. Suddenly, he heard a sound. This was the sound of the rushing water. He rushed to the direction of the sound. When he reached the waterfall, he bent to have water and was surprised on drinking it. The water was very tasty just like sake.
He thought of giving this to his father as well. So he filled a pot and took it home.
His father felt very delighted and happy to have it. His shivering stopped with the very first sip. On the same day a lady from the neighbourhood visited him. He gave the saké to her also and shared the story of magic waterfall. She spread the story in the whole village. In the evening, all the villagers visited the old man to hear the story and to taste the sake. As a result, the pitcher was empty.
Next day, Taro got up even earlier to get the sake, carrying the largest bucket he had with him. But surprisingly, all the villagers were already there. One of the villagers bent to have it and he started having it again and again. After sometime, he told that it is not sake, rather water only. Everyone felt angry and wanted to drown Taro in that waterfall. But Taro was a wise boy. He hid himself and waited till everyone left the place. At last, when everyone was gone, he came out and checked the water. It was the same fine sake. He felt happy and noticed that waterfall was giving water to the villagers and sake to him alone.
This story also reached the Emperor. He rewarded the boy to encourage other children to take care of their parents.