The story A Gift of Chappals is Chapter 2 from the newly introduced textbook Melody English VII for students of JKBOSE. It is written by the Russian writer Vasantha Surya. The story revolves around a boy named Ravi who gifted his Chappals to a beggar. This post is precisely about A Gift of Chappals Class 7th Summary and Questions. In this post, I will discuss with you Word Meanings, Summary of the story, and Question Answers to A Gift of Chappals for students of JKBOSE. In last post you have read about Summary and Question Answers of Poem The Squirrel. Let’s get started with this post.
A Gift of Chappals Class 7th Summary and Questions
Introduction
A gift is something that we give to others without any personal benefit or motive. When we gift something to others we always try to gift something which will suit the needs of the person receiving that gift. This chapter is a heart-touching story of a boy who gifts his chappals to a beggar.
A Gift of Chappals Class 7th Summary in English
There was a girl named Mridu who visited her aunt Rukku Manni’s house with her grandmother Tapi. Her grandmother took her to their house to meet her cousins Lalit, Ravi and Meena. Ravi and Meena welcomed them and as soon as Mridu took off her slippers Ravi dragged her to the backyard and showed Mridu a kitten they had rescued. Meena told her that they had found the kitten outside the gate in the morning and decided to secretly give the kitten some milk without Paati knowing, as she didn’t like having animals in the house. Ravi shared a story about almost getting caught by Paati and explained the importance of the cat’s ancestors.
While enjoying their time, they heard a strange noise that turned out to be Lalli attempting to play the violin with her music master. Lalli struggled, and her notes were not in sync with her master’s. As they watched, a beggar approached, seeking help. Despite the beggar’s pleas, Rukku Manni asked Ravi to send him away. However, the children felt sympathy for the beggar, noticing his blistered feet on the hot road.
Wanting to help, Mridu, Meena, and Ravi searched for chappals to give to the beggar. Mridu found a suitable pair that happened to belong to the music master. They gave the chappals to the beggar, who left gratefully. Later, when the music master was leaving, he couldn’t find his chappal. The children realized their mistake, but Rukku Manni discovered the mix-up. To solve the problem, she had to give her husband’s chappals to the music master.
Now, a new problem emerged—Rukku Manni had to figure out what to give her husband when he returned home and asked for his missing chappal. The children learned a valuable lesson about helping others and facing the consequences of their actions.
INTEXT EXERCISES
Comprehension Check Page No. 22
1. What is the secret that Meena shares with Mridu in the backyard?
Ans. Meena told her that they had found a kitten outside the gate that morning. They kept it inside a torn football lined with sacking and filled with sand. It was a secret that their mother did not know.
2. How does Ravi get milk for the kitten?
Ans. Ravi got the milk from the kitchen but Patti noticed him and he had to tell her that he wanted it for himself. She wanted the tumbler back but Ravi said that he would wash it himself. He ran to put the milk in the coconut shell.
3. Who does he say the kitten’s ancestors are? Do you believe him?
Ans. The kitten’s ancestors were Mahabalipuram Rishi-cat. No, I don’t agree with it.
4. Ravi has a lot to say about M.P. Poonai. This shows that
(i) he is merely trying to impress Mridu
(ii) his knowledge of history is sound
(iii) he has a rich imagination
(iv) he is an intelligent child.
Which of these statements do you agree/disagree with?
Ans. I think that his knowledge of history is sound. Also, he has a rich imagination and he is an intelligent child.
5. What was the noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran?
Ans. Lalli was learning to play the violin. The noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran was the kreeching sound coming out of Lalli’s violin.
Comprehension Check Page No. 28
1. The music master is making lovely music. Read aloud the sentence in the text that expresses this idea.
Ans. The sentence which expresses the idea that the music master was making lovely music is “The music master’s notes seemed to float up and settle perfectly into the invisible tracks of the melody”.
2. Had the beggar come to Rukku Manni’s house for the first time? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. No, he had been there many a time before. He admitted that he had survived the past week because of the generosity of the ladies of Rukku Manni’s house. Also, the mother was heard telling Ravi to send the beggar away as he had been coming every day for the past week.
3. “A sharp V-shaped line had formed between her eyebrows.” What does it suggest to you about Rukku Manni’s mood?
Ans. It suggested that Rukku Manni was very angry at the loss of the music master’s chappals. She could make out that the children had played a trick on her.
Working with the Text Page No. 29
Textual Exercises
- Complete the following sentences.
(i) Ravi compares Lalli’s playing the violin to …..
(ii) Trying to hide beneath the tray of chillies, Mahendran ……..
(iii) The teacher played a few notes on his violin and Lalli…….
(iv) The beggar said that the kind ladies of the household……..
(v) After the lesson was over, the music teacher asked Lalli if……
Ans. (i) Ravi compares Lalli’s playing the violin to the derailing of a train.
(ii) Trying to hide beneath the tray of chillies, Mahendran tipped a few chillies over himself.
(iii) The teacher played a few notes on his violin, and Lalli stumbled behind him on her violin, which looked quite helpless and unhappy in her hands.
(iv) The beggar said that the kind ladies of the household had fed his body and soul together for a whole week and he could not believe that they would turn him away.
(v) After the lesson was over, the music teacher asked Lalli if she had seen his chappals.
2. Describe the music teacher, as seen from the window.
Ans. The music master was a lean and bony personality. He had a bald head with a fringe of oiled black hair falling around his ears. He had a shining gold chain on his neck and a diamond ring in his hand. He was beating his big toe on the floor frequently as the music went on.
3. (i) What makes Mridu conclude that the beggar has no money to buy chappals?
Ans. (i) Mridu concluded that the beggar had no money to buy chappals because when he showed his feet to the children there were pink blisters on his bare feet also he was walking barefoot in the scorching sun.
(ii) What does she suggest to show her concern?
Ans. Mridu was concerned about the beggar. She suggests that old chappals lying in the verandah could be given to the beggar.
4. “Have you children….” she began, and then, seeing they were curiously quiet, went on more slowly, “seen anyone lurking around the verandah?”
(i) What do you think Rukku Manni really wanted to ask?
Ans. (i) Rukku Manni wanted to ask the children whether they had done something to the chappals.
(ii) Why did she change her question?
Ans. When she saw them extremely quiet, guessed that the children had something to do with the chappals she changed her question.
(iii) What did she think had happened?
Ans. She thought that the children had hidden the pair of chappals.
5. On getting Gopu Mama’s chappals, the music teacher tried not to look too happy. Why?
Ans. The music master tried not to look too happy because he wanted to show that he was angry at the loss of new and expensive chappals. Also, he was not happy with the behaviour of the naughty children. In reality, he was happy after getting Gopu Mama’s chappal.
6. On getting a gift of chappals, the beggar vanished in a minute. Why was he in such a hurry to leave?
Ans. He did so as he did not want any of the elder members to come and know about it. He must have feared if anyone came, they would take the chappals back from him because children had gifted him the chappals without seeking permission from the elders.
7. Walking towards the kitchen with Mridu and Meena, Rukku Manni began to laugh. What made her laugh?
Ans. She thought about how her brother would react knowing that she had given his chappals to the music master.
Working with Language Page No. 30
- Read the following sentences:
Ans.
(a) If she knows we have a cat, Paati will leave the house.
(b) She won’t be so upset if she knows about the poor beggar with sores on his feet.
(c) If the chappals do fit, will you really not mind? Notice that each sentence consists of two parts. The first part begins with ‘if’. It is known as an if-clause.
Rewrite each of the following pairs of sentences as a single sentence. Use ‘if’ at the beginning of the sentence.
(a) Walk fast. You’ll catch the bus.
If you walk fast, you’ll catch the bus.
(b) Don’t spit on the road. You’ll be fined.
If you spit on the road, you’ll be fined.
(i) Don’t tire yourself now. You won’t be able to work in the evening.
(ii) Study regularly. You’ll do well in the examination.
(iii) Work hard. You’ll pass the examination in the first division.
(iv) Be polite to people. They’ll also be polite to you.
(v) Don’t tease the dog. It’ll bite you.
Ans. (i) If you tire yourself now, you won’t be able to work in the evening.
(ii) If you study regularly, you’ll do well in the examination.
(iii) If you work hard, you’ll pass the examination in the first division.
(iv) If you are polite to people, they’ll also be polite to you.
(v) If you tease the dog, it’ll bite you.
- Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph.
Today is Sun- day. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I……..(go) out, I …… (miss) the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I….. (stay) for lunch, I…. (miss) the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I’ll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.
Ans. Today is Sunday. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I go out, I will miss the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I stay for lunch, I will miss the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I’ll go out and see the film only to avoid getting too fat.
- Complete each sentence below by appropriately using any one of the following:
If you want to/if you don’t want to/if you want him to
(i) Don’t go to the theatre.
(ii) He’ll post your letter.
(iii) Please use my pen
(iv) He’ll lend you his umbrella.
(v) My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor
(vi) Don’t eat it
Ans.
(i) Don’t go to the theatre if you don’t want to.
(ii) He’ll post your letter if you want him to.
(iii) Please use my pen if you want to.
(iv) He’ll lend you his umbrella if you want him to.
(v) My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor if you want him to.
(vi) Don’t eat it if you don’t want to.
Speaking and writing Page No. 31
- Discuss in small groups:
(i) If you want to give away something of your own to the needy, would it be better to ask your elders first?
(ii) Is there someone of your age in the family who is very talkative? Do you find her/ him interesting and impressive or otherwise? Share your ideas with others in the group.
Page No. 31
- Discuss in small groups:
(i) If you want to give away something of your own to the needy, would it be better to ask your elders first?
(ii) Is there someone of your age in the family who is very talkative? Do you find her/ him interesting and impressive or otherwise? Share your ideas with others in the group.
(iii) Has Rukku Manni done the same as the children? In your opinion, then, is it right for one party to blame the other?
Ans. (i) Yes, the elders must be asked before doing a charity whether it is our own because seeking the advice of the elders helps make the decision
(ii) Yes, my sister is a very talkative person. Yes, I find her interesting and impressive. She narrates many interesting incidents to make us light on our workload.
(iii) No doubt Rukku Manni was angry at the children who had given away the chappals to the beggar. To cover it up, she also gave away Gopu Mama’s chappals to the music master. In a sense, she did the same as the children had done. I feel that one party should not blame the other for the same action.
- Read the following:
- A group of children in your class are going to live in a hostel.
- They have been asked to choose a person in the group to share a room with.
- They are asking each other questions to decide who they would like to share a room with.
Ask one another questions about likes/dislikes/preferences/hobbies/personal characteristics. Use the following questions and sentence openings.
(i) What do you enjoy doing after school?
I enjoy…
(ii) What do you like in general?
I like…
(iii) Do you play any game?
I don’t like…
(iv) Would you mind if I listened to music after dinner?
I wouldn’t…
(v) Will it be all right if I…?
It’s fine with me…
(vi) Is there anything you dislike, particularly?
Well, I can’t share…
(vii) Do you like to attend parties?
Oh, I…
(viii) Would you say you are…?
I think…
Ans. (i) I enjoy going to evening games with my friends.
(ii) I like reading books, especially story books.
(iii) I don’t like to play expensive outdoor games.
(iv) I wouldn’t mind if you listened to it in a slow volume.
(v) It is fine with me till you listen to cricket commentary.
(vi) Well, I can’t share my views on this topic.
(vii) Oh, I relish parties for the variety of food.
(viii) I think I am a helping hand for the needy students.
That’s it about A Gift of Chappals Class 7th Summary and Questions. Hope it has helped. Do share your views about this post in the comment section below.
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