Written as per the new syllabus prescribed by the Maharashtra State Board
of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Pune.
STD. VI
English Balbharati
Printed at: Repro India Ltd., Mumbai
© Target Publications Pvt. Ltd.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, C.D. ROM/Audio Video Cassettes or electronic, mechanical
including photocopying; recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher.
P.O. No. 27491
10380_10900_JUP
PREFACE
Our Std.VI English book comes equipped with Summaries, Paraphrases, Formative and Summative Questions
and Answers and of course Grammar. The goal of this English book was to simplify the Text Book and break
it into smaller bites so as to make it easier for the students to understand.
Every chapter in the book begins with a Glossary section that explains the meaning of difficult words. It
moves ahead with a paraphrase/ summary that gives the readers a snapshot of the poem/ chapter.
The section that follows consists of Summative Assessment which includes Questions and Answers based
upon the poems and chapters. We have deliberately broken the poems and chapters into smaller extracts for
an easy understanding. The Summative Assessment section also includes Language Study and Open Ended
Questions that compel the students to think out of the box and ignite their imagination.
The Formative Assessment part of the poems and chapters includes Speaking, Reading and Writing Activities
along with Project Work. Here, we've answered as many Questions as we could and deemed necessary. To be
judicious towards the exercise, we've left a few Questions unanswered and have expected the students to
answer them on their own. However this was done either based on the nature of the questions or to prod the
students to dig deeper into the given topics.
The Grammar section which is included towards the end of the book consists of eight chapters. It focuses on
all the topics as mentioned in the syllabus and is packed with solved and practice exercises. The final section
of the book includes the Model Test Papers. Every Model Test Paper is based on a Single Unit as it appears in
the Text Book. It gives students a chance to test their knowledge quotient based on what they've learned so
far.
We hope this book turns out to be a guiding angel for the students of Std.VI and helps them prepare aptly for
their examination.
The journey to create a complete book is strewn with triumphs, failures and near misses. If you think we’ve
nearly missed something or want to applaud us for our triumphs, we’d love to hear from you.
Please write to us at : [email protected]
A book affects eternity; one can never tell where its influence stops.
Best of luck to all the aspirants!
From,
Publisher
No.
Topic Name
Page No.
Voyage One
1.1
Don’t Give Up!
1
1.2
Who’s the Greatest?
4
1.3
Autobiography of a Great Indian Bustard
11
1.4
Children are going to school ...
19
1.5
A Kabaddi Match
24
1.6
The Peacock and the Crane
33
1.7
Param Vir Chakra : Our Heroes
39
Voyage Two
2.1
The Clothesline
44
2.2
The Worth of a Fabric
48
2.3
A Wall Magazine for your Class!
57
2.4
Anak Krakatoa
61
2.5
The Silver House
68
2.6
Ad‘wise’ Customers
72
2.7
Yonamine and Bushi
75
Voyage Three
3.1
It Can Be Done
81
3.2
Seven Sisters
86
3.3
Stone Soup
93
3.4
Sushruta (A Peep into the Past)
100
3.5
The Donkey
108
3.6
The Merchant of Venice
112
3.7
At the Science Fair
120
Voyage Four
4.1
Sleep, My Treasure
126
4.2
The Story of Gautama’s Quest
130
4.3
Mr Nobody
136
4.4
A Mad Tea Party
139
4.5
If I can stop one heart from breaking ...
144
4.6
The Phantom Tollbooth (A Book Review)
147
4.7
The Sword in the Stone
153
4.8
An Autumn Greeting
162
Grammar
01
Main Parts of Speech
165
02
Types of Verbs
168
03
Degrees of Comparison
170
04
Wh-Questions
173
05
Polar Questions
174
06
Prefix and Suffix
176
07
Rhyming Words
178
08
Alliteration
180
Model Test Paper
Model Test Paper - I
182
Model Test Paper - II
183
Model Test Paper - III
184
Model Test Paper - IV
185
Note: Textual Questions are represented by * mark.
Std. VI
Chapter 1.1: Don’t Give Up!
1.1 Don’t Give Up!
Glossary
bowed her (phrase)
defeat (n)
give up (phrase)
has known many a blast (phrase)
loftier (adj)
patient (adj)
prouder (adj)
stronger (adj)
sturdy (adj)
victory (n)
you beat (phrase)
pulled her down
failure
lose heart and stop trying
has survived many blows of stormy winds
taller and stronger
to be calm and uncomplaining
feeling good about oneself
physically powerful
strong
success
you win
Paraphrase
In the poem ‘Don’t Give Up!’, the poet is asking the readers to never give up. She says that
even if one has tried and failed, one should never stop there. She says that having patience
helps one achieve great things in life.
For example, she talks about the little birds that fall while learning to fly. But they still do
not stop trying. Through a continuous effort, they finally learn to fly and grow stronger.
The poet gives us an example of an oak tree that has survived many storms and has grown
taller and stronger with time.
She concludes by saying that if one wins by easy means, it would be of no value. Hence,
winning, after facing defeat is the real achievement.
Summative Assessment

Extract I
Read the extract from line (1 to 16) on page (1) of your textbook and answer the following questions.
1.
What is the poet trying to teach us?
Ans: The poet is trying to teach us to never give up in life. She wants us to keep trying until we succeed.
2.
What difficulties does the young bird face while learning to fly?
Ans: The young bird keeps falling while learning to fly for a longer period of time. However, it never stops
trying and eventually grows strong and learns to fly.
3.
How does the oak tree become loftier and prouder?
Ans: The oak tree becomes loftier and prouder only after surviving countless blows of stormy winds.
4.
Choose any four pairs of Rhyming Words from the poem.
Ans: The four pairs of Rhyming Words are:
i.
won - done
ii.
crying - trying
iii. stronger - longer
iv. known - grown
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Std. VI
Chapter 1.1: Don’t Give Up!
5.
Give two examples of Alliteration.
Ans: Alliteration is a figure of speech where a repetition of sound or letter in the beginning of words, gives a
musical quality to the line.
Examples of Alliteration:
i.
Up a little longer.
ii.
That’s the test that tries you!
Here, the words ‘that’, ‘the’, ‘test’ begin with the same sound and letter ‘t’.
Open Ended Questions
*1.
Your friend fell down learning to ride a bicycle and now has given it up altogether. What do you
think will be the poet’s advice? Write it down.
Ans: I think, the poet will advise my friend to keep trying until he learns to ride the bicycle.
2.
You have failed a class test and now you lack the confidence to face any class test again. What do
you think will the poet advise you? Write it down.
[Note: Students are expected to attempt the above question on their own.]
Formative Assessment
Speaking Activity
*1. Have you ever given up on something good? Share your story with your friend.
Ans: Yes, I did give up on something good when I was in class XI. I was selected to take part in a singing
contest. However, I was afraid to go up on the stage and perform in front of the crowd. I, therefore,
asked my music teacher to withdraw my name from the competition, giving up on my dream of
winning the singing contest.
2.
Recite your favourite motivational poem in class.
Ans:
Your Best
If you always try your best
Then you’ll never have to wonder
About what you could have done
If you’d summoned all your thunder.
And if your best
Was not as good
As you hoped it would be,
You still could say,
“I gave today
All that I had in me.”
-Barbara Vance
2
Std. VI
Chapter 1.1: Don’t Give Up!
Reading Activity
1.
Read the following quotes and guess the names of the speakers.
Failure is only the opportunity to
begin again, this time more
intelligently.
____________ Ford
Arise, Awake and stop not until the
goal is reached.
Swami ____________
Many of life’s failures are people who did
not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up.
Thomas____________
3
Std. VI
Chapter 1.2: Who’s the Greatest?
1.2 Who’s the Greatest?
Glossary
agitated (adj)
compete (v)
courtier (n)
curious (adj)
emperor (n)
exclaimed (v)
expression (n)
extends (v)
favours (n)
flog (v)
in a proper fix (phrase)
incur displeasure (phrase)
interesting (adj)
moustache (n)
nobleman (n)
occasion (n)
offending (adj)
opportunity (n)
patron of art and culture (phrase)
pose (v)
scholar (n)
stunned (adj)
sweetmeats (n)
thoughtfully (adv)
whip (v)
word of mouth (phrase)
disturbed
to take part in a competition
a person who is present in the court of a king
eager to know
king, ruler
to say or shout with strong emotions
the look on someone’s face
to stretch
to give someone things they desire
beat someone hard, especially with a whip
in a tight corner, in a difficult situation
make someone angry
something that catches attention
hair that grows on the upper lip of a man
a man born into high class of rank or title
a particular time or event
upsetting, causing a problem
chance
a person who appreciates, supports and encourages art and culture
to put across
an intelligent and learned person
shocked, surprised
sweet food
with a careful thought
to hit someone
passing information orally from one person to another
Summary
Emperor Akbar is known as one of the greatest ruler in the world. Moreover, he was also a
good human being. He had great respect for scholars, writers, poets and artists of various
religions. Birbal was his favourite among the nine gems or ‘nav-ratnas’ in his court. Akbar
liked to ask questions to his courtiers and Birbal was usually the one to come up with witty
answers.
One day the Emperor asked his courtiers in a very serious manner as to what should be the
punishment extended to the person who pulls his moustache. This question surprised some
courtiers and left some disturbed. Only Birbal was witnessing the scene calmly and had a
smile playing on his lips.
Akbar, suddenly, threw the question at Birbal to which he cleverly replied that the offender
should be given his favourite sweets. The courtiers looked at Birbal with a question mark on
their face. Birbal explained that it could only be the Emperor’s grandson, who would have the
courage to pull his moustache. Upon hearing this Emperor Akbar burst out laughing. The
exact incident had taken place earlier that day.
On another occasion, when Akbar was relaxing with his courtiers, they began to flatter him to
gain favours. He was called the greatest of kings by one of them. They even compared his
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Std. VI
Chapter 1.2: Who’s the Greatest?
greatness to God. Akbar wasn’t foolish to believe them, so he decided to test them on their
word. He asked them to point out one thing that he could do but God Almighty couldn’t. He
warned them that if they failed to come up with an answer by the next day, they would have to
face his displeasure. Everyone was puzzled. They could not find any solution other than to ask
Birbal for his help.
The next morning, in a court full of people, the Emperor asked the courtiers for their answer.
Birbal stepped forward to answer the question in his usual witty form. According to him, there
was certainly one thing that Akbar could do, but God Almighty could not. He said that
Emperor Akbar could banish a person from his kingdom, but God could not. This is because
God’s kingdom extends everywhere.
Akbar, once again, praised Birbal for his wit and forgave the courtiers for their foolishness.
Summative Assessment

Extract I
Read the extract from line (1 to 16) on page (2) of your textbook and answer the following questions.
I.
Do as directed.
1.
Name the courtier closest to the Emperor’s heart.
Ans: Birbal
2.
King Akbar was a patron of _____ and _____. (Fill in the blanks)
Ans: art and culture
3.
Choose the verb form of the word ‘belief’ from the extract.
Ans: believe
II.
III.
Give the meaning of the following words and phrases.
*1.
untold wealth - a large quantity of wealth
*2.
closest to the Emperor’s heart - Emperor’s favourite
3.
pose interesting questions - to ask exciting questions
Answer of the following questions in 2-3 sentences.
1.
Why was Akbar known as one of the greatest rulers in the world?
Ans: Akbar was known as one of the greatest rulers in the world because along with having a vast
empire, a very strong army and untold wealth, he was a good human being.
2.
What did Akbar love to do?
Ans: Akbar loved to pose interesting questions to his courtiers in his court.
3.
How have the stories of Akbar and Birbal handed down over generation?
Ans: The stories of Akbar and Birbal have been handed down over generations mostly by word of
mouth.
5