Section A: Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1: Who is the speaker in the poem?

Question 2: What was the color of the bird's first house?

Question 3: What did the bird think its first house was made of?

Question 4: Who kept the baby bird warm in its second house?

Question 5: What material was the bird's second house made of?

Question 6: What did the bird see when it first stepped out of its nest?

Question 7: How did the bird feel about its past knowledge when it saw the green leaves?

Question 8: Where did the bird fly when it was fully grown?

Question 9: What phrase does the bird use to describe its daily adult work?

Question 10: Do the bird's neighbours know exactly how the world is made?

Section B: Fill in the Blanks

Question 11: I thought the world was small and __________.

Question 12: The bird's first house was made of pale, blue __________.

Question 13: I lived next in a little __________.

Question 14: The bird felt it needed no __________ house other than the straw nest.

Question 15: The baby bird was __________ by its mother to stay warm.

Question 16: One day, the young bird __________ from its nest to look around.

Question 17: Upon seeing the branches, I said the world is made of __________.

Question 18: Realizing its mistake, the bird said, "I have been very __________."

Question 19: At length, the fully grown bird flew beyond the __________.

Question 20: The adult bird felt it was quite fit for grown-up __________.

Section C: True / False

Question 21: State whether true or false: The bird always knew the world was incredibly huge.

Question 22: State whether true or false: The bird's very first home was a pale blue eggshell.

Question 23: State whether true or false: The bird was unhappy living in the nest with its mother.

Question 24: State whether true or false: The second nest was made entirely of green leaves.

Question 25: State whether true or false: The bird fluttered out of the nest to see what it could find.

Question 26: State whether true or false: The bird called itself "blind" because it literally lost its eyesight.

Question 27: State whether true or false: As an adult, the bird flew completely beyond its home tree.

Question 28: State whether true or false: The bird's neighbours clearly explained how the world was made to the bird.

Question 29: State whether true or false: The bird's perspective of what the world is made of changed three times in the poem.

Question 30: State whether true or false: By the end of the poem, the bird finally discovers the exact shape and size of the whole world.

Section D: Word Meaning / Vocabulary

Question 31: What is the exact meaning of the word 'pale' in the context of the poem?

Question 32: Write a suitable synonym for the word 'nestled' as used in the second stanza.

Question 33: Define the word 'fluttered' based on the bird's actions.

Question 34: Explain what the poet means by using the word 'blind' metaphorically in the third stanza.

Question 35: Give the meaning of the phrase 'at length' as it appears in the final stanza.

Question 36: What is the contextual meaning of 'grown-up labours'?

Question 37: Write a direct antonym for the word 'pale'.

Question 38: Write a direct antonym for the word 'beyond'.

Section E: Grammar-Based Questions

Question 39: Identify two adjectives used in the first stanza to describe the overall shape and size of the bird's first world.

Question 40: Identify the two adjectives used to describe the color of the shell.

Question 41: Pick out a past tense action verb from the second stanza.

Question 42: Write the present tense form of the verb 'flew'.

Question 43: Write the present tense form of the verb 'thought'.

Question 44: Identify the rhyming pair of words from the third stanza.

Question 45: Punctuate the following line correctly using capital letters and quotes: i said the world is made of leaves

Question 46: What is the plural form of the word 'leaf'?

Section F: Match the Following (Conceptual Matches)

Question 47: Match the concept of the 'First house' with its correct descriptive material from the text.

Question 48: Match the concept of the 'Second house' with its correct descriptive material from the text.

Question 49: Match the 'Third view of the world' with the specific part of nature the bird observed.

Question 50: Match the 'Final view of the world' with the location the bird ultimately reached.

Question 51: Match the physical action 'fluttered' with the correct developmental stage of the bird's life.

Section G: Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 52: Why did the bird initially believe the world was pale and blue?

Question 53: Briefly describe the bird's living conditions and feelings in its second home.

Question 54: What specific event made the bird change its mind about the world being made solely of straw?

Question 55: Why does the bird harshly call itself 'blind' in the third stanza?

Question 56: What did the bird decide to do when it finally felt fit for 'grown-up labours'?

Question 57: What conclusion does the bird come to about its neighbours' knowledge of the world?

Question 58: List the different materials the bird thought the world was made of, in exact chronological order.

Question 59: How does the physical size of the bird's perceived world change from the first stanza to the last stanza?

Section H: Long Answer Questions (3–4 Marks)

Question 60: Elaborate on how the bird's intellectual understanding of the world expands parallel to its physical growth.

Question 61: "I have been very blind." Explain the deeper context and the realization the bird experiences when making this statement.

Question 62: Describe the complete developmental journey of the bird, starting from a small egg to an independent, flying adult.

Question 63: What philosophical message does the poet intend to convey to the readers through the bird's constantly changing thoughts about its environment?

Question 64: Compare and contrast the bird's first home with its second home, highlighting the differences in material and companionship.

Question 65: Why do you think the poet chose to end the poem by stating that neither the bird nor its neighbours know how the world is truly made?

Section I: HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills)

Question 66: If human beings were compared to the bird in the poem, what would our "pale blue shell" represent in our real, early lives?

Question 67: Based on the bird's experiences, do you believe learning is a finite destination or a continuous process? Justify your stance.

Question 68: How does this poem successfully highlight the limitations of relying only on one's current personal experience to understand the absolute truth?

Question 69: Imagine the bird flew out of the forest and into a busy, modern city instead of just beyond the tree. How might a new stanza describe its view of the world then?

Question 70: Analyze why the title "What a Bird Thought" is highly appropriate and symbolic for the central theme of this poem.

Section J: Creative Writing

Question 71: Imagine you are the young bird. Write a short diary entry (about 50 words) expressing your shock and wonder on the day you first fluttered out of your straw nest and saw the infinite green leaves.

Question 72: Draft a short, imaginative dialogue between the fully grown bird and its mother, where the younger bird returns to describe the vastness of the world beyond their tree.

Question 73: Compose an original fifth stanza for the poem (4 lines), maintaining the established rhyme scheme, describing what the bird might think if it suddenly flew over a massive ocean.

Section K: Extract-Based Passage (5 Marks)

Read the following stanza carefully and answer the questions given below:

"At length I flew beyond the tree,

Quite fit for grown-up labours,

I don't know how the world is made,

And neither do my neighbours."

Question 74: Where did the speaker finally fly at length?

Question 75: What is the meaning of the phrase "fit for grown-up labours" in the context of these lines?

Question 76: What is the ultimate mystery that the speaker admits they are unable to solve?

Question 77: According to the extract, who else shares the speaker's lack of absolute knowledge about the world?

Question 78: Identify the specific rhyming words present in this stanza.

✨ Section A: Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Answer 1: A bird.

Answer 2: Pale blue.

Answer 3: A pale, blue shell.

Answer 4: Its mother.

Answer 5: Straw.

Answer 6: Green leaves.

Answer 7: It felt it had been "very blind" (ignorant).

Answer 8: Beyond the tree.

Answer 9: "Grown-up labours."

Answer 10: No, neither the bird nor its neighbours know.

✨ Section B: Fill in the Blanks

Answer 11: round.

Answer 12: shell.

Answer 13: nest.

Answer 14: other.

Answer 15: nestled.

Answer 16: fluttered.

Answer 17: leaves.

Answer 18: blind.

Answer 19: tree.

Answer 20: labours.

✨ Section C: True / False

Answer 21: False.

Answer 22: True.

Answer 23: False.

Answer 24: False.

Answer 25: True.

Answer 26: False.

Answer 27: True.

Answer 28: False.

Answer 29: True.

Answer 30: False.

✨ Section D: Word Meaning / Vocabulary

Answer 31: Light in color or washed out.

Answer 32: Cuddled, snuggled, or settled comfortably.

Answer 33: Flapped wings lightly and quickly to move a short distance.

Answer 34: Unaware, ignorant, or unable to see the larger truth outside its small home.

Answer 35: After a long time; finally.

Answer 36: The hard work and daily duties of an adult bird (hunting, flying, building nests).

Answer 37: Dark (or bright).

Answer 38: Within (or inside).

✨ Section E: Grammar-Based Questions

Answer 39: Small, round.

Answer 40: Pale, blue.

Answer 41: Lived / Thought / Nestled (any one is correct).

Answer 42: Fly.

Answer 43: Think.

Answer 44: Find and blind.

Answer 45: "I said the world is made of leaves."

Answer 46: Leaves.

✨ Section F: Match the Following

Answer 47: First house ➡️ Pale, blue shell.

Answer 48: Second house ➡️ Straw.

Answer 49: Third view of the world ➡️ Green leaves.

Answer 50: Final view of the world ➡️ Beyond the tree / The open sky.

Answer 51: Fluttered ➡️ Fledgling leaving the nest.

✨ Section G: Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Answer 52: The bird was inside an egg, so its entire world was confined to the inner boundaries of the pale blue eggshell.

Answer 53: The bird lived comfortably in a little nest made of straw. It felt safe, warm, and well taken care of by its mother.

Answer 54: The bird fluttered out of its nest to explore and saw the leaves of the tree surrounding it, realizing the world was bigger than its straw nest.

Answer 55: The bird calls itself 'blind' because it realizes its previous beliefs about the world were wrong and limited; it had been completely unaware of the larger world outside its nest.

Answer 56: It decided to fly entirely beyond the tree to take on its independent, adult responsibilities.

Answer 57: The bird concludes that its neighbours are just as clueless as it is about the true nature, size, and creation of the vast world.

Answer 58: 1. Pale blue shell, 2. Straw, 3. Leaves.

Answer 59: It starts as a tiny enclosed egg, expands to a small straw nest, grows to a whole tree covered in leaves, and finally becomes the limitless open sky beyond the tree.

✨ Section H: Long Answer Questions (3–4 Marks)

Answer 60: As the bird physically grows—from an embryo in an egg, to a chick in a nest, to a fledgling on a branch, to an adult flying away—its intellectual understanding grows too. Each physical step outward shatters its previous small worldview, showing that knowledge expands parallel to life experience.

Answer 61: The bird doesn't mean it literally lost its sight. Instead, it means it was foolish or ignorant. By staying safely tucked in the nest, it couldn't "see" the reality of the vast green tree around it. Stepping out literally and figuratively opens its eyes to a bigger truth.

Answer 62: The bird begins life inside a pale blue eggshell. After hatching, it lives in a warm straw nest, nestled by its mother. As it gets stronger, it flutters to the tree's branches and sees the leaves. Finally, fully grown and strong, it flies away from the tree entirely to live as an independent adult.

Answer 63: The poet conveys that our understanding of the world is severely limited by our immediate surroundings and personal experiences. As we grow and explore, our perspective broadens, but the universe is so vast and complex that ultimately, no single living being holds all the answers.

Answer 64: The first home was an enclosed, hard, pale blue eggshell where the bird was completely alone in a confined space. The second home was an open, soft little nest made of straw, where the bird enjoyed the warmth, comfort, and companionship of its mother.

Answer 65: The poet ends this way to emphasize humility. Despite growing up, traveling far, and seeing much more of the world than before, the bird realizes the universe is infinitely complex. Acknowledging that we (and those around us) don't know everything is the ultimate sign of wisdom and maturity.

✨ Section I: HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills)

Answer 66: For a human, our "pale blue shell" would represent the womb, or our very early childhood home/crib, where we are completely sheltered, safe, and entirely unaware of the outside society.

Answer 67: Learning is a continuous process. Just like the bird thought it knew the absolute truth three different times and was proven wrong each time by simply moving forward, humans must constantly update their knowledge as they encounter new environments, people, and ideas.

Answer 68: The poem highlights this by showing that what we perceive as the absolute truth is often just the physical boundary of our current environment. The bird was certain the world was straw simply because that's all it touched and saw, proving that limited experience naturally leads to limited understanding.

Answer 69: (Sample Answer) If it flew into a city, it might think the world is made of concrete, glass, and loud noises, completely replacing its previous thought of leaves and nature, showing how adaptability changes perspective.

Answer 70: The title is highly appropriate because the entire poem is an internal monologue reflecting on the changing assumptions of the bird as it grows. It focuses purely on how the bird perceives reality in its mind, rather than just describing its physical actions.

✨ Section J: Creative Writing

Answer 71: (Sample Diary Entry) Dear Diary, Today I finally peeked over the edge of my straw nest! I flapped my wings and landed on a branch. I couldn't believe my eyes—the world isn't straw at all! There are hundreds of huge green leaves everywhere. I feel so silly for not knowing sooner!

Answer 72: (Sample Dialogue) Bird: Mother, I flew past our tree today! There is no end to the sky, and the earth stretches on forever.

Mother: It is vast, isn't it? What do you think it is all made of now?

Bird: I have no idea, Mother. And honestly, the other grown birds I met don't know either!

Answer 73: (Sample Stanza) At last I saw a mighty sea,

Where rolling waters play,

I thought the world is made of blue,

That stretches far away.

✨ Section K: Extract-Based Passage (5 Marks)

Answer 74: Beyond the tree.

Answer 75: It means the bird is now fully grown, physically strong enough to survive on its own, and ready to take on adult responsibilities like hunting and building its own nest.

Answer 76: Exactly how the whole world is truly made.

Answer 77: Its neighbours.

Answer 78: Labours and neighbours.

Introductory Text: Spices consist of different parts of plants like roots, seeds, bark, flowers, and leaves. They are essential for adding wonderful color, taste, and flavor to our food. In our country, spices have been highly valued for hundreds of years in Ayurvedic medicine. In Odisha, places like Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Kandhamala grow large amounts of ginger, turmeric, cardamom, garlic, coriander, black pepper, and chilies. The high-quality turmeric from Kandhamala is famous all over the world!

Let us discuss

🌼 1. Now say at least five names of the spices used for cooking in your home. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

• Answer: Turmeric, Cumin seeds, Coriander powder, Mustard seeds, and Black pepper.

🌼 2. Given below are pictures of some spices. Their names in English are given in the column. Write their names in your home language. (Table continues to page 89)

• Answer: (Common Odia / Hindi translations for the region)

  • 1. Turmeric ➡️ Haldi

  • 2. Fenugreek ➡️ Methi

  • 3. Cumin Seeds ➡️ Jeera

  • 4. Asafetida ➡️ Hing

  • 5. Cinnamon ➡️ Dalchini

  • 6. Clove ➡️ Labanga / Laung

📖 Page 89: Vocabulary & Let us Read

(Table Continued from Page 88)

• Answer:

  • 7. Ginger ➡️ Ada / Adrak

  • 8. Black Pepper ➡️ Gol Maricha / Kaali Mirch

  • 9. Fennel Seeds ➡️ Pana Madhuri / Saunf

  • 10. Cardamom ➡️ Gujurati / Elaichi

  • 11. Bay Leaf ➡️ Teja Patra / Tej Patta

  • 12. Mustard Seeds ➡️ Sorisha / Sarson

  • 13. Chilli Powder ➡️ Lanka Gunda / Lal Mirch

  • 14. Curry Leaves ➡️ Bhursunga Patra / Kadi Patta

  • 15. Garlic ➡️ Rasuna / Lehsun

  • 16. Onion ➡️ Piaja / Pyaaz

Let us Read

🌼 Q-1 - Let us read the letter which is written by Khusi to her brother Dugu.

Dear Dugu Bhai, Pranam!

I recently heard you are unwell. Getting caught in the sudden winter rain gave you a cough and cold, making you very weak. When I told Jeje (Grandfather) about it, he advised using natural kitchen spices to heal.

Let me share some spices and their benefits: Haldi (Turmeric) boosts energy, helps digestion, and reduces body pain. Methi (Fenugreek) keeps body weight and blood sugar in check. Soaking Jeera (Cumin seeds) in water overnight helps cure sleeplessness and indigestion. Dalchini (Cinnamon) and Labanga (Clove) can stop a toothache until you see a dentist. Ada (Ginger) cures a cold and cough, while Elaich (Cardamom) activates the respiratory and digestive systems.

Bhai, head to the kitchen to find these, or visit a nearby Ayurvedic doctor. Get well soon!

Your loving sister, Khusi

📖 Page 90: Let us think and reflect & Let us learn

Let us think and reflect

Read the given sentences and answer the following questions:

(Passage snippet: "I came to know about your illness. Sudden rain in winter caused you to suffer from cough and cold. Because of illness you have become very weak. I told about you to Jeje. He suggested for using spices from the kitchen.")

🌼 1. a) What should Dugu use from kitchen to get cure of cough and cold?

• Answer: Dugu should use Ginger (Ada).

🌼 1. b) What spice should be used to maintain body weight and sugar level?

• Answer: Fenugreek (Methi) should be used.

🌼 1. c) In respiratory trouble what spice should we take?

• Answer: We should take Cardamom (Elaich).

🌼 1. d) During indigestion one should take __________ and __________.

• Answer: Turmeric (Haldi) and Cumin seeds (Jeera).

🌼 2. Give an example of weather related illness.

• Answer: Catching a severe cough and cold because of unexpected winter rain.

🌼 3. Dugu soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage __________ and __________.

• Answer: sugar level and body weight.

🌼 4. Write the name of the spice which is useful for body pain.

• Answer: Turmeric (Haldi).

Let us learn

🌼 1. You have read the uses of spices in the letter. Complete the following table with the help of your teacher. You may use the words from the box given below. (Box: Part of the plant: root/bark/leaves/flower buds/fruit/seeds | Texture: rough/soft/silky | Taste: bitter/sweet/sour/salty/spicy)

• Answer:

  • Turmeric: Root | Yellow | Rough | Bitter

  • Fenugreek: Seeds | Brownish-yellow | Rough | Bitter

  • Cinnamon: Bark | Brown | Rough | Sweet & Spicy

  • Clove: Flower buds | Dark Brown | Rough | Spicy

  • Black Pepper: Fruit/Seeds | Black | Rough | Spicy

  • Cardamom: Fruit/Seeds | Green | Rough | Sweet & Spicy

📖 Page 91: Grammar & Modal Verbs

🌼 2. Read the sentences given below.

• i) You may share the usefulness of spices with your friends.

• ii) You should remember these cures.

• iii) Ginger can help us to control cough and cold.

• iv) You must consult an Ayurvedic doctor before you use them.

• v) I need to soak the methi seeds overnight.

• vi) Siddhi used to take Haldi (turmeric) to improve her energy level.

🌼 (a) Read the sentences above. Now, mark the words in bold letters. They are modal auxiliary verbs. Generally they are not used alone / single in a sentence. They go with a full verb. Match the modals in Column 'A' with their functions in Column 'B'.

• Answer:

  • 1. may ➡️ suggestion / possibility

  • 2. should ➡️ advice

  • 3. can ➡️ ability

  • 4. must ➡️ compulsion

  • 5. need to ➡️ necessity

  • 6. used to ➡️ past habit

📖 Page 92: Dialogue & Let us listen

🌼 (b) Complete the following dialogues with any four modals from the table above. (use a modal only once.)

• Answer:

  • Siya: Rishu had fever last week. She (i) should take a rest.

  • Siddhi: Yes, she (ii) must or she will fall ill again.

  • Siya: She (iii) can take grandmother's natural cures.

  • Siddhi: Yes, we (iv) need to remember how effective they are.

Let us listen

🌼 1. You will listen to the benefits of Tulsi (Holy Basil), at page 96 a common herb. As you listen, complete the fact sheet given below.

• Answer:

  • First found in: India

  • Now found: everywhere in India

  • Known as: the (iii) Queen of herbs

  • Can decrease levels of: (iv) stress and cholesterol

  • Used to treat disorder of: breathing and (v) asthma/coughs

  • It used to make: mouth wash and (vi) medicines

  • We can have Tulsi leaves by: eating them (vii) raw or adding them while making (viii) tea.

📖 Page 93: Let us speak & Let us write

Let us speak

🌼 1. Khusi told Dugu about many spices. Choose one spice and introduce yourself as that spice to the class.

🌼 2. Before you speak, hold a spice in your hand.

🌼 3. Mention the following while speaking: a. Your name b. part of the plant c. colour d. texture e. taste f. benefits

• Answer (Sample Speech): "Hello! I am Cinnamon. I come from the bark of a plant. I am brown in colour and have a rough, woody texture. I taste sweet and slightly spicy. My biggest benefit is that I can give you quick relief from a bad toothache!"

  (Note: The page also includes an image chart of 20 herbs/spices like Agrimony, Aloe vera, Chia seeds, Cinnamon, Cloves, Eucalyptus, Basil, Hibiscus, Lavender, Marshmallow, Onions, Peppermint, Saffron, Turmeric, Raspberry, Rose Mary, Anise, Dill, Chives, Red Basil).

Let us write

🌼 1. Dugu read the letter of Khusi... A glass of water spilt on it. Some words are washed away. Now help Dugu to complete the letter by the words given in the table. (Box words: Some leaves of basil, For cough, Amount of honey, The mixture, For high fever, A piece of fresh ginger, You can have it, Grind to get, Home remedy).

• Answer (Filled Paragraph):

  • Natural Cure for Cough: 1. To prepare this home remedy, you just need ginger and honey. First, take A piece of fresh ginger, grate it and take the juice from it. Take about two teaspoons of this juice and add about two and half teaspoons of honey to it. Mix it properly. Warm The mixture slightly on very low heat for a minute. Then You can have it about three to four times a day to get relief from cough. Have patience to see the effect as natural cures with ginger and honey might take some time to show results. 2. To prepare the second Home remedy for cough, take about 10 grams of each long pepper, dried ginger and basil leaves. Add four to six small cardamoms and Grind to get a fine powder. If you take this powder with an equal Amount of honey, it will give you relief from cough.

🌼 2. Write a short paragraph on 'Tulsi' based on the transcripts given at page no 96.

• Answer: Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a wonderful healing plant originally found in India. Today, it grows everywhere and is highly respected as the "Queen of herbs." Tulsi is excellent for our health because it naturally lowers stress and bad cholesterol. It is widely used as a treatment for breathing problems and stubborn coughs. People use its extracts to make daily medicines and mouthwash. To stay healthy, we can eat Tulsi leaves completely raw or simply drop a few leaves into boiling water to make tea.

   

📖 Page 94: Let us Explore

🌼 1. Now that you have read about many spices, can you guess the spices based on the riddles given below?

• (a) When your tummy felt funny / I was used by your granny / I made you fit and fine / And brought back your smile. Who am I?

  • Answer: Carom seeds (Juani) or Cumin seeds (Jeera).

• (b) I come from under the ground / Thousands of years, I've been around. / For cooking, you use me daily, / From cold I can cure you surely. Who am I?

  • Answer: Ginger (Ada).

🌼 2. Fill in the blanks to complete the riddles below. Write another riddle of your own and ask your friends to guess the spice.

• Answer (a):

  • Brownish yellow in colour,

  • and bitter to taste,

  • I help everyone,

  • to manage their weight.

  • Ans.: Fenugreek (methi)

• Answer (b) (Sample Student Riddle): I look like a small, dark nail, but I am not made of iron. If your tooth hurts, just bite on me! Who am I? (Ans: Clove / Labanga).

🌼 3. With the help of your teacher and friends prepare the list of medicinal plants, herbs and spices.

• Answer:

  • Plants: e.g. - Neem, Aloe Vera, Amla

  • Herbs: e.g. - Brahmi, Tulsi, Mint

  • Spices: e.g. - Juani (carom seeds), Turmeric, Clove, Cinnamon

🌼 4. Close your eyes and learn about spices by smelling and feeling them. The teacher may also provide a few different spices to try.

(This is a practical, hands-on classroom activity to be done with the students!)