Question

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“... The king thought I was disrespecting his poem and stormed off. Since then, he has not spoken to me. If I had known this would happen I would have chosen another day. Help me, please, Rama. Only you can help the king understand.”  Rama nodded thoughtfully. “If you like, I will try my best to resolve this matter, Your Highness. But this needs a well-planned approach and I may need time to find the right strategy.”

 

(i) Why does the queen believe that only Tenali Rama can help the king understand?

(ii) What does the queen’s statement, “If I had known this would happen, I would have chosen another day”, suggest about her feelings?

1. She is angry at the king for overreacting.
2. She regrets the unintended misunderstanding.
3. She believes the poem was not worth listening to.
4. She is worried that the king might punish her.

(iii) How does Tenali Rama’s response reflect his wisdom and problem-solving skills?

(iv) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option from those given in the brackets.

The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and ______ (has a lot of faith/takes great pride) in his poetry.

Answer 1

(i) The queen believes that only Tenali Rama can help because he is wise, witty and capable of making the king understand his mistake without offending him.

(ii) She regrets the unintended misunderstanding.

Explanation:

The queen did not mean to hurt the king. Her words show that she feels sorry that her honest opinion caused a misunderstanding and made the king angry.

(iii) Tenali Rama’s response shows his wisdom because he does not act in haste. He understands that the matter needs careful planning and decides to find the right strategy before speaking to the king.

(iv) The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and takes great pride in his poetry.