The Chair

Answer: False

Mario did NOT successfully sit on the invisible chair on his first attempt. He missed the seat and fell, causing surprised looks and laughter among his classmates. He had to try multiple times before he managed to sit on it with the help of his real friends.

Answer: Mario's grandfather challenged him to a bet of fifty rupees.

In the story, the grandfather made a bet with Mario, wagering fifty rupees that if Mario could sit on the invisible chair at school, the magic would work and reveal who his real friends were.

Answer:

- Guneet, Asma and Deepa → (i) held Mario up, so he wouldn't fall

These three friends stepped forward to support Mario when he struggled to sit on the invisible chair. The other classmates (who are not named in the matching) made fun of Mario's attempts by laughing and giving surprised looks.

(i) The chair is special and invisible.

(ii) It was tricky to sit on the chair because the chair was invisible — Mario could not see it. Since he had no visual reference to guide him, he could not judge exactly where the seat was, making it very difficult to sit on it correctly without missing or falling.

(iii) Mario's grandfather calls the chair 'special' because it had a magical quality — it could reveal who Mario's real friends were. It was not just an ordinary chair; it served as a test of true friendship. Those who genuinely cared for Mario would help him sit on it rather than laugh at him.

(i) Mario says there was a technical problem because he could not see the invisible chair and kept missing the seat, so he used this excuse to hide his embarrassment in front of his classmates.

(ii) False.
Not all of Mario's friends were caring and helpful. Most of his classmates gave surprised looks and laughed at him when he failed to sit on the chair. Only Guneet, Asma, and Deepa showed genuine care by helping him.

(iii) A. strong-willed

Justification: Despite failing multiple times and being laughed at by his classmates, Mario refused to give up. This determination and firmness of mind shows that he is strong-willed — he had the willpower to keep trying until he succeeded.

Answer:

Mario's grandfather challenged him to a bet of fifty rupees. The bet was that if Mario took the invisible chair to school and managed to sit on it successfully, the magic of the chair would work and reveal who his real friends were. The grandfather was confident that the chair would serve as a test of true friendship.

Answer:

When Mario tried to sit on the invisible chair for the first time, he missed the seat completely and fell. Since the chair was invisible, he could not see where the seat was, so he could not sit on it properly. His classmates reacted with surprised looks and burst into laughter. Mario was embarrassed but tried to cover it up by saying there was a 'slight technical problem.'

Answer:

Mario's grandfather gave him an invisible chair and told him to take it to school. When Mario repeatedly tried and failed to sit on the chair, most of his classmates laughed at him. However, three friends — Guneet, Asma, and Deepa — did not laugh. Instead, they stepped forward and held Mario up so that he would not fall and helped him sit on the invisible chair successfully. Through this act of genuine care and support, Mario was able to identify who his real friends were. The invisible chair acted as a test, and those who helped him passed the test of true friendship.

Answer:

Yes, I think the magic chair test was a very good idea. The test was clever because it created a real situation where Mario needed help. In that moment of difficulty and embarrassment, his true friends revealed themselves by coming forward to support him, while others only laughed. A true friend is someone who stands by you when you are struggling, not just when things are easy. The chair test showed this beautifully — it separated those who genuinely cared for Mario from those who did not. It is a practical and meaningful way to understand the value of real friendship.

*(Note: Students may also write that the test was not ideal because it could embarrass someone publicly. Any well-reasoned answer is acceptable.)*

Answer:

'Friends for life' means having friends who stay with you through every phase of life — in happiness and in sorrow, in success and in failure. These are friends who do not leave your side when things get difficult. They are honest with you, support you without judging you, and genuinely care about your well-being. A 'friend for life' is someone you can trust completely, someone who celebrates your joys and comforts you in your sorrows. Such friendships are rare and precious, and they make life richer and more meaningful.

*(Students may write their own personal response. Any thoughtful answer is acceptable.)*

Answer:

One other way to find real friends is to observe how they behave when you are going through a difficult time — for example, when you fail an exam, fall ill, or make a mistake. Real friends will stand by you, encourage you, and help you get back on your feet, whereas others may distance themselves or criticise you.

Another way is to share a secret or a personal problem with someone. A real friend will keep your secret safe and offer genuine advice, while others may gossip or take advantage.

You can also notice whether a friend is honest with you — a true friend will tell you the truth even when it is uncomfortable, rather than just saying what you want to hear.

*(Students may mention any one or two valid ways. Personal examples are encouraged.)*

Answer:

| Column A (Root Word) | Column B (Suffix) |
|---|---|
| 1. friend | -ly |
| 2. sudden | -ly |
| 3. talk | -ing |
| 4. carry | -ing |
| 5. call | -ed |
| 6. show | -ed |

Explanation: The root word is the base form of the word. The suffix is the group of letters added at the end of the root word to form a new word. For example, 'friend' + '-ly' = 'friendly'; 'sudden' + '-ly' = 'suddenly'; 'talk' + '-ing' = 'talking', and so on.

Answer:

| S. No. | Root Word | Suffix | Word | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | magic | -al | magical | The magician performed an amazing magical act. |
| 2. | care | -ful | careful | Be careful while crossing the road. |
| 3. | celebrate | -tion | celebration | The birthday celebration was full of joy. |
| 4. | laugh | -ing | laughing | The children were laughing at the funny clown. |
| 5. | wonder | -ful | wonderful | We had a wonderful time at the picnic. |
| 6. | help | -ed | helped | She helped her friend carry the heavy bag. |
| 7. | friend | -ship | friendship | True friendship is a precious gift. |
| 8. | courage | -ous | courageous | Mario was courageous enough to keep trying. |

Note on spelling changes: When adding '-tion' to 'celebrate', the word becomes 'celebration' (the final 'e' is dropped). When adding '-ous' to 'courage', the word becomes 'courageous' (the 'e' is retained to keep the soft 'g' sound).

Answer:

Mario is a brave and determined boy. He is strong-willed because he did not give up even when he failed to sit on the invisible chair multiple times and his classmates laughed at him. He is also resilient — he kept trying despite embarrassment. Mario is trusting because he believed in his grandfather's idea and carried it out faithfully. He is humble and open-minded, willing to try something unusual to discover the truth about his friendships. Above all, Mario is grateful — he deeply values the friends who stood by him and recognises their loyalty.

*(Students may use any suitable describing words. A few examples: persistent, hopeful, confident, sincere, optimistic.)*

Answer:

| Adjective | Noun | Phrase | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. brave | soldier | brave soldier | The brave soldier marched ahead. |
| 2. clever | plan | clever plan | She made a clever plan to solve the problem. |
| 3. tasty | peanuts | tasty peanuts | The vendor sold tasty peanuts at the fair. |
| 4. heavy | rain | heavy rain | The heavy rain flooded the streets. |
| 5. slight | cold | slight cold | He had a slight cold and stayed home. |
| 6. true | friends | true friends | Mario found his true friends through the chair test. |

*(Students may also make other valid combinations, e.g., 'clever friends', 'brave plan', 'heavy cold', etc.)*

Answer:

Once upon a time in a little village, a/an 1. happy boy named Abhishek found a/an 2. old book in the attic. He read 3. amazing stories about fairy lands, 4. colourful creatures and 5. old castles. Abhishek's eyes got big as he imagined these 6. magical adventures. He told his friends about the stories, and they started to have their own 7. fantastic adventures when they played together.

Answer: Manu found it difficult when she took admission in the school.

*(She was new to the school and found it hard to adjust to the new environment.)*

Answer: Manu met Monika and was helped by her in many ways.

*(Monika befriended Manu and helped her settle into the new school.)*

Answer: So, it was not so difficult for the new girl to adjust in the school.

*(Because of Monika's help and friendship, Manu found it easier to adjust.)*

Answer: Both friends experienced difficult and happy moments together.

*(Their friendship grew as they shared both the ups and downs of school life.)*

Answer: Manu is grateful to Monika for making her life easy and finding a friend.

*(Manu deeply appreciates Monika's kindness and support.)*

Sample Answer (for reference/guidance):

The four qualities I would like my friend to have are:

1. Honest — I feel my friend should be honest because only an honest friend will tell me the truth and help me improve. A friend who always agrees with me, even when I am wrong, does not truly help me grow.

2. Caring — I think the quality I want in my friend is being caring. The reason for this is that when I am sad or unwell, a caring friend will notice and try to help me feel better.

3. Loyal — I believe my friend should be loyal. This is in order to ensure that they stand by me in difficult times and do not leave me when things get tough.

4. Understanding — If my friend is understanding, then they will not judge me for my mistakes and will try to see things from my point of view before reacting.

*(Students should discuss in pairs and use the given sentence starters. Any four well-reasoned qualities are acceptable.)*

Answer:

Dear Guneet,

I am thankful to God to have you as a real friend for life. When everyone was laughing at me, Deepa, Asma and you showed me that you care for me. You are indeed a blessing in my life.

Best wishes,
Mario

Explanation of choices:
- *thankful to* — Mario is expressing gratitude to God, so 'thankful to' is correct.
- *real* — The story is about finding real/true friends, so 'real' fits the context.
- *laughing at* — The classmates were laughing at Mario when he failed to sit on the chair.
- *care for* — Guneet, Deepa and Asma showed that they genuinely care for Mario.
- *blessing* — A true friend is a blessing in one's life, not just 'loving'.

Sample Answer:

Dear [Friend's Name],

I feel truly lucky to have you as my best friend. You have always been there for me — whether I was happy or sad, whether I succeeded or failed. I remember the times when I was struggling and you quietly stood by my side without being asked. That means the world to me.

Just like Mario's friends in the story, you have shown me that real friendship is not about being together only in good times, but about holding each other up when things get difficult. I pray that our friendship grows stronger with every passing day.

Thank you for being my true friend. I hope I can be as good a friend to you as you have been to me.

With love and gratitude,
[Your Name]

*(Students should write a personalised message to their own best friend. The above is a model answer for guidance.)*

Sample Answer / Guidance:

Here is a well-known story about friendship:

'The Elephant and the Dog' (from the Jataka Tales — India)
Once, an elephant in a royal stable became very fond of a stray dog. They ate, played, and slept together every day. One day, a farmer took the dog away. The elephant stopped eating and became very sad. When the king heard about this, he had the dog brought back. The two friends were reunited and lived happily together.

Moral: True friendship brings joy and comfort. The absence of a true friend causes deep sorrow.

*(Students are encouraged to find stories from their own state, other Indian states, or other countries and share them in class. Stories like 'David and Jonathan' from the Bible, or 'Karna and Duryodhana' from the Mahabharata, or local folk tales are all good examples.)*

Sample Answer:

F — Faithful in every situation
R — Ready to help whenever needed
I — Inspiring me to be a better person
E — Encouraging me when I feel low
N — Never leaving my side in difficult times
D — Dependable and honest always
S — Sharing both laughter and tears with me

*(Students may write their own words for each letter. Any meaningful and relevant word or phrase beginning with the correct letter is acceptable.)*

Sample Responses (for guidance):

| Question | Age Group | Sample Response |
|---|---|---|
| What does friendship mean to you? | 50+ | 'Friendship means having someone who has known you for decades and still accepts you. It is about trust built over years.' |
| | 31 to 49 | 'Friendship means having people who support you through life's responsibilities — work, family, and personal challenges.' |
| | 20 to 30 | 'Friendship means having fun together, sharing dreams, and being there for each other during stressful times like exams or jobs.' |
| | 12 to 19 | 'Friendship means having someone to talk to, play with, and share secrets with at school.' |

Discussion Points:
- Similarities: All age groups value trust, support, and being there for each other.
- Differences: Younger people focus on fun and sharing, while older people emphasise loyalty, trust built over time, and support through life's challenges.
- Reflection: As people grow older, their understanding of friendship deepens. They value reliability and emotional support more than just companionship.

Summary: Friendship is universally valued, but what people seek in a friend changes with age and life experience. Young people look for fun and companionship, while older people treasure loyalty, trust, and deep understanding.

*(Students should conduct this activity by actually speaking to people of different age groups and record real responses. The above is a model for guidance.)*