The Chair — NCERT Solutions

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:

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:

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.)