NCERT Solutions for Class 6 english Chapter 4: The Unlikely Best Friends

Friends are an important part of our lives. Why do you think so? Share your ideas with your friend. What do you do when you are with your friends and how do you feel?
Now, complete the following sentences by writing in the shapes given below. Share your completed sentences with your classmates and teacher. One has been done for you.

Answer:
I think friends are really important because they make our lives happier and more fun. Friends are there to share our joys and help us when we are sad. They make us laugh and play with us, so we never feel lonely.

The title of the chapter is ‘The Unlikely Best Friends’.
(a) What can be the meaning of ‘unlikely’? Discuss in groups, and then discuss with your teacher.
Answer:
The word “unlikely” means something that is not expected to happen or is not probable. It suggests a situation or relationship that is surprising or unusual. In the context of friendships, “unlikely” best friends are people who, at first glance, seem too different to get along or have a close bond. They might have different backgrounds, interests, or personalities, but despite these differences, they form a strong friendship.

Talk about the things that Gajaraj and Buntee did together. Now, write in the shapes given below. One has been done for you.

Answer:

Why did the farmer hug Buntee?
Answer:
The farmer hugged Buntee as he was glad to see Buntee. The farmer has been looking for Buntee since he disappeared from his house.

Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer?
Answer:
No, Buntee is unlikely to leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer voluntarily. The story shows that Buntee and Gajaraj share a deep bond and have become inseparable friends.

Why did Gajaraj not eat his food?
Answer:
Gajaraj did not eat his food because he was feeling sad and lonely after Buntee, the dog, was taken away from him. He missed his friend deeply, and this emotional distress affected his appetite.

Who were friends at the end of the story?
Answer:
At the end of the story, the friends were:

Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.
(a) Despite royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends. The mahout, or elephant trainer, was the only one he ever interacted with. The mahout was a kind man who served Gajaraj food and gave him a bath in the elephant pond daily. He was a good caretaker, but not a friend.
(i) Complete with one word:
mahout : kind :: Gajaraj : ___________
Answer:
Sad

Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend.
Answer:

How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad?
Answer:
The mahout noticed that Gajaraj was not eating his food, which was unusual behavior for the elephant. Despite checking Gajaraj’s physical condition and finding nothing wrong, the mahout suspected that Gajaraj might be feeling sad due to the absence of Buntee, his only friend.

Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer’s hand?
Answer:
Buntee licked the farmer’s hand as a gesture of gratitude and affection. The farmer had shown kindness and understanding by allowing Buntee to return to Gajaraj, which made Buntee happy. Licking the farmer’s hand was Buntee’s way of expressing thanks and acknowledging the farmer’s compassion.

What was ‘unlikely’ about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?
Answer:
The friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee was unlikely because they were different species – an elephant and a dog. Normally, elephants and dogs do not interact closely in natural settings. However, their friendship blossomed due to their shared circumstances and the emotional bond they developed through their interactions and mutual care.

Gajaraj was sad without a friend and when he met Buntee, he was filled with joy. ‘Sad’ and ‘filled with joy’ are opposites. Opposites can also be formed by adding some letters before a word. For example, un- unhappy, in- incorrect, dis- disconnect, mis– misuse. Now, take help from the words given as hints and fill up their opposites in the puzzle.
(Note: All the words are from the story you have just read.)

Answer:

Now, complete the paragraph with some of the words you have used in the puzzle.
My pencil was _____________. I was very ________________ as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was ____________ on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have ________________. He _______________ and told me to look under my pillow. I was ___________________ when I ______________ the pencil there.
Answer:
My pencil was missing. I was very sad as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was awake on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have disappeared. He laughed and told me to look under my pillow. I was relieved when I found the pencil there.

The words that tell us about an action are called verbs. In the story, the author tells us what happened before. To do that, the past form of the action word (verb) is used. Let us learn about the three forms of past tense.

Given below are some verbs from the story. Put the verbs in their correct column in the table given above.

Select the correct form of the verb to complete the passage. Check your answers with the teacher.
The farmer came back and ____________ (noticed/was noticing/had noticed) that Buntee was sad. He ____________ (tied/ was tying/had tied) Buntee with a rope the day before. He ____________ (asked/was asking/ had asked) Buntee why he was sad. Farmer ____________ (felt/was feeling/ had felt) that Buntee ____________ (missed/was missing/had missed) Gajaraj and set him free.
Answer:

The farmer came back and noticed (noticed/was noticing/had noticed) that Buntee was sad. He had tied (tied/ was tying/had tied) Buntee with a rope the day before. He asked (asked/ was asking/had asked) Buntee why he was sad. The farmer was feeling (felt/was feeling/had felt) that Buntee was missing (missed/was missing/had missed) Gajaraj and set him free.

‘…neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears.’
The words ‘neither’, and ‘nor’ are used to state that the farmer and the mahout did not notice the same thing. ‘Neither, nor’ connects two negative choices. For example: Neither Rohit nor I want to play football. When you need to choose between two things that you want, you may use ‘either, or’. For example: Rohit wants to play either cricket or kho-kho. It means Rohit wants to play cricket or Rohit wants to play kho-kho.

The leopard is a ___________ animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the _______________ to meet the cow. The leopard would sit __________________ the cow. They also played together. _____________ were surprised at their friendship.
Answer:
The leopard is a wild animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the night to meet the cow. The leopard would sit beside the cow. They also played together. Villagers were surprised at their friendship.

Now, listen to the story again and number the sentences in the correct order. The first one has been done for you.

Answer:

The story, ‘The Elephant and the Dog’ is found in the Jataka tales. These stories are ancient Buddhist stories of life values and wisdom. These stories have been told from one generation to the next for over two thousand years. Find and read another Jataka story.
Answer:
The Monkey and the Crocodile
In this popular Jataka tale, a clever monkey lives on a fruit tree by a river. He befriends a crocodile and shares fruits with him. The crocodile’s wife becomes jealous and wants to eat the monkey’s heart. She pretends to be ill and convinces the crocodile to bring the monkey to her. The crocodile invites the monkey to his home, but the monkey senses danger. He tricks the crocodile by saying he left his heart on the tree and needs to go back to get it. The monkey quickly escapes and learns to be cautious. This story teaches the value of wit and wisdom in overcoming challenges.

Elephants have historically held significant roles in Indian culture, spanning history, warfare, religion, festivals, and more. However, contemporary ecological challenges have strained the relationship between humans and elephants. Discuss in the class.
Answer:
Discussion Points on Elephants in Indian Culture and Contemporary Ecological Challenges