Grade VI

English

Taro’s Reward

To be recorded in the English Classwork Notebook

I. Meanings:-
1. Thoughtful- Showing consideration for the need of other people.
2. Shivering- shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold,
frightened, or excited.
3. Heart- warming- emotionally rewarding or uplifting.
4. Procession- crowd.
II. (Read the lesson and then answer the questions on your own. One
has been done for you. (to be recorded in your Learning Resource
Book: Pg. 33, in the given space.)
1. “I wish I had a cup of sake; it would warm me and do my old heart
good.”
a. Who said these words to whom?
Ans. The above line is taken from the lesson, ‘Taro’s Reward’. These
words were spoken by Taro’s father to Taro.
b. Explain the context.

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Ans. One evening, when Taro was sitting inside the hut with his parents
strong cold winds started to enter the hut through the cracks as a result
everyone felt cold. Taro’s father then expressed his desire to drink a cup of
sake as it would warm him and do well to his old heart.

2. “How do I earn more money?”

a. Who said these words to whom?

Ans. The above line is taken from the lesson, ‘Taro’s Reward’. These words
were spoken by Taro to himself.

b. Explain the context.

Ans. Taro became sadder than ever upon realizing that he can’t afford to
fulfil his father’s wish to drink a cup a sake as it was an expensive drink. Then
he started to question himself and find ways that how he could earn more
money and get some sake for his poor father.

3. “We have been tricked!”

a. Who said these words to whom?
b. Explain the context.

III. Answer the following questions:

1. Why did Taro run in the direction of the stream?

Taro was busy chopping wood in order to earn money so that he can
afford a cup of saké for his father. While doing so, all of a sudden, he
heard a sound of rushing water.

He was completely taken aback as he had never heard of or seen a water

body in that part of the forest. The sound of the water came as a blessing

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to the thirsty soul. Hence, he dropped his axe and ran in the direction of
the sound, expecting to quench his thirst.

2. How did Taro’s father show his happiness after drinking the saké?

Taro’s father was extremely delighted with the saké. A gulp of

saké brought warmth to his body. He stopped shivering and danced with
joy in the middle of the floor.

3. Why did the waterfall give Taro saké and others water?

The magical waterfall gave Taro the delicious saké as a reward to his good
intentions. Taro was a thoughtful son who wanted to fulfil his father’s
wish. He put in extra efforts to earn more and worked hard to satisfy his
father’s wish. Hence the waterfall blessed him with the sake. Whereas the
other villagers were greedy as they brought huge containers to fill the
saké from the waterfall. Therefore, they were duly rewarded with cold
water only.

4. Why did the villagers want to drown Taro?

When the villagers discovered that the waterfall gave them just cold
water instead of the delicious saké, they were thoroughly annoyed and

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disappointed. They thought that Taro had cheated them by giving them
wrong information about the waterfall. Hence, in anger, the villagers
wanted to drown Taro.

5. Why did the Emperor reward Taro?

The Emperor rewarded Taro generously with twenty pieces of gold and
honoured him by naming a fountain after him. The emperor did so in
order to encourage other children to follow Taro’s footsteps; to enforce
the thought that children ought to respect their parents and also to
inculcate the idea that it is a child’s responsibility to know and satisfy the
parents’ yearnings.

Children being conscious to the needs of the parents is a responsibility

and not a choice.

II. Creative writing: Narrative writing:

Steps of Narrative writing are given in LR book. The same will be discussed
in the class as well.

Follow the tips and write a short narrative about a personal experience
where you have been rewarded for being an obedient son or daughter.

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IV. Write a short story review of “Taro’s Reward” (Write the story review
after reading the format given below.)

HOTS:-

1. In the lesson Taro gets rewarded for being an obedient son. Do you
think obedience pays?
2. What message does the lesson ‘Taro’s Reward’ want to convey to its
readers?