The Price of Bananas

— Mulk Raj Anand

Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

Introduction
The story, 'The Price of Bananas' written by Mulk Raj Anand, is written in first person narrative
and is a great example of descriptive type of writing. Through the authors writing, characters
of a few people have come out in its true colour. It shows the difference that is prevailing
between two classes of the society. On one hand we see people who belong to comparatively
lower class, are so generous and thoughtful. On the other hand, people of upper class, who are
comparatively wealthier behaves like a miser. The author through his beautiful technique of
humorous storytelling, highlights some social evils.
îDyl%îy˜
‘Mulk Raj Anand’éŸé~îû 'The Price of Bananas' ö¡‡y ˆÒ!Øþöì•þ ö¡‡†þ !löì?îû ö¡‡yîû ¤yöìí ¤yöìí– !î£ìëû™ôÅ#

ö¡‡l#îû ~†þ ˜%˜Åyhsý ’þz˜y¥îû”Ð ˆÒ!Øþ ˆÒ†þíöì†þîû ˜,!ÜTèþ!Döì•þ ’þzþ›ßiy!þ›•þ ¥öìëûöìSéÐ ~¥z ö¡‡yîû ôy™Äöìô !†þS%é ôyl%öì£ìîû
‹þy!îû!e†þ ÷î!¢ÜTÄ ö¡‡†þ •%þöì¡ ™öìîûöìSélÐ ~!Øþ ’þzF‹þ!î_ G !lÁ¬!î_韟Ÿé ~¥z ˜%!Øþ ö×!”îû ôyl%öì£ìîû xy‹þîûöì”îû î”Åly
†þöìîûÐ !lÁ¬!î_ ˜öì¡îû ôyl%£ì xöìl†þ ˜ëûy¡% ~î‚ ôll¢#¡Ð xyþ›îû!˜öì†þ ™l# îÄ!_«îûy ëyöì˜îû •%þ¡lyô)¡†þèþyöìî xy!íņþ
¤yôíÅÄ öî!¢– •þyîûy¥z †,þþ›öì”îû ôöì•þy îÄî¥yîû †þöìîûélÐ ö¡‡†þ •„þyîû x¤y™yîû” ˆÒ÷좡#öì•þ ¥y¤Äîûöì¤îû xî•þyîû”yîû
ôy™Äöìô ¤ôyöì?îû !†þS%é x¤ê !˜†þ •%þöì¡ ™öìîûöìSélÐ
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mulk Raj Anand is a celebrated name in Indian literature. One of the pioneers of Anglo-
Indian, Mulk Raj Anand was one of the best Indian born English story writer. His works are
burning with protest against the untouchables and he own a novel of the same name. His other
notable works are Coolie, Two Leaves and a Bud. He was awarded the Padma Bhusan award
for his excellence in writing skill. He was born in 12th December, 1905 and was died in 28th
September, 2004.

SUMMARY
The narrator of the story is travelling to Lucknow from Faizabad. Before his journey had
started, he was passing his time by observing the eventful platform. The main attraction of
the station, was the activities done by a few monkeys who were eager to have some food. After
securing a window-seat, while others were busy in their work, the narrator kept on observing
the cunning activities of the monkeys. One of the monkeys, had taken away a cloth of a bathing
monk, but being generous the monkey gave it back to him after requesting.
After this, in the author’s compartment entered a business man with huge luggage and loads of
things. On his way, a monkey had come down and snatched away his embroidered cap and sat on
a Neem tree. All other people in the station, were being entertained by these episodes. A vendor
offered help to the businessman. He tried to make the monkey feel greedy by offering two bananas.
Drawing an end upon everyone’s entertainment, the monkey had given back the cap.
But the businessman was so ungrateful, that he neither bothered to thank the vendor, nor
offered him some money. The vendor requested the businessman politely to pay for the two
bananas which he had used to bring his cap back. But the miser business did not agree to
pay him at all. Later he gave an anna to the vendor and four annas for the porter, who had
carried his luggage. The porter complained after getting paid so less. Despite of requesting
several times, the businessman did not give any money and had looked down upon both the
vendor and the porter. He got up into the train compartment. The vendor even got up into the
running train to get money, still the businessman was stubborn. At last, after the vendor got off
the train, he explained that, as he had not asked the vendor to help, he need not pay him. The
crowd including the narrator sympathised with the vendor and the porter. The narrator had
drawn a cartoon of the “Sethji” (the businessman) and showed that to everyone, which made
them laugh making the businessman feel uncomfortable.

2
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

¤yîûy‚¢
éˆéöìÒéîû éöé¡é‡é†þ é÷æþ?éyéîéyé˜ éöéíéöìé†þ é¡é‡l’þzéŸé~îû !˜öì†þ îûGly ¥öìFSélÐ ëyey Öîû& ¥îyîû xyö숖 !•þ!l ²ÕÄyØþæþöìôÅîû !î!èþ§¬
ö¡yöì†þöì˜îû ö˜‡öì•þ G •þyöì˜îû !lîû#Çþ” †þîûöì•þ Öîû& †þöìîûlÐ !îö좣ìèþyöìî •þyîû l?îû †þyöì’þü !†þS%é î„y˜öìîûîû ˜¡– ëyîûy
!†þS%é ‡yîyîû ¤‚@ýÌ¥ †þîûöì•þ îÄhßì !Sé¡Ð ?yly¡yîû þ›yöì¢îû ßiyl!Øþ þ›yGëûyîû þ›îû– ë‡l îy!†þîûy !î!èþ§¬ †þyöì? îÄhßì– ö¡‡†þ
~¥z î„y˜îûöì˜îû î„y˜îûy!ô ö˜‡öì•þ îÄhßì íyöì†þlÐ î„y˜îû=!¡îû ôöì™Ä ~†þ!Øþ ~†þ ߬ylîû•þ ¤§¬Äy¤#îû †þyþ›’þü !löìëû þ›y¡yëû–
!†þév î„y˜îû!Øþîû †þyöìSé xl%öìîûy™ †þîûyëû ö¤ xyîyîû •þy !æþ!îûöìëûG ö˜ëûÐ
~îûþ›îû ö¡‡öì†þîû †þyôîûyëû ~†þ îÄî¤yëû# •þ!Ò•þÒyéŸé¤¥ ²Ìöìî¢ †þöìîûlÐ •þyîû xy¤yîû ¤ôëû ~†þ î„y˜îû •„þyîû ôyíyîû
¤)!‹þ†þyëÅ †þîûy Ø%þ!þ›!Øþ !Sé!löìëû ölëû ~î‚ !ˆöìëû !lôˆyöìSéîû Gþ›îû îöì¤Ð öÞØþ¢öìlîû ¤ôhßì ö¡y†þ ~¥z îÄyþ›yîû!Øþ ö˜öì‡
öî¢ ô?y þ›yëûÐ •þ‡l ~†þ æþ¡ !îöìe«•þy ~öì¤ •þyöì†þ ¤y¥yëÄ †þöìîûlÐ ö¤ î„y˜îû!Øþöì†þ ˜%!Øþ †þ¡yîû ö¡yèþ ö˜!‡öìëû Ø%þ!þ›!Øþ
!æþ!îûöìëû xylöì•þ ‹þyëûÐ ¤îyîû xöìþ›Çþyîû xî¤yl ‰!Øþöìëû î„y˜îû!Øþ ¤!•þÄ¥z Ø%þ!þ›!Øþ öæþîû•þ ö˜ëûÐ
!†þév îÄî¤yëû#!Øþ ~•þ¥z x†,þ•þKþ– öë !•þ!l æþ¡ !î!e«•þy!Øþöì†þ ö†þyöìly ™lÄîy˜ ö•þy ?yly¥z ly ~î‚ ö†þyöìly Øþy†þyéŸéþ›ëû¤yG
ö˜l lyÐ !îöìe«•þy!Øþ •þyöì†þ !î!l•þ xl%öìîûy™ †þöìîû– •þyîû öë ô)¡Ä ö¡öìˆöìSé †þ¡y ˜%!Øþ !˜öì•þ– ö¤!Øþ xhsý•þ •þyöì†þ !˜öì•þÐ
!†þév ö¤!ØþG !•þ!l !˜öì•þ îûy!? ¥l lyÐ þ›öìîû ö¤¥z †,þþ›” îÄî¤yëû# !îöìe«•þy!Øþöì†þ ~†þ xyly ~î‚ ôy¡ î¥l†þyîû#öì†þ
‹þyîû xyly þ›ëû¤y ö˜lÐ !îöìe«•þy îöì¡ öë •þyîû ²Ìyþ›Ä Øþy†þyîû ö‹þöìëû †þô ô)¡Ä ö¤ öþ›öìëûöìSéÐ ö¤ ~îûþ›îû ‹þ¡hsý öØþÆöìlîû
†þyôîûyëû ’þzöì‘þ þ›öì’þüÐ ö¡y†þ!Øþ îöì¡– öëö쥕%þ ö¤ !löì? •þyöì†þ ¤y¥yëÄ †þîûöì•þ îöì¡!l •þy¥z •þyîû Øþy†þyG ö˜Gëûy ’þz!‹þê lyÐ
ö¡‡†þ ~î‚ xlÄylÄ ëye#îûy !îöìe«•þy!Øþîû ¤yöìí ¤¥yl%è)þ!•þ ö˜‡yëûÐ ö¡‡†þ ö¤¥z òö¢‘þ!?óéŸéîû ~†þ!Øþ îÄD!‹þe x„yöì†þl
~î‚ ¤îy¥zöì†þ •þy ö˜‡yl ëy ö˜öì‡ ¤îy¥z ¥y¤y¥y!¤ †þöìîû ~î‚ ö¡y†þ!Øþ xߺ!hßìöì•þ þ›öì’þü ëylÐ

WORD-NEST
Arrived – to reach to somewhere Œöþ›ï„SéylŠ

Departure – to leave to go somewhere Œöî!îûöìëû þ›’þüy ²Ìßiyl †þîûyŠ

Frolicking – play about cheerfully Œö‡öì¡ öî’þüyöìlyŠ

Mango stones – the seed of mango Œxyöìôîû x„y!ØþŠ

Remainders – what is left over Œxî!¢ÜTŠ

Descended – to come down following step by step Œölöìô xy¤yŠ

Boughs – branches of trees ŒˆyöìSéîû ’þy¡Š

Announced – to state publically Œö‰y£ì”y †þîûyŠ

Concentrated – centre the mind upon something Œôöìlyöìëyˆ ö˜GëûyŠ

Compartment – a separate room in a machine Œ†þyôîûy– †þÇþŠ

Pitchers – an earthen pot to store water Œ?öì¡îû ?y¡yŠ

Loin cloth – a piece of cloth to cover a small portion of body Œ~†þ²Ì†þyîû îßfŠ

Pious person – monk Œ¤§¬Äy¤#Š

Amusement – entertainment Œxîy†þ †þîûyŠ

Bather – one who is taking a bath Œß¬ylîû•þŠ

Generous – kind hearted Œ˜ëûy¡%Š

Delicate – soft, gentle Œö†þyô¡Š

Tunic – a piece of cloth Œ?yôyŠ

Porter – one who carries luggage Œ†%þ!¡ùôy¡ î¥l†þyîû#Š

Utter – completely Œ~öì†þîyöìîûŠ

Smug - showing extreme proud on oneself Œö˜ôy!†þŠ

Perspiration – sweating in tension Œ‰yô ¥GëûyŠ

3
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

Remoter – to interior Œöèþ•þöìîûîû !˜öì†þŠ

Plight – misery Œ†þÜTŠ

Piteous – deserving and arousing pity Œ˜%/‡?l†þŠ

Rescue – to save someone Œ’þzm*yîû †þîûyŠ

Vendor – a seller Œ!îöìe«•þyŠ

Dangling – swinging loosely ŒV%þ¡hsýŠ

Stretched out – made a bit longer or wider ŒöØþöìl îy’þüyöìlyŠ

Hesitate – thinking a few times before doing something Œ†%þZþy öîy™ †þîûyŠ

Coaxed cautiously – pursued someone being alert Œ†þy’þzöì†þ ¤yî™yöìl ôylyöìlyýŠ

Cooed – make a soft murmuring sound Œþ›y!‡îû ’þyöì†þîû ôöì•þy ¥y¡†þy ¢· †þîûyŠ

Bargain – to negotiate about the payment Œ˜îû˜yô †þîûyŠ

Crumpled – crushed to form wrinkles Œ†%„þ‹þöì†þ ö˜GëûyŠ

Humbly – politely ŒèþoèþyöìîŠ

Impudence – not showing respect for a person Œx¤Á¿yl †þîûyŠ

Disgust – having a feeling of hatred Œ!îîû!_« ö˜‡yöìlyŠ

Grimy – covered with dirt Œöly‚îûyŠ

Crook – strange Œxq$•þýŠ

Thundered – to shout in a rough voice Œ!î˜%Äöì•þîû ôöì•þy ˆ½þ#îû ¢· †þîûyŠ

Persisted – to stay determined Œôl!ßiîû †þîûyŠ

Scowled – to show anger Œîûyˆ ö˜‡yöìlyýŠ

Justify – State the reason of something Œë%!_« ö˜GëûyŠ

Grievance – complaint Œx!èþöìëyˆ Kþyþ›l †þîûyýŠ

Cartoon – a picture mocking someone ŒîÄD!‹þeŠ

Textual Questions with answers

Exercise 1
l Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives :
i. The author was on his way from Faizabad railway station to
a) Delhi ¨ b) Kolkata ¨
c) Lucknow þ d) Ahmedabad ¨
ii. From the water pump the passengers were filling up their
a) water bottles ¨ b) earthen pitchers þ
c) brass jugs ¨ d) steel buckets ¨
iii. The gentleman who came up to the author’s compartment looked like a
a) businessman þ b) doctor ¨
c) teacher ¨ d) postman ¨
iv. The price the vendor asked for the bananas was
a) two annas þ b) four annas ¨
c) six annas ¨ d) eight annas ¨
v. The author draw the cartoon of
a) fruit vendor ¨ b) monkey ¨
c) porter ¨ d) sethji þ

4
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

Exercise 2
l Answer the following questions within fifteen words :
i. Where did the young monkeys sit?
The young monkeys sat on the branch of Neem and Tamarind trees.
ii. What did the monkey do to the loin cloth of the pious person?
A pious person was bathing under a pump and a monkey came and snatched away his loin
cloth.
iii. What did Sethji’s luggage include?
Sethji had a huge luggage which included a big steel trunk, several small baskets and a brass
jug.
iv. Why, according to the fruit vendor, were the monkeys disturbing the passengers?
According to the fruit vendor, the monkeys were hungry, so they were disturbing the fruit
vendor.

Exercise 3
l Answer the following question within twenty-five words :
a) What was the businessman wearing?
The businessman was wearing a white muslin dhoti, a delicate tunic and an embroidered cap
on his head. It gave him a look of a gentle man.
b) What did the monkey do after accepting the fruit vendor’s bargain?
After accepting the fruit vendor’s bargain of returning the cap in exchange of the cap, he took
over the two bananas with his right hand and left the embroidered cap of the business man
with the left hand.
c) How did the whole amusing episode end?
Although the whole thing had started on a funny and entertaining note, it had ended on a bitter
tone as the ungrateful businessman had not paid the generous vendor justly for his kind help.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS with Answers

l Choose the correct option and complete the following sentences :  (1 Mark Each)
i. The narrator had started his journey from –
a) Lucknow ¨ b) Delhi ¨
c) Faizabad þ d) Agra ¨
ii. The destination of the author was
a) Faizabad ¨ b) delhi ¨
c) agra ¨ d) Lucknow þ
iii. The narrator had arrived __ hour ago than the train’s departure.
a) one ¨ b) two ¨
c) half þ d) one and a half ¨
iv. The monkeys came down from the tree to collect
a) money ¨ b) paper ¨
c) garments ¨ d) food þ
v. The season, in which the story had been composed, was –
a) summer þ b) monsoon ¨
c) autumn ¨ d) winter ¨

5
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

vi. The monkeys were

a) lazy ¨ b) sprightly þ
c) joyous ¨ d) angry ¨
vii. The quality of the monkeys that amused the author was, their -
a) genius ¨ b) intelligence ¨
c) planning ¨ d) all of the above þ
viii. The monkey dropped the loin cloth at
a) the water pump ¨ b) under the tree ¨
c) at the feet of the man þ d) in the lap of the author ¨
ix. “What have you done, monkey!” – the speaker was –
a) the porter ¨ b) the vendor ¨
c) the narrator ¨ d) the businessman þ
x. The man who offered to rescue the businessman’s cap was –
a) the porter ¨ b) the vendor þ
c) the author ¨ d) the pious man ¨
xi. The nature of the businessman can be described as
a) clever ¨ b) miserly þ
c) self-centred ¨ d) notorious ¨
xii. When the monkey had taken away the cap, the businessman looked
a) angry ¨ b) frustrated ¨
c) helpless þ d) curious ¨

l Answer the questions in one sentence:  (1 Mark Each)

i. What caused the amusement of public?
The misery of the businessman, which had been caused by the taking away of a cap by a
monkey, caused amusement of the public.
ii. What made the author think that the monkey was generous?
After requesting, the monkey had given back the cloth of the pious man, which made the
author think the monkey to be generous.
iii. Where is the story set in?
The story is set in the platform of Faizabad.
iv. What is the central factor of the story?
The central factor of the story should be the activities of the monkey as the other themes of the
story revolve, around them.
v. Who came to rescue the businessman from his plight?
A fruit seller or vendor came to rescue the businessman from his plight.
vi. “Go! Go! Crook!” whom is these words indicated to?
The businessman told these words indicating the porter, who had carried his luggage.

l Answer the questions briefly: (2 Marks Each)

i. Which activities of the monkeys show that they were hungry?
At the beginning of the story, we get to see that the monkeys were repetitively coming down
to eat remaining food and to suck the already eaten mango stones.they also snatched people’s
things as they were hungry.
ii. Describe the appearance of the businessman.
The businessman was wearing a white muslin dhoti, a delicate tunic and an embroidered cap
on his head. His appearance was like a gentleman.

6
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

iii. “The people on the platform were much amused by the plight of the businessman.” – What
caused the plight?
The businessman was wearing an embroidered cap on his head, which was snatched away by
a monkey. The man started sweating and feeling very helpless about the situation. This was
the reason of his plight.
iv. What message do we get from the story?
In the story, we get to see two distinct classes of our society. One is the businessman. On
the other hand were the vendor and the porter. There were the narrator and other fellow
passengers, whose classes were not mentioned. But we see that the one, who has much resource
to himself, is a miser and not just. In contrast, who does not have much material wealth, comes
forward to help open handed but is not paid justly. We can see this imbalance and difference
in the character and mentality of various people of our society.
v. Describe the nature of the businessman.
The businessman was a wealthy person and looked gentlemanly. But he was not kind or just.
He was a miser and folded his hands when the time of payment came. He did not value people
rightly. He lacked compassion also, that is why when the vendor got up on the running train
to get his payment, and then also he did not pay him being a stubborn. The usage of words
like, “go! Go! Crook.” or “Ja! Ja!” shows his degraded personality.
vi. How did the businessman react when the monkey took away his cap? How did the monkey
react back?
At first when the monkey took the businessman’s cap away, he felt helpless and started
shouting on it. His behaviour scared the monkey more and he went more interior upon the
tree.
vii.“Sethji, be just…” Who is the speaker? Why does he say so?
The speaker is the vendor, who had helped the businessman to get back his cap from the
notorious monkey.
The vendor had helped selflessly the businessman to get back his cap from the monkey. He
had given two bananas from his cart to the monkey. But later on the businessman refused to
pay the man for the bananas. So he says the quoted words.
viii. How did the author do justice to the ‘bitter’ ending of the story?
The author was a spectator who described exactly what the characters were doing and that
drew out the charter sketch of them. The businessman was a miser and an ungrateful man.
The story which had started on a happy note had ended in a sad tone because of the unjust
behaviour of the businessman. Everyone in the train sympathised with the vendor though. The
author, at last drew a cartoon of the businessman made fun of him, which embarrassed him
greatly. This was a justice to a man of such degraded character.

Exercise 4
Grammar in Use
l Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles and prepositions:
a) _______ sun rises in the east.
b) The dog jumped _______ the log.
c) I love to watch ________ one-day match.
d) ________ a pen, Tiya also has an eraser.
[ a) the , b) on, c) the , d) besides ]

Exercise 5
Change the voice of the following sentences :
a) Mr. Khan is known to me.
I know Mr. Khan.
b) Trina had composed a poem.
A poem had been composed by Trina.

7
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

c) I will always remember you.

You will always be remembered by me.
d) They have made him the President of the club.
He has been made the President of the club by them.

Exercise 6
l Fill in the blanks with appropriate form of the given verbs in brackets:
a) They _____ ______ their puja vacation in the hills. (spend)
b) We ____ ___ in this city for over ten years. (live)
c) I ______ just ______ reading the book. (finish)
d) The project ____ ______ ________ by June next year. (complete)
[a) will spend, b) have been living, c) have finished, d) will have been completed ]

Exercise 7
l Change the mode of narration in the following sentences :
1. Rahul said, “Alas! Brazil has lost the match.”
Rahul exclaimed in grief that Brazil had lost the match.
2. “Let us go for a walk,” said Shabnam to Chandni.
Shabnam proposed Chandni to go for a walk.
3. “Good morning, madam,” said the students to the teacher.
Addressing her as madam, the students greeted good morning to the teacher.
4. My father said to me, “Do not pluck flowers.”
My father instructed me not to pluck flowers.

Textual Grammar
l Fill in the blank with appropriate article and preposition :
i. I was ____ my way ___ Faizabad railway station ___ Lucknow. I had arrived __ ___ station
half ___ hour __ advance ___ the train’s departure. I sat ___ a bench watching the monkeys
frolicking ___ the trees and ___ the open platform.
on, from, to, at, the, an, in, of, on, on, on
ii. Just then ___ train was announced ___ the ringing __ ___ station bell. I concentrated ___
securing a seat ___ myself __ the train. I got ___ window seat overlooking the platform.
the, by , of, the, on, for, in, a
iii. A great deal __ general amusement was caused ___ this incident. __ bather then requested __
monkey ___ return his loin cloth. The monkey was generous and threw it ___ ___ the neem
tree ___ the man’s feet.
of, by, the, the, to, down, from, at
iv. While all this was going ___, I noticed a gentleman come up ___ our compartment. He looked
like __ businessman. He was dressed ___ a white muslin dhoti, __ delicate tunic and ___
embroidered cap __ his head.
on, to, a, in, a, an, on
v. The people __ __ platform were much amused ___ the plight ___ the businessman. He looked
___ a piteous and hopeless expression ___ his face. Meanwhile, ___ fruit hawker had come
forward, pushing his little cart.
on, the, by, of, with, on, a

l Do as directed :
i. I had arrived at the station half an hour in advance of the time for the train’s departure.
(Turn into a complex sentence)
I had arrived at the station half an hour ago when the train would have been departing.

8
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

ii. I sat on a bench watching monkeys frolicking on the trees. (Turn into a compound sentence)
Monkeys were frolicking on the trees and I sat on a bench watching them.
iii. The younger monkeys sat on the boughs of neem and tamarind trees, ready to jump after any
food that may be visible. (Separate into simple sentences)
i) The younger monkeys sat on the boughs of neem trees.
ii) They were sitting on the tamarind trees also.
iii) Foods were visible.
iv) They were ready to jump on the foods.
iv. Just then the train was announced by the ringing of the station bell.
(Turn into a complex sentence)
The train was announced just after the station bell rang.
v. I got a window seat overlooking the platform. (Use the verb form of ‘overlooking’)
I got a window seat, which overlooked the platform.
vi. I was struck by the genius of a monkey. (Change the voice)
The genius of a monkey struck me.
vii. We were all sweating from the rising heat of the summer. (Change into a negative sentence)
We were all sweating for nothing but the rising heat of the summer.
viii. Several passengers were busy filing up their small earthen pitchers from a water pump.
(Use the noun for of “busy”)
There was busyness in several passengers for filling up their small earthen pitchers from a
water pump.
ix. A great deal of general amusement was caused by this incident. (Change the voice)
This incident caused a great deal of general amusement.
x. The bather then requested the monkey to return his loin cloth. (Change the speech)
The bather said to the monkey, “Please return my loin cloth.”
xi. The monkey was generous and threw it down from the neem tree at the man’s feet.
(Turn into a simple sentence)
Being generous the monkey threw it down from the neem tree at the man’s feet.
xii. He looked like a businessman. (Turn into an interrogative sentence)
Did he look like a businessman?
xiii. The man was shouting at the porter to hurry up with the luggage.
(Turn into a compound sentence)
The man was shouting at the porter so that he could hury up with the luggage.
xiv. The people on the platform were much amused by the plight of the businessman.
(Change the voice)
The plight of the businessman amused the people on the platform.

WRITING Skills
Exercise 8
l Write a story in about 100 words using the given hints. Give a suitable title to the story :
Hints : two cats find a piece of bread – fight over it – monkey arrives – decides to settle the
dispute – monkey breaks the bread into two – uneven size – eats a portion from the larger
share – dispute continues – monkey eats both pieces of bread.

Two Cats and a Cunning Monkey

Once there lived three friends in a village. Two of them were cats, namely – Chumli and Bhola
and the other one was a monkey, named LuLu. Lulu was very smart among them. One day
two cats were fighting over a piece of bread. Chumli said, “I want to have a piece of bread.”
Bhola said, “I also want to have one. But I will not have a lesser portion than you.” Chumli was
confused about how to part the bread in equal pieces. Suddenly there came their friend, LuLu,
the monkey. He suggested an idea. He told, “Give me the bread and don’t fight like silly cats.

9
Class-10
class iX| Bengali
English| Chapter Name
The Price of Bananas

I will half it into two equal parts.” But when he tried to execute the plan, he made a mistake.
One part of loaf was bigger than the other. He ate a little bit from the bigger part and tried to
make two parts same. The cats continued their fight. Seeing that, the monkey ate the whole
bread pretending to divide them equally and the cats remained gaped at him.

Exercise 9
l Using the following points write a paragraph in about 100 words on how your locality looks
like at dawn :
Your place of stay – early morning sky – description of the nature around – sounds that are
heard – reasons for enjoyment – conclusion

At Dawn
I live in Kolkata, which falls under a tropical zone. The place is generally hot and humid. But at
dawn the weather is very soothing and pleasing. The whole city remains calm and peaceful. At
this time with the mild wind, comes the soft chirping sound of birds. Smell of freshly brewed
tea fills up the air. When, we practice yoga or go for a morning walk, it feels very refreshing.
So, I enjoy the most at this time. After experiencing dawn, I have become an early riser.

IMPORTANCE OF THE CHAPTER
The chapter teaches us about people of various kinds, who exist in our society all together. We
learn about virtues. The character of the businessman shows us, what kind of a man we should
not become and the vendor, with whom we sympathise, should be treated justly.

10