NCERT Solutions for Class 8th English Chapter 1 The Wit that Won Hearts (prose) — Let us listen
Book page 12–13 Updated on2026-09-08
Q1.
I. You will listen to a woman narrating a story. As you listen, fill in the blanks in the following sentences by selecting the correct options.
1. The rope tying the bundle of sticks was _____.
(i) loose (ii) thick (iii) short
Answer
(ii) thick
The transcript says: “Rama smiled and removed the silk cloth. There was a huge bundle of sticks tied with a thick rope!”
Tip for listening tasks: The answer word usually sits immediately beside the noun you are listening for. Hold the phrase “the rope” in your mind and catch the adjective that arrives next to it — loose and short are never said at all.
Q2.
2. The scholar is finally referred to as ________.
(i) irritable (ii) mischievous (iii) arrogant
Answer
(iii) arrogant
The last line of the transcript is: “In this way, Rama had taught the arrogant scholar a lesson.” The word finally in the question is the clue — the answer is at the very end.
The story supports it too: The visitor came “proud of his abilities” to challenge a whole court, and he had “read thousands of works”. Arrogance, not mischief or irritability, is what the trick punishes.
Q3.
II. You will once again listen to the story. As you listen, number the events of the story in the correct order of occurrence.
1. The great scholar was ashamed because he did not know what to say.
2. Rama accepted the challenge thrown by the visitor.
3. Rama had a bundle tied in silk when he came to the palace.
4. The king laughed at the explanation given by Rama.
5. The visitor wanted to show his superiority over others in the palace.
6. Rama showed the work to be a bundle of sticks tied together by a rope.
7. The king wanted to know more about the work mentioned by Rama.
8. The court scholars were afraid of the king’s anger.
Answer
Statement as printed
Correct number
Line in the transcript
1. The great scholar was ashamed because he did not know what to say.
5
“He had no idea what to say… Ashamed, he quietly left the palace.”
2. Rama accepted the challenge thrown by the visitor.
3
“Rama told them that he would accept the challenge.”
3. Rama had a bundle tied in silk when he came to the palace.
4
“The next day, Rama arrived at the palace… There was a bundle wrapped in silk kept near Rama.”
4. The king laughed at the explanation given by Rama.
8
“The king burst out laughing.”
5. The visitor wanted to show his superiority over others in the palace.
1
“He wanted to challenge the scholars in the court of King Krishnadeva Raya.”
6. Rama showed the work to be a bundle of sticks tied together by a rope.
7
“Rama smiled and removed the silk cloth. There was a huge bundle of sticks tied with a thick rope!”
7. The king wanted to know more about the work mentioned by Rama.
6
“Now, the king was curious to know about the great work Rama had mentioned.”
8. The court scholars were afraid of the king’s anger.
2
“They were also afraid that the king would be angry if they refused to face the scholar.”
The story in order: visitor arrives to prove his superiority (5) → court scholars are afraid of the king’s anger (8) → Rama accepts the challenge (2) → Rama comes with a silk-wrapped bundle (3) → the scholar is shamed into silence by “tila-kashta-mahisha-bandhana” (1) → the curious king asks about the work (7) → Rama unwraps a bundle of sticks tied with a rope (6) → the king bursts out laughing (4).
Where the joke lies:tila = sesame, kashta = stick, so tilakashta = sticks of sesame plants; mahisha = buffalo, bandhana = the rope used for tying. A grand Sanskrit-sounding title turns out to describe a bundle of firewood. The visiting scholar was defeated not by learning but by his own unwillingness to admit he did not know something.