Class 6 English Poorvi Unit 2 Friendship Solutions

NCERT's Class 6 English textbook Poorvi places three texts under Unit 2, "Friendship": the story "The Unlikely Best Friends", the poem "A Friend's Prayer" and the story "The Chair". This article gives a summary, a deep analysis and complete answers to every exercise of the unit, including "Let us ponder", based on the NCERT Poorvi Grade 6 textbook (reprint 2026-27). It follows the textbook order so that students can match each answer with its question.

Unit 2 Friendship: overview of the three texts

Unit 2 of Class 6 English Poorvi teaches that real friendship is built on care, support and acceptance, not on similarity or popularity. Each text approaches the idea differently: a story about an elephant and a dog, a poem written as a prayer, and a story about a boy who tests his classmates.

What is Unit 2 of Class 6 English Poorvi about?

Unit 2, titled Friendship, is about what makes a person a true friend. Through an elephant-and-dog story, a poem that works as a prayer and a school story about a magic chair, NCERT shows that care, loyalty and support matter more than numbers, looks or sameness.

Students who have finished the first unit can read the Class 6 English Poorvi Unit 1 solutions first, and all subject solutions for the class are listed on the Class 6 NCERT solutions page of Aapbiti. The original unit can be read on the NCERT website, and the contents and preface of the book are in the Poorvi textbook front pages.

1. The Unlikely Best Friends: summary and deep analysis

"The Unlikely Best Friends" is the story of Gajaraj, a lonely royal elephant, and Buntee, a stray dog, whose friendship survives separation and ends up creating a second friendship, between the mahout and the farmer.

Summary

Part I. Gajaraj lives in the best booth of the royal stables, and the king has ordered that he be well looked after. Still, he is sad because the mahout, his trainer, is the only one he ever interacts with, and the mahout is a caretaker but not a friend. One evening a tired and hungry dog strays into the stable. Gajaraj pushes some of his food towards the visitor, who eats, wags his tail in thanks and falls asleep. The next morning the mahout does not mind the dog, notices that the elephant likes the company and throws him some crumbs. The dog then goes with Gajaraj to the pond, where the elephant showers himself and playfully splashes the dog. On the way home the dog rides on the elephant's back. A passing farmer shouts "Buntee", hugs the dog, explains that his dog had disappeared from home, and takes him away with a rope.

Part II. The dog realises that he is being taken away from his friend, and both friends are in tears, though nobody notices. Gajaraj refuses his favourite food, and the mahout first suspects slight indigestion, then guesses that the elephant is missing the dog. At the farmer's house Buntee also refuses food. The farmer, remembering the happy look on the dog's face while he sat on the elephant's back, removes the rope and tells him to go to his friend. Buntee runs to the stable, and Gajaraj lifts him with his trunk and gives him a joyous swing. The mahout is relieved, the farmer arrives and watches the two friends eat, and the mahout hugs him and says that he has also found a friend.

Characters

Deep analysis

1. The title is the key. "Unlikely" means not expected. An elephant and a dog differ in size, in status (royal stables against the streets) and in species, yet the story shows that none of these differences decide who can be friends.
2. Friend and caretaker are different. The text states that the mahout was a good caretaker but not a friend. A caretaker provides food and a bath; a friend provides company, play and joy. This distinction is tested in the exercises.
3. Small kindness begins the friendship. Gajaraj's first act is to push some of his food towards a hungry stranger. Friendship starts with a generous act, not with a long acquaintance.
4. Shared play shows equality. The elephant splashes water on the dog, the dog yelps because he hates showers, and the mahout laughs. The playfulness shows that the two treat each other as equals despite their size.
5. The rope is the turning point. The rope represents ownership and separation, and the removal of the rope represents freedom and love. The farmer's decision shows that caring for someone sometimes means letting them go to the one they miss.
6. Refusing food shows the depth of feeling. Both animals stop eating, and the author uses this action instead of words to show the strength of their bond. The mahout and the farmer read this silent signal correctly, which shows that they too are observant and kind.
7. A second friendship forms. The mahout's closing remark that he has also found a friend shows that one friendship can create another. The story begins with one lonely elephant and ends with two pairs of friends.
8. Structure. The story is divided into Part I (friendship forms) and Part II (friendship is tested). The second part also contains the emotional high point, which is the reunion.

Theme: friendship across differences. Moral: true friendship does not depend on being alike, and real care sometimes means putting a friend's happiness first.

Word meanings from the margin

2. The Unlikely Best Friends: solutions

Every exercise of the story is answered below in the order of the textbook. Answers marked as sample are open-ended, and students should write their own version.

Let us do these activities before we read (p. 39)

I. Friends and feelings (sample). Friends are important because they give company, help in difficulty and make us happy. Sentences for the shapes: With my friend I play (given), With my friend I share my lunch, With my friend I talk and laugh. With my friend I feel happy (given), With my friend I feel safe, With my friend I feel confident.

II. 1. Meaning of 'unlikely'. 'Unlikely' means not expected or not likely to happen. "Unlikely best friends" therefore means friends whom nobody would expect to be close.

II. 2. Unlikely friends (sample). A cat and a parrot, a dog and a rabbit, a small child and an elderly neighbour, or a crow and a squirrel.

Let us discuss (p. 42)

1. Things Buntee and Gajaraj did together: played (given), shared food, took a bath in the pond, walked together to the pond, and travelled home with the dog on the elephant's back.
2. The farmer hugged Buntee because the dog had disappeared from his house and he had been looking for him ever since. He was glad to find him.
3. Prediction (sample): No. Buntee has found a true friend in Gajaraj and will miss him, so he is unlikely to be happy simply to leave with the farmer. (The second part of the story confirms that he does return to the elephant.)

Let us discuss (p. 45)

1. Gajaraj did not eat his food because he was missing his friend Buntee, who had been taken away by the farmer.
2. Gajaraj and Buntee were friends at the end of the story. The mahout and the farmer also became friends, as the mahout says that he has also found a friend.

Let us think and reflect (pp. 45-46)

I. 1.

• (i) mahout : kind : : Gajaraj : sad.
• (ii) The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave food to Gajaraj and a bath in the pond.
• (iii) A caretaker looks after the needs of a person or an animal, such as food, bath and safety, as a duty. A friend shares feelings, spends time, plays and cares out of love. The mahout looked after Gajaraj but did not play with him or share his feelings.

I. 2.

• (i) The farmer uses the word friend to refer to the elephant.
• (ii) The farmer knew that Buntee was hungry because the dog had not touched his food since he was brought home.
• (iii) The farmer removed the rope because he understood that Buntee was missing his friend and was unhappy. He could not bear to see the dog go hungry.
• (iv) Gajaraj : Buntee : : mahout : farmer.

II. Two examples of Gajaraj's happiness. (a) He pushed some of his food towards the dog and shared it. (b) He splashed water playfully on his friend, and later lifted the dog with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing.

III. The mahout understood that Gajaraj was sad when the elephant did not touch his favourite food for days even though nothing seemed wrong with his tummy. The mahout then guessed that the elephant was missing his friend, the dog.

IV. Buntee licked the farmer's hand to thank him for setting him free and letting him go to his friend, and to show his love and gratitude.

V. It was unlikely because an elephant and a dog are very different in size and kind, and because one lived in the royal stables while the other was a stray. Animals this different are not normally expected to become friends.

Let us learn (pp. 46-48)

1. We are opposites! (crossword)

2. Paragraph. My pencil was missing. I was very worried as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was asleep 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 delighted when I found the pencil there.

3. Past tense forms

Choose the correct verb forms. The farmer came back and noticed that Buntee was sad. He had tied Buntee with a rope the day before. He asked Buntee why he was sad. The farmer felt that Buntee was missing Gajaraj and set him free.

4. Neither-nor and either-or. This part explains the words and has no question. Remember: 'neither...nor' joins two negative choices (Neither Shikha nor Anuj likes to tell stories), and 'either...or' offers a choice between two things (Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting).

Let us listen (pp. 49-50)

1. Fill in the blanks (transcript on p. 71). 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.

2. Correct order

Let us speak (p. 50)

Common likes and dislikes (sample). I am Riya and I like drawing and cricket. My friend is Sara and she likes drawing and badminton. Both of us like drawing and chocolate.

Telling the class (sample). My friend and I like to play. Both of us want to win the school quiz. I like to read but my friend likes to dance. We are different as she is talkative and I am quiet.

Let us write (p. 51)

Six sentences about a friend (sample). My friend Sara and I are the same age and we study in the same class. We both like drawing, and still we are different in many ways. I like cricket, but she likes badminton. Neither of us likes to eat bitter gourd. I like to read stories, unlike my friend, who prefers music. Either we play together or we draw together, and we are always happy.

Let us explore (p. 51)

1. Jataka story (sample). In "The Monkey and the Crocodile", a monkey who lives on a rose-apple tree shares fruit with a crocodile. When the crocodile's wife wants the monkey's heart, the clever monkey says that he has left it on the tree and escapes. The tale teaches presence of mind and caution in friendship. Students may choose any other Jataka tale.
2. Elephants and humans (discussion points). Elephants have a place in festivals, temples, royal processions and history, and are linked to the god Ganesha. At present, loss of forests and elephant routes causes conflict, such as crop damage and danger to both people and elephants. Protecting habitats and elephant corridors is the way forward.
3. News report on Tarra and Bella. The task has no question. It gives a real example of an elephant and a dog who became friends, so it can be compared with Gajaraj and Buntee: in both, the friends refused to be separated and were happy on meeting again.

3. A Friend's Prayer: meaning and deep analysis

"A Friend's Prayer" by Jill Wolf is a short poem in which a speaker asks that her friendships stay the most important thing in her life and promises to be a caring, non-judging friend.

Stanza-wise meaning

Deep analysis

1. The poem is a prayer. It begins with a request using the word "May", and a request for a blessing is the nature of a prayer. The speaker asks for strength to be a good friend, not for personal gain.
2. From sharing to doing. In the third and fourth stanzas the speaker moves from listening to action. A good friend not only knows a friend's hopes but also tries to help fulfil them.
3. Seeing with the heart. The fifth stanza says that feelings, not eyes, help us understand friendship. This idea explains why true friends understand each other without being told.
4. Acceptance without judgement. The last stanza says that friends should not be judged from afar and should be loved as they are. Judging from a distance means forming an opinion without knowing a person closely.
5. Form. The poem has six pairs of lines, and each pair rhymes (be-me, share-care, do-true, see-be, afar-are, and blessed-best as a near rhyme). The regular rhyme gives a calm, prayer-like rhythm.
6. Tone. The tone is humble, warm and hopeful. The speaker uses the first person throughout, which makes the prayer personal.

Theme: loyalty and acceptance in friendship. Message: a good friend cares, helps and loves without judging.

4. A Friend's Prayer: solutions

Let us do these activities before we read (p. 52)

I. Sentence 3, "May my friend get well soon", is closest to a prayer. A prayer is a request for someone's good, usually made to God, and the word 'May' marks such a request. Sentences 1 and 2 only express a wish or a hope.

II. Prayer for a friend (sample). May my friend always be healthy and happy, and may all her dreams come true.

Let us discuss (p. 53)

1. and 2. (sample). Students underline the lines they agree with. For example, the idea of loving friends the way they are can be underlined because everyone has strengths and weaknesses and good friends accept them.
2. The line chosen by most groups will differ; the line about loving friends as they are is usually the most popular. Share the one chosen by your group.

Let us think and reflect (pp. 54-55)

I. Summary. The poet says a prayer for friendship and friends. She wants that friendship should always be an important part of her complete life. She says that her friendship makes her feel special. She wishes to do the best she can for her friends. She wants to listen to the wishes of her friends. As a good friend, she prays that she is able to make her friends' wishes come true. She wants her heart to understand what a true friend is. She loves her friends as they are. She tells us that true friends accept their friends for all their qualities.

II. One word. 1. Blessed. 2. Heart.

III. 1.

• (i) These lines tell us that the speaker is B. caring.
• (ii) She will make her friends' wishes come true by trying hard.
• (iii) My friends will feel happy if their wishes come true.

III. 2.

• (i) The line that tells us that feelings are important is the one that begins "Let me use my heart to see".
• (ii) These lines tell us that the speaker is B. thoughtful.
• (iii) The speaker does not wish to make any judgements. She cares for them just as they are.

IV. One reason: the poem begins with a wish for a blessing, "May my friendships...", and a request for a good thing is what a prayer does.

V. The speaker wants to do more for her friend because she cares deeply. Sharing hopes is not enough for her, as she wants to help the friend's wishes come true.

VI. Yes. The speaker mentions the hopes and plans of friends who care, so friends share their hopes with her and she knows them.

VII (sample). Yes, I pray that my friend stays healthy, does well in her exams and is always happy.

Let us learn (pp. 55-56)

I. The words similar to 'blessed' are grateful and thankful.

II. Qualities of a good friend. loyal, helpful, kind, caring, honest.

Fill in the blanks:

1. My friend is always loyal to me even when I make a mistake.
2. My friend shares things with me. She is very kind.
3. My friend is helpful because he always supports me.
4. My friend never lies. She is an honest person.
5. My friend and I believe in caring for each other.

III. Three friends (sample). Aman is kind because he shares his lunch. He is helpful as he explains maths to me. He is cheerful and makes me laugh. Neha is honest and always tells the truth. She is loyal because she keeps my secrets. She is caring, and she visits me when I am ill. Kabir is a good team-worker. He listens to everyone. He is polite to all.

Let us listen (pp. 56-57)

I. The two friends purchase and use a comic book on the park bench.

II. Pictures to circle (transcript on p. 72). Circle 1 (reading on the park bench), 3 (eating ice-cream), 4 (walking in the park) and 6 (both friends cycling). Do not circle 2, because only one boy is cycling there, and do not circle 5, because the friends are sitting on a mat and not on a bench.

Let us speak (pp. 57-58)

1. Situations (sample).

A walk in the park. Ria: Hello, Sana! Would you like to come to the park with me? Sana: Yes, I would love to. Ria: Let us walk and then sit under the tree. Sana: Great idea! I like spending time with you.

Sharing tiffins at school. Ria: Hi, Sana! I have brought aloo paratha today. What have you brought? Sana: I have brought idli. Would you like to share? Ria: Yes, please, I would love to. Thank you for sharing. Sana: It feels so nice to eat together.

2. A new situation (sample). Students may act out helping a friend who has forgotten her pencil box, or congratulating a friend who won a prize.

Let us write (p. 58)

When? Where? How? (sample). When: on the first day of Class 3. Where: in the school playground. How: he shared his ball with me.

Paragraph, with a title (sample)

How I Met My Best Friend. I met my best friend Aarav on the first day of Class 3. I was sitting alone in the school playground because I was new there. He walked up to me with a ball and asked, "Will you play with me?" I said yes with a big smile. We played until the bell rang. Since then, we share our tiffins and help each other with homework. He is kind and honest, and I feel lucky to have him.

Let us explore (p. 58)

I. 1. Meaning of the quotations. "A friend in need is a friend indeed" means that the person who helps us when we are in trouble is a true friend. "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me" means that a best friend inspires us to become better persons.

I. 2. Experience (sample). When I could not finish my project in time, my friend stayed back and helped me. This suits the first quotation.

II. Quotation poster (sample). "A true friend is one soul in two bodies." Write it on paper, colour it and put it on the class board. Students may also write a quotation in their own language.

5. The Chair: summary and deep analysis

"The Chair" is a school story in which a boy called Mario carries an invisible "magic chair" to school and discovers which of his classmates are real friends.

Summary

Part I. Mario loves to have many friends and keeps showing off about how friendly he is with everyone. His grandfather bets a fruit chaat that many of them are only companions or partners. Mario accepts the bet but does not know how to test them. The grandfather goes to the attic and returns as if carrying something, though nothing can be seen. He calls it a very special invisible chair that is tricky to sit on, and explains that if Mario manages to sit on it at school, the magic will show him who his real friends are.

Part II. Mario takes the chair to school, asks everyone to form a circle at break time and tries to sit on it. He misses and falls, and his classmates laugh. He says there is "a slight technical problem" and tries again, but falls again. He keeps trying and finally does not fall, because Guneet, Asma and Deepa are holding him up, while many others enjoy each fall. Mario explains to his three friends how his grandfather thought of a clever way to show that true friends care for us and do not take joy in our bad luck. That evening the four go to see Mario's grandfather, as Mario has won the bet, and they enjoy stories and fruit chaat. From then on they use the magic chair test on many occasions, and whoever passes becomes a friend for life.

Characters

Deep analysis

1. The chair is a test, not magic. There is no real magic. The "magic" is the fact that the chair makes people reveal themselves, since some help and others laugh. Like the elder in the Unit 1 stories (see the Unit 1 solutions), the grandfather teaches through a clever plan and not through a lecture.
2. The chair works as a symbol. In the story, the three friends hold Mario up with their own hands, so the physical support stands for emotional support. Real friends are those who hold us when we fall.
3. Mario changes. At the start Mario boasts about how many friends he has, and at the end he values a few real friends. The story moves him from quantity to quality.
4. Humour softens the lesson. The "technical problem" line and the picture of a boy hanging in mid-air make the story funny, so the serious lesson is easy to accept.
5. Perseverance. Mario does not give up even after being laughed at, which the exercises describe as being strong-willed.
6. Companions and friends are different. The grandfather uses the words "companions or partners" for those who are around you only when it suits them. A friend is one who cares about us. This links with the story of Gajaraj, where a caretaker is also separated from a friend.
7. Sharing the result. Mario tells his friends about the test and does not keep it a secret, and it becomes a practice for the group. Honest explanation builds trust.

Theme: real and false friends. Moral: true friends care for us and help in difficulty, and they do not take joy in our bad luck.

Word meanings from the margin

6. The Chair: solutions

Let us do these activities before we read (p. 59)

I. Words about friendship (sample). Trust and fun.

I. 1. Word search. The eight words are laughter, helpful (given), hope, trust, support, caring, loyal and loving.

I. 2. Words for 'friend'

I. 3. In Hindi, a friend is called dost, mitra, saathi or yaar. Students should write the word from their own language.

Let us discuss (p. 61)

1. True. Mario was very proud of having so many friends.
2. The grandfather brought out an invisible chair from the attic. He pretended to carry it, but nothing could be seen.
3. Yes (sample). Mario will find it hard to sit on an invisible chair, may fall and may be laughed at.
4. (Prediction). Yes, Mario will use the magic if he keeps trying, since the chair needs patience.

Let us discuss (p. 64)

1. False. Mario missed the seat and fell on his first attempt.
2. Mario's grandfather challenged him to a bet of a fruit chaat.
3. Guneet, Asma and Deepa: (i) held Mario up, so he wouldn't fall. The other classmates made fun of Mario's attempts.

Let us think and reflect (pp. 64-65)

I. 1.

• (i) The chair is invisible and special. (The word tricky also describes it.)
• (ii) It was tricky to sit on because the chair was invisible, so Mario could not see where to sit.
• (iii) The grandfather calls the chair special because it was meant to show Mario who his real friends are.

I. 2.

• (i) Mario says there was a technical problem because he missed the seat (he could not see the chair).
• (ii) Mario's friends were very caring and helpful: False. Most classmates laughed. Only Guneet, Asma and Deepa helped.
• (iii) Mario wouldn't give up. This shows he is A. strong-willed.

II. Answer the following questions

1. The bet was about whether Mario had as many real friends as he thought. The grandfather bet a fruit chaat that many of them were only companions or partners.
2. When Mario sat on the chair for the first time, he missed it, as he could not see it, and fell on the ground. His classmates laughed.
3. Mario found his real friends by taking the invisible chair to school and trying to sit on it. Those who laughed at his falls were not true friends, while Guneet, Asma and Deepa held him up, so they were real friends.
4. Yes, the test was good because it found friends without any argument or harm. It showed who helped him in difficulty and who enjoyed his bad luck.
5. 'Friends for life' means friends who stay with us in good and bad times for our whole life, and who trust and support us.
6. (sample). Another way is to share a problem, such as needing help with a task, and see who helps. It is also useful to see who stays with us when we fail and who is happy when we succeed.

Let us learn (pp. 65-67)

I. Root words and suffixes

II. Root words and suffixes. The suffix column of the textbook gives -ing, -al, -ful, -ly, -ed, -tion, -ous and -ship. One suffix may be used more than once. The printed first row gives magic + -al = magical, so -al is the suffix to use. The answers below are one correct set (sentences are samples).

Note the spelling changes: celebrate loses its final 'e' (celebration), while courage keeps its 'e' (courageous). Other correct combinations are friend + -ly = friendly and wonder + -ful = wonderful.

III. Describing Mario (adjectives). Mario is brave, determined, friendly and cheerful. (He is also proud at the start, and strong-willed.)

IV. Adjectives and nouns

V. Paragraph. Once upon a time in a little village, a happy boy named Abhishek found an old book in the attic. He read amazing stories about fairy lands, old castles and colourful creatures. Abhishek's eyes got big as he imagined these fantastic adventures. He told his friends about the stories, and they started to have their own magical adventures when they played together.

Let us listen (p. 68)

Fill in the blanks (transcript on p. 73). 1. Manu found it difficult when she took admission in the school. 2. Manu met Monika and was helped by her in many ways. 3. So, it was not so difficult for the new girl to adjust in the school. 4. Both friends experienced difficult and happy moments together. 5. Manu is thankful to Monika for making her life easy and finding a friend.

Let us speak (p. 68)

Qualities of a friend (sample, four qualities).

• I feel my friend should be honest because I can trust what she says.
• I think the quality I want in my friend is being caring. The reason for this is that she will understand me when I am sad.
• I believe my friend should be respectful. This is in order to avoid hurting others.
• If my friend is loyal, then she will stay with me in difficult times.

Let us write (p. 69)

1. Mario's message to Guneet. Dear Guneet, I am thankful to God to have you as a real friend for life. When everyone was laughing at me, Deepa, Asma and you showed me that you care for me. You are indeed a blessing in my life. Best wishes, Mario

2. Your own message (sample). Dear Sara, I feel lucky that you are my best friend. You always listen to me, help me with my work and never laugh at my mistakes. Like Mario's friends, you stand by me. Thank you for being so caring. Best wishes, Riya

Let us explore (p. 70)

1. Stories on friendship (sample). Students may read and share a story such as the Panchatantra tale "The Four Friends" (the deer, the crow, the mouse and the tortoise), or any story from their state or another country.
2. Acrostic poem on FRIENDS (sample). Faithful, Reliable, Inspiring, Encouraging, Never judging, Dependable, Supportive.
3. Survey (sample responses). 50+: friendship means having someone to share life's ups and downs. 31 to 49: friends are people who stand by you in hard times. 20 to 30: friends are those with whom we can be ourselves. 12 to 19: friends are people to have fun with and trust.

Discussion points (sample): all age groups value trust and support, but younger students stress fun and play, while older people stress long-term loyalty. Viewpoints change with age because experience shows who stays in difficult times.

7. Let us ponder: Save Water

The "Let us ponder" task asks students to look at pictures of rivers, ponds, a leaking tap and a dry bed, and to discuss three points before making a poster with a slogan.

Discussion points (sample).

• Sources of water: rivers, lakes, ponds, wells, rain, groundwater and glaciers.
• Without water there cannot be any life: people, animals and plants all need water to live, and it is used for drinking, farming, cooking and cleaning.
• Value of water and the need to save it: only a small part of the earth's water is fresh and usable, and wasting it harms everyone. We can close taps when not in use, fix leaks, reuse water and harvest rain.

Poster slogans (sample). "Every drop counts, save it today." "Save water today, secure tomorrow." "Do not let the tap run, save water for everyone."

8. Comparing the three texts and preparing for exams

All three texts of Unit 2 show friendship as an action: sharing food, praying for someone's good, and holding someone up when he falls. This pattern gives a ready answer for most comparison questions.

Likely exam questions with model answers

1. Why was Gajaraj sad in spite of royal comforts? He had no friends. The mahout looked after him but was not a friend.
2. How did the farmer show kindness? He removed the rope and allowed Buntee to go to Gajaraj because he saw that the dog was missing his friend.
3. Why is "A Friend's Prayer" called a prayer? The speaker asks for the blessing of being a good friend, using the word "May", and does not ask for anything for herself.
4. What does the speaker mean by "love my friends the way they are"? She will accept her friends with all their qualities and will not judge them.
5. How did the magic chair help Mario? It showed him that Guneet, Asma and Deepa were real friends because they held him up, while others laughed.
6. Write a character sketch of Mario. Mario is friendly and proud at first, but brave, determined and cheerful. He does not give up after falling, and he learns the value of real friends.
7. Short notes: a suffix is a group of letters added at the end of a root word (care + ful). An adjective describes a person or thing (brave soldier). 'Neither...nor' joins two negative choices, and 'either...or' offers a choice.

Study tips

1. Read each text once for the story or poem and once for the analysis.
2. Learn the word meanings and use each word in a sentence of your own.
3. Write the open-ended answers (Let us speak, Let us write) in your own words, as the samples only show the format.
4. Practise the grammar exercises (tenses, suffixes, adjectives) again without looking at the answers.
5. For more English chapter notes, see The Fun They Had Class 9 English summary and question answers.

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote "The Unlikely Best Friends"?

The textbook credits the story to Subba Rao, with kathakids.com as the source. The textbook also states that the story of the elephant and the dog is found in the Jataka tales.

Who wrote the poem "A Friend's Prayer"?

The poem "A Friend's Prayer" is by Jill Wolf, as credited in the NCERT Class 6 Poorvi textbook.

What is the moral of "The Chair"?

The story teaches that real friends are those who care for us and help us when we fall, and not those who take joy in our bad luck.