Free PDF Practice Worksheets for CBSE Class 6 English Chapter 9: What Happened To The Reptiles
FAQs on Prepare for Exams with CBSE Class 6 English Worksheets on What Happened To The Reptiles (2025-26)
1. From an exam perspective, what is the significance of Prem's decision to flee his village at the beginning of the story?
Prem's decision to flee his village is highly significant as it sets the entire context for the story. His village was consumed by communal violence, where people turned against their neighbours. Prem ran away not just to save his life, but also from the hatred and division. This experience makes him the ideal person to understand and later share the lesson from Pambupatti, which is a direct parallel to the problems in his own home.
2. What were the disastrous consequences in Pambupatti forest after Makara forced the tortoises and snakes to leave? This is a frequently asked 3-mark question.
After the tortoises and snakes were driven out, the forest faced a series of terrible problems that disrupted its balance:
- Foul Smell: Without the tortoises to eat them, rotting fruit and decaying animal carcasses piled up, filling the forest with a horrible stench.
- Plague of Rats: With the snakes gone, there were no predators to control the rat population. The rats multiplied rapidly, becoming a menace and even eating the crocodiles' eggs and hatchlings.
3. What character flaws in Makara led to the near destruction of Pambupatti?
Makara's primary character flaws were his arrogance, prejudice, and lust for power. He wrongly believed that crocodiles were superior to all other reptiles. He was intolerant of those he considered different, such as the 'slow' tortoises and 'slimy' snakes. His inability to see the value in diversity and his dictatorial decision to expel other creatures directly caused the ecosystem to collapse, showing that poor leadership and prejudice can lead to disaster for everyone.
4. What is the central moral that a student should take away from the story 'What Happened to the Reptiles' for a value-based question?
The central moral of the story is the importance of unity in diversity and co-existence. It teaches that every individual, no matter how different they seem, has a unique and vital role in society. The chaos in Pambupatti after some reptiles were removed shows that hatred and discrimination only lead to self-destruction. The most important lesson is that a community or a country can only be strong, peaceful, and prosperous when all its members live together with mutual respect.
5. How does the story of Pambupatti serve as an answer to the problems in Prem's own village?
The story of Pambupatti directly mirrors the problems in Prem's village. In his village, humans were fighting due to religious intolerance. In Pambupatti, reptiles suffered because of Makara's species-based intolerance. The story serves as a powerful allegory (a story with a hidden moral meaning). By understanding how the forest was ruined by forcing others out, Prem realised that his village was also destroying itself with hatred. The story provides the solution: to bring back peace and prosperity, the villagers must welcome back everyone and live together in harmony, just as the reptiles did.
6. For a short-answer question, how was peace finally restored in the Pambupatti forest?
Peace was restored in Pambupatti when the crocodiles, especially the younger ones, realised their grave mistake. They understood that Makara's ideas were wrong and that they needed the other reptiles for the forest to function. They sent messages to the tortoises, snakes, and lizards, apologising and asking them to return. When all the creatures came back and resumed their roles, the natural balance of the forest was restored, and it became a peaceful and thriving place again.
7. Why was it a mistake for the other crocodiles to blindly follow Makara's orders?
It was a grave mistake for the other crocodiles to blindly follow Makara because they gave up their own judgement out of fear and laziness. They were intimidated by Makara's size and power, and it was easier to agree with him than to question his wrong ideas. By not speaking up against his prejudice, they became complicit in the destruction of their own home. The story teaches that it is important to think for oneself and to have the courage to stand up for what is right, even against a powerful leader.
8. The old man tells Prem, “Each of us has a place in this strange, funny world.” How does the story of the reptiles prove this as an essential truth for any society?
The story of the reptiles provides perfect evidence for this statement. Each reptile group had a specific, essential function:
- The tortoises were the sanitation crew, cleaning up rotting matter.
- The snakes were the pest control, managing the rat population.
- The lizards ate the troublesome insects. When these groups were removed, the entire system collapsed, proving that even the creatures Makara looked down upon were indispensable. This is a vital lesson for human society, showing that every person, regardless of their background or role, has inherent value and contributes to the health and harmony of the whole community.
