NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 9 A Bicycle in Good Repair is available here. These solutions are prepared by our subject expert to help students in their exams and homework. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 9 A Bicycle in Good Repair questions and answers are very helpful for CBSE exam. Students of Class 7 can study the answers provided here to score well in their school exams.
Comprehension Check
Question 1: “I got up early, for me.” It implies that
(i) he was an early riser.
(ii) he was a late riser.
(iii) he got up late that morning.
Mark the correct answer.
Answer: (ii) he was a late riser.
Question 2: The bicycle “goes easily enough in the morning and a little stiffly after lunch.” The remark is.
(i) humorous.
(ii) inaccurate.
(iii) sarcastic.
(iv) enjoyable.
(v) meaningless.
Mark your choice(s).
Answer: (i) humorous, (iii) sarcastic and (iv) enjoyable.
Question 3: The friend shook the bicycle violently. Find two or three sentences in the text which express the author’s disapproval of it.
Answer: The sentences in the text which express the author’s disapproval of it are:
“Don’t do that; you’ll hurt it.”
It doesn’t if you don’t wobble it.”
“Don’t you trouble about it anymore;”
Question 4. “…if not, it would make a serious difference to the machine.” What does ‘it’ refer to?
Answer: “…if not, it would make a serious difference to the machine.”
It refers to the ball bearings of the bicycle.
Working with the Text
Answer the following questions.
Question 1: Did the front wheel really wobble? What is your opinion? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer: No, the front wheel did not wobble. The author said that it did not wobble. There was nothing in it worth calling a wobble. However, after the author’s friend was done with it, it definitely started to wobble.
Question 2: In what condition did the author find the bicycle when he returned from the tool shed?
Answer: When the author returned from the tool shed, he saw that his friend was sitting on the ground with the front wheel of the bicycle between his legs. He was playing with it twiddling it round between his fingers and the rest was lying on the gravel path beside him.
Question 3: “Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case.” Comment on or continue this sentence in the light of what actually happens.
Answer: “Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case but it is an impossible task to fix it back.” The author’s friend took out the gear-case easily, but he was having a nightmare in putting- it back to its place.
Question 4: What special treatment did the chain receive?
Answer: The lunatic man tightened the chain till it did not move and after that he loosened it until it was twice as loose as it was before.
Question 5: The friend has two qualities — he knows what he is doing and is absolutely sure it is good. Find the two phrases in the text which mean the same.
Answer: “Cheery confidence” and “inexplicable hopefulness” are the two phrases which respectively show that the author’s friend knew what he was doing and was absolutely sure that it was good.
Question 6: Describe ‘the fight’ between the man and the machine. Find the relevant sentences in the text and write them.
Answer: “The bicycle showed spirit, and the subsequent proceedings degenerated into little less than a rough and tumble fight between him and the machine. One moment the bicycle would be on the gravel path and him on the top of it, the next, the position would be reversed-he on the gravel path, the bicycle on him. Now he would be standing flushed with victory, the bicycle firmly fixed between his legs. But his triumphs would be short-lived. By a sudden quick movement, it would free itself and, turning upon him, hit him sharply over the head with one of its handles.”
Working with Language
Question 1: Read the following sentences.
- We should go for a long bicycle ride.
- I ought to have been firm.
- We mustn’t lose any of them.
- I suggested that he should hold the fork and that I should handle the wheel.
The words in italics are modal auxiliaries. Modal auxiliaries are used with verbs to express notions such as possibility, permission, willingness, obligation, necessity etc. ‘Should,’ ‘must’ and ‘ought to’ generally express moral obligation, necessity and desirability.
Look at the following.
- We should go on a holiday, (suggestion: It is a good idea for us to go on a holiday.)
- He is no too well these days. He must see a doctor before he becomes worse, (compulsion or necessity: It is absolutely essential or necessary for him to see a doctor.)
- You ought to listen to me. I am well over a decade older than you. (more emphatic than ‘should’: Since I am older than you, it is advisable that you listen to me.)
Note: ‘Should’ and ‘ought to’ are often used interchangeably.
Rewrite each of the following sentences using should / ought to / must in place of the italicised words. Make other changes wherever necessary.
(i) You are obliged to do your duty irrespective of consequences.
_______________________________
_______________________________
(ii) You will do well to study at least for an hour every day.
_________________________________
__________________________________
(iii) The doctor says it is necessary for her to sleep eight hours every night.
___________________________________
____________________________________
(iv) It is right that you show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
______________________________________
______________________________________
(v) If you want to stay healthy, exercise regularly.
_____________________________________
_______________________________________
(vi) It is good for you to take a walk every morning.
________________________________________
________________________________________
(vii) It is strongly advised that you don’t stand on your head.
________________________________________
________________________________________
(viii) As he has a cold, it is better for him to go to bed.
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Answers: (i) You must do your duty irrespective of consequences.
(ii) You should study at least for an hour every day.
(iii) The doctor says it is a must for her to sleep eight hours every night.
(iv) You ought to show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
(v) If you want to stay healthy, you must exercise regularly.
(vi) You should to take a walk every morning.
(vii) It is a must not stand on your head.
(viii) As he has a cold, he should go to bed.
Question 2: Use should/must/ought to appropriately in the following sentences.
(i) People who live in glass houses ________ not throw stones.
(ii) You ________ wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.
(iii) You ________ do what the teacher tells you.
(iv) The pupils were told that they ________ write more neatly.
(v) Sign in front of a park: You ________ not walk on the grass.
(vi) You ________ be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.
(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He ________ be here any minute.
(viii) “Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?”
“How ________ I know? I have just arrived.
Answer: (i) People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
(ii) You must wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.
(iii) You must do what the teacher tells you.
(iv) The pupils were told that they should write more neatly.
(v) Sign in front of a park: You must not walk on the grass.
(vi) You ought to be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.
(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He should be here any minute.
(viii) “Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?”
“How should I know? I have just arrived.
Question 3: Two or more single sentences can be combined to form a single sentence.
Read the following.
I made an effort and was pleased with myself. This sentence is in fact a combination of two sentences.
- I made an effort.
- I was pleased with myself.
- Now read this sentence.
- I did not see why he should shake it.
- This is also a combination of two sentences.
- I did not see (it).
- Why should he shake it?
Divide each of the following sentences into its parts. Write meaningful parts. If necessary, supply a word or two to make each part meaningful.
(i) I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. (3 parts)
(ii) When I came back he was sitting on the ground. (2 parts)
(iii) We may as well see what’s the matter with it, now it is out. (3 parts)
(iv) He said he hoped we had got them all. (3 parts)
(v) I had to confess he was right. (2 parts)
Answer:
(i) I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. (3 parts)
I went to the tool shed.
I went (there) to see.
What I could find.
(ii) When I came back he was sitting on the ground. (2 parts)
I came back.
He was sitting on the ground.
(iii) We may as well see what’s the matter with it, now it is out. (3 parts)
We may as well see.
What is the matter with it.
Now it is out.
(iv) He said he hoped we had got them all. (3 parts)
He said.
He hoped.
We had got them all.
(v) I had to confess he was right. (2 parts)
I had to confess.
He was right.
Question 4: ‘en’ acts as a prefix (put at the beginning) or as a suffix (put at the end) to form new words.
en + courage = encourage
weak + en = weaken
‘en’ at the beginning or at the end of a word is not always a prefix or a suffix. It is then an integral part of the word.
ending
barren
(i) Now arrange the words given in the box under the three headings — prefix, suffix and part of the word.
| encourage | dampen | listen |
| barren | endanger | soften |
| fasten | enclose | weaken |
| even | enable | enclave |
| en (prefix) | en (suffix) | en (part of word) |
| _________ | __________ | _____________ |
| _________ | __________ | _____________ |
| _________ | __________ | _____________ |
| _________ | __________ | _____________ |
Answer: (i)
| en (prefix) | en (suffix) | en (part of word) |
| encourage | fasten | barren |
| endanger | dampen | even |
| enclose | soften | listen |
| enable | weaken | enclave |
(ii) Find new words in your textbook and put them under the same headings.
Answer: evening garden enough when between dozen tighten loosen end ten open forgotten sudden
en (prefix): endangered, enact, entrap.
en (suffix): tighten, loosed, forgotten.
en (part of word): evening, garden, enough, when, dozen, end, ten, open, sudden.