NCERT Textbook - The Scholars Mother Tongue Notes | Study English for Class 4 - Class 4

 Page 1


New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
Page 2


New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
Page 3


New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
Reading is fun
Let’s talk
Let’s listen
1. Who came to Akbar’s court?
2. What did he claim to know?
3. How did he challenge everybody?
1. What is your mother tongue?
2. Tell the class a joke in your mother tongue.
3. Do you know any other language? Do you know a 
joke in English? Tell your friends.
1. Listen to your favourite advertisement
on the radio or T.V. Repeat it with stress on the 
words. Act, draw and write the advertisement.
Say aloud
Word building
ask bask mask task
scholar school scan skim
We say – . ( )
But . ( )
We pronounce it as  to rhyme with
1. Tick (? ) the words which end with the sound id. Say each 
word aloud 
accepted answered irritated failed
completed challenged cried surprised
find licked celebrated fried
1. Make a class dictionary with words from the story. Try to 
find suitable words for them in your mother tongue. Say 
these words aloud.
Then make sentences with those words in your class 
dictionary.
I my lesson
A pundit came to the court
  
   
learnt action word
learn-ed describing word
learn-id
created
waited
5
120
4
121
Page 4


New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
Reading is fun
Let’s talk
Let’s listen
1. Who came to Akbar’s court?
2. What did he claim to know?
3. How did he challenge everybody?
1. What is your mother tongue?
2. Tell the class a joke in your mother tongue.
3. Do you know any other language? Do you know a 
joke in English? Tell your friends.
1. Listen to your favourite advertisement
on the radio or T.V. Repeat it with stress on the 
words. Act, draw and write the advertisement.
Say aloud
Word building
ask bask mask task
scholar school scan skim
We say – . ( )
But . ( )
We pronounce it as  to rhyme with
1. Tick (? ) the words which end with the sound id. Say each 
word aloud 
accepted answered irritated failed
completed challenged cried surprised
find licked celebrated fried
1. Make a class dictionary with words from the story. Try to 
find suitable words for them in your mother tongue. Say 
these words aloud.
Then make sentences with those words in your class 
dictionary.
I my lesson
A pundit came to the court
  
   
learnt action word
learn-ed describing word
learn-id
created
waited
5
120
4
121
Reading is fun
Let’s talk
Let’s listen
1. Who came to Akbar’s court?
2. What did he claim to know?
3. How did he challenge everybody?
1. What is your mother tongue?
2. Tell the class a joke in your mother tongue.
3. Do you know any other language? Do you know a 
joke in English? Tell your friends.
1. Listen to your favourite advertisement
on the radio or T.V. Repeat it with stress on the 
words. Act, draw and write the advertisement.
Say aloud
Word building
ask bask mask task
scholar school scan skim
We say – . ( )
But . ( )
We pronounce it as  to rhyme with
1. Tick (? ) the words which end with the sound id. Say each 
word aloud 
accepted answered irritated failed
completed challenged cried surprised
find licked celebrated fried
1. Make a class dictionary with words from the story. Try to 
find suitable words for them in your mother tongue. Say 
these words aloud.
Then make sentences with those words in your class 
dictionary.
I my lesson
A pundit came to the court
  
   
learnt action word
learn-ed describing word
learn-id
created
waited
5
120
4
121
Page 5


New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
New words
mother tongue,
challenged,
tickled, irritated
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
The Scholar’s
Mother Tongue
A learned Pundit once visited the court of 
Akbar. He told the King and his courtiers 
that he had mastery over many different 
languages.
The Pundit could speak many 
languages fluently. He was so fluent that 
no one could find out what his mother 
tongue was. He challenged everybody at 
the court to name his mother tongue. 
When everyone failed, the challenge was 
taken up by Birbal.
That night, Birbal went quietly to the 
Pundit’s room when he was asleep. He 
whispered into the Pundit’s ear and 
tickled it with a feather. The Pundit, half 
awake, cried out suddenly and shouted 
out words in his mother tongue.
Birbal came to the court the next day 
and told everyone that the Pundit’s 
mother tongue was Telugu. The Pundit 
was surprised and accepted the truth.
King Akbar then asked Birbal, “How 
did you find the truth?”
Birbal answered, “In times of difficulty, 
a person speaks only in his mother 
tongue.” He also told the King how he had 
gone to the Pundit’s room at night to find 
out the truth.
– Adapted from 
Akbar and Birbal stories
Reading is fun
Let’s talk
Let’s listen
1. Who came to Akbar’s court?
2. What did he claim to know?
3. How did he challenge everybody?
1. What is your mother tongue?
2. Tell the class a joke in your mother tongue.
3. Do you know any other language? Do you know a 
joke in English? Tell your friends.
1. Listen to your favourite advertisement
on the radio or T.V. Repeat it with stress on the 
words. Act, draw and write the advertisement.
Say aloud
Word building
ask bask mask task
scholar school scan skim
We say – . ( )
But . ( )
We pronounce it as  to rhyme with
1. Tick (? ) the words which end with the sound id. Say each 
word aloud 
accepted answered irritated failed
completed challenged cried surprised
find licked celebrated fried
1. Make a class dictionary with words from the story. Try to 
find suitable words for them in your mother tongue. Say 
these words aloud.
Then make sentences with those words in your class 
dictionary.
I my lesson
A pundit came to the court
  
   
learnt action word
learn-ed describing word
learn-id
created
waited
5
120
4
121
Reading is fun
Let’s talk
Let’s listen
1. Who came to Akbar’s court?
2. What did he claim to know?
3. How did he challenge everybody?
1. What is your mother tongue?
2. Tell the class a joke in your mother tongue.
3. Do you know any other language? Do you know a 
joke in English? Tell your friends.
1. Listen to your favourite advertisement
on the radio or T.V. Repeat it with stress on the 
words. Act, draw and write the advertisement.
Say aloud
Word building
ask bask mask task
scholar school scan skim
We say – . ( )
But . ( )
We pronounce it as  to rhyme with
1. Tick (? ) the words which end with the sound id. Say each 
word aloud 
accepted answered irritated failed
completed challenged cried surprised
find licked celebrated fried
1. Make a class dictionary with words from the story. Try to 
find suitable words for them in your mother tongue. Say 
these words aloud.
Then make sentences with those words in your class 
dictionary.
I my lesson
A pundit came to the court
  
   
learnt action word
learn-ed describing word
learn-id
created
waited
5
120
4
121
Words in Sentences
English
Converse
Tickle
2. Write all the words that show you are happy.
 , 
__________ __________ __________
3. Tick (? ) the right answer.
(i) ‘I visited the court of Akbar’ means
(a) You always live there.
(b) You came there for a short time.
(c) You were born there.
(ii) To imitate someone means to
(a) copy someone
(b) tease someone
(c) make someone angry
For example :
Add more
Hurray Ha! Ha!
4. Look and fill in the columns. One has been done for you.
fluent _______________
angry _______________
5. Match the words in Column  with words in Column .
king children
teacher patients
doctor courtiers
bus driver clients
lawyer passengers
mother students
6. Play this game with a friend. Pick up what you want from 
any basket.
Add  or  before it.
Now say the sentences below, using these things –
quiet quietly
‘A’ ‘B’
A B
a an
sad _______________
fierce _______________
gentle _______________
rug
pillow
bed sheet
alarm clock
wall clock
wrist watch
apple
orange
banana
ice-cream
bow
arrow
ball
bat
doll
waistcoat
longcoat
raincoat
umbrella
5
122
4
123