Textbook Exercise with Solutions: A Hero | Class 7 English Oxford PDF Download

Reading 1

Q1: On the basis of your understanding of the story, tick the most suitable option.
a.
Ans: Swami least expected Father to react that way.

b.
Ans: help Swami become brave and courageous.

c. 
Ans: challenging

Q2: Answer the following questions.
a. 
Ans: Swami's father read him a story about a village boy who fought a tiger and climbed a tree to save himself, staying there for half a day until he was rescued.

b. 
Ans: Father found it disgraceful that Swami, who was in the second form, still slept beside his grandmother like a baby.

c. 
Ans: Swami found the idea of sleeping in his father's office frightful because he had always slept beside his granny and any change in this arrangement kept him trembling and awake all night. To avoid the situation, he tried to change the subject by talking about his cricket club.

d. 
Ans: As the night advanced, Swami thought that devils or ghosts would come to carry him away, similar to stories he had heard from his friends.

e. 
Ans: The noises that reached Swami's ears were the ticking of the clock, the rustle of trees, snoring sounds, and the humming of vague night insects.

f. 
Ans: Swami helped in preventing the burglary by biting the burglar's ankle when he was hiding under the bench, thinking the burglar was a devil. This caused the burglar to cry out in pain, attracting the attention of Swami's father, cook, and a servant.

Reading 2

Answer the following questions.

Q1.
Ans: Swami's father read a report about a boy who bravely fought a tiger. Swami argued that the boy must have been strong and grown-up, not at all a boy as a boy couldn't fight a tiger. But his father believed that courage was more important than strength or age. This is subjective and depends on personal perspective. Some might agree with Swami, as it seems unrealistic for a small child to fight a tiger. Others might agree with his father, who believes that courage can allow one to do anything regardless of physical strength or age.

Q2.
Ans: Swami's father believed that courage was everything and that strength and age were not important. He challenged Swami to prove his courage by sleeping alone in his office room. Swami disagreed with his father's idea because he felt that even with all the courage, he wouldn't be able to do anything if a tiger attacked him. He was afraid of sleeping alone and found his father's challenge frightful.

Q3.
Ans: Swami's mother and grandmother were more protective and caring towards Swami, allowing him to sleep where he felt comfortable, unlike his father who was more strict and wanted to instill courage in Swami by making him sleep alone. Opinions might vary, some might agree with Swami's mother and grandmother, believing that children should be allowed to feel safe and comfortable, while others might agree with his father, thinking that children should be taught to be brave and independent.

Q4.
Ans: Swami did deserve the applause he got as he managed to bite a notorious housebreaker, leading to his capture. Despite his fear, he acted bravely in a real-life dangerous situation, proving his courage in action. This goes to show that courage can show up in the most unexpected situations and often has little to do with physical strength or age.