Textbook Exercise with Solutions: My Early Home | Oxford English for Class 4 PDF Download

Comprehension

Q1. Answer these questions. 

a.

Ans: The horses lived in a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water.

b.

Ans: Before Black Beauty could eat grass, he lived on his mother's milk.

c.

Ans: Once Black Beauty was old enough to eat grass, his mother would go out to work in the daytime and return in the evening.

d.

Ans: Black Beauty's mother advised him to grow up gentle and good, never learn bad ways, do his work willingly, lift his feet up well when he trots, and never bite or kick, even in play.

e.

Ans: The master is a farmer. He has a ploughboy, and Old Daniel looks after the horses. The master also takes Black Beauty's mother to town on market day.

f.

Ans: Black Beauty's father has a great name, his grandfather won the cup two years in a row at the New market races, and his grandmother had the sweetest temper.

g.

Ans: The master called Black Beauty "Darkie" because he was a dull black.

h.

Ans: Black Beauty's mother's name was Duchess, but the master often called her Pet.

i. 

Ans: Old Daniel is the man who looked after the horses.

These questions are more difficult. Discuss them first. (HOTS)

j.

Ans: The boy, Dick, threw stones and sticks at the colts to make them gallop for his own amusement. He called this "fun."

k.

Ans: The boy was a ploughboy named Dick. When the master caught him throwing stones at the colts, he fired him.

l.

Ans: Several parts of the story suggest Black Beauty's happiness:

1. He describes the meadow as "large [and] pleasant."
2. He "ran by [his mother's] side" and "lay down close by her" at night.
3. He had fun running and galloping with the other colts.
4. They had a warm shed for cold weather.
5. The master provided "good food, good lodging, and kind words" and was as kind to them as to his own children.
6. His mother loved the master very much.

Q2.

a.

Ans: Black Beauty might have said this to his mother when she went out to work.

b.

Ans: Black Beauty's mother said this to him.

c.

Ans: The master likely said this to Black Beauty.

d.

Ans: The other colts in the meadow might have said this to Black Beauty.

e.

Ans: The master might have said this to either Black Beauty or Duchess.

f.

Ans: The master said this to Dick when he fired him.

Q3.  Answer the questions. 
When he had eaten all he wanted, he would have what he called fun with the colts. 

a.

Ans: These words are about Dick, the ploughboy.

b.

Ans: He has been eating blackberries from the hedge.

c.

Ans: His job is as a ploughboy.

d.

Ans: He throws stones and sticks at the colts to make them gallop.

e.

Ans: It's not fun for the colts because they get hit and hurt by the stones.