Class 6 English Chapter 8 Question Answers - A Pact with the Sun

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Ques 1: What was it that made Prem leave his village?
Ans: The communal riots in his village made life unsafe in the village. The people went mad, burnt houses and killed one another. So Prem left his village for good.

Ques 2: What surprised Prem in Pambupatti village?
Ans: Prem had seen people in his village fighting in the name of religion or language. But in Pambupatti, there was no violence, not even tension. People lived in peace. They also cared for the welfare of even strangers. This was something surprising for Prem.

Ques 3: What happened to the reptiles in the forest once?
Ans: The reptiles in the forest included crocodiles, snakes, turtles and lizards. Makara being strong and selfish, drove all other reptiles out. He got rid of turtles, snakes and lizards one by one. But this created the problem of frogs ‘ and rats and insects.

Ques 4: How did the forest become normal and peaceful again?
Ans: It was a terrible time for the crocodiles. A small crocodile pointed out what had gone wrong. They knew that Makara was not all that strong and right. They called all their reptile friends back to Pambupatti. Their arrival marked the beginning of normal and peaceful life again in the forest.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Ques 1: Narrate the story of the reptiles as told by Zai Whitaker in not more than 80 words.
Ans: Prem was a native of a village far from Pambupatti. Communal riots broke out and Prem left the village. He walked and got free lifts. He reached Pambupatti. There an old man told him a tale of reptiles—snakes, crocodiles, lizards and turtles. Makara, the biggest crocodile was the master of the forest. He became selfish and vain. He managed to get rid of all the cobras and other reptiles. As a result the forest was infested with rats. Awful things happened. The reptiles were welcomed back to strike a balance.

Ques 2: What is the story’s underlying message or advice to the readers? Do you also support the author’s view?
Ans: The story of the reptiles is a myth but it has a moral and a message. This world belongs to all sorts of creatures. Together they keep a balance. Every kind of creature serves a useful purpose. It is sad that man is trying to kill all the species and rule over the world like a dictator. This is certainly not practicable or in his own interest. Our motto should be to ‘Live and Let Live’. I quite subscribe to this view.