NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Unit 2 Friendship Chapter 01 The Unlikely Best Friends

Let us do these activities before we read.

Question 1. Friends are an important part of our lives. Why do you think so? Share your ideas with your friend. What do you do when you are with your friends and how do you feel? Now, complete the following sentences by writing in the shapes given below. Share your completed sentences with your classmates and teacher. One has been done for you.
Answer:
I believe friends matter a lot because they bring joy and make our days exciting. Friends are always ready to share happy moments and comfort us when we feel down. They make us laugh and keep us company, so we do not feel alone.

With my friends, I enjoy doing many different things. Sometimes we play outdoors, and other times we sit down to talk or share stories. We also assist each other with school tasks, making homework much easier and more fun. In our free time, we like to sketch, sing, or make up fun games.

Being around my friends makes me feel peaceful and happy. It is wonderful to have friends who know me well and make my day better. We trust one another completely and can be ourselves without any worry. Good friends make daily life much brighter.

Complete Sentences:
- "With my friend I play, laugh, share stories, do homework together."
- "With my friend I feel happy, relaxed, understood, excited."
In simple words: Friends are important because they make us happy and less lonely. We play games, help each other with homework, and feel relaxed and understood when we are together.

Exam Tip: When writing about personal feelings or experiences, use descriptive words (like "peaceful", "happy", "excited") to make your paragraph lively and expressive.

Question 2. The title of the chapter is 'The Unlikely Best Friends'.
(a) What can be the meaning of 'unlikely'? Discuss in groups, and then discuss with your teacher.
(b) Can you think of some unlikely friends? Share your answer with your teacher.
Answer:
(a) The word "unlikely" describes something we do not expect to happen. It shows a situation or a bond that is surprising. In friendship, "unlikely" means two people or animals who seem too different to be close. They might have different lifestyles, habits, or personalities, yet they still build a very strong friendship.

(b) Yes, here are a few examples of unexpected friends:
- A Cat and a Dog: People often think cats and dogs are natural enemies. However, we often see them playing, sleeping, and living happily together as buddies.
- Kids from Different Backgrounds: Children from very rich and very poor families often become close mates, proving that money does not affect true friendship.
- A Quiet Person and a Talkative Person: Someone who likes quiet time and someone who loves big crowds might look very different, but they often make a great team and support each other.
- A Math Lover and an Art Lover: A person who loves science and numbers and another who loves painting might seem to have nothing in common, but they can share wonderful ideas and become great friends.
In simple words: "Unlikely" means unexpected. Unlikely friends are those who seem very different from each other (like a dog and a cat) but still become very close friends.

Exam Tip: Define "unlikely" clearly in your own words, and use simple everyday examples like a cat and a dog to make your explanation easy to understand.

Let us read

Let us discuss

Question 1. Talk about the things that Gajaraj and Buntee did together. Now, write in the shapes given below. One has been done for you.
Answer:
Gajaraj and Buntee enjoyed doing many things together:
- played
- bath
- shared food
- rides
In simple words: The elephant Gajaraj and the dog Buntee did everything together: they played, bathed in the pond, shared their meals, and Buntee rode on Gajaraj's back.

Exam Tip: Use the direct facts from the story to fill in the graphic organizer about the characters' shared activities.

Question 2. Why did the farmer hug Buntee?
Answer: The farmer hugged Buntee because he had been searching everywhere for him ever since the dog got lost. He was extremely happy and relieved to see his beloved pet again, which made him give Buntee a warm, loving hug.
In simple words: The farmer was so happy and relieved to find his lost dog Buntee that he gave him a big hug.

Exam Tip: Always look for emotional words like "relieved" or "happy" in the story to explain a character's reactions correctly.

Question 3. Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer?
Answer: Buntee will likely return with the farmer because he recognizes his old master, showing they had a strong bond before. But since Buntee has also become great friends with Gajaraj, he might want to visit the stable often. The farmer might also bring Buntee back to see the elephant so they can keep their sweet friendship alive.
In simple words: Buntee will go home with his old owner, the farmer, but he will still visit his new friend Gajaraj the elephant to play.

Exam Tip: When a question asks "Do you think...", you can state your opinion and support it with logical reasons from the text.

Let us discuss

Question 1. Why did Gajaraj not eat his food?
Answer: Gajaraj refused to touch his food because he was very sad and missed Buntee terribly. He felt so heartbroken about being separated from his companion that he lost his hunger.
In simple words: Gajaraj was so sad because his friend Buntee went away that he did not feel like eating anything.

Exam Tip: Focus on the cause (sadness due to separation) and its effect (loss of appetite) to give a complete explanation.

Question 2. Who were friends at the end of the story?
Answer:
By the end of the tale, two main friendships were made:
- Gajaraj and Buntee: The huge elephant and the dog became best friends again as soon as Buntee came back to the stable.
- The Mahout and the Farmer: The two men also became close friends because they both cared deeply about the happiness of Gajaraj and Buntee.
In simple words: At the end, the elephant and the dog became friends again, and their owners also became good friends because they cared for the animals.

Exam Tip: Mention both pairs of friends - the animals and their owners - to cover the entire resolution of the story.

Let us think and reflect

Question 1. Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.
(a) In spite of royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends. The mahout, or elephant trainer, was the only one he ever interacted with. The mahout was a kind man who served Gajaraj food, and gave him a bath in the elephant pond daily. He was a good caretaker, but not a friend.
(i) Complete with one word:
mahout : kind :: Gajaraj : __________
(ii) The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave __________ to Gajaraj and a __________ in the pond.
(iii) What do you think is the difference between a friend and a caretaker?

(b) "Are you missing your friend?" asked the farmer remembering the happy look on Buntee's face while sitting on the elephant's back. "I cannot see you go hungry," said the farmer, "If you miss your friend so much, go to him." The farmer removed the rope with which he had tied the dog.
(i) The farmer uses the word __________ to refer to the elephant.
(ii) How did the farmer know that Buntee was hungry?
(iii) Why did the farmer remove the rope with which he had tied Buntee?
(iv) Complete with one word:
Gajaraj : Buntee :: __________ : farmer
Answer:
(a)
(i) sad
(ii) food, bath
(iii) A caretaker is someone who does duties like feeding us and keeping us clean. But a friend is someone who plays with us, understands our feelings, and shares happy times. True friendship is built on love and trust.
(b)
(i) friend
(ii) The farmer knew Buntee was sad because the dog did not touch his meals after returning home.
(iii) The farmer untied Buntee because he saw how much the dog missed his elephant friend Gajaraj. He did not want Buntee to starve out of sadness and wanted the two friends to be together again.
(iv) mahout
In simple words: An elephant trainer takes care of physical needs, but only a real friend shares love. The kind farmer freed his dog so he could return to the elephant and start eating again.

Exam Tip: For analogies (like Gajaraj : Buntee :: mahout : farmer), look closely at how the pairs are related in the story to find the matching word.

Question 2. Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend.
Answer:
1. When Gajaraj saw that Buntee was tired and hungry, he gladly shared his own food with him. This showed he wanted a close companion.
2. When Buntee returned to the stable, Gajaraj lifted him up gently with his trunk and swung him in the air with pure joy.
In simple words: Gajaraj showed his happiness by sharing his food with Buntee and swinging him in the air with his trunk when they met again.

Exam Tip: Point out specific actions from the story (like sharing food and lifting with the trunk) to support your answer with strong evidence.

Question 3. How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad?
Answer: The trainer saw that Gajaraj refused to eat even his most favorite dishes. The elephant did not show any interest in food for many days, which helped the trainer understand that Gajaraj was deeply sad and missing Buntee.
In simple words: The elephant trainer realized Gajaraj was sad because the elephant stopped eating his favorite food for many days.

Exam Tip: Describe the changes in the animal's behavior (not eating favorite food) to explain how the caretaker noticed his sadness.

Question 4. Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer's hand?
Answer: Buntee licked the farmer's hand to show his love and say thank you. It was his sweet way of showing gratitude because the farmer understood his feelings and set him free to meet Gajaraj.
In simple words: Buntee licked the farmer's hand to thank him for letting him go back to his best friend.

Exam Tip: Explain the animal's gesture (licking) as a way of showing natural emotions like gratitude and affection.

Question 5. What was 'unlikely' about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?
Answer: Their friendship was surprising because Gajaraj is a massive elephant and Buntee is a small dog. Usually, such different animals do not live or play together. Yet, they built a very deep bond and became best friends, which is highly unusual.
In simple words: It was an unlikely friendship because a huge elephant and a little dog are very different animals, but they still became best friends.

Exam Tip: Highlight the contrast in their size and animal types to show why their friendship is called "unlikely".

Let us learn

Question 1. Gajaraj was sad without a friend and when he met Buntee, he was filled with joy. 'Sad' and 'filled with joy' are opposites. Opposites can also be formed by adding some letters before a word. For example, un- unhappy, in- incorrect, dis- disconnect, mis- misuse.

Now, take help from the words given as hints and fill up their opposites in the puzzle. (Note: All the words are from the story you have just read.)
Answer:
Here are the opposites filled in the puzzle:

Across:
- 3. unkind - kind
- 7. yelped - laughed
- 8. awake - asleep
- 9. relieved - worried
- 10. missing - found

Down:
- 1. started - finished
- 2. appeared - disappeared
- 4. sad - delight
- 5. untouched - touched
- 6. hate - love
In simple words: This word puzzle helps you learn the opposite meanings of words from the story, like "sad" and "delight" or "awake" and "asleep".

Exam Tip: Opposites can often be created by adding prefixes like "un-", "dis-", or "mis-" to a word, but sometimes completely different words are used.

Question 2. Now, complete the paragraph with some of the words you have used in the puzzle.
My pencil was __________. I was very __________ as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was __________ on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have __________. He __________ and told me to look under my pillow. I was __________ when I __________ the pencil there.
Answer: My pencil was missing. I was very sad as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was asleep on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have disappeared. He yelped and told me to look under my pillow. I was relieved when I found the pencil there.
In simple words: This short story is completed using the opposite words from the crossword puzzle to describe losing and finding a pencil.

Exam Tip: Read the whole paragraph first to understand the context. This helps you select the correct word forms (like "missing" or "asleep") to make the sentences grammatically correct.

Question 3. Put the verbs in their correct column in the table. Select the correct form of the verb to complete the passage.
Answer:

Completed Passage:
The farmer came back and noticed that Buntee was sad. He had tied Buntee with a rope the day before. He asked Buntee why he was sad. The farmer felt that Buntee was missing Gajaraj and set him free.
In simple words: This activity helps you understand past actions: simple past for completed events, past progressive for ongoing past actions, and past perfect for things that happened even earlier.

Exam Tip: Use simple past tense (noticed, asked) for consecutive actions in a story, and past perfect (had tied) for an action that happened before other events.

Question 4. Discuss the given sentences with your teacher to practice.
• Neither Shikha nor Anuj like to tell stories.
• Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting.
Answer:
- Sentence 1: Neither Shikha nor Anuj like to tell stories.
Explanation: This means both Shikha and Anuj do not enjoy telling stories. "Neither" and "nor" join two negative choices. It shows that both people dislike the activity.
Example: Neither my brother nor my sister wants to eat green vegetables.

- Sentence 2: Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting.
Explanation: This means that one of these two people, Bhavesh or Abha, created the painting. "Either" and "or" show two possibilities. Only one of them did the action, not both.
Example: You can have either an apple or a banana.
In simple words: Use "neither/nor" when both options are a "no", and use "either/or" when you have to choose one of two options.

Exam Tip: Make sure "neither" always pairs with "nor", and "either" always pairs with "or" to maintain correct grammatical structure in your writing.

Let us listen

Question 1. You will listen to a story about 'Unlikely Friends'. Use exact words from the story to fill up the missing details in the paragraph.
The leopard is a __________ animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the __________ to meet the cow. The leopard would sit __________ the cow. They also played together. __________ were surprised at their friendship.
Answer: The leopard is a wild animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the night to meet the cow. The leopard would sit beside the cow. They also played together. People were surprised at their friendship.
In simple words: This tells a true story about a wild leopard and a cow who became close friends and met every night, surprising everyone.

Exam Tip: Listen carefully for key nouns and adjectives (like "wild", "night", "beside", "people") to fill in the exact blanks accurately.

Question 2. Now, listen to the story again and number the sentences in correct order. The first one has been done for you.
- The leopard stopped coming regularly.
- The cow took care of the leopard cub as a mother.
- The leopard came to meet the cow at night.
- The leopard left the village after growing up.
Answer:
1. The cow took care of the leopard cub as a mother.
2. The leopard left the village after growing up.
3. The leopard came to meet the cow at night.
4. The leopard stopped coming regularly.
In simple words: First, the cow raised the baby leopard. Then, the grown leopard left but visited at night, and eventually stopped coming.

Exam Tip: Track the time flow of the story (cub stage -> growing up -> night visits -> stopping) to order the sentences correctly.

Let us speak

Question. Talk to your friend and find out your common likes and dislikes. Share your answers with the class. Now, tell your classmates about your friend. You may take help of the cues given below.
Answer:
My name: Neha
My friend's name: Ravi

Common Likes:
- Playing in the park
- Eating ice cream together

My Likes:
- Reading books
- Playing chess

My Friend's Likes:
- Drawing pictures
- Playing tennis

Paragraph about my friend:
My friend and I love to play together. Both of us want to spend our free time happily. I enjoy reading adventure stories but my friend loves sketching and drawing. We are quite different because he is highly active and energetic, while I am quiet and thoughtful.
In simple words: This is a speaking exercise to help you share what common things you and your best friend like to do, and how you are different from each other.

Exam Tip: When presenting, speak clearly and list both similarities (what you both enjoy) and differences (your separate hobbies) to make your speech interesting.

Let us write

Question. Write six sentences about your friend with the help of the facts collected in the above task. Mention how you are not only similar but also different. You may take help of the words given below.
[same, different, and, but, both, still, like, unlike, neither, nor, either, or]
Answer:
- My friend Ravi and I both enjoy playing games in the neighborhood park.
- Unlike Ravi, I love reading thick storybooks, while he enjoys drawing colorful sketches.
- We are exactly the same when it comes to eating sweet ice creams.
- My friend is highly energetic, but I prefer being quiet and thoughtful.
- Neither Ravi nor I like sitting idle; we always discover some fun activity.
- Either we play chess together or we watch a movie, because we love hanging out despite our different tastes.
In simple words: These six sentences describe how my friend and I are similar in some ways (like playing in the park and eating ice cream) and different in others (like hobbies and personality).

Exam Tip: Use linking words like "but", "unlike", "neither", and "either" to contrast your hobbies with your friend's hobbies smoothly.

Let us explore

Question 1. The story, 'The Elephant and the Dog' is found in the Jataka tales. These stories are ancient Buddhist stories of life values and wisdom. These stories have been told from one generation to the next for over two thousand years. Find and read another Jataka story.
Answer:
The Monkey and the Crocodile
In this famous Jataka story, a clever monkey lived on a sweet berry tree near a river. He became good friends with a crocodile and shared delicious fruits with him daily. However, the crocodile's wife grew greedy and wanted to eat the monkey's heart. She pretended to be extremely sick and begged her husband to bring the monkey to her. The crocodile invited the monkey for dinner on his back, but halfway across the river, he told the monkey the truth. The clever monkey did not panic. He tricked the crocodile by saying that he left his heart hanging back on the tree. The foolish crocodile swam back, and the monkey quickly climbed to safety. This story shows us that quick thinking and wisdom can save us from dangerous situations.
In simple words: This is the famous Jataka story about a smart monkey who uses his quick wits to escape a tricky crocodile trying to eat him.

Exam Tip: When summarizing a famous fable, always include the core moral or lesson at the very end of your paragraph.

Question 2. Elephants have historically held significant roles in Indian culture, spanning history, warfare, religion, festivals and more. However, contemporary ecological challenges have strained the relationship between humans and elephants. Have a discussion in the class.
Answer:
Use these simple points to discuss this topic in your class:

Historical Importance:
- Long ago, elephants helped in construction work and carried heavy loads.
- They are respected in many festivals and traditions across our country.

Modern Challenges:
- Loss of Forests: Many trees are being cut down, destroying the natural homes of elephants.
- Human-Elephant Conflict: When elephants search for food, they sometimes enter human farms, which leads to dangerous situations.
- Protection Work: Discussing how wildlife sanctuaries can keep them safe from hunters.

Suggested Discussion Answers:
1. Balancing Progress and Safety:
- Before building roads or factories near forests, scientists must study if it will hurt animals.
- We should plan our cities carefully so we do not destroy green areas.
- Planting more trees helps rebuild their lost habitats.

2. Ideas to Avoid Conflicts:
- People living near forests should work together to protect crops without hurting elephants.
- Creating special pathways called 'elephant corridors' so they can travel safely from one forest to another.
- Setting up alarms or warning systems to let farmers know when elephants are near.
- Using natural barriers like beehive fences, as elephants do not like bees and will stay away safely.

3. Cultural Values:
- Teaching everyone to respect elephants through stories, festivals, and traditional lessons, which helps people protect them.
In simple words: This discussion is about how elephants were helpful in the past and how we can protect them today by making safe forest pathways and warning systems.

Exam Tip: When sharing points in a class discussion, state your opinions clearly and suggest practical solutions like "elephant corridors" or "warning alarms".

Question 3. Given below is a news report from an Elephant Sanctuary in the United States about a real-life friendship between an elephant and a dog. Share your ideas with your classmates.
Answer:
Tarra and Bella: A Real-Life Friendship
In a special park in the United States, a beautiful elephant named Tarra and a small dog named Bella became best friends. Bella walked into the forest area and immediately became close with Tarra. They spent all day playing together, proving that very different animals can love each other.

The Incident and Reunion:
One day, Bella got a bad injury and could not walk. The caretakers kept her inside a clinic building to heal. Tarra was so worried that she stood outside the building for three long weeks, waiting patiently for her friend. When Bella was finally well and came outside, the two had a very happy reunion, showing how much they truly cared.

Key Lessons:
- Friendship Has No Limits: True friends can belong to completely different species.
- Loyalty and Care: Tarra staying outside the clinic shows amazing loyalty and concern.
- Loving Animals: This real story encourages us to treat all animals gently and protect them.

This beautiful true story is just like the tale of Gajaraj and Buntee.
In simple words: This is a true story about an elephant named Tarra and a dog named Bella who became best friends. When the dog was hurt, the elephant waited outside her clinic for three weeks.

Exam Tip: Use real-life examples like Tarra and Bella to explain the moral of a story, showing that deep bonds can exist even between different animal species.