“Rip Van Winkle” is a lesson of Textbook “Blossom” approved by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education for Class 6 Students. Here all the Activity Questions are done by English teachers.
ACTIVITY – 1
Rearrange the following sentences in the correct order and put the numbers in given boxes:
- Rip had to leave his group eventually. (3)
- On one of the days Rip had gone high up to the Kaatskill Mountains. (5)
- Rip used to sit and talk with his friend. (1)
- He heard a voice from a distance calling, “Rip van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle! (6)
- His wife complained that his friends encouraged his idle habits. (2)
- Poor Rip was reduced almost to despair. (4)
ACTIVITY – 2
Fill in the blanks with words from the Help Box. There is one extra word:
Answer: Rip encouraged children at their sports. He always helped others in their work His wife complained about his idle habits. One day Rip went high up the Kaatskill Mountains.
[ Help Box: high, complained, assisted, encouraged, work ]
ACTIVITY – 3
Answer the following question:
How do you think Rip felt when he heard a voice from the distance calling?
Answer: I think Rip was surprised hearing his name being called by someone in such a lonely place.
ACTIVITY – 4
Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements in the given boxes. Give supporting statements for each of your answers:
(a) The stranger wanted to assist Rip. (F)
Supporting Statement: He made signs for Rip to assist him with the load.
(b) All the strangers had beards. (T)
Supporting Statement: They all had beards.
(c) Rip felt very thirsty. (T)
Supporting Statement: Feeling thirsty, he had several drinks himself.
(d) Rip saw that his village had become smaller. (F)
Supporting Statement: He saw his village was now larger, with more people.
ACTIVITY – 5
Answer the following questions in complete sentences:
(a) How did the stranger look?
Answer: The stranger was a short old man with thick bushy hair and a beard. He was carrying something heavy on his back.
(b) What happened after Rip had drunk the liquid?
Answer: After drinking the liquid, Rip’s eyes closed slowly and he fell into a deep sleep.
(c) Why was Rip surprised when he came near the village?
Answer: Rip was surprised when he came near the village because he met many people he had never seen before.
(d) What did Rip suddenly notice?
Answer: Rip suddenly noticed that his beard had grown a foot long.
ACTIVITY – 6
Fill in the following chart with information from text:
| Cause | Effect |
| (i) Rip had a long beard and wore a peculiar dress. | His appearances soon attracted the attention of people. |
| (ii) Rip found himself alone in the world. | Rip’s heart died away |
| (iii) Rip saw a fellow who looked exactly like his previous self. | He understand that it was his own son, Rip |
| (iv) They came to know that Rip had come back after twenty years. | All stood amazed |
ACTIVITY – 7
Answer the following questions in complete sentences:
(a) What attracted the attention of the people when Rip entered the village?
Answer: Rip’s strange appearance with his long beard and peculiar dress attracted the attention of the people when he entered the village.
(b) What did Rip learn about Nicolas Vedder?
Answer: Rip came to know that his friend Nicholas Vedder had died eighteen years ago.
(c) Who looked exactly like Rip’s previous self?
Answer: Rip’s own son who was also called Rip, looked exactly like his precious self.
(d) How long did twenty years seem to Rip?
Answer: Twenty years seemed like only one night to Rip.
ACTIVITY – 8
Fill in the blanks with appropriate verbs from those given in brackets:
- A hundred rupees is too much for this item. (is/are)
- The accountant and the cashier have absconded.(has/have)
- Time and tide wait (wait/waits) for none.
- Either he or I is mistaken. (is/am)
- The ship with its crew was delayed.(was/were)
ACTIVITY – 9 (a)
Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
Hollow: Bamboo is a sort of hollow plant.
Fearful: Parents are ever fearful for their children.
Ruins: The city lay in ruins after years of bombing.
Gaze: Tom gazed into Mary’s eyes.
ACTIVITY – 9 (b)
Identity the types of sentences given below:
(i) Rip’s sole follower was the dog wolf.
Answer: Assertive Sentence
(ii) What was to be done?
Answer: Interrogative Sentence
(iii) All was silence.
Answer: Assertive Sentences
(iv) Sure enough! It is Van Winkle!
Answer: Exclamatory Sentences
ACTIVITY – 10 (a)
Write a short story in about sixty words using the hints given below. Add a title to it:
You went on a tour with your friends- stayed the night in a house inside a forest- slept in separate rooms- when you woke up your friends were all gone- your feelings- how you returned home.
Answer: We only five friends went on a tour. We decided to go on an adventure. We went to a forest. The forest was dark and dense. After a long walk, we were tired. We saw a house in the forest. So we decided to stay in the house that night. We slept in separate rooms. There was a scary sound in the forest. When I woke up in the morning. My friends were all gone. I was afraid and thought for a while and decided to return home. I remembered the way and returned home safely.
ACTIVITY – 10 (b)
Imagine that you have a very lazy brother who is always late in getting up from sleep. Write an imaginary conversation between you and your brother on the usefulness of early rising.
My brother: Good Morning!
I : Yes, very good morning.
But I am very upset
To see you walking up at ten.
It is nearly noon.
My Brother : So, what, I will of course
Do my lessons. Don’t worry.
I will manage everything
I : No dear, it is not a matter of management. It is a bad habit.
It spoils your precious time. You should not be lazy.
My Brother: But I read till late at night.
I : It is also a bad habit.
Always remember “Early to bed
And early to rise
Makes a man
Healthy, wealthy and wise.”