How Storytelling Helps Students Learn Synonyms for Success

As we have been reading in our previous articles that storytelling is a fun way to learn new words, especially synonyms, which are words with similar meanings. Story of Panchatantra like “The Clever Fox and the Foolish Crow” teaches  words like “clever” (चतुर), along with other words that mean the same thing, such as smart, shrewd, cunning, and intelligent. By seeing these words used in stories, students can remember them better.

Learning synonyms through stories helps students improve their language skills. This will make it easier for them to understand and use different words in exams and in daily life. When they know more words, they can do well in competitive exams, where choosing the right word or meaning is important.

In simple terms, storytelling helps students enjoy learning, remember new words easily, and succeed in the future! “Let’s enjoy reading a new story!”

The Clever Fox and the Foolish Crow

On a lofty (ऊँचा) [high, tall, elevated, towering] branch sat a foolish (मूर्ख) [silly, naive, gullible, witless] crow with a delicious (स्वादिष्ट) [tasty, flavorful, appetizing, delectable] piece of chapati in his beak. Below, a clever (चतुर) [smart, shrewd, cunning, intelligent] fox was walking by. Noticing the food, the fox came up with a cunning (चालाक) [sly, crafty, wily, devious] plan.

The fox flattered (चापलूसी करना) [praised, admired, complimented, lauded] the crow, calling his voice melodious (सुमधुर) [sweet, harmonious, tuneful, pleasant]. The foolish crow, pleased with the praise, opened his beak to sing, dropping the chapati.The fox quickly snatched it and ran away, leaving the crow embarrassed.

Multiple Choice Questions with answers

1. What is the synonym of “lofty” (ऊँचा) as used in the sentence “On a lofty branch sat a crow”?

a) Small
b) Elevated
c) Low
d) Short

Answer: b) Elevated

2. Choose the synonym for “foolish” (मूर्ख) from the options below:

a) Clever
b) Wise
c) Naive
d) Intelligent

Answer: c) Naive

3. What is a synonym for “delicious” (स्वादिष्ट) from the sentence “a delicious piece of cheese”?

a) Tasty
b) Sour
c) Bitter
d) Plain

Answer: a) Tasty

4. What is the synonym of “clever” (चतुर) in “a clever fox was walking by”?

a) Stupid
b) Foolish
c) Shrewd
d) Simple

Answer: c) Shrewd

5. What is a synonym of “cunning” (चालाक) as in “the fox devised a cunning plan”?

a) Honest
b) Crafty
c) Silly
d) Kind

Answer: b) Crafty

6. The synonym of “flattered” (चापलूसी करना) as used in the story is:

a) Ignored
b) Praised
c) Insulted
d) Rejected

Answer: b) Praised

7. Select the synonym for “melodious” (सुमधुर) from the sentence “calling his voice melodious”:

a) Noisy
b) Loud
c) Harmonious
d) Harsh

Answer: c) Harmonious

8. What is the synonym for “foolish” (मूर्ख) from the options below?

a) Smart
b) Gullible
c) Intelligent
d) Sensible

Answer: b) Gullible

9. What is the synonym for “embarrassed” as used in the sentence “leaving the crow embarrassed”?

a) Confused
b) Angry
c) Ashamed
d) Happy

Answer: c) Ashamed

10. Choose the synonym for “cleverness” (चतुराई) from the moral of the story:

a) Wisdom
b) Strength
c) Weakness
d) Laziness

Answer: a) Wisdom

Moral: Beware of false praise. Cleverness (चतुराई) [wisdom, shrewdness, wit, intelligence] can outsmart vanity.

(Author is an English Acharya in Bhrahampuri Adarsh Vidya Mandir Jodhpur and Sah-Sanyojak of English Speaking of Vidya Bharati Jodhpur Prant.) 

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