NCERT Solutions Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa s Spectacles

F R E E S T U D Y M AT E R I A L F O R E V E R Y S T U D E N T

CLASS 5 · ENGLISH

NCERT Solutions

Chapter 1: Papa's Spectacles

NCERT Textbook — Santoor

BOOK PAGES SECTIONS QUESTIONS MEDIUM

1 – 10 13 52 English

Solutions, notes, sample papers & more at 39 pages

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

CLASS 5 · ENGLISH · SANTOOR

NCERT Solutions — Chapter 1: Papa's Spectacles
Chapter 1 of Santoor opens Unit 1, Let’s Have Fun. Papa’s Spectacles is a short, funny poem in four stanzas.
The book does not name a poet. Papa has lost his spectacles and hunts for them all over the house — and his
child finds them sitting on his own head. The chapter carries these banners: Let us Recite, New Words, Let
us Think (A and B), Let us Learn (A–E), Let us Listen, Let us Speak, Let us Write, Let us Do (A–C) and Just
for Fun.

TEXTBOOK BOOK PAGES

Santoor (Class 5) 1 – 10

SECTIONS QUESTIONS

13 52

MEDIUM

English

Let us Recite — Page 1
Papa’s Spectacles (poem)

LET US RECITE

Poem Let us Recite — Papa’s Spectacles. Read the poem aloud and enjoy it.

Here is the whole poem. Read it aloud twice. The second time, read it as if you are telling the
story to a friend.

Page 1 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Today our papa

Is searching everywhere,

He has lost his spectacles,
It was his only pair!

He can’t read the newspaper,

He can’t watch TV,

He can’t cut the vegetables,

Oh! Where can it be?

He checked inside his pockets,
He glanced under his chair,

He searched near the window,

He looked everywhere.

I told him, “Stop, Papa!”

I went up close, and said!

“Papa, your spectacles

Are right there on your head!”

What happens, stanza by stanza:

1. Stanza 1 — the trouble begins. Papa has lost his spectacles. He has only one pair, so there
is no spare.
2. Stanza 2 — why it matters. Three of his daily jobs stop at once. He cannot read the
newspaper, watch TV or cut the vegetables.
3. Stanza 3 — the big hunt. He looks in his pockets, under his chair, near the window —
everywhere.
4. Stanza 4 — the surprise. The child goes close and tells him the spectacles are on his own
head.

Tip for reciting: Say stanza 1 and 2 in a worried voice. Say stanza 3 quickly, as if you
are hurrying with Papa. Then stop, slow right down, and say the last two lines gently
— that is where the laugh is.

Page 2 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why the poem is funny: The spectacles were never lost. They were on Papa’s head
the whole time. We laugh because the answer was the easiest place of all, and
nobody looked there.

Rhyme: The second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme — everywhere / pair, TV / be, chair /
everywhere, said / head. That is what makes the poem easy to remember.

Let us Think — Page 2
A. Answer the following questions

LET US THINK

A.1 What is Papa searching for?

Papa is searching for his spectacles.
The poem tells us this in the very first stanza: “He has lost his spectacles, / It was his only pair!”
Spectacles are the glasses he wears to see clearly. He had only one pair, so when they went
missing he had nothing else to wear.

A.2 What are the possible places where Papa can find it?

Papa looks in four places in the poem, and there are many more places he could try.
The places named in the third stanza are:

1. Inside his pockets — “He checked inside his pockets,”
2. Under his chair — “He glanced under his chair,”
3. Near the window — “He searched near the window,”
4. Everywhere else in the house — “He looked everywhere.”

Other places where spectacles are often found are on the study table, on the newspaper, in the
shirt pocket, beside the bed, on the kitchen shelf — and, as this poem shows, on his own head.

Page 3 of 39

as e
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
At last, where does Papa find his lost item?
e
A.3

m l as
.co a g
a s em
At g l Papa finds his spectacles on his own head.
a last
His child stops him and says, “Papa, your spectacles / Are right there on your head!” Papa had

co m
. ag
pushed them up on to his head and then forgotten about them. So the thing he was hunting for

e m
as
was with him all the time.

a g l
Why this happens: When we are in a hurry, we do a small thing without thinking —
like pushing our spectacles up — and our mind does not store it. Then we look
co m
everywhere except the one place we should look.
em.
m l as
m .co a g
l a se
g
a us Think — Pages 2–3
Let

m a s
.co agl
B. Think and discuss

THINK AND DISCUSS
se m
g l a
a
B.1 Apart from reading, guess some other chores that Papa cannot do without the
spectacles.
co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
empoem itself names two more: he cannot watch TV and he cannot cut the vegetables.

a s
gl Many other daily jobs also need clear eyes.
The
a
Sample answer: Without his spectacles Papa cannot do these chores.
se m
com looks blurred. g l a
.
m the knife is sharp and he may hurt his finger. a
ebecause
He cannot watch TV, because the picture

l a s
agon
He cannot cut the vegetables,
He cannot read the labels the medicine bottles or the dal packets.

m
He cannot thread a needle to sew a loose button.

. co
m
He cannot check my homework or sign my school diary.

m as e
o l
He cannot see the numbers on his phone to make a call.
c
. He cannot count the change the shopkeeper gives him. a g
se m
g l a He cannot read the bus number at the bus stop.
a c
m .
m a s e
agl
Notice: Every one of these is a job that needs us to see something small or
. co
m
something far away. That is exactly what spectacles help with.
ase
a g l

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 4 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B.2 What makes your papa happy?

This is your own answer, so it will be different from everybody else’s. Think of the moments
when your father smiles, and write three or four full sentences.

What a good answer needs: real things from your own home, written in full
sentences, and one line saying why it makes him happy.

Sample answer: My papa is happy when I finish my homework on my own without being told.
He is happy when the whole family sits together for dinner and nobody is in a hurry. He smiles a
lot when his younger brother visits us from the village. On Sundays he is happiest with a cup of
hot tea and the newspaper, because that is his quiet time after a week of work. Small things
make him happy — not big or costly ones.

B.3 Make a list of things as instructed below. Things generally misplaced at your home
| Who helps in finding these misplaced things?

Misplaced means put in the wrong place, so we cannot find it. Fill the table with things that really
go missing in your own house. Here is a filled table you can use as a model.

THINGS GENERALLY MISPLACED AT WHO HELPS IN FINDING THESE MISPLACED
YOUR HOME THINGS?

Papa’s spectacles My younger sister, who always spots them first

The TV remote My mother — she looks under the cushions

House keys My grandmother, who keeps a fixed hook for them

My school socks My mother

The nail cutter My elder brother

Mobile phone charger My father

My water bottle I find it myself, by walking back through my day

Page 5 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Tip: Things go missing when they have no fixed place. Fix one spot for the keys, one
for the remote, one for the spectacles. Then nobody has to search.

B.3a (Home table) How would you express your gratitude to them?

Gratitude means the feeling of being thankful. You show it with words and with actions.
Sample answer: I would say a clear “Thank you” and look at the person while I say it. I would
tell my mother in front of everyone that she found the keys, so she gets the credit. To thank my
sister I would share my share of the sweets with her. The best thank-you, though, is to stop
losing things — so I have made a small tray near the door where the keys and my water bottle
always go. That way I am not troubling anyone again.

Three easy ways to show gratitude: say thank you in words; do a small kind thing
back; and take care not to give the same trouble again.

B.3b (Page 3) Things generally misplaced at your school | Who helps in finding these
misplaced things?

Now do the same for school. Think of what really goes missing in your classroom, your bag and
the playground.

Page 6 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

THINGS GENERALLY MISPLACED AT YOUR WHO HELPS IN FINDING THESE MISPLACED
SCHOOL THINGS?

Pencil, eraser and sharpener My bench partner

Water bottle The class monitor

Tiffin box lid My friends in the lunch group

Library book The librarian

Sports shoes on games day The PT teacher

Homework notebook My class teacher

School ID card The school helper, from the lost-and-found box

B.3c (School table) How would you express your gratitude to them?

Sample answer: I would thank my bench partner at once and lend her my eraser the next time
she needs one. I would thank the librarian politely and return the book on time, because that is
the thing she cares about. For our school helper I would write a short thank-you note and put it
in his hand, since he is rarely thanked by anyone. And I would say thank you to my class teacher
in front of the class, so that others learn to say it too.

Why thanking matters: The people who help us are not paid in thanks — but a
thank-you tells them their help was noticed. It costs nothing and it makes them want
to help again.

Let us Learn — Page 3

Page 7 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A. Arrange the words in ascending order

LET US LEARN

A.1 Look at the words in each group. Arrange them in ascending order (Write the
smallest or lightest object first and the biggest or heaviest last.) 1. Towel, Sari,
Handkerchief, Bedsheet

Handkerchief, Towel, Sari, Bedsheet.
Ascending order means going up — smallest first, biggest last. All four things here are pieces of
cloth, so we compare how much cloth each one needs.

1. Handkerchief — the smallest. It fits inside your pocket.
2. Towel — bigger than a handkerchief. It has to wrap around you.
3. Sari — a long piece of cloth, about five metres, but narrow.
4. Bedsheet — the biggest, because it must cover a whole bed.

Also acceptable: Handkerchief, Towel, Bedsheet, Sari. A sari opened out is very long,
so some people place it last. Say which idea you used — length or spread-out size —
and your answer is fine.

A.2 2. Apple, Strawberry, Cherry, Watermelon

Cherry, Strawberry, Apple, Watermelon.

1. Cherry — the smallest. Two cherries sit on one fingertip.
2. Strawberry — bigger than a cherry, but still small.
3. Apple — fills your palm.
4. Watermelon — the biggest and heaviest. You need both hands to carry one.

Check it yourself: Picture them side by side on a plate. The order you see is the
order you write.

Page 8 of 39

as e
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
3. Twenty-nine, Fourteen, Ninety-one, Forty-seven
e
A.3

m l as
.co a g
a
s em
agl Twenty-nine, Forty-seven, Ninety-one.
Fourteen,
These are numbers, so we simply put them in order from the smallest to the biggest:

co m
e m . ag
14 < 29 < 47 < 91
g l as
a
Why this order: First compare the tens. 1 ten, 2 tens, 4 tens, 9 tens — that already
co m
em.
as
settles it. Nothing here needs the ones digit.
m l
m .co a g
l a se
g
a A.4 4. Hen, Crow, Sparrow, Eagle

m a s
m .co agl
se

g l a
a
Sparrow, Crow, Hen, Eagle.

1. Sparrow — the lightest. It weighs less than a small bar of soap.

co m
.
2. Crow — bigger than a sparrow, about half a kilogram.

e m
m as
3. Hen — heavier than a crow, about two kilograms.

.co a g l
m
4. Eagle — the biggest and heaviest bird here, with very wide wings.

l a se
ag Careful: A crow looks big because it is noisy and comes close to us. But pick one up
and you will find a hen is much heavier.
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
A.5
agl
5. Ox, Rabbit, Elephant, Squirrel

co m
m .

m as e
.co
Squirrel, Rabbit, Ox, Elephant.
a g l
a s em1. Squirrel — the smallest. It runs up a tree trunk.
agl 2. Rabbit — bigger than a squirrel, but you can still lift it.
.c
s e m
m a
3. Ox — a large, heavy animal that pulls a cart.
4. Elephant — the biggest land animal of all.
e m . co agl
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 9 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A.6 Write two examples more, following the same pattern.

GROUP OF WORDS (AS PRINTED) IN ASCENDING ORDER

1. Towel, Sari, Handkerchief, Bedsheet ......................................

2. Apple, Strawberry, Cherry, Watermelon ......................................

3. Twenty-nine, Fourteen, Ninety-one, Forty-seven ......................................

4. Hen, Crow, Sparrow, Eagle ......................................

5. Ox, Rabbit, Elephant, Squirrel ......................................

6. ...................................... ......................................

7. ...................................... ......................................

Exercise A on page 3 — five groups of four words, each to be written from smallest to
biggest. Rows 6 and 7 are the two new examples you have to make.

Make your own groups. Pick four things of the same kind, jumble them up, and then write them
from smallest to biggest.
Sample answer — two more groups:

MY GROUP ( JUMBLED) IN ASCENDING ORDER

Bus, Cycle, Auto-rickshaw, Aeroplane Cycle, Auto-rickshaw, Bus, Aeroplane

Coconut, Mustard seed, Lemon, Pumpkin Mustard seed, Lemon, Coconut, Pumpkin

You can also try: Spoon, Ladle, Bucket, Drum → Spoon, Ladle, Bucket, Drum. Or Ant, Cockroach,
Frog, Cat → Ant, Cockroach, Frog, Cat.

Tip: Keep all four things from one family — all fruits, or all animals, or all numbers.
Then the comparison is fair and easy.

Let us Learn — Page 4

Page 10 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B. Complete the phrases — “a pair of …”

LET US LEARN

B.1 Note the following phrase: a pair of shoes. The word ‘pair’ is used in all the phrases
given below. Fill in the blanks and complete the phrases. 1. a pair of ...................

The picture printed beside phrase 1 on page 4.

a pair of scissors
The picture on page 4, at the top right, shows a blue pair of scissors, opened out.

Why we say “a pair”: Scissors are one tool, but they are made of two blades joined
together. Both blades must work together to cut. So English calls them a pair of
scissors, and we never say “a scissor”.

Page 11 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B.2 2. a pair of ...................

The picture printed beside phrase 2 on page 4.

a pair of trousers
The picture on the left of page 4 shows a pair of green trousers.

Why we say “a pair”: Trousers are one garment, but they have two legs. Anything
made for two legs takes a pair of — trousers, jeans, pyjamas, shorts.

Tip: You may also write a pair of pants. Both are correct English.

Page 12 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B.3 3. a pair of ...................

The picture printed beside phrase 3 on page 4.

a pair of spectacles
The picture shows a pair of dark blue spectacles — the very thing Papa loses in the poem.

Why we say “a pair”: Spectacles have two lenses, one for each eye, joined by a
frame. The poem uses the same phrase: “It was his only pair!”

Page 13 of 39

as e
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
4. a pair of ...................
e
B.4

m l as
m .co a g
l a se
a g

co m
e m . ag
g l as
a

co m
em.
m l as
.co
m The picture printed beside phrase 4 on page 4. a g
l a se
a g
m a s
.co agl

se m
a pair of socks
g l a
a
The picture shows two matching green-and-yellow striped socks.

co m
Why we say “a pair”: Here the two things are separate but matching — one sock for
m .
m as e
l
each foot. A single sock is of no use, so we buy and count them in twos.

m .co a g
l a se
ag
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
agl

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 14 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B.5 5. a pair of ...................

The picture printed beside phrase 5 on page 4.

a pair of gloves
The picture shows two pink gloves.

Why we say “a pair”: One glove for the left hand and one for the right — two
separate but matching things, just like socks and shoes.

Page 15 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B.6 6. a pair of ...................

The picture printed beside phrase 6 on page 4.

a pair of earrings
The picture on the left shows two matching golden earrings hanging side by side.

Why we say “a pair”: One earring for each ear. They are made to match, so they are
sold and worn as a pair.

Page 16 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B.7 7. a pair of ...................

The picture printed beside phrase 7 on page 4.

a pair of racquets
The picture shows two blue tennis racquets crossed over each other, with red-checked handles.

Why we say “a pair”: A game needs two players, so racquets are kept in twos. You
may also write a pair of tennis racquets or a pair of bats.

The rule in one line: Use a pair of either for two matching things used together
(socks, gloves, earrings, shoes, racquets) or for one thing that is made of two joined
parts (scissors, spectacles, trousers).

Let us Learn — Page 5
C. Encircle the word that is spelt correctly

LET US LEARN

C.1 Encircle the word that is spelt correctly. One has been done for you. 1. watter /
water / weter

water — this one is already done for you in the book.

Page 17 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

watter is wrong — it has a double t, which is not there.
weter is wrong — the first vowel is a, not e.

Say it and spell it: wa–ter. Two beats, one t.

C.2 2. vegatables / veggetables / vegetables

vegetables

vegatables is wrong — the second vowel is e, not a.
veggetables is wrong — there is only one g.

Break it up: ve–ge–ta–bles. The word hides the smaller word table at the end.

Papa could not cut the vegetables without his spectacles, so this word comes from the poem
itself.

C.3 3. balloon / baloon / ballon

balloon

baloon is wrong — it is missing one l.
ballon is wrong — it is missing one o.

Remember: A balloon is double trouble — double l and double o: ba–ll–oo–n.

C.4 4. hause / house / houze

house

hause is wrong — the vowels are ou, not au.
houze is wrong — it ends with se, not ze.

Page 18 of 39

as e
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Tip: The letters ou give the “ow” sound here — the same ou as in mouse, round and

m as e
l
shout.

m .co a g
l a se
a g
C.5 5. elephant / elefant / ellephant

co m
e m . ag
l as

elephant a g
m
elefant is wrong — the “f” sound here is written ph, not f.
co
m.
ellephant is wrong — there is only one l.

o m l a se
g phone, photo,
.c Some English words spell the “f” sound with ph — elephant,
a
se
Why mph:

g l a
a
alphabet. These words came into English from Greek, and the spelling stayed.

m a s
m .co agl
C.6 6. spactacles / spektacles / spectacles
l a se
a g

co m
spectacles
m .
m as e
.co
spactacles is wrong — the first vowel is e, not a.
a g l
a s em spektacles is wrong — the “k” sound is written with c, not k.

agl
m
Break it up: spec–ta–cles. This is our chapter word — the thing Papa lost.

a se
.com a g l
m
ase
C.7 agl
7. karpenter / carpenter / carpainter

co m
m .
m as e
.co
carpenter
a g l
se m karpenter is wrong — the word begins with c, not k.
g l a
a carpainter is wrong — there is no ai in it. That spelling has crept in from the word painter,
c
m .
e
which is a different job.

om la s
Meaning: A carpenter is them . c a g
a s e person who makes things out of wood — doors, chairs,

agl
cupboards.

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 19 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

C.8 8. fruitt / friut / fruit

fruit

fruitt is wrong — there is only one t at the end.
friut is wrong — the i and the u have swapped places. The correct order is u first, then i.

Say it slowly: f–r–u–i–t. The u comes before the i, just as in juice and suit.

C.9 9. receive / recieve / raceive

receive

recieve is wrong — the e and the i are the wrong way round.
raceive is wrong — the first vowel is e, not a.

The old rule that helps: “i before e, except after c.” In receive the letters come
straight after a c, so it is ce–i, not ci–e. The same happens in ceiling and deceive.

C.10 10. prinsipal / principal / princpal

principal

prinsipal is wrong — the “s” sound in the middle is written with c, not s.
princpal is wrong — a vowel is missing. There must be an i after princ.

Do not mix these two up: the principal is the head of a school — remember, the
principal is your pal. A principle is a rule you live by.

Let us Learn — Page 6

Page 20 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

D. Complete the story using the correct prepositions

LET US LEARN

D Complete the story using the correct prepositions. around, after, before, in, above,
on, among My father has a habit of keeping his spectacles ......................... random
places. Last week, he could not find his spectacles and looked ......................... the
house. We checked the big box that reached ......................... our waists. My father
looked for the spectacles ......................... the newspapers kept ......................... the
table. He continued searching for two hours ......................... finally giving up. He sat
down on the bed ......................... giving one final look to the room and said with a
sigh, ‘Looks like it is time to get a new pair.’

A preposition is a small word that tells us where something is or when something happens. Here
is the completed story, with the answers in bold.

My father has a habit of keeping his spectacles in random places. Last week, he could not
find his spectacles and looked around the house. We checked the big box that reached above

our waists. My father looked for the spectacles among the newspapers kept on the table. He

continued searching for two hours before finally giving up. He sat down on the bed after

giving one final look to the room and said with a sigh, ‘Looks like it is time to get a new

pair.’

Now the reason for each one:

Page 21 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

BLANK ANSWER THE LITTLE RULE

1. keeping his spectacles ___ in Use in when something is inside a space or a place.
random places

2. looked ___ the house around Use around for looking on all sides, from place to
place.

3. the big box that reached ___ our above Use above for something higher up, not touching.
waists

4. looked for the spectacles ___ the among Use among when something is mixed in with many
newspapers things (three or more).

5. newspapers kept ___ the table on Use on for something resting on top of a surface and
touching it.

6. searching for two hours ___ before Use before for the earlier action. He searched first,
finally giving up then gave up.

7. sat down on the bed ___ giving after Use after for the later action. The look came first, then
one final look he sat down.

Two pairs worth remembering:
in = inside something · on = resting on top of something · above = higher up, with a
gap.
among = in the middle of many · between = in the middle of two.

Check it yourself: All seven words in the box are used, and each one is used only
once. If you have a word left over, one of your blanks is wrong.

Let us Learn — Pages 6–7

Page 22 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

E. Crossword puzzle

LET US LEARN

Across 2 Use the clues given below to complete the crossword puzzle!

1

2 3

4

5 6

7

8

9

The blank crossword grid printed on page 7. The numbers show where each
answer begins.

Across — 2. Not far, it’s ............ .

NEARBY (6 letters)
Full sentence: Not far, it’s nearby.

Why: Nearby is the opposite of far. It means only a short distance away. The whole
crossword is built on opposites, so look for the opposite word every time.

Your own sentence: The chemist shop is nearby, so we can walk there.

Page 23 of 39

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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Across — 6. I want ............ clothes, not the dirty ones.
e
Across 6

m l as
.co a g
a
s em
agl (5 letters)
CLEAN
Full sentence: I want clean clothes, not the dirty ones.

. c om ag
a s
Why: The clue itself gives the oppositeem— “not the dirty ones”. The opposite of dirty is
clean.
agl
Your own sentence: Wash your hands and keep your nails clean.
co m
em.
m l as
m .co a g
l a se Across — 8. Not inside, play ............ .
g
Across 8
a
m a s
.co agl

OUTSIDE (7 letters)
se m
g l a
a
Full sentence: Not inside, play outside.

Why: The opposite of inside is outside. Notice how the word is built: out + side, just
co m
m .
e
as in + side makes inside.

c o m g l as
m .own sentence: It has stopped raining, so we can play outside.
a
s e
Your

agla
se m
com
Across — 9. When it’s not bright, it’s ............ .
g l a
. a
Across 9

m
ase
agl
DARK (4 letters)

co m
Full sentence: When it’s not bright, it’s dark.
m .
o m l a se
m ag is dark.
.cWhy: The opposite of bright is dark. A room with no light
l a se
ag Your own sentence: The sky turned dark before the storm.
.c
s e m
m a
e m . co agl
g l as
a

com
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Down 1 Down — 1. I said no but he said ............ .

YES (3 letters)
Full sentence: I said no but he said yes.

Why: The opposite of no is yes. This word crosses 2 Across (NEARBY) at its second
letter, E.

Down 3 Down — 3. Something small is not ............ .

BIG (3 letters)
Full sentence: Something small is not big.

Why: The opposite of small is big. This word starts at the fifth letter of NEARBY,
which is B — a useful check that you have the right word.

Down 4 Down — 4. Don’t be sad, be ............ .

HAPPY (5 letters)
Full sentence: Don’t be sad, be happy.

Why: The opposite of sad is happy. It crosses 6 Across (CLEAN) at the letter A, and its
last letter Y is the ninth column of the row that holds OUTSIDE.

Down 5 Down — 5. You are slow, she is ............ .

FAST (4 letters)
Full sentence: You are slow, she is fast.

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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why: The opposite of slow is fast. Its last letter T is the third letter of OUTSIDE.

Down 6 Down — 6. Not hot, she likes ............ coffee.

COLD (4 letters)
Full sentence: Not hot, she likes cold coffee.

Why: The opposite of hot is cold. Number 6 is used twice — once for 6 Across
(CLEAN) and once for 6 Down (COLD). Both start from the very same square, and
both begin with C.

Down 7 Down — 7. Not bought, but ............ .

SOLD (4 letters)
Full sentence: Not bought, but sold.

Why: Buy and sell are opposites. In the past tense they become bought and sold. The
customer bought the mangoes; the fruit-seller sold them.

Check: SOLD crosses OUTSIDE at O and DARK at D. If both letters fit, your answer is
right.

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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

E — Solved grid The completed crossword puzzle. Fill in all ten answers in the grid below.

1

2 3

4

5 6

7

8

9

The blank crossword grid printed on page 7, with the clue numbers 1–9.

Here is the finished puzzle. The small purple numbers are the clue numbers printed in the book.

1
Y
2 E A R 3 Y
N B

S I 4
H
5 G 6 L E A N
F C

A O P

7 S L P
S
8 U T S I D E Y
O

L

9 A R K
D

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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

ACROSS ANSWER DOWN ANSWER

2. Not far, it’s ____ NEARBY 1. I said no but he said ____ YES

6. I want ____ clothes CLEAN 3. Something small is not ____ BIG

8. Not inside, play ____ OUTSIDE 4. Don’t be sad, be ____ HAPPY

9. When it’s not bright, it’s ____ DARK 5. You are slow, she is ____ FAST

6. Not hot, she likes ____ coffee COLD

7. Not bought, but ____ SOLD

The idea behind the whole puzzle: Every single clue asks for an opposite —
far/nearby, dirty/clean, inside/outside, bright/dark, no/yes, small/big, sad/happy,
slow/fast, hot/cold, bought/sold. Once you notice that, the puzzle solves itself.

How to check a crossword: Read every letter that two words share. In this grid,
NEARBY and YES share E, NEARBY and BIG share B, CLEAN and HAPPY share A,
CLEAN and COLD share C, OUTSIDE and FAST share T, OUTSIDE and COLD share D,
OUTSIDE and SOLD share O, OUTSIDE and HAPPY share Y, and DARK and SOLD
share D. All of them fit.

Let us Speak — Page 7
Words for ‘father’ in our languages

LET US SPEAK

Speak ‘Papa’ is a commonly used word in English to address one’s ‘father’. Say aloud the
word you use for ‘father’ in your language. Make a list of such words in your
notebook. Share them with the class.

How to do it:

1. Say aloud the word you use at home for your father.
2. Write it in your notebook, first in your own script and then in English letters.
3. Ask five classmates what they say at home, and add their words to your list.
4. Read your list to the class, saying each word clearly.

Sample answer — a list from one classroom:

Page 28 of 39

as e
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
LANGUAGE WORD FOR ‘FATHER’ LANGUAGE WORD FOR ‘FATHER’

m pitaji, papa, babuji as e
Hindi
.co
Tamil
a
appa
g l
se m
g l a
a
Bengali baba Telugu nanna

Marathi baba Kannada appa

. comMalayalam ag
Gujarati bapuji
e m achan

g l as
Punjabi bapu, pita ji
a Odia bapa

Assamese deuta Urdu abbu, walid
co m
em.
com l as
Kashmiri mool Santali apa

. a g
m
ase
agl baba, appa, abbu. These are the easiest sounds for a small baby to make, so in
What to notice: Many of these words begin with the sounds p, b or a — papa, bapu,

m a s
.co agl
language after language they became the word for ‘father’. Different languages, but
the same first sounds.
se m
g l a
a

co m
.
Let us Listen — Page 8
em
com l as
Encircle the pairs in which the words sound different

. a g
m
ase
LET US LISTEN

agl
Listen Your teacher will read aloud a few word pairs. Listen carefully and encircle pairs
se m
com
in which the words sound different. pair-peer | ate-eight | bed-bad | knot-not
g l a
m . a
e
asdare-dear | wood-would | fill-feel
fair-fare | hair-hare | fair-fear | where-were sun-son | deer-dear | cold-could |
heal-heel knot-notel|
a g
co m
m .
e
Encircle these eight pairs — in each one the two words sound different:
m l as
.co a g
pair–peer, bed–bad, knot–note, fair–fear, where–were, cold–could, dare–dear, fill–feel.

a s emLeave the other eight alone. In those, the two words sound exactly the same. Words that sound
agl the same but are spelt differently are called homophones.
.c
s e m
m a
e m . co agl
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

PAIR SAME OR WHAT TO LISTEN FOR
DIFFERENT?

pair – peer Different — circle it pair rhymes with chair; peer rhymes with ear.

fair – fare Same Homophones. Fair = just, or a mela. Fare = bus money.

sun – son Same Homophones. Sun in the sky, son in the family.

knot – note Different — circle it Short o in knot; long o in note.

ate – eight Same Homophones. Both say “ayt”.

hair – hare Same Homophones. Hare is the animal like a big rabbit.

deer – dear Same Homophones. Deer is the animal, dear means loved.

dare – dear Different — circle it dare rhymes with care; dear rhymes with near.

bed – bad Different — circle it The vowel changes: e as in pen, a as in cat.

fair – fear Different — circle it Same letters, different order — and a different sound.

cold – could Different — circle it cold rhymes with gold; in could the l is silent, so it rhymes
with good.

wood – Same Homophones. The l in would is silent.
would

knot – not Same Homophones. The k in knot is silent.

where – Different — circle it where rhymes with hair; were rhymes with fur.
were

heal – heel Same Homophones. Heal = get better; heel = back of the foot.

fill – feel Different — circle it Short i in fill; long ee in feel.

The sound being taught: Two things trip us up in English. First, some words look
different but sound the same — sun/son, ate/eight, knot/not. Second, some words
look almost the same but sound different because of one vowel — pair/peer,
bed/bad, fill/feel. Your ear, not your eye, must decide.

Try this: Hold your hand in front of your mouth and say bed, then bad. For bad your
mouth opens wider. That is the difference you are listening for.

Page 30 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Let us Write — Page 8
Write the poem in the form of a story

LET US WRITE

Write Write the poem Papa’s Spectacles in the form of a story in your notebook. Share
your story with the class. You may start like this. Today, my father is unhappy ...

How to turn a poem into a story:

1. Follow the same order of events as the poem — he loses them, he cannot work, he searches,
the child finds them.
2. Write in sentences and paragraphs, not in lines and stanzas.
3. Add small details the poem leaves out — the time of day, how Papa looked, what he said.
4. Keep one tense all the way through. The book suggests the present tense, so start “Today,
my father is unhappy …” and stay there.
5. Use joining words — first, then, after that, at last, finally.
6. End with the surprise, because that is where the fun is.

Sample answer (present tense, as the book suggests):

Page 31 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Papa’s Spectacles

Today, my father is unhappy. He is searching everywhere in the house. He has lost his
spectacles, and they are his only pair. He has no second pair to wear.

Without his spectacles he cannot do anything. He cannot read the newspaper, though it is

lying open on the table. He cannot watch TV, because the picture looks blurred to him. He

cannot even cut the vegetables for lunch, because he cannot see the knife properly. “Oh!

Where can it be?” he keeps saying.

So the hunt begins. First he checks inside all his pockets, one by one. Then he bends down
and glances under his chair. After that he searches near the window, where he sat reading in

the morning. He looks everywhere — on the shelf, beside the bed, under the newspaper —

but the spectacles are nowhere.

I am watching him from the doorway. Suddenly I begin to smile, because I can see

something he cannot. I call out, “Stop, Papa!” He stops and turns. I go up close to him and

say, “Papa, your spectacles are right there on your head!”

He puts his hand up, and there they are. He laughs out loud, and so do I. The spectacles were

never lost at all. They were sitting on his head the whole time.

If you want to write in the past tense — the Note to the Teacher allows this —
begin like this: “One day my father lost his spectacles …” and change every verb: is
becomes was, checks becomes checked, says becomes said. Do not mix the two
tenses in one story.

What a good story must have: a beginning that tells us the problem, a middle that
shows the search step by step, and an end that gives the surprise. If any one of
these is missing, the story feels incomplete.

Page 32 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Let us Do — Pages 9–10
A. Matchsticks · B. The flame · C. Find the ‘d’

LET US DO

A Fun with matchsticks. Move 3 matchsticks to make 3 squares.

First, look carefully at what is drawn in the book. Twelve matchsticks are laid out to make a
big square divided into four smaller squares.

Before: 12 matchsticks, 5 squares
The picture in the book. Count the squares: 4 small ones and 1 big one around them all — 5 squares
in all.

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as e
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Count them: 6 matchsticks lie flat (3 rows of 2) and 6 stand upright (3 columns of 2). That is 12
co m
matchsticks. And there are 5 squares — the four small ones, and the one big square around
e m.
m l as
.co g
them all.

em a
a s
We must end with exactly 3 squares, still using all 12 matchsticks. Three separate squares
needl4 matchsticks each, and 4 + 4 + 4 = 12. So the three squares must be completely separate
ag
— no shared sides.

com ag
The three moves — do them in this order:
.
m row, right-hand half (the one that runs from the
1. Move 1. Take the flat matchstick in theetop
a s
aglcorner). Lay it down to the right of the top-right corner, so
top-middle corner to the top-right
it points outwards.
2. Move 2. Take the upright matchstick on the left side, lower half. Stand it up at the far right
co m
end of the matchstick you just laid down. This makes the right-hand side of a new square.
em.
c o m g l as
.
3. Move 3. Take the flat matchstick in the bottom row, left-hand half. Lay it across to close the

e m of the new square. a
s
bottom

a gla
m a s
square 1 m.co square 3 agl
l a se
a g

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
agl

com
square 2
.
m a s em
. a gl exactly 3
co After: the same 12 matchsticks,
a s em squares
a g l
.c
s e m
m a
The three green matchsticks are the three you moved. Each square touches the next at just one

. co agl
corner, so no square shares a side with another.

e m
g l as
a

co m
m .
m as e
.co


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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Now count. Square 1 is the old top-left square. Square 2 is the old bottom-right square. Square
3 is the new one you just built on the right. That is 3 squares, and no other square is left — the
big outer square is gone, because two of its sides are missing.

Why only 3 sticks were needed: The top-left square and the bottom-right square
do not share a single matchstick — they only touch at one corner. So those 8 sticks
could stay exactly where they were. Of the 4 sticks left over, one (the upright stick on
the right, top half) was already in a useful place. It became one side of the third
square, so only the other 3 had to move.

Check your work: Count the matchsticks — there must still be 12. Count the
squares — there must be exactly 3. Make sure no square shares a side with another
square.

Another correct answer: You may build the third square on the left instead, using
the upright matchstick at the bottom-left. Any arrangement is right as long as all 12
matchsticks are used, only 3 were moved, and exactly 3 squares can be counted.

B Look at the flame. Touch the red star with the tip of your nose, and look at the
candle. And lo! It starts burning!

What is printed on page 9: a thick candle with a black wick but no flame, a small red star just
below and to the right of the candle, and a lit matchstick with an orange flame at the top right
of the page.
How to do the activity, step by step:

1. Hold the book up so that the red star is right in front of your face.
2. Bring the page closer and closer until the tip of your nose touches the red star.
3. Now, without moving the book, look at the candle.
4. Keep looking. The flame slides across and sits on the candle — the candle seems to be
burning.

Why it happens: Your two eyes are a little apart, so each eye sees the page from a
slightly different place. When the page is that close, your eyes cannot bring the two
views together. So you see double. One of the two flame pictures lands exactly on
top of the candle wick — and the candle looks lit. Nothing on the page has changed;
only the way your two eyes joined the picture has changed.

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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Try this: Hold one finger up at arm’s length and look past it at the wall. Your finger
looks double. Now look at the finger — the wall looks double. Your eyes can join only
one distance at a time.

C Look carefully. Can you find ‘d’?

Yes. The ‘d’ is in the fourth row, second column — counting the rows from the top and the
columns from the left.
The grid on page 10 has 12 columns and 9 rows, which makes 108 letters. All of them are b
except one. Here is the grid with the hidden letter marked in red.

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b d b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b b b

How to search a grid quickly: Do not let your eyes wander. Put your finger on the
first row and read it across, left to right. Then drop to the next row. Row 1 — all b.
Row 2 — all b. Row 3 — all b. Row 4 — the second letter is d. Found.

Why it is hard to spot: b and d are the same shape — a stick and a round belly. Only
the side of the belly changes. In b the belly is on the right of the stick; in d it is on the
left. Your eye skims past that tiny difference, exactly as Papa’s eye skimmed past his
own head.

Tip for telling b and d apart: Make a fist with each hand and put your thumbs up.
Your left hand makes a b. Your right hand makes a d. That is b–d, in the order of the
alphabet.

Page 36 of 39

Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Just for Fun — Page 10
Riddle

JUST FOR FUN

Riddle I go to the market, I lovingly bring you home, I sit in front of you, And I cry, cry,
cry. What is it?

The answer is an onion.
Line by line:

1. “I go to the market” — onions are bought at the market or the vegetable cart. Almost every
Indian kitchen has them.
2. “I lovingly bring you home” — we carry the onions home in our bag, carefully, because we
need them for cooking.
3. “I sit in front of you” — the onion sits on the chopping board, right in front of us.
4. “And I cry, cry, cry” — the moment we cut it, our eyes fill with tears.

The wordplay: The riddle says “I cry” — but the onion does not cry at all. We are the
ones who cry. The riddle swaps the two on purpose, so that we hunt for something
sad instead of something in the kitchen. That swap is the trick, and it is what makes
the answer feel funny once you hear it.

Did you know? An onion has a gas locked inside it. When the knife cuts the onion
open, that gas escapes into the air, reaches your eyes and stings them — so your
eyes make tears to wash it away. If you chill the onion in the fridge first, less gas
escapes and you cry less.

Say it in your own language: This riddle is told in many Indian languages. In Hindi
the answer is pyaz, in Tamil vengayam, in Bengali peyaj. Ask at home whether anyone
knows another riddle like it.

Chapter at a glance
Stanza 1 — the problem. “Today our papa / Is searching everywhere, / He has lost his
spectacles, / It was his only pair!” Papa has just one pair of spectacles, so losing them is a
real trouble. The word only is the important one here.

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Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Stanza 2 — why it matters. Without his spectacles Papa cannot read the newspaper,
cannot watch TV and cannot cut the vegetables. Three ordinary daily jobs all stop at once.
The stanza ends with his worried cry, “Oh! Where can it be?”
Stanza 3 — the search. He checked inside his pockets, glanced under his chair, searched
near the window, looked everywhere. Four different verbs — checked, glanced, searched,
looked — show him hunting harder and harder.
Stanza 4 — the surprise. The child says, “Stop, Papa!”, goes up close, and tells him the
spectacles are right there on his head. The joke is that the lost thing was never lost at all.
What the poem means. When we are worried, we often miss the thing that is closest to us.
A calm pair of eyes — here, a child’s — can see what a hurried grown-up cannot. The poem
also shows a warm, easy home where a child may help a parent.
New Words taught by the chapter: spectacles, pair, glanced, searching.
The language work (Let us Learn). A — arranging words in ascending order, smallest or
lightest first. B — the phrase “a pair of …” for things that come in twos or have two
matching parts. C — choosing the correct spelling out of three. D — filling in prepositions
(in, around, above, among, on, before, after) in a small story. E — a nine-word crossword
built entirely on opposites.
Let us Listen trains the ear on sound pairs — some are homophones (words that sound
exactly the same, like sun and son) and some only look similar but sound different (like pair
and peer).
Let us Do is hands-on fun: a matchstick puzzle, an eye trick with a candle and a red star, and
a letter grid with a single d hiding among many bs. Just for Fun ends the chapter with a
riddle.

Page 38 of 39

ase
Class 5 English Chapter 1 Papa's Spectacles
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Quick revision
m l a se
m .coWHAT IT MEANS aAgSENTENCE OF YOUR
ase
WORD THE LINE IT APPEARS IN

agl
OWN

spectacles Glasses. Two lenses in a frame, “He has lost his spectacles,” My grandmother wears

m
.co ag
worn to see better. spectacles when she reads

sem
the newspaper.

a “It was his only pair!”
pair Two things that go together
and are used together.
agl I bought a new pair of shoes
for Diwali.

. com
emthe school bus.
glanced Looked at something quickly, “He glanced under his chair,” She glanced at the clock and

a s
com l
for a very short moment. ran for

e m . ag We are searching for my lost
a s
searching Looking carefully for “Is searching everywhere,”

agl
something you cannot find. water bottle.

a s
com
checked Looked at something to make “He checked inside his I checked my bag before

. agl
sure. pockets,” leaving for school.

Put something in the wrongas
e m
misplaced
g
place, so you cannot find
l
a it.
Let us Think, B.3 — “Things
generally misplaced at your
I misplaced my geometry
box somewhere in the
home” classroom.

co m
m .
seforty-seven are in ascending
ascending From the smallest to the Let us Learn, A Fourteen, twenty-nine and

m l a
.co ag order.
order biggest, or from the lightest to

sem
the heaviest.

a
agl preposition A small word that tells us Let us Learn, D The book is on the table.

se m
where or when — in, on,
above, among, before, after.
com g l a
m . Let us Listen — sun and son a
ase
agl
homophone Two words that sound exactly Ate and eight are
the same but have different homophones.
meanings and spellings.

. c om
mten minutes.
crossword A word puzzle where answers Let us Learn, E We solved the crossword in

m
are written into a grid of
ase
.co
squares, across and down.
a g l
s m
eriddle
gl a
a
A question asked in a puzzling Just for Fun Her riddle about the onion
way, meant to be guessed. made us laugh.
.c
s e m
m a
.co would you express your agl
gratitude The feeling of being thankful Let us Think, B.3 — “How I showed my gratitude by
to someone.
se m thanking our helper.

g l a gratitude to them?”
a

co m
m .
m as e
.co


a g l Page 39 of 39