Model questions with multiple choice questions, short questions as well as summary and answers based on Unit One: Education and Life Lesson 1: The Parrot's Tale Part-1

Model questions with multiple choice questions, short questions as well as summary and answers based on

Unit One: Education and Life

Lesson 1: The Parrot's Tale

 Part-1

Once upon a time there lived a bird. It was unlettered. It sang but couldn't recite a word of scripture. It hopped and it flew but lacked all sense of manners.

The King said, "Such a bird is of no use. Yet it devours fruit from the forest, bringing down the profits of fruiterers in the royal market."

He summoned the Minister and commanded, "Educate the bird!"

2. The task of educating the bird fell on the King's nephews, his sisters' sons.

The learned men of the court deliberated long.

They pondered the reasons behind the ignorance of the creature in question. The conclusion: the bird's nest made of straw and twigs could not hold much knowledge. Therefore, the first thing needed was a proper cage.

The royal scholars received handsome fees and happily went home.

3. A goldsmith set to work on a gilded cage. It turned out to be of such exquisite workmanship that people from far and near crowded round for a look. Some said, "This is education par excellence." Others said, "Even if it learns nothing, it has got the cage. What a lucky bird."

The goldsmith was delighted to get a bagful of money as reward and went home at once.

A teacher came to give lessons to the bird. He took a pinch of snuff and declared, "This isn't a matter of just a few texts."

One of the royal nephews sent for scribes. They made multiple copies of various texts until there was a veritable mountain. "Bravo!" exclaimed those who saw it, "There is no room for any more knowledge."

The scribes loaded their wages onto bullocks and merrily headed home. They would never again want for anything.

The nephews were constantly busy looking after the expensive cage. Repairs were always under way. Anyone who saw the endless dusting, wiping and polishing had to agree that there was "marked improvement".

A large maintenance crew was needed, and more personnel to supervise them. They all got handsome monthly salaries, which they saved in their wooden chests. Even their cousins came to live with them in cushioned comfort.

4. The world is short of many things but not detractors. They said, "The cage looks better no doubt, but has anyone taken notice of the bird?"

This was reported to the King. He said to a nephew, "What's this I hear?"

"Your Majesty," replied the nephew, "If you wish to hear the truth, summon the goldsmiths, the scholars, the scribes, the maintenance crew and their supervisors. Those who haven't got a share of the royal bounty are resorting to slander."

Everything became clear to the King and he rewarded his nephew with a gold chain.

Word	Meaning in Bangla	Part of Speech
Bird	পাখি	Noun
Unlettered	অশিক্ষিত	Adjective
Scripture	ধর্মগ্রন্থ	Noun
Summoned	ডাকা	Verb
Educate	শিক্ষিত করা	Verb
Nephews	ভাইপো	Noun
Scholars	পণ্ডিত	Noun
Deliberated	চিন্তা-ভাবনা করা	Verb
Ignorance	অজ্ঞতা	Noun
Creature	প্রাণী	Noun
Exquisite	চমৎকার	Adjective
Reward	পুরস্কার	Noun
Declared	ঘোষণা করা	Verb
Texts	পাঠ্য	Noun
Bravo	বাহ্	Exclamation
Knowledge	জ্ঞান	Noun
Maintenance	রক্ষণাবেক্ষণ	Noun
Detractors	সমালোচক	Noun
Slander	কুৎসা	Noun
Goldsmith	স্বর্ণকার	Noun
Polishing	পালিশ করা	Verb
Veritable	প্রকৃত	Adjective
Rewarded	পুরস্কৃত	Verb
Manners	ভদ্রতা	Noun
Comfort	আরাম	Noun
Handsome	প্রভূত	Adjective
Cage	খাঁচা	Noun
Summarize	সংক্ষিপ্ত করা	Verb
Supervise	তত্ত্বাবধান করা	Verb
Conclusion	সিদ্ধান্ত	Noun

1. What was the bird’s main flaw according to the King?
   a) It couldn't sing
   b) It devoured forest fruit
   c) It lacked manners and education
   d) It couldn't fly

   Answer: c) It lacked manners and education

2. Why did the King want the bird to be educated?
   a) To increase its value
   b) To stop it from eating forest fruit
   c) To make it a royal companion
   d) To teach it scripture

   Answer: b) To stop it from eating forest fruit

3. Who was tasked with educating the bird?
   a) The King himself
   b) The royal ministers
   c) The King’s nephews
   d) The goldsmith

   Answer: c) The King’s nephews

4. What did the scholars conclude about the bird's ignorance?
   a) The bird was unteachable
   b) The bird needed a proper cage
   c) The bird lacked intelligence
   d) The bird needed a better teacher

   Answer: b) The bird needed a proper cage

5. What was the cage made of?
   a) Wood
   b) Iron
   c) Gold
   d) Straw and twigs

   Answer: c) Gold

6. Who designed the bird's cage?
   a) The King’s nephews
   b) The goldsmith
   c) The scholars
   d) The scribes

   Answer: b) The goldsmith

7. How did people react to the cage?
   a) They ignored it
   b) They criticized its design
   c) They admired its beauty
   d) They thought it was too expensive

   Answer: c) They admired its beauty

8. What did some people call the cage?
   a) A waste of money
   b) Education par excellence
   c) A royal mistake
   d) A bird prison

   Answer: b) Education par excellence

9. What was the royal nephews' primary task?
   a) Feeding the bird
   b) Looking after the cage
   c) Teaching the bird to sing
   d) Writing scriptures

   Answer: b) Looking after the cage

10. Why did the scribes create many texts?
    a) To sell them in the market
    b) To ensure the bird learned properly
    c) To show off their skills
    d) To justify their wages

    Answer: b) To ensure the bird learned properly

11. Who benefited the most financially from the project?
    a) The King
    b) The bird
    c) The maintenance crew and their relatives
    d) The scholars

    Answer: c) The maintenance crew and their relatives

12. How did the scribes transport their wages?
    a) By hand
    b) In a cart
    c) On bullocks
    d) In their pockets

    Answer: c) On bullocks

13. Who criticized the whole project?
    a) The nephews
    b) The scribes
    c) Detractors
    d) The maintenance crew

    Answer: c) Detractors

14. What did the King do when he heard the criticism?
    a) He punished the nephews
    b) He rewarded the critics
    c) He asked his nephew for clarification
    d) He dismantled the cage

    Answer: c) He asked his nephew for clarification

15. What did the nephew suggest about the critics?
    a) They were jealous
    b) They were telling the truth
    c) They were wise
    d) They were uneducated

    Answer: a) They were jealous

16. How did the King reward the nephew?
    a) With money
    b) With a gold chain
    c) With a royal title
    d) With land

    Answer: b) With a gold chain

17. What is a central theme of the story?
    a) The futility of appearances
    b) The power of education
    c) The greed of royalty
    d) The value of hard work

    Answer: a) The futility of appearances

18. What lesson does the story teach about bureaucracy?
    a) It is always efficient
    b) It often rewards unnecessary work
    c) It is essential for progress
    d) It values honesty

    Answer: b) It often rewards unnecessary work

19. What does the cage symbolize in the story?
    a) True education
    b) Wealth and status
    c) Misplaced priorities
    d) A royal treasure

    Answer: c) Misplaced priorities

20. What does the term "gilded" mean in the context of the cage?
    a) Made of wood
    b) Covered in gold
    c) Fragile and weak
    d) Over-decorated

    Answer: b) Covered in gold

21. What does “unlettered” mean as used in the story?
    a) Illiterate
    b) Uncaged
    c) Untalented
    d) Unintelligent

    Answer: a) Illiterate

22. What is the meaning of “veritable” in “a veritable mountain”?
    a) Imaginary
    b) Small
    c) True or real
    d) Decorative

    Answer: c) True or real

23. What does "detractors" mean in the story?
    a) Supporters
    b) Critics
    c) Friends
    d) Bystanders

    Answer: b) Critics

24. What can be inferred about the King?
    a) He was wise and fair
    b) He prioritized appearances over substance
    c) He valued education above all
    d) He cared deeply for the bird

    Answer: b) He prioritized appearances over substance

25. How did the nephews benefit from the project?
    a) They became famous
    b) They earned wealth and rewards
    c) They learned about education
    d) They improved the bird’s life

    Answer: b) They earned wealth and rewards

26. What do the scholars' actions suggest about them?
    a) They were hardworking and dedicated
    b) They were greedy and opportunistic
    c) They truly cared for the bird
    d) They believed in education

    Answer: b) They were greedy and opportunistic

27. Why did people call the bird “lucky”?
    a) It received a gold cage
    b) It was taught scriptures
    c) It was left to live in peace
    d) It escaped captivity

    Answer: a) It received a gold cage

28. What irony is presented in the story?
    a) The cage is more valued than the bird
    b) The King never visits the bird
    c) The nephews fail to get rewarded
    d) The critics are proven wrong

    Answer: a) The cage is more valued than the bird

29. What could the bird’s lack of change symbolize?
    a) Resistance to education
    b) The limits of wealth
    c) The failure of superficial efforts
    d) The power of freedom

    Answer: c) The failure of superficial efforts

30. How might this story relate to modern issues?
    a) It highlights the value of education
    b) It critiques superficial investments
    c) It praises bureaucracy
    d) It supports luxury spending

    Answer: b) It critiques superficial investments

Questions and Answers

1. Why did the King decide to educate the bird?
   The King decided to educate the bird because it lacked manners and did not know scripture. He also felt it was a burden as it ate fruits from the forest, reducing the profits of fruit sellers.

2. Who was tasked with educating the bird?
   The King assigned the responsibility of educating the bird to his nephews, his sisters' sons. They were part of the royal court.

3. What did the royal scholars decide was the bird’s main problem?
   The royal scholars concluded that the bird's straw and twig nest was unsuitable for holding knowledge. They decided that the bird needed a proper cage for its education.

4. What kind of cage was made for the bird?
   A goldsmith crafted an exquisite gilded cage for the bird. It was so magnificent that people came from far and near to admire it.

5. What was the reaction of the people to the new cage?
   Some people praised the cage as a sign of "education par excellence," while others thought the bird was fortunate even if it learned nothing. They were impressed by the cage's beauty.

6. What did the teacher do when he came to teach the bird?
   The teacher took a pinch of snuff and declared that teaching the bird would require more than just a few texts. His remark hinted at the scale of the task.

7. What did the scribes contribute to the bird’s education?
   The scribes created multiple copies of various texts until there was a mountain of them. They were paid handsomely for their work.

8. How did the nephews maintain the cage?
   The nephews were constantly dusting, wiping, and polishing the cage. They claimed these activities showed "marked improvement" in the bird's condition.

9. What did the maintenance crew do?
   The maintenance crew was responsible for repairing and cleaning the cage. They were part of a large team that earned good salaries and lived comfortably.

10. What did detractors criticize about the bird’s education?
    Detractors pointed out that while the cage looked better, no one had paid attention to the bird itself. They doubted if the bird had gained any real education.

11. How did the King respond to the criticisms from detractors?
    The King questioned his nephew about the criticisms. The nephew blamed the detractors, claiming they were slandering because they had not received a share of the royal bounty.

12. What reward did the King give his nephew?
    The King gave his nephew a gold chain. This reward indicated the King's trust in his nephew’s explanations.

13. What were the financial outcomes for those involved in educating the bird?
    Everyone involved, from the goldsmith to the scribes and maintenance crew, received handsome rewards. Many of them became wealthy and lived comfortably afterward.

14. Did the bird receive any actual education?
    The story suggests that the bird did not receive any meaningful education. The focus was on the cage and the process rather than the bird's learning.

15. What is the moral or message of the story?
    The story highlights the futility of superficial efforts and misplaced priorities. It suggests that true education requires focus on substance rather than appearances or extravagance.

Summary

The story "The Parrot’s Tale" narrates how a king commands his ministers to educate an unlettered bird. Rather than focusing on teaching the bird, the royal nephews and courtiers focus on constructing an ornate cage and producing a surplus of texts. They waste resources and enrich themselves under the guise of education, leaving the bird neglected. Critics question their actions, but the king, misled by his advisors, rewards them for their superficial efforts.

Critical Theme

The tale critiques superficiality, misplaced priorities, and corruption in education systems. It highlights how focusing on appearances and materialistic pursuits often leads to neglecting true learning and progress. The story serves as an allegory for bureaucratic inefficiency, where resources are squandered, and the core purpose—education, in this case—is ignored. It also underscores the dangers of sycophancy and the misuse of power for personal gain.

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