A Bicycle in Good Repair : Summary , Class 7 Questions and Answers , NCERT Solutions

Summary

The Bicycle Ride

One of the friend of the author suggested that the two should go for a bicycle ride the next day. The author reached the place half an hour before his friend and was waiting for him in the garden. The author’s friend enquired about his bicycle and then gave it a shake holding its front wheel and the fork. After a while the man took out the front wheel of the cycle while the author was away for a while looking for a hammer.

The Bicycle Inspection and its Repair Work

The author insisted on putting on the various parts of cycle in place, but his friend wanted to check the front wheel. He unscrewed something and from somewhere around a dozen of ball bearings came out. His friend insisted that the author must collect all of them else the bicycle might not be resorted to its old condition. The author collected around 16 of them and kept them in his hat. The author’s friend now started taking off the gear-case. The author warned him not to mess up with the gear-case, but his friend said that nothing is as easy as taking off the gear-case. He took it off easily, but had a nightmare while fixing it back to its place.

His bicycle which was until now in good condition was now lying scattered divided in many parts. Author wanted to stop his friend from causing further troubles, but he admits that he is weak at hurting others. Then it was the time for the chain which he tightened to an extent that it stopped moving. He then loosened it until it became twice as loose as it was before.

The Tough Process of Assembly

After applying his tricks on the cycle, author’s friend seemed to be contended and now wanted to put all the pieces back into their place. It took a lot of time and a great effort. The process revealed that his friend was inexperienced and knew nothing about repairing a bicycle. After struggling for many hours his friend was able to somehow fix the different parts of the bicycle. The author took him to his back kitchen where his friend cleaned himself and then the author sent him back to his home.

Word Meaning

Word Meaning in English

Stiffly with difficulty

Shook to shake

Violently cruelly, aggressively

Whacking beating

Wobbles move unsteadily from side to side

Tool-shed a place where tools are kept

Twiddling turning

Remnant remaining parts

Unscrewed unfasten open

Grovelled crawling on the ground

Gear-case gear box

Dissuade discourage

Solemnly seriously, sadly

Confess accept, admit

Ravages damages

See to the chain to check or examine the chain

Lunatic mad

Scruff of the neck back of the neck

Knack talent, skill

Loosened to make it loose

Topsy-turvy upside down, chaotic

Providence fate, luck

Inexplicable cannot be expressed in words

Refix to fix it again

Slid slide (Second from of verb slide)

Bullying harassment

Proceeding events, actions

Flushed red, blushing

Dishevelled messy, untidy

Wipe to clean

NCERT Solutions

Comprehension Check

(NCERT Page 128)

“I got up early, for me.” It implies that

(i) he was an early riser.

(ii) he was a late riser.

(iii) he got up late that morning.

Ans. (ii) he was a late riser.

The bicycle “goes easily enough in the morning and a little stiffly after lunch.” The remark is

(i) humorous (ii) inaccurate

(iii) sarcastic (iv) enjoyable

(v) meaningless

Mark your choice(s)

Ans. (i) Humorous

The friend shook the bicycle violently. Find two or three sentences in the text which express the author’s disapproval of it.

Ans. (i) “Don’t do that; you’ll hurt it.”

(ii) “It doesn’t if you don’t wobble it.’

(iii) “Don’t you trouble about it any more; you will make yourself tired.

“…. if not, it would make a serious difference to the machine.” What does ‘it’ refer to?

Ans. ‘It’ refers to ball bearings.

Working with the Text

(NCERT Pages 132 and 133)

Answer the following questions.

Did the front wheel really wobble? What is your opinion? Give a reason for your answer.

Ans. The front wheel wobbled occasionally, but it didn’t require any attention. The bicycle was in good condition and the author was pleased with it.

In what condition did the author find the bicycle when he returned from the tool shed?

Ans. When the author returned from the tool shed his friend had taken out the front wheel of the bicycle. His friend was sitting on the ground with the wheel between his legs. He was playing with the wheel while the other part of the bicycle was lying on the gravel path beside him.

“Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case.”

Comment on or continue this sentence in the light of what actually happens.

Ans. “Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case but it is an impossible task to fix it back.” The author’s friend took out the gear-case easily, but he was having a nightmare in putting it back to its place.

What special treatment did the chain receive?

Ans. Author’s friend tightened it to an extent that it didn’t move at all. He then loosened it until it was twice as loose as it was before.

The friend has two qualities-he knows what he is doing and is absolutely sure it is good. Find the two phrases in the text which mean the same.

Ans. (i) Cheery confidence

(ii) Inexplicable hopefulness

Describe ‘the fight’ between the man and the machine. Find the relevant sentences in the text and write them.

Ans. The bicycle was in good condition, but the author’s friend unnecessarily disturbed it. He first took out front-wheel and then the gear-case, his next victim was the chain. He really had a tough time in fixing these parts back into their place.

Then he lost his temper and tried bullying the thing. The bicycle, I was glad to see, showed spirit and the subsequent proceedings degenerated into little else than a rough and tumble fight between him and the machine.

One moment the bicycle would be on the gravel path and he on top of it; the next, the position would be reversed – he on the gravel path, the bicycle on him.

Now he would be standing flushed with victory, the bicycle firmly fixed between his legs. But his triumph would be short-lived. By a sudden quick movement it would free itself and turning upon him, hit him sharply over the head with one of its handles.

Working with Language

(NCERT Pages 133 to 136)

Read the following sentences.

We should go for a long bicycle ride.
I ought to have been firm.
We mustn’t lose any of them.
I suggested that he should hold the fork and that I should handle the wheel.

The words in italics are modal auxiliaries. Modal auxiliaries are used with verbs to express notions such as possibility, permission, willingness, obligation, necessity etc. ‘Should’, ‘must’ and ‘ought to’ generally express moral obligation, necessity and desirability.

Look at the following:

We should go on a holiday. (suggestion: It is a good idea for us to go on a holiday.)

He is not too well these days. He must see a doctor before he becomes worse. (compulsion or necessity: It is absolutely essential or necessary for him to see a doctor.)
You ought to listen to me. I am well over a decade older than you. (more emphatic than ‘should’: Since I am older than you, it is advisable that you listen to me.)

Note : ‘Should’ and ‘ought to’ are often used interchangeably.

Rewrite each of the following sentences using should/ ought to / must in place of the italicised words. Make other changes wherever necessary.

(i) You are obliged to do your duty irrespective of consequences.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(ii) You will do well to study at least for an hour every day.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(iii) The doctor says it is necessary for her to sleep eight hours every night.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(iv) It is right that you show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(v) If you want to stay healthy, exercise regularly.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(vi) It is good for you to take a walk, every morning.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(vii) It is strongly advised that you don’t stand on your head.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(viii) As he has a cold, it is better for him to go to bed.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Ans.

(i) You must do your duty irrespective of consequences

(ii) You should study at least for an hour every day.

(iii) The doctor says she must sleep eight hours every night.

(iv) You ought to show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.

(v) To stay healthy, you must exercise regularly.

(vi) You should take a walk, every morning.

(vii) You must not stand on your head.

(viii) As he has a cold, he should to go to bed.

Use should/must/ought to appropriately in the following sentences.

(i) People who live in glass houses …………………………………………… not throw stones.

(ii) You …………………………………………… wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.

(iii) You …………………………………………… do what the teacher tells you.

(iv) The pupils were told that they …………………………………………… write more neatly.

(v) Sign in front of a park; You …………………………………………… walk on the grass.

(vi) You …………………………………………… be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.

(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He …………………………………………… be here any minute.

(viii) “Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?” “How …………………………………………… I know? I have just arrived.”

Ans.

(i) should (ii) must

(iii) must (iv) should

(v) must (vi) ought to

(vii) should (viii) should

Two or more single sentences can be combined to form a single sentence.

Read the following:

I made an effort and was pleased with myself.

This sentence is in fact a combination of two sentences.

I made an effort.
I was pleased with myself.

Now read this sentence.

I did not see why he should shake it.

This is also a combination of two sentences.

I did not see (it).
Why should he shake it?

Divide each of the following sentences into its parts. Write meaningful parts. If necessary, supply a word or two to make each part meaningful.

(i) I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. (3 parts)

(ii) When I came back he was sitting on the ground. (2 parts)

(iii) We may as well see what’s the matter with it, now it is out. (3 parts)

(iv) He said he hoped we had got them all. (3 parts)

(v) I had to confess he was right. (2 parts)

Ans. (i) I went to the tool shed.

I went to see

What could I find?

(ii) I came back.

He was sitting on the ground.

(iii) We may as well see.

What is the matter with it?

Now, it is out.

(iv) He said.

He hoped.

We had got them all.

(v) I had to confess.

He was right.

‘en’ acts as a prefix (put at the beginning) or as a suffix (put at the end) to form new words.

en + courage = encourage

weak + en = weaken

‘en’ at the beginning or at the end of a word is not always a prefix or a suffix. It is then an integral part of the word.

ending, barren

(i) Now arrange the words given in the box under the three headings prefix, suffix and part of the word.

encourage dampen listen

barren endanger soften

fasten enclose weaken

even enable enclave

Ans. en (prefix) en (suffix) en (part of word)

encourage dampen listen

endanger soften barren

enable fasten even

enclose weaken enclave

(ii) Find new words in your textbook and put them under the same headings

Ans. en (prefix) en (suffix) en (part of word)

enact quicken energy

ensure deepen end

enjoy tighten enquiry

encircle strengthen sudden

enact forgotten then listen

entrap deepen sudden

endangered tighten happen

Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Where did the author planned to do alongwith his friend?

Ans. The author and his friend planned to go for ride on his bicycle.

Who the author called the right person to shake the bicycle?

Ans. The author called himself the right person to shake his bicycle.

Which was the toughest part of the bicycle that the author’s friend found the toughest to fix?

Ans. It was the gear-case thát gave the author’s friend the most trouble.

How the author and his friend spent the entire day?

Ans. The author’s friend dismantled the bicycle parts one-by-one for the entire day and the he spent the entire day fixing them at their place

Was it right for the author’s friend to dismantle the bicycle?

Ans. The author’s bicycle was in a perfect state there was no use of dismantling its parts by his friend.

Short Answer Type Questions

How did the author said to encourage his friend to fix the gear-case?

Ans. The author said that it was fascinating to observe his friend working on the bicycle. He called his confidence as cheery and the hopefulness as inexplicable. His friend found these words to be encouraging and started re-fixing the gear-case.

What happened to the ball bearings?

Ans. Author’s friend unscrewed the ball bearings without informing him. They started rolling on the ground and then they might have lost some of it there. Then the author kept them in his hat which was later blown away by the wind because of which they again lost five of those bearings.

What was the state of the author’s friend at the last?

Ans. The author’s friend was completely tired because of his struggle with the bicycle. He was soiled with oil and dirt. He found fixing the parts of the bicycle extremely tough and somehow got those parts in place. He called it quits finally claiming that this is enough.

Long Answer Type Questions

The author didn’t go for the bicycle ride he had planned with his friend why?

Ans. The author and his friend had planned to go for a ride on the bicycle, but the two couldn’t make it. His friend dismantled all the parts of the bicycle one-by-one. He first took out the front wheel and then the ball bearing from it. The chain was his next victim before he finally moved on to the gear-case. It took his friend the entire day to fix these parts back into their place and then he finally left for his home.

Author’s friend had taken out the parts of the bicycle easily, but he really had tough time fixing them. Explain this with suitable example.

Ans. The author’s friend has taken out the ball bearings from the front wheel without any alarm. He then started fixing the front wheel only to realise latter that he had not put those bearings back into their place. He then moved to the chain.

He first tightened it to an extent that it wasn’t moving and loosened twice its earlier state. The gear-case was the most complicated one. He took it easily, but a tough time fixing it back.

Value Based Questions

We should not mess up with things that belong to others. Elaborate.

Ans. We should treat things that belongs to others with utmost care. We should treat them even more cautiously than we would have treated our things.

There are many things around us that we consider dear to us. Similarly people are also emotional about their things and we must respect their feelings.

Treating other’s thing’s callously will make them lose their trust on us and they might not lend their things to us again. We should take utmost care while handling things belonging to others and must return them at once when our job is done.

Friendship is a great relation. We all must treasure our friends. Explain.

Ans. It is great to have friends in life. They add colours to our life. There are many things which we cannot share with our family, but can share with our friends easily.

Our friends help us in our time of need and stand beside us during our thick and thin. We trust them and can rely on them in times of need. We must be helpful and understanding towards our friend and must always be available to render our help to them.

Extra Questions and Answers

Extract 1

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

“Catch ’em!” he shouted; “catch ’em! We mustn’t lose any of them.” He was quite excited about them. We groveled round for half an hour and found sixteen.

He said he hoped we had got them all, because, if not, it would make a serious difference to the machine. I had put them in safety in my hat. It was not a sensible thing to do I admit.

Who has been referred as ‘he’ in the above lines?

Ans. The author’s friend has been referred as ‘he’ in the above lines.

What were they looking for?

Ans. They were looking for the ball bearings.

…it would make a serious difference to the machine. What has been referred to as ‘machine’ in these lines?

Ans. Author’s bicycle has been referred as machine in the above lines.

“Catch ’em!” he shouted; “catch ’em! Just before this the author’s friend

(a) had unscrewed the ball bearings.

(b) had tightened the chain.

(d) had taken out the front wheel.

Ans. (a) had unscrewed the ball bearings.

Find one word from the given lines which is antonym of ‘bored’.

(a) Hopped

(b) Groveled

(d) Excited

Ans. (d) Excited

Why it wasn’t a senşible decision to keep it in the hat?

(a) The hat had holes.

(b) The author wanted to wear the hat.

(d) The hat was blown away by the wind and some of ball bearings were lost.

Ans. (d) The hat was blown away by the wind and some of ball bearings were lost.

Extract 2

Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

He said, “This is dangerous; have you got a hammer?” I ought to have been firm, but I thought that perhaps he really did know something about the business. I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. When I came back he was sitting on the ground front wheel between his legs.

What has been referred to as dangerous in the given lines?

Ans. The wobbling of the front wheel has been described as dangerous in the given lines.

Who has been referred as ‘he’ in the given lines?

Ans. Author’s friend has been referred as ‘he’ in the given lines.

What the person intended to do with the hammer?

Ans. He wanted to repair the wobbling of the front wheel with the hammer.

The author should have been firm about

(a) not allowing his friend to touch his bicycle

(b) not going to the tool shed

(d) the opinion of his friend about the bicycle

Ans. (a) not allowing his friend to touch his bicycle.

Find out one word from the given lines that is synonym of the word ‘possibly’.

(a) Mostly (b) Definitely

Ans. (d) Perhaps

What was the author’s friend doing with the front wheel?

(a) He was trying to check the problem in it

(b) He was trying to fix it in its positions

(d) He was taking a nap keeping the front wheel in that position.

Ans. (c) He was playing with it.