NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English (Poorvi) Unit 2 : Chapter 4 - The Unlikely Best Friends

Chapter 4 of Class 6 English; "The Unlikely Best Friends" is an uplifting and inspirational tale featured in the updated NCERT syllabus. It demonstrates how friendships come about through caring, compassion, and understanding of others, while showing how Goodwill creates bridges between people. Students are encouraged to realise that even if two individuals are very dissimilar in many areas, friendship can develop if there is mutual respect for each other.

The NCERT Solutions in this page have been prepared according to the latest NCERT guidelines and are intended to provide students with a simple way to answer questions in the exam. They allow students to strengthen their reading comprehension abilities, learn vocabulary, and help to have an organised method of reviewing the materials for tests, projects, and homework assignments.

1.0Download NCERT Solutions Class 6 English Chapter 4 - The Unlikely Best Friends : Free PDF

The chapter “The Unlikely Best Friends” teaches students how friendship can form between very different individuals. These NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Chapter 4 The Unlikely Best Friends make the story easier to understand and support exam preparation. Download the free PDF below for quick revision of the chapters.

2.0Class 6 English Chapter 4 - The Unlikely Best Friends: Brief Explanation

This chapter helps students understand empathy, understanding others, and appreciating meaningful friendships that grow with time.

Key Lessons from the Chapter:

1. Friendship can grow in unexpected ways – Two very different people/characters can become close friends.
2. Kindness builds trust – Simple caring actions for one another help form strong bonds between the characters.
3. Understanding others is important – The story shows how listening and patience improve relationships between individuals.
4. Helping others strengthens bonds – Care and support creates deeper and more meaningful friendships.

3.0NCERT Class 6 English Chapter 4 - The Unlikely Best Friends : Detailed Solutions

Let us do these activities before we read.

I Friends are an important part of our lives. Why do you think so? Share your ideas with your friend. What do you do when you are with your friends and how do you feel? Now, complete the following sentences by writing in the shapes given below. Share your completed sentences with your classmates and teacher. One has been done for you.

Ans:

II. The title of the chapter is 'The Unlikely Best Friends'.

1. What can be the meaning of 'unlikely'? Discuss in groups, and then discuss with your teacher.

Ans: The term 'unlikely' refers to something that is not expected or considered probable. In the context of friendships, 'unlikely' means that the friends are not typical or common pairs; their friendship is surprising or unusual.

2. Can you think of some unlikely friends? Share your answer with your teacher.

Ans: Examples of unlikely friends might include a cat and a dog who get along well, or a student and a teacher who become close friends. These friendships are surprising because they go against common expectations or stereotypes.

Let us discuss

1. Talk about the things that Gajaraj and Buntee did together. Now, write in the shapes given below. One has been done for you.

Ans:

2. Why did the farmer hug Buntee?

Ans: The farmer hugged Buntee because he was overjoyed to find his lost dog. The hug expressed his relief and happiness at being reunited with Buntee.

3. Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer?

Ans: Although Buntee and Gajaraj are good friends, Buntee recognizes the farmer as his owner and understands that he must return home. Hence, Yes, Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer. 

4. Why did Gajaraj not eat his food?

Ans: Gajaraj was sad and missing his friend Buntee. The separation from Buntee made him lose his appetite and hence did not eat his food.

5. Who were friends at the end of the story?

Ans: At the end of the story, Gajaraj and Buntee were reunited, and their friendship was strengthened. Additionally, as the mahout and the farmer shared the happy reunion of Gajaraj and Buntee, they too became good friends.

Let us think and reflect

I. Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.

1. In spite of royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends. The mahout, or elephant trainer, was the only one he ever interacted with. The mahout was a kind man who served Gajaraj food, and gave him a bath in the elephant pond daily. He was a good caretaker, but not a friend.

(i) Complete with one word: mahout: kind:: Gajaraj:

Ans: mahout : kind : : Gajaraj : lonely

(ii) The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave … to Gajaraj and a … in the pond.

Ans: The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave food to Gajaraj and a bath in the pond.

(iii) What do you think is the difference between a friend and a caretaker?

Ans: A friend is someone who offers support, shares emotions, provides companionship, making you feel understood and cared for. A caretaker, on the other hand, is someone who may not share a deep emotional bond like a friend does but looks after your physical needs, such as providing food etc.

2. "Are you missing your friend?" asked the farmer remembering the happy look on Buntee's face while sitting on the elephant's back. "I cannot see you go hungry," said

the farmer, "If you miss your friend so much, go to him." The farmer removed the rope with which he had tied the dog.

(i) The farmer uses the word ….. to refer to the elephant.

Ans: The farmer uses the word friend to refer to the elephant.

(ii) How did the farmer know that Buntee was hungry?

Ans: Buntee had not eaten anything since he was brought home, indicating that he was too sad and missing his friend, Gajaraj. This way the farmer knew that Buntee was hungry.

(iii) Why did the farmer remove the rope with which he had tied Buntee?

Ans: The farmer realized that Buntee missed Gajaraj and was unhappy. He wanted Buntee to reunite with his friend so that both of them could be happy again. So, the farmer removed the rope with which he had tied Buntee.

(iv) Complete with one word: Gajaraj: Buntee:: …. : farmer

Ans: Gajaraj: Buntee:: mahout : farmer

II. Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend.

Ans:

• When Buntee first arrived, Gajaraj showed his joy in having company by sharing his food with Buntee.
• During his bath, Gajaraj playfully splashed water on Buntee enjoying the fun and friendship they shared together.

III. How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad?

Ans: The mahout noticed that Gajaraj has not been eating his food for several days. He also saw that Gajaraj seemed uninterested and unresponsive, leading him to realize that Gajaraj was sad.

IV. Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer's hand?

Ans: It was a gesture of affection and gratitude by Buntee towards the farmer. He was thanking the farmer for understanding his need to be with his friend, Gajaraj.

V. What was 'unlikely' about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?

Ans: The friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee was unlikely because they were animals who were very different in size, shape, species and behaviour. Despite these differences they became best friends, which is what made their friendship so unique and unexpected.

Let us learn

1. Gajaraj was sad without a friend and when he met Buntee, he was filled with joy. 'Sad' and 'filled with joy' are opposites. Opposites can also be formed by adding some letters before a word. For example, un- unhappy, in- incorrect, dis- disconnect, mis-misuse.

Now, take help from the words given as hints and fill up their opposites in the puzzle.

(Note: All the words are from the story you have just read.)

We are opposites!

We are opposites!

2. Now, complete the paragraph with some of the words you have used in the puzzle. 

My pencil was ….. I was very ….as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was ….. on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have ….. He ….. and told me to look under my pillow. I was …. when I …. the pencil there. 

Ans:

My pencil was missing. I was very upset as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was sleeping on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have disappeared. He smiled and told me to look under my pillow. I was relieved when I found the pencil there.

3. The words that tell us about an action are called verbs. In the story, the author tells us what happened before. To do that, the past form of the action word (verb) is used. Let us learn about the three forms of past tense.

Here is the tabulated information based on the image:

Given below are some verbs from the story. Put the verbs in their correct column in the table given above.

Ans:

Select the correct form of the verb to complete the passage. Check your answers with the teacher.

The farmer came back and …. (noticed/was noticing/had noticed) that Buntee was sad. He …. (tied/was tying/had tied) Buntee with a rope the day before. He …. (asked/was asking/ had asked) Buntee why he was sad. Farmer …. (felt/was feeling/ had felt) that Buntee …. (missed/was missing/had missed) Gajaraj and set him free.

Ans: The farmer came back and noticed that Buntee was sad. He had tied Buntee with a rope the day before. He asked Buntee why he was sad. The farmer felt that Buntee was missing Gajaraj and set him free.

4. ‘... neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears.'

The words 'neither', 'nor' are used to state that the farmer and the mahout did not notice the same thing. 'Neither, nor' connects two negative choices. For example: Neither Rohit nor I want to play football.

When you need to choose between two things that you want, you may use 'either, or'. For example: Rohit wants to play either cricket or kho-kho. It means Rohit wants to play cricket or Rohit wants to play kho-kho.

Discuss the given sentences with your teacher to practice.

• Neither Shikha nor Anuj like to tell stories.
• Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting.

Ans:

Neither Shikha nor Anuj like to tell stories.

• This sentence means that both Shikha and Anuj do not like telling stories. This is conveyed using the words "neither" and "nor" in the same sentence.

Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting.

• This sentence means that the painting was made by one of the two people: Bhavesh or Abha. The sentence uses "either" and "or" to indicate that the painting was created by one of them, but not both.

Let us listen

1. You will listen to a story about 'Unlikely Friends'. Use exact words from the story to fill up the missing details in the paragraph. (refer to page 71 for transcript)

 The leopard is a …. animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the ….  to meet the cow. The leopard would sit …. the cow. They also played together. …. were surprised at their friendship.

Ans: The leopard is a wild animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the night to meet the cow. The leopard would sit beside the cow. They also played together. Villagers were surprised at their friendship.

2. Now, listen to the story again and number the sentences in the correct order. The first one has been done for you.

Ans:

4 - The leopard stopped coming regularly.

1 - The cow took care of the leopard cub as a mother.

3 - The leopard came to meet the cow at night.

2  - The leopard left the village after growing up.

Let us speak

Gajaraj and Buntee had a wonderful time with each other even if they were 'unlikely' friends. Talk to your friend and find out your common likes and dislikes. Share your answers with the class.

I am ____

I like: ______

Both of us like:_____

My friend is _____

My friend likes:______

Ans:

I am Martha

I like: Singing and Running

Both of us like: Sleeping

My friend is Rakshitha My friend likes:

• Painting
• Roaming

Now, tell your classmates about your friend. You may take the help of the cues given below.

• My friend and I like to play. Both of us want …...
• I like to but my friend likes to …. 。
• We are different as she/he is …. and I am …. 。

Ans:

• My friend and I like to play. Both of us want to have fun.
• I like to play tennis but my friend likes to play cricket.
• We are different as she/he is quiet and I am outgoing.

Let us write

Write six sentences about your friend with the help of the facts collected in the above task. Mention how you are not only similar but also different. You may take help of the words given below.

Ans:

• My friend and I both like to play sports, so we enjoy spending time together.
• We are the same in our enthusiasm for games, but we prefer different activities.
• I like to play tennis, whereas my friend prefers to play cricket.
• Unlike me, who is outgoing, my friend is quiet.
• Neither of us likes to stay indoors all the time, as we both enjoy outdoor activities.
• Either we play tennis or we play cricket, but we always have fun together.

Let us explore

1. The story, 'The Elephant and the Dog' is found in the Jataka tales. These stories are ancient Buddhist stories of life values and wisdom. These stories have been told from one generation to the next for over two thousand years. Find and read another Jataka story.

Ans: One Jataka tale is "The Golden Goose," which tells the tale of a goose who would give his family golden feathers to enrich their lives. But the family became greedy and plucked the feathers all at once. The feathers turned ordinary and were not golden anymore, and the goose did not return. The story, like many Jataka tales, teaches the virtue of patience and the lesson to not to be greedy.

2. Elephants have historically held significant roles in Indian culture, spanning history, warfare, religion, festivals and more. However, contemporary ecological challenges have strained the relationship between humans and elephants. Have a discussion in the class.

Ans: For thousands of years, Elephants have been important in Indian culture and have been used in wars, religious ceremonies, and festivals. Today, due to habitat loss and human activities, they face challenges. Discuss how preserving their habitats and respecting their role in nature can help improve the relationship between humans and elephants.

3. Given below is a news report from an Elephant Sanctuary in the United States about a real-life friendship between an elephant and a dog. 

The elephant's name is Tarra and the dog's name is Bella. Bella came inside a forest for elephants and became Tarra's friend. Tarra spent most of her time with Bella. One day, Bella had an injury so she could not walk. She was kept inside a building for three weeks. Tarra stood outside for three weeks. Finally, they met and were very happy

4.0Key Features and Benefits of Class 6 English Chapter 4

• These solutions follow the latest NCERT syllabus to help the class 6 students following the same curriculum.
• The questions in these chapters help students think clearly about characters’ actions and their emotional responses.
• Presented activities help build vocabulary and improve comprehension for CBSE exams.
• Practicing these solutions will improve confidence in writing accurately for school examinations.
• Regular revision strengthens thinking skills and problem solving skills that are highly beneficial for competitive exams like the English olympiad.