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Extract from the Story
The court erupted into laughter, the earlier sarcasm replaced by genuine amusement. Even the king, caught off guard, sighed and instinctively yawned. Rama watched him
keenly
, then continued, “Your Majesty, is there anyone in this world who does not yawn? It is as natural as breathing.”
Summary in Bullet Points
- The court laughs at Rama’s strange example.
- The king himself yawns instinctively —without planning to do it.
- Rama points out that everyone yawns and that it is as natural as breathing .
NCERT Questions on Rama’s Yawning Strategy
Let us think and reflect · II.4
NCERT Poorvi page 8
Let us think and reflect · II.4
What strategy did Tenali Rama use to make the king realise his mistake?
How to answer:
Use the exact event or wording from the story and explain it in one or two complete sentences.
View Answer
Rama used a clever
indirect paddy-seed trick
. Slowly he brought the chat to a planter who yawns. Then the king yawned too, and Rama pointed out that yawning is
as natural as breathing
. This made the king link it to the queen and see his mistake.
Board Pattern Questions on Rama’s Yawning Strategy
MCQ · Inference
1 mark
Why is the king’s own yawn the most important moment in Rama’s plan?
How to answer:
Identify what changes the idea from an argument into personal experience.
View Answer
Answer: (B)
— it gives the king direct, personal proof that yawning can just happen naturally, without meaning it.
Short Answer · Deeper Meaning
2 marks
What is the deeper point behind Rama’s line “It is as natural as breathing”?
Rama ka point simple hai: yawn natural hota hai, insult nahi. King khud yawn karta hai, isliye usse queen ki situation samajh aati hai.
How to answer:
Move from the literal meaning of yawning to what it proves about the queen.
View Answer
Rama is saying yawning
just happens to everyone, on its own
. The deeper point: the queen's yawn was not a planned insult. By comparing it to breathing, Rama removes the wrong meaning the king had stuck on it.
Longer Short Answer · Sequence
3 marks
Explain Rama’s trap step by step from the “special” seeds to the king’s realisation.
How to answer:
Write the chain in order; each step must lead logically to the next.
View Answer
First Rama shows off some "special" paddy seeds. Then he says the result depends on the
planter
, and asks what if the planter keeps
yawning
. The court laughs and the king yawns himself. Right then Rama points out yawning is natural. The king links this to the queen's yawn and gets his mistake.
