The Raven and the Fox – CBSE NCERT Study Resources

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The Raven and the Fox

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6th

6th - English

The Raven and the Fox

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Overview of the Chapter

The chapter "The Raven and the Fox" is a fable that teaches an important moral lesson through the interaction between two animals—a raven and a fox. The story highlights themes of flattery, wisdom, and the consequences of falling for deceitful praise.

Fable: A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson.

Summary of the Story

The story begins with a raven sitting on a tree branch, holding a piece of cheese in its beak. A fox, noticing the cheese, desires it and devises a plan to trick the raven into dropping it. The fox starts praising the raven, calling it beautiful and suggesting that its voice must be equally magnificent. The raven, flattered by the fox's words, opens its beak to sing, causing the cheese to fall. The fox quickly grabs the cheese and walks away, leaving the raven regretful.

Moral of the Story

The fable teaches us to be cautious of false flattery and not to let pride cloud our judgment. It warns against trusting those who use sweet words for selfish gains.

Moral: A lesson that can be learned from a story or experience.

Key Characters

  • The Raven: A bird who is easily flattered and loses its food due to vanity.
  • The Fox: A cunning animal who uses deception to get what it wants.

Important Themes

  • Deception and flattery
  • Wisdom and foolishness
  • Consequences of pride

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did the fox praise the raven?
  2. What mistake did the raven make?
  3. How could the raven have avoided losing the cheese?
  4. Have you ever encountered a situation where someone used flattery to deceive you?

All Question Types with Solutions – CBSE Exam Pattern

Explore a complete set of CBSE-style questions with detailed solutions, categorized by marks and question types. Ideal for exam preparation, revision and practice.

Very Short Answer (1 Mark) – with Solutions (CBSE Pattern)

These are 1-mark questions requiring direct, concise answers. Ideal for quick recall and concept clarity.

Question 1:
Who is the author of The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

Jean de La Fontaine

Question 2:
What trick did the fox play on the raven?
Answer:

He flattered the raven to get the cheese.

Question 3:
What did the raven have in its beak?
Answer:

A piece of cheese.

Question 4:
What happened when the raven opened its beak?
Answer:

The cheese fell, and the fox took it.

Question 5:
What moral does the story teach?
Answer:

Beware of flattery.

Question 6:
What animal is the raven?
Answer:

A black bird.

Question 7:
Where was the raven sitting?
Answer:

On a tree branch.

Question 8:
What did the fox call the raven to flatter it?
Answer:

Beautiful and wise.

Question 9:
Why did the raven drop the cheese?
Answer:

It tried to sing when flattered.

Question 10:
What emotion did the raven feel after losing the cheese?
Answer:

Foolish and regretful.

Question 11:
What type of story is The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

A fable.

Question 12:
What lesson does the fox teach in the story?
Answer:

Flattery can deceive.

Question 13:
What sound did the raven make when it tried to sing?
Answer:

A loud caw.

Question 14:
What color is the raven in the story?
Answer:

Black.

Question 15:
What is the moral of the fable The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The moral is flattery can deceive even the wise. The fox tricks the raven by praising its voice, making it drop the cheese.

Question 16:
Who is the author of The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The fable is attributed to Aesop, a famous ancient Greek storyteller known for his moral-based tales.

Question 17:
What did the raven have in its beak in the story?
Answer:

The raven had a piece of cheese in its beak, which the fox wanted to steal.

Question 18:
How did the fox trick the raven?
Answer:

The fox used flattery, praising the raven's voice to make it sing and drop the cheese.

Question 19:
Why did the raven lose the cheese?
Answer:

The raven lost the cheese because it believed the fox's false praise and opened its beak to sing.

Question 20:
What does the fox represent in the fable?
Answer:

The fox represents cunning and deceit, using clever words to manipulate others.

Question 21:
What does the raven symbolize in the story?
Answer:

The raven symbolizes naivety and pride, as it falls for the fox's trick due to vanity.

Question 22:
What lesson does the fable teach about trust?
Answer:

It teaches us to be cautious of excessive praise and not trust everyone blindly.

Question 23:
What is the main conflict in The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The conflict is between the fox's cunning and the raven's pride, leading to the raven's loss.

Question 24:
How does the fox's plan succeed?
Answer:

The fox's plan succeeds because it appeals to the raven's ego, making it drop the cheese.

Question 25:
What could the raven have done to avoid losing the cheese?
Answer:

The raven could have ignored the fox's flattery and stayed silent instead of singing.

Question 26:
Why is The Raven and the Fox considered a fable?
Answer:

It is a fable because it uses animal characters to teach a moral lesson about human behavior.

Very Short Answer (2 Marks) – with Solutions (CBSE Pattern)

These 2-mark questions test key concepts in a brief format. Answers are expected to be accurate and slightly descriptive.

Question 1:
What is the moral lesson of The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The moral lesson of The Raven and the Fox is that flattery can be deceptive. The fox tricks the raven into dropping the cheese by praising its singing, teaching us to be cautious of false compliments.

Question 2:
Why did the fox flatter the raven in the story?
Answer:

The fox flattered the raven to trick it into opening its beak and dropping the cheese. The fox knew the raven would be tempted to show off its voice, leading to its loss.

Question 3:
Name the two main characters in The Raven and the Fox.
Answer:

The two main characters are the Raven, who is holding the cheese, and the Fox, who tricks the raven with flattery.

Question 4:
What did the raven lose because of the fox's trick?
Answer:

The raven lost the piece of cheese it was holding in its beak when it opened its mouth to sing, as the fox had cunningly planned.

Question 5:
How does the fox describe the raven's voice in the story?
Answer:

The fox describes the raven's voice as beautiful and melodious, even though it had never heard it, just to manipulate the raven into singing.

Question 6:
What mistake did the raven make in the story?
Answer:

The raven's mistake was believing the fox's false praise and opening its beak to sing, which caused it to lose the cheese.

Question 7:
What does the story teach about trusting strangers?
Answer:

The story teaches us to be cautious of strangers who offer excessive praise, as they may have hidden motives, just like the fox in the story.

Question 8:
What was the fox's true intention in talking to the raven?
Answer:

The fox's true intention was to steal the cheese from the raven by tricking it with flattery and making it drop the food.

Question 9:
How did the raven react to the fox's flattery?
Answer:

The raven felt proud and wanted to prove its singing ability, so it opened its beak to sing, unaware of the fox's trick.

Question 10:
Why is the story called The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The story is named after its two main characters, the Raven and the Fox, whose interaction forms the central plot where the fox outsmarts the raven.

Question 11:
What would have happened if the raven ignored the fox's words?
Answer:

If the raven had ignored the fox's words, it would have kept the cheese safely and not fallen for the fox's deceptive flattery.

Short Answer (3 Marks) – with Solutions (CBSE Pattern)

These 3-mark questions require brief explanations and help assess understanding and application of concepts.

Question 1:
What lesson does the fable The Raven and the Fox teach us?
Answer:

The fable The Raven and the Fox teaches us the lesson of not falling for flattery. The raven, who was holding a piece of cheese, was tricked by the fox's sweet words into opening its beak, causing the cheese to fall. The story warns us to be cautious of people who praise us excessively, as they may have hidden motives.

Question 2:
How did the fox trick the raven in the story?
Answer:

The fox used flattery to trick the raven. He praised the raven's beautiful voice and convinced it to sing. When the raven opened its beak to sing, the piece of cheese it was holding fell to the ground, which the fox quickly grabbed and ran away with.

Question 3:
Why did the raven believe the fox's words in the story?
Answer:

The raven believed the fox's words because the fox cleverly appealed to the raven's vanity. By complimenting the raven's appearance and voice, the fox made the raven feel proud and eager to show off, which led to its downfall.

Question 4:
What is the moral of the story The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The moral of the story is that flattery can be deceptive. One should not let pride or vanity cloud their judgment, as it can lead to losing something valuable, just like the raven lost its cheese.

Question 5:
Describe the character of the fox in The Raven and the Fox.
Answer:

The fox is portrayed as clever and cunning. He uses his intelligence to manipulate the raven by flattering it. His smooth talk and quick thinking help him achieve his goal of stealing the cheese, showing his deceptive nature.

Question 6:
How could the raven have avoided losing the cheese in the story?
Answer:

The raven could have avoided losing the cheese by ignoring the fox's flattery and staying silent. If it had not been swayed by the fox's false praises and kept its beak shut, it would not have dropped the cheese.

Question 7:
In The Raven and the Fox, why does the fox flatter the raven?
Answer:

The fox flatters the raven to trick him into opening his beak and dropping the cheese. The fox uses deceptive praise, calling the raven's voice sweet and melodious, knowing the raven is vain. This shows how cleverness can be used for selfish motives.

Question 8:
What lesson does The Raven and the Fox teach about trust?
Answer:

The story teaches that blind trust in flattery can lead to loss. The raven trusts the fox's false praise and loses his food.
It warns us to be cautious of people who over-praise without reason.

Question 9:
How does the raven react after losing the cheese in the story?
Answer:

The raven feels foolish and regretful for falling for the fox's trick.
His reaction shows that pride can make one vulnerable to manipulation. He learns a hard lesson about vanity.

Question 10:
What is the moral of The Raven and the Fox?
Answer:

The moral is: Do not believe everything you hear, especially from those who may benefit from deceiving you.
It also highlights that vanity can lead to downfall, as seen in the raven's mistake.

Long Answer (5 Marks) – with Solutions (CBSE Pattern)

These 5-mark questions are descriptive and require detailed, structured answers with proper explanation and examples.

Question 1:
How does the fox trick the raven in the fable 'The Raven and the Fox'? Explain with examples from the text.
Answer:
Introduction

In the fable, the fox uses clever words to deceive the raven. Our textbook shows how flattery leads to the raven's mistake.


Argument 1
  • The fox praises the raven's voice, calling it 'sweet' and 'melodious.'
  • This makes the raven feel proud and forgetful.

Argument 2
  • When the raven opens its mouth to sing, the cheese falls.
  • The fox grabs it, proving trickery works.

Conclusion

The story teaches us not to trust false praise, as seen in the raven's loss.

Question 2:
What is the moral lesson of 'The Raven and the Fox'? How can students apply it in real life?
Answer:
Introduction

The fable warns against vanity and false flattery. We studied how the raven's pride cost it the cheese.


Argument 1
  • The raven believed the fox's compliments and acted foolishly.
  • Students should verify praise instead of blindly trusting it.

Argument 2
  • In class, if someone praises work unfairly, it may hide selfish motives.
  • Like the raven, we must stay cautious.

Conclusion

The lesson teaches us to think before acting on sweet words.

Question 3:
Describe the character traits of the raven and the fox based on their actions in the fable.
Answer:
Introduction

The raven and fox show distinct traits through their choices. Our textbook highlights their behaviors clearly.


Argument 1
  • The raven is naive—it easily falls for the fox's flattery.
  • It lacks wisdom, leading to its loss.

Argument 2
  • The fox is cunning—it tricks the raven with clever words.
  • It uses intelligence for selfish gain.

Conclusion

Their traits drive the story's conflict and moral.

Question 4:
Why does the raven fail to keep the cheese? Analyze its mistake with examples.
Answer:
Introduction

The raven loses the cheese due to poor judgment. We studied how its actions backfire.


Argument 1
  • It ignores the risk of opening its beak after the fox's praise.
  • Pride clouds its thinking.

Argument 2
  • Unlike wise birds, it doesn't question the fox's motive.
  • For example, it could have flown away.

Conclusion

The raven's failure teaches the cost of unchecked vanity.

Question 5:
Compare the cleverness of the fox and the foolishness of the raven. How do these traits shape the story?
Answer:
Introduction

The fox's wit and the raven's folly create the fable's conflict. Our textbook contrasts them well.


Argument 1
  • The fox plans—it uses flattery as a tool to steal.
  • Its cleverness ensures success.

Argument 2
  • The raven reacts without thought, dropping the cheese.
  • Its foolishness leads to loss.

Conclusion

Their traits make the story engaging and instructive.

Question 6:
How does the fox trick the raven in the fable 'The Raven and the Fox'? Explain with examples from the story.
Answer:
Introduction

In the fable 'The Raven and the Fox', the fox uses clever words to deceive the raven. Our textbook shows how flattery leads to the raven's mistake.


Argument 1
  • The fox praises the raven's voice, calling it 'sweet' and 'melodious'.
  • This makes the raven feel proud and forgets the cheese in its beak.

Argument 2
  • When the raven opens its mouth to sing, the cheese falls.
  • The fox quickly grabs it, proving how words can manipulate.

Conclusion

The story teaches us not to trust false praise, as seen in the raven's loss.

Question 7:
What is the moral lesson of 'The Raven and the Fox'? Support your answer with details from the fable.
Answer:
Introduction

The moral of 'The Raven and the Fox' warns against vanity and flattery. Our textbook highlights how the raven's pride causes its downfall.


Argument 1
  • The raven believes the fox's compliments about its voice.
  • It ignores the danger and tries to sing, losing the cheese.

Argument 2
  • The fox succeeds by exploiting the raven's weakness—its love for praise.
  • This mirrors real-life situations where sweet words hide traps.

Conclusion

The fable teaches us to stay humble and think before acting on flattery.

Question 8:
Compare the characters of the raven and the fox in the fable. How do their traits affect the story?
Answer:
Introduction

The raven and fox have opposite traits that drive the story. Our textbook shows how cleverness overcomes foolishness.


Argument 1
  • The raven is naive and easily flattered by the fox's words.
  • It doesn’t realize the fox’s plan until it’s too late.

Argument 2
  • The fox is cunning and uses smooth talk to trick the raven.
  • Its intelligence helps it win the cheese without effort.

Conclusion

The contrast between the two teaches us to be wise like the fox, not gullible like the raven.

Question 9:
Why does the raven fail to keep the cheese? Explain its mistake using examples from the fable.
Answer:
Introduction

The raven loses the cheese due to its own foolishness. Our textbook explains how vanity leads to its loss.


Argument 1
  • The raven trusts the fox’s false praise about its singing.
  • It forgets the cheese is in its beak when it tries to sing.

Argument 2
  • Instead of staying silent, it opens its mouth to show off.
  • This carelessness allows the fox to steal the cheese.

Conclusion

The raven’s mistake teaches us to think before acting on compliments.

Question 10:
How does the fable 'The Raven and the Fox' use personification to teach a lesson? Give examples.
Answer:
Introduction

The fable gives human traits to animals to teach a lesson. Our textbook shows how this makes the story relatable.


Argument 1
  • The raven is shown as vain, like a person who loves praise.
  • The fox acts sly, similar to a clever human trickster.

Argument 2
  • Their actions mirror real-life situations of flattery and deception.
  • This helps us understand the moral easily.

Conclusion

Personification makes the fable engaging while teaching us about human weaknesses.

Question 11:
Describe the character of the Fox in the story The Raven and the Fox. How does his cleverness influence the plot?
Answer:

The Fox in The Raven and the Fox is portrayed as a clever and manipulative character. He uses flattery to trick the Raven into dropping the cheese. His cleverness is evident when he praises the Raven's voice, knowing it will make the Raven sing and lose the cheese.

This influences the plot because his deceptive tactics lead to the climax of the story—the Raven's loss of the cheese. The Fox's actions teach a moral about not trusting false praise.

Question 12:
Explain the moral lesson conveyed in The Raven and the Fox. How can students apply this lesson in real life?
Answer:

The moral lesson of The Raven and the Fox is not to trust flattery from those who may have selfish motives. The Raven loses his cheese because he believes the Fox's false praise.

Students can apply this lesson by:

  • Being cautious of people who overly compliment them without reason.
  • Thinking critically before acting on someone's advice or praise.
  • Understanding that not everyone has good intentions.
This helps in avoiding manipulation in real-life situations.

Question 13:
Compare and contrast the personalities of the Raven and the Fox in the story. Use examples from the text.
Answer:

The Raven and the Fox have very different personalities:

  • Raven: He is naive and trusting. When the Fox compliments his voice, he immediately believes it and sings, losing the cheese.
  • Fox: He is sly and deceptive. He tricks the Raven with clever words to get what he wants.
While the Raven is simple-minded, the Fox uses intelligence (though dishonestly) to achieve his goal.

Question 14:
How does the setting of the story The Raven and the Fox contribute to its overall message?
Answer:

The story is set in a forest, which is a common setting for fables. This natural environment highlights the survival instincts of animals, like the Fox's cunning behavior.

The setting contributes to the message by:

  • Showing how animals (or people) might use tricks to survive.
  • Making the moral lesson universal, as forests symbolize the real world where such behaviors occur.
Thus, the setting reinforces the idea that wisdom is needed to navigate life's challenges.

Question 15:
In the chapter The Raven and the Fox, the fox uses flattery to trick the raven. Explain how flattery can be both positive and negative, giving examples from the story and real life.
Answer:

In The Raven and the Fox, the fox cleverly uses flattery to deceive the raven into dropping the cheese. Flattery can have both positive and negative effects depending on the intention behind it.

Positive Flattery: When used genuinely, flattery can boost someone's confidence. For example, praising a friend's artwork can encourage them to improve further. In real life, teachers often use positive words to motivate students.

Negative Flattery: In the story, the fox's flattery was insincere, aimed only at tricking the raven. Similarly, in real life, people might use excessive praise to manipulate others, like when someone pretends to admire a classmate just to borrow their notes.

Thus, while flattery can build relationships when honest, it can also harm trust when used deceitfully.

Question 16:
The raven in the story loses his food because of his pride. Describe how pride can lead to downfall, using examples from The Raven and the Fox and a real-life situation.
Answer:

In The Raven and the Fox, the raven's pride makes him vulnerable to the fox's trick. When the fox praises his voice, the raven forgets his caution and sings, dropping the cheese. This shows how excessive pride can blind us to dangers.

Example from the Story: The raven was so proud of his voice that he ignored the possibility of being tricked. His pride cost him his meal.

Real-Life Example: A student who is overconfident about exams might skip studying, thinking they already know everything. This pride can lead to poor grades.

Thus, while self-confidence is good, unchecked pride can result in mistakes or losses, as seen in the story and everyday life.

Question 17:
In the chapter The Raven and the Fox, the fox uses flattery to trick the raven. Explain how flattery can be both positive and negative, using examples from the story and real-life situations.
Answer:

In The Raven and the Fox, the fox cleverly uses flattery to deceive the raven. He praises the raven's voice, calling it 'sweet and melodious', knowing the raven will open its mouth to sing and drop the cheese. This shows how flattery can be negative when used to manipulate others for selfish gains.

However, flattery can also be positive when used genuinely to boost someone's confidence. For example, complimenting a friend's hard work on a project encourages them. The key difference is intention—honest praise builds trust, while false flattery harms relationships.

In real life, teachers may praise students to motivate them (positive), but some people flatter bosses for promotions (negative if insincere). The story teaches us to be cautious of excessive praise and to recognize true intentions.

Question 18:
The raven loses his food because he falls for the fox's trick. Describe two lessons you learn from this incident and how they can be applied in your daily life.
Answer:

The story The Raven and the Fox teaches important life lessons through the raven's mistake.

  • Lesson 1: Avoid being overly trusting. The raven believed the fox's flattery without questioning his intentions. In daily life, we should verify information before trusting others blindly, like not sharing personal details with strangers online.
  • Lesson 2: Stay humble. The raven's pride made him sing, leading to his loss. Similarly, in school, if we boast about our grades, we might become overconfident and stop working hard. Staying humble helps us grow.

These lessons remind us to be wise and cautious in our actions.

Question 19:
The raven loses its food due to pride in the story The Raven and the Fox. Describe how pride can lead to downfall, supporting your answer with examples from the text and a real-life scenario.
Answer:

In The Raven and the Fox, the raven's pride makes it vulnerable to the fox's trick. When the fox admires its voice, the raven feels overly confident and forgets it is holding food, leading to its loss. This shows how pride can cloud judgment and cause mistakes.

In real life, a student might refuse help due to overconfidence ('I already know this') but later perform poorly in exams. Similarly, the raven's pride blinds it to the fox's true motive.

The lesson is clear: while self-respect is important, excessive pride can be harmful. Recognizing our limits and staying humble, like not showing off talents unnecessarily, helps avoid pitfalls. The story warns us to balance confidence with caution.

Case-based Questions (4 Marks) – with Solutions (CBSE Pattern)

These 4-mark case-based questions assess analytical skills through real-life scenarios. Answers must be based on the case study provided.

Question 1:
In The Raven and the Fox, how does the fox trick the raven? Analyze the raven's reaction and its consequences.
Answer:
Case Summary

In the fable, the fox flatters the raven to make it sing, causing the cheese to fall. Our textbook shows how clever words can deceive.

Analysis
  • The fox uses flattery to trick the raven.
  • The raven, proud of its voice, opens its beak and loses the cheese.
Conclusion

This teaches us not to trust false praise, as it may hide selfish motives.

Question 2:
What moral lesson does The Raven and the Fox teach? Explain with two examples from daily life.
Answer:
Case Summary

The fable warns against falling for flattery. We studied how the raven’s pride made it lose its food.

Analysis
  • Example 1: A classmate praises your drawing just to borrow your colors.
  • Example 2: A stranger compliments you to sell something unnecessary.
Conclusion

Like the raven, we must stay alert to hidden intentions behind sweet words.

Question 3:
Compare the character traits of the raven and the fox. How do their actions reflect these traits?
Answer:
Case Summary

The raven is naive and proud, while the fox is clever and manipulative. Our textbook highlights their contrasting behaviors.

Analysis
  • The raven believes the fox’s praise and drops the cheese.
  • The fox uses trickery to get what it wants without effort.
Conclusion

Their traits decide the outcome: the fox wins, and the raven loses.

Question 4:
If you were the raven, how would you respond to the fox’s flattery? Justify your answer with reasoning.
Answer:
Case Summary

The fox tricks the raven by praising its voice. We learned that smart choices prevent such traps.

Analysis
  • I would ignore the fox and fly away, as flattery is often fake.
  • Example: If someone overly praises my answer, I’d double-check their motive.
Conclusion

Staying cautious, like ignoring the fox, saves us from trouble.

Question 5:
In The Raven and the Fox, how does the fox trick the raven? Explain with two examples from the story.
Answer:
Case Summary

We studied how the fox uses flattery to trick the raven. The fox praises the raven's voice and looks to make it drop the cheese.

Analysis
  • The fox says, 'Your voice must be as sweet as your feathers,' making the raven proud.
  • When the raven opens its mouth to sing, the cheese falls, and the fox grabs it.
Conclusion

Our textbook shows how clever words can deceive others, just like the fox did.

Question 6:
Why does the raven believe the fox's words in The Raven and the Fox? Describe two reasons based on the story.
Answer:
Case Summary

The raven believes the fox because it loves praise and doesn't realize the fox is lying.

Analysis
  • The raven is proud of its looks and voice, so it trusts the fox's compliments.
  • It doesn't think the fox wants the cheese, so it doesn't suspect the trick.
Conclusion

Our textbook teaches us that vanity can make us blind to others' tricks, like the raven.

Question 7:
What lesson does The Raven and the Fox teach us? Give two examples from the story to support your answer.
Answer:
Case Summary

The story teaches us not to trust flattery and to think before acting.

Analysis
  • The raven loses its cheese because it believes the fox's false praise.
  • If the raven had thought carefully, it wouldn't have opened its mouth.
Conclusion

Our textbook shows how being too proud can lead to mistakes, just like the raven's loss.

Question 8:
How does the raven feel after losing the cheese in The Raven and the Fox? Describe two emotions it might have and why.
Answer:
Case Summary

The raven likely feels foolish and sad after losing the cheese to the fox.

Analysis
  • It feels foolish because it fell for the fox's trick due to its pride.
  • It feels sad because it lost its tasty cheese, which it worked hard to get.
Conclusion

Our textbook shows how actions based on vanity can lead to regret, like the raven's feelings.

Question 9:
Why does the raven fall for the fox's trick? Describe two reasons based on the story.
Answer:
Case Summary

The raven falls for the fox's trick because of his pride and foolishness.

Analysis
  • The raven is too proud of his voice and wants to show off.
  • He doesn't realize the fox is lying to get the cheese.
Conclusion

We studied how vanity can make us blind. The raven's mistake teaches us to think before acting.

Question 10:
What is the moral lesson of The Raven and the Fox? Support your answer with two examples from the text.
Answer:
Case Summary

The story teaches us not to trust flattery blindly.

Analysis
  • The fox tricks the raven with sweet words, proving flattery is fake.
  • The raven loses his cheese because he believes the fox.
Conclusion

Our textbook shows how clever words can harm us. We must be careful of false praise.

Question 11:
Compare the character traits of the raven and the fox. Give two differences with examples.
Answer:
Case Summary

The raven is naive, while the fox is cunning.

Analysis
  • The raven is proud and easily fooled by the fox's words.
  • The fox is clever and uses flattery to get what he wants.
Conclusion

We studied how their traits affect the story. The fox wins because he is smarter.

Question 12:

Read the following lines from The Raven and the Fox:

'The raven, perched upon a tree,
Held in his beak a piece of cheese.'


Based on these lines, answer the following:
(a) What does the raven symbolize in this context?
(b) Why is the cheese significant in the story?

Answer:

(a) The raven in this context symbolizes naivety and overconfidence. The bird is easily tricked by the fox because it believes in the fox's flattery without questioning its intentions.

(b) The cheese is significant because it represents temptation and greed. The raven's desire to show off the cheese leads to its downfall, as the fox uses this weakness to deceive it.

This teaches us the moral: 'Do not trust flattery blindly.' The story highlights how vanity can make one vulnerable to manipulation.

Question 13:

In The Raven and the Fox, the fox says:

'How beautiful your feathers are!
Your voice must surpass the nightingale's!'


(a) What literary device is used here?
(b) How does this dialogue contribute to the story's climax?

Answer:

(a) The fox uses hyperbole (exaggeration) and flattery as literary devices. By comparing the raven's voice to a nightingale's, the fox exaggerates to manipulate the raven.

(b) This dialogue leads to the climax because the raven, tempted by the praise, opens its beak to sing, dropping the cheese. The fox's clever words directly cause the raven's mistake.

The lesson here is: 'Flattery can be deceptive.' The fox's cunning words reveal how easily pride can be exploited.

Question 14:

Read the following excerpt from The Raven and the Fox:

'The raven, perched high on a tree, held a piece of cheese in its beak. The fox, seeing this, flattered the raven by praising its voice.'

Based on the excerpt, answer the following:

1. Why did the fox flatter the raven?
2. What does this behavior of the fox tell us about its character?

Answer:

1. Why did the fox flatter the raven?
The fox flattered the raven to trick it into opening its beak so that the cheese would fall. The fox knew the raven was proud and would respond to praise.

2. What does this behavior of the fox tell us about its character?
The fox is clever and manipulative. It uses flattery as a tool to achieve its goal, showing it is cunning and understands the weaknesses of others.

This teaches us to be cautious of people who praise us excessively, as they may have hidden motives.

Question 15:

In The Raven and the Fox, the raven loses its cheese because it falls for the fox's flattery. Imagine you are the raven's friend. Write two pieces of advice you would give the raven to avoid such a situation in the future.

Answer:

If I were the raven's friend, I would give the following advice:

  • Be aware of flattery: Not everyone who praises you has good intentions. Some may use sweet words to trick you, like the fox did.
  • Think before acting: The raven should have thought about why the fox suddenly praised it. Taking a moment to analyze the situation could have saved the cheese.

This story teaches us the importance of wisdom and self-control. We should not let pride cloud our judgment.

Question 16:

Read the following lines from The Raven and the Fox:

'The raven, perched upon a tree,
Held in his beak a piece of cheese.'


Based on the story, answer the following:

1. Why did the fox flatter the raven?
2. What lesson does this story teach us about flattery?

Answer:

1. Why did the fox flatter the raven?
The fox flattered the raven to trick him into opening his beak. The fox wanted the piece of cheese that the raven was holding. By praising the raven's voice, the fox hoped the raven would sing and drop the cheese.

2. What lesson does this story teach us about flattery?
The story teaches us that flattery is often used to deceive people. We should be cautious when someone praises us excessively, as they may have hidden motives. The raven lost his cheese because he believed the fox's false compliments.

Question 17:

In The Raven and the Fox, the raven loses his cheese due to the fox's cleverness. Imagine you are the raven and the fox tries the same trick again. How would you respond differently to avoid losing your food? Write a short dialogue (4-5 lines) between the raven and the fox.

Answer:

Dialogue:
Fox: 'Oh, Raven! Your voice is so beautiful. Won't you sing for me?'
Raven: 'Thank you, but I remember last time. I won't fall for your tricks again!'
Fox: 'But I truly mean it this time!'
Raven: 'No, I'll keep my cheese safe and fly away!'

Explanation:
The raven learns from his past mistake and refuses to be fooled by the fox's flattery. This shows wisdom and the importance of not repeating errors.

Question 18:
In the chapter The Raven and the Fox, the fox uses flattery to trick the raven. Based on this, describe a real-life situation where someone might use flattery to deceive others. How can one avoid falling for such tricks?
Answer:

In real life, flattery is often used to manipulate people, such as when a salesperson praises a customer excessively to sell a product. Another example could be a classmate complimenting someone just to copy their homework.

To avoid falling for such tricks, one should:

  • Be aware of excessive praise from strangers or acquaintances.
  • Analyze the intention behind the compliments—whether they are genuine or have an ulterior motive.
  • Stay confident and not let flattery cloud judgment, just like the raven should have been cautious.

Learning from the raven's mistake teaches us the importance of critical thinking and not letting pride override wisdom.

Question 19:
The raven loses the cheese because of the fox's cleverness. If you were the raven, what alternative action could you have taken to keep the cheese safe while still responding to the fox? Explain your reasoning.
Answer:

If I were the raven, I could have nodded or gestured instead of opening my beak to speak. This way, I could acknowledge the fox without dropping the cheese.

Alternatively, I could have:

  • Flown to a higher branch to create distance from the fox.
  • Placed the cheese securely under my foot before responding.

This shows the importance of quick thinking and not letting distractions lead to mistakes. The raven's pride made it forget the value of the cheese, teaching us to stay focused on our goals.

Question 20:
In the chapter The Raven and the Fox, the fox uses flattery to trick the raven. Based on this, describe a real-life situation where someone might use flattery to manipulate others. How can one avoid falling for such tricks?
Answer:

In real life, flattery is often used to manipulate people, such as when a salesperson excessively praises a customer to sell a product. For example, someone might say, 'You have such great taste! This expensive gadget is perfect for you,' even if it isn't necessary.

To avoid falling for such tricks, one should:

  • Stay cautious when receiving unexpected praise.
  • Evaluate intentions—ask why someone is being overly nice.
  • Think logically instead of acting on emotions.

Just like the raven, people can avoid being tricked by not letting flattery cloud their judgment.

Question 21:
The raven in the story loses his food because he is easily fooled by the fox's clever words. What lesson does this teach us about being overconfident? Explain with an example.
Answer:

The story teaches us that overconfidence can lead to mistakes. The raven believed the fox's flattery and thought he was superior, which made him careless. For instance, if a student thinks, 'I’m the best, so I don’t need to study,' they may fail unexpectedly.

Key lessons are:

  • Humility—recognizing that no one is perfect.
  • Critical thinking—questioning others' motives.
  • Self-awareness—avoiding blind trust in praise.

Like the raven, we must stay grounded and not let pride make us vulnerable.

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