5. The Twelve Months
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Five English.
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- adorning: decorating or adding beauty to oneself.
- rated: scolded angrily.
- abused: treated cruelly or spoke to in an insulting way.
- starlets: little stars (in this story, it refers to small, white, star-shaped flowers).
- delicious: highly pleasant to the taste.
| Word | Words combined | New word with the 1st word | New word with the 2nd word |
|---|---|---|---|
| stepmother | step + mother | stepson, stepbrother | grandmother, motherhood |
| footprint | foot + print | football, footpath | fingerprint, blueprint |
| snow-white | snow + white | snowman, snowfall | milk-white, off-white |
| springtime | spring + time | spring-clean, spring-roll | daytime, bedtime |
| gentle-hearted | gentle + hearted | gentleman, gentlewoman | kind-hearted, warm-hearted |
| anywhere | any + where | anyone, anything | nowhere, everywhere |
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(1) Why did Marouckla's stepmother hate her?
Marouckla's stepmother hated her because Marouckla was prettier than her own daughter, Holena.
(2) In what season does the story take place?
The story takes place during the winter season (specifically in January, when the snow lay deep).
(3) Does Marouckla get any of the things she brings?
No, Marouckla does not get any of the things she brings. Holena and her mother snatch all the violets, eat all the strawberries, and eat the apples without leaving a single one for her.
(4) Why do Holena and her mother go out in the snow themselves?
They go out in the snow themselves to get more apples because they found them delicious. They thought if they sent Marouckla again, she would eat all the apples on her way home.
(5) Why is Great January annoyed with Holena and her mother? Does he help them?
Great January is annoyed with them because they step up to the fire without asking permission, stretch out their hands to warm them without speaking politely, and answer him very rudely when he asks what they are looking for. No, he does not help them; instead, he swings his club and brings about a heavy snowstorm.
• Springtime
During springtime, the snow begins to melt, and the trees start to bud. The ground is quickly covered with green grass. Flowers like violets begin to bloom among their little leaves, looking like a bright blue cloth spread out on the ground.
• Summer
In summer, the heat melts the snow completely. The ground turns green, the trees are covered with thick leaves, and birds begin to sing. The forest gets filled with all kinds of flowers, and white star-shaped blossoms turn into ripe, red strawberries that look like a red carpet spread on the ground.
• Winter
In winter, the snow lies deep on the ground, making it impossible to see human footprints. An icy, cold wind blows through the forest, freezing the landscape. During a snowstorm, the sky grows dark, the snow falls in huge masses, and people can easily get lost.
(1) Form groups of 3. Read aloud the conversations in the story, each group presenting one piece of conversation.
This is a classroom speaking activity to be performed with classmates.
(2) Form groups of 5. Find at least two fairy tales/folk tales each and share them with other members in your group. Make a collection of 10 different stories in each group.
This is a reading and collection activity. Students can search for popular folk tales like "Cinderella", "Snow White", or "The Golden Goose" to share with their group.
Here are 5 other nouns from the story:
- forest
- sister
- violets
- strawberries
- club
Note: A noun is a naming word. It names a person, place, thing, or idea. Other nouns from the story include: mother, cottage, snow, door, leaves, apples, etc.
This is a classroom activity where students narrate the stories they collected in Group Work to their classmates.