5.2 Autobiography of a Comb
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Six English.
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About the chapter
In this lesson, an old comb tells Meera its own life story. It tells her how combs were used from ancient Egypt to modern times. Meera had forgotten the old comb after buying a new plastic one. When the new comb broke, she learnt that “old is gold”.
Key points
- The story is an autobiography, told by the comb itself.
- The comb’s earliest family lived in ancient Egypt.
- Combs were made from thorns, sticks, fish bones, wood and bone.
- In the Middle Ages, combs were displayed as a sign of wealth.
- Later, combs were made of metal and plastic.
- Message: old things carry strength and stories; we should respect them.
Words to remember
- autobiography – the life story of a person written by that person
- ancient – very old
- prized possession – something very valuable to its owner
- glide – to move smoothly
- untangle – to remove knots
The answer to all three riddles is the same: a comb.
- (i) I have many teeth but I can’t bite or eat — a comb
- (ii) I have teeth but cannot chew and make you look neat and new — a comb
- (iii) I may be of metal or bone: I have many teeth but my bite harms no one — a comb
Hair care products: comb, hairbrush, shampoo, conditioner, hair oil (coconut, amla), hair band, hairpin, clip, ribbon, towel, hair serum, henna.
| Biography | Autobiography |
|---|---|
| It is the life story of a person written by someone else. | It is the life story of a person written by that person himself or herself. |
| It is written in the third person (he, she). | It is written in the first person (I, me, my). |
| The writer collects facts from other sources. | The writer writes from his or her own memory. |
In this lesson the comb tells its own story, so it is an autobiography.
(i) What surprised Meera about the comb?
Meera found her old comb in her drawer. When she cleaned it, the comb suddenly spoke to her. She was surprised that a comb could talk.
(ii) Where did the comb’s earliest family members live?
The comb’s earliest family members lived in ancient Egypt.
(iii) How were combs used in ancient Egypt and other parts of the world?
In ancient Egypt, people used thorns, sticks and fish bones to comb their hair. Later, combs were made from wood and bone. Kings and queens treasured them. Combs were even placed in tombs. Later they became works of art.
(iv) Why did people in the Middle Ages display combs?
In the Middle Ages, a beautiful comb showed how rich and graceful a family was. So women covered their hair but proudly displayed their combs.
(v) What happened to the comb when Meera brought home a new plastic comb?
Meera started using the new pink plastic comb. She pushed the old comb into the drawer and forgot it. It lay there alone for months.
(vi) What lesson did Meera learn from the old comb?
Meera learnt that “old is gold”. New things may look fancy, but old things are strong and full of stories. We should respect and care for old things.
gently, softly, suddenly, proudly, happily, sadly, kindly, smoothly, quietly
Examples in context: “She picked it up gently” · “‘Hello, Meera,’ it said softly” · “Suddenly, to her amazement, the comb spoke” · “‘I was born thousands of years ago,’ began the comb proudly” · “It glided smoothly, untangling every knot.”
What the comb did: spoke, said, replied, smiled, chuckled, nodded, sighed, glided
What Meera did: opened, found, picked up, brushed, gasped, blinked, whispered, smiled, giggled
- old × new
- forgotten × remembered
- ancient × modern
- softly × loudly
- happily × sadly
- strength × weakness
- shiny — She combed her hair until it looked shiny and smooth.
- lonely — The old comb felt lonely in the dark drawer for months.
- fancy — New things may look fancy, but they are not always strong.
- tidy — A comb keeps our hair neat and tidy.
- A soft low sound made while speaking softly — whisper
- A large amount of money or valuable possession — treasure (also: fortune, wealth)
- The ability to control one’s behaviour or action — self-control (also: discipline)
- Worth or importance of something — value
I agree with the saying “Old is gold”. In the lesson, the new plastic comb looked attractive but it broke. The old comb was still strong and useful. In the same way, old things like our grandmother’s brass vessels last for many years. Old people in our family have great wisdom. New things are useful too, but we should not throw away old things. They carry strength and stories from the past.
This is a personal-response activity. Students should write about their own school journey.
Format to follow: “When I was in Grade One, I ……… . In Grade Two, I learnt ……… . In Grade Three, my favourite subject was ……… .” Remember to use the past tense throughout — was, learnt, went, made, won, joined, enjoyed.
This is a research activity. Students should collect their own information.
English: Wings of Fire — Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam · The Story of My Experiments with Truth — Mahatma Gandhi · Playing It My Way — Sachin Tendulkar
Marathi: श्यामची आई — साने गुरुजी · आमचा बाप अन् आम्ही — डॉ. नरेंद्र जाधव · उपरा — लक्ष्मण माने
Comb: Good morning, Hair! Are you ready?
Hair: Oh no, not again! You pull me every morning.
Comb: I don’t pull you on purpose. You get knots at night, and I only remove them.
Hair: But it hurts!
Comb: Think how you would look without me — like a bird’s nest!
Hair: All right. But please be gentle today.
Comb: I promise. We are a team, after all.
This is a listening activity. Students should listen to the podcast links provided by the teacher and discuss in class.
After listening, think and share: What you learned (new facts, ideas or lessons) · What you liked the most · Any question you still have · Your own opinion (“I think…”, “In my view…”) · How it connects to your life (“This reminds me of…”).