NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments book The Happy Prince Important Question Answers Lesson 5
Class 9 English The Happy Prince Question Answers – Looking for The Happy Prince question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 9 English Moments Book Chapter 5? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 9 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 5: The Happy Prince now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract based questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions.
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
Class 9 English The Happy Prince Question Answers Lesson 5 – Extract Based Questions
Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct option for each question by carefully reading the passage.
A. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
HIGH above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt. One night there flew over the city a little swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind; then he decided to go to Egypt too.
Q1. Name the chapter from where this extract has been taken.
Ans. The above extract is taken from the chapter named “The Happy Prince”
Q2. Who is the author of the chapter?
Ans. Oscar Wilde is the author of “The Happy Prince”.
Q3. What do you understand by the phrase “He was gilded”?
Ans. The phrase “He was gilded” implies that the statue was covered with gold.
Q4. What is Swallow?
Ans. Swallow is a small, long-winged songbird.
B. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
“What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off ?” he said. “I must look for a good chimney pot,” and he determined to fly away. But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up, and saw — Ah! What did he see? The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little swallow was filled with pity. “Who are you?” he said. “I am the Happy Prince.” “Why are you weeping then?” asked the swallow. “You have quite drenched me.”
Q1. Where were the water droplets coming from?
Ans. The water droplets were the tears shed by the happy prince.
Q2. What made the happy prince cry?
Ans. Poor and pathetic situation of his town’s people made the happy prince cry.
Q3. Where did the swallow put up?
Ans. The Swallow decided to stay under the statue of the Happy Prince.
Q4. Find a word from the given extract which means the same as “wet thoroughly; soak”
Ans. Drenched
C. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
In a bed in the corner of the room her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking his mother to give him oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you not bring her the ruby out of my sword hilt? My feet are fastened to this pedestal and I cannot move.”
Q1. Why was the child crying?
Ans. The child was crying because he was ill and hungry.
Q2. What is the child asking for?
Ans. The child asked his mother to give him oranges.
Q3. What did the ailing child’s mother feed the child?
Ans. The ailing child’s mother had nothing but river water to feed her ill child.
Q4. What do you understand by “hilt”?
Ans. Hilt means handle of the sword.
D. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
“In the square below,” said the Happy Prince, “there stands a little matchgirl. She has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money, and she is crying. She has no shoes or stockings, and her little head is bare. Pluck out my other eye, and give it to her, and her father will not beat her.”
Q1. What made the matchgirl sad?
Ans. The matchgirl was sad because her matches fell in the gutter.
Q2. What did the happy prince give to the matchgirl?
Ans. The happy prince gave his eye to the matchgirl.
Q3. Why would the little girl’s father beat her up?
Ans. The little girl would be beaten for not bringing money and instead causing a loss as her matches fell in the gutter.
Q4. Find a word from the given extract which means “damaged, destroyed”
Ans. Spoiled
E. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
So the swallow flew over the great city, and saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses, while the beggars were sitting at the gates. He flew into dark lanes, and saw the white faces of starving children looking out listlessly at the black streets. Under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying in each other’s arms to try and keep themselves warm. “How hungry we are!” they said. “You must not lie here,” shouted the watchman, and they wandered out into the rain.
Q1. What did the swallow notice about the rich during its flight?
Ans. The swallow noticed that the rich were happy and enjoying life in their grand, beautiful homes.
Q2. What did the swallow notice about the poor children during its flight?
Ans. The swallow noticed that the poor children were starving in cold weather.
Q3. What did the watchman do?
Ans. The watchman shooed away the beggars sitting at the gates of the wealthy people’s houses.
Q4. Find a word from the given extract which means the same as “lazily”.
Ans. Listlessly
F. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
At that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue, as if something had broken. The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost. Early the next morning the Mayor was walking in the square below in company with the Town Councillors. As they passed the column he looked up at the statue. “Dear me! How shabby the Happy Prince looks!” he said. “How shabby, indeed!” cried the Town Councillors, who always agreed with the Mayor and they went up to look at it. “The ruby has fallen out of his sword, his eyes are gone, and he is no longer golden,” said the Mayor. “In fact, he is a little better than a beggar!”
Q1. The heart of the happy prince was made of _________
Ans. Lead
Q2. How do the Town Councillors describe the state of the statue?
Ans. Town Councillors say that the statue looks shabby, dirty and filthy.
Q3. What made the Prince’s heart fall out?
Ans. Death of the swallow made the Prince’s leaden heart fall out.
Q4. Find a word from the given extract which means the same as “to break suddenly with a sharp sound”
Ans. Snapped
Class 9 English Moments The Happy Prince Lesson 5 Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a type of objective assessment in which a person is asked to choose one or more correct answers from a list of available options. An MCQ presents a question along with several possible answers.
Q1. The woman’s _______ was laying ill on a bed at the corner of the room.
A. Son
B. Husband
C. Daughter
D. Mother
Ans. A Son
Q2. The little swallow finally went to the _______
A. Egypt
B. Chimney hole
C. City of sorrow
D. House of death
Ans. D House of death
Q3. Shining sapphire stones were placed in the _______ of the happy prince.
A. Hands
B. Eyes
C. Sword
D. Legs
Ans. B Eyes
Q4. Why were Prince and the Swallow so precious?
A. because of their kindness and selflessness
B. because of they were handsome
C. because they had many possessions
D. they were rich
Ans. A because of their kindness and selflessness
Q5. Why was the Prince called happy?
A. because he always kept smiling
B. because he was very lucky
C. because he had everything
D. because he always smiled and lived in the palace of happiness
Ans. D because he always smiled and lived in the palace of happiness
Q6. Why did the Happy Prince give away all his assets?
A. to eradicate misery and sorrow from his city
B. to show his power
C. to show his richness
D. to be among the charitable people
Ans. A to eradicate misery and sorrow from his city
Q7. “He is no longer beautiful, he is no longer useful”- said the __________
A. Town People
B. Mayor
C. Art Professor
D. Town Councillor
Ans. C Art Professor
Q8. Which country does the river Nile belong to?
A. England
B. Ecuador
C. Ethiopia
D. Egypt
Ans. D Egypt
Q9. Name the most precious things in the story that the angel took to give to God.
A. leaden heart of Happy Prince and the dead Swallow
B. Prince and his assets
C. Ruby, sword and sapphire
D. All of the above
Ans. A leaden heart of Happy Prince and the dead Swallow
Q10. What did the Happy Prince say about the Sapphires in his eyes?
A. He said they were artificial sapphires
B. He said the sapphires belonged to the rich and the aristocrats.
C. rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years ago.
D. None of the above
Ans. C rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years ago.
Q11. What was the profession of the woman who was sitting in her cottage with prickled hands?
A. seamstress
B. secretary
C. store manager
D. sales associate
Ans. A seamstress
Q12. Why was the boy tossing on the bed?
A. because of fever and hunger
B. because of mental stress
C. because of cold
D. because of loneliness
Ans. A because of fever and hunger
Q13. What did the Happy Prince think was the greatest mystery?
A. Contentment
B. Misery
C. Heaven
D. Pleasure
Ans. B Misery
Q14. Who is the writer of the Happy Prince story?
A. John Ruskin
B. Walter Pater
C. Oscar Wilde
D. Sir George Bernard Shaw
Ans. A John Ruskin
Q15. What did the swallow do before he fell down dead?
A. He kissed the Happy Prince
B. He told the Happy Prince that he was going to the House of Death.
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
Ans. C Both A and B
Q16. What made the Happy Prince blind?
A. Giving away two sapphires from his eyes
B. weeping a lot made the prince lose his eyes
C. The Prince suffered from a disease which made him lose his eyes.
D. The Prince was attacked by an army of enemy nation
Ans. A Giving away two sapphires from his eyes
Q17. Where did the little swallow take the ruby to?
A. to the Queen
B. to the seamstress’ house
C. to her own home
D. to put it in a museum
Ans. B to the seamstress’ house
Q18. What did the swallow notice while flying over the city?
A. plight of the poor and greed of the rich
B. the statute of the Happy Prince
C. beautiful landscapes
D. development in the city
Ans. A plight of the poor and greed of the rich
Q19. What did the Prince do to make the people of his city happy?
A. gave away all the palace’s treasure
B. gave away all his precious gems and stones
C. talked to people and comforted them
D formulated policies that helped the poor
Ans. B gave away all his precious gems and stones
Q20. What troubled the playwright?
A. he was diseased
B. he was cold and hungry
C. he had no creative ideas for his play
D. he was unemployed
Ans. B he was cold and hungry
Q21. Where was the statue of the Happy Prince put up?
A. In a Palace where the Prince lived
B. In the church
C. At the Town Mayor’s house
D. High above the city, on a tall column.
Ans. D High above the city, on a tall column.
Class 9 English The Happy Prince Short Question Answers (including questions from Previous Years Question Papers)
In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from Chapter 5 The Happy Prince for CBSE Class 9 exam in the coming session.
Q1. How was the statue of the Happy Prince built?
Ans. The statue was made of lead and was coated in gold. The Prince’s sword had a ruby on it, and his eyes were made of priceless diamonds. It was situated in the centre of the town atop a large pillar.
Q2. How did the swallow happen to meet the Happy Prince?
Ans. The little swallow’s friends had gone to Egypt but he had decided to stay behind initially. Later, he made the decision to visit Egypt. He stopped at the Happy Prince statue along the route, to rest for the night.
Q3. How did the Happy Prince get to know about the miseries of the people after
becoming blind?
Ans. The Happy Prince dispatched the swallow to look around the town after going blind. The swallow circled the area, studied the locals, and then went back to the Prince to report what he had seen.
Q4. How did the Mayor and Councillors feel when they saw the Happy Prince’ dull appearance and the dead swallow at its feet?
Ans. When the Mayor and his council members observed the Prince’s lifeless appearance and the dead body of the swallow, the greedy Mayor and his council members were infuriated and dismayed. They intended to take the statue out of the pillar and replace it with a new structure.
Q5. What did God ask his angels to bring from the earth? What did they bring from the earth?
Ans. God instructed his angels to bring two extremely valuable items from the Happy Prince’s hometown. The angels brought the heart of the Happy Prince and the dead body of the swallow.
Q6. Do you think that the angels had really brought the most precious things? Support your answer.
Ans. Yes, indeed the most priceless items had been brought by the angels. In order to assist others in need, “The Happy Prince” sacrificed everything he had, regardless of how it would make him appear. The bird was to go to a warmer place and be with his family and friends. But he also sacrificed his life along with the Prince in order to aid the poor.
Q7. The world is full of two kinds of people – the kind and the unfeeling. How does the story of the Happy Prince present this truth?
Ans. In this tale, the good and the bad people of the world are depicted. The prince had never experienced unhappiness while he was alive. But after he turned into a statue, he noticed that the administrators were indifferent to the plight of the ordinary people .
Q8. Whom do you like more- the Prince or the swallow? Why?
Ans. Because both the Prince and the Swallow are equally sweet and good, it is difficult to determine who is sweeter. The Prince is endearing because he was moved by the misery of the city’s underclass. In a similar manner the swallow was sweet, too. Its heart was just as sensitive as the Prince’s. Even though it was travelling a great distance to be with its loved ones, it stayed behind to aid those in need.
Q9. Where was the swallow going? Why?
Ans. Winter had arrived. The swallow was relocating to Egypt’s warm environment. His friends had already gone there and were flying up and down the Nile river.
Q10. What broke the heart of the Prince?
Ans. The swallow would soon pass away. He offered the prince one final kiss before passing away. The Prince’s heart was broken by this grief.
Q11. What do you think is the most pathetic event in the story?
Ans. The swallow observed the suffering of the impoverished as it passed over the city. He removed the gold leaves that covered the statue in order to assist the needy as the prince had directed. It was terribly cold because winter had arrived. Snow and frost were present. Even so, it hung back and ultimately sacrificed its life.
Q12. For whom does the prince send the sapphire and why?
Ans. The writer receives the sapphire from the prince. The playwright has numb and icy hands. He could not write. He has to finish the play for the director. He is unable to purchase firewood so he can stay warm. The sapphire is therefore sent to the writer by the prince.
Q13. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
Ans. The swallow soars over the big city. He observes the wealthy people are having fun in their lavish homes. He notices that the destitute beggars are posted at their gates. He observes hungry boys being shoved out of a bridge’s archway into the rain and malnourished children being pushed around in the cold, dark alleys.
Class 9 The Happy Prince Long Answer Questions Lesson 5
Q1. ‘Goodness can never be destroyed.’ Do you agree? Illustrate with reference to the story ‘The Happy Prince’.
Ans. Yes, I agree with the statement, “Goodness can never be destroyed”. The Happy Prince in the narrative was good to everyone. He had a kind heart and was struck by how poor and miserable everyone was. He, therefore, felt a strong desire to aid those who were struggling. He gave the underprivileged his eyes, riches, and diamonds. The Happy Prince sent a message through the swallow. The Happy Prince’s heart was torn in two when the swallow passed away at his feet. The Happy Prince monument had lost its usefulness and beauty. It was pulled down. The leaden heart did not melt when the statue was melted in a furnace because goodness can never be destroyed.
Q2. “The Happy Prince had compassion for the poor.” How do you think the swallow came to know about it?
Ans. The Happy Prince was sympathetic to the underprivileged. When the swallow arrived, he observed the Happy Prince sobbing over the deplorable state of those around him. The swallow immediately recognised his sympathy for the underprivileged. Everyone ought to value compassion as a virtue. We should have good feelings for others. We ought to be considerate of others’ needs and extend assistance. We should show compassion for someone who is suffering and offer assistance. It enriches us as mankind. The swallow and the Happy Prince both have a heart for the impoverished and underprivileged. God blessed them for having sympathy and compassion for the underprivileged.
Q3. The Swallow in the story ‘The Happy Prince’ played a crucial role in making the Prince happy. What traits does the bird profess which makes it fulfil its tasks?
Ans. The swallow loved to soar and was eager to get to Egypt, where they were waiting for him to arrive. He had curiosity. Before looking for a dry chimney pot, he realised that drops were falling from the cheeks of the Happy Prince when he noticed there was no rain falling but they were still falling on him. Being incredibly kind, the swallow offered to deliver the ruby to the seamstress so that she could buy food for her son. He also used his wings to fan the child to cool his feverish state. The swallow was very kind and postponed his trip to Egypt in order to fulfil the Happy Prince’s request to distribute his gems and gold to the city’s poor. The patient bird painstakingly removed each leaf of the statue’s gold plating, delivered it to the needy, and devoted his life in service to the Happy Prince.
Q4. How did the Happy Prince and the little swallow help the matchgirl? How will you feel if you help someone in need?
Ans. The swallow was informed by the Happy Prince that a needy little girl sells matchboxes. Her matches were all spoiled because they were dropped in the street. She was in tears. Her father threatened to whip her if she didn’t bring money home. The Prince also mentioned that she was wearing no shoes. He asked the swallow to offer the girl the sapphire from his other eye. The girl received the gem from the swallow. Giving aid to the poor is always a wonderful deed. One is blessed. I will feel quite satisfied if I am able to assist someone who is in need. When they discovered the girl in distress, the sparrow and the prince assisted her. They grew closer to God, as a result. It was a great act on their part.
Q5. How has the writer brought out poverty in the story “The Happy Prince”?
Ans. The author has shown poverty in a way that is deeply moving. The tailor’s son is sick with fever. He requests oranges since he is thirsty. Since, she is a poor tailor, she is unable to purchase her son oranges. She is embroidering passion flowers for the Queen’s maids-of-honour. Her helplessness is heartbreaking. The Victorian writers’ destitution has also been very skillfully reflected. The aspiring author is starving and cold. He was unconscious from hunger.
The little match girl who is sobbing also symbolises Victorian-era poverty. She has no shoes or stockings, and her little head is bare. At the entrances to the wealthy residents’ homes, the beggars are waiting. There are kids with famished white faces in the shadowy alleyways. They are idly gazing out at the pitch-black streets. People don’t own homes of their own. The two young boys are sleeping beneath a bridge’s foundation. They are lying in each other’s arms to stay warm because it is cold outside. They are hungry. All of these, therefore, point to Victorian-era poverty.
Q6. The story describes exploitation of the poor and weak by the rich and affluent people. Elaborate.
Ans. In a really moving way, the author has illustrated how the weak and impoverished are exploited. The wealthiest and the court personnel take advantage of the less fortunate. The Mayor and the Town Council members stand for the abuse of power. The seamstress’s son has fever, but she is unable to care for him. She is embroidering passion flowers for the Queen’s made-of-honour to wear at the next court-ball. Even if they are working hard, the impoverished seamstress cannot afford to buy oranges. This type of exploitation is the worst.
Some people are starving as a result of their extreme poverty, while the wealthy are having a good time. The authors of that time have also been exploited. They are starving and cold.
The Mayor and the Town Council members abuse their positions of authority. Every single one of them desires a statue. The Mayor even issues a proclamation that birds are not to be allowed to die there. This is essentially a case of misuse of power.
Q7. Write an essay on the themes in the story “The Happy Prince”?
Ans. The story “The Happy Prince” has at least three themes.
The first lesson in the narrative is that appearances are meaningless and are only for show. Love and selflessness are what truly define beauty. The story’s conclusion conveys this notion. The lead heart of the Happy Prince is filled with compassion for the destitute and the underprivileged. The Swallow experiences the same thing. For the Happy Prince’s love, he gives his life. But he also succeeds in spiritual beauty. He will continue to sing in the paradise garden of God.
The second theme is that love and sacrifice are two saving forces. There is a lot of exploitation, deceit, and poverty in this society. The world could not spin in its axis without love and sacrifice. This life is continuing because of love and sacrifice.
The third recurring theme in the narrative is the widening distance between the aristocracy and the common people. When the Happy Prince was alive, he was unaware of the plight of the poor. Therefore, it implies that the ruling class at the time was ignorant of the issues and challenges faced by the general populace.
Q8. Discuss the end of the story “The Happy Prince”.
Ans. A fairy tale always has a happy ending, and “The Happy Prince” follows this rule. Characters in a fairy tale encounter challenges and put their lives in peril to obtain their desired outcomes. They experience so many challenges that it seems unlikely that they will be successful. However, they always come out on top and lead fulfilling lives.
The ending of “The Happy Prince” appears terrible. Both the Swallow and the Happy Prince pass away and are dumped on a pile of dirt. The story is not actually over, though. The Swallow and the Happy Prince gave their life in order to aid the needy and the underprivileged. God is pleased with their offerings. God rewards them by asking that the Swallow sing in the paradise garden eternally and that the Happy Prince will praise in his city.
As a result, it is clear that this story has a happy ending. It satisfies the primary prerequisite for a fairy tale.
Also See:
- The Happy Prince Explanation, Summary
- The Happy Prince MCQ Question Answers
- Class 9 English Lesson Explanation
- Class 9 English Moments Chapter Wise word meaning
