The Chair Questions & Answers | Class 6 English | CBSE NCERT

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1. 1. What did Mario love to have?
(a) Lots of toys
(b) Lots of money
(c) Lots of friends
(d) Lots of books

There was a boy called Mario who loved to have lots of friends. He showed off a lot, always talking about how many friends he had at school, and how he was so friendly with everyone.

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2. 2. What does 'showed off' mean in this extract?
(a) helped others
(b) boasted
(c) kept quiet
(d) dressed well

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3. 3. According to Mario, how was he with everyone at school?
(a) Rude and proud
(b) Shy and quiet
(c) Very friendly
(d) Angry and strict

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4. 4. One-word answer: The word in the extract that means 'boasted' is ______.

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5. 5. How did Mario behave at school?

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6. 6. Do you think it is wise to show off about the number of friends one has? Why or why not?

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7. 1. What did the grandfather bet Mario?
(a) A toy
(b) A fruit chaat
(c) A bicycle
(d) A book

One day his grandfather said to him, "Mario, I bet you a fruit chaat. You don't have as many friends as you think you have. I'm sure many of them are nothing more than companions or partners." Mario accepted the bet readily. However, he wasn't sure how he could test whether his schoolmates were real friends or not. So, he asked his grandpa for help. He suggested, "I have exactly what you need. It's in the attic. Wait here a minute." Grandpa left, soon returning as though carrying something in his hand, but Mario could see nothing there.

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8. 2. What did the grandfather think about many of Mario's friends?
(a) They were true friends
(b) They were nothing more than companions or partners
(c) They were dangerous
(d) They were imaginary

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9. 3. Where did grandfather say the thing Mario needed was kept?
(a) In the garden
(b) At school
(c) In the attic
(d) In the market

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10. 4. True or False: Mario could clearly see what his grandfather brought from the attic.

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11. 5. Why did Mario ask his grandfather for help?

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12. 6. Why do you think grandfather made this bet with Mario?

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13. 1. Which two words describe the chair in this extract?
(a) Special and invisible
(b) Heavy and wooden
(c) Old and broken
(d) Small and colourful

"Take it. It's a very special chair. As it's invisible, it's rather tricky to sit on it. But if you take it to school and manage to sit on it, then the magic will work and you'll be able to tell who your real friends are."

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14. 2. Why is it tricky to sit on the chair?
(a) It is too high
(b) It is invisible
(c) It is broken
(d) It moves on its own

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15. 3. What would happen if Mario managed to sit on the chair at school?
(a) He would win a prize
(b) The magic would work and he would be able to tell who his real friends were
(c) The chair would become visible
(d) Everyone would clap for him

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16. 4. Fill in the blank: "As it's invisible, it's rather ______ to sit on it."

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17. 5. What did Mario have to do with the chair?

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18. 6. Why do you think the grandfather calls the chair 'very special'?

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19. 1. Which two words describe Mario in this extract?
(a) Rude and proud
(b) Brave and determined
(c) Shy and quiet
(d) Clever and cunning

Mario, brave and determined, took the strange invisible chair and set off for school. At break time, he asked everyone to form a circle. He put himself in the middle, with his chair. "Nobody move. You're about to see something amazing."

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20. 2. When did Mario ask everyone to form a circle?
(a) During the morning assembly
(b) At break time
(c) After school
(d) During the lunch break the next day

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21. 3. 'Set off for school' means:
(a) ran away from school
(b) started his journey to school
(c) sat down at school
(d) was late for school

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22. 4. Fill in the blank: Mario put himself in the ______ of the circle, with his chair.

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23. 5. What did Mario announce to his classmates?

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24. 6. What does the word 'determined' tell us about Mario's character?

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25. 1. What happened when Mario tried to sit for the first time?
(a) He sat comfortably
(b) He missed and fell straight onto his backside
(c) The chair broke
(d) His friends held him

Mario tried sitting on the chair. Having difficulty seeing it, he missed and fell straight onto his backside. His classmates had a pretty good laugh. "Wait, wait, just a slight technical problem," he said, trying again. But again, he missed the seat, causing more surprised looks and laughter. Mario wouldn't give up. He kept trying to sit on the magic chair and kept falling to the ground until, suddenly, he tried again and didn't fall. This time he sat, hanging in mid-air.

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26. 2. How did most of his classmates react to his falls?
(a) They held him up
(b) They felt sad
(c) They had a pretty good laugh
(d) They walked away

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27. 3. What did Mario call his fall?
(a) A serious accident
(b) A slight technical problem
(c) A game
(d) A trick

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28. 4. True or False: Mario succeeded in sitting on the chair at his first attempt.

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29. 5. What happened when Mario finally managed to sit on the chair?

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30. 6. Which quality of Mario is shown by his repeated attempts? What would you have done in his place?

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31. 1. Who was holding Mario up in the air?
(a) His classmates together
(b) Guneet, Asma and Deepa
(c) His grandfather
(d) His teachers

Then he finally experienced the magic that his grandfather had been talking about. Looking around, Mario saw Guneet, Asma, and Deepa—three of his buddies—holding him up, so he wouldn't fall. Meanwhile, many others he'd thought of as friends had done nothing but made fun of him, enjoying each and every fall.

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32. 2. What had many others, whom Mario had thought of as friends, done?
(a) They had helped him
(b) They had gone away
(c) They had made fun of him, enjoying each and every fall
(d) They had called his grandfather

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33. 3. The word 'buddies' in this extract means:
(a) enemies
(b) teachers
(c) friends
(d) strangers

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34. 4. One-word answer: Mario sat hanging in ______.

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35. 5. What was the real magic that Mario experienced?

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36. 6. Why do you think Guneet, Asma and Deepa did not laugh at Mario's falls?

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37. 1. According to Mario, who are true friends?
(a) Those who play with us
(b) Those who study with us
(c) Those who care for us
(d) Those who give us gifts

Leaving with his three friends, he explained to them how his grandfather had so cleverly thought of a way to show him that true friends are those who care for us. A friend wouldn't be someone who takes joy in our bad luck.

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38. 2. What would a friend NOT do, according to this extract?
(a) Help us in need
(b) Take joy in our bad luck
(c) Speak to us
(d) Sit with us

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39. 3. Who had thought of the clever way to show Mario the truth?
(a) His friends
(b) His teacher
(c) His grandfather
(d) His parents

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40. 4. Fill in the blank: A friend wouldn't be someone who takes joy in our ______.

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41. 5. How did the grandfather's plan work?

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42. 6. What lesson did Mario learn from the magic chair test?

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43. 1. Why did the four children visit Mario's grandfather that evening?
(a) To complain about school
(b) Because Mario had won the bet
(c) To see the attic
(d) To return the chair

That evening the four children went to see Mario's grandpa as he had won the bet. They had a great time listening to stories and eating a lot of fruit chaat. From then on, they used the magic chair test on many occasions and whoever passed became friends for life.

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44. 2. What did the children enjoy at grandfather's place?
(a) Games and songs
(b) Stories and a lot of fruit chaat
(c) A magic show
(d) A picnic

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45. 3. What happened to whoever passed the magic chair test?
(a) Won a prize
(b) Became friends for life
(c) Lost the game
(d) Got a fruit chaat

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46. 4. True or False: The magic chair test was used only once.

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47. 5. How did the four children spend the evening at grandfather's house?

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48. 6. What do you understand by the phrase 'friends for life'?

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49. 1. Who was Mario? What did he love?
Mario was a boy who loved to have lots of friends. He showed off a lot, always talking about how many friends he had at school and how friendly he was with everyone.

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50. 2. What did the grandfather say about Mario's friends?
The grandfather bet Mario a fruit chaat that he did not have as many friends as he thought he had. He was sure that many of them were nothing more than companions or partners.

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51. 3. What was the bet between Mario and his grandfather?
The grandfather bet Mario a fruit chaat that he did not have as many friends as he thought he had. Mario accepted the bet readily because he was confident about his many friends.

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52. 4. Why did Mario go to his grandfather for help?
Mario had accepted the bet, but he was not sure how he could test whether his schoolmates were real friends or not. So he asked his grandfather for help.

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53. 5. Where did grandfather keep the special chair?
The special chair was kept in the attic, the storage space in the house just under the roof. Grandfather went to the attic and returned as though carrying something in his hand.

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54. 6. Describe the chair that grandfather gave to Mario.
The chair was invisible — impossible to see — and therefore rather tricky to sit on. Grandfather called it a very special chair whose magic would reveal who Mario's real friends were.

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55. 7. What did Mario have to do for the magic to work?
Mario had to take the invisible chair to school and manage to sit on it. If he succeeded, the magic would work and he would be able to tell who his real friends were.

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56. 8. What happened when Mario tried to sit on the chair for the first time?
Having difficulty seeing the invisible chair, Mario missed it and fell straight onto his backside. His classmates had a pretty good laugh at him.

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57. 9. How did most of the classmates react to Mario's falls?
Most of the classmates had a pretty good laugh and showed surprised looks and laughter at every fall. They enjoyed each and every fall instead of helping him.

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58. 10. What did Mario say after his first fall?
Mario said, "Wait, wait, just a slight technical problem," and tried again. He did not give up even after falling repeatedly.

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59. 11. How was Mario finally able to sit on the chair?
Mario kept trying again and again. Suddenly, when he tried again, he did not fall — Guneet, Asma and Deepa were holding him up, so he sat hanging in mid-air.

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60. 12. Who were Mario's real friends? How did they prove it?
Mario's real friends were Guneet, Asma and Deepa. They proved it by holding him up in the middle of the circle so that he would not fall, while others only laughed at him.

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61. 13. What lesson did Mario learn from the magic chair test?
Mario learnt that true friends are those who care for us. A friend would never be someone who takes joy in our bad luck, as his laughing classmates had done.

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62. 14. Why did the four children go to see grandfather that evening?
They went to see Mario's grandpa because Mario had won the bet — he had found out who his real friends were. They had a great time listening to stories and eating a lot of fruit chaat.

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63. 15. What is meant by the 'magic chair test'?
The 'magic chair test' was the challenge of sitting on the invisible chair in front of others. Whoever rushed to help and hold up the person sitting passed the test, and such a person was a real friend.

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64. 16. What does the phrase 'friends for life' mean?
'Friends for life' means friends who stay faithful forever. From then on, whoever passed the magic chair test became friends for life with Mario and his group.

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65. 17. Give the meanings of the words 'attic' and 'invisible' as used in the story.
'Attic' means a storage space in a house just under the roof, where the special chair was kept. 'Invisible' means impossible to see — that is why the chair was so tricky to sit on.

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66. 18. Why did grandfather call the chair 'very special'?
Grandfather called the chair very special because its magic would work only if Mario managed to sit on it. Then Mario would be able to tell who his real friends were — those who cared for him.

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67. 19. Which qualities of Mario are revealed by the words 'brave and determined'?
Mario was brave because he took the strange invisible chair to school without fear of being laughed at. He was determined because he kept trying to sit on it again and again without giving up.

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68. 20. According to the story, what kind of a friend would you like to have — one who laughs at your falls or one who holds you up? Why?
I would like a friend who holds me up, like Guneet, Asma and Deepa. Such friends care for us in bad times, while those who enjoy our bad luck are not true friends at all.

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69. 1. Write a character sketch of Mario.
Mario was a schoolboy who loved to have lots of friends. At first, he showed off a lot, always boasting about how many friends he had and how friendly he was with everyone. He was brave and determined — he accepted his grandfather's bet readily and took the invisible chair to school without fear. When the whole class laughed at his falls, he did not give up; he kept trying until he finally sat in mid-air. He was also open to learning, for he honestly accepted the lesson his grandfather taught him and explained it to his three true friends. By the end, Mario had grown from a boastful boy into one who understood the real meaning of friendship.

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70. 2. Write a character sketch of Mario's grandfather.
Mario's grandfather was a wise and understanding elder. He could see the truth that Mario could not — that many of the boy's so-called friends were nothing more than companions or partners. Instead of simply scolding Mario, he made a playful bet of a fruit chaat so that Mario would learn the lesson himself. He was clever and creative: from the attic he brought an invisible chair and turned it into a test of true friendship. He was also warm and loving, for he welcomed the four children that evening, told them stories and fed them a lot of fruit chaat. His clever plan gave Mario friends for life.

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71. 3. Write a short character sketch of Guneet, Asma and Deepa.
Guneet, Asma and Deepa were Mario's buddies — his three true friends. When everyone else formed a circle merely to watch the fun, they were the only ones who came forward and held Mario up so he wouldn't fall. They did not make fun of him even once; they cared about his safety, not his falls. They were modest and kind, for they quietly helped without expecting praise. That evening they accompanied Mario to his grandfather's house, celebrated his winning of the bet and listened to stories together. They proved that true friends are those who care for us in our difficult moments.

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72. 4. What is the theme of the story 'The Chair'?
The central theme of the story is that true friendship is shown in times of difficulty, not in times of fun. Mario thought he had many friends because everyone seemed friendly at school. But the moment he needed help — falling again and again from the invisible chair — only Guneet, Asma and Deepa held him up, while the rest only laughed and enjoyed his bad luck. The story also teaches that we should not judge friendship by numbers or by outward friendliness. Grandfather's wise test revealed that a real friend is one who cares for us and stands by us when we fall, both literally and in life.

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73. 5. Why do you think the grandfather used an 'invisible' chair to test Mario's friends? Explain the cleverness of the idea.
The grandfather's idea was clever because the chair had to make Mario fall in front of the whole class. An ordinary test — like asking classmates 'are you my friend?' — would have brought only polite answers. But an invisible chair was 'rather tricky to sit on', so Mario was sure to miss the seat and fall, again and again. Each fall became a moment of truth: whoever laughed was only a companion, and whoever rushed to hold him up was a real friend who cared. The test also looked like a magic trick, so the classmates reacted naturally, without pretending. In this way, the grandfather let the children's own behaviour reveal their hearts.

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74. 6. What is the difference between companions/partners and true friends, as shown in the story?
In the story, companions or partners are people who enjoy being with us only for fun — they form circles, watch our tricks and share our good times. But the moment trouble comes, they turn into spectators. Many of Mario's schoolmates, whom he had thought of as friends, 'had done nothing but made fun of him, enjoying each and every fall'. True friends, on the other hand, act when we need them. Guneet, Asma and Deepa held Mario up so he wouldn't fall. As Mario concluded, 'true friends are those who care for us. A friend wouldn't be someone who takes joy in our bad luck.' The difference lies in caring, not in company.

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75. 7. Why do you think the classmates laughed at Mario's falls? What does their laughter reveal?
The classmates laughed because Mario's falls looked funny — a boy trying to sit on a chair that nobody could see, falling onto his backside again and again, calling it 'a slight technical problem'. To them, it was free entertainment. But their laughter revealed something ugly: they were enjoying a friend's bad luck instead of helping him. They were curious spectators, not well-wishers. As Mario later realised, 'A friend wouldn't be someone who takes joy in our bad luck.' Their behaviour showed that they were nothing more than companions or partners, exactly as his grandfather had guessed.

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76. 8. How did Mario's attitude towards friendship change from the beginning to the end of the story?
At the beginning of the story, Mario measured friendship by numbers. He showed off a lot, always talking about how many friends he had at school and how friendly he was with everyone. He believed that being popular was the same as being truly loved. After the magic chair test, his attitude completely changed. He saw that of his many 'friends', only three — Guneet, Asma and Deepa — truly cared for him. He understood that 'true friends are those who care for us', and he proudly kept company with these three, becoming friends for life with all who passed the test.

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77. 9. Do you think the magic chair test was a good way to find real friends? Give reasons for your answer.
Yes, I think it was a good way, because words cannot be trusted while actions can. If Mario had simply asked his classmates whether they were true friends, everyone would have said yes. The invisible chair created a real situation of difficulty — repeated falls — and let every child respond naturally. The laughter of the many and the helping hands of the three revealed the truth without any questioning. However, the test also depended on the situation being genuine; a good point to remember is that we should not test friends trickily all the time. Used once in a while, as Mario's group did, it separates those who care for us from those who only enjoy our bad luck.

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78. 10. What does the story teach us about friendship and bad luck?
The story teaches that bad luck is the real test of friendship. When everything goes well, everyone is ready to be friendly; Mario's classmates were happy to watch his 'amazing' trick. But when Mario kept falling, their true colours appeared — most of them enjoyed each and every fall, while only Guneet, Asma and Deepa held him up. The story tells us to be like these three: a true friend is one who cares for us and stands by us in our difficult moments. It also warns us not to be like the laughing crowd, for a person 'who takes joy in our bad luck' can never be called a friend.

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79. 1. Write a detailed character sketch of Mario.
Mario, the hero of the story 'The Chair', is a lively schoolboy who loves to have lots of friends. At the start, his greatest weakness is boastfulness — he shows off a lot, always talking about how many friends he has at school and how he is so friendly with everyone. He measures friendship by counting heads, not by trust.
Yet Mario has many good qualities. He is trusting and respectful towards elders: he listens to his grandfather and accepts the bet of a fruit chaat readily. He is brave and determined — the story itself calls him so when he carries the 'strange invisible chair' to school. When he falls onto his backside before the whole class, he does not cry or run away; he keeps his sense of humour, saying, "Wait, wait, just a slight technical problem," and tries again.
His perseverance is remarkable. He keeps trying to sit on the magic chair and keeps falling to the ground, but 'Mario wouldn't give up' until he finally succeeds in sitting in mid-air. Most importantly, Mario is honest enough to learn. When he sees Guneet, Asma and Deepa holding him up while others enjoy his falls, he accepts the truth and explains the lesson to his friends. By the end, he changes from a boy who counted friends to a boy who valued the three true friends who cared for him — friends for life.

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80. 2. Write a detailed character sketch of Mario's grandfather.
Mario's grandfather is the wise heart of the story. He is loving and closely observes his grandson: he knows that Mario loves to have lots of friends and shows off a lot, and he can see what Mario cannot — that many of the so-called friends are 'nothing more than companions or partners'.
His wisdom lies in how he teaches. He does not lecture or scold. Instead, he makes a light-hearted bet — 'I bet you a fruit chaat' — so that Mario becomes eager to discover the truth himself. He is clever and imaginative: from the attic he produces an invisible chair and turns sitting on it into a test of true friendship. He explains it perfectly: 'if you take it to school and manage to sit on it, then the magic will work and you'll be able to tell who your real friends are.'
He is also patient and confident — he waits calmly for the result, and that evening, when Mario wins the bet, he warmly welcomes the four children, tells them stories and feeds them a lot of fruit chaat. His idea lives on after the story, for the children 'used the magic chair test on many occasions'. Grandfather shows how a wise elder can teach life's biggest lessons through play, kindness and cleverness.

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81. 3. What is the message of the story 'The Chair'? Explain with examples from the text.
The story gives a clear message: true friends are those who care for us, especially when we are in trouble. Friendship is not proved by words or numbers but by actions at the right moment.
At first, Mario believes he has many friends because he is friendly with everyone at school. His grandfather challenges this belief with a bet: 'You don't have as many friends as you think you have. I'm sure many of them are nothing more than companions or partners.'
The invisible chair test proves the grandfather right. When Mario falls again and again, most of his classmates do nothing but make fun of him, 'enjoying each and every fall'. Only Guneet, Asma and Deepa hold him up so he wouldn't fall. Mario himself sums up the message: 'true friends are those who care for us. A friend wouldn't be someone who takes joy in our bad luck.'
A second, quieter message is about perseverance: Mario keeps trying to sit on the chair and does not give up until he succeeds. The story thus teaches us to value caring friends, to be one ourselves, and to stand by friends in their difficult moments rather than laughing at their falls.

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82. 4. What values do you learn from the story? Support your answer with examples from the text.
The story teaches several lasting values. The first is caring in times of trouble. Guneet, Asma and Deepa hold Mario up 'so he wouldn't fall', while others enjoy each and every fall. This shows that real love and friendship appear when a person is in difficulty.
The second value is perseverance. Mario misses the seat, falls onto his backside, and becomes the laughing stock of the class — but 'Mario wouldn't give up.' He keeps trying until he finally sits in mid-air. This teaches us to stay determined in the face of failure and embarrassment.
The third value is the wisdom of elders. The grandfather understands Mario's weakness and, instead of scolding, designs a clever and playful test — 'I bet you a fruit chaat' — which teaches Mario better than any lecture could.
The fourth value is humility and honest self-discovery. Mario, who once boasted about his many friends, accepts the truth gracefully and stays with his three true friends. Finally, the story teaches us never to take joy in anyone's bad luck — the laughing classmates are shown as false friends, while the helpers become 'friends for life'.

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83. 5. 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.' How does the story 'The Chair' illustrate this proverb?
The proverb means that a friend who helps us in our time of need is a real friend. The story 'The Chair' illustrates this proverb almost literally. Mario's 'time of need' comes when he tries to sit on an invisible chair in front of the whole class and keeps falling — 'he missed and fell straight onto his backside', again and again.
At this moment of trouble, his many so-called friends reveal themselves. Instead of helping, 'many others he'd thought of as friends had done nothing but made fun of him, enjoying each and every fall.' Clearly, these companions were friends only for fun and laughter, not for need.
But three of his buddies — Guneet, Asma and Deepa — come to his rescue. They hold him up with their hands so that he doesn't fall, and that is how Mario manages to sit, hanging in mid-air. The moment of falling is the moment of testing: the helpers prove to be friends indeed.
The story even shows Mario drawing this very conclusion: 'true friends are those who care for us. A friend wouldn't be someone who takes joy in our bad luck.' Thus the invisible chair becomes the perfect illustration of the proverb — help in need is the true certificate of friendship.

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84. 6. Imagine you are Mario. Write a diary entry describing the day of the magic chair test at school.
Dear Diary,
What a day! This morning I was so excited and nervous. Grandpa had bet me a fruit chaat that I did not have as many friends as I thought, and had given me the invisible magic chair to take to school. I was sure I would win the bet.
At break time, I asked everyone to form a circle, put myself in the middle with my chair and announced, "Nobody move. You're about to see something amazing." But the moment I tried to sit, I missed the seat and fell straight onto my backside! The whole class burst out laughing. I was embarrassed, but I said, "Wait, wait, just a slight technical problem," and tried again. I fell again and again, and the laughter grew louder. Still, I remembered — Mario wouldn't give up.
And then came the moment of magic. I tried once more and did not fall — I was sitting in mid-air! Looking around, I saw Guneet, Asma and Deepa holding me up so I wouldn't fall. Meanwhile, many others I had thought of as friends had done nothing but made fun of me, enjoying each and every fall.
I finally understood what Grandpa had been trying to show me. True friends are those who care for us; a friend is not someone who takes joy in our bad luck. This evening, the four of us went to Grandpa's house — I had won the bet! — and we had a great time listening to his stories and eating lots of fruit chaat. Today I did not just sit on a magic chair; I found out who my real friends are.
— Mario

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85. 7. Imagine you are Mario's grandfather. Write a letter to a friend describing the magic chair trick you played and what it taught Mario.
Dear Friend,
You will be amused to hear about the little trick I played on my grandson Mario recently. The boy loves to have lots of friends and shows off a lot, always talking about how many friends he has at school and how friendly he is with everyone. I could see that most of them were nothing more than companions or partners, so I bet him a fruit chaat that he did not have as many friends as he thought.
He accepted at once, but he had no idea how to test his schoolmates. So I brought out 'exactly what he needed' — a very special chair from the attic. It is invisible, and therefore rather tricky to sit on! I told him that if he took it to school and managed to sit on it, the magic would work and he would be able to tell who his real friends were.
The plan worked beautifully. Poor Mario fell again and again in front of his classmates, and most of them did nothing but make fun of him, enjoying each and every fall. But three children — Guneet, Asma and Deepa — quietly held him up so he wouldn't fall. That evening all four came to visit me, and I happily paid the bet with stories and a lot of fruit chaat.
The best part is that the children now use the magic chair test on many occasions, and whoever passes becomes a friend for life. Mario has learnt what no lecture could teach him: true friends are those who care for us, and a friend is never one who takes joy in our bad luck.
With warm regards,
Mario's Grandfather