CBSE Class 5 English: Topsy-turvy Land - Gulliver's Travels NCERT Solutions

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NCERT Solutions PDF Class 5 PDF

This section provides detailed NCERT Solutions for CBSE Class 5 English, Chapter 7, titled 'Topsy-turvy Land' from Gulliver's Travels. It covers various exercises designed to enhance reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. Students will find explanations for questions related to the poem's themes, comparisons between Topsy-turvy Land and our own, and unscrambling jumbled sentences. The solutions also include practical writing prompts about maintaining a neat home and sorting mixed-up stories. These solutions aim to help students grasp the chapter's content thoroughly and prepare effectively for their exams by offering clear, step-by-step answers and engaging activities.

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BoardCBSE
ClassClass 5
SubjectEnglish
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
Chapter07 Topsy-turvy Land - Gulliver's Travels

Chapter summary

Chapter 7, 'Topsy-turvy Land' from Gulliver's Travels, explores a land where everything is reversed. The NCERT Solutions offer answers to questions based on the poem, focusing on comparing the topsy-turvy world with our own. It includes exercises on rearranging jumbled sentences, identifying disorder at home, and writing about keeping a home clean. Additionally, it features a story-sorting activity and questions related to Gulliver's own experiences in a land of giants, reinforcing comprehension and creative writing skills.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the concept of a topsy-turvy world as depicted in the poem.
  • Compare and contrast the characteristics of Topsy-turvy Land with our own land.
  • Rearrange jumbled words and sentences to form meaningful statements.
  • Identify and describe instances of disorder at home.
  • Practice writing about maintaining cleanliness and order at home.
  • Sort and retell mixed-up stories.
  • Answer comprehension questions related to Gulliver's Travels.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • Topsy-turvy Land poem analysis
  • Comparison of Topsy-turvy Land and Our Land
  • Rearranging jumbled sentences
  • Identifying disorder at home
  • Writing about home cleanliness
  • Story sorting and retelling
  • Gulliver's Travels comprehension
  • Vocabulary building
  • Reading comprehension skills

Important topics

  • Understanding the concept of 'topsy-turvy'
  • Comparing contrasting scenarios
  • Sentence construction and rearrangement
  • Story comprehension and sequencing
  • Descriptive writing about home environment

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Questions and Solutions

Reading is Fun - Question 1

When do children go to school in Topsy-turvy Land?
Solution: In the peculiar land of Topsy-turvy, children attend school during the nighttime. This is quite the opposite of our land, where school is a daytime activity.

Reading is Fun - Question 2

In the poem, if buses travel on the sea, then where do the boats travel? How should it rightly be?
Solution: In Topsy-turvy Land, the poem states that boats sail through the streets. Normally, and as it should rightly be, boats are meant to travel on the sea.

Reading is Fun - Question 3

The land of topsy-turvy is very different from our land. Let's draw a comparison by filling in sentences wherever needed.
Solution: Here is a comparison between Topsy-turvy Land and Our Land:

Topsy-turvy Land | Our Land

  1. People walk on their heads. | (i) People walk on their feet.
  2. The buses run on the sea. | (ii) The buses run on land.
  3. They wear their hats on feet. | (iii) They wear their hats on head.
  4. Boats sail in the streets. | (iv) Boats sail in the sea.
  5. People pay for what they don't get. | (v) People pay for what they get.

Let's Talk - Question 1 (i)

Rearrange the jumbled words to make a meaningful sentence: Renu naughty is a girl.

Remember that words beginning with a capital letter indicate the start of the sentence.

Solution: The correctly rearranged sentence is: Renu is a naughty girl.

Let's Talk - Question 1 (ii)

Rearrange the jumbled words to make a meaningful sentence: Her room is always untidy.

Remember that words beginning with a capital letter indicate the start of the sentence.

Solution: The correctly rearranged sentence is: Her room is always untidy.

Let's Talk - Question 1 (iii)

Rearrange the jumbled words to make a meaningful sentence: Her mother advises her to clean it.

Remember that words beginning with a capital letter indicate the start of the sentence.

Solution: The correctly rearranged sentence is: Her mother advises her to clean it.

Let's Talk - Question 1 (iv)

Rearrange the jumbled words to make a meaningful sentence: She never listens to her mother.

Remember that words beginning with a capital letter indicate the start of the sentence.

Solution: The correctly rearranged sentence is: She never listens to her mother.

Let's Talk - Question 1 (v)

What kind of child are you?
Solution: This is a personal question asking you to reflect on your own behavior. Think about whether you are generally obedient, helpful, or perhaps sometimes naughty, and answer honestly based on your actions.

Let's Talk - Question 2

Can you tell of some things that go topsy-turvy at home and there is disorder?
Solution: Yes, sometimes things can get topsy-turvy at home, leading to disorder. Here are a few examples:
  1. When it's time to go to school, you can't find your essential book because it's misplaced, and the teacher is strict about punctuality.
  2. You might find one sock easily but desperately search for its missing pair, causing a delay.
  3. Your notebook could be right in your bag, but you might be looking for it elsewhere, creating unnecessary confusion.

Let's Write - Question 1

Write five things that you do at home to make your home look neat and clean.
Solution: Here are five things I do to keep my home neat and clean:
  1. I make my bed every morning as soon as I wake up.
  2. I ensure my toilet is cleaned regularly, perhaps daily or every other day.
  3. I keep my books and study materials neatly arranged on the book-shelves.
  4. I sometimes help by sweeping the floor, especially in my study room or common areas.
  5. After using my shoes, I always place them back in the shoe-rack to keep the entrance tidy.

Let's Write - Question 3

Two stories got mixed up. Sort them out and write them in the appropriate boxes.

The mixed-up sentences are: ► We thought the lion had eaten someone. ► Suddenly the kite lifted him off the ground and took him over the treetops. ► He saw a shoe in the lion's cage. ► Finally, the kite brought him back to the park. ► Our class had gone to the zoo. ► Puran was flying the brand new kite in the park. ► Some children stood and screamed, and some ran to the Director of the zoo. ► Puran was frightened and excited. ► The lion had not eaten anyone, because the shoe was one of the lion's toys.

Solution:

The Magic Kite

Puran was flying the brand new kite in the park. Suddenly the kite lifted him off the ground and took him over the treetops. Puran was frightened and excited. Finally, the kite brought him back to the park.

Who Did the Lion Eat?

Our class had gone to the zoo. We saw a shoe in the lion's cage. We thought that the lion had eaten someone. Some children stood and screamed, and some ran to the Director of the zoo. The lion had not eaten anyone, because the shoe was one of the lion's toys.

Gulliver's Travels - Reading is Fun - Question 1

Why did the captain send the men to the land?
Solution: The captain instructed his men to go to the land in search of fresh water, as it was likely needed for the ship.

Gulliver's Travels - Reading is Fun - Question 2

Why did the men rush back to the ship?
Solution: The men quickly retreated to the ship because they were being chased by a giant, which posed a significant threat.

Gulliver's Travels - Reading is Fun - Question 3

Choose the correct answer.

(i) The giant carried a reaping hook because

(a) he was fighting with the other giants.

(b) he was going to reap the corn.

(c) he wanted to frighten Gulliver.

(ii) They put Gulliver on the ground to look at him because

(a) they had never seen a human before.

(b) they thought he was a doll.

(c) they had never seen such a tiny man.

(iii) Gulliver was

(a) a farmer. (b) a sailor. (c) a dwarf. (d) a giant.

Solution:

(i) (b) he was going to reap the corn. A reaping hook is a tool used for harvesting crops.

(ii) (c) they had never seen such a tiny man. Gulliver's small size in the land of giants made him a curiosity.

(iii) (b) a sailor. Gulliver was part of a ship's crew and travelled by sea.

Gulliver's Travels - Reading is Fun - Question 4

Name the creature to whom you would look like Gulliver. The creature is now extinct.
Solution: You would look like Gulliver compared to a creature that starts with the letter 'D'. This creature is the Dinosaur, which is now extinct.

Common mistakes

  • Misinterpreting the reversed logic of Topsy-turvy Land.
  • Difficulty in rearranging jumbled sentences correctly.
  • Confusing the two stories presented in the 'Let's Write' section.
  • Incomplete or vague answers when describing home orderliness.

Revision tips

  • Read the poem 'Topsy-turvy Land' aloud to fully grasp its rhythm and meaning.
  • Create a table to list differences between Topsy-turvy Land and your own land.
  • Practice unscrambling sentences from the 'Let's Talk' section regularly.
  • Use the 'Let's Write' prompts to brainstorm and write about your own experiences with tidiness.
  • Retell the two sorted stories in your own words to check comprehension.

Practice MCQs

Q1. In Topsy-turvy Land, when do children go to school?

Q2. According to the poem, where do buses travel in Topsy-turvy Land?

Q3. What do people wear on their feet in Topsy-turvy Land?

Q4. Which of these sentences is correctly rearranged from the jumbled words?

Q5. In the story 'Who Did the Lion Eat?', why did the children think the lion had eaten someone?

Q6. What was the actual reason for the shoe being in the lion's cage?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main theme of the 'Topsy-turvy Land' poem in Class 5 English?

The main theme is to describe a land where everything is the opposite of normal, highlighting the fun and absurdity of such a place by contrasting it with our own land.

How do these NCERT Solutions help students prepare for exams?

These solutions provide clear, step-by-step answers to all textbook questions, helping students understand the concepts, practice different skills like sentence rearrangement and story writing, and revise the chapter effectively.

What kind of exercises are included in the 'Topsy-turvy Land' chapter?

The chapter includes exercises on reading comprehension, comparing two different worlds, unscrambling jumbled sentences, writing about keeping a home clean, and sorting out two mixed-up stories.

Are the solutions for the 'Gulliver's Travels' part also included?

Yes, the NCERT Solutions cover comprehension questions related to Gulliver's experiences in a land of giants, as presented in the textbook.

What is the purpose of the 'Let's Talk' section in these solutions?

The 'Let's Talk' section aims to improve students' language skills by having them rearrange jumbled sentences and think about real-life situations of disorder at home.

Important links

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