CBSE Class 7 English Chapter 8: The Bear Story NCERT Solutions

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 7 PDF

This section provides detailed NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English, Chapter 8, 'The Bear Story'. It covers all questions from the exercises, focusing on comprehension of the narrative about a lady and the bear she raised. The solutions explain the bear's upbringing, its amiable nature with examples, its diet, and the reasons for its confinement. It also delves into a specific incident where the lady mistakes another bear for her own, leading to a misunderstanding. The solutions encourage critical thinking by discussing unusual pets and analyzing the behavior of the second bear encountered. These solutions are designed to help students grasp the story's nuances and prepare effectively for their exams.

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Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 7
Subject	English
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	Chapter 8- The Bear Story

Chapter summary

Chapter 8 of the Class 7 English NCERT textbook, 'The Bear Story', is explored through these solutions. The exercises focus on understanding the narrative details, including how the bear cub was found and raised, evidence of its friendly temperament, its eating habits, and the circumstances under which it was tied up. The solutions also address a key event involving a mistaken identity with another bear and prompt discussions on pet ownership and animal behavior, aiding students in comprehending the story's plot and character interactions.

Learning outcomes

Understand the narrative of 'The Bear Story'.
Identify and recall key details about the bear's upbringing and behavior.
Provide examples to support the bear's amiable nature.
Analyze the reasons behind the bear's confinement.
Interpret the events of the encounter with the second bear.
Discuss the concept of unusual pets and animal behavior.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Bear cub upbringing
Amiable animal behavior
Bear's diet and restrictions
Reasons for animal confinement
Mistaken identity incidents
Animal-human interaction
Unusual pets discussion
Interpreting animal actions

Important topics

Evidence of the bear's amiable nature
The incident with the second bear
Reasons for the bear being chained
Understanding the bear's emotions
Analysis of animal behavior

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Where did the lady find the bear cub? How did she bring it up?

Solution: The lady discovered the bear cub in the forest. She raised the cub using a bottle because it was extremely weak and close to death from starvation, indicating its very small and helpless state when found.

Question 2

The bear grew up but "he was a most amiable bear". Give three examples to prove this.

Solution: The bear's amiable nature is demonstrated by the following examples:

He never harbored any intention of harming any living being, whether human or animal.
He observed the cattle grazing nearby with his small, intelligent eyes in a friendly manner.
Children frequently rode on his back, and he never caused them any harm.

Question 3

What did the bear eat? There were two things he was not allowed to do. What were they?

Solution: The bear consumed the same food as the dogs, often eating from the same plate. His diet included items like bread, porridge, potatoes, and cabbage. He particularly enjoyed fruits. The two activities he was forbidden to do were climbing trees and touching beehives.

Question 4

When was the bear tied up with a chain? Why?

Solution: The bear was tied up with a chain whenever he engaged in mischievous behavior. Additionally, he was put in chains during the nights and on Sundays when his mistress would spend the afternoon visiting her married sister. This was done as a precautionary measure, believing it was not beneficial for him to roam freely in the forest with its potential temptations, and it was safer to keep him restrained.

Question 5

What happened one Sunday when the lady was going to her sister's house? What did the lady do? What was the bear's reaction?

Solution: One Sunday, as the lady was traveling to her sister's house, she encountered a bear approaching her rapidly in the forest. Mistaking it for her own bear, she scolded it and ordered it to return, stating she did not want it to accompany her. She became quite angry and struck the bear on its nose with her parasol, even though it had lost its new collar. The bear reacted by opening its mouth several times, as if trying to communicate something, and looked at her with its intelligent eyes. Afterward, it turned around and continued on its way.

Question 6

Why was the bear looking sorry for himself in the evening? Why did the cook get angry with her mistress?

Solution: In the evening, the bear appeared sorry for himself because he had been chained for the entire Sunday afternoon and had been waiting by the gate for his mistress to return, without having done anything wrong. The cook became angry with her mistress because she was scolding the bear unnecessarily. The bear had been sitting quietly on his haunches, behaving as meekly as an angel, and constantly looking towards the gate for his mistress's return.

Question 7

Most people keep dogs and cats as pets. Can you think of some unusual pets that people keep?

Solution: This question requires personal thought and discussion. Students can consider animals like snakes, lizards, birds of prey, ferrets, or even more exotic animals that are sometimes kept as pets, depending on local regulations and individual circumstances.

Question 8

The second bear did not attack the lady because he was afraid of her. Do you agree?

Solution: No, I do not agree with the statement that the second bear did not attack the lady because he was afraid of her. It seems more likely that the second bear was also amiable and perhaps sought companionship. Even when the lady lost her temper, scolded him, and hit him with her parasol, he did not retaliate, despite bears being capable of causing significant harm. His actions, like opening his mouth as if to speak and looking at her with intelligent eyes, suggest he wasn't acting out of fear but possibly a desire for connection or understanding. His continued presence, looking back at the lady until she could no longer see him, indicates affection rather than fear.

Common mistakes

Confusing the lady's bear with the second bear encountered in the forest.
Misinterpreting the reasons for the bear's behavior or confinement.
Failing to provide specific examples from the text to support answers.
Overlooking the nuances in the bear's interaction with the lady and the parasol incident.

Revision tips

Reread 'The Bear Story' to refresh your memory of the plot.
Focus on the specific examples given in the solutions to describe the bear's amiable nature.
Pay close attention to the sequence of events during the encounter with the second bear.
Consider the lady's perspective and the bear's reactions in each situation.
Use the discussion questions to think critically about the story's themes.

Practice MCQs

Q1. How was the bear cub initially found and what was its condition?

Q2. Which of the following is NOT an example of the bear's amiable nature?

Q3. What were the two things the bear was not allowed to do?

Q4. Why was the bear tied up with a chain?

Q5. What did the lady mistakenly do when she encountered a bear in the forest?

Q6. Why was the bear looking sorry for himself in the evening after the forest encounter?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main theme of 'The Bear Story' in Class 7 English?

The main theme revolves around the unique bond between a lady and a bear she raised, highlighting the bear's gentle nature despite its wild origins, and exploring themes of trust, misunderstanding, and companionship.

How did the lady raise the bear cub?

The lady found the bear cub in the forest when it was very young and weak, almost dead from hunger. She raised it by bottle-feeding it.

Can you give examples of the bear's amiable nature as mentioned in the story?

Yes, the story provides examples such as the bear not harming anyone, looking amicably at cattle, and allowing children to ride on his back without causing them harm.

What happened when the lady met another bear in the forest?

The lady mistook another bear for her own and, thinking it was disobeying her, scolded it and hit it with her parasol. The bear reacted by looking as if it wanted to say something before leaving.

Why are these NCERT Solutions helpful for Class 7 students?

These solutions provide clear, step-by-step answers to all questions in Chapter 8, helping students understand the story's details, analyze characters' actions, and prepare effectively for their English exams.

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