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The Chair

NCERT Class 6 · English Based on NCERT Class 6 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter from the NCERT Class 6 English textbook 'Poorvi' explores the theme of friendship through a story about a boy named Mario who learns to distinguish between true friends and mere companions. The chapter exists in the syllabus to help students understand that real friendship is based on care, support, and loyalty, not on popularity or numbers. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that true friends are those who stand by you in difficult times, not those who laugh at your failures.
Key Concepts (13)
Friendship
A close and caring relationship between two or more people based on mutual trust, support, and affection.
e.g. When you are sad and your friend sits with you and listens, that is friendship.
Invisible chair
A chair that cannot be seen because it is made of magic; used by Mario's grandfather to teach a lesson about true friends.
e.g. Mario pretended to sit on an invisible chair, and only his real friends held him up so he wouldn't fall.
Companion
A person you spend time with, but who may not be a true friend.
e.g. The classmates who laughed at Mario were only companions, not real friends.
Partner
A person you do an activity with, like a project partner or a game partner.
e.g. Your partner in a relay race is not necessarily your true friend.
True friend
A person who cares for you, supports you, and does not take joy in your bad luck.
e.g. Guneet, Asma, and Deepa were true friends because they held Mario up so he wouldn't fall.
Bet
An agreement between two people where one promises to give something to the other if they are wrong.
e.g. Mario's grandfather bet him a fruit chaat that Mario did not have as many real friends as he thought.
Attic
A storage space in a house just under the roof.
e.g. Grandpa went to the attic to get the invisible chair.
Invisible
Impossible to see.
e.g. The chair was invisible, so Mario could not see it and kept falling.
Determined
Firm in decision; not giving up easily.
e.g. Mario was determined to sit on the invisible chair, so he kept trying even after falling many times.
Suffix
A sequence of letters added at the end of a root word to form a new word.
e.g. In the word 'friendly', 'friend' is the root word and '-ly' is the suffix.
Root word
The basic part of a word that carries the main meaning, to which prefixes or suffixes can be added.
e.g. In 'magical', 'magic' is the root word and '-al' is the suffix.
Adjective
A word that describes the quality of a person or a thing.
e.g. In 'brave soldier', 'brave' is an adjective describing the soldier.
Acrostic poem
A poem where the first letters of each line spell out a word vertically.
e.g. Writing 'FRIENDS' vertically and describing each letter with a quality of a friend.
How It Works
The Magic Chair Test for Finding True Friends
  1. Mario's grandfather gives Mario an invisible chair and tells him it is magic.
  2. Mario takes the invisible chair to school and asks everyone to form a circle around him.
  3. Mario tries to sit on the invisible chair but misses and falls on his backside.
  4. His classmates laugh at him, but he keeps trying.
  5. Eventually, Mario tries again and does not fall because three friends — Guneet, Asma, and Deepa — hold him up.
  6. Mario realizes that only those who helped him are his true friends; the others who laughed are not.
  7. Mario explains the lesson to his three friends and they all go to his grandfather to eat fruit chaat.
💡 Students often think the magic is real. The magic was actually the grandfather's clever plan — the friends who held Mario up revealed themselves. There was no real invisible chair.
Forming Words with Suffixes
  1. Identify the root word (e.g., 'friend').
  2. Choose a suffix (e.g., '-ly', '-ful', '-ship').
  3. Add the suffix to the end of the root word to form a new word (e.g., 'friendly').
  4. Use the new word in a sentence.
💡 Sometimes the spelling of the root word changes when a suffix is added. For example, 'celebrate' becomes 'celebration' (the 'e' is dropped before adding '-tion').
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'companion' with 'true friend'
✗ All companions are true friends.
→ The chapter clearly distinguishes between companions (people you spend time with) and true friends (people who care for you and support you in trouble). Many classmates were companions but only three were true friends.
✓ A companion is someone you do activities with, but a true friend is someone who cares for you and does not take joy in your bad luck.
⚠ Thinking the invisible chair was actually magic
✗ The invisible chair was magic and made Mario float.
→ The chair was not magic. It was a trick by the grandfather. Mario did not really float — his friends held him up. The 'magic' was the lesson about friendship.
✓ The invisible chair was a trick. Mario's friends held him up so he would not fall, which revealed who his true friends were.
⚠ Mixing up 'accepted' and 'readily'
✗ Mario readily accepted the bet means he was forced to accept.
→ 'Readily' means without any problem or hesitation. Mario accepted the bet willingly and confidently, not because he was forced.
✓ Mario readily accepted the bet means he agreed to it without any hesitation or difficulty.
⚠ Thinking Mario succeeded on his first attempt
✗ Mario sat on the invisible chair on his first try.
→ The text clearly states that Mario missed and fell on his backside the first time, and kept falling many times before his friends held him up.
✓ Mario fell on his first attempt and kept falling until his friends held him up.
⚠ Confusing 'suffix' with 'prefix'
✗ A suffix is added at the beginning of a word.
→ A suffix is added at the end of a root word. A prefix is added at the beginning.
✓ A suffix is a sequence of letters added at the end of a root word to form a new word, e.g., '-ly' in 'friendly'.
Compare & Contrast
Level of care and support
True friend
Companion
A true friend cares for you and supports you in difficult times, while a companion is simply someone you spend time with or do activities with, but may not stand by you when you face trouble.
Position and function in word formation
Suffix
Root word
A root word is the basic part that carries the main meaning, while a suffix is a letter or group of letters added at the end of the root word to change its meaning or form a new word.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Very Short Answer (1 mark), 1 Short Answer (2 marks), 1 Long Answer (5 marks) on the theme of friendship
Most asked: Identifying true friends vs. companions · The lesson Mario learned from the invisible chair test · Vocabulary: suffixes and root words · Adjectives describing characters and objects
Don't skip: Explain how Mario's grandfather helped him find his true friends.; What lesson did Mario learn about friendship?; Describe the qualities of a true friend with examples from the story.
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Mario loved to have many friends and showed off about it.
  2. Mario's grandfather bet him a fruit chaat that he did not have as many real friends as he thought.
  3. The grandfather gave Mario an invisible chair from the attic to test his friends.
  4. Mario took the invisible chair to school and tried to sit on it in front of everyone.
  5. Mario fell on his backside on his first attempt and his classmates laughed at him.
  6. Mario kept trying and did not give up because he was determined.
  7. Three friends — Guneet, Asma, and Deepa — held Mario up so he would not fall.
  8. The other classmates only made fun of Mario and enjoyed his falls.
  9. Mario learned that true friends are those who care for us and do not take joy in our bad luck.
  10. A companion is someone you spend time with, but a true friend supports you in trouble.
  11. A suffix is a group of letters added at the end of a root word to form a new word.
  12. An adjective describes the quality of a person or a thing, e.g., 'brave' or 'invisible'.
  13. The invisible chair was not really magic; it was a clever trick by the grandfather.
  14. Mario, Guneet, Asma, and Deepa became friends for life after the test.
  15. The word 'readily' means without any problem or hesitation.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Why did Mario's grandfather give him an invisible chair?

  • A. To help Mario find out who his real friends were ✓
  • B. To teach Mario how to sit properly
  • C. To make Mario laugh in front of the class
  • D. To win the bet about fruit chaat

Answer: A — The grandfather wanted Mario to test his friends by seeing who would help him and who would laugh at him when he fell.

Q2. What does the word 'showed off' mean in this sentence: 'He showed off a lot, always talking about how many friends he had'?

  • A. Helped his friends
  • B. Introduced his friends to others
  • C. Boasted or talked proudly about having many friends ✓
  • D. Brought his friends to school

Answer: C — Showed off means to boast or brag proudly about something to impress others, which is exactly what Mario was doing.

Q3. Which of the following is a companion but NOT necessarily a true friend?

  • A. Someone who helps you when you fall
  • B. Someone you do activities with but who laughs at your mistakes ✓
  • C. Someone who cares for you in difficult times
  • D. Someone who holds you up so you don't fall

Answer: B — A companion is someone you do activities with, but a true friend helps and cares for you, not someone who laughs at your mistakes.

Q4. Why did Mario keep trying to sit on the invisible chair even after falling many times?

  • A. He was being silly and wanted to make his friends laugh
  • B. He was brave and determined to complete the test ✓
  • C. He wanted to win the bet and prove something to his grandfather
  • D. He did not understand that the chair was invisible

Answer: B — The text says Mario was brave and determined, and he would not give up, showing his strong character and will to complete the test.

Q5. What did Guneet, Asma, and Deepa do when Mario tried to sit on the chair?

  • A. They laughed and made fun of him
  • B. They held him up so he would not fall ✓
  • C. They asked him to stop trying
  • D. They tried to sit on the chair themselves

Answer: B — Guneet, Asma, and Deepa were Mario's real friends, so they helped and supported him by holding him up when he sat on the chair.

Q6. Fill in the blank: Mario accepted the bet __________ because he was confident about his friends.

  • A. slowly
  • B. readily ✓
  • C. sadly
  • D. carefully

Answer: B — The text says Mario accepted the bet readily, which means he agreed without any hesitation or problem because he was sure he had many friends.

Q7. What is the main difference between the friends who helped Mario and those who laughed at him?

  • A. The helpers were stronger and the laughers were weaker
  • B. The helpers truly cared for Mario while the laughers only enjoyed his bad luck ✓
  • C. The helpers wanted to win the fruit chaat and the laughers did not
  • D. The helpers were in Mario's class and the laughers were not

Answer: B — The grandfather explained that true friends care for us and do not enjoy our bad luck, which is what separated Guneet, Asma, and Deepa from the others.

Q8. Why was the chair called 'special' by Mario's grandfather?

  • A. Because it was made of very expensive material
  • B. Because it could show who Mario's real friends were through their actions ✓
  • C. Because no one else had ever seen an invisible chair before
  • D. Because it was very comfortable to sit on

Answer: B — The chair was special because it had magic that could reveal who Mario's true friends were by showing who would help and who would laugh.

Q9. According to the story, what happened after the magic chair test?

  • A. Mario stopped going to school
  • B. The four children went to see Mario's grandpa, won the bet, and used the test on others to find friends for life ✓
  • C. Mario threw away the invisible chair
  • D. Guneet, Asma, and Deepa became angry with Mario

Answer: B — The story says that after the test, the four children celebrated with Mario's grandpa, and they continued to use the magic chair test to find true friends.

Q10. What can we learn from this story about friendship?

  • A. It is best to have as many friends as possible
  • B. True friendship is shown through care and support in difficult times, not just in having fun together ✓
  • C. Friends should always laugh when you make mistakes
  • D. The best friends are those who boast about you to others

Answer: B — The main lesson is that true friends are those who show they care through their actions by helping and supporting you, not by laughing at your failures.

Flashcards

What did Mario's grandfather say the magic chair could do?

It could help Mario find out who his real friends were by testing if they would help him or laugh at him.

Why was the invisible chair tricky to sit on?

Because Mario could not see the chair, so he kept missing and falling to the ground.

Who held Mario up when he finally sat on the chair?

Guneet, Asma, and Deepa held him up so he would not fall.

What did the other classmates do when Mario kept falling?

They made fun of him and laughed at each fall instead of helping him.

What was the bet between Mario and his grandfather?

The bet was about fruit chaat, and Mario had to prove he had as many real friends as he thought.

What does 'showed off' mean?

It means to boast or talk proudly about something you have or can do to impress others.

What did Mario learn from the magic chair test?

He learned that true friends are those who care for you and help you, not those who enjoy your bad luck.

What is the difference between a companion and a real friend?

A companion is someone you do activities with, but a real friend is someone who truly cares for you and supports you.

Why did Mario's grandfather think his idea was clever?

Because it showed Mario the difference between people who were just friendly on the surface and people who truly cared about him.

What does 'friends for life' mean?

It means friends who will stay together and care for each other for their entire lives because they have proven their true friendship.

Important Board Questions

State whether the following statement is True or False: Mario successfully sat on the invisible chair on his first attempt. [1 mark]

Look at the part where Mario tries to sit on the chair for the first time. The text tells you exactly what happened.

Match the characters with their actions: Column A: Guneet, Asma, and Deepa Column B: (i) held Mario up (ii) made fun of Mario [2 marks]

Remember who helped Mario when he finally sat on the chair and who laughed at him when he fell. One pair shows real friendship and one pair shows fake friendship.

What was the bet between Mario and his grandfather about? Explain why the grandfather made this bet with Mario. [3 marks]

The bet was about proving Mario had many real friends. The grandfather wanted to teach Mario the difference between showing off and having true friends by testing his classmates through the invisible chair.

Describe how the magic chair test helped Mario find his real friends. What did Mario learn from this experience, and how would you use this test in your own life to find true friends? [5 marks]

Explain: (1) What happened when Mario tried to sit on the chair (2) Who helped and who laughed (3) What Mario learned about true friendship (4) Give an example from your life of how you can tell if someone is a real friend.

Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the story: Mario's grandfather said the chair was __________ and __________. He gave this chair to Mario because __________ had promised to test his friendship. [2 marks]

The grandfather described the chair with two special qualities. He wanted to teach Mario a lesson about his classmates and real friendship through this special test.

Assertion-Reason Questions for The Chair

Q1. Assertion (A):

Mario had many companions at school, but not all of them were true friends.

Reason (R):

True friends care for you and help you when you need them, while companions just spend time with you.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, and the reason correctly explains why the assertion is true. The story shows this through the invisible chair test.

Q2. Assertion (A):

Mario's grandfather helped him find his real friends using the invisible chair.

Reason (R):

The grandfather wanted to punish Mario for showing off about his friends.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true, but the reason is false. The grandfather's purpose was to teach Mario an important lesson about friendship, not to punish him.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Guneet, Asma, and Deepa showed that they were Mario's true friends.

Reason (R):

They held Mario up when he sat on the invisible chair so he wouldn't fall.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both are true, and the reason correctly explains the assertion. They proved their friendship by helping Mario during his difficult moment.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for The Chair

Case Study:

Ravi came to school with a new video game. All his classmates wanted to play with him and called him their best friend. But when Ravi fell and twisted his ankle during lunch time, he couldn't stand up or walk. Most of the classmates who wanted to play with him ran away to the playground. However, Priya and Arjun stayed with him, helped him to the school nurse, and visited him every day after school while he was recovering.

Q1. Why did the classmates call Ravi their best friend?

  • A. Because Ravi was very kind and helpful
  • B. Because Ravi had a new video game they wanted to play ✓
  • C. Because they spent a lot of time studying together
  • D. Because Ravi invited them to his birthday party

Answer: B

Q2. What did Priya and Arjun do when Ravi got hurt?

  • A. They laughed at him like Mario's false friends
  • B. They helped him and stayed with him even after he was hurt ✓
  • C. They told a teacher but didn't help him themselves
  • D. They went to play in the playground with others

Answer: B

Q3. Which friends in this story are most like Guneet, Asma, and Deepa from 'The Chair' story?

  • A. The classmates who wanted to play the video game
  • B. Priya and Arjun, who showed real friendship and cared for Ravi ✓
  • C. The school nurse who helped Ravi
  • D. Ravi's parents who might visit him at home

Answer: B

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