One moming the Giant was lying

One moming the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music. It was so sweet to his ears that he thought it must be the King’s musicians passing by. But in fact, it was only a little bird singing outside his window. Then the north wind stopped and a delicious perfume came to him through the open window. “I believe the spring has come at last.” said the Giant. He jumped out of bed and looked out. What did he see?

He saw the most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children crept in and they were sitting on the branches of the trees. In every tree there was a little child. And the trees were so delighted to have the children back again that they covered themselves with blossoms. They were waving their arms gently above the children’s heads. The birds were flying about and twittering delightfully. The flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing.

But only in one comer of the garden, it was still winter. There, under a tree, a little boy was standing alone crying. He was so small that he could not reach up to the branches of the tree. The poor tree was still covered with snow, and the north wind was blowing above it.

এক সকালে দৈত্যটি জেগে শুয়ে ছিল, তখন সে কিছু মনোমুগ্ধকর সঙ্গীত শুনল। সুরটি এত মিষ্টি লাগল যে সে ভাবল নিশ্চয়ই রাজা’র বাদ্যযন্ত্র বাজানো শিল্পীরা যাচ্ছেন। কিন্তু আসলে সেটি ছিল তার জানালার বাইরে একটি ছোট পাখির গান। তারপর উত্তর দিকের বাতাস থেমে গেল, আর খোলা জানালা দিয়ে ভেসে এল এক অপূর্ব সুগন্ধ।

“আমার মনে হচ্ছে অবশেষে বসন্ত এসেছে,” বলল দৈত্যটি। সে বিছানা থেকে লাফিয়ে উঠল এবং বাইরে তাকাল।

সে দেখল এক বিস্ময়কর দৃশ্য। দেয়ালের একটি ছোট গর্ত দিয়ে শিশুরা ভেতরে ঢুকে পড়েছে এবং তারা গাছের ডালে বসে আছে। প্রতিটি গাছে ছিল একটি করে শিশু। গাছগুলো শিশুদের ফিরে পেয়ে এত আনন্দিত হয়েছিল যে তারা ফুলে ফুলে ঢেকে গেল। তারা তাদের ডালপালা আলতোভাবে দুলিয়ে শিশুদের মাথার উপর নাচাচ্ছিল। পাখিরা উড়ে বেড়াচ্ছিল এবং মিষ্টি সুরে ডাকছিল। ঘাসের ফাঁক দিয়ে ফুলগুলো মুখ তুলছিল এবং হাসছিল।

কিন্তু বাগানের এক কোণে তখনও শীত ছিল। সেখানে একটি গাছের নিচে এক ছোট ছেলে একা দাঁড়িয়ে কাঁদছিল। সে এতটাই ছোট ছিল যে গাছের ডালে পৌঁছাতে পারছিল না। দরিদ্র গাছটি তখনও বরফে ঢাকা ছিল, আর তার উপর দিয়ে উত্তর হাওয়া বইছিল।

Vocabulary Box: The Selfish Giant (Part 3)

Words/Phrases	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonym
Awake (adjective)	জাগ্রত	conscious, up	asleep, unconscious
Lovely (adjective)	মধুর	beautiful, sweet	harsh, unpleasant
Delicious (adjective)	মোহনীয়	delightful, sweet	foul, offensive
Perfume (noun)	সুগন্ধ	fragrance, scent	stench, odor
At last (phrase)	অবশেষে	finally, eventually	never, not yet
Wonderful (adjective)	অদ্ভুত	marvelous, amazing	terrible, awful
Sight (noun)	দৃশ্য	scene, view
Crept in (verb)	ভেতরে ঢুকল	sneaked in, entered quietly	stormed in, left
Branches (noun)	ডালপালা	limbs, boughs	trunk, roots
Delighted (adjective)	আনন্দিত	overjoyed, thrilled	sad, miserable
Blossoms (noun)	ফুল	flowers, blooms
Waving (verb)	নাড়াচ্ছিল	swaying, moving	staying still
Gently (adverb)	আস্তে আস্তে	softly, lightly	roughly, harshly
Twittering (verb)	কিচির–মিচির করা	chirping, singing
Reach up (phrasal verb)	পৌঁছানো	stretch up, get to
Blowing (verb)	বয়ে যাওয়া	gusting, roaring	calming, stilling

Here are 50 multiple choice questions (MCQs) based on the passage:

1. What was the Giant doing one morning?
   A) Walking in the garden
   B) Sleeping in his castle
   C) Lying awake in bed
   D) Talking to the children
2. What did the Giant hear?
   A) The children laughing
   B) Lovely music
   C) The north wind
   D) The rustling of leaves
3. What did the Giant think the music was?
   A) Church bells
   B) Rainfall
   C) The King’s musicians passing by
   D) A festival
4. What was actually making the sound?
   A) A little bird
   B) A flute
   C) The wind
   D) A harp
5. Where was the bird singing?
   A) In the garden
   B) Inside the castle
   C) Outside his window
   D) On the wall
6. What stopped blowing when the bird sang?
   A) The south wind
   B) The north wind
   C) The east wind
   D) The west wind
7. What came through the open window?
   A) Cold air
   B) Sunshine
   C) Delicious perfume
   D) Rain
8. What did the Giant believe had come at last?
   A) Autumn
   B) Summer
   C) Spring
   D) Winter
9. What did the Giant do after hearing the bird?
   A) Closed the window
   B) Jumped out of bed
   C) Called the servants
   D) Went back to sleep
10. What did the Giant see when he looked out?
    A) Snow everywhere
    B) The children playing
    C) The most wonderful sight
    D) His empty garden
11. How did the children get into the garden?
    A) They climbed over the wall
    B) They broke the gate
    C) They crept in through a hole
    D) The Giant invited them
12. Where were the children sitting?
    A) On the grass
    B) On the trees’ branches
    C) On the wall
    D) By the fountain
13. What was in every tree?
    A) A bird
    B) A flower
    C) A little child
    D) A butterfly
14. How did the trees feel to have the children back?
    A) Angry
    B) Delighted
    C) Sad
    D) Silent
15. What did the trees do in their delight?
    A) Dropped their leaves
    B) Covered themselves with blossoms
    C) Grew taller
    D) Produced fruits
16. What did the trees wave gently above the children’s heads?
    A) Their flowers
    B) Their arms
    C) Their branches
    D) Their leaves
17. What were the birds doing?
    A) Singing sweetly
    B) Building nests
    C) Flying about and twittering delightfully
    D) Feeding their young
18. What were the flowers doing?
    A) Looking down
    B) Looking up through the grass
    C) Sleeping in the snow
    D) Flying in the wind
19. How did the flowers appear to be feeling?
    A) Angry
    B) Sad
    C) Laughing
    D) Frightened
20. What season had finally arrived in the garden?
    A) Summer
    B) Spring
    C) Autumn
    D) Winter
21. In which part of the garden was it still winter?
    A) The middle
    B) The west side
    C) One corner
    D) Near the wall
22. What stood under the tree in that corner?
    A) A bird
    B) A boy
    C) A flower
    D) A snowman
23. How was the little boy feeling?
    A) Happy
    B) Crying
    C) Laughing
    D) Sleeping
24. Why was the boy crying?
    A) He was hungry
    B) He was cold
    C) He couldn’t reach the tree branches
    D) He missed his friends
25. What was special about that tree?
    A) It was full of flowers
    B) It was covered with snow
    C) It was very tall
    D) It had fruits
26. What was blowing above the tree?
    A) The north wind
    B) The south wind
    C) The east wind
    D) The west wind
27. What emotion did the Giant feel when he heard the bird?
    A) Sadness
    B) Joy
    C) Fear
    D) Anger
28. What did the Giant think caused the music?
    A) Nature
    B) The King’s band
    C) Magic
    D) The children
29. What did the Giant notice about the air?
    A) It was cold
    B) It smelled sweet
    C) It was dusty
    D) It was smoky
30. What did the Giant’s reaction show about him?
    A) He was kind
    B) He was hopeful
    C) He was angry
    D) He was sleepy
31. What did the children’s return symbolize?
    A) Freedom
    B) Joy and life
    C) Winter
    D) Loneliness
32. Why were the trees covered with blossoms?
    A) They were happy
    B) It was raining
    C) The Giant watered them
    D) The snow melted
33. What did the trees’ actions show?
    A) Their anger
    B) Their happiness
    C) Their fear
    D) Their pain
34. How did the garden look after the children came?
    A) Beautiful and lively
    B) Cold and empty
    C) Quiet and dull
    D) Snowy and white
35. What was missing in the garden before spring came?
    A) Flowers and birds
    B) Snow and wind
    C) Trees and grass
    D) Children and toys
36. Who brought life back to the garden?
    A) The wind
    B) The Giant
    C) The children
    D) The King
37. What is the main source of joy in the garden?
    A) The sunshine
    B) The children’s presence
    C) The flowers
    D) The music
38. Why was the north wind still blowing in one corner?
    A) Because one boy was alone
    B) Because it was morning
    C) Because the Giant was angry
    D) Because it was snowing
39. What did the Giant’s garden symbolize before spring?
    A) Sadness and selfishness
    B) Kindness and joy
    C) Beauty and love
    D) Strength and power
40. What happened to the weather when the children returned?
    A) It became warm and pleasant
    B) It became stormy
    C) It snowed more
    D) It became foggy
41. What does the Giant’s surprise suggest?
    A) He was unaware of nature’s joy
    B) He loved the cold
    C) He hated birds
    D) He wanted to cut trees
42. How many children were in the garden?
    A) One
    B) Several
    C) Two
    D) None
43. What were the birds doing around the children?
    A) Singing loudly
    B) Flying about happily
    C) Sitting quietly
    D) Sleeping in nests
44. What feeling fills the scene when spring arrives?
    A) Anger
    B) Joy
    C) Fear
    D) Silence
45. What lesson might the Giant learn from this scene?
    A) Sharing brings happiness
    B) Silence is peace
    C) Winter is beautiful
    D) Solitude is best
46. What part of nature responds most joyfully to the children?
    A) The trees
    B) The sky
    C) The wind
    D) The clouds
47. What happens to the snow when spring comes?
    A) It melts away
    B) It grows thicker
    C) It turns to rain
    D) It remains forever
48. What emotion does the little boy’s scene create?
    A) Happiness
    B) Pity
    C) Laughter
    D) Anger
49. What did the Giant miss in the lonely corner?
    A) The beauty of the flowers
    B) The crying child
    C) The birds’ songs
    D) The melting snow

50. What does the passage mainly describe?
A) The return of spring and joy to the garden
B) The Giant’s anger
C) The children’s punishment
D) The north wind’s strength

 

Here are the answers to the 50 MCQs from the passage:

1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. C
6. B
7. C
8. C
9. B
10. C
11. C
12. B
13. C
14. B
15. B
16. C
17. C
18. B
19. C
20. B
21. C
22. B
23. B
24. C
25. B
26. A
27. B
28. B
29. B
30. B
31. B
32. A
33. B
34. A
35. A
36. C
37. B
38. A
39. A
40. A
41. A
42. B
43. B
44. B
45. A
46. A
47. A
48. B
49. B
50. A

Here are 30 WH questions based on the passage you provided:

1. Who was lying awake in bed one morning?
2. What did the Giant hear while lying in bed?
3. How did the music sound to the Giant?
4. Who did the Giant think was making the music?
5. Who was actually singing outside the window?
6. What stopped blowing when the music played?
7. What came to the Giant through the open window?
8. What did the Giant believe had come at last?
9. What did the Giant do after hearing the music and feeling the perfume?
10. What did the Giant see when he looked out?
11. How did the children enter the garden?
12. Where were the children sitting when the Giant looked out?
13. What was in every tree?
14. How did the trees react to the children’s return?
15. What did the trees do with their branches above the children?
16. How were the birds behaving in the garden?
17. How were the flowers looking through the green grass?
18. Which part of the garden was still in winter?
19. Who was standing alone under a tree?
20. How did the little boy feel?
21. Why could the little boy not reach the branches of the tree?
22. What covered the poor tree in that corner?
23. Which wind was blowing above the tree?
24. How did the Giant know that spring had arrived?
25. What made the garden look lively and wonderful?
26. How did the children affect the trees?
27. How did the little boy’s presence differ from the other children?
28. What is the contrast between the rest of the garden and the one corner?
29. How did nature respond to the children in the garden?
30. What emotions are shown by the little boy in that corner?

Answers to the 30 WH questions based on the passage:

1. The Giant was lying awake in bed one morning. He could not sleep because he was listening carefully to sounds around him.
2. The Giant heard some lovely music while lying in bed. The sound was very sweet to his ears.
3. The music sounded so sweet that it delighted the Giant. It made him think of something special.
4. The Giant thought the King’s musicians were passing by. He assumed the music came from them.
5. It was actually a little bird singing outside the window. The bird’s song was the real source of the lovely music.
6. The north wind stopped blowing when the music played. The air became calm and pleasant.
7. A delicious perfume came to the Giant through the open window. The fragrance made him feel that spring had arrived.
8. The Giant believed that spring had come at last. He was filled with hope and joy.
9. After hearing the music and feeling the perfume, the Giant jumped out of bed. He rushed to look out of the window.
10. The Giant saw the most wonderful sight outside. Children were sitting on the branches of the trees in his garden.
11. The children entered the garden through a little hole in the wall. They crept in quietly without being noticed.
12. The children were sitting on the branches of the trees. Each child seemed happy and playful.
13. In every tree, there was a little child. They had returned to enjoy the garden again.
14. The trees were delighted to have the children back. They covered themselves with blossoms in joy.
15. The trees waved their branches gently above the children’s heads. It looked like they were welcoming the children.
16. The birds were flying about and twittering delightfully. They were celebrating the children’s return.
17. The flowers were looking up through the green grass. They seemed to be laughing with happiness.
18. Only one corner of the garden was still in winter. The rest of the garden was full of life.
19. A little boy was standing alone under a tree. He was separated from the other children.
20. The little boy was crying because he was alone. He felt sad and lonely in that corner.
21. The little boy could not reach the branches of the tree because he was very small. He was too little to climb.
22. The poor tree was still covered with snow. It had not yet blossomed like the other trees.
23. The north wind was blowing above the tree. It made the corner feel cold and wintery.
24. The Giant knew spring had arrived because the garden was lively. The children, birds, and blossoms showed signs of life.
25. The children made the garden look lively and wonderful. Their presence brought happiness and spring to the trees.
26. The trees reacted to the children by covering themselves with blossoms. They expressed joy and delight.
27. The little boy’s presence was different because he was alone and small. He had not yet reached the branches like the others.
28. The rest of the garden was full of life, while one corner remained in winter. The contrast showed the difference between children’s presence and absence.
29. Nature responded to the children with blossoms, singing birds, and laughing flowers. The garden became vibrant and cheerful.
30. The little boy showed sadness and loneliness in that corner. His crying reflected his isolation from the other children.