The family gathering in the yard

The family gathering in the yard carried on with laughter and conversations. At one point, the children asked their grandfather to tell them a story. So, he began to tell the tale of a selfish giant who had a beautiful garden.

The Selfish Giant

Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant’s garden.

It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers. All around the garden were trees filled with sweet fruit. The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games in order to listen to them. How happy we are here!” they cried to each other.

One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend in a distant land, and had stayed with him for seven years. When he arrived, he saw the children playing in his garden.

‘What are you doing here?” cried the Giant in a very gruff voice. The children ran away in fear.

‘My own garden is my own garden,” said the Giant. “I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.” So, he built a high wall all round the garden, and put up a notice:

TRESPASSERS WILL BE PUNISHED

স্বার্থপর দৈত্য

ঘরের উঠানটিতে পারিবারিক সমাবেশটি হেসে–কান্নার মধ্যে চলছিল। এক সময় শিশুরা তাদের দাদাকে একটি গল্প শোনাতে বললো। তাই তিনি শুরু করলেন এক স্বার্থপর দৈত্যের গল্প, যার একটি সুন্দর বাগান ছিল।

স্বার্থপর দৈত্য

প্রতি বিকেলে, স্কুল থেকে ফেরার সময়, শিশুরা সাধারণত দৈত্যের বাগানে গিয়ে খেলত। এটি একটি বড়, সুন্দর বাগান ছিল, নরম সবুজ ঘাসে মোড়ানো। ঘাসে here and there— (এখানে ওখানে) সুন্দর ফুল গজিয়েছিল। বাগানের চারিপাশে মিষ্টি ফল ধরানো বহু গাছ ছিল। পাখিরা গাছের ডালে বসে এত মধুর সুরে গান গাইত যে শিশুরা তাদের খেলা থামিয়ে গান শুনে বসে থাকত। “আমরা এখানে কতোই না সুখী!” তারা একে অপরকে বলত।

একদিন দৈত্যটি ফিরে এলো। সে দূরের এক দেশে তার বন্ধুদের কাছে গিয়েছিলেন এবং সেখানেই সাত বছর ছিলেন। যখন সে পৌঁছাল, তখন দেখল শিশুরা তার বাগানে খেলছে। “তোমরা এখানে কী করছো?” দৈত্যটি গম্ভীর ও ঘুর্ণি ভয়ংকর কণ্ঠে চেঁচালো। শিশুরা ভয়ে দৌড়ে পালাল। “আমার নিজের বাগান তো আমারই,” দৈত্যটি বলল। “আমি শুধু নিজেই এখানে খেলতে দেব, কাউকে দেব না।” তাই সে বাগানের চারপাশে একটি উঁচু দেয়াল বানিয়ে দিল এবং একটি বিজ্ঞপ্তি টাঙিয়ে দিল:  অনধিকার প্রবেশকারীদের শাস্তি দেওয়া হবে

Vocabulary Box: The Selfish Giant

Words/Phrases	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonym
Gathering (noun)	জমায়েত	assembly, meeting	dispersion, scattering
Selfish (adjective)	স্বার্থপর	self-centered, greedy	selfless, generous
Tale (noun)	গল্প	story, narrative	fact, history
Used to (phrase)	অভ্যস্ত ছিল	would, accustomed to	unaccustomed to
Lovely (adjective)	সুন্দর	beautiful, delightful	ugly, unpleasant
Here and there (phrase)	এখানে ওখানে	scattered, in various spots	everywhere, nowhere
In order to (phrase)	উদ্দেশ্যে	so that, for the purpose of
Distant (adjective)	দূরবর্তী	faraway, remote	near, close
Arrived (verb)	পৌঁছেছেন	came, reached	departed, left
Gruff (adjective)	রূক্ষ	harsh, rough	gentle, soft
In fear (phrase)	ভয়ে	frightened, scared	bravely, courageously
Allow (verb)	অনুমতি দেওয়া	permit, let	forbid, prohibit
Built (verb)	নির্মাণ করল	constructed, erected	demolished, destroyed
Wall (noun)	প্রাচীর	barrier, fence	opening, gateway
Put up (phrasal verb)	টাঙিয়ে দিল	posted, displayed	took down, removed
Notice (noun)	নোটিশ	sign, board
Trespassers (noun)	অনধিকার প্রবেশকারী	intruders, invaders	guests, invitees
Punished (verb)	শাস্তি পাবে	penalized, disciplined	rewarded, pardoned

MCQs on “The Selfish Giant”

1. Who told the story of the selfish giant?
   A) The father
   B) The grandfather
   C) The mother
   D) The teacher
2. Where was the family gathering held?
   A) In the park
   B) In the garden
   C) In the yard
   D) In the living room
3. What did the children ask their grandfather to do?
   A) Sing a song
   B) Tell a story
   C) Give them gifts
   D) Take them to school
4. What was the name of the story the grandfather told?
   A) The Greedy King
   B) The Selfish Giant
   C) The Lonely Tree
   D) The Happy Prince
5. Where did the children like to play every afternoon?
   A) In the street
   B) In the Giant’s garden
   C) In the park
   D) At school
6. What kind of garden did the Giant have?
   A) Small and crowded
   B) Large and lovely
   C) Dark and scary
   D) Dry and dusty
7. What covered the garden?
   A) Green grass
   B) White sand
   C) Red soil
   D) Dry leaves
8. What were there over the grass?
   A) Stones
   B) Flowers
   C) Toys
   D) Fences
9. What was around the garden?
   A) Water
   B) Houses
   C) Trees
   D) Walls
10. What did the trees have on them?
    A) Sweet fruit
    B) Thorns
    C) Birds’ nests only
    D) Dry leaves
11. Who sat on the trees and sang?
    A) Bees
    B) Butterflies
    C) Birds
    D) Children
12. What did the children do when they heard the birds?
    A) Kept playing
    B) Ran away
    C) Stopped their games to listen
    D) Climbed the trees
13. What did the children say to each other in the garden?
    A) “Let’s go home.”
    B) “How happy we are here!”
    C) “The Giant will come soon.”
    D) “We are tired.”
14. Where had the Giant gone?
    A) To another city
    B) To a distant land
    C) To his castle
    D) To a mountain
15. Whom did the Giant visit?
    A) His brother
    B) His friend
    C) His uncle
    D) His teacher
16. How long did the Giant stay away?
    A) Five years
    B) Seven years
    C) Ten years
    D) One year
17. What did the Giant see when he came back?
    A) Flowers blooming
    B) Birds singing
    C) Children playing in his garden
    D) Trees falling
18. How did the Giant speak to the children?
    A) Kindly
    B) Politely
    C) In a very gruff voice
    D) Softly
19. What did the children do when they saw the Giant?
    A) They laughed
    B) They ran away
    C) They hid behind trees
    D) They climbed the wall
20. What did the Giant call his garden?
    A) A public place
    B) A secret place
    C) His own garden
    D) A playground
21. What did the Giant say about playing in the garden?
    A) Everyone can play
    B) Only children can play
    C) Only he will play there
    D) No one will visit it
22. What did the Giant build around his garden?
    A) A fence
    B) A big wall
    C) A small gate
    D) A deep moat
23. What did the Giant put up on the wall?
    A) A mirror
    B) A light
    C) A notice
    D) A door
24. What did the notice say?
    A) Keep Off the Grass
    B) Welcome, Children
    C) Trespassers Will Be Punished
    D) Garden Closed
25. How did the Giant feel about sharing his garden?
    A) Happy
    B) Angry
    C) Selfish
    D) Kind
26. What happened after the Giant built the wall?
    A) Children stopped coming
    B) Flowers grew more
    C) Birds sang louder
    D) The garden became prettier
27. What season came after that?
    A) Spring
    B) Winter
    C) Autumn
    D) Rainy season
28. What happened all over the country during spring?
    A) It snowed
    B) Flowers bloomed
    C) Trees dried
    D) The wind blew hard
29. What was the only place where it was still winter?
    A) The forest
    B) The Giant’s garden
    C) The town square
    D) The school yard
30. What was missing in the Giant’s garden?
    A) Trees and grass
    B) Birds and flowers
    C) Children and toys
    D) Walls and doors
31. What covered the garden instead?
    A) Ice and snow
    B) Rainwater
    C) Fallen leaves
    D) Dust and mud
32. What was blowing in the Giant’s garden?
    A) South wind
    B) North wind
    C) Warm breeze
    D) Gentle air
33. Where did the Giant sit while looking at his garden?
    A) In his garden
    B) On the roof
    C) At the window of his castle
    D) On the ground
34. What did the Giant say about the weather?
    A) He hoped it would change
    B) He liked winter
    C) He wanted more snow
    D) He wished for rain
35. Did spring or summer come to his garden?
    A) Yes, both came
    B) Only summer came
    C) Only spring came
    D) Neither came
36. What made the Giant’s garden cold and lifeless?
    A) Lack of rain
    B) Lack of sunshine
    C) Lack of children
    D) Lack of trees
37. What kind of person was the Giant at first?
    A) Kind and gentle
    B) Selfish and rude
    C) Brave and strong
    D) Old and weak
38. How did the Giant feel when he saw children playing?
    A) Angry
    B) Happy
    C) Surprised
    D) Sad
39. Why did the children love the garden?
    A) It had swings
    B) It was beautiful and peaceful
    C) It had a big pond
    D) It had no rules
40. How many years did the Giant stay with his friend?
    A) Four
    B) Five
    C) Seven
    D) Eight
41. What did the Giant build to keep the children out?
    A) A stone wall
    B) A metal fence
    C) A wooden gate
    D) A hedge
42. What kind of voice did the Giant have?
    A) Sweet
    B) Rough
    C) Soft
    D) Musical
43. What were written on the notice board?
    A) “Play Carefully”
    B) “No Entry”
    C) “Trespassers Will Be Punished”
    D) “Welcome All”
44. What happened to the birds when the wall was built?
    A) They sang more
    B) They flew away
    C) They built nests
    D) They danced around
45. What season never came to the Giant’s garden?
    A) Winter
    B) Spring
    C) Autumn
    D) Rainy
46. What did the Giant’s garden look like in winter?
    A) Colorful
    B) Bright
    C) Cold and empty
    D) Full of flowers
47. Who stopped coming to the Giant’s garden after the wall was built?
    A) The birds
    B) The wind
    C) The children
    D) The animals
48. What emotion did the Giant show when he saw the children first?
    A) Love
    B) Anger
    C) Joy
    D) Pity
49. How did the children feel inside the garden?
    A) Sad
    B) Bored
    C) Happy
    D) Scared
50. What lesson does the story “The Selfish Giant” teach?
    A) We should not study too much
    B) We should keep everything to ourselves
    C) Sharing brings happiness
    D) Being selfish makes us happy

Here are the answers:

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

Here are 30 WH questions based on the passage:

1. Where was the family gathering taking place?
2. Who did the children ask to tell them a story?
3. What story did the grandfather begin to tell?
4. Who was the main character in the story?
5. What did the Giant have in the story?
6. When did the children usually go to the Giant’s garden?
7. What did the children do in the Giant’s garden?
8. How was the garden described in the story?
9. What kind of grass was in the garden?
10. What stood here and there over the grass?
11. What surrounded the garden?
12. What were the trees filled with?
13. Who sat on the trees and sang?
14. How did the birds sing?
15. Why did the children stop their games?
16. What did the children say to each other in the garden?
17. How long had the Giant been away?
18. Where had the Giant been visiting?
19. What did the Giant see when he returned?
20. How did the Giant react to seeing the children?
21. What happened to the children when the Giant shouted?
22. What did the Giant say about his garden?
23. Who was allowed to play in the garden according to the Giant?
24. What did the Giant build around the garden?
25. What did the Giant put up on the wall?
26. What was written on the notice?
27. How did the Giant’s voice sound when he shouted at the children?
28. How did the children feel when the Giant came back?
29. Why did the grandfather tell this story to the children?
30. What lesson might the story of the Selfish Giant teach?

Here are answers to the 30 WH questions based on the passage:

1. The family gathering was taking place in the yard. Everyone was laughing and talking happily.
2. The children asked their grandfather to tell them a story. They wanted to hear an interesting tale.
3. The grandfather began to tell the story of a selfish giant. The story was about a giant who had a beautiful garden.
4. The main character in the story was the Selfish Giant. He owned a large and lovely garden.
5. The Giant had a beautiful garden in the story. It was full of grass, flowers, and trees.
6. The children usually went to the Giant’s garden every afternoon. They visited it after coming from school.
7. In the Giant’s garden, the children played and enjoyed themselves. They ran around and had fun together.
8. The garden was described as large, lovely, and full of life. It had soft green grass and beautiful flowers.
9. The grass in the garden was soft and green. It made the garden look pleasant and inviting.
10. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers. They added color and beauty to the garden.
11. All around the garden, there were trees. The trees added shade and life to the place.
12. The trees were filled with sweet fruit. They were attractive and fruitful.
13. Birds sat on the trees and sang. Their music made the garden lively and joyful.
14. The birds sang so sweetly that it caught everyone’s attention. Their songs were melodic and pleasant.
15. The children stopped their games to listen to the birds. They wanted to enjoy the lovely music.
16. The children said to each other, “How happy we are here!” They expressed their joy and excitement.
17. The Giant had been away for seven years. He stayed with his friend in a distant land.
18. The Giant had been visiting his friend in a distant land. He was away for a long time.
19. When the Giant returned, he saw the children playing in his garden. They were enjoying themselves.
20. The Giant reacted by shouting at the children in a very gruff voice. He was angry to see them in his garden.
21. The children ran away in fear when the Giant shouted. They were scared of his anger.
22. The Giant said that his garden was his own. He wanted to keep it for himself alone.
23. According to the Giant, nobody was allowed to play in the garden except himself. He was very selfish.
24. The Giant built a high wall all around the garden. This prevented anyone from entering.
25. The Giant put up a notice on the wall. It was meant to warn intruders.
26. The notice said, “TRESPASSERS WILL BE PUNISHED.” It was a warning to keep children out.
27. The Giant’s voice sounded very gruff when he shouted at the children. It was harsh and frightening.
28. The children felt afraid when the Giant came back. They quickly ran away to avoid him.
29. The grandfather told this story to the children to entertain them. He also wanted to teach them a lesson.
30. The story of the Selfish Giant teaches that selfishness can make one lonely. Sharing and kindness bring happiness and joy.