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CBSE Class 7 English — Honeycomb Chapter 10 The Story of Cricket / The Tiny Teacher — 20 MCQs with Answers

NCERT Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 10 presents two contrasting informational texts. The Story of Cricket by Ramachandra Guha chronicles how cricket evolved from rural England pastime into a professional global sport, shaped by British colonialism, technological innovation, and media revolution. The Tiny Teacher examines the intricate world of ants — their anatomy, social structure, and industriousness. Both pieces develop informational reading, note-making, and summary writing skills central to the CBSE English syllabus.

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Key takeaways

  • Chapter 10 consists of two informational texts: The Story of Cricket traces cricket's evolution from village sport to global game, while The Tiny Teacher explores the fascinating world of ants and their social organization.
  • MCQs cover factual details (origins of cricket, ant anatomy), comprehension (why cricket bats changed shape, how ants communicate), and application (inference, summary writing).
  • The Story of Cricket emphasizes British colonial influence, equipment evolution, and rule standardization — key themes for Class 7 informational reading.
  • The Tiny Teacher highlights scientific observation skills, life cycles, and social behaviour patterns crucial for note-making practice.
  • CBSE Class 7 English exams typically carry 3-5 MCQs from prose passages, testing vocabulary, factual recall, and inference in equal measure.
  • Practising MCQs sharpens speed and accuracy for the reading comprehension section, which accounts for 20 marks in the annual exam.

Understanding The Story of Cricket — Historical Context and Evolution

Ramachandra Guha's essay traces cricket's journey from a 17th-century English village game to a global phenomenon. Unlike most sports with standard playing arenas, cricket adapted to varied field sizes and durations. The text explains how British colonialism spread the game to India, the West Indies, and Australia, where it took root in unique ways. Equipment evolution — curved bats straightening, leather balls replacing cloth ones, protective gear emerging — reflects rule standardization. The essay highlights the shift from amateur gentleman's sport to professional entertainment, driven by television broadcasting and sponsorship. Understanding these historical layers is essential for answering CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb chapter 10 quiz questions that test chronological awareness, cause-effect relationships, and inferential reading. The text builds vocabulary around colonialism, equipment terminology, and sporting culture that frequently appears in MCQs.
  • Cricket originated in rural England during the 16th-17th centuries, initially played with curved bats resembling hockey sticks.
  • The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) codified the first Laws of Cricket in 1788, standardizing wicket dimensions and player conduct.
  • British colonial officers and merchants introduced cricket to colonies; India, the West Indies, and Australia embraced it, each developing distinct playing styles.
  • Television broadcasting in the 1970s-80s transformed cricket into a commercial spectacle, with coloured clothing and limited-overs formats attracting new audiences.

The Story of Cricket — Equipment, Rules, and Colonial Influence MCQs

This section focuses on specific details about cricket equipment evolution, rule changes, and the colonial dimension of the sport's spread. CBSE Class 7 English exams often ask factual questions about when pads were introduced, why boundaries replaced running all runs, or how television altered the game's economics. The Story of Cricket provides rich material for note-making practice — students must identify key dates, technological changes, and socio-political contexts. MCQs in this category test whether students can differentiate between cause and effect, recognize chronological sequences, and extract specific data from informational prose. The NCERT Class 7 English Honeycomb MCQ format rewards close reading; options often include plausible distractors drawn from adjacent paragraphs, demanding precise recall and comprehension rather than vague familiarity with the text.
  • MCQ 1: What was the original shape of cricket bats? (A) Straight and narrow (B) Curved like hockey sticks (C) Rectangular (D) Round. Answer: (B) Curved like hockey sticks. Reason: Early bats were curved because bowlers rolled the ball underarm along the ground, requiring sweeping strokes.
  • MCQ 2: Which club is credited with codifying the first cricket laws? (A) Melbourne Cricket Club (B) Yorkshire County Club (C) Marylebone Cricket Club (D) Lord's Cricket Ground. Answer: (C) Marylebone Cricket Club. Reason: The MCC formalized rules in 1788, establishing standard pitch dimensions and playing regulations.
  • MCQ 3: Why did cricket spread rapidly in British colonies but not in other regions? (A) The climate was suitable (B) Colonial administrators and military personnel played and promoted it (C) Local populations already played similar games (D) It was mandated by law. Answer: (B) Colonial administrators and military personnel played and promoted it. Reason: The text emphasizes cricket followed the British Empire's reach, with officers establishing clubs in India, Australia, and the Caribbean.
  • MCQ 4: How did television change cricket in the 1970s? (A) It made matches longer (B) It introduced coloured clothing and limited-overs formats to attract viewers (C) It reduced attendance at grounds (D) It banned Test cricket. Answer: (B) It introduced coloured clothing and limited-overs formats to attract viewers. Reason: Broadcasting revenue drove innovations like One Day Internationals and floodlit matches, transforming cricket into commercial entertainment.

The Tiny Teacher — Understanding Ant Anatomy and Behaviour

The Tiny Teacher shifts focus from sports history to natural science, presenting ants as models of industry, organization, and cooperation. This NCERT prose piece develops scientific vocabulary — antennae, abdomen, thorax, larvae, cocoons — and encourages observational note-making. CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb The Story of Cricket / The Tiny Teacher multiple choice questions from this text test students' ability to extract biological facts, understand life-cycle stages, and appreciate social behaviour patterns. The text describes how ants communicate through touch and scent, organize labour (workers, soldiers, queen), and care for young collectively. MCQs often ask about sensory organs (antennae function), body structure (three segments), or social roles (queen's egg-laying duty). Higher-order questions might compare ant societies to human organizations or ask students to infer why certain behaviours evolved. Understanding this informational text trains students in reading for detail, a core skill for CBSE English comprehension passages.
  • Ants belong to the insect order Hymenoptera, closely related to bees and wasps, with over 12,000 identified species worldwide.
  • An ant's body has three segments: head (with compound eyes and antennae), thorax (with six legs), and abdomen (containing digestive and reproductive organs).
  • Antennae serve as primary sensory organs, detecting chemical signals (pheromones) for navigation, food location, and colony communication.
  • Ant colonies exhibit division of labour: the queen lays eggs, workers gather food and tend larvae, and soldiers defend the nest against intruders.

The Tiny Teacher — Social Structure, Life Cycle, and Lessons MCQs

This section addresses the social organization and life-cycle stages detailed in The Tiny Teacher, along with the moral lessons drawn from ant behaviour. CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb chapter 10 quiz questions frequently test knowledge of the four life stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult) and the roles of different castes (queen, worker, soldier). The text emphasizes ants' industriousness, cleanliness, and loyalty — qualities presented as models for human conduct. MCQs may ask students to sequence the life cycle, identify which caste performs specific tasks, or infer why ants are called 'teachers'. Assertion-reason format questions, increasingly common in CBSE exams, pair a factual statement with an explanation, testing both recall and logical connection. For instance, 'Assertion: Ants never sleep. Reason: They are constantly working for the colony.' Students must evaluate if the reason correctly explains the assertion, honing critical reading skills essential for Class 7 English Honeycomb The Story of Cricket / The Tiny Teacher important questions.
  • MCQ 5: How many life stages does an ant undergo? (A) Two (B) Three (C) Four (D) Five. Answer: (C) Four — egg, larva, pupa, adult. Reason: The text describes complete metamorphosis, with distinct developmental phases before reaching adult form.
  • MCQ 6: What is the primary role of the queen ant? (A) Defending the nest (B) Gathering food (C) Laying eggs to reproduce (D) Building tunnels. Answer: (C) Laying eggs to reproduce. Reason: The queen's sole duty is reproduction, ensuring colony continuity; workers and soldiers handle all other tasks.
  • MCQ 7: Why are ants called 'tiny teachers'? (A) They attend school (B) They teach other insects (C) Their hard work, discipline, and cooperation offer lessons for humans (D) They are small. Answer: (C) Their hard work, discipline, and cooperation offer lessons for humans. Reason: The essay draws moral parallels, suggesting human societies can learn from ant industriousness and organization.
  • MCQ 8: Assertion: Worker ants care for the queen's eggs and larvae. Reason: Worker ants are sterile females responsible for colony maintenance. (A) Both true, Reason explains Assertion (B) Both true, Reason does not explain (C) Assertion true, Reason false (D) Both false. Answer: (A) Both true, Reason explains Assertion. Reason: The text states workers, being non-reproductive females, perform all nurturing and labour tasks.

Comparative and Inferential MCQs — Linking Both Texts

Chapter 10's dual structure — a historical essay and a scientific observation — invites comparative questions that test higher-order thinking. CBSE examiners occasionally ask students to identify thematic similarities: both texts emphasize evolution (cricket rules, ant species adaptation), organization (MCC laws, ant castes), and the impact of environment (colonial spread, habitat diversity). Inferential MCQs require students to go beyond surface facts, asking why certain changes occurred or what lessons each text implies. For example, a question might contrast cricket's commercialization with ants' non-material cooperation, probing values and societal models. These questions assess whether students can synthesize information from multiple informational texts — a skill explicitly tested in CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb chapter 10 quiz formats. Practising such MCQs prepares students for integrated reading tasks, where comprehension spans diverse content domains within a single assessment.
  • MCQ 9: Both The Story of Cricket and The Tiny Teacher discuss (A) Sports history (B) Evolution and adaptation over time (C) British colonialism (D) Insects. Answer: (B) Evolution and adaptation over time. Reason: Cricket evolved from village game to global sport; ants adapted diverse survival strategies — both texts trace change.
  • MCQ 10: What common theme links cricket's rule standardization and ant colony organization? (A) Competition (B) Structured roles and clear responsibilities (C) Entertainment (D) Aggression. Answer: (B) Structured roles and clear responsibilities. Reason: Cricket formalized player roles and regulations; ant colonies assign tasks by caste — both exemplify organized systems.
  • MCQ 11: Which text uses informational reading to teach moral lessons? (A) The Story of Cricket (B) The Tiny Teacher (C) Both (D) Neither. Answer: (B) The Tiny Teacher. Reason: While cricket's history is descriptive, The Tiny Teacher explicitly draws ethical lessons from ant behaviour — hard work, loyalty, cleanliness.
  • MCQ 12: Why might the authors have chosen such different subjects for Chapter 10? (A) To confuse students (B) To demonstrate informational writing applies to sports, science, and all factual topics (C) Because they ran out of stories (D) To make the chapter longer. Answer: (B) To demonstrate informational writing applies to sports, science, and all factual topics. Reason: Pairing diverse informational texts trains students to extract facts, make notes, and summarize across content domains.

Vocabulary and Language Skills MCQs from Chapter 10

CBSE Class 7 English exams test vocabulary acquisition from prescribed texts, assessing whether students understand specialized terms in context. The Story of Cricket introduces words like 'codify', 'amateur', 'mercantile', and 'patronage', while The Tiny Teacher uses biological terminology — 'antennae', 'pheromone', 'metamorphosis', 'caste'. MCQs may present a sentence from the text and ask for the meaning of an underlined word, or provide a definition and request the matching term. Such questions reinforce that informational reading expands lexical range beyond narrative fiction. Students should practice identifying word meanings through contextual clues rather than rote memorization. Additionally, NCERT Class 7 English Honeycomb MCQ formats test grammatical elements embedded in informational prose: passive voice (common in scientific descriptions), cause-effect connectors ('hence', 'therefore'), and temporal markers ('subsequently', 'initially'). Mastering these language features supports both comprehension and note-making, two explicit learning outcomes for Chapter 10.
  • MCQ 13: In the sentence 'The MCC codified the laws of cricket', 'codified' means (A) Cancelled (B) Organized into a systematic code (C) Played (D) Ignored. Answer: (B) Organized into a systematic code. Reason: Codify means to arrange rules formally, as the MCC did with cricket laws.
  • MCQ 14: What does 'antennae' refer to in ants? (A) Wings (B) Legs (C) Sensory organs on the head (D) Eyes. Answer: (C) Sensory organs on the head. Reason: The text describes antennae as feelers detecting chemical signals, crucial for communication.
  • MCQ 15: The phrase 'division of labour' in ant colonies means (A) Ants fighting over work (B) Different castes performing specialized tasks (C) Lazy ants avoiding work (D) Equal work for all ants. Answer: (B) Different castes performing specialized tasks. Reason: Queens reproduce, workers gather food and care for young, soldiers defend — each role is distinct.
  • MCQ 16: 'Metamorphosis' in the context of ants means (A) Death (B) Transformation through distinct life stages (C) Migration (D) Hibernation. Answer: (B) Transformation through distinct life stages. Reason: Ants undergo complete metamorphosis: egg → larva → pupa → adult, changing form at each stage.

Note-Making and Summary Writing Skills Tested Through MCQs

Chapter 10 explicitly develops note-making and summary writing, both assessed in CBSE Class 7 English exams through short-answer questions and, increasingly, through MCQs that test outline recognition and main-idea identification. An MCQ might present four potential topic headings and ask which best captures a paragraph's content, or offer four summaries of The Story of Cricket and require students to select the most accurate. These questions assess whether students can distinguish main ideas from supporting details, recognize logical organization, and condense information without distortion. Effective note-making involves using headings, subheadings, abbreviations, and bullet points — skills mirrored in how informational MCQs are structured. Students who practice converting prose paragraphs into hierarchical notes will find such MCQs straightforward. Summary writing demands brevity, coherence, and retention of key facts; MCQs that ask 'Which sentence best summarizes this section?' train the same skill in multiple-choice format, offering instant feedback and repetition that reinforce learning.
  • MCQ 17: Which of the following best summarizes The Story of Cricket's main theme? (A) Cricket is the world's most popular sport (B) Cricket evolved from a rural English game into a global professional sport shaped by colonialism and media (C) Cricket has many rules (D) British people invented cricket. Answer: (B). Reason: This concise summary captures the essay's focus on evolution, colonial spread, and commercialization.
  • MCQ 18: Identify the best heading for a note on ant communication: (A) Ant Legs (B) Chemical Signals and Pheromones (C) Ant Food (D) Queen Ant's Role. Answer: (B) Chemical Signals and Pheromones. Reason: The text emphasizes ants communicate via pheromones detected by antennae, making this the most specific, relevant heading.
  • MCQ 19: Which detail is a supporting fact, not a main idea, in The Tiny Teacher? (A) Ants exhibit complex social organization (B) Worker ants are sterile females (C) Ants teach humans about hard work (D) Ants undergo complete metamorphosis. Answer: (B) Worker ants are sterile females. Reason: This is a factual detail supporting the main idea of division of labour; the main ideas are broader thematic lessons.
  • MCQ 20: When making notes on The Story of Cricket, which abbreviation would be appropriate? (A) MCC = Marylebone Cricket Club (B) ANT = Antennae (C) QA = Queen Ant (D) EGG = Early Game Goal. Answer: (A) MCC = Marylebone Cricket Club. Reason: Abbreviations should reflect terms used in the text; MCC appears frequently and is universally recognized in cricket discourse.

How to Attempt MCQs in the CBSE Class 7 English Exam

Multiple-choice questions in CBSE Class 7 English papers test reading comprehension, vocabulary, and text-based inference. Each MCQ typically awards one mark, with no negative marking in most school-level exams, though students should confirm specific guidelines. The key strategy is careful reading: scan the question stem to identify what is being asked — factual recall, inference, or vocabulary — then locate the relevant portion of the text before examining options. Eliminate obviously incorrect choices first, then compare remaining options for nuance. Pay attention to qualifiers like 'most accurate', 'best explains', or 'primary reason', which signal that multiple options may be partially correct but only one is optimal. For assertion-reason questions, verify each statement independently before evaluating the logical link. Time management matters: allocate roughly 30-45 seconds per MCQ, marking difficult questions for review if time permits. Always transfer answers to the OMR or answer sheet carefully, double-checking question numbers. Practising 15-20 MCQs from each chapter builds speed, sharpens pattern recognition, and reduces exam anxiety. CBSETUTOR.ai offers unlimited adaptive MCQ practice, photo-upload doubt solving, and instant explanations for every Class 7 chapter at a flat ₹999/month across all subjects (6-12). A three-day free trial lets students experience AI-powered personalized learning that adjusts difficulty based on performance, ensuring mastery of Class 7 English Honeycomb The Story of Cricket / The Tiny Teacher important questions before exams.
  • Read the question carefully, underlining keywords like 'why', 'best', 'most accurate', or 'according to the text' to understand exactly what is asked.
  • Skim the relevant paragraph or section of the chapter before looking at options, refreshing your memory of facts and context.
  • Eliminate obviously wrong answers first, then compare the remaining choices for subtle differences in wording or completeness.
  • For vocabulary MCQs, substitute each option into the sentence to see which preserves meaning and grammatical correctness.
  • In assertion-reason questions, check if both statements are true independently, then assess whether the reason logically explains the assertion.
  • Manage time: spend no more than 45 seconds per MCQ; if stuck, make an educated guess and move on rather than losing time.
  • Review marked questions if time remains, but avoid changing answers unless you spot a clear error — first instincts are often correct.
  • Use CBSETUTOR.ai to practice chapter-wise MCQs with instant feedback, adaptive difficulty, and AI explanations that clarify mistakes, building confidence for the actual exam.

Frequently asked questions

How many MCQs from Honeycomb prose appear in the CBSE Class 7 English annual exam?+
Typically, the CBSE Class 7 English paper includes 3-5 MCQs from each prose chapter in the reading comprehension section, worth one mark each. Chapter 10's dual texts — The Story of Cricket and The Tiny Teacher — often yield 4-6 questions testing factual recall, inference, and vocabulary. Schools may vary the exact count, but practising 15-20 MCQs per chapter ensures thorough preparation.
Are The Story of Cricket and The Tiny Teacher equally weighted in exams?+
CBSE does not officially assign different weights to the two texts within Chapter 10; however, school-level assessments may emphasize one over the other based on length or complexity. Periodic tests often include 2-3 MCQs from each text. To be safe, students should prepare both thoroughly, as annual exams can draw questions from either or ask comparative items linking both.
What types of MCQs are asked from The Story of Cricket?+
Common MCQ formats include factual questions (When did MCC codify laws?), cause-effect (Why did boundaries become necessary?), inference (How did TV change cricket?), and vocabulary in context (meaning of 'codify'). Assertion-reason questions might pair a historical fact with an explanation. Higher-order questions ask students to compare cricket's evolution to other sports or infer social impacts of colonialism.
How should I prepare for MCQs on The Tiny Teacher?+
Focus on ant anatomy (three body segments, antennae function), life cycle stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult), and social roles (queen, worker, soldier). Understand why ants are called 'teachers' — their hard work, discipline, and cooperation. Practice vocabulary like 'metamorphosis', 'pheromone', and 'caste'. Review the moral lessons drawn from ant behaviour, as these often appear in inference and application-level MCQs.
Is negative marking applied to MCQs in CBSE Class 7 English?+
No, the CBSE Class 7 annual English exam does not have negative marking. Each correct MCQ earns one mark; incorrect answers score zero. This policy encourages students to attempt all questions, making educated guesses when unsure. However, some competitive school-level quizzes may apply negative marking, so always check specific instructions before the test.
Can MCQs test note-making and summary writing skills?+
Yes. MCQs may present four topic headings and ask which best fits a paragraph, or offer four summaries and require selecting the most accurate. Such questions assess whether students can identify main ideas versus supporting details, recognize logical organization, and condense information — core note-making and summary writing skills outlined in the NCERT Class 7 English syllabus.
What are assertion-reason MCQs, and how do I solve them?+
Assertion-reason MCQs present two statements: an assertion (a claim) and a reason (an explanation). You must determine if both are true and whether the reason correctly explains the assertion. Steps: verify assertion independently using the text; verify reason independently; check logical connection. Four typical options: (A) Both true, reason explains assertion (B) Both true, reason does not explain (C) Assertion true, reason false (D) Both false.
How can I improve speed in answering MCQs during the exam?+
Practice 15-20 MCQs per chapter under timed conditions — allocate 30-45 seconds each. Read the question stem first to know what you are looking for, then skim the text. Eliminate obviously wrong options immediately, narrowing your choice. Avoid over-thinking; if two options seem close, choose the one using text-specific terminology. Regular practice builds pattern recognition, reducing decision time and boosting confidence.
Where can I find additional MCQs for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 10?+
CBSETUTOR.ai offers unlimited chapter-wise MCQs for Class 7 English Honeycomb, including The Story of Cricket and The Tiny Teacher, with instant feedback and AI explanations. The platform adapts difficulty based on your performance, ensuring targeted practice. Access all Class 7 subjects at ₹999/month with a three-day free trial, featuring photo-upload doubt solving and 24×7 AI tutor support.
Do MCQs from Chapter 10 appear in competitive exams or Olympiads?+
Some school-level English Olympiads and talent searches include reading comprehension MCQs based on NCERT texts. While national Olympiads emphasize grammar and creative tasks, regional and interschool competitions often test prose comprehension using chapters like The Story of Cricket and The Tiny Teacher. Practising NCERT-based MCQs strengthens foundational skills applicable across formats, improving performance in both school exams and competitive assessments.

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