Chapter 14 of 20
Chapter 14: Make It Shorter
Akbar and Birbal, Lateral Thinking, Wit & Relative Length | CBSE Session 2026–27
Core Pedagogical Competencies & Concepts
- Story comprehension: Emperor Akbar challenges his royal courtiers to make a chalk line shorter without erasing it.
- The failure of arrogant courtiers: No one knows how to shorten a line without rubbing.
- Birbal's brilliant lateral thinking: Drawing a longer line right beside it, making the first line relatively shorter.
- Developing out-of-the-box problem solving and wit over physical force.
All Textbook Exercises & In-Text Tasks (16 Questions)
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Q1
Reading is Fun • Akbar's Challenge
What did Emperor Akbar draw on the floor of his court?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Emperor Akbar drew a straight line on the floor.
• Emperor Akbar drew a straight line on the floor.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Line on the floor stated
1 M
Q2
Reading is Fun • Royal Order
What was Akbar's royal order to his courtiers regarding the line?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• His order was: 'Make this line shorter, but do not erase any part of it!'
• His order was: 'Make this line shorter, but do not erase any part of it!'
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Make it shorter
1 M
Without erasing condition
1 M
Q3
Reading is Fun • Courtier's Reaction
Why were the ministers and courtiers puzzled?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• They were puzzled because they could not imagine how a line could ever be made shorter without rubbing out its ends.
• They were puzzled because they could not imagine how a line could ever be made shorter without rubbing out its ends.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Could not imagine shortening without erasing
2 M
Q4
Reading is Fun • Birbal's Clever Move
What did Birbal do to solve the Emperor's puzzle?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Birbal took a piece of chalk and drew a longer line under Akbar's line.
• Everyone in the court saw that Akbar's first line was now clearly the shorter line!
• Birbal took a piece of chalk and drew a longer line under Akbar's line.
• Everyone in the court saw that Akbar's first line was now clearly the shorter line!
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Drew a longer line beside/under it
1 M
First line became shorter in comparison
1 M
Q5
Reading is Fun • Akbar's Praise
What did Emperor Akbar say when he saw Birbal's line?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Akbar smiled and said: 'That is true! You have made my line shorter, Birbal!' and praised his sharp wit.
• Akbar smiled and said: 'That is true! You have made my line shorter, Birbal!' and praised his sharp wit.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Akbar smiled and agreed line was shorter
2 M
Q6
Grammar • Degrees of Comparison
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjective:
(a) Short — _______ — Shortest
(b) Long — Longer — _______
(c) Clever — Cleverer — _______
[3 Marks]
(a) Short — _______ — Shortest
(b) Long — Longer — _______
(c) Clever — Cleverer — _______
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) Short — Shorter — Shortest
(b) Long — Longer — Longest
(c) Clever — Cleverer — Cleverest
(a) Short — Shorter — Shortest
(b) Long — Longer — Longest
(c) Clever — Cleverer — Cleverest
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) Shorter
1 M
(b) Longest
1 M
(c) Cleverest
1 M
Q7
Character Sketch • Birbal's Personality
Name two qualities of Birbal that made him Emperor Akbar's favorite minister.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
1. His sharp wit and clever thinking.
2. His calm wisdom and sense of humor in solving tricky disputes.
1. His sharp wit and clever thinking.
2. His calm wisdom and sense of humor in solving tricky disputes.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Sharp wit / intelligence
1 M
Calm wisdom / humor
1 M
Q8
Vocabulary • Royal Court Words
What is a 'courtier'?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• A courtier is a minister, nobleman, or advisor who attends the royal court of a king or emperor.
• A courtier is a minister, nobleman, or advisor who attends the royal court of a king or emperor.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Advisor / nobleman in royal court defined
1 M
Q9
Opposites • Comparison Words
Write the opposite of:
(a) Shorter × _______
(b) Erase × _______
(c) True × _______
[3 Marks]
(a) Shorter × _______
(b) Erase × _______
(c) True × _______
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) Shorter × Longer
(b) Erase × Draw / Write
(c) True × False / Untrue
(a) Shorter × Longer
(b) Erase × Draw / Write
(c) True × False / Untrue
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) Longer
1 M
(b) Draw/Write
1 M
(c) False
1 M
Q10
Lateral Thinking Puzzle
How can you make the number 9 become 6 without doing any subtraction or addition?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Simply turn the paper upside down! The digit 9 rotated 180 degrees becomes 6.
• Simply turn the paper upside down! The digit 9 rotated 180 degrees becomes 6.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Turn paper upside down explained
2 M
Q11
Sentence Construction
Make a sentence using the word 'puzzled'.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Sample Sentence:
• The detective looked puzzled when he found no footprints in the garden.
• The detective looked puzzled when he found no footprints in the garden.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Meaningful sentence with 'puzzled'
2 M
Q12
Historical Context • Akbar and Birbal
Who was Emperor Akbar? What was the capital of his empire?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Akbar was one of the greatest Mughal Emperors of India, famous for his wisdom and patronage of arts and nine jewels (Navratnas). His capitals included Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.
• Akbar was one of the greatest Mughal Emperors of India, famous for his wisdom and patronage of arts and nine jewels (Navratnas). His capitals included Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Mughal Emperor of India identified
1 M
Wisdom/Navratnas/Agra mentioned
1 M
Q13
Spelling Check • Court Words
Fill in the missing letters: E M P _ R _ R (ruler of an empire).
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• E M P E R O R = EMPEROR.
• E M P E R O R = EMPEROR.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
EMPEROR correct
1 M
Q14
True or False
State True or False:
(a) Birbal erased half of Akbar's line with an eraser.
(b) Drawing a longer line makes the existing line relatively shorter.
[2 Marks]
(a) Birbal erased half of Akbar's line with an eraser.
(b) Drawing a longer line makes the existing line relatively shorter.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) False. Birbal never touched or erased Akbar's line.
(b) True. Length is relative when placed side-by-side.
(a) False. Birbal never touched or erased Akbar's line.
(b) True. Length is relative when placed side-by-side.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) False with reason
1 M
(b) True
1 M
Q15
Chapter Reflection
What is the ultimate lesson of 'Make It Shorter'?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Summary:
• Great problems do not always require destructive action (like erasing).
• By introducing a broader perspective or setting a higher benchmark, challenges find elegant, creative solutions.
• Great problems do not always require destructive action (like erasing).
• By introducing a broader perspective or setting a higher benchmark, challenges find elegant, creative solutions.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Creative non-destructive solutions summarized
2 M
Q16
Reading is Fun • Birbal's Wisdom
How did Birbal make the line drawn by Emperor Akbar on the floor shorter without rubbing out any part of it?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Birbal cleverly drew a longer line right beside Akbar's line. This made Akbar's line look shorter in comparison without erasing anything.
• Birbal cleverly drew a longer line right beside Akbar's line. This made Akbar's line look shorter in comparison without erasing anything.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Drew a longer line beside it
1 M
Did not erase original line
1 M
🌟 NEP 2020 Competency-Based Case Study
The Royal Court Chalk Puzzle
Emperor Akbar drew a white line on the royal marble floor and commanded: 'Courtiers! Make this line shorter, but do not touch it or erase any part of it!'. The courtiers were puzzled; some tried to cover it with their shawls, but Akbar forbade it. Then Birbal stepped forward with a smile and drew a second line on the floor.
Analytical Task: What was Akbar's condition for shortening the line? How did Birbal solve the puzzle without touching Akbar's line? What does this teach us about problem solving?
Evaluation & Model Answer:
1. Akbar's condition: The line must be made shorter without rubbing out or erasing any part of it.
2. Birbal's solution: He drew a longer line right beside Akbar's line. When compared together, Akbar's line automatically became the shorter one!
3. Lesson: Clever lateral thinking and looking at problems from a different perspective solves challenges that brute force cannot.
2. Birbal's solution: He drew a longer line right beside Akbar's line. When compared together, Akbar's line automatically became the shorter one!
3. Lesson: Clever lateral thinking and looking at problems from a different perspective solves challenges that brute force cannot.
Rubric: 1 M for condition + 1 M for Birbal's longer line solution + 1 M for lateral thinking moral