Chapter 5 of 20
⬅️ Ch 4: I Want Ch 6: The Wind and the Sun ➡️
NCERT Class 2 English • Classic CBSE

Chapter 5: A Smile

Poem on Happiness, Spreading Smiles & The Secret Hiding Place | CBSE Session 2026–27

Core Pedagogical Competencies & Concepts
  • Poem appreciation: A smile is a funny thing that wrinkles your face.
  • The mystery of a smile: Once it is gone, you can never find its secret hiding place.
  • The multiplication of smiles: One smile leads to two, spreading warmth to everyone.
  • Good manners, spreading positivity, and cheering up friends.
Smile 1+Smile 21 Smile = 2 Smiles!

All Textbook Exercises & In-Text Tasks (15 Questions)

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Q1 Reading is Fun • Why Funny?
Why is a smile called 'a funny thing' in the poem?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• A smile is called a funny thing because it wrinkles up your face, and when it is gone, you can never find its secret hiding place.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Wrinkles up your face 1 M
Secret hiding place 1 M
Q2 Reading is Fun • Secret Place
What happens when a smile is gone?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• When a smile disappears, you will never find its secret hiding place anywhere.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Never find its secret hiding place 1 M
Q3 Reading is Fun • Smile Multiplication
What is much more wonderful than finding a smile's hiding place?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• It is far more wonderful to see what smiles can do: when you smile at someone, they smile back at you, and so one smile makes two!
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Smiling at someone makes them smile back 1 M
One smile makes two concept 1 M
Q4 Rhyming Words in Poem
Find words in the poem that rhyme with:
(a) Place — _______
(b) You — _______
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) Place rhymes with Face.
(b) You rhymes with Two.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) Face 1 M
(b) Two 1 M
Q5 Phonics • Silent Letters
In the word 'wrinkle', which letter is silent (not pronounced)?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• The letter 'W' is silent in 'wrinkle' (it is pronounced starting with the /r/ sound).
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Letter 'W' identified as silent 1 M
Q6 Vocabulary • Words Starting with 'Wr'
Write two other English words where 'W' is silent before 'R'.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
1. Write
2. Wrist (or Wrong / Wrap).
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Two valid wr- words (e.g. write, wrist) 2 M
Q7 Facial Expressions • Feelings
Match each expression to the feeling:
(a) A wide smile (b) A frown / scowl (c) Wide open mouth and eyes
Feelings: (1) Anger / Displeasure (2) Surprise / Wonder (3) Happiness / Joy
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Matching:
• (a) Wide smile — (3) Happiness / Joy
• (b) Frown — (1) Anger / Displeasure
• (c) Wide open eyes — (2) Surprise / Wonder
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
All 3 correctly matched 3 M (1 M each)
Q8 Health Benefits of Smiling
Why do doctors say smiling and laughing is good for our health?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Step-by-Step Answer:
• Smiling relaxes facial muscles, reduces stress and worries, and releases happy hormones that make our whole body feel healthy and energetic.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Stress reduction and relaxation 1 M
Overall physical/mental wellness 1 M
Q9 Opposites • Emotion Words
Write the opposite of:
(a) Smile × _______
(b) Wonderful × _______
(c) Secret × _______
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) Smile × Frown / Cry
(b) Wonderful × Terrible / Horrible
(c) Secret × Open / Public / Known
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) Frown 1 M
(b) Terrible 1 M
(c) Open/Known 1 M
Q10 Sentence Construction
Make a sentence using the word 'cheerful'.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Sample Sentence:
• Our teacher greeted us with a cheerful smile every morning.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Meaningful sentence with 'cheerful' 2 M
Q11 Social Skills • Spreading Joy
How can you bring a smile to your grandmother's face when she is tired?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• By giving her a warm hug, offering her a glass of fresh water, and telling her a funny story about school.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Affectionate hug / help offered 1 M
Sharing cheerful story 1 M
Q12 Spelling Check • Smile Words
Fill in the blanks: W _ N D _ R F _ L (marvelous).
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• W O N D E R F U L = WONDERFUL.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
WONDERFUL correct 1 M
Q13 Punctuation Practice
Put question mark or full stop:
(a) What can a smile do ___
(b) A smile makes everyone feel happy ___
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) What can a smile do ? (Question)
(b) A smile makes everyone feel happy . (Statement)
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) Question mark (?) 1 M
(b) Full stop (.) 1 M
Q14 True or False
State True or False:
(a) Smiling costs nothing but gives immense joy.
(b) A frown is more pleasant to look at than a smile.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) True. A smile is completely free yet enriches everyone who receives it.
(b) False. A smile is warm and inviting, whereas a frown looks gloomy.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) True 1 M
(b) False with reason 1 M
Q15 Poem Reflection
What is the ultimate mathematical secret of a smile mentioned in the poem?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Summary:
• Smiles do not follow ordinary subtraction; they multiply! When you give away one smile, it reflects back from the other person, creating two smiles in the world.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Multiplication / reflection of smile explained 2 M
🌟 NEP 2020 Competency-Based Case Study

Spreading Smiles in the Classroom

Aman came to school feeling sad because his pet bird had flown away. Priya noticed his gloomy face. She walked up to him, made a silly funny face, and gave him a bright warm smile. Aman couldn't help it — a tiny grin appeared on his face, which turned into a hearty laugh.

Analytical Task: How does Priya's action demonstrate the poem 'A Smile'? What happens when one person smiles at another?
Evaluation & Model Answer:
1. The poem says: 'You smile at one, he smiles at you, and so one smile makes two!'
2. Priya's smile melted Aman's sadness, proving that smiles are contagious and instantly spread joy and comfort from one heart to another.
Rubric: 1.5 M for quoting/connecting 'one smile makes two' + 1.5 M for explaining how smiles spread warmth
⬅️ Ch 4: I Want Ch 6: The Wind and the Sun ➡️