Develop a story in 150-200 words: While coming out of the bank I saw a monkey walking menacingly towards me. I panicked. The monkey snatched my bag and ran up a nearby tree. I...
Develop a story in 150-200 words: While coming out of the bank I saw a monkey walking menacingly towards me. I panicked. The monkey snatched my bag and ran up a nearby tree. I...
Official answer
The Clever Trade
...I panicked. The monkey snatched my bag and ran up a nearby tree. I stood frozen, watching it perch on a branch, pawing curiously through my belongings — my phone, wallet, and important office files were all inside. Shouting and throwing stones only made it climb higher, clutching the bag tighter.
Then I remembered a vendor nearby selling bananas. I quickly bought a bunch and held it up, calling softly to the monkey. Its eyes lit up with interest. I placed the bananas on the ground beneath the tree and stepped back. Tempted, the monkey climbed down cautiously, dropped my bag, and grabbed the bananas instead, scurrying away contentedly.
Relieved, I picked up my bag and checked its contents — everything was intact. A small crowd that had gathered burst into laughter and applause at the unusual bargain I had struck. As I walked home, I smiled at how a simple bunch of bananas had saved my day, and learnt that patience and quick thinking work far better than panic when facing the unexpected.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for Title.
- 2.4 marks for Content.
- 3.5 marks for Expression (Creativity/Grammar).
Hint
Monkeys often drop things if offered food.
Quick oral answer
A narrative describing the clever retrieval of a bag from a monkey.
Common mistakes
- 1.Abrupt ending.
- 2.Incorrect tense usage.
Analysis and explanation
This is a creative story-writing question (10 marks) that tests the ability to develop a coherent plot from a given opening line.
Concept
- Continue the story in first-person, past tense, keeping the tone consistent with the opening (panic → conflict → resolution).
- A believable plot device (e.g., using food to lure the monkey) should resolve the conflict of the snatched bag.
Key points
- (i) Title — a short, catchy title reflecting the incident.
- (ii) Plot development — build rising action (monkey climbs tree with bag), introduce the trick (offering bananas/food), and show the resolution (bag recovered).
- (iii) Ending — close with a brief reflection or moral drawn from the episode.
Common mistakes
- Shifting tense or narrative person mid-story.
- Leaving the bag-recovery unresolved or ending abruptly.
- Missing the title, or straying outside the 150–200 word limit.
Real-world
- Mirrors real human–wildlife encounters (e.g., with monkeys in Indian towns) where calm, food-based tactics work better than aggression or panic.
Question details
Q19 of 36 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 10
- Subject
- English (Communicative)
- Year
- 2017
- Section
- Section B
- Marks
- 10
- Type
- Short Answer
- Chapter
- Writing Skills
- Topic
- Story Writing
- Bloom's level
- apply
- Syllabus topic
- Short Story Writing
- Updated
- 2026-02-19
- Author
- Padhantu
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu
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Frequently asked questions
How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017?
This question carries 10 marks in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017 examination.
Which chapter does this question come from in English (Communicative)?
This question is from the chapter "Writing Skills" in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) syllabus.
What topic does this question cover in English (Communicative)?
This question covers the topic "Story Writing" from CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative).
What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017 paper?
This is a Short Answer question from Section B in the CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) 2017 paper.