NCERT Solutions for Class 4th English Chapter 4 A. Answer the following. — Let us Think

Book page 36 Updated on2026-09-19

Q1.

1. Why is it important to focus on doing one thing at a time?

Answer

It is important because then the work is done well and done fast. The poem says, “One thing at a time, / And that done well; / Is a very good rule.”

Three things happen when you focus on one job:

You make fewer mistakes, because your whole mind is on that job.
You finish sooner, because you do not keep starting again.
The job is fully done, not left half done.

Why it happens: Your mind can hold only one job at a time. If you do your sums and watch television together, your mind keeps jumping from one to the other. Each jump costs time, and mistakes creep in. The poem calls such work “things done by halves”.

Try this: Copy ten words while somebody talks to you. Then copy ten more words in a quiet corner. Count the mistakes in each. You will see the answer yourself.

Q2.

2. Make a list of words that rhyme in the poem ‘One thing at a time’.

Answer

Words rhyme when their ending sound is the same. In this poem the second line and the fourth line of every stanza rhyme.

Stanza	The two lines	Rhyming words
1	Play while you play; · That is the way.	play — way
2	Do with all your might; · Are never done right.	might — right
3	And that done well; · As many can tell.	well — tell
4	Be trifled away; · And play while you play.	away — play

The full list of rhyming words: play – way, might – right, well – tell, away – play.

Why these words rhyme: Listen only to the end of the word. Play, way and away all end with the sound “ay”. Might and right both end with “ite”. Well and tell both end with “ell”. The letters are different, but the sound is the same, and it is the sound that matters.

Did you notice? Play, way and away all rhyme with one another. So three of the rhyming words in this poem belong to the same sound family.

Tip: Say each pair aloud, one after the other. If your mouth ends in the same shape both times, the words rhyme.

Q3.

3. How do you feel after finishing a task that you have done well?

Answer

This is about your own feeling, so write what you really feel. Most children feel happy, proud and light.

How to answer:

Name the feeling in the first sentence — happy, proud, relaxed.
Name one task you finished well.
Say what you did next, or how your body felt.

Sample answer: I feel very happy and proud after finishing a task well. Last week I finished my science chart on my own. When I put it on the wall, I felt light and glad. I could go out and play without worrying about it.

Why the feeling comes: A job left half done keeps sitting in your mind. When you finish it well, that weight goes away. The poem calls this being “useful and happy” — the two go together.

Q4.

4. What are some of the things you do every day that help you stay calm and focused?

Answer

Name two or three small habits from your own day. A good answer names the habit and says how it helps.

Things children usually name:

waking up early and not rushing;
taking a few slow, deep breaths before class;
keeping the desk and school bag tidy;
making a list of the work to be done, and doing one item at a time;
drinking water and eating breakfast properly;
playing outside for some time every evening;
going to bed at the same time every night.

Sample answer: Every morning I wake up at six and make my bed. Before I start my homework, I keep my table tidy and take five deep breaths. I do one subject at a time. In the evening I play badminton for half an hour. These things keep me calm and help me focus.

Why these small habits work: A calm body makes a calm mind. Slow breathing, tidy things around you and enough sleep all take away the hurry. When the hurry is gone, your mind can stay on one job.

Tip: Simple yoga helps too. Pranayama (slow breathing) and the Tree Pose, where you stand on one leg, both teach your mind to hold still on one thing.

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