The Tale of Melon City — Class 11 MCQs with Answers
Class 11 CBSE English · Chapter 15
20 practice questions · 20 Medium · Updated
Practise the most important Class 11 CBSE English questions from Chapter 15, "The Tale of Melon City". You get 2 timed quizzes made from 20 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 20 Medium. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "The Tale of Melon City", focus on comprehension, grammar and writing skills. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on The Tale of Melon City, then move to Medium to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 11 English mastery score. Try the sample question below: tap an option to see the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
The Tale of Melon City — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 11 English)
1 solved question from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. Tap an option to check yourself.
- Q1Medium
Why did the King summon the wisest man in the country?
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Answer: He needed counsel, since the matter had become tricky
Explanation: '“This is a tricky thing. / I need some counsel. Bring to me / The wisest man in this country.”'
Key concepts: The Tale of Melon City (Class 11 English)
Vikram Seth's narrative poem in rhyming couplets, after Idries Shah. A 'just and placid' King orders an arch built, loses his crown beneath it, and pursues a chain of blame that ends with his own execution and a melon on the throne.
- The just and placid King
- The phrase is repeated through the poem and steadily emptied of meaning: each time it returns, the King is ordering another hanging on no evidence.
- The arch
- Built to span the major thoroughfare and 'edify spectators there'. It is built too low, and knocks the crown off the King's head as he rides beneath it.
- The chain of blame
- Chief of builders blames the workmen; workmen blame the wrong-sized bricks; masons blame the architect; the architect blames the King's own amendments to the plans.
- Nearly lost his head
- 'The King heard this. The King saw red. / In fact he nearly lost his head' — a pun, since the idiom for rage also foreshadows his hanging.
- The wisest man
- Found and carried to court, unable to walk or see, 'So old (and therefore wise) was he' — the parenthesis mocking the assumption that age confers wisdom.
- The verdict
- 'Truly, the arch it was that banged / The crown off, and it must be hanged' — the culprit is declared to be the arch itself.
- The Councillor's objection
- 'How can we hang so shamefully / What touched your head, Your Majesty?' Even the arch cannot be executed, because it touched the royal head.
- The crowd
- Restless and muttering aloud. The King 'perceived their mood and trembled' and abandoned 'finer points like guilt': 'The nation / Wants a hanging.'
- The measuring
- 'The noose was set up somewhat high. / Each man was measured by and by. / But only one man was so tall / He fitted. One man. That was all.' It was the King.
- Hanged by Royal Decree
- His own order that someone must hang immediately is what kills him — the poem's central irony.
- The Ministers' relief
- 'Thank Goodness we found someone… for if instead / We had not, the unruly town / Might well have turned against the Crown.' Then: 'Long live the King! The King is dead.'
- The Melon King
- By custom the next man through the City Gate chooses the ruler. He is an idiot whose standard answer to every question is 'A melon'. The Ministers crown a melon and carry it to the throne.
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Start this chapter free →The Tale of Melon City — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 11 English The Tale of Melon City?+
Vikram Seth's narrative poem in rhyming couplets, after Idries Shah. A 'just and placid' King orders an arch built, loses his crown beneath it, and pursues a chain of blame that ends with his own execution and a melon on the throne. Key ideas include The just and placid King, The arch, The chain of blame, Nearly lost his head, The wisest man, The verdict.
What does Class 11 English Chapter 15 (The Tale of Melon City) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 20 NCERT-based MCQs on "The Tale of Melon City": 20 Medium. Together they make 2 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "The Tale of Melon City" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "The Tale of Melon City" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 11 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 12 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "The Tale of Melon City" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium to practise applying them. There are 2 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "The Tale of Melon City" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. A sample question is on this page with answers: tap an option, or "Show answer", to see the correct option and a step-by-step explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "The Tale of Melon City" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from The Tale of Melon City (Class 11 English)?+
The questions that matter most test The just and placid King, The arch, The chain of blame, Nearly lost his head, The wisest man, The verdict. This page shows 1 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 20 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for The Tale of Melon City?+
Yes — Class 11 English The Tale of Melon City has timed online quizzes at Medium levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.