Welcome to PoraGhar Axom! Here you will find the most accurate and complete notes for Assam Jatiya Bidyalay Class 5 English - Lesson 3: What Makes Us Humans ? We have provided detailed explanations, word meanings, line-by-line Assamese translation, and textbook solutions to help you score 90%+ in your exams.
Table of Contents đ
Summary / Overview (āĻŽূāϞ āĻাā§ą)
"What Makes Us Humans?" is a touching short story adapted from O. Henry’s work. The story revolves around Harish, a young thief who breaks into a decent-looking house on a cold winter night, intending to steal valuables. Armed with a gun, he enters a lit room only to find a feeble old man lying alone in bed, suffering immense pain.
The situation takes an unexpected turn when the old man explains that he is suffering from severe rheumatism and cannot even raise his hands. Harish, surprisingly, reveals that he is also in the initial stages of the same painful disease. This shared pain creates an instant bond of empathy between the two. Forgetting his intention to rob, the thief helps the old man get dressed and takes him out for a walk. The story beautifully ends at a tea stall where Harish warmly pays for their tea, proving that compassion and shared suffering are the true essence of what makes us human.
Lesson Text & Translation (āĻĒাāĻ ā§° āĻ āύুāĻŦাāĻĻ)
(The scene is a desolate road on a wintry night.)
(āĻĻৃāĻļ্āϝāĻো āĻšৈāĻে āĻāĻ āĻļীāϤ⧰ āύিāĻļাā§° āĻāĻāύ āύিā§°্āĻāύ ā§°াāϏ্āϤা।)
Harish, the thief, looks like any other young man of his age. But he carries a gun and it makes him different.
āĻোā§° āĻšā§°িāĻļāĻ āϤাā§° āĻŦāϝ়āϏ⧰ āĻāύ āϝিāĻোāύো āϝুā§ąāĻā§° āĻĻā§°েāĻ āĻĻেāĻি। āĻিāύ্āϤু āϏি āĻāĻা āĻŦāύ্āĻĻুāĻ āϞৈ āĻĢুā§°ে āĻā§°ু āĻāϝ়েāĻ āϤাāĻ āĻŦেāϞেāĻ āĻā§°ি āϤোāϞে।
Harish (to himself): I must start searching for my target at once. I am running out of money.
āĻšā§°িāĻļ (āύিāĻā§° āĻŽাāĻāϤে): āĻŽāĻ āϞāĻে āϞāĻে āĻŽোā§° āϞāĻ্āώ্āϝ āĻŦিāĻā§°া āĻā§°āĻŽ্āĻ āĻā§°িāĻŦ āϞাāĻিāĻŦ। āĻŽোā§° āĻšাāϤāϤ āĻāĻা āĻļেāώ āĻšৈ āĻāĻšিāĻে।
Harish spots a decent looking house and immediately decides to steal the valuables.
āĻšā§°িāĻļে āĻāĻা āĻাāϞ āϞāĻা āĻā§° āĻĻেāĻা āĻĒাāϞে āĻā§°ু āϞāĻে āϞāĻে āĻŽূāϞ্āĻ¯ā§ąাāύ āĻŦāϏ্āϤুāĻŦোā§° āĻুā§°ি āĻā§°াā§° āϏিāĻĻ্āϧাāύ্āϤ āϞ'āϞে।
(The scene shifts to the house.) Harish jumps inside the house through an open window.
(āĻĻৃāĻļ্āϝāĻো āĻā§°āĻোāϞৈ āϏāϞāύি āĻš'āϞ।) āĻšā§°িāĻļ āĻāĻāύ āĻোāϞা āĻিā§°িāĻীā§°ে āĻā§°ā§° āĻিāϤ⧰āϞৈ āĻঁāĻĒিāϝ়াāĻ āĻĒā§°িāϞ।
Suddenly, he sees light coming from one of the rooms. He takes out his gun and enters the room.
āĻšāĻ াāϤে, āϏি āĻোāĻ া āĻāĻাā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻĒোāĻšā§° āĻ āĻšা āĻĻেāĻিāϞে। āϏি āϤাā§° āĻŦāύ্āĻĻুāĻāĻো āĻāϞিāϝ়াāϞে āĻā§°ু āĻোāĻ াāĻোāϤ āϏোāĻŽাāϞ।
He finds an old man lying in his bed. Harish stands near the bed and points his gun at the man.
āϏি āĻāĻāύ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻ āĻŦিāĻāύাāϤ āĻļুāĻ āĻĨāĻা āĻĻেāĻা āĻĒাāϞে। āĻšā§°িāĻļ āĻŦিāĻāύাāĻāύ⧰ āĻāĻā§°āϤ āĻĨিāϝ় āĻš'āϞ āĻā§°ু āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύāϞৈ āĻŦāύ্āĻĻুāĻāĻো āĻোঁā§ąাāϞে।
There is a sense of pain upon the face of the man. He is in his night suit and looks older than his age.
āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύ⧰ āĻŽুāĻāϤ āϝāύ্āϤ্ā§°āĻŖাā§° āĻাāĻŦ āĻŦিā§°াāĻāĻŽাāύ āĻāĻিāϞ। āϤেāĻঁ āύিāĻļাā§° āĻĒোāĻাāĻāϤ āĻāĻিāϞ āĻā§°ু āϤেāĻঁāĻ āύিāĻā§° āĻŦāϝ়āϏāϤāĻৈ āĻŦেāĻি āĻŦāϝ়āϏীāϝ়াāϞ āϝেāύ āϞাāĻিāĻিāϞ।
Harish: Hands up! Don't shout..... Don't move.
āĻšā§°িāĻļ: āĻšাāϤ āĻāĻĒā§°āϞৈ āĻā§°া! āĻিāĻā§°-āĻŦাāĻā§° āύāĻā§°িāĻŦা..... āϞ⧰āĻā§° āύāĻā§°িāĻŦা।
(The old man opens his eyes and looks at Harish confused by the sudden happenings. He manages to raise only one of his hands.)
(āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύে āĻāĻু āĻŽেāϞিāϞে āĻā§°ু āĻšāĻ াāϤে āĻāĻা āĻāĻāύাāϤ āĻŦিāĻ্ā§°াāύ্āϤ āĻšৈ āĻšā§°িāĻļāϞৈ āĻাāϞে। āϤেāĻঁ āĻŽাāϤ্ā§° āĻāĻāύ āĻšাāϤāĻšে āĻĻাāĻিāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāϞে।)
Old man: (in a tired and feeble voice): Take whatever you want. But please allow me to put my hand down.
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: (āĻ্āϞাāύ্āϤ āĻā§°ু āĻĻুā§°্āĻŦāϞ āĻŽাāϤেā§°ে): āϤোāĻŽাāĻ āϝি āϞাāĻে āϞৈ āϝোā§ąা। āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻ āύুāĻ্ā§°āĻš āĻā§°ি āĻŽোāĻ āĻšাāϤāĻāύ āύāĻŽাāĻ āĻĨāĻŦāϞৈ āĻĻিāϝ়া।
Harish (confused): What's wrong with you?
āĻšā§°িāĻļ (āĻŦিāĻ্ā§°াāύ্āϤ āĻšৈ): āĻāĻĒোāύাā§° āĻি āĻšৈāĻে?
(The old man begins his story painfully.)
(āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύে āĻāώ্āĻā§°ে āϤেāĻঁā§° āĻাāĻšিāύী āĻā§°āĻŽ্āĻ āĻā§°িāϞে।)
Old man: "Look! Here I am all alone to take care of myself. I can't even move my hands. I am suffering from rheumatism."
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: "āĻোā§ąা! āĻāϝ়াāϤ āĻŽāĻ āύিāĻā§° āϝāϤ্āύ āϞ'āĻŦāϞৈ āĻāĻেāĻŦাā§°ে āĻ āĻāϞāĻļā§°ীāϝ়া। āĻŽāĻ āĻāύāĻি āĻŽোā§° āĻšাāϤ āĻĻুāĻāύো āϞ⧰āĻā§° āĻā§°িāĻŦ āύোā§ąাā§°ো। āĻŽāĻ āĻŦাāϤāĻŦিāώāϤ āĻুāĻি āĻāĻো।"
(Tears of pain roll down the cheeks of the old man. Harish drops the gun and sits down beside the old man.)
(āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύ⧰ āĻাāϞেā§°ে āϝāύ্āϤ্ā§°āĻŖাā§° āĻāĻুāϞো āĻŦাāĻā§°ি āĻĒā§°িāϞ। āĻšā§°িāĻļে āĻŦāύ্āĻĻুāĻāĻো āĻĒেāϞাāĻ āĻĻিāϞে āĻā§°ু āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύ⧰ āĻাāώāϤ āĻŦāĻšিāϞ।)
Harish (in a gentle voice): I am extremely sorry for causing you the pain. Please be comfortable.
āĻšā§°িāĻļ (āύāĻŽ্ā§° āĻŽাāϤেā§°ে): āĻāĻĒোāύাāĻ āĻāώ্āĻ āĻĻিāϝ়াā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻŽāĻ āĻ āϤ্āϝāύ্āϤ āĻĻুāĻিāϤ। āĻ āύুāĻ্ā§°āĻš āĻā§°ি āĻā§°াāĻŽ āĻā§°āĻ।
I share your pain, sir. I am suffering from rheumatism myself. I am in the initial stage.
āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻĒোāύাā§° āĻāώ্āĻ āĻŦুāĻি āĻĒাāĻঁ, āĻাā§°। āĻŽāĻ āύিāĻেāĻ āĻŦাāϤāĻŦিāώāϤ āĻুāĻি āĻāĻো। āĻŽāĻ āĻĒ্ā§°াāĻĨāĻŽিāĻ āĻĒā§°্āϝাāϝ়āϤ āĻāĻো।
Old man: Oh.... Uhhh! Then you will suffer like me in the old age.
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: āĻ āĻš.... āĻāĻšāĻš! āϤেāύ্āϤে āϤুāĻŽিāĻ āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŦāϝ়āϏāϤ āĻŽোā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻāώ্āĻ āĻĒাāĻŦা।
Harish: Sir, I am taking the medicines as prescribed by the doctor. But the pain and swelling are terrible.
āĻšā§°িāĻļ: āĻাā§°, āĻŽāĻ āĻĄাāĻ্āϤ⧰ে āĻĒā§°াāĻŽā§°্āĻļ āĻĻিāϝ়া āĻ āύুāϏ⧰ি āĻāώāϧ āĻাāĻ āĻāĻো। āĻিāύ্āϤু āĻŦিāώ āĻā§°ু āĻĢুāϞাāĻো āĻŦā§° āĻāϝ়াāύāĻ।
Old Man: I know exactly how it feels! Always take bath with hot water. Never miss your medicines. Take regular walks.
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: āĻŽāĻ āϏāĻ িāĻāĻাā§ąে āĻাāύো āĻ āĻেāύেāĻুā§ąা āĻ āύুāĻā§ą āĻšāϝ়! āϏāĻĻাāϝ় āĻā§°āĻŽ āĻĒাāύীā§°ে āĻা āϧুāĻŦ। āĻেāϤিāϝ়াāĻ āĻāώāϧ āĻাāĻŦāϞৈ āύাāĻĒাāĻšā§°িāĻŦ। āύিāϝ়āĻŽীāϝ়াāĻৈ āĻোāĻ āĻাāĻĸ়িāĻŦ।
Harish (eagerly): Sir, what can I do for you to make you feel comfortable?
āĻšā§°িāĻļ (āĻāĻ্ā§°āĻšেā§°ে): āĻাā§°, āĻāĻĒোāύাāĻ āĻā§°াāĻŽ āĻ āύুāĻā§ą āĻā§°াāĻŦāϞৈ āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻĒোāύাā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻি āĻā§°িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ো?
Old man: Can we go out for a little walk?
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: āĻāĻŽি āĻ āϞāĻĒ āĻোāĻ āĻাāĻĸ়িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻŦাāĻšিā§°āϞৈ āϝাāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°োঁāύে?
Harish: Sure! Let me help you get dressed.
āĻšā§°িāĻļ: āύিāĻļ্āĻāϝ়! āĻāĻĒোāύাāĻ āĻাāĻĒোā§° āĻĒিāύ্āϧাāϤ āϏāĻšাāϝ় āĻā§°ি āĻĻিāĻঁ ā§°'āĻŦ।
(Soon Harish and the old man are down walking along the road.)
(āϏোāύāĻাāϞেāĻ āĻšā§°িāĻļ āĻā§°ু āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύ ā§°াāϏ্āϤাā§°ে āĻোāĻ āĻাāĻĸ়িāĻŦāϞৈ āϧ⧰িāϞে।)
Old Man: I am so thankful to you, son. I could take this walk only because of you.
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: āĻŽāĻ āϤোāĻŽাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āĻ āϤিāĻļāϝ় āĻৃāϤāĻ্āĻ, āĻŦোāĻĒা। āĻŽāĻ āĻেā§ąāϞ āϤোāĻŽাā§° āĻŦাāĻŦেāĻ āĻāĻāĻĻā§°ে āĻোāĻ āĻাāĻĸ়িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāϞো।
Harish (happily): I am glad that I could be of some help to you.
āĻšā§°িāĻļ (āĻāύāύ্āĻĻেā§°ে): āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻĒোāύাāĻ āĻিāĻŦা āϏāĻšাāϝ় āĻā§°িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ি āĻāύāύ্āĻĻিāϤ āĻšৈāĻো।
Old Man (as they are nearing a tea-stall): Would you like to have a cup of hot tea with me? It always helps to minimise the pain !
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš (āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āϤেāĻঁāϞোāĻ āĻāĻāύ āĻাāĻšā§° āĻĻোāĻাāύ⧰ āĻāĻā§° āĻĒাāϞে): āϤুāĻŽি āĻŽোā§° āϞāĻāϤ āĻāĻাāĻĒ āĻā§°āĻŽ āĻাāĻš āĻাāĻŦাāύে? āĻ āϏāĻĻাāϝ় āĻŦিāώ āĻāĻŽ āĻā§°াāϤ āϏāĻšাāϝ় āĻā§°ে!
(Harish nods in acceptance. The scene shifts to the tea-stall. The old man looks for his wallet to pay the money.)
(āĻšā§°িāĻļে āϏāύ্āĻŽāϤি āĻāύাāĻ āĻŽূā§° āĻĻুāĻĒিāϝ়াāϞে। āĻĻৃāĻļ্āϝāĻো āĻাāĻšā§° āĻĻোāĻাāύāϞৈ āϏāϞāύি āĻš'āϞ। āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύে āĻĒāĻāĻা āĻĻিāĻŦāϞৈ āύিāĻā§° āĻŽাāύিāĻŦেāĻāĻো āĻŦিāĻাā§°িāϞে।)
Old Man: Oh....I forgot my wallet at home. I am so sorry!
āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻš: āĻ āĻš.... āĻŽāĻ āĻā§°āϤে āĻŽোā§° āĻŽাāύিāĻŦেāĻāĻো āĻĒাāĻšā§°ি āĻāĻšিāϞোঁ। āĻŽোāĻ āĻ্āώāĻŽা āĻā§°িāĻŦা!
Harish (smiling at the old man): I shall pay the money for tea tonight. Next time when we come here, it will be your turn!
āĻšā§°িāĻļ (āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύāϞৈ āĻাāĻ āĻšাঁāĻšি): āĻāĻি ā§°াāϤিā§° āĻাāĻšā§° āĻĒāĻāĻা āĻŽāĻ āĻĻিāĻŽ। āĻĒā§°ā§ąā§°্āϤী āϏāĻŽāϝ়āϤ āϝেāϤিāϝ়া āĻāĻŽি āĻāϝ়াāϞৈ āĻāĻšিāĻŽ, āϤেāϤিāϝ়া āĻāĻĒুāύি āĻĻিāĻŦ!
(The old man smiles at Harish. Harish enjoys the best cup of tea of his life with the old man.)
(āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύে āĻšā§°িāĻļāϞৈ āĻাāĻ āĻšাঁāĻšিāϞে। āĻšā§°িāĻļে āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻāύ⧰ āϏৈāϤে āĻীā§ąāύ⧰ āĻāĻাāĻāϤāĻৈ āĻļ্ā§°েāώ্āĻ āĻাāĻšāĻাāĻĒ āĻāĻĒāĻোāĻ āĻā§°িāϞে।)
Word Meanings & New Words (āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻাāϰ্āĻĨ)
Comprehension Solutions
a) Who is Harish?
Ans: Harish is a thief.
b) What is the old man suffering from?
Ans: The old man is suffering from rheumatism.
c) What does the old man forget at home?
Ans: The old man forgets his wallet at home.
d) Who pays the money for tea that night?
Ans: Harish pays the money for tea that night.
- a) Harish carries a gun with him. → True
- b) The man looks older than his age. → True
- c) The man suffers from tonsillitis. → False
- d) The man lives with his family. → False
Grammar, Usage & Writing Activity
a) Rekha always plays with her brother.
b) Birds fly in the sky.
c) My parents work in the same office.
d) Indira practises Sattriya every day.
e) The sun rises in the east.
f) Gold is bright.
g) Priya often wants to buy new clothes.
h) The earth revolves round the sun.
i) Nitu usually comes to school on foot.
j) My sister eats vegetables regularly.
k) Anita's grandfather visits her home every month.
l) Generally he opens his shop around 8 a.m.
m) My uncle watches a film every Friday.
- a) Grandma speaks Bengali very well.
- b) I eat rice in the morning.
- c) Anita swims fast.
- d) Anish and Nisha play basketball together.
- e) Susmita draws beautiful pictures.
- f) This dog barks at strangers.
- g) They write short stories for magazines.
- h) Amit buys novels every month.
a) Ans: The morning is beautiful.
b) Ans: The girl is lazy on Sundays.
c) Ans: The cook is wonderful.
d) Ans: The room is big.
e) Ans: The scenery outside is amazing.
f) Ans: That umbrella is colourful.
g) Ans: The girl is brave.
h) Ans: The story is long.
i) Ans: Their house is big.
j) Ans: Her personality is pleasant.
Build Up Your Vocabulary (Animals and Their Homes)
A lion lives in a den.
(āĻāĻা āϏিংāĻšāĻ āĻুāĻšাāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A dog lives in a kennel.
(āĻāĻা āĻুāĻুā§°ে āĻুāĻুā§°ā§° āĻāĻĄ়াāϞāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
Honey bees live in a hive.
(āĻŽৌāĻŽাāĻিāĻŦোā§°ে āĻŽৌāĻাāĻāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A snake lives in a hole. (āĻāĻা āϏাāĻĒে āĻাঁāϤāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A cow lives in a shed. (āĻāĻāύী āĻā§°ুā§ąে āĻোāĻšাāϞিāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A horse lives in a stable. (āĻāĻা āĻোঁā§°াāĻ āĻāϏ্āϤাāĻŦāϞāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A spider lives in a cobweb. (āĻāĻা āĻŽāĻā§°াāĻ āĻাāϞāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A bird lives in a nest. (āĻāĻা āĻā§°াāϝ়ে āĻŦাāĻšāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A pig lives in a pigsty. (āĻāĻা āĻাāĻšā§°িāϝ়ে āĻাāĻšā§°িā§° āĻঁā§°াāϞāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A rabbit lives in a burrow. (āĻāĻা āĻļāĻšাāĻĒāĻšুāĻ āĻাঁāϤāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A hen lives in a coop. (āĻāĻāύী āĻুāĻুā§°াāĻ āĻāĻĄ়াāϞāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A sheep lives in a fold. (āĻāĻা āĻেāĻĄ়াāĻ āĻঁā§°াāϞāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
A tiger lives in a lair / den. (āĻāĻা āĻŦাāĻে āĻুāĻšাāϤ āĻŦাāϏ āĻā§°ে।)
FAQs on the Chapter
Q. What is the main message of the story "What Makes Us Humans?"
Ans: The story highlights that compassion, empathy, and the ability to understand another person's pain are the true qualities that make us human, overcoming even bad intentions.
Q. Why did Harish drop his gun?
Ans: Harish dropped his gun out of sympathy when he realized that the old man he came to rob was suffering from severe rheumatism, the same painful disease Harish himself was suffering from.
Q. How did Harish help the old man?
Ans: Instead of robbing him, Harish helped the old man get dressed, took him out for a walk to make him feel better, and paid for his tea when the old man forgot his wallet.
Q. What advice did the old man give to Harish?
Ans: The old man advised Harish to always take baths with hot water, never miss his medicines, and take regular walks to manage the pain of rheumatism.
Q. Where can I find grammar solutions for AJB Class 5 English?
Ans: You can find all the grammar, usage, and writing activity solutions along with Assamese translations right here on PoraGhar Axom!
We hope these notes were helpful. If you have any doubts regarding Lesson 3: What Makes Us Humans ?, please drop a comment below! Visit PoraGhar Axom for more academic notes.
PoraGhar Axom