THE SECRET OF SUCCESS
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Why did the king call his
ministers, courtiers, and wise men?
A. To discuss political matters
B. To find the secret of success
C. To plan a war
D. To organize a festival
2. How did the king approach the wise
old saint in the jungle?
A. He sent his ministers to talk to the saint
B. He dressed as a poor man and went alone
C. He sent gifts to the saint to gain his favor
D. He avoided meeting the saint
3. What did the king do when the
bearded man approached them with a dagger?
A. He fought back and defeated the bearded man
B. He fled from the scene to save himself
C. He helped the bearded man and took
care of his injuries
D. He called for his soldiers to arrest the beard man
4. According to the saint, what was
the most important time for the king?
A. When he was crowned as king
B. When he met the saint
C. When he helped the wounded bearded
man
D. When he called his ministers and courtiers
5. What is the moral lesson of the
story?
A. Always trust wise men
B. The most important time,
work, and person are those in the present moment
C. Never trust strangers with beards
D. The past is more important than the
present
6. Why did the king disguise himself
as a poor man?
A. To escape from his kingdom
B. To meet the wise old saint in the
jungle
C. To test his ministers' loyalty
D. To find a hidden treasure
7. What did the courtiers and
ministers discuss when the king asked them the questions?
A. Sports and entertainment
B. Political matters and governance
C. The secret of success
D. Their personal problems
8. How did the king initially plan to
approach the wise old saint?
A. With a grand procession
B. Disguised as a beggar
C. Sending his most trusted minister
D. Sending a messenger
9. What happened to the bearded man
after the king and the saint helped him?
A. He ran away without thanking them
B. He joined the king's army
C. He became a faithful servant of
the king
D. He plotted revenge against the king
10. What did the saint use to point
out the answers to the king's questions?
A. His walking stick
B. His finger
C. A wooden staff
D. A stone from the ground
11. Why did the wise old saint live
in seclusion in the jungle?
A. He disliked people
B. He was banished from the kingdom
C. He wanted to avoid the rich and wealthy
D. He was a hermit by choice
12. What did the king offer as a
reward for anyone who could answer his questions?
A. 1000 gold coins
B. 5000 gold coins
C. A piece of land
D. A position in his court
13. How did the king respond when the
bearded man revealed his true identity?
A. He banished him from the kingdom
B. He embraced him as a friend
C. He arrested him for attempted murder
D. He forgave him and offered him a job
14. Why did the saint ask the king to
dig the ground?
A. To test his physical strength
B. To find hidden treasure
C. To teach him patience and humility
D. To distract him from his questions
15. What did the king learn about
success from his encounter with the saint and the bearded man?
A. Success depends on luck
B. Success comes to those who are wealthy
C. The most important time, work, and
person are those in the present moment
D. Success is achieved through power and authority
Complete the sentences:
a. The king wanted to find the answers to the three
questions because
he believed they held the secret to success and would help him never fail.
b. Wise and learned men were unable to give the
answers because
they disagreed with each other and argued, offering many different but
unsatisfactory answers.
c. He dressed himself in rags to meet the saint
because
the saint only met with the poor and needy, not with the rich or wealthy.
d. The king told his servants not to go with him
because
he wanted to appear poor and avoid being recognized as the king.
e. The king realized the saint tired easily because
he was old, breathing hard, and kept stopping to rest while digging the
ground.
f. Although the saint did not answer his questions,
the king waited because
he remained hopeful and believed the saint would eventually help him.
g. The bearded man was running towards the king
because
he wanted to kill the king to take revenge for his brother’s death.
h. The bearded man fainted when he reached the king
because
he was seriously wounded by the king’s servants while trying to attack the
king.
i. The king agreed to stay the night in the saint’s
hut because
it was dark, he was too tired to return home, and the saint invited him to
stay.
j. The bearded man became the king’s loyal servant
because
the king saved his life by treating his wounds, even though the man had
planned to kill him.
Questions Answers.
1. Remembering (Knowledge Recall)
• Who did the king approach first for the answers to
his three questions?
The king first approached his ministers and asked them to answer his three
important questions.
• What reward did the king offer for the correct
answers?
The king offered a reward of 5000 gold coins to anyone who could correctly
answer his three questions.
• Where did the wise saint live?
The wise saint lived alone in a hut located in a jungle, far from the capital.
2. Understanding (Comprehension)
• Why did the king dress in rags before visiting the
saint?
The king dressed in rags to appear poor because the saint only met with poor
and needy people, not the rich or royal.
• Why did none of the ministers, courtiers, or wise
men satisfy the king with their answers?
Their answers were different, vague, and often conflicting; none gave a
practical or meaningful solution that convinced the king.
3. Applying
• If you were in the king’s place, how would you try
to meet the saint?
If I were the king, I would also disguise myself as a common person and humbly
approach the saint to show sincerity and respect.
• Think of a moment in your life when helping someone
unexpectedly helped you. Write a short paragraph about it.
Once, I helped a stranger fix his flat tire on a rainy day. Weeks later, I
found out he was the manager of a company where I had applied. He remembered me
and offered me a job. That small act of kindness brought me unexpected success.
4. Analyzing
• Explain in your own words what the saint meant by
saying that the answers had already been given.
The saint meant that the king had unknowingly found the answers through his
actions—helping the saint and saving the bearded man showed him the value of
time, action, and the people around him.
• How did the king's actions show the importance of
patience and humility?
The king served the saint without complaint, dressed simply, and helped with
digging and caring for a stranger. These acts reflected his humility and
patience in his search for wisdom.
• Compare the bearded man’s feelings before and after
the king helped him. What changed and why?
Before, the bearded man was full of hatred and wanted to kill the king for
revenge. After being saved and cared for by the king, he felt grateful and
loyal because the king showed him kindness instead of punishment.
5. Evaluating
• Do you agree with the saint’s answers? Why or why
not?
Yes, I agree with the saint's answers because they emphasize living in the
present, doing meaningful work now, and valuing the people around us. These
truths lead to lasting success and peace.
• Was the king’s decision to go alone and in disguise
wise? Justify your opinion.
Yes, it was a wise decision because it allowed him to meet the saint without
judgment and helped him receive the wisdom through genuine experiences rather
than formal discussions.
6. Creating
• Write a dialogue between the king and the saint
after the king realizes the answers to his questions.
King: “Now I understand. The moment we act is the most important time.”
Saint: “Yes, and the most important work is helping those in need.”
King: “And the most important person is the one with us now.”
Saint: “Exactly, live each moment with purpose, and you’ll never fail.”
• Create a modern version of this story, set in
today’s world, where a person is searching for the secret of success. What
situations would replace the ones in the original story?
In a modern version, a CEO struggles to find the key to running a meaningful
company. Instead of reading leadership books, she volunteers at a shelter,
helps a wounded protester, and learns from a retired teacher. Through her
service, she realizes the present moment, genuine work, and people are the true
keys to success.
