CBSE Class 8

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

The Best Christmas Present in the World NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1

The Best Christmas Present in the World NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check-I

Question 1.
What did the author find in a junk shop?
Answer:
The author found an old roll-top desk in a junk shop. The shopkeeper claimed that it belonged to the early nineteenth century, and was made of oak. It was in a bad condition, and had scorch marks all down one side.

Question 2.
What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Answer:
He found a small black tin box in the secret drawer. A woman by the name of Mrs Jim Macpherson might have put it in there.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check-II

Question 1.
Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Answer:
A soldier called Jim Macpherson had written the letter to his wife, Connie on December 26, 1914, that is, during the First World War.

Question 2.
Why was the letter written—what was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Answer:
The letter was written to share the soldier’s feelings about a truce that happens in the midst of the war between the British and German soldiers.

Question 3.
What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer:
Hans Wolf was a cellist who used to play the cello in the orchestra and Jim Macpherson was a school teacher from Dorset in the west of England.

Question 4.
Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Answer:
No, Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset. He had learned all he knew of England from school, and from reading books in English.

Question 5.
Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Answer:
No, Jim Macpherson never came back from the war. We know this because his wife had secured the letter in a small tin box with a note sello-taped on top of it, which read: “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915: To be buried with me when the time comes.”

The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check-III

Question 1.
Why did the author go to Bridport?
Answer:
The author went to Bridport to meet Mrs Macpherson, and deliver the letter written by her late husband.

Question 2.
How old was Mrs Macpherson now? Where was she?
Answer:
Mrs Macpherson was a hundred and one years old now. She was living in a nursing home called Burlington House, on the Dorchester road.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Comprehension check-IV

Question 1.
Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer:
Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her dead husband whom she had lost in the war.

Question 2.
Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Answer:
The sentence in the text that shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity is:
I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Working with the text

Question 1.
For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Connie had kept Jim’s letter from January 1915 till the time that her house caught fire. She had secured the letter carefully in a small old tin box inside a roll-top desk. The author buys it at a garage sale. He can see the bum marks on its top. When he visits Bridpost, he discovers that Connie has been shifted to a nursing home because her house had caught fire.

Question 2.
Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when?
Answer:
The desk had been sold because of a fire that had occurred in Connie’s home. It might have been sold shortly after the fire at her house.

Question 3.
Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Answer:
Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts because they are harmless ways of doing so. Playing sports and games will not lead to orphan children or bereaved widows. It will help stop all the killings that happen in a war and destroy families. Yes, I completely agree with them. We need to find a peaceful way of resolving conflicts, and sports can help us do so.

Question 4.
Do you think the soldiers of the two armies are like each other, or different from each other? Find evidence from the story to support your answer.
Answer:
Yes, the soldiers of the two armies are like each other. Most of them are not even soldiers and have enlisted in the army because of the war. They both wanted to celebrate Christmas, and might have felt homesick on the Christmas Eve. All of them sang Christmas carols, although in different languages. All soldiers had families that were waiting for them at home. Moreover, the soldiers on both sides wanted peace. Hans tells Jim so.

Question 5.
Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.
Answer:
Both the British and the German soldiers become friends through their desire to celebrate Christmas peacefully. Soldiers on both sides are fond of reading, playing sports and wish to live peacefully with their families back home. All of them sat together on Christmas Eve smoking, laughing, talking, drinking, eating and singing carols.

Question 6.
What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Answer:
Connie’s Christmas present is her illusion that Jim, her husband, has returned from war at last. She is extremely happy to receive the letter that he had written to her before his death. Connie had deep love for her husband, and seeing him again after all these years and receiving his letter is “the best Christmas present in the world”.

Question 7.
Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
(Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
Yes, I think the title of this story is suitable because Connie had been waiting for Jim for the longest time. She receives his letter on Christmas and thinks that Jim himself has returned from the war. Although this is an illusion, it is the best present that she could have ever received. Another title that could be equally suitable is ‘The Last Letter’.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Working with language

Question 1.
i. Read the passage below and underline the verbs in the past tense. Solved
A man got on the train and sat down. The compartment was empty except for one lady. She took her gloves off. A few hours later the police arrested the man. They held him for 24 hours and then freed him.

ii. Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Solved
My little sister is very naughty. When she came back from school yesterday, she had torn her dress.
We asked her how it had happened. She said she had quarrelled with a boy. She had beaten him in a race and he had tried to push her. She had told the teacher and so he had chased her, and she had fallen down and had torn her dress.

iii. Underline the verbs and arrange them in two columns, Past and Earlier past. Solved
a. My friends set out to see the caves in the next town, but I stayed at home, because I had seen them already.
b. When they arrived at the station, their train had left. They came back home, but by that time I had gone out to see a movie!
c. So they sat outside and ate the lunch I had packed for them.
d. By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!

Question 2.
Find these phrasal verbs in the story.

Write down the sentences in which they occur. Consult a dictionary and write down the meaning that you think matches the meaning of the phrasal verb in the sentence.
Answer:
i. bum out: House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-out shell, the roof gaping, the windows boarded-up.
Meaning: destroyed completely by fire so that only the outer frame remained

ii. light up: That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness.
Meaning: showed happiness or excitement

iii. look on: Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
Meaning: watched something without becoming involved in it yourself

iv. run out: The time came, and all too soon, when the game was finished, the schnapps and the rum and the sausage had long since run out, and we knew it was all over.
Meaning: used up or finished

v. keep out: Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.
Meaning: to prevent

Question 4.
The table below contains a list of nouns and some adjectives. Use as many adjectives as you Can to describe each noun. You might come up with some funny descriptions!
(Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)
Answer:

• wild, enormous, blue elephant; cheerful, enormous, chubby, multicoloured elephant
• cheerful, circular, medium-sized face; round, chubby, large face
• red, medium-sized building; blue, enormous building
• cold water

The Best Christmas Present in the World Speaking

Question 1.
In groups, discuss whether wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries. Then present your arguments to the whole class. (Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
Sample answer: I do not believe that wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries. Wars do not affect the politicians and leaders who start them. It affects the soldiers and the civilians. What we often do not realize is that wars are highly unnecessary, and result in so much destruction and violence. In its wake, it turns children into orphans, and causes the loss of human lives. The loss caused by a war is irreparable. Wars are the most profane way of insulting mankind. We need to bring peace in the world by keeping our negative feelings in check. Peace is the only way forward.

Question 2.
What kind of presents do you like and why? What are the things you keep in mind when you buy presents for others? Discuss with your partner. (For example, you might buy a book because it can be read and re-read over a period of time.) (Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
Sample answer: I like presents that are useful and practical because I cannot wrap my head around presents that are impractical like teddy bears and flowers. When I buy a present for others, I ensure that it has some value for the other person. I keep in mind their likes and dislikes before choosing a present for them. For example, if one of my friends is fond of reading, I would buy a book for him/her. However, if they are fond of going out and shopping, I would take them on a visit to the mall or a fancy restaurant.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Writing

Question 1.
Imagine that you are Jim. You have returned to your town after the war. In your diary record how you feel about the changes you see and the events that occur in your town. (Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
Sample answer
25 December, 1919
Its Christmas today, but the town looks desolate and forsaken. There’s no joy on people’s faces, but rather fear seems to have made a permanent home on their faces. The town itself looks different. Many of the old restaurants and churches have been destroyed by the bombings. The whole town is in mourning. Every house has lost someone. I miss the old town with happy faces.

I wonder whether we will ever be able to get over this feeling of sadness and shock. No doubt, it has brought people together, but it has taken away so much that it is impossible for things to be the same again. I feel sad and depressed all the time. The faces of dead soldiers haunt me every night as I drift into sleep. I wish I could go back in time and change all this. I would not let war hamper our happiness. I would not let this happen. I just wish ………
0R
Suppose you are the visitor. You are in a dilemma. You don’t know whether to disclose your identity and disappoint the old lady or let her believe that her dear Jim has come back. Write a letter to a friend highlighting your anxiety, fears andfeelings. (Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)

Question 2.
Given below is the outline of a story. Construct the story using the outline.
Answer:
Those were the times of India’s freedom struggle. Things were not the same as they are today. In such hard times there was loss of life, separation and heartbreak at every comer. My grandmother used to tell me this one particular story. It is the story of a young couple. There was a young, newly married doctor. He was well-respected in the society. One day, a strange case came to him. A wounded, semi-conscious man was brought to his clinic. He was bleeding all over. The doctor asked the reason for such injuries. It looked like the man had been beaten up very badly.

Upon interrogation, he found that he was one of the servants of the Vice-Chancellor, who was a British. He was beaten him up so badly because he had . held the Vice-Chancellor’s hand accidently to prevent himself from falling down. This was enough to send the Chancellor into a flying rage. He beat the man unconscious. When the doctor heard about this, he decided to participate in the freedom struggle

The doctor joined hands with one of the parties seeking complete independence from the British. It did not fare well with the authorities, and the doctor was soon captured and sent off to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans. The doctor’s wife was distraught. She loved her husband a lot, and could not bear the separation. She wrote him countless letters, but all of them remained unanswered.

One day, there was news that there was a major revolt by the jail inmates because they were being tortured. They were thrashed and made to work for more than twelve hours a day. They were not given proper food and clean water. Soon, another unfortunate news came. The doctor was hanged mercilessly. The wife lost all her sanity after this. She said that her husband would come back. She never believed that he was dead. She turned 92 last month, and is still waiting for her husband to return. This is what hope does. It keeps you going.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English

Quality NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 5

Quality NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Quality Working with the text

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What was the author’s opinion about Mr Gessler as a bootmaker?
Answer:
The author thought that Mr Gessler was an excellent bootmaker. His boots never failed to fit, and were of the best quality.

Question 2.
Why did the author visit the shop so infrequently?
Answer:
The author visited the shop so infrequently because the boots that Mr Gessler made lasted very long, and he did not have to go there again and again.

Question 3.
What was the effect on Mr Gessler of the author’s remark about a certain pair of boots?
Answer:
When the author remarked to Mr Gessler that the last pair of shoes he had bought from him creaked, he got very sad. He enquired if the author had made them wet before he had settled in them, but the author replied in negative. Mr Gessler took it very seriously and seemed hurt. He asked the author to send them back, and offered to repair them. He was even willing to return the author’s money if he failed to repair them.

Question 4.
What was Mr Gessler’s complaint against “bigfirms ”?
Answer:
Mr Gessler believed that the “big firms” had no self-respect, and that they got so many customers because of advertisement, and not due to their hard work. He said that they take away customers from people like him who loved their boots. He complained that he had no work, and that it was growing less and less every year.

Question 5.
Why did the author order so many pairs of boots? Did he really need them?
Answer:
The author ordered so many pairs of boots because he felt guilty of wearing boots manufactured by the “big firms”. He had realized how much struggle Mr Gessler had to do. No, he did not need so many of them. He just felt a whole lot of pity for Mr Gessler and what he was going through.

Quality Working with language

Question 1.
Study the following phrases and their meanings. Use them appropriately to complete the sentences that follow.
Solved

• After a very long spell of heat, the weather is looking up at last.
• We have no right to look down on people who do small jobs.
• Nitin has always looked up to his uncle, who is a self-made man.
• The police are looking into the matter thoroughly.
• If you want to go out, I will look after the children for you.
• I promise to look in on your brother when I visit Lucknow next,
• Look out when you are crossing the main road.

Question 2.
Read the following sets of words loudly and clearly.
(Encourage the students to read the given sets of words loudly and clearly.)

Question 3.
Each of the following words contains the sound ‘sh ’ (as in shine) in the beginning or in the middle or at the end. First speak out all the words clearly. Then arrange the words in three groups in the table on page 80.
Solved

Question 4.
Underline the letters representing ‘eh ’sound in each of the following words.
i. feature
ii. archery
iii. picture
iv. reaching
v. nature
vi. matches
vii. riches
viii. batch
ix. church

Quality Speaking

Question 1.
Do you think Mr Gessler was a failure as a bootmaker or as a competitive businessman?
(Encourage the students to express their opinions clearly.) Sample answer:
Answer:
I think Mr Gessler was not a competitive businessman bejeause he believed in delivering quality boots to his customers. He put his heart and soul into making the boots.He did not do his work because of profit, but for his own satisfaction. He never advertised. In fact, the successor of the shop tells the author that if Mr Gessler had advertised, he could have easily made money. But he dies of starvation in the end. This kind of thing can never happen to a good businessman.

Question 2.
What is the significance of the title? To whom or to what does it refer?
Answer:
The title of the story is ‘Quality’ which means that something is the best that there can be. This is true of Mr Gessler’s boots. He had the best leather and did all the work himself. He treated all his boots like a work of art and no one in London produced boots the way he did.

He was simply the best boot maker in England. In fact, his focus on the quality of the boots made him take fewer orders and spend more time on each pair of boots. This way, he lost a lot of customers, but he never compromised on their quality.

Question 3.
When Mr Gessler speaks, p,t,k, sound like b,d,g. Canyou say these words as Mr Gessler would say them?
Answer:
Id comez and never sdobs. Does id buder me? Not at all. Ask my brudder, please.

Question 4
Speak to five adults in your neighbourhood. Ask them the following questions (in any language they are comfortable in). Then come back and share your findings with the class. (Encourage the students to complete this exercise on their own.)Sample answer
Answer:

Question 5.
Let pairs of students talk to each other about leaving the country. One student repeats Ajit s statement. The other gives a reason for not agreeing with Ajit.
Answer:

• If I leave this country, I’ll miss all the festivals and the freedom that we have here. Besides, all my relatives and friends are here. I never want to leave my country.
• There are some things which you can get only here, for example, traditional Indian clothes and dishes.
• There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly Diwali; Holi; Pongal; Losar; Chhat; Eid; and Christmas.
• Most of all, I’ll miss my best friend because I am so fond of her. I cannot live without talking to her every day.
• I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because my grandparents would never want to leave.
• How can you leave your own country except when there is a war or some other conflict going on?
• Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because there are just so many things I will miss about living in India. I never feel lonely here. I have so many friends.
• Maybe for a couple of years, I could go and experience living in another country.

Quality Writing

Question 1.
Based on the following points, write a story.
Answer:
Last month my aunt decided to visit her parents, and so my uncle had to do everything by himself. My aunt was very happy about it. She had been after him for so many years to get him to help her in doing the household chores. But he never listened to her. But what my aunt did not realize was it was better that way. She had no idea that my .uncle’s absent-mindedness could almost cost them the house.

One day, while cooking vegetables on stove, my uncle did not have the patience to stand there and wait for them to cook. So, he thought it was as good a time as any to clean his bicycle. He went outside and started cleaning his mountain bike using some machine oil and a clean cloth. After some time, the neigbour called him outside to ask if something was burning inside the house. My uncle remembered the vegetables on the stove. He hurried inside, only to find that the vegetables were about to be burnt.

Having no idea what to do next, he put some oil into the pan. He had hardly added the oil when the vegetables caught fire and began to bum, flames rising from the pan and threatening to spread everywhere. He checked the oil to see what was wrong. He had added machine oil to the vegetables. He brought a bucket of water from the bathroom, and poured the entire contents of the bucket on the gas stove. The flames died down, but the kitchen was a complete mess. He ordered the food from outside and did not dare to cook again.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

When I Set Out for Lyonnesse NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem 7

When I Set Out for Lyonnesse NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Working with the poem

Question 1.
i. Something happened at Lyonnesse. It was
a. improbable.
b. impossible.
c. unforeseeable.
Answer:
i. c. unforeseeable.

ii. Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to justify your answer. No prophet durst declare;
Nor did the wisest wizard guess

Question 2.
i. Read the line (stanza 3) that implies the following.

‘Everyone noticed something, and they made
guesses, but didn’t speak a word’.

All marked with mute surmise
My radiance rare and fathomless,

ii. Now read the line that refers to what they noticed,
When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

A Short Monsoon Diary NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8

A Short Monsoon Diary NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

A Short Monsoon Diary Comprehension check I

Question 1.
Why is the author not able to see Bijju?
Answer:
Monsoon mist has descended the hills which has reduced visibility. This is the reason that the author can hear Bijju but is unable to see him.

Question 2.
What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?
Answer:
Mist blankets the hills in silence. Mist is usually associated with the word ‘melancholy’. All birds return to their home and stay silent as soon as the mist comes up. The author experiences a deathly silence throughout the forest. Monsoon rain comes with the coming of monsoon mist. This also marks the arrival of some creatures such as leopard, leeches, scarlet minivets and drongos. Some plants such as cobra lily also begin to bloom.

A Short Monsoon Diary Comprehension check II

Question 1.
When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?
Answer:
The monsoon season begins with the coming of the monsoon mist. This begins to happen around June. The first early monsoon rain makes the weather warm and humid. It also marks the arrival of different creatures such as leopards, leeches, scarlet minivets and drongos. Monsoon season ends by August. They leave the valley filled with lush-green ferns and grass. Snakes and rodents too fill the place.

Question 2.
Which hill-station does the author describe in this diary entry?
Answer:
The hill station described in this diary entry is Mussoorie. The weather during the rainfall of monsoon and winter season is described in the text.

Question 3.
For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?
Answer:
It rained for eight or nine days continually. The author has not been able to see the sun for all these days. The valley is damp and soggy and the author cannot go out of the house.
The author spends his time pacing in the room and looking out of the window. He sees few people carrying umbrellas and some late-monsoon flowers from there.

Question 4.
Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?
Answer:
Due to the heavy rains, the holes of snakes and rodents get flooded. This is why they take shelter in the roofs, attics and godowns of the houses.

Question 5.
What did the author receive in the mail?
Answer:
Author receives a cheque in the mail. The amount is less but the author seems happy about it.

A Short Monsoon Diary Working with the text

Question 1.
Look carefully at the diary entries for June 24—25, August 2 and March 23. Now write down the changes that happen as the rains progress from June to March.
Answer:
The author observes a deathly silence in the forest as soon as the mist falls. The weather becomes warm and humid with the coming of early-monsoon rain. Plants begin to bloom and creatures such as leopards, leeches, scarlet minivet and drongos arrive to the valley. Then, the author says that the valley gets covered with permanent mist and endless rains pours but the weather remains warm. The hillsides are filled with lush-green flowers.

Due to the flooding of the holes and burrows, snakes and rodents take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. With the coming of October, the winter rain comes in. Snow is seen at high altitudes. The tree turns grey as the leaves shed because of the winter rain. Late March witnesses the end of winter. A hailstorm clears the sky and the author sees a rainbow forming in the sky.

Question 2.
Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?
Answer:
The grandmother believed on the superstition that Chuchundars are lucky and bring money. This is why grandmother stops them from killing the Chuchundars.

Question 3.
What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?
Answer:
The seeds of cobra lily start turning red. The author also says that the ferns will soon start to turn yellow. These changes indicate that monsoon is about to end.

Question 4.
Complete the following sentences.
Solved

1. Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because mist has descended the hillside.
2. The writer describes the hill station and valley as a paradise that might have been.
3. The leopard was successful in lifting a dog from near the servant’s quarter, but had to flee when Biiiu’s mother came screaming imprecations.
4. The minivets are easily noticed because they are brightly coloured birds.
5. It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ground orchids, mauve lady’s slipper and white butterfly orchids fill the grassy slopes of Landour.
6. During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because their burrows and holes get flooded with rainwater.

Question 5.
Although tin roofs are given to springing unaccountable leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain.
i. Why has the writer used the word, ‘springing ’?
Answer:
The word ‘springing’ is used because the leaks are unpredictable and can spring at any point during the rain.

ii. How is the writer untouched by the rain?
Answer:
The writer is untouched by the rain because he remains sleeping in his room when it rains.

iii. How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time?
Answer:
The writer remains in touch with the rain because he feels the drumming of the rain on the corrugated tin roof. This helps him to lie awake. The writer feels the sound of the rain.

Question 6.
Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.
Answer:
If it rains endlessly for days, the places might get flooded with water. This can cause destruction as the houses or people might drown in the flood. Dangerous reptiles such as snakes or rodents can also harm people. Moreover, the flood can give rise to many diseases ultimately leading to the death of people.

Question 7.
What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?
Answer:
The blooming of cobra lily marks the beginning of the monsoon season. When the seeds of cobra lily start turning red, it is an indication that monsoon rains are about to end.

A Short Monsoon Diary Working with language

Question 1.
Here are some words that are associated with the monsoon. Add as many words as you can to this list. Can you find words for these in your languages? downpour floods mist cloudy power cuts cold umbrella
Answer:
Words which can be added to the list are: raincoats, drizzle, thunderstorm, drainage, humidity, fog, storms, shower

Question 2.
Now look at the sentences below. Put the verbs in the brackets into their proper forms.
i. The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.
The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.

ii. I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.
I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.

iii. She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.
She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully.

iv. We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games. We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.

v. The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).
The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.

Question 3.
i. Match these words with their correct meanings.
a. to fall in small drops
b. to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly
c. to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound
d. harsh sound made by birds
e. ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.)
a. drip
b. drum
c. swish
d. caw
e. tinkle

ii. Now fill in the blanks using the correct form of the words given above.
Solved
a. Ramesh drummed on his desk in impatience.
b. Rain water dripped from the umbrella all over the carpet.
c. The pony swished its tail.
d. The tinkling of breaking glass, woke me up.
e. The cawing of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.

Question 4.
Complete each sentence below by using appropriate phrase from the ones given below.
Solved

1. I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And sure enough it soon started raining heavily.
2. The blue umbrella was big enough for the brother and sister.
3. The butterflies are colourful enough to get noticed.
4. The lady was brave enough to chase the leopard.
5. The boy was anxious enough to call out to his sister.
6. The man was kind enough to offer help.
7. The victim’s injury was serious enough for him to get admitted in hospital.
8. That person was foolish enough to repeat the same mistake again.
9. He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘fair enough.’

A Short Monsoon Diary Speaking

Do you believe in superstitions? Why, or why not? Working with your partner, write down three superstitious beliefs that you are familiar with.
(Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)

Question 1.
No, I don’t believe in superstitions. Superstitions are false beliefs that have been perpetrated by our elders. They are not supported by any scientific reasons. Some of the superstitions that I have heard of are:

• It is an ill omen if a cat crosses your way. People usually think that something bad is about to happen.
• It is said that someone might die if a dog cries.
• People also say that if your left palm itches then you are about to get some money.

Question 2.
How many different kinds of birds do you come across in the lesson? How many varieties do you see in your neighbourhood? Are there any birds that you used to see earlier in your neighbourhood but not now? In groups discuss why you think this is happening.
Answer:
Some of the birds mentioned in the chapter are scarlet minivets and drongo. I see different kinds of birds in my neighbourhood such as parrots, pigeons, crows,.eagles and white pigeons.
Earlier I used to see sparrows but now they are very rare. This is happening due to change in weather conditions. Global warming is changing the weather constantly. Increase in temperature might be one of the reasons of extinction or reduction in the number of sparrows.

A Short Monsoon Diary Writing

The monsoons are a time of great fun and even a few adventures: playing in the rain and getting wet, wading through knee-deep water on your way to school, water flooding the house or the classroom, powercuts and so on. Write a paragraph describing an incident that occurred during the rains which you can never forget.
(Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)
Or
Write a poem of your own about the season of spring when trees are in full bloom.

A Short Monsoon Diary Spring

Winter’s gone away, and summer’s had a good run,
Spring is near now, and it’s the right amount of sun.
The flowers will all bloom,
And there’s will be no gloom,
Green will be the colour of the season,
Giving us all the more reason,
To be happy and celebrate,
And have fun before it’s too late.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

The Duck and the Kangaroo NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem 6

The Duck and the Kangaroo NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Duck and the Kangaroo Working with the poem

Question 1.
Taking words that come at the end of lines, write five pairs of rhyming words. Read each pair aloud.
Answer:

• hop – stop
• Duck – luck
• back – quack
• rocks – socks
• Lee – sea

Question 2.
Complete the dialogue.
Completed

Duck: Dear Kangaroo! Why don’t you give me a ride on your back?

Kangaroo: With pleasure, my dear Duck, though your feet would be wet and cold, and I would catch rheumatism.

Duck: That won’t be a problem. I will cover my feet with four pair of socks, and wear a cloak from head to toe. I will also smoke a cigar every day to keep warm.

Question 3.
The Kangaroo does not want to catch ‘rheumatism ’. Spot this word in stanza 3 and say why it is spelt differently. Why is it in two parts? Why does the second part begin with a capital letter?
Answer:
The word used by the Kangaroo for rheumatism is Roo-Matiz. It is spelt differently because this is a nonsense poem, and the poet did not want to use such a heavy term in a poem. It is in two parts because the poet wanted to use a word that rhymes with kangaroo. The second part begins with a capital letter because it is at the beginning of the line.

Question 4.
Do you find the poem humorous? Read aloud lines that make you laugh.
Answer:
Yes, the poem is extremely humorous. It is about a kangaroo and duck talking about going on a tour together. It is a nonsense poem, and uses some words that have no meaning. Some of the lines that made me laugh are as follows:

Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz! ’said the Kangaroo.

And I bought four pairs of worsted socks Which fit my web-feet neatly.
And to keep out the cold I’ve bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I ’ll smoke,

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

The Selfish Giant NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 3

The Selfish Giant NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Selfish Giant Comprehension check

Question 1.
Why is the Giant called selfish?
Answer:
The Giant is called selfish because he did not want the children to come to his garden. He wanted it all to himself. He built a huge wall around the garden and put up a notice board outside it, which read: “Trespassers will be prosecuted”. He told the children that only he was allowed in his garden. He prohibited them from entering it.

Question 2.
On one occasion the children said: “How happy we are here! ”
Later they said: “How happy we were there! ”
What are they referring to in both the cases?
Answer:
The children said: “How happy we are here!” when the giant was away on a visit to his friend. So, the children used to come to the garden and play there. But when the giant returned, he forbade the children from entering the garden and built a huge wall around it. So, they had to play on the roads, which were full of dust and hard stone. That is when they began to miss the garden that was full of flowers, birds and trees. This is when they said: “How happy we were there!”

Question 3.
i. When spring came, it was still winter in the garden. What does winter stand for or indicate here?”
Answer:
The winter here stands for a lack of warmth in the giant’s heart for the children. It indicates bitterness, anger and intolerance.

ii. Winter has been presented like a story with its own characters and their activities. Describe the story in your own words.
Answer:
Winter soon took over the Giant’s garden. Snow and Frost decided to lodge there permanently, and asked their friends North Wind and Hail to stay with them. Snow put a white blanket over the green grass and Frost made all trees grey and stiff. North Wind blew and made everything tremble with cold.

Hail pelted little ice stones everywhere in the castle to call everyone to play with her. Hail would try and destroy everything in the castle and the garden. They all knew that Mother Spring had forgotten to return to the garden. So, they were having a good time there, doing as they pleased.

Question 4.
Was the Giant happy or sad over the state of the garden?
Answer:
The Giant was sad over the state of the garden because the spring would not come to his garden, and he wanted to hear the birds sing and flowers bloom in his garden.

Question 5.
What effect did the linnet s song have over Hail and the North Wind?
Answer:
On hearing the linnet’s song, the Hail stopped dancing over the Giant’s head, and the North Wind ceased to roar.

Question 6.
The Giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms. What does this sentence indicate about the once selfish Giant?
Answer:
This sentence indicates that the Giant was no longer selfish. And as a reward, Nature itself shares its bounty with him the way he shared his garden with the children. It showers its gifts with him, and allows his soothing lap for his last breath on earth. As his actions were beautiful, so were the Nature’s gifts to him.

The Selfish Giant Exercise Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The little child’s hands and feet had marks of nails. Who does the child remind you of? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
The child reminds us of Jesus Christ. He was crucified, that is, he was put to death by being nailed to a cross. The little boy who the Giant meets also has wounds of nails on his hands and feet. When the Giant enquires about who had done so, the boy replies that his wounds were the wounds of love. The child wants to take the Giant into his garden, which he says is paradise. Later, the Giant is found dead, as he had been taken into God’s garden of paradise.

Question 2.
Is there something like this garden near where you live? Would you like one (without the Giant perhaps) and why? What would you do to keep it in good shape?
Answer:
There are a lot of parks in the locality where I live. Every park there is full of trees, plants, flowers and birds. It is quite similar to the Giant’s garden in spring. Yes, I would like a garden like the one the Giant has because it seems like a magical garden where the sweetest birds sings, and where the freshest and the most beautiful flowers bloom.

In order to keep the garden in good shape, I would employ many gardeners just for the sole purpose of taking care of it. I would also get some landscaping artists to add a touch of beauty to the garden. I would plant as many trees as I can, and regularly mow the grass so that it does not grow very long. I will water the plants every day, and remove the weeds and dead plants. I will always keep it clean.