CBSE Class 8

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

Children at Work NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 2

Children at Work NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Children at Work Comprehension check

Question 1.
Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train Why?
Answer:
Velu’s legs were wobbly because of walking from his village to Kanur. Also, he was in a daze to see so many people at the station. Everyone was moving past him hurriedly, and he did not feel at ease. He was trying to take it all in, and was also quite tired from his journey. He must also have been very nervous as he was just eleven years old and had run away from his home.

Question 2.
What made him feel miserable?
Answer:
Velu was exhausted and had not eaten much since the past two days. With nowhere to go in a completely new place, he felt miserable. At the same time, the noise around him made him feel even more anxious and unhappy.

Question 3.
i. Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
Answer:
Velu had run away from home, and had no money with him. So, he travelled without a ticket.

ii. How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
Answer:
Velu slept in the unreserved compartment and fortunately, the ticket collector never came to check the tickets there. This is how Velu escaped the ticket collector’s attention.

Question 4.
Why had Velu run away from home?
Answer:
Velu ran away from home to escape from his father who had a habit of beating him up. His father would snatch away all the money Velu and his sisters earned and spend it on drinks. Velu did not like this, and decided to run away.

Question 5.
Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange ’girl?
Answer:
He decided to follow the ‘strange’ girl because he was hungry and the girl had told him that she could arrange for some food for him. Besides, he had no idea what else to do than follow her.

Children at Work Comprehension check

Question 1.
Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?
Answer:
Velu can read Tamil, but not English. We know this because he is able to read the sign ‘Central Jail’ in Tamil, but is not able to read the huge signboards in the city that are in English.

Question 2.
If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there, ” the girl said.
i. What is she referring to?
Answer:
She is referring to the bars of a prison cell in the Central Jail.

ii.  What does she mean when she says “If you are not careful… ”? (She says something a little later which means the same. Find that sentence.)
Answer:
She means that Velu will have to go unnoticed and not attract any attention towards him. Another sentence that has a similar meaning is: “Just don’t get caught, that’s all.”

Question 3.
i. Where did the girl lead Velu to?
Answer:
The girl led Velu in front of a big building where a wedding was taking place.

ii. What did they get to eat?
Answer:
Velu got to eat a vada and a squashy banana, while Jaya ate a banana.

Question 4.
What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.
Answer:
She collected plastic bottles and cups. She was a rag picker.

Children at Work Comprehension check

Question 1.
i. What material are the ‘strange ’ huts made out of?
Answer:
The ‘strange’ huts are made out of all sorts of things—metal sheets, tyres, bricks, wood and plastic. They stood crookedly and looked as if they would fall any moment.

ii. Why does Velu find them strange?
Answer:
Velu found them strange because in his village, the huts were made of mud and palm leaves.

Question 2.
What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?
Answer:
Jaya and children like her collected rubbish such as paper, plastic and glass from the streets. They sold it to a man called Jam Bazaar Jaggu, who sold it to the factories.

Question 3.
Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
Velu was unhappy to find work because he had never done this kind of work. In his village, the only work he had ever done was on the landowner’s farm, weeding and taking cows out to graze.He thought that he hadn’t run away and come to this new place to dig through garbage bins. He stood lost in thought when Jaya poked him with a stick. It was with a sigh that he accepted this job. He then decided that he will do this job till he found a new one.

Children at Work Exercise Questions and Answers

Discuss the following questions in small groups. Write their answers afterwards.

Encourage the students to discuss the given questions in groups.

Question 1.
Is Velu a smart boy? Which instances in the text show that he is or isn’t?
Answer:
Yes, Velu is a smart boy. He takes a stand against his father and runs away from home instead of getting beaten every day. He travels in a train without a ticket and knows that the ticket collector would not check tickets in the unreserved compartment. He travels from his village to a city for two days, and is able to reach safely. He also carries some essentials with him. When he reaches the new place, he manages to befriend Jaya, who not only helps him find food but also a job. Instead of going back to his father, he decides to become a rag picker, and keep doing this till he finds a new job.

Question 2.
Do you think Jaya is brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour? Find instances of her courage, kind nature and humour in the text?
Answer:
Yes, Jaya is a brave and sensitive child. She finds a complete stranger on the platform, and helps him find a steady ground in a new city. She is a typical city child who knows how the world works. She guesses that Velu has run away from home, and helps him find food. She does not give him any false hopes that food will be served on a platter. She makes him walk

for an hour and then leads him to a wedding venue. When Velu asks her if this is where they will get food, she jokingly shakes her thumb under her nose to tell him not to hope for something like that.

She knows the city in and out. She is brave enough to navigate a city that has enough traffic to scare any other child. She shares her experience of living in the city with Velu. She tells him that he needs to be very careful if he does not want to end up counting bars in a prison cell. She is kind enough to help Velu find a job in the city and does everything she can to help him settle down on his own.

Question 3.
What one throws away as waste may be valuable to others. Do you find this sentence meaningful in the context of this story? How?
Answer:
Yes, it is true that what one throws away as waste may be valuable to others. The story is about a child who works as a rag picker. She goes around the city collecting waste such as plastic cups, glass and paper. She makes her living in this way. The story takes us through a day in the life of a rag picker, showing us that the waste we throw away helps sustain many.

For instance, Jaya goes to a wedding venue and looks for food in the dustbin. She finds a banana there and eats it. In our country, there is no proper way to dispose of huge amounts of food waste. Unfortunately, the truth is that many people do not think twice before wasting food, especially during weddings. The same can be used to feed the poor. This is the point that the story is trying to make.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

A Visit to Cambridge NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 7

A Visit to Cambridge NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

A Visit to Cambridge Comprehension check
Which is the right sentence?

Question 1.
“Cambridge was my metaphor for England. ” To the writer,
i. Cambridge was a reputed university in England.
ii. England was famous for Cambridge.
iii. Cambridge was the real England.
Answer:
iii. Cambridge was the real England.

Question 2.
The writer phoned Stephen Hawking s house
i. from the nearest phone booth.
ii. from outside a phone booth.
iii. from inside a phone booth.
Answer:
ii. from outside a phone booth.

Question 3.
Every time he spoke to the scientist, the writer felt guilty because
i. he wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask.
ii. he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesizer.
iii. he was face to face with a legend.
Answer:
ii. he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesizer.

Question 4.
“/felt a huge relief… in the possibilities of my body. ” In the given context, the highlighted words refer to
i. shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.
ii. standing up, walking.
iii. speaking, writing.
Answer:
i. shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.

A Visit to Cambridge Working with the text
Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
i. Did the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous?
If so, why?
Answer:
Yes, the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking made the writer nervous because he is a world-renowned personality

ii. Did he at the same time feel very excited? If so, why?
Answer:
Yes, he was very excited about his meeting as he had got the chance to interview with him for half hour.

Question 2.
Guess the first question put to the scientist by the writer.
Answer:
The writer’s first question would have pertained to Hawking’s disability and his acceptance of it.

Question 3.
Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve had no choice. ” Does the writer think there was a choice? What was it?
Answer:
Yes, the writer thinks there was a choice of living creatively with the reality of his disintegrating body. He believes that Hawking was doing just that.

Question 4.
“I could feel his anguish. ” What could be the anguish?
Answer:
The anguish could be that Stephen’s mind worked so much faster than his voice synthesizer. Even though his mind was full of thoughts, the words were produced from an artificial medium and could never have the same depth as his thoughts.

Question 5.
What endeared the scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world?
Answer:
When the writer asked Hawking if people like him came and disturbed his work, he replied in affirmative with a one-way smile on his face. This made the writer feel that he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world.

Question 6.
Read aloud the description of ‘the beautiful’man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the description?
Answer:
Before you, like a lantern whose walls are worn so thin you glimpse only the light inside, is the incandescence of a man.

Question 7.

i. If ‘the lantern’is the man, what would its ‘walls’be?
Answer:
The ‘walls’ would be the outer body, that is, Hawking’s outer body.

ii. What is housed within the thin walls?
Answer:
His intellect and inner glow is housed within these walls.

iii. What general conclusion does the writer draw from this comparison?
Answer:
The writer believes that even though Hawking’s body had disintegrated, his soul radiated his inner glow. His mind was his real place of residence, and his body was a mere accessory to it.

Question 8.
What is the scientist s message for the disabled?
Answer:
The scientist’s message for the disabled is that they should concentrate on what they are good at and not waste their time on pursuits that seem like a waste of time.

Question 9.
Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident? Which idea does it support?
Answer:
Hawking’s advice that the disabled should concentrate on what they are good at takes the writer back to his guitar incident. It supports Hawking’s idea completely.

Question 10.
The writer expresses his great gratitude to Stephen Hawking. What is the gratitude for?
Answer:
The writer realizes how difficult it was for Hawking to speak through his synthesizer. Despite this, he gives him an interview of half hour and also gives him a tour of his garden. The writer is filled with gratitude towards Stephen for leaving him many inspiring thoughts.

Question 11.
Complete the following sentences taking their appropriate parts from both the boxes below.
Completed

1. There was his assistant on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India.
2. You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, as if you have a courage account on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
3. There he was, tapping at a little switch in his hand trying to find the words on his computer.
4. You look at his eyes which can speak, and they are saving something huge and urgent: it is hard to tell what.
5. It doesn’t do much good to know that there are people smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.

A Visit to Cambridge Working with language

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences below using the appropriate forms of the words given in the following box.

1. I met a traveller from an antique land.
2. I need special guidance in mathematics. I can’t count the number of times I have failed in the subject.
3. The guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy successor to Issac Newton..
4. His other problems paled into insignificance beside this unforeseen mishap.
5. The meeting was chaired by the youngest member of the board.
6. Some people say ‘yours truly’ when they informally refer to themselves.
7. I wish it had been a drawn match. We would have been spared the noise of celebrations, at least.

Question 2.
Now make six such phrases using the words given in the box. read/session smile/face revolve/chair
walk/tour dance/doll win/chance
reading session; smiling face; revolving chair; walking tour; dancing doll; winning chance

Question 3.
Use all or both in the blanks. Tell your partner why you chose one or the other.

1. He has two brothers. Both are lawyers.
2. More than ten persons called. All of them wanted to see you.
3. They all cheered the team.
4. Both her parents are teachers.
5. How much have you got? Give me all of it.

Question 4.
Complete each sentence using the right form of the adjective given in brackets.

1. My friend has one of the fastest cars on the road, (fast)
2. This is the most interesting story I have ever read, (interesting)
3. What you are doing now is easier than what you did yesterday, (easy)
4. Ramesh and his wife are both short, (short)
5. He arrived late as usual. Even the chief guest came earlier than he did. (late, early)

A Visit to Cambridge Speaking and writing

Question 1.
Say the following words with correct stress. Pronounce the parts given in colour loudly and clearly.
Encourage the students to say the given words with the correct stress.

Question 2.
Underline stressed syllables in the following words. Consult the dictionary or ask the teacher if necessary.

Question 3.
Writing a notice for the School Notice Board. Compare your notice with the other notices, and make changes, if necessary, with the help of the teacher.
Answer:

Army Public School
Barakhamba Road, New Delhi

13th July 20XX

NOTICE
Lost History Notebook

This is to inform all my fellow students that I lost my history notebook in the school premises yesterday. The book is wrapped with a brown sheet of paper and there is a name sticker on it. It has my name written on it. I request anyone who finds it to return it to me as soon as possible.
Ashraf Khan
Class VIIIA

Or
Imagine that you are a journalist. You have been asked to interview the president of the village panchayat. Write eight to ten questions you wish to ask. The questions should elicit comments as well as plans regarding water and electricity, cleanliness and school education in the village.

Some questions that I would like to ask the president of the village panchayat are as follows:
1. What are your plans about improving the sanitation of the village?
2. Do we have reasons to expect that the water logging problem during the rains would be improved?
3. What are you doing to improve the state of the government schools in our village?
4. Do you think it is important to hire good educationists for these schools?
5. Why do you think there is no tourism in the village?
6. What are you doing to promote tourism in the village?
7. Do you think it is possible to get electricity to every home in the village?
8. What are you doing to fix the problem of open defecation?

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

This is Jody’s Fawn NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 6

This is Jody’s Fawn NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

This is Jody’s Fawn Comprehension check-I

Question 1.
What had happened to Jody s father?
Answer:
Jody’s father had been bitten by a rattlesnake.

Question 2.
How did the doe save Penny’s life?
Answer:
The doe’s liver was used to take out the poison in Penny’s body. In this way, it was the doe that saves Penny’s life.

Question 3.
Why does Jody want to bring the fawn home?
Answer:
Jody wants to bring the fawn home because he thought that it must have been scared and hungry as it was away from his mother. He felt responsible for the fawn as they had killed its mother.

Question 4.
How does Jody know that the fawn is a male?
Answer:
Jody knows that the fawn is a male because its spots were all in a line.

This is Jody’s Fawn Comprehension check-II

Question 1.
Jody didn’t want Mill-wheel with him for two reasons. What were they?
Answer:
Jody didn’t want Mill-wheel with him because he did not want him to see the disappointment on Jody’s face if the fawn was not there. If it was still there, Jody expected the meeting to be emotionally overwhelming, and so did not want Mill-wheel to see him vulnerable.

Question 2.
Why was Mill-wheel afraid to leave Jody alone?
Answer:
Mill-wheel was afraid to leave Jody alone because Jody wanted to get down at the same spot where Penny had been bitten by a snake.

This is Jody’s Fawn Comprehension check-III

Question 1.
How did Jody bring the fawn back home?
Answer:
Jody hoisted the fawn up in his arms. Then he carried it with him in his arms. He stopped to rest in between and let it follow him for small distances before carrying it again.

Question 2.
Jody was filled with emotion after he found the fawn. Can you find at least three words or phrases which show how he felt?
Answer:
When Jody laid his hand on the fawn’s neck, the touch made him delirious. Its acceptance of Jody made his heart thump. He felt light-headed when the fawn sought him and followed him.

Question 3.
How did the deer drink milk from the gourd?
Answer:
Jody poured milk into a small gourd and held it out to the fawn. It butted it suddenly, smelling the milk. He saved it precariously from spilling over the floor. It could make nothing of the milk in the gourd. He dipped his fingers in the milk and thrust them into the fawn’s soft wet mouth.

It sucked greedily. When he withdrew them, it bleated frantically and butted him. He dipped his fingers again and as the fawn sucked, he lowered them slowly, into the milk. The fawn blew and sucked and snorted the milk.

Question 4.
Why didn’t the fawn follow Jody up the steps as he had thought it would?
Answer:
The fawn did not follow Jody up the steps as he had thought it would because he did not know what to do. He was accustomed to a life in the forest, and had never encountered something like that.

This is Jody’s Fawn Working with the text

Question 1.
Why did Penny Baxter allow Jody to go find the fawn and raise it?
Answer:
Penny Baxter allowed Jody to go find the fawn and raise it because he knew that its mother had saved his life. He thought that it was his responsibility to do something for the fawn now that it did not have a mother. He did not want to be ungrateful to leave it to starve alone.

Question 2.
What did Doc Wilson mean when he said, “Nothing in the world ever comes quite free ”?
Answer:
Doctor Wilson meant that since the Baxter family had taken away the fawn’s mother’s life, they ought to help the fawn. They needed to take care of and save it from starvation.

Question 3.
How did Jody look after the fawn, after he accepted the responsibility for doing this?
Answer:
Jody acted like a parent to the fawn. He looked after the fawn, and gave him milk in a gourd. When it did not drink the milk in this way, Jody dipped his fingers in milk and gave it to the fawn. It is hinted in the chapter that Jody offers to forgo his share of milk to make her mother agree to have the fawn in their house.

Question 4.
How does Jody s mother react when she hears that he is going to bring the fawn home? Why does she react in this way?
Answer:
Jody’s mother does not want to keep the fawn at her home. She is reluctant to the idea. She reacts in this way because she had no idea how they were going to feed it, as there wouldn’t be enough milk for it at her home.

This is Jody’s Fawn Working with language

Question 1.
Here are some questions in direct speech. Put them into reported speech.

i. Penny said, “Do you really want it son? ”
Answer:
Penny asked his son if he really wanted it.

ii. Mill-wheel said, “Will he ride back with me? ”
Answer:
Mill-wheel asked if he would ride back with him.

iii. He said to Mill-wheel, “Do you think the fawn is still there? ”
Answer:
He asked Mill-wheel if he thought that the fawn was still there.

iv. He asked Mill-wheel, “Will you help me find him?”
Answer:
He asked Mill-wheel if he would help Mil-wheel find him.

v. He said, “Was it up here that Pa got bitten by the snake?”
Answer:
He asked if it was up there that Pa got bitten by the snake.

Question 2.
Say whether the verb in each sentence below transitive or intransitive.

i. Jody then went to the kitchen.
intransitive

ii. The fawn wobbled after him.
intransitive

iii. You found him.
intransitive

iv. He picked it up.
transitive

v. He dipped his fingers in the milk.
transitive

vi. It bleated frantically and butted him.
intransitive

vii. The fawn sucked his fingers.
transitive

viii. He lowered his fingers slowly into the milk.
transitive

ix. It stamped its small hoofs impatiently.
transitive

x. He held his fingers below the level of the milk.
transitive

xi. The fawn followed him.
transitive

xii. He walked all day.
intransitive

xiii. He stroked its sides.
transitive

xiv. The fawn lifted its nose.
transitive

xv. Its legs hung limply.
intransitive

Question 3.
Here are some words from the lesson. Working in groups, arrange them in the order in which they would appear in the dictionary. Write down some idioms and phrasal verbs connected to these words. Use the dictionary for more idioms and phrasal verbs.
Answer:
The words should be arranged as follows:
clearing
close
draw light
make
parted
pick
scrawny
sweet
wonder

Some idioms and phrases that we can make from these words are:

at/in close quarters; close by; close to; close up; close to the bone; too close for comfort; draw someone’s fire; draw stumps; quick on the draw; draw back; draw something down; bring to light; in the light of; light at the end of tunnel; the light of one’s life; see the light of day; pick someone’s brain; pick something clean; pick and choose; pick on; be like a kid in a sweet shop; in one’s own sweet way

This is Jody’s Fawn Speaking
(Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.)

Question 1.
Do you think it is right to kill an animal to save a human life? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
No, I do not think that it is right to kill an animal to save a human life. This is so because animals are also living beings and they also have as much right to live on the planet as every other human being. Would we kill one human being to save an animal, or another human being? If not so, we should not do the same towards animals. If we cannot give life, we have no right to take it away as well.

Question 2.
Imagine you wake up one morning and find a tiny animal on your doorstep. You want to keep it as a pet but your parents are not too happy about it. How would you persuade them to let you keep it? Discuss it in groups and present your arguments to the class.
Answer:
I would persuade my parents by telling them that I would take care of the pet, and that they would not have to do anything. I would tell them how much it means to me to have a constant companion, and not having to feel lonely.

I would also focus on how growing up with animals makes one sympathetic and kind. I am sure they will agree with me when I tell them that animals are more loving and affectionate.

This is Jody’s Fawn Writing

Question 1.
Imagine you have a new pet that keeps you busy. Write a paragraph describing your pet, the things it does, and the way it makes you feel.
Answer:
I have a pet dog, and we call him Lucky. He is the most energetic and playful dog I have ever come across. He is more like a son to me than a dog. He is a black Labrador, and has a very soft coat. He has hazel eyes and has long ears, probably because his mother was a cocker spaniel.

We take him for a walk two times every day, once in the morning and once in the evening. He has to be taken on a leash, and this pains me. So, I let him on a loose leash in the morning when there’s hardly anyone on the roads.

Coming home to him is the best part of my day. He jumps and leaps on me when I reach home, as if he is seeing me after months. He greets me by wagging his tail so vigorously. He is a great companion, but is not at all obedient. He dirties the bed almost every other day. In reality, I like sleeping next to my warm, fuzzy friend.

Question 2.
Human life is dependent on nature (that’s why we call her Mother Nature). We take everything from nature to live our lives. Do we give back anything to nature?
i. Write down some examples of the natural resources that we use.
ii. Write a paragraph expressing your point of view regarding our relationship with nature.
Answer:
i. We use water from the rivers, ponds and lakes. We harness the energy provided by the air and sun and use it to get wind and solar energy respectively.

ii. Our relationship with nature is the most important part of our lives. Being in nature helps us feel at ease with ourselves. It is to nature that we turn when we want to find peace. A connect with nature calms our mind and helps us function better in life.

Nature offers us many gifts. This is why we often call it the Mother Nature. It sustains us, and provides us resources like shelter, air, sun, water and fossil fuels. We need nature to survive and thrive. But at the same time, nature is fragile. We should not harm it by our inconsiderate actions.

Question 3.
In This is Jody’s Fawn, Jody s father uses a ‘home remedy ’for a snake bite. What should a person now do if he or she is bitten by a snake? Are all snakes poisonous? With the help of your teacher and others, find out answers to such questions. Then write a short paragraph on — what to do if a snake chooses to bite you.
Answer:
If a person is bitten by a snake, they must be immediately taken to the hospital. No, not all snakes are poisonous. Most of them are harmless.

If a snake bites a person, the most important thing to do is not to panic. The victim should not be moved and should be immobilized. His/Her heart rate should not be allowed to rise as it would make the venom spread faster in the body. The affected area should be bandaged firmly with a sprint.

The patient should be kept warm. He or she should not be given any food to eat, or anything else to drink. The bite area should be gently cleaned with antiseptic. The only remedy for venomous snakebite is the anti-venom serum, which is available at most government hospitals and public health centres.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English

The School Boy NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem 5

The School Boy NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The School Boy Working with the poem

Question 1.
Find three or four words/phrases in stanza 1 that reflect the child’s happiness and joy.
Answer:
The words/phrases in stanza 1 that reflect the child’s happiness and joy are ‘love to rise in a summer mom’, ‘the skylark sings with me’ and ‘O! what sweet company’.

Question 2.
In stanza 2, the mood changes. Which words/phrases reflect the changed mood?
Answer:
The words/phrases that reflect the changed mood are ‘O! it drives all joy away’, ‘Under a cruel eye outworn,’ and ‘The little ones spend the day, In sighing and dismay’.

Question 3.
A cruel eye outworn ’ (stanza 2) refers to
i. the classroom which is shabby/noisy.
ii. the lessons which are difficult/uninteresting.
iii. the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
Mark the answer that you consider right.
iii. the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.

Question 4.
‘Nor sit in learning’s bower
worn thro ’with the dreary shower ’
Which of the following is a close paraphrase of the lines above?
i. Nor can I sit in a roofless classroom when it is raining.
ii. Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.
iii. Nor can I sit in the school garden for fear of getting wet in the rain.
Answer:
ii. Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.

Read the following poem and compare it with The School Boy.

The One Furrow
When I was young, I went to school
With pencil and footrule
Sponge and slate,
And sat on a tall stool
At learning’s gate.
When I was older, the gate swung wide;
Clever and keen-eyed
In I pressed,
But found in the mind’s pride
No peace, no rest.
Then who was it taught me back to go
To cattle and barrow,
Field and plough:
To keep to the one furrow,
As I do now?

The poem The School Boy is about a school boy who does not like to go to school. He wants to enjoy the summer morning listening to the sweet birds. He finds school dull and uninteresting. He feels like a bird in a cage, listening to the boring school lessons. He thinks that he is not getting a chance to blossom, and is being nipped in the bud because of all the sorrow he gets by going to school.

On the other hand, the poem ‘The One Furrow’ is about a small boy who seems to like attending school. He would carry his ruler, pencil and slate under his arm and make way for school readily.

But as he grew up, he was unable to find the same peace of mind at school that he used to. This is why he went back to farming and to nature. It is in his farm that he found peace and rest.