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
- There was his assistant on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India.
- 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.
- There he was, tapping at a little switch in his hand trying to find the words on his computer.
- You look at his eyes which can speak, and they are saving something huge and urgent: it is hard to tell what.
- 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.
- I met a traveller from an antique land.
- I need special guidance in mathematics. I can’t count the number of times I have failed in the subject.
- The guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy successor to Issac Newton..
- His other problems paled into insignificance beside this unforeseen mishap.
- The meeting was chaired by the youngest member of the board.
- Some people say ‘yours truly’ when they informally refer to themselves.
- 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.
- He has two brothers. Both are lawyers.
- More than ten persons called. All of them wanted to see you.
- They all cheered the team.
- Both her parents are teachers.
- 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.
- My friend has one of the fastest cars on the road, (fast)
- This is the most interesting story I have ever read, (interesting)
- What you are doing now is easier than what you did yesterday, (easy)
- Ramesh and his wife are both short, (short)
- 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?