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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 2 The Tsunami

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024 by Kishen

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 2 The Tsunami are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 2 The Tsunami.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 2 The Tsunami

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow choosing the correct options from, among the given ones :

I. In the chaos and confusion, two of his children caught hold of the hands of their mother’s father and mother’s brother, and rushed in the opposite direction. He never saw them again. His wife was also swept away. Only the three other children who came with him were saved. – (Page 25)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. These lines have been taken from the lesson named
(a) Tsunami
(b) The best Christmas present in the world
(c) The Summit Within
(d) This is Jody’s Fawn.

2. Whose children were they
(a) Javed’s
(b) Ignesious
(c) Sanjeev’s
(d) Almas’s.

3. They ran in the opposite direction because of
(a) chaos
(b) Tsunami
(c) confusion
(d) his parents.

Answers
1. (a) Tsunami
2. (b) Ignesious’
3. (c) confusion

II. Almas Javed was ten years old. She was a student of Carmel Convent in Port Blair where her father had a petrol pump. Her mother Rahila’s home was in Nancowry island. The family had gone there to celebrate Christmas. (Page 26)

Questions
1. Who was Almas Javed ?
2. What was his father ?
3. Where had Javed’s family gone and why ?

Answers
1. Almas Javed was a ten year old student of Carmel Convent in Port Blair.
2. Javed’s father owned a petrol pump.
3. Javed’s family had gone to Andaman and Nicobar to celebrate Christmas.

III. “The water was swelling and kept coming in,” Penny Smith remembered. “The beach was getting smaller and smaller. I didn’t know what was happening.” (Page 27)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The water referred to in the above lines is
(a) the boiling water in a pot
(b) the water of a river
(c) the sea water
(d) none of the above.

2. Penny Smith was
(a) an iron-smith
(b) Tilly’s mother
(c) a teacher
(d) an American woman.

3. Penny is describing a scene from
(a) India
(b) England
(c) America
(d) Thailand.

Answers
1. (c) the sea water
2. (b) Tilly’s mother
3. (d) Thailand.

IV. The family took refuge in the third floor of the hotel. The building withstood the surge of three tsunami waves. If they had stayed on the beach, they would not have been alive. (Page 28)

Questions
1. Which family is being talked of here ?
2. What was threatening their lives ?
3. Where were they before coming to this building ?

Answers
1. It was a family of Smiths.
2. Tsunami was threatening their lives.
3. They were at the sea-beach.

V. Many people believe that animals possess a sixth sense and know when the earth is going to shake. Some experts believe that animals’ more acute hearing helps them to hear or feel the earth’s vibration. They can sense an approaching disaster long before humans realise what’s going on. (Page 29)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. How many senses do the humans have ?
(a) seven
(b) eight
(c) four
(d) five.

2. Animals’ sense of hearing—as compared to human beings—is
(a) better
(b) worse
(c) same
(d) negligible.

3. The word ‘acute’ in the passage means
(a)sharp
(b) small
(c) good
(d) bad.

Answers
1. (d) five
2. (a) better
3. (a) sharp

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

BEFORE YOU READ (Page 24)
Look at the map of the Andaman and Nicobar islands given here.

Now read the sentences below. Rewrite the incorrect ones after correcting the mistakes.
1. Katchall is an island
2. It is part of the Andaman group of islands.
3. Nancowry is an island in the Nicobar group.
4. Katchall and Nancowry are more than a hundred miles apart. (Hint: the scale of the map is given.)
5. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are to the west of India.
6. The Nicobar islands are to the north of the Andaman Islands.

Answers
1. It is correct statement.
2. It is part of Nicobar group of islands.
3. It is correct statement.
4. Katchall and Nancowry are less than a hundred miles apart.
5. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are to the east of India.
6. The Nicobar Islands are to the south of the Andaman Islands.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 27)
Say whether the following are True or False.
1. Ignesious lost his wife, two children, his father-in-law, and his brother-in-law in the tsunami.
2. Sanjeev made it to safety after the tsunami.
3. Meghna was saved by a relief helicopter.
4. Almas’s father realised that a tsunami was going to hit the island.
5. Her mother and aunts were washed away with the tree that they were holding on to.

Answers
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. True

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Pages 28-29)
Answer the following in a phrase or sentence.
1. Why did Tilly’s family come to Thailand ?
2. What were the warning signs that both Tilly and her mother saw ?
3. Do you think Tilly’s mother was alarmed by them ?
4. Where had Tilly seen the sea behaving in the same strange fashion ?
5. Where did the Smith family and the others on the beach go to escape from the tsunami ?
6. How do you think her geography teacher felt when he heard about what Tilly had done in Phuket ?

Answers
1. Tilly’s family came to Thailand to celebrate Christmas.
2. Both of them saw the sea rise and start to foam, bubble and form whirlpools.
3. No, Tilly’s mother was not alarmed by them.
4. In the video which her geography teacher had shown to the class.
5. They went to the third floor of the hotel to escape from the tsunami.
6. The geography teacher must have felt very pleased and satisfied.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 30)
Answer using a phrase or a sentence.
1. In the tsunami 1,50,000 people died. How many animals died ?
2. How many people and animals died in Yala National Park ?
3. What do people say about the elephants of Yala National Park ?
4. What did the dogs in Galle do ?

Answers
1. Only a few.
2. 60 people and two animals.
3. They say that they saw them running from the beach. The elephants had sensed it an hour before the tsunami hit the coast.
4. They refused to go to the beach for their daily runs.

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 30)
Discuss the following questions in class. Then write your own answers.

Question. 1.
When he felt the earthquake, do you think Ignesious immediately worried about a tsunami ? Give reasons for your answer. Which sentence in the text tells you that the Ignesious family did not have any time to discuss and plan their course of action after the tsunami struck ?

Answer:
No. When he felt the earthquake, Ignesious did not think about the tsunami. He thought only of the tremors. That was why he took his television off the table and put it on the ground. Ignesious family did not have any time to discuss and plan their course of action. That was why, there was only chaos and confusion. The following sentence tells it clearly.

“In the chaos and confusion, two of his children caught hold of the hands of their mother’s father and mother’s brother and rushed in the opposite directions.” (Page 14)

Question. 2.
Which words in the list below describe Sanjeev, in your opinion ?
(Look up the dictionary for words that you are not sure of.)

Use words from the list to complete the three sentences below.
(i) I don’t know if Sanjeev was cheerful,___or___
(ii) I think that he was very brave,__and___.
(iii) Sanjeev was not heartless,___or___.

Answer:
The words ‘brave’, ‘heroic’ and ‘selfless’ describe Sanjeev, as I feel.
(i) ambitious or brash
(ii) heroic and selfless
(iii) careless or humorous

Question. 3.
How are Meghna and Almas’s stories similar ?

Answer:
Meghna and Almas were both lucky survivors. Meghna was swept away with her parents and seventy seven other people. All but Meghna died. She floated on a wooden door for two days. Relief helicopters did not see her but a wave brought her back to the shore.

Similarly, all the members of the family of Almas Javed were swept away by the tsunami. She climbed a log of wood. She fainted but remained on it for a long time. She was ultimately saved.

Question. 4.
What are the different ways in which Tilly’s parents could have reacted to her behaviour ? What would you have done if you were in their place ?

Answer:
Instead of heeding to Tilly as they did, Tilly’s parents could have ignored her. Alternatively they could have scolded her and asked her to behave. In either case, they would have all died.

There is no doubt that they made the best move. In their place, I am afraid, I might not have been so wise. I might have asked her not to be panicky or make a scene.

Question. 5.
If Tilly’s award was to be shared, who do you think she should share it with—her parents or her geography teacher ?

Answer:
Tilly’s award should be shared with her geography teacher. It was because of him that Tilly could see the coming tsunami before anyone else.

Question. 6.
What are the two different ideas about why so few animals were killed in the tsunami ? Which idea do you find more believable ?

Answer:
The first idea is that the animals have a sixth sense. They know when the earth is going to shake. The second idea is that the animals have a more acute sense of hearing. This helps them to hear or feel the earth’s vibration. In this way they sense the coming disaster much before the human beings. So they run away to safer places.

To me the first idea seems more believable. It is so because many animals get an idea of the coming rains. Now rain has nothing to do with the sense of hearing. So it is more sensible to think that nature has provided them some sixth sense. This helps them get over the crises.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 31)

Question 1.
Go through Part-I carefully, and make a list of as many words as you can find that indicate movement of different kinds. (There is one word that occurs repeatedly—count how many times !) Put them into three categories.

fast movement
slow movement
neither slow nor fast

Can you explain why there are many words in one column and not in the others ?

Answer

There are more words in column no. 1. The reason is the description of tsunami. Tsunami swept away everything very fast. The other word is ‘rushed’. The people who wanted to escape tsunami had to move very fast. So their movement is described by the word ‘rush’.

Question 2.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences below (the verbs given in brackets will give you a clue).
(i) The earth trembled, but not many people felt the___. (tremble)
(ii) When the zoo was flooded, there was a lot of___and many animals escaped into the countryside, (confuse)
(iii) We heard with__that the lion had been recaptured, (relieve)
(iv) The zookeeper was stuck in a tree and his___was filmed by the TV crew, (rescue)
( v ) There was much__in the village when the snake charmer came visiting, (excite)

Answer
(i) tremors
(ii) confusion
(iii) relief
(iv) rescue
(v) excitement

3. Study the sentences in the columns A and B.

Compare the sentences in A to the ones in B. Who is the ‘doer’ of the action in every case ? Is the ‘doer’ mentioned in A, or in B ?

Notice the verbs in A : ‘was swept away’, ‘was hit’, ‘were washed away’, ‘were found’. They are in the passive form. The sentences are in the Passive Voice. In these sentences, the focus is not on the person who does the action. ,

In B, the ‘doer’ of the action is named. The verbs are in the active form. The sentences are in the Active Voice.

Say whether the following sentences are in the Active or the Passive voice. Write A or P after each sentence as shown in the first sentence.
(i) Someone stole my bicycle. A
(ii) The tyres were deflated by the traffic police. ___
(iii) I found it last night in a ditch near my house.___
(iv) It had been thrown there.___
(v) My father gave it to the mechanic.___
(vi) The mechanic repaired it for me.___

Answers
(ii) Passive Voice P
(iii) Active Voice A
(iv) Passive Voice P
(v) Active Voice A
(vi) Active Voice A

SPEAKING AND WRITING (Page 32)

Question 1.
Suppose you are one of the volunteers who went to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for relief work after the Tsunami. You work in the relief camps, distributing food, water and medicine among the victims. You listen to the various stories of bravery of ordinary people even as they fight against odds to bring about some semblance of normalcy in their lives. You admire their grit and determination. Write a diary entry.
You may start in this way.
31 December, 2016
The killer Tsunami struck these islands five days ago. But the victims are being brought in even now. Each one has a story to tell…

Answer
… All of them rouse our pity. But a few inspire me too. There is an old woman of about 65. She has survived along with her 8 year-old granddaughter. The people in the camp suggest that the granddaughter be sent to an orphanage. The old lady refuses to listen. She says that she will not let her daughter go away from her. In fact she wants no charity. She is willing to do some useful work to help her granddaughter.

Question 2.
The story shows how a little girl saved the lives of many tourists when a tsunami struck the beach, thanks to the geography lesson that she had learnt at school. She remembered the visuals of a tsunami and warned her parents.

Do you remember any incident when something that you learnt in the classroom helped you in some way outside the classroom ?

Write your experiences in a paragraph of about 90-100 words or narrate it to the whole class like an anecdote.

Answer
The other day I was walking back from school. Suddenly my eyes fell on a cyclist. He seemed to be losing balance. Before I could think of helping him, he had somehow got down the cycle. However, he just left the cycle and lay on the side of the road. He was perspiring and breathing with difficulty. Soon a crowd gathered. I immediately remembered the lesson my biology teacher had taught me. I requested the people to stay away and sent one of them to call a doctor. In the meantime I fanned him to help him get a lot of fresh air. Then very tenderly, I massaged his heart. That was what my teacher had advised me to do. The man felt relief and was breathing easily when the doctor arrived.

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The Boy Who Drew Cats Summary

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English:

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

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024 by Kishen

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World.

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

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow choosing the correct options from among the given ones :

I. It was going for very little money. I thought I could restore it. It would be a risk a challenge, but I had to have it. (Page 9)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The speaker of these lines is
(a) the narrator
(b) the author
(c) Jim
(d) Connie.

2. The ‘it’ in the first sentence refers to
(a) a country
(6) a chair
(c) a desk
(d) a letter.

3. The temptation to buy it was
(a) a risk
(b) a challenge
(c) the quality
(d) the cheap price.

Answers
1. (a) the narrator
2. (c) a desk
3. (d) the cheap price.

II. There was something in there. I reached in and took out a small black tin box. Sello- taped to the top of it was a piece of lined notepaper, and written on it in a shaky handwriting : “Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. (Page 10)

Questions
1. What does the word ‘something’ refer to ?
2. What was the sello taped thing ?
3. Where was the letter found ?
4. Whom was the letter addressed to ?

Answers
1. ‘Something’ refers to the tin box.
2. The sello taped thing was the piece of a newspaper.
3. The letter was found in the tin box. ,
4. The letter was addressed to Jim’s wife.

III. When we had got over the surprise, some of us shouted back. “Same to you, Fritz ! Same to you !” I thought that would be that. We all did. But then one of them was up there in his grey greatcoat and waving a white flag. (Page 11)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. ‘We’ in the first line refers to
(a) French soldiers
(b) the British soldiers
(c) Jim and Connie
(d) the narrator and his friend.

2. ‘Same to you’ here means
(a) Happy Christmas
(b) good feelings
(c) we are same
(d) we are fine.

3. ‘I thought that would be that’. It means that I thought that
(a) it was all
(b) it was a mistake
(c) it was a joy
(d) it was dangerous.

4. The phrase ‘got over’ means
(a) passed
(b) overcame
(c) excited
(d) got out.

Answers
1. (b) the British soldiers
2. (a) Happy Christmas
3. (a) it was all
4. (b) overcame

IV. “Ah, Dorset,” he smiled. “I know this place. I know it very well.” We shared my rum ration and his excellent sausage. And we talked, Connie, how we talked. He spoke almost perfect English. But it turned out that he had never set foot in Dorset, never even been to England. (Page 12)

Questions
1. Who was it that smiled ?
2. How did he know Dorset ?
3. Who is Connie ?
4. Find a phrase in the passage which means ‘so happened’.

Answers
1. It was Hans Wolf that smiled.
2. He had read about Dorset in Hardy’s novels.
3. Connie is Jim’s wife.
4. turned out.

V. Our boys gave them a rousing chorus of While Shepherds Watched. We exchanged carols for a while and then we all fell silent. We had had our time of peace and goodwill, a time I will treasure as long as I live. (Page 13)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The phrase ‘our boys’ refers to
(a) the students
(b) German soldiers
(c) some British soldiers
(d) the author’s sons

2. Who prompted these boys to sing ?
(a) their boss
(b) their commander
(c) their friends
(d) the German soldiers.

3. Carols are sung on
(a) Christmas
(b) Good Friday
(c) Holi
(d) Diwali.

Answers
1. (c) some British soldiers
2. (d) the German soldiers.
3. (a) Christmas

VI. I folded the letter again and slipped it carefully back into its envelope. I kept awake all night. By morning I knew what I had to do. I drove into Bridport, just a few miles away. I asked a boy walking his dog where Copper Beeches was. (Page 14)

Questions
1. Who had written the letter ?
2. Whom was the letter addressed to ?
3. Why did he drive to Bridport ?
4. Why did he keep awake all night ?

Answers
1. The letter was written by Jim.
2. The letter was addressed to Jim’s wife Connie.
3. He drove to Bridport because he wanted to give that letter to Connie.
4. He kept awake all night thinking about the contents of the letter he had read.

VII. As I was speaking her eyes never left my face. I opened the tin box and gave it to her. That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness. I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening. (Page 15)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The speaker of the above passage is
(a) the author
(b) the narrator
(c) Jim
(d) Hans Wolf.

2. The lady being talked to, is
(a) Connie
(b) the matron
(c) Hans Wolf’s wife
(d) none of the above three.

3. The lady was not listening because
(a) she was sick
(b) she was deaf
(c) she was too happy
(d) she had recognised the speaker

Answers
1. (b) the narrator
2. (a) Connie
3. (c) she was too happy

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 10)
1. What did the author find in a junk shop ?
2. What did he find in a secret drawer ? Who do you think had put it in there ?

Answers
1. The author found a very old 19th century roll-top desk in a junk shop. It was made of oak. It was in a bad condition. So it was being sold at a cheap price.

2. In a secret drawer of the roll-top desk, the author found a small tin box. There was a letter in that box.

There was a piece of lined newspaper pasted on the box. On it, these words were written : “Jim’s last letter received January 25,1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” This clearly indicated that it was placed there by the addressee. The address on the envelope revealed that it was for Mrs. Jim Macpherson of 12, Copper Breeches Bridport, Dorset.” So Connie, the wife of Jim Macpherson must have put it there.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 14)
1. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when ?
2. Why was the letter written—what was the wonderful thing that had happened ?
3. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers ?
4. Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset ? Why did he say he knew it ?
5. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war ? How do you know this ?

Answer
1. Jim Macpherson was a captain of the British army. He wrote this letter while fighting the German forces. The letter was dated December 26, 1914. It was addressed to his wife Connie.

2. The letter was written to describe a wonderful incident. It occurred on the Christmas day of 1914. The wonderful thing was that the two armies fighting against each other had celebrated Christmas together.

The initiative was taken by the Germans. First they shouted ‘Happy Christmas’ to the English from the no man’s land. The English responded with “same to you”. This encouraged the Germans. They waved a white flag and crossed the no man’s land to reach the English camp.

Once together, they were very happy. They ate, drank and played a football match. Ultimately when they parted, they did so with a heavy heart.

3. Hans Wolf played the cello in the orchestra when he was not a soldier. Jim Macpherson was a teacher in Dorset when not a soldier.

4. No. Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset. He had been reading English books. Hardy was his favourite author. Hardy’s novel ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ was his favourite book. This book describes Dorset. So Hans Wolf said he knew Dorset well.

5. Macpherson never came back from the war. His wife Connie knew about his death. That was why she kept the letter in a tin box. She wrote on the top of the box that it was Jim’s last letter.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 15)
1. Why did the author go to Bridport ?
2. How old was Mrs Macpherson now ? Where was she ?

Answer
1. The author went to Bridport in search of Mrs. Jim Macpherson. He wanted to give her back her important letter.
2. Mrs. Macpherson was now 101 years old. She was in the conservatory of a nursing home.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 16)
1. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was ?
2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity ?

Answer
1. Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her husband Jim Macpherson.
2. The sentence in the text is—“I explained about the desk, about how I found it.”

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 16)

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 for a long time. She had received it on January 25, 1915. Jim had written it on December 26, 1914. At that time Jim was an officer, a captain in the English army. A captain in the army is always a young man. It means that Jim’s wife Connie must have also been young. In the story she is 101. It means the letter was about 70¬75 years old.

There are hints also. The table containing the letter was found in a junk shop. Again it indicates its oldness.

Question. 2.
Why do you think the desk had been sold, and when ?

Answer.
The desk must have been sold when Connie’s house had burnt. The table had been damaged by fire as well as water. The fireman must have used water to douse the flames of the burning table.

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 are people whose heart is full of human kindness. Serving the army, they have been a witness to all the sufferings of war. So it is natural for them to hate war. However the problems between two nations are bound to be there. A non-violent method to resolve these problems is what they desire. It occurs to them that this method could be to compete in games. So they think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts.

I agree that some non-violent method must be found to resolve disputes between nations.

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.
The soldiers of the two armies are like each other. The story is all about it. They like to greet each other. They play football. They eat and drink together. The two captains talk affectionately about their lives away from the field. They agree that the problems can be resolved by playing games instead of fighting wars.

The soldiers of both the armies are eager for the war to end. They want to go back to their families. Thus, there is much which is common between them.

Question. 5.
Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and find things in common at Christmas.

Answer.
It was the Christmas that made the British and German soldiers friends. The Germans waved a white flag and wished the British a happy Christmas. The British responded with ‘same to you.” They were surprised when the Germans moved further towards them without arms. The British captain was alarmed that it might be a trick. But it wasn’t so.

Then they came close. They shook hands. The Christmas and the ways of celebrating it were common between the two. They played, they ate and they sang carols. The two captains talked of their families. They talked of their own fields of activity when there was no war. They had the same tender feelings about life. They did not want to fight. They wanted peace. They wanted to be with their families as soon as possible.

Question. 6.
What is Connie’s Christmas present ? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world” ?

Answer.
Connie’s Christmas present was the letter which the author had brought for her. However, in her muddled state she thought that it was not the author but her Jim. She called the author Jim and made him sit beside her. She kissed him on the cheek. For her, her husband had returned after such a long time. So she said that it was the best Christmas present she had ever got.

Question. 7.
Do you think the title of this story is suitable for it ? Can you think of any other title(s) ?

Answer.
The title of the story is Quite suitable. ‘The Best Christmas Present in the World’ refers to the present for the old lady. Otherwise also the story is woven around Christmas. However, it is always possible to find alternate titles. For example, ‘War’ can be another title. The story is after all an anti-war story. ‘Christmas’ could also be a title because the story narrates two important Christmas days.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 17)

Question. 1.
Look at these sentences from the story.
I spotted it in a junk shop in Bridport… The man said it was made in the early nineteenth century… This one was in bad condition…

The italicised verbs are in the past tense. They tell us what happened in the past, before now.

(i) Read the passage below and underline the verbs in the past tense.
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.

Answer
— 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.

Now look at these sentences. –
The veneer had lifted almost everywhere. Both fire and water had taken their toll on this desk.
Notice the verb forms had lifted, had taken (their toll).
The author found and bought the desk in the past.
The desk was damaged before the author found it and bought it.
Fire and water had damaged the desk before the author found it and bought it.

We use verb forms like had damaged for an event in the ‘earlier past’. If there are two events in the past, we use the ‘had’… form for the event that occurred first in the past.
We also use the past perfect tense to show that something was wished for, or expected before a particular time in the past. For example. I had always wanted one…
Discuss with your partner the difference in meaning in the sentences below.
When I reached the station, the train left.
When I reached the station, the train had left.

The first sentence means that the speaker was able to get the train. The second sentence means that he missed it. In fact, the first sentence gives the idea as if the train was only waiting for the speaker to get to the station. It left as soon as he reached there. In the second sentence, there was no sign of the train when the speaker reached the station.

(ii) Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
My little sister is very naughty. When she (a)__(come) back from school yesterday, she had (b)___(tear) her dress. We (c)__(ask) her how it had (d)___(happen). She (e)__(say) she (f) __(have, Quarrel) with a boy. She (g)___(have, beat) him in a race and he (h)___(have, try) to push her. She (i)__(have, tell) the teacher and so he (j)__ (have, chase) her, and she (k)___(have, fall) down and (l)__ (have, tear) her dress.

Answer
(a) came
(b) torn
(c) asked
(d) happened
(e) said
(f) had Quarreled
(g) had beaten
(h) had tried
(i) had told
(j) had chased
(k) had fallen
(l) had torn.

(iii) Underline the verbs and arrange them in two columns, Past and Earlier past.
(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 !

Answer
(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 !

2. Dictionary work
By the end of the journey, we had run out of drinking water.
Look at the verb run out of in this sentence. It is a phrasal verb : it has two parts, a verb and a preposition or an adverb. Phrasal verbs often have meanings that are different from the meanings of their parts.

Find these phrasal verbs in the story.
burn out
light up
look on
run out
keep out

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
1. No. 12 turned out to be nothing but a burnt out shell, the roof gaping. (Page 14)
Meaning : ‘Burnt out’ here means ‘completely destroyed by fire’.
2. That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face suffused with a sudden glow of happiness. (Page 15)
Meaning : ‘Lit up’, here means ‘became bright with happiness’.
Note : ‘Burned out’ and ‘burnt out’, both are correct.
3. Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered. (Page 12)
Meaning : ‘Looked on’ here means ‘continued to look’ i.e., went on observing as long as they played.
4 .…the schnapps and the rum and the sausage had long since run out. (Page 13)
Meaning : ‘Run out’ here means ‘consumed’.
5. Hans wolf cheered clapping our hands and stamping our feet to keep out the cold as much as anything (Page 12)
Meaning : ‘Keep out’ here means ‘be away from’.

3. Noun phrase

Read the following sentence.
I took out a small black tin box.
– The phrase in italics is a noun phrase.
– It has the noun—box—as the head word, and three adjectives preceding it.
– Notice the order in which the adjectives occur—size (small), colour (black) and material (tin) of which it is made.
– We rarely use more than four adjectives before a noun and there is no rigid order in which they are used, though there is a preferred order of modifiers/adjectives in a noun phrase, as given below.

Answer
Read and learn yourself.

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 !

Answer
1. a wild, large elephant.
2. a cheerful, round chubby face.
3. a cheerful, circular, multicoloured large brick building.
4. enormous, multicoloured, cold water.

SPEAKING (Page 19)

Question 1.
In groups discuss whether wars are a good way to end conflicts between countries.Then present your arguments to the whole class.

Answer
Wars are never a good way to end conflicts between countries. It is because wars are devastating. They ruin humanity. They can only harm us. A large number of men and women are killed. Many families are destroyed. If we try to find a peaceful solution of the conflicts, the countries would flourish. There would always be peace. Countries will be strong.

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.)

Answer
Whenever we buy presents we keep various factors in mind. First its utility, then durability and then price. We also think of giving the maximum benefit of the present to the person concerned.

WRITING (Page 20)

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. You could begin like this
25 December, 1919
It’s Christmas today, but the town looks…
Or
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 and feelings.

Answer
It’s Christmas today but the town looks gloomy. It’s so natural. This town has lost many of its great sons in the war. The hearts of the people who know them, are burdened with sorrow. They cannot feel cheerful. They know that it’s Christmas. They see the beautiful cold weather and the crisp frosty morning associated with it. They see the beauty but they can’t feel it.

The politicians have visited the town. They have praised the bravery of the dead. They have raised their statues. They have honored their parents. Yet, how can they compensate the loss of a child, a husband or a brother ? War is the most dreadful thing I know of. How I wish an end of all wars ! The problems are bound to be there. Man should find some peaceful way to resolve these problems. Perhaps one world Government will be a good idea. But how to reach it ?
Jim ,

23 Dorset
20 May, 1920
My dear Tom

A recent happening has so surprised me that I can’t help sharing it with you. You know I always wanted a roll-top desk. At last I got a second hand one from a junk shop. I decided to restore it on the 24th December. In the process I came upon a letter in one of the drawers.

It was a very old letter written in early twentieth century. The writer was a captain Jim of the British army. It was kept in a box with the words : Jim’s last letter received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.” The address on the envelope was “Mrs Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport.” I decided to search the lady to whom this letter belonged.

I found her in a conservatory. She was a little confused. She looked at me vacantly. But when I gave her the letter, her eyes lit up. She thought that I was Jim. She made me sit beside her and kissed me. She said that she had got that day the best Christmas present in the world. I tried to tell her who I was and how I had found her letter. But she was not listening.

Now I was in a dilemma. Shall I force my identity on her and disappoint her ? Or shall I let her believe that her dear Jim had come back ? I thought and thought. Then I decided to do the latter. I walked away from her Quietly after sometime.
Michael

Question 2.
Given below is the outline of a story. Construct the story using the outline.
A young, newly married doctor___freedom fighter___exiled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by the British___infamous Cellular Jail __ prisoners tortured___revolt by inmates___doctor hanged___wife waits for his return___becomes old__continues to wait with hope and faith.

Answer
This story belongs to the early 20th century. The young Indians wanted to be free. Ironically, most of them had had Western and English education. One such person was a young doctor named Kripal Singh. He was married and had a good practice. One day he came in contact with freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad. He joined their party.

The struggle required money. So he was involved in an attack on a government bank. He was caught. He was tried in court and sent to exile in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Together with others of his type, he was kept in infamous Cellular Jail. There the prisoners were tortured. The doctor could not stand it. He revolted against the prison authorities. He was hanged there.

Back in India, his wife knew nothing. Meanwhile the country became free in 1947. The lady expected her husband to come back but how could he ? She is now very old. Still she is convinced that Kripal Singh would come back. She continues to wait with hope and faith.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

The Mysterious Picture Summary

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English:

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 1 Three Questions

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024 by Kishen

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 1 Three Questions are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 1 Three Questions.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 1 Three Questions

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION
Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct option :

[I]

Question 1.
Many wise men came to the king, but they all answered his questions differently. The king gave no reward. (Page 7)
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The wise men wished to get
(a) some amount of money
(b) a handsome sum of money
(c) the land owned by the king
(d) the treasure buried under the temple
Answer.
(b) a handsome sum of money

Question 2.
Their answers to his questions were
(a) inappropriate
(b) different
(c) irrelevant
(d) to the point
Answer.
(b) different

Question 3.
The king’s reaction was
(a) undesirable
(b) humiliating
(c) justified
(d) instant
Answer.
(c) justified

Question 2.
“You are tired,” said the king. “Let me take the spade and work in your place.” (Page 9)
Question 1.
Who is ‘you’ in the above extract ?
Answer.
‘You’refers to the hermit.

Question 2.
Why did the king offer to work ?
Answer.
The king offered to work because he felt that the hermit was very tired.

Question 3.
What does it show about the king’s character ?
Answer.
It shows the king’s compassion.

Question 3.
“Here comes someone running, said the hermit.” (Page 10)
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The hermit drew the king’s attention
(a) to the axe kept nearby
(b) towards the bearded man
(c) towards the evil bodyguard
(d) to the seeds to be sown
Answer.
(b) towards the bearded man

Question 2.
The bearded man was
(a) stabbed by the king
(b) God-fearing
(c) the king’s enemy
(d) wearing a long robe
Answer.
(c) the king’s enemy

Question 3.
Both the hermit and the king
(a) slept for long
(b) nursed the wounds of the bearded man
(c) told tales
(d) were not surprized to meet the man
Answer.
(b) nursed the wounds of the bearded man

[II]

Question 4.
“Now if I live, I will serve you as your most faithful servant and will order my sons to do the same. Forgive me !” (page 12)
Question 1.
Who is the speaker of the above lines ?
Answer.
The speaker was an injured bearded man whom the king had helped. The king had saved his life.

Question 2.
Who was he speaking to ?
Answer.
He was speaking to the king.

Question 3.
Why was he making such a promise ?
Answer.
He felt greatly indebted to the king. In order to repay the king’s goodness, he was making that promise.

Question 5.
The most important business is to do that person good, because we were sent into this world for that purpose alone. (Page 13)
Question 1.
The hermit’s advice was
(a) to do good to the people
(b) to do important work
(c) to do hard work
(d) to do good to the person who needs your help at the moment
Answer.
(d) to do good to the person who needs your help at the moment

Question 2.
No one is sure
(a) if he would get time to meet someone else
(b) if he will live
(c) what is in store for him
(d) whether the future is bright for him
Answer.
(a) if he would get time to meet someone else

Question 3.
To do good is
(a) the only work for you
(b) the main purpose of our life
(c) greatly admired by gods
(d) liked by even the devils
Answer.
(b) the main purpose of our life

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

Comprehension Check (Page 10)
Question 1.
Why did the king want to know answers to three questions ?
Answer.
The king wanted to be always successful. For this purpose, he wanted to know the answers to three questions.

Question 2.
Messengers were sent throughout the kingdom
(i) to fetch wise men.
(ii) to find answers to the questions.
(iii) to look for the wise hermit.
(iv) to announce a reward for those who could answer the questions.
Mark your choice.
Answer.
(iv) to announce a reward for those who could answer the questions.

Comprehension Check (Page 14)
Complete the following sentences by adding the appropriate parts of the sentences given in the box.

Many wise men answered the king’s questions, …………..
Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men ……………
Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable …………..
The king requested the hermit …………
The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound, ………………

Answers.

Many wise men answered the king’s questions but their answers were so varied that the king was not satisfied.
Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men to help the king act at the right time.
Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable and follow it strictly.
The king requested the hermit o answer three questions.
The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound but the bleeding would not stop.

Answer the following questions :
Question 1.
Why was the king advised to go to magicians ? (Imp.)
Answer.
Some people said that the magicians could look into the future. If one knows the future it is easy to decide the right time for doing something. The king wanted to know the right time to begin something. So some people advised the king to go to magicians.

Question 2.
In answer to the second question, whose advice, did the people say, would be important to the king ?
Answer.
In answer to the second question the wise men had given different answers. Some said that the king’s councillors were the people whose advice was important. Others thought the priests were more important. A few others chose the doctors. Some said that the advice of the soldiers would be important to the king.

The hermit’s answer was the best. He said that the person present with the king was the only important person. His advice would be important.

Question 3.
What suggestions were made in answer to the third question ?
Answer.
In answer to the third question, some said science was the most important affair. Others chose fighting and yet others advocated religious worship.

The hermit’s answer was the best. He said that the most important affair is to do good to the person before you. The hermit believed that man was sent on the earth for this purpose alone.

Question 4.
Did the wise men win the reward ? If not, why not ? (V. Imp.)
Answer.
No, the wise men did not win the reward. It was so because none of their answers could satisfy the king.

Question 5.
How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man ? (V. Imp.)
Answer.
The king and the hermit removed the man’s clothing. They saw that there was a wound in his stomach. The king washed the wound. Then he covered it with his handkerchief. Yet the blood kept on flowing. So the king redressed the wound. At last the bleeding stopped. The man felt better. Now he wanted to drink something. The king gave him fresh water. After this, they carried him into the hut and put him on the bed.

Question 6.
(i) Who was the bearded man ?
(ii) Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness ?
Answer.

The bearded man was the king’s sworn enemy. The king had killed his brother and seized his property. He wanted to avenge his murdered brother by killing the king.
The king had washed the bearded man’s wound. He had covered the wound with his handkerchief. He redressed his wound because the blood kept on flowing. The bearded man felt grateful to the king. Therefore he asked for his forgiveness.

Question 7.
The king forgave the bearded man. What did he do to show his forgiveness ? (Imp.)
Answer.
To show his forgiveness, the king promised to help the bearded man. He promised to send his servants and his own doctor to look after him. The king also promised to give him back his property.

Question 8.
What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions ? Write each answer separately. Which answer do you like most, and why ? (V. Imp.)
Answer.
The hermit’s answer was that ‘Now’ is the best time to begin work. For, nobody knows whether he will have any time in the future or not. The king had just put his questions, when he pitied the hermit. Later on it proved to be the best time. Had he not done so and gone back, his enemy would have killed him.

Answering the second question, the hermit said that the people present were the best. They alone should be listened to. For, these are the only people whom one can consult at once.

To do good to the people present is the most important thing. It was the hermit’s reply to the third question. According to the hermit, man was sent on the earth for this purpose alone.
I like the answer to the first question most. It is most logical.

Working with Language

Question 1.
Match items in List A with their meanings in List B.

Use any three of the above words change the form of the word.
Answer.

Question 2.
Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the word given in brackets. (Imp.)
He has ………. to help me. Do you think he will remember his ……. ?  (promise)
He has promised to help me. Do you think he will remember his promise ?
(i) The ……….. said that only fresh evidence would make him change his ……. (judge)
(ii) I didn’t notice any serious ……….. of opinion among the debaters, although they ………. from one another over small points. (differ)
(iii) It’s a fairly simple question to ……….. , but will you accept my …….. as final ? (answer)
(iv) It isn’t ……… that …………… should always be the mother of invention. (necessary)
(v) Hermits are ………. men. How they acquire their ………… no one can tell.  (wise)
(vi) The committee ………….. has to make Jagdish captain of the team. The ……….. is likely to please everyone.  (decide)
(vii) Asking for ………. is as noble as willingness to …………. .  (forgive)
Answers.

The judge said that only fresh evidence would make him change his judgement.
I didn’t notice any serious difference of opinion among the debaters, although they differed from one another over small points.
It’s a fairly simple question to answer, but will you accept my answer as final?
It isn’t necessary that necessity should always be the mother of invention.
Hermits are wise men. How they acquire their wisdom no one can tell.
The committee has decided to make Jagdish captain of the team. The decision is likely to please everyone.
Asking for forgiveness is as noble as willingness to forgive.

Speaking and Writing

Question 1.
Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting the hermit. Begin like this :
The wise men answered my questions, but I was not
satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go
and meet the hermit…
Answer.
… I put on ordinary clothes. I started for the woods, in which the hermit lived. I left my horse with my bodyguard. Then, I went to the hermit’s hut alone. I saw the hermit digging the ground. The hermit greeted me but continued digging. I told him the purpose of my visit. The hermit listened to me. Without speaking anything he busied himself again in digging. I felt the hermit was tired. I offered to do his work for him. He agreed, I began to dig the ground.

Question 2.
Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the king. Begin like this : (Imp.)
One day I was digging in my garden. A man in
ordinary clothes came to see me. I knew it was the
king …
Answer.
I greeted the king. He asked me three questions. He wanted to know the right time to do the right thing. He wanted to know who were the people he needed most. He also wanted to know the affairs which were most important. I made no reply. Then the king saw that I was tired. He offered to do my work. I gave him my spade. He worked till sunset.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1.
Why was the king anxious to know the answers to his questions ?
Answer.
The king wanted to know the answers to his three questions. He felt that if he knew them, he would never fail in his attempts.

Question 2.
The hermit told the king the purpose of human life. What was it ? What was the king’s aim of life before meeting the hermit ? (V. Imp.)
Answer.
The hermit told the king that the purpose of life was to help others. Success in whatever he did, was the king’s aim of life before meeting the hermit.

Question 3.
Why did the king go alone and in ordinary clothes to meet the hermit ?
Answer.
The king went alone and in ordinary clothes because he knew that the hermit saw no one but simple people.

Question 4.
Why did the king dig the ground ?
Answer.
The king dug the ground to help the hermit.

Question 5.
Why did the hermit let the king work till sunset ?
Answer.
The hermit let the king work till sunset to save his life.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1.
What was the hermit’s answer to the second question : ‘Which people should be listened to’ ? Justify the answer. (V. Imp.)
Answer.
The hermit’s answer to the second question was that the king should listen to the people who were with him at that particular moment. It was correct because according to the hermit man’s only duty is to help his fellowmen. So if there is someone before us who needs our help, our foremost duty is to help him.

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

Read the statements given below and choose the correct option :

Question 1.
The answers to the three questions will enable :
(i) the hermit to go to the king
(ii) the king to lead a peaceful life
(iii) the king to be always successful
(iv) the subjects to lead a good life
Answer.
(iii) the king to be always successful

Question 2.
The king was not satisfied with the answers as :
(i) they were lengthy
(ii) they all were different
(iii) they were dull
(iv) they served no purpose
Answer.
(ii) they all were different

Question 3.
The king went to see the hermit in ;
(i) his cage
(ii) simple clothes
(iii) his cave
(iv) a hurry
Answer.
(ii) simple clothes

Question 4.
The king dug the beds
(i) because he loved gardening
(ii) to help the hermit
(iii) to pass time
(iv) to get his answers
Answer.
(ii) to help the hermit

Question 5.
The wounded man was
(i) a friend of the hermit
(ii) a friend of the king
(iii) an enemy of the hermit
(iv) an enemy of the king
Answer.
(iv) an enemy of the king

Question 6.
The king dressed the wounds of :
(i) the hermit
(ii) his guard
(iii) the horse
(iv) the bearded man
Answer.
(iv) the bearded man

Question 7.
The bearded man was the :
(i) relative of the king
(ii) friend of the king
(iii) king’s sworn enemy
(iv) guard of the king
Answer.
(iii) king’s sworn enemy

Question 8.
The bearded man asked for :
(i) water
(ii) property
(iii) forgiveness
(iv) money
Answer.
(iii) forgiveness

Question 9.
The king ‘had done him’ wrong as :
(i) he had killed his brother
(ii) he had killed his sister
(iii) he had seized his property
(iv) Both (i) and (iii)
Answer.
(iv) Both (i) and (iii)

Question 10.
The king sent a/an to look after him.
(i) doctor
(ii) anaesthetic
(iii) quack
(iv) servant
Answer.
(i) doctor

Question 11.
The king was happy that
(i) he had won a friend
(ii) he had killed his enemy
(iii) his action had pleased the hermit
(iv) his enemy was wounded
Answer.
(i) he had won a friend.

Question 12.
The answers of the hermit
(i) satisfied the king
(ii) failed to satisfy the king
(iii) confused the king
(iv) amused the king
Answer.
(i) satisfied the king.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 1 Three Questions help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 1 Three Questions, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

The Dear Departed Part 1 Question and Answers

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English:

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 7 The Invention of Vita Wonk

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024 by Kishen

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 7 The Invention of Vita Wonk are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 7 The Invention of Vita Wonk.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 7 The Invention of Vita Wonk

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct option :
Question 1.
“So once again I rolled up my sleeves and set to work. (Page 99)
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
Willy Wonka’s next challenge was
(a) invention of Wonka-Vite
(b) invention of Willy-Vite
(c) the invention of Vita-Wonk
(d) the invention Vita-Vite
Answer.
(c) the invention of Vita-Wonk

Question 2.
Willy was not happy with
(a) Wonka-Vite
(b) Willy-Vite
(c) Wonka-Vita
(d) Vita-Vite
Answer.
(a) Wonka-Vite

Question 3.
The invention of Vita-Wonk
(a) made people young
(b) made people old
(c) made people disappear
(d) made people live five hundred years
Answer.
(b) made people old

Question 2.
‘What is the oldest living’ thing in the world ? What lives longer than anything else ?” (Page 99)
Questions.

Who is the speaker of these lines ?
Why is he asking these questions ?
To whom is he speaking ?

Answers.

Mr Willy Wonka is the speaker of these lines.
He is asking these questions as he is trying to invent a drug which can make people
older than what they are.
He is speaking to himself.

Question 3.
“I tracked down very old and ancient animals and took an important little bit of something from each one of them—” (Page 101)
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
Willy Wonka had to take ……
(a) old and ancient animals
(b) old trees
(c) an important little bit of
(d) only the essence of the Pine something from them
Answer.
(c) an important little bit of

Question 2.
The ‘track-down’ process became speedier due to
(a) Charlie
(b) the Inventing Room
(c) the Great Glass Elevator
(d) Willy Wonka
Answer.
(c) the Great Glass Elevator something from them

Question 3.
The wonder was possible only
(a) if Charlie helped Willy
(b) if all the important little bit was mixed
(c) if all animals were very old
(d) if it was heated
Answer.
(b) if all the important little bit was mixed

Question 4.
I produced one tiny cupful of oily black liquid and gave four drops of it to a brave twenty-year-old Oompa-loompa volunteer to see what happened.” (Page 102)
Questions.

Who is ‘l’ in the passage ?
What is the name of the ‘black liquid’ ?
Why is the volunteer called ‘brave ?

Answers.

l’ in the passage refers to Mr Willy Wonka.
Vita Wonk.
The volunteer has offered himself for the experiment of a new drug. A new drug may be
very dangerous for the body. So he is rightly called ‘brave’.

Question 5.
And thus, my dear Charlie, was Vita-Wonk invented.” (Page 102)
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
The extract is addressed to
(a) Charlie
(b) The cook
(c) Willy
(d) The volunteer
Answer.
(a) Charlie

Question 2.
Vita-Wonk was invented
(a) easily
(b) hurriedly
(c) after great labours
(d) not to help the people grow old
Answer.
(c) after great labours

Question 3.
Vita-Wonk is ……
(a) a wonderful drug
(b) not going to be successful
(c) a rage amongst the people
(d) very expensive
Answer.
(a) a wonderful drug

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

Comprehension Check (Page 101)
Question 1.
Choose the right answer.
(i) Mr Willy Wonka is
(a) a cook,
(b) an inventor,
(c) a manager.
Answer.
(b) an inventor

(ii) Wonka-Vite makes people
(a) older,
(b) younger.
Answer.
(b) younger

(iii) Mr Wonka wants to invent a new thing which will make people
(a) younger,
(b) older.
Answer.
(b) older

Question 2.
Can anyone’s age be a minus number ? What does “minus 87” mean?
Answer.
A man starts ageing from the moment he is born. Since then, it is all plus. Thus
no one’s age can be a minus number. So ‘minus 87′ means that after 87 years, he will become zero and start aging then. In other words, such a man will come to earth after eighty-seven years.

Question 3.
Mr Wonka begins by asking himself two questions.
What are they?
(i) What is ….
(ii) What lives …….
Answer.
(i) What is the oldest living thing in the world ?
(ii) What lives longer than anything else ?

Working with the Text (Page 102)

Question 1.
(i) What trees does Mr Wonka mention ? Which tree does he say lives the longest ?
(ii) How long does this tree live ? Where can you find it ? (Imp.)
Answers.
(i) Mr Wonka mentions several trees. The four important ones are—Douglas Fir, Oak and Bristlecone pine. Of them he says Bristlecone pine lives the longest. It lives for 4000 years.
(ii) Bristlecone pine lives upto 4000 years. It can be found on the slopes of Wheeler Peak in Nevada U.S.A.

Question 2.
How many of the oldest living things can you remember from Mr Wonka’s list ? (Don’t look back at the story !) Do you think all these things really
exist, or are some of them purely imaginary ?
Answer.
Mr Wonka mentions many of the oldest things. Some of these things do not really exist. These are purely imaginary. He says he collected a pint of sap from a 4000-year-old Bristlecone pine. He mentions a list of many things like the toe-nail clippings of a 168-year-old Russian farmer, an egg of a 200-year-old tortoise, the tail of a 51-year-old horse in Arabia, the whiskers of a 36-year-old cat called Crumpets, an old flea, the tail of a 207-year-old giant rat from Tibet.

Question 3.
Why does Mr Wonka collect items from the oldest things ? Do you think this is the right way to begin his invention ? (Imp.)
Answer.
Mr Wonka collects items from the oldest things because he thinks that a drug prepared from them will make the person who consumes it, old. This does not seem to be the right way to begin his invention.

Question 4.
What happens to the volunteer who swallows four drops of the new
invention ? What is the name of the invention ?
Answer.
The volunteer who swallows the four drops of the new invention, suddenly becomes very old. His hair drop off, his teeth start falling. He begins wrinkling and shrivelling up all over. He is a twenty-year-old man but now he looks seventy five.

Working with Language

Question 1.
What do you call these insects in your language ?

काकरोच, मच्छर, टिड़डा, मक्खी, माक्खा, चींटी

Add to this list the names of some insects common in your area.
Answer.
Termite, fly, bee, beetle, wasp and butterfly.

Question 2.
Fill in the blanks in the recipe given below with words from the box.

Easy Palak-Dal

INGREDIENTS

One ………
One cup dal
Two thin green chillies
………. a teaspoon red chilli powder
Eight small bunches of palak
Two ……..
Salt to taste

Wash and cut the vegetables : ……. the palak. Put everything in a pressure …….. . Let the cooker whistle three …….. , then switch it off. Fry a few cumin seeds in …….. and add to the palak-dal.
Answers.

One onion
One cup dal
Two thin green chillies
Half a teaspoon red chilli powder
Eight small bunches of palak
Two tomatoes
Salt to taste

Wash and cut the vegetables ; shred the palak. Put everything in a pressure cooker. Let the cooker whistle three times, then switch it off. Fry a few cumin seeds in oil and add to the palak-dal.

Question 3.
A ‘family tree’ is a diagram that shows the relationship between the different members of a family. Fill in the family tree below with names, ages, and other details you think are relevant (you may even stick photographs, if you have them). Put your family trees up in the class.
Answer.
Students should collect information about their family and prepare this family-tree themselves

Speaking

Using Do for Emphasis
Charlie asks, “What did happen ?” This is a way of asking the question “What happened ?” with emphasis. Given below are a few emphatic utterances. Say them to your partner. Let your partner repeat your utterance without the emphasis. Your partner may also add something to show she/he disagrees with you.

You : I did study.
Partner : You studied ? I don’t believe you. Look at your marks!
You : I did go there.
(a) PARTNER : You went there? Then …..
You : I do play games.
(b) PARTNER : ……..
You : He does read his books.
(c) PARTNER : ………..
You : You do say the most unbelievable things !
(d) PARTNER : ………
You : The earth does spin around.
(e) PARTNER : ………
You : We all do want you to come with us.
(f) PARTNER : ………
You : who does know how to cook?
(g) PARTNER : ……
You : I do believe that man is a thief.
(h) PARTNER : ……
Answers.
(a) Partner : You went there? Then why didn’t I see you ?
(b) Partner : You play games ? Then why don’t you have any certificate ?
(c) Partner : He reads his books ? I don’t believe you. Look at his marks.
(d) Partner : You think I say unbelievable things !
(e) Partner : The earth spins around ? Who says so ?
(f) Partner : You all want me to come with you ? Then, why didn’t you invite me earlier ?
(g) Partner : I’m afraid, I don’t know how to cook.
(h) Partner : You believe that man is a thief ? There is no evidence against him.

Writing

Question 1.
(i) Make a list of the trees Mr Wonka mentions. Where do these trees grow? Try to find out from an encyclopaedia. Write a short paragraph about two or three of these trees.
(ii) Name some large trees commonly found in your area. Find out something about them (How old are they? Who planted them ? Do birds eat their fruit ?), and write two or three sentences about each one of them.

Question 2.
Find out something interesting about age, or growing old, and write a paragraph about it. Following are a few topics, suggested as examples.
• The age profile of a country’s population-does it have more young people than old people, or vice versa ? What are the consequences of this ?
• How can we tell how old a tree, a horse, or a rock is ?
• What is the ‘life expectancy’ of various living things, and various populations (how long can they reasonably expect to live) ?
Answers.
Question 1.
(i) Mr Wonka mentions the following four trees :
(a) Douglas fir
(b) The oak
(c) The cedar
(d) Bristlecone pine.
Douglas fir is an evergreen tree. It is a giant tree which grows in North America.
The oak is a very huge tree of the beech family. It is chiefly grown in America. A sea-port in W. California, on San Francisco is called oak-land.
The cedar are tall trees with wide spreading branches. Famous for its wood it is found in many countries including India, Nepal and other Asian countries.
Bristlecone pine is a small pine. It is found in rocky mountains. It is believed to be the oldest living tree with some 4000 year old specimens.
Oak and cedar are the most well-known and useful trees of these. Their wood is very useful. It is used as building material. Cedar wood is used in making beautiful furniture.
(ii) Neem, peepal and jamun are some of the large trees very commonly found in our area. They live for many years but not as long as oak or Bristlecone pine. Peepal grows by itself. Nobody seems to have planted them. Neem and jamun are the favourites of the villagers. Neem has medical properties while the fruit of jamun is very sweet and healthful. The birds eat jamuns and also the neem-fruit.

Question 2.
“Grow old along with me,
The best is yet to be
The last of life for which the first was made.”
The above lines from Browning show the beauty of age. This is indeed the best part of life for those who have lived the earlier parts well. In our country, India, the majority of the population is young. The great benefit of it is that these people are able to work hard for the progress of the country. Today, we have scientific methods by which we can measure the age of a human being, a plant or a rock. Various living things have different life expectancy. Generally small creatures like worms and insects have a very short span of life. Most animals live a life shorter than that of most human beings. However some snakes and sea-animals live very long. The elephants too live long. Human beings have a life expectancy of 80-100 years.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024 by Kishen

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Comprehension Check
(Page 38)

Question 1.
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of following statements.
(i) Mr. Purcell sold birds, cats, dogs and monkeys. _______________
(ii) He was very concerned about the well-being of the birds and animals in his shop. _______________
(iii) He was impressed by the customer who bought the two doves. _______________
(iv) He was a successful shop owner, though insensitive and cold as a person. _______________
Answer:
(i) True
(ii) True
(iii) False
(iv) True

Question 2.
Why is Mr. Purcell compared to an owl ?
Answer:
Mr. Purcell wore large glasses. These magnified his eyes which looked like those of an owl. So Mr. Purcell is compared to an owl.

Question 3.
From the third paragraph pick out
(i) words associated with cries of birds,
(ii) words associated with noise,
(iii) words suggestive of confusion and fear.
Answer:
(i) Words associated with cries of birds : twitters, cheeps and squeaks.
(ii) Words associated with noise : stir, rustling, scampered. ‘
(iii) Words suggestive of confusion and fear : squeals, bewildered, frightened.

Question 4.
“…Mr. Purcell heard it no more than he would have heard the monotonous ticking of a familiar clock.” (Read para beginning with “It was a rough day …”)
(i) What does ‘it’ refer to ?
(ii) Why does Mr. Purcell not hear ‘it’ clearly ?
Answer:
(i) ‘It’ refers to the sounds and noise made by the caged animals.
(ii) Mr. Purcell does not hear it clearly because he was quite used to it.

Comprehension Check
(Page 42)

Question 1.
Do you think the atmosphere of Mr. Purcell’s shop was cheerful or depressing ? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
The atmosphere of Mr. Purcell’s shop was depressing. There were perhaps many beautiful animals. They could, however, bring no cheer to a sensitive person. The reason was that these beautiful creatures were themselves miserable and unhappy. The constant noise could turn a thoughtful man crazy. That was why the strange customer had asked Mr. Purcell, “Doesn’t it get you ?”

Question 2.
Describe the stranger who came to the pet shop. What did he want ? (Imp.)
Answer:
The stranger who came to the pet shop was coming straight from the prison. He had spent ten years there. His total earning of those ten years was five dollars.
He had shiny shoes. His suit was cheap. His dress was ill-fitting but new. He had close-cropped hair and unsteady eyes.
The stranger was not very clear about what he wanted. He had tasted freedom after ten years. Now all he wanted was to share it with someone else. This ‘someone else’ could be any creature. All he wanted was to feel the pleasure of liberty in his heart. So he said that he wanted something in cage but capable of flying.

Question 3.
(i) The man insisted on buying the doves because he was fond of birds. Do you agree ?
(ii) How had he earned the five dollars he had ?
Answer:
(i) No. The man did not love birds. The man had tasted freedom after ten years. He wanted something else also to taste the same freedom. He wanted to see and feel it. So he chose the doves. Their flight could give him a sense of freedom.
(ii) He earned five dollars after working hard as a prisoner for ten years.

Question 4.
Was the customer interested in the care and feeding of the doves he had bought ? If not, why not ?
Answer:
No, the customer was not interested in the care and feeding of the doves. It was so because he was not interested in keeping the doves. He intended to let them go free.

EXERCISES
(Page 42)

Discuss the following topics in groups.
Question 1.
Why, in your opinion, did the man set the doves free ? (Imp.)
Answer:
The man set the doves free in order to have a taste of freedom. The pleasure of liberty can be felt not only by our own freedom. We can feel this pleasure when we see mute animals being free. The man had been released from prison after ten years. This was also his way of saying ‘thanks’ to God. He did it by freeing two of God’s creatures. The cost was too high. It took all the money that he had earned after ten years of labour in prison.

Question 2.
Why did it make Mr. Purcell feel “vaguely insulted” ? (Imp.)
Answer:
Mr. Purcell felt vaguely insulted because of the action of his strange customer. For monetary gains, he had imprisoned so many of God’s creatures. Yet he considered himself a gentleman. Here was a poor man, all his earnings of ten years in prison were five dollars. He spent these five dollars in granting freedom to the doves. Thus by his action, the stranger had shown his contempt for Mr. Purcell’s profession. So it was natural for Mr. Purcell to feel vaguely insulted.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 8 On the Grasshopper and Cricket

December 30, 2024December 29, 2024 by Kishen

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 8 On the Grasshopper and Cricket are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 8 On the Grasshopper and Cricket.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew (Poem) Chapter 8 On the Grasshopper and Cricket

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow choosing the correct options among the given ones :

I Through the mist Bijju is calling to his sister. I can hear him running about on the hillside but I cannot see him. (Page 113)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The scene being described here is
(a) the first day of monsoon
(b) the last day of monsoon
(c) an ordinary day on the hills
(d) a winter day.

2. The author cannot see Bijju because
(a) he is not in the line of his eyes
(b) it is misty
(c) it is night
(d) he is blind

3. The passage is written by
(a) Satyajit Ray
(b) Rabindranath Tagore
(c) Nathaniel Hawthorne Answers
(d) Ruskin Bond.

Answers:
1. (a) the first day of monsoon
2. (b) it is misty
3. (d) Ruskin Bond

II In the evening it attacked one of Bijju’s cows but fled at the approach of Bijju’s mother, who came screaming imprecations.
As for the leeches, I shall soon get used to a little bloodletting every day. (Page 114)

Questions
1. What does ‘it’ in the first line refer to ?
2. What causes the bloodletting ?
3. What did Bijju’s mother do ?
4. Find a word in the passage which means ‘curses’. Answers

Answers:
1. ‘It’ refers to the leopard.
2. The leeches cause the bloodletting.
3. Bijju’s mother chased the leopard away.
4. Imprecations.

III It is a good sound to read by—the rain outside, the quiet within—and, although tin roofs are given to springing unaccountable leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain. (page 115)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Here, the author is praising
(a) tin roofs
(b) rain
(c) springing
(d) leaks.

2. The ‘good sound’ is produced by
(a) rain only
(b) tin roofs only
(c) rain and tin roofs
(d) rain and leaks.

3. The word ‘springing’ here means
(a) jumping
(b) creating
(c) a season
(d) finishing.

Answers
1. (a) tin roofs
2. (c) rain and tin roofs
3. (b) creating

IV The blackest cloud I’ve ever seen squatted over Mussoorie, and then it hailed marbles for half an hour. Nothing like a hailstorm to clear the sky. Even as I write, I see a rainbow forming. (Page 117)

Questions
1. What season is being described ?
2. What do the ‘marbles’ refer to ?
3. What does the author mean by ‘clear sky’ ?

Answers
1. Rainy season is being described here.
2. The marbles refer to ‘hails’.
3. A clear sky means ‘a sky free of clouds’.

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 115)
1. Why is the author not able to see Bijju ?
2. What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up ?

Answers
1. The author is not able to see Bijju because of the mist. The mist has blocked the vision.
2. The mist covers the hills and all the atmosphere. So they cannot be seen. The second change is that the birds stop singing. This makes the hills suddenly silent.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 117)
1. When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end ? How do you prepare to face the
monsoon ?
2. Which hill-station does the author describe in this diary entry ?
3. For how many days does it rain without stopping ? What does the author do on these days ?
4. Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter ? Why ?
5. What did the author receive in the mail ?

Answers
1. The monsoon generally begins in the end of June. It generally ends in the end of August or in the beginning of September. We buy raincoats or umbrellas to face the monsoon.
2. Mussoorie.
3. It has rained for eight or nine days without stopping. During these the author has been pacing the room or looking out of the window.
4. The snakes and rodents take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. They do so because their holes are flooded with water. Out of the holes, these are the convenient places for them.
5. The author received a cheque in the mail.

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 118)
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:
Monsoon arrives on June 24. The first real monsoon shower comes on June 25. The whole nature welcomes it. The author feels the joy himself and in everything around him.
By August 2, the people become weary of the monsoon. It is so because the movement in the open has become difficult. There is no sunshine for more than a week.
March 23 heralds the end of winter. After a hailstorm, there is a rainbow in the sky. It shows the beauty of nature.

Question 2.
Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar ?

Answer:
Grandmother believed that Chuchundars are lucky. She thought that with them came money. So she asked the children not to kill it.

Question 3.
What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end ?

Answer:
At the end of the monsoon, the lush monsoon growth reaches its peak. The seeds of the cobra lily turn red. These things show that the monsoons are about to end.

Question 4.
Complete the following sentences.
(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because …….. .
(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as …….. .
(iii) The leopard was successful in but had to flee when …….. .
(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because …….. .
(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ……. .
(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because ……. .

Answers:
(i) the mist obstructs the author’s vision.
(ii) ‘A paradise that might have been’.
(iii) killing a dog but had to flee when Bijju’s mother arrived crying curses.
(iv) of their bright colours.
(v) they are covered by a variety of flowers.
(vi) their holes are flooded with water and these things provide them convenient shelters.

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* ?
(ii) How is the writer untouched by the rain ?
(iii) How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time ?

Answer:
(i) The word ‘springing’ gives the idea of suddenness.
(ii) The author is untouched by the rain because he is in a room. The room pro-tects him from rain.
(iii) The writer hears the sound of rainfall on his tin-roof. So he is in touch with the rain.

Question 6.
Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.

Answer:
When there is endless rain for days together, the life becomes difficult. To go out becomes difficult. One gets bored living in the room all the time. Everything becomes damp and soggy. The washed clothes do not get dried. Constant rainfall is an invitation for many insects, rodents and snakes to enter the house.
It can also cause diseases. The sun is the source of life. If sunlight doesn’t reach people for a long time, they fall ill.

Question 7.
What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end ?

Answer:
The first cobra lily is seen with the arrival of the monsoon. When its seeds begin to turn red, it is an indication that the rains are over.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 118)
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
powercuts
cold
umbrella

Answers
rainwater, fog, overcast, damp, soggy, raincoat, darkness, leaks.
Hindi words for those given in the question are :
वर्ष्रा, बाढ़, कोहरा, बादलों से आच्छादित, बिजली – कटौती, सद्रू , छतरी .

Question 2.
Look at the sentences below.
(i) Bijju wandered into the garden in the evening.
(ii) The trees were ringing with birdsong.
Notice the highlighted verbs.

The verb wandered tells us what Bijju did that evening. But the verb was ringing tells us what was happening continually at same time in the past (the birds were chirping in the trees).

Now look at the sentences below. They tell us about something that happened in the past. They also tell us about other things that happened continually at the same time in the past.

Put the verbs in the brackets into their proper forms. The first one is done for you.
(i) We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.
We got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.
(ii) The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.
(iii) I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.
(iv) She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.
(v) We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games.
(vi) The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).

Answers:
(ii) The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.
(iii) I was wearing my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.
(iv) She had seen a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully.
(v) We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.
(vi) The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.

Question 3.
Here are some words from the lesson which describe different kinds of sounds.

drum
swish
tinkle
caw
drip

(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.)

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

Answers
(i) (a) → drip
(b) → drum
(c) → swish
(d) → caw
(e) → tinkle

(ii) (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 tinkle of the breaking glass woke me up.
(e) The caw of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.

Question 4.
And sure enough, I received a cheque in the mail.
Complete each sentence below by using appropriate phrase from the ones given below.

sure enough
colourful enough
serious enough
kind enough
big enough
fair enough
brave enough
foolish enough
anxious enough

(i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And ……… it soon raining heavily.
(ii) The blue umbrella was ……… for the brother and sister.
(iii) The butterflies are …….. to get noticed.
(iv) The lady was ……….to chance the leopard
(v) The boy was ………. to call out to his sister.
(vi) The man was ………. to offer help.
(vii) The victim’s injury was ………. for him to get admitted in hospital.
(viii) That person was ………. to repeat the same mistake again.
(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ……… .

Answers:
(i) sure enough
(ii) big enough
(iii) colourful enough
(iv) brave enough
(v) anxious enough
(vi) kind enough
(vii) serious enough
(viii) foolish enough
(ix) “Fair enough”

SPEAKING (Page 120)
Question 1.
Do you believe in superstitions ? Why, or why not ? Working with your partner, write down three superstitious beliefs that you are familiar with.

Answer:
No. I don’t believe in superstitions. However there is one snag in this statement. One man’s belief may be superstitious to the other and vice versa.
Three common superstitions are :

No. 13 is ominous
Stop if a black cat crosses your path.
Do not sleep with your feet pointing towards south.

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:
We come across five kinds of birds in this lesson. These are: minivets, drongos, crow, whistling thrush and ‘shrew’. We do not see many varieties in our neighbourhood. There are two birds which used to be seen in our neighbourhood but have now disap-peared. These are peacocks and vultures. Poaching, felling of trees and pollution of the environment are three important reasons for its happening.

WRITING (Page 121)
Question 1.
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.
Or
Write a poem of your own about the season of spring when trees are in full bloom.

Answers
A rainy day in summer is a great blessing. Last Friday, I had not yet left for school, when it began to rain. It rained heavily. Going to school was out of question. So I placed my books on the table and stood near the window. Water had collected everywhere. People were wading through water with raincoats on. Some had umbrellas in their hands. But these gave them little shelter. Children absented themselves from schools. They played in rain-water and cared little for their mothers who got angry. The roads became slippery. Some persons who slipped on the road, spoiled their clothes. The children had a hearty laugh.
Or
Spring is the season of joy
When Nature becomes a toy.
The trees are in full bloom
Some flowers are in my room.
In spring comes Holi
Let’s play with colour and roli.
There is summer in the air
How lovely the birds and hare !

Spring is the season of joy
When Nature becomes a toy
The trees are in full bloom
I have roses in my room.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 8 On the Grasshopper and Cricket help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 8 On the Grasshopper and Cricket, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

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