Category: CBSE Class 8

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 10 The Comet II are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 10 The Comet II.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English It So Happened
Chapter	Chapter 10
Chapter Name	The Comet II
Category	NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 10 The Comet II

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 83)
1. “For a moment James wondered if he had done his sums right.” Why was James doubt¬ful about his sums and calculations ?
2. What did the scientists at the conference say about James’s ‘sums’ ?
3. Immediate action was needed, the scientists decided. Give one example each of‘defensive’ and ‘offensive’ action mentioned in the text.
4. “I am not buying any Christmas presents till December 15.” What did Sir John mean by that ?

Answers
1. Sir John dropped James at his hotel at 1 a.m. When he looked up from his window, he saw the star-studded sky. Looking at the sky, it was difficult to believe that any calamity could happen. So James wondered if he had done his, sums and calculations right.

2. The scientists at the conference discussed the matter for a week. They came to the conclusion that James Forsyth was correct in his calculations. The ‘Dutta’ comet would collide with the earth.

3. The scientists suggested suitable measures. They rejected defensive measures like living in bunkers. So the only way was to take offensive action. The comet could he slightly deflected from its path. A nuclear explosion could do the job. This could be done by exploding a nuclear payload near the comet.

4. Sir John was doubtful about the success of the offensive action suggested. So he told Duttada that he won’t buy his Christmas presents till December 15. By that time the whole situation would become clear.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 87)
1. What is Duttada expected to do on his return from London ?
2. What is his reaction to the proposal ?
3. (i) What does ‘Project Light Brigade’ refer to ?
(ii) What does Sir John say about the Project in his letter to Duttada in October ?
4. Did Sir John buy Christmas presents on December 15 ? How did Duttada get to know about it ?
5. Why, according to Indrani Debi, had the comet not been disastrous ? Do you agree with her ?
6. Is Duttada’s general outlook

• rational ?
• moral ?
• traditional ?

Choose the right word. Say why you think it right.

Answers
1. Duttada is expected to do a shanti-path to pacify the evil spirit. His wife had called the priests to bless him. People were waiting for him to perform the yajna.

2. When the proposal of & yajna was put before Duttada, he became very angry. He did not find any specific advantage in that ceremony. He considered it no more than a superstition to think that comets have ill-effects.

3. (i) ‘Project Light Brigade’ refers to the project of averting ‘Dutta’ comet’s collision. For
this purpose, a spacecraft had been launched. It carried nuclear fuel. It would be exploded near the comet to break it up.
(ii) Sir John gave an account of the meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society. He also told about the unusual warm weather. He also made a mention of “The charge of the Light Brigade.”

4. Duttada knew about Sir John’s buying the Christmas presents from a letter.

5. Indrani Debi was sure that the comet ‘Dutta’ had not been disastrous because of the yajna.

6. Duttada’s outlook is rational because he does not believe in outdated rituals and ceremonies. He is truly a scientist and has a scientific attitude to life. He cannot be called traditional. There can be no question of morality so far as scientific investigation is concerned. A scientist has to go by reason, not by morality.

EXERCISE (Page 88)
Discuss the following topics in small groups. Write your answers afterwards.

Question 1.
Should a scientist’s findings be suppressed if they seem disturbing ? Give reasons for and against the topic.

Answer:
Copernicus (1473-1543) was a Polish astronomer. He put forward the theory that the earth orbits the sun. Until then Ptolemy’s theory was generally accepted. The theory was that the earth was the centre of the universe. Heavenly bodies rotated round it. Copernicus’s theory went against the traditional theory as well as the Bible. But Copernicus’s findings were not suppressed. Galileo (1564-1642) the Italian scientist also accepted Copernicus’s theory. But, in 1633, he was made to recant by the church. However, even then the earth revolved round the sun as it does now. So we gain nothing by suppressing a scientist’s findings. Truth should come to light however disturbing it may be.

Question 2.
Do you think ours is a traditional society ? What are some of the things we do to be called traditional ? Do you find these things useless or useful ?

Answer:
No doubt, ours is a traditional society. We are traditional because we believe in so many religious rituals and ceremonies. Most of these are useless. For example, Indrani Debi organised a yajna to avert the comet’s collision with the earth. She was an M.A. yet she believed in such things rather than scientific measures. She even believed that tine yajna had averted the collision. We find these things interesting but most of them are useless. They serve no useful purpose. Only superstitious people believe in such things.

Question 3.
Give two or three examples to show how science has been useful to us.

Answer:
Scientific discoveries have made human life more comfortable than before. Most of the progress in the world is because of science. It has helped man in fighting disease and poverty. The invention of electricity, steam engine, etc. has brought about a change in our life. There is no field of life or activity where science is not helpful.

Question 4.
Give one example to show how science has been misused, and has as a result been harmful to us.

Answer:
Man has misused science by producing weapons of mass destruction like atom and hydrogen bombs. They can bring about widespread destruction in no time. They don’t spare even innocent people.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 10 The Comet II help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 10 The Comet II, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Hindi Vasant Chapter 4 दीवानों की हस्ती are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Hindi. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Hindi Vasant Chapter 4 दीवानों की हस्ती.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	Hindi Vasant
Chapter	Chapter 4
Chapter Name	दीवानों की हस्ती
Number of Questions Solved	4
Category	NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Hindi Vasant Chapter 4 दीवानों की हस्ती

प्रश्न-अभ्यास
(पाठ्यपुस्तक से)

कविता से

प्रश्न 1. कवि ने अपने आने को ‘उल्लास’ और जाने को ‘आँसू बनकर बह जाना’ क्यों कहा है?
उत्तर :
कवि बेफिक्री भरा जीवन जीने वाला व्यक्ति है। वह अपने साथियों के साथ जहाँ भी जाता है, वहाँ उनके दुख-सुख में शामिल होता है और उनमें खुशियाँ बाँटता है। वह अपने लक्ष्य अर्थात् उन लोगों की खुशियों को स्थायी नहीं बना पाता है। वापस आते समय कवि और वे लोग दोनों ही दुखी होते हैं, इसलिए कवि ने ऐसा कहा है।

प्रश्न 2. भिखमंगों की दुनिया में बेरोक प्यार लुटानेवाला कवि ऐसा क्यों कहता है कि वह अपने हृदय पर असफलता का एक निशान भार की तरह लेकर जा रहा है? क्या वह निराश है या प्रसन्न है?
उत्तर :
कवि अभावग्रस्त तथा दुखी लोगों के बीच प्यार तथा अपनत्व प्रकट करते हुए उनमें खुशियाँ बाँटता है अर्थात् उन्हें स्वतंत्रता रूपी अनमोल खुशी देना चाहता है, पर अपने प्रयास के बाद भी वह ऐसा नहीं कर पा रहा है। इस असफलता का भार वह अपने हृदय पर लेकर जा रहा है। इससे लगता है कि कवि निराश है।

प्रश्न 3. कविता में ऐसी कौन-सी बात है जो आपको सबसे अच्छी लगी?
उत्तर :
कविता के अंदर अनेक ऐसी बातें हैं जो मुझे अच्छी लगीं
(क) कविता में बेफिक्र तथा मस्त जीवन जीते हुए दूसरे की खुशियों को ध्यान में रखने का संदेश दिया गया है।
(ख) सुख-दुख को समानभाव से ग्रहण करने की प्रेरणा मिलती है।
(ग) कविता में अभावग्रस्त लोगों में खुशियाँ बाँटकर उनका दुख दूर करने की बात कही गई है, इससे एकता, समानता, प्रेम तथा सद्भाव में वृद्धि होगी।

कविता से आगे

प्रश्न 1. जीवन में मस्ती होनी चाहिए, लेकिन कब मस्ती हानिकारक हो सकती है? सहपाठियों के बीच चर्चा कीजिए।
उत्तर :
मनुष्य को सारी चिंता-फ्रिक छोड़कर मस्ती भरा जीवन जीना चाहिए किंतु हमारे द्वारा की गई मस्ती से किसी का अहित होने लगे या उसकी भावनाएँ आहत होने लगें तो वह मस्ती हानिकारक हो सकती है। हमें दूसरों के जीवन या स्वतंत्रता में दखल देने का कोई हक नहीं हैं। ऐसा न हो कि हम अपनी मस्ती में इतना मस्त हो जाएँ कि दूसरों की भावनाओं का ख्याल ही न रह पाए।

अनुमान और कल्पना

• एक पंक्ति में कवि ने यह कहकर अपने अस्तित्व को नकारा है कि हम दीवानों की क्या हस्ती, हैं आज यहाँ, कल वहाँ चले।” दूसरी पंक्ति में उसने यह कहकर अपने अस्तित्व को महत्त्व दिया है कि “मस्ती का आलम साथ चला, हम धूल उड़ाते जहाँ चले।” यह फाकामस्ती का उदाहरण है। अभाव में भी खुश रहना फाकामस्ती कही जाती है। कविता में इस प्रकार की अन्य पंक्तियाँ भी हैं। उन्हें ध्यानपूर्वक पढ़िए और अनुमान लगाइए कि कविता में परस्पर विरोधी बातें क्यों की गई हैं?

उत्तर :
कविता में परस्पर विरोध प्रकट करने वाली पंक्तियाँ निम्नलिखित हैं
(क) आए बनकर उल्लास अभी,
आँसू बनकर बह चले अभी। (उल्लास और आँसू साथ साथ)
(ख) जग से उसका कुछ लिए चले,
जग को अपना कुछ दिए चले, (कुछ लेना और देना एक साथ)
(क) दो बात कही, दो बात सुनी;
कुछ हँसे और फिर कुछ रोए। (हँसना व रोना एक साथ)

इन परस्पर विरोधी बातों का कविता में इसलिए समावेश किया गया है क्योंकि कवि अपने जीवन के नियम स्वयं बनाता है और स्वयं तोड़ता है। वह अपनी मर्जी का मालिक है। उसे अपने लक्ष्य के अलावा कुछ भी महत्त्वपूर्ण नहीं लगता है।

भाषा की बात

• संतुष्टि के लिए कवि ने ‘छककर’, ‘जी भरकर’ और ‘खुलकर’ जैसे शब्दों का प्रयोग किया है। इसी भाव को व्यक्त करने वाले कुछ और शब्द सोचकर लिखिए, जैसे-हँसकर, गाकर।

उत्तर :
संतुष्टि का भाव व्यक्त करने वाले कुछ शब्द-प्रसन्न होकर, तृप्त होकर, जी भरकर, परिपूर्ण होकर, मस्त होकर आदि।

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Hindi Vasant Chapter 4 दीवानों की हस्ती help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Hindi Vasant Chapter 4 दीवानों की हस्ती, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

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.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English
Chapter	Chapter 1
Chapter Name	The Best Christmas Present in the World
Category	NCERT Solutions

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.

1. 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.
2. 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…
3. 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 ,

Or

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.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 9 The Comet I are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 9 The Comet I.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English It So Happened
Chapter	Chapter 9
Chapter Name	The Comet I
Category	NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 9 The Comet I

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK {Page 77)
1. Why does Indrani Debi dislike Duttada’s ‘hobnobbing’ with Dibya ?
2. She is complaining and smiling. Why is she smiling ?
3. (i) What was Duttada’s secret ambition ?
(ii) What did he do to achieve it ?
4. What is the difference between a planet and a comet, as given in the story ?
5. Why was Duttada hopeful that he would discover a new comet soon ?
6. Why does Duttada say-“I almost wish I had not discovered this comet. ” ?
7. Why is his wife unhappy about the discovery ?

Answers
1. Duttada spent most of his time with ‘Dibya’, the telescope. He was suffering from cold, but he forgot to put on even his sweater. He also did not bother to close the door. He was so much lost in stargazing. ‘Dibya’ had cast a spell on him. So Indrani Debi did not like r him to hobnob with ‘Dibya’.

2. She could not repress her smile because he did not even close the door. He was unaware j of the practical problems of living. He forgot to put on his sweater even after the doctor’s advice.

3. (i) Duttada’s secret ambition was to buy a good telescope and to have sufficient time. He wanted to observe the heaven.
(ii) He got them both when he retired with sufficient money. The telescope was installed and Duttada started gazing at the stars.

4. A comet can be new. They come from the distant corners of the Solar System. Like planets, they orbit round the sun. But their orbit keeps on changing. On the other hand, a planet has a fixed orbit. .

5. Professional astronomers do not pay much attention to comets. They consider them insignificant. An amateur astronomer like Duttada was hopeful to discover a new comet.

6. Duttada was an introvert. The discovery of a new comet brought unwelcome publicity to him. He had to attend many receptions and functions. So he wished he had not discovered that comet.

7. His wife is also unhappy about the discovery because she was superstitious. For her, arrival of a comet brings calamities.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 80)
1. How did Sir John get hold of James’ original manuscript ?
2. What is the important point the paper makes ?
3. Why does Sir John say that James’paper should not be published ?
4. What do the two men finally decide to do ?

Answers
1. Sir John met one Mr. Taylor at lunch in a club. Taylor showed him a paper there. He asked for Sir John’s opinion about the manuscript. It was James’s original manuscript. Taylor wanted to consult Sir John before sending the manuscript to a professional referee. So Sir John got hold of James’s original manuscript.

2. The paper makes the important point that Comet Dutta will collide with the earth.

3. If James’s paper had been published it would have caused widespread panic in the world. So Sir John asks James to tone down the terrible truth in the paper.

4. Finally the two men decide to call an important secret conference of international experts.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 9 The Comet I help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 9 The Comet I, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English Honeydew (poem)
Chapter	Chapter 7
Chapter Name	When I Set Out for Lyonnesse
Category	NCERT Solutions

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

STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

I When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away,
The rime was on the spray ;
And starlight lit my lonesomeness (Page 109)

Paraphrase. The poet started for Lyonnesse which was a hundred miles away. It was very cold then. The leaves were covered with frost. It was a lonely journey in the light of stars alone.

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Lyonnesse is
(a) a beautiful river
(b) a beautiful hill
(c) a country in the legends
(d) an imaginary name.

2. The poet of the poem is
(a) Thomas Hardy
(b) R.N. Tagore
(c) Edward Lear
(d) William Blake.

3. The leaves were covered by
(a) ice
(b) frost
(c) dust
(d) dirt.

4. The poet felt
(a) happy
(b) angry
(c) depressed
(d) excited.

Answers
1. (c) a country in the legends
2. (a) Thomas Hardy
3. (b) frost
4. (c) depressed

II When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away.
What would bechance at Lyonnesse
While I should sojourn there, (Page 109)

Paraphrase. Hardy set out for Lyonnesse. It was a place a hundred miles away. When the poet started his journey, nobody could predict the happenings during his stay there.

Questions
1. What was the poet thinking of ?
2. Where was the poet going to stay ?
3. What was the poet’s thought while going there ?
4. Find a word in the passage which means the same as ‘happen’.

Answers
1. The poet was thinking of the events that might happen at Lyonnesse during his visit there.
2. The poet was going to stay at Lyonnesse.
3. The poet was thinking of the chance happenings at Lyonnesse.
4. bechance.

III No prophet durst declare ;
Nor did the wisest wizard guess
What would bechance at Lyonnesse
While I should sojourn there. (Page 109)

Paraphrase. During the poet’s stay at that church something happened there. It was however something which no one had expected. A prophet could not have predicted it nor a magician could have guessed it.

Multiple Choice Questions
1. No one could predict
(a) what might happen tomorrow
(b) how the wizard would act
(c) what might happen at Lyonnesse
(d) what had happened earlier.

2. The poet was going to
(a) meet a wise man
(b) a wizard’s house
(c) stay at Lyonnesse
(d) declare like a prophet.

3. A wizard is
(a) a clever person
(b) a magician
(c) a learned man
(d) a fearful person.

4. The word ‘sojourn’ means the same as
(a) silence
(b) shake
(c) solar
(d) stay.

Answers
1. (c) what might happen at Lyonnesse
2. (c) stay at Lyonnesse
3. (b) a magician
4. (d) stay

IV When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes,
All marked with mute surmise
My radiance rare and fathomless,
When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes. (page 109)

Paraphrase. When the poet returned from the church, there was a glamour in his eyes. All the people silently marked this rare glow and bottomless depth in his eyes. This happened as he returned after supervising the restoration of the church from Lyonnesse with charming eyes.

Questions
1. What is Lyonnesse ?
2. Why was there ‘magic’ in his eyes ?
3. What was the reaction of the people when they saw him on his return ?
4. Which word in the passage means ‘glow’ ?

Answers
1. Lyonnesse is a country mentioned in Arthurian legends. This was located in South West England and is supposed to have been submerged in the sea.
2. There was deep radiance in his eyes which made his eyes enchanting. People thought that there was magic.
3. The people were dumbfounded when they looked into his eyes. They saw in them a rare glow. This glow seemed fathomless.
4. ‘radiance’.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

WORKING WITH THE POEM (Page 110)

Question 1.
In the first stanza, find words that show
(i) that it was very cold.
(ii) that it was late evening.
(iii) that the traveller was alone.

Answer.
(i) The word ‘rime’ shows that it was very cold.
(ii) The word ‘starlight’ shows that it was late evening.
(iii) The word ‘lonesomeness’ shows that the traveller was alone.

Question 2.
(i) Something happened at Lyonnesse. It was
(а) improbable.
(b) impossible.
(c) unforeseeable.
(ii) Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to justify your answer.

Answer.
(i) (c) unforeseeable
(ii) The relevant lines are :
No prophet durst declare
Nor did the wisest wizard guess
What would bechance at Lyonnesse

Question 3.
(i) Read the line (stanza 3) that implies the following :
‘Everyone noticed something, and they made
guesses, but didn’t speak a word’.
(ii) Now read the line that refers to what they noticed.

Answer:
(i) “All marked with mute surmise”.
(ii) “My radiance rare and fathomless”.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out for Lyonnesse, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English It So Happened
Chapter	Chapter 8
Chapter Name	Jalebis
Category	NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 65)
1. Why didn’t he pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school ?
2. (i) What were the coins ‘saying’ to him ?
(ii) Do you think they were misguiding him ?
3. Why didn’t he take the coins’ advice ? Give two or three reasons.
4. (i) What did the oldest coin tell him ?
(ii) Did he follow his advice ? If not, why not ?
5. He reached home with the coins in his pocket. What happened then ?

Answers
1. The teacher who collected the fees was on leave. So he didn’t have to pay school fees on that day. The name of the teacher was Master Ghulam Mohammed.

2. (i) One rupiya asked him what he was thinking about. He should taste fresh, hot jalebis.
They are meant to be eaten. Those who have money in their pocket can eat them.
(ii) Yes, they were misguiding him. This is because the money was meant for his school fees and fund.

3. He didn’t take the coins’ advice. The money was for the school fee. Then, he was afraid of his teacher. If he got angry, he would keep him standing on the bench. Moreover, he considered even looking at something in the bazaar a sin.

4. (i) The oldest coin told him (they were trying to tell him) something for his own good. He asked him if he didn’t feel like eating those hot jalebis. If he spent the money that day, he would get the scholarship the next day.
(ii) He didn’t follow his advice. He thought that what he was saying was not right. Though his mouth watered at the thought (sight) of jalebis, he controlled himself. The reason was that he was not a common sort of boy. He was among the most promising students in the class. He had even won a scholarship of four rupees a month. Besides this, he came from a well-to-do family. So he enjoyed great prestige.

5. When he reached home, he sat on the bed. The coins began to speak. He went inside to have lunch, they began to shriek. He was thoroughly fed up and ran towards the bazaar. He quickly told the halwai to give him a whole rupee worth of jalebis.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 68)
1. (i) Why didn’t he eat all the jalebis he had bought ?
(ii) What did he do with the remaining jalebis ?
2. “The fear was killing me.” What was the fear ?
3. “Children’s stomachs are like digestion machines.” What do you understand by that ? Do you agree ?
4. How did he plan to pay the fees the next day ?
5. When it is time to pay the fees, what does he do ? How is he disobeying the elders by doing so ?

Answers
1. (i) He bought a heap of jalebis with one rupee. He ate manyjalebis. His stomach was so
full that he couldn’t eat any more jalebi.
(ii) The boys from the neighbourhood had assembled in thegali. He started distributing the jalebis among them.

2. It was a problem to digest all the jalebis that he had eaten. There was a burp at every breath. There was danger of the burp bringing out a jalebi or two. This fear was killing him.

3. It means that children’s stomachs work efficiently like machines. They can easily digest even if they overeat. But I don’t agree with this view. If a child overeats, he will suffer from indigestion. However, Munna might have a different experience.

4. He thought that he would get the previous month’s scholarship the next day. So he will
be able to pay his fees with that amount. ,

5. When it is time to pay the fees, he takes his bag and leaves the school. He disobeys the elders by crossing the railway track and eating sweets. They had warned him never to do so.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 72)
1. What was the consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money ?
2. His prayer to God is like a lawyer’s defence of a bad case. Does he argue his case well ? What are the points he makes ?
3. He offers to play a game with Allah Miyan. What is the game ?
4. Did he get four rupees by playing the game ? What did he get to see under the rock ?
5. If God had granted his wish that day, what harm would it have caused him in later life ?

Answers
1. The consequence was his absence in the school for the first time in his life. He thought of the fees and then of Master Ghulam Mohammed’s cane.

2. He tells God that he is a very good boy. He tries to please God by saying that he has memorized the entire namaaz. He even knows the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. He can recite the entire ayat-al-kursi. He admits that he made a mistake. He spent the money because he expected the scholarship. Had it not been so, he would have never bought the jalebis. He argues his case well, but in vain.

3. The game was that he would go to the signal. God should put four rupees under a big rock. He would touch the signal and come back. It would be great fun to find four rupees under the rock. He goes towards the signal.

4. He didn’t get four rupees by playing this game. When he lifted the rock, he saw a hairy
worm instead of rupees.

5. If God had granted his wish that day, he would not know the value of work. He would have depended on God for his life’s needs. In fact, man would not learn anything himself as, for example, making jalebis. He would have been like birds.

EXERCISE {Page 72)
Work in small groups.
1. Select and read sentences that show

• that the boy is tempted to eat jalebis.
• that he is feeling guilty.
• that he is justifying a wrong deed.

Answers

• The following sentences in the text show that the boy is tempted to eat jalebis :
  1. Jalebis are meant to be eaten and only those with money in their pocket can eat them.
  2. But then, these jalebis are no common sort ofjalebis either. They’re crisp, fresh and full of syrup.
  3. My mouth watered.
  4. I rushed out of the house barefoot and ran towards the bazaar.
• The following sentences in the text show that he is feeling guilty :
  1. My head started to spin. I felt as if I was standing on my head and could not get on to my feet again even if I tried.
  2. When the recess bell rang, I tucked my bag under my arm and left the school.
  3. Now for the crime of eating a few jalebis, for the first time in my life I was absent from school.
  4. Sitting under a tree, at first I felt like crying.
• The following sentences in the text show that he was justifying a wrong deed :
  1. I didn’t eat them all by myself, and I fed them to a whole lot of children.
  2. Allah miyan ! I’m a very good boy. I have memorized the entire namaaz. I even know the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. I can recite the entire ayat-al-kursi for you just now.

2. Discuss the following points.

• Is the boy intelligent ? If so, what is the evidence of it ?
• Does his outlook on the jalebis episode change after class VIII ? Does he see that episode in a new light ?
• Why are coins made to ‘talk’ in this story ? What purpose does it serve ?

Answer:

• The boy was intelligent. It is shown by the fact that he had won a scholarship. He was among the most promising students.
• His outlook on the jalebis episode changes after class VIII. He sees the episode in a new light. He prayed to God to give him four rupees for his fees. But now he has come to realize his foolishness. If God gives all for the asking, man will be no better than birds. He will learn nothing in his life as he will get everything without effort.
• The coins are made to ‘talk’ in this story because they reflect a mental conflict. His mind is divided between eating jalebis and paying his fees. He is tempted to eat jalebis because of the coins in his pocket. But the other side of his personality hesitates to do so.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 8 Jalebis, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English Honeydew
Chapter	Chapter 10
Chapter Name	The Great Stone Face II
Category	NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

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

I. Unsought for, undesired, had come the fame which so many seek. He had become famous beyond the limits of the valley. College professors, and even the active men of cities, came from far to see and converse with Ernest, (Page 133)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is it that many seek ?
(a) health
(b) wealth
(c) fame
(d) love.

2. Ernest had become famous for his
(a) health
(b) wisdom
(c) wealth
(d) love.

3. The phrase ‘unsought for’ means
(a) hated
(b) undesired
(c) loved
(d) unasked.

Answers
1. (c) fame
2. (b) wisdom
3. (d) unasked

II. “Because,” replied Ernest, “all through life I have awaited the fulfillment of a prophecy, and when I read these poems, I hoped that it might be fulfilled in you.” (Page 134)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ernest was talking to
(a) his mother
(b) a poet
(c) a neighbour
(d) General Blood-and-Thunder.

2. The prophecy concerned
(a) himself
(b) his mother
(c) the poet
(d) The Great Stone Face.

3. Ernest had expected that the poet’s face would resemble
(a) his own face
(b) Gathergold
(c) The Great Stone Face
(d) his mother’s face.

Answers:
1. (b) a poet
2. (d) The Great Stone Face
3. (c) The Great Stone Face

III. The prophecy was fulfilled. But Ernest, having finished what he had to say, took the poet’s arm, and walked slowly homeward, still hoping that some wiser and better man than himself would by and by appear, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face. (Page 136)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The prophecy was fulfilled in
(a) the poet
(b) Ernest
(c) Gathergold
(d) General Blood-and-Thunder.

2. Ernest believed the prophecy
(a) was yet to be fulfilled
(b) was now fulfilled
(c) will never be fulfilled
(d) was fulfilled long ago.

3. The story is written by
(a) Nathaniel Hawthorne
(b) John Keats
(c) Ruskin Bond
(d) Zulfikar Ghose.

Answers
1. (b) Ernest
2. (a) was yet to be fulfilled
3. (a) Nathaniel Hawthorne

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 136)

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
1. Ernest’s words reminded people of the wise old sayings.___
2. Total strangers from far away, who visited Ernest in the valley, found his face familiar.___
3. The Great Stone Face confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its like-ness. ___
4. When Ernest and the poet met, they respected and admired each other equally.___
5. The poet along with Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley.___
6. The poet realised that Ernest’s thoughts were far nobler than his own verses.___

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

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 137)

Answer the following questions.
Question. 1.
How was Ernest different from others in the valley ?

Answer:
There were thousands of inhabitants in the valley. Ernest was good and simple hearted. He did noble deeds every day. He was a humble and thoughtful person. He had wise thoughts in his mind. He became famous throughout the world. In this way, he was different from others in the valley.

Question. 2.
Why did Ernest think the poet was like the Stone Face ?

Answer:
The poet wrote songs with lofty thoughts. While he was talking to Ernest, he looked wise, gentle and kind. Even the Great Stone Face appeared bending forward to listen to his talk. The Stone Face even looked kindly at the poet, though he was a complete stranger. Therefore, Ernest thought the poet was like the Stone Face.

Question. 3.
What did the poet himself say about his thoughts and poems ?

Answer:
The poet said that his thoughts contained the distant voice of a heavenly song. However, his life had been different from his poems. He himself lacked faith in his dreamy thoughts.

Question. 4.
What made the poet proclaim Ernest was the Stone Face ?

Answer:
Through Ernest’s speech, the poet judged his greatness. He felt that Ernest’s life and character were a nobler kind of poetry.

Moreover, Ernest’s white hair looked like the Great Stone Face surrounded by white clouds. Ernest’s face also assumed a grand expression. It moved the poet’s heart. It also made him proclaim Ernest as the Stone Face.

Question. 5.
Write ‘Ernest’ or ‘Poet’, against each statement below :
(i) There was a gap between his life and his words.
(ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts.
(iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream.
(iv) His thoughts were worthy.
(v) Whatever he said was truth itself.
(vi) His poems were noble.
(viii) His life was nobler than all the poems.
(viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts.
(ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived.
(x) Greatness lies in truth. Truth is best expressed in one’s actions. He was truthful, therefore he was great.

Answer:
(i) Poet
(ii) Ernest
(iii) Poet
(iv) Poet
(v) Ernest
(vi) Poet
(vii) Ernest
(viii) Poet
(ix) Ernest
(x) Ernest.

Question. 6.
(i) Who, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face ?
(ii) Did Ernest believe that the old prophecy had come true ? What did he say about it ?

Answer:
(i) By common consent, Ernest turned out to be like the Great Stone Face.
(ii) No, Ernest did not believe that the old prophecy had come true. He still hoped, that some day, some man, wiser and better than himself would appear. He would bear a likeness to the Great Stone Face.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 137)
1. Mark the meaning that best fits the word or a phrase in the story.
(i) (sun) going down
(a) becoming smaller
(b) weakening
(c) setting

(ii) brightening
(a) making (it) look bright and cheerful
(b) lending (it) a special glow
(c) causing (it) to appear hopeful

(iii) spacious
(a) lonely and wild
(b) big and wide
(c) special and important

(iv) prophecy
(a) proverb
(b) prediction
(c) rumour

(v) marvellous
(a) wonderful
(b) surprising
(c) shocking

(vi) proclaim
(а) reveal
(b) declare
(c) shout

(vii) cease
(a) happen
(b) stop
(c) remain

(viii) (a night’s) shelter
(a) stay
(b) safety
(c) hospitality

(ix) gazed
(a) wandered about
(b) stared at
(c) thought of

(x) took on (an expression)
(a) challenged
(b) resembled
(c) assumed

Answers
(i) —> (c)
(ii) —> (b)
(iii) —> (b)
(iv) —> (b)
(v) —> (a)
(vi) —> (b)
(vii) —> (b)
(viii) —> (a)
(ix) —> (b)
(x) —> (c).

2. (i) Read the following sentences.
(a) I do hope I’ll live to see him.
(b) He will come! Fear not, Ernest; the man will come.
(c) Gathergold is arriving tomorrow, people said.
(d) Blood-and-Thunder starts his journey back to the valley next week, everyone proclaimed.
(e) The great man is going to spend his old age in his native town.

Notice that in the above sentences, verbs in bold type are in four different forms, denoting four important ways of expressing future time. None of these can be said to be exclusively used to show future time, though each is used to refer to some action in future.

(ii) Which form of the verb is more natural in these sentences ? Encircle your choice.
(a) I’m not free this evening. I will work/am working on a project.
(b) Have you decided where you will go for your higher secondary ? Yes. I have. I will go/am going to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.
(c) Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt/isn’t hurting you.
(d) The weatherman has predicted that it will snow/’I’ is snowing in Ranikhet tonight.
(e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father will come/is coming to see her.

Answers
(i) Do yourself.

Question 3.
(i) Complete these pieces of conversation using will or going to with the verbs given
(a) Rani : Why are you turning on the radio ?
Ravi : I___(listen) to the news.
(b) Rani : Oh, I can’t buy this book. I have no money.
Ravi : Don’t worry. I___(lend) you some.
(c) Rani : Look at those dark clouds.
Ravi : I think it__(rain).
(d) Rani : What shall we have for dinner ?
Ravi : I can’t decide.
Rani : Make up your mind.
Ravi : All right, then. We___(have) fried rice and dry beans.
(e) Rani : Why are you filling the kettle with water ?
Ravi : I___(make) coffee.
(f) Rani : We need some bread and butter for breakfast.
Ravi : All right. I___(go) to the bakery and get some.
(Before he goes out, Ravi talks to their father.)
Ravi : I__(get) some bread and butter. Do you want any thing from the bakery ?
Father : Yes, I want some salt biscuits.
Ravi : Fine, I___(get) you a packet.

(ii) Let pairs of children take turns to speak aloud the dialogues.

Answers
(i) (a) am going to listen
(b) will lend
(c) is going to
(d) will have
(e) am going to make
(f) will go, am going to get, will get

(ii) Do yourself.

SPEAKING AND WRITING
Question 1.
Each of the following words has the sound / f / as in feel. The words on the left have it initially. Those on the right have it finally. Speak each word clearly.

Answer
Do yourself.

Question 2.
Underline the letter or letters representing / f / in each of the following words.

Question 3.
Imagine that you are the poet. You have come to your native valley to meet a famous preacher called Ernest. Narrate the incident of your first meeting with him.

Answer
Meeting Ernest
It was a summer evening. I arrived at Ernest’s door. I found him reading a book. Between his readings, I found him looking lovingly at the Great Stone Face. I greeted him. Then I asked for a night’s shelter. He gladly agreed to grant me that. Then he said that the Great Stone Face was looking very hospitably at me.

I sat beside him. We talked for a long time. Never before, I had met so wise and gentle and kind a person. Then suddenly, he gazed into my eyes, called me gifted and asked who I was. I pointed to the book in his hand. I said that I was the one who wrote that book. I felt that he was now comparing my features to those of the Great Stone Face. It made him sad because he did not find the desired resemblance. I told him that I was not worthy of that likeness. Ernest asked, “Why not ?” I told him that my life did not correspond with my thoughts. Ernest’s eyes were full of tears.

At the hour of sunset, he took me to a place. Here he spoke to a group of neighbours in the open air. While listening to Ernest, I felt that I had before me the worthiest sage.

As I looked at the Great Stone Face. I couldn’t help shouting, “Behold ! Behold ! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face !”

All the people there looked and saw that what I said was true. The prophecy was fulfilled. Ernest however, was too humble to believe it.

Question 4.
(i) Put each of the following in the correct order to construct sentences.
• a resident of Noida near Delhi,/is visually impaired/George Abraham,
__________________________________________________
• confidence and competitive spirit/and infuses discipline among the participants/ It provides
__________________________________________________
• he has helped/The brain behind the World Cup Cricket,/the disabled to dream
__________________________________________________
• to the blind school in Delhi/It was a chance visit/that changed his life
___________________________________________________
• sport is a powerful tool/the disabled/He believes that/for rehabilitation of
___________________________________________________
(ii) Now rearrange the sentences above to construct a paragraph.
George Abraham,_____________________________________

Answers
(i) • George Abraham, a resident of Noida near Delhi, is visually impaired.
• It provides confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants.
• The brain behind the World Cup Cricket, he has helped the disabled to dream.
• It was a chance visit to the blind school in Delhi that changed his life.
• He believes that sport is a powerful tool for rehabilitation of the disabled.

(ii) George Abraham, a resident of Noida near Delhi, is visually impaired. The brain behind the World Cup Cricket, he has helped the disabled to dream. It was a chance visit to the blind school in Delhi that changed his life. He believes that sport is a powerful tool for rehabilitation of the disabled. It provides confidence and competitive spirit and infuses discipline among the participants.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 10 The Great Stone Face II, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English Honeydew
Chapter	Chapter 9
Chapter Name	The Great Stone Face I
Category	NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

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

I. “Mother,” said he, while the Great Face smiled on him, “I wish that it could speak, for it looks so very kindly that its voice must indeed be pleasant. If I ever see a man with such a face, I should love him very much.” (Page 125)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who is ‘he’ in these lines ?
(a) Ernest
(b) Gathergold
(c) General Blood-and-Thunder
(d) a poet.

2. That which is looking very kindly is
(a) Great stone Face
(b) the mother
(c) the poet
(d) Gathergold.

3. Ultimately there appears a man with such a face who is
(a) a poet
(b) Gathergold
(c) Ernest
(d) General Blood-and-Thunder.

Answers
1. (a) Ernest
2. (a) Great stone Face
3. (c) Ernest

II. Ernest had had no teacher, but the Great Stone Face became one to him. When the work of the day was over, he would gaze at it for hours, until he began to imagine that those vast features recognised him, and gave him a smile of kindness and encouragement. (Page 126)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ernest was now
(a) a child
(b) a youth
(c) an oldman
(d) a middle-aged man.

2. All Ernest’s education came from
(a) his mother
(b) a teacher
(c) Great Stone Face
(d) the society.

3. The Great Stone Face was able to
(a) feed Ernest
(b) look after Ernest
(c) talk to Ernest
(d) inspire and encourage Ernest.

Answers
1. (b)a youth
2. (c) Great Stone Face
3. (d) inspire and encourage Ernest

III. He attracted little notice from the inhabitants of the valley. They saw nothing remarkable in his way of life, except that, when the labour of the day was over, he still loved to gaze upon the Great Stone Face. Their idea was that this was a folly, but pardonable, because Ernest was industrious, kind and neighbourly. (Page 127)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. The inhabitants of the village
(a) took some notice of him
(b) took no notice of him
(c) sent him a notice
(d) got a notice from him.

2. The villagers pardoned his folly which was
(a) to take little notice
(b) to have nothing remarkable
(c) to labour all day
(d) to look upon the Great Stone Face.

3. The word ‘industrious’ means the same as
(a) the owner of an industry
(b) industrial
(c) hardworking
(d) ran an industry.

Answers :
1. (b) took no notice of him
2. (d) to look upon the Great Stone Face
3. (c) hardworking

IV. His wealth, which was the body and spirit of his existence, had disappeared before his death. Since the melting away of his gold, it had been generally agreed that there was no great likeness, after all, between the ruined merchant and the majestic face upon the mountain. (Page 128)

Multiple Choice Questions
1. This passage is about
(a) Gathergold
(b) Ernest
(c) General Blood-and-Thunder
(d) a poet.

2. The passage says there was no likeness between
(a) Gathergold and Ernest
(b) Gathergold and the Great Stone Face
(c) Ernest and Gathergold
(d) Blood-and-thunder and Ernest.

3. The melting away of gold means
(a) making a gold pot
(b) making goldcoins
(c) melting gold coins
(d) vanishing of wealth.

Answers:
1. (a) Gathergold
2. (b) Gathergold and the Great Stone Face
3. (d) vanishing of wealth

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

COMPREHENSION CHECK (Page 129)

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
1. The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived. ___
2. One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance.___
3. Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work. ___
4. Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skilful merchant. ___
5. Gathergold died in poverty and neglect. ____
6. The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general. ___

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

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 130)

Answer the following questions.
Question. 1.
(i) What was the Great Stone Face ?
(ii) What did young Ernest wish when he gazed at it ?

Answer:
(i) The Great Stone Face was a work of nature. It was formed on the side of a mountain by huge rocks. They had been thrown together in such a position that they resembled a human face.

(ii) Young Ernest gazed at the Great Stone Face. It smiled on him. Ernest wished that it could speak because it looked very kindly. Its voice must be pleasant. He would love the man whoever bore such a face dearly.

Question. 2.
What was the story attributed to the Stone Face ?

Answer:
The story attributed to the Stone Face was that a special child should be born there. He would become the greatest and noblest person of his time. In manhood, his face would bear an exact likeness to the Great Stone Face.

Question. 3.
What gave the people of the valley the idea that the prophecy was about to come true for the first time ?

Answer:
There was a rumour in the valley that the great man resembling the Great Stone Face had appeared. A young man, named Gathergold had left the valley. He had grown a rich merchant by the time he became old. He had decided to return to his native valley. The rumour went that he had the living likeness of the Great Stone Face. It made the people of the valley think that the prophecy was about to come true.

Question. 4.
(i) Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face ?
(ii) Who did he confide in and how was he proved right ?

Answer:
(i) No, Ernest did not see the likeness of the Stone Face in Gathergold.

(ii) Ernest confided in the valley, where the Stone Face was formed. He was proved right because Gathergold died after sometime. He was then a poor man. All the people, then, said that he had no likeness with the stone face.

Question. 5.
(i) What made people believe General Blood-and-Thunder was their man ?
(ii) Ernest compared the man’s face with the Stone Face. What did he conclude ?

Answer:
(i) General Blood-and-Thunder rose in position from a soldier. He desired to return to his native valley. The residents of the valley said that he bore the likeness of the Great Stone Face. His childhood friends also said that the General had always looked like the Stone Face. It made people believe ‘General Blood-and- Thunder’ was their man.

(ii) Ernest compared the face of Blood-and-Thunder with the Stone Face. He could not recognise any likeness between them. He concluded that the man, bearing likeness to the Stone Face had yet to come.

WORKING WITH LANGUAGE (Page 130)

Question 1.
Look at the following words.
like – likeness
punctual – punctuality
The words on the left are adjectives and those on the right are their noun forms.
Write the noun forms of the following words by adding -ness or -ity to them appropriately. Check the spelling of the new words.
(i) lofty ___
(ii) able ___
(iii) happy___
(iv) near ____
(v) noble ___
(vi) enormous ___
(vii) pleasant ___
(viii) dense ___
(ix) great ___
(x) stable ___

Answers:
(i) loftiness
(ii) ability
(iii) happiness
(iv) nearness
(v) nobility/nobleness
(vi) enormity
(vii) pleasure
(viii) density
(ix) greatness
(x) stability

Question 2.
Add -ly to each of the following adjectives, then use them to fill in the blanks.

(i) Why didn’t you turn up at the meeting ? We all were___waiting for you.
(ii) ___write your name and address in capital letters.
(iii) I was___surprised to see him at the railway station. I thought he was not coming.
(iv) It is ___ believable that I am not responsible for this mess.
(v) He fell over the step and___broke his arm.

Answers
(i) Why didn’t you turn up at the meeting ? We all were eagerly waiting for you.
(ii) Kindly write your name and address in capital letters.
(iii) I was pleasantly surprised to see him at the railway station. I thought he was not coming.
(iv) It is perfectly believable that I am not responsible for this mess.
(v) He fell over the step and nearly broke his arm.

Question 3.
Complete each sentence below using the appropriate forms of the verbs in brackets.
(i) I___(phone) you when I___(get) home from school.
(ii,) Hurry up ! Madam___(be) annoyed if we___(be) late.
(iii) If it___(rain) today, we___(not) go to the play.
(iv) When you___(see) Mandal again, you___(not/recognise) him. He is growing a beard.
(v) We are off today. We ___(write) to you after we___(be) back.

Answers
(i) I phoned you when I got/had got home from school.
(ii) Hurry up! Madam will be annoyed if we are late.
(iii) If it rains today, we shall not go to the play.
(iv) When you see Mandal again, you will not recognise him. He is growing a beard.
(v) We are off today. We shall write to you after we are back.

SPEAKING AND WRITING (Page 131)
Question 1.
Imagine you are Ernest. Narrate the story that his mother told him.

Begin like this : My mother and I were sitting at the door of our cottage. We were looking at the Great Stone Face. I asked her if she had ever seen any one who looked like the Stone Face. Then she told me this story.

Answer:
… My mother said that there is an old prophecy. According to it we may one day come across a man with exactly such a face. A child would be born near here. He will become the greatest and noblest person of his time. In manhood, this man will wear exact resemblance to the Great Stone face. Some people believe in the prophecy, some don’t.

Question 2.
Imagine you are Gathergold. Write briefly the incident of your return to the valley.

Begin like this : My name is Gathergold. I left the valley of the Great Stone Face fifty years ago. I am now going back home. Will the people of the valley welcome me ? Do they know that I am very rich ?

Answer:
… Some selfish, greedy persons should certainly come forward to welcome me. I should be careful about it. They can cause me loss of money as well as respect.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 9 The Great Stone Face I, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 A Short Monsoon Diary are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 A Short Monsoon Diary.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English Honeydew
Chapter	Chapter 8
Chapter Name	A Short Monsoon Diary
Category	NCERT Solutions

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

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 by, and yet in touch with, the rain.

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___.

Answer:
(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 ?

Answers
rainwater, fog, overcast, damp, soggy, raincoat, darkness, leaks.
Hindi words for those given in the question are :

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.

(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 id) 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.

1. I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And ___ ___ it soon started raining heavily.
2. The blue umbrella was ___ ___ for the brother and sister.
3. The butterflies are ___ ___ to get noticed
4. The lady was ___ ___ to chase the leopard
5. The boy was ___ ___ to call out to his sister.
6. The man was ___ ___ to offer help.
7. The victim’s injury was ___ ___ for him to get admitted in hospital
8. That person was ___ ___ to repeat the same mistake again.
9. 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 :
(i) No. 13 is ominous
(ii) Stop if a black cat crosses your path.
(iii) 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 Chapter 8 A Short Monsoon Diary help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 A Short Monsoon Diary, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 6 Colonialism and the City

These Solutions are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science.Here we have given. NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 6 Colonialism and the City

Question 1.
State whether True or False:

1. In the western world; modern cities grew with industrialization. True
2. Surat and Machlipatnam developed in the nineteenth century. False
3. In the twentieth century, the majority of Indians lived in cities. False
4. After 1857 no worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years. True 
5. More money was spent on cleaning Old Delhi than New Delhi. False

Question 2.
Fill in the blanks:

1. The first structure to successfully use the dome was called the Gol Gumbaz   
2. The two architects who designed New Delhi and Shahjahanabad were
   Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker
3. The British saw overcrowded spaces as unhygienic  
4. In 1888 an extension scheme called the Lahore gate improvement scheme was devised.

Question 3.
Identify three differences in the city design of New Delhi and Shahjahanabad.
Answer:

Question 4.
Who lived in the “white” areas in cities such as Madras?
Answer:
The British lived in white areas of the cities such as Madras.

Question 5.
What is meant by de-urbanization?
Answer:
De-urbanisation is a process by which more and more people began to live in villages or rural areas.
In the late 18th century, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras emerged as Presidency cities. They became the centres of British power in different regions of India. At the same time, several smaller cities declined. Old trading centres and ports could not survive when the flow of trade shifted to new centres. Similarly, earlier centres of regional power collapsed with the defeat of local rurals by the British and new centres of administration grew. This process is described as de-urbanization.

Question 6.
Why did the British choose to hold a grand Durbar in Delhi although it was not the capital?
Answer:
During the Revolt of 1857, the British had realised that the Mughal emperor was still important to the people and they saw him as their leader. It was therefore important to celebrate British power with pomp and show in Delhi— the city the Mughal emperors had ruled earlier. The British thought that by doing this they would acknowledge people about their power and authority.

Question 7.
How did the Old City of Delhi change under British rule?
Answer:
The British changed the Old City of Delhi entirely. They wanted Delhi to forget its Mughal past. Hence, the area around the Fort was completely cleared of gardens, pavilions, and mosques. They either destroyed, the mosques or put them to other uses. For example, the Zinat-al-Masjid was converted into a bakery. No worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years.
One-third of the city was demolished and its canals were filled up.

In the 1870s, the western walls of Shahjahanabad were broken to establish the railway and to allow the city to expand beyond the walls. The British began living in the sprawling Civil Lines area that came up in the north, away from the Indians in the Walled City. The Delhi College was turned into a school and shut down in 1877.

Question 8.
How did the Partition affect life in Delhi?
Answer:
1. Partition of India into India and Pakistan in. 1947 led to a massive transfer of populations on both sides of the new border.
2. Partition led to fierce rioting. Muslims left Delhi for Pakistan and Hindu and Sikh refugees came from Pakistan.

• The population of Delhi swelled, jobs changed and culture became different.
• Delhi became a city of refugees. Nearly 500,000 people were added to Delhi’s population and in 1951 this addition was little over 8,00,000.
• Most of these migrants were from Punjab.
• They stayed in camps, schools, military barracks, gardens etc.
• New colonies like Lajpat Nagar and Tilak Nagar came up at this time.

3. Skills and professions of the refugees were different from those they replaced. Lives and occupations of people changed.
4. Social fabric of Delhi changed. Urban culture based on Urdu was overshadowed by new tastes in food, arts and dresses.

Question 9.
Find out the history of the town you live in or of any town nearby. Check when and how it grew, and how it has changed over the years. You could look” at the history of the bazaars, the buildings, cultural institutions, and settlements.
Answer:
Monu Nagar (An Imaginary Town):
1. Monu Nagar was a small village along G.T. Road.
2. People in the village lived a simple life, mostly of the agriculturist.
3. Slowly modern life style came.

• People started shops along the road.
• Some started repairs of vehicles, cycles, scooters and agriculture implements etc.

4. Agriculture as occupation declined.
5. Several schools, a college and health center developed over years.
6. Some air-conditioned restaurants were opened during last five years.
7. It has become a big town.

Question 10.
Make a list of at least ten occupations in the city, town or village to which you belong, and find out how long they have existed. What does this tell you about the changes within this area?
Answer:

Some of these professions changed due to demographic changes. The changes were gradual. This showed that occupational changes bring a cultural and social change. Write to yourself about changes with the help of your teacher.

Objective Type Questions

1. Match the following:

Answer:
(i)    c
(ii)   e
(iii)  f
(iv)  a
(v)   d
(vi)  b
(vii) g

2. State whether True or False:

1. The British lived in white areas of the cities. True
2. The British wanted Delhi to forget its Mughal past. True
3. The Jama-Masjid was converted into a Bakery by the British. False
4. In 1877, Queen Victoria was recognized as the Empress of India, True
5. Lakpre gate improvement scheme was devised in the year 1905. False

3. Fill in the blanks:

1. In the 1870s, the western walls of Shahjahanabad were broken to establish the railways.
2. The Mughal aristocracy in the 17th and 18th century lived in Havelis 
3. A haveli (is) housed by many families
4. The central dome of the Viceroy’s Palace was copied from the Buddhist Stupa 
5. The British exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar to Burma (now Myanmar)

 Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct answer:
1. Which of the following was a manufacturing town?
(a) Madurai
(b) Dacca
(c) Surat
(d) Agra

2. Which of the following city was Not developed as a Presidency city in colonial India?
(a) Agra  
(b) Bombay
(c) Madras
(d) Calcutta

3. How many Delhi Muslims migrated in the 1947 partition of India?
(a) Over two-third of the Delhi Muslims
(b) Over one-third of the Delhi Muslims
(c) Over three-fourth of the Delhi Muslims
(d) None of the above

4. Most of the migrants in Delhi were from
(a) Bengal
(b) Assam
(c) Punjab
(d) Rajasthan

5. Which was NOT the new British Port in the late eighteenth century?
(a) Bombay
(b) Machlipatnam
(c) Madras
(d) Calcutta

6. Which region was NOT de-urbanized in the 19th century?
(a) Machlipatnam
(b) Surat
(c) Seringapatam
(d) Bombay

7. Which was NOT the place of East India Company’s ‘factories’?
(a) Calcutta
(b) Surat
(c) Madras
(d) Delhi

8. When did the British gain control of Delhi?
(a) 1800
(b) 1803
(c) 1805
(d) 1810

9. When did Delhi become the capital of British India?
(a) 1900
(b) 1905
(c) 1911
(d) 1915

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 6 Colonialism and the City, help you. If you have any query regarding . NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 6 Colonialism and the City, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 8 Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation

These Solutions are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science.Here we have given. NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 8 Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation

Question 1.
Match the following:

Answer:

Question 2.
State whether True or False:

1. James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalists. True
2. The 1854 Despatch on education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India. True
   
3. Mahatma Gandhi thought that promotion of literacy was the most important aim of education. False
4. Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline. False

Question 3.
Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy, and law?
Answer:

1. In order to understand India, it was necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts that were produced in the ancient period.
2. Only those texts could reveal the real ideas and laws of the Hindus and Muslims and only a new study of these texts could form the basis of future development in India.
3. He believed that this project would not only help the British learn from Indian culture, but it would also help Indians rediscover their own heritage and understand the lost glories of their past.
4. In this process, the British would become the guardians of Indian culture as well as its masters.

Question 4.
Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?
Answer:
Both James Mill and Thomas Macaulay saw India as an uncivilized country that needed to be civilized. And for this purpose, European education Was essential. They felt that knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature of the world, it would make them aware of the developments in Western science and philosophy. teaching English could thus be a way of civilizing people, changing their tastes, values, and culture.

Question 5.
Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts?
Answer:

1. According to him, this would develop a person’s mind and soul.
2. Simply, learning to read and write by itself does not count as education. So, people had to work with their hands, learn a craft, and know-how different things operated. This would develop their mind and their capacity to understand.

Question 6.
Why did Mahatma Gandhi think that English education had enslaved Indians?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi was dead against English education. He argued that this type of education had created a sense of inferiority in the minds of Indians. It had made them see Western civilization as superior and had destroyed the pride they had in their own culture. It had cast an evil spell on Indians. Education in English had crippled them, distanced them from their own surroundings, and made them strangers in their own lands. What is more, it had enslaved them.

Question 7.
Find out from your grandparents about what they studied in school.
Answer:

• Urdu/Hindi language
• Mathematics
• The social study, Drawing.

Question 8.
Find out about the history of your school or any other school in the area you live.
Answer:
History of our school

• Established as a middle school — Organised in tents.
• No furniture.
• Supplied furniture by Government.
• Rooms got constructed.
• Raised to secondary than to senior school.
• After 10 years Pucca building got constructed.
• All the amenities provided.
• Now a full-fledged and flourishing Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya upto 12th standard.

Objectives Type Questions

1. Match the following:


Answer:
(i)  e
(ii)  f
(iii) a
(iv) b
(v)  d
(vi) c

2. State whether True or False:

1. Mahatma Gandhi was the promotor of the English language. False
2. William Jones had respect for ancient cultures. True
3. Thomas Macaulay thought that European education was necessary for India. True
4. William Carey had an appointment as a Supreme Court Judge. False
5. Hindu College was set up at Banaras to encourage the study of ancient Hindi texts, False
6. William Adam was a Scottish missionary True

3. Fill in the blanks:

1. Mahatma Gandhi favoured Indian languages as a medium of instruction.
2. William Jones had respect for Indian ancient cultures.
3. Charles Wood emphasised the practical benefits of a system of European
4. Rabindra Nath Tagore started the Santiniketan in 1901.
5. According to Adam’s report, there were over 1 lakh Pathshalas in Bengal and Bihar.

Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct answer:

1. William Jones was a linguist because
(a) he had studied Greek and Latin
(b) he knew French and English
(c) he had learned Persian
(d) all of these

2. Who set up the Asiatic Society of Bengal?
(a) William Jones
(b) Henry Thomas Colebrooke
(c) Nathaniel Halhed
(d) All of these

3. Madrasa was set up in, Calcutta in the year
(a) 1750
(b) 1761
(c) 1771
(d) 1781

4. According to whom, “English education had enslaved Indians”?
(a) Rabindranath Tagore
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Subhas Chandra Bose
(d) Aacharya Vinoba Bhave

5. The Education Act was introduced in the year
(a) 1850
(b) 1835
(c) 1910
(d) 1900

6. Asiatick Researches (Journal) was NOT started by
(a) Henry Thomas Colebrooke
(b) Henry Thomas
(c) Nathaniel Halhed
(d) William Carey

7. Study of which of the following was NOT the purpose of setting up Madrasa in Calcutta in 1781?
(a) Arabic
(b) Sanskrit
(c) Persian
(d) Islamic laws

8. Who was Charles Wood?
(а) The President of the Board of Control of the Company
(b) Commissioner of the Board of Control of the Company
(c) An Educationist
(d) None of the above

9. The English Education Act was passed
(a) to materialize Macaulay’s thinking
(b) to make English the medium of instruction for higher education
(c) to stop the promotion of oriental institutions
(d) all of the above

10. What type of school did Tagore want to set up?
(a) Where the child was happy
(b) Where he/she could be free and creative
(c) He/she was able to explore her own thoughts and desire
(d) All of the above

11. Who said this “Education means all-round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, mind and spirit”?
(a) Rabindranath Tagore
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
(d) None of these

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 8 Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation, help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 8 Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.