8th English A Day in the Ashram Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English A Day in the Ashram Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

ILA. Your teacher reads a passage listen to it. Then answer these questions.

Question 1.
Why did Sangappa feel sad?
Answer:
There were no classes in the Ashram. Students had freedom to go wherever they liked. His son had been sitting on a tree watching the birds singing. He was trying to draw the birds in book. So, Sangappa felt sad that his son was not learning anything worthwhile.

Question 2.
What was his son doing?
Answer:
His son was sitting on a tree watching the birds singing. He was trying to draw the birds in book.

Question 3.
What did the Headmaster say about learning?
Answer:
Head master said that Sangappa’s son was studying nature and he was learning. But kids who are reading books and trying to by heart some questions and answers, were not learning really.

Question 4.
Does learning mean only reading books and preparing for the examination? Share your views with your partners in the class.
Answer:
No, learning means not only reading books and preparing for the examination. Learning means practice and preparing ourselves.

IRA. Some questions are given below. If you agree tick off (Yes). If not tick off (No)

Question 1.
I love to get answers to all the questions by heart.
Answer:
No

Question 2.
We should play in the evenings.
Answer:
Yes

Question 3.
I learn a lot while I am outside the classroom.
Answer:
Yes

Question 4.
Learning must be an enjoyable experience.
Answer:
Yes

Question 5.
Singing, praying, practicing yoga and drawing are also some of the ways of learning.
Answer:
Yes

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Answer the following questions

Question 1.
Who named the school Shantiniketan?
Answer:
Gurudeva named the school Shantiniketan.

Question 2.
When does the day in Shantiniketan begin?
Answer:
The day in Shantiniketan begins long before sunrise.

Question 3.
What is termed by Gurudeva as, “the darling of our hearts.”?
Answer:
Shantiniketan is termed by Gurudeva as “the darling of our hearts.”

Question 4.
Which phrase is used in paragraph 1 to mean “both the old and the young people”?
Answer:
“Old and young alike” is the phrase used in the 1st paragraph which refers to “both the old and the young people.”

Question 5.
The boys in Shantiniketan get up early in the morning. Who else are the early risers?
Answer:
Choristers also get up early in the morning.

II. Answer the following Questions

Question 1.
What kind of work do the boys practice in the afternoon?
Answer:
Boys practice Handiworks like carpentry, mechanical work, spinning and weaving, drafts, painting and music.

Question 2.
What are Shantiniketan boys famous for?
Answer:
Shantiniketan boys are famous for their sports and games.

Question 3.
How do the boys spend evenings before they go to bed?
Answer:
Boys spend their evenings before they go to bed by telling fairy tales, reciting short dramas, singing Gurudeva’s songs and holding different school gatherings.

Question 4.
Read the second paragraph carefully. What it describes is:
(a) The greatness of the Teachers.
(b) The song of the Choristers.
(c) The lessons taught in the Ashram.
(d) The silent meditation of the inmates.
Answer:
(b) The song of the Choristers.

III. Read and discuss your responses with your partner. Then write

Question 1.
What is the effect of the song of the Choristers on the listeners?
Answer:
One can hear the voices in the distance, drawing nearer and nearer, and then the sound dies away, as the choir passes on to another part of the Ashram, and then again it comes nearer and nearer. The beauty of the sound in the silent morning air and the sense of joy and reverence which it brings, give peace to the soul.

Question 2.
How are the classes held in the afternoon in Shantiniketan?
Answer:
There is no classroom in Shantiniketan. The boys sit with their teachers, in the open air, under trees. A group of eight or ten boys sit round the teacher, asking him questions. Very few books are used. A greater part is carried on through conversation. The boys soon learn to open out all their difficulties to their teachers, and the teachers get keenly interested in the boy’s questions and answers. Classes are thus held in uniqueness in Shantiniketan.

Question 3.
How do the boys spend their evening in Shantiniketan?
Answer:
In the evening at sunset, boys return from the fields and sit down once more, for a short time, to meditate in silence.

Question 4.
How are the classes at Shantiniketan different from the classes in other schools?
Answer:
There are no classrooms in Shantiniketan.The boys sit with their teachers in the open air, under the trees. There are no larger classes. Boys sit round the teacher, asking him questions. Very few books are used. A greater part is carried on through conversation.

The boys soon learn to open out all their difficulties to their teachers, and the teachers get keenly interested in the boys’ questions and answers. It is a residential school. Boys learn to rise early in the morning. It provides a opportunity for the boys to learn freely. Where as in other schools, students sit in the classrooms.

When the teachers are teach most of the students become passive learners. They depend more on books and notes. Students asks the questions rarely to clarify their doubts. Homeworks and punishments are given to the students. There is no complete freedom to the students to learn.

Question 5.
How does Shantiniketan prepare the boys for life?
Answer:
In Shantiniketan, boys are given opportunity to learn vocation of their own taste. Boys practice handwork. Some learn carpentry; others learns mechanical work; practice spinning and weaving, become skilled draftsmen or painters and some learn music.

Boys learn to rise early in the morning. Singing in choir, meditation, sports and games, telling stories, reciting dramas etc. In this way, shantiniketan prepares the boys for life.

IV. The writer has used the phrase “living education” to describe the experience in Shantiniketan. Some features of education are given below. Classify them into categories of living education and unimaginative instruction.

Living Education	Unimaginative instruction
– Open discussion	– punishing learners.
– meditating	– memorizing
– Learning outside	– Dictates notes
– in nature	– students passively listening
– students asking questions to teachers	– bookish learning
-experimenting
-creative thinking
– identifying students’ natural taste.

V. Write a paragraph describing your idea of a good school.

My idea of a good school: A school should be located in natural surroundings. It should have a good laboratory, library and a vast play ground. High standard principles should be maintained. Rules and regulations should be set and followed strictly both by the students and teachers. Teachers should be highly disciplined with mastery over the subjects. They should be a model to the students. They should be kind hearted and sympathetic to the students and correct the students mistakes and guide them properly.

A good school gives importance not only curricular activities but also co-curricular activities. The students who shows interest in sports, singing, dancing, enacting, painting should be encouraged. Teachers should give attention to slow learners. Students should be encouraged to experiments, in their project works, to develop good handwriting and to develop

speaking skills. A good school should transform the students from raw one to refined one, and inculcate culture and patriotism.

VI. Write a few lines about your school using the following clues

Name of the school
Location
School building
Facilities- about teachers, laboratory, library, sports etc.

Answer:
I am studying in ‘Government High School’, Bellur, in Shimoga District. It is in the lap of the Sahyadris.

It is a tile roofed building with redoxide floor. It is in ‘L’ shape. It is surrounded by forests and hills. One can see the beauty of Malvad region by standing in our school playground.

There are eight teachers in our school. They are benevolent and kind hearted. They teach us well. Our Head master gives for importance for both curricular and co-curricular activities. We have well equipped laboratory and library. We read newspapers and story books. We take reference books to home to do project works. We have a good, big playground. Our P.E. teacher trains us in many games and sports and helps us to participate at Taluk and District level sports competitions I feel proud to study in this school.

A Day in the Ashram Lesson Vocabulary in English

V1. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the help of clues given in brackets:

Question 1.
When you blow air into balloon it becomes _____________ and _____________ (big)
Answer:
bigger and bigger,

Question 2.
As the train approaches the station, the sound of its whistle becomes _____________ and _____________ (loud)
Answer:
louder and louder

Question 3.
If you practice harder and harder, you will feel _____________ and _____________ (much) confident to solve the problems.
Answer:
more and more

Question 4.
Man has been constructing _____________ and _____________ (tall) building in the cities.
Answer:
taller and taller

Question 5.
As you move away from a tree it looks _____________ and _____________ (small)
Answer:
smaller and smaller

V2. Fill in the blanks using some and others.

E.g: Some prefer carpentry, others prefer mechanical work.

Question 1.
You can see shining objects in the sky at night. _____________ of them are planets, _____________ are stars.
Answer:
Some, Others.

Question 2.
There are many fruits in the baskets. _____________ of them are mangoes _____________ are bananas.
Answer:
Some, Others.

Question 3.
After the bell, boys _____________ went out to play, _____________ went home.
Answer:
Some, Others.

Question 4.
There are a few books on the table. _____________ of them are text books, _____________ are not.
Answer:
Some, Others.

Question 5.
_____________ of the apples in the basket are good, _____________ are bad.
Answer:
Some, Others.

V3. Fill in the blanks choosing appropriate words from the words given in brackets.

Last _____________ (week, weak) I went to a shop to _____________ (by, buy) a pair of trousers. I bought one and returned home. When I tried to _____________ (wear, ware) it, I found that it was rather _____________ (loose, lose). So I went to the shop in fury. But the shopkeeper was out. So I had to _____________ (wait, weight) for half an hour. When he returned, I shouted at him, “see, how big it is. It fits an elephant.” He replied coolly looking at my pot belly, “Therefore we offered it to you, sir.”
Answer:
week, buy, wear, loose, wait.

V4. Fill in the blanks using antonyms of the word in italics:

Question 1.
Krishna was a rich king, while his friend was a _____________ man.
Answer:
poor

Question 2.
Madanika is tall but her brother is _____________
Answer:
short

Question 3.
Radhika is strong but her sister is _____________
Answer:
weak

Question 4.
Silk is soft: iron is _____________
Answer:
hard

Question 5.
I can remember stories but _____________ lessons.
Answer:
forget

V5. Classify the following into prefixes and suffixes:

re, less, ful, mis, non, anti, ment, able, ish, in, ex, ion, ship, multi, sub, ive. One example for each is given.

prefixes	Suffixes
re, mis, non, anti, in, ex, multi, sub	less, ful, ment, able, ish, ion, ship, ive

V6. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prefixes choosing from the ones given above (V5)

Question 1.
The school _____________ opens on June 1.
Answer:
re

Question 2.
Manish eats meat. He is _____________ vegetarian.
Answer:
non

Question 3.
Terrorists are _____________ social.
Answer:
anti

Question 4.
Bakra Nangal is a _____________ purpose project.
Answer:
multi

Question 5.
Plastic chairs are _____________ expensive.
Answer:
in

V7. Fill in the blanks with appropriate suffixes choosing from the ones given above in V5.

Question 1.
He was comfort _____________ in his seat on the train.
Answer:
less/able

Question 2.
He was acting in a very child _____________ way.
Answer:
ish

Question 3.
She looked at her reflect _____________ in the mirror.
Answer:
ion

Question 4.
India has won the champion _____________ at Sharjah.
Answer:
ship

Question 5.
The rate of employ _____________ in India has been rising steadily.
Answer:
ment.

D. Grammar

Task 1. Read the following passage. Underline the common nouns. Say whether they are countables, that is whether they can be counted one, two etc., or whether they are uncountables, that is, they cannot be counted. List them under different columns. Two examples are given.

There was a merchant in a town. His name was Parashuramappa, He had many friends. They helped him in selling milk all over the town Parashuramappa loved to live in peace. Also, he always spoke the truth. These qualities endeared him to all the people in the locality.
Answer:

Countable Nouns	Uncountable Nouns
Merchant	Milk
Town	Peace
Friends	Truth
People	Qualities
Parashuramappa	Locality

Articles

Task 2. Fill in the blanks using ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’, only where necessary. If no article is necessary write (ø) in blank.

Question 1.
Abdul is ____________ excellent football player. As ____________ student, he won many prizes. Now he has joined ____________ multinational company. ____________ company encourages him to play for ____________ state level tournaments.
Answer:
an, a, a, the, the

Question 2.
____________ Democracy is ____________ best form of government for all. ____________ people have ____________ right to vote. Even in ____________ emergency ____________ people do not lose their ____________ rights, in that form of government.
Answer:
ø, the, the, the, an, ø, ø

Question 3.
____________ Peter lives in ____________ same locality as I do. His father is ____________ Assistant Engineer. He loves ____________ music and ____________ sports. His most favourite sports is ____________ cricket.
Answer:
ø , the, an, ø, ø, ø.

Task 3. Look at the following pairs of sentences. Why is ‘the’ (the definite article) used in some cases but not in others? Discuss with your partner and write the reason.

Task 4. What do you understand after doing these exercises? Answer the following questions by filling in the blanks.

Question 1.
Nouns can be countable or ________________
Answer:
uncountable

Question 2.
Countable can be singular or ________________
Answer:
plural

Question 3.
‘a’, ‘an’ and ________________ are articles.
Answer:
the

Question 4.
‘a’ and ‘an’ are used only with ________________ nouns.
Answer:
countable

Question 5.
‘The’ can be used with both singular and ________________ forms of nouns.
Answer:
plural

Question 6.
‘The’ is called the definite ________________ ; ‘a’ and ‘an’ are called ________________ articles.
Answer:
article, indefinite

Other Determiners: Apart from a/ an/ the some of the other determiners are a few, many, several, a pair of, a piece of, a lot of etc.

Another type of determiners are Demonstratives namely,
this – these that – those

Task 5. Frame sentences using the above determiners.
Answer:
a few: A few friends are coming home for tea. Only a few students were awarded distinctions.
many: There are too many mistakes in this essay. Many of the students are from North India.
several: Our Head Master has written several books about India.
a pair of: My father brought a pair of shoes for me.
a piece of: I eat a piece of plum cake every morning.
a lot of: I get a lot of time to do home work.
this: This is a good horse.
these: These are good horses.
that: That’s a nice hat. Look at that man standing there.
those: Those students who failed in the exam will have to take, it again. Those are my neighbour’s daughters going to school.

E. Writing

Choice of words:

Task 6. Read the following descriptions. Substitute each with an appropriate descriptive word from the ones given in brackets below. One example is given.

(punctual, forgetful, flexible, shy, lazy)

Question 1.
He often promises to do things, but half the time he forgets. (____________)
Answer:
forgetful

Question 2.
She is always here on time, (____________)
Answer:
punctual

Question 3.
I don’t think he has done any work since he has been here. (____________)
Answer:
lazy

Question 4.
She finds it difficult to meet people and talk to strangers. (____________)
Answer:
shy

Question 5.
He can work in any department and it doesn’t matter to him if he is on his own or part of a team. (____________)
Answer:
flexible.

Additional Questions with Answers

I. Four alternatives are given below each questions.

Choose the correct one:

Question 1.
Shantiniketan is a school with difference where students learn with great ______________
(a) difficulties
(b) joy
(c) sorrow
(d) interest.
Answer:
(b) joy

Question 2.
Gurudeva named Shantiniketan in his song :
(a) The darling of our mind.
(b) The darling of our home.
(c) The darling of your hearts.
(d) The darling of our hearts.
Answer:
(d) The darling of our hearts.

Question 3.
C. F. Andrews is telling about Ashram to :
(a) Tagore
(b) students
(c) reader
(d) foreigner
Answer:
(c) reader

Question 4.
The First risers in Ashram :
(a) Tagore.
(b) birds.
(c) Choristers.
(d) C.F.Andrews.
Answer:
(c) Choristers.

Question 5.
What brings the sense of joy and reverence and gives peace to the soul.
(a) The sound of choristers song.
(b) Football play.
(c) Singing of birds
(d) sun rising
Answer:
(a) The sound of choristers song.

Question 6.
In Shantiniketan, classes are conducted :
(a) in the classroom
(b) under the trees
(c) in the football ground
(d) beside the building.
Answer:
(b) under the trees

Question 7.
Person whose job is making or repairing wooden objects and structures :
(a) blacksmith
(b) carpenter
(c) weaver
(d) draftsman
Answer:
(b) carpenter

Question 8.
Boys of Shantiniketan are famous for:
(a) cricket
(b) football
(c) sports and games
(d) meditation
Answer:
(c) sports and games

Question 9.
Fairy tales are told :
(a) in the morning
(b) in the evening
(c) at night
(d) in the afternoon
Answer:
(c) at night

Question 10.
Words cannot picture to you the beauty of Shantiniketan. The underlined word is :
(a) noun
(b) verb
(c) adjective
(d) adverb
Answer:
(b) verb

II. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow :

Question 1.
“If I were to describe to you one day in the Ashram with the boys.”
a. Who says these words?
Answer:
C.F. Andrew says these words.

b. To whom is this said?
Answer:
To the readers.

c. What does Ashram refer?
Answer:
Ashram refers to Shantiniketan.

Question 2.
Our own poet and teacher, whom we call Gurudeva, has named it in his song “The darling of our hearts.”
a. Who says these words?
Answer:
C.F. Andrew says these words.

b. Who is Gurudeva?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore is called Gurudeva.

c. What does ‘The darling our hearts refer?
Answer:
Shantiniketan refers to ‘darling of our hearts.’

III. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Who founded Shantiniketan?
Answer:
Ravindranath Tagore founded Shantiniketan.

Question 2.
Who sings the morning hymn?
Answer:
Choristers sing the morning hymn.

Question 3.
What does each boy do after an interval?
Ans.
Each boy takes his asan, the square of carpet, into the fields and sits down on it to meditate in his own place alone. Later on, the boys all stand together in the shade of trees and sing their hymn.

Question 4.
What does the boys learn in the afternoon classes?
Answer:
Boys learn handiwork like spinning, weaving, carpentry, mechanical work, painting and music.

Question 5.
For what are Shantiniketan boys famous?
Ans.
Shantiniketan boys are famous for their sports and games.

Question 6.
At what time Shantinikethan boys go to bed at night?
Answer:
Shantiniketan boys go to bed at nine o’ clock.

Question 7.
What does the writer say about the life of Shantiniketan?
Answer:
Writer says that there can be no question as to the happiness of the life of Ashram • boys. Their faces tell the story of their joy and their freedom. There is not freer life in India than the life of the children of Shantiniketan.

Question 8.
Do you like the life of Shantiniketan?
Answer:
Yes, I like the life of Shantiniketan. Because it provides an opportunity to learn from the work of our own interest and it gives a lot of freedom.

IV. Match the following:

1. recitea	a. group of singers singing hyms
2. reverence	b. pray silently
3. choir	c. respect
4. mediate	d. big
5. large	e. sing
	f. small

Answer:
1 – e,
2 – c,
3 – a,
4 – b,
5 – d

V. Write the opposites of

Question 1.
worthy × ______________
Answer:
unworthy

Question 2.
young × ______________
Answer:
old

Question 3.
near × ______________
Answer:
far

Question 4.
happy × ______________
Answer:
sad

Question 5.
joy × ______________
Answer:
sorrow

Question 6.
large × ______________
Answer:
small

Question 7.
rich × ______________
Answer:
poor

Question 8.
tall × ______________
Answer:
short

Question 9.
strong × ______________
Answer:
weak

Question 10.
soft × ______________
Answer:
hard

Question 11.
remember × ______________
Answer:
forget

Question 12.
freedom × ______________
Answer:
slavery (or) confinement

A Day in the Ashram Lesson Summary in English

C. F. Andrews reveals his experience while he stayed in the Ashram. Shantiniketan which was founded by Rabindranath Tagore. It is a school with a difference, where students learn with great joy.

There are no words to describe the beauty of Shantiniketan. Gurudeva has named ‘ Shantiniketan’ in his song “The darling of Our hearts.” The beauty of the Ashram influences the minds of those people who have visited it.

Boys rise up long before sunrise. The choristers are the first to rise, and they go round the Ashram, singing their morning hymn. The sound of singing varies as the singers move along the ashram. The beauty of the sound in the silent morning air and the sense of joy and reverence which it brings, gives peace to the soul.

After an interval, each boy sits down in the field and meditates. Later, before the school work begins, all the boys stand together in the shade of trees and sing their hymn.

School work goes on upto 10.30.A.M. There are no classrooms. The boys sit with their teachers under the trees and ask questions. Very few books are used. A greater part is carried on through conversation. The boys soon learn to open out all their difficulties to their teacher.

They take a break for bathing and lunch. After the meals, at about two O’clock in the afternoon, the classes begin again. The work is chiefly with the hands as well as with the mind. Handiwork is practiced. Boys are given opportunity to practice according to their own taste. Boys give preference to carpentry, mechanical work, spinning, weaving, drafting, painting and music.

There is very little book work in the afternoon. About four O’clock, boys rush into the field to play football. Shantiniketan boys are famous for their sports and games.

In the evening boys sit down once more to meditate. At night, fairy tales are narrated, short dramas are enacted. Gurudeva’s songs are sung and different school gatherings are held. By nine O’clock all retire to rest. The choristers sing their last evening hymns. Writer says that there is a great happiness in the life of the boys and there is no freer life in India than the life of the children at Shantiniketan.

A Day in the Ashram Lesson Summary in Kannada

8th English A Day in the Ashram Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary 1