8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English The Bees Poem Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading task:

(a) Have you tasted honey?
Answer:
Yes, I have tasted honey.

(b) How do bees collect honey?
Answer:
Bees collect nectar from the flowers and transform them into honey.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Let’s read and respond:

Following are statements drawn from the poem in a jumbled order.
Rearrange them in the right order:
a. The poor bees are like porters crowding in with heavy burdens at the narrow gate.
b. The bees knead up the honey.
c. They build their hives with roofs of gold.
d. By nature,’ they are very sincere and they serve their master and thus set an example to human beings.
e. They share their work and they are very professional in their work like soldiers and merchants.
f. All the bees deliver their goods and serve the lazy drone.
g. The honey is brought to the royal tent of the emperor.
h. The soldier bees armed with their stings suck honey from the velvet buds.
Answer:

  1. – d,
  2. – e,
  3. – h,
  4. – g,
  5. – c,
  6. – b,
  7. – a,
  8. – f

II. Appreciation

A. Answer the following in one or two sentences each:

Question 1.
What is the unique quality of bees?
Answer:
The unique quality of bees is that they operate in a communal way, the fixed element or the aim being obedience. It is like a well ordered kingdom with demarcations for the various jobs along with a king and officers of sorts. They have magistrates, merchants soldiers, masons, ordinary citizens, humble labourers, judges, executioners and unproductive drones, each doing their part in the prime job of making honey.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 2.
How do the bees serve as an example to people?
Answer:
By being sincere in serving their master and being obedient the bees set an example to people.

Question 3.
How is the work distributed among the bees?
Answer:
The work is well distributed among the bees in the hive. They have a king, a magistrate, merchants, soldiers, masons, ordinary citizens, porters, and executors. All of them discharge their duties sincerely.

B. Answer the following in four or five sentences each:

Question 1.
How does the poet describe the duty consciousness of the bees?
Answer:
The poet talks about the responsibilities that the bees shoulder very sincerely. The king, magistrate, soldiers, workers, ordinary citizens and the executors discharge their duties and responsibilities systematically and very professionally.

Question 2.
Mention the different types of bees according to the nature of their work.
Answer:
According to the nature of their work, the top rung in the hierarchy is held by the king who is ever busy surveying the hive. He is followed by the magistrate who corrects those at home, soldiers armed with a sting guard the hive, workers like merchants gather nectar, the ordinary citizens make honey, masons build golden roofs and the executof discharges his duty mercilessly against lazy drones.

Question 3.
How does the poet describe the drone?
Answer:
The poet describes the drone as a ‘lazy yawning’ drone. While the whole hive is buzzing with activities, the drone spends it’s time relaxing. Therefore, it is promptly sent to the executor.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

C. Fill in the blanks of the following sentences:

1. The poet describes the bees as kings and officers because all the bees carry out their duties with utmost sincerity and professionally as if it has been officially entrusted to them.

2. The poet is sympathetic towards some of the bees because they are the ones who toil more. Some wander far to bring nectar, others knead to make honey, while others build golden roofs.

III. Find out the meanings of the following words from dictionary:

  1. magistrates – an official who acts as a judge in the lower courts.
  2. venture-(n) – a project or an undertaking especially a commercial one involving a risk of failure.
    (v) to dare to go somewhere dangerous or unpleasant,
  3. masons – a person who builds in or works with stone,
  4. mechanic – a person skilled in handling or repairing machines,
  5. porters – a person whose job is carrying people’s luggage and other loads.
  6. burdens – a load, usually a heavy one.
  7. surly – bad tempered and rude
  8. executors – a person who is appointed by a king or other high officials to carry out the instructions.

IV. Browse the encyclopedia or internet to find out about the life of the ants. Some clues are given below.

Different types of ants – Class activity
Team work – Class activity
Division of labour – Class activity

V. Let’s work on our own:

A Collect a picture/model of a beehive – Student activity
Collect information on the characteristic features of the queen bee, worker bee, soldier bee and drone.

A. Queen bee – The term queen bee is typically used to refer to an adult, mated female that lives in a honey bee colony or hive; she is usually the mother of most, if not all, the bees in the hive. The queens are developed from larvae selected by worker bees and specially fed in order to become sexually mature. There is normally only one adult, mated queen in a hive.

The term “queen bee” can be more generally applied to any dominant reproductive female in a colony of a eusocial bee species other than honey bees.

Drone – Drones are male honey bees. They develop from eggs that have not been fertilized, and they cannot sting, since the worker bee’s stinger is a modified ovipositor (an egg laying organ). Drones never exhibit typical worker bee behaviours such as nectar and pollen gathering, nursing, or hive construction. Since the worker bee’s stinger is a modified ovipositor (an egg laying organ), the drones are defenseless and cannot defend the hive;

Soldier bee – Soldier bees are 30 per cent heavier than worker bees and make up just one per cent of the colony, whereas workers number around 10,000 per hive.

They have slightly smaller heads and thicker legs than the workers, which helps them to fight off their main enemies – the robber bee

However, despite being stingless and far smaller, soldier bees are able to fight-off single robber bee scouts. They fight by clamping their heads onto the wing of robber bees, preventing them from flying.

Worker bee – A Worker bee is any female eusocial bee that’lacks the full reproductive capacity of the colony ’s queen bee; under most circumstances, this is correlated to an increase in certain non- reproductive activities relative to a queen, as well. Worker bees occur in many bee species other than honey bees, but this is by far the most familiar colloquial use of the term.

Honey bee workers keep the hive temperature uniform in the critical brood area (where new bees are raised). Workers gather pollen into the pollen baskets on their back legs, to carry back to the hive where it is used as food for the developing brood. Pollen carried on their bodies may be carried to another flower where a small portion can rub off onto the pistil, resulting in cross pollination.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

B. Class activity/students activity.

C. Write a short paragraph of 50 words on each of the following topics: Nutritious value of honey
Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. With respect to carbo hydrates,honey is mainly fructose (about 38.5%) and glucose (about 31.0%), making . it similar to the synthetically produced inverted sugar syrup, which is approximately 48% fructose, 47% glucose, and 5% sucrose. Honey’s remaining carbohydrates include maltose, sucrose, and other complex carbohydrates.

As with all nutritive sweeteners, honey is mostly sugars and contains only trace amounts of vitamins or minerals. Honey also, contains tiny amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin. The specific composition of any batch of honey depends on the flowers available to the bees that produced the honey.

Medicinal value of honey: Historically, honey has been used by humans to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only , recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained.

In Ayurveda, a 4000-year-old system originating from India, honey is considered to positively affect all three primitive material imbalances of the body.

Honey appears to be effective in killing drug resistant biofilms which are implicated ‘ in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Topical honey has been used successfully in a comprehensive treatment of diabetic ulcers when the patient cannot use topical antibiotics.

The pH of honey is commonly between 3.2 and 4.5 This relatively acidic pH level 1 prevents the growth of many bacteria.

Honey has also been used for centuries as a treatment for sore throats and coughs i and, according to recent research, may be an effective soothing agent for coughs.

Some studies suggest the topical use of honey may reduce odours, swelling, and scarring when used to treat wounds; it may I also prevent the dressing from sticking to the healing wound, to mast cells. This inhibits mast cell degranulation and thus reduces allergic reactions.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Beehive and wax

A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species live and raise their young. Natural beehives are naturally occurring structures occupied by honeybee colonies, while domesticated honeybees live in man-made beehives, often in an apiaiy. These man-made structures are typically referred to as “beehives”… Natural beehive is comparable to a bird’s nest built with a purpose to protect the dweller.

The beehive’s internal structure is a densely- packed matrix of hexagonal cells made of beeswax, called a honeycomb. The bees use the cells to store food (honey and pollen) and to house the ‘brood’ (eggs, larvae, and pupae).

Artificial beehives serve two purposes: production of honey and pollination of nearby crops. Artificial hives are commonly transported so that bees can pollinate crops in other areas.

D. Student’s assignment

Additional Questions with Answers

I. Identify the figure of speech of the following.

  1. Where some like magistrates, correct at home – simile and personification
  2. Others like merchants, venture trade abroad – simile and personification
  3. Others like soldiers armed in their wings – simile and personification
  4. With pillage, they, with merry mirth bring home – alliteration
  5. Who busied in his majesty, surveys. – personification.
  6. The singing masons building roofs of gold – personification
  7. The civil citizens kneading up the honey – personification
  8. The poor mechanic porters crowding gates – personification
  9. The sad ey’d justice with his surly hum – personification.
  10. Delivering over to executors – personification
  11. The lazy yawning drone. -personification.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Match the following bees with the nature of their work: (matched)

  • magistrate – corrects at home
  • merchants – venture trade abroad
  • soldiers – armed with stings
  • empero – surveys the hive
  • masons – build roofs of gold
  • civil citizens – knead up honey

Glossary

Mirth – happiness and laughter.

III. Answer the following questions

Question 1.
“With pillage, they, with merry mirth bring home” explain this statement.
Answer:
It means that the honey bees who have stolen the nectar and pollen from the flowers have escaped and are flying back home with total excitement and happiness.

Question 2.
Why do you think that justice is addressed as sad eyed?
Answer:
Most of those who are brought to the magistrate for justice are none but the lazy drones. The fate of the drone is a known fact. The magistrate is also probably helpless, as justice has to be done therefore he is referred to as sad eyed.

8th English The Bees Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

The Bees Poem Summary in English

The hierarchy in a bee hive along with their characteristics is clearly depicted here; the bees also set an example about hard work and sincerity.

Honey bees operate in a communal way, where the one single fixed element is obedience. One can learn a lot about how to run a well-ordered. Kingdom from these creatures. They have a king surveying the hive and his officers of sorts. Some like magistrates dole out punishment; some venture forth for commerce like merchants; soldiers armed with stingers, pillage the summer flowers and bring home the booty – honey, to the royal tent; masons build gold roofs, ordinary citizens process the honey; humble labourers crowd at the narrow gates with their loads of honey; solemn judge hands over the lazy unproductive drones to the executioners.

From the above, it can be concluded that all the different elements work toward one common end cohesively. All of them fulfill their responsibilities sincerely and professionally, qualities which we humans have to learn and emulate. They set an outstanding example about the importance of hand work, obedience and a harmonious community living.

8th Standard English Notes

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English Imagination Poem Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading tasks: 

I. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each:

Question 1.
What do you think were the simple things done by the cowboy?
Answer:
Cowboys tend to their herd of cattle, on horseback along with a dog. They take care of the livestock in the ranch. Feeding, branding, moving cattle and horses to different pastures, exercising and training horses, taking cattle for grazing, rounding them up afterwards, maintaining the fences around the ranch, so that animals do not escape and wild animals like coyotes, wolves and foxes do not enter and prey on the livestock, are some of the daily chores of a cowboy. They enjoy their spare time if any, at rodeos or with friends.

Question 2.
Do you enjoy reading? What do you feel are the joys of reading?
Answer:
Yes, I enjoy reading. We are taken into the world mentioned in the book along with our imagination and fantasy.

Question 3.
Where do the Eskimos live?
Answer:
Eskimos live in the cold Arctic region. They live in houses made of ice called igloos.

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 4.
Why does the poet say ‘ my fantasy was all aglow’?
Answer:
While reading the book about Eskimos, the poet got so drawn into their world of adventure that he imagined fishing and hunting with them. As he shared their adventure his fantasy was at the height of his imagination.

Question 5.
When did the poet go to the moon? Did he stay there?
Answer:
The poet went to the moon while reading a book on the journey to the moon written by Jules Verne. No, he did not stay there.

Question 6.
Who was his guide in the forests of Africa
Answer:
Dr. Livingstone was his guide in the forests of Africa.

Question 7.
What were the deeds performed by the poet in his world of imagination?
Answer:
In his world of imagination, the poet performed various wonderful deeds in different nations along with the heroes of those nations.

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 8.
What happened when he grew up? What are his feelings towards life?
Answer:
When the poet grew up, his childish world came to an end. He developed a serious attitude towards life.

Question 9.
What is the message given by the poet in the poem?
Answer:
The message of the poet in this poem is that reading is a good habit, for it not only enhances our knowledge but makes our imagination run wild. He also states that he had thoroughly enjoyed the mysterious facts of the world and still cherishes them.

II. Match the following:

1. pirates  moon
2. America  Dr. Livingstone
3. Eskimos  seven seas
4. Jules Verne  Huckleberry Finn
5. Africa  snow

Answer:

  1. seven seas
  2. Huckleberry Finn,
  3. snow
  4. moon,
  5. Dr. Livingstone

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

III. Read the poem carefully and complete the web chart:

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 1

IV. Activity: Class activity

V. Imagination

a. Use your imagination and fill in the chart given below:

a pirate I would attack ships and loot the wealth.
an Eskimo I’d love to ice skate and chase the polar bear.
a cowboy I’d like to be the hero at the rodeo.
in the forests of Africa I’d enjoy the freshness and the greenery and learn about the wildlife.
with Huckleberry Finn I’d enjoy the adventures with him.

b. Speaking

Suppose you are given an opportunity to spend a few days at one of the following with your friends. Then, describe your experience to your classmates. Sample write ups are given for two, for others, form groups ‘and come up with points. Class Activity

1. Antarctica: It was a great experience to be in the southern most tip of the world. It is totally surrounded by sea and it is so calm. It is so cold and windy. The temperature is -80 to -90 degrees. There is no permanent human population here. Only research centers are found here. Emperor penguins are a common feature. Plants like the lichens, moss are found here. The ice caps are melting due to global warming.
8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 2

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

2. Igloo – Igloos are also called snow houses. They are the homes of the Eskimos. Basically, they are shelters constructed from blocks of compacted snow, generally in the form of a dome. But other types of houses constructed from whalebone and hides and traditional tents have snow used
to insulate the homes, thereby increasing the temperature to about -7 degrees while the temperature outside would be about – 45 degrees. We were there as part of a science expedition. I made friends with some Eskimo kids. We used sign language to communicate. They took me for fishing. We cut round holes in the ice and dropped our lines and caught some fish.
8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 3

3. Moon – Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth, and the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System. It is ‘ the largest natural satellite of a planet in the Solar System.
8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 4

4. Sahara desert – The Sahara is the largest desert on the African continent. The southern border of the Sahara is marked by a band of semi-arid savanna called the Sahel; south of the Sahel lies Southern Sudan and the Congo River Basin. Most of the Sahara consists of rocky hamada.
8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 5

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

5. African jungles -The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipel agoes. It has 54 fully recognized sovereign states (‘Countries’), 9 territories and three de facto states with limited recognition.
8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 6
The climate of Africa ranges from tropical to sub arctic on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily desert or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains and very dense jungle (rainforest) regions. In between, there is a convergence where vegetation patterns such as sahel, and steppe dominate. Africa is the hottest continent on earth; dry lands and deserts comprise 60% of the entire land surface. The record for the highest temperature recorded was set in Libya in 1922. (58 °C(136 °F)).

6. Arctic ocean: The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world’s five major oceanic divisions. The Inter national Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, although some oceanographers call it the Arctic Mediterranean Sea or simply the Arctic Sea, classifying it as one of the mediterranean seas of the Atlantic Ocean. Alternatively, the Arctic Ocean can be seen as the northernmost part of the all-encompassing World Ocean.
8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary 7
Almost completely surrounded by Eurasia and North America, the Arctic Ocean is partly covered by sea ice throughout the year and almost completely in winter. The Arctic Ocean’s temperature and salinity vary seasonally as the ice cover melts and freezes; its salinity is the lowest on average of the five major oceans, due to low evaporation, heavy fresh water inflow from rivers and streams, and-limited connection and outflow to surrounding oceanic waters with higher salinities.

The summer shrinking of the ice has been quoted at 50%. The US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) uses satellite data to provide a daily record of Arctic sea ice cover and the rate of melting compared to an average period and specific past years.

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Reading: Student’s Activity.
VII. Writing: Student’s Activity.

Additional Questions with Answers

I. Rhyming terms

seas  please
deed (s)  succeed
mind  grind
snow  aglow
veme  turn
Africa  America
guide  hide
imagination  nation
end  bend-send

II. Multiple Choice Questions: Choose the correct answer from the four options provided and answer the questions:

Question 1.
The poet sailed the ____________ seas along with the pirates.
(a) seven
(b) Caspian
(c) nine
(d) Arabian
Answer:
(a) seven

Question 2.
To escape the drudgery of daily grind, the poet
(a) went to the rodeo
(b) went with the pirates
(c) painted pictures
(d) read books
Answer:
(d) read books

8th English Imagination Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

III. Mention the figure of speech of :

Question 1.
I used to play at pirates ________________
Answer:
Alliteration

Question 2.
And sailed the seven seas ________________
Answer:
Alliteration

Imagination Poem Summary in English

Imagination runs wild when we read books; and we learn many facts of nature as we share with the experiences of the characters in the books. In this poem, the poet highlights the pleasure derived while reading.

The poet talks about the distant and varied lands that one is led to, and the imagination that is honed while reading books. The poet became a pirate and sailed the seven seas and shared their thrilling adventure on the seven seas. He then became a cowboy and roamed about ¡n the ranch and did many simple things that pleased him. He even went up to the Arctic and lived with the Eskimos in their igloos and took part in their hunting and fishing expeditions making his fantasy glow.

While he read the book about the journey to the moon by Jules Verne, the poet too had an exciting and adventurous journey to the moon. He then spent some time with Dr. Livingstone, exploring the forests of Africa. Later he shared some adventure with Huckleberry Finn in America. He also performed most of the wonderful deeds, as a hero of all the nations and succeeded in it too. Though the poet is now an adult, he still fantasizes on the mysterious facts mentioned in the books that he has read.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English Modern Machinery Poem Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading activity:

I. a. Think of five activities you can do without the help of any kind of machines.
Answer:
Reading, walking, swimming, jumping, talking etc,.

b. Think of five activities you do with the help of machines.
Answer:
Typing, playing computer games, chatting on the internet, travelling by a vehicle, heating water with the help of heaters or geysers.

c. What are the damages we face when we don’t handle a machine properly?
Answer:
Electric shock, fire, mental stress, financial loss.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Find out different kinds of experiences in the following activities:

a. Traveling in a car and a bullock cart.
Answer:
Traveling in a car is comfortable and fast, while traveling in a bullock cart gives us not only a bumpy ride, but we are also covered with dust.

b. Calculating a sum mentally or by a calculator.
Answer:
Calculator helps us to complete the sums faster, but mental maths is better, as it brushes up and boosts our brain power.

c. Drawing a picture by hand or using a paint brush in the computer.
Answer:
Both are equally entertaining and hones our imaginative skills but in a computer you can draw, erase and make alterations easily.

Text Book Questions and Answers

I. Appreciation:

A. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two each.

Question 1.
In the poem ‘we’ refers to the …………………
Answer:
machines

Question 2.
How are the machines made?
Answer:
Machines are made from the ores that is taken from the ore-bed and the mines. They are melted, cast, wrought, hammered, cut, filed, tooled, gauged to refine it further. They are then made into different machines.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
What do the machines ask for their survival?
Answer:
Machines only want some water, coal and oil for their survival.

Question 4.
How long will the machines serve us?
Answer:
The machines will’ serve us always; for twenty four hours a day.

Question 5.
Pick out the action words performed by the machines.
Answer:
Pull, haul, push, lift, drive, print, plough, weave, heat, light, run, race, swim, fly, dive, see, hear, count, read and write are some of the action words by that are performed by the machines.

Question 6.
What is the Maw’ the machines have to abide by?
Answer:
The law which the machines have to abide by is that they are not built to comprehend a lie, or have emotions like, love, pity or forgiveness.

Question 7.
What can the human beings do that machines cannot?
Answer:
Human beings can love, feel pity for, forgive and even understand a lie, which the machines cannot do.

B. Answer the following questions in 4-5 sentences each.

Question 1.
‘The machines are merciless’, which lines suggest this?
Answer:
The lines ‘We can neither love nor pity nor forgive’ and ‘If you make a slip in handling us you die!’ suggests that machines are merciless.

Question 2.
“We are nothing more than the children of your brain”. Why?
Answer:
The word ‘Children of your brain’ refers to the ‘idea’ of creating the machine that took birth in the brain of man. It could also mean that if man with his intelligence hadn’t extracted the ore and hadn’t built the machine, it would not even exist in the world. They have been created to perform various tasks. Therefore, the machines hold a minor role and are not as important as the task they perform.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
In this poem, the poet attributes one human quality to machines. What is it? Substantiate your answer.
Answer:
The ability to perform various tasks is the human quality referred to here. It can perform all those tasks which a human can perform such as pulling, hauling, pushing, lifting, driving, printing, ploughing, weaving, heating, lighting, running, racing, swimming, flying, diving, seeing, hearing, counting, reading and writing.

II. Language Activity :

Find and list out the personified lines in other poems prescribed in your text. (They are mentioned under figures of speech under each poem).

Figures of speech of modern machinery:
Some water, coal and oil are all we ask.                                  – Personification
And now if you will set us to our task.                                    – Personification
We will serve you four and twenty hours a day.                     – Personification
We can pull and haul and push and lift and drive.                 – Personification
We can print and plough and weave and heat and light.      – Personification
We can run and jump and swim and fly and dive.                 – Personification
We can see and hear and count and read and write.             – Personification
We can neither love, nor pity nor forgive.                              – Personification
Though our smoke may hide the heavens from your eyes.   – Personification
We are nothing more than children of your brain.                 – Personification

III. Listening Activity: Class activity

IV. Speaking Activity:
(i) Class activity,
(ii) Class activity,
(iii) Class activity.

V. Reading Activity:
Comprehend the story given below and answer the questions that follow:
Building your house:
‘An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer- contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business in order to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the pay cheque.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker leave and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a ’ dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house …………… my gift to you.”
How shocked the carpenter was! What a shame!
If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

Question 1.
Why did the carpenter want to retire?
Answer:
The carpenter wanted to retire because he wanted to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy with his extended family.

Question 2.
What would he miss after his retirement?
Answer:
After his retirement, he would miss his pay cheque.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
What did the contractor ask the carpenter as a personal favour?
Answer:
As a personal favour, the contractor asked the carpenter if he could build just one more house.

Question 4.
How did the carpenter build the house?
Answer:
The carpenter resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.

Question 5.
If the carpenter had known it was his house, how would he have built it?
Answer:
If the carpenter had known that the house was for him, he would have, carried out the task sincerely and honestly.

Question 6.
What is the lesson you learn from this small story?
Answer:
Always be sincere in your work.

VI. Writing Activity: Class activity

VII. Read the following poem in comparison to the poem ‘Modern Machinery’ and take a note of the features of alliteration and personification.

Some of the Personifications in ‘Man Made Machine’ are

  1. I will do whatever I am told.
  2. I will be thrown away when I am old.
  3. My heart is now cold.
  4. I have no sense of right and wrong.
  5. I used to feel, I used to love.
  6. I used to possess a mind.
  7. And I do what I am told.
  8. Don’t try to fight me.
  9. Because I am the new trend.

Alliterations from the poem:
I’m the man made machine.

(b) Underline the alliteration in these sentences.

(a) Pretty Polly picked pears for preserves.
(b) Handsome Harry hired hundreds of hippos for Hanukkah.
(c) A happy home, a healthy family and hopeful future is what our heart hails
(d) Where wine, the wit may not oppress.
(e) Hail Holy Light, offspring of Heaven first born.
(f) O Holy Hope! and High Humility high as the heavens above.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

C. Reading
Read the given poems and underline the alliterations in them:

Caring cats

Caring cats cascade off
Laughing lamas lounging
Underneath yelling yaks
Yelling at roaming rats.

Rain

Rain races
Ripping like wind
Its restless rage
Rattles like
Rocks ripping through the air.

Laughing lions

Laughing lions laugh
Like jumping jaguars
On top of talking trees
When the
Talking trees start talking,
the joking jaguars
fall off.

Funny Feel

I feel a feel a funny feel, a funny feel I feel
If you feel the funny feel I feel,
Then I feel the funny feel you feel.

Personification.
See II Language activity.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Additional Questions with Answers

I. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Mention the process of making a machine.
Answer:
The ore is extracted from the earth. It is melted in the furnace and in the pit. It is then cast and wrought and hammered to design into the required machines.

II. Pick out the rhyming terms.

mine – design
ask – task
light – write
lie – die
again – brain
pit – fit
play – day
live – forgive
eyes – size
drive – dive

III. Figure of speech.

We will serve you four and twenty hours a day. – Personification
We are not built to comprehend a lie. – Personification

Fill in the blanks.

The poem Modem Machinery was written by Rudyard Kipling.

8th English Modern Machinery Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Modern Machinery Poem Summary in English

Modern machines are innumerable gadgets that make man’s life easy. This poem states the various tasks that machines can do and cannot do.

Machines were first deep inside the earth in the form of ores. They were extracted, melted, cast, wrought and hammered to design them into the various machines for various requirements. Only coal, water and oil are what are required for them to function. Once set to their task, they fulfill their duties twenty four hours a day.

They can perform innumerable tasks such as pulling, hauling, pushing, lifting, driving, printing, ploughing, weaving, heating, lighting, running, jumping, swimming, flying, diving, seeing, hearing, counting, reading and writing. But they cannot comprehend a lie, nor can they love, pity or forgive. If we do not use them carefully, we will face the consequences.

Their smoke sometimes hides the heavens only to clear up after some time. They are heavy, huge and powerful yet they are the child of the human brain This poem has personified machines to the fullest extent and has therefore added beauty to the poem.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading task:

a. In the present day, brides in India are taken in a decorated car. How were the royal brides in the ancient days taken around?
Answer:
The brides were carried in decorated palanquins either placed on decorated elephants or they were carried by palanquin bearers.

b. Who do you think took the privilege to escort the bride?
Answer:
The male members of the family along with the nobles took the privilege to escort the Bride.

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

c. How are the deities in the temple taken in a procession during the festivals?
Answer:
During festivals, the deities are taken on decorated chariots, sometimes drawn by the devotees or in a motor vehicle, e g. a truck.

Text Book Questions and Answers

I. Answer the following in one or two sentences each:

Question 1.
Pick out the words from the poem which describes the movement of the bride.
Answer:
Sways, skims, floats, hangs and springs are some of the words which describe the movements of the bride.

Question 2.
How do the palanquin bearers carry the bride?
Answer:
The palanquin bearers carry her lightly, gaily and softly like a pearl on a string.

Question 3.
Why do you think the palanquin bearers are carrying the palanquin lightly?
Answer:
The palanquin bearers are carrying the palanquin lightly so that the princess inside it would feel no jerks and jolts, but would instead have a comfortable journey.

Question 4.
What are the emotions that the bearers feel as they carry the palanquin?
Answer:
The words ‘we glide’ and ‘we sing’ suggests that they are very happy to bear the palanquin of the princess.

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
Why is the bride compared to a flower and a bird?
Answer:
She is probably compared to a flower because she is beautiful, delicate, fragile and tender as a flower.
The princess is compared to a bird that skims, floats, glides because the princess is so happy to go to her husband’s palace that she seems to be skimming like a bird.

Question 6.
Explain the image in “She sways like a flower”.
Answer:
Just as a flower sways in the breeze, so does the princess sway in the palanquin, to the rhythm of the march of the palanquin bearers as she is being carried.

Question 7.
Why is the bride referred to as‘a pearl on a string’?
Answer:
Pearl is a precious gem, similarly the princess is also precious to them. The pearl on a sting is very fragile and delicate and can break easily, so also is the princess who is very tender and delicate. Hence the comparison.

Question 8.
Why has she been compared to a star?
Answer:
She has been compared to a star for her beauty and charm, just as a star that appears in the night sky.

Question 9.
Why do you think the poetess has used two contradictory feelings of ‘laugh’ in the fourth line of the first stanza and ‘tear’ in the second line of the third stanza?
Answer:
The word ‘laugh’ in the fourth stanza refers to the happiness experienced by the princess as she is being led to her husband’s palace.

The word ‘tears’ in the second line of the third stanza refers to the sadness the princess experiences as she leaves her parents.

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 10.
Why do the palanquin bearers sing, while carrying the bride? What do you think this song is about?
Answer:
The palanquin bearers sing while carrying the bride to express their happiness as they lead the bride to her husband’s house. They could be singing about her beauty, about the happiness that she would experience and about the various responsibilities that she may. have to shoulder.

Question 11.
The poem is full of similes. Why do you think the poet has used so many similes in this poem?
Answer:
Simile is a figure of speech that beautifies a piece of literature, where comparison is made between two objects or persons. By comparing the princess to many things in nature, the essence of the poem is conveyed more effectively and meaningfully.

Question 12.
Pick out the rhyming words from the poem and mention the rhyme scheme.
Rhyming terms are
Answer:
along –   song
stream – dream
sing   –   string
tide – bride
Rhyme scheme is a a b b c c a a d d c c.

Question 13.
Pick out the examples of alliteration from the poem.
Answer:
She sways like a flower in the wind of our song.
She skims like a bird on the foam of a stream.
Gaily, O gaily we glide and we sing.
She hangs like a star in the dew of our song.
She springs like a beam on the brow of the tide.

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 14.
Some words and lines are repeated in the poem. Work in pairs and list the words and lines that are repeated. Why do you think the words are repeated?
Answer:
(a) Lightly, gaily, softly are some of the words that are repeated.
(b) ‘We bear her along like a pearl on a string’ is the sentence that is repeated.
This repetition add rhythm and beauty to the poem and makes it sound melodious.
It also lays emphasis to those words thereby stressing on their importance.

II. Appreciation:

(a) Rhyming words:
The use of words in a poem that have the same sound, especially at the ends of the lines.

Rhyme scheme:
This refers to the say the words in the poem rhyme with each other. Letters like a, b, c, d and so on are used to show the rhyming pattern. Lines which rhyme with each other are denoted by the same letter.

Pick out the rhyming words and mention the rhyme scheme of this poem.
Rhyming words are
Wood    –   stood – could
Both      –   under growth
Rhyme scheme is -a b a a b

(i) Fill in the blanks with appropriate similes from those given in brackets,

(air, ice, night, snail, coal, rose, ox, lightning, butter, lamb, mouse, ditch water, ocean, snow)

As white a snow
as wide as the ocean

As light as air
as slow as a snail

As cold as ice
as timid as a mouse

As smooth as butter
as dark as the night

As black as coal
as strong as an ox

As quick as lightning
as beautiful as a rose

As dull as ditch-water
as meek as a lamb.

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

(ii) Complete these lines with similes using your imagination. One has been done as an example.

When I am happy, I am as beautiful as a flower.
When I am sad, I am as slow as a snail.
When I am lonely, I am as quiet as a graveyard.
When I am angry, I am as red as a tomato.
When I am tired, I am as slow as a sloth.
When I am embarrassed, I am as red as a cherry.
When I am possessive, I am as wild as a bear.
When I am calm, I am as cool as cucumber.

Additional Questions and Answers

I. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Mention all the things the princess is compared to.
Answer:
The princess is compared to a flower that sways in the wind of their song, to a bird that skims on the foam of the streams, to a laugh that floats from the lips of a dream to a pearl on a string, to a star that hangs in the dew of their song, to a beam on the brow of a tide and to a tear that falls from a bride’s eyes.

II. Mention the figures of speech of the following:

Question 1.
She sways like a flower in the wind of our song.
Answer:
Simile

Question 2.
She skims like a bird on the foam of a stream.
Answer:
Simile

Question 3.
She floats like a laugh from the lips of a dream.
Answer:
Simile

Question 4.
We bear her along like a pearl on a string.
Answer:
Simile

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
She hangs like a star in the dew of our song.
Answer:
Simile

Question 6.
She springs like a beam on the brow of the tide.
Answer:
Simile

Question 7.
She falls like a tear from the eyes of a bride.
Answer:
Simile

8th English Palanquin Bearers Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Palanquin Bearers Poem Summary in English

The poetry speaks about the days of yore, when palanquins were the only luxurious mode of transport.

The palanquin bearers move forward with their beloved princess in it. They move lightly, gaily and softly, as they bear her to her husband’s palace. As the palanquin bearers move, so does the princess sway in it, to the rhythm of their march. Her movements are compared to the swaying of a flower, skimming of bird, and floating laugh of a dream.

The palanquin bearers move gaily because their princess is happy to be leaving for her husband’s palace. The princess is so delicate that she is compared to a pearl on a string. She is also compared to a star and the sunbeam on the brows of a tide. The abundant use of Simile in the poem has conveyed the message more effectively.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English After Apple-Picking Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English After Apple-Picking Poem Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Textbook Questions and Answers

Comprehension

A. Answer the following questions in one sentence each:

Question 1.
Why does the poet say that he is done with apple-picking?
Answer:
He is tired and feeling very sleepy. He has been picking apples non-stop for quite sometime.

Question 2.
What meaning is conveyed through the expression, “instep arch keeps the ache”?
Answer:
He has been climbing up and down the ladder to pick the apples and this continuous climbing and standing on the rungs of the ladder has resulted in his instep arches aching, and not letting go of the ache.

8th English After Apple-Picking Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
What does the poet see in his dreams?
Answer:
In his dreams, he sees apples appearing and disappearing nonstop. He could see apples in all the hues and shades of the reddish brown colour. He keeps hearing the rumbling sound of loads and loads of apples falling into the cellar bin.

Question 4.
Which phrase in the poem suggests that the poet has had bumper harvest?
Answer:
“Of the great harvest I myself desired.
There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch”
The above line suggests the bumper harvest.

Question 5.
What helps the poet in balancing his weight on the ladder – round?
Answer:
His instep arch helps the poet in balancing his weight on the ladder round or rung.

Question 6.
What is the meaning of “fleck of russet?”
Answer:
The normal colour of apples is reddish brown – or russet or its different hues. As he has picked so many of them, he had seen all the different shades of russet – on the flecks of that colour.

8th English After Apple-Picking Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

(B) Answer in three or four sentences each:

Question 1.
Why can’t the poet rub strangeness from his sight?
Answer:
The poet has done enough apple-picking for the time being and was feeling very sleepy. The long winter sleep was encompassing him and pulling him down. The scent of apples was all pervading and adding to the drowsiness. He could not keep his eyes open and rub off the strangeness from his sight.

Question 2.
What is implied by the phrase, “just some human sleep”?
Answer:
The poet / apple picker had enough of apple picking. He is so tired that he was simply falling off asleep, dreaming about loads and loads of apples rumbling into the cellar bin. He was not sure how long he may sleep – whether like a hibernating woodchuck or like a normal human sleep.

Question 3.
What does the repeated reference to “sleep” in the poem imply?
Answer:
The repeated reference to sleep implies that the poet / apple picker is so tired physically and mentally, that a deep uninterrupted sleep was most welcome to him. Even when he drowses off, his dreams are again full of a apples and more apples. In reality, material craving for gain, robs one of peaceful sleep. This highlights the futility of hankering after material wealth in the modem civilization, foregoing other priorities.

Question 4.
“For I have had too much Of apple-picking: I am overtired Of the great harvest I myself desired,” Explain the above lines.
Answer:
The poet/apple picker had desired to have a bumper crop. He must have spent sleepless nights planning and also working at his farm towards that. Of course he had achieved that, but it has also resulted in his extra work spending some more sleepless nights gathering the produce. He has become very much tired with work and lack of sleep. He feels for his folly.

Question 5.
“For all That struck the earth,
No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,
Went surely to the cider – apple heap As of no worth.”
What worth is the poet referring to?
Answer:
Plucked or directly removed apples are of greater value in the market. They will fetch a better price. The ones that have fallen off the tree, or dropped by the picker, either falling on the ground or on some thorny bushes, may get bruised or damaged. They will not fetch a good price. They are normally dumped together to make apple – cider, which is of lesser worth.

8th English After Apple-Picking Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

(C) Answer in four to six sentences each:

1. Give the central idea of the poem.
2. Justify the title of the poem, “After Apple-picking”.
3. The poet has achieved a bumper crop at the cost of considerable physical and mental exhaustion. Elaborate.
Poetic Devices
Speaking Activity
Writing Activity
Think it over
Things to do

8th English After Apple-Picking Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

This poem reflects on the boredom and tiredness the weary apple-picker feels after non-stop work. This is composed in free verse.

The apple picker has been working for days together, filling up barrels with freshly plucked apples, climbing up a ladder leaning against the trees. There is still a barrel to be filled and a few apples still hanging from the boughs.

He is fed up with this apple picking and is drowsing off. And his dreams are about apples appearing and disappearing and the ladder swaying as the boughs bend with the load. He could hear the rumbling sound of loads of apples falling into the cellar bin.

He himself had planned for a great harvest, towards increased material gain, which had resulted in his inability to enjoy his life amid the pristine beauty of nature, trapped by his own greed. Now he is ruing his folly, not at all enjoying picking apples. The fallen or damaged apples go into a heap for making apple cider.

He feels so sleepy, not sure if it will be a long one like a hibernating woodchuck on that of a normal human. The poem is an anti-thesis of modem civilization, marked by the culture of excessive work for increasing material gain, to no end.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading task:

Question 1.
Have you ever participated in a competition?
Answer:
Yes, I have participated in a competition.

Question 2.
How did you feel at the start of the competition?
Answer:
I felt anxious, worried as well as excited.

Question 3.
Did you win a prize?
Answer:
Yes, I have won a prize.

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 4.
How did you feel then?
Answer:
I felt thrilled at my achievement.

Textbook Questions and Answers

Comprehension:

I. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each:

Question 1.
What did Benjamin inform his wife?
Answer:
Benjamin Jones informed his wife that he wanted to compete in the free for all swimming contest, on the 4th of July.

Question 2.
Why did Benjamin’s wife discourage him?
Answer:
Benjamin’s wife discouraged him because at the end of the sentences add music and rhythm
he hadn’t gone swimming for years. She also found her husband’s desire of taking part in the contest very weird. She was worried that he would lose in the contest and make a fool of himself and thereby embarrass her.

Question 3.
How did Benjamin win the swimming ccompitition?
Answer:
In the swimming contest, Benjamin was so slow that a crab decided to venture a bite at his toe. When Benjamin saw the crab near his toe, he swam like a guy possessed, and won the race.

Question 4.
What do you learn from this poem?
Answer:
We learn that one can face challenges in life and be victorious, when faced with dire consequences.

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Appreciation:

Answer the following as directed :

Question 1.
The poem is in the style of
a. a dialogue,
b. anti-climax,
c. satire,
d. climax
Answer:
d. climax

Question 2.
Appreciate the following expressions in 3 – 4 sentences.
(a) With others so fast, you’re sure to be last.
Answer:
The internal rhyming words ‘fast’ and ‘last’ is appealing to the ears and adds a rhythm to the poetry. The sentence also calls in for humour when one visualizes an aged person competing at a very slow pace with the young fast swimmers.

(b) His pace was so slow that a crab saw his toe and thought it would venture a bite.
Answer:
This sentence is a beautiful word picture that exhibits one of the humourous parts of the poem. The climax of the poetry begins with this sentence because it was this incident that changed the result of the competition at the last moment. It also has internal rhyming terms ‘slow’ and ‘toe’ which also adds rhythm to the poem.

(c) She fell in the lake with a splash.
Answer:
Unable to contain her shock and surprise at the turn of events, Benjamin’s wife fell ’ into the lake. This scene adds humour galore to the whole poem. Being the last line of the poem, this hilarious and humorous incident is a befitting conclusion to the poem.

Question 3.
Compose a four lined poem with any humorous situation which you have come across and present it to the class.
Student’s activity.
Sample poem
Answer:
My dog is quite hip
Except when he takes a dip
He looks like a fool.
When he jumps in the pool.

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Exercises

III. Let’s read and respond:
Fill in the blanks based on your understanding of the poem :

1. Benjamin told his wife that he wanted to take part in the free for all swimming contest.
2. It was a swimming competition.
3. Benjamin’s wife said that he would come last because he had not gone swimming for years.
4. The swimmers galore waited for acclaim on the day of the competition.
5. The competition took place on the 4th of July.
6. Swimmers/ participants /competitors passed Benjamin on the right and left because they were younger and they were well trained, professional swimmers.
7. The crab thought of biting Benjamin’s toe because it mistook the slow moving toe before it, for some marine creature that it could eat.
8. Beniamin won the race as he swam like a swimmer possessed.
9. His wife fell into the river because she was, shocked to see her husband not only swim so fast but also take the lead with a dash, to win.

Internal rhyming terms (within the same lines)

Jones  tones
compete  meet
said  absurd
fast  last
came  acclaim
place  race
began  man
slow  toe
crab  grab
toe  foe
dock  shock
shore  roar

Rhyming terms at the end of the lines,

years  ears
right  bite
guessed  possessed
dash  splash
galore  shore

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Additional Questions and Answers

I. Annotate:

Question 1.
“I bet I can win, if I try”.
Answer:
The above sentence is an extract from the -poem ‘Benjamin Jones goes swimming’, written by Aileen Fischer. The sentence is said by Benjamin to his wife. It states the intense desire of poor Benjamin to take part in the swimming contest. It also speaks about the confidence he has about his victory; and sure enough he does win the contest.

Question 2.
“My word! How very absurd!”
Answer:
The above sentence.is an extract from the poem ‘Benjamin Jones goes swimming’ written by Aileen Fischer. The sentence is said by Benjamin’s wife when she hears about her husband’s decision to take part in the free for all swimming contest. The sentence expresses her surprise at his decision because he hadn’t gone swimming for years.

II. Change into indirect speech:

Question 1.
“I think I’ll compete in the free for all meet.” said Benjamin.
Answer:
Benjamin said that he thought that he would compete in the free for all meet.

Question 2.
“I’ll blush to the tip of my ears.” said Benjamin’s wife.
Answer:
Benjamin’s wife said that she would blush to the tip of her ears.

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

III. Identify the figure of speech:

He swam like a swimmer possessed.
Answer:
Simile.

Multiple choice questions.

Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct answer from the four options provided:

Question 1.
Benjamin Jones wanted to take part in a competition.
(a) music
(b) painting
(c) swimming
(d) dancing
Answer:
(c) swimming

Question 2.
The poem ‘Benjamin Jones goes swimming’ is written by
(a) Wordsworth
(b) Shelly
(c) Aileen Fischer
(d) Sarojini Naidu
Answer:
(c) Aileen Fischer

8th English Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Notes Question Answer Summary

Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Poem Summary in English

This is a hilarious poem about an elderly person who wants to compete in a swimming race. Benjamin Jones announced to his wife one day, that he wanted to compete in a free for all swimming contest which was to be held on the 4th of July. His wife was surprised at his suggestion because Benjamin hadn’t gone swimming for years.

On the day of the competition, all the participants stood poised for the race to begin and Benjamin was one among them. The race began and Benjamin was passed on the left and the right by the fast swimmers who were naturally well trained. Poor Benjamin was so slow that a crab saw a slow moving object before it.

It was actually the toe of poor Benjamin. The crab decided to take a bite. When Benjamin saw the crab near his toe, he swam like one possessed and completed the race in the lead. When Benjamin’s wife saw her husband swim so fast, she was so astonished that she fell into the lake. The rhyming terms within the sentence as well as to the poetry.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading task:

Question 1.
What was the demand of the neighbouring king?
Answer:
The neighbouring king demanded for a pot full of wisdom.

Question 2.
How did Birbal get a potfull of wisdom?
Answer:
Birbal requested the king to give him some time to prepare a potful of wisdom. He then grew a pumpkin plant and placed the growing pumpkin in the pot. The pumpkin grew in size till it filled the pot. Birbal then cut it off from the plant, covered it well and gave it to the king stating that it was a pot filled with wisdom.

Question 3.
What is the meaning of a pot full of wisdom?
Answer:
Wisdom is an abstract notion that cannot be measured or touched. The king asking for a pot full of wisdom was only an excuse to wage a war.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Comprehension

A. Re-order the following jumbled sentences in the right sequencers they occur in the text.

1. Gupta was unhappy after the incident because his son would have to feign madness always, or else the king would find out.
2. The minister and one of his queens planned to kill the king.
3. According to Nagendra’s advice, Babu went to the king and told him the whole story.
4. Nagendra advised Babu to pretend madness.
5. The king sent for Nagendra.
6. The king brought the wisdom, “Think deeply before doing anything” from Nagendra.
7. The king ordered that the queen should be hanged.
8. He engraved it on his cups and plates so that he wouldn’t forget it.
Answer:
1 – 4,
2 – 1,
3 – 3,
4 – 5,
5 – 6,
6 – 8,
7 – 2,
8 – 7

B. Complete the following sentences.

Question 1.
Nagendra’s brilliant idea was to ……………………….
Answer:
sell wisdom

Question 2.
He sold ……………………….
Answer:
wistlom

Question 3.
Wisdom was bought by ……………………….
Answer:
Babu

Question 4.
Babu’s father was angry with him because ……………………….
Answer:
he had spent a nickel for some ‘nonsense’ that was written on a paper.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
Nagendra reacted to the fury of Gupta by ……………………….
Answer:
asking him to return back the wisdom.

Question 6.
He returned the money after making Gupta sign ………………………. which stated ……………………….
Answer:
a document, that his son would never use the advice and that he would stand and watch when people were fighting.

Question 7.
Babu got into a problem for the second time when ……………………….
Answer:
he watched the quarrel between the maids of the two queens in the market place.

Question 8.
The dispute between the two maids was over a ……………………….
Answer:
pumpkin.

C. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each.

Question 1.
Why did Nagendra open a shop?
Answer:
Nagendra opened a shop because he was an unemployed young boy. He decided to open shop to be self employed. He decided to sell wisdom.

Question 2.
Why is the merchant’s son called a stupid boy?
Answer:
The merchant’s son was called a stupid boy probably because he was neither intelligent nor clever. This was proved because he could not comprehend what was being sold by Nagendra.

Question 3.
What did Nagendra sell for a nickel?
Answer:
Nagendra sold a nickel’s worth of wisdom to Babu.

Question 4.
Why was Babu’s father angry?
Answer:
Babu’s father was angry because his son had spent a nickel for a strip of paper on which were written the words, “It is not wise to stand and watch two people fighting”.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
How did Nagendra make Gupta realize, the value of wisdom?
Answer:
It was Nagendra’s wisdom that had saved Babu’s life when he was asked to bear witness to the two maids. This made Gupta realize the value of Nagendra’s wisdom.

Question 6.
Why did the two maids quarrel?
Answer:
There was only one pumpkin in the market and both the maids wanted it. Therefore ‘ the two maids quarreled in the market for

Question 7.
Why did Babu and his father go to Nagendra twice?
Answer:
Babu and his father went to Nagendra the first time, to save Babu from the clutches of the quarrelling maids and their queens. Babu had to fake insanity for ever, if he had to save himself from being punished or the king would realize that he had been tricked and the punishment would be more severe. Therefore to find a solution to the new problem, they visited Nagendra the second time.

Question 8.
Why was Babu very happy?
Answer:
As advised by Nagnedra, Babu pretended to be insane and saved his life. Babu was | therefore delighted by the success of his ruse.

Question 9.
What is the meaning of the expression, “Think deeply before you do anything’?
Answer:
The expression means that we should think more than once and deeply over the consequences of our actions before we indulge in it. The message is aptly explained in the proverb,” Haste makes waste”.

Question 10.
Why did the king make Nagendra his minister?
Answer:
The king realized that it was the wisdom of Nagendra that had saved his life. As a mark of gratitude and to acknowledge his wisdom and cleverness, the king made him his minister. This was probably also because the king wanted to have a wise minister to guide him.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

D. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
“Think deeply before you do anything”.
(a) Who was asked to think deeply?
Answer:
The king was asked to think deeply.

(b) Who gave this piece of wisdom and why?
Answer:
Nagendra gave this piece of wisdom to the king because the king had asked if he had any more wisdom for sale.

(c) How did this piece of wisdom help the receiver?
Answer:
The piece of wisdom that the king received actually did save the king’s life.

Question 2.
“I do not sell wisdom by weight. I sell it by quality”.
(a) Who said this?
Answer:
The above statement was said by Nagendra.

(b) To whom was this said?
Answer:
It was said to Babu, the son of Gupta, a rich merchant.

(c) When was this said?
Answer:
This was said when Babu had asked Nagendra the cost of a kilogram of wisdom.

(d) What does it mean?
Answer:
As wisdom is the qualitative aspect, it cannot be measured in weight.

 

II. Let’s write.

Imagine that Babu in this lesson writes to his friend Salim, narrating how he was saved by Nagendra’s wisdom. Refer text book page 17 for hints.

Dear Salim,

I want to tell you about a very unusual incident.

Two months ago I saw new shop in the market place. A young boy named Nagendra was selling wisdom. So I went in to see what it was. I could find nothing in his shop. I thought that it would be some sort of a vegetable, so I asked him the cost of one kilogram of wisdom. Nagendra said that wisdom was not sold in kilograms but by quality. Therefore I asked him to give me some wisdom for a nickel. Nagendra scribbled a note on a piece of paper. It read ‘It is not wise to stand and watch two people fighting’. He then asked me to keep it safe in my turban.

When I reached home I showed it to my father. He was so furious with me for having spent a nickel for the ‘nonsense’ as he called the information on the piece of paper. He took it to Nagendra and made him repay the amount. But Nagendra returned the money only after my father signed a document stating that I would never practice the wisdom that he had sold to me.

A few days later, I saw two maids of the two queens fighting for a pumpkin in the market place. There was only one pumpkin and both of them wanted it. As the queens hated each other, so did their maids. They lost no opportunity to exhibit their hatred whenever and wherever possible. They had such a heated argument that verbal abuses later led to violence and blows. As I was standing close by, both the maids asked me to bear witness to them at the court when summoned.

As I had feared, a few day’s later I was summoned to the court by the maids. Both of them asked me to bear witness to them or they threatened me that they would have my head chopped off. When my
father heard about the dilemma I was in, he too was worried. Unable to find a solution to the problem both of us decided to visit Nagendra.

He advised me to pretend to be insane at the court, during the court proceedings. I acted on his advice. The king assuming that I was really insane sent me out of the court without any punishment. I was so thrilled that I informed everyone about the success of my ruse. Nagendra is a very famous person today.

I am so happy to be alive today. I am totally indebted to Nagendra. If you find yourself in any kind of trouble, I earnestly suggest that you seek Nagendra’s advice. I shall keep you informed about the latest developments here. Please do convey my regards to one and all at home.
Closing with love and prayer,

Your loving friend,
Babu Gupta.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

III. Let’s work with words:

Write the meanings of the following words with the help of a dictionary and use them in sentences to bring out their meaning.

1. furious: Meaning: marked by extreme anger, violent, intense.
Sentence: Gopal was furious with Ramesh when he learnt that Ramesh had lost his classwork.

2. wisdom: Meaning: the quality or state of being wise; the ability to make good and serious judgement because of one’s experience.
Sentence: Mr. Sharma regularly saved a portion of his salary. It was this wisdom of Mr. Sharma that saved his family from debt during a financial crisis.

3. persuade: Meaning: to induce, to undertake a course of action or embrace a point of view by means of argument, reasoning or entreaty; to lead somebody to do something through reasoning or argument.
Sentence: Mrs. Agrawal persuaded her husband to purchase a house on loan instead of having to pay heavy rent for she believed that the amount that was paid as rent could be used to repay the loan.

4. feign: Meaning: to give a false appearance of, to pretend
Sentence: Anand feigned giddiness to escape the martial art practice in his school.

5. errands: Meaning: a short trip taken to perform a specific tasks, usually for another; a short journey to take a message, buy or deliver goods etc,
Sentence: While running an errand for my neighbour, I met my classmate in the shop.

6. contract: Meaning: an official legal agreement; an agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforced by law.
Sentence: Mr. Damodar signed a contract with Mr. Babu stating that he would manufacture and supply 100 tables within two months.

7. document: Meaning: a writing that contains information, usually a written or printed paper that bears original, official or legal form of something which can be used to furnish decisive information or evidence; an official or formal paper, form, book etc. giving information about something, evidence or proof of something or a record of something.
Sentence: Mrs. Sheetal bought an acre of land. She has safely kept all the relevant documents in the bank safe locker.

8. bargain: Meaning: An agreement establishing the terms of a sale or exchange of goods or services.
Sentence: I bargained with the vendor and bought the bat at a very reasonable price.

9. witness: Meaning: one who furnishes evidence, one who can give a first hand account of something seen, heard or experienced.
Sentence: A small child of 5 years was the only witness to the murder of the watchman.

10. ruse: Meaning: an action intended to mislead, deceive or trick someone; a deceitful way of doing something or getting something.
Sentence: Mr. Roy, the bank manager saw through the ruse of the two youths who had approached him on the pretext of seeking loan for a vague business. Suddenly one of them feigned a severe chest pain in order to divert the attention of the people. But the alert manager understood their intention. He called the police and got them arrested.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

IV. Let’s use language

A. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the right options:

Question 1.
His _____________ brought credit to the school. (brilliantly, brilliance)
Answer:
brilliance

Question 2.
_____________ people solve problems, (wise, wisdom)
Answer:
wise

Question 3.
_____________ he was clever, he was without a job. (in spite of, though)
Answer:
though

Question 4.
There was no _____________ of sympathy from the people when they heard of the cruel murder, (death, dearth)
Answer:
dearth,

Question 5.
The _____________ of funds made them abandon the project, (paucity, pause)
Answer:
paucity

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

B. Use ‘since’ or’ for with the following time expressions :

Question 1.
The film has been on at the theatres _____________ July.
Answer:
since

Question 2.
She has been on holiday _____________ the last three weeks.
Answer:
for

Question 3.
She hasn’t been here _____________ a month.
Answer:
since,

Question 4.
No one has lived here _____________ 1989.
Answer:
since,

Question 5.
It is the first time I have been here _____________ the accident.
Answer:
since

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

V. Let’s work on our own:

Read the popular story of Birbal, ‘A potful of wisdom’ and narrate it in the class.
Answer:
(The story is mentioned at the beginning of the lesson under pre-reading task).

VI. PROJECT WORK
Imagine that you are interviewing Nagendra and write any five questions that you would like to ask him and the answers that you are likely to get from him.

Question 1.
I am aware that your are selling wisdom. What kind of wisdom do you propose to sell?
Answer:
I propose to sell all kinds of wisdom, for all, at very reasonable rates.

Question 2.
What is your lowest fee for the advice?
Answer:
The lowest price for my advice is a nickel.

Question 3.
How did the idea of selling wisdom occur to you?
Answer:
Being an orphan, actually helped me to observe the society and the people for I roamed in the society freely. I realized that there were many foolish people around. I also realized that by selling wisdom to them I could not only reform them but earn a lot of money in return.

Question 4.
How did you obtain such wisdom at such a young age?
Answer:
I observed everything that my father used to do and learnt a lot form him. Being orphaned at an early age also helped me to be alert and observe people. I learnt from all the opportunities and hurdles that I had to face. I thank God for having given me the ability to grasp things faster and making me clever.

Question 5.
Now that you are a minister, what are your plans?
Answer:
I intend to serve the king honestly and sincerely. I hope to bring about a lot of welfare measures for the development of this kingdom.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Additional Questions with Answers

I. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Who was Nagendra?
Answer:
Nagendra was an orphan boy who has clever but unemployed.

Question 2.
What did the placard on his shop state?
Answer:
The placard on his shop stated that wisdom was for sale there.

Question 3.
Why did the people laugh at Nagendra?
Answer:
People laughed at Nagendra because they could find nothing in his shop yet he continued to cry out his ware.

Question 4.
What are some of the qualities that you admire in Nagendra?
Answer:
I admire his smartness, cleverness, honesty, patience and industrious nature.

Question 5.
How did Nagendra become famous?
Answer:
It was Nagendra’s advice that saved Babu’s life. The excited Babu informed everyone about the success of the ruse. It soon became the most talked about thing in the market place. Thus, Nagendra became famous.

Question 6.
Why was Gupta not pleased with the success of the ruse?
Answer:
It was the faked insanity that had saved Babu’s life. But now Babu had to pretend to be insane always. Though the ruse appeared to be a success in the beginning it posed another problem to Babu. Therefore, Gupta, Babu’s father was not pleased.

Question 7.
Why did the king send for Nagendra?
Answer:
The king sent for Nagendra because he was intrigued by what he had heard about him in the market. He also knew about Babu’s case and how Nagendra had cleverly helped him twice.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 8.
What became the king’s motto?
Answer:
Nagendra’s advice “Think deeply before you do anything”, became the motto of the king.

Question 9.
Who bribed the doctor? Why?
Answer:
The minister and one of the queens bribed the doctor because they wanted to get rid of the king.

Question 10.
Why did the doctor confess his crime?
Answer:
The king lowered the golden cup and mused over the words engraved on it. The guilty doctor thought that the king had suspected him of poisoning his medicine and confessed his guilt out of fear.

Question 11.
Was it right for the king to elevate Nagendra, a poor orphan to the position of a minister?
Answer:
Yes, the king was right in his actions because a king ought to be surrounded by wise, sincere and industrious individuals. Nagendra possessed all those qualities. Moreover it was the wisdom of Nagendra that had saved the king’s life.

II. Opposites:

  • clever × stupid, foolish,
  • cheap × costly, expensive,
  • furious × calm, cheerful,
  • brilliant × dull, mediocre, unimpressive.
  • wisdom × folly.
  • never × always.
  • delighted × disappointed, displeased
  • persuade × deter.
  • guilty × innocent.

III. Antonyms using prefixes:

  • reasonable × unreasonable
  • patient × impatient
  • wise × unwise
  • do × undo
  • pleased × displeased
  • suspecting × unsuspecting
  • honour × dishonour

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

IV. Change the voice of the following statements:

Question 1.
The queen and the minister bribed the doctor.
Answer:
The doctor was bribed by the queen and the minister.

Question 2.
The passers-by supported Nagendra.
Answer:
Nagendra was supported by the passers by.

Question 3.
The king paid him a hundred thousand rupees.
Answer:
A hundred thousand rupees was paid to him by the king.

Question 4.
Nagendra returned the nickel.
Answer:
The nickel was retuned by Nagendra.

V. Into indirect speech:

Question 1.
“Behave as if you understand nothing of what they say,” advised Nagendra to Babu.
Answer:
Nagendra advised Babu to behave as if he understood nothing of what they said.

Question 2.
Nagendra said, “I have plenty to sell especially to a king.”
Answer:
Nagendra said that he had plenty to sell especially to a king.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VI. Rewrite as directed.

Question 1.
He — — (go) into town and — (hire) the smallest and the cheapest place.
Fill in with the correct tense forms of the words given in the bracket.
Answer:
1 – went, hired

Question 2.
Nagendra was clever. He was intelli gent.
(combine the sentences using not only – but also)
Ans.
Nagendra was not only clever but also intelligent.

Question 3.
He was a stupid boy. (Into other . degrees of comparision)
Ans.
He was more stupid than any other boy – comparative degree.
He was the most stupid of all the boys – superlative degree.

Question 4.
The boy took out a piece of paper and wrote on it.
(Rewrite the sentence using the ‘ing’ form of the word underlined)
Answer:
Taking out a piece of paper, the boy wrote on it.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VII. Choose the correct answer from the options provided and answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Nagendra set up a shop in the market place.
(a) To sell vegetables
(b) To make announcements about the sale.
(c) For self employment as he had no job.
(d) To cheat people.
Answer:
(c) For self employment as he had no job.

Question 2.
Babu asked Nagendra for a kilogram of wisdom because,
(a) He wanted to cook them.
(b) He was stupid and did not know what wisdom was.
(c) He wanted to sell them for a higher price.
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(b) He was stupid and did not know what wisdom was.

Question 3.
After the quarrel, the maids remembered other errands and went their ways. The meaning of the underlined word is
(a) A short journey to get something for somebody.
(b) Quarrel
(c) Demand
(d) Guilt
Answer:
(a) A short journey to get something for somebody.

Question 4.
The king drove Babu out of the court room because
(a) Babu tried to attack the king.
(b) The king acted as per the advice of Nagendra.
(c) The minister pleaded for mercy.
(d) The king lost his patience at the nonsense that Babu was uttering for the questions that were asked.
Answer:
(d) The king lost his patience at the nonsense that Babu was uttering for the questions that were asked.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
The king got Nagendra’s advice engraved on his Cups and plates because,
(a) He wanted to express his gratitude to Nagendra.
(b) He could identify them easily if they were stolen.
(c) The king was delighted with the advice that he made it his motto and got them engraved on his cups and plates.
(d) Nagendra requested the king to do so.
Answer:
(c) The king was delighted with the advice that he made it his motto and got them engraved on his cups and plates.

The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Summary in English

It is an amusing and an interesting story of a clever unemployed boy who desired to sell wisdom for a living. The wisdom that he sold to the king elevated him to the position of the minister.

Nagendra was a clever orphan who had learnt many things by observing his father. But now he was an unemployed young boy. One day he was struck with a brilliant idea. He opened a shop in the town, hiring the smallest and the cheapest place he could find. He spent a nickel on paper, ink and a pen. , He fixed a placard on his shop which read ‘Wisdom for sale’. He then called out aloud that wisdom was for sale at his shop and at a reasonable price.

People who came to buy other things laughed at him because they could find nothing in his shop but could only see him and hear his words as he shouted out that wisdom was for sale. Nobody bought anything from him as they could find nothing to buy. Nagendra however, did not lose his patience.

One day, Babu, the son of Gupta, a rich man passed by Nagendra’s shop. He was a stupid boy who could not comprehend what was being sold. He thought that it was a vegetable or something that he could hold in his hand. Therefore he asked Nagendra the cost of a kilogram of wisdom. Nagendra informed him that wisdom was not sold in kilograms but by quality.

Therefore Babu gave Nagendra a nickel and asked him to give him wisdom worth a nickel. On a piece of paper Nagendra wrote that it was unwise to stand and watch when two people were fighting. Babu was asked to place the piece of paper in his turban lest he lose it.

At home Babu informed his father about his purchase. The father was furious with his son. He called his son a fool for spending a nickel for the ‘nonsense’ that was scribbled on the paper; which according to the father was a fact known to one and all. The angry father stormed into Nagendra’s shop and asked him to return the nickel or face the consequences, for he intended to call the police. This was because Babu’s father felt that Nagendra had cheated his son.

Nagendra asked the rich man to return the wisdom. When the rich man threw the scrap of paper at Nagendra, he said that what Gupta had returned was only the paper and not the wisdom. The passers-by also agreed with Nagendra. Therefore the rich man agreed to sign a document as requested by Nagendra stating that his advice would never be used by Babu. Nagendra also insisted that Babu should stand and watch while people fought. The rich man signed the document and took back the nickel.

A few days later, Babu saw two maids of the two queens fighting in the market place over a pumpkin. As both the queens were bitter enemies, so were their maids. They lost no opportunity to exhibit their hatred, wherever possible. Their argument went to such an extent that they started pulling each other’s hair and giving each other blows. Babu who was standing close by was asked by both the maids to be their witness for all the blows and violence that they had indulged on each other. The maids then remembering other errands, went their ways.

The maids reported the incident to their respective queens, with additional colourful details. The furious queens asked the king to sort out the matter., The maids then sent word for Babu to be their witness. They threatened to have his head chopped off he failed to support them. Babu was disturbed and so was his father when he heard the news. Unable to find a solution to the problem themselves, they both decided to meet Nagendra.

Nagendra offered them a solution for a fee of five hundred rupees. The advice he gave them was that Babu had to pretend to be insane in the court of the king. During the court proceedings Babu faked insanity. He gave either no answer to the questions that were asked or he uttered some nonsensical syllable, till the king lost his temper. The enraged king drove him out of the court. The delighted Babu now informed everyone about the success of his ruse. The greatness of Nagendra’s wisdom became a buzz word in the market place.

Babu’s father approached Nagendra for the second time. This was because Babu who had escaped punishment by acting insane, had now to pretend to be insane always. For, if the king learnt that he had been tricked, the punishment would be worse. Nagendra now advised Babu and his father to reveal the truth to the king when the king was in a good mood.

This advice was given for a fee of another five hundred rupees. Nagendra assured them that the king would find the whole incident amusing and would forgive them. As predicted by Nagendra, the king who was in a happy mood not only had a hearty laugh when he heard them but also forgave them.

The king who by now had heard about Nagendra invited him to the palace. He wanted to find out if Nagendra had anymore advice to sell. Nagendra explained that he had plenty to sell especially for a king. He also stated that the fees would be a lakh; one hundred thousand rupees.

The king paid the requested sum and received the wisdom. It was to ‘Think deeply before doing anything’. The king was so impressed with the advice that he got it engraved on his cups, plates, and even got them embroidered on his pillows.

It so happened, that many months later the king fell sick. The minister and one of his queens who wanted to get rid of him bribed the doctor to poison the king’s medicine. When the king was about to consume the medicine from the golden cup, he read the words engraved on it. The king who was unaware of the poison in his cup, lowered the cup, looked into the cup pondering over the words engraved on it.

The guilty doctor who was watching the king, assumed that the king had guessed that the medicine was poisoned. He fell at the king’s feet, confessed everything and pleaded for mercy. The king sent for the queen and the minister. He asked them to drink the poison. They too fell at the feet of the king and asked for mercy. The king ordered them to be hanged and banished he doctor from his kingdom. Nagendra was made the minister and honoured with wealth.

8th English The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

The Boy Who Sold Wisdom Lesson Word in English

  1. nickel = a coin.
  2. orphan = a child whose parents are dead.
  3. scoundrel = a person who shows no moral principles.
  4. engraved = to cut or to carve words, design etc. on a hard surface.
  5. confess. = to admit, often formally, that one has committed a crime.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading task:

I. What would your reaction be when a stranger speaks to you?
Answer:
I would be very uncomfortable to talk with strangers.

Is it advisable to speak to strangers?
Answer:
It is advisable to refrain from speaking with strangers unless it is necessary.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Comprehension Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each.

Question 1.
What was Arun doing all alone on the platform? Why?
Answer:
Arun was waiting for the north-bound train on the platform. He was alone because his parents felt that he, being 12 years old was big enough to travel on his own.

Question 2.
What normally happens when a train arrives at the platform?
Answer:
Whenever a train arrives at the platform, there is an inferno of heaving and shouting from the agitated passengers

Question 3.
“Are you all alone, my son?” How did Arun react when he heard the voice of a stranger? Why?
Answer:
When Arun heard the voice of the stranger, he looked up to see who it was. He found a lady clad in a white saree, without any ornaments standing near him. She looked so dignified and commanded respect, that he stood up respectfully.

Question 4.
How did the bond between Arun and the stranger develop?
Answer:
During the course of the conversation that they had over tea, Arun felt so comfortable with her that he told her all about his school, friends, and his likes and dislikes. The women seemed to enjoy the way Arun was relishing his snacks and tea that it seemed to cement a bond between them.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
What was the reason behind Arun’s instinctive dislike towards Satish’s mother?
Answer:
Satish’s mother was a large imposing lady. She was impatient and seemed to grumble at everything. She was also suspicious about strangers and constantly kept warning Arun about them. Probably due to these attitudes he developed an instinctive dislike for Satish’s mother.

Question 6.
Why did Arun say “I like strangers”?
Answer:
When Arun compared the two ladies standing near him, he found that the stranger was better and kinder than Satish’s mother. He had also developed an instinctive dislike for Satish’s mother. Therefore, he must have impulsively said that.

Question 7.
How did Satish and Arun react to the advice of Satish’s mother saying “Never talk to strangers”?
Answer:
Arun glared resentfully at her and moved closer to the woman in the white saree. Satish who was standing behind his mother, enjoyed the verbal clash between his friend and his mother.

Question 8.
What did Satish’s mother give and say to Satish as a parting advice?
Answer:
Satish’s mother gave him a bag of fruits, a cricket bat and a box of chocolates and advised him to share them with Arun. She also advised him not to stick his head out of the window and not to eat any rubbish on his way.

Question 9.
Why didn’t Satish’s mother think Arun’s ‘mother’, a very capable person?
Answer:
Satish’s mother thought that Arun’s mother was incapable because she spoke very little and was dressed in a simple white saree wearing no jewels.

Question 10.
How did Arun repay the strange woman for her goodness?
Answer:
Arun expressed his gratitude to the kind woman by kissing her on her cheek.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
“She drew me out very well”
(i) Who is the speaker?
Answer:
Arun is the speaker.

(ii) What do you mean by the above sentence?
Answer:
It means that she encouraged him to talk freely.

Question 2.
“Yes, I am Arun’s mother”.
(i) Who is the speaker?
Answer:
The lady in a white saree is the speaker.

(ii) What do you think is the reason behind the speaker saying so?
Answer:
She said the above sentence so that Arun wouldn’t be embarrassed to state that he was traveling alone.

Question 3.
“These days one has to be very careful of strangers”.
(i) Who said these words?
Answer:
Satish’s mother said those words.

(ii). Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
Satish’s mother felt that all stangers were suspicious characters. Therefore she said the above sentence.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

III. Complete the following:

Question 1.
Mention three things that Arun liked about this woman.
Answer:
She was quiet, kind and gentle.

Question 2.
Mention three things that made Arun dislike Satish’s mother
Answer:
Her imposing personality, nagging advice and impatience irritated Arun.

IV. Work in pairs and complete the table:

8th English The Woman on Platform Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary 1

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

V. Listening: (Words describing the two women)

Satish’s mother  Stranger
Large and imposing, impatient, frustrated, suspicious, stern, commanding, demanding, admonishing. Soft spoken, simple, pale face, dark eyes, serene, gentle, quiet, kind, supportive, encouraging, concerned, compassionate.

VI. Speaking:

Question 1.
Why do you think Arun was allowed to travel alone?
Answer:
Arun was allowed to travel alone because being 12 years old, his parents felt that he was old enough to travel alone. Moreover, as it was his second year at the boarding school his parents were confident that he was familiar with the route and wouldn’t get lost.

Question 2.
What might be the reason behind the lady’s adoption of a mother’s role?
Answer:
The lady was probably concerned about the safety of a lonely child on a railway platform, late in the night.

Question 3.
Why do you think the strange ‘mother’ was in a white saree? What would be your reaction when you see a person in white saree especially during night time?
Answer:
The lady could probably be a widow or a Christian missionary. When we see a lady in a white saree in the night she is assumed to be a ghost.

Question 4.
Imagine that the stranger in a white saree is a ghost. How will you change the ending of the story?
Answer:
She would turn into a ghost and attack Aran, Satish and his mother. Seeing this the others would flee.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VII. Rearrange according to the sequence of the lesson:

1. I looked straight into the eyes of the woman who held my hand, and she smiled in a gentle understanding way.

2. I had already forgiven her for lying; and besides, I had taken an instinctive dislike to Satish’s mother.

3. She stood there on the busy platform; a pale sweet woman in white, and I watched her until she was lost in the milling crowd.

4. Now tired of this game and of ambling about the platform, I sat down on my suitcase and gazed dismally across the railway-tracks.

5. She drew me out very well, and I had soon forgotten than we were strangers.

6. She allowed me to share the benefit of her advice, as the probably didn’t think my “mother” a very capable person.

7. We placed ourselves at the open windows, and the two women stood outside on the platform talking up to us.

8. She told a coolie to look after my suitcase, and then she led me away down the platform.

9. I looked from Satish’s mother to the woman who had given me tea and sweets and then back at Satish’s mother.

10. Satish was standing behind his mother, grinning at me, delighting in my clash with his mother.
Answer:

  1. – 4,
  2. – 8,
  3. – 5,
  4. – 2,
  5. – 9,
  6. – 10,
  7. – 7,
  8. – 6,
  9. – 1,
  10. – 3

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VIII. We use reporting verbs which summarise what was communicated while we change the speech. Some of the verbs which are commonly used are:
Warn, ask, answer, promise, sympathise, refuse, regret, explain, request, blame, advise, apologise, order, greet, suggest, invite, encourage, say, congratulate, declare, announce, instruct etc.
Write appropriate statements as response to the questions with the help of the examples and clues given.
8th English The Woman on Platform Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary 2
8th English The Woman on Platform Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary 3
advise: She advised me to wash my hands before eating.
regret: The student regretted the mistake he had committed.
invite: The girl invited me to her house.
warn: The mother warned me not to go out of the house in the night.
enquire: The stranger enquired about the whereabouts of my residence. The stranger enquired where my house was.
request: The girl requested me to lend her my book.
exclaim: The boy exclaimed with sorrow that his pet parrot has died.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

IX. Read the conversation and complete the following:

1. (i) Ranani told Sorru that their iaesv servant had a tendency to steal things.
(ii) Somu asked Ramani if anything was missing.
(iii) Rarnani answered that he had stolen one of their blankets.
(iv) Somu farther asked her which one and Ramani replied that it was the one they had taken from Hotel Palm Beach.

2. (i) The child told the balloon man that he wanted a balloon which he could release into the air.
(ii) The balloon man asked him for the colour of the balloon he wanted/ The balloon man asked him which colour balloon he wanted.
(iii) The child asked him which colour balloon would take him up with it.
(iv) The balloon man told him that it was not the colour of the balloon but what was inside it, that made it go up.

3. (i) Father asked Ashwin why he was late from school the previous day.
(ii) Ashwin replied that there was a friendly football match between their school and GL K. Public School.
(iii) Father asked why he hadn’t informed them earlier.
(iv) Ashwin replied that the phone at home . kept ringing but nobody picked up the phone.

4. (i) The man scolded the servant for becoming very lazy those days.
(ii) He questioned him why he didn’t get the breakfast ready by 8 O’clock.
(iii) The servant apologized to him respectfully and explained that he couldn’t prepare the breakfast on time because he got up very late.
(iv) The man asked him if he hadn’t set the alarm before going to bed.
(v) The servant answered humbly that he had forgotten to wind the clock.

5. (i) The applicant replied that the earlier job didn’t meet with his requirements.
(ii) The employer further enquired what salary he expected at this place.
(iii) The applicant told him that he was expecting ₹ 5000 per month.
(iv) The employer concluded by saying that they could pay him just ₹ 3000 per month.

6. (i) A customer went up to a sales man and asked for a good cap.
(ii) The sales man asked him politely what type of cap he wanted.
(iii) The customer replied that he wanted one that covered the face.
(iv) The sales man on hearing the request said that what he wanted wasn’t a cap but a mask.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

X. Writing:

5.00 p.m to 7.00 p.m: Reached Ambala station; paced up and down the platform for sometime,

7.00 p.m to 9.00 p.m: Browsed through books at the book-stall, watched the behaviour of the passengers.

9.00 p.m to 11.00 p.m: Fed biscuit pieces to stray dogs. Observed trains arriving, passengers rushing about, the nervous Ticket collector and then the silence.

11.00 p.m to 12.00 p.m: Met a lady in a white saree, who looked dignified, commanding respect; offered me samosa, jalebies and tea; Satish came along with his mother. The stranger introduced herself as my ‘mother’ to them. Satish’s mother kept talking all the time about the train delay, to be wary of strangers etc.

Train arrived and we boarded the train. Satish was given fruits, a cricket bat and chocolates. His mother advised Satish to share the sweets with me and not to eat any rubbish on the way. The ‘mother’ held my hand. I let her do it. As a token of gratitude for her kindness to a lonely boy on a railway platform, I kissed her on her cheek when the train was about the leave.

XI. Pronunciation:

Mark the stress for the following words:

ag’itated,       am’bling,             in‘femo
sere’nity        co‘mmanded,      suspi’cion
impo’sing      con’tradicted       pa’tronizing

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Grammar

XII. Direct and Indirect speech :
Rewrite the following sentences in the reported speech.

(i) He said, “Amuda was dancing.”
Answer:
He said that Amuda had been dancing.

(ii) My servant says, “Tea is ready.”
Answer:
My servant says that tea is ready.

(iii) “I never eat meat,” he explained.
Answer:
He explained that he never eats meat.

(iv) “I have found a flat,” he said.
Answer:
He said that he had found a flat.

(v) She said,” We will discuss the matter tomorrow”.
Answer:
She said that they would discuss the matter the next day.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Additional Questions with Answers

Rewrite as directed

Question 1.
Arun is the best bowler in the class, (into other degrees on camparison)
Answer:
Arun is better than any other bowler in the class. – Comparative degree.
No other bowler in the class is as good as Arun. – Positive degree.

Question 2.
Arun fed broken biscuits to the stray dogs. (Change the voice)
Answer:
Broken biscuits were fed to the stray dogs by Arun.
The stray dogs were fed broken biscuits, by Arun.

Question 3.
She ordered samosas, jalebee and tea. (Change the voice)
Answer:
Samosa, jalebee and tea were.ordered by her.

Question 4.
Read the statement and answer the questions that follow:
1. “Come on, this is empty.’ What was empty?
Answer:
The compartment was empty.

2. Where were they going ?
Answer:
They were going back to their boarding school.

Question 5.
Change into indirect speech:
“Did you know that we have a new Head Master this year,” said Satish to Arun.
Answer:
Satish asked Arun if he knew that they have a new Head Master that year.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Fill in the blanks:

Question 1.
Arun was waiting for the north-bound train at the ______________ station.
Answer:
Ambala

Question 2.
You are traveling alone, (add a suitable question tag)
Answer:
Aren’t you?

Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How did Arun spend his time at the railway station?
Answer:
Most of the time Arun spent by pacing up and down on the platform. He browsed through the books that he saw at the book-stall. He also fed broken biscuits to stray dogs.

Question 2.
What do you think might have been the intention of the stranger on the platform when she befriended Arun?
Answer:
She appeared to be genuinely concerned about a lonely child at night on a railway platform. She was probably worried about his safety and stayed with him till his train arrived.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
Why does Arun remember the lady whom he met on the platform?
Answer:
Arun was moved by the kindness that he experienced from the stranger and cherished those memories. Arun’s reminiscence can be summarized in the famous proverb ‘Actions speak louder than words’. He was touched by her actions and therefore remembered her so vividly.

The Woman on Platform Lesson Summary in English

It’s a fascinating story of how encounters with strangers at times, can leave a lasting impression.

Arun from a boarding school was waiting on platform 8 at Ambala station for his train which was due to arrive at 12 midnight. He was travelling alone as his parents felt that, being 12 years old, he was big enough to travel alone. He spent his time pacing up and down on the platform and observing the behaviour of the people.

He befriended a lady clad in a simple white saree and with no jewellery. She enquired of him; if he was traveling alone and about the time his train was due. As there was another hour for the train to arrive, she asked Arun to have something to eat with her. Though he was reluctant and shy at the j beginning, he was impressed by her kindness and dignity that he obliged.

She asked a coolie to take care of his luggage while they had something to eat. She bought him samosas, jalebies and tea. Arun I felt very comfortable with her that he told her all about his school, friends, his likes and dislikes. She spoke very little and seemed to enjoy the way he ate so hungrily that it seemed to cement their relationship.

They returned to the platform, where he met his classmate Satish who had come with his mother. She was a large imposing woman. During the course of the conversation, the lady in the white saree stated that she was Arun’s mother. Arun disliked the imposing and suspicious attitude of Satish’s mother. He felt more drawn towards the lady in the white saree.

The train finally arrived and the boys boarded the train. Satish was loaded with fruits and sweets. When the guard blew the whistle the ‘mother’ held his hand.Overcome with emotion and to express his gratitude to that lady who had fed a lonely boy on t a station-platform, he kissed her on her cheek.

8th English The Woman on Platform 8 Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

The Woman on Platform Lesson Word in English

  • encounter = a meeting, especially sudden or hostile
  • nervous = afraid, not confident.
  • gazed = to look long and steadily at something
  • dignity = a calm or a serious manner or style.
  • suspicion = the feeling or thought, without certain proof that somebody is guilty of something imposing =
  • impressive in appearance and manner.
  • obviously = easily seen or understood. Seen
  • grinning = to smile widely especially with the mouth open.
  • clanged = a loud ringing sound of metal being struck
  • resignedly = having or showing patient acceptance of something unpleasant
  • bustling = to move or make somebody move in a busy or hurried way.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre reading task -1

Question 1.
What is a mace?
Answer:
A mace is a simple weapon.

Question 2.
What are the features of a mace?
Answer:
A mace has a heavy wooden or metal shaft , often reinforced with metal featuring a head made of stones, copper, bronze, iron or steel. It was used in traditional warfare.

Question 3.
What are the uses of a mace?
Answer:
Traditionally they were used in warfare. Today they are used as symbol of authority in the emblems of a number of government bodies, universities, and academic, parliamentary’ or civic rituals.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Pre reading task – 2

Question 1.
What is -a ‘parasol’?
Answer:
It is a light, usually small umbrella used to give shade and protection from the sun.

Question 2.
Where is it used?
Answer:
It is used in the terraces of homes for relaxation, in religious processions it is placed over the deity, during weddings- especially the royal Indian weddings, in beaches, in kiosks where new products are introduced in the markets etc.

Question 3.
Why is it used?
Answer:
It is used to protect oneself from light rain or sunshine.

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Comprehension

A. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each

Question 1.
What was the name of the beautiful princess of Pragjyotisha?
Answer:
The name of the beautiful princess of Pragjyotisha was Amritaprabha.

Question 2.
What was arranged for her, when she attained the age of marriage?
Answer:
When she attained the age of marriage, the king, her father arranged for a swayamvara to enable her to choose her husband.

Question 3.
Who was Meghavahana?
Answer:
Meghavahana was the great-grandson of a former king of Kashmir.

Question 4.
Why did the priest cry out in surprise?
Answer:
The priest cried out in surprise because he could see the shadow of the parasol of Varuna cast over prince Meghavahana.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
What was the uniqueness of the parasol?
Answer:
The uniqueness of the parasol was that it would cast its shadow on none other than on the one destined to be the sovereign of the world.

Question 6.
Why did the ministers of the Kashmir court make an offer to Meghavahana to be their king?
Answer:
The present king of Kashmir had devoted his life to praying, thereby neglecting the affairs of the kingdom. The citizens of Kashmir were unhappy and dissatisfied with their king. Therefore the Kashmir’s ministers of the court made an offer to Meghavahana to be their king.

Question 7.
What was the law imposed by Meghavahana in his kingdom?
Answer:
Meghavahana imposed a law that no living beings would be killed in his kingdom henceforth.

Question 8.
Why did Meghavahana want to conquer the island of Lanka?
Answer:
Meghavahana wanted to conquer the island of Lanka, which was known as the land of the demons, in order to teach them the ways of peace.

Question 9.
What did Meghavahana witness in the middle of the woods?
Answer:
In the middle of the woods Meghavahana witnessed a sort of human sacrifice in progress on the steps of the temple of Chandika (Durga).

Question 10.
Why did the barbarian want to kill an innocent man?
Answer:
The barbarian wanted to kill an innocent man because he believed that the Gods would be pleased with the human sacrifice and would thereby save his ailing son.

Question 11.
How did Meghavahana rescue both the victim and the barbarian’s son?
Answer:
Meghavahana offered himself to be sacrificed to the Gods instead of the innocent man. Thus he wanted to save both the victim as well as the barbarian’s son.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 12.
What happened when Meghavahana was about to strike himself?
Answer:
When Meghavahana was about to strike himself, his head was covered with divine flowers of exquisite colours and perfume and someone held back his arm.

B. Answer the following in about 150-200 words:

Question 1.
Describe the incident of how Meghavahana got the heavenly parasol?
Answer:
Meghavahana. the great-grandson of a former king of Kashmir took part in the swayamvara that was arranged by the king of Pragjyotisha, for his beautiful daughter, princess Amritaprabha. In the swayamvara. the princess chose Meghavahana to be her groom. The happy couple moved towards the king to seek his blessings.

As the king stepped down to bless the couple, the priest cried out in surprise that the parasol of varuna had east its shadow over the prince. The king exclaimed with delight in the affirmative and said that the prince was indeed favoured by the Gods. When Meghavahana looked up in surprise,

wondering at the meaning of the king’s remark, he found a beautiful dazzling white parasol with exquisite decorations casting its shadow over him. The king then explained to the surprised Meghavahana, that it was the parasol of Varuna, the lord of the seas.

The uniqueness of the parasol was that it cast its shadow only on the one destined to be a sovereign of the whole world. The king also stated that Meghavahana was destined for glory and brilliance.

Question 2.
How did Varuna, the lord of the seas test Meghavahana’s nobility of mind?
Answer:
While on an expedition near the sea, Meghavahana asked his weary army to rest under the shade of the palm groves and he spent his time pondering over the tactics that could be adopted to conquer Sri Lanka, the land of demons. Suddenly his thoughts were disturbed by a plaintive call for help. The voice stated that his life was not spared even under the rule of Meghavahana.

On hearing those words, Meghavahana mshed into the woods towards the voice with anxiety and in agitation. In a clearing in the woods Meghavahana witnessed a human sacrifice in progress on the steps of the temple of Chandika (Durga). When the king questioned the barbarian the reason for the sacrifice, the barbarian informed the king that he had to sacrifice a human in order to save his ailing son. The barbarian also stated that he believed that the Gods would be pleased with the human sacrifice and would definitely cure his son.

Observing the plight of the barbarian and his victim, the king came up with a solution of saving them both. He offered himself to be sacrificed instead of the poor innocent man. When the barbarian refused to kill the king, Meghavahana drew out his sword to kill himself. When he was about to strike himself, Varuna the lord of the seas stopped him and told the king that he had come to reclaim the parasol that was carried away by the powerful Bhauma, the father of Meghavahanas father-in-law. Varuna also informed him that he had created the illusion of the human sacrifice in order to test his nobility and that he had come out victorious.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Read the following statements and answer the questions given below:

Question 1.
“It casts its shade on none else but a sovereign of the whole world
(a) Who said this?
Answer:
This was said by the King of Pragjyotisha.

(b) Who was it said to ?
Answer:
It was said to prince Meghavahana.

(c) When was it said?
Answer:
It was said when Meghavahana looked up in surprise, wondering at the meaning of the kings remark ‘My son, you are favoured by the Gods’, and he saw a beautiful, dazzling, white parasol with exquisite decorations casting its shadow over him.

Question 2.
“You wretch! You dare to threaten another’s life in my realm”
(a) Who did this?
Answer:
This was said by Meghavahana.

(b) To whom was it said?
Answer:
It was said to the barbarian who was brandishing his sword over his victim.

(c) Why was it said?
Answer:
It was said by the king who was shocked at the sight of a human sacrifice in progress, because he had prohibited such acts in his kingdom.

Question 3.
“If you cannot bring yourself to strike at me, I will use my own sword for the purpose”.
(a) Who said this?
Answer:
It was said by Meghavahana.

(b) Who was the listener?
Answer:
The barbarian was the listener.

(c) What meaning does this sentence convey?
Answer:
It very strongly conveys the message that the king cared for the welfare of his subjects and was willing to sacrifice his life for their happiness. It also displays his compassion and love towards his citizens.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

III. Language activity:

Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:

Question 1.
Due to heavy rainfall the huge tree fell ______________ and unfortunately Shamu was caught ______________ the tree, (under, down, below)
Answer:
down, under

Question 2.
There is a roof ______________ us. ( above, over)
Answer:
over

Question 3.
I bought a gift ______________ my brother, (to, for)
Answer:
for

Question 4.
Sheetal, took leave ______________ her office. (of, from)
Answer:
from

Question 5.
They climbed ______________ the stairs and went ______________ the terrace, to have a view of the star studded sky. (to, up, above)
Answer:
up, to

Question 6.
I have to go to a meeting ______________ 12.30 p.m. (at, on)
Answer:
at

Question 7.
I cried “Help, Help” when the boy fell ______________ the well, (down, into)
Answer:
into

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 8.
Shika travels ______________ Chandigarh ______________ Delhi every week, (on, from, to)
Answer:
to, from (or) from, to

Question 9.
My sister’s wedding is ______________ Hotel Taj ______________ Mumbai, (in, on, at)
Answer:
at, in

Question 10.
Shashank took an express bus to Mysore, which goes ______________ Mandhya. (by, through)
Answer:
through

IV. Listening Activity: Class Activity

V. Speaking Activity

Discussion on great men like King Ashoka, Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Ashoka The Great-India’s Greatest Emperor and Patron of Buddhism.
Answer:
Ashoka was the son of the Mauryan Emperor, Bindusara. He was born in about 294 B.C. He ascended the Magadha throne in 273 B.C. By all considerations, Ashoka is one of the greatest Kings not only in the history of India but that of the whole world. In the beginning, like all other Kings, Ashoka was also given to kingly pleasures and military conquests but after the battle of Kalinga (the present day Odisha), a powerful Kingdom on the Bay of Bengal, Ashoka was completely transformed. In this battle, lakhs of people were slain, wounded, which produced a profound reaction on the mind of Ashoka.

The era of military conquests was now over and an era of spiritual conquests as Dharma Vijay began. Ashoka was converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spread and put into practice the teachings of Buddhism. For the welfare of his subjects, Ashoka planted trees along the roads for providing shade, built rest-houses for travelers and established hospitals for human beings and animals.

Ashoka also followed the Law of Piety or Dharma in his personal life; he gave up hunting and curbed slaughter of animals for the royal kitchen. A new class of officials called the Dharma-Mahamatras was created for enforcing Law of Piety among people. For spreading Buddhism, Ashoka also dispatched missions to foreign countries like Egypt, Syria, Macedonia etc.

Ashoka’s son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra went to Ceylon where they became successful in converting the Ceylonese King to Buddhism. Ashoka also got the teachings of Buddhism engraved on many rocks and pillars in different parts of his empire. In Patna, there are the remains of many beautiful structures built by him based on the cult of Buddhism. Ashoka died around 232 B.C.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Swamy Vivekananda – India’s spiritual leader:

Swamy Vivekananda was one of the prominent leaders of the Indian religious and cultural Renaissance. He is revered both in the East and the West as a rejuvenator of mankind through the eternal truths of Hinduism. Vivekananda through his message of man-making and nation – building inspired a generation of leaders and people of our country.

He delved deep into literature, philosophy and history and was gifted with oratorial power. In 1890, touring over the length and breadth of the country, he kindled the flame of spiritualism among his countrymen. In 1893, he went to Chicago as a representative of India, at the Parliament of All Religions of the World. On 11th September, he delivered his historical speech which made his learned audience bow their head in reverence.

Swamy Vivekananda declared that Indian culture was based on spiritualism while the basis of western culture was materialism. In fact, he was the first person who made India’s greatness known to the world. In 1897, he founded Ramakrishna Mission for the service of the Indian Society.

The real name of Swamy Vivekananda was Narendranath Dutta. He was bom on 12th January, 1863 in Calcutta. At the age of 16, he passed the entrance examination of the Calcutta University. During his student life, he was one of the most popular and inquisitive student. Athletic philosophy of Herbert Spencer, however exercised deep influence on him, but when he met Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, he was transformed into a great theist and came to the known as ‘ Swamy Vivekananda’. After the death of his teacher Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Vivekananda took up the task of spreading the message of love and spiritualism among mankind.

By writing inspiring books like ‘Yoga’, ‘Rajyoga’ and ‘Gyanayoga’, Vivekananda showed a new path to the younger generation. Swamy Vivenkananda Memorial built at Kanyakumari tells us even today the story of the greatness of Vivekananda. He died in 1902.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Born in a poor Brahman family in the Hooghly District, West Bengal, Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya began showing unusual signs of religious ecstacy when he was only a mere child. At the age of 19, after his marriage with Sharada Devi, Gadadhar came to Calcutta to live with his elder brother and to succeed him in the priest – hood of Dakshineshwar Kali temple, established by Rani Rashmoni.

It was here that he was called Ramakrishna. He became a firm devotee of goddess Kali. Visions, trances, ecstacies crowded upon him and most of his time was spent in intense spiritual activities. He proceeded under various spiritual guides to experience the whole mystical relationship described in the Hindu scriptures.

By sheer force of his spiritual attainment, Ramakrishna became Paramahamsa, the beacon light in the encircling gloom of his time. Gradually the fame of this young priest began to spread far and wide. Ramakrishna reaffirmed on the basis of his own spiritual experiments that all creed and religions led ultimately to the same goal.

So he proceeded to adopt the spiritual practices of Christianity as well as Islam. He asked people to seek God with a pure and dedicated heart He expressed his teachings in the simplest form for everyone to follow. His sayings and stories of his life remain to this day a major source of religious guidelines.

Under his great influence, he attracted a group of young disciples. They found , Ramakrishna a source of tremendous inspiration. Outstanding among them was the young Narendranath Dutta, later to be famous world over as Swamy Vivekananda.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VI. Dictionary use:

I. Choose the appropriate specialists given below in brackets for the following ailments:-

(Gynaecologist, Paediatrician, Obstetrician, Dermatologist, Opthalmologist, Cardiologist, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Orthopaedician, Physiotherapist)

Question 1.
Sheela has got white patches on her skin. She needs to consult a _____________
Answer:
Dermatologist

Question 2.
Priya cannot see the letters on the board. She has to see an _____________
Answer:
Opthalmologist

Question 3.
The child is suffering from fever. The parents have to take him to a _____________
Answer:
Paediatrician

Question 4.
Kiran fell from the cycle and broke his bone. He immediately consulted an _____________ Answer:
Orthopaedician

Question 5.
Students are stressed because of their exams. They should have a session with a _____________
Answer:
Psychologist

Question 6.
My grandfather had some pain in the chest. We took him to a _____________
Answer:
Cardiologist

Question 7.
This person has really gone mad. He needs the help of a _____________
Answer:
Psychiatrist

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 8.
Rohan always suffers from muscle catch and cramps. So he always visits his _____________
Answer:
Physiotherapist

Question 9.
Ritu introduced me to a _____________ who had delivered her baby.
Answer:
Obsterician

Question 10.
A _____________ specialises in treating the ailments of women.
Answer:
Gynaecologist

VII. Fill in blanks with the appropriate word chosen from the brackets:

Question 1.
I can’t ________________ you from such a distance. Come ________________ and tell me. (here, hear)
Answer:
hear, here

Question 2.
Arjun used ________________ formula to solve the ________________ . (sum, some)
Answer:
Some, sum

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
Veena has ________________ of rupees but still she ________________ peace. (lacks, lakhs)
Answer:
lakhs, lacks

Question 4.
Two years ago, the shop was ________________ and so it ________________ to exist. (ceased, seized)
Answer:
seized, ceased

Question 5.
We should ________________ how to say ________________ without hurting others, (no, know)
Answer:
know, no

VIII. Reading Activity : Class Activity
Answer the following as directed:

IX. Find the meaning of the following words:

Question 1.
Meanings
(a) bog – an area of wet, soft ground formed of decaying plants.
(b) muck – waste matter excreted by farm animals; dirt; mud.
(c) lad – a boy, a young man.
(d) sparse – present only in small amounts, thin and scattered.
(e) hovel – a small house that is not fit to live in, especially because it is damp and dirty.
(f) pneumonia – a serious illness affecting one or both lungs, causing difficulty in breathing.

Question 2.
Farmer Fleming saved the boy from
Answer:
dying in a bog

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
What was the deal the nobleman made with farmer Fleming?
Answer:
Farmer Fleming had saved a boy from a bog. The following day the boy’s father, a rich nobleman paid a visit to the farmer in order to express his gratitude. He offered t some cash payment for saving his son. But farmer Fleming refused to accept if. The rich noblemen saw the farmer’s son standing near their hovel. He therefore struck a deal with the farmer. The nobleman told him that as he had refused to accept the cash payment, he would instead repay the kindness by educating the farmer’s son.

Question 4.
Farmer Fleming’s son graduated from
Answer:
St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London.

Question 5.
Who was farmer Fleming’s son?
Answer:
Farmer Fleming’s son was none other than the world famous Alexander Fleming, the inventor of Penicillin.

Question 6.
The nobleman’s son had suffered from
Answer:
pneumonia.

Question 7.
What is the lesson you learn from the story?
Answer:
(a) Always express your gratitude even for the smallest favour received.
(b) Utilize every opportunity to serve mankind.
(c) Strive for excellence.
(d) Helping others can change your destiny.

Question 8.
The nobleman’s son was
Answer:
Sir Winston Churchill

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

X. Fill in the missing letters of the adjectives:-

Question 1.
The character of a person who always remains calm and poised;c — — p — s — d.
Answer:
Composed

Question 2.
The character of a person who is concerned too much with his own needs or wishes; s — — f — s —
Answer:
Selfish

Question 3.
The character of a person which is compared to a fox ; c — n — — ng
Answer:
Cunning

Question 4.
The character of a person who is careful and precise in everything; m — t — cu — o — s
Answer:
Meticulous,

Question 5.
The character of a person who exhibits very strong emotions or intense enthusiasm for something; p — ss — n — t —
Answer:
Passionate

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Additional questions with answers

I. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Why was Meghavahana surprised?
Answer:
Meghavahana was surprised because Amritaprabha had selected him to be her groom from among the thousand of suitors who had assembled there at the swayamvara.

Question 2.
Where did Meghavahana ask his weary army to rest?
Answer:
Once on an expedition near the sea, Meghavahana asked his weary army to , rest in the shadow of the palm groves.

Question 3.
Who was Bhauma?
Answer:
Bhauma was the father of Meghavahana’s father-in-law.

Question 4.
Why did many illustrious suitors come to the swayamvara?
Answer:
Many illustrious suitors were lured by Amritaprabha’s beauty. So they came to the swayamvara with the hope of being chosen by her.

Question 5.
Who was Meghavahana?
Answer:
Meghavahana was the great grand-son of a former king of Kashmir.

Question 6.
Why was Meghavahana surprised when the king said “My son, you are favoured by the Gods”?
Answer:
Meghavahana was surprised when the king said that he had been favoured by the Gods because he couldn’t understand what the king intended to convey by uttering . those words.

Question 7.
Describe the parasol.
Answer:
It was a dazzling, beautiful white parasol with exquisite decorations. It belonged to Varuna, the lord of the seas.

Question 8.
Why did the ministers of Kashmir want Meghavahana to become their king?
Answer:
The ministers of the Kashmir Court wanted Meghavahana to become their king because their present king had devoted himself to prayer and had therefore neglected the affairs of the kingdom. The ministers were also inspired by ‘Meghavahana’s noble character and bravery. They therefore desired to be ruled by him

Question 9.
What became the ambition of Meghavahana on ascending the throne of Kashmir? Why?
Answer:
On ascending the throne of Kashmir, Meghavahana desired to conquer more kingdoms to impose his law prohibiting killing of living beings, in those kingdoms as well.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 10.
According to the barbarian what would be the consequences if the human sacrifice was prevented?
Answer:
According to the barbarian if the sacrifice was prevented his ailing son would die and the rest of his troops would give up their lives along with him.

Question 11.
How did the barbarian justify the human sacrifice?
Answer:
According to the barbarian, his victim was a loner, wandering friendless in the forest. Hence the barbarian felt the victim’s life was not as worthy and important as that of his son. Hence he could be sac rificed to save his son.

Question 12.
Describe the barbarian’s victim.
Answer:
The barbrian’s victim was a loner, wandering about in the forest without any companions. On the steps of the temple of Chandika he lay on the ground with raised hands pleading for his life.

Question 13.
Why did the king offer himself to be sacrificed?
Answer:
The king offered himself to be sacrificed in order to save the barbarian’s son and the poor victim.

Question 14.
“You are truly compassionate and noble”, said Varuna to Meghavahana. Explain how Meghavahana exhibited those qualities?
Answer:
Prohibiting the killing of living beings in his kingdom proved to be the essence of his compassion. This quality was exhibited in total intensity when he offered himself to be sacrificed instead of the poor victim

Question 15.
Explain how Megshavahana reached Sri Lanka.
Answer:
Having secured a boon from Varuna, the Lord of the seas to help him in crossing the waters, Meghavahana boldly rode forward into the swelling, foaming ocean. As promised by Varuna, the waters parted. The king along with his astonished army crossed the seas and reached Sri Lanka.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 16.
What was the human sacrifice that Meghavahand had witnessed in the forest?
Answer:
The human sacrifice that Meghavahana had witnessed in the forest was only an illusion created by Varuna to test his nobility.

Question 17.
Why did Amritaprabha look around in confusion when Meghavahana returned home?
Answer:
Amritaprabha looked around in confusion when Meghasvahana returned home because she couldn’t find the parasol with him, which was always with him.

Question 18.
It appeared as if the parasol was casting its shadow on Meghavahana even from its heavenly abode. Why does the author say so?
Answer:
When Amritaprabha asked her husband about the parasol, he told her that he had returned it to the rightful owner as it was never his to keep. He also told her that he was sure that the divine owner would guide him through his life. As he spoke those words, the sky darkened and it appeared as if the heavenly parasol was casting its shadow on him even from its heavenly abode. Therefore the author said those words.

II. Change into indirect speech.

Question 1.
“you are favoured by the Gods,” said -the king to the prince.
Answer:
The king told the prince that he was favoured by the Gods.

Question 2.
“your are destined for glory and brilliance,” explained the king.
Answer:
The king explained that he was destined for glory and brilliance.

Question 3.
“We are dissatisfied with our present ruler,” they said.
Answer:
They said that they were dissatisfied with their present ruler.

Question 4.
“How will I cross the great seas with my army?” Meghavahana wondered.
Answer:
Meghavahana wondered how he would cross the great seas with his army.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 5.
“You dare to threaten another’s life in my realm,” cried the king shocked at the sight.
Answer:
The king cried out in shocked disbelief that someone dared to threaten another’s life in his realm.

Question 6.
“May these two people live,” said the king.
Answer:
The king wished that those two people might live.

III. Choose the correct answer from the options given below each question arid answer them:

Question 1.
The king of Pragjyotisha arranged for a ……………….. for his daughter when she came of age.
(a) colourful dance performance
(b) swayamvara
(c) orchestra
(d) wrestling match
Answer:
(b) swayamvara

Question 2.
The parasol belonged to
(a) Vamana
(b) Vishnu
(c) Vayu
(d) Varuna
Answer:
(d) Varuna

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
The ministers of the Kashmir court offered the throne to Meghavhana because
(a) They were frightened of him.
(b) Their king was dead.
(c) Their present king had dedicated himself to a life of prayer and had neglected the state affairs.
(d) He had married the king’s daughter.
Answer:
(c) Their present king had dedicated himself to a life of prayer and had neglected the state affairs.

Question 4.
The new law imposed by Meghavhana on ascending the throne of Kashmir was that
(a) All the men were to join the army
(b) Women were not to be educated.
(c) The first bom were to be sacrificed to the gods.
(d) Living beings weren’t to be killed in his kingdom.
Answer:
(d) Living beings weren’t to be killed in his kingdom.

Question 5.
‘I will save your son …………. this victim’. (The right answer to be filed in the blank is)
(a) If
(b) because
(c) as well as
(d) yet
Answer:
(c) as well as

Question 6.
‘It never leaves your side.’ The word ‘it ‘ here refers to
(a) the parasol
(b) dog
(c) chief minister
(d) soldier
Answer:
(a) the parasol

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

IV. Read the statements given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
“My son, you are favoured by the Gods.”
(i) Who is the ‘son’ refereed to in the above sentence?
Answer:
Meghavahana is the ‘son’ referred to in 1 the above sentence.

(ii) Who said the above sentence?
Answer:
The above sentence was said by the king of Pragjyotisha.

(iii) Which of the Gods had favoured him?
Answer:
Varuna, the lord of the seas had favoured him.

(iv) How was it proved that the Gods had favoured him?
Answer:
The parasol had cast its shadow on the prince. This proved that the Gods had favoured him for, it easts its shadow only on those destined to be a sovereign.

Question 2.
“This is the parasol of Varuna, the lord of the seas.”
(i) Who said the above sentence?
Answer:
The above sentence was said by the king of Pragjyotisha.

(ii) To whom was it said?
Answer:
It was said to Meghavahana.

(iii) Why did the king say the aibove sentence?
Answer:
Meghavahana looked puzzled when the king said that he had been favoured by the Gods. Therefore while explaining the significance of the parasol, the king said the above sentence.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
“We are dissatisfied with the present ruler”
(i) Who said the above sentence?
Answer:
The above sentence was said by the ministers of the Kashmir court.

(ii) Why were they dissatisfied?
Answer:
They were dissatisfied because their present king had devoted himself to a life of prayer and had neglected the affairs of the state.

(iii) What did they request of Meghavahana?
Answer:
They requested Meghavahana to be their king.

Question 4.
“Honour us and our land by accepting our offer.”
(i) Who said the above sentence?
Answer:
The above sentence was said by the ministers of the Kashmir court.

(ii) To whom was the proposal made?
Answer:
The proposal was made to Meghavahana.

(iii) What did they offer?
Answer:
They offered the throne of Kashmir to Meghavahana.

Question 5.
“Even under Meghavahana’s rule I have been slain.”
(i) Who was slaying whom?
Answer:
A barbarian was in the process of slaying his victim.

(ii) Why was he being slain?
Answer:
The barbarian believed that his ailing son would be saved if a human was sacrificed.Therefore he was being slain.

(iii) Where was the human sacrifice in progress?
Answer:
The human sacrifice was in progress on the steps of the temple of Chandika (Durga).

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 6.
“O noble one, have mercy.”
(i) Who is the ‘noble one’ mentioned in the sentence?
Answer:
The noble one in the above sentence is Meghavahana.

(ii) Who sought pardon?
Answer:
The barbarian pleaded for pardon and mercy.

(iii) What was the crime that the barbarian had committed?
Answer:
The barbarian was in the process of sacrificing a human, in the realm of MeghavaChana, when such acts were prohibited in his kingdom.

Question 7.
“Sir, tell me what to do.”
(i) Who is the ‘sir’ mentioned in the above sentence?
Answer:
The ‘sir’ mentioned in the above sentence is Meghavahana.

(ii) Who is the ‘me’ mentioned in the sentence?
Answer:
The word ‘me’ in the above sentence refer to the barbarian.

(iii) What was the dilemma the barbarian was in?
Answer:
The barbarian had to perform a human sacrifice to save his ailing son but the king had objected it.

Question 8.
“I cannot see my son suffer this way.”
(i) Whose son was suffering?’
Answer:
The barbarian’s son was suffering.

(ii) What was he suffering from?
Answer:
The barbarian’s son was suffering with some disease and was on the verge of ying.

(iii) What according to the barbarian was the only solution to save the boy?
Answer:
According to him, only a human sacrifice could save his ailing son.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 9.
“It was never mine to keep.”
(i) What does the word ‘it’ refer to in the above sentence?
Answer:
The word ‘it’ refers to the parasol.

(ii) To whom did it belong?
Answer:
It belonged to Varuna, the lord of he seas.

(iii) Who had taken it away form Varuna?
Answer:
Bhauma, the father of Meghavahana’s father-in- law had taken it away.

V. Change the voice of the following sentences:

Question 1.
Meghavahana brought his bride and the divine parasol back home.
Answer:
His bride and the divine parasol were brought back home by Meghavahana.

Question 2.
The king held a swayamvara.
Answer:
A swayamvara was held by the king.

Question 3.
The parasol of Varuna has cast its shadow on the prince.
Answer:
Its shadow has been cast on the prince, by the parasol.

Question 4.
The barbarian dropped his sword.
Answer:
His sword was dropped by the barbarian.

Question 5.
I offer my body in sacrifice to Chandika.
Answer:
My body is offered in sacrifice to Chandika by me.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VI. Rewrite as directed:

Question 1.
It is true. (Change into an exclamatory sentence.)
Answer:
How true it is

Question 2.
It was a beautiful, dazzling white parasol. It had exquisite decorations on it. (Combine the sentences using not only – but also)
Answer:
It was not only a beautiful, dazzling, white parasol but also one with exquisite decorations on it.

Question 3.
Give the noun form of the word – brilliant
Answer:
brilliance

Question 4.
You wretch! (Change into an assertive sentence.)
Answer:
You are a wretch.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Summary in English

The lesson “Heavenly Parasol’ is a fairy tale of yore about Kings and Queens whose lives are intertwined with the intervention of some divine being. In this lesson, Varuna, the lord of the seas tests the nobility of Meghavhana.

The King of Pragjyotisha had arranged for a swayamvara for his beautiful daughter Amritaprabha when she came of age. To this swayamvara many illustrious suitors had assembled, lured by the beauty of the princess. Meghavahana, the great-grandson of a fonner King of Kashmir was also present. Amritaprabha chose him as her groom.

The couple then moved towards the king to seek his blessings. When the King stepped down to bless them, the priest cried out in surprise that the parasol of Varuna had cast its shadow on the prince. The king agreed with the priest and said that the prince was indeed favoured by the gods.

Meghavahana looked up in surprise, wondering at the remark of the king and to his surprise he found a beautiful, dazzling, white parasol with exquisite decorations casting its shadow over him. The king explained to him that it was the parasol of Varuna, the lord of the seas. The king also said that it would cast its shadow on none other than on the one destined to be a sovereign of the whole world. The king informed him that he was destined for glory and brilliance. Dazed by those portents and by his good fortune, Meghavahana took his bride and the divine parasol back home.

Upon his return, the ministers of the Kashmir court approached Mehgavahana and requested him to be their King: as their present king had devoted his life to prayer and had thereby neglected the affairs of the kingdom. They also stated that the citizens were unhappy with their king. Meghavahana accepted their offer and became the king of Kashmir. On ascending the throne, he announced that henceforth there would be no killing of living beings in his kingdom. He then desired to conquer other kingdoms in order to impose his law in those kingdoms as well.

Once while on an expedition near the sea, the king asked his weary army to take shelter under the shade of the palm trees. He then pondered over the tactics that could be adopted, to conquer Sri Lanka – the land of demons. His intention of conquering the island was to teach the demons the ways of peace. Unfortunately, he found himself in a dilemma because he found it difficult to cross the sea with his army. The king was deep in thought.

His thoughts were broken by the voice of someone pleading for his life. The voice also stated that even under the rule of Meghavahana his life was not spared. Filled with agitation and anxiety the king rushed into the woods towards the voice. When he reached a clearing in the forest, he witnessed a human sacrifice in progress on the steps of a temple of Chandika (Durga). The victim lay on the ground with his hands raised, pleading for his life; while a barbarian stood near him brandishing his sword.

When the king questioned the barbarian the reason for the act, the latter replied that his son was very ill and he believed that a human sacrifice would please the Gods and that they would cure his son. The barbarian also said that as the man was wandering in the woods alone and friendless, his life was not as important as that of his son. The king looked up and saw a bundle on the temple porch and assumed it to be the barbarian’s son. The king was moved with compassion, both for the child as
well as for the victim. He then found a solution to the problem.

The king offered himself to be sacrificed instead of the innocent man. When the barbarian refused to kill the king, the king himself drew out his sword to kill himself. The king was about to strike himself when suddenly his head was covered with divine flowers of exquisite colours and perfume and someone held back his arm. The king looked back in surprise and found a person of heavenly appearance. The victim, the boy and the barbarian had vanished.

The divine being informed the king that he was Varuna, the lord of the seas and that he had come to reclaim the parasol that had been taken away by the powerful Bhauma., the father of Meghavahana’s father-in-law. The parasol also held the power to quell calamities in the land of Varuna. He also informed the king that the illusion in the forest had been created by him to test the nobility of the king and that he had proved his worth and had come out victorious.

Meghavahana with total reverence returned the divine parasol, to Varuna and requested a boon from him. He requested Varuna to help him whenever he had to cross waters so that he could conquer the islands. The wish was granted. Varuna stated that whenever he wanted to cross the oceans, he would pull away the waters.

The next day, Meghavahana gathered his army and marched towards the swelling and turbulent ocean. The soldiers trembled at its might. The king rode forward and plunged into the foaming ocean. Immediately the waters parted. The king crossed the ocean along with his astonished army. He reached Sri Lanka, won over its king Vibhishana in friendship.On his return to Kashmir, he was greeted by his queen Amritaprabha.

She questioned him about the parasol which had never left his side. The king replied that it was never his to keep and informed her that the divine owner would guide him throughout his life. As he spoke those words, the sky darkened and it appeared as if the parasol was casting its shadow over him even from its heavenly abode.

8th English The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

The Heavenly Parasol Lesson Word in English

  1. illustrious = very well-known, admired and respected.
  2. destined = governed by fate; ‘bound to happen’.
  3. plaintive = expressing melancholy mournful
  4. summon = To call, bid or cite; to notify to come to appear;
  5. undergrowth = low-growing plants, sapling and shrubs beneath trees in a forest:
  6. significance = consequence or importance
  7. exquisite = of special beauty or charm, or rare and appealing, excellence as; a face, a flower, colouring music or poetry.
  8. quell = to overpower; to subdue; to put down
  9. calamities = a disaster or misfortune, especially one causing extreme havoc, distress, or misery
  10. illusion = a thing that a person wrongly believes to exist, a false appearance.
  11. boon = a benefit, an advantage
  12. beckoned = to make a gesture to somebody either with the hand, arm or head, usually to make them come closer to the caller.
  13. brilliance = extremely clever, impressive or outstanding.
  14. neglected = to give no or not enough attention to something or somebody.
  15. proclaimed = a nuounced.
  16. ambition = a strong desire to achieve something.
  17. grove = a group of trees , a small wood.
  18. tether = a rope or a chain by which an animal is tied.
  19. clearing = an open space in the forest from where the trees have been cleared.
  20. compassion = feeling pit for the sufferings of others.
  21. horror = a feeling of intense fear, shock and disgust.
  22. ailing = ill and not improving.
  23. bewildered = to confuse somebody.
  24. abode = a house or a home.

 8th Standard English Notes

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

KSEEB 8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Summary Questions and Answers

Pre-reading task

Question 1.
Why did Kunti go to Kama?
Answer:
Kunti went to Kama to ask for some boon such as a promise, not to reuse the special arrow against Arjuna at the battlefield, and not to kill any of the other Pandavas.

Question 2.
Was Kunti right in taking away the boon? Explain.
Answer:
Kunti wasn’t right in taking away the boon because being devoid of that, Kama wouldn’t be able to fight against Arjuna in the battle field.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
What was the sacrifice made by Kama?
Answer:
Though Kama gave away the boon that Kunti had asked for, in reality he actually laid down his life at his mother’s feet for the safety of his brothers. For him, his mother was greater than the boon.

Discuss these points with your classmates.

(a) What is the greatest thing that you can appreciate in your mother? Is it to give up everything she has for her child? Is it to give up her life for her child?
Answer:
The greatest thing that I admire in my mother is her self sacrificing nature for the happiness of her family members.

Text book Questions and Answers

I. Comprehension:

Answer the following questions in two/three sentences each.

Question 1.
Why were Padma and Panna worried?
Answer:
Padma and Panna were worried because there was chaos and confusion in the kingdom of Mewar after the death of King Rana Sanga.

Question 2.
a. Name the person who was ambitious.
Answer:
Banbir, a son of the late king and the half-brother of Udai Singh was ambitious.

b. What is he compared to?
Answer:
He is compared to a snake.

c. Why were the other nobles powerless against him?
Answer:
Balbir had unleashed terror and bloodshed in the kingdom. He crushed and killed many nobles with the help of some strong men. They were afraid of him. Therefore the nobles were powerless against him.

Question 3
a. What did Banbir make up his mind to do?
Answer:
Banbir made up his mind to kill the infant prince Udai singh.

b. Why had he resolved to do this?
Answer:
As he wanted to become the permanent ruler of Mewar, he resolved to kill Udai Singh, the infant heir to the throne.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 4
a. What did the prince’s mother tell Panna when she was dying?
Answer:
The prince’s mother told Panna that she had lost everything except her precious son. She requested Panna to take care of her child as her own and to protect him from all harm.

b. What did Panna promise the Rani?
Answer:
Panna promised to protect the prince at any cost. She assured the queen that she would even give up her life if it was necessary, to save the prince.

Question 5.
a. What news did Champa bring?
Answer:
Champa informed Panna, that Banbir was on his way to kill the prince.

b. What did Banbir have in his hand?
Ans.
Banbir had a naked sword in his hand.

Question 6
a. Why did Panna change the prince’s clothes?
Answer:
Panna changed the prince’s clothes to save the prince.

b. Where did she put him?
Answer:
She put him in a basket.

c. What did she cover him with?
Answer:
She covered the prince with flowers and leaves.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 7.
Whose clothes did Panna make her baby wear? Whose bed did she put him in?
Answer:
Panna dressed her child in the clothes of prince Udai Singh. She placed him on the royal ivory bed of the prince.

Question 8.
Who did Banbir Kill? Did he realize his mistake?
Answer:
Banbir killed Panna’s son. No, he didn’t realize his mistake.

Question 9.
What are the main qualities you appreciate in Panna? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Answer:
Panna was loyal and dedicated to the late king and the queen, her mistress. It was the essence of those qualities that made her save the life of the prince even at the cost of her own son. Her loyalty and dedication is what I appreciate the most.

II. Read the following sentences:

Question 1.
a. We have seen the new film on wildlife.
(Present perfect tense)
b. We saw the new film on wildlife.
(Simple past tense)

Question 2.
a. She has given me some lovely flowers.
(Present perfect tense)
b. She gave me some lovely flowers.
(Simple past tense).

Note: In these two sets of sentences, the activities (seeing and giving) have taken place. Why do we use the present perfect tense in 1 (a) and 2(a) and the simple past tense in 1 (b) and 2 (b)? We use the present perfect to emphasize the effect of the past action on the speaker’s present:

We have seen that new film on wildlife,
(and we still remember it).

She has given me some lovely flowers,
(and I have got them with me now).

The simple past tense, on the other hand, describes activities which have taken place in the past and have no effect on the speakers present. The present perfect is related to the speaker’s present.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

Question 3.
Use the following present tense expressions in meaningful situations: (still, yet, now, just)
still – They still haven’t issued the tickets,
yet – I am yet to receive the mail,
now – They have now reached the airport,
just – The result was just announced.

III. Rewrite these sentences using the words given in brackets at the appropriate places:

(a) The children have returned from the zoo. (just)
Answer:
The children have just returned from the zoo.

(b) I have had a ride on a camel, (never)
Answer:
I have never had a ride on a camel.

(c) We have had our lunch, (already)
Answer:
We have already had our lunch.

(d) Lata has sung before foreign audience, (often)
Answer:
Lata has often sung before foreign audience.

(e) I have seen the Republic Day Parade, (only once in my life)
Answer:
I have seen the Republic Day Parade only once in my life.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

IV. Use the present perfect tense of the verbs given in the brackets and fill in the blanks to complete the sentences:

Mrs. Sharm: Have you drawn (draw) money from the bank?
Mr.Sharma: Yes, I have.
Mrs. Sharma: Where have you put (put) it?
Mr. Sharma: (taking off his bush-shirt and throwing it on the bed) I have put (put) it in my brief case.
Wife: (opening the briefcase) No, you haven’t. It’s not here.
Husband: (getting worried) I put it in this pocket of the briefcase. Has someone stolen (steal) it?
Wife: I hope you have not dropped (drop) it.
Husband: (getting angry) No, I am not careless. You might be careless. I very carefully counted the notes and put them in this pocket. What shall we do? ₹ 500 is a big amount.
Wife: (picking up his bush-shirt and folding it)
Don’t ‘worry, (she smiles)
Husband: We have lost (lose) ₹ 500 and you are smiling?
Wife: We have not lost (lose) the money.
Husband: Have you taken (take) it out of my briefcase?
Wife: No, I haven’t. It was never in your briefcase.
Husband: Where is the money?
Wife: It’s here. It’s in the pocket of your bush-shirt. Now, tell me who is careless.
Husband: (heaving a sigh of relief) Pardon me, my dear, I have been (be) careless.
Wife: (smiling) Come, let’s have some tea.

Va. Match words opposite in meaning:

1. strong  inside
2. like  begin
3. end  dislike
4. outside  weak

Answer:

  1. – weak,
  2. – dislike,
  3. – begin,
  4. – inside

b. Fill in the blanks with the words from the first column and add sentences using words from column B as well:

(a) Don’t go outside. It is raining. You can stay inside and watch some programme on T. V.
(b) The hero dies at the end of the film; and the story did begin with a sad note.
(c) All of us like ice cream except my aunt who dislikes it.
(d) This chair is strong. You cannot break it. But it’s weak for your uncle who weighs a ton.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

c. Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verbs given in the brackets:
Answer:
The farmers and their families were (be) in their fields since six o’clock in the morning. The farmers ploughed (plough) their fields and their wives sowed (sow) the seeds. Their daughters put (put) earth on the seeds and their sons watered (water) the fields.

d. Rewrite the above passage in the singular form:
Answer:
A farmer and his family were in their field since six o’clock in the morning. The farmer ploughed the field and his wife sowed the seeds. His daughter put earth on the seeds and his son watered the field.

e. Imagine that the above scene took place yesterday. Rewrite the passage making minor alterations wherever necessary.
Answer:
A farmer and his family were in the field at six o’clock yesterday. The farmer ploughed the field and his wife sowed the seeds. His daughter put earth on the seeds and his son watered the plants.

VI. Use the correct form of the verbs given in the bracket and fill in the blanks:

(a) My wife tried (try) to get a job but she has not succeeded yet.
(b) The patient has had biscuits and has also drunk (drink) a glass of milk.
(c) The bridegroom has decided (decide) not to take a single paisa as dowry.
(d) The farmers had known (know) that the sheaf of com would fall.
(e) The village Panchayat has nominated (nominate) my father as a member of the Panchayat.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

VII. Complete the paragraph:

Panna: I have saved (save) Udai Singh’s life. I hid (hide) him in a basket. Padma and Champa have taken (take) the basket out. Banbir has killed (kill) my innocent little baby but I am not heart-broken. I have done (do) my duty. I have kept (keep) my promise to the late Queen.

Additional Questions and Answers

Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Who was Panna?
Answer:
Panna was the nurse of the little prince Udai Singh of Mewar.

Question 2.
Who was Banbir?
Answer:
Banbir was a son of the late king Rana Sanga and the half-brother of the infant prince Udai Singh.

Question 3.
How did Banbir take over Mewar?
Answer:
After the death of king Rana Sanga and his queen, Banbir unleased terror and violence in the kingdom. With the help of some strong men, he crushed and killed many nobles. The other nobles and the army were frightened of him and could not oppose him. Thus he easily usurped Mewar.

Question 4.
“The time to do or die has come” said Panna. Why did she say this?
Answer:
Panna had promised the queen that she would protect the prince even at the cost of he life. When she heard that Banbir was coming to kill the prince she realized that ‘ the time was ripe to save the prince or to die in the process of saving him.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

II. Match the following (Matched)

A  B
RanaSanga  late king of Mewar
Panna  the nurse of Udai Singh
Banbir  Half brother of Udai Singh.

III. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
“I have resolved to save the prince.”
(a) What was the name of the prince?
Answer:
The name of the prince was Udai Singh.

(b) Who had resolved to save the prince?
Answer:
Panna, the nurse of the infant prince had resolved to save the prince.

(c) How did she save the life of the prince?
Answer:
She placed the prince in a basket, covered it with flowers and leaves and smuggled it out of the palace with the help of two maids Champa and Padmai In his place, she put her own son who was killed by Banbir.

Question 2.
I’ll carry this most precious basket under my arm”
(a) Why was the basket precious?
Answer:
The basket was precious because the infant prince of Mewar was in the basket.

(b) Why was the prince hidden in a basket?
Answer:
The prince was hidden in a basket, because Banbir wanted to kill him.

(c) To whom did they give the prince?
Answer:
The prince was given to Asa Shah.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

IV. Rewrite as directed:

Question 1.
I will fulfill my promise to my late mistress, (change it into present perfect tense)
Answer:
I have fulfilled my promise to my late mistress.

Question 2.
I have lost everything. ( Change the voice)
Answer:
Everything is lost by me.

V. Multiple Choice Question:

Choose the correct answer from the options provided and answer the questions.

Question 1.
They have to like him because
(a) He was very handsome.
(b) He was a brave warrior.
(c) He was their king.
(d) They were not strong enough to dislike him.
Answer:
(d) They were not strong enough to dislike him.

The Great Sacrifice Lesson Summary in English

It is a true incident of loyalty and sacrifice, set in the historical background of the Ranas of Mewar. It highlights the effect of man’s greed for power.

The historic incident unfolds at a time in Mewar, when the king Rana Sanga and his queen were killed and Banbir has usurped power. He now intends to kill the infant heir to the throne. But a few loyal maids succeed in smuggling the infant out of the palace to a safer place

This great feat is achieved only due to the sacrifice on the part of Panna, the maid of prince Udai Singh. When she learns that Banbir has planned to kill the prince, she dresses up her own child as the prince, as her child was of the same age as the prince. Then she places her own child on the royal bed and places the prince in a basket. She then covers the prince with flowers and leaves.

The prince is then smuggled to Asa Shah with the help of two maids Padma and Champa. Banbir enters the royal bed chamber of the prince and kills the child on the bed assuming it to be the prince. This great sacrifice of Panna is written in golden letters in the history of Mewar. It exhibits the loyalty and bravery of the Rajputs.

8th English The Great Sacrifice Lesson Notes Question Answer Summary

The Great Sacrifice Lesson Word in English

  • half-brother – a brother who shares only one parent with another,
  • discontent – not satisfied, unrest
  • resolved – to decide firmly
  • precious – of great value
  • shriek – a loud shout, scream

 8th Standard English Notes