CBSE 8th English- Honeydew

Comprehension Check (Page 115)

Questions:

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

Answers:

1. The author could not see Bijju because of the mist that concealed the hills. He could only hear his voice but could not see him.
2. When the mist comes up, it covers the hills and spreads silence.

Comprehension Check (Page 117)

Questions:

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

Answers:

1. The monsoon season in Mussorie begins from June 24/25. By August 2, the people are fed up with rain. It ends by August 31. Then begins winter rains which end by late March. We take out our rain coats and umbrellas to face the monsoon.
2. Mussoorie
3. It rains non-stop for eight or nine days. The author keeps pacing the room and looking out of the window.
4. The rodents and snakes take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. They do so because their holes are flooded with rain water.
5. The author received a cheque in the mail.

Working With the Text (Page 118)

Question 1:Look carefully at the diary entries for June 24-25, August 2 and March 23. Now write down the changes that happen as the rains progress from June to March.Answer:Rains in Mussoorie begin in June and end by March. June 24 is the first day of monsoon mist which covered the hills and spreads silence. On August 2 it rained all night and made sleeping difficult. By late March ends winter as well as the rains.

Question 2:Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?Answer:The grandmother told the children not to kill the Chuchundars because they brought good luck and money.

Question 3:What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?Answer:By the end of the monsoon the greenery is at its peak. The seeds of the cobra lily turn red. A rainbow is formed in the sky.

Question 4:Complete the following sentences.

1. Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because__________ .
2. The writer describes the hill station and valley as _________ .
3. The leopard was’ successful in________ but had to flee when
4. The minivets are easily noticed because _________ .
5. It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when_________.
6. During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because _________.

Answer:

1. dense mist covers and hides the hills.
2. ‘A paradise that might have been.’
3. killing a dog but had to flee when Bijju’s mother arrived crying curses.
4. of their bright colours.
5. they are covered by a variety of flowers.
6. their holes are flooded with water and these places provide them conve­nient shelter.

Question 5:‘Although tin roofs are given to springing unaccountable leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain.’

1. Why has the writer used the word, ‘springing’?
2. How is the writer untouched by the rain?
3. How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time?

Answer:

1. The word ‘springing’ is used to show suddenness with which water starts leaking.
2. Because he is inside the room.
3. He hears the drumming of rain on the tin roof. He also looks out of the window to see the rains.

Question 6:Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together?Answer:A long spell of rain makes life miserable. One is closed up in his room. Everything becomes damp and soggy. Rodents, snakes and insects enter the house for shelter.

Question 7:What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?Answer:At first cobra lily appears with the arrival of the monsoon. When the cobra seeds begin to turn red, it indicates the rains are coming to an end.

Working With Language (Page 118)

Question 1:Here are some words that are associated with the monsoon. Add as many words as you can to this list. Can you find words for these in your languages?

downpour  floods   mist   cloudy   powercuts   cold   umbrella

Answer:rain, water, fog, raincoats, thunder, dampness, lakes etc.In my language I find the alternative words like the following:बौछार , बूंदाबांदी , तुषार, धुंध , सीत , छतरी, रेनकोट , आंधी , इत्यादी l

Question 2:Look at the sentences below.(i) Bijju wandered into the garden in the evening.(ii) The trees were ringing with birdsong.Notice the highlighted verb.The verb wandered tells us what Bijju did that evening. But the verb was ringing tells us what was happening continually at same time in the past (the birds were chirping in the trees).Now look the at sentences below. They tell us about something that happened in the past. They also tell us about other things that happened continually* at the same time in the past.

Put the verbs in the brackets into their proper forms. The first one is done for you.

1. We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.
2. The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.
3. I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.
4. She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.
5. We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games,
6. The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).

Answer:

1. We got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.
2. The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.
3. I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.
4. She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully,
5. We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.
6. The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.

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

drum  swish  tinkle  caw  drip

(i) Match these words with their correct meanings.

1. to fall in small drops.
2. to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly.
3. to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound.
4. harsh sound made by birds.
5. ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.).

(ii) Now fill in the blanks using the correct form of the words given above.

1. Ramesh _______ on his desk in impatience.
2. Rain water_____ from the umbrella all over the carpet.
3. The pony______ its tail.
4. The_____ of breaking glass woke me up.
5. The_____ of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.

Answer:

(i) (1) drip (2) drum (3) swish (4) caw (5) tinkle.(ii) (1) drummed (2) dripped (3) was swishing (4) tinkle (5) caw

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

sure enough            colourful enough        serious enoughkind enough           big enough                    fair enoughbrave enough         foolish enough           anxious enough

1. I saw thick black clouds in the sky and___ ____ it soon started raining heavily.
2. The blue umbrella was___ ____ for the brother and sister.
3. The butterflies are___ _____ to get noticed.
4. The lady was___ _____to chase the leopard.
5. The boy was____ ____ to call out to his sister.
6. The man was____ ____ to offer help.
7. The victim’s injury was____ _____ for him to get admitted in hospital.
8. That person was____ _____ to repeat the same mistake again.
9. He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘___ _____’.

Answer:

1. sure enough
2. big enough
3. colourful enough
4. brave enough
5. anxious enough
6. kind enough
7. serious enough
8. foolish enough
9. Fair enough