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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 5 The Summit Within

Comprehension Check (Page 80)

Question 1:
Standing on Everest, the writer was
(i) overjoyed
(ii) very sad.
(iii) jubilant and sad.
Choose the right item.

Question 2:
The emotion that gripped him was one of
(i) victory over hurdles.
(ii) humility and a sense of smallness.
(iii) greatness and self importance.
(iv) joy of discovery.
Choose the right item.

Question 3:
“The summit of the mind” referes to
(i) great intellectual achievements.
(ii) the process of maturing mentally and spiritually.
(iii) Overcoming personal ambition for common welfare.
(iv) living in the world of thought and imagination.
(v) the triumph of mind over worldly pleasures for a noble cause.
(vi) a fuller knowledge of oneself
Mark the item(s) not relevant.

Answers:

1. (iii) jubilant and sad.
2. (ii) humility and a sense of smallness.
3. (vi) a fuller knowledge of oneself.

Working With the Text (Page 81)

Question 1:
Answer the following questions.
(i) What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?
Answer:
The three qualities that ensured the success of the author were ‘endurance, persistence and will power’.

(ii) Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?
Answer:
Mountain climbing is a great adventure but is also risky. It is a great challenge and a doing challenging job is in itself pleasurable. It gives immense joy to the doers.

(iii) What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irresistible?
Answer:
Mount Everest attracted the author because it is the highest, the mightiest and has defied many previous attempts. It takes the last ounce of one’s energy.

(iv) One does not do it (climb a high peak) for fame alone. What does one do it for, really?
Answer:
Conquering summit is a great physical achievement. But more than that, it gives the climber the emotional and spiritual satisfaction. It satisfies man’s eternal love for adventure.
(v) “He becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe”. This awareness defines an emotion mentioned in the first paragraph. Which is the emotion?
Answer:
That emotion is ‘humility’.

(vi) What were the ‘symbols of reverence’ left by members of the team on Everest?
Answer:
The author left on Everest a picture of Guru Nanak. Rawat left a picture of Goddess Durga. Phu Durgi left a relic of the Buddha. Edmund Hillary, being a Christian, buried a Cross under the rock. All these were symbols of reverence for God.

(vii) What according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?
Answer:
The experience of having conquered Mount Everest changed him completely. It made him realise his own smallness.

Question 2:
Write a sentence against each of the following statements. Your sentence should explain the statement. You can pick out sentences from the text and rewrite them. The first one has been done for you.

(i) The experience changes you completely.
One who has been to the mountains is never the same again.
_________________________________________________
(ii) Man takes delight in overcoming obstacles.
_________________________________________________
(iii) Mountains are nature at its best
_________________________________________________
(iv) The going was difficult but the after-effects were satisfying
_________________________________________________
(v) The physical conquest of a mountain is really a spiritual experience
_________________________________________________

Answer:

(ii) The obstacles in climbing a mountain are physical. A climb to a summit is a test of endurance and will power. It is a challenge that is difficult to resist.
(iii) Everest is the highest and the mightiest and has defied many previous attempts.
(iv) When the summit is climbed, there is the joy of having done something, one has the feeling of victory and of happiness.
(v) Mountains are a means of communion with God.

Working with Language (Page 82)

Question 1:
Look at the italicised phrases and their meanings given in brackets.
Mountains are nature (nature’s best form and appearance)
at its best.
Your life is at risk. (in danger; you run the risk of losing your life.) (it was his best/worst performance.)
He was at his (it was his best/worst performance.)
best/worst
in the last meeting.

Fill in the blanks in the following dialogues choosing suitable phrases from those given in the box.

at hand at once at all at a low ebb at first sight

1. Teacher: You were away from school without permission. Go to the Principal________________ and submit your explanation.
   Pupil: Yes, Madam. But would you help me write it first?
2. Arun: Are you unwell?
   Ila: No, not___________________ Why do you ask?
   Arun: If you were unwell. I would send you to my uncle.
   He is a doctor.
3. Mary: Almost every Indian film has an episode of love________________________ .
   David: Is that what makes them so popular in foreign countries?
4. You look depressed. Why are your spirits_______________________ today?
   (Use such in the phrase)
   Ashok: I have to write ten sentences using words that I never heard before.
5. Your big moment is close______________________ .
   Jyoti: How should I welcome it?
   Shieba: Get up and receive the trophy.

Answer:

1. at once
2. at all
3. at first sight
4. at such a low ebb
5. at hand.

Question 2:
Write the noun forms of the following words adding -ance or -ence to each.

1. endure ______________________
2. persist_____________
3. signify____________________
4. confide___________
5. maintain ___________________
6. abhor_____________

Answer:

1. endurance
2. persistence
3. significance
4. confidence
5. maintenance
6. abhorrence.

Question 3:
(i) Match words under A with their meanings under B.

Answer:

(ii) Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with appropriate words from under A.

1. There were ___________________ obstacles on the way, but we reached our destination safely.
2. We have no __________________ of finding out what happened there.
3. Why he lives in a house ______________________ from any town or village is more than I can tell.
4. __________________ by gratitude, we bowed to the speaker for his valuable advice.
5. The old castle stands in a _______________________ position above the sleepy town.

Answer:

1. formidable
2. means
3. remote
4. Overwhelmed
5. dominant.

Speaking and Writing (Page 83)

Write a composition describing a visit to the hills, or any place which you found beautiful and inspiring.
Before writing, work in small groups. Discuss the points given below and decide if you want to use some of these points in your composition.

• Consider this Sentence
  Mountains are a means of communion with God.
• Think of the act of worship or prayer. You believe yourself to be in the presence of the divine power. In a way, you are in communion with that power.
• Imagine the climber on top of the summit—the height attained; limitless sky above; the climber’s last ounce of energy spent; feelings of gratitude, humility and peace.
• The majesty of the mountains does bring you close to nature and the spirit and joy that lives there, if you have the ability to feel it. Some composition may be read aloud to the entire class afterwards.

Answer:
For self attempt

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
What do you know about H.P.S. Ahluwalia?
Answer:
Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia was a member of the first successful Indian expedition to Mount Everest in 1965.

Question 2:
Which other summit has been talked to by the author?
Answer:
The other summit that has been talked to by the author is the summit of the mind. In the author’s opinion climbing this

Question 3:
Why do people climb mountains?
Answer:
People climb mountains because it is a difficult task. They take delight in over­coming obstacles. The obstacles in climbing a mountain are physical. A climb to- a summit means endurance, persistence and will power. The demonstration of these qualities is exhilarating.

Question 4:
How does the author view mountains?
Answer:
The author finds great joy in the company of mountains. He feels miserable in the plains. Their beauty and majesty pose a great challenge. The author be­lieves that mountains are a means of communion with God.

Question 5:
What features of Everest did draw the author to it?
Answer:
The beauty of Everest, its aloofness, might and ruggedness drew the author to it. The difficulties that the author encountered on the way also were taken by him as challenges which he couldn’t resist.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
Why did the author climb Mount Everest?
Answer:
The author climbed Mount Everest because it is the highest, the mightiest and has defied many previous attempts. It takes the last ounce of one’s energy. It is a brutal struggle with rock and ice. Once taken up, it cannot be given up halfway because the passage back is as difficult as the passage onwards. And then, when the summit is climbed, there is the exhilaration, the joy of having done something, the sense of a battle fought and won. There is a feeling of victory and of happiness.

Question 2:
How does Ahluwalia explain the title of the lesson, ‘The Summit Within’?
Answer:
The writer was a member of the team that reached the summit of Mount Everest. It was a great achievement. But he did not feel vain or heroic. He felt that his conquest of Everest was merely a physical experience. There was another summit within every person. It was his own mind. One has to climb it also to get fuller knowledge of oneself. This exercise is difficult. It also changes one as does standing on the summit of Mt. Everest.

Question 3:
How did Ahluwaliah feel standing on the summit?
Answer:
Ahluwalia was overwhelmed by a deep sense of joy and thankfulness. Looking round from the summit, Ahluwalia told himself that his adventure, though risky, was worthwhile. The surrounding peaks looked like a jewelled necklace. It was an ennobling and enriching experience. He was filled with humility. He thanked God and then left on Everest a picture of Guru Nanak.

Question 4:
How does Ahluwalia describe his achievement?
Answer:
Ahluwalia feels that Everest is not just a physical climb. Standing on the mountain’s top he felt how small he was in the big universe. He experienced a sense of fulfilment. It satisfied his love for adventure. The experience was not just physical, but also emotional and spiritual.

Question 5:
What problems do the climbers face as they climb a mountain?
Answer:
Breathing at great height is difficult. The climber has to cut the steps in the hard ice and he has to strain every nerve as he takes every step. Sometimes he curses himself for undertaking such a task. There are moments when he feels like going back for relief. But there is something that does not let him give up the struggle.

NCERT Solution for Class 8th: Ch 4 Bepin Choudhury’s Lapse of Memory Honeydew English

Comprehension Check

Page No: 62

1. Why did the man stare at Bepin Babu in disbelief?

Answer

The man stared at Bepin Babu in disbelief because Bepin Babu did not recognise him even though he was sure that he knew him and had met him in Ranchi.

2. Where did Bepin Babu say he went in October’ 58?

Answer

Bepin Babu said that he spent the Puja holidays in ’58 with a friend in Kanpur.

3. Mention any three (or more) things that Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.

Answer

Parimal Ghose knew following things about Bepin Babu:
→ That Bepin Babu slipped near Hudroo falls and hurt his leg.

→ That Bepin Babu stayed in a Bungalow because he preferred food by bawarchi.
→ That Bepin Babu’s wife died 10 years ago.

Page No: 65

1. Why did Bepin Babu worry about what Parimal Ghose had said?

Answer

Bepin Babu continuously worried about what Parimal Ghose had said because he had shown that he knew many intimate facts about him. He knew about the bag of books, his wife’s death and his brother’s insanity. Considering that Parimal Ghose knew so much about him, Bepin Babu couldn’t say with conviction that he was making a mistake about the Ranchi trip.

2. How did he try to decide who was right – his memory or Parimal Ghose?

Answer

He tried to decide whether his memory was right or Parimal Ghose by looking at his right knee where Parimal had claimed that there would be a cut. There was certainly a mark of an old cut. However, he could not decide if the cut was the result of his fall in Ranchi or due to some incident in his childhood. Then, he decided to ask Dinesh Mukherjee, who according to Parimal Ghose was with him in Ranchi. He felt that asking him would put an end to his confusion.

3. Why did Bepin Babu hesitate to visit Mr Mukerji? Why did he finally decide to phone him?

Answer

Bepin Babu hesitated to visit Mr Dinesh Mukerji because he was afraid of the ruthless sarcasm he would have to face. He felt that if the whole story about Ranchi was false, then Mr Mukerji would think that he had gone insane.
Being constantly troubled by the incident at the bookshop and having no other meansfor verifying the claims of Primal Ghose, Bepin Babu finally decided to ask Mr Mukerji. However, he decided to phone him because that way his embarrassment wouldn’t be visible to the latter.

4. What did Mr Mukerji say? Did it comfort Bepin Babu, or add to his worries?

Answer

Mr. Mukerji, after checking his diary ,said that they had visited Ranchi in October’58. This added to Bepin Babu’s worries as he could not figure out how he could possibly have forgotten about the trip.

Page No: 68

1. Who was Chunilal? What did he want from Bepin Babu?

Answer

Chunilal was an old schoolmate of Bepin Babu. He had been having a rough time lately and had been coming to see Bepin Babu for a job.

2. Why was Dr Chanda puzzled? What was unusual about Bepin Babu’s loss of memory?

Answer

Dr Chanda was puzzled because he had never dealt with a case such as Bepin Babu’s. It was outside his field of experience.
The unusual thing about Bepin Babu’s case was that he remembered everything in his past except for one particular incident. Dr Chanda said that Bepin Babu must have been to Ranchi. However, due to some unknown reason, the entire episode had slipped out of his mind.

Page No: 70

1. Had Bepin Babu really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi?

Answer

No, Bepin Babu had not really lost his memory and forgotten all about a trip to Ranchi. It was a trick played by Chunilal.

2. Why do you think Chunilal did what he did? Chunilal says he has no money; what is it that he does have?

Answer

Chunilal did what he did because Bepin Babu did not help him at a time when he had no money and required a job. However, Bepin Babu did not do anything for him. So he wanted to punish him by rekindling haunting memory of his fall near Hudroo.

Chunilal seems to be a good writer with very fertile imagination. That is what he believes would help him to tide over his bad phase.

Working with Text

1. The author describes Bepin Babu as a serious and hardworking man. What evidence can you find in the story to support this?

Answer

The author has described Bepin Babu as a serious and hardworking man. He worked daily in his office. It was a big firm and he was doing a responsible job. He had been with the firm for twenty-five years. He had a reputation for being a tireless, conscientious worker.

2. Why did Bepin Babu change his mind about meeting Chunilal? What was the result of this meeting?

Answer

Bepin Babu changed his mind about meeting Chunilal because he thought that it might be possible that the latter remembered something about the Ranchi trip. When Chunilal confirmed that Bepin Babu had been to Ranchi, Bepin Babu decided to see a specialist doctor.

3. Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls. What do you think was the reason for this?

Answer

Bepin Babu lost consciousness at Hudroo Falls because he had a fall. He had broken his hip.

4. How do you think Bepin Babu reacted when he found out that Chunilal had tricked him?

Answer

After finding out that Chunilal had tricked him, Bepin Babu must have been filled with remorse for his ‘unfeeling behaviour’ towards an ‘old friend down on his luck’. He would have realised that he had indeed been a victim of forgetfulness as he had forgotten the meaning of friendship in a time of ‘affluence’.
Page No: 71

Working with Language

1.Fill in the blanks below using ‘had to’/ ‘have to’/ ‘has to’.

(i) I ____________cut my hair every month.
(ii) We _____________ go for swimming lessons last year.
(iii) She ____________tell the principal the truth.

(iv) They ______________take the baby to the doctor.

(v) We _____________ complain to the police about the noise.
(vi) Romit ___________finish his homework before he could come out to play.
(vii) I _______________repair my cycle yesterday.

Answer

(i) I have to cut my hair every month.
(ii) We had to go for swimming lessons last year.
(iii) She has to tell the principal the truth.
(iv) They had to take the baby to the doctor.
(v) We have to complain to the police about the noise.
(vi) Romit had to finish his homework before he could come out to play.
(vii) I had to repair my cycle yesterday.

3. Study the sentences in the columns below.

A	B
I saw this movie yesterday.	I have seen this movie already.
Bepin Babu worked here for a week last year.	Bepin Babu has worked here since 2003.
Chunilal wrote to a publisher last week.	Chunilal has written to a publisher.
I visited Ranchi once, long ago.	I have visited Ranchi once before.

Compare the sentences in the two columns, especially the verb forms. Answer the following questions about each pair of sentences.

(i) Which column tells us the Bepin Babu is still working at the same the place?
(ii) Which column suggests that Chunilal is now waiting for a reply from the publisher?
(iii) Which column suggests that the person still remembers the movie he saw?
(iv) Which column suggests that the experience of visiting Ranchi is still fresh in the speaker’s mind?

Answer

(i) Column B
(ii) Column A
(iii) Column B
(iv) Column B

Page No: 72

4. Given below are jumbled sentences. Working in groups, rearrange the words in each sentence to form correct sentences.

You will find that each sentence contains an idiomatic expression that you have come across in the lesson. Underline the idiom and write down its meaning. Then use you dictionary to check the meaning.

(i) Stop/and tell me/beating about/what you want/the bush
Ans: ________________________________________________________________
Idiom: _______________________________________________________________

(ii) don’t pay/if you/attention/you might/the wrong train/to the announcement/board
Ans: ________________________________________________________________
Idiom: _______________________________________________________________

(iii) The village/tried/the crime/on the young woman/to pin
Ans: ________________________________________________________________
Idiom: _______________________________________________________________

(iv)Bepin Babu/orders to/telling people/under/loved/doctor’s/eat early/that he was
Ans: ________________________________________________________________
Idiom: _______________________________________________________________

(v)the student/The teacher/his eyebrows/when/said that/all their lessons/raised/they had revised
Ans: ________________________________________________________________
Idiom: _______________________________________________________________

Answer

(i) Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.
Idiom: beating about the bush – avoiding the main topic, not coming straight to the point

(ii) If you don’t pay attention to the announcement, you might board the wrong train.
Idiom: pay attention – listen carefully

(iii) The villagers tried to pin the crime on the young woman.
Idiom: pin the crime – place the responsibility of the crime

(iv) Bepin Babu loved telling people that he was under doctor’s orders to eat early.
Idiom: under doctor’s orders – in complete necessity

(v) The teacher raised his eyebrows when the students said that they had revised all their lessons.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 3 Glimpses of the Past Honeydew English 

Comprehension Check

1. Look at picture 1 and recall the opening lines of the original song in Hindi. Who is the singer? Who else do you see in this picture?

Answer

The original song is “Ae mere watan ke logon….” The singer is Lata Mangeshkar.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Rani Laxmi Bai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi are also seen in the picture.

2. In Picture 2 what do you understand by the Company’s “superior weapons”?

Answer

The company’s superior weapons mean all their wits, strength, rules and regulations.

3. Who is an artisan? Why do you think the artisans suffered? (picture 3)

Answer

An artisan is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative. The artisans suffered because the British were extracting very high taxes from them, which ruined them economically. Moreover, machine-manufactured goods imported from Britain were sold extensively, which ruined the business of the artisans’ hand-made goods.

4. Which picture, according to you, reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt?

Answer

Picture 7 ‘The Sparks’ reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt.

Working with Text

Answer the following questions:

1. Do you think the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events of 1757?

Answer

Yes, the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events of 1757.

2. How did the East India Company subdue the Indian princes?

Answer

The Indian princes were constantly at war with each other. They called the English merchants to help them in their fights. The people had no peace due to such constant fights. The rivalries helped the East India Company subdue the Indian princes one by one.

3. Quote the words used by Ram Mohan Roy to say that every religion teaches the same principles.

Answer

According to Ram Mohan Roy, “Cows are of different colours, but the colour of their milk is the same. Different teachers have different opinions, but the essence of every religion is the same.”

4. In what ways did the British officers exploit Indians?

Answer

The British officers exploited Indians in many ways. They imposed heavy taxes on Indians farmers and reduced import duty on goods manufactured in England and imported to India. Even they cut the thumbs of expert artisans.

5. Name these people

(i)The ruler who fought pitched battles against the British and died fighting.
(ii) The person who wanted to reform the society.
(iii) The person who recommended the introduction of English education in India.
(iv) Two popular leaders who led the revolt (Choices may vary.)

Answer

(i) Kunwar Singh

https://157c42c14c149be60789f58a0a1003ac.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

(ii) Ram Mohan Roy
(iii) Macaulay
(iv) Maulvi Ahmedulla of Faizabad and Peshwa Nana Saheb

6. Mention the following.

(i) Two examples of social practices prevailing then.
(ii) Two oppressive policies of the British.
(iii) Two ways in which common people suffered.
(iv) Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence.

Answer

(i) Untouchability and child marriage

(ii)The British decided to do away with import duty on goods manufactured in England. This severely affected Indian industries.
In 1818, they passed Regulation III. Under it, an Indian could be jailed without trial in a court.

(iii)They lost their old jobs and lands. They were being converted by the British.

(iv) Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence were:

→ Indians had become slaves in their own country.
→ The East India Company destroyed Indian industries.
→ There was huge difference in the treatment of the English men and the Indians.
→ The use of grease on the bullet was spoiling the customs of Indians as it was made of the fat of the cows and pigs.

Working with Language

1. Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

(i) First man: We must educate our brothers.
Second man: And try to improve their material conditions.
Third man: For that we must convey our grievances to the British Parliament
The first man said that _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The second man added that _________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________The third man suggested that ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

(ii) First soldier: The white soldier gets huge pay, mansions and servants.
Second soldier: We get a pittance and slow promotions.
Third soldier: Who are the British to abolish our customs?
The first man said that _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The second soldier remarked that ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________The third soldier asked ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Answer

(i) The first man said that they must educate their brothers.
The second man added that they must try to improve their material conditions.

The third man suggested that they must convey their grievances to the British Parliament.

(ii)The first soldier said that the white soldier got huge pay, mansions and servants.

The second soldier remarked that they got a pittance and slow promotions.
The third soldier asked who the British were to abolish their customs.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 2 The Tsunami Honeydew english

Say whether the following are true or false.

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

Answer

1.True
2.False
Sanjeev was swept away when he jumped into the water to rescue the wife of the guesthouse cook.
3.False
Meghna saw relief helicopters overhead, but they did not see her. She was brought to the shore by a wave.

by a wave.

4.True
5.True

Answer the following in a phrase or sentence.

1. Why did Tilly’s family come to Thaliand?

2. What were the warning sign that both Tilly and her mother saw?
3. Do you think Tilly’s mother was alarmed by them?
4. Where had Tilly seen the sea behaving in the same strange fashion?
5. Where did the Smith family and the others on the beach go to escape from the tsunami?
6. How do you think her geography teacher felt when he heard about what Tilly had done in Phuket?

Answer

1. Tilly’s family came to Thailand to celebrate Christmas.

2. Tilly’s mother saw that the water was swelling and the beach was getting smaller and smaller. And Tilly saw that the sea was slowly rising, bubbling and forming a whirlpool.

3. Tilly’s mother could not understand what was happening and only realised that it was serious when Tilly got frightened and mentioned what a Tsunami was.

4. Tilly had seen the sea behaving in the same strange fashion in a video of tsunami which was shown in her class by her geography teacher.

5. The Smith family and the others on the beach took refuge on the third floor of a hotel.

6. Her geography teacher felt very happy because her student and geography lesson saved many people from tsuna

Answer using a phrase or a sentence.

1. In the tsunami 150,000 people died. How many animals died?
2. How many people and animals died in Yala National Park?
3. What do people say about the elephants of Yala National Park?
4. What did the dogs in Galle do?

Answer

1. Although no data is given in the story but it says the number of dead animals was far less compared to human casualties.

2. Sixty visitors and only two water buffaloes died at the Yala National Park.

3. The people at the Yala National Park had seen three elephants running away from the Patanangala beach about an hour before the tsunami hit.

4.  The dogs refused to go for their daily run on the beach.

Working with Text

Discuss the following questions in class. Then write your own answers.
1. When he felt the earthquake, do you think Ignesious immediately worked about a tsunami? Give reasons of your answer. Which sentence in the text tells you that the Ignesious family did not have any time to discuss and plan their course of action after the tsunami struck?

Answer

No, when he felt the earthquake Ignesious did not think about the tsunami. He thought only about the tremors. That was why he took his television off the table and put it on the ground. In fact the Ignesious family did not have any time to discuss and plan their course of action after tsunami struck. That was why there was only chaos and confusion. The following tells it clearly: “In the chaos and confusion, two of his children caught hold of the hands of their mother’s father and mother’s brother and rushed in the opposite directions.”

2. Which words in the list below describe Sanjeev, in your opinion?

(Look up the dictionary for words that you are not sure of.)

cheerful	ambitious	brash	brave	careless
heroic	selfless	heartless	humorous

Use words from the list to complete the three sentences below.

(i) I don’t know if Sanjeev was cheerful, ____________ or _____________.

(ii) I think that he was very brave, ______________ and ____________.

(iii) Sanjeev was not heartless, ____________ or _____________.

Answer

The words that would describe Sanjeev are brave, heroic, and selfless.

(i) I don’t know if Sanjeev was cheerful, ambitious or humorous.

(ii) I think that he was very brave, heroic and selfless.

(iii) Sanjeev was not heartless, brash or careless.

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

Answer

Both Meghna’s and Almas’ families were washed away. Both of them kept floating in the sea for days. Meghna floated in the sea for two days holding on to a wooden door. She was brought to the shore by a wave. Similarly, Almus climbed on to a log of wood and fainted. She woke up in a hospital. Both the girls were traumatised after the incident. While Meghna was seen walking on the seashore in daze, Almus does not talk about the inciden

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

Answer

Not taking her seriously, Tilly’s parents could have tried to calm her down thinking that she had been frightened by something. As a result, they could have been washed away by the tsunami waves.
If I were in their place, I too would have listened to her and realised that there was a danger approaching. Consequently, I too would have rushed away from the beach.

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

Answer

If Tilly’s award was to be shared, she should share it with her geography teacher who made her aware of tsunami in the first place. It was this awareness that helped her save so many lives.

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

Answer

The first idea is that the animals have a sixth sense. They know when the earth is going to shake. The second idea is that the animals have a more acute sense of hearing. This helps them to hear or feel the earth’s vibration. In this way they sense the coming disaster much before the human beings. So they run away to safer places.
To me the first idea seems more believable. It is so because many animals get an idea of the coming rains. Now rain has nothing to do with the sense of hearing. So it is more sensible to think that nature has provided them some sixth sense which helps them get over the crises.

Working with Language

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

fast movement

slow movement

neither slow nor fast

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

Answer

Fast movement	Slow movement	Neither slow nor fast
Earthquake	Floating	Walking
Rushed	Recede
Tremors
Swept
Ran
Fell
Climb

The ‘fast movement’ column has many more words as compared to the other two columns. This is because the story is about tsunami, which is a fast movement of waters. Due to tsunami, all the immediate actions are fast, such as running, climbing and sweeping away of people by water.

2. Fill in the blanks in the sentences below (the verbs given in brackets will give you a clue).

(i) The earth trembled, but not many people felt the ____________. (tremble)
(ii) When the zoo was flooded, there was a lot of ________and many animals escaped into the countryside. (confuse)
(iii) We heard with _________that the lion had been recaptured. (relieve)
(iv) The zookeeper was stuck in a tree and his _______ was filmed by the TV crew. (rescue)
(v) There was much ____________in the village when the snake charmer came visiting. (excite)

Answer

(i)The earth trembled, but not many people felt the trembling.

(ii)When the zoo was flooded, there was a lot of confusion and many animals escaped into the countryside.

(iii)We heard with relief that the lion had been recaptured.

(iv)The zookeeper was stuck in a tree and his rescue was filmed by the TV crew.

(v)There was much excitement in the village when the snake charmer came visiting.

3. Say whether the following sentences are in the Active or the Passive voice. Write A or P after each sentence as shown in the first sentence.

(i) Someone stole my bicycle. ____A____

(ii) The tyres were deflated by the traffic police._________

(iii) I found it last night in a ditch near my house. __________

(iv) It had been thrown there. __________

(v) My father gave it to the mechanic. ______________

(vi) The mechanic repaired it for me. ______________

Answer

(i)Someone stole my bicycle. A

(ii)The tyres were deflated by the traffic police. P

(iii)I found it last night in a ditch near my house. A

(iv)It had been thrown there. P

(v)My father gave it to the mechanic. A

(vi)The mechanic repaired it for me. A

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

1. What did the author find in a junk shop?

Answer

The author found a very old 19th century roll-top desk in a junk shop. It was made of oak. It was in a very bad condition. The roll-top was broken into several pieces. One of the legs was clumsily mended and there were scorch marks down one side.

2. What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?

Answer

In a secret drawer of a roll-top desk, the author found a small tin box. There was a piece of lined note paper sello-taped to its top. It had, ‘Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes” written on it.
Most likely, it was put there by Mrs. Jim Macpherson, who was Jim’s wife. Her name and address were on the elope inside the box.

1. Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?

Jim Macpherson had written the letter to his wife Connie Macpherson on December 26, 1914.

2. Why was the letter written-what was the wonderful thing that had happened?

Answer

Jim wrote the letter to tell his wife about a wonderful thing that had happened on Christmas day. The British and the Germans were engaged in a war, yet on this day, both the troops met in no man’s land. It was a thing of wonder because right in the middle of a war, the warring soldiers were making peace.

3. What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?

Answer

Hans Wolf was from Dusseldorf. He played the cello in the orchestra. Jim Macpherson was a school teacher from Dorset.

4. Had Hans Wolf even been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?

Answer

No, Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset. He had learned all about England from school and from reading books in English.

5. Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?

Answer

No, it is most likely that Jim Macpherson did not come back from the war.

In the sellotaped notepaper it was written that the letter was Jim’s last letter. Connie Macpherson did not receive any more letters from him. It indicates Jim Macpherson’s demise. The incident took place around the earlier part of the World war I in which the Germans had been victorious which implies the defeat of the British and the demise of Jim Macpherson.

Page No: 15

1. Why did the author go to Bridport?

Answer

The author went to Bridport because that was the address where Mrs. Macpherson lived. The address on the letter read “Mrs Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport, and Dorset. He wanted to give that letter back to her.

2. How old was Mrs. Macpherson now? Where was she?

Answer

Mrs. Macpherson was a hundred and one year old. She was in a nursing home in Burlington house, on the Dorchester road, on the other side of town.

Page No: 16

1. Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?

Answer

Connie Macpherson thought that her visitor was her husband, Jim.

2. Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?

Answer

The sentence which shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity is, ‘I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening.’

Working with Text

1. For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer

Connie must have kept Jim’s letter for a long time. This is because she told the narrator how she read it quite often every day so that she could feel that Jim was near her.

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

Answer

The desk must have been sold when the house in which Connie Macpherson lived had caught fire. She was taken to a nursing home. All the burnt up things must have been sold after that.

3. Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?

Answer

Jim and Hans thought that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts because nobody dies in matches. No children are orphaned and no wives become widows.
Due to these reasons, games are good ways for resolving conflicts. Wars only lead to death and devastation.

4. Do you think the soldiers of the two armies are like each other, or different from each other? Find evidence form the story to support your answer.

Answer

The soldiers of the two armies were like each other. Below are some instances from the story to prove:

→ Both the armies celebrated Christmas
→ Both the armies shared their food and spent time together in smoking, laughing, talking, drinking and eating.
→ They played a football match and agreed that conflicts and disputes may be resolved by football match
→ They agreed about the negative aspects of war and longed peace.
→ They exchanged carols and hoped to unite with the families again.

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

Answer

The British and the German troops celebrated Christmas with each other. They enjoyed each other’s food. All of them were smoking, laughing, talking, drinking and eating. Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson shared the cake Connie had baked. They talked about Bathsheba, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy and Dorset. They even talked about the books they liked. They agreed about everything. Both the troops played a game of football for which both Hans and Jim cheered, clapped hands and stamped feet. They also exchanged carols at night. In this way, they celebrated Christmas together, finding a lot in common between them.

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

Answer

When the narrator came to see Connie and gave her the box, she mistook him for her husband Jim. She thought that Jim had come home for Christmas. This was Connie’s Christmas present. It was the best Christmas present in the world for her because Jim had written in the letter that he would come home on Christmas. She had read that letter several times everyday to feel that he was near her. Now that he was finally there with her, she was extremely happy.

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

Answer

Yes, the title of the story is suitable for it. The spirit of Christmas is the theme that prevails throughout the story. The message of Christmas peace and good will to all is brought out so clearly through the story. It was on a Christmas day, in the middle of a raging war, that two warring troops made peace. The moment of peace that the soldiers shared with each other was the best Christmas present for them. Again, it was on a Christmas day that the narrator went to see Mrs Macpherson. He went to return her husband’s letters to her. The letter was precious to her, but even more precious was her delusion that the narrator was her husband Jim, who she believed had returned as promised on a Christmas day. This was the best Christmas present in the world for her.
Suitable titles could be “A Christmas wish comes true!”, “Someday at Christmas…””The Christmas Message”.

Page No: 17

Working with Language

1. (i) Read the passage below and underline the verbs in the past tense.
A man got on the train and sat down. The compartment was empty except for one lady. She took her gloves off. A few hours later the police arrested the man. They held him for 24 hours and then freed him.

(ii) Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
My little sister is very naughty. When she________(come) back from school yesterday, she had_______(tear) her dress. We________(ask) her how it had____(happen).She______(say) she________(have,quarrel) with a boy. She________(have, beat) him in a race and he _____(have, try) to push her. She_______(have, tell) the teacher and so he_______(have, chase) her, and she_________ ________(have, fall) down and______(have, tear) her dress.

(iii) Underline the verbs and arrange them in two columns, Past and Earlier past.
(a) My friends set out to see the caves in the next town, but I stayed at home, because I had seen them already.
(b) When they arrived at the station, their train had left. They came back home, but by that time I had gone out to see a movie!
(c) So they sat outside and ate the lunch I had packed for them.
(d) By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!

Past	Earlier past

Answer

(i) A man got on the train and sat down. The compartment was empty except for one lady. She took her gloves off. A few hours later the police arrested the man. They held him for 24 hours and then freed him.

(ii) My little sister is very naughty. When she came (come) back from school yesterday, she had torn (tear) her dress. We asked (ask) her how it had happened (happen). She said (say) she had quarrelled (have, quarrel) with a boy. She had beaten (have, beat) him in a race and he had tried (have, try) to push her. She had told (have, tell) the teacher and so he had chased (have, chase) her, and she had fallen (have, fall) down and had torn (have, tear) her dress.

(iii) (a)My friends set out to see the caves in the next town, but I stayed at home, because I had seen them already.

(b)When they arrived at the station, their train had left. They came back home, but by that time I had gone out to see a movie!

(c)So they sat outside and ate the lunch I had packed for them.

(d)By the time I returned, they had fallen asleep!

Past	Earlier past
set out	had seen
stayed	had left
arrived	had gone
came	had packed
sat	had fallen
ate
returned

Page No: 18

2. Find these phrasal verbs in the story.

burn out

light up

look on

run out

keep out

Write down the sentences in which they occur, consult a dictionary and write down the meaning that you think matches the meaning of the phrasal verb in the sentence.

Answer

(i) burn out
House number 12 turned out to be nothing but a burned-outshell, the roof gaping, the windows boarded-up.

(ii) light up
That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness.

(iii) look on
Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.

(iv) run out
The time came, and all too soon, when the game was finished, the schnapps and the rum and the sausage had long since run out, and we knew it was all over.

(v) keep out
Hans Wolf and I looked on and cheered, clapping our hands and stamping our feet, to keep out the cold as much as anything.

Page No: 19

3. The table below contains a list of nouns and some adjectives. Use as many adjectives as you can to describe each noun. You might come up with some funny descriptions!

Noun	Adjective
elephant	circular, striped, enormous, multicoloured, round, cheerful, wild, blue, red, chubby, large, medium-sized, cold
face
building
water

Answer

Noun	Adjective
elephant	enormous, cheerful, wild, large, medium-sized,
face	round, cheerful, chubby
building	multi-coloured, blue, red, large, medium-sized
water	blue, cold

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 10 Law and Social, Justice

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 10 Law and Social, Justice

Question 1
What are the advantages to foreign companies in setting up production in India?
Solution:
India provides cheap labour compared to some other countries. Wages paid to workers in foreign countries are much higher than in India. For lower pay, foreign companies can get long hours of work. Additional expenses such as housing facilities for workers are also fewer in India. Thus, foreign companies can save costs and earn higher profits.

Question 2
Do you think the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy got justice? Discuss.
Solution:
The victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy did not get justice. The disaster was caused due to gross neglect of safety measures by the management of the factory.

The government of India represented the people to legally claim compensation for the affected people. The government demanded $ 3 billion but had to accept a meager $ 470 million from the Company.
Today, 24 years after the disaster, people of Bhopal are still fighting for justice.

Question 3
What do we mean when we speak of law enforcement? Who is responsible for enforcement? Why is enforcement so important?
Solution:

1. When we speak of law enforcement, we mean that the provisions of the law must be applied to all and sundry without discrimination.
2. Government is responsible for law enforcement.
3. Rights of workers and citizens to be protected.
   • With more industries being set up by both Indians and foreign businesses, there is a greater need for stronger laws.
   • It is all the more important to safeguard our environment.

Question 4.
How can laws ensure that markets work in a manner that is fair? Give two examples to support your answer.
Solution:
Law can ensure that markets work in a manner that is fair by ensuring the enforcement of the law in letter and spirit.

• Law against hoarding and black marketing must be enforced in such a way that stringent punishment is given to the violators of the law and the hoarded goods must be forfeited.
• Anti Child Labour Act must be enforced, not a single child must be allowed to work in shops, tea stalls, and restaurants.

Question 5
Write a paragraph on the various roles of the government that you have read about in this unit.
Solution:
The common man is exploited in most societies. When this happens it is the duty of the government to ensure that social justice prevails and all the citizens can establish their rights.

The government has passed many laws to guarantee that workers are not exploited by unscrupulous employers. Payment of Wages Act, 1936; Minimum Wages Act, 1948; Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 is some of the Acts that ensure that workers are not underpaid and exploited.

The government has passed the Factories Act, 1948. This Act regulates health, safety, welfare, and other working conditions of workers in factories. It is enforced by the State Governments through their factory inspectorates.

The Consumer Protection Act ensures that the consumer is not put to risk by the poor quality of products such as electrical appliances, food, and medicines. The Bureau of Indian Standards is a government organization that oversees the quality of products sold.

The government has also passed laws that ensure that essential products such as food grains, sugar, and kerosene are not highly-priced.

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, was passed to protect the environment and avert health hazards to human beings.
Prohibition of Employment of Young Children protects children from being exploited. No child who has not completed his fourteenth year shall be required or allowed to work in any factory.

The Trade Unions Act, 1926 provides for registration of trade unions with a view to render lawful organisation of labour to enable collective bargaining.

Question 6
How was the environment treated earlier? What has been the change in perception?
Solution:
In 1984, there were very few laws to protect the environment in India. These few laws were not enforced strictly by the government. Industries discharged their waste into water bodies and made it unfit for consumption. The air was polluted with smoke that bellowed from the factories.

This pollution proved to be a health hazard for the people. The Bhopal disaster brought the issue of environmental pollution into focus.

The existing laws did not protect the common man from industrial disasters. Environmental activists insisted on new laws which will protect all the citizens from hazardous pollution of the environment. In response to the demand by the activists and the public, the government introduced new laws on environmental safety.

According to the new laws imposed by the government the polluter will be held accountable for the damage done to the environment.

The Right to Life is a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution and it includes the right to the enjoyment of pollution-free water and air for full enjoyment of life.

Question 7
What do you think the famous cartoonist R.K. Laxman is trying to convey in this cartoon? How does it relate to the 2006 law that you read about on page 125?
Solution:
The cartoon shows a young under privileged boy carrying the books of a well-to-do boy who is off to school. This reveals that the boy who is less than 14 years of age has been employed by the woman seen in the picture.

The cartoon emphasizes that young children are being exploited at workplaces. They are made to work for long hours for very little wages. These children are being denied basic education which is very essential for them.

This is a violation of the Child Labour Prevention Act that was passed by the government in 2006. No child who has not completed his fourteenth year shall be required or allowed to work in any factory. The government has passed certain laws that will protect these children from being exploited.

Chapter – 9 Public Facilities

Question. Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world?

Answer.

• There are few cases of private water supply in the world. Private companies do not take interest in undertaking any profit or low-profit work.
• Few private companies supply water through water tankers or in sealed bottles.
• They provide this facility at a price that only some people can afford.
• Water is an essential facility that needs to be provided for everyone.
• The government provides water facilities to all at an affordable rate so that anybody will not be deprived of the opportunity to live a good life.

Question. Do you think water in Chennai is available to and affordable for all? Discuss.

Answer.

1. In Chennai, water is not available and affordable to all.
2. Here water supply is not adequate and regular.
3. They have to wait long for public water tankers.
4. In Chennai government’s water supply is not adequate and regular.
5. People who live in slums suffer a lot.
6. They have only one common tap for 20-30 huts.
7. They have to wait long for public water tankers.

Question. How is the sale of water by farmers to water dealers in Chennai affecting the local people? Do you think local people can object to such exploitation of groundwater? Can the government do anything in this regard?

Answer.

The sale of water by farmers to water dealers in Chennai affects the local people as follows:

• Due to heavy exploitation of water, the groundwater level dropped drastically in the agricultural areas.
• Their agriculture suffers because they fail to manage water for irrigation.
• Local people can object to such heavy groundwater exploitation since it’s a public facility or nature’s gift on which everyone has equal rights.
• The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has to permit groundwater withdrawal and should take the necessary steps to recharge groundwater.

Question. Why are most private hospitals and private schools located in major cities and not in towns or rural areas?

Answer.

• Insignificant cities, life is fast. People could not wait for hours together, standing in long queues.
• They can afford it as they have money to spend.
• City people are more ambitious.
• They expect better facilities in private hospitals and private schools.
• Private schools/ hospitals provide better infrastructural facilities.

Question. Do you think the distribution of public facilities in our country is adequate and fair? Give an example of your own to explain.

Answer.

• Our country’s distribution of public facilities, such as the right to water, health, education, etc., is not adequate and fair.
• The major role of government is to ensure adequate public facilities for everyone, but the progress in this regard is far from satisfactory.
• There is inequality and irregularity in water supply distribution compared to metropolitan and big cities and towns.
• In comparison to wealthy localities, the poor localities are under-serviced.
• People who live in slums suffer a lot. They are provided with a very low water supply.

Ex: Take the example of electricity. It is not supplied to the insufficient public measure. In VIP areas, it is abundant, and people there avail facilities of ACs, heaters, etc. But in middle and lower class areas, people get electricity only for a few hours, and sometimes they don’t .

Question. Take some of the public facilities in your area, such as water, electricity, etc. Is there scope to improve these? What, in your opinion, should be done? Complete the table.

Answer.

It is available	How can it be improved?
Water	Yes	By extending the hour of supply. The quality of water should be checked regularly.
Electricity	Yes	Strict action should be taken to prevent light wastage, such as street lights being on during the daytime. Public appeal to prevent wastage. By extending power supply hours.
Roads	Yes	By making the roads with proper and good quality material. By regular repair and maintenance. By making footpath on both sides of the road to prevent breakage on the side.
Public Transport	Yes	By running some more buses.By deputing trained drivers.By arranging the service at the proper intervals.

Question. Are the above public facilities shared equally by all the people in your area? Elaborate.

Answer.

No, the above public facilities are not shared equally by all the people in our area.

• The municipal supply of public facilities meets only near about half the needs of the people of our area.
• For half of the needs, people take the help of private means.
• Public facilities like health care facilities are provided now. The poor fail to get these facilities.
• Due to the rush, most people do not avail governmental public facilities like health care, etc.

Question. Data on some public facilities are collected as part of the Census. Discuss with your teacher when and how the Census is conducted.

Answer.

• The census is conducted every 10 years. It counts the entire population of the country.
• It also collects detailed information about the people living in India, their age, schooling, work, etc.
• This information is used to measure several things, such as the number of literate people and the ratio of males and females.
• After the collection Census Dept publishes the data.

Question. Private educational institutions – schools, colleges, universities, technical and vocational training institutes are coming up in our country in a big way. On the other hand, educational institutes run by the government are becoming relatively less important. What do you think would be the impact of this? Discuss.

Answer.

• The government would withdraw from these activities.
• Private agencies will be given a boost.
• Money would play an important role.
• Children from the deprived sections of society would be at a loss.
• Less qualified teachers would work in private institutions.
• Children will get quantitative rather than qualitative education.

Chapter 9 – Public Facilities Summary

The government provides public facilities to the country’s citizens for them to have a comfortable life. The government’s primary responsibility is to ensure that everyone has access to adequate public facilities. It improves living standards and assists any country in gaining international recognition in terms of development. Public facilities are linked to basic requirements, and the Indian Constitution recognizes the right to water, health, education, and other such rights as part of the Right to Life.

You’ll learn about the following topics:

• The Persons of Chennai and Water: Water is a public service available in various quantities to different people. Individuals have a fundamental right to safe drinking water, and it is the government’s responsibility to provide it to its population.
• Water as a Part of the Basic Human Rights: Water is necessary for life and good health.
• India has one of the highest water-borne illnesses, such as diarrhea, dysentery, and cholera. Article 21 of the Indian Constitution recognizes the right to water as part of the right to life. That is to say, “universal access” to water should be provided.
• Public facilities include electricity, public transportation, schools and universities, and other necessities for survival and daily living. A large number of people share the benefits of public facilities.
• The Government’s Role: One of the government’s most essential responsibilities is to ensure that these public amenities are accessible to everyone. Making provisions for education, establishing schools and colleges, ensuring equal distribution of food throughout the country, improving health and sanitation facilities, improving transportation, and maintaining public utility works such as post offices, railways, and roads are all responsibilities of the government.

‘Social and Political Life – III’ is a crucial text for Social Science students in Class 8. Apart from this chapter, the websites contain the complete set of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science. Students can get a free pdf containing solutions for NCERT Class 8 Civics by clicking on the above links, and they can keep it for future reference.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 8 Confronting Marginalisation

Question 1.
List two Fundamental Rights in the Constitution that Dalits can draw upon to insist that they should be treated with dignity and as equals. Re-read the Fundamental Rights listed on page 14 (of NCERT Textbook) to help you answer this question.
Answer:

• Right to Equality (1st Fundamental Right).
• Right against Exploitation.

Question 2.
Re-read the story on Rathnam as well as the provisions of the 1989 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Now list one reason why you think he used this law to file a complaint.
Answer:

• Rathnam used the law to file a complaint because he was forced to leave the village along with his mother and other members of his family.
• He filed the complaint against the domination and violence of the powerful castes of the village.

Question 3.
Why do Adivasi activists, including C.K. Janu, believe that Adivasis can also use this 1989 Act to fight against dispossession? Is there anything specific in the provisions of the Act that allows her to believe this?
Answer:
The Adivasi activists including C.K Janu believe that Adivasis can also use this 1989 Act to fight dispossession because this Act guarantees the tribals not to be dispossessed from the land and resources forcibly. Their land cannot be sold or bought by non-tribal people. The Constitution also guarantees the right of the tribal people to repossess their land.

Question 4.
The poems and the song in this Unit allow you to see the range of ways in which individuals and communities express their opinions, their anger and their sorrow. In class, do the following two exercises:
(a) Bring to class a poem that discusses a social issue. Share this with your classmates. Work in small groups with two or more poems to discuss their meaning as well as what the poet is trying to communicate.
(b) Identify a marginalised community in your locality. Write a poem, or song, or draw a poster, etc. to express your feelings as a member of this community.
Answer:
(a) Frame a poem of your own and do the activity which this question asks you to do.
(b) Yes. Marginalised community in our locality is the scheduled caste community. Now frame a poem or song or draw a poster, etc. to express your feelings as a member of this community.
Hints: A Poster

• An SC member wants to enter a Hindu Temple.
• The Priest asks him not to do so.
• Visitors to the temple belonging to Hindu powerful people beat the SC member and throw him away out of the gate of the temple.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 7 Understanding Marginalization

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 7 Understanding Marginalization

Question 1
Write in your own words two or more sentences of what you understand by the word ‘marginalization’.
Solution:
Marginalisation means the communities which are put at the margins of economic and cultural development. These communities are devoid of any changes or advancement which other people enjoy in modem times.

Question 2
List two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalised.
Solution:
The development of forests robbed the Adivasis of their natural territory and livelihood and turned them into marginal and powerless communities.

The Adivasis are portrayed negatively as exotic, primitive and backward people and are represented through colourful costumes and headgears. This has led to the marginalization of this community in modern India.

Question 3
Write one reason why you think the Constitution’s safeguards to protect minority communities are very important?
Solution:
Constitutional safeguards are important because these communities are backward and are lacking at educational, social, and economic levels. To give them equal status in society these safeguards are required. For the progress of a nation, it is necessary that all parts of society should progress.

Question 4
Re-read the section on Minorities and Marginalisation. What do you understand by the term minority?
Solution:
The term minority is most commonly used to refer to communities that are numerically small in relation to the rest of the population.

The Indian Constitution provides safeguards to religious and linguistic minorities as part of its Fundamental Rights. It ensures that minorities are not discriminated against and that they do not face any disadvantage.

Question 5
You are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following statement: ‘Muslims are a marginalized community’. Using the data provided in this chapter, list two reasons that you would give.
Solution:
The literacy rate of the Muslim population in India is the lowest. It is only 59%.
43.2% of Hindus have access to electricity while only 30% of Muslims have access to electricity. The above statistics support the statement that Muslims are a marginalised community in India.
Muslims are less educated. They have very little share in government jobs.

Question 6
Imagine that you are watching the Republic Day parade on TV with a friend and she remarks, “Look at these tribals. They look so exotic. And they seem to be dancing all the time”. List three things that you would tell her about the lives of Adivasis in India.
Solution:
Adivasis had a deep knowledge of the forests. They were traditionally hunter-gatherers and nomads and lived by shifting agriculture and also cultivating in one place. This knowledge of forests made the Adivasis indispensable to the Rulers of the various Empires in India during the pre-colonial days.

Adivasis have their own languages which may be as old as Sanskrit. The Adivasi language has influenced the formation of Indian languages, like Bengali.

Question 7
Would you agree with the statement that economic and social marginalisation are interlinked? Why?
Solution:
Yes, economic and social marginalization is interlinked.

1. Dalits and tribals were considered a lower class of society.
   • They are living in separate areas of villages. Tribals are living in remote areas.
   • They were not getting a proper education, so not good jobs.
2. When they do not get opportunities they remain economically weak and do not get an education and this circle continues.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 Our Criminal Justice System

Question 1.
Define the term “Criminal Justice System’.
Solution:
Criminal justice system is the ‘body of law’ or ‘Court’ regulating the inquiry into whether a person has violated criminal law or not.

Question 2.
Write a brief note on the criminal procedure in the Criminal Justice System in India.
Solution:
A crime is first reported by the victim to the Police and the police file a FIR or First Information Report. Then the police begin the investigation and arrest the suspected person or persons. The police then file a charge sheet in the Magistrate’s Court. The trial begins in court. The Public Prosecutor represents the victim and the accused can defend themselves with the help of a lawyer. Once the trial is over the accused is either convicted or acquitted. If convicted, the accused can appeal to the higher court.

Question 3.
What is the role of the police in the Criminal Justice System?
Solution:
In the Criminal Justice System the police play the role of investigating the case and arresting the accused.

Question 4.
What are the guidelines that the police have to follow during investigation?
Solution:
Police investigations have to be conducted in accordance with law and with full respect for human rights. The police are not allowed to torture or beat or shoot anyone during investigation. They cannot inflict any form of punishment on a person even for petty offences.

Question 5.
What are D.K. Basu Guidelines?
Solution:
D.K. Basu Guidelines are as follows

1. The police officials who carry out the arrest or interrogation should wear clear, accurate and visible identification and name tags with their designations.
2. A memo of arrest should be prepared at the time of arrest and should include the time and date of arrest. It should also be attested by at least one witness who could include a family member of the person arrested. The arrest memo should be counter-signed by the person arrested.
3. The person arrested, detained or being interrogated has a right to inform a relative, friend or well wisher.
4. When a friend or relative lives outside the district, the time, place of arrest and venue of custody must be notified by police within 8 to 12 hours after arrest.

Question 6.
What is a FIR?
Solution:
FIR stands for First Information Report. The police have to file a FIR whenever a person gives information about a known offence. This information can be given to the police either orally or in writing. A FIR is necessary for the police to begin their investigations into a crime.

The FIR should mention the date, time and place of the offence, details about the offence, including a description of the events. The FIR should also state the name and address of the complainant. There is a prescribed form in which the police register an FIR and it is signed by the complainant. The complainant also has a legal right to get a free copy of the FIR from the police.

Question 7.
Who is a Prosecutor?
Solution:
‘The Prosecutor’ is a lawyer representing the state or the people of the state in a criminal trial.

Question 8.
Why is the Prosecutor called a Public Prosecutor?
Solution:
The Prosecutor who represents the State is called a Public Prosecutor as a criminal offence is regarded as a public wrong, which has been committed not only against the victim, but also against the society as a whole.

Question 9.
What is the role of the judge in the Criminal Justice System?
Solution:
The judge conducts the trial impartially and in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence. The judge decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent on the basis of the evidence presented and in accordance with the law. If the accused is convicted, then the judge pronounces the sentence. He may send the person to jail or impose a fine or both, depending on what the law prescribes.

Question 10.
What are the procedures that have to be followed if the criminal trial has to be a Fair Trial?
Solution:
A copy of the charge sheet and all other evidence has to be given to the accused. The trial has to be held in an open court, in public view, and should be in the presence of the accused. The accused has to be given a lawyer to defend himself in case he cannot afford to employ a lawyer.

The Prosecution has to prove beyond doubt the guilt of the accused and the Judge has to pass the judgment only on the basis of the evidence before the court.