NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 4 The Treasure Within It So Happened English

1. What did Hafeez contractor have nightmares about?

Answer

Hafeez Contractor got nightmares about appearing for a mathematics examination in which he did not know anything.

2. What did the Principal say to him, which influenced him deeply?

Answer

The principal said to him how his mother toiled hard to bring him up inspite of his father’s death. She further said that he was grown up and should start taking care of himself. That he should start giving top priority to his study instead of sports.

3. “… that year I did not step out onto the field.” What was he busy doing that year?

Answer

He was busy studying that year. He went for prayers, and just ate and studied.

4. (i) What “distraction” did Hafeez Contractor create one day?
(ii) Would you have liked to participate in the “distraction” had you been with him?

Answer

(i) He played chor-police for an hour and even school boy loves distractions very much.

(ii) Had I been with Hafeez Contractor, I would have definitely liked to particulate in the distraction.

Page No: 32

1. Hafeez Contractor wanted to join the police force. Why didn’t he?

Answer

Hefeez Contractor did not join the police force because his mother told him not to. His mother told him to do his graduation.

2. In the architect’s office, Hafeez Contractor was advised to drop everything and join architecture. Why?

Answer

In the architect’s office somebody was making a technical drawing of a window. Hafeez observed some lacunae in the drawing and convinced that person. Then Hafeez was asked to make a drawing for a house which Hafeez did surprisingly well. They were stunned to see Hafeez’s natural talent and advised him to join architecture.

3. (i) What was Mrs Gupta’s advice to Hafeez contractor?

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(i) What made her advise him so?

Answer

(i) Mrs. Gupta, who was Hafeez Contractor’s teacher in the second and third grades, advised him to become an architect when he grew up.

(ii)She always said to him that he was quite useless in everything, except for his sketches, which were always very good. Therefore, she advised him to take up architecture.

4. How did he help fellow students who had lost a button?

Answer

When his fellow students lost a button, he helped them by cutting a button from chalk, by using a blade.

5. Which rules did he break as a school boy?

Answer

He broke many rules when he was a school boy. He would copy in class during Examination. Playing jobs and pranks on others. He would have gang fights and plan strategies. He was most interested in funny pranks. So he often created distractions. He also became a street Romeo.

6. (i) What is Hafeez contractor’s definition of mathematics?
(ii) How would you want to define mathematics? Do you like the subject?

Answer

(i)He said that putting design, construction, psychology and sociology together, and making a sketch from all that is ‘mathematics’.

(ii) I would like to define mathematics as the science of numbers, quantity and space. Arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry are some of its branches.

Excercise

1. Is it likely that someone who is original and intelligent does not do very well at school? Should such a learner be called a failure? If not, why not?

Answer

It is likely that someone who is original and intelligent does not do very well at school. Such a learner should not be called a failure as everyone has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Those who are academically brilliant do well in other fields. Hafeez Contractor was not a very good student. However, he had the talent for construction, and he is now one of the leading architects. Each individual has his or her own individual talents, which may or may not be visible in the academic report. That is why students should be encouraged to showcase their talents, and work on them. They should not be called failures.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 3 The Selfish Giant It So Happened English

Page No: 20

1. Why is the Giant called selfish?

Answer

The Giant is called selfish because he did not allow children to play in the garden. He built a high walls around the garden. He also put up notice board with a warning on it.

2. On one occasion the children said: “How happy we are here!”
Later they said: “How happy we were there!”
What are they referring to in both the cases?

Answer

In the first case, they are referring to the Giant’s garden where they would play while returning from school. They had a great time whenever they played in the garden.
In the second case, they are again referring to the garden; talking about how happy they were before the Giant stopped them from playing in his garden.
In both the cases, the children are referring to the Giant’s garden.

3. (i) When spring came, it was still winter in the garden. What does winter stand for or indicate here?
(ii) Winter has been presented like a story with its own characters and their activities. Describe the story in your own words.

Answer

(i)In the story, winter stands for a negative, desolate and lifeless environment. In this environment, trees and flowers do not blossom. Here, winter also refers to an atmosphere of depression and laziness. Since birds did not sing, children did not play and spring did not visit the garden, winter prolonged its stay in the garden.

(ii)When spring came, the birds did not sing as there were no children. The trees too did not blossom. At a particular instance, a flower put its head out from the grass. However, when it saw the notice board put up by the giant, it felt sad and sorry for the children, got back inside the grass, and went off to sleep.
On the other hand, snow and frost were very happy. While the snow covered the grass, the frost fell on all the trees. They invited the North Wind to stay with them, and later even the Hail was asked to visit. The Hail rattled the roof of the castle everyday until some of it started breaking, and then it ran round the garden again and again as fast as it could.

4. Was the Giant happy or sad over the state of the garden?

Answer

The Giant was sad over the state of his garden. He could not understand why spring was so late in coming.

5. What effect did the linnet’s song have over Hail and the North Wind?

Answer

When the linnet sang, the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Wind stopped roaring.

Page No: 24

1. (i) The Giant saw a most wonderful sight. What did he see?
(ii) What did he realise on seeing it?

Answer

(i)The Giant saw that the children had entered the garden through a small hole in the wall, and were sitting on the branches of trees. There was a child on every tree. The trees had covered themselves with blossoms as they were glad to have the children back. The birds were flying about and twittering in delight, and the flowers and grass were laughing out loud.

(ii)He realised that spring did not come to his garden because he had prevented the children from playing in his garden. He realised that he was selfish not to allow the children to play in his garden.

2. Why was it still winter in one corner of the garden?

Answer

In one corner of the garden, there was a tree all covered with frost and snow. The North Wind was blowing and roaring above it. A little boy was standing in front of it, but could not reach its branches. As a result, there was still winter in this part of the garden.

3. Describe the first meeting of the little boy and the Giant.

Answer

The first meeting of the little boy and the Giant was beneath the tree that was covered with frost and snow. The Giant took him gently in his hands and put him up into the tree. The tree at once blossomed, and the birds came and sang on it. The little boy stretched out his two arms, flung them round the Giant’s neck, and kissed him.

4. Describe their second meeting after a long interval.

Answer

Their second meeting took place after a long interval; on a winter morning. The Giant was surprised to see that in the farthest corner of the garden, there was a tree covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches were golden, and silver fruit hung down from them. The little boy stood underneath it. The Giant went towards him in great joy. As he came near the child, his face grew red with anger when he saw that there were imprints of nails on his palms and feet. The Giant asked the little boy who had wounded him, and told him that he would slay the one who had done so. The child answered that those were the wounds of love. Kneeling before the little child in awe, the Giant asked him who he was. The child smiled at the Giant, and said to him that since he had let him play once in his garden, that day he would come with him to his garden, which was paradise.

5. The Giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms. What does this sentence indicate about the once selfish Giant?

Answer

The sentence indicates the Giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms. The Giant had been blessed with paradise after his death. The Giant is no longer selfish and cruel. That’s why he is covered with white blossoms. White colour is a symbol of peace.

Excercise

1. The little child’s hands and feet had marks of nails. Who does the child remind you of? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer

The child reminds one of Jesus Christ. When the Giant met the little child for the second time, he saw imprints of nails on his palms and feet. When Christ was crucified, nails were dug into his palms and feet. He had sacrificed his life for humanity, so that the sins of the world would be washed away. That is why the child told the Giant that those were the wounds of love.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 2 Children at Work It So Happened English

Comprehension Check

1. Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train”. Why?

Answer

Velu stood on the platform but felt as if he was still on a moving train because his legs were still wobbly and shaky after the journey to Chennai. Usually, the effect of a moving train stays for some time after the end of the journey.

2. What made him feel miserable?

Answer

Velu felt miserable and exhausted because he had run away from his village two days ago and had not eaten anything except some peanuts and a piece of jaggery for the last two days.

3. (i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?

Answer

(i) Velu travelled without a ticket because he had no money to buy a ticket.

(ii) He escaped the ticket collector’s attention because luckily the ticket collector did not come to the unreserved compartment.

4. Why had Velu run away from home?

Answer

Velu had run away from home because his father used to beat him everyday. His father would also spend the money earned by Velu and his sisters on drinking.

5. Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?

Answer

He decided to follow the ‘strange’ girl because he did not know where to go and what to do.

Page No: 13

1. Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?

Answer

Velu can only read Tamil but not English. He failed to read the signboards in English. However, he can read front. Velu read the Tamil sign, Central Jail.

2. “If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there,” the girl said.
(i) What is she referring to?
(ii) What does she mean when she says “If you are not careful…”?
(She says something a little later which means the same. Find that sentence.)

Answer

(i) She was referring to the Central Jail.

(ii) When she said “If you are not careful…” to Velu, she meant that he should not get caught. All he had to do to stay away from jail was to not do something stupid and get caught by policemen.

3. (i) Where did the girl lead Velu to?
(ii) What did they get to eat?

Answer

(i) The Girl led Velu to the back of a wedding hall.
(ii) Velu got a banana and a vada, while the girl got only one banana to eat.

4. What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.

Answer

Rag picking.

Page No: 15

1. (i) What material are the ‘strange’ huts made out of?
(ii) Why does Velu find them strange?

Answer

(i) The ‘strange’ huts were made out of metal sheets, tyres, bricks, wood, and plastic.

(ii) Velu found the huts strange because in his village, the houses were made of mud and palm leaves. The huts he saw were made up of all sorts of things and looked like they could fall any moment.

2. What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?

Answer

Jaya and children like her collected paper, plastic, glass, and other such things. They sold these items to Jam Bazaar Jaggu, who further sold it to a factory.

3. Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer

Velu was unhappy to find work because he had not run away from home to dig through garbage bins. The only work he had ever done was weeding and taking cows out to graze. However, since he did not know Chennai too well, he decided to work as a ragpicker till the time he found a better job.

Excercise

1. Is Velu a smart boy? Which instances in the text show that he is or isn’t?

Answer

Yes. Velu seems to be a smart boy. He makes determination to leave his village and could stand his father’s beating. When he reached Chennai, the girl, who was a ragpicker, tried to help him. Initially, he thought of not taking her help. However, he was smart enough to realize that he was very hungry and did not know where to go. Therefore, he followed the girl. He knew how to read Tamil. When the girl told him to eat the banana that she found in the garbage, he refused at first. However, he quickly realized that he was very hungry and therefore, ate it. Even though he found the place and even the girl very strange, he continued to walk along with her. He tried to understand why she collected rubbish. He knew that he had not come to the big city to collect rubbish; however, he adjusted to the circumstances and decided to do the same work till he found a better job.
2. Do you think Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour? Find instances of her courage, kind nature and humour in the text.

Answer

Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with sense of humour. She was of Velu’e age. She was a ragpicker and knew how to live in the city. Jaya knew her way around Chennai, which is a fairly big city. She knew from where to find food. She knew that one has to be careful to not get caught by the police.

Jaya was also a very sensitive and kind girl as she helped Velu in all possible ways. She gave him a pair of shoes because his feet burnt in burning sun on far road. 

Jaya was also of a humorous nature. When she saw Velu sitting at the platform, she asked him if he was there to become rich. When Velu was not able to cross the road, she dragged him to the other side of the road and said “What do you think you’re doing? Grazing cows? If you stand around in the middle of the road like that, you’ll be chutney.”

3. What one throws away as waste may be valuable to others. Do you find this sentence meaningful in the context of this story? How?

Answer

Yes, this story shows that what one throws away as waste might be valuable to others. The empty bottles, paper and items of plastic are thrown out by the people. The ragpickers earn their living by collecting them. Those who store rubbish become very rich people for them. The waste is valuable and a blessing for them and their life depends upon it.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: How The Camel Got His Hump It So Happened English

Comprehension check



1. What tasks, do you think, were assigned to the dog and the ox?

Answer

The dog was assigned the task of fetching and carrying sticks, while the ox was assigned the task of ploughing.

2. Why did the camel live in the middle of the desert?

Answer

The camel lived in the middle of the desert because it did not want to work. It ate sticks, thorns, and prickles, and when anybody spoke to it, it said “Humph!” and nothing more.

3. What made the dog, the horse and the ox very angry?

Answer

The man told the dog, the horse and the ox that since the camel cannot work, he would leave it alone and the three of them would have to work double-time to make up for the work not done by the camel. This made the three of them very angry.

4. How did the Djinn know the horse was complaining against the camel?

Answer

The Djinn knew that the horse was complaining against the camel because he was the in charge of all deserts and knew about everything happening in relation to his deserts.

Page No: 5

1. The camel was looking at his own reflection in the pool. What does it suggest to you about the camel?

Answer

The camel’s looking at his own reflection in the pool shows that he was proud of his appearance, especially his back. He liked admiring himself.

2. The camel said, “Humph” repeatedly. How did it affect him?

Answer

When the camel said “Humph!” repeatedly despite the Djinn’s warning, his back puffed up into a big hump.

3. What, according to the Djinn, was the use of the “humph”?

Answer

According to the Djinn, the hump was useful for storing his food and using it during continuous work for many days.

4. “…he has never yet learnt to behave”. In the light of this, what is the writer’s opinion about the camel?

Answer

According to the writer, the camel is still a very lazy animal that is unwilling to work. After he got the hump, the Djinn asked him to go out of the desert to help the other three animals. It seems that the camel still did not behave himself and worked lazily in the desert itself. It is for this reason that he was still unable to complete the pending work of those three missed days; and he continued carrying the hump and living in the desert.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: On the Grasshopper and Cricket (Poem) Honeydew English

Working with Poem

1. Discuss with your partner the following definition of a poem.
A poem is made of words arranged in a beautiful order. These words, when read aloud with feeling, have a music and meaning of their own.

Answer

Poem is supposedly an artistic piece which contains a speech as well as a song, and is usually rhythmical and metaphorical. These beautiful arrangement of words beautify and add to the essence of the poem. Poems are supposedly read aloud to feel the intense passion and emotion with which they have been composed. The rhyming words in a poem puts various ideas and imaginations of the poet in sync. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a poem can be defined as a piece of writing in which the words are chosen for their sound and the images they suggest, not just for their obvious meanings. The words are arranged in separate lines, usually with a repeated rhythm, and often the lines rhyme at the end.

2. ‘The poetry of earth’ is not made of words. What is it made of, as suggested in the poem?

Answer

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‘The poetry of earth’ is not made of words, but of the song and the rhythm produced by grasshoppers and crickets in various seasons. The music of the nature never loses its charm even with changing seasons. Summer and winter are the toughest seasons of the year. In summer it is extremely hot and in winter it is very cold. So in these two seasons there are rare songs of joy and music on earth. But here the poet points to the poetry of earth during summer and winter. In summer, the grasshopper seems to be excitedly hopping around, tirelessly, while even in lonely and dark winter nights, one can identify the shrill voice with which the insect cricket sings.

3. Find in the poem lines that match the following.

(i) The grasshopper’s happiness never comes to an end.
(ii) The cricket’s song has a warmth that never decreases.

Answer

(i) In summer luxury — he has never done
With his delights,

(ii) The cricket’s song, in warmth increasing ever,

4. Which word in stanza 2 is opposite in meaning to ‘the frost’?

Answer

The word ‘frost’ in stanza 2 differs in meaning with the word ‘grassy’. Frost has a chilly reference which means a degree or state of coldness sufficient to cause the freezing of water. This meaning lacks a green live feeling which is present in the word ‘grassy’. Grassy means something which is like grass or pertains to grass.

5. The poetry of earth continues round the year through a cycle of two seasons. Mention each with its representative voice.

Answer

The poetry of earth continues round the years through the summer and the winter. In summer, the grasshopper’s voice represents the poetry of the earth. While in winter the cricket’s song represents the poetry of the earth.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem When I Set Out For Lyonnesse

WORKING WITH THE POEM

Questions:

 1. In the first stanza, find words that show

(i) that it was very cold.
(ii) that it was late evening.
(iii) that the traveller was alone.

2. (i) Something happened at Lyonnesse. It was

(a) improbable.
(b) impossible.
(c) unforeseeable.

 (iii) Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to justify your answer.

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

Answers:

1.
(i) The word “rime’ shows that it was very cold.
(ii) The word ‘starlight’ shows that it was late evening.
(iii) The word ‘lonesomeness’ shows that the traveller was alone.
2.
(i) Unforeseeable.
The relevant lines are:
No prophet durst declare
Nor did the wisest wizard guess
What would be chance at Lyonnesse

Honeydew Poem Chapter 7 When I Set Out For Lyonnesse More Questions Solved

Question 1:
What inspired Hardy to write the poem ‘When I set out for Lyonnesse’?
Answer:
The poet set out for Lyonnesse to supervise renovation work of a church. He writes the poem to celebrate his successful attempt.

Question 2:
What does the poet tell about his feelings before he left for Lyonnesse and after his return?
Answer:
When Hardy left for Lyonnesse, he was shaky. He had a fear that he might fail to do his job there. But nobody could foresee the future. But When he returned, he had glow of joy and satisfaction on his face.

Question 3:
What did people notice on poet’s return from the parish?
Answer:
On his return from the parish, people noticed two things about him. A new glow
in his eyes and a crumbled piece of paper sticking out his coat pocket.

Class 8 English Honeydew Poem The School Boy Questions From Textbook

WORKING WITH THE POEM

Question 1:
Find three or four words/phrases in stanza 1 that reflect the child’s happiness and joy.
Answer:
The words/phrases that reflect the child’s happiness are the song of birds and the skylark, and the sound of hunter’s horn.

Question 2:
In stanza 2, the mood changes. Which words/phrases reflect the changed mood?
Answer:
The words/phrases reflecting the child’s mood are:

(a) drives all joy away
(b) cruel eye outworn (of the Teacher)
(c) sighing and dismay.

Question 3:
‘A cruel eye outworn (stanza 2)’ refers to

(i) the classroom which is shabby/noisy
(ii) the lessons which are difficult/uninteresting
(iii) The dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
Mark the answer that you consider right.

Answer:

(iii)

Question 4:
“Nor sit in learning’s bower worn thro’ with the dreary shower’
Which of the following is a close paraphrase of the lines above?

(i) Nor can I sit in a roofless classroom when it is raining.
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.

Answer:

(ii)

Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 5 The School Boy More Questions Solved

Question 1:
What is the mood of the school boy?
Answer:
The school boy is unhappy.

Question 2:
What makes the school boy unhappy?
Answer:
He has to go to school even in a summer morning when there is so much to enjoy in open fields and forests. Secondly, his teacher is cruel and the lessons are uninteresting.

Question 3:
Why does the boy compare himself to a caged bird?
Answer:
Like a caged bird, the boy is also not free to do any thing at his own will. He wants to lead a life of freedom but he can’t because there are many restrictions on him.

Question 4:
What is the poet’s advice to parents of school-going kids?
Answer:
The poet calls upon the parents to let their kids grow and play joyfully in early years. They should not restrict their natural activities.

Question 5:
Why does the school boy compare himself to a plant?
Answer:
A small child is like a tender plant. If he is suppressed too much, he fails to grow to full size. A tender plant if crushed at the bud-stage, won’t bear any flower or fruit in spring season.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 14 – The Last Bargain Poem

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 14 The Last Bargain Poem are provided here with simple step-by-step explanations. These solutions for The Last Bargain Poem are extremely popular among Class 8 students for English The Last Bargain Poem Solutions come handy for quickly completing your homework and preparing for exams. All questions and answers from the NCERT Book of Class 8 English Chapter 14 are provided here for you for free. You will also love the ad-free experience on Meritnation’s NCERT Solutions. All NCERT Solutions for class Class 8 English are prepared by experts and are 100% accurate.

:

Question 1:

Who is the speaker in the poem?

ANSWER:

The speaker in the poem is a man who is looking for work.

Question 2:

“The king, sword in hand” suggests

(i) wealth

(ii) power

(iii) more power than wealth

Mark the appropriate item in the context of stanza 1.

ANSWER:

“The king, sword in hand” suggests power.

Question 3:

The old man offered the speaker a lot of money.

Why did he turn down the offer?

ANSWER:

The old man offered the speaker a lot of money. However, he turned it down because he realised that money cannot give him what he actually desires. He had not till then realised that what he actually desired was happiness. When the old man was counting the gold coins, the speaker realised that once the money was finished or the work the old man wanted to hire him for was done, he would again be out of work. More than that, he would be bound in this bargain. It did not satisfy him and therefore, he turned it down.

Question 4:

Find in the poem, lines that match the following. Read both one after another.

(i) I have nothing to give you

Except goodwill and cheer.

(ii) Her happiness was no more

Than sorrow in disguise.

(iii) The king’s might was not worth much.

ANSWER:

(i) ‘I hire you with nothing.’

(ii) ‘Her smile paled and melted into tears’.

(iii) ‘But his power counted for naught’.

Question 5:

How did the speaker feel after talking to the child on the beach?

ANSWER:

The speaker felt free after talking to the child on the beach. The child was playing with shells and he ‘hired’ the speaker for nothing. This showed that he did not want any work from the speaker. In turn, he offered to give him nothing but happiness and cheer. This bargain brought him what he could not find with the king, old man, or the fair maid. This was because power, money, and beauty all go away, but happiness is something that stays and does not cost anything either. Happiness is the true asset of any human being. Power, money, and beauty cannot buy everlasting happiness. That is why the speaker was not bound with the child by any terms or conditions. Hence, he felt free after striking that bargain with the child.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 3 Macavity – The Mystery Cat (Poem) Honeydew English

Working with Poem

1. Read the first stanza and think.
(i) Is Macavity a cat really?
(ii) If not, who can Macavity be?

Answer

(i) No, Macavity is not a cat really.

(ii) Macavity is just a fictional character created by the poet whose actions resemble those of a crook’s.

2. Complete the following sentences.

(i) A master criminal is one who _____________________.
(ii) The Scotland Yard is baffled because _____________________.
(iii) _____________________because Macavity moves much faster than them.

Answer

(i)A master criminal is one who can defy the law.

(ii)The Scotland Yard is baffled because whenever they reach the scene of crime, they cannot find Macavity.

(iii) Nobody can catch Macavity at the scene of crime because Macavity moves much faster than them.

3. “A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through”. (Jules Verne)
Which law is Macavity breaking in the light of the comment above?

Answer

In the light of the above comment, Macavity is breaking the law of gravity.

4. Read stanza 3, and then, describe Macavity in two or three sentences of your own.

Answer

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Macavity is a ginger cat who is very tall and thin with sunken eyes and brow deeply lined with thought. While its head is highly domed, its coat is dusty and whiskers are uncombed. It sways its head from side-to-side and it is always wide awake even when one thinks that it is half-asleep.
5. Say ‘False’ or ‘True’ for each of the following statements.

(i) Macavity is not an ordinary cat.
(ii) Macavity cannot do what a fakir can easily do.
(iii) Macavity has supernatural powers.
(iv) Macavity is well-dressed, smart and bright.
(v) Macavity is a spy, a trickster and a criminal, all rolled in one.

Answer

(i) True
(ii) False
Macavity’s power of levitation would make a fakirstare in disbelief.
(iii) True
(iv) False
Macavity is not well-dressed as its coat is dusty out of neglect. Its eyes are sunken, and not bright.
(v) True

6. Having read the poem, try to guess whether the poet is fond of cats. If so, why does he call Macavity a fiend and monster?

Answer

Yes, it seems like the poet is fond of cats. He calls Macavity a ‘fiend’ and a ‘monster’ because he might have wanted to portray an evil side. He might have used a cat in order to create a negative character who is a criminal and escapes easily from police. The quick movements of a cat and its mysterious eyes might have influenced him to create this evil character in the form of a cat.

7. Has the poet used exaggeration for special effect? Find a few examples of it and read those lines aloud.

Answer

Yes, the poet has used exaggerations such as the cat’s defiance of gravity and it being called a ‘monster of depravity’ and a ‘fiend’ in order to enhance the mystery surrounding the cat. Since the cat is shown to be super fast as nobody from the Scotland Yard to the flying squad can catch it on the scene of crime, these exaggerations have been used by Eliot to lay stress on this monstrous as well as surprising and mysterious nature of Macavity.
Examples:
(i) ‘He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair’.
(ii) ‘He breaks the law of gravity’.
(iii) ‘His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare.’
(iv) ‘He’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.’

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 12 – Geography Lesson Poem

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 12 Geography Lesson Poem are provided here with simple step-by-step explanations. These solutions for Geography Lesson Poem are extremely popular among Class 8 students for English Geography Lesson Poem Solutions come handy for quickly completing your homework and preparing for exams. All questions and answers from the NCERT Book of Class 8 English Chapter 12 are provided here for you for free. You will also love the ad-free experience on Meritnation’s NCERT Solutions. All NCERT Solutions for class Class 8 English are prepared by experts and are 100% accurate.

Question 1:

Find three or four phrases in stanzas one and two which are likely to occur in a geography lesson.

ANSWER:

Some phrases that are likely to occur in a Geography lesson are ‘the city had developed the way it had’, ‘it scaled six inches to the mile’, ‘cities where the rivers ran’, and ‘the valleys were populated’.

Question 2:

Seen from the window of an aeroplane, the city appears

(i) as haphazard as on ground.

(ii) as neat as a map.

(iii) as developed as necessary.

Mark the right answer.

ANSWER:

Seen from the window of an aeroplane, the city appears as haphazard as on ground.

Question 3:

Which of the following statements are examples of “the logic of geography”?

(i) There are cities where there are rivers.

(ii) Cities appear as they are not from six miles above the ground.

(iii) It is easy to understand why valleys are populated.

(iv) It is difficult to understand why humans hate and kill one another.

(v) The earth is round, and it has more sea than land.

ANSWER:

Statements (i), (iii), and (v) are examples of “the logic of geography”.

Question 4:

Mention two things that are

(i) clear from the height.

(ii) not clear from the height.

ANSWER:

(i) From the height, it was clear why the country had cities where the rivers ran and why the valleys were populated. It was also clear that the earth was round and that it had more sea than land.

(ii) From the height, it was not clear why the men on the earth found reasons to hate each other. It was also not understandable why men had to build walls across cities and why they had to kill.