Lesson 8 A Monsoon Diary

 

Comprehension check…  (Page115)

1. Why is the author not able to see Bijju?

Ans: The author is not able to see Bijju because of the mist.

2. What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?

Ans: When the mist comes, it covers the hills and blankets them in silence also.

Comprehension check…  (Page117)

1.  When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?

Ans: The monsoon season begins in June and ends in September. To face the monsoon, we buy raincoats and umbrellas.

2. Which hill- station does the author describe in this diary entry?

Ans:  Mussoorie.

3.  For how many days does it rain with stopping? What does the author do on those days?

Ans: It rains for eight or nine days without stopping. The author can’t go out. He paces the room and looks outside the window all the time.

4. Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?

Ans: The snakes and rodents take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns as their holes and burrows are flooded with water.

5. What did the author receive in the mail?

Ans: The author received a cheque in the mail.


Working with Language…

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

Downpour      floods   mist   cloudy   powercuts    cold   umbrella

Ans: Do yourself.

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

(i) We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.

We got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.

(ii) The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.

(iii) I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.

(iv) She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.

(v) We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games.

(vi) The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).

Ans: (iWe got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.

ii) The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.

(iii) I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.

(iv) She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully.

(v) We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.

(vi) The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.

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

                         drum      swish    tinkle     caw     drip

(i) Match these words with their correct meanings.

(a) to fall in small drops

(b) to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly

(c) to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound

(d) harsh sound made by birds

(e) ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.)

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

(a) Ramesh ----------- on his desk in impatience.

(b) Rain water ------------from the umbrella all over the carpet.

(c) The pony ------------- its tail.

(d) The ------------- of breaking glass woke me up.

(e) The ------------- of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.

Ans:

(i) (a) to fall in small drops − drip

(b) to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly − drum

(c) to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound − swish

(d) harsh sound made by birds − caw

(e) ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.) − tinkle

(ii) (a) Ramesh drummed on his desk in impatience.

(b) Rain water dripped from the umbrella all over the carpet.

(c) The pony swished its tail.

(d) The tinkling of breaking glass woke me up.

(e) The cawing of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.

4. Complete each sentence below by using appropriate phrase from the ones given below.

sure enough

colourful enough

serious enough

kind enough

big enough

fair enough

brave enough

foolish enough

anxious enough

(i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And -------- it soon started raining heavily.

(ii) The blue umbrella was -------------- for the brother and sister.

(iii) The butterflies are --------- to get noticed.

(iv) The lady was --------------- to chase the leopard.

(v) The boy was --------------- to call out to his sister.

(vi) The man was------------- to offer help.

(vii) The victim’s injury was ------------ for him to get admitted in hospital.

(viii) That person was ------------- to repeat the same mistake again.

(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss.

I said, ‘-------------.’

Ans: (i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And sure enough it started raining heavily.

(ii) The blue umbrella was big enough for the brother and sister.

(iii) The butterflies are colourful enough to get noticed.

(iv) The lady was brave enough to chase the leopard.

(v) The boy was anxious enough to call out to his sister.

(vi) The man was kind enough to offer help.

(vii) The victim’s injury was serious enough for him to get admitted in hospital.

(viii) That person was foolish enough to repeat the same mistake again.

(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘fair enough.’


Poem 8           On the Grasshopper and Cricket

Working with the poem…

1. Discuss with your partner the following definition of the 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.

Ans: A poem is usually rhythmical and metaphorical in nature. It arranges best words in a musical order. 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 meaning.

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

Ans:  ‘The poetry of earth’ is not made of words but of the songs of the nature’s different creatures. The music of the nature never loses its charm even with changing seasons. In extremely hot summer, the grasshopper hopes around tirelessly while the cricket shrills in dark, cold winter nights, enhancing the beauty of the season.   

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.

Ans: (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’?

Ans: “warmth’

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

Ans: The two major seasons in a year are summer and winter. Both are rich in music. In summer, the representative voice is that of the grasshopper. In winter, the cricket is the prime singer.

 

 


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