This unit has a story “A Short Monsoon Diary” which consists of a few excerpts from Ruskin Bond’s diary in which he explains the silent miracles of nature, the monsoon season and life’s little joys and regrets by exploring the transition that the flora and fauna experience during this season.
A Short Monsoon Diary
Comprehension Check
Question 1: Why is the author not able to see Bijju?
Answer: The author was unable to see Bijju due to the mist that covered the hills of Mussoorie like a thick white blanket. It completely concealed the hills, and the author was unable to hear and see Bijju in this condition.
Question 2: What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?
Answer: When the mist comes up, it covers and conceals the hills completely like a thick white blanket. Besides, the trees that usually ring with bird songs tend to appear deathly and silent as the birds do not make any chirping sound and react as though it were midnight.
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Unit 7 – A Visit to Cambridge (Updated Pattern)
Comprehension Check
Question 1: When does the monsoon season begin, and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?
Answer: In India, the monsoon starts setting in from May-end every year. According to the author’s monsoon diaries, the monsoon mist first appears in Mussoorie on June 24 or 25 and continues until August 31 or mid-September. We usually carry umbrellas and raincoats to face the monsoon and protect ourselves from getting wet and falling sick unnecessarily.
Question 2: Which hill-station does the author describe in this diary entry?
Answer: According to the diary entry, the author describes the beautiful and mesmerizing hill station named Mussoorie.
Question 3: For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?
Answer: It rained continuously for eight to nine days. As the weather was damp and soggy outside and he could not go outside, he kept pacing his room and looked out of the window at a few bobbing umbrellas.
Question 4: Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?
Answer: Snakes and rodents come out of their holes and burrows and they take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns to save themselves from getting wet in the rainwater.
Question 5: What did the author receive in the mail?
Answer: The author received a cheque in the mail.
Working with the text
Question 1: Look carefully at the diary entries for June 24-25, August 2 and March 23. Now write down the changes that happen as the rains progress from June to March.
Answer: According to Ruskin Bond’s diary entries, June 24 is the first day of monsoon mist. The hills are concealed by a thick white blanket of mist and filled with utmost silence. From June 25, the real monsoon starts setting in and the entire Nature, including human beings, birds, animals and trees, welcomes it. The first cobra lily rears its head from the ferns.
People get habituated to the monsoon season by August 2. Rain starts drumming on the corrugated tin roofs of their houses. Although there is no storm or thunder, there is just the steady swish of a tropical downpour. Snakes and rodents start coming out of their holes and burrows, and they take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns to save themselves from getting wet in the rainwater.
March 23 signals the end of winter. The blackest cloud slowly occupies the sky and it is followed by a hailstorm. This clears the sky completely, and soon, a rainbow starts forming. This is one of the most splendid sights that anyone could visualize or experience about the beauty of Nature.
Question 2: Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?
Answer: The grandmother asked the children not to kill the Chuchundar because this animal is considered to be lucky and brings in good fortune and money.
Question 3: What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?
Answer: The hillsides in Mussoorie become lush green as late-monsoon flowers begin to appear — wild balsam, dahlias, begonias and ground orchids. The seeds of the cobra lily slowly start turning red which signify the rains are coming to an end and the monsoon season is almost over.
Question 4: Complete the following sentences.
(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because __________________.
(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as __________________.
(iii) The leopard was successful in __________________ but had to flee when _____________________________________________________.
(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because __________________.
(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when __________________.
(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because __________________________.
Answer:
(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because the dense mist conceals the hills and the surroundings.
(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as a paradise that might have been.
(iii) The leopard was successful in attacking one of Bijju’s cows but had to flee when Bijju’s mother arrived and screamed imprecations.
(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because of their bright colours.
(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ground orchids, mauve lady’s slipper and the white butterfly orchids bloom.
(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because they have been flooded out of their holes and burrows.
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Question 5:
‘Although tin roofs are given to springing unaccountable leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain.’
(i) Why has the writer used the word, ‘springing’?
(ii) How is the writer untouched by the rain?
(iii) How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time?
Answer:
(i)The word ‘springing’ refers to moving suddenly at once. The author uses this word to indicate how the tin roofs are prone to development of sudden unexpected leaking.
(ii) The author is left physically untouched by rain because he is safe inside his room and the tin roof stops the rain from leaking inside.
(iii) The writer is in touch with the rain at the same time because he can see the rain from inside his room and feel it as it has been drumming on the corrugated tin roof of his house.
Question 6: Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.
Answer: When it rains continuously for days together, everything around becomes damp and soggy. It becomes difficult for anyone to go out in the rain. The hillsides become lush green as late-monsoon flowers begin to appear, i.e., the wild balsam, dahlias, begonias and ground orchids. The holes and burrows of snakes and rodents become flooded, and they take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns.
Question 7: What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?
Answer: When the monsoon season starts setting in, the first cobra lily appears from the ferns. However, when the seeds of the cobra lily slowly start turning red, that signifies the monsoon is coming to an end.
Working with language
Question 1: Here are some words that are associated with the monsoon. Add as many words as you can to this list. Can you find words for these in your languages?
| downpour | floods | mist | cloudy | power cuts | cold | umbrella |
Answer:
Here are some more words that are associated with the monsoon:
- Rain
- Thunderstorm
- Hailstones
- Mud
- Fog
- Raincoat
- Dampness
- Soggy
- Muddy water
Note: For the second part of the question, students are advised to attempt it themselves.
Question 2:
Look at the sentences below.
(i) Bijju wandered into the garden in the evening.
(ii) The trees were ringing with birdsong.
Notice the highlighted verbs.
The verb wandered tells us what Bijju did that evening. But the verb was ringing tells us what was happening continually at same time in the past (the birds were chirping in the trees).
Now look at the sentences below. They tell us about something that happened in the past. They also tell us about other things that happened continually, at the same time in the past.
Put the verbs in the brackets into their proper forms. The first one is done for you.
(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).
Answer:
(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.
Question 3:
Here are some words from the lesson which describe different kinds of sounds.
| drum | swish | tinkle | caw | drip |
(i) Match these words with their correct meanings.
(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.
Answer:
(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.
Question 4:
And sure enough, I received a cheque in the mail.
Complete each sentence below by using appropriate phrase from the ones given below.
| sure enough | colourful enough | serious 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, ‘___________ ___________.’
Answer:
(i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And sure enough it soon 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.’
On the Grasshopper and Cricket
Working with the poem
Question 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: A poem is an artistic piece of speech or a few lines which are expressed by the poet like a song with rhythms and metaphors. There is a musical element in the arrangement of words in a poem. The beautifully arranged words in a poem enhance the essence and meaning of the poem. The rhythmic expressions in it carry several ideas and reflect the imaginative power of the poet. An interesting and musical poem has a lasting impact in the minds of the readers as it allows appreciate the beauty of the lines in the poem.
Question 2 ‘The poetry of earth’ is not made of words. What is it made of, as suggested in the poem?
Answer: The poetry of earth is not just made of words, rather it is composed of the rhythmic songs produced by nature’s beautiful creatures. The musical element of nature never ceases to mesmerize us with its ever-changing seasons. Summer and winter are considered to be the most difficult seasons for many creatures such as the grasshopper and cricket. These seasons bring with them a lot of joy, sorrow and excitement to such creatures. During summer, the grasshopper excitedly hops around tirelessly in joy and when he is tired, he rests beneath a pleasant weed. On the other hand, a cricket sings with a shrill voice during the dark and lonely nights of the winter season.
Question 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
Question 4: Which word in stanza 2 is opposite in meaning to ‘the frost’?
Answer: In stanza 2, the word that is opposite in meaning to ‘the frost’ is ‘warmth’. The word frost indicates a cold or chill experience. On the other hand, warmth in the poem refers to the cricket’s song which brings in warm feelings and can make one feel drowsy and sleepy.
Question 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 around the year through summer and winter. During the summer season, the grasshopper hops with joy tirelessly depicting the beautiful poetry of earth. While in the winter season, the cricket’s song is like a mesmerizing poetry of earth. Hence, in the poem two different creatures are used as a reference to wisely explain the difference of the two seasons.