Class VIII: Blossom : Lesson-wise Activities

Class VIII: Blossom: Lesson-wise Activities 

Lesson - 1

THE WIND CAP

(Unit - 1)

Activity-1

1.The lad had wanted to be a- (c) sailor. 

2. Mother told the lad that he knew the smell of the- (a) soil.

3. Jon put the turtle on  his-(b) head.

4.The fairy man wanted to know Jon's-c) heart's desire.

Activity-2

i) Jon met the tiny green turtle.    (2)

ii) Mother said Jon was a farmer's son.     (1)

iii) The turtle changed to the tiny green fairy man.  (4)

iv) Jon plucked the  turtle from his head.   (3)

v) Jon did not express his wish. (6)

vi) Jon bowed back.  (5)

Activity-3

1. Why do you think Jon thought that the turtle would be safe on his head?

Ans.I think Jon thought that the turtle would be safe on his head because Jon was ploughing the field and he could trace and feel if the turtle fell off his head.

Unit: 2

Activity-4

(1) The cap that sailors most desire was a cap full of wind.

(2) Seeing a ship anchored near the shore Jon requested the captain to take him along.

(3) By twisting the cap Jon could summon the east wind and the west wind.

(4)Jon desired to see the land because for a year and a day he saw nothing but the churning of the waves without setting foot on land.

Activity-5

A. Why did the fairy man offer Jon the wind cap?

Ans- The fairy man offered Jon the wind cap because Jon put the fairy man on his head like a hat to keep him safe.

B.What was the condition that was associated with the wind cap?

Ans-The condition that was associated with the wind cap was that no human hand would ever be able to take it off.

C.Why did Jon become popular with the sailors?

Ans-Jon become popular with the sailors because Jon could supply wind that sailors called for.

Unit-3 

Activity-6

A.Jon never dreamt about the land. (F) 

S.S- However Jon could not stop dreaming of the land.

B.The squall was called up because Jon was sleeping. (T)

S.S- It called up a squall from the clear sky that hit the ship without a warning.

C.The captain was angry with Jon. (T)

S.S- In anger,he grabbed him by the tail of his stripped cap twisted him thrice and flung him out to the sea.

D. Jon did not return the wind-cap to the fairy man. (F)

S.S- He placed the wind cap under a stone where he knew the fairy man would find it. 

Activity-7 

(a) Why did the sailors try to rip off the cap from Jon's head?

Ans-The sailors tried to rip off the cap from Jon's head because they considered Jon responsible for calling up the squall that tore the sails and snapped the spars.

(b) How did Jon divide his time between land and sea?

Ans-Jon divided his time between land and sea by spending half the year on a ship and half on the shore.

(C) Do you think Jon was rightly called Captain Turtle? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans-Yes, I think Jon was rightly called Captain Turtle because he was as much at home on the water as he was on the land.

(D) Why did Jon want to return the wind cap to the fairy man?

Ans-Jon wanted to return wind cap to the fairy man because he didn't want to depend on the magical power of the wind cap and in stead he wanted to achieve everything by himself.

Activity-8(a)

Underline the verbs in the following sentences that suggested actions that began in the past and are still continuing:

I) They have been traveling for ten hours.

II) He thanked me for what I have been doing.

III)The baby has been sleeping all day.

Activity-8(b)

Underline the verbs in the following sentences which suggest actions that began before a certain point in the past and continued up to that time:

1.They had been playing in the field for an hour before mother called them.

2.When I visited my uncle,he had been teaching in a school there for five years.

3.Rita had been studying in our school for the last eight years since I met her.

Activity-8(c)

Fill in the blanks with either the Present Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

(I) The rain had been pouring when I left home.(Pour)

(II) The engineers have been building the bridge for the past few months.(Build)

(III) The performers have been singing since evening.(Sing)

(IV) At that time, Mr. Roy had been writing poems for one month.(write)

Activity-9

Replace the underlined words with their antonyms:

1.Obeyed-Disobeyed

2.Began-Ended

3.Popular-Unpopular

4.Rapidly-Slowly/Gradually

Lesson-2

CLOUDS

Unit-1

Activity-1

1) He saw a grass-cutter coming from the other direction.[4]

2) The grass-cutter was surprised.[6]

3) He reached the old mud hut.[2]

4) He wandered in search of the clouds.[1]

5) He asked the grass-cutter if he noticed the clouds.[5]

6) He turned onto the dirt track.[3]

Activity-2

A) The grass-cutter had a bundle of freshly cutting grass balanced on his head.

B) He was disappointed to see that the grass-cutter was still mystified.

C) The farmer could not make sense of the question.

D) He was asking for the clouds like a man who was lost a child and asks wayfarers if they have seen a child wandering.

Unit - 2

Activity-4

A. In the morning,the boy asked the first question to his father. [F]

S.S-His mother was the first he had asked in the morning "Ammaji where have the clouds gone".

B.The boy's mother asked him to go to school. [T]

S.S-"Wash quickly, eat your breakfast and go to school."

C. When the boy get up in the morning, he saw that the sky was cloudless. [T]

S.S- When the boy got up in the morning he was amazed .The sky was clear and empty.

D. The boy was happy to think that he had fallen asleep. [F]

S.S- And it saddened him to think that he had fallen asleep.

Activity-5

1) Which question haunted the boy?

Ans:The question where the clouds had gone haunted the boy.

2) What did the boy see in the middle of the night?

Ans: In the middle of the night the boy saw the clouds, rumbling up in the sky and the occasional flashes of lightning.

3) How did he feel as he walked between the fields?

Ans: As he walked between the fields he felt like walking in the desert and his body was on fire and his throat dry.

4) What did he do after reaching the shelter of the tree?

Ans: After reaching the shelter of the tree he splashed the cool water from the Persian wheel on his dusty feet and washing his hands and face,drank his fill.

Lesson 3 

An April Day

Activity 1 

(i) When the warm sun has returned again, it is nice to visit the still wood. 

(ii) The sapling draws its sustenance from earth's loosened mould. 

(iii) The birds glance quick in the bright sun. 

(iv) The green slope throws its shadow upon the hollows of the hills.

                       Activity 2 

(i) Spring is the season of seed time and harvest and the first flower of the plain. 

(ii) The coming-on of storms is foretold by dark and many folded clouds. 

(iii) The birds move along the forest openings.

(iv) The bright sunset fills the silver woods with light. 

   

     Activity 3 

• Why do you think the poet "loves the season well?"

Ans. I think the poet "loves the season well " because forest glades teem with bright forms and there is no sign of storm. 

                            Activity 4 

(i) The first flower --- springs/blooms in the still wood. 

(ii) The forests glades --- teem with bright forms. 

(iii) The sapling --- draws its sustenance form earth's loosened-mould. 

(iv) The dropping tree --- revives. 

   Activity 5

(a) Why is it sweet to visit the wood during springtime?

Ans. It is sweet to visit the wood during springtime because the first flower of the plain blooms in the still wood. 

(b) What does winter's cold do to the tree?

Ans. Winter's cold makes the tree stricken to the heart and drooping. 

(c) What time of the day do you think it is when "the green slope throws its shadow in the hollows of the hills? 

Ans. I think it is sunset time when "the green slope throws its shadow in the hollows of the hills".

(d) Why do you think the poem is titled "An April Day"? Suggest an alternative title.

Ans. I think poem is titled "An April Day " because the month of April falls in the spring season and April Day suggests the beauty and pleasant weather.

• Alternative title is "An Outing In Spring ".

                   Activity 6 (a)

(i) He has been working here for the last two years .

(ii) The baby has been crying all morning. 

(iii) It had been raining for a long time before we went to school .

(iv) The passengers of the train had been sleeping fast when the accident occurred. 

    Activity 6 (b) 

(i) I suppose it will be raining when we start.

(ii) He will be meeting is next year.

(iii) She will have reached Jamshedpur by then.

(iv) This book is not fat, I shall have read it by lunch time.

Lesson 4

The Great Escape

Unit - 1

Activity 1

(1) Subhas and Sisir chose the Wanderer for their journey.  (6)

(2) Sisir entered Subhas's bedroom that December afternoon. (1)

(3) The police were keeping a watch on Subhas's house. (4) 

(4) Sisir was to help plan and carry out Subhas's escape from India. (2)

(5) Subhas's nephew helped him listen to foreign broadcast. (5)

(6) Sisir walked back to his own house in a state of wonder and excitement. (3)

                        Activity 2

(a) On a December afternoon, Sisir his nephew entered Subhas's bedroom. 

(b) The task that Subhas gave Sisir was to help and carry out Subhas's escape from India.

(c) 1, Woodburn Park was the address of Sisir's residence. 

(d) The escape plan Subhas and Sisir was to drive out, in the most natural fashion, through the main gate .

     Activity 3 

• Why did Subhas and Sisir, as their plan of escape, decide to drive out in 'the most natural fashion through the main gate '?

Ans. Subhas and Sisir as their plan of escape, decided to drive out in 'the most natural fashion through the main gate' so that no one could suspect their escape.

Activity 4

(a) Akbar Shah operated in the north-eastern frontier provinces. (F)

S.S:- He operated in the north -western frontier provinces. 

(b) The items of clothing for Subhas's disguise were purchased from a shop in South Kolkata. (F) 

S.S:- Together they want to a Shop in central Calcutta where they purchased baggy shalwars and a black fez for Subhas's disguise. 

(c) Everyone in Subhas's family was aware of his plan of escape. ( F)

S.S:- None of the family members knew anything except Subhas's niece Ila and a make cousin Dwijen.

(d) The policeman preferred warm blankets on the cool,winter night of 16th January . (T)

S.S:- On the cool winter night of January 16th, they had preferred the comfort of the warm blankets on the charpoi .

   Activity 5 

(1) What items were purchased for Subhas to be carried with him on his journey ?

Ans. The items like a suitcase, a bedrool, shirts and pillows .

(2) What was the real identity of Muhammad Ziauddin?

Ans. The real identity of Muhammad Ziauddin was Subhas Chandra Bose.

(3) Why do you think Subhas had to put a false identity? 

Ans. I think Subhas had to put on a false identity so that no one could suspect his escape and recognize his real identity.