A Short Monsoon Diary question answer: Ncert solutions for class 8 english honeydew chapter 8
| Textbook | Ncert |
| Class | Class 8 |
| Subject | English Honeydew |
| Chapter | Chapter 8 |
| Chapter Name | A Short Monsoon Diary ncert solutions |
| Category | Ncert Solutions |
| Medium | English |
Are you looking for Class 8 English Honeydew chapter 8 question answer? Now you can download A Short Monsoon Diary question answer pdf from here.
Comprehension Check
Question 1: Why is the author not able to see Bijju?
Answer 1: The author could not see Bijju because of the mist that concealed the hills. He could only hear his voice but could not see him.
Question 2: What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?
Answer 2: 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.
Comprehension Check
Question 1: When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?
Answer 1: The monsoon enters India from east and south somewhere around mid of May. It reaches northern part of the country around second week of June. The monsoon ends around September. We take out our rain coats and umbrellas to face the monsoon.
Question 2: Which hill-station does the author describe in this diary entry?
Answer 2: The author has described Mussoorie in the diary entry.
Question 3: For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?
Answer 3: The heavens rained for around eight or nine days without stopping. Since it was raining the author was bound to stay in his room and looked out of his window at a few umbrellas.
Question 4: Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?
Answer 4: The snakes and rodents take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. They do so because their holes and burrows are flooded with rain water.
Question 5: What did the author receive in the mail?
Answer 5: 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 1: Rains in Mussoorie begin in June and end by March. June 24 is the first day of monsoon mist which covered the hills and spreads silence. On August 2 it rained all night and made sleeping difficult. By late March ends winter as well as the rains.
Question 2: Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?
Answer 2: 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 3: The seeds of cobra lily turn red as monsoon departures. Flowers like wild balsam, begonias and ground orchids also appear.
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 4: (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.
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 5: (i) The word ‘springing’ means ‘to develop suddenly’. The writer says that tin roofs are prone to developing unexpected leaks.
(ii) The writer was physically untouched by the rain as the tin roof stopped the rain from leaking in.
(iii) The writer was in touch with the rain at the same time because he could feel the rain by listening to its drumming sound on the corrugated tin roof.
Question 6: Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.
Answer 6: The sun does not appear for days together. Everything is damp and soggy. One cannot go out. One can just stay in the room and look at the outside scene through the window. The hill sides are lush. The flowers begin to appear.
Question 7: What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?
Answer 7: When monsoon begins, the first cobra lily appears from the ferns. When the seeds of the cobra lily turn red, it signifies that 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 1: Here are some additional words associated with the monsoon:
- Rain
- Thunderstorm
- Lightning
- Humidity
- Puddles
- Drizzle
- Raincoat
- Soggy
- Mud
- Rainbow
- Gusty winds
- Leaves (falling or wet)
- Fog
- Slippery roads
- Dampness
- Rain boots
- Overcast
- Storm
- Waterlogging
- Chilly
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 verb.
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 the at 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.
We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.
The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.
I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.
She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.
We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games,
The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).
Answer 2:
- We got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.
- The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.
- I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.
- She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully,
- We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.
- 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 3: (i) (a) drip (b) drum (c) swish (d) caw (e) tinkle.
(ii) (a) drummed (b) dripped (c) was swishing (d) tinkle (e) caw
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 4: (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.’