NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 A Short Monsoon Diary PDF are available for free on our website that helps you a better understanding of the chapter. These NCERT solutions have been provided after a detailed analysis of the latest syllabus issued by CBSE. Students of Class 8th can study the answers provided here to score well in their school exams.
CBSE Class 8 English A Short Monsoon Diary Questions and Answers
Comprehension Check (Page 111)
Question 1: Why is the author not able to see Bijju?
Answer: 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: 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 (Page 113)
Question 1: When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?
Answer: The monsoon season in Mussorie begins from June 24/25. By August 2, the people are fed up with rain. It ends by August 31. Then begins winter rains which end by late March. We take out our rain coats and umbrellas to face the monsoon.
Question 2: Which hill-station does the author describe in the diary entry?
Answer: Mussoorie
Question 3: For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?
Answer: It rains for eight or nine days, without stopping. The author proceeds to pace the room and staring out of the window.
Question 4: Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?
Answer: The rodents and snakes take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. They do so because their holes are flooded with 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: 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: The grandmother told the children not to kill the Chuchundars because they brought good luck and money.
Question 3: What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?
Answer: By the end of the monsoon the greenery is at its peak. The seeds of the cobra lily turn red. A rainbow is formed in the sky.
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.
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: A long spell of rain makes life miserable. One is closed up in his room. Everything becomes damp and soggy. Rodents, snakes and insects enter the house for shelter.
Question 7: What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?
Answer: At first cobra lily appears with the arrival of the monsoon. When the cobra seeds begin to turn red, it indicates the rains are 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: rain, water, fog, raincoats, thunder, dampness, lakes etc.
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 was 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) Rainwater 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.’
Speaking
Question 1: Do you believe in superstitions? Why, or why not? Working with your partner, write down three superstitious beliefs that you are familiar with.
Answer: Truly speaking, I don’t believe in superstitions. These are blind beliefs. The ignorant and conservative people observe them. Superstitions have no scientific base or proof. The common superstitions are:
(i) 13 is an ominous number.
(ii) Don’t start a new project on Saturday.
(iii) Stop if a black cat crosses your path.
Question 2: How many different kinds of birds do you come across in the lesson? How many varieties do you see in your neighbourhood? Are there any birds that you used to see earlier in your neighbourhood but not now? In groups discuss why you think this is happening.
Answer: We come across different kinds of birds in this lesson. These are minivets, drongos, tree creepers and crows. We see sparrows, pigeons, and nightingales in our neighbourhood. Earlier we used to see big birds like kites and parrots in our neighbourhood. But these have become extinct now.