NCERT Textbook - Children at work | English Class 8 PDF Download

 Page 1


Before you read
There are many reasons why children have to work. Some help their
family make a livelihood. Others, who run away from unhappy
homes, need to support themselves. Children who have to work can’t
go to school and play like other children of their age.
I
• Velu, an eleven-year old boy, runs away from home.
• He wanders around for hours before getting on a train to Chennai
without a ticket.
• Tired and hungry, he doesn’t know where to go when a stranger
at the station shouts a word of welcome.
WHEN the Kanyakumari Express pulled in at Chennai Central, it
took Velu some time to get off. When he finally stood on the platform,
his legs felt wobbly, as if he was still on a moving train.
“Oy, out of the way!” A porter went by with a loaded trolley. Velu
jumped aside.
He sat on a bench on the platform, putting his small bundle
down. In all his eleven years, he had never seen so many people,
except once a year at the fair in his village. People walked by,
bumping into him with their suitcases. A voice announced
something on a loudspeaker. Near him a group of people sat on
pulled in: arrived  wobbly: unsteady
Children at work
2
Reprint 2024-25
Page 2


Before you read
There are many reasons why children have to work. Some help their
family make a livelihood. Others, who run away from unhappy
homes, need to support themselves. Children who have to work can’t
go to school and play like other children of their age.
I
• Velu, an eleven-year old boy, runs away from home.
• He wanders around for hours before getting on a train to Chennai
without a ticket.
• Tired and hungry, he doesn’t know where to go when a stranger
at the station shouts a word of welcome.
WHEN the Kanyakumari Express pulled in at Chennai Central, it
took Velu some time to get off. When he finally stood on the platform,
his legs felt wobbly, as if he was still on a moving train.
“Oy, out of the way!” A porter went by with a loaded trolley. Velu
jumped aside.
He sat on a bench on the platform, putting his small bundle
down. In all his eleven years, he had never seen so many people,
except once a year at the fair in his village. People walked by,
bumping into him with their suitcases. A voice announced
something on a loudspeaker. Near him a group of people sat on
pulled in: arrived  wobbly: unsteady
Children at work
2
Reprint 2024-25
their luggage, looking at a TV hanging from the roof. The noise
was terrible.
Velu put his head down on his knees, feeling miserable and
exhausted. He had run away from his village two days ago. For two
days he had eaten nothing but some peanuts and a piece of jaggery.
In his bundle he carried a shirt, a towel and a comb.
He had walked for most of the first day to Kanur and then got on
the train to Chennai. Velu had no money for a ticket but luckily the
ticket collector didn’t come to the unreserved compartment. He had
tried to sleep on the floor near the door. A group of men next to him
had played cards and shouted all night.
“Aiy! What, new to town eh?” called out a rough voice.
Velu opened his eyes. There were a lot of people standing around,
but nobody was looking at him.
“Here! Aiy!”
He turned around. Behind him was a girl around his own age,
wearing a long banian that came down to her knees. Her hair was
stiff and brownish and she had a huge sack on one shoulder. She
was picking up dirty plastic cups from the floor and stuffing them
It so happened... 8 8 8 8 8
Reprint 2024-25
Page 3


Before you read
There are many reasons why children have to work. Some help their
family make a livelihood. Others, who run away from unhappy
homes, need to support themselves. Children who have to work can’t
go to school and play like other children of their age.
I
• Velu, an eleven-year old boy, runs away from home.
• He wanders around for hours before getting on a train to Chennai
without a ticket.
• Tired and hungry, he doesn’t know where to go when a stranger
at the station shouts a word of welcome.
WHEN the Kanyakumari Express pulled in at Chennai Central, it
took Velu some time to get off. When he finally stood on the platform,
his legs felt wobbly, as if he was still on a moving train.
“Oy, out of the way!” A porter went by with a loaded trolley. Velu
jumped aside.
He sat on a bench on the platform, putting his small bundle
down. In all his eleven years, he had never seen so many people,
except once a year at the fair in his village. People walked by,
bumping into him with their suitcases. A voice announced
something on a loudspeaker. Near him a group of people sat on
pulled in: arrived  wobbly: unsteady
Children at work
2
Reprint 2024-25
their luggage, looking at a TV hanging from the roof. The noise
was terrible.
Velu put his head down on his knees, feeling miserable and
exhausted. He had run away from his village two days ago. For two
days he had eaten nothing but some peanuts and a piece of jaggery.
In his bundle he carried a shirt, a towel and a comb.
He had walked for most of the first day to Kanur and then got on
the train to Chennai. Velu had no money for a ticket but luckily the
ticket collector didn’t come to the unreserved compartment. He had
tried to sleep on the floor near the door. A group of men next to him
had played cards and shouted all night.
“Aiy! What, new to town eh?” called out a rough voice.
Velu opened his eyes. There were a lot of people standing around,
but nobody was looking at him.
“Here! Aiy!”
He turned around. Behind him was a girl around his own age,
wearing a long banian that came down to her knees. Her hair was
stiff and brownish and she had a huge sack on one shoulder. She
was picking up dirty plastic cups from the floor and stuffing them
It so happened... 8 8 8 8 8
Reprint 2024-25
Children at work 9 9 9 9 9
into her sack. Why is she calling me, thought Velu. And why is a
girl wearing a banian?
“No need to stare stupidly. What’s your name?”
“Velu,” muttered Velu, looking away.
“So Mr Velu,” said the girl, looking at his bundle. “Run away
from home?”
Velu didn’t answer. He didn’t want to tell some strange girl what
he had done. He had run away because he couldn’t stand his father
beating him for one more day. His father would snatch away all the
money Velu and his sisters earned and spend it on drink.
“Don’t think I don’t know. This place is full of children like you.
So what are you going to do here? Become rich?”
She sat down next to him. Velu shifted away slightly.
He felt hunger pinching him and pressed his stomach with a
grimace. “Hungry?” asked the girl. “You won’t get food by sitting
here glumly, making faces. I can find some if you want.”
She picked up her sack and started to walk away. Velu
stayed on the bench. What should he do? Should he follow
this girl? Where was she going to take him? She was
disappearing into the crowd, so he had to make up his mind
quickly. Alright, he decided. Anyway I have no idea where to
go. He jumped up and ran after her. She wasn’t even looking
back to see where he was.
Comprehension Check
1. Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving
train”. Why?
2. What made him feel miserable?
3. (i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
4. Why had Velu run away from home?
5. Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?
grimace: twisted expression (on the face) due to pain  glumly: sadly/gloomily
Reprint 2024-25
Page 4


Before you read
There are many reasons why children have to work. Some help their
family make a livelihood. Others, who run away from unhappy
homes, need to support themselves. Children who have to work can’t
go to school and play like other children of their age.
I
• Velu, an eleven-year old boy, runs away from home.
• He wanders around for hours before getting on a train to Chennai
without a ticket.
• Tired and hungry, he doesn’t know where to go when a stranger
at the station shouts a word of welcome.
WHEN the Kanyakumari Express pulled in at Chennai Central, it
took Velu some time to get off. When he finally stood on the platform,
his legs felt wobbly, as if he was still on a moving train.
“Oy, out of the way!” A porter went by with a loaded trolley. Velu
jumped aside.
He sat on a bench on the platform, putting his small bundle
down. In all his eleven years, he had never seen so many people,
except once a year at the fair in his village. People walked by,
bumping into him with their suitcases. A voice announced
something on a loudspeaker. Near him a group of people sat on
pulled in: arrived  wobbly: unsteady
Children at work
2
Reprint 2024-25
their luggage, looking at a TV hanging from the roof. The noise
was terrible.
Velu put his head down on his knees, feeling miserable and
exhausted. He had run away from his village two days ago. For two
days he had eaten nothing but some peanuts and a piece of jaggery.
In his bundle he carried a shirt, a towel and a comb.
He had walked for most of the first day to Kanur and then got on
the train to Chennai. Velu had no money for a ticket but luckily the
ticket collector didn’t come to the unreserved compartment. He had
tried to sleep on the floor near the door. A group of men next to him
had played cards and shouted all night.
“Aiy! What, new to town eh?” called out a rough voice.
Velu opened his eyes. There were a lot of people standing around,
but nobody was looking at him.
“Here! Aiy!”
He turned around. Behind him was a girl around his own age,
wearing a long banian that came down to her knees. Her hair was
stiff and brownish and she had a huge sack on one shoulder. She
was picking up dirty plastic cups from the floor and stuffing them
It so happened... 8 8 8 8 8
Reprint 2024-25
Children at work 9 9 9 9 9
into her sack. Why is she calling me, thought Velu. And why is a
girl wearing a banian?
“No need to stare stupidly. What’s your name?”
“Velu,” muttered Velu, looking away.
“So Mr Velu,” said the girl, looking at his bundle. “Run away
from home?”
Velu didn’t answer. He didn’t want to tell some strange girl what
he had done. He had run away because he couldn’t stand his father
beating him for one more day. His father would snatch away all the
money Velu and his sisters earned and spend it on drink.
“Don’t think I don’t know. This place is full of children like you.
So what are you going to do here? Become rich?”
She sat down next to him. Velu shifted away slightly.
He felt hunger pinching him and pressed his stomach with a
grimace. “Hungry?” asked the girl. “You won’t get food by sitting
here glumly, making faces. I can find some if you want.”
She picked up her sack and started to walk away. Velu
stayed on the bench. What should he do? Should he follow
this girl? Where was she going to take him? She was
disappearing into the crowd, so he had to make up his mind
quickly. Alright, he decided. Anyway I have no idea where to
go. He jumped up and ran after her. She wasn’t even looking
back to see where he was.
Comprehension Check
1. Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving
train”. Why?
2. What made him feel miserable?
3. (i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
4. Why had Velu run away from home?
5. Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?
grimace: twisted expression (on the face) due to pain  glumly: sadly/gloomily
Reprint 2024-25
It so happened... 10 10 10 10 10
II
• Velu follows his friend through the crowded streets to a
big building.
• Behind the building, there is a big garbage bin.
• Velu wonders why they are there at all.
He caught up with the girl as she was leaving the station. When
they got to the road, Velu found that the vehicles kept coming and
never stopped for anyone. Smoke and dust flew at him from all
sides, making his head spin. They had to wait for a long time before
they could find a gap to run through. Velu kept hesitating and the
girl finally dragged him to the other side.
“What do you think you’re doing? Grazing cows? If you stand
around in the middle of the road like that, you’ll be chutney.”
Velu’s heart was still beating fast. He looked back at Central
Station and the traffic speeding by. How had they managed to come
through that? They walked along the side of the road under some
making his head spin: giving him a headache/making him feel dizzy  chutney: (here) run
over/killed; crushed and ground into chutney
Reprint 2024-25
Page 5


Before you read
There are many reasons why children have to work. Some help their
family make a livelihood. Others, who run away from unhappy
homes, need to support themselves. Children who have to work can’t
go to school and play like other children of their age.
I
• Velu, an eleven-year old boy, runs away from home.
• He wanders around for hours before getting on a train to Chennai
without a ticket.
• Tired and hungry, he doesn’t know where to go when a stranger
at the station shouts a word of welcome.
WHEN the Kanyakumari Express pulled in at Chennai Central, it
took Velu some time to get off. When he finally stood on the platform,
his legs felt wobbly, as if he was still on a moving train.
“Oy, out of the way!” A porter went by with a loaded trolley. Velu
jumped aside.
He sat on a bench on the platform, putting his small bundle
down. In all his eleven years, he had never seen so many people,
except once a year at the fair in his village. People walked by,
bumping into him with their suitcases. A voice announced
something on a loudspeaker. Near him a group of people sat on
pulled in: arrived  wobbly: unsteady
Children at work
2
Reprint 2024-25
their luggage, looking at a TV hanging from the roof. The noise
was terrible.
Velu put his head down on his knees, feeling miserable and
exhausted. He had run away from his village two days ago. For two
days he had eaten nothing but some peanuts and a piece of jaggery.
In his bundle he carried a shirt, a towel and a comb.
He had walked for most of the first day to Kanur and then got on
the train to Chennai. Velu had no money for a ticket but luckily the
ticket collector didn’t come to the unreserved compartment. He had
tried to sleep on the floor near the door. A group of men next to him
had played cards and shouted all night.
“Aiy! What, new to town eh?” called out a rough voice.
Velu opened his eyes. There were a lot of people standing around,
but nobody was looking at him.
“Here! Aiy!”
He turned around. Behind him was a girl around his own age,
wearing a long banian that came down to her knees. Her hair was
stiff and brownish and she had a huge sack on one shoulder. She
was picking up dirty plastic cups from the floor and stuffing them
It so happened... 8 8 8 8 8
Reprint 2024-25
Children at work 9 9 9 9 9
into her sack. Why is she calling me, thought Velu. And why is a
girl wearing a banian?
“No need to stare stupidly. What’s your name?”
“Velu,” muttered Velu, looking away.
“So Mr Velu,” said the girl, looking at his bundle. “Run away
from home?”
Velu didn’t answer. He didn’t want to tell some strange girl what
he had done. He had run away because he couldn’t stand his father
beating him for one more day. His father would snatch away all the
money Velu and his sisters earned and spend it on drink.
“Don’t think I don’t know. This place is full of children like you.
So what are you going to do here? Become rich?”
She sat down next to him. Velu shifted away slightly.
He felt hunger pinching him and pressed his stomach with a
grimace. “Hungry?” asked the girl. “You won’t get food by sitting
here glumly, making faces. I can find some if you want.”
She picked up her sack and started to walk away. Velu
stayed on the bench. What should he do? Should he follow
this girl? Where was she going to take him? She was
disappearing into the crowd, so he had to make up his mind
quickly. Alright, he decided. Anyway I have no idea where to
go. He jumped up and ran after her. She wasn’t even looking
back to see where he was.
Comprehension Check
1. Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving
train”. Why?
2. What made him feel miserable?
3. (i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
4. Why had Velu run away from home?
5. Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?
grimace: twisted expression (on the face) due to pain  glumly: sadly/gloomily
Reprint 2024-25
It so happened... 10 10 10 10 10
II
• Velu follows his friend through the crowded streets to a
big building.
• Behind the building, there is a big garbage bin.
• Velu wonders why they are there at all.
He caught up with the girl as she was leaving the station. When
they got to the road, Velu found that the vehicles kept coming and
never stopped for anyone. Smoke and dust flew at him from all
sides, making his head spin. They had to wait for a long time before
they could find a gap to run through. Velu kept hesitating and the
girl finally dragged him to the other side.
“What do you think you’re doing? Grazing cows? If you stand
around in the middle of the road like that, you’ll be chutney.”
Velu’s heart was still beating fast. He looked back at Central
Station and the traffic speeding by. How had they managed to come
through that? They walked along the side of the road under some
making his head spin: giving him a headache/making him feel dizzy  chutney: (here) run
over/killed; crushed and ground into chutney
Reprint 2024-25
Children at work 11 11 11 11 11
huge signboards. Velu looked up at the pictures: banians, car tyres,
pens, a woman holding a box. The writing was all in English, so he
didn’t know what it meant.
The girl turned onto a wide bridge and walked up. Velu stopped
and peeped over the railing. Under him, the road ran into the city.
In the distance he could see huge buildings and towers and
more roads.
“See that big building with the wall around it? If you’re not
careful, you’ll soon be counting bars there.” The girl grinned and
pointed at a huge building.
Velu squinted and read the Tamil sign, Central Jail.
“Why? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just don’t get caught,
that’s all.”
What does she mean, Velu wondered. Meanwhile the girl was
already heading down the bridge with the sack on her shoulder.
What was in it? He had seen her putting plastic cups into it at
the station.
 “What are you carrying in that bag?”
“Things. Bottles, paper.”
Velu wondered what she was doing with them, but he felt shy to
ask any more questions.
It was still morning but the sun blasted down on the tar and
Velu’s bare feet burned. It was not like walking on a mud road. He
was soaked with sweat. He tried hard to walk in the shade and keep
up with the girl at the same time. She walked really fast. How far
away was the food?
After almost an hour of walking, they stopped in front of a big
building. Sri Rajarajeshwari Prasanna Kalyana Mandapam read Velu
slowly. A sign with letters made of flowers said, Groom:
J. V. Vinayagan, Bride: Rani. Velu stared at the big cars parked
outside. One of the cars had a flower garland and roses taped onto it.
The girl looked around, pulled one off quickly and stuck it in her hair.
“Come on,” she said.
“Are we going to eat here?” asked Velu, looking at the huge hall
and the people inside.
Reprint 2024-25