Class 8 English (It so Happened) Chapter 2 Question Answers - Children at work

Q1: Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.
Ans: Velu was not happy initially but he had no other option. This seemed to him all right until he was able to find a better job, he tried to be happy.

Q2: How old was Velu when he left his home? Why did he leave his home?
Ans: Velu was eleven when he ran away from home. He took this risk because he could not tolerate his drunkard father’s beating.

Q3: Why could Velu not understand what was written on the sign boards?
Ans: Velu could not understand what was written on the sign board because it was written in English.

Q4: What made Velu feel miserable?
Ans: Velu felt miserable and exhausted as 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; even the noise at the platform seemed terrible and made him feel miserable.

Q5: Describe the appearance of Jaya.
Ans: She wore a long banian that came down to her knees. Her hair was stiff brown and she had a huge sack on her one shoulder. She was picking up dirty plastic cups from the floor and stuffing them into her sack.

Q6: What problems did Velu face when he stood on Chennai platform?
Ans: Velu was alone, tired and hungry. He felt miserable. For two days, he had eaten nothing except some peanuts. He was penniless and homeless too.

Q7: Which big building did the girl show to Velu?
Ans: The girl showed the building of Central Jail to Velu.

Q8: What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?
Ans: Jaya along with similar children collect paper, plastic, glass. They sell it to Jaggu in Jam Bazaar who further sells it to a factory.

Q9: What sort of girl was Jaya? How did she help Velu?                           ‘
Ans: Jaya was a poor little girl ragpicker who carried a bag on her back. She collected waste material from the dustbins. Though small, she was kind-hearted. She helped Velu with food as well as a regular job as ragpicker.

Q10: How did Jaya earn her livelihood?
Ans: Jaya was a small girl who lived in a cottage near a dirty drain. She was a ragpicker. She earned her livelihood by collecting paper, plastic, glass and even food from the dustbins and heaps of rubbish.

Q11: How was Velu’s journey in the train?
Ans: Velu entered an unreserved compartment and tried to sleep on the floor near the door. A group of men next to him had played cards and shouted all night, so, it was spent miserably.

Q12:  What problems do millions of poor children face in India? What basic issue does the story discuss?
Ans: This story gives us a picture of children who are bound to work to support not only themselves but also their parents. They can’t go to school, they can’t play like other children of their age. The story draws our attention to the evil of child labour.

Q13: Which other time did Velu see so many people?
Ans: Velu saw so many people only once a year at the fair of his village.

Q14: Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train.” Why?
Ans: Velu felt “as if he was still on a moving train” because he had wandered around for hours before getting on a train to Chennai, he was tired and hungry, his legs shook unsteadily. He had travelled so long that he felt the train was still moving.

Q15: Why did Velu’s legs felt wobbly when he got off the train?
Ans: Velu’s legs felt wobbly when he got off the train because he had travelled a long journey and he felt as if he were still on a moving train.