Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 3 Question Answers - Glimpses of the Past

Comprehension Check (Page 45)

Q1. Look at picture 1 and recall the opening lines of the original song in Hindi. Who is the singer? Who else do you see in this picture? 

Ans. The opening lines of the Hindi Song are “Aye Mere Waten Ke Logon, Tum Khub Lago Nara: Ye Shubh Din Hai Hum Sab Ka Lehralo Tiranga Pyara, Par Mat Bhulo Seema Par Veron Ne Hain Pran Gawayen. It was sung by Lata Mangeskar. We see Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Mrs. Indira Gandhi in this picture.

Q2. In picture 2 what do you understand by the Company's ‘superior weapons’? 

Ans. The East India Company conquered India by using their superior weapons, the guns and diplomacy.

Q3. Who is an artisan? Why do you think the artisans suffered? (Picture 3) 

Ans. An artisan is a craftsman, skilled in some trade. They suffered because the goods that they produced lost demand in the Indian market.

Q4. Which picture, according to you, reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt?

Ans. Picture 7 reveals the first spark of the fire of revolt. 

Working with the Text (Page 45)

Answer the following questions.

Q1. Do you think the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events of 1757?
 Ans. Yes, the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach. They fought against each other with the help of the British. Thus the British became the virtual rulers.

Q2. How did the East India Company subdue the Indian Princes?
 Ans. The East India company spread their wings in India to promote their trade. They supported one Indian Prince to finish the other. As a result power passed onto their hands.

Q3. Quote the words used by Ram Mohan Roy to say that every religion teaches the same principles.
 Ans. The words of Ram Mohan Roy spoken to his wife were: “Cows are of different colours, but the colour of their milk is the same. Different teachers have different opinions but the essence of every religion is the same.”

Q4. In what ways did the British officers exploit Indians?
 Ans. The British rulers passed a resolution under which an Indian could be sent to jail without trial in a court. The goods manufactured in England were exempted from custom duty. The officers prospered on the company’s loot and their private business flourished.

Q5. Name these people.

(i) The ruler who fought pitched battles against the British and died fighting.
 Ans. Tipu Sultan of Mysore.

(ii) The person who wanted to reform the society.
 Ans. Raja Ram Mohan Roy of Bengal.

(iii) The person who recommended the introduction of English education in India.
 Ans. Lord Mecaulay

(iv) Two popular leaders who led the revolt (choices may vary.)
 Ans. Nana Sahib Peshwa, Kunwar Singh, Begum Hazrat Mahal.

Q6. Mention the following.

(i) Two examples of social practices prevailing then. 

Ans. Untouchability and child marriage.

(ii) Two oppressive policies of the British. 

Ans. The British masters allowed imports in India tax free. They ruined Indian cottage industries

(iii) Two ways in which common people suffered. 

Ans. The farmers were taxed heavily and the thumbs of skilled workers were cut.

(iv) Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence.

Ans. (a) Desperate after losing their land, the Santhals revolted.
(b) Sepoys in the English army were angry due to lower pay than white soldiers.
(c) Brahmins were outraged upon learning the bullets contained cow and pig fat.
(d) Landlords were upset as British policies took away their land and estates.

Working with Language (Page 45)

In comics what the characters speak is put in bubbles. This is direct narration. When we report what the characters speak, we use the method of indirect narration. Study these examples:

First farmer : Why are your men taking away the entire crop?
Second farmer : Your men have taken away everything.
Officer : You are still in arrears. If you don’t pay tax next week, I’ll send you to jail.

• The first farmer asked the officer why his men were taking away the entire crop.
• The second farmer said that their men had taken away everything.
• The officer replied that they were still in arrears and warned them that if they did not pay tax the following week, he (the officer) would send them (the farmers) to jail.

1. Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

(i) First man: We must educate our brothers.
 Second man: And try to improve their material conditions.
 Third man: For that we must convey our grievances to the British Parliament.

The first man said that ___________a____________
The second man added that they ____b___________
The third man suggested that_______c___________

Ans. (a) they must educate their brothers.
(b) should try to improve their material conditions.
(c) they must convey their grievances to the British Parliament.

(ii) First soldier: The white soldier gets huge pay, mansions and servants.
 Second soldier: We get a pittance and slow promotions.
 Third soldier: Who are the British to abolish our customs?
The first soldier said that _________a________________
The second soldier remarked that ______b____________ 
The third soldier asked _______________c____________

Ans. (a) the white soldier got huge pay, mansions and servants.
(b) they got a pittance and slow promotions.
(c) who the British were to abolish their customs.

Speaking and Writing (Page 46)

Q1. Play and act the role of farmers who have grievances against the policies of the government. Rewrite their speech bubbles in dialogue form first. 
 (See NCERT  Textbook Pages 47-48)

(i) Ask one another questions about the pictures.

• Where is the fox? 
• How did it happen? 
• What is the fox thinking? 
• Who is the visitor?     
• What does she want to know? 
• What is the fox’s reply? 
• What happens next? 
• Where is the goat? 
• Where is the fox now? 
• What is the goat thinking?

Ans. The fox is in the well.
She fell into the well by accident.
The fox thinks how to get out of there.
The visitor is a goat.
She wants to know whether the water is sweet.
The fox replies that the water is very sweet and she had a lot of it.
The goat wanted to taste the water.
The goat is dragged into the water by the fox.
The fox comes out of the well.
The goat is thinking of her mother's advice not to trust any stranger.

(ii) Write the story in your own words. Give it a title
 Ans. Once, a fox fell into a well by accident and was trying to figure out how to escape. A goat happened to pass by, saw the well, and asked if the water was sweet. The clever fox lied, saying the water was the sweetest she'd ever tasted and invited the goat to try it. Eager to taste the water, the goat jumped in, and the fox used her back to climb out of the well. After thanking the goat for her help, the fox walked away, leaving the goat trapped inside. The goat then remembered her mother’s advice to never trust strangers.

Q3. Read the following news item. Based on this news item write a paragraph on what you think about this new method of teaching history.(See NCERT Textbook Page 49)
 Ans. Attempt yourself.

Q4. Find the chapters in your history book that correspond to the episodes and events described in this comic. Note how the information contained in a few chapters of history has been condensed to a few pages with the help of pictures and ‘speech bubbles’.
 Ans. Attempt yourself.

Q5. Create a comic of your own using this story.
 Once the Sun and the Wind began to quarrel, each one saying that he was stronger than the other. At last they decided to test each other’s strength. A man with a cloak around his shoulders was passing by. The Wind boasted, “Using my strength I can make that man take off the cloak.” The Sun agreed. The Wind blew hard. The man felt so cold that he clasped his cloak round his body as tightly as possible.
 Now it was the turn of the Sun which shone very hot indeed. The man felt so hot that he at once removed the cloak from his body. Seeing the man taking off the cloak, the Wind conceded defeat.
 Ans.  Attempt yourself.