Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 Question Answers - A Short Monsoon Diary

Comprehension Check (Page 115) 

Q1. Why is the author not able to see Bijju?
 Ans. 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.

Q2. What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?
 Ans. When the mist comes up, it covers the hills and spreads silence.

Comprehension Check (Page 117)

Q1. When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon? 
Ans. 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 raincoats and umbrellas to face the monsoon.

Q2. Which hill-station does the author describe in the diary entry?
 Ans. Mussoorie.

Q3. For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days? 
 Ans. It rains non-stop for eight or nine days. The author keeps pacing the room and looking out of the window.

Q4. Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why? 
 Ans. The rodents and snakes take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. They do so because their holes are flooded with rain water.

Q5. What did the author receive in the mail? 
Ans. The author received a cheque in the mail.

Working with the Text (Page 118)

Q1. 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.
 Ans. 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.

Q2. Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?
 Ans. The grandmother told the children not to kill the Chuchundars because they brought good luck and money.

Q3. What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?
 Ans. 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.

Q4. Complete the following sentences. 

(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because_________
 Ans.  dense mist covers and hides the hills.

(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as _________
 Ans. ‘A paradise that might have been.’

(iii) The leopard was successful in _______ but had to flee when.
 Ans. killing a dog but had to flee when Bijju's mother arrived crying curses.

(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because ______
 Ans.  of their bright colours.

(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ________
 Ans. they are covered by a variety of flowers.

(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because __________
 Ans. their holes are flooded with water and these places provide them convenient shelter.

Q5. ‘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’? 
 Ans. The word ‘springing’ is used to show suddenness with which water starts leaking.

(ii) How is the writer untouched by the rain?  
 Ans. Because he is inside the room.

(iii) How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time? 
 Ans.  He hears the drumming of rain on the tin roof. He also looks out of the window to see the rains.

Q6. Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together?
 Ans. 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.

Q7. What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?
 Ans. 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 (Page 118)   

Q1. 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, powercuts, cold, umbrella,

Ans. rainwater, fog, raincoats, thunder,  dampness, lakes etc.
In my language I find the alternative words like the following:
बौछार, बूंदाबांदी, तुषार, धुंध, शीत, छतरी, रेनकोट, आंधी, इत्यादि

Q2. 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 the 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.

(i) We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.
 Ans. 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.
 Ans. The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.

(iii) I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet. 
 Ans. I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.

(iv) She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.
 Ans. She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully.

(v) We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games.  
 Ans. We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.

(vi) The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw). 
 Ans. The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.

Q3. 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.
 Ans. drip

(b) to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly.
 Ans. drum

(c) to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound
 Ans. swish

(d) harsh sound made by birds.
 Ans. caw

(e) ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.).
 Ans. tinkle

(ii) Now fill in the blanks using the correct form of the words given above.

(a) Ramesh ______ on his desk in impatience.
 Ans. drummed 

(b) Rain water ______ from the umbrella all over the carpet.
 Ans. dripped

(c) The pony ______ its tail.
 Ans. was swishing

(d) The ______ of breaking glass woke me up. 
 Ans. tinkle

(e) The ______ of the raven disturbed the child's sleep. 
 Ans. caw

Q4. 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.
 Ans. sure enough 

(ii) The blue umbrella was ______ ______ for the brother and sister.
 Ans. big  enough

(iii) The butterflies are ______ ______ to get noticed.
 Ans. colourful enough

(iv) The lady was ______ ______ to chase the leopard.
 Ans. brave enough

(v) The boy was ______ ______ to call out to his sister.
 Ans. anxious enough

(vi) The man was ______ ______ to offer help. 
 Ans. kind enough

(vii) The victim's injury was ______ ______ for him to get admitted in hospital.
 Ans.  serious enough

(viii) That person was ______ ______ to repeat the same mistake again.
 Ans. foolish enough

(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘______ _____
 Ans. Fair enough

Speaking (Page 120)   

Q1. Do you believe in superstitions? Why, or why not? Working with your partner, write down three superstitious beliefs that you are familiar with.
 Ans.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.  

Q2. 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.
 Ans. 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.