Feathered Friend Summary Class 8 English

Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, a renowned science-fiction writer and futurist, was known as one of the influential figures in the genre. He was often called the "Prophet of the Space Age" for his contributions to science and science fiction. In a space station where pets were not allowed, a man named Sven Olsen defied the rules and brought a canary named Claribel. Sven was a skilled construction worker who excelled in the challenging task of assembling various floating girders in space. Unlike construction workers on Earth, Sven's team could admire their work without gravity causing any issues. One day, the writer, who was on the space station, heard a whistling sound and discovered the source to be Claribel, the canary. Claribel had adapted well to the absence of gravity and became a beloved pet for everyone on the station. They managed to hide her from visiting VIPs, although her occasional noisiness posed a challenge. The crew worked on twelve-hour watches, even though there was no day or night in space. One morning, Sven couldn't find Claribel, and they eventually discovered her lifeless body. Worried, they called upon Jock Duncan, the cook-doctor-dietitian, to examine her. Jock tried to detect a heartbeat but couldn't, apologizing for his lack of experience with canaries. Desperate to revive Claribel, someone suggested giving her a shot of oxygen. To their delight, she quickly regained consciousness. However, her condition deteriorated again shortly after. The writer, feeling a surge of understanding, realized that something was wrong with the air on the station. He recalled that miners used canaries to detect dangerous gases. Jim, the duty engineer, initially dismissed the idea, believing that the alarm system would have detected any issues. But when Jim's assistant mentioned that the second alarm circuit wasn't connected yet, Jim realized that an alarm had indeed failed to go off due to an eclipse. A crucial air purifier had frozen, putting their lives at risk. In the end, Claribel's presence had inadvertently saved them. Her sudden silence had alerted the crew to the potential danger, and their quick action prevented a disastrous outcome. Now, the sound of bird songs on space stations serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures and the extraordinary circumstances in which humans live and work in space.