Solutions Verghese Kurien—I Too Had A Dream English Poorvi Class 8 CBSE Board

Question Answer For All Chapters – English Poorvi Class 8th

Let us do these activities before we read. (Page 82)

Answer: Carrier pigeons → Telegraph → Postcard → Telephone → Mobile phone → Email

II Work in pairs and discuss the following things. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. The reasons for change in the means of communication over the years.

Answer: Reasons for change: advancement of technology, faster needs of communication, cheaper options.

2. The means of communication that you prefer to use and the reason for your choice.

Answer: Preferred means: Mobile phone, because it is quick, easy, and available everywhere.

3. Communication through social media: its benefits and precautions that one should take against its misuse.

Answer: Social media benefits: connects people, spreads awareness. Precautions: avoid oversharing personal details, verify information, don’t misuse.

Let us discuss (Page 85,86)

A fact is something that can be proven true or false. A fact is not based on people’s beliefs. An opinion on the other hand is a belief, feeling or judgement, and can vary from one person to another. An opinion cannot be proven.

Identify which of the following statements are facts and which are opinions. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
1. But speaking on the telephone only gives us an immediate but fleeting joy.
2. I started my working life soon after our country became independent.
3. To be quite honest, service to our nation’s farmers was not the career I had envisioned for myself.
4. I knew I could make a more meaningful contribution by working here in Anand, Gujarat.
5. … values that I saw in my mentor and supporter here in Anand— Tribhuvandas Patel.
6. Life is a privilege, and to waste it would be wrong.
7. I hope that you, too, will discover, as I did, that failure is not about not succeeding.
8. … the magnificent ceremony in which the President awarded me the Padma Vibhushan in 1999?

Answer: 1. Opinion
2. Fact
3. Opinion
4. Opinion
5. Fact
6. Opinion
7. Opinion
8. Fact

Let us think and reflect (Page 86,87,88)

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. In today’s fast-paced world we have become so addicted to instant communication that we prefer to use a telephone. But speaking on the telephone only gives us an immediate but fleeting joy. Writing is different. Writing—even if it is a letter—not only conveys our present concerns and views of the events taking place around us but it becomes a possession that can be treasured and re-read over the years, with great, abiding pleasure.

(i) Fill in the blank given below by selecting the correct option from the brackets.
When the writer refers to a ‘fast-paced world’, he is speaking of a world where _________________. (communication happens quickly but lacks depth/people have more time to write and reflect)

Answer: Communication happens quickly but lacks depth.

(ii) Select the option that applies correctly to both Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
(A): Writing letters can be treasured and re-read over the years.
(R): Speaking on
A. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
C. (A) is true, but (R) is false.
D. Both (A) and (R) are false.

Answer: C. (A) is true, but (R) is false.

(iii) Identify whether the statement given below is true or false. The writer feels that letter-writing is a class apart from other kinds of writing.

Answer: True

(iv) Which of the following is the most appropriate title for the given extract?
A. The Rise of Instant Communication
B. The Fleeting Delight of Phone Calls
C. The Lasting Joy of Written Words
D. Living in a Fast-paced World

Answer: C. The Lasting Joy of Written Words

2. Your grandmother too made an important choice. She knew, in those early days, life in Anand could not offer even the simple comforts that we take for granted today. However, she ardently supported my choice to live and work in Anand. That choice of your grandmother to stand by me has given me an everlasting strength, always ensuring that I shouldered my responsibilities with poise.

(i) How can we say that the grandmother shared her husband’s dedication to a greater cause?

Answer: Because she supported her husband’s difficult decision and sacrifices for the farmers.

(ii) Complete the following with the correct option from the two given in brackets.
The fact that the writer (grandfather) praises his wife tells us that he _____________________ (truly values/quietly accepts) her role in his life.

Answer: Truly values

(iii) Complete the following sentence with the correct option from those given below.
Based on the information in the extract, we can infer that the grandmother had all of the following traits EXCEPT ____________.
A. encouraging B. understanding
C. comforting D. thoughtful

Answer: D. Thoughtful

(iv) Select the phrase that conveys— ‘showed grace under pressure and carried out my duties with dignity and confidence’.

Answer: “shouldered my responsibilities with poise”.

II Answer the following questions.

1. What event does Dr. Kurien refer to when he mentions receiving the Padma Vibhushan?

Answer: He refers to the Padma Vibhushan award ceremony in Delhi in 1999.

2. How did Dr. Kurien’s decision to join the cooperative in Anand affect his life?

Answer: It completely changed his life and gave him a chance to serve farmers and bring the White Revolution.

3. Dr. Kurien’s decision to work in Anand reveals his values and sense of duty. Explain.

Answer: It shows his commitment, honesty, integrity, and sense of duty towards the nation.

4. Why did Dr. Kurien write the letter to his grandson?

Answer: He wrote the letter to share life lessons and values with his grandson and future generations.

5. According to Dr. Kurien “life is a privilege and it is wrong to waste it”. What is your opinion on this?

Answer: Yes, life is precious. We should use our time wisely to help others and improve ourselves.

6. What message does Dr. Kurien want to convey about selfless service and its long-term impact on the society?

Answer: He wanted to say that selfless service benefits society for generations and gives true satisfaction.

Let us learn (Page 88-92)

I Replace the underlined words in each sentence with the correct synonym from the box. You may refer to a dictionary.

1. He received the award in a magnificent ceremony.

Answer: Splendid

2. I felt a fleeting joy when I received the appreciation for my song.

Answer: Momentary

3. With today’s instant communication, we can share information across the world in seconds.

Answer: Swift

4. Our school focuses on the core values—collaboration, innovation, and unity.

Answer: Essential

5. My teacher’s advice on time management is a valuable reminder of the importance of planning.

Answer: Valuable

6. Reading books and listening to music can give abiding pleasure that will last forever.

Answer: lifelong

II Match the expressions from the text in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2.

Answer: 

III Make as many words as you can out of the following words. One example has been done for you.

Answer: 

1. community — city, toy, tune, unity, mutiny, cot
2. important —Part, Port, Ratio, Train, Point, Rant, Ramp
3. magnificent — Gift, Main, Fan, Nice, Ace, Gain, Tent
4. satisfied — Safe, Fade, Sit, Side, Fast, Said
5. generation — Great, Rate, Near, Tiger, Iron, Ratio, Ring
6. achievement — Team, Men, Chat, Neat, Aim, Achieve, Cheat, Time

IV Let us play a word game—antakshari.

1. Write the synonym of the word according to the clues given below.
2. For example, the synonym of the first word, ‘IMPORTANT’ ends with the letter ‘T’. The synonym of the second word begins with ‘T’, ‘TROUBLE’. Then write the synonym of the third word starting with the letter ‘E’.
3. Now, continue with the word game.

(i) major (synonym) (ii) problem (synonym)
(iii) uneven (antonym) (iv) related to post office
(v) our moral duty (vi) related to time
(vii) prosperous (synonym) (viii) related to being alive

Answer: 

V Study the highlighted punctuation marks in the following sentences from the text.
1. … but that you should not be satisfied in merely keeping my awards— the challenge before you was to earn your own rewards for the work that you did in your lifetime.

2. Writing—even if it is a letter—not only conveys our present concerns and views of the events taking place around us, but it becomes a possession.
The highlighted punctuation is a long dash that can be used to link words or numbers or to create a pause in a sentence. There are two main types: the shorter en dash (–) and the longer em dash (—).

Note: Do not add spaces around the dash and avoid overusing them.

Read the sentences below and insert either an em dash (—) or an en dash (–) suitably.
(i) The conference will be held from March 15 March 20.
(ii) I have lived in Kanpur Raipur for five years now.
(iii) The artist known for her vibrant paintings will be showcasing her work in Guwahati.
(iv) The scores for the final match were 2 3.
(v) My favourite snacks samosas, pakoras, and jalebis are all from India.
(vi) The train journey from Belagavi Bengaluru takes less than ten hours.
(vii) I just finished reading the book it was absolutely amazing!
(viii) The event will take place on September 1 September 5.

Answer: (i) March 15–March 20
← En dash (-) is used to indicate a range of dates.

(ii) Kanpur–Raipur
← En dash (-) is used to indicate a range between two places.

(iii) The artist—known for her vibrant paintings—will be showcasing…
← Em dash (—) is used to add extra information.

(iv) 2-3
← En dash (-) is used to show scores.

(v) My favourite snacks—samosas, pakoras, and jalebis—are all from India.
← Em dash (—) is used to add extra explanation or list.

(vi) Belagavi-Bengaluru
← En dash (-) is used to indicate a route or span between places.

(vii) I just finished reading the book—it was absolutely amazing!
← Em dash (—) is used to add a comment or sudden thought.

(viii) September 1–September 5
← En dash (-) is used to show a date range.

VI. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct word from the options given in the brackets.
(i) Please remember to bring ___________ (your/you’re) assignment book.
(ii) The team celebrated ___________ (their/they’re) victory after the match.
(iii) ___________ (its/it’s) important to stay hydrated during the hot summer days.
(iv) I can’t believe ___________ (your/you’re) going to the mango festival today.
(v) The students said ___________ (they’re/their) excited for the field trip tomorrow.
(vi) The tree lost ___________ (its/it’s) leaves in the winter.

Answer: (i) your
(ii) their
(iii) it’s
(iv) you’re
(v) they’re
(vi) its

VII Read the following phrases from the text.
1. In today’s fast-paced world
2. On the telephone
3. With great, abiding pleasure
4. In the chapters that follow
5. At a certain time
6. With equal respect and love
The given phrases are Prepositional Phrases.

Now, complete the following sentences with suitable prepositional phrases.
(i) The children played happily in
___________________________________.
(ii) Nisha placed the vase on
___________________________________.
(iii) We discussed the project in
___________________________________.
(iv) Preethi found the lost book under
___________________________________.
(v) The cat slept on
___________________________________.

Answer: (i) the garden
(ii) the table
(iii) the meeting
(iv) the bed
(v) the sofa

VIII Rearrange the following jumbled words and phrases into meaningful sentences.
1. barked/at the strangers/the dog/loudly/the house/walking by
2. wrote/my classmate/during the/a story/summer vacations
3. enjoyed/under the trees/they/by the lake/a picnic
4. in his/grandfather’s room/hung/he/the painting
5. studied/with great determination/for/students/the/exam

Answer:

1. The dog barked loudly at the strangers walking by the house.
2. My classmate wrote a story during the summer vacations.
3. They enjoyed a picnic under the trees by the lake.
4. He hung the painting in his grandfather’s room.
5. The students studied for the exam with great determination.

Let us listen (Page 93)

I You will listen to the passage about Evelyn Glennie’s journey in overcoming her hearing loss through music and turning a physical disability into a success story. (Transcript for teacher on page 100)

After listening, match the words given in Column 1 with their meanings given in Column 2.

Answer: 1 → (i), 2 → (v), 3 → (iv), 4 → (ii), 5 → (iii)

II Listen to the passage once again and state whether the statements given below are true or false.
1. Evelyn Glennie became deaf suddenly.
2. Her headmistress ignored the signs of her hearing loss.
3. Ron Forbes was a percussionist who helped Evelyn.
4. Evelyn used her skin and bones to sense music.
5. She gave up on music after her diagnosis.

Answer: False (it was gradual)
False (she did not ignore, she suggested specialist)
True
True
False

III Answer the following questions in one or two words.
1. How did Evelyn turn her disability into strength?
2. What role did Ron Forbes play in her life?
3. What lessons can we learn from Evelyn’s story about how to treat others who have different abilities or challenges?

Answer: By using vibrations and determination.
He guided her and taught her to sense sound through the body.
We should support people with disabilities and respect their talents.

Let us speak (Page 94)

I Read the highlighted word in the following sentence from the text.

That common good will present itself to you in many forms every day.
The highlighted word is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable.
PreSENT (verb) the stress is on the second syllable.
PREsent (noun) the stress is on the first syllable.
Now, read aloud the given words with the correct syllable stress according to the part of speech given in the brackets.

Answer: Do it yourself.

II Read the highlighted words in the following sentence from the text.
…but it becomes a possession that can be treasured and re-read over the years, with great, abiding pleasure.
treasure [treh-Zhuh] pleasure [pleh-Zhuh]
In the highlighted words, -sure has a ‘Zhuh’ sound.
There are some words which end in -sure, but have a ‘shuh’ sound as in pressure [preh-shuh].
Now, read aloud the words given below with the ‘shuh’ or ‘zhuh’ sound.

Answer: Words with the ‘shuh’ and ‘zhuh’ Sounds

III 1. Read aloud the following lines from the poem.

Don’t Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit—rest if you must,
but don’t you quit.
                                                       Edgar Albert Guest

Now, read the lines of the poem once again by taking a shorter pause (/) or a long pause (//). Notice which version is easier for a listener to follow and understand.
When things go wrong,/as they sometimes will,//
when the road you’re trudging/seems all uphill,//
when the funds are low/and the debts are high,//
and you want to smile/but you have to sigh,//
when care is pressing you down a bit/—rest if you must,/
but don’t you quit.//
Have you listened to this song in Hindi or in your language? Share with your classmates and teacher.

Answer: When we read the poem with shorter pauses (/) and longer pauses (//), it becomes easier for listeners to understand the meaning. Pauses help to highlight the emotions of struggle, hope, and encouragement in the poem.

The poem with chunking:

When things go wrong,/as they sometimes will,//
when the road you’re trudging/seems all uphill,//
when the funds are low/and the debts are high,//
and you want to smile/but you have to sigh,//
when care is pressing you down a bit/—rest if you must,/
but don’t you quit.//

2. Chunk the stanzas with (/) or (//) and read it aloud.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might
have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow—
you may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man.

Answer: Do it yourself.

Let us write (Page 95) 

I Write a letter to your grandparents thanking them for the valuable lessons they have taught you. Include how their wisdom has shaped your values and behaviour in life.
1. Thank them for teaching you important lessons, sharing stories, or helping others in the neighbourhood.
2. Share how their actions inspire you to contribute to the betterment of the society.

(Sample letter)
Dear Grandparents,
Thank you for teaching me valuable lessons of honesty, kindness, and hard work. Your stories and guidance inspire me to be helpful to others and contribute to society. Your wisdom has shaped my values, and I always try to follow your example.
With love,
(Your Name)