Solutions Waiting for the Rain English Poorvi Class 8 CBSE Board

Question Answer For All Chapters – English Poorvi Class 8th

Let us do these activities before we read. (Page 185)

I Have you ever waited for the rains? Why?

Answer: Yes, I have waited for the rains because without rain it becomes very hot, dry, and difficult for plants, animals, and people.

II How do you feel when it rains after a long time?

Answer: I feel very happy and refreshed when it rains after a long time. The air becomes cool, the land looks green, and everything feels alive again.

III Why do you think the farmers wait for the rains?

Answer: Farmers wait for the rains because their crops depend on water. Without rain, they cannot sow seeds or grow food.

IV Discuss in groups what happens when you wait for something or someone for a long period of time.

1. How do you spend the waiting period?

Answer: I spend the waiting period by thinking, hoping, and sometimes doing small tasks to pass the time.

2. What do you think about?

Answer: I keep thinking about when it will finally happen and how happy I will feel after the waiting ends.

3. How do you feel?
Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Answer: I feel restless, impatient, and sometimes sad. But when the wait is over, I feel joyful and relieved.

Let us discuss (Page 188)

I Complete the table given below. One example has been done for you.
Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

II Do you think the old woman would help Velu? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Answer: Yes, the old woman would help Velu because she shared her wisdom about Nature. She explained that the land also needs rest and that no rain allows the soil to regain strength. Her words gave Velu comfort and hope.

III Will Velu’s wait continue or will it rain?

Answer: Velu’s wait will not continue. At the end of the story, he feels a cool breeze, sees clouds, and the first drops of rain fall. Soon, it begins to rain, making him laugh with joy.

Let us discuss (Page 191)

I Complete the following statements given below with suitable reasons.

1. Velu asked the old woman to stop smiling because _________________.
2. Velu said that it was hard not being able to work since _________________.
3. Velu was confused when the old lady said that the land needed rest because _________________.
4. The old lady said that it was good for the land when it didn’t rain as _________________.
5. Velu ran home laughing and happy because _________________.

Answer:

1. because without the rains, there was nothing to smile about.

2. since this was the first season in many years that he had not sown or ploughed.

3. he had never thought that the earth also grows old and needs rest.

4.  the land could lie undisturbed and take rest.

5. because the clouds had gathered, and it had started to rain.

Let us think and reflect (Page 191-193)

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. “…I can’t see how talking to astrologers will bring rain.”
He decided to go to the weather office in the city and talk to someone. But the people at the weather office said they couldn’t really tell him when the sky would gather clouds and bring rain. “We are at a loss ourselves!” they exclaimed. “So many favourable conditions but still no rain. Very odd!”

(i) What does the first line of the extract tell us about Velu’s beliefs?

Answer: It shows that Velu did not believe in superstitions like consulting astrologers. He believed in practical solutions.

(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason.

Velu is determined to seek information about the rain because ___________________. (he was at a loss of words/he wants to find a practical solution to the drought affecting his farm)

Answer: Velu is determined to seek information about the rain because he wants to find a practical solution to the drought affecting his farm.

(iii) Complete the table with reference to Velu’s weather office visit.

(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable option.
The absence of rain despite favourable conditions, shows ___________________.
A. lack of astrological knowledge
B. ineffectiveness of farmers like Velu
C. delay in understanding the weather
D. unpredictability of nature

Answer: D. unpredictability of nature.

2. “The soil, the land, the earth… shouldn’t someone let the land rest a bit?” the old woman said, softly, smiling.
“Rest? Let the land rest? I don’t understand,” Velu looked at her, a little puzzled.
“Yes, my son, that is the difficulty. You don’t realise that the earth is old…”

(i) The old woman’s advice was accompanied with a soft tone and a smile. What does that tell us about her?

Answer: It shows that she was gentle, calm, and wise.

(ii) Fill in the blank with the correct option.

The old woman’s advice ___________ Velu, at that moment.
A. failed to impress  B. confused
C. scared                       D. made sense to

Answer: B. confused

(iii) State one thing about the old woman when she referred to Velu as ‘my son’, while offering advice.

Answer: It shows her affection and motherly concern for Velu.

(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable explanation.
The ‘difficulty’ that the old woman mentions is due to the fact that ________________.

Answer: The ‘difficulty’ that the old woman mentions is due to the fact that farmers do not realise that the land also grows old and needs rest, just like people do.

II Answer the following questions.
1. How does the old woman convey Nature’s wisdom to Velu?

Answer: The old woman conveys Nature’s wisdom by explaining that the land, like people, also needs rest. When there is no rain, the soil gets time to recover and regain strength. She tells Velu that Nature knows how to take care of itself.

2. The writer says, ‘The fields lay untended…’ Why couldn’t the farmers tend to their fields in the absence of rain?

Answer: The farmers could not tend their fields because without rain the land had become barren, dry, cracked, and unsuitable for cultivation.

3. Support the old woman’s perspective that the land needs rest just like people do.

Answer: Continuous cultivation makes the soil weak and less fertile. Just as people become tired and need rest to regain energy, the earth also needs rest to restore its nutrients and become fertile again.

4. What can be inferred about Velu’s character based on his reaction to the drought?

Answer: Velu is hardworking, sincere, and practical. He does not believe in superstitions but looks for real solutions. At the same time, he is emotional and feels hopeless in the drought, yet he is willing to learn from wisdom.

5. What does the story suggest about the life of farmers and their relationship with nature?

Answer: The story shows that farmers live a life of hard work, patience, and hope. Their survival depends directly on nature, and they must live in harmony with it.

6. How might the rest and care of land contribute to a balanced and sustainable ecosystem?

Answer: Resting and caring for the land helps it regain fertility, retain moisture, and control pests and diseases. This ensures good crops in the future and maintains a balanced and sustainable ecosystem.

Let us learn (Pages 193-197)

I Solve a crossword using picture and word clues. All clues are related to the words from the text that are connected to weather or agriculture.

Answer: 

II The text uses words like ‘piece,’ ‘weather,’ ‘son,’ and ‘rain’. These words are the same as other words that are spelt differently—peace, whether, sun, and reign.
Words that are pronounced the same as other words but differ in meaning or in spelling are called homophones.
Now, complete the paragraph by filling in the correct option of homophones given in the brackets.
The farmer looked at the sky and wondered 1. ________________ (weather/whether) the clouds would finally bring rain. He sat down on the ground, breaking a small 2. ________________ (piece/peace) of roti for his meal. The 3. ________________ (plain/plane) fields stretched endlessly before him, completely dry. He thought about how he could 4. ________________ (sell/cell) his last sack of grain to buy some essentials for his family. Without the rains, it didn’t 5. ________________ (seam/seem) possible to grow another crop this season. Despite his worries, he smiled, knowing that every farmer hopes for the next 6. ________________ (rain/reign) by nature to bring life back to the land.

Answer: 1. whether
2. piece
3. plain
4. sell
5. seem
6. rain

III Choose the correct meanings from the given options for the underlined words or phrases in the following sentences.

1. Being annoyed, she muttered something which nobody heard.
(i) spoke in a low voice (ii) spoke slowly (iii) spoke angrily
2. At the new work place, Riya felt forlorn for a week.
(i) upset and irritated (ii) angry and bitter (iii) sad and neglected
3. When all his friends had gone, he was at a loss because he did not know what to do.
(i) confused (ii) shocked (iii) lonely
4. When the little child saw her father, her eyes sparkled.
(i) glowed dimly (ii) showed joy (iii) opened wide

Answer: muttered → (i) spoke in a low voice
forlorn → (iii) sad and neglected
at a loss → (i) confused
sparkled → (ii) showed joy

IV Match each word (adjective) in Column 1 with a word (noun) that collocates in Column 2. Write the adjective-noun collocation in Column 3. One example has been done for you.

Answer: 

V Underline the verbs and identify the forms of tenses for the following sentences from the text.
1. Oh, it is hard not to be able to work…
2. …I am too old.
3. What are you smiling at, Amma?
4. But my son, that is what I am talking about.
5. The earth has worked for years, centuries…
6. I have worked hard and honestly.

The forms of tenses in the given statements are Simple Present Tense (1 and 2), Present Progressive Tense (3 and 4) Present Perfect Tense (5 and 6).

Now, fill in the blanks with the correct form of Simple Present, Present Progressive or Present Perfect tenses of the verbs given in brackets.

Ravi (i) __________ (be) a farmer who (ii) __________ (practise) crop rotation on his land. Each season, he (iii) __________ (plant) different crops to maintain the soil’s health. This year, he (iv) __________ (grow) legumes, which help restore the nutrients in the soil. Over the years, Ravi (v) __________ (learn) that planting the same crop repeatedly (vi) __________ (deplete) the soil, making it less fertile. By rotating crops, he (vii) __________ (keep) the land productive and fertile. He (viii) __________ (see) a noticeable improvement in his yields since adopting this method. Now, Ravi (ix) __________ (share) his knowledge with other farmers, explaining how crop rotation(x) __________ (benefit) both the soil and their harvests.

Answer: 

(i) is
(ii) practises
(iii) plants
(iv) is growing
(v) has learnt
(vi) depletes
(vii) keeps
(viii) has seen
(ix) is sharing
(x) benefits

VI Study the highlighted words in the following sentences from the text.

• The rains came all these years without any such consultations.
• So many favourable conditions, but still no rain.
• Every day they hoped that the rains would come.
• But this year turned out to be different.
• This is the first season in five, no, six years that I have not sown, nor ploughed.
• We ought to talk to some astrologers.
• I have only done what any hard-working farmer would do.
• Velu looked at her, a little puzzled.
• She takes care to give her children the rest they need…
• Velu felt a cool breeze on his back.

The highlighted words or phrases that come before a noun but do not describe them are called determiners.

Let us learn the use of some common determiners.

• Articles: a, an, the
These are used to introduce nouns.
• Demonstrative Determiners: this, that, these, those
These are used to point out specific items.
• Possessive Determiners: my, our, your, his, her, its, their, one’s
These indicate ownership or relationship.
• Definite Numeral Determiners: one, two, three, etc.
These specify exact quantities.

• Indefinite Numeral Determiners: some, any, no, all, much, many, few, less, several, little and few

• • ‘Some’ is used in affirmative sentences, while ‘any’ and ‘no’ are used in negative and interrogative sentences.
  • ‘All’ refers to the entirety of a group.
  • ‘Much’ and ‘many’ denote large quantities of uncountable and countable nouns, respectively.
  • ‘Few’ indicates a small number, ‘less’ refers to a smaller quantity, and ‘several’ means more than two but not many.
  • ‘Little’ means not much, ‘few’ means not many. Use ‘a little’ and ‘a few’ to convey a positive sense.

• Distributive Determiners: each, every, either, neither

• • ‘Each’ refers to individual items or people, ‘every’ refers to all items or people collectively.
  • ‘Either’ means one of two options and ‘neither’ means not one of the two options.

Now, fill in the blanks by choosing the correct determiner from those given in the brackets.
It was 1. ________ (a/an) rainy afternoon, and 2. ________ (a/the) sky was thick with dark clouds. Mala noticed a large puddle quickly forming in front of 3. ________ (her/their) house. Excited, she called for her brother to join her, knowing that both of them always loved playing in 4. ________ (a/the) rain. While jumping from 5. ________ (some/one) puddle to another, Mala spotted 6. ________ (few/a few) snails slowly creeping along the wet sidewalk and pointed them out to her brother. With 7. ________ (each/every) jump, the sound of both 8. ________ (her/their) squeals and laughter was heard through the soft patter of raindrops. Though they were fully drenched 9. ________ (either/neither) siblings minded it. It had been a perfect rainy day.

Answer: 

1. a
2. the
3. her
4. the
5. one
6. a few
7. each
8. her
9. neither

Let us listen (Page 197)

I Listen to the weather forecast. As you listen, fill in the blanks with the exact word you listen to. (Transcript for teacher on page 204)
1. Delhi will mostly have a ___________ sky with light rain.
2. Moderate rain is likely to happen in ___________.
3. Kolkata is likely to have a maximum temperature of around ___________ °C.
4. There is a chance of a ___________ in Chennai.
5. Bengaluru will have a ___________ temperature of 29 °C.
6. Taking an ___________ is advisable because of the weather conditions.

Answer: 

1. Delhi will mostly have a cloudy sky with light rain.
2. Moderate rain is likely to happen in Mumbai.
3. Kolkata is likely to have a maximum temperature of around 34 °C.
4. There is a chance of a thunderstorm in Chennai.
5. Bengaluru will have a maximum temperature of 29 °C.
6. Taking an umbrella is advisable because of the weather conditions.

Let us speak (Page 198)

I Here is a tongue twister about ‘weather’. Practice saying it as fast as you can.

Answer: Do Yourself

II Rain has arrived after a long dry spell on the Earth. Imagine the Rain and the Earth have a conversation. Work in pairs and present the role-play.
You may use the hints in the table given below.
You may start the conversation in the following way.
Rain: Greetings, Earth! It’s been a while since we’ve met. How have you been?
Earth: Hello Rain! I am so glad to see you.
To continue the conversation, use the hints given below.

Answer:

Rain: Greetings, Earth! It’s been a while since we’ve met. How have you been?
Earth: Hello Rain! I am so glad to see you. I feel relieved after such a long dry spell.

Rain: I travelled a long way—from you to the sky, and now I have come back again. Why do you ask why it took me so long?
Earth: Yes, I wondered why you were late. But I am thankful for the gift of water you have brought with you.

Rain: Tell me, Earth, how will you use this rainwater?
Earth: Your water is life for me. It helps crops to grow, plants to stay green, and animals and people to survive.

Rain: I enjoy being here with you—the smell of the soil, the rivers filling, and everything turning fresh and alive.
Earth: That makes me happy! How do you feel when you are here on Earth?

Rain: I feel joyful when I see your forests, fields, and rivers celebrate my arrival. Thank you for inviting me. I promise to return on time next year.
Earth: Wonderful! Come join the celebration of rivers, forests, and people who are all waiting to welcome you.

Let us write (Page 199)

I You have observed the difficulties faced by the people in your neighbourhood due to scarcity of water especially during the summer months. Write a letter to the Councillor of your Municipal ward, requesting her/him to set up a rain water harvesting unit. Provide suggestions to address the issue.

Remember to
• use formal language
• keep sentences short and to the point
• state the purpose clearly and concisely
• give relevant details

Format and Layout:

Answer:

Sender’s Address
42, Shanti Nagar,
Ward No. 44,
Pune – 411002

Date: 4 March 20XX

To
The Municipal Councillor,
Ward No. 44,
Pune Municipal Corporation,
Pune – 411002

Subject: Request to Install a Rainwater Harvesting Unit in Ward No. 44

Dear Madam,

Paragraph 1 (Problem):
I wish to draw your attention to the serious problem of water scarcity faced by the people in our neighbourhood, especially during the summer months. Residents are struggling to get sufficient water for daily needs.

Paragraph 2 (Causes and Consequences):
The shortage of rainfall and over-dependence on municipal supply have led to frequent water cuts. As a result, people are forced to buy water at high prices. This situation is causing great hardship for families.

Paragraph 3 (Request and Suggestions):
I request you to set up a rainwater harvesting unit in our ward. This system will help us collect and store rainwater, which can be used during dry months. Community tanks may also be built to store the collected water.

Paragraph 4 (Conclusion):
I hope you will take immediate steps to solve this problem and ensure a sustainable water supply for the residents. Your timely action will bring great relief to the people of our ward.

Yours sincerely,
(Signature)
(Arjun Sharma)

Let us explore (Page 199-200)

I Rest is very important for us to function in a proper manner. Even the Earth needs rest. This is known as fallowing.
Read the facts given below related to fallowing:

• A fallow year refers to leaving the land without sowing for one, or several vegetative cycles.
• This is done to allow the land to recover its nutrients and retain moisture. It also helps to avoid spreading of diseases and controlling pests.
• The sustainable land management method has been applied for centuries, wherein a field is divided into two halves—one is planted with crops while the other remains unplanted. Then, the process is reversed in the following year.

II Find out from your Vocational Education teacher about Agriculture as a vocation and other related vocations, such as horticulture, etc.

Answer: Students ask their vocational teacher about agriculture as a vocation, including fields such as horticulture, agroforestry, organic farming, and hydroponics.

III India’s rich tradition of meteorological knowledge includes indigenous forecasting systems, grounded in ancient wisdom. These provide sophisticated methods for predicting climate, calculating rainfall, and issuing early warnings.
References to rain and weather are found in numerous ancient texts, including the Rigveda, Shrimad Bhagavad, Parashara Samhita, Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, and Meghmala. These texts offer insights into rainfall patterns and seasonal changes.

IV Meteorological Services for Agriculture in India

The primary objective of the Agricultural Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department (IMD) is to minimise the impact of adverse weather on crops and to leverage crop-weather relationships to boost agricultural production.

In addition to forecasts and advisories, several other weather related services are also provided.