CBSE Class 8

Here we are providing The Best Christmas Present in the World Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew, Extra Questions for Class 8 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

You can refer to NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English honeydew Chapter 1 The Best Christmas Present in the World to revise the Questions and Answers in the syllabus effectively and improve your chances of securing high marks in your board exams.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 Honeydew

The Best Christmas Present in the World Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Describe the condition of roll – top box. From where the author found the roll-top box?
Answer:
The roll-top box was made up of oak. It was in very bad condition. It brings scorch mark all down one side & one leg is clumsily mended. He found roll – top box from a junk shop in Bridport

Question 2.
Why did the author buy roll top box even though it was in bad condition?
Answer:
The Author bought roll top box of bad condition because it cost little money and he could easily restore it by working on it.

Question 3.
What did the author find in the secret-drawer?
Answer:
He found a tin-box cello – taped to the top of that was a piece of lined notepaper in the secret drawer.

Question 4.
What was written on the tin box?
Answer:
‘Jim’s last letter, received January 25, 1915.’ was written on the tin box.

Question 5.
What was there inside the tin box?
Answer:
Inside the box there was an envelope. The address read: ‘Mrs. Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport Dorset’ and then he took out the letter and unfolded it. It was written in pencil and dated at the top – ‘December 26, 1914’.

Question 6.
Describe briefly about Christmas morning on the behalf of letter sent by Jim to Connie.
Answer:
Christmas morning was crisp and quiet all about, as beautiful a charming day. It was totally cold and frosty as a Christmas morning should be.

Question 7.
Who was Hans Wolf?
Answer:
Hans Wolf was the officer of Fritz. He was from Dusseldorf. He played a cello in the orchestra.

Question 8.
Who was Jim Macpherson?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson was a school teacher. He was from Dorset, in the west of England.

Question 9.
What did Hans & Jim talk about when they were sharing rum & sausage?
Answer:
They talked about their favourite book, ‘Far from the madding crowd’, with Bathsheba, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy and Dorset.

Question 10.
How usually the war end? And how should it be end and why?
Answer:
Normally, wars end by shedding blood and loses of properties and people. But there a football match resolves the war. As “No one dies in a football match. No children are orphaned. No wives become widows”.

Question 11.
Who won the match?
Answer:
Fritz won the match.

Question 12.
Why the letter was so special?
Answer:
The letter was so special because it was written to Connie Jim’s wife. And the letter explains us about the war and our home. This letter shows that every soldier wants peace and love.

Question 13.
What did author do after he read letter?
Answer:
After reading letter the author went to Bridport and asked for the address from where the shop keeper got the roll top box.

Question 14.
Write the character sketch of Mrs. Macpherson.
Answer:
Mrs. Macpherson was an old lady. She was hundred and one years old. She was very lovely. She had white silver hair and wrinkles on the skin. But she used candle rather than electricity because according to her, electricity was too expensive.

Question 15.
Where was Mrs. Machpherson living? And why so?
Answer:
She was in a nursing home, Burlington house, on the Dorchesten. She was living there because her house caught fire and she got injured.

Question 16.
Why was the people at nursing hom£ surprised to see visitor?
Answer:
The people were surprised because Mrs. Macpherson had no family, no one visits to her so they was happy too to see him there.

Question 17.
What did Mrs. Macpherson thought about visitors?
Answer:
Mrs. Macpherson thought that visitor was her husband Mr. Macpherson. We know that because she said “you told me you had come home by Christmas, dearest,”. “And here you are the best Christmas present in the world. Come close Jim dear, sit down”.

Question 18.
What did the author find in a junk shop?
Answer:
The author found a very old 19th century rolled-top desk in a junk shop. It was made of oak. It was in a very bad condition. The roll-top was broken into several pieces. One of the legs was clumsily mended and there were scorch marks down one side.

Question 19.
What did he find in a secret drawer? Who do you think had put it in there?
Answer:
He found a small black tin box in a secret drawer. Jim’s wife Mrs. Macpherson had put it there. Here name and address were on the envelope inside the box.

Question 20.
Who had written the letter, to whom, and when?
Answer:
Jim Macpherson had written the letter to his wife Connie Macpherson on December 26, 1914.

Question 21.
Why was the letter written? What was the wonderful thing that had happened?
Answer:
German and British army was fighting a battle. The soldiers were living in their trenches to fight enemy. For soldiers were writing and receiving letter was the only way to be in touch with their family member. The wonderful thing was, in spite of enmity they celebrated Christmas together. This shows that festivals are above all personal enmity.

Question 22.
What jobs did Hans Wolf and Jim Macpherson have when they were not soldiers?
Answer:
Before joining the army, Hans played the cello in the orchestra and Jim was a teacher.

Question 23.
Had Hans Wolf ever been to Dorset? Why did he say he knew it?
Answer:
No, Hans Wolf had never been to Dorset. He said so because he had learned all about England in his school and in English books.

Question 24.
Do you think Jim Macpherson came back from the war? How do you know this?
Answer:
The written statement on the letter saying sheet the last letter was from Jim and that should be buried with Mrs. Macpherson. It indicates that Jim didn’t return from war.

Question 25.
Why did the author go to Bridport?
Answer:
The author went to Bridport because that was the address where Mrs. Macpherson lived. He wanted to give that letter back to her.

Question 26.
How old was Mrs. Macpherson now? Where was she?
Answer:
Mrs. Macpherson was a hundred and one year old. She was in a nursing home in Burlington house, on the Dorchester road, on the other side of town.

Question 27.
Who did Connie Macpherson think her visitor was?
Answer:
Connie Macpherson thought her visitor was her husband, Mr Jim Macpherson.

Question 28.
Which sentence in the text shows that the visitor did not try to hide his identity?
Answer:
That sentence is, “You told me You’d come home by Christmas, dearest,” she said, “And here you are. The best Christmas present in the world. Come closer, Jim dear, sit down.”
Working with the Text

Question 29.
For how long do you think Connie had kept Jim’s letter? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Connie must have kept Jim’s letter for a long time. This is because she told the narrator how she read it quite often every day so that she could feel that Jim was near her.

Question 30.
Why do you think the desk had seen sold, and when?
Answer:
The desk must have been sold as junk. It might have been sold after the demise of Macpherson.

Question 31.
Why do Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts? Do you agree?
Answer:
Jim and Hans think that games or sports are good ways of resolving conflicts because nobody dies in a game. They were of the opinion that a game does not end in a child becoming orphan or a wife becoming widow.

Question 32.
Do you think the soldiers of the two armies are like each other, or different from each other? Find evidence from the story to support your answer.
Answer:
The soldiers of the two armies are like each other and they are not at all different. Following are some instances from the story to prove:

• Both of them wanted peace, longed for the war to be over and wanted to go home to meet their families.
• Both the armies celebrated Christmas and wished Merry Christmas to each other.
• Both the armies shared their sausage, schnapps and Christmas cake with each other.
• They played a football match and at night shared Christmas carols and hope to unite with the families again.

Question 33.
Mention the various ways in which the British and the German soldiers become friends and And things in common at Christmas.
Answer:
The British and the German soldiers smile at each other and wish merry Christmas to each other. They offer that food to each other. They share drinks and laugh at jokes. They play and enjoy a game of football. Thus they become friends on that occasion.

Question 34.
What is Connie’s Christmas present? Why is it “the best Christmas present in the world”?
Answer:
When the narrator came to see Connie and gave her the box, she mistook him for her husband Jim. She thought that Jim had come home for Christmas. This was Connie’s Christmas present. It was the best Christmas present in the world for her because Jim had written in the letter that he would come home on Christmas. She had read that letter several times everyday to feel that he was near her. Now that he was finally there with her, she was extremely happy.

Question 35.
Do you think the title, of this story is suitable for it? Can you think of any other title(s)?
Answer:
The title of the story is perfectly suitable for it as the story revolves around the letter which turns out to be the best Christmas gift in the world for Mrs Macpherson. Mrs Macpherson had written the date . and her wish on the letter’s envelope that this letter should be buried along with her after her death. She had lost it but in the end she found it and in its form she found her husband Jim once again. There can be no other title suitable for this story

The Best Christmas Present in the World Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
War is no solution to disputes’. Discuss.
Answer:
Wars no longer represent country’s pride. They are generally result of ruler’s ego. Their narcism takes a toll on the lives of so many from both the side. A common soldier wishes to celebrate the festivals together and think of family first. They want to end the bitter relationship by challenging them in a game.

They expressed their fondness for each other food, drink, places and literature. Wisdom and mutual respect would never cause harm to humanity but the ego does, so before taking extreme steps like war they should think of respect and co-existence. Neither German nor British soldiers were enjoying the game and feast together.

Question 2.
You are the best Christmas present’. What was the best present? What was its importance?
Answer:
On the Christmas eve, the narrator found a tin box carrying letter of captain Macpherson. It had a note which mentioned that his wife wanted the letter to be buried with her when she died. The narrator brought the box to her. When Connie heard him, she thought it was her husband who promised her to return on Christmas. Her wait was too long. She was muddle headed and was admitted to a hospital.

When everyone was merry-making on Christmas, she was sitting brooding over something. She was hopeful that her husband would return. But wait was too long by then, she lost her vision, memory so she mistook the guest to be her husband and considered his arrival to be the best gift. Her wait for her husband show her love and desire to see him back.

Question 3.
In groups discuss whether wars are good way to end conflicts between countries. Then present your arguments to the whole class.
Answer:
War means bloodshed, hate and destruction. Even the animals fight for some sound reason. But nations go to war to settle some petty dispute or in the name of religions. War solves no problem. Understanding and mutual discussion alone can end differences, All religions condemn greed and bloody quarrels.

Question 4.
What kind of presents do you like and why? What are the things you keep in mind when you buy presents for others? Discuss with your partner. (For example, you might buy a book because it can be read and re-read over a period of time.)
Answer:
Personally, I am against the practice of exchanging expensive gifts. A rose or a token of affection suits every person and every pocket. This is why some guests offer bouquets or greeting cards alone. In case the gift is essential. It should satisfy some need and have utility. When I go to buy a present I first take into account the liking of my classmate, relative or girl/boy friend.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Passage 1
I removed the roll-top completely and pulled out the drawers. The veneer had lifted almost everywhere it looked like water damage to me. Both fire and water had clearly taken their toll on this desk. The last drawer was stuck fast. I tried all I could to ease it out gently. In the end I used brute force. I struck it sharply with the side of my fist and the drawer flew open to reveal a shallow space underneath, a secret drawer.

Question 1.
Who is T in the above passage?
Answer:
I is the narrator in the above passage.

Question 2.
What does ‘It’ denote in the above lines?
Answer:
‘It’ denotes a roll-top desk.

Question 3.
What was the condition of the desk?
Answer:
The desk was damaged with water and fire.

Question 4.
Where did he find a secret drawer?
Answer:
He found the secret drawer underneath the last drawer which was stuck up badly.

Question 5.
Find out the word/ phrase that means the same for the given word.
Answer:

• freedom from pain – ease out.
• of little depth – shallow.

Passage 2

I should like to be able to tell you that we began it. But the truth, I’m ashamed to say, is that Fritz began it. First someone saw a white flag waving from the trenches opposite. Then they were calling out to us from across no man’s land, “Happy Christmas, Tommy! Happy Christmas!” When we had got over the surprise, some of us shouted back, “Same to you, Fritz! Same to you!” I thought that would be that. We all did. But then suddenly one of them was up there in his grey greatcoat and waving a white flag. “Don’t shoot, lads!” Someone shouted. And no one did. Then there was another Fritz up on the parapet, and another. “Keep your heads down,” I told the men, “it’s a trick.” But it wasn’t.

Question 1.
What did the writer mean by ‘we began it’?
Answer:
German soldiers and wished them initiated treaty on Christmas. The writer was feeling ashamed because he wished that he must have started it.

Question 2.
What was the symbolic meaning of ‘a white flag5?
Answer:
The white flag is a symbol of peace.

Question 3.
Where were the soldiers sitting?
Answer:
The soldiers were sitting in the trenches.

Question 4.
What did the German soldiers wish them?
Answer:
The German soldiers wished them ‘Happy Christmas’.

Question 5.
Why did they call each other ‘Fritz’ and ‘Tommy’?
Answer:
‘Fritz’ means a name for a German soldier while ‘Tommy’ means a common name for British soldiers.

Passage 3

“Captain Jim Macpherson,” I replied. “And a Happy Christmas to you too. I’m a school teacher from Dorset, in the west of England.” “Ah, Dorset,” he smiled. “I know this place. I know it very well.” We shared my rum ration and his excellent sausage. And we talked, Connie, how we talked. He spoke almost perfect English. But it turned out that he had never set foot in Dorset, never even been to England. He had learned all he knew of England from school, and from reading books in English. His favourite writer was Thomas Hardy, his favourite book Far from the Madding Crowd. So out there in no man’s land we talked of Bathsheba and Gabriel Oak and Sergeant Troy and Dorset. He had a wife and one son, born just six months ago.

Question 1.
What did captain tell about himself?
Answer:
Captain introduced himself by revealing that he was a school teacher from Dorset in the west of England.

Question 2.
What did they share with the enemy soldiers?
Answer:
They shared mm ration and excellent sausage with the enemy soldiers.

Question 3.
What was unusual about Connie?
Answer:
Captain Jim realized that Connie could speak good English although he never went to England. He learnt all from reading books in English.

Question 4.
What did Hans Wolf tell about his family?
Answer:
Hans Wolf told that he had a wife and six-month-old son.

Question 5.
Give the meaning of the following :
(a) Turned out
(b) excellent
Answer:
(a) Turned out means ‘to develop or end in a particular way’.
(b) very good.

Passage 4

The old lady was sitting in a wheelchair, her hands folded in her lap. She had silver white hair pinned into a wispy bun. She was gazing out at the garden. “Hello,” I said. She turned and looked up at me vacantly. “Happy Christmas, Connie,” I went on. “I found this. I think it’s yours.” As I was speaking her eyes never left my face. I opened the tin box and gave it to her. That was the moment her eyes lit up with recognition and her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness. I explained about the desk, about how I had found it, but I don’t think she was listening. For a while she said nothing, but stroked the letter tenderly with her fingertips.

Question 1.
Who was the old lady sitting in a wheel chair?
Answer:
The old lady, sitting in a wheelchair was Mrs. Macpherson.

Question 2.
What made her eyes lit up?
Answer:
Connie could not recognize. Her eyes were lit up with recognition. Her face became suffused with a sudden glow of happiness.

Question 3.
What wasn’t she listening to?
Answer:
Mrs. Macpherson was not listening to what he was telling her.

Question 4.
Explain ‘suffused with’.
Answer:
‘Suffused with’ is a glow of happiness that spread over the face of Connie who was too old and weak. She mistook him to be her husband and smiled.

Question 5.
Change adjective tender into an adverb.
Answer:
Tenderly.

Here we are providing When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew, Extra Questions for Class 8 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

You can refer to When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Class 8 Questions and Answer NCERT to revise the concepts in the syllabus effectively and improve your chances of securing high marks in your board exams.

When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew

When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
How poet is feeling while travelling to lyonnesse?
Answer:
The poet is feeling lonely while travelling as no one accompanied him.

Question 2.
What changes occur in poet after he returned from lyonnesse?
Answer:
When the poet returned from Lyonnesse he had strange glows in his eyes. It seemed as if he had magical eyes that glowed from inner radiance.

Question 3.
Which season is there when poet is travelling?
Answer:
The winter season is in the poem. This can be understood by the line. The rime was on the spray.

Question 4.
In the stanza, find words that show
(i) that it was very cold.
(ii) that it was late evening.
(iii) that the traveller was alone.
Answer:
(i) rime
(ii) starlight
(iii) lonesomeness

Question 5.
(i) Something happened ay Lyonnesse. It was
(a) improbable
(b) impossible
(c) unforeseeable
(ii) Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to justify your answer.
Answer:
(i) (c) unforeseeable
(ii) ‘No prophet deerst declare
Nor did the wisest wizard guess’.

Question 6.
(i) Read the line (stanza 3) that implies the following. ‘Everyone noticed something, and they made guesses, but didn’t speak a word’.
(ii) Now read the line that refers to what they noticed.
Answer:
(i) ‘All marked with mute surmise’
(ii) ‘My radiance rare and fathomless’

When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Question 1.
When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away,
The rime was on the spray;
And starlight lit my lonesomeness
When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away.

Paraphrase:
The poet set out for an imaginary place which was a hundred miles away. It was cold, frosty and starlit winter night. The poet was depressed, lonely and even hadn’t had a vague idea about his journey.

(i) Where did the poet plan to go?
(ii) How was the poet feeling while travelling to lyonnesse?
(iii) What did the poet see on the way?
(iv) What could have seen the state of mind of the poet?
(v) What is the rhyming scheme in the poem?
Answer:
(i) The poet planned to go to Lyonnesse which is hundred miles away.
(ii) The poet felt lovely while travelling as no one accompanied him.
(iii) The poet observed that trees and their leaves were covered with frost. It was a starlit night.
(iv) The poet seemed to be in a solitary state. He used repetition of the lines that showed the depressed state of mind.
(v) ABBAAB.

Question 2.
What would bechance at Lyonnesse
While I should sojourn there,
No prophet durst declare;
Nor did the wisest wizard guess
What would bechance at Lyonnesse
While I should sojourn there.

Paraphrase:
The poet was apprehensive about his stay in Lyonnesse. He was worried about the outcome as nobody could predict the occurance and happenings of the stay. According to him no prophet can declare this and even a wizard would not be able to say what would happen at Lyonnesse.

(i) What was the poet brooding about?
(ii) How long would the poet stay?
(iii) What was the poet apprehensive about?
(iv) Name of poetic devices used in the line?
Answer:
(i) The poet was not sure what would happen there.
(ii) His stay at lyonnesse would be temporary.
(iii) The poet was visiting he an unfamiliar place. He hadn’t heard about.
(iv) Alliteration – wisest wizard.

Question 3.
When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes,
All marked with mute surmise
My radiance rare and fathomless,
When I returned from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes.

Paraphrase:
When he returned from Lyonnesse, he had magic in his eyes. All could understand that he was filled with a rare and immeasurable radiance.

(i) What change was evident?
(ii) What was marked with mute radiance?
(iii) Explain ‘My radiance rare fathemless’?
(iv) What is the rhyming scheme in the stanza?
Answer:
(i) When he returned from Lyonnesse, he had magic of wisdom and enlightment in his eyes.
(ii) After his return from Lyonnesse, the poet was enthusiastic and spell bound which could be experienced only.
(iii) The poet was impressed after his journey. He had experienced something that has fascinated and charmed him!
(iv) ABBAAB.

Here we are providing A Visit to Cambridge Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew, Extra Questions for Class 8 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

You can refer to NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English honeydew Chapter 7 A Visit to Cambridge to revise the Questions and Answers in the syllabus effectively and improve your chances of securing high marks in your board exams.

A Visit to Cambridge Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew

A Visit to Cambridge Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Who was Stephen Hawking?
Answer:
Stephen Hawking was one of the greatest scientists of our time. He suffered from a form of paralysis that confined him to a wheelchair, and allowed him to ‘speak’ only by punching buttons on a computer, which spoke for him in a machine-like voice.

Question 2.
Who is Firdaus Kanga?
Answer:
Firdaus Kanga is a writer and journalist who lives and works in Mumbai. Kanga was born with ‘brittle bones’ that tended to break easily when he was a child.

Question 3.
Who received the phone at Stephen Hawking’s house and what were the conversations?
Answer:
The author called to Stephen Hawking’s house. There was his assistant on the line and the author told him that he wants to meet Mr. Hawking. Even ten minutes would do “Half an hour”. Then he said “from three-thirty to four”.

Question 4.
What was the thing that makes author feel stronger?
Answer:
The only thing that makes you stronger is somebody like you. It seems like achieving something huge. This makes him feel stronger.

Question 5.
What did Mr. Hawking reply when he asked “lot of people seem to think that disabled people are chronically unhappy”?
Answer:
When he asked “A lot of people seem to think that disabled people are chronically unhappy”. About after three minutes later, he responded, that “I find it amusing when people patronize me”.

Question 6.
“A first glimpse of Hawking is shocking”. Why?
Answer:
A first glimpse of Hawking is shocking, because he was like a still photograph – as if all those pictures of him in magazines and newspapers have turned 3 – Dimensional.

Question 7.
Why was author watching his wrist?
Answer:
He shifted his chair or turned his wrist to watch the time. He wanted to make every one of thirty minutes count.

Question 8.
What did Hawking reply when author asked “Is there any advice you can give disabled people, something that might help make life better”?
Ans.
Hawking replied that they should concentrate on what they are good at and according to him things I like the disabled Olympics are a waste of time.

Question 9.
The author asked Hawking that he had been an inspiration beyond clinched for me, what Hawking replied to it?
Answer:
Hawking said “no”, according to him if his body is like claustrophobic room & the walls are growing narrower day by day, if doesn’t do much good to know that there are people outside smiling with admiration to see him breathing still.

Question 10.
The author had got appointment only for half an hour then why did he stay there for some more time?
Answer:
He had got appointment only for half an hour but when he was going to back his way Stephen stopped him and said, “Have some tea and he can see his garden”. So he stayed there for some more time.

Question 11.
Describe the environment of Stephen’s Garden.
Answer:
The garden was as big as a park, but Stephen Hawking covered every inch, rumbling along motorized wheelchair. The environment of garden was entirely different.

Question 12.
Why was there silence in the garden?
Answer:
They cannot talk very much in the garden, because the sun made them silent, the letters on his screen disappeared because of the sunlight. So there were silence in the garden.

Question 13.
How did the author say good bye to Mr. Hawking?
Answer:
The author didn’t know what to do at the time of leaving him. He couldn’t kiss him or cry. So he touched * his shoulder and wheeled out in the summer evening.

Question 14.
Describe the emotions of the author at the end of the chapter.
Answer:
He was in the feeling of embodiment of his bravest self. He thought Stephen Hawking might be waving at him though he wasn’t. At the end, he said his journey is over and he had a great interview of Mr. Hawking.

Question 15.
(i) Did the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous?
(ii) Did he at the same time feel very excited? If so, why?
Answer:
(i) Yes, the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking made the writer nervous. Stephen Hawking was the greatest scientist on the earth. He was the author of the world-renowned book “A brief History of Time”. He was doubtful whether he would be allowed to meet him even for ten minutes or not. Also, he was fed up with people asking him to be brave.

(ii) Yes, he felt very excited at the same time because Stephen Hawking was totally paralysed, still, he had made great achievement. This got him the strength to do still better.

Question 16.
Guess the first question put to the scientist by the writer.
Answer:
The writer’s first question might be about Hawking’s disability and how he had accepted it.

Question 17.
Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve had no choice.” Does the writer think was a choice? What was it?
Answer:
The writer thought that there was a choice. Stephen Hawking could have chosen to leave everything, be sad and depressed. He could have sulked. However, he chose to live creatively, knowing the reality of his disintegrating body.

Question 18.
“I could feel his anguish”. What could be the anguish?
Answer:
The auguish was that he found it very difficult to express himself with the right words on his computer. He felt frustrated. He could not express himself freely although ideas were floating in his mind.

Question 19.
What endeared the scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world?
Answer:
When the writer asked the scientist if he felt annoyed when someone like the writer went and disturbed him in his work, then scientist answered ‘yes’ with his one-way smile. This endeared the writer as he knew without being sentimental or silly he was looking at one of the most beautiful man in the world.

Question 20.
Read aloud the description of the beautiful’ man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the description?
Answer:
The sentences describing the inner glow of Hawking’s personality which makes his physical looks irrelevant is probably one of the most beautiful descriptions of beauty.

Question 21.
(i) If ‘the lantern’ is the man, what would its ‘walls’ be?
(ii) What is housed within the thin walls?
(iii) What general conclusion does the writer draw from this comparison?
Answer:
(i) The walls of the lantern in Hawking’s case were his skeleton like physical structure.
(ii) The glow, the external soul was housed within the thin walls of his body.
(iii) The writer draws conclusion that the eternal soul is more important than the body.

Question 22.
What is the scientist’s message for the disabled?
Answer:
The scientist Stephen Hawking’s message for the disabled is they should concentrate on what they are good at. They should make the best use of their talent and thank God.

Question 23.
Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident? Which idea does it support?
Answer:
The scientist Stephen Hawking said that Olympics for the handicapped or disabled people are waste of time. The writer agreed with him. He remembered the years which he tried to play a big guitar. He felt defeated. So he destroyed it one night. He supports Stephen Hawking’s idea that the disabled should only concentrate on what they are good at.

Question 24.
The writer expresses his great gratitude to Stephen Hawking. What is the gratitude for?
Answer:
The writer expressed his gratitude to Stephen Hawking because he had been an inspiration for him. He saw Stephen as the embodiment of his bravest self. He felt that if he had been as brave as Stephen, he would have achieved a lot. He felt he was moving towards the embodiment that he had believed in for many years. That is why he expressed his great gratitude to him as he had made him realised what great heights he could reach.

A Visit to Cambridge Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
The narrator called him ‘a beautiful man’. How does he define beauty?
Answer:
The narrator was inspired by the achievements of Stephen Hawking whose creativity is beyond measures. His never ‘giving up’ attitude attracted him the most. He could be associated with the difficulties faced by Stephen as he was also confined to a wheel chair. So it is rightly said that beautiful is the one, who do things beautifully and Stephen Hawkings contributed so much that people will also be inspired and awestruck by his achievements.

Question 2.
What is Stephen’s idea behind saying- ‘They should concentrate on what they are good at’?
Answer:
Stephen Hawking was a differently able person who overcame him deformity. He was one of the greatest scientists of the present era. He had the idea to achieve what one is good at. Rather than justifying or proving to others, he wanted challenged person to accept the way they are. Because they do have potential and focus to achieve much more than any other normal people. He did not appreciate the things like the disable Olympics as they are a wastage of time to him.

A Visit to Cambridge Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Passage 1

It was on a walking tour through Cambridge that the guide mentioned Stephen Hawking, ‘poor man, who is quite disabled now, though he is a worthy successor to Issac Newton, whose chair he has at the university.’ And I started, because I had quite forgotten that this most brilliant and completely paralysed astrophysicist, the author of ‘A Brief History of Time’, one of the biggest best-sellers ever, lived here.

When the walking tour was done, I rushed to a phone booth and, almost tearing the cord so it could reach me outside, phoned Stephen Hawking’s house. There was his assistant on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India (perhaps he thought I had propelled myself all the way) to write about my travels in Britain. I had to see Professor Hawking – even ten minutes would do. “Half an hour,” he said. “From three-thirty to four.”

Question 1.
Why did the guide call Stephen Hawking a ‘poor man’?
Answer:
The guide called Stephen Hawking a ‘poor man’ because he was a differently-abled man.

Question 2.
What did ‘I’ speak about Stephen Hawking?
Answer:
He said that Stephen Hawking is the most brilliant and completely paralysed astrophysicist, author of a best seller ‘A brief History of Time’ lived in Cambridge.

Question 3.
Why had he ‘almost tearing the cord’?
Answer:
He rushed to a phone booth to take an appointment with Stephen Hawking and as he was on a wheel chair, he found it difficult to reach to the telephone.

Question 4.
What time slot was given to him?
Answer:
He was given half an hour from three thirty to four to meet Stephen Hawking.

Question 5.
Who is astrophysics?
Answer:
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that employs the principles of physics and chemistry “to ascertain the nature of the heavenly bodies, rather than their positions or motions in space.”

Passage 2

“I haven’t been brave,” said his disembodied computer-voice, the next afternoon. “I’ve had no choice.” Surely, I wanted to say, living creatively with the reality of his disintegrating body was a choice? But I kept quiet, because I felt guilty every time I spoke to him, forcing him to respond. There he was, tapping at the little switch in his hand, trying to find the words on his computer with the only bit of movement left to him, his long, pale fingers. Every so often, his eyes would shut in frustrated exhaustion. And sitting opposite him I could feel his anguish, the mind buoyant with thoughts that came out in frozen phrases and sentences stiff as corpses. “A lot of people seem to think that disabled people are chronically unhappy,” I said. “I know that’s not true myself. Are you often laughing inside?”

Question 1.
What do you get about Stephen when he spoke ‘I have had no choice’?
Answer:
Stephen Hawking accepted his disability. He tried to be brave.

Question 2.
How did he manage to express himself?
Answer:
Stephen Hawking was tapping at the little switch in his hand, trying to find the words on his computer with the only bit of movement left to him.

Question 3.
What is the general opinion about disabled?
Answer:
The general opinion about the disabled people are that they chronically unhappy.

Question 4.
How did Stephen take his visitors?
Answer:
Stephen found it amusing when others patronize him and get annoyed when someone comes and disturb him.

Question 5.
Change the word ‘patron’ into a verb.
Answer:
Patronise.

Passage 3

“Yes,” he said; it was a disadvantage of his voice synthesiser that it could convey no inflection, no shades or tone. And I could not tell how enthusiastically he agreed with me. Every time I shifted in my chair or turned my wrist to watch the time – I wanted to make every one of our thirty minutes count — I felt a huge relief and exhilaration in the possibilities of my body. How little it mattered then that I would never walk, or even stand. I told him how he had been an inspiration beyond cliche’ for me, and, surely, for others — did that thought help him? “No,” he said; and I thought how foolish I was to ask. When your body is a claustrophobic room and the walls are growing narrower day by day, it doesn’t do much good to know that there are people outside smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.

Question 1.
What was the disadvantage of his voice synthesizer?
Answer:
The disadvantage of his voice synthesizer was that it could convey no infection, no shade or tone.

Question 2.
Why was he worried about time?
Answer:
He wanted to make every minute of meeting count.

Question 3.
How was his body a ‘Claustrophobic Room’?
Answer:
As he was dependent on others and confined to a wheel chair, he called his body to be a suffocating place.

Question 4.
How did he feel after seeing admiring people?
Answer:
He didn’t get to know that there are people outside smiling with admiration to see him breathing still.

Question 5.
Choose a word that means the same as follows.
‘Phrase or idea used so often that it loses it meaning”
Ans.
cliche.

Passage 4

“Stay.” I waited. “Have some tea. I can show you the garden.” The garden was as big ks a park, but Stephen Hawking covered every inch, rumbling along in his motorised wheelchair while I dodged to keep out of the way. We couldn’t talk very much; the sun made him silent, the letters on his screen disappearing in the glare. An hour later, we were ready to leave. I didn’t know what to do. I could not kiss him or cry. I touched his shoulder and wheeled out into the summer evening. I looked back; and I knew he was waving, though he wasn’t. Watching him, an embodiment of my bravest self, the one I was moving towards, the one I had believed in for so many years, alone, I knew that my journey was over. For now.

Question 1.
Why did Stephen say ‘stay’?
Answer:
Stephen wanted him to stay with him and to show him the garden.

Question 2.
Why did ‘the sun made him silent’?
Answer:
The letters on his screen couldn’t be displayed because of the sunlight. So he couldn’t communicate. It made him silent.

Question 3.
What did the narrator So to did bade him goodbye?
Answer:
The narrator touched his shoulder and wheeled out into the summer evening.

Question 4.
How was the narrator’s journey?
Answer:
The narrator’s journey was inspiring and thought provoking.

Question5.
Find the superlative adjective of‘brave’ from the above lines?
Answer:
Bravest.

Here we are providing The Open Window Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English It So Happened, Extra Questions for Class 8 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

You can refer to NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It So Happened (Supplementary) Chapter 7 The Open Window Question Answer to revise the concepts in the syllabus effectively and improve your chances of securing high marks in your board exams.

The Open Window Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English It So Happened

The Open Window Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Who attended the visitor at his arrival and why?
Answer:
The niece of the lady attended the visitor at his arrival because it would take fifteen minutes for her aunt to reach.

Question 2.
What was the apprehension that Framton had when he visited sappletons?
Answer:
Framton was apprehensive about his formal visit to the total strangers. He was in doubts if the visit could help him with his nerve issues.

Question 3.
What did his sister suggest about nerve cure?
Answer:
His sister advised him to migrate to the countryside. She offered him to give take a letter of introduction to people she knew. As those people were good, they might help him in curing the disease.

Question 4.
What did the girl do to break the silence between the two?
Answer:
Framton and the girl were quietly sitting for some time. Then the girl asked if he was familiar with more people.

Question 5.
What did Framton inform about his familiarity with the place?
Answer:
Framton informed her that he hardly knew anyone in the neighbourhood. He added that his sister stayed there about four years ago.

Question 6.
Why was the girl try to check by saying ‘only her name and address’?
Answer:
The girl was trying to reassure about his visit to the place. She was excellent in concocting false stories about people. On Learning about his unawareness, she was ready to frame a lie about the window, so as to scare the visitor.

Question 7.
Why did the girl weave the story around the French window?
Answer:
The girl was aware of the fact that he knew nothing about the place and people of the village. It was also unusual to open up a window in the month of October. She also knew that her false story won’t be falsified because it was certain that aunt might talk about it.

Question 8.
What was the tragedy that the girl was narrating about to the stranger?
Answer:
The girl spoke about a tragedy that happened three years ago when Mr. Sappleton and his two brother in laws went for hunting never to return. But Mrs. Sappleton was still waiting for them. She also added that her poor aunt couldn’t bear the loss and was badly affected because of it.

Question 9.
Why was Mrs. Sappleton apologetic when she met Framton?
Answer:
Mrs. Sappleton was apologetic for being late in making her appearance. As the visitor was new to the place, she realized her delay might offend her guest.

Question 10.
Why was Mrs. Sappleton’s attention divided?
Answer:
Mrs. Sappleton welcomed guest with warmth. Yet she kept on talking about her husband and her brothers who went for hunting. Her eyes were prying for them and focused on window and lawn ahead of it.

Question 11.
What was the doctor’s advise to Framton?
Answer:
Framton told Mrs. Sappleton that the doctors advised him to take complete rest an absence of mental exercise and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise. He further added that diet was not specified as they were in dilemma to come to an agreement.

Question 12.
What ‘nameless fear’ shook Framton?
Answer:
The girl told a story with such conviction that made Framton believed her. When Mrs. Sappleton saw them her approaching family, the girl started staring out through the open window. Then appeared three figures, that scared Framton.

Question 13.
How did Framton leave Mrs. Sappleton’s house?
Answer:
Framton was scared when he saw the three figures walking towards the window. Then he hurriedly picked up his stick and hat and went out running to the road. A cyclist had to run into the hedge to avoid collision with him.

Question 14.
What did the girl say about hasty move of Framton?
Answer:
The girl framed a story that Framton had a horror of dogs because he was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of dogs and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creature, snarling and grinning and foaming just above him.

The Open Window Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Imagination is a catalyst for doing common good. Do you agree or disagree.
Answer:
Dreams and imagination stimulates the creativity of a person. Successful people have dreams and visionaries. They look like common people but their attributes and approach make them distinct. Vera also have strong imagination but instead of doing any good, she had imprinted the mind of Framton, with her highly imaginative haunted story. She was so convincing in her ghost and dog story that both the listeners had believed her. Vera did no good by her imagination, however, it only add creativity and responsibility to her talent.

Question 2.
Why did Framton Nuttel come to the “rural retreat”?
Answer:
Framton Nuttel had come to the “rural retreat” to undergo a nerve cure.

Question 3.
Why had his sister give him a letter of introduction to people living there?
Answer:
His sister knew that Framton would meet very few people in the countryside. He would feel lonely and bored. His condition could grow worse. So she gave him letters of introduction to all people she knew there.

Question 4.
What had happened in the Sappleton family as narrated by the niece?
Answer:
The niece told Nuttel that about three years ago Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and her two younger brothers had gone for their day’s shooting through the open french window. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favourite shooting spot, they were all engulfed. It was a wet summer and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning. Their bodies were never recovered.

Question 5.
What did Mrs. Sappleton say about the open window?
Answer:
Mrs. Sappleton said that she hoped Framton did, not mind the open window. She told him that her ‘ husband and her brothers would be coming Home directly from their shooting and they always came that way.

Question 6.
The horror on the girls face made Framton swing around in his seat. What did he see?
Answer:
When Framton turned around, he saw in the deepening twilight three figures walking across the lawn toward the window. They all carried guns under their arms and one of them also had a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. They neared the house noiselessly and then a hoarse young voice said. “I say. Bertie, why do you bound?”

Question 7.
Why did Framton rush out wildly?
Answer:
Framton rushed out wildly because he was a “chill shock of nameless fear”. He was scared and shocked to see the three men. He thought they were dead, and seeing them walking towards the open window, he rushed out.

Question 8.
What does the girl’s explanation for his lightning exit?
Answer:
The girl explained that Framton had a bitter experience of dogs. So he made a sudden exit on seeing the dog.

Question 9.
Is this a mystery story? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
While explaining the mystery behind the open French window, the events narrated by Mrs. Sappleton’s niece manage to create a sense of foreboding. Later, when the three men approached the open window, the reader (like Framton) can only logically conclude that they were ghosts. Hence, One can say that this story does contain elements of the mysteriousness.

Question 10.
You are familiar with the ‘irony’ of the situation in a story. (Remember the Cop and the Anthem in class VII Supplementary Reader!) Which situations in ‘The open window’ are good examples of the use of irony?
Answer:
“Irony” refers to the contrast between what is intended or-expected and what actually occurs. The open window has irony of situation. Poor Framton went to countryside for rest and relief from his nervousness. But Mrs. Sappleton’s niece concocted a false story that he suddenly rushed out. He mistook Mrs. Sappleton’s husband and brother as their ghosts.

Question 11.
Which phrases/ Sentences in the text do you find difficult to understand? Select a few and guess the meaning of each. Rewrite a simple paraphrase of each.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

Here we are providing The School Boy Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew, Extra Questions for Class 8 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

You can refer to The School Boy Class 8 Questions and Answer NCERT to revise the concepts in the syllabus effectively and improve your chances of securing high marks in your board exams.

The School Boy Extra Questions and Answers Class 8 English Honeydew

The School Boy Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Why child hates going to school?
Answer:
Child hates school because he is under strict control of his teacher. He feels like a caged bird.

Question 2.
How child happiness turn into sorrowness?
Answer:
The child rise in the fresh and delightful summer morning. He is very happy but his parents force him to go to the school where he spends his time in sorrowfulness.

Question 3.
Find three or four words/phrases in stanza 1 that reflect the child’s happiness and joy.
Answer:
The phrases that reflect the child’s joy and happiness are ‘love to rise in a summer mom’, birds sing on every tree,’ ‘the skylark sings with me’, and ‘sweet company’.

Question 4.
In stanza 2, the mood changes. Which words/ phrases reflect the changed mood?
Answer:
‘It drives all joy away’ under a cruel eye outworm. In sighing and dismay.

Question 5.
‘A cruel eye outworm’ (Stanza 2) refers to
(i) the classroom which is shabby/ noisy.
(ii) the lessons which are difficult / uninteresting.
(iii) the dull /uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
Answer:
(iii) the dull /uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.

Question 6.
‘Nor sit in learning’s bower
worn thro with the dreary shower’
Which of the following is a close paraphrase of the lines above?
(i) Nor can I sit a roofless classroom when it is raining.
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.
(iii) Nor can I sit in the school garden for fear of getting wet in the rain.
Answer:
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.

The School Boy Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context Questions

Question 1.
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
0! what swept company.

Paraphrase: The speaker of poem is a school boy who love to rise in summer morning, when birds are singing on the trees. The boys gets entertained by the company of the hunter who blows his clarion from a distance field and sweet lullabies of skylark.

(i) What does the child love about summer morning?
(ii) What does child speaks about huntman?
(iii) Do you agree with the statement ‘skylark’ sing with me’?
(iv) Explain ‘what sweet company’.
(v) What is the rhyming scheme followed in the poem?
Answer:
(i) The child loves to rise in the morning about the birds singing on every tree.
(ii) The child speaks about huntman that they blow their horn or clarion.
(iii) No, I don’t think the skylark were singing with him.
(iv) The child feel relaxed in summer morning where birds are singing and nature is in its bounties. He was delighted by the surroundings.
(v) ababb.

Question 2.
But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day,
In signing and dismay.

Paraphrase: But the thing he doesn’t like is going to school which pulls all his happiness and joy. He is tired and even puzzled under the strict supervision of his teacher.

(i) What does he dislike about school?
(ii) Explain ‘under a cruel eye outwork’?
(iii) How does the child spend his day?
(iv) What changes does the child aspire for?
Answer:
(i) The child seems to dislike going to school as it takes away the joy and happiness.
(ii) The child hates to be under scrutiny. He dislikes the fact that he had to spend his day in the supervision of an inconsiderate person.
(iii) The child spends his day in utter discomfort and sadness overtook him.
(iv) The child feels happy by being close to the nature but the school atmosphere suppresses him to utter disappointment.

Question 3.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour.
Nor in my book can I take delight
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.

Paraphrase: Instead of enjoying the pleasures of summer, the child has to spend many tensed hours in his school not in the garden where he can learn many things in interesting way with the nature.

(i) Why does he sit ‘dropping5?
(ii) How does he spend his school hours?
(iii) Why couldn’t he ‘take delight’ in his book?
(iv) Explain ‘worn thro’ with the dreary shower.
Answer:
(i) He sits with lack of interest and tiredness.
(ii) The school hours fill him with boredom.
(iii) He couldn’t take delight because it does not excite him to learn.
(iv) The child dislike schooling because he couldn’t find anything delightful. He was scared and exhausted.

Question 4.
How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing
How can a child when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring.

Paraphrase: A bird can never sing sweet song when he is caged. Similarly, a child if remained under the umbrella of annoying fear and tension, the skepticism of his teacher can never enjoy the natural instincts of joy and playfulness.

(i) With whom is the child compared to?
(ii) How does a child get angry?
(iii) Why does a child stoop his wings?
(iv) What are the characteristics of youth?
Answer:
(i) The child is compared to a caged bird.
(ii) A child who is afraid and suppressed became defiant and rebellious.
(iii) A child stoops his wings he becomes hopeless. When things don’t meet to his expectations, he becomes lifeless.
(iv) A youth is full of energy and enthusiasm.

Question 5.
O! Father and Mother, if buds are nip’d,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and cares dismay,
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?

Paraphrase: In last stanzas, he tried to make understand his parents that if a budding child is picked and swept of in the early stage of life, where there is no one to care, then how he could grow into a mature person.

(i) Whom is the poet addressing to?
(ii) What is his advice to them?
(iii) What worries the poet the most?
(iv) How important is ‘their joy’ to the poet?
(v) How successful has the poet convey his idea?
(vi) What is the figure of speed used in the above lines?
Answer:
(i) The poet is addressing to the parent.
(ii) He advised the parents to allow their children to blossom like flowers.
(iii) The poet is worried about the fate of the growing children who needs to grow in a happy surrounding
(iv) The poet pleads the parents to supportive and considerate. He wants them to nurture their growing kids. Otherwise they will not turn out to be confident young men.
(v) The poet takes an example of nature. Be it season or plants. The delicate plants need extra care in spring season so are a child in his childhood. Because as in summers the flower bear fruits, they too become fully matured individual to cascade what they bore inside then.
(vi) Alliteration -‘blossom blown.