NCERT solutions for English Poorvi Class 8 chapter * - Feathered Friend [Latest edition]

Work in pairs and discuss the question given below. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Who can a ‘feathered’ friend be?

Work in pairs and discuss the question given below. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Which ‘feathered’ friend do you like? Why?

Work in pairs and discuss the question given below. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

If you have a choice between a ‘feathered’ and a ‘furry’ friend, who would you choose? Why?

Work in pairs and discuss the question given below. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Do you think a ‘feathered’ or a ‘furry’ friend can accompany astronauts to space? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Complete the word given below by inserting vowels. Refer to their meaning given alongside. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

official rule that controls how something is done: R _ G _ L _ T _ _ N

Complete the word given below by inserting vowels. Refer to the meaning given alongside. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

to not allow something: F _ R B _ D

Complete the word given below by inserting vowels. Refer to the meaning given alongside. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

join or blend to form a single entity: F _ S _

Complete the word given below by inserting vowels. Refer to the meaning given alongside. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

suddenly: _ B R _ P T L Y

Complete the word given below by inserting vowels. Refer to the meaning given alongside. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

admit one’s mistake: C _ N F _ S S

Complete the word given below by inserting vowels. Refer to the meaning given alongside. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

a person who advises what to eat to keep healthy: D _ _ T _ T _ _ N

Why did the narrator think Sven had sneaked a bird aboard? What was Sven’s scientific reason?

How did Claribel adjust to the new surroundings?

What made the narrator mistake the musical whistle for a sound from the intercom?

Do you think the presence of the canary would lead the spacers into trouble? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

The alarm at the space station failed to work properly because they were not connected.

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Claribel was brought to the space station for an official experiment on animal behaviour in space.

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

The canary’s suffering helped the crew discover a problem with the air purifier.

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

The air purifier froze because there was a rare eclipse.

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Claribel could fly gracefully in the space station, performing loops in the air.

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

The space station crew was uninterested in Claribel and hardly noticed her presence after she was discovered.

Identify whether the following statement from parts I and II is true or false. Share your answer with your classmates and teacher.

Claribel had fainted and had to be revived with oxygen supply.

Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.

(i) What can be inferred about Sven’s abilities from his job description?

1. He is good at following instructions but lacks creativity.
2. He possesses a strong understanding of working in space.
3. He struggles with the complexities of construction in space.
4. He prefers working on simpler tasks rather than complex jobs.

(ii) How can we conclude that Sven was working in zero gravity?

(iii) Select the option that is correct for both Assertion (A) and Reason (R).

(A): Sven’s job required him to make girders perform a ‘three-dimensional ballet’ in space.

(R): Working in zero gravity allows objects to float, making precise positioning more challenging.

1. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
2. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
3. (A) is true, but (R) is false.
4. (A) is false, but (R) is true.

(iv) Replace the underlined word with a word similar in meaning from the extract.

During the festival, people wore colourful outfits that represented their culture.

Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.

(i) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option from those given in the brackets.

The narrator references canaries and miners in order to ______. (highlight the historical use of canaries as warning systems/explain the reason that caused Claribel to faint suddenly)

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

Jim initially dismisses the warning about the air because ______.

(iii) What does the phrase ‘shook Jim’ mean in the context of the information in the extract?

Jim was ______.

1. physically pushed by someone
2. startled by unexpected information
3. cold and needed to warm up
4. trying to shake off sleepiness

(iv) What does the crew’s action of passing the oxygen bottle around ‘like a pipe of peace’ suggest about their response to the situation?

What was the purpose of the alarm? What had caused its failure?

How does the crew’s reaction to Claribel change over the course of the story?

What does the last part of the story tell us about the significance of unusual ways of problem solving?

Justify the appropriateness of the title of the story “Feathered Friend”. 

‘Without Claribel, we should soon have been slightly dead.’ What does this line suggest about uncertainty of life in space?

Explain how has the writer presented science fiction with a touch of humour.

How would Sven reflect on his experience of almost losing Claribel and for saving the lives of the entire crew?

Choose the appropriate adjectives from the box given below to match with the words 1–8 that follow.

1. ______ path
2. ______ worry
3. ______ plan
4. ______ look
5. ______ reason
6. ______ traffic
7. ______ voices
8. ______ expression

Now, underline the sentences that use these adjectives in the text.

Combine the words in Column 1 with the words in Column 2 to make merged words. Write the merged word and its meaning.

One example has been done for you.

Read the following sentence from the text and fill in the blank.

It will mean that you’re being doubly safeguarded.

In the given sentence, ‘will’ denotes ______ (past/present/future) time.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

Our flight ______ (leave) at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

They ______ (finish) the project by the end of this week.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

The weather forecast says it ______ (rain) later today.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

We ______ (move) into our new house next month.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

I ______ (start) my new hobby class next Monday.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

She ______ (go) to the mall this afternoon.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

The team ______ (have) a meeting at 3.00 p.m. tomorrow.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.

I ______ (help) you with your homework after dinner.

Fill in the blanks with the suitable forms of verbs given in brackets to express future time reference.

By 2040, artificial intelligence 1. ______ (revolutionise) medical treatments. Researchers 2. ______ (develop) AI-powered diagnostic tools that 3. ______ (transform) healthcare by the end of this decade. Next week, the International Science Congress 4. ______ (open) to showcase advancements in AI and robotics. In the coming years, robots 5. ______ (assist) surgeons in performing complex operations. Years ago, experts had predicted that AI would reshape our world, and now, as we approach the future, this 6. ______ (be) our new reality.

You will listen to a conversation between Monika and Toby. Toby is a Martian and is stranded on Earth. He has become Monika’s friend. As you listen, put a tick mark (✓) against the correct statements and a cross (×) against the wrong ones. (Transcript for teacher on page 249)

1. Toby misses his school.
2. Monika accepts Toby as her friend.
3. Monika asks Toby about one of his facial features.
4. Toby tells Monika that she had a banana for breakfast.
5. Toby shares that he can see much clearer with a closed eye.

Listen to the conversation again and fill in the blanks with the exact words you hear.

1. Toby: I miss my ______ and home.
2. Toby: Well, we ______ don’t need to eat anything. We get our ______ from the Sun.
3. Monika: Oh! Don’t you ever feel like having ice-creams and ______!
4. Monika: Okay, tell me one thing. How are you able to see only with ______ eye?
5. Toby: I can see beyond mountains and ______, woods and even ______.

Read the following words from the text aloud and circle the letters that are not pronounced (silent letters).

ballet (ba-lay) [ba pronounced as in bat] whistle (wi-sl)

alarm (uh-laam) psychologist (sai-ko-luh-juhst)

Now, read some more words with silent letters. As you read, circle the letters that are not pronounced.

Work in pairs. Use the given situations to ask for and give suggestions.

• You need to make a model of the solar system for the Science Exhibition but don’t know what materials to use. Ask your friend for suggestions.
• You need to prepare for the inter-class quiz on the topic Chandrayaan-3. Ask your friend for advice on how to prepare.

You may use the prompts given below.

Complete the social media web given below with the uses of the internet.

Now, write an article titled ‘The Importance of Internet’ with the help of the social media web.

Points to remember:

Heading/Title

Name of the writer

PARAGRAPH 1: Give a general introduction to the topic.

PARAGRAPH 2: Explain the uses of the internet and why it is important. Give examples to support your view.

PARAGRAPH 3: End with a comment and leave the reader with a thoughtful idea or quote.

‘A canary in the coal mine’ is a popular phrase to describe early signs of potential danger.

Coal miners in places like Arunachal Pradesh used canary birds to detect the presence of carbon monoxide. Such gases are a potential risk to the life of the miners. These little birds are particularly sensitive to carbon monoxide and can prevent mining accidents.

Astronauts living in space stations have to do things differently. Read how they manage the routine tasks in the absence of gravity. You may find out more information about it from the internet.

1. Write: Astronauts use a special Space Pen which has a cartridge with ink combined with resin. The ink remains solid until friction with the ball at the point of the pen liquefies it. It works in all positions, in extreme heat and cold, and in atmospheres ranging from pure oxygen to vacuum.
2. Exercise: Astronauts use resistance exercise equipment. Weight training is done by applying a load using vacuum cylinders. Running on the treadmill is made possible with the bodies held down using rubber straps.
3. Eat: Astronauts eat preserved foods which is dried, canned, vacuum-packed, and frozen. These can be prepared by adding cold or hot water, and some can be heated in an oven. They also eat ready-to-eat items, such as nuts, breads, and fruits.
4. Sleep: Astronauts can sleep on a floor, wall, or ceiling as there’s no distinction between up and down but they may gradually float away while sleeping. Therefore, they need to restrain their bodies in small sleeping compartments or sleeping bags.

Did you know that animals can save humans from natural calamities? Animals can sense natural calamities. Read the following examples and decide if this is true.

• In 2004, before a tsunami could hit the coastline of Indonesia, some animals made efforts to flee—elephants ran for higher ground, flamingos abandoned low-lying nesting areas, and dogs refused to go outdoors.
• Minutes before the Naples quake of 1805, oxen, sheep, dogs, and geese started making alarm calls in unison.
• Migratory birds crossing the Pacific are able to dodge storms and other hazards.
• In the Gulf of Mexico, sharks sense the drop in barometric pressure that precedes hurricanes and tend to swim to deeper waters as a result. Dolphins have also been observed swimming away from storm-prone areas.

Scientists have studied this behaviour and found that when severe stresses arise in deep rock before the earthquake, ultra-low frequency electromagnetic waves are generated that animals can sense.

Salim Ali, the ‘Birdman of India’, was an Indian ornithologist (a person who studies birds). He was the first Indian to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and wrote several books on birds. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1958 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1976.

We need to conserve our ‘feathered’ friends. Work in groups of four.

Look at the pictures and make a bird feeder with cardboard, chart paper, etc.

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