NCERT solutions for English Poorvi Class 8 chapter * - Waiting for the Rain [Latest edition]

Have you ever waited for the rains? Why?

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

Why do you think the farmers wait for the rains?

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?
2. What do you think about?
3. How do you feel?

Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

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

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

Will Velu’s wait continue or will it rain?

Velu asked the old woman to stop smiling because ______.

Velu said that it was hard not being able to work since ______.

Velu was confused when the old lady said that the land needed rest because ______.

The old lady said that it was good for the land when it didn’t rain as ______.

Velu ran home laughing and happy because ______.

Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.

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

(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)

(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 ______.

1. lack of astrological knowledge
2. ineffectiveness of farmers like Velu
3. delay in understanding the weather
4. unpredictability of nature

Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.

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

(ii) Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given below.

The old woman’s advice ______ Velu, at that moment.

1. failed to impress
2. confused
3. scared
4. made sense to

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

(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable explanation.

The ‘difficulty’ that the old woman mentions is due to the fact that ______.

How does the old woman convey Nature’s wisdom to Velu?

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

Choose the correct meaning from the given options for the underlined word or phrase in the following sentence.

Being annoyed, she muttered something which nobody heard.

Choose the correct meaning from the given options for the underlined word or phrase in the following sentence.

At the new work place, Riya felt forlorn for a week.

Choose the correct meaning from the given options for the underlined word or phrase in the following sentence.

When all his friends had gone, he was at a loss because he did not know what to do.

Choose the correct meaning from the given options for the underlined word or phrase in the following sentence.

When the little child saw her father, her eyes sparkled.

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.

Underline the verb and identify the form of tense for the following sentence from the text.

Oh, it is hard not to be able to work...

Underline the verb and identify the form of tense for the following sentence from the text.

...I am too old.

Underline the verb and identify the form of tense for the following sentence from the text.

What are you smiling at, Amma?

Underline the verb and identify the form of tense for the following sentence from the text.

But my son, that is what I am talking about.

Underline the verb and identify the form of tense for the following sentence from the text.

The earth has worked for years, centuries...

Underline the verb and identify the form of tense for the following sentence from the text.

I have worked hard and honestly.

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.

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.

Listen to the weather forecast. As you listen, fill in the blanks with the exact word you listen to.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

For detailed information, please visit:
https://mausam. imd.gov.in/responsive/servicesMetEnvironment.php