Lesson 10 – Tales of Childhood | Chapter Solution Class 8

Activity 1

Rearrange the following sentences in the correct order and put the numbers in the given boxes:

1. He met Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg in 1911.
2. They, along with their family members, moved to Radyr in 1918.
3. Harold Dahl became a successful shipbroker and set up a farm at Cardiff.
4. They were married soon.
5. Harold Dahl lost his arm when he was fourteen.
6. The writer’s grandfather was a prosperous merchant.

Answer

The writer’s grandfather was a prosperous merchant.

Harold Dahl lost his arm when he was fourteen.

Harold Dahl became a successful shipbroker and set up a farm at Cardiff.

He met Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg in 1911.

They were married soon.

They, along with their family members, moved to Radyr in 1918.

Activity 2

Complete the following sentences with information from the text:

1. The narrator’s grandfather was a ____.
2. Harold Dahl had lost ____.
3. A shipbroker is a person who ____.
4. In the country mansion beside the village of Radyr, there were ____.

Answer

1. The narrator’s grandfather was a fairly prosperous merchant.
2. Harold Dahl had lost an arm when he was fourteen.
3. A shipbroker is a person who supplies the ship with everything it needs when it comes into port.
4. In the country mansion beside the village of Radyr, there were many acres of farm and woodland, and a number of cottages for the staff.

Activity 3

Answer the following question:

Do you think that the narrator was happy living in the imposing mansion?

Answer

Yes, I think the narrator was happy living in the imposing mansion since there were many things for him to enjoy.

Activity 4

Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements in the given boxes. Give supporting statements for each of your answers:

1.  The narrator was the eldest child in the family.
2. Astri was the favorite child of the narrator’s father.
3. The narrator’s father died of appendicitis.
4. After his father’s death, the narrator along with his other family members moved to Llandaff.

Answer

1. False; In 1920, when I was still three, my mother’s eldest child, my own sister Astri, died from appendicitis.
2. True; Astri was far and away my father’s favourite.
3. False; He was so overwhelmed with grief that when he himself went down with pneumonia a month or so afterwards, he did not much care whether he lived or died.
4. True; She sold the big house and moved to a smaller one a few miles away in Llandaff.

Activity 5

Answer the following questions:

1. How old was Astri when she died?
2. Why was pneumonia a very dangerous disease?
3. What made the narrator’s father reluctant to fight against the disease?

Answer

1. Astri was seven years old when she died.
2. In those days, there was not yet the discovery of penicillin to cure pneumonia. So this is why it was considered a dangerous disease.
3. According to the narrator, his father wanted to join his sister Astri in heaven so his father didn’t fight enough to live.

Activity 6

Fill in the chart with the information from the text:

Answer

Activity 7

Answer the following questions:

1. What was the name of the narrator’s first school?
2. Which blurred memory does the narrator have of his early days?
3. How did the narrator enjoy his journeys to and from school?
4. ‘It’s not much, but it’s all there is left’ – Why, according to you, did the narrator make this comment?

Answer

1. The name of the narrator’s first school was Elmtree House.
2. The narrator has a blurred memory of him sitting on the stairs and trying over and over again to tie one of his shoelaces.
3. The narrator had exciting journeys to and from school because he and his elder sister would ride on their tricycles.
4. The narrator cannot recall all the memories so he made this comment.

Activity 8 (a)

In the following sentences, underline the verb forms which show that the person denoted by the Subject does something. Circle the verb forms which show that something is done to the person denoted by the subject :

1. She sings a song.
2. A song is sung by her.
3. He drew a picture.
4. A picture was drawn by him.

Answer

1. She sings a song.
2. A song is sung by her.
3. He drew a picture.
4. A picture was drawn by him.

Activity 8(b)

Identify the voice of the following sentences and fill in the table given below:

1. He told a story.
2. The ball was thrown by the boy.
3. I read many books.
4. Football is played by them.

Answer

Activity 8(c)

Match column A with column B:

Answer

Activity 8 (d)

Change the voice of the following sentences:

1. Riya sang a song.
2. She knows my brother.
3. I wrote a letter.
4. They cleaned the classroom.

Answer

1. A song is sung by Riya.
2. My brother is known to her.
3. A letter was written by me.
4. The classroom was cleaned by them.

Activity 9

Make meaningful sentences with the given pairs of words. Use one pair of sentences:

1. Met, shop 
2. Remember, days
3. Moved, place  
4. Fight, country 

Answer

1. I met my friend at a dress shop.
2. I still remember my school days vividly.
3. She moved from one place to another.
4. Social workers fight for the betterment of our country.

Activity 10 (a)

Write an autobiography of a broken bicycle.

Answer

Title: My Life as a Broken Bicycle

I was born in a busy bicycle factory, shiny and new. People rode me with joy, exploring the world around them. But as time passed, my paint faded, and my wheels grew tired. I began to feel forgotten, abandoned in a dusty corner. Cobwebs hugged my frame, and rust slowly crept in. I longed for the days of freedom and adventure. Then, a kind soul discovered me, seeing beyond my brokenness. They repaired my worn-out parts, giving me a second chance. With fresh paint and tightened spokes, I once again hit the open road. I may not be the same as before, but I have found a new purpose. I bring smiles to faces and accompany riders on their journeys. Despite my scars, I am grateful for the opportunity to keep rolling, embracing the simple joys of life.

 Activity 10 (b)

Suppose recently you had to change your place of residence. Write a page in your diary about the experience of shifting from a familiar neighbourhood to a new place.

Answer

05/ 06/ 2023

I feel completely different in this new place. I was so happy in my old place where I used to play all day and have fun with my friends. But it has been one week since we have come to a new place. This new place is quite good and has a garden nearby. But I long for the old place. When my father told us that we are going to shift in a few days, I was so sad. Firstly I didn’t wish to leave my old friends and secondly, I always felt happy there. But now that we have finally shifted here, I feel like I’m in a different world.