Book Name | : Blossom |
Subject | : English |
Class | : 8 (Madhyamik) |
Publisher | : Prof. Nabanita Chatterjee |
Chapter Name | : Someone (12th Chapter) |
Table of Contents
ToggleActivity – 1
Tick the correct alternative
(i) The door was
- big
- small
- wide
Answer
small
(ii) The poet looked
- backward and forward
- up and down
- to left and right
Answer
to left and right
(iii) The busy beetle was tap-tapping in the
- wall
- door
- window
Answer
Wall
(iv) The rocket was
- singing
- whistling
- chirping
Answer
Whistling
Activity – 2
Complete the following sentences with information from the text.
- Someone came knocking at _____
- There was no stirring in _____
- The poet heard the screech-owl’s call from _____
- The poet did not know _____
Answer
- Someone came knocking at the poet’s wee, small door.
- There was no stirring in the still, dark night.
- The poet heard the screech owl’s call from the forest.
- The poet did not know at all who came knocking at his door.
Activity – 3
Answer the following questions
Who do you think came knocking at the poet’s small door?
Answer
The poem does not explicitly reveal who came knocking at the poet’s small door. It remains a mystery, as no person or creature is found when the door is opened.
Activity – 4
Fill in the following chart with information from the text:
Who | Did What |
(i) Someone | ____ |
(ii) Beetle | ____ |
(iii) Owl | ____ |
(iv) Cricket | ____ |
Answer
Who | Did What |
---|---|
Someone | Came knocking at the door |
Beetle | Tap-tapped in the wall |
Owl | Made a screech-owl’s call from the forest |
Cricket | Whistled while the dewdrops fall |
Activity – 5
Answer the following questions:
- What did the poet do after he heard the knocking on the door?
- What was the night like?
- Name the insect mentioned in the poem.
- Why does the poet use the expression ‘at all’ thrice in the last line of the poem?
Answer
- After hearing the knocking on the door, the poet listened, opened the door, and looked to the left and right to see who was there. However, the poet found no one stirring.
- The night described in the poem is still and dark. There is no activity or movement except for the sounds of nature, such as the beetle tap-tapping in the wall, the screech-owl’s call from the forest, and the cricket whistling while the dewdrops fall.
- The insect mentioned in the poem is the beetle. It is described as being busy tap-tapping in the wall.
- The poet uses the expression ‘at all’ thrice in the last line of the poem to emphasize the uncertainty and lack of knowledge about who came knocking. It adds to the sense of mystery and leaves the question unanswered. The repetition of ‘at all’ reinforces the poet’s confusion and indicates a complete absence of information about the identity of the person who knocked on the door.
Activity 6 (a)
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the given verbs in brackets:
- The Mayor ____ to Pune next week. (go)
- By next December, we ____ here for three years. (stay)
- Perhaps they ____ Dooars later. (visit)
- The boy ____ television since morning. (watch)
Answer
- The Mayor will go to Pune next week.
- By next December, we will stay here for three years.
- Perhaps they will visit Dooars later.
- The boy has been watching television since morning.
Activity 6 (b)
In the following sentences underline the Phrases and state what kind of Phrases they are:
- He wanted to speak to his teacher.
- At this moment it’s raining hard.
- To do well in the competition is my aim.
- They live in a house made of wood.
Answer
He wanted to speak to his teacher.
- Prepositional phrase
At this moment it’s raining hard.
- Adverbial phrase
To do well in the competition is my aim.
- Noun phrase
They live in a house made of wood.
- Adjective phrase
Activity 6 (c)
In the following sentences underline the Clauses and state what kind of Clauses they are:
- The child ran away as soon as she saw the strange man.
- I saw an old woman who was carrying a child.
- The dog follows his master wherever he goes.
- We all thought that it would not rain today.
Answer
(i) The child ran away as soon as she saw the strange man.
- Clauses: – as soon as she saw the strange man (adverbial clause indicating the time or condition) –
- Type: Adverbial Clause
(ii) I saw an old woman who was carrying a child. –
- Clauses: – who was carrying a child (adjective clause modifying the noun ‘woman’) –
- Type: Adjective Clause
(iii) The dog follows his master wherever he goes. –
- Clauses: – wherever he goes (adverbial clause indicating place or condition) –
- Type: Adverbial Clause
(iv) We all thought that it would not rain today. –
- Clauses: – that it would not rain today (noun clause acting as the direct object of the verb ‘thought’) –
- Type: Noun Clause
Activity 6 (d)
Change the following sentences from Active to Passive Voice:
- India won the World Cup in cricket recently.
- The teacher was teaching English.
- Rani is singing a beautiful song.
- The wind blew away the rooftops of the houses.
Answer
- The World Cup in cricket was won by India recently.
- English was being taught by the teacher.
- A beautiful song is being sung by Rani.
- The rooftops of the houses were blown away by the wind.
Activity 7
Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
- Wee
- Stirring
- Busy
- Dewdrops
Answer
- The wee kitten curled up in the cozy corner.
- There was a faint stirring in the forest as the leaves rustled.
- The busy worker bees buzzed around the hive, collecting nectar.
- The morning sun glistened on the dewdrops, sparkling like diamonds.
Activity 8 (a)
Suppose you spent a moonlit night in a forest guest house. Write a paragraph of about eighty words on your experience. Mention the sounds that you heard there.
Answer
The moonlit night in the forest guest house was an enchanting experience. As I lay in my comfortable bed, surrounded by the tranquility of nature, the sounds of the forest came alive. I could hear the gentle rustling of leaves as a breeze whispered through the trees. The melodious chirping of crickets filled the air, accompanied by the occasional hooting of an owl in the distance. The rhythmic croaking of frogs added a soothing symphony to the night. It was a magical ambiance, where the symphony of nature’s sounds lulled me into a peaceful slumber under the moonlit sky.
Activity 8 (b)
In about eight words write an autobiography of an owl enjoying the night.
Answer
In the depths of darkness, I emerge as a silent creature of the night. With keen eyes, I scan the shadows, my wings spread wide. The moon, my guiding light, casts a silver glow upon my feathers as I soar through the velvet sky. Stealthily, I dive down, seizing my prey with swift precision. My hoot resonates through the stillness, announcing my presence to the world. As the stars twinkle above, I find solace in the solitude of the night, a master of the nocturnal realm. With each passing moment, I revel in the joy of being an owl, free to explore and embrace the mysteries of the night.