Kerala Syllabus Class 8 English: Unit 03 The Trail of Science: Lesson 03 - The Astronomer - Questions and Answers | Teachers Handbook
പഠന സഹായികൾ അയക്കാൻ താല്പര്യമുള്ളവർ ഈ നമ്പറിൽ വാട്സാപ്പ് ചെയ്യുക: 9497346250. പുതിയ അപ്ഡേറ്റുകൾക്കായി ഞങ്ങളുടെ Telegram - ചാനലിൽ ജോയിൻ ചെയ്യുക.
ഈ ബ്ലോഗ് ഉടമയുടെ രേഖാമൂലമുള്ള അനുമതിയില്ലാതെ ഈ ബ്ലോഗിൽ നൽകിയിരിക്കുന്ന ചോദ്യോത്തരങ്ങൾ, ഇതേരീതിയിലോ പി.ഡി.എഫ് രൂപത്തിലോ, മറ്റേതെങ്കിലും ഡിജിറ്റലോ, പ്രിന്റഡ് ഉൾപ്പെടെയുള്ള ഏതെങ്കിലും രൂപങ്ങളിലേക്കോ മാറ്റി മറ്റൊരു വെബ്സൈറ്റിലോ, ബ്ലോഗിലോ, യുട്യൂബ്, സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയാ ഗ്രൂപ്പുകളിലോ ഉൾപ്പെടെ ഒരിടത്തും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാൻ പാടില്ലാത്തതാകുന്നു.
Std 8 English Unit III The Trail of Science - Lesson 03 The Astronomer - Textual Questions and Answers & Activities
♦ Let’s rewind and rejoice:
1. What do you think of the child's question in the first stanza? Have you ever felt the same way?
The child's question in the first stanza, whether someone could catch the moon when it gets entangled in the branches of the dadam tree, is full of wonder and imagination. It reflects the innocent curiosity of a child who sees the world through magical eyes. Yes, many children (and even adults) have had similar feelings, wondering if the moon follows them, or if it's close enough to touch. It's a natural part of a curious and imaginative mind.
2. What is Dada's answer to the child's question?
Dada answers with logic and science. He laughs and tells the child that the moon is very far away and cannot be caught. He calls the child 'silly' and even says there wouldn't be a net big enough to catch the moon. His tone is rational but dismissive of the child's imagination.
3. Do you think the child is convinced by Dada's arguments? Why / Why not?
No, the child is not convinced by Dada's arguments. The child continues to question and challenge Dada's logic using examples from everyday life, like comparing the moon to their mother smiling from the window or bending to kiss them. This shows that the child values emotional closeness and visual perception more than scientific distance. The child's imagination doesn't allow him/her to accept Dada's dry facts.
4. How does the poem capture the innocence and imagination of childhood? Quote specific lines from the poem to support your answer.
The poem beautifully reflects childhood innocence through the child's simple yet imaginative questions.
For example:
• "When in the evening the round full moon gets entangled among the branches of that dadam tree, couldn't somebody catch it?"
• "When mother looks out of her window and smiles down at us playing, would you say she's faraway?"
These lines show how children blend emotion, imagination and observation in a magical way that adults often forget.
5. What does the conversation between the child and Dada reveal about their relationship?
The conversation shows a playful and affectionate bond between the child and Dada. Although Dada teases the child and calls him/her silly or stupid, it is said in a light -hearted, brotherly way. The child feels free to question Dada and even argue with him. Their dialogue reveals a loving, teasing relationship where both care for each other but view the world very differently, one through wonder, the other through logic.
♦ Let's appreciate
A. (i) Why does the child compare the moon to the mother's face? Do you think the child's logic is mistaken, or truly insightful?
The child compares the moon to the mother's face because both seem close, comforting, and full of affection. Just as the mother looks out from the window or bends down to kiss the child, the moon appears to come near when it gets entangled in the tree branches. This comparison shows the child's emotional and imaginative way of seeing the world.
The child's logic is not mistaken; it is actually deeply insightful in a poetic and emotional sense. While it may not be scientifically accurate, it reveals a way of seeing beauty and closeness not through facts, but through feelings and perception. This kind of insight reflects the innocent wisdom of childhood.
(ii) What is the difference in perception between the child and Dada? Which perspective appears more convincing to you? Why?
The child sees the world through wonder, imagination, and emotion. To the child, the moon seems close enough to touch, just like the mother's smile feels near, no matter the physical distance. Dada, on the other hand, sees the world through logic, science, and physical reality. He knows the moon is far away and impossible to catch. Both perspectives have value: Dada represents factual knowledge, while the child represents emotional truth and poetic vision.
However, the child's perspective feels more charming and thought-provoking, especially in the context of a poem. It reminds us that not everything has to be understood by science; some things are felt by the heart, and that too is a kind of truth.
B. In the poem, we listen to the innocent questions of a child on the world around it. Here is the transcript of a conversation between a child and its father. You may read it and try to fill in the gaps:
Child: I always wonder, Dad, why do the waves of the
sea lash out endlessly? Don't they get tired?
Dad: That's a lovely question, dear. The waves are caused by the wind blowing over the surface of the water. They never get tired because they are part of nature's rhythm.
Child: Can't we stop the waves?
Dad: Not really. Waves are powerful and constant. We can build walls or barriers to hold them back, but we cannot stop them completely.
Child: The power of the waves is of no use, then?
Dad: Baby! Science may help us to use its power for our needs. For example, we can turn wave energy into electricity. Nature's force, when understood, can be a great friend.
♦ Let's recall and recreate
♦ Activity 1
♦ Let’s have fun generating images with AI prompts.
| For AI to draw an image, we need to give it a prompt. A prompt is like a magic spell, where we use words to describe the image we want to create. For example, if we provide the prompt, 'a boy in a village looking at the stars,' the AI will try to generate the image. |
|---|
A. Now, it's your turn. Think about the poem you have just read. What scene would you like to recreate? Is it that of a child looking at the moon? Let’s now create some prompts for images.
B. What text prompt will generate the image below? Write it in the space provided.
♦ Let’s play with words:
♦ Activity 1
♦ Puzzle Power: Boost Your Brain! One has been done for you (Textbook Page 95).
| Across | Down |
|---|---|
| 3. a scientist who studies the physical properties of the sun, the stars, the planets, and the cosmos 5. the after-effects of an earthquake (for instance) 6. noisy disorder or confusion | 1. search 2. an elephant’s call 3. a scientist who studies the sun, the stars, the planets, and the galaxies 4. money owed to someone |
Answer:
Across
3. Astrophysicist
5. Reverberation
6. Pandemonium
Down
1. Pursuit
2. Trumpet
3. Astronomer
4. Debt
♦ Activity 2
♦ Let's try to grasp the meaning of words in a creative way. We can draw simple scenes from the story and include dialogue or conversation using words from the passage, like ‘wobble’, ‘desperate’, ‘huge’, ‘showman’, etc.
Example: ‘showman’
The Prize Announcement SceneA stage on Gaiety Land with the showman holding a microphone. The narrator looks shocked, holding ticket number 1005 Dialogue Municipal Chairman: Hasn’t the showman brought a touch of excitement to our town with his grand event, Gaiety Land? Municipal Councillor: Of course, the showman steals the show wherever he goes |
|---|
Now, create situations to reinforce your understanding of words like 'wobble,' 'desperate,' 'huge,' etc.
• ………………………………………………………………….
• …………………………………………………………………
• ………………………………………………………………….
Answer:
1. Wobble
Scene: The narrator tries to balance on the road engine as it moves slowly.
Dialogue:
Narrator: “Oh no, the engine makes me wobble every time I stand on it!”
Friend: “Hold tight, or you’ll fall off with that wobbling ride!”
2. Desperate
Scene: The narrator runs to the municipal chairman, pleading about the engine.
Dialogue:
Narrator: “Sir, I am desperate! Please take this engine, I cannot manage it.”
Chairman: “Your desperation shows how heavy a burden this machine has become.”
3. Huge
Scene: The townspeople gather around the road engine, staring at its size.
Dialogue:
Child: “Wow, this engine is so huge! It looks bigger than our school building.”
Mother: “Yes, its huge size makes it difficult to move through the narrow streets.”
♦ Let’s analyse:
♦ Activity 1
A. Read the following sentences and observe the difference between them.
1. The narrator looks at the road engine every morning.
2. The narrator is looking at the road engine right now.
• What is the difference between these sentences?
…………………………………………………………
• When does the action take place in the first sentence, and when does it happen in the second sentence?
………………………………………………………
Answer:
• What is the difference between these sentences?
1. “The narrator looks at the road engine every morning.”
This sentence is in the simple present tense. It shows a habitual action or something that happens regularly.
2. “The narrator is looking at the road engine right now.”
This sentence is in the present continuous tense. It shows an action that is happening at the moment of speaking.
• When does the action take place in the first sentence, and when does it happen in the second sentence?
In the first sentence, the action takes place every morning (a repeated, routine action).
In the second sentence, the action takes place right now, at the present moment.
| The first sentence talks about a habitual action, about something in general / things that happen repeatedly at the same time every day. The second sentence describes an action happening at the present moment. |
|---|
B. Read the following sentences and arrange them suitably in the table given.
• The water is boiling.
• She gets up early every morning.
• They are going to school now.
• We live in a small town.
• It is raining heavily outside.
• They go to the seaside on weekends.
| Habitual actions in the present time | Actions that are happening in the present moment |
|---|---|
| • She gets up early every morning. • We live in a small town. • They go to the seaside on weekends. | • The water is boiling. • They are going to school now. • It is raining heavily outside. |
C. Complete the following sentences.
1. Reetu (help) her classmates with their homework every day.
2. We usually (share) our lunch with friends who forget to bring theirs.
3. Now, they (plant) trees in the park to make their neighbourhood greener.
4. I (prepare) a thank you card for my teacher right now.
5. They (volunteer) at an orphanage every summer vacation.
6. Look! How patiently she (help) her younger brother to solve a problem.
7. Raju (help) his parents with household chores every morning.
Answer:
1. Reetu helps her classmates with their homework every day.
2. We usually share our lunch with friends who forget to bring theirs.
3. Now, they are planting trees in the park to make their neighbourhood greener.
4. I am preparing a thank-you card for my teacher right now.
5. They volunteer at an orphanage every summer vacation.
6. Look! How patiently she is helping her younger brother to solve a problem.
7. Raju helps his parents with household chores every morning.
D. Rewrite the following sentences correctly, if necessary.
e.g. The water boils. Can you turn the heater off.
The water is boiling. Can you turn the heater off?
1. Look! That man tries to open the door.
2. Water boils at 100°C.
3. Arun is never late. He is getting to work on time.
4. I must go now. It gets late.
Answer:
1. Look! That man is trying to open the door.
2. Water boils at 100°C.
(This sentence is already correct because it states a scientific fact.)
3. Arun is never late. He gets to work on time.
4. I must go now. It is getting late.
E. Now, write five sentences on each of the following.
• Your daily habits (using the simple present).
• Activities you are doing at the present moment.
Answer:
Daily Habits (Simple Present)
• I wake up early every morning.
• I brush my teeth before breakfast.
• I walk to school with my friends.
• I read storybooks every evening.
• I help my parents with small chores at home.
Activities Happening Right Now (Present Continuous)
• I am writing in my notebook.
• I am listening to my teacher carefully.
• I am drawing a picture of a tree.
• I am talking with my best friend.
• I am smiling because I feel happy.
F. Do you know that we use the simple present and the present continuous tense for other purposes as well? List a few such examples.
Uses of the Simple Present
• Facts and universal truths:
The sun rises in the east.
• Scheduled events (future reference):
The train leaves at 6 o’clock.
• Instructions or directions:
First, mix the flour with water.
• Newspaper headlines/storytelling:
India wins the match!
Uses of the Present Continuous
• Temporary actions:
She is staying with her aunt this week.
• Future arrangements (planned events):
We are meeting our teacher tomorrow.
• Changing or developing situations:
The climate is getting warmer.
• Complaints with “always”:
He is always losing his pencils!
♦ Activity 2
♦ Read the following sentences.
1. Some of the girls screamed.
2. The man was wearing a peaked cap.
In the first sentence, the verb doesn’t require an object to make sense.
In the second sentence, the verb takes an object and the sentence is incomplete without the object.
| A verb that requires an object for the sentence to make sense is a transitive verb. A verb that does not require an object and is complete by itself is an intransitive verb. |
|---|
A. Read the passage below.
As the sun set, Maria walked slowly along the beach. She picked up a beautiful shell and examined it carefully. The sound of the waves calmed her mind. She sat down on the sand and watched the stars twinkling. The peaceful atmosphere soothed her.
Pick out the transitive and intransitive verbs in the passage and note them in the space below.
| Transitive verbs | Intransitive verbs |
|---|---|
| pick | wail |
| examine | sit |
| calm, watch, soothe | twinkling |
♦ Activity 3
♦ A. Look at the sentences given below and note the differences between them.
1. The elephant pulled the road engine.
2. The road engine was pulled by the elephant.
Do they convey the same idea?
........................................................
How is sentence ‘1’ different from sentence ‘2’?
........................................................................
Answer:
1. Do they convey the same idea?
Yes, both sentences tell us that the elephant pulled the road engine. The action is the same, but the way it is expressed is different.
2. How is sentence ‘1’ different from sentence ‘2’?
Sentence 1 (Active voice): The elephant pulled the road engine.
Focus is on who did the action (the elephant).
Sentence 2 (Passive voice): The road engine was pulled by the elephant.
Focus is on what received the action (the road engine).
| In the first sentence, the subject (the elephant) is the performer/doer of the action. In the second sentence, the focus shifts to the object (the road engine), which now becomes the subject of the sentence. In the first sentence, the subject performs the action. In the second sentence, the action is performed by someone. |
|---|
B. Now, look at the following sentences and observe the differences between the two, and write them down in the space provided.
Joseph helped the narrator.
The narrator was helped by Joseph.
..........................................................
..........................................................
Answer:
In the first sentence, Joseph (the subject) is doing the action- this is active voice.
In the second sentence, the narrator becomes the subject - the one who receives the action - this is passive voice.
The focus has shifted from the doer (Joseph) to the receiver (the narrator)
| When the subject performs the action, the sentence is in the active voice. In the passive voice, the object is given importance. The object of the sentence in the active voice becomes the subject of the sentence in the passive voice. |
|---|
C. Identify whether the following sentences are in the active or passive voice and rewrite them changing the voice.
1. Joseph met the municipal chairman.
2. The request was not accepted by the chairman.
3. The municipality pressed them to clear out.
4. Joseph saw the priest of the local temple.
5. He was offered the services of the temple elephant by the priest.
Answer:
1. Joseph met the municipal chairman.
Voice: Active
Passive form: The municipal chairman was met by Joseph.
2. The request was not accepted by the chairman.
Voice: Passive
Active form: The chairman did not accept the request.
3. The municipality pressed them to clear out.
Voice: Active
Passive form: They were pressed by the municipality to clear out.
4. Joseph saw the priest of the local temple.
Voice: Active
Passive form: The priest of the local temple was seen by Joseph.
5. He was offered the services of the temple elephant by the priest.
Voice: Passive
Active form: The priest offered him the services of the temple elephant.
D. Now, choose two sentences each in the active and the passive voice from the story, and rewrite them, changing the voice.
Answer:
• Two active voice sentences
1. Joseph bought the last ticket.
Passive: The last ticket was bought by Joseph.
2. The showman announced the winning number.
Passive: The winning number was announced by the showman
• Two Passive voice sentences
1. The road engine was pulled by the elephant
Active: The elephant pulled the road engine
2. He was given the prize by the chairman
Active: The chairman gave him the prize
♦ Activity 4
A. Read the lines below.
i also took into service one joseph a dismissed bus driver who said that although he knew nothing of road rollers he could nevertheless steer one if it was somehow kept in motion
Do these words convey meaning? Why not?
………………………………………………
What difficulties do you notice when sentences are written without appropriate punctuation marks?
• Lack of clarity and sense
• ……………………………
• ……………………………
• ……………………………
Answer:
♦ Do these words convey meaning? Why not?
Not fully. The sentence is long and lacks punctuation, so the reader struggles to understand where one idea ends and another begins. Without commas or full stops, the meaning becomes confusing.
♦ What difficulties do you notice when sentences are written without appropriate punctuation marks?
• Lack of clarity and sense
• Hard to know where one thought ends and another begins
• The reader may misinterpret the meaning
• It becomes hard to identify names, quotes or pauses.
B. Examine the punctuation marks listed below and identify their uses.
1. Full stop (.)
• Use: It ends a sentence.
• Example: She went to school yesterday.
2. Comma (,)
• Use: It separates items in a list or adds a pause in a sentence.
• Example: I bought a laptop, a mouse pad, and a mobile phone.
3. Question Mark (?)
• Use: It ends a question.
• Example: Where are you going?
4. Exclamation mark (!)
• Use: to show strong feelings like surprise, excitement, anger or happiness.
• Example: What a beautiful day!
5. Colon (:)
• Use: It introduces a list, an explanation, or an example.
• Example: She brought three things: a pen, a notebook, and a calculator.
6. Quotation Marks (" ")
• Use: to show someone's exact spoken or written words. Also used to mark titles of short works like poems, short stories, and articles.
• Example : 'The Seven Ages of Man'
She said, "I will be there soon."
6. Apostrophe (')
• Use: shows possession (belonging to someone). shows contracticn (joining two words by omitting letters).
• Example : This is Ravi's book. (possessive)
Don't be late! (contraction of 'do not')
6. Capital Letters (A, B, C, ........)
• Use: at the begining of sentences: names of people, places, and titles.
the pronoun 'I'
• Example : Joseph was a bus driver.
I am going to the Taj Mahal.
♦ Find out some other uses of these punctuation marks.
• Comma (,): Also used after introductory words.
Example: Yes, I agree
• Colon (:): Used before quoting or explaining.
Example: He had only one goal: to win.
• Exclamation mark (!): Often used in commands or warnings.
Example: Watch out!
C. Now, use appropriate punctuation marks to rewrite the lines given in the beginning of Activity 4.
I also took into service one Joseph, a dismissed bus driver, who said that although he knew nothing of road rollers, he could neverthless steer ine if it was some how kept in motion.
0 Comments