Class 8 Communicative English Learnwell Smart
Textbook Question and ANswer
Answer each question briefly:
Q.1. How was the youngster different from his comrades?
Ans. He was more grave than the others.
Q.2. Which line tells you that the youngster’s name was Tom?
Ans. ‘They spoke, and Tom pondered …. “
Q.3. What had Tom’s comrades plotted to do?
Ans. They had plotted to rob the neighbor’s orchard.
Q.4. What was Tom’s advice to his comrades?
Ans. He said it was not good to rob the poor neighbor’s orchard. He advised them to think of the poor man’s children. “His orchard is his bread,” he said.
Q.5. Did Tom’s comrades care for his advice?
Ans. No, they didn’t care for his advice. They were determined to rob the orchard.
Q.6. What did the boys say they would do if Tom didn’t join them?
Ans. They said they would not give Tom any apple or pear if he didn’t go with them.
Q.7. How did Tom convince himself to join the others?
Ans. Tom thought that his staying behind would do the man no good. He said, “He will lose none by me, though I get a few. Thus Tom convinced himself to join the others.
Q.8. How did Tom feel about his poor neighbour?
Ans. Tom felt pity for the poor neighbour. He did not want his orchard to be robbed.
Q.9. Why did Tom think that his staying behind would do no good to the poor neighbor?
Ans. The other boys were determined to go and rob the orchard. Thus Tom thought that his staying behind would do no good to the poor neighbour.
Q.10. Tom says. “He will lose none by me.” What does he mean by it?
Ans. He means to say that he himself won’t pluck any apple in the neighbor’s orchard.
Q.11. How did Tom feel ‘more at ease’?
Ans. He had put aside his moral principles for the moment. Thus felt more at ease.
Q.12. How was Tom’s integrity put to test? Do you think he passed or failed the test?
Ans. Tom tells the other boys that it is bad to rob the poor neighbour’s orchard. But then he sees that the boys will go even without him. This sets him thinking. He begins to think whether he should join them or not. At last, he decides to join the boys. He says, “He will lose none by me, though I get a few.” Tom doesn’t join the robbers in their robbery but shares the plunder. So we can say Tom fails when his integrity is put to test.
Word Power
I. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words from the box:
(speak, injure, lose, depend, assist, poor)
[speak, injure, lose, depend, assist, poor]
1. Question: His illness left him without the power of _____________.
Answer: His illness left him without the power of speech.
2. Question: I couldn’t complete this work without your _____________.
Answer: I couldn’t complete this work without your assistance.
3. Question: His uncle has suffered a big _____________ in his business.
Answer: His uncle has suffered a big loss in his business.
4. Question: Tom can’t play in the match because of his _____________.
Answer: Tom can’t play in the match because of his injury.
5. Question: The unfortunate man lived all his life in deep _____________.
Answer: The unfortunate man lived all his life in deep poverty.
6. Question: Children are _____________ on their parents for all their needs.
Answer: Children are dependent on their parents for all their needs.
II. Find out the synonyms of the following words from the poem:
1. child -> youngster
2. help -> assist
3. part -> share
4. fell -> dropped
5. others -> (the) rest
6. nice -> fine
7. only -> alone
8. also -> too.
III. Rewrite the following passage, correcting the misspelt words :
Some boys at Tom’s school plot to rob a poor nieghbor’s orchrd. Tom lectures to them on goodness and honsty. But when the boys go to rob the orchrd, Tom also goes with them. He keeps blameing and protsting, but also accepts his share in the plundre. There are many like Tom who pose to be honest, but appear in their true colors when their integerty is put to test.
Answer: Some boys at Tom’s school plot to rob a poor neighbor’s orchard. Tom lectures to them on goodness and honesty. But when the boys go to rob the orchard, Tom also goes with them. He keeps blaming and protesting, but also accepts his share in the plunder. There are many like Tom who pose to be honest, but appear in their true colors when their integrity is put to test.