Grade 8 (Unit 19) A Tale of Two Birds (Reading I)

 

Unit 19

 

Reading I (page 239)

A Tale of Two Birds

A. Find the words from the text that have the following meanings:

a. …………….. i. Young birds that have not yet learned to fly

b. …………….. ii. evil or morally wrong

c. …………….. iii. peaceful

d. …………….. iv. the dwelling of a hermit

e. …………….. v. a person living in solitude as a religious disciple

f. …………….. vi. someone who steals money or property

g. …………….. vii. copy the way a person speaks or behaves

Answer

a. Nestlings- i. Young birds that have not yet learned to fly

b. Wicked- ii. evil or morally wrong

c. Tranquil- iii. peaceful

d. Hermitage- iv. the dwelling of a hermit

e. Hermit- v. a person living in solitude as a religious disciple

f. Robbers- vi. someone who steals money or property

c. Imitates- vii. copy the way a person speaks or behaves

B. Put the following events of the story in the correct order:

a. The tall tree in which the birds had their nest fell down.

b. The mother bird was killed; however, the nestlings survived.

c. A bird and its two nestlings lived in a forest.

d. The other nestling lived near a hermitage.

e. The bird welcomed the king and requested him to be comfortable at the hermitage.

f. The hermit told the king that one was known by the company one kept.

g. The robbers were informed by a brown bird about the arrival of the king.

Answer

a. A bird and its two nestlings lived in a forest.

b. The tall tree in which the birds had their nest fell down.

c. The mother bird was killed; however, the nestlings survived.

d. The other nestling lived near a hermitage.

e. The robbers were informed by a brown bird about the arrival of the king.

f. The bird welcomed the king and requested him to be comfortable at the hermitage.

g. The hermit told the king that one was known by the company one kept.

C. Read the story again and answer the following questions:

a. What caused the tall tree to fall down?

b. Where were the nestlings blown to?

c. Was the king able to catch the deer? How do you know?

d. Why do you think the brown bird informed the robbers about the arrival of the king?

e. Why did the king not fight with the other robber’s gang?

Answer

a. The tall tree fell down due to a big storm with thunder, lightning, and strong winds.

b. The nestlings were blown to the other side of the forest. One came down near a cave where robbers lived, and the other landed near a hermitage.

c. No, the king was not able to catch the deer because he lost his way in the forest and became tired.

d. The brown bird informed the robbers about the arrival of the king because it had made friends with the robbers.

e. The king did not fight with the robber's gang because they were more in number.

D. One is known by the company one keeps. Do you agree with the statement? Discuss.

Answer

The statement "One is known by the company one keeps" implies that a person's reputation and character are shaped by the people they surround themselves with. The idea that our associations influence our behavior and how others see us has some validity, but it's crucial to understand that associations do not entirely define who we are as people. Individual development, personal decision-making, and autonomous thought are also important. It can be unjust and ignore the complexity of human connections to make generalizations about someone based only on who they associate with. In the end, although our affiliations influence us, they do not fully define us.

 

Grammar I

A. Match the sentences in the left column with their indirect speech in the right column.

Answer

a. The teacher said to the boys, “Have you done your homework?” - iv. The teacher asked the boys if they had done their homework.

b. The little girl said to the man, “Will you help me?” -viii. The little girl asked the man to help her.

c. Ridish said, “I have been reading this book.” -vi. Ridish said that he had been reading that book.

d. My mother said to me, “Go and change your dress.” -i. My mother told me to go and change my dress.

e. Rita said, “I had read this book before I gave it to you.” -ii. Rita said that she had read that book before she had given it to me.

f. Alish said, “I will bring my guitar.” -iii. Alish said that he would bring his guitar.

g. The boss told the clerk, “Bring me that file.” -x. The boss ordered the clerk to bring her that file.

h. Prima asked, “Have you read that book?”- ix. Prima asked if I had read that book.

i. Rabina said to Shambhu, “Where is our watch?”- v. Rabina asked Shambhu where his watch was.

j. Sophia said, “What do you want?”- vii. Sophia inquired what I wanted.

B. Change the following sentences into indirect speech. Use the reporting clauses given.

a. “I’m coming now.”

She told me ……………….

b. “Please, help me get to the hospital.”

He requested ……………….

c. “Can you give me your phone number?”

She asked me ……………….

d. “Reshma does not work.”

He said ……………….

e. “Where is he?”

She asked me ……………….

f. “Come here at once.”

She commanded me ……………….

g. “What are you doing?”

She asked me ……………….

h. “Do you work in a factory?”

She asked him ……………….

i. “Why did you go out last night?”

She asked ……………….

j. “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”

She told me ……………….

Answer

a. “I’m coming now.”

She told me that she was coming then.

b. “Please, help me get to the hospital.”

He requested me to help him get to the hospital.

c. “Can you give me your phone number?”

She asked me if I could give her my phone number.

d. “Reshma does not work.”

He said that Reshma does not work.

e. “Where is he?”

She asked me where he was.

f. “Come here at once.”

She commanded me to come there at once.

g. “What are you doing?”

She asked me what I was doing.

h. “Do you work in a factory?”

She asked him if he worked in a factory.

i. “Why did you go out last night?”

She asked why I had gone out the previous night.

j. “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”

She told me that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

Writing I (page 246)

Write a story beginning with ‘Two friends were walking along the forest…….’

Answer

Two friends were walking along the forest with the whispering breeze and rustling leaves as they strolled along the forest path. As best friends since they were young, Bibek and Krishna had always sought comfort in the embrace of the natural world. The sun created a captivating dance of light and shadow on the forest floor by penetrating the dense vegetation overhead and casting dappled patterns.

Excitement seemed to permeate the air as they wandered more into the trees. It seemed as if the forest itself held secrets waiting to be revealed. Their hearts overflowed with expectancy, curious about what was ahead. Mark's cheeky smile suggested his desire for adventure, while Sarah's hazel eyes glistened with delight.

Their lighthearted conversation stopped as they discovered an old, moss-covered stone with enigmatic markings. The inscriptions seemed strange, a complex design carved into the stone, as if it contained the key to a lost world. Drawn in by its charm, Sarah stroked her fingertips lightly over the designs, her touch creating a slight ripple in the atmosphere.

The surrounding woodland abruptly changed. Vibrant hues swirled and blended with the sounds of invisible creatures as the colors became more intense. A soft tune filled the air as the trees danced in an ethereal fashion. Bibek and Krishna exchanged a puzzled look, a mixture of nervousness and excitement in their eyes.

 

(My special thanks to Kanchan Chaudhary of Khairahani Secondary School for preparing this material.)

 

 

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