KERALA READER

ENGLISH
STANDARD VIII
PART 2
KT-493-1/English-8 Vol-2

GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT, Kerala)
2016
 PLEDGE THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

India is my country. All Indians Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he

are my brothers and sisters. I love Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
my country, and I am proud of Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha
its rich and varied heritage. I shall Dravida-Utkala-Banga
always strive to be worthy of it. Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
I shall give my parents, teachers Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.
and all elders respect, and treat Tava shubha name jage,
everyone with courtesy. Tava shubha asisa mage,
To my country and my people, I Gahe tava jaya gatha,
pledge my devotion. In their Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
well-being and prosperity alone Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
lies my happiness. Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!

Kerala Reader - English

Standard VIII Part 2
Prepared by:
State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT)
Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram -12, Kerala.
E-mail: scertkerala@gmail.com
Typesetting by: SCERT Computer Lab.
First Edition : 2015, Reprint : 2016
Printed at: KBPS, Kakkanad, Kochi-30

©
Government of Kerala
Department of Education
Dear learners,

This is the second volume of your English Reader for Standard VIII.
This book has been designed with a view to providing you ample
scope for interaction with authentic pieces of world literature. It
contains different literary pieces and a variety of language learning
activities.
To be successful in school education and in your life, you must be
able to read effectively and efficiently. Reading is a fulfilling exercise.
Good readers discuss what they have read. Sharing your knowledge
with others is a good way to check your understanding and opens up
new avenues of comprehension. You are provided with a number of
activities that would help you to comprehend the text and enjoy
learning of English.
This book has two units. Each unit contains a number of activities
for developing your language skills, vocabulary and mastery of language
use. I am sure you will become more confident in using English with
the help of this material. Remember the second prose text in each
unit is exclusively for self-reading. You can read and understand it on
your own.
Let’s make learning English an enjoyable experience.

Dr. P. A. Fathima
Director
SCERT
Textbook Development Team

Members
Arun T S, HSA, GHS Perumpazhuthoor, Thiruvananthapuram
Azeez Pullot, HSA, AMHSS Tirurkad, Malappuram
Dominic Sebastian, HSA, Govt DVHSS Charamangalam
Jayarajan K, HSA, Perambra HSS, Perambra, Kozhikode
Jijumon M M, HSST, GHSS Alamcode, Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram
Mohanan P, HSA, KHS, Kuthuparamba, Kannur
Paulose M A, HSA, GHSS Moolankave, Wayanad
Rajalakshmi Syamala, HSA, GMHSS Vengannoor, Thiruvananthapuram
Ravindran R, Rtd Headmaster
Reshmi Reghunath, HSST, GHSS, Karakulam
Sajith E P, HSA, GGMGHSS Chalappuram, Kozhikode
Santhosh K Francis, HSA, St Alosyius HS, Athirampuzha, Kottayam
Sarsha T S, HSST, SNHSS Sreekanteswaram, Cherthala, Alappuzha
Shammy Mathew, HSA, GHSS Edakochi, Ernakulam
Siddeequl Akbar, HSA, KHMHSS Alathiyur, Tirur, Malappuram
Sreelatha S, Tutor, DCE, Neyyattinkara, Thiruvananthapuram
Sujith S, HSA, Pantheerankavu HSS, Kozhikode

Experts
Dr P K Jayaraj, Director, State Institute of English, Kerala at Thrissur
Dr Muraleedharan K C, Asso. Professor, Payyannur College, Kannur
Sajai K V, Assistant Professor, Government College, Madappally, Kozhikode
Dr Sherrif K M, Reader, Department of English, University of Calicut
Dr Sushil Kumar, Assistant Professor, DB College, Sasthamcotta, Kollam

Artists
Ramesan P Art Teacher, Iringannur HSS, Kozhikode

Academic Co-ordinator
Jose D Sujeev, Research Officer (English & IT), SCERT, Kerala
 CONTENTS

Unit 4 Flowers and Showers 127

Unit 5 Share and Care 165

 Unit 4

English VIII 127

Unit at a Glance
Flowers and Showers

Prose:
The Nightingale and the Rose (Oscar Wilde)
A Day in the Country (Anton Chekhov)

Poems:
Song of the Flower (Khalil Gibran)
First Showers (Nalini Sharma)

Learning Outcomes

By learning this unit, the learner will be able to:

• read and comprehend poems and stories.
• demonstrate a significant improvement in vocabulary and the ability to use them
suitably in various situations.
• analyse the features of a short story by constructing a story house.
• construct discourses like character sketch, letter and diary entry.
• design posters to create social awareness.
• form opinions and substantiate them using facts.
• express ideas and feelings in the target language.
• speak at a condolence meeting.
• develop ideas about poetic devices and poetic elements like simile and metaphor.
• prepare appreciation of a poem.
• identify phrasal verbs and use them in appropriate contexts.
• evaluate literary pieces and develop positive values that help them refine individual
character traits and acquire life skills.

128 English VIII

 Read what each one thinks.

 
 





 



Why does the cloud think that it is an elephant?

Can a bird become a poet?
In what sense is the boy a lion?
KT-493-2/English-8 Vol-2

Comment on what each one thinks and discuss with your friends.
Suggest some other ideas/thoughts for each one.
What can you compare yourself with? Imagine and justify your answer.

 
Song of the Flower

Song of the Flower

Does a flower have any importance in nature? Have you ever thought of this? Imagine what a flower can
speak about itself and how it can become part of nature.

I am a kind word uttered and repeated

By the voice of Nature;
I am a star fallen from the
Blue tent upon the green carpet.
I am the daughter of the elements
With whom Winter conceived;
To whom Spring gave birth; I was
Reared in the lap of Summer and I
Slept in the bed of Autumn.

At dawn I unite with the breeze

To announce the coming of light;
At eventide I join the birds
In bidding the light farewell.
1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
Khalil Gibran (1883–1931) was
________________________________________
a Lebanese artist, poet and
writer. His work The Prophet 2. What do the expressions 'blue tent' and 'green
(1923), is an example of carpet' refer to?
inspirational fiction including a ________________________________________
series of philosophical essays
________________________________________
written in poetic English prose.
This book has been translated into over 20 3.How are the seasons related to the life of the
foreign languages. He is considered as the third flower?
most popular poet in history after Shakespeare ________________________________________
and Laozi.
________________________________________

130 English VIII

 Song of the Flower

The plains are decorated with

My beautiful colours, and the air
Is scented with my fragrance.

As I embrace Slumber the eyes of

Night watch over me, and as I
Awaken I stare at the sun, which is
The only eye of the day.

I drink dew for wine, and hearken to

The voices of the birds, and dance
To the rhythmic swaying of the grass.

I am the lover's gift; I am the wedding wreath;

I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.

But I look up high to see only the light,

And never look down to see my shadow.
This is wisdom which man must learn.

4. What does the flower do at dawn and at dusk? 7. How does the flower become a part of joy and
sorrow?
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
5. How does the flower make the world beautiful?
8. Why does the flower consider itself as ‘the last
________________________________________
gift of the living to the dead’?
________________________________________
________________________________________
6. What is described as 'the eye of the day'?
9. What, according to the flower, is the wisdom
________________________________________ that man should learn?
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

English VIII 131

Song of the Flower
eventide: _______________________________________________________________________

embrace: _______________________________________________________________________

slumber: _______________________________________________________________________

hearken: ________________________________________________________________________

rear: ___________________________________________________________________________

sway: __________________________________________________________________________

Let’s revisit

1. What does the flower symbolise? Explain.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Quote some instances in which the flower becomes part of joy and sorrow.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Read the last stanza of the poem once again. What are the two contrasting ideas presented
in it? Do you think the poet is optimistic? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Pick out the lines and expressions that impressed you the most. Give reasons.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What do you think is the mood of the poem - happy, sad, humourous or philosophical? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

132 English VIII

 Activity 1
Read the poem again and complete the following notes. One hint is given for you.

I. What does the flower say about itself?

• a kind word uttered and repeated by the voice of nature

• __________________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________________

II. What are the everyday activities that the flower is engaged in?

• announce the coming of light

• __________________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________________

III. Who watches over the flower?

• __________________________________________________________

IV. How does the flower enjoy nature?

• I drink dew

• __________________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________________

V. What is the flower used as?

• as the lover’s gift

• __________________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________________

VI. What is the flower’s vision?

• see only the light

• __________________________________________________________

English VIII 133

 Activity 2
Read the following lines.
I am a kind word uttered and repeated
By the voice of Nature;
Here the flower is considered as ‘a word uttered by Nature’. This is an example of a metaphor.
A metaphor is a figure of speech that develops a hidden comparison between two objects that
share something in common. It is different from a ‘simile’ where the comparison is drawn
using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Pick out a few more examples of metaphors from the poem.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Write what the following metaphors imply. One is done for you.

Metaphors What they mean

1. My father is a rock. 1. My father is a very strong or strict person.

2. Your eyes are like the sun. __________________________________

3. The lawn is a green carpet. __________________________________

4. He drowned in a sea of grief. __________________________________

5. She is fishing in troubled waters. __________________________________

6. He is the apple of my eye. __________________________________

7. My brother was boiling mad. __________________________________

8. Her voice is music to his ears. __________________________________

134 English VIII

 Attempt writing your own examples of metaphors.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Activity 3
Read the poem again and complete the following spider diagram.

e
em
words uttered by Nature words spoken by a flower.

th
Id
ea

nd
s

ra
in

te
th

Flower is a part of Nature

at
e

tm
po

ec
em

bj
Su

Poetic vision - optimistic view towards life

Poetic devices used - metaphors, images Soul of a
flower

A mixture of emotions The voices of the birds.

N
at m
po

ur
em

e
po

Part of joy and sorrow Description of nature in the poem

as
e

de
th

pi
of

ct
d
oo

ed
M

in
th
e

Now, can you prepare an appreciation of the poem ‘Song of the Flower’ using the spider
diagram?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

English VIII 135

First Showers

First Showers
Have you experienced the sensousness of rain? Does the rain bring happiness to you? Here is a poem
about the happiness that rain brings. Read and enjoy the poem.

As I returned from my workplace

Cool drops kissed my parched face.
Soon the first showers caught me unawares
And soaked me, soothing my frayed nerves.
The weary lines did it promptly erase
Of daylong heat and fatigue from my visage.
Wet clothes clung to my body like an infant
To its mother's bosom; unsteady my gait.
The dusty trees stood bathed in an instant
Dressed in washed green looked magnificent.
The scented earth resplendent in dampened glory
Sucked in dust giving respite to the travellers weary.
To thank the Rain God I looked up in the sky
More drops drenched me on the sly.
Marvelling at this wonderful gift of nature
I hurried home wading through the gurgling water.

Nalini Sharma is a contemporary bilingual Indian writer (Hindi & English). Her poems,
articles, essays, short stories, novels, etc. have been published in reputed journals
like Naya Gyanodya, Sarita, Grihashova, Suman Saurabh, Chattisgarh Today,
Women's Era, Alive, Poet, Metverse Muse, Free Expression etc. She has been
honoured with awards like Sahitya Sree, Bharat Bhasa Bhusan, Shresht Sadhana
Samman, Vishist Sadhana Samman, Rashtra Bhasa Sewak Samman,Tulika Samman,
Best Poet of the Year 2003 by Poets International, Metverse Muse Awards, Sarojini
Naidu Award and Shweta Patil Award.

136 English VIII

 First Showers
1. How does the rain soothe the poet’s nerves?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do the trees look magnificent?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. What do the travellers feel when it rains?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. Comment on the expression ‘drenched me on the sly’.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

parch: ___________________________________ gait: ____________________________________

__________________________________________ __________________________________________
soak: ___________________________________ resplendent: ______________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________
soothe: __________________________________ dampen: _________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________
fray: ___________________________________ drench: __________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________
fatigue: __________________________________ gurgle: __________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________
visage: __________________________________ respite: __________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________
bosom: __________________________________ wade: ___________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________

English VIII 137

 Activity 1
Complete the table below.
Explanations Expressions / lines from the text
The poet’s face was dry.
She got soaked in the rain.
She was tired.
The heat and fatigue made her weary.
The trees were wet and beautiful.
The poet stood in wonder.
The poet returned home.

Activity 2
Read the lines:
‘Wet clothes clung to my body like an infant
To its mother’s bosom;...’
Here, the clinging of the ‘wet clothes’ is compared to ‘an infant clinging to its mother’s bosom....’
This is an example for a simile.
Now, develop similes from the following hints.
1. The tree stands like ________________________________________.
2. The moon looked at me ________________________________________.
3. The flower smiles ________________________________________.
4. The thunder roared like ________________________________________.

Go through the following sentences that contain similes and metaphors. Classify them.
1. Manu is as hungry as a horse.
2. The car was a jet when it passed by us.
3. The cat’s fur was a blanket of warmth.
4. There were fireworks lantern in the sky.
5. You are as brave as a lion.
6. Ian Thorpe is a fish when he swims.
7. She is as pretty as a picture.
8. The moon was a misty shadow.

138 English VIII

 The Nightingale and the Rose
At some point in our life, we realise that nature soothes us and shares our pains. Does nature help us
when we are in trouble or in need? Read a story about how nature helps man in times of need.

‘She said that she would dance with me red rose is my life made wretched.’
if I brought her red roses,’ cried the young ‘Here at last is a true lover,’ said the
Student, ‘but in all my garden there is no Nightingale. ‘Night after night have I sung
red rose.’ of him, though I knew him not: night
From her nest in the oak tree the after night have I told his story to the stars
Nightingale heard him, and she looked and now I see him. His hair is dark as the
out through the leaves and wondered. hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as
‘No red rose in all my garden!’ he cried, the rose of his desire; but passion has
and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. ‘Ah, made his face like pale ivory, and sorrow
on what little things does happiness has set her seal upon his brow.’
depend! I have read all that the wise men ‘The Prince gives a ball tomorrow night,’
have written, and all the secrets of murmured the young Student, ‘and my
philosophy are mine, yet for want of a love will be of the company. If I bring
Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) 1. Why does the young man think that his life is
was an Irish poet, fiction writer wretched?
and essayist. He is considered
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
as a central figure in aesthetic
writing and a master short ________________________________________
story writer. He was a staunch
________________________________________
advocate of the Art for Art’s sake. His major
plays include A Woman of No Importance, An ________________________________________
Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being
2. How does the Nightingale describe the young
Earnest and the novel The Picture of Dorian
Student?
Gray. In 1888, he wrote Poems, and published
The Happy Prince and Other Tales, a collection ________________________________________
of children's stories. Later he published a ________________________________________
collection of essays arguing the tenets of
aestheticism. ________________________________________

English VIII 139

The Nightingale and the Rose
her a red rose she will dance with me till But the Nightingale understood the secret
dawn. But there is no red rose in my of the Student’s sorrow, and she sat silent
garden, so I shall sit lonely, and she will in the Oak-tree, and thought about the
pass me by. She will have no heed of me, mystery of Love.
and my heart will break.’
Suddenly she spread her brown wings for
‘Here, indeed, is the true lover,’ said the flight, and soared into the air. She passed
Nightingale. ‘What I sing of, he suffers: through the grove like a shadow, and like
what is joy to me, to him is pain.’ a shadow she sailed across the garden.
‘The musicians will sit in their gallery,’ said
the young Student, ‘and play upon their
stringed instruments, and my love will
dance to the sound of the harp and the
violin.’ He buried his face in his hands,
and wept.
‘Why is he weeping?’ asked a little Green
Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in
the air.
‘Why, indeed?’ whispered a Daisy to his
neighbour, in a soft, low voice.
The Nightingale said that he was weeping
for a red rose.
‘For a red rose?’ they cried; ‘How very
ridiculous!’ and the little Lizard laughed
outright.

3. Why does the Nightingale think that the Student 5. How does the author describe the flight of the
is a true lover? Nightingale?
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
4. The lizard says that it is ridiculous to weep. Do
you agree with this statement? Why? ________________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________

140 English VIII

 The Nightingale and the Rose
In the centre of the grass-plot was a But the Tree shook its head.
beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it ‘My roses are red,’ it answered; ‘as red as
she flew over to it. ‘Give me a red rose,’ the feet of the dove, and redder than the
she cried, ‘and I will sing you my sweetest
great fans of coral that wave and wave in
song.’
the ocean-cavern. But the winter has
But the tree shook its head. chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped
‘My roses are white,’ it answered; ‘but go my buds, and the storm has broken my
to my brother who grows round the old branches, and I shall have no roses at all
sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what this year.’
you want.’ ‘One red rose is all I want,’ cried the
So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose- Nightingale, ‘only one red rose! Is there
tree that was growing round the old sun- no way by which I can get it?’
dial. ‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I ‘There is a way,’ answered the Tree; ‘but
will sing you my sweetest song.’ it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to
But the Tree shook its head. you.’
‘My roses are yellow,’ it answered; ‘as ‘Tell it to me,’ said the Nightingale, ‘I am
yellow as the hair of the mermaiden. But not afraid.’
go to my brother who grows beneath the
‘If you want a red rose,’ said the Tree,
Student’s window, and perhaps he will give
‘you must build it out of music by
you what you want.’
moonlight, and stain it with your own
So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose- heart’s blood. You must sing to me with
tree that was growing beneath the your breast against a thorn. All night long
Student’s window. you must sing to me, and the thorn must
‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I will pierce your heart, and life-blood must flow
sing you my sweetest song.’ into my veins, and become mine.’
6. Was the third Rose-tree able to give a red rose 7. How, according to the third Rose-tree, could the
to the Nightingale? Why? Nightingale get a red rose?
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ chill: ____________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
mermaiden: ______________________________ cavern: __________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

English VIII 141

The Nightingale and the Rose
‘Death is a great price to pay for a red what the Nightingale was saying to him,
rose,’ cried the Nightingale, ‘and life is very for he only knew the things that are
dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green written down in books.
wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad,
of gold, and the Moon in her chariot of for he was very fond of the Nightingale
pearl. Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, who had built her nest in its branches.
and sweet are the bluebells that hide in
‘Sing me one last song,’ he whispered. ‘I
the valley, and the heather that blows on
shall feel when you are gone.’
the hill. Yet Love is better than Life, and
what is the heart of a bird compared to So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree,
the heart of a man?’ and her voice was like water bubbling
from a silver jar.
So she spread her brown wings for flight,
and soared into the air. She swept over When she had finished her song, the
the garden like a shadow, and like a Student got up and pulled a notebook and
shadow she sailed through the grove. a pencil....
The young Student was still lying on the And when the Moon shone in the
grass, where she had left him, and the tears heavens, the Nightingale flew to the red
were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes. rose-tree, and set her breast against the
thorn. All night long she sang, with her
‘Be happy,’ cried the Nightingale, ‘be breast against the thorn, and the cold
happy; you shall have your red rose. I will crystal Moon leaned down and listened.
build it out of music by moonlight, and All night long she sang, and the thorn
stain it with my own heart’s blood. All went deeper and deeper into her breast,
that I asked of you in return is that you and her life-blood ebbed away from her.
will be the true lover.’
On the topmost spray of the Rose-tree,
The Student looked up from the grass, there blossomed a marvellous rose, petal
and listened, but he could not understand following petal, as song followed song.
8. Why did the Nightingale think of sacrificing her heather: _________________________________
life?
________________________________________
________________________________________
hawthorn: ________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
bubble: __________________________________
9. The Nightingale thinks that the heart of a man is
more valuable than that of a bird. Do you agree ________________________________________
with the Nightingale? Explain. ebb: ____________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

142 English VIII

 The Nightingale and the Rose
But the Tree cried to the
Nightingale to press closer
against the thorn. ‘Press
closer, little Nightingale,’ cried
the Tree, ‘or the Day will
come before the rose is
finished.’
So the Nightingale pressed
closer against the thorn, and
louder and louder grew her
song.
And a delicate flush of pink
came into the leaves of the
rose.
And the Tree cried to the
Nightingale to press closer
against the thorn. ‘Press
closer, little Nightingale,’ cried
the Tree, ‘or the Day will come
before the rose is finished.’
So the Nightingale pressed
closer against the thorn, and
the thorn touched her heart,
and a fierce pang of pain shot
through her. Bitter, bitter was
the pain, and wilder and wilder
10. What would happen if the Nightingale did not ________________________________________
press its breast closer against the thorn? ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ delicate: _________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

English VIII 143

The Nightingale and the Rose
grew her song, for she sang of the Love Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the
that is perfected by Death, of the Love Professor’s house with the rose in his
that dies not in the tomb. hand.
And the marvellous rose became crimson, The daughter of the Professor was sitting
like the rose of the eastern sky. in the doorway winding blue silk on a reel,
But the Nightingale’s voice grew fainter, and her little dog was lying at her feet.
and her little wings began to beat, and a
‘You said that you would dance with me
film came over her eyes. Fainter and
if I brought you a red rose,’ cried the
fainter grew her song, and she felt
Student. ‘Here is the reddest rose in all
something choking her in her throat.
the world. You will wear it tonight next
Then she gave one last burst of music.
to your heart, and we will dance together.’
The white Moon heard it, and she forgot
the dawn, and lingered on in the sky. The But the girl frowned.
red rose heard it, and it trembled all over ‘I am afraid it will not go with my dress,’
with ecstasy, and opened its peals to the she answered; ‘and, besides, the
cold morning air. Chamberlain’s nephew has sent me some
‘Look, look!’ cried the Tree, ‘the rose is real jewels, and everybody knows that
finished now,’ but the Nightingale made jewels cost far more than flowers.’
no answer, for she was lying dead in the
‘Well, upon my word, you are very
long grass, with the thorn in her heart.
ungrateful,’ said the Student angrily; and
And at noon the Student opened his he threw the rose into the street, where it
window and looked out.
fell into the gutter, and a cart-wheel went
‘Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!’ over it.
he cried; ‘Here is a red rose! I have never
seen any rose like it in all my life.’ And he ‘What a silly thing Love is!’ said the
leaned down and plucked it. Student as he walked away.

11. How did the pain affect the Nightingale’s song? 13. Describe the last moments of the Nightingale.
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
12. What is the red rose compared to? 14. Why didn’t the Professor’s daughter accept the
red rose?
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

144 English VIII

  


   
  

 
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KT-493-3/English-8 Vol-2

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 Activity 2
You have read the story ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’, haven’t you? Now, read the story
once again and complete the story house.

STORY HOUSE

Setting Characters
• Garden • Nightingale
• •
• •

Climax Events Final events

• • Young Student loves a girl. •

•
•

146 English VIII

 Let’s enrich our vocabulary

Activity 1
Look at the sentence quoted below.
‘The musicians will sit in their gallery,’ said the young Student, ‘and play upon their stringed
instruments, and my love will dance to the sound of the harp and the violin.’
Harp and violin are stringed musical instruments. Here’s a list of some musical instruments.
Classify them as stringed, wind and percussion instruments.
Accordion, Bagpipe, Barrel, Bass drum, Chenda, Clarinet, Dholak, Flute, Guitar, Harmonium,
Madhalam, Mohana veena, Mridangam, Saenghwang, Sarangi, Saxophone, Sitar, Tabla,
Veena, Zurna

Stringed Wind Percussion

Activity 2
Read the following sentences from the story.
On the topmost spray of the Rose-tree, there blossomed a marvellous rose.
‘What a wonderful piece of luck!’ he cried; ‘Here is a red rose!
The words underlined are synonyms. Synonyms are words or expressions which have the
same or nearly the same meaning as another in the same language. ‘Big’ and ‘large’ are
synonyms.
Find the words and pair them as synonyms from the list below.
dawn, rude, tense, wealthy, slight, daybreak, prudent, whisper,
healthy, rich, nervous, impolite, murmur, fit, wise, faint

English VIII 147

 Activity 3

The Student, the Nightingale and the Professor’s daughter are the characters in the story.
What all traits does each character have in the story?
Fill in the following chart with words from the box given below that are most appropriate to the
traits of each character.
innocence, money, love, wisdom, nature, heroism, greed, knowledge, death,
compassion, sacrifice, pride, beauty, purity, love, truth, bravery, frivolous, serious,
sincere, insincere, shallow, profound, sensitive, insensitive, romantic, realistic,
superficial, selfless, snobbish, intellectual, sentimental

Student Professor’s daughter Nightingale

148 English VIII

 Let’s write

Activity 1

Evaluate the Student in terms of his studies, his understanding of the world, his feelings for
love, etc. based on your reading of the story. Pick out lines from the story to support your
ideas.

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 21
Imagine that the young Student has realised the sacrifice made by the Nightingale. He feels
very sad and writes a letter to his friend about it. What would he write? Write the letter.

English VIII 149

 Activity 3
The dejected Student goes to his room, overwhelmed with feelings and makes a diary entry.
Write the diary entry in which you should express:
• the Student’s feelings about being rejected in love.
• what he thinks of the Professor’s daughter.
• what he would do in future.

Activity 4
The relationship between man and nature is one of the themes of the story ‘The Nightingale
and the Rose’. In the story the Nightingale, the Green Lizard and the Rose-tree speak like
human beings. Look at the poster given below and identify the features of a poster. Design a
poster for promoting awareness on the need for conserving nature.
Posters usually contain notices, advertisements or invitations. They are
attractive and captivating. They are designed either to invite our attention to
an event or to create awareness on an important social issue.

Features of a Poster
Layout
•
•
•
Content
•
•
Language
•
•

150 English VIII

 Let’s speak

Activity 1
The Nightingale sacrificed her life for true and ideal love. Do you think that the Nightingale
has made the right choice? Why? Give at least two reasons to support your answer. Try to
use the following expressions while speaking.
• I think ..
• I believe .
• It seems to me that ..
• In my opinion
• I am convinced that .
• I feel absolutely certain that

Activity 2
Go through the following speech delivered by the Oak-tree to mourn the death of the Nightingale.

Dear friends,
I am very sad. It is with deep sorrow and shock that I speak about the
demise of my friend, the Nightingale.
She used to spend most of the time sitting on my branches and singing.
How happy I was when I listened to her melodious songs! She
sacrificed her life for the happiness of the young Student. For her,
love was eternal and much more precious than her life. I am deeply
moved by her sacrifice. She was a great bird and a true friend to all of
us. I know I will miss her a lot. May her soul rest in eternal peace.

Hold a condolence meeting mourning the death of the Nightingale. Imagine that you are one
of the following and deliver the speech.

Learner 1: The Rose-tree

• expresses grief at her death.

• tells that you had warned her but she did not pay any heed.
•

English VIII 151

 Learner 2: The Green Lizard

• expresses grief at her death.

• remarks that it was silly of her to have sacrificed her life for love.
• puts the blame of her death on the Student.
•
Learner 3: The Young Lover

• expresses his sorrow at the sacrifice made by the Nightingale.

• remarks how the Nightingale was very special to you.
• recalls the help given by the Nightingale.
Learner 4: The Moon

• recalls the night when the Nightingale died and was lost in grief.
• bemoans the terrible loss.
• acclaims that the Nightingale understood the true meaning of love.
• proclaims that the Nightingale is a martyr of love.

Let's discover how grammar works

Activity 1
Read the following passage. A word is missing where [/] is marked. Fill in the blanks with
suitable words to make the passage meaningful.

'The Nightingale and the Rose' is / (a) fairy tale. / (b) plot of the story is very simple. A young

student thought that he was madly / (c) love with the Professor's daughter. The girl told him
that she would only dance with him, / (d) he brought a red rose. He felt miserable because he

could not find a single red rose in / (e) whole garden. The Nightingale overheard this and was

deeply touched by / (f) young man's true love. So she decided / (g) help the young man, but
she was told that the only way to get a red rose in that cold winter / (h) for her to build it out of

her music and her heart's blood. She was ready to lay / (i) her own life for the happiness of the

young couple. She, therefore, did what she was told to do. The next morning, the most beautiful
red rose appeared, but the Nightingale was found dead / (j) the Rose-tree.

152 English VIII

 Activity 2
Look at the words/phrases underlined in the following sentence.
Then he put on his hat and ran up to the Professor’s house.
They are phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs usually do not bear the meanings of the words used as
such.
The meaning of ‘put on’ is ‘to wear’ and ‘ran up’ is ‘to move quickly to where someone is’.
Find out such examples from the story and write them down.

• •

• •

• •

Make a few phrasal verbs using the following verbs.

take bring turn carry

get make put

Now, frame sentences selecting one phrasal verb from each set.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

English VIII 153

 Activity 3

Read the following sentences.

• But there is no red rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely, and she will pass me by. She will
have no heed of me, and my heart will break.
• He buried his face in his hands, and wept.
The words underlined in the above sentences are words we use in the place of a noun. They
are called pronouns. They have subject, object and possessive forms. We can categorise
the above pronouns as shown in the table below.

Subject Object Possessive

I me my, mine

She

He his

There are seven personal pronouns in English. Prepare a table of all the seven personal
pronouns and their object and possessive forms.
Subject Object Possessive

154 English VIII

 Let’s edit

Aswin, a student of Class VIII, wrote a summary of the story ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’.
Read it. There are some errors which are underlined. Edit the errors.

A rich girl tells a young man, which (a) is a student, that she will danced (b) with him at the ball

the next night if he brings her a red rose. However, he no has (c) red roses, and vocalises his

despair when a nightingale hears her (d) . The nightingale are (e) touched by the soul of this

student, and desires strongly to help him. The bird flied (f) around trying to find a red rose, but

none are red. She finallly (g) pierces her heart on a thorn to bleed onto a white rose, making it

a brilliant red rose, and in the process dies. A (h) student finds the rose and is thrilled, so he

plucks it and brings it to his love. The girl rejects the rose saying it won't match her dress;

someone else has brought her jewls (i), which are much better. Angrily, the student walks away

and throws the rose in the gutter where it is run over by a cart. He conclude (j) that love is

ridiculous and logic is better.

Let's play with language

Read each sentence and fill in the blanks with an adverb from the box.

loudly, hard, angrily, happily, well, hopefully,

slowly, lightly, never, hungrily, there, finally, fast
ACROSS

1. Henry ate the soup __________________________.

4. Malavika hit the ball _________________________ and ran.

6. Durga brushed the canvas ______________________ with yellow paint.

8. All the students did very __________________________ in the reading test.

9. The twins couldn’t believe their birthday had ___________________ arrived.

11. I will sit here; you can sit _______________________.

English VIII 155

DOWN

1. Naveen __________________________ agreed to join the game.

2. The crickets chirped ________________________ outside the window.

3. The tired children walked home from school ____________________ .

5. The cat hissed __________________________ when the dog walked by.

7. When I heard the announcer begin to name the winners, I looked up _____________.

9. Lucia ran _____________________ enough to catch up with others.

10. Rita has _____________________________ experienced snowfall before.

Now, write your answers in the crossword puzzle.

1 2

4 5

6 7

9 10

11

156 English VIII

 A Day in the Country
Nature has always been a motivator, guide, teacher and mentor for man. Read a story about how nature
influences man.

Between eight and nine o’clock in the ‘Uncle, where is Terenty?’

morning. ‘At the kitchen-gardens,’ answers he.
A dark leaden-coloured mass is creeping The girl runs behind the huts to the
over the sky towards the sun. There is a kitchen-gardens and there finds Terenty;
sound of far-away rumbling. A warm the tall old man with a thin, pock-marked
wind frolics over the grass, bends the trees, face, very long legs, and bare feet, dressed
and stirs up the dust. In a minute there in a woman’s tattered jacket, is standing
will be rain and a real storm will begin. near the vegetable plots, looking with
Fyokla, a little girl of six, is running drowsy eyes at the dark storm-cloud. On
through the village, looking for Terenty his long crane-like legs he sways in the
the cobbler. The white-haired, barefoot wind.
child is pale. Her eyes are wide-open, her ‘Uncle Terenty!’ the white-headed girl
lips are trembling. addresses him. ‘Uncle, darling!’
‘Uncle, where is Terenty?’ she asks every Terenty bends down to Fyokla, and his
one she meets. No one answers. They are grim face is overspread with a smile, such
all preoccupied with the approaching as come into people’s faces when they
storm and take refuge in their huts. At last look at something little, foolish, and
she meets Terenty’s bosom friend. absurd, but warmly loved.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov 1. Why is Fyokla worried? Pick out the expressions
(1860–1904) was a Russian which show that she is worried.
physician and writer who is ________________________________________
considered to be among the
________________________________________
greatest writers of short stories.
His career as a dramatist ________________________________________
produced four classics and his 2. How does the author describe Terenty?
best short stories are held in high esteem by
writers and critics. Chekhov is often referred to ________________________________________
as one of the three seminal figures of the early ________________________________________
modern theatre. ________________________________________
________________________________________

English VIII 157

A Day in the Country

‘Ah! Fyokla,’ he says, lisping tenderly,

‘where have you come from?’
‘Uncle Terenty,’ says Fyokla, with a sob.
‘Brother Danilka has had an accident!
Come along!’
‘What sort of accident? Ough, what
thunder! Holy, holy, holy . What sort of
accident?’
‘In the count’s copse Danilka stuck his
hand into a hole in a tree, and he can’t get
it out. Come along, uncle, do be kind and
pull his hand out!’
‘How was it he put his hand in? What ‘Holy, holy, holy ’ whispers Fyokla,
for?’ hurrying after Terenty. The first raindrops,
big and heavy, lie, dark dots on the dusty
‘He wanted to get a cuckoo’s egg out of road. A big drop falls on Fyokla’s cheek
the hole for me.’ and glides like a tear down her chin.
‘The day has hardly begun and already you ‘The rain has begun,’ mutters the cobbler.
are in trouble ’ Terenty shook his head. ‘That’s fine, Fyokla, little girl. The grass
Terenty comes out of the kitchen-garden and the trees are fed by the rain, as we are
and begins striding down the village street. by bread. And as for the thunder, don’t
He walks quickly without stopping or you be frightened, little girl. Why should
looking from side to side. Fyokla can it kill a little thing like you?’
hardly keep up with him. As soon as the rain begins, the wind drops.
The clouds have by now covered the sun, The only sound is the patter of rain
and soon afterwards there is not a speck dropping like fine shot on the young rye
of blue left in the sky. It grows dark. and the parched road.
3. What was the accident that Danilka met wtih? copse: ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ stride: ___________________________________
4. Why does Terenty think that the thunder will not ________________________________________
hurt the girl? rye: ____________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ parched: _________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

158 English VIII

 A Day in the Country

‘We shall get soaked, Fyokla,’ mutters Fyokla leads him into a thicket, and, after
Terenty. ‘There won’t be a dry spot left going a quarter of a mile, points to
on us . Ho-ho, my girl! It’s run down Danilka. Her brother, a little fellow of
my neck! But don’t be frightened, silly . eight, with hair as red as ochre and a pale
The grass will be dry again, the earth will sickly face, stands leaning against a tree,
be dry again, and we shall be dry again. and, with his head on one side, looking
There is the same sun for us all.’
A flash of lightning, some fourteen feet
long, gleams above their head. There is a
loud peal of thunder, and it seems to
Fyokla that something big, heavy, and
round is rolling over the sky and tearing
it open, exactly over her head.
‘Holy, holy, holy ’ says Terenty, ‘don’t
be afraid, little girl! It is not from spite
that it thunders.’ sideways at the sky. In one hand he holds
Terenty’s and Fyokla’s feet are covered his shabby old cap, the other is hidden in
with lumps of heavy, wet clay. It is slippery an old lime tree. The boy is gazing at the
and difficult to walk, but Terenty strides stormy sky, and apparently not thinking
on more and more rapidly. The weak little of his trouble.
girl is breathless and ready to drop. Hearing footsteps and seeing the cobbler
But at last they go into the count’s copse. he gives sickly smile and says:
The washed trees, stirred by a gust of ‘A terrible lot of thunder, Terenty .I’ve
wind, drop a perfect waterfall upon them. never heard so much thunder in all my
Terenty stumbles over stumps and begins life.’
to slacken his pace.
‘And where is your hand?’
‘Whereabouts is Danilka?’ he asks. ‘Lead
me to him.’ ‘In the hole.... Pull it out, please, Terenty!’
5. How did Fyokla feel when she heard the thunder?
slacken: _________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
apparent: ________________________________
6. Why does the boy not think of his trouble while
looking at the stormy sky? ________________________________________
________________________________________ thicket: __________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
peal: ____________________________________ ochre: ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

English VIII 159

A Day in the Country

The wood had broken at the edge of the The drenched and chilled bees are
hole and jammed Danilka’s hand: he could huddled together on the branch. There
push it farther in, but could not pull it are so many of them that neither bark
out. Terenty snaps off the broken piece, nor leaf can be seen. Many of them are
and the boy’s hand, red and crushed, is settled on one another.
released. ‘That’s a swarm of bees,’ Terenty informs
‘It’s terrible how it’s thundering,’ the boy them. ‘They were flying looking for a
says again, rubbing his hand. ‘What makes home, and when the rain came down
it thunder, Terenty?’ upon them they settled. If a swarm is
‘One cloud runs against the other,’ flying, you need only sprinkle water on
answers the cobbler. The party come out them to make them settle. Now if, say,
of the copse, and walk along the edge of you wanted to take the swarm, you would
it towards the darkened road. The thunder bend the branch with them into a sack
gradually abates, and its rumbling is heard and shake it, and they all fall in.’
far away beyond the village. Little Fyokla suddenly frowns and rubs
‘The ducks flew by here the other day, her neck vigorously. Her brother looks at
Terenty,” says Danilka, still rubbing his her neck, and sees a big swelling on it.
hand. Fyokla, would you like me to show ‘Hey-hey!’ laughs the cobbler. ‘Do you
you a nightingale’s nest?’ know where you got that from, Fyokla,
‘Don’t touch it, you might disturb them,’ old girl? There are Spanish flies on some
says Terenty, wringing the water out of tree in the wood. The rain has trickled
his cap. ‘The nightingale is a singing-bird. off them, and a drop has fallen on your
He has had a voice given him in his throat, neck—that’s what has made the swelling.’
to gladden the heart of man. It’s a sin to The sun appears from behind the clouds
disturb him.’ and floods the wood, the fields, and the
A bright patch of blue appears in the sky. three friends with its warm light. The dark
‘And here are some bees,’ cries Danilka, menacing cloud has gone far away and
pointing to the branch of a young oak taken the storm with it. The air is warm
tree. and fragrant.
7. Why couldn’t Danilka pull his hand out of the abate: _________________________________
hole?
________________________________________
________________________________________ rumble: ________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
8. Why does Terenty ask Danilka not to touch the wring: __________________________________
nightingale’s nest? ________________________________________
________________________________________ swelling: _________________________________
________________________________________ _______________________________________

160 English VIII

 A Day in the Country

‘That herb is given when your nose when they sang to them, the sun when it
bleeds,’ says Terenty, pointing to a woolly- left a glow of crimson behind it at setting,
looking flower. ‘It does good.’ the very trees, and wild herbs.
They cross the railway line, and, going The two of them, the cobbler and the
down from the embankment, walk boy, walk about the fields, talk unceasingly,
towards the river. They walk not with any and are not weary. They could wander
object, but just at random, and talk all the about the world endlessly. They walk, and
way . Danilka asks questions, Terenty in their talk of the beauty of the earth do
answers them not notice the frail little girl tripping after
Terenty answers all his questions, and them.
there is no secret in Nature which baffles Towards midday, all three sit down on the
him. He knows everything. Thus, for river bank. Danilka takes out of his bag a
example, he knows the names of all the piece of bread, soaked and reduced to a
wild flowers, animals, and stones. He mash, and they begin to eat. Terenty says
knows what herbs cure diseases, he has
no difficulty in telling the age of a horse
or a cow. Looking at the sunset, at the
moon, or the birds, he can tell what sort
of weather it will be next day. And indeed,
it is not only Terenty who is so wise.
Silanty Silitch, the innkeeper, the market-
gardener, the shepherd, and all the
villagers, generally speaking, know as
much as he does. These people have
learned not from books, but in the fields,
in the wood, on the river bank. Their
teachers have been the birds themselves,
9. ‘He knows everything.’ Why does the author say 12. Do you think that Terenty loves children? Justify
so? your answer.
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
10. ‘These people have learned not from books....’ frown: ___________________________________
How did they learn then? ________________________________________
________________________________________ vigorous: ________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
11. Why are the cobbler and the boy not weary? menace: ________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

English VIII 161

A Day in the Country

a prayer when he has eaten the in the day: the storm-clouds, the bright
bread, then stretches himself sunshine, the birds, the fish, lanky
on the sandy bank and falls Terenty. He longs to tell someone all
asleep. While he is asleep, the that is haunting him now , but there is
boy gazes at the water, no one to tell. Fyokla is too little and
pondering. He has many could not understand.
different things to think of. ‘I’ll tell Terenty tomorrow,’ thinks the
He has just seen the storm, boy.
the bees, the ants.
The children fall asleep thinking of the
Only towards the evening homeless cobbler, and, in the night,
our wanderers return to the Terenty comes to them, and puts bread
village. The children go for under their heads. And no one sees his
the night to a deserted barn. love. It is seen only by the moon which
The boy does not sleep. He floats in the sky and peeps caressingly
gazes into the darkness, and it seems to through the holes in the wall of the
him that he is seeing all that he has seen deserted barn.
(Slightly adapted)
13. ‘The boy does not sleep.’ Why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
14. ‘And no one sees his love.’ What is the love referred to here?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 1
The following is the summary of the story ‘A Day in the Country’. Some parts of it are
missing. Complete it.
It was a stormy day. There was thunder and lightning.
A little girl ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
She asked everyone ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The girl sobbed and told Terenty___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

162 English VIII

 A Day in the Country
She wanted Terenty to__________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
She said that Danilka had put his hand _______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
They both ____________________________________________ and wet all through.
____________________________________________________________________
He saved the boy and ___________________________________________________
On the way they_______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Danilka wondered how Terenty____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
They shared their food and _______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The children _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Terenty _____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The moon enjoyed the love of the homeless cobbler.

Now, retell the story in your own way.

Let’s prepare a blog

In this unit, you have learnt poems and stories that depict the splendour of nature. Can
you write poems, stories or articles describing the beauty and splendour of nature?

Develop a blog for the English Club of your school. Post your poems, stories and
articles in the blog. You may ask your friends to comment on them.

English VIII 163

 I can

I can do I can do with the I need further

I can it myself help of my friends improvement

read and understand the theme of a

poem or a story.

identify poetic devices like simile and

metaphor.

write similes and metaphors on my own.

analyse the theme of the poem with the

help of a spider diagram.

write critical appreciation of a poem.

identify the features of a story and

present them in the form of a story house.

use appropriate words to describe

character traits.

express feelings through a diary entry.

design a poster of my own

write letters expressing feelings and

narrating experiences.

speak more confidently in the class.

use appropriate language suitable for

each discourse.

use language more effectively by using

phrasal verbs.

edit a given passage.

solve crossword puzzles.

164 English VIII

 Unit 5

English VIII 165

Unit at a Glance

Share and Care

Prose
The School for Sympathy (E.V Lucas)
The Merchant of Venice (William Shakespeare)

Poems
My Grandmother’s House (Kamala Das)
Solitude (Ella Wheeler Wilcox)

Learning Outcomes
By learning this unit, the learner will be able to:
• read and comprehend texts in English.
• read, appreciate and analyse poems on the basis of their theme and structure.
• identify the main events of a story.
• compare and contrast two different situations.
• enrich vocabulary by forming words using suffixes.
• use describing words appropriately and effectively.
• construct discourses like notice, profile, etc.
• speak about people using appropriate expression relating to their character,
appearance, etc.
• use tenses appropriately both in spoken and written language.
• understand the classes of words that appear in a sentence.

166 English VIII

 The School for Sympathy

Schools are centres of learning, where we acquire knowledge and share our experiences. Let’s visit a
school and find out how students learn and share their experiences.

1 I had heard a lot about Miss Beam’s 3 We chatted for a while, and when I asked
School, but I did not get the chance to her some questions about her teaching
visit it till last week. methods, which I had heard were simple,
she said:
When I arrived at the school, I saw a girl
of about twelve with her eyes covered ‘…We teach only those things that are
with a bandage being led carefully simple and useful to pupils- spelling,
between the flowerbeds by a little boy of adding, subtracting, multiplying, writing,
eight. She stopped and asked who it was etc. The rest is done by reading to them
that had come in and he seemed to be and giving them interesting tasks. There
describing me to her. Then they passed on. are practically no other lessons.’
2 Miss Beam was all that I had expected -
‘... I have heard so much,’ I said, ‘about
middle-aged, authoritative, kind and
the originality of your system.’
understanding. Her hair was beginning to
turn grey, and her round figure was likely Miss Beam smiled. ‘Ah, yes,’ she said. ‘I
to be comforting to a homesick child. am coming to that.’

Edward Verrall Lucas (1868 – 1. Have you visited any other school? What all
1938) was a famous English things did you find attractive in that school?
humourist, essayist, playwright, ________________________________________
biographer, publisher, poet, ________________________________________
novelist, shortstory writer and 2. Why, do you think, the writer wanted to visit
editor. Born in London, Lucas Miss Beam’s school?
began to work as an apprentice
to a bookseller at the age of sixteen. He was a ________________________________________
prolific writer, most celebrated for his short ________________________________________
essays, but he also produced verses, novels 3. Do you think Miss Beam’s school is different
and plays. from other schools? How?
________________________________________
________________________________________

English VIII 167

The School for Sympathy

4 ‘The real aim of this school is not to ‘What do you see?’ Miss Beam asked.
teach thought but thoughtfulness,
‘I see some very beautiful grounds,’ I said,
humanity, kindness and citizenship. That
is the ideal I have always had, and happily ‘and a lot of jolly children. But what
there are parents good enough to trust surprises me, and pains me too, is that
me to try and put it into practice. Look they are not at all healthy and active. As I
out of the window a minute, will you?’ came in I saw one poor little thing being
5 I went to the window, which looked out led about because of some trouble with
on a large garden and playground at the her eyes. And now I can see two more in
back.
4. Is there any hint suggesting that it is a residential homesick: ________________________________
school? Identify and write the sentence. ____________________________________________
________________________________________ humanity: ________________________________
________________________________________ ____________________________________________
5. What according to Miss Beam, is the real aim ________________________________________
of the school?
________________________________________ ____________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
6. What surprised and pained the visitor when he ____________________________________________
looked out of the window? ________________________________________
________________________________________ ____________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

168 English VIII

 The School for Sympathy
the same condition, while there is a girl 7 ‘Everyone is very kind,’ Miss Beam
with a crutch just under the window continued, ‘and it is really something of a
watching the others at play. She seems to joke, although, of course, before the day
be a hopeless cripple.’ is over the reality of the disability becomes
Miss Beam laughed. clear even to the least thoughtful. The
6 ‘Oh, no,’ she said, ‘She is not lame really;
blind day is, of course, really the worst,
this is only her lame day. Nor are those but some of the children tell me that the
others blind, it is only their blind day.’ dumb day is the most frightening. There,
of course, the child must use will-power
I must have looked very much astonished, only because the mouth is not bandaged...
for she laughed again.
But come down into the garden and see
‘There you have an essential part of our for yourself how the children like it.’
system in a nutshell. In order to get these
young minds to appreciate and 8 Miss Beam led me to one of the
understand misfortune, we make them bandaged girls, a little merry thing.
share in misfortune too. In the course of ‘Here’s a gentleman come to talk to you,’
the term every child has one blind day, said Miss Beam, and left us.
one lame day, one deaf day and one dumb
‘Don’t you ever peep?’ I asked, by way of
day. During the blind day their eyes are
an opening.
bandaged, and it is a point of honour
not to peep. The bandage is put on ‘Oh, no,’ she exclaimed, ‘that would be
overnight, they wake up blind. This means cheating! But I had no idea it was so awful
that they need assistance in everything, to be blind. You can’t see a thing. One
and other children are told to help them feels one is going to be hit by something
and lead them about. It is educative to every moment. Sitting down is such a
both of them - the blind and the helpers.’ relief.’

7. ‘... we make them share in misfortune too.’ What 10. If you were to observe a day in this way which
does Miss Beam mean by this? day, do you think, would be the most difficult? Why?
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
8. ‘It is educative to both of them.’ Explain how it crutch: __________________________________
helps the blind and the helpers. ________________________________________________
________________________________________ cripple: _________________________________
________________________________________ ____________________________________________
9. What makes the dumb day the most frightening lame: __________________________________
for the children? ____________________________________________
________________________________________ nutshell: ________________________________
________________________________________ ____________________________________________

English VIII 169

The School for Sympathy
blind already are
the best. It is
terrible not to
see. I wish you
would try.’
‘Shall I lead you
anywhere?’ I
asked.
9‘Oh, yes,’ she
said, ‘let’s go for
a little walk. Only
you must tell me
about things. I shall
be so glad when
today’s over. The other
bad days can’t be half as
bad as this. Having a leg tied
up and hopping about on a
crutch is almost a fun, I guess.
Having an arm tied up is a little
‘Are your guides kind to you?’ I asked. more troublesome, because you have to
get your food cut up for you, and so on,
‘Pretty good. Not as careful as I shall be but it doesn’t really matter. And as for
when it is my turn. Those that have been being deaf for a day, I shan’t mind that -

11. ‘I shall be so glad when today’s over.’ Why does awful: ___________________________________
the girl feel so?
____________________________________________
________________________________________________
guess: ___________________________________
________________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
murmur: _________________________________
________________________________________________
____________________________________________
12. Why does the girl think that having an arm tied
up is a little more troublesome? ________________________________________________

________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

________________________________________________ ____________________________________________

____________________________________________ ________________________________________________

170 English VIII

at least, not much. But being blind is so ‘And here comes a dark girl in red, on
frightening. My head aches all the time, crutches.’
just from avoiding things that probably
aren’t there. Where are we now?’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘that’s Berryl.’
‘In the playground,’ I said, ‘going towards 11And so we walked on, and in guiding
the house.’ this little girl about I discovered that I was
10 Miss Beam is walking up and down the many times more thoughtful already than
terrace with a tall girl. usual. I also realised that having to
‘What has the girl got on?’ my companion describe the surroundings to another,
asked me.
makes them more interesting.
‘A blue skirt and a pink blouse.’
When Miss Beam came to release me I
‘I think it’s Millie,’ she said. ‘What colour
was sorry to go. I walked back to the town
is her hair?’
murmuring (incorrectly as ever) the lines:
‘Very light,’ I said.
‘Yes, that’s Millie. She is the head girl. She Can I see another’s woe,
is very decent.’ And not share their sorrow too?
‘There’s an old man tying up roses,’ I said.
O no, never can it be,
‘Yes, that’s Peter. He is the gardener. He’s
Never, never, can it be.
hundreds of years old!’

13. Which clues helped the little girl identify Millie? 15. E.V Lucas leaves Miss Beam’s school a wiser
man. Do you agree? Substantiate your answer with
________________________________________________
examples from the story.
________________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
____________________________________________
14. Who are Peter and Berryl in the lesson?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________

____________________________________________

English VIII 171

 Let’s revisit

Activity 1
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct
option.
1. ‘It pains me, though to see that they are not all so healthy and active looking.’
i. Who speaks these words?
(a) E V Lucas
(b) the girl
(c) Miss Beam
(d) one of the boys
ii. These words are spoken to ________________.
(a) the blind girl
(b) the dumb girl
(c) Miss Beam
(d) the author
iii. How does the listener react to the statement?
(a) The listener agrees with it.
(b) The listener becomes sad.
(c) The listener gets angry.
(d) The listener laughs and tells the truth.
2. ‘And so we walked on. Gradually I discovered that I was ten times more thoughtful than I
ever thought I could be.’
i. Who are the ‘we’ referred to here?
(a) the children of Miss Beam’s school
(b) the author and his friends
(c) the author and Miss Beam
(d) the author and the girl
ii. Who is the ‘I’ in the above sentence?
(a) the blind girl
(b) the dumb girl
(c) the author
(d) Miss Beam

172 English VIII

iii. What change came over the author after his visit to Miss Beam’s school?
(a) became more careful
(b) became more helpful
(c) became more proud
(d) became more thoughtful

Activity 2
Say whether the following sentences are true or false. If false, rewrite them.
1. The author had been to Miss Beam’s school several times.
2. In Miss Beam’s school all subjects are taught in detail.
3. The children in Miss Beam’s school are taught to appreciate and understand misfortunes.
4. The author saw a blind girl being led out by others.
5. On the dumb day the mouths of the children are bandaged.
6. Peter is very old, but not hundreds of years old.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Activity 3

Some of the features of a normal school are given below: Read them.
1. Many subjects are taught.
2. Most parents expect their children to learn subjects like Mathematics, Science, etc.
3. Different methods of teaching are adopted.
Now, write about Miss Beam’s school, based on your reading of the text.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

English VIII 173

 Let’s enrich our vocabulary

Activity 1
In 'The School for Sympathy', EV Lucas describes Miss Beam as 'middle-aged, authoritative,
kind and understanding'. The author uses words to describe her age, appearance and character.
The table given below contains words describing the physical features and character of people.
Match the items given in the columns.

Describing Words Physical features/Character

tall, short, medium eyes

frail, stocky, slim, thin, plump, fatty, skinny, well-built character

young, elderly, middle-aged, teenager build

round, oval, square, wrinkled height

grey, straight, curly, black, blonde, wavy, bushy age

big, round, small, bright, narrow hair

cheerful, aggressive, sensitive, serious, energetic, confident face

Now, describe the following personalities using the words given in the above box.

1 2 3 4

1. Sherlock Holmes 2. Amitabh Bachchan 3. Sachin Tendulkar 4. Mohammed Rafi

One has been done for you.

1. Sherlock Holmes is a tall, middle-aged man. He has black hair, a long nose, bright eyes and
an oval shaped face.

______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

174 English VIII

 Let’s write

Activity 1
Read the following notice.

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

A PLAY PRESENTED BY THE ENGLISH CLUB
OF G G H S S, CHALAPURAM
20.01.2016
Dear friends,
The English Club of GGHSS Chalapuram has decided to stage the one act play
based on the story ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’ by Oscar Wilde as part of the
Annual Day celebrations of the school. The members of the English Club have
prepared the script and directed the play. Sri. Kavalam Narayana Panicker,
renowned poet and theatre personality has consented to inaugurate the staging
of the play.
All are welcome.

Secretary
English Club
GG HSS Chalapuram

Programme Details
Date : 25-1-2016
Time : 04:00 PM
Venue : School auditorium
Welcome speech : Secretary, English Club
Presidential Address : Headmistress
Inauguration : Sri. Kavalam Narayana Panicker
Felicitations : School Leader
Staff Secretary
Vote of thanks : Joint Secretary, English Club

The Health Club of your school has decided to observe the International Day for the Differently
Abled on December 3, 2016. As the Convener of the Club, you have been asked to prepare
a notice including all the relevant details of the programme. Draft the notice.

English VIII 175

 Activity 2
Most of us take our lives for granted. Despite being physically fit, we keep complaining and
making excuses. And here they are – the differently-abled people, who prove that you do not
need two hands, legs or eyes to be successful in life. All you need is the will-power and
determination. Here are a few people, who by means of confidence, faith and courage were
able to overcome their physical obstacles and achieve success in their lives, which the healthy
people find difficult to do.

• John Milton

• Nick Vujicic

• Sudha Chandran

• Helen Keller

• Stephen Hawking

• Mahakavi Vallathol

Read books or browse related websites to get more information about them. Prepare their
profiles.

Let’s speak

Activity 1

Fill in the bubbles using the words or phrases which show quality, appearance and personality
of Miss Beam.

grey-haired

Miss Beam middle-aged

comforting

176 English VIII

Now, speak about Miss Beam using the words or phrases identified.

Miss Beam is very

comforting to .................................... ....................................
1 2 3
homesick children. .................................... ....................................

.................................... .................................... ....................................

4 5 6
.................................... .................................... ....................................

Now develop a character sketch of Miss Beam using the above sentences and present it in
the class.

______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

English VIII 177

 Activity 2
In Activity 2 of ‘Let’s Write’, you have prepared profiles of people who in spite of their disabilities
were able to achieve success in life. Prepare a presentation about these differently-abled
people. Describe their life, contributions and other details. Use appropriate photos and posters
to support your presentation. Present it before the class.

Let's discover how grammar works

Activity 1

Look at the following sentences.

We teach only those things that are simple.
The real aim of this school is not to teach thought but thoughtfulness.
The verbs in the above sentences are in the simple present tense.
Usually, the simple present tense is used to describe actions that are universal or habitual.
The earth revolves around the sun.
They play cricket every Sunday.
Simple present can also be used to show planned future actions.
The train from Alappuzha arrives at 5 p. m.
Now, identify the functions of the simple present tense in the following sentences. One has
been done for you.

1. I use my bike to reach school. habitual

2. It rains a lot in Chirapunjee. _________________

3. Sruthi wakes up early. _________________

4. The President visits Srilanka next week. _________________

5. Iron gets rusted easily. _________________

6. They leave the city tomorrow._________________

178 English VIII

 Activity 2
Look at the following sentences.
I am reading a book.
Miss Beam is walking up and down the terrace.
An old man is plucking roses.
They are playing football.
He is leaving shortly.
Are the verbs in the above sentences similar to those given in Activity 1?
What difference do you notice?
These verbs are in the present progressive tense.
What are the major functions of the present progressive tense?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Frame two sentences each showing any two major functions of the present progressive.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Activity 3
You have already learnt how a head noun in the noun phrase is expanded by adding certain
words/phrases before and after it. You also know the category of words that can be added
before and after the head noun, don’t you?
Look how a head noun is expanded by adding these categories of words:
girl
a girl
a smart girl
a smart girl in the school
a smart girl in the school who tied her eyes
Now, expand the following nouns in the above manner.
a) garden
b) teacher

English VIII 179

 Let’s edit

Read the following passage written by a student of Class VIII. There are some errors in it
which are underlined. Edit the errors.

The writer had hear a lot about Miss Beam's school. But he had never visit it. One day he got

the opportunity to visit it. On entering the campus he see no one except a girl of twelve. Her
eyes were covered on a bandage. A little boy of about eight was guiding her between the flower

beds in the garden. The girl stopped. She evidently ask her guide about the writer. the boy

seemed to describe the writer to her. The writer went into the building and meet the head of the
school. Miss Beam was the Principal for the school. She was a mother-figure for the young

boys and girls in the school. The writer asked Miss Beam some questions of her scholastic

methods. Miss Beam said that there was not many scholastic education. The boys were taught
spelling, addition, subtraction, multiplication and writing only. The rest was done by reading to

them and with lectures.

Now, rewrite the passage after editing it.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

180 English VIII

 Let's play with language

Read the following sentence.

The author went round the school to observe how it functions.

In the word ‘observe’, another small word is hidden. The word is ‘see’.
Look at the word ‘chicken’. Let us write it as cHickEN, and put together the letters in capital.
What do we get? HEN. So we have a shorter word ‘hen’ within the word ‘chicken’.

You have seen the picture of a kangaroo, haven’t you?

Have you seen its baby?
Where does the mother kangaroo carry its baby? - In a pouch in its body.
‘Kangaroo words’ are like this animal. They are marsupial words that carry smaller
versions of themselves (joey words) within their spellings. They are words that
contain other smaller words within them that have the same meaning.

Look at the word ‘Exhilaration’ which means ‘ to make someone feel very happy and excited’.
Elation is a word that can be formed from this word. What does the word ‘elation’ mean?
Look at some other words too: regulate (rule), indolent (idle), encourage (urge), destruction
(ruin), devilish (evil), and masculine (male).
Let’s see how good you are with kangaroo words. Can you spot the joey (baby kangaroo)
word hidden in each of these words? Remember, the letters of the smaller words should
occur in the same sequence as in the parent word, though they need not come consecutively.

1. recline

2. rotund

3. inheritor

4. container

5. supervisor

6. alone

7. salvage

8. feasted

9. chariot

10. routine

English VIII 181

 The Merchant of Venice
This is a story that tells the world that the divine quality of mercy is always better than justice. The play
is about the aftermath of the rivalry between Shylock, the Jew and Antonio, the young Christian merchant
of Venice.Read on and find how good finally triumphs over evil.

Antonio was a young and honest Bassanio loved a girl named Portia, a very
merchant in the town of Venice. He was wealthy lady living in Belmont. Her father
the kindest man ever lived. He always died some time ago and she was the only
came to the help of the people in trouble. heiress to a large estate. Portia too loved
He was greatly loved by all his fellow- Bassanio. Now he thought of improving
citizens. Antonio had a bosom friend, his fortune by marrying her. One day
Bassanio came to Antonio and told him
Bassanio. He was a noble Venetian. He
about his love for Portia and that he must
was not very rich. He had lived a luxurious
go very soon to Belmont as a suitor to
life and squandered all the little money Portia. But he did not have any money
he had. Whenever he wanted money, even to dress himself suitably as the lover
Antonio helped him. It seemed they had of so rich an heiress. So he asked Antonio
but one heart and one purse between to help him. Bassanio wanted his friend
them. to lend him three thousand ducats. But it
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1. Why did Bassanio approach Antonio?
1616) was an English poet,
playwright and actor, widely ___________________________________________________
regarded as the greatest writer _________________________________________________
in the English language and as
the world’s pre-eminent squander: _______________________________
dramatist. He is often called the ________________________________________
Bard of Avon. His works consist
of 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two narrative poems, luxurious: _______________________________
and a few other verses, the authorship of some ________________________________________
of which is uncertain. His plays have been
abuse: __________________________________
translated into every major living language and
are performed more often than those of any other _____________________________________________
playwright. Written sometime between 1596 and
_____________________________________________
1598, The Merchant of Venice is classified as an
early Shakespearean comedy. _____________________________________________

182 English VIII

 The Merchant of Venice
so happened that Antonio had spent all ‘Yes, I will lend you the money and I will
his money on his ships and so had no take no interest,’ said the greedy money
money with him. But he expected some lender.
of his ships to come home soon laden
Antonio was surprised at this kind offer.
with merchandise. Hence, he decided to
borrow the amount from Shylock who Shylock still pretended to be generous. He
was a money lender. again said he would lend him the three
thousand ducats and take no interest for
Shylock had become very rich by lending his money if repaid in time. His only
money at a very high interest to merchants.
condition was that Antonio should go
He was a hard-hearted man and was very
with him to a lawyer and sign a bond in
severe with his customers. So, he was
merry sport stating that if he did not repay
much disliked by all good men. Antonio
also disliked Shylock for being so the money in time he would forfeit a
ambitious and greedy for money. He used pound of flesh, to be cut off from any
to lend money to the needy people part of his body.
without taking any interest. Therefore ‘No,’ cried Bassanio, ‘you shall run no such
there was great enmity between the greedy risk for me.’
Shylock and Antonio.
But Antonio insisted that he would sign
Antonio and Bassanio went to Shylock. it, for he was sure that his ships would
Antonio asked the Jew to lend him three return with money before the day of
thousand ducats at any interest. He would payment. Antonio signed the bond and
pay it back as soon as his ships returned
got the money which he handed over to
from the sea. Shylock thought deeply. He
Bassanio who immediately set off to
took this as a golden opportunity to take
Belmont with a splendid train to possess
revenge on the Venetian who had insulted
him many times. Portia as his partner of life.

2. Who was Shylock and how did he become rich? heiress: _________________________________
________________________________________ _________________________________________
________________________________________ ducats: __________________________________
3. Why did Shylock hate Antonio?
________________________________________
________________________________________
laden with merchandise: _____________________
________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________
merry sport: ______________________________
4. What was Antonio’s attitude towards Shylock?
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ train: ____________________________________
________________________________________ _________________________________________

English VIII 183

The Merchant of Venice
When Bassanio arrived in Belmont, Portia good qualities. She had enough riches. ‘I
was very much worried whether he might give them to you with this ring,’ saying so
be successful in the challenge raised by she presented a ring to Bassanio.
her father before his death, in order to Then a messenger arrived there. He was
save his daughter from fortune hunters.
sent by Antonio. He had brought a letter
He had arranged three caskets–gold, silver
from Antonio containing a sad news.
and leaden - for her suitors to try. The
When Bassanio read the letter, Portia
person who chose the right casket in
found his face turn pale. She inquired
which her picture was deposited could win
what the sad news was.
her. Bassanio did not choose either the
gold or the silver casket. He said that He replied, ‘O sweet Portia, here are a few
things that glittered outside were often of the most unpleasant words that have
ugly inside. He then chose the leaden ever been written.’
casket on which it was written: ‘Whoever He then told all about Antonio and about
chooses me must risk all that he has.’ It his strange bond with Shylock to help
was a moment of joy for everyone him.
because there was the lovely picture of
Portia in it. Thus Bassanio proved Bassanio read Antonio’s letter. ‘Sweet
successful in his suit and Portia consented Bassanio, my ships are all lost. My bond
to marry him. to the Jew is forfeited. In paying it I shall
lose my life. I wish to see you at my death;
Before the marriage Bassanio confessed
but it is your pleasure.’
to Portia that he was not very rich. His
high birth and noble ancestry was all that ‘O, my dear love,’ said Portia, ‘be quick;
he could be proud of. Now when her turn You shall have gold to pay the money
came, Portia prettily said that she was an twenty times over, before this kind friend
unschooled girl. She loved him for his Antonio shall lose a hair by my Bassanio’s

5. What were the conditions in the bond signed caskets: _________________________________

between Antonio and Shylock?
__________________________________________
___________________________________________
consent: _______________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________ _________________________________________

___________________________________________ ________________________________________
6. ‘No,’ cried Bassanio, ‘you shall run no such risk ________________________________________
for me.’ What is the risk referred to here?
________________________________________
___________________________________________
________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________ ________________________________________

184 English VIII

 The Merchant of Venice
fault.’ Portia then said she would be Duke asked Shylock how he could hope
married to Bassanio before he set out, in for mercy from god if he himself showed
order to give him a legal right to her no mercy to his fellow beings, Shylock
money. replied that he wanted no mercy if god
The day of payment being past, the cruel grants him justice. So saying he began to
money lender would not accept the sharpen the long knife.
money which Bassanio offered him. He Portia who had decided to come to Venice
insisted upon having a pound of and to speak in Antonio’s defence reached
Antonio’s flesh. A day was fixed to try there on the day of the trial with her friend
this strange case before the Duke of Nerissa. They disguised themselves. Portia
Venice, and Bassanio awaited in dreadful appeared in a lawyer’s gown and Nerissa
suspense the result of the trial. followed her as her clerk. The case was
II just going to be heard before the Duke.
The day of the trial arrived. Antonio did Portia entered the High Court of justice
not ask for mercy, because he knew well and presented a letter from Bellario who
that Shylock was unlikely to grant him any was a lawyer and relative of Portia. In
mercy. In a way he was willing to accept that letter the learned counsellor had
punishment. At the court, the Duke written that the bearer of the letter
himself pleaded with Shylock to be Belthasar (so he called Portia) could be
merciful. He bluntly refused. Bassanio permitted to plead for Antonio as he was
offered the Jew twice the sum owed by sick and unable to come by himself. The
Antonio. But he replied that he wanted Duke granted this, wondering at the
justice and so he would ask for his pound youthful appearance of the stranger, who
of flesh even if he was offered six was well disguised in her counsellor’s
thousand times the amount. When the robes and large wig.

7. What were the caskets made of? dreadful: _________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ suspense: ________________________________
8. Why did Portia arrive in Venice disguised as a ________________________________________
lawyer?
plead: ___________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
defence: _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________ ________________________________________

___________________________________________ bluntly: __________________________________

___________________________________________ _________________________________________

English VIII 185

The Merchant of Venice

And now began the important trial. Portia quality of mercy. It would have softened
looked around and saw the merciless the hearts of all except that of Shylock.
money lender. She saw Bassanio too. But She said that mercy dropped as the gentle
he knew her not in her disguise. She read rain from heaven upon the place beneath.
the bond and turned towards Shylock and Mercy was a double blessing. It blessed
told him that he had the right to his pound him that gave; and him that received it.
of flesh. Hearing it Shylock felt happy. Great kings have always shown mercy. It
She then spoke eloquently of the noble was an attribute of God himself. She

disguised: ________________________________
9. Why did Shylock insist on having the pound of
_________________________________________
flesh?
counsellor: _______________________________
________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________ trial: ____________________________________
________________________________________ _________________________________________

________________________________________ eloquently: _______________________________

_________________________________________
________________________________________
attribute: _________________________________
________________________________________
_________________________________________
________________________________________ _________________________________________

186 English VIII

 The Merchant of Venice
asked Shylock to remember that as we all While Shylock was sharpening the long
prayed for mercy from God, we were knife and feeling its sharp edge Belthasar
bound to be merciful to our fellow beings. asked Antonio, ‘Have you got anything to
But, Shylock insisted on getting the say?’ Antonio calmly said, ‘I have but little
penalty stated in the bond. to say. I have prepared my mind to die.’
‘Is he not able to pay the money?’ asked Then he turned to Bassanio and said,
the young lawyer Balthasar. ‘Give me your hand, Bassanio! Fare you
well. Grieve not that I have fallen into
Bassanio then offered him the three
this misfortune for your sake. Tell my
thousand ducats as many times over as
regards to your honourable wife and how
he should desire. Yet, Shylock refused it.
I had loved you.’
He still insisted upon having a pound of
Antonio’s flesh. The young counsellor In the deepest agony Bassanio replied,
now wanted Shylock to let her have a look ‘Antonio, I am married to a wife, who is
at the bond once again. When she had as dear to me as life itself. But life itself,
read it, she said, ‘This bond is forfeited, my wife, and all the world are not
and by this, the money lender lawfully considered by me above your life. I am
claims a pound of flesh, to be cut off by willing to lose all. I would sacrifice
him nearest Antonio’s heart.’ everything to this devil here, to save you.’
Then he said to Shylock, ‘Be merciful: take Shylock now cried out impatiently, ‘We
the money, and bid me tear the bond.’ are wasting time. I pray pronounce the
But no mercy would the cruel Shylock sentence.’ Every heart was full of grief
show. He said, ‘By my soul I swear, no for Antonio.
man can persuade me to change my mind.’ As the judgment was going to be
‘Now Antonio,’ said Belthasar, ‘you must announced the young lawyer asked
prepare your bosom for the knife.’ Shylock if there were balances to weigh

10. Why did Shylock refuse the money offered by persuade: ________________________________
Bassanio?
_________________________________________
________________________________________ agony: __________________________________
________________________________________ _________________________________________
________________________________________ sentence: ________________________________

________________________________________ _________________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________________
__________________________________________
________________________________________ __________________________________________
________________________________________ __________________________________________

English VIII 187

The Merchant of Venice

the flesh. Shylock said that he had them cut this flesh from off his chest. But this
ready. The lawyer also asked him if he bond here gives you no drop of blood.
had called a doctor lest Antonio bleeds The words clearly are ‘a pound of flesh’.
to death. Shylock said no, and added that If in cutting off the pound of flesh you
it was not written in the bond. shed one drop of Antonio’s blood, your
Belthasar replied, ‘It is not so named in lands and goods are by the law to be
the bond, but what of that? It was good confiscated to the state of Venice.”
if you did so much for the sake of charity.’ Hearing this, Shylock was totally
To this Shylock answered, ‘I cannot find confused. It was utterly impossible for
it; it is not in the bond.’ Shylock to cut off the pound of flesh
‘Then,’ said Belthasar, ‘a pound of without shedding some of Antonio’s
Antonio’s flesh is yours. The law allows blood. This wise discovery of Belthasar,
it, and the court awards it. And you may saved the life of Antonio.
11. ‘Hearing this, Shylock was totally confused.’ confiscated: ______________________________
Why was Shylock confused?
__________________________________________
________________________________________
sagacity: _________________________________
________________________________________ __________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________

188 English VIII

 The Merchant of Venice
III Therefore, down on your knees, and ask
All admired the wonderful sagacity of the him to pardon you.’
young counsellor. Finding himself The Duke then said to Shylock, ‘You may
defeated in his cruel intent, Shylock said see the difference of our belief in god, I
with a disappointed look that he was ready pardon you your life before you ask it.
to take the money. Rejoiced beyond Half of your wealth belongs to Antonio,
measure at Antonio’s unexpected the other half comes to the state.’ The
deliverance Bassanio cried out, ‘Here is Duke now released Antonio, and
the money!’ But Portia stopped him dismissed the court. He then highly
saying, ‘Slowly, there is no haste; the praised the wisdom and ingenuity of the
money lender shall have nothing but the young counsellor, and invited him home
penalty. Therefore prepare, Shylock, cut to dinner. But Portia, who meant to return
off the flesh, but mind you, shed not a to Belmont before her husband refused
drop of blood. If you make a mistake you the invitation politely.
are condemned by the laws of Venice to
When the Duke left the court, Bassanio
die, and all your wealth is forfeited to the
said to Belthasar, ‘Most worthy
State.’
gentleman, I and my friend Antonio have
‘Give me my money, and let me go,’ said been acquitted of grievous penalties by
Shylock. your wisdom, and I beg you to accept the
‘I have it ready here,’ said Bassanio. three thousand ducats due to Shylock.’
Shylock was going to take the money. But Portia was not ready to accept the
Portia again stopped him, saying, ‘Wait. I money. Bassanio again pressed Belthasar
have yet another hold upon you. By the to accept some reward. It came into
laws of Venice, your wealth is forfeited Portia’s mind to play a trick upon her
to the state for having conspired against husband.
the life of one of its citizens, and your She said, ‘Give me your ring. I will wear it
life lies at the mercy of the Duke. for your sake.’
12. Why was Shylock ready to take the money? 12. What did the young lawyer ask as a reward?
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
deliverance: ______________________________ _________________________________________
_________________________________________ ingenuity: ________________________________
condemn: ________________________________ _________________________________________
_________________________________________ acquitted of: ______________________________
conspire: _________________________________ _________________________________________
_________________________________________ ________________________________________

English VIII 189

Bassanio was distressed when the Hearing the quarrel between the couple
counsellor asked him the only thing he Antonio said, ‘Ah! I am the unhappy cause
could not part with. He replied that he of these quarrels.’
could not give him the ring because it was
Portia consoled Antonio not to grieve.
his wife’s gift. He had promised her never
Then Antonio said ‘I once did lend my
to part with it. At this, Portia pretended
body for Bassanio’s sake. But for him to
to be offended and left the court.
whom your husband gave the ring, I should
‘Dear Bassanio,’ said Antonio, ‘let him have now been dead. I swear your lord
have the ring. Let my love and the great will never more break his word with you.’
service he had done for me be valued
against your wife’s displeasure.’ Ashamed ‘Then you shall be his surety,’ said Portia
to seem ungrateful, Bassanio yielded and to Antonio. ‘Give him this ring, and bid
sent the ring to Belthasar. him keep it better than the other.’ So
saying, she gave a ring to him.
Portia returned home happily having
performed a good action. At Belmont, she When Bassanio looked at the ring he was
waited for her husband. When Bassanio strangely surprised to find it was the same
arrived accompanied by Antonio, her eyes he had given away. Then Portia told him
immediately fell upon his empty fingers how she had been the young counsellor,
and she asked him about his wedding ring. and Nerissa her clerk. Portia then gave
‘I gave it to the lawyer who saved him a letter which contained the happy
Antonio’s life,’ Bassanio said. message of Antonio’s ships supposed to
Hearing this Portia looked very angry, and be lost, safely arriving in the harbour. So
reproached Bassanio. She said ‘No, you the tragical beginnings of this rich
lie. You gave it to some other woman.’ merchant’s story were all forgotten in this
He said with great earnestness, ‘No, no unexpected good fortune which followed.
woman had it. The young lawyer who There was leisure to laugh at the comical
refused three thousand ducats of me adventure of the ring and also at the
begged for the ring. What could I do, husband who did not know his own wife.
sweet Portia?’ (Slightly adapted)
14. How does the play become a comical adventure offended: ________________________________
at the end?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
yielded: __________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
reproach: ________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
distress: _________________________________
earnestness: _____________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

190 English VIII

 Let’s revisit

Activity 1

The following events are in a jumbled order. Put them in the correct order as a paragraph.
A 1. Shylock lends Antonio three thousand ducats.
2. Portia married Bassanio.
3. Antonio failed to pay the debt.
4. Shylock hated Antonio because he used to lend money without interest.
5. Shylock wanted Antonio’s flesh.
6. Portia rescued Antonio from the punishment.

_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

B 1. Portia arrived disguised as a young lawyer.

2. Shylock was not ready to be merciful.
3. The young lawyer saved the life of Antonio.
4. The day of the trial arrived.
5. Antonio was prepared to die.
6. The Duke pleaded with him to be kind.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

English VIII 191

 My Grandmother’s House

Do you remember the help your

grandmother did for you when you
were a child? What memories do
you have of the time you spent
with her? Now, let’s read the poem
‘My Grandmother’s House’ by
Kamala Das.

I received love… That woman died,

The house withdrew into silence, snakes moved Kamala Surayya
(1934-2009) known
Among books, I was then too young by the names
Madhavikutty and
To read, and my blood turned cold like the moon.
Kamala Das, was a
How often I think of going gifted bilingual writer who could
delight her readers with her
There, to peer through blind eyes of windows or inimitable style in both English
and Malayalam. She is popular as
Just listen to the frozen air, a poet and short story writer. She
Or in wild despair pick an armful of was the recipient of awards like
Ezhuthachan Puraskaram,
Darkness to bring it here to lie Vayalar Award, Sahithya
Academy Award, etc. My Story,
Behind my bedroom door like a brooding The Old Playhouse and Other
Poems, Padmavati the Harlot and
Dog… you cannot believe, darling Other Stories, My Mother at Sixty-
Can you, that I lived in such a house and six, etc. are some of her works in
English.
Was proud and loved… I who have lost
My way and beg now at strangers’ doors to receive love,
at least in small change?

192 English VIII

 My Grandmother’s House
1. ‘….That woman died,...’ Who is the woman referred to here? How is she related to the poet?
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. What happened to the house after the death of the grandmother?
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ‘... to lie
Behind my bedroom door like a brooding
Dog...’ – means that
(i) the memories will always remain with the poet.
(ii) the memories will lie uncared for in a corner.
(iii) the memories are as important as a dog.
4. The poet wants to go back to the house
(i) to peer ……………….. .
(ii) to listen ………………. .
(iii) to pick ………………. .
5. Identify the most appropriate meaning for the expression, ‘an armful of darkness.’
(i) sad days.
(ii) darkness of the past.
(iii) memories of the grandmother’s house.
6. In the last three lines of the poem, the poet thinks of herself as a beggar.
(a) What is she begging for?
(b) What does she mean by ‘small change’?
________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why are the eyes of the windows described as blind?
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. The air in the grandmother’s house is frozen. Why?
________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Which words tell you that the poet is talking to someone? What is she talking about?
________________________________________________________________________________________
10. How does the house itself share the grief of grandmother‘s death?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

English VIII 193

 Let’s revisit

Activity 1
The poet thinks of her past. How is her present different from the past?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Find hints/phrases from the poem which give you the idea that the house was deserted after
the death of the grandmother?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 2
Look at the phrase 'blind eyes of windows'.
(i) Do you think that windows have eyes? __________________________
(ii) Aren’t ‘eyes’ a feature of living beings? __________________________
(iii) Is the poet attributing human qualities to 'windows'? How? __________
Here the poet uses 'personification'. Personification is a figure of speech where a thing, an
idea or an animal is given human attributes. E.g. The flowers danced in the breeze.
Pick out another example of personification from the poem.

___________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 3
‘...my blood turned cold like the moon’ is an example of simile. Pick out another simile from the
poem.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Activity 4
‘... blood turned cold’ is an instance of a tactile image. Find out other images from the poem.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

194 English VIII

 Solitude
Don‘t you wish to have someone beside you when you are sad or in distress? Do you readily help
others when they are in need? Now, let‘s read what the poet has taken notice of about the world we live
in. Read on….

Laugh, and the world laughs with you:

Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer:
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad and your friends are many,
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink your life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Fast, and the world goes by. (1850-1919) was an
Succeed and give, and it helps you live, American author and
poet. Her best known
But no man can help you die. work is Poems of
There is room in the halls of pleasure Passion. Her most
enduring work is Solitude which
For a long and loudly train. contains some oft quoted lines. Her
autobiography The Worlds and Eye
But one by one we must all file on was published in 1918, a year before
Through the narrow aisles of pain. her death.

English VIII 195

Solitude
1. What does the opening lines tell us about the 5. Every human being must undergo pain as a part
present day world? of life. Which lines give you this idea?
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________
2. ‘Life is a mixture of joy and sorrow.’ How 6. The poem throws light on the need to be ‘self-
differently do people react to each of them? reliant’. Do you agree? Why?
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________
3. Even the earth is indifferent to human suffering. 7. Does the poem establish the idea that this is
Identify lines that hint this idea. essentially a pleasure-seeking world? How?
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________
4. ‘Succeed and give and it helps you live.’ Is this 8. What does the poet mean by the expressions
line an exhortation to help and support others in need? ‘nectared wine’ and ‘life’s gall’?
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________

Let’s revisit

Activity 1
1. The theme of the poem is:
a. If you stay positive, you will become successful.
b. If you seclude yourself, you will have lots of friends.
c. If you weep, you weep alone.
d. If you stay positive, people will be with you.
2. The tone of the poem is:
a. optimistic
b. pessimistic
c. indifferent
d. frustrated
3. Which line in the poem describes the speaker’s outlook on life?
a. ‘There is room in the halls of pleasure.’
b. ‘Rejoice, and men will seek you.’
c. ‘The echoes bound to a joyful sound.’
d. ‘For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth.’

196 English VIII

 I can

I can do I can do with the I need further

I can it myself help of my friends improvement

read and comprehend simple stories.

describe people, their appearance and

character.

prepare the profile of a distinguished

person.

draft a notice for a programme.

Identify the meanings of unfamiliar

words referring to a dictionary.

use a dictionary and form words by

adding suffixes.

speak confidently using adequate

vocabulary.

respond to questions and interact

confidently.

enjoy listening to poems, reading aloud

and reciting them.

identify the tone and poetic devices used

in a poem.

use language elements in different

contexts.

engage in language games with

confidence.

write articles with confidence in good

English.

English VIII 197

Glossary

acquit (v): to decide and state officially in a citizenship (n): the state of being a citizen and
court of law that somebody is not guilty of a accepting the responsibilities of it
crime To become a US citizen, you have to pass the
The jury acquitted him of murder. citizenship test.
agony (n): an extreme physical or mental pain. comforting (adj): making one feel calmer and
She sat in agony hearing the news of the accident. less worried or unhappy
aisle (n): a passage between rows of seats in a The comforting words of the teacher made her feel
theatre or between rows of shelves in a super at ease.
market confess (v): (here) to admit something that you
ancestry (n): the family or the race of people feel ashamed about
that one comes from She was reluctant to confess her ignorance.
He family name dates back to his ancestry. confiscate (v): to take something away from
appreciate (v): to recognise the good qualities someone as a punishment
of somebody or something The teacher threatened to confiscate the novel if
His talents were not fully appreciated by his she kept reading it in the class.
company. consent (v): to agree to do something or give
authoritative (adj): showing that you expect your permission
others to obey and respect you She finally consented to answer our questions.
The principal spoke in an authoritative tone. conspire (v): to secretly plan with other people
awful (adj): very bad or unpleasant to do something illegal or harmful.
Last summer, the weather was awful. They were accused of conspiring against the king.

bond (n): a legal written agreement of promise counsellor (n): (here) a lawyer
They signed a bond for the payment of money. cripple (n): a person who is unable to walk or
bound (v): (here) to run move normally because of a disease or injury
The dogs bounded ahead. He was crippled by the disease when he was a child.

brooding (adj): sad or mysterious crutch (n): one of the two long sticks that you
A brooding silence spread across the room. put under your arms to help you walk
After the accident I spent six months on crutches.
casket (n): a small decorated box for holding
jewels or other valuables decline (v): to refuse politely to do something
The shop keeper arranged all the caskets on the shelf. I offered to give them a lift but they declined.

198 English VIII

 Glossary

defence (n): the act of protecting somebody or grievous (adj): very serious and often causing
something from attack, criticism etc. great pain or suffering
When her father was criticised, she came to his He has been the victim of grievous injustice.
defence. homesick (adj): sad because you are away from
despair (n): the feeling of having lost all hope home and you miss your family and friends
She felt so homesick at the hostel that she had to
He gave up the struggle in despair.
discontinue her studies.
distress (adj): upset and anxious
humanity (n): the quality of being kind to
He was too distressed to answer their questions.
people and animals by making sure that they
dreadful (adj): very bad or unpleasant do not suffer
It is dreadful to see how they treat their staff. The judge was praised for his humanity and courage.

earnest (adj): very serious and sincere ingenuity (n): the quality of being clever,
Inspite of her earnest efforts, she was unable to original and inventive
find a job. laden (adj): heavily loaded or weighed down
The trees were laden with mangoes.
exclaim (v): to say something suddenly and
loudly, because of strong emotion or pain leisure (n): the time when one is not working
She opened her eyes and exclaimed in delight at the or occupied
He used his leisure time to pursue his hobby.
sight before her.
luxurious (adj): extremely comfortable or
forfeit (v): to lose something or have something
elegant especially when involving great expense
taken away from you because you have done
He maintained a luxurious lifestyle.
something wrong
merchandise (n): goods to be bought and sold
If you cancel your trip, you will forfeit the amount
you have paid. mirth (n): delight, amusement, especially as
expressed in laughter, high spirits
gall (n): a bitter feeling full of hatred
The joke that the teacher told left the whole class in
generous (adj): giving or willing to give freely mirth.
The king was very generous and helped everyone misfortune (n): bad luck
in his country. His life seemed to be full of misfortunes.
grieve (v): to feel very sad in a nutshell (idiom): in the fewest possible
It grieved her to leave the school, where she had words
worked for 20 years. She explained the details of the incident in a nutshell.

English VIII 199

Glossary

offended (adj): resentful or annoyed, typically sagacity (n): the ability to make good judgments
as a result of a perceived insult sentence (n): the punishment given by a court
He sounded rather offended by what she said. The murderer was sentenced to life imprisonment.
originality (n): the ability to think shrink (v): to become or make smaller in size
independently and creatively or amount
She is a writer of great originality. The fruits were shrunk because of extreme heat.

peer (v): to look closely or carefully at someone slacken (v): to make or become less active,
or something vigorous, intense, etc.
She slackened her pace a little.
Mother peered at her son with suspicion.
sly (adj): cunning and crafty in a secret way
penalty (n): a punishment enforced for breaking It was a sly political move.
a law, rule or contract
soar (v): to rise quickly and smoothly into the air
The convict was given a maximum penalty of ten
The eagle soared high over the mountains.
years imprisonment.
squander (v): to waste something, especially
plead (v): to make an emotional appeal money or time in a foolish manner
She pleaded with them not to harm the dog. The man squandered all the money on gambling.
pretend (v): to behave so as to make it appear stain (v): to leave a mark that is difficult to remove
that something is the case when in fact it is not Their tongues were stained with the colour of
I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. the fruit they ate.
rejoice (v): to feel or show great joy or delight suit (n): a petition or entreaty made to a person
We spend the day rejoicing at our victory. in authority

relief (n): a feeling of release from distress thoughtful (adj): showing consideration for the
needs of other people
She felt a sense of relief when her husband arrived
It was very thoughtful of her to help those people in
at the hospital.
need.
reproach (v): to express to someone one's train (n): (here) a group of attendants following
disapproval of or disappointment in their actions an important person
Her friends reproached her for not thinking enough The minister and his train of attendants left the court.
of her family.
trial (n): a formal examination of evidence by
revenge (n): an act of hurting or harming a judge, typically before a jury
someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered The newspaper reports of the trial attracted a lot of
The boy promised that he would take revenge for readers.
the insult meted out to him. woe (n): great sorrow or distress

200 English VIII