Glimpses of the Past NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 3
Question 1.
Look at picture 1 and recall the opening lines of the original song in Hindi. Who is the singer ? Who else do you see in this picture ?
Answer:
The opening lines in Hindi are :
ऐ मेरे वतन के लोगों, तुम खूब लगा लो नारा,
यह शुभ-दिन है हम सबका, लहरा लो तिरंगा प्यारा,
पर मत भूलो सीमा पर, वीरों ने हैं प्राण गँवाये,
कुछ याद उन्हें भी कर लो, जो लौट के घर न आये
Lata Mangeshkar is the singer. Pt. J.L. Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi are also seen in the picture..
Question 2.
In picture 2 what do you understand by the Company’s ‘superior weapons’?
Answer
East India Company has opperating a policy of “Divide and Rule.
Question 3.
Who is an artisan ? Why do you think the artisans suffered? (Picture 3)
Answer:
The British policies ruined the expert artisans and their business.
Question 4.
Which picture, according to you, reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt ?
Answer:
Picture 7 “The Sparks’ reveals the first sparks of the fire of ‘revolt’.
Glimpses of the Past Working With the Text (Page – 45)
Answer the following questions :
Question 1.
Do you think the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events of 1757 ?
Answer:
Of course, the Indian princes were short-sighted. They were quarrelling. They were not hesitant to take outsider’s help to fight on their land. They could not think of a second thought on the impact of the Britisher’s help.
Question 2.
How did the East India Company subdue the Indian princes ?
Answer:
The British used their policy ‘Divide and Rule’ to subdue the fighting Indian princes on their own native land.
Question 3.
Quote the words used by Ram Mohan Roy to say that every religion teaches the same principles.
Answer:
Cows are of different colours but the colour of their milk is the same. Different teachers have different opinions but the essence of every religion is the same.
Question 4.
In what ways did the British officers exploit Indians ?
Answer:
The British imposed heavy taxes on farmers, reduced import duty on finish goods from England to exploit Indians. They, even cut the thumbs of expert artisans and got them unable to work better.
Question 5.
Name these people.
(i) The ruler who fought pitched battles against the British and died fighting.
(ii) The person who wanted to reform the society.
(iii) The person who recommended the introduction of English education in India.
(iv) Two popular leaders who led the revolt
Answer:
(i) Tipu Sultan
(ii) Ram Mohan Roy
(iii) Lord Macauley
(iv) Kunwar Singh, Tatya Tope, Nana Saheb.
Question 6.
Mention the following :
(i) Two examples of social practices prevailing then.
(ii) Two oppressive policies of the British.
(iii) Two ways in which common people suffered.
(iv) Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence.
Answer:
(i) Child-marriage and Untouchability.
(ii) To put the Indians in jails without any trial.
The company’s loot in Industrial sector.
(iii) By export of British machinery, the artisan were ruined By imposing heavy taxes,
Indian farmers had to abandon their fields.
(iv) Slow promotion to Indians, cutting the thumbs of artisans, greesed bullets, heavy
taxes, snatching of kingdoms from old rulers.
Glimpses of the Past Working With Language (Page-45)
In comics what the characters speak is put in bubbles. This is direct narration. When we report what the characters speak, we use the method of indirect narration.
Study these examples.
First farmer : Why are your men taking away the entire crop?
Second farmer : Your men have taken away everything.
Officer : You are still in arrears. If you don’t pay tax next week, I’ll send you to jail.
- The first farmer asked the officer why his men were taking away the entire crop.
- The second farmer said that their men had taken away everything.
- The officer replied that they were still in arrears and warned them that if they did not pay tax the following week, he (the officer) would send them (the farmers) to jail.
1. Change the following sentences into indirect speech:
(i) First man : We must educate our brothers.
Second man : And try to improve their material conditions.
Third man : For that we must convey our grievances to the British Parliament.
The first man said that.
………………………………..
………………… The second man added that
………………………………..
The third man suggested that ………………………………..
………………………………..
Answer:
The first man said that they must educate their brothers. The second man added that they must try to improve their material conditions also. The third man suggested that for that they must convey their grievances to the British Parliament
(ii) First soldier : The white soldier gets huge pay, mansions and servants.
Second soldier : We get a pittance and slow promotions.
Third soldier : Who are the British to abolish our customs?
The first soldier said that ………………………………..
………………………………..
The second soldier added that ………………………………..
………………………………..
The third soldier asked…………………………………
………………………………..
Answer:
The first soldier said that the white soldier got huge pay, mansions and servants. The second soldier added that they got a pittance and slow promotions. The third soldier asked who the British were to abolish their customs.
Glimpses of the Past Speaking and Writing (Page – 46)
Question 1.
Play act the role of farmers who have grievances against the policies of the government. Rewrite their ‘speech bubbles’ in dialogue form first.
Answer:
(i) Ask one another questions about the pictures
(a) Where is the fox ?
Answer:The fox is inside a well.
(b) How did it happen ?
Answer:It happened accidentally.
(c) What is the fox thinking ?
Answer:The fox is thinking how to get out of the well
(d) Who is the visitor ?
Answer:The goat is the visitor.
(e) What does she want to know ?
Answer:She wants to know if the water is sweet.
(f) What is the fox’s reply ?
Answer:The water of the well is too sweet. She said that she had much of it.
(g) What happens next ?
Answer:The fox comes out of the well with the goat’s help.
(h) Where is the goat ?
Answer:Now, the goat is inside the well.
(i) Where is the fox now ?
Answer:The fox is now out of the well.
(j) What is the goat thinking ?
Answer:The goat is thinking about her mother who once said : Be careful how you take the people’s advice you don’t know.
(ii) Write the story in your own words. Give it a title.
Answer:
The Fox and the Goat
Once a fox accidentally fell into a well. She tried many times to come out of the well, but all in vain. She thought, “How do I get out of here”? Just then a goat was passing by the well. She stopped and peeped into the well. She asked the fox, “Is water sweet there ?” The fox was cunning. It sweet! I have had so much. I might faint.” The goat was eager to taste the water. She told the fox to help her come inside the well. The fox was waiting for the same. It held her and came out of the well. The goat had fallen inside the well. The fox thanked the goat and went on. The goat was helpless. She remembered what her mother used to say, “Be careful how you take the people’s advice you don’t know.”
(iii) Read the following news item.
History becomes fun at this school
Mumbai: Students in the sixth grade of a certain school in Navi Mumbia love their
history lessons thanks to a novel teaching aid. It is not surprising given the fact that their study material includes comic books and they use their textbooks for reference to put things into perspective. Besides, students are encouraged to tap other sources of information as well. During history classes, students pore over comic strips of historical periods, enact characters of emperors and tyrants, and have animated discussions on the subject. History has become fun.
In the class students are asked to read the comic strip aloud, after which they break up into groups of four, discuss what they have heard and write a summary. Each group leader reads his group’s summary aloud and the whole class jumps into discussion and debate, adding points, disagreeing and qualifying points of view. A sixth grade student says, “It’s a lot of fun because everyone g ets a chance to express themselves and the summary take everyone’s ideas into account.” According to the school principal the comic strip format and visuals appeal to students. A historian feels that using comics in schools is a great idea. Comics and acting help students understand what characters in the story are actually thinking. (adapted from The Times of India, New Delhi, October 2007)
Based on this news item, write a paragraph on what you think about this new method of teaching history.
Answer:
The students at school level are afraid of social sciences, English and Mathematics. But this new method of teaching History has made the subject learnable to the studetns. This new comic strip format and visuals have surely made the learning of history easy and interesting. This innovative format involves the entire class and each student may get an opportunity to express him or herself. But the presentation of the comic strip should be attractive, easy to read and grasp and the pictures must be tonned up in an excellent way.
(iv) Find the chapters in your history book that correspond to the episodes and events described in this comic. Note how the information contained in a few chapters of history has been condensed to a few pages with the help of pictures and ‘speech bubbles’.
Answer:
To be discussed in classroom
(v) Create a comic of your own using this story.
Answer:
Once the Sun and the Wind began to quarrel, each one saying that he was stronger than the other. At last they decided to test each other’s strength. A man with a cloak around his shoulders was passing by. The Wind boasted, “Using my strength I can make that man take off the cloak.” The Sun agreed. The Wind blew hard. The man felt so cold that he clasped this cloak round his body as tight as possible. Now it was the turn of the Sun which shone very hot indeed. The man felt so hot that he at once removed the cloak from his body. Seeing the man taking off the cloak, the Wind conceded defeat.
Glimpses of the Past Introduction
This chapter shows some pictorial glimpses of the history of our country from 1757 to 1857. These pictures and speech bubbles will help clarify your understanding of the conditions that led to the event known as the First War of Independence in 1857. Some martyrs, socialreformers, brave leaders and patriots led our freedom struggle and gained independence to our worthy country India.
Glimpses of the Past Word Notes Pages 36-38.
glimpses-portrayals झलकियाँ;
clarify-justify स्पष्ट करते हैं;
martyrs one who sacrifice their life for one’s nation reta; extending-spreading PC at eft
shortsighted-indulged within संकुचित दृष्टिवाले;
conquests-victories विजय;
far seeing-having a vast view दूरदर्शी;
destiny-fate भाग्य;
linked-attached जुड़ा हुआ;
dethroned-got down from the throne गद्दी से उतार दिया;
preached-practised अभ्यास में लाए;
scorned-hatred घृणा की;
abandon-give up त्यागे;
arrears-money left to be paid बकाया राशि;
cripple-down नष्ट करना।
Pages 39-41.
despise-change the form भेप बदले;
superstitions-old beliefs अंधविश्वास;
ruining-destroying बरबाद कर रहे हैं;
essence-quality गुण;
scientific-related to science वैज्ञानिक;
owes-have रखते हैं;
suspicious-doubtful संदेही;
oppression-weighing down दबाना;
drew-fetched लेते थे;
fortunes-fate किस्मत;
exporting-sending outside निर्यात करना;
prospered-made rich समृद्ध हो गए।
dissatisfaction-not satisfied असंतुष्टि;
petty-inferior तुच्छ;
grievances-problems कष्ट;
converting-changing religion धर्म परिवर्तन।
Pages 42-44.
sparks-hatred feelings चिंगारियाँ;
violent-cruel हिंसक;
outbreak-held घटा;
rebellion-rebel विद्रोही;
revolt attack आंदोलन;
upsurge-wave of people लहर;
foreignersBritish अंग्रेज;
pouched-swooped झपटे;
pitched-fought लड़े।
Question 1.
Where was the function held where Lata sang the song “Aaye Mere Vatan?”
(a) Bombay
(b) Calcutta
(c) Delhi
(d) Madras
Answer:
(b) Calcutta
Question 2.
Who said : Anyone who crosses the seas loses his religion.
(a) Political leader
(b) Religious gurus
(c) Britishers
(d) Intellectual teachers
Answer:
(b) Religious gurus
Question 3.
Cows are of different colours, but the colour of their milk is the same. Who said ?
(a) Tipu Sultan
(b) Ram Mohan Roy
(c) Lord Macauley
(d) General Bentinck
Answer:
(b) Ram Mohan Roy
Question 4.
Where did Sepoy Mangal Pandey attack the adjutant of his regiment ?
(a) Delhi
(b) Kanpur
(c) Meerut
(d) Allahabad
Answer:
(c) Meerut
Question 5.
What was the main policy of the British to subdue Indian Rajahas ?
(a) Do or die
(b) Divide and Rule
(c) Disarm the sepoys
(d) Crush under wheels
Answer:
(b) Divide and Rule
