NCERT Solutions Class 8th English (Honeydew) Chapter – 3 Glimpses of the Past Question & Answer

NCERT Solutions Class 8th English (Honeydew) Chapter – 3 Glimpses of the Past

NCERT Solutions Class 8th English (Honeydew) Chapter – 3 Glimpses of the Past 

Chapter – 3

Glimpses of the Past

Question & Answer

Comprehension Check

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 of the Hindi Song are “Aye Mere Waten Ke Logon, Turn Khub Logo Nara: Ye Shubh Din Hai Hum Sab Ka Lehralo Tiranga Pyara, Par Mat Bhulo Seema Par Veron Ne Hain Pran Gawayen.” It was sung by Lata Mangeskar. We see Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Lai Bahadur Shastri and Mrs. Indira Gandhi in this picture.

Question 2. In picture 2 what do you understand by the Company’s ‘superior weapons?
Answer – The East India Company conquered India by using their superior weapons, the guns and diplomacy.

Question 3. Who is an artisan? Why do you think the artisans suffered? (Picture 3)
Answer – An artisan is a craftsman, skilled in some trade. They suffered because the goods that they produced lost demand in the Indian market.

Question 4. Which picture, according to you, reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt?
Answer – Picture 7 reveals the first spark of the fire of revolt.

Working With The Text

Question 1. Do you think the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events of 1757?
Answer – Yes, the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach. They fought against each other with the help of the British. Thus the British became the virtual rulers.

Question 2. How did the East India Company subdue the Indian Princes?
Answer – The East India company spread their wings in India to promote their trade. They supported one Indian Prince to finish the other. As a result power passed onto their hands.

Question 3. Quote the words used by Ram Mohan Roy to say that every religion teaches the same principles.
Answer – The words of Ram Mohan Roy spoken to his wife were: “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 rulers passed a resolution under which an Indian could be sent to jail without trial in a court. The goods manufactured in England were exempted from custom duty. The officers prospered on the company’s loot and their private business flourished.

Question 5. Name these people.

(i) The ruler who fought pitched battles against the British and died fighting.
Answer – Tipu Sultan of Mysore.

(ii) The person who wanted to reform the society.
Answer – Raja Ram Mohan Roy of Bengal.

(iii) The person who recommended the introduction of English education in India.
Answer – Lord Mecaulay

(iv) Two popular leaders who led the revolt (choices may vary.)
Answer – Nana Sahib Peshwa, Kunwar Singh, Begum Hazrat Mahal.

Question 6. Mention the following.

1. Two examples of social practices prevailing then.
Answer – Untouchability and child marriage.

2. Two oppressive policies of the British.
Answer – The British masters allowed imports in India tax free. They ruined Indian cottage industries,

3. Two ways in which common people suffered.
Answer – The farmers were taxed heavily and the thumbs of skilled workers were cut.

4. Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence.
Answer – (A) Santhals who lost their land became desparate and they revolted.
(B) The sepoys in the English army were paid much less than the white soldiers. So they were discontented and angry.
(C) The Brahmins were furious when they came to know that the bullets they had to bite, contained cow fat and pig-fat.
(D) Many landlords were sore because the British policies deprived them of their land and estate.

Working With Language

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 they________________________________
The third man suggested that____________________________________

(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 remarked that_________________________________
The third soldier asked_________________________________________

Answer – (i)
(a) they must educate their brothers.
(b) should try to improve their material conditions,
(c) they must convey their grievances to the British Parliament.

(ii)
(a) the white soldier got huge pay, mansions and servants.
(b) they got a pittance and slow, promotions.
(c) who the British were to abolish their customs.

Speaking And Writing

Question 1. Play and act the role of farmers who have grievances against the policies of the government. Rewrite their speech bubbles in dialogue form first.

Answer – do it yourself

(i) Ask one another questions about the pictures.

• Where is the fox?
• How did it happen?
• What is the fox thinking?
• Who is the visitor?
• What does she want to know?
• What is the fox’s reply?
• What happens next?
• Where is the goat?
• Where is the fox now?
• What is the goat thinking?

Answer –
• The fox is in the well.
• She fell into the well by accident.
• The fox thinks how to get out of there.
• The visitor is a goat.
• She wants to know whether the water is sweet.
• The fox replies that the water is very sweet and she had a lot of it.
• The goat wanted to taste the water.
• The goat is dragged into the water by the fox.
• The fox comes out of the well.
• The goat is thinking of her mother’s advice not to trust any stranger.

(ii) Write the story in your own words. Give it a title.
Answer – Once a fox fell into a well accidentally. She thought how to get out of the well. A goat arrived there by chance. She looked into the well. She asked the fox if the water was sweet. The cunning fox played a trick. She told a lie that the water was very, very sweet, and she had had enough of it. The foolish goat also wanted to taste the water.

The fox invited her into the well. The goat reached there soon. Now the fox rode on the goat’s back and climbed out of the well. Then she thanked the goat for help. The goat was reminded of her mother’s words that she must never go by the advice of a stranger.

Question 3. Read the following news item.
History becomes fun at this school

Mumbai – Students in the sixth grade of a certain school in Navi Mumbai 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.

Question 4. 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

Question 5. Create a comic of your own using this story.

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 his cloak round his body as tightly 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.

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.

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