A Short Monsoon Diary Summary Class 8 | Questions Answers NCERT
A Short Monsoon Diary Summary | Class 8 | Questions Answers NCERT, Ruskin Bond
A Short Monsoon Diary Summary
A Short Monsoon Diary Summary : This lesson tells us about Ruskin Bond’s diary. The first day talked about is June 24. It is around the time when monsoon starts. He mentions that the mist makes it hard to hear birds singing and everything becomes invisible. By June 25, humidity comes and they start getting some early rain from a monsoon storm. The first cobra lily pops up from the ferns on the forest floor
The author describes a paradise and a valley in one sentence, “A paradise that might have been”. When it rains, the place has leopards and other animals come to visit. It also has many birds who can eat insects because of the rain. The author also mentions how he felt touched by the rain when there were leaks but he was not actually touched.
The rains started on August 12th and they did not stop. One could only walk in the room or look out the window. At the end of August, the rains were at their peak. The seeds of lily cobra plants turned red, which means that it is going to stop raining soon. In October, there will be winter rain that brings snow with it. The end of March is when the winter season ends and we get dark clouds that make way for a rainbow.
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NCERT Solutions of A Short Monsoon Diary
Comprehension Check (Page 111)
Question 1: Why is the author not able to see Bijju?
Answer: The author was unable to see Bijju because there was a thick white blanket that covered the hills of Mussoorie. The author couldn’t hear or see Bijju in this condition.
Question 2: What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?
Answer: When the mist comes up, it covers and hides the hills. Besides, trees that usually sing with birds don’t make any sounds and they seem like they are at midnight.
Comprehension Check (Page 113)
Question 1: When the mist comes up, it covers and hides the hills. Besides, trees that usually sing with birds don’t make any sounds and they seem like they are at midnight.
Answer: The monsoon starts in India in the summer. It starts at the end of May and it lasts until September. The mist first appears on June 24 or 25 in Mussoorie. You can use umbrellas and raincoats to stay dry when it is raining hard.
Question 2: Which hill-station does the author describe in this diary entry?
Answer: The author describes the beautiful hill station named Mussoorie.
Question 3: For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?
Answer: It rained incessantly for eight or nine days. The weather was wet and so he couldn’t go outside. But he looked out the window to see some people with umbrellas.
Question 4: Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?
Answer: Snakes and rodents go into their homes when it rains. They want to stay dry, so they go into roofs, attics, and garages.
Question 5: What did the author receive in the mail?
Answer: The author received a cheque in the mail.
Working with the text (Page 114)
Question 1: Look carefully at the diary entries for June 24-25, August 2 and March 23. Now write down the changes that happen as the rains progress from June to March.
Answer: According to Ruskin Bond’s diary, the first day of monsoon is June 24th. The hills are covered in fog and it is very quiet. From June 25th, the real monsoon begins. It will be rainy, but Nature – including human beings, birds, animals and trees – welcomes it because there are many things that need water to grow. One example of this is when the first cobra lily (a type of flower) emerges from the ferns on June 28th.
People get used to the monsoon season by August 2. The rain starts coming down in their house. The rain does not have a storm or thunder but just has a steady tropical downpour. Snakes and rodents start coming out of their holes and take shelter in the roofs, attics, and warehouses because they are afraid of getting wet from the water in the rain.
March 23 is the end of winter. The sky is dark and then it rains. The rain clears the sky and then a rainbow comes. It’s one of the most beautiful sights in nature!
Question 2: Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?
Answer: The grandmother asked the children not to kill the Chuchundar because it is lucky and brings in money.
Question 3: What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?
Answer: The hillsides in Mussoorie become green with flowers that grow after the monsoon. They are wild balsam, dahlias, begonias and ground orchids. The seed of the cobra lily turn red when it is almost over.
Question 4: Complete the following sentences.
(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because __________________.
(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as __________________.
(iii) The leopard was successful in __________________ but had to flee when _____________________________________________________.
(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because __________________.
(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when __________________.
(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because __________________________.
Answer: (i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because the dense mist conceals the hills and the surroundings.
(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as a paradise that might have been.
(iii) The leopard was successful in attacking one of Bijju’s cows but had to flee when Bijju’s mother arrived and screamed imprecations.
(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because of their bright colours.
(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ground orchids, mauve lady’s slipper and the white butterfly orchids bloom.
(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because they have been flooded out of their holes and burrows.
Question 5: ‘Although tin roofs are given to springing unaccountable leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain.’
(i) Why has the writer used the word, ‘springing’?
(ii) How is the writer untouched by the rain?
(iii) How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time?
Answer: (i) The word ‘springing’ means moving suddenly. The author uses this word to say that tin roofs are prone to sudden unexpected leaking.
(ii) The rain does not touch the author because he is safe inside his room and has a tin roof.
(iii) The writer is in touch with the rain because he can see it from his room and feel it as it has been drumming on the roof of his house.
Question 6: Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.
Answer: When it rains all the time, it is hard to be outside because everything is wet and soggy. The rain makes hills look like they’re green because late-monsoon flowers grow there. Snakes and rodents stay dry by staying in rooftops, attics, and warehouses.
Question 7: What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?
Answer: When the monsoon season begins, you can see a type of flower called the cobra lily. When its seeds turn red, that means the monsoon is coming to an end.
Working with language (Page 114-116)
Question 1: Here are some words that are associated with the monsoon. Add as many words as you can to this list. Can you find words for these in your languages?
| downpour | floods | mist | cloudy | power cuts | cold | umbrella |
Answer:
Given below are some more words associated with the monsoon.
- Rain
- Thunderstorm
- Hailstones
- Mud
- Fog
- Raincoat
- Dampness
- Soggy
- Muddy water
Note: Do the second part of the question yourself.
Question 2: Look at the sentences below.
(i) Bijju wandered into the garden in the evening.
(ii) The trees were ringing with birdsong.
Notice the highlighted verbs.
The verb wandered tells us what Bijju did that evening. But the verb was ringing tells us what was happening continually at same time in the past (the birds were chirping in the trees).
Now look at the sentences below. They tell us about something that happened in the past. They also tell us about other things that happened continually, at the same time in the past.
Put the verbs in the brackets into their proper forms. The first one is done for you.
(i) We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.
We got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.
(ii) The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.
(iii) I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.
(iv) She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.
(v) We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games.
(vi) The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).
Answer: (ii) The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.
(iii) I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.
(iv) She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully.
(v) We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.
(vi) The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.
Question 3: Here are some words from the lesson which describe different kinds of sounds.
| drum | swish | tinkle | caw | drip |
(i) Match these words with their correct meanings.
(a) to fall in small drops
(b) to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly
(c) to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound
(d) harsh sound made by birds
(e) ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.)
(ii) Now fill in the blanks using the correct form of the words given above.
(a) Ramesh ____________ on his desk in impatience.
(b) Rain water ____________ from the umbrella all over the carpet.
(c) The pony ____________ its tail.
(d) The _________________ of breaking glass woke me up.
(e) The ____________ of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.
Answer:
(a) to fall in small drops – drip
(b) to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly – drum
(c) to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound – swish
(d) harsh sound made by birds – caw
(e) ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.) – tinkle
(ii) (a) Ramesh drummed on his desk in impatience.
(b) Rain water dripped from the umbrella all over the carpet.
(c) The pony swished its tail.
(d) The tinkling of breaking glass woke me up.
(e) The cawing of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.
Question 4: And sure enough, I received a cheque in the mail.
Complete each sentence below by using appropriate phrase from the ones given below.
| sure enough | colourful enough | serious enough |
| kind enough | big enough | fair enough |
| brave enough | foolish enough | anxious enough |
(i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And ___________ ___________ it soon started raining heavily.
(ii) The blue umbrella was ___________ ___________ for the brother and sister.
(iii) The butterflies are ___________ ___________ to get noticed.
(iv) The lady was ___________ ___________ to chase the leopard.
(v) The boy was ___________ ___________ to call out to his sister.
(vi) The man was ___________ ___________ to offer help.
(vii) The victim’s injury was ___________ ___________ for him to get admitted in hospital.
(viii) That person was ___________ ___________ to repeat the same mistake again.
(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘___________ ___________.’
Answer:
(i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And sure enough it soon started raining heavily.
(ii) The blue umbrella was big enough for the brother and sister.
(iii) The butterflies are colourful enough to get noticed.
(iv) The lady was brave enough to chase the leopard.
(v) The boy was anxious enough to call out to his sister.
(vi) The man was kind enough to offer help.
(vii) The victim’s injury was serious enough for him to get admitted in hospital.
(viii) That person was foolish enough to repeat the same mistake again.
(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘fair enough.’
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