A Short Monsoon Diary

AP/ NCERT Class 8  Honeydew Textbook  Solution, Textual Notes 

Prose - 8 A Short Monsoon Diary

Comprehension Check (Page 111)

1. Why is the author not able to see Bijju?

The mist covered Mussoorie's hills like a thick white blanket, making the author unable to see or hear Bijju. The hills were completely concealed by the mist.

2. What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?

The mist covers the hills like a thick white blanket, making them disappear. The usually lively trees turn silent, as birds stop chirping, creating a deathly quiet atmosphere, as if it were midnight.

Comprehension Check (Page 113)

1. When does the monsoon season begin, and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?

In India, the monsoon arrives around late May. In Mussoorie, the mist starts around June 24 or 25 and lasts until August 31 or mid-September. To stay dry and healthy, we carry umbrellas and raincoats during the monsoon.

2. Which hill-station does the author describe in this diary entry?

According to the diary entry, the author describes the beautiful and mesmerizing hill station named Mussoorie.

3. For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?

It rained continuously for eight to nine days. As the weather was damp and soggy outside and he could not go outside, he kept pacing his room and looked out of the window at a few bobbing umbrellas.

4. Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?

Snakes and rodents come out of their holes and burrows and they take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns to save themselves from getting wet in the rain water.

5. What did the author receive in the mail?

The author received a cheque in the mail.

Working with the text (Page 114)

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.

According to Ruskin Bond's diary, on June 24, the monsoon mist covers the hills in silence. By June 25, the real monsoon begins, embraced by nature. The first cobra lily appears. By August 2, people get used to the rain drumming on tin roofs. Snakes and rodents seek shelter from the downpour in roofs and attics. On March 23, winter ends with a hailstorm as the blackest cloud covers the sky. Afterward, the sky clears, and a splendid rainbow emerges—a breathtaking sight, showcasing the beauty of Nature.

2. Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?

The grandmother asked the children not to kill the Chuchundar because this animal is considered to be lucky and brings in good fortune and money.

3. What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?

In Mussoorie, the hills turn lush green with late-monsoon flowers like balsam, dahlias, begonias, and ground orchids. The cobra lily seeds change to red, signaling the end of rains and the nearing conclusion of the monsoon season.

4. Complete the following sentences.

(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.

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’?

The word ‘springing’ refers to moving suddenly at once. The author uses this word to indicate how the tin roofs are prone to development of sudden unexpected leaking.

(ii) How is the writer untouched by the rain?

The author is left physically untouched by rain because he is safe inside his room and the tin roof stops the rain from leaking inside.

(iii) How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time?

The writer is in touch with the rain at the same time because he can see the rain from inside his room and feel it as it has been drumming on the corrugated tin roof of his house.

6. Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.

Continuous rain makes everything damp and soggy. Going out becomes hard. Hills turn lush green with late-monsoon flowers like balsam, dahlias, begonias, and ground orchids. Snake and rodent homes flood, and they seek shelter in roofs and attics.

7. What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?

When the monsoon season starts setting in, the first cobra lily appears from the ferns. However, when the seeds of the cobra lily slowly start turning red, that signifies the monsoon is coming to an end.

Working with language (Page 114-116)

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

• Rain
• Thunderstorm
• Hailstones
• Mud
• Fog
• Raincoat
• Dampness
• Soggy
• Muddy water

Note: For the second part of the question, students are advised to attempt it themselves.

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.

The traffic stopped. Some people were sitting on the road and they were shouting slogans.

(iii) I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.

I wore my raincoat. It was raining and people were getting wet.

(iv) She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.

She saw a film. She was narrating it to her friends who were listening carefully.

(v) We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games.

We went to the exhibition. Some people were buying clothes while others were playing games.

(vi) The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).

The class was quiet. Some children were reading books and the rest were drawing.

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:

(i) (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.

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 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.’