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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 3 Glimpses of the Past
Class 8 English Chapter 3 Glimpses of the Past
Textbook Question Answers
Comprehension Check – Page 45
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 original song in Hindi are:
“Aye mere watan ke logon, tum khub laga lo naara
yeh shubh din hai ham sab ka, lehralo tiranga pyaara
par mat bhulo seema par, veeron ne hai praan ganvaaye
kuchh yaad unhe bhee kar lo – (2)
jo laut ke ghar naa aaye – (2)
The singer in the picture is Lata Mangeshkar.
We can also see some of the great leaders of India in the picture. They are- Lal Bahadur Shastri, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
2. In picture 2 what do you understand by the Company’s “superior weapons”?
Answer- The “superior weapons” of the Company mean the guns, cannons, smart strategies, strict rules, and diplomatic skills used by the British rulers.
3. Who is an artisan? Why do you think the artisans suffered? (picture 3)
Answer- An artisan is someone who is really good at making things by hand, like decorations or useful objects. They are skilled workers.
The artisans had a hard time because the British were making them pay a lot of taxes, which made it difficult for them to earn money from their products. Also, the British were bringing in machine-made items from England and selling them in a large scale at cheaper rates, which ruined the market of hand made things.
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’.
Working with the Text
Answer the following questions.
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. The Indian princes were not thinking ahead and were arguing among themselves. They didn’t mind asking for help from outsiders to fight on their land. They didn’t consider the consequences of accepting help from the British.
2. How did the East India Company subdue the Indian princes?
Answer- The East India Company controlled the Indian princes by using their strong army, making deals with some princes against others, and sometimes taking over regions by force. They also used their economic power to influence the princes and make them do what they wanted. Additionally, they followed a strategy called “divide and rule,” making the Indian princes against each other to weaken them and maintain their own control.
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. Similarly, different teachers have different opinions but the essence of every religion is the same.
4. In what ways did the British officers exploit Indians?
Answer- The British officers took advantage of Indians by making them work hard for little pay, treating them unfairly, and sometimes even using violence to control them. They imposed heavy taxes on farmers, forced them to grow crops of their choice and 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.
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 (Choices may vary)
Answer- (i) Tipu Sultan
(ii) Ram Mohan Roy
(iii) Lord Macauley
(iv) Kunwar Singh, Maulvi Ahmedulla, Nana Saheb.
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) Two examples of social practices prevailing then: Caste system, which divided people into different social classes and Child marriage, where young girls were married off at a very early age, often against their will.
(ii) Two oppressive policies of the British: 1. Heavy taxation, where the British imposed high taxes on the Indian people, causing financial hardship.
Also, Indians were often imprisoned in jails without any trials under arbitrary policies, depriving them of their basic rights. 2. The Doctrine of Lapse, which allowed the British to annex Indian states if they had no male heir, disregarding traditional succession laws.
(iii) Two ways in which common people suffered: 1. Economic exploitation, where the British drained India’s wealth through unfair trade policies and high taxes. Farmers were particularly affected by oppressive land revenue policiesess and, leading to debt and poverty.
2. Social discrimination, where Indians faced discrimination and were denied equal rights and opportunities compared to the British. Artisans also suffered as their traditional crafts were undermined by the influx of cheap machine-made goods from Britain, leading to unemployment and economic hardship.
(iv) Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence:
1. Economic exploitation and heavy taxation by the British.
2. Social and cultural oppression, including interference with traditional practices and customs.
3. Religious grievances, such as the introduction of the greased cartridges, which offended both Hindu and Muslim soldiers.
4. Political discontent, as the British disregarded Indian rulers and imposed their own laws and policies without considering the wishes of the Indian people.
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.
– l The first farmer asked the officer why his men were taking away the entire crop.
– l The second farmer said that their men had taken away everything.
– l 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 ______________________________________________________________________
(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-
(i) (a) The first man said that they must educate their brothers.
(b) The second man added that they must try to improve their material conditions.
(c) The third man suggested that they must convey their grievances to the British Parliament.
(ii) (a) The first soldier said that the white soldier got huge pay, mansions and servants.
(b) The second soldier remarked that they got a pittance and slow promotions.
(c) The third soldier asked who the British were to abolish their customs.
Speaking and Writing
1. Playact the role of farmers who have grievances against the policies of the government. Rewrite their ‘speech bubbles’ in dialogue form first.
Answer- Kids are encouraged to discuss this in the class and do the playact.
2. Look at the pictures
(i) Ask one another questions about the pictures.
Where is the fox?
Answer- The fox is inside a well.
How did it happen?
Answer- It happened accidentally.
What is the fox thinking?
Answer- The fox is thinking how to get out of the well.
Who is the visitor?
Answer- The goat is the visitor.
What does she want to know?
Answer- She wants to know if the water is sweet.
What is the fox’s reply?
Answer- The water of the well is too sweet. Fox said that she had much of it.
What happens next?
Answer- The fox comes out of the well with the goat’s help.
Where is the goat?
Answer- Now, the goat is inside the well.
Where is the fox now?
Answer- The fox is now out of the well.
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 Clever Fox and the Trapped Goat
Once, a smart fox accidentally fell into a deep well. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t climb out. Feeling stuck, she wondered what to do. Suddenly, a curious goat came by and asked, “Is the water sweet down there?” The fox, being cunning, said, “Oh yes, it’s so delicious! I’ve had my fill, but I might faint from its sweetness.” The goat wanted to taste it too and asked to join. The fox seized the chance, helping the goat in and then using her as a step to escape the well, leaving the poor goat trapped inside. With a sneaky smile, the fox left, and the goat realized the importance of her mother’s advice: “Be careful how you take the people’s advice you don’t know.”
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 gets a chance to express themselves and the summary takes 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- This new way of teaching history is very innovative and engaging. Using comic books and fun activities like acting out historical characters makes learning more exciting. Students get to read comic strips, talk about them with their friends, and then write about what they learned. Everyone gets to share their ideas, which makes learning together even more fun. It’s great that teachers are finding creative ways to teach history because it helps students understand and enjoy it more.
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 picture and ‘speech bubbles’.
Answer- Try it yourself.
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- Bring out the creativity in you and try doing it yourself. For help you can also reach us out for some ideas in the comments below.
Summary
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