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CHAPTER-8, A SHORT MONSOON DIARY, Comprehension check Pg-115, Question 1:, , Why is the author not able to see Biju?, Answer:, , The author is not able to see Biju because of the mist that is, , hovering on the hillside., Question 2:, , What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when, the mist, , comes, , up?, , Answer:, The hills appear to change when the mist spreads over it and hides, it. The other way it changes is the silence that spreads because the, birds and the trees stop making any noise., , Comprehension check Pg-117, Question 1:, , When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How, do you prepare to face the monsoon?
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Answer:, The monsoon season starts from the earl monsoon rains in late, June and ends after the August. People prepare for monsoon by, completing outdoor needs beforehand. Woman chops sticks,, , cows are taken out to graze, the house has to be cleaned of the, various insects except for chuchundars that people believe bring, money, , to, , the house etc., , Question 2:, Which hill station does the author describe in the diary entry?, Answer:, , The author describes Mussoorie in his diary entry., , Question 3:, For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the, , author do on these days?, Answer:, , The rain does not stop for eight or nine days. The author doesn't, go out in these days because it is damp everywhere. He sometimes, , gazes at the colourful umbrellas that can be seen outside and the, monsoon flowers like dahlias and ground orchids., , Question 4:, , Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?
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Answer:, , Snakes and rodents take shelter in the roofs, attics and go downs, of people's houses. Their holes and burrows had been flooded, with the water from continuous rains so they took shelter, elsewhere., , Question 5:, What did the author receive in the mail?, Answer:, The author received a cheque in his mail which was not a large, pay but, , was, , still welcomed, , by him., , &Working with the text, 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:, , The monsoon progresses from a mist to a hailstorm which signals, the end of rains. On June 24, a mist covers the hillside that, signifies the beginning of monsoon. On June 25, the carly, monsoon rains start that are warm and not cold like winter rains., Monsoon flowers also start to blossom. By August 2, the rains, have become steady and it rains, , night long but there is, , not, , a, , storm
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or thunder. March 23 marks the last of the winter rains as the skies, get clear from the hailstorm and the author is able to see the, , rainbow., Question 2:, Why did the grandmother ask the, the chuchundar?, , children, , not, , to, , kill, , Answer:, The grandmother asks the children to not kill the chuchundar, because it was believed that it was lucky for the, as it, , family, , brought money to the house., Question 3:, What, , signs, , do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons, are about to end?, , Answer:, Nature shows many, , signs, , that, , signify, , the end of the monsoons., The growth of, plants of the monsoon season has reached its, fullest. Seeds of cobra lily turm red and the fern starts to, take, , yellow colour. Many flowers bloom towards the end of monsoon, season like white butterfly, orchids, mauve lady's slipper and wild, dahlias of various colours. Snakes and rodents sneak, into roofs,, attics and, , godowns of the houses because of continuous rains.
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Question 4:, , Complete the following sentences, ), , Biju is not seen but his voice is heard because.., , ***, , (ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as . . . ., (ii) The leopard was successful in.., but had to flee when., , iv) The minivets are casily noticed because.., (v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ..., , ., , (vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are foundin, roofs and attics because..., Answer:, , (i), i), , the mist that, "the, , covers, , the hillside hides him., , paradise that might, , have been"., , (ii) catching a dog, (iv) their bright colours can be casily seen among the green, , leaves., (v) ground orchids, maude lady's slipper and white butterfly, orchids bloom., , (vi) their, , own, , holes and burrows gets flooded, , by the, , rainwater., , Question 5:, , Although tin roofs, there is, , a, , the rain.", , are, , given, , feeling of being, , to, , springing unaccountable leaks,, , untouched, , by, and yet, , in touch with,
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(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:, , ) The writer uses the word 'springing' because the tin roofs tend, to have unexpected leakages out of nowhere as if the gaps in the, roof were, , springing up., , (i) The writer is untouched by the rains because the continuous, , rains cannot touch him as he is protected by the roofs., (ii) The writer is in touch with the rain at the same time because, the sound of the continuous downpour makes him feel as if the, rain has become a part of his house and surroundings., , Question 6:, , Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain, for days together?, , Answer:, When there is endless rain for days together, all the areas become, , damp and wet so people avoid stepping out or doing outdoor, activities. The hillsides get covered with late monsoon flowers, like dahlias and ground orchids.
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Question 7:, What is the significance of cobra, season, its beginning and end?, , lily, , in relation, , to, , the monsoon, , Answer:, The cobra lily, It starts, , season., , rains, , are, , its seed, , just, , signifies, to, , beginning, , and end of monsoon, bloom in late June when the, early-monsoon, , beginning., , start to, , both, , turn red., , It also marks the end of, monsoon when
