WB Board English Class 8 Book Chapter 13 Solution – Read West Bengal Bengali Medium Class 8 Textbook The Man Who Planted Trees Activity Question Answer
(iii) The village where he was camped was inhabited by
(a) the villagers
(b) wild animals
(c) none
Answer: (c) none
(iv) The sound of the wind is compared to
(a) a flute
(b) drums
(c) a wild beast
Answer: (c) a wild beast
Activity – 2 Solution
Rearrange the following sentences in the correct order and put the numbers in the given boxes:
(1) The narrator had been walking for three days.
Answer: 1
(2) He came across a dry spring .
Answer: 5
(3) No vegetation grew in the region except wild lavender .
Answer: 2
(4) The narrator’s camp was near an abandoned village .
Answer: 3
(5) He was in search of water.
Answer: 4
(6) He lost all hopes of water when his search produced no results after five hours.
Answer: 6
Activity – 3 Solution
Answer the following question:
Why do you think the village was abandoned ?
Answer: The gradual forest cutting by the villagers in that area led to deforestation, causing a steady decline in rainfall, which ultimately compelled them to migrate to other places.
Activity – 4 Solution
Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) In the text , ‘I’ refers to _________________________
Answer:Jean Giono the writer himself.
(b) The Shepherd’s cottage would be the narrator’s shelter for the night since _______________________
Answer:the closest village was still more thn a day and a half farther on.
(c) With a great deal of attention ,the Shepherd ____________________________
Answer:began to examine.
(d) The impression provided by the Shepherd to the narrator was _________________________________
Answer:that nothing could disturb him.
Activity – 5 Solution
Answer the following questions:
(a) Give two examples of the Shepherd’s hospitality towards the narrator .
Answer: The shepherd not only provided shelter to the narrator in his cottage but also offered the narrator a drink and generously shared his soup.
(b) State the profession of the people who inhabited the four or five remote villages.
Answer: Woodcutters are the ones who produce charcoal.
(c) ”I was intrigued,” why was the narrator ‘intrigued’ ?
Answer: The company of the shepherd brought the narrator a feeling of peace. The shepherd gave the narrator the impression that nothing could disturb him. So, the narrator was intrigued and he wanted to find out more about the shepherd.
Activity – 6 Solution
Write ‘T’ for true and ‘f’ for false statement in the given boxes .Give supporting statements for each of yours answers:
(a) The next morning the shepherd left his house all by himself.
Answer: F
Supporting Statement : He invited me to come along with him.
(b) Twenty thousand trees had sprouted from among the trees planted by the shepherd.
Answer: T
Supporting Statement : Of these one hundred thousand, twenty thousand had come up.
(c) The narrator met Elzeard Bouffier after a time span of five years.
Answer: F
Supporting Statement : The oaks of 1910 were now ten years old and were taller than me and then him.
(d) The forest had sprung with the combined effort of the villagers and the shepherd .
Answer: F
Supporting Statement : The forest flourished thanks to the diligent efforts of the shepherd and the villagers, who are often regarded as godlike figures. They are esteemed as such because their contributions to society are unparalleled.
Activity – 7 Solution
Answer the following questions:
(a) How did Elzeard Bouffier plant the acorns ?
Answer: He pounded an iron rod into the ground, created a small hole, placed an acorn in it, and then covered it with soil, thus planting the acorns in this manner.
(b) How many years later did the narrator revisit the country ?
Answer: there were five years later he revisited the country .
(c) ” I found that the war had not disturbed him at all “ , why do you think that the war had not been able to disturb Elzeard Bouffier ?
Answer: I believe he resided far from the battlefield, which prevented it from disturbing him.
(d) What was the narrator’s reaction on seeing the massive oak trees?
Answer: When the narrator beheld the immense oak trees, he was truly left speechless.
Activity – 8(a) Solution
Combine the following pairs of sentences by using infinitives:
(i) My mother went to Agra. She wanted to visit the Taj Mahal.
Answer: My mother went to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal.
(ii) The man held a meeting. He wanted to select a manager for the factory.
Answer: The man held a meeting to select a manager for the factory.
(iii) She was too tired. She could not work.
Answer: She was too tired to work.
(iv) The school has appointed a new teacher. He would teach Bengali to the students.
Answer: The school has appointed a new teacher to teach Bengali to the students.
Activity – 8(b) Solution
Fill in the blanks with the present perfect continuous tense of the given verbs:
(i) The dog _____________ (bark) since last night.
Answer: The dog has been barking since last night.
(ii) The man __________________ (read) the newspaper for two hours.
Answer: The man has been reading the newspaper for two hours.
(iii) The students __________________ (prepare) themselves for the quiz competition for several months.
Answer: The students have been preparing themselves for the quiz competition for several months.
(iv) Mother ________________ (cook) dinner for all of us throughout the evening.
Answer: Mother has been cooking dinner for all of us throughout the evening.
Activity – 8(c) Solution
Change the underlined verbs into the past Perfect continuous tense:
(i) He said that he had tried to contact us over phone since 8 o’clock that day.
Answer: He said that he had been trying to contact us over phone since 8 o’clock that day.
(ii) For a long time they had planned to visit the caves of Ajanta and Ellora.
Answer: For a long time they had been planning to visit the caves of Ajanta and Ellora.
(iii) The actor who had played the part of Netaji became ill after the show.
Answer: The actor who had been playing the part of Netaji became ill after the show.
(iv) My sister explained that she got up late because she had studied till midnight.
Answer: My sister explained that she got up late because she had been studying till midnight.
Activity – 8(d) Solution
Change the following sentences into Indirect speech:
(i) Mohan said, “My brother will leave tomorrow”.
Answer: Mohan said his brother would leave the next day.
(ii) My friend said to me, “I will be grateful if you help me now.”
Answer: My friend told me that he would be grateful if I helped him then.
(iii) The child said to his father,” Please give me a toy.”
Answer: The child requested his father to give him a toy.
(iv) “Oh! what a hot day it is today,” said Rita.
Answer: Rita exclaimed that it was very hot that day.
(v) “May we save our good earth!” said the teacher.
Answer: The teacher wished that we save our good earth.
Activity – 9 Solution
Find words in the third section of the text which mean the following:
(a) a way of improving an unpleasant or difficult situation
Answer:Remedy
(b) to repeatedly hit at something
Answer:Pound
(c) a place with no people in it
Answer:Abandoned
(d) left with no words
Answer:Speechless
Activity – 10(a) Solution
Write an imaginary conversation between yourself and a tree which you had planted and which has grown green and tall.
Answer:
Tree: (swaying gently in the breeze) Hello, dear planter! It’s been quite some time since you first put me in the ground.
Me: (smiling warmly) Hello there, my tall and green friend! Yes, it has been quite a journey watching you grow from a small sapling into this magnificent tree.
Tree: (rustling its leaves) I must admit, it hasn’t always been easy. I faced my fair share of challenges, like harsh weather and hungry insects. But your care and the nurturing soil helped me thrive.
Me: (nodding) I’m glad to hear that you overcame those obstacles. It was important to me that you grew strong and healthy. You’ve become a beautiful addition to this place.
Tree: (proudly) Thank you, dear planter. I provide shade, shelter for birds, and even a place for kids to climb and play. I’ve witnessed many seasons, and each one has its own unique beauty.
Me: (reflecting) You know, watching you grow and flourish has taught me valuable lessons about patience and resilience. Your presence here is a reminder of the power of nature.
Tree: (wisely) Nature has its own way of healing and rejuvenating. I’m just one example of how life can thrive when given the right environment.
Me: (feeling grateful) You’re not just a tree; you’re a symbol of hope and growth. You’ve also brought so much beauty to this place. Thank you for being a part of my life.
Tree: (content) It’s been a pleasure growing with you, my dear planter. Let’s continue to watch the world change together, one season at a time.
And so, the conversation between me and the tall, green tree continued, a testament to the enduring bond between humans and the natural world they nurture.
Activity – 10(b) Solution
Suppose your friend, who lives in a hostel, is missing his/her friends and family. He/she is feeling very lonely and sad. Write a letter inspiring him/her to cope with his/her present situation.
Answer:
Dear Ritu,
I know you’re feeling lonely and missing your loved ones, but remember, this phase is temporary. Embrace this time for self-discovery, learning, and growth. Connect with new people in your hostel, explore your interests, and set personal goals. Stay in touch with family and friends through technology. You’re stronger than you think, and this experience will shape you positively. Look forward to the future reunions and cherish the memories you’ll create. Loneliness can be a teacher, revealing your inner strength. Keep your spirits high; you’re never truly alone. We’re here for you.
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