English Question Answers Chapter 2.3 – The Little River Class 8 Maharashtra Board

1. (A) Name the following from the poem.

1. Two trees: Mango, Palm
2. Two animals: Cow, Jackal
3. Two seasons: Summer, Monsoon
4. Two non-English words: Kash, Gamchhas
5. Two different timings of the day: Dusk, Dawn

(B) Pick from the poem words that describe sounds.

1. Chirping
2. Howl
3. Babbling
4. Swirls

(C) Pick out words that describe the flow of the river-water.

1. Meanders
2. Knee-deep
3. Torrent
4. Swirls

2. (A) Find out five lines from the poem that contain the Figure of Speech –
Alliteration. Underline the initial sound of words, repeated in each of
the lines.

(Alliteration: Repetition of the same initial sound in nearby words.)

1. Chirping mynahs through that site.
2. The jackal’s howl is heard there at night.
3. Girls and boys bathe close to the bank.
4. Splashing with their gamchhas as they wade.
5. The woods onshore stir to life again.

2. (B) Pick out 4 lines that contain the Figure of Speech ‘Onomatopoeia’.

(Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds.)

1. Chirping mynahs through that site.
2. The jackal’s howl is heard there at night.
3. The air is rife with babbling sounds.
4. The muddy torrent swirls along.

3. Rearrange the words in Alphabetical order.

1. sand, scour, shade, sign, slime, sound, stir, strong, summer, swirl
2. babbling, banks, bathe, blossom, boys
3. their, there, they, these, though, throng, too, torrent, trap

4. What aspects from the poem do the following phrases describe?

(a) Their cool shade → Mango and palm trees provide shade.

(b) Only knee deep → Water level of the river in summer.

(c) Not too steep → The riverbanks are not very high.

(d) Housework on the river bank → Women use river sand to clean utensils.

(e) In spate → The river floods during the monsoon.

(f) Rife with sounds → The river is filled with sounds of nature.

5. The poem describes two different pictures of the river in summer and in
rainy season.
Write down four points of contrast in the changing scene of the river

7. Imagine you were at a river-side class picnic and slipped and fell into the
river, while playing games. Write in about 12 – 15 lines how your classmates
saved you.

One fine morning, our class went for a picnic by the river. We were playing near the banks when suddenly, I slipped and fell into the water. The current was gentle, but I panicked. My friends immediately noticed and called for help. A few of them extended a long stick towards me, while one of our teachers quickly grabbed a rope. With everyone’s help, I managed to hold onto the stick and slowly pulled myself back to the shore. Though I was drenched and scared, I felt grateful to my classmates for their quick thinking and teamwork. It was a moment I will never forget!