CBSE Class VIII English Poorvi Unit 1 Wisdom Paves the Way Questions and Answers

Let us do these activities before we read (Page 27)

Question I: Why do we seek advice of the elderly in our family? Share your thoughts with your classmates and teacher.

• Answer: We seek the advice of elderly people in our family because they have more life experience and wisdom. Their guidance helps us make right decisions, learn good values, and handle difficult situations easily.

Question II: Knowledge is about learning facts and information, while wisdom is about using that knowledge with good judgement. Work in pairs. Read the following situations and classify each one as either 'knowledge' or 'wisdom'.

• Answer:

Knowledge	Wisdom
1. Riya's understanding of plant care helped her grow a healthy vegetable garden in her backyard.	2. Mr. Kumar values time with family over chasing wealth.
3. Karuna's expertise in computer programming helped her develop a successful app.	4. Rohan understood the value of time management and created a timetable to complete his assignments systematically.
6. Ms. Vaijayanthi delivered a lecture on Indian Classical music at the cultural festival.	5. Ramesh chose to forgive his friend for a misunderstanding.

Question III: Observe the picture carefully. What do you think might have happened? Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

• Answer: In the picture, a village house is damaged with cracked walls and a broken roof. Animals like a cat and a monkey are seen around it, and villagers are discussing the damage. It appears that a strong storm, earthquake, or natural disaster recently hit the area and damaged the houses.

Let us discuss (Page 32)

Question I: Complete the following sentences with suitable reasons.

1. Shiv Datt said, "I believe it has been over a week, perhaps even longer," because

   • Answer: it had been a long time since they left the village.

2. Dev Datt said, "Indeed, we ought to be united in this hope. That is why we press on towards Ujjain," because

   • Answer: they all shared the common hope of securing employment in the King's court.

3. Har Datt said, "Look there, friends. A camel has passed this way. The tracks are fresh," because

   • Answer: he noticed clear camel footprints on the ground while walking.

4. Shiv Datt said, "It appears to be a merchant, running as if pursued by trouble," because

   • Answer: the man looked panting, distressed, and was running in a hurry.

5. The merchant said, "How could you possibly know that? The poor creature has been unwell for two weeks now. Surely you are a healer!" because

   • Answer: the four men correctly described all the details of his sick camel without even seeing it.

6. Dev Datt said, "You are free to do as you wish, sir. If the King desires our presence, we shall be waiting under that banyan tree yonder," because

   • Answer: they were innocent and confident that they had done nothing wrong.

Let us discuss (Pages 36–37)

Question I: Arrange the following events in order of their occurrence from Scene II of the play.

• Answer:

  1. The King asks the merchant to clearly state his accusation. (3)

  2. The merchant accuses the four men of knowing a lot about his missing camel. (8)

  3. Ram Datt explains how he infers from the tracks that the camel is lame. (2)

  4. Shiv Datt reveals that the camel is blind in its right eye as it had only chewed on the leaves on the left side of the road. (5)

  5. Har Datt clarifies how he knew that the camel has a short tail. (7)

  6. Dev Datt explains his observation about the camel's pain and careful movement. (6)

  7. The King praises the young men for their observations and dismisses the merchant's accusation. (4)

  8. The King makes the four young men his advisers, impressed by their skills. (1)

Let us think and reflect (Pages 37–39)

Extract 1 Questions

(i) Identify the false statement from the two given below and rectify it.

• Statement A: Dev Datt believes that finding employment is an easy task.

• Statement B: Ram Datt is confident that the King would recognise their talents.

• Answer:

  • False Statement: A

  • Rectification: Dev Datt believes that finding employment is not easy and that they may have to wander many more roads before finding suitable work.

(ii) What does Ram Datt's confidence in gaining the King's recognition tell us about him?

• Answer: It shows that he is optimistic, self-confident, and believes in the talents and capabilities of himself and his friends.

(iii) In the line, 'That's why we press on towards Ujjain', the phrase 'press on' refers to:

• Answer: B. moving forward with determination

(iv) Har Datt says, "We need to devise a strategy." What can be inferred about Har Datt's character from his statement?

• Answer: C. He is cautious and thoughtful, preferring to plan ahead.

Extract 2 Questions

(i) Select the option that is true for both Assertion (A) and Reason (R).

• (A): The Merchant left the court feeling humbled and ashamed.

• (R): The King commanded that the four wise men join his court.

• Answer: B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

  (Explanation: The merchant felt ashamed because his false accusations were proven wrong, not because the men were appointed as advisers).

(ii) The line, 'See beyond the obvious' means that the men had the ability to:

• Answer: C. notice details that others might overlook

(iii) Complete the sentence: Ram Datt described the King's offer as 'an honour we had not dared to dream of' because:

• Answer: they were simple job seekers who never expected to directly become official advisers to the King of Ujjain.

(iv) How does the King's offer to the four men reflect his values as a ruler?

• Answer: It shows that the King is wise, just, and appreciative of true talent, intelligence, and logical reasoning.

Short Answer Questions (Page 39)

Question 1: What does the dusty road leading to Ujjain tell us about the challenges of the young men's journey?

• Answer: The dusty road shows that the men had been travelling on foot for days under the hot sun, facing physical hardship and tirelessness in search of work.

Question 2: Why did the merchant become suspicious of the four men? What does this tell us about him?

• Answer: The merchant became suspicious because the four men gave accurate details about his lost camel while claiming they had never seen it. This shows that he jumps to conclusions quickly and lacks observation skills.

Question 3: How do the four young men's observations about the camel serve as a turning point in the play?

• Answer: Their observations led to them being accused of theft and taken to the King's court. This gave them the chance to showcase their wisdom to the King, which earned them positions as royal advisers.

Question 4: Why did the King believe the four young men and not the merchant?

• Answer: The King believed them because they gave logical, evidence-based deductions for every detail they described about the camel, proving they were sharp observers and not thieves.

Question 5: How does the capability of the four young men make them suitable to become advisors?

• Answer: Their ability to observe tiny details, think logically, analyze situations deeply, and remain calm under false accusations makes them suitable advisers.

Question 6: Why does the merchant feel ashamed for accusing the four young men of stealing his camel? Explain in your own words.

• Answer: The merchant felt ashamed because he falsely accused innocent, wise men of theft out of anger, only to be proven wrong and reprimanded by the King in open court.

Let us learn (Pages 39–42)

Question I: Complete sentences using noun forms of words in brackets.

1. Some word games need a lot of thought and deduction. (deduce)

2. We need to make close observations of animals in order to understand their behaviour. (observe)

3. A detailed scrutiny of the documents shows a lot of errors. (scrutinise)

4. You should not make any false accusations against anyone. (accuse)

5. She was given an award in recognition of her contribution to literature. (recognise)

Question II: Match expressions in Column 1 with Column 2.

Column 1	Column 2
1. with all our hearts	(vi) complete sincerity
2. to be precise	(iv) exact and accurate
3. gain an audience with	(v) meeting or hearing someone
4. catch his breath	(vii) to pause or rest for some time
5. erupts in applause	(ii) starts cheering together
6. grand scheme of things	(viii) overall plan of life in a larger context
7. taken aback	(i) surprised
8. more than meets the eye	(iii) hidden information that is not obvious

Sentences using five expressions:

1. With all our hearts: We accepted our teacher's guidance with all our hearts.

2. Taken aback: I was taken aback by his unexpected answer.

3. Gain an audience with: The villagers hoped to gain an audience with the Sarpanch.

4. Catch his breath: After running fast, he stopped to catch his breath.

5. Erupts in applause: The crowd erupts in applause whenever a goal is scored.

Question III: Match meanings of 'face' and 'bear' with sentences (Page 40)

• face:

  • 1. (n.) the front part of a person's head $\rightarrow$ (iii) She has a round, smiling face.

  • 2. (v.) to be positioned with face towards $\rightarrow$ (i) Ravi turned to face his father, when he was called.

  • 3. (v.) to deal with a difficult situation $\rightarrow$ (iv) We should be ready to face life's challenges.

  • 4. (n.) the front or surface of a thing $\rightarrow$ (ii) The face of the clock was painted red and blue.

• bear:

  • 1. (v.) tolerate $\rightarrow$ (iv) I can't bear the sound of vehicles honking.

  • 2. (v.) accept $\rightarrow$ (iii) Riya agreed to bear the responsibilities with confidence.

  • 3. (n.) a large heavy mammal $\rightarrow$ (ii) I spotted a bear on a wildlife safari.

  • 4. (v.) produce; give birth to $\rightarrow$ (i) The trees that I planted in my garden took a long time to bear fruit.

Question IV: Match highlighted modal functions (Page 41)

Sentence	Function
1. I will gladly pay your fee...	(ix) willingness
2. You must have stolen it...	(v) logical conclusion
3. You shall come with me...	(x) command
4. How could you possibly know that?	(i) expression of disbelief
5. ...he would recognise our talents...	(vi) wish or hope
6. A camel... would have fended off...	(ii) imagined (hypothetical) possibility
7. They may tell us more...	(xi) possibility
8. May your wisdom shine...	(viii) prediction / blessing
9. Indeed, we ought to be united...	(iii) moral obligation or advice
10. We need to devise a strategy.	(vii) necessity
11. ...yet you dare to claim...	(iv) challenge

Question V: Story Completion with Modals (Page 41–42)

1. can (ability)

2. must (necessity)

3. should (suggestion)

4. might (weak possibility)

5. need to (obligation)

6. may (possibility)

7. could (ability)

Question VI: Rewrite sentences using Modal Verbs (Page 42)

1. It is advisable for you to think before you speak.

   $\rightarrow$ You should think before you speak.

2. It is unnecessary to worry about things beyond your control.

   $\rightarrow$ You need not worry about things beyond your control.

3. It is not possible for a person to gain experience without taking risks.

   $\rightarrow$ A person cannot gain experience without taking risks.

4. It is essential to treat others with kindness, even when they disagree with you.

   $\rightarrow$ You must treat others with kindness, even when they disagree with you.

5. It is not allowed to interrupt when someone else is speaking.

   $\rightarrow$ You must not interrupt when someone else is speaking.

Let us listen (Page 42, Transcript Page 48)

Matching Statements to Speakers:

Statements	Speaker No.
1. Witty characters prove that cleverness is as powerful as strength.	Speaker (ii)
2. Witty characters show us ways to make learning enjoyable.	Speaker (iv)
3. Witty characters in a story keep the reader involved.	Speaker (iv)
4. Witty characters teach me that tricky situations can be managed calmly.	Speaker (iii)
5. Witty characters add excitement to a story by their extraordinary deeds.	(Not required)
6. Witty characters can deactivate tense situations with their cleverness.	Speaker (i)

Let us write (Page 44)

Question: Write a formal letter of complaint to the Sarpanch / Municipal Commissioner regarding the bad condition of the kutcha road.

• Answer:

To,

The Commissioner,

Municipal Corporation,

Ujjain.

Date: 13th September 2026

Subject: Complaint regarding the poor condition of the kutcha road in our colony.

Respected Sir/Madam,

I am writing to draw your attention towards the deplorable condition of the main kutcha road leading to our colony. Due to recent heavy rainfall, the road has turned extremely bad with deep potholes everywhere.

This situation is causing immense inconvenience to residents and daily commuters. The deep potholes are extremely dangerous for vehicles and pedestrians, leading to frequent minor accidents. Furthermore, stagnant water has collected in these potholes, turning the area into a breeding ground for mosquitoes and spreading diseases.

I request you to look into this matter urgently and take necessary action to repair and pave the road at the earliest.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

(Your Name)

Resident of Model Colony