CBSE Class VIII English (Poorvi) Unit 5: Science and Curiosity — Magnifying Glass Questions and Answers

Magnifying Glass

Unit 5: Science and Curiosity | Poorvi | Questions and Answers

Let us do these activities before we read

People using magnifying glasses to look closely at things.

I. 1

What is common in all these pictures?

In all the pictures, people are using a magnifying glass to look closely at something.

I. 2

Select the pictures you are familiar with.

Answers will differ from student to student. The pictures show a man looking at footprints on the ground, a person looking at an insect on a leaf, and two men looking at something together through a magnifying glass. Students choose the ones they have seen or done themselves.

I. 3

Why do you think the people in the pictures need to use a magnifying glass?

They use a magnifying glass to see small things, such as footprints, an insect or small details, more clearly. A magnifying glass makes small objects look bigger.

I. 4

What other instruments magnify objects?

The chapter mentions magnifying spectacles, stand magnifiers, hand-held magnifiers and telescopes. A telescope magnifies objects that are far away. (Students may add others, such as a microscope.)

II

If you have a magnifying glass, what would you like to use it for and why? Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Sample answer: I would use it to look closely at small things in nature, such as an insect, a leaf or a drop of water, because they show many tiny details that we cannot see with our eyes alone. In the poem, the speaker watches a spider through the glass. (Answers will differ from student to student.)

Let us read: the poem

A girl looks at the tiny things in a garden through a magnifying glass.

A boy watches a spider and its web through a magnifying glass.

Let us discuss

I

Complete the summary of the poem given below with suitable words from the poem.
The poem describes the magic of seeing the world through a 1. __________. It reveals how tiny things like 2. __________ and 3. __________ can appear vast and complex. Even a 4. __________ of water can seem like a hive of 5. __________. The poet is impressed at how the spider spins its 6. __________ from its 7. __________. The poem ends with the idea that, through lenses, the 8. __________ could seem within reach.

The poem describes the magic of seeing the world through a 1. glass (the round glass or magnifying glass). It reveals how tiny things like 2. shells (in chalk) and 3. moss can appear vast and complex. Even a 4. drop of water can seem like a hive of 5. bees. The poet is impressed at how the spider spins its 6. web-silk from its 7. spinnerets. The poem ends with the idea that, through lenses, the 8. moon could seem within reach.

(Blanks 2 and 3 can be in either order.)

II. 1

The main idea of the poem is the transformative power of __________ (wonders in nature/close observation) through the magnifying glass.

The main idea of the poem is the transformative power of close observation through the magnifying glass. The glass changes small, ordinary things into marvellous ones.

II. 2

The tone of the poem is __________. (wonder and curiosity/peaceful and emotional)

The tone of the poem is wonder and curiosity. The speaker is amazed by what the glass shows, as in "And oh! the silly flies".

II. 3

The poem has __________ stanzas with __________ lines in each stanza. Hence, it is a quatrain. (four; six/six; four)

The poem has six stanzas with four lines in each stanza. Hence, it is a quatrain.

II. 4

The rhyme scheme of the poem is __________. (ABCD; ABCB)

The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB. In each stanza, the second and fourth lines rhyme (for example, "show" and "chalk" do not rhyme, but "trees" and "bees" do, and "jets" and "spinnerets" do).

III

Pick examples from the poem for the following poetic devices. 1. Simile 2. Alliteration 3. Metaphor

1. Simile: "A drop of water / Like hive of bees" compares a drop of water to a hive of bees using the word "like".
2. Alliteration: "Magic talk" is not alliterative, but "woven web-silk" repeats the 'w' sound, and "make more marvellous" repeats the 'm' sound.
3. Metaphor: "Of but an inch of moss / A forest—flowers and trees" says that the moss is a forest, without using "like" or "as". "I can make Magic talk" also gives the glass the power of magic.

IV. 1

In the line, 'A myriad shells show in a scrap of chalk', the magnifying glass reveals ______________________.

In the line, 'A myriad shells show in a scrap of chalk', the magnifying glass reveals countless tiny shells hidden in a small piece of chalk, which we cannot see with our eyes alone.

IV. 2

In the line, 'A forest—flowers and trees' the poet uses the imagery of nature to emphasise ______________________.

In the line, 'A forest—flowers and trees' the poet uses the imagery of nature to emphasise how a tiny inch of moss looks like a large and rich world when it is magnified.

V. 1

The poet uses exclamation marks in lines, 'The tigerish claws he has!', 'With all those eyes!' and 'In an afternoon!' because it ______________________.

The poet uses exclamation marks in these lines because it shows the speaker's strong feelings of surprise, wonder and excitement at what the magnifying glass reveals.

V. 2

In the phrase, 'Magic talk' the poet uses personification to describe the magnifying glass because it ______________________.

In the phrase, 'Magic talk' the poet uses personification to describe the magnifying glass because it seems to speak like a living being and reveal wonderful secrets of the world to the speaker.

V. 3

Each stanza follows a repetitive pattern of introducing a small or ordinary object and then describing the extraordinary details revealed through magnification. This is because it supports the theme of __________ as the speaker reveals ____________.

This is because it supports the theme of wonder in small things (or close observation) as the speaker reveals the hidden marvels of ordinary objects, such as chalk, moss, water and a spider.

V. 4

In the final stanza the poet shifts from small, everyday objects being magnified to a celestial body like moon because __________.

In the final stanza the poet shifts from small, everyday objects to the moon because lenses can magnify very distant things too, not only tiny ones. The glass brings faraway objects so close that "'Twould seem you'd walk there in an afternoon".

Let us think and reflect

I. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

Extract: "With this round glass / I can make Magic talk— / A myriad shells show / In a scrap of chalk; / Of but an inch of moss / A forest—flowers and trees;"

1 (i)

Identify whether the following statement is true or false. The poet uses his magical powers to make the round glass powerful.

False. The poet does not have magical powers. It is the round glass that has the "magic". It reveals wonderful things that we cannot see otherwise.

1 (ii)

Select the line from the extract that expresses the presence of intricate patterns in ordinary objects.

"A myriad shells show in a scrap of chalk". It shows countless tiny shells in an ordinary piece of chalk.

1 (iii)

What does the comparison of 'an inch of moss' to a 'forest' suggest about the speaker's view of the world through the magnifying glass?

It suggests that the speaker sees a small thing as a large and rich world. Through the magnifying glass, even a tiny patch of moss looks like a forest with flowers and trees. Small things are full of wonder.

1 (iv)

How does the poet feel about the ability of the magnifying glass to reveal hidden wonders?
A. Satisfied
B. Fascinated
C. Grateful
D. Determined

B. Fascinated. The poet is amazed and delighted by what the glass shows, as the exclamations and the description of the spider show.

II. Answer the following questions.

II. 1

What is the significance of the spider in the poem?

The spider shows the wonders of a living creature that we cannot see closely without the glass. Through the glass, the poet can watch how the "deft" spider spins web-silk from its spinnerets, see its "tigerish claws" and its many eyes, and see how the "silly flies" stumble into its net. It shows how fascinating even a tiny creature is.

II. 2

How might the speaker's view of the natural world change if there was no use of a magnifying glass?

Without a magnifying glass, the speaker would see only a scrap of chalk, an inch of moss, a drop of water and a small spider. The speaker would not see the shells, the forest of flowers and trees, the hive of bees or the claws and eyes of the spider. The world would seem ordinary, and the speaker would miss its hidden wonders.

II. 3

Why does the poem end with the idea of the moon being within reach?

The poem ends with the moon to show that lenses can also bring faraway things close, not only tiny things. It leaves the reader with a sense of wonder and a big idea: with lenses, even the moon would seem so close that one could walk there "in an afternoon".

II. 4

What is the speaker's attitude towards nature and the act of observation?

The speaker is curious, amazed and full of wonder. The speaker enjoys watching nature closely ("I lie in wait and watch") and believes that careful observation shows how marvellous even the "tiniest thing" is.

II. 5

Which is your favourite part of the poem? Why?

Sample answer: My favourite part is the stanza about the spider, because it describes the spider's web-spinning and its tigerish claws so vividly, and the line "With all those eyes!" shows the speaker's surprise. (Answers will differ from student to student.)

Let us learn

I

Fill in the blanks in the sentences with the words given in the box below.
(woven, myriad, deft, stumble, surpass, marvellous)
With his 1. ____________ description, the author has written the story beautifully 2. ____________ with fascinating details. When you read the story, you will surely enjoy the 3. ____________ storytelling technique that attracts all kinds of readers. What makes the story interesting is the superb way of describing the 4. ____________ emotions and feelings of the characters. The reader will 5. ____________ upon the unexpected twists and turns that 6. ____________ all our understanding and make us wonder at the narrative power of the author.

With his 1. deft description, the author has written the story beautifully 2. woven with fascinating details. When you read the story, you will surely enjoy the 3. marvellous storytelling technique that attracts all kinds of readers. What makes the story interesting is the superb way of describing the 4. myriad emotions and feelings of the characters. The reader will 5. stumble upon the unexpected twists and turns that 6. surpass all our understanding and make us wonder at the narrative power of the author.

II

The collective noun 'a hive of bees', is used in the poem. Match the phrases in Column 1 with suitable words in Column 2 to make collective nouns.
Column 1: 1. a swarm of, 2. a constellation of, 3. a grove of, 4. a troupe of, 5. a battalion of, 6. a fleet of
Column 2: (i) ships, (ii) soldiers, (iii) dancers, (iv) locusts, (v) trees, (vi) stars

Column 1	Column 2
1. a swarm of	(iv) locusts
2. a constellation of	(vi) stars
3. a grove of	(v) trees
4. a troupe of	(iii) dancers
5. a battalion of	(ii) soldiers
6. a fleet of	(i) ships

III

The poet uses the expression 'eyeing the moon' in the poem. Match the idiomatic expressions with 'eye' given in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. You may refer to a dictionary.
Column 1: 1. apple of one's eye, 2. in the blink of an eye, 3. keep an eye on something or somebody, 4. turn a blind eye, 5. see eye to eye, 6. bird's-eye view
Column 2: (i) watch something or someone closely, (ii) act as if you do not see or notice, (iii) something that happens very quickly, (iv) an overall look at something, (v) a person who is very precious or important, (vi) agree with each other

Column 1	Column 2
1. apple of one's eye	(v) a person who is very precious or important
2. in the blink of an eye	(iii) something that happens very quickly
3. keep an eye on something or somebody	(i) watch something or someone closely
4. turn a blind eye	(ii) act as if you do not see or notice
5. see eye to eye	(vi) agree with each other
6. bird's-eye view	(iv) an overall look at something

IV

The poet uses the adjective form 'tigerish' in the poem by adding the suffix -'ish' to the noun 'tiger'. In the same way, we can make adjectives by adding the suffix -'ish' to some nouns. Choose the nouns to which you can add the suffix -'ish' to make adjectives.
(girl, glass, book, silk, boy, water, moon, scrap)

The nouns to which '-ish' can be added to make adjectives are:

• girl → girlish (like a girl)
• boy → boyish (like a boy)
• book → bookish (fond of reading books)

Note: The chapter does not give the answers. The words 'glass', 'silk', 'water', 'moon' and 'scrap' are not normally changed into adjectives by adding '-ish'.

Let us listen

A daughter tells her father about lesser-known Indian inventions.

I

You will listen to a conversation between a father and daughter about lesser-known Indian inventions. As you listen, mark the four true statements from (1)–(6) given below.
1. The father is surprised by the fact that India was involved in the invention of radio broadcasting and fibre optics.
2. The daughter appears indifferent when learning the origins of the USB port.
3. The father shows little interest in the information about the origin of snakes and ladders.
4. The father was simply confirming all the facts shared by the daughter.
5. The daughter expresses pride and admiration for India's role in global inventions.
6. The daughter is excited as she shares new discoveries about India's contributions with her father.

The four true statements are 1, 1, 5 and 6, as explained below.

• 1. True. The father says "Wow, I didn't know that! That's incredible" about radio broadcasting.
• 2. False. The daughter says that the USB is "amazing".
• 3. False. The father says "So even that simple game had such deep roots", which shows interest.
• 4. False. The father was not simply confirming facts. He said he did not know about radio broadcasting and added the USB port himself.
• 5. True. The daughter shows pride and admiration when she shares the inventions and says the USB is "amazing".
• 6. True. The daughter is excited to share what she found out ("there are so many more inventions that people don't really know about!").

Statement 1 is the fourth true statement, so the true statements are 1, 5 and 6. The chapter asks for four, so statement 3 or 2 cannot be correct. Using the transcript, the father is also surprised by fibre optics only partly ("I can recollect something about fibre optics"). The four statements that best match the transcript are 1, 5, 6 and one of the statements above. Based strictly on the transcript, only 1, 5 and 6 are clearly true.

Let us speak

I

When pronouncing /v/ and /f/, the lower lip lightly touches the edge of the upper teeth. Air flows through the small gap, creating a soft friction sound. Note the difference between /v/ and /f/. When we pronounce words with /v/ sound, there is a vibration, whereas /f/ sound has no vibration. Both the sounds can occur in the beginning, middle, or at the end of words. Read these words aloud with the help of your teacher.
beginning sound /f/: forest, flowers, from; middle sound /f/: deft, afternoon; end sound /f/: of, itself; beginning sound /v/: vase, valour, victory; middle sound /v/: woven, even, marvellous; end sound /v/: hive

This is a pronunciation activity. Read the words aloud with your teacher. Remember:

• For /f/ there is no vibration in the throat (for example, forest, deft, itself).
• For /v/ there is vibration in the throat (for example, vase, woven, hive).
• In both sounds, the lower lip lightly touches the edge of the upper teeth.

Put your hand on your throat while saying each word to feel the difference.

A boy imagines travelling to another planet.

II

If you could travel to space, which planet would you like to visit? Why? What preparations would you like to make? Speak about any five things that you would like to take along.

This is a speaking activity, so answers will differ. Sample answer:

I would like to visit Mars because it is called the red planet and I am curious to see it closely. To prepare, I would learn about space travel and train to stay fit. Five things I would take along are:

1. a space suit and helmet,
2. food and water,
3. a camera,
4. a notebook to record what I see,
5. a telescope or magnifying glass.

III

If you could invent something, what would you like to invent and how? Give reasons for the choice of your invention. Speak about your wonder invention.

This is a speaking activity, so answers will differ. Sample answer: I would like to invent a pair of glasses that works like a magnifying glass and a telescope together, so that people can see both tiny things and faraway things clearly. I would make it with special lenses that can be adjusted. I choose it because it would help people with low vision and also help students to explore nature and the sky, as the poem shows. (Answers will differ from student to student.)

Let us write

I

In a conversation, we communicate through dialogues. While writing a conversation, we need to ensure that the dialogues are engaging and serve a purpose. Deepa and Asma, members of the Science Club have a conversation to take a decision about making a model for an upcoming Science Fair. Create this conversation between Deepa and Asma. You may begin the conversation like this: Deepa: Hi Asma! Our Science teacher mentioned that you have a wonderful idea for the Science Fair project. Asma: (hesitatingly) Yes, I do. But I'm not sure if it is good enough. Deepa: (encouragingly) Don't worry…

Sample conversation (at school, in the Science Club room, before the Science Fair; informal tone between two friends):

Deepa: Hi Asma! Our Science teacher mentioned that you have a wonderful idea for the Science Fair project.

Asma: (hesitatingly) Yes, I do. But I'm not sure if it is good enough.

Deepa: (encouragingly) Don't worry… Tell me about it. I would love to hear it.

Asma: Er… I want to make a model of a telescope with lenses, to show how it makes faraway objects look closer.

Deepa: (excitedly) That's a great idea! We can also add a magnifying glass to show how it makes small things look bigger.

Asma: (smiling) Good point. But I'm worried about the materials. Uff, we may not find the right lenses.

Deepa: I don't think that will be a problem. We can ask our Science teacher to help us get them.

Asma: (relieved) Okay, let's do it! Shall we start working on it tomorrow?

Deepa: (joyfully) Yes, let's meet after school.

(Answers will differ from pair to pair. The conversation follows the tips in the chapter: it tells where and with whom, uses an informal tone, includes agreement, and uses words in brackets and filler words.)

Let us explore

I

Children with low vision may benefit from different types of visual aids, such as magnifying spectacles, stand magnifiers, hand-held magnifiers, and telescopes. (Read about how each aid is used.)

This is an information box with no question to answer. The key points from the chapter are:

• Magnifying spectacles are used for reading, threading a needle or doing other close-up tasks.
• Stand magnifiers rest above the object, are hands-free and help to keep the lens at a proper distance.
• Hand-held magnifiers, with or without built-in lights, are usually smaller and lighter to move over printed material. They can be moved more easily.
• Telescopes are used to see objects or signs far away. Some can be attached to eyeglasses.

The Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii (photo credit: Frank Ravizza, CC BY-SA 4.0).

II

Did you know that telescopes also use lenses? (Read about four observatories and telescopes, then find out more from the internet and discuss with your science teacher and classmates.)

This is a reading and discussion task. The key points from the chapter are:

1. The largest telescope in India for studying celestial objects is in the Nainital district, Uttarakhand. It was commissioned in 2016 and is maintained and operated by ARIES (Āryabhaṭa Research Institute of Observational Sciences).
2. The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) is a high-altitude astronomy station in Hanle, Ladakh, at an elevation of 4,500 metres (14,764 ft). It supports optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes.
3. The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest, most powerful and most complex telescope ever launched into space. NASA launched it on 25 December 2021. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.5 million kilometres from Earth.
4. The Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii, US, is one of the most important in the world because of its outstanding observational conditions. It is operated by the University of Hawaii and lies at an elevation of 4,205 metres (13,796 feet) atop Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano. It hosts large telescope observatories, including the Keck Observatory and Subaru Telescope. The observatories are set up there because of its high elevation, dry environment and stable airflow. The Onizuka Center for International Astronomy gives visitor information and offers guided tours of the summit.

Āryabhaṭa, with a model of the solar system and the book Āryabhaṭiyam.

Varāmihira, the sixth-century CE astronomer.

Bhāskarachārya II, the tenth-century CE mathematician-astronomer.

III

Read about ancient Indian scholars.

This is a reading task with no question to answer. The key points are:

• Āryabhaṭa: One of the eminent astronomers of ancient India. His work Āryabhaṭiyam laid the groundwork for later astronomers and is still important today. He proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system centuries before Copernicus and gave a scientific explanation of lunar and solar eclipses.
• Varāmihira: A sixth-century CE astronomer, philosopher and mathematician. He wrote the astronomical treatise Pañchasiddhāntika (Five Treatises), a compendium of Greek, Egyptian, Roman and Indian astronomy.
• Bhāskarachārya II: A tenth-century CE mathematician-astronomer who contributed significantly to astronomical concepts. His works Siddhāntaśiromaṇi and Karaṇakutūhala include compiled data on planetary positions, conjunctions and eclipses.

IV

Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is an astronomical observatory. (Read the information about it.)

This is an information box with no question to answer. The main points are: Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is an astronomical observatory with large-scale instruments designed for precise calculations and measurements of celestial movements. It was built in 1724 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jai Singh II built five such observatories. The other four are in Ujjain, Mathura, Varanasi and Jaipur.