TS 8th Class English Guide Unit 7B Bonsai Life Part 2

Telangana SCERT TS 8th Class English Study Material Pdf Unit 7B Bonsai Life Part 2 Textbook Questions and Answers.

TS 8th Class English Guide Unit 7B Bonsai Life Part 2

Comprehension:

Bonsai Life (Part – 1):

I. Tick (✓) the statements that are true.

Question 1.
The narrator receives letters very frequently.
Answer:
✓

Question 2.
The letter brought the news of narrator’s sister and brother-in-law’s arrival.
Answer:
✓

Question 3.
The narrator’s husband was very happy to hear the news of the visitors.
Answer:
✓

Question 4.
Akkayya was not interested to continue her studies.
Answer:
✗

Question 5.
The narrator’s husband likes the traditional food of Andhra Pradesh.
Answer:
✓

II. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
“The moment I see letters …………… can’t contain my excitement.” Why does the narrator get excited?
Answer:
The narrator lives in the national capital, a far off from her own village. There are not many Telugu speaking people there. Moreover, she loves her village relatives and everything that has connection with it. So, the writer gets excited when she sees the letters.

Question 2.
What change did the narrator observe in her father’s attitude towards education over a decade?
Answer:
The narrator’s father felt in the beginning that education for girls was of no use. It’s enough if a girl was able to keep the washerman’s accounts. Ten years later, when the narrator was born, her father was convinced that girls needed higher education. So, he sent the narrator to a college.

Question 3.
Why was Akkayya determined to send her daughter to college?
Answer:
Akkayya was determined to send her daughter to college. She felt that if a woman didn’t have a degree, she would come to nothing. Without a degree, she would have to live under her ‘ husband’s thumb, like a scorpion under a slipper.

Question 4.
In what way is the narrator more fortunate than her sister?
Answer:
The narrator has studied well. She has a job like a man and is earning very’ well. She doesn’t have to beg anyone for anything. She is able to lead a dignified life unlike her who has to depend on her husband even for a few paise worth of Karivepaku.

Question 5.
Can one be independent without a job or earning? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Some women have jobs. They earn and have independence. But there are some women who are not independent even though they have jobs and attractive salary. It is not the question of job and earning. If the husband and wife have good understanding and mutual respect, they- can be happy even though the wife doesn’t work. Otherwise, they can’t be happy, even if both of them work and get fat salaries.

Bonsai Life (Part – II):

I. Complete the statements giving more than one reason.

Question 1.
Girls should be educated like boys because ……………
Answer:

• They can lead an independent life.
• They can solve their problem on their own.
• They can contribute to the progress of the family.

Question 2.
Fully grown trees are more useful because …………….
Answer:

• They can provide shade on a sunny day.
• They can provide shelter on a rainy day.
• They can withstand any kind of storm.

II. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Why was Akkayya perplexed?
Answer:
Akkayya asked the narrator why she had planted the turayi and the pomegranate trees in the flowerpots. The narrator burst into laughter after listening to Akkayya questions. Akkayya did not understand why Ammalu (the narrator) laughed. So, she was perplexed.

Question 2.
How is a bonsai reared?
Answer:
Bonsai is a special method of rearing in trees in flowerpots. It is usually practised in Japan. We take the plant and start growing it in a flowerpot. We keep the plant and start growing it in a flowerpot. We keep trimming its branches repeatedly. The plant grows into a small sized tree. It even bears fruit in that small size. However, the flowerpots are to be changed now and then.

Question 3.
What similarities do you notice between the bonsai tree and the housewife ?
Answer:
Bonsai tree is not allowed to grow to its full measure. It is planted in a flowerpot and trimmed regularly. The tree is very small, but bears fruit even in that flowerpot. The bonsai tree is the symbol of bringing up a girl child in the Indian society. A girl cannot grow mentally. Her life is limited to marriage, and family. Her abilities don’t develop fully because of this practice. This is the similarity I notice between a Bonsai tree and the housewife.

Question 4.
What made the narrator feel the urge to free the bonsai?
Answer:
A working woman faces the challenge of facing the problems at home and office. This is an uphill task for a woman. The working women are free but they are restricted. It is like a bird in the cage. When the narrator realized that she was responsible for the arrested and stunted growth of the Bonsai’s, she at once felt the urge to free them from the flowerpots.

Question 5.
What is the central theme of ‘Bonsai Life’?
Answer:
The educated and employed women have limited freedom of going out, move in the society and earn some money. But that freedom doesn’t free her from domestic work. The women cannot fully grow in their work. The domestic responsibilities hold them back. They resemble Bonsai trees. Bonsai trees are ornamental. So are the working women In India. This is the central theme of Bonsai Life.

III. Make a list of activities done by a homemaker and a working woman.

Answer:

Homemaker	Working woman
Stays at home	Stays at working place
Spends time with children	Spends time with colleagues
Works at home	Works at office
Readily agrees husband’s superiority	Feels equal importance
Depends on husband	Plans the budget with the help of her husband

IV. Put a tick (✓) mark against the most appropriate meaning for the phrases given below.

Question 1.
‘……. to keep the washerman’s account’ means
a) to take care of household work.
b) to count clothes.
c) to maintain the washerman’s account.
Answer:
c) to maintain the washerman’s account.

Question 2.
‘… uphill task’ means
a) high quality work.
b) a difficult job.
c) working on a hill.
Answer:
b) a difficult job.

Question 3.
grass is greener on the other side’ means
a) the grass on this side is green.
b) others are as good as we are.
c) others are in a better position than us.
Answer:
c) others are in a better position than us.

Question 4.
‘….. like a scorpion under a slipper’ means
a) killing a scorpion with a slipper.
b) being guided and controlled.
c) feeling totally suppressed.
Answer:
c) feeling totally suppressed.

Vocabulary:

I. Look at the phrasal verb underlined in the following sentence.

“I feel like giving it up. (give up).
What does it mean?
‘Give’ is a verb and ‘up’ is a preposition. Such combinations are called phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb normally gives a meaning different from the meaning of its parts.
‘Give up’ means ‘to stop doing something’.

Refer to a dictionary and find out the meaning of some more phrasal verbs beginning with ‘give’ and ‘look’.
give in = ___________
give out = ___________
give away = ___________
look after = ___________
look up = ___________
look into = ___________
Answers:
give in = yield
give out = come to an end
give away = give free
look after = to take care of
look up = to consult; improve
look into = to examine

Use the above phrasal verbs in your own sentences.
Answer:

1. At first the government did not agree to the demands of the employees. But finally, it gave in.
2. I was patient enough for two hours. He didn’t stop blaming me. My patient gave out.
3. The company gave away one shirt for all who bought the shirt in its store.
4. The warden looks after the students in the hostel.
5. a) If you don’t know the meaning, you’d better look up a dictionary.
   b) Till last month the power scarcity was acute. Now, the things are looking up.
6. Certainly, you say that the bulb is broken and you need replacement I’ll look into the matter.

II. Look at the ‘simile in the following sentence.
Without it, she will have to live under her husband’s thumb ‘like a scorpion under a slipper’. The life of a homemaker is compared to a scorpion under a slipper. When we compare two things, we often use the word ‘like’.

Here are a few more examples of similes.

1. He roars like a lion.
2. They eat like wolves.

A. Look at the following similes.
a) bright like a full moon
b) sleep like a log
c) eat like a bird
d) beautiful like a rose
e) sweet like honey
Now write five sentences using the above similes.
Answer:
a) The hall is fully decorated with lights. It is bright like a full moon.
b) Kumbha Kama is known for his sleep. He sleeps like a log.
c) Though he is very old, he is healthy. He eats well. Some say, he eats like a bird.
d) Soundarya is known for her beauty. She is beautiful like a rose.
e) This mango is very tasty. It is sweet. It is sweet like honey.

III. Make some Idioms from the words In circles and use them in your own sentences, one is done for you.

Answers:

Idioms – Meanings
thorn in flesh = a chronic trouble in one’s life
sore in the back foot = a disadvantage in somebody
on top of the world = very happy or proud
cat on the wall = a person who refuses to take sides

Idiom	Sentence
thorn in flesh	The price rise has been a thorn in flesh for the Government for a couple of years.
sore in back foot	I cannot win against him. I have a sore in the back foot.
on the top of the work	The members of our team are on top of the world as they won in the finals.
cat on the wall	He never expresses his opinions easily. He always tries to be on safe side. He is a cat on the wall.

Grammar:

I. Read the sentences.

1. grew accustomed to village life.
2. went into the kitchen.
The words in circles are subjects. The words underlined are predicates.

II. Circle the subjects and underline the predicates.
1. The girls danced.
2. The dark clouds filled the sky.
3. Shiva drove a silver Toyota.
Answers:

III. Identify subjects and predicates in each of the sentence in the following paragraph.

The narrator felt very happy to receive her sister and brother-in-law, who came to stay with them. They brought many things with them. Akkayya made special dishes for her sister’s husband, which he liked very much. She praised her sister for being employed and making her living. She was very sorry about her position at home. One day the narrator showed her Bonsai plants and explained how they are grown but she did not like it. On a rainy day many people gathered under a tree to take shelter. Showing this, Akkayya made the narrator realize the importance of freedom in one’s life.
Answers:
Note: Subjects are given in bold letter and predicates are underlined.

1. The narrator felt very happy to receive her sister and brother-in-law, who came to stay with them.
2. They brought many things with them.
3. Akkayya made special dishes for her sister’s husband, which he liked very much.
4. She praised her sister for being employed and making her living.
5. She was very sorry about her position at home.
6. One day the narrator showed her Bonsai plants and explained how they are grown but she did not like it.
7. On a rainy day many people gathered under a tree to take shelter.
8. Showing this, Akkayya made the narrator understand the importance of freedom in one’s life.

Writing:

I. Look at the following poster.

Answer:

1. Issuing authority : TSDWACRA, Arunodaya building, Nampally, Hyderabad.
2. Event : Inauguration of handicrafts exhibition cum sale.
3. Time : 4 p.m.
4. Date : 15 October
5. Place : People’s Plaza, Necklace Road, Hyderabad.
6. Duration : From 15th to 25th October.
7. Layout : Suitable layout with the sentences which convey the theme directly.

I. Now, make a poster based on the information given below.

1. Issuing authority : Telangana Arts and Crafts Society, Nizamabad.
2. Event : Dance Performance by Aarthi.
3. November 14.
4. Chief Guest : Honourable Chief Minister of Telangana.
5. Venue : Rajiv Gandhi Auditorium, Khaleelwadi, Nizamabad.
Answer:

Listening:

I. Listen to a debate on the topic ‘Education of the Girl Child is a Burden.’

Speaker 1 : Respected Chairperson, honourable Judges and dear friends, I stand here to express my views for the motion, ‘Education of the girl child is a burden. I would like to state that the education of the girl child is indeed a burden. In a poor family the main concern for the head of the family is to provide food, clothing and health to all the members.

Most of their resources are used for these priorities. Later, when they think of education, the first preference goes to the male child as he would be growing to be the breadwinner of the family, whereas the girl would leave the family one day. So, I feel that educating of the girl child is a burden.

Speaker 2 : Respected chairperson, honourable Judges and dear friends! My knowledgeable opponent is of the opinion that the education of the girl child is a burden. May I ask how education of the girl could be a burden when she is an equal partner in sharing the responsibilities and duties? If given a chance, she will be sharing the burden of the family at least till she gets married. So, I strongly oppose the motion.

Speaker 1 : When my opponent feels that the girl child would leave the family one day after marriage, can’t we agree that it is a waste of money to educate a girl child? Instead, the families can save the money to bear the expenses of her wedding. Yes, surely the girl can reduce the burden not by earning after education but by managing the household work. As her duty in the later part of life is to look after the family and children, she better gets practice in the same. If she is away from home for longer periods, it would be an additional burden on the family.

Speaker 2 : My friend said, the future of the girl child is to look after the family and children. Haven’t such traditional gender roles led to inequalities in the society? I strongly feel that an educated girl can render financial assistance to the father and later to the husband. My dear friend, it is education that will bring about a change in the attitude of people towards the role of women. Indeed, it is rightly said: ‘If you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation’.

Now, complete the table based on the information you’ve just listened to:

Answer:

Bonsai Life (Part – II) Summary in English

Akkavya was interested in studying. But Nannagaru did not-educate her as she was not good at oral arithmetic. Her Nannagaru made her discontinue her lessons saying that she was only a girl; studies would not get into her head. He concentrated only on Annayya’s education. Akkayya got married to a man from a village and settled in there, working hard.

Akkavya looked at the plants in the flowerpots, and said that all the drumsticks, cucumbers and gongura were from their backyard. The narrator requested some gongura seeds the next time if someone came that way.

Akkayya’was surprised to see turayi and pomegranate trees in small flowerpots. She was worried that their growth was stunted. If they had been planted, in the backyard, they would have grown fully.

The narrator burst into laughter and said that she did it on purpose. She told Akkayya how big trees can be grown in flowerpots. A turayi tree grows with its roots hanging down frofn the branches, but it grows in the flowerpot and is very small. Akkayya did not know that these are grown in a special method called bonsai in Japan. The narrator explained this great art to Akkayya.

But Akkayya did not like this method, because the size of a big tree is limited to a small flowerpot. In spite of the explanation given by the narrator, Akkayya did not like this. The narrator was worried that the entire art she had learnt had come to nought. Then a dust storm began to rage. They closed the doors and windows in a hurry. Akkayva was stunned to see all this. The storm was followed by a rain.

Akkayya called the narrator and showed some people taking shelter under the turayi tree that grew fully and freely. The sand storm was strong but the tree didn’t bow a little bit. It would give shade to many people even when it is not raining. She compared Bonsai to a woman’s life whose scope is confined.

The narrator’s heart was touched by Akkayya’s words. She felt like freeing the bonsai trees from their flowerpots.

Glossary:

adept (adj) : skillful
drudgery (n) : hard, boring work
stunted (v) : prevented from growth
perplex (v) : confuse
dishearten : to make a person lose confidence, hope and energy; to discourage
nought (n) : nothing/zero
throwing perfume into ash (idm) : “Boodidalo posina panneeru”
(a Telugu idiom freely translated into English.)
canopy (n) : a cover fixed over something for shelter
squall (n) : a strong wind
rage (v) : come with force
respite (n) : a short period of rest