NCERT Solutions for Chapter 5 Somebodys Mother Class 8 English
Book Solutions1
1. What were your feelings after you did so?
2. What might have been the feelings of the person whom you helped?
Answer
1. Happy, proud2. Grateful, relieved
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Answer
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III: Read the lines.Â
The woman was old and ragged and greyÂ
And bent with the chill of the Winterâs day.
Select the suitable meaning of âraggedâ as used in these lines. There are four other meanings given below. Discuss with your classmates and teacher.
1. (of clothes) old and torn; synonym: shabby
⢠a ragged jacket
2. Having an outline, an edge, or a surface that is not straight or even
⢠a ragged coastline
3. Not smooth or regular; not showing control or careful preparation
⢠I could hear the sound of his ragged breathing.
⢠Their performance was still very ragged.
4. (Informal) very tired, especially after physical effort
⢠The elderly man was ragged after climbing the stairs.
Answer
(of clothes) old and torn; synonym: shabby - a ragged jacketExplanation: In this context, the word "ragged" is used to describe the womanâs appearance. She is also described as old, grey, and bent with the chill, which suggests poverty, weakness, and worn-out clothing. Therefore, âraggedâ most likely refers to her wearing old and torn clothes.
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1. The boy returned to his friends, feeling proud of what he had done.
2. The old woman stood alone at the crossing, hesitant to move.
3. A group of schoolboys passed by, playing and laughing.
4. The boy offered to help the old woman cross the street.
5. The woman prayed for the boy who helped her.
6. The children hurried past the old woman without offering help.
7. The woman placed her hand on the boyâs arm, and he guided her safely across the street.
8. The boy thought about his own mother and hoped someone would help her one day.
Answer
1. (2) The old woman stood alone at the crossing, hesitant to move.2. (3) A group of schoolboys passed by, playing, and laughing.
3. (6) The children hurried past the old woman without offering help.
4. (4) The boy offered to help the old woman cross the street.
5. (7) The woman placed her hand on the boyâs arm, and he guided her safely across the street.
6. (1) The boy returned to his friends, feeling proud of what he had done.
7. (8) The boy thought about his own mother and hoped someone would help her one day.
8. (5) The woman prayed for the boy who helped her.
5
1. The central theme of the poem is _____________. (kindness and empathy/adventure and courage)
2. The tone of the poem is _____________. (humorous and playful/sympathetic and hopeful)
3. The poem is written in couplets with _____________ lines in each stanza.(four/two)
4. The structure of the poem gives a rhythmic flow that reflects both the_____________. (narrative and emotions/storyâs pace and message)
5. The poem follows a rhyme scheme of _____________. (AABB/ABAB)
Answer
1.The central theme of the poem is kindness and empathy.2. The tone of the poem is sympathetic and hopeful.
3. The poem is written in couplets with two lines in each stanza.
4. The structure of the poem gives a rhythmic flow that reflects both the narrative and emotions.
5. The poem follows a rhyme scheme of AABB.
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1. Simile
2. Alliteration
3. Repetition
Answer
1. Simile: âCame the boys like a flock of sheepâ (compares boys to a flock of sheep using âlikeâ).2. Alliteration: âold and ragged and greyâ (repeats the âgâ sound).
3. Repetition: âSomebodyâs motherâ (repeated to emphasise the womanâs importance).
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1. The poem uses imagery to describe scenes of a bustling street. We know this by the phrase _______________________.
2. The line âThe street was wet with a recent snowâ suggests a cold and _______________________ weather, emphasising the womanâs helplessness.
Answer
1. "the crowded street", which helps us imagine a busy and noisy place full of people.2. uncomfortableÂ
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The poet repeats the phrase Somebodyâs mother because it_______________________.
Answer
reminds us that the old woman is also a loved and cared-for person, deserving kindness and respect, just like anyone else's mother.9
The old woman: vulnerable and neglected:: The young boy:_______________________.
Answer
kind and compassionate.10
I: Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. The woman was old and ragged and grey
And bent with the chill of the Winterâs day.Â
The street was wet with recent snowÂ
And the womanâs feet were aged and slow.
(i) What does the phrase âragged and greyâ refer to?
A. The womanâs emotional state that day.
B. The womanâs old and worn-out appearance.
C. The weather conditions of the particular day.
D. The colour of the street and the surroundings.
(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason:Â
The woman was âbentâ with the chill of the Winterâs day because she was ______________.
(iii) Identify the fact and opinion from the following sentences:
A. The street was wet with recent snow. _______________________.
B. The woman was too weak to cross the street on her own._______________________.
(iv) Why do you think the womanâs feet were described as âaged and slowâ?
Answer
(i) B. The womanâs old and worn-out appearance.(ii) old and weak, and the cold made her hunch over.
(iii)Â A. Fact â describes an observable condition
B. Opinion â assumes her weakness
(iv)Â The description of the womanâs feet as âaged and slowâ emphasises her old age and physical weakness, highlighting her helplessness.
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2. He guided the trembling feet along,Â
Proud that his own were firm and strong.Â
Then back again to his friends he went,Â
His young heart happy and well content.
(i) What does the contrast between the âtrembling feetâ of the old woman and the âfirm and strongâ feet of the boy emphasise?
(ii) Fill in the blank given below by selecting the correct option from the brackets.
⢠The poem tells us that the boy was âproudâ that his feet were strong.
⢠This tells us that the boy was ________. (arrogant about being strong/grateful for his ability to help)
(iii) What is the boy most likely to tell his friends on getting back?
A. Iâm so glad I could help her.
B. Iâm worried about her safety.
C. Iâm surprised she forgot to thank me.
D. Iâm thankful for all your support.
(iv) Rectify the false sentence given below.
The young boyâs actions were driven by a logical decision.
Answer
(i) The difference in their age and physical strength showing the boyâs ability to help her.(ii)Â The poem tells us that the boy was âproudâ that his feet were strong.Â
(iii)Â A. Iâm so glad I could help her.
(iv)Â The young boyâs actions were driven by kindness and empathy.
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1. What might be the old womanâs fears as she waited for a long time at the crossing?
2. How does the poet show the helplessness of the old woman? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.
3. Why does the boy decide to help the old woman? What does this tell us about him?
4. How was the boyâs approach towards the old woman different from that of the other boys in the group?
5. Justify the appropriateness of the title of the poem.
6. What does the poem suggest about the role of empathy and humanity in society?
Answer
1. She might have feared falling, being hit by carriages or horses, or being ignored in the slippery street.2. The poet shows her helplessness by describing her as âold and ragged and grey,â âbent with the chill,â and having âaged and slowâ feet. The lines âShe stood at the crossing and waited long, / Alone, uncared forâ show she was ignored and afraid to move.
3. The boy helps because he feels empathy, thinking of his mother. This shows he is kind, caring, and respectful.
4. The other boys hurried past without helping, while the boy stopped, offered help, and guided her safely, showing kindness.
5. The title âSomebodyâs Motherâ is appropriate because it emphasises the womanâs value as a loved mother, inspiring the boyâs kindness and her prayer for him.
6. The poem suggests that empathy and humanity, like helping others, make society kinder and show that everyone deserves care and respect.
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Answer
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II: Match the words from the text given in Column 1 with the underlined phrases in Column 2.
Answer
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III: In the poem, the poet uses the idiom âlend a handâ, which means âhelp somebodyâ. Some more idioms using âhandâ are given in Column 1. Match these idioms with their meanings in Column 2. You may refer to a dictionary.
Answer
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1. ___________ : winter :: heat : summer
2. hurt : ___________ :: old: aged
3. whispered : shouted:: humble: ___________
4. eyes : ___________ :: legs : walk
5. having a lot of money: wealthy:: densely packed people: ___________
Answer
1. cold : winter :: heat : summer2. hurt : harm :: old : aged
3. whispered : shouted :: humble : proud
4. eyes : see :: legs : walk
5. having a lot of money : wealthy :: densely packed people : crowded
Read the lines from the poem given below.
Should crowd her down in the slippery street.
âLestâ is a conjuction that means to prevent something bad or unpleasant from happening. To better understand its usage in a sentence, we can replace âlestâ with âjust in caseâ.
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I: You will listen to a woman read the special broadcast of the news. As you listen, arrange the pictures in the correct sequence of the events that took place.
Answer
3 â 6 â 1 â 5 â 2 â 418
1. The woman was having a difficult time staying afloat due to the_________________.
2. Rohan leapt into the river to save the woman without any_________________.
3. Rohanâs act of bravery was witnessed by _________________.
4. Rohan was honoured at the Vigyan Bhawan for his incredible courage and _________________.
5. Rohan proved that when it comes to saving lives, age is_________________.
Answer
1. strong currents2. hesitation
3. several onlookers
4. selflessness
5. just a number
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Answer
This is a classroom activity. Read the words and sort them by their â-edâ sound. Example:
/t/ sound: helped, passed, placed
/d/ sound: guided, hailed, bowed
/ÉŞd/ sound: waited, contented
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Answer
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I: Write a diary entry of a day you helped someone in need. Remember to include the following points while writing it.
Answer
26 April 2025, Saturday
8:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
Today was a special day because I helped an elderly neighbour, Mrs. Sharma. In the afternoon, at around 2:00 p.m., I saw her struggling to carry heavy grocery bags near our apartment gate. She looked tired and was moving slowly. I offered to carry her bags to her house on the second floor. She smiled and thanked me warmly, saying she felt relieved. I felt happy and proud while helping her, and afterwards, I felt joyful knowing I made her day easier. I would help again because it feels good to be kind and make someone smile.
Yours,
[Your Name]
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I: Did you know that even Earth has been referred to as mother in the ancient scriptures of India? In section 12.1.12 of Pášthvi-SĹŤkta (hymn to the earth) of Atharva Veda, Earth is referred to as mother and us as her children by stating:
It can be translated as âEarth is my mother and I am her childâ.
Answer
The line âEarth is my mother and I am her childâ shows Earth is like a caring mother to all of us.23
Answer
Motherland: India, Russia, BangladeshFatherland: Germany, Norway, Iceland
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Answer
A Nationâs StrengthNot gold, but only men can make
A people great and strongâŚ..
Men who for truth and honourâs sake
stand fast and suffer long.
Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others flyâŚ..
They build a nationâs pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.Â
                                              RALPH WALDO EMERSON
(Note: Here, men refers to both men and women)
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Answer
