NCERT Solutions for The Treasure Within Class 8 It So Happened English
Book Solutions1
What did Hafeez Contractor have nightmares about?
Answer
Hafeez Contractor often experienced terrible nightmares
wherein he found himself appearing for a maths examination in which he did not
know anything. He was afraid he would fail in the examination.
2
What did the Principal say to him, which influenced him
deeply?Â
Answer
Hafeez Contractor was deeply influenced by the words of his
Principal when he reached Eleventh Standard. His Principal made him realize in
opposition to his games and pranks he had been playing all the while, the value
of hard work his mother had put in to give him the opportunity to study and
develop his skills. Further, the Principal made a tenacious effort of making
Hafeez understand the importance of studying as he had grown up and was
required to learn to take care of himself.
3
..that year I did not step out into the field." What
was he busy doing that year?
Answer
The Principal played a crucial role in making Hafeez
understand the significance of studies. That year, all he did was go for
prayers and perform his basic tasks of eating from time to time and only
focusing on his studies.
4
(i) What 'distraction' did Hafeez Contractor create one
day?
(ii) Would you have liked to participate in the
'distraction' had you been with him?
Answer
(i) Hafeez Contractor was a happy-go-lucky student
who was least concerned about studying. Apart from studies, he was more
interested in playing games and funny pranks on others all the time. One day,
as he did not want to study, he decided on creating a 'distraction' and for one
entire hour, everybody played chor- police.
(ii) Mischievous behaviour is a very common
characteristic of children and as of the funny distraction created by Hafeez,
any child is bound to be a part of the games played by him.
NOTE -Â This
question requires the student to give his/her opinion. The above answer is only
a particular aspect. Students who differ in their opinion can freely write
their opinions.
5
Hafeez Contractor wanted to join the police force. Why
didn't he?Â
Answer
Hafeez Contractor did not join the police force because his
mother asked him to do so. She wanted him to focus on his graduation only for
the time being. Therefore, he joined the Jai-hind College, in Mumbai to pursue
his further studies.
6
In the architect's office, Hafeez Contractor was advised
to drop everything and join architecture. Why?
Answer
In the architect's office, Hafeez saw someone drawing a
Window Detail. On observing the advanced details of the drawing, he suggested
that the drawing was wrong and that the window would practically not open. He
then had a bet with the person drawing the same window and to his amazement,
the window eventually turned out to be a practically wrong design. This
incident left Hafeez's cousin's husband surprised. Consequently, in order to
test him, his cousin's husband gave him the opportunity to draw few specific
things, which he was immediately able to complete. Further, he was asked to
design a house, and very easily, he was able to. Ultimately, Hafeez was asked
to drop everything he was engaged in and join architecture.
7
(i) What was Mrs. Gupta's advice to Hafeez Contractor?
(ii) What made her advise him so?
Answer
(i) Mrs. Gupta, one of Hafeez Contractor's teachers
during his primary schooling, advised him of becoming an architect when he grew
up.
(ii) When Mrs. Gupta saw the sketches made by Hafeez,
she told him that although he was useless in studies but his sketching skills
were quite good. She told him that he could become a good architect later on.
8
How did he help fellow students who had lost a button?
Answer
When students lost a button while playing or fighting with
each other, they would go to Hafeez in order to get a solution for the same
because discipline was very important in school and no student could afford to
have a button missing. As a result, in his attempt to provide a solution,
Hafeez would cut a button out of a chalk piece, using a blade.
9
Which rules did he break as a schoolboy?Â
Answer
Hafeez broke many rules as a school boy. Since he was least
interested in studies, he mostly copied in class during examinations. He used
to be interested in games, running around and playing jokes and pranks on
others. In addition to this, he used to receive the teacher's caning almost
every week due to his bad performance or incomplete work, but, he hardly felt
bad about the caning and immediately forgot everything and went on playing.
10
(i) What is Hafeez Contractor's definition of
Mathematics?
(ii) How would you want to define mathematics? Do you
like the subject?
Answer
(i) According to Hafeez Contractor, putting the
design followed by Construction, psychology, and sociology put together and
making a larger sketch from the spontaneous sketch on paper made during his
interactions with the client are all that constitutes "Hafeez Contractor's
definition of Mathematics."
(ii) Mathematics is a subject which I label as
"Most precarious situation."
No, I do not like the subject at all. It seems absolutely as
clear as mud.
NOTE -Â This
question requires the student to give his/her opinion. The above answer is only
a particular aspect. Students who differ in their opinion can freely write
their opinions.
1
It is likely that someone who is original and intelligent
does not do very well at school? Should such a learner be called a failure? If
not, why not?
Answer
Yes, it is very much likely that a child who is intelligent
and smart might not do very well at school.
No, such a learner should never be called a failure because
every human being on this earth has one gifted skill or ability which is
surprisingly different in every person. To judge on the basis of academic
performance and call someone a failure is a very narrow analysis of the
abilities of a student. It is very important to understand that every child has
his/her own individual talents, interests and capabilities and academic
performance is not the only parameter to categorize them as "success"
or "failure."
Therefore, in order to help a student flourish and grow, one
needs to pay equal attention to various aspects of growth and development of a
child in order to bring out their true potential and excellence.
2
Who, in your view, is an ‘unusual' learner?
Answer
There is no clear definition as to who actually qualifies as
an unusual learner. Every student/ child has his/her own capabilities and
therefore is "extraordinary and unusual" in their own various ways.
It is fundamental to understand that the human brain is a very complex organ
and is differently designed for every human being. Therefore, every person has
his/her thinking capacity and direction and at the same time his/her own
interests and ideas.
Hence, we can say that every individual is unique in his own
ways and methods of imbibing knowledge, be it theoretical or practical.
3
What can schools do to draw out the best in unusual
learners? Suggest whatever seems reasonable to you.
Answer
Schools, nowadays, have been increasingly adopting various
types of extra-curricular activities quite frequently. Also, the addition of
foreign languages such as French, German, Spanish etc. to the academic
curriculum is another significant step in this direction. Certain steps that
can be taken include the incorporation of "daily or weekly unusual
tasks" such as fun activities related to stitching, knitting, cooking
classes along with proper and regular competitions, making creative things such
as a button out of a chalk piece (as mentioned in the chapter) or best out of
waste. Although such activities, somewhere or the other are done in Although
such activities, somewhere or the other are done in schools, the priority of
having such activities should be increased to the level of academic priority
with a certain regularity throughout the year. These activities will not only
provide an impetus to cultural activities but will also help in overall skill
enhancement and provide an opportunity for specialization for interested
students in particular fields.
NOTE - Question no. 2 and 3 require the student to
give his/her opinion. The above answer is only a particular aspect. Students
who differ in their opinion can freely write their opinions.