Find the Content and Exercises with Solution
Lesson Objectives
The lesson teaches students to read and understand a short narrative dialogue, analyze characters and themes, enhance vocabulary and grammar, and organize information effectively.
B. Read the following dialogue between the English teacher, Mr Ramis, and a student Rubina.
July, but there was still no sign of rain. Clouds crossed the sky but they only made the heat hotter. I was thirsty. But what could a crow like me do on a day like this? There was no water anywhere. The wells were dry and there were no waterholes. I would have to fly miles and miles to reach anywhere in this heat unless I get to a town.
Crows know that, in times like this, to go where men live is best. They put things by when things are plenty for days when they are scarce. So I flew towards the nearest town over a dry and barren land. When I reached there, it was noon. The streets were empty. The doors were barred. The cisterns and horse-troughs were dry. There was no water anywhere. Except in a small bottle on a pushcart at the street corner. I thanked heaven for that.
But I had thanked too early. How was I going to get the water in the bottle unless I could get my beak in? My beak was too fat and neck of the bottle, too narrow. So, as usual, I went to Grandpa for advice. A doddering old crow he was, but he had seen the world. And, often, had useful things to say. Sure enough, he had a way. Go and get pebbles from the riverbed, he said, and drop them in. When they fill the bottle, the water will come up to the brim for pebbles and water can't be in the same place. This he'd learnt from his old man. And his old man had learnt it from an old Greek crow called Ar-crow-medes
That was great! I didn't even wait to thank him. Off I went to the riverbed where pebbles there were in all shapes and sizes. Pebbles are tricky things for crows to carry. They slip out or slide in. So I had to carry them carefully, piece by piece. On a day like this, it was not easy to do. I panted and sweated and the colour of my wings started to run. And I grew thirstier each time. So, on my last flight, I thought I would carry two together. But that wasn't easy to do either for one would always slip away. Still, I made an effort and carried two some distance. But, as luck would have it, plus went one on the glass roof of the greenhouse. And clitter-clatter went the glass. Not a great loss to me. But, with a shudder came the thought that I could break my bottle, too, with such a pebble. And Grandpa's trick may not work.
That made me mad. I flew helter-skelter. Until, suddenly, I noticed the poster over the bus stop. To think that it had been there all the time and I, like a fool, had never lifted my head to see it. If men can drink through straws, then so can crows. If they are clever. Straws were plenty in the haystacks. I drew a few out, clipped and cleaned them. And used them the way men do. I don't blame Grandpa, though. He was nice in his own way. But each age has its own bag of tricks.
Multiple Choice Questions
- It humorously connects the crow’s problem-solving to human scientific legacy
- It mocks the idea of intelligence in animals
- It shows the crow’s arrogance in comparing itself to humans
- It suggests that ancient myths originated from birds
- The replacement of moral tradition with laziness
- The rejection of experience in favor of recklessness
- The shift from inherited wisdom to innovative thinking
- The acceptance of fate over creative problem-solving
- Irony
- Parody
- Symbolism
- Metaphor
- The rejection of ancestral traditions as obsolete
- The adaptability of each generation to new tools and ideas
- The decline of nature’s instinct in a modern world
- The futility of learning from experience
- The barren landscape mirrors the crow’s desperation and isolation
- The dry heat represents the crow’s pride
- The deserted town symbolizes humanity’s indifference
- The riverbed reflects the illusion of hope
- Bitter resentment toward outdated wisdom
- Affectionate irony mixed with subtle admiration
- Detached scientific curiosity
- Mocking condescension
- It criticizes the arrogance of the young
- It implies that wisdom has a single timeless form
- It dismisses the value of experience altogether
- It reflects the evolution of knowledge across generations
- Though seeking self-reliance, the crow imitates human innovation
- The crow’s imitation of man leads to its downfall
- The crow proves that animals are morally superior to men
- The crow’s cleverness only exposes human ignorance
- Wisdom must always be inherited, not invented
- Survival depends solely on obedience to elders
- True intelligence lies not in tradition, but in adaptation
- Nature punishes those who reject old methods
Short Questions
- Why was the crow desperately searching for water at the beginning of the story?
- What advice did Grandpa Crow give to help the narrator get water from the bottle?
- How does the narrator demonstrate problem-solving skills differently from Grandpa Crow’s method?
- Why were pebbles difficult for the crow to carry, and what does this reveal about perseverance?
- What role does the riverbed play in the story, both literally and symbolically?
- Why does the crow decide to use straws, and how does this solution reflect creativity?
- How does the setting of the dry town emphasize the crow’s struggle?
- What lesson does the crow’s journey convey about learning from experience versus inventiveness?
- How does the story illustrate the idea that each generation has its own solutions?
- In what way does humor play a role in the crow’s problem-solving adventure?
Fill in the Blanks
The crow was extremely __________ due to the heat and lack of water. Grandpa Crow suggested using __________ to raise the water in the bottle. Carrying pebbles was __________ because they kept slipping from the crow’s beak. Finally, the crow discovered that using __________ allowed it to drink water efficiently. This shows that __________ and creativity can solve difficult problems even in harsh circumstances.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise
The narrator’s approach to carrying pebbles showed great __________ (persevere). Grandpa Crow’s method was based on __________ (inherit) knowledge passed down generations. The crow’s final idea using straws was __________ (innovate). The dry and barren land made the task __________ (challenge), yet the crow persisted. The story emphasizes the value of __________ (adapt) and cleverness over mere obedience.
Complete the Table
Fill in the blanks in the Event/Action and What/Why columns using information from the story.
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crow | (i) ____________________ | because it was extremely thirsty and needed water to survive |
| Grandpa Crow | (ii) ____________________ | to teach the narrator a traditional method using pebbles |
| Pebbles | (iii) ____________________ | as they slowly raised the water level in the bottle |
| Straws | (iv) ____________________ | because they allowed the crow to drink water easily like humans do |
| Riverbed | (v) ____________________ | provided the pebbles necessary for Grandpa Crow’s solution |
| Town | (vi) ____________________ | represented human civilization where water was available |
| Heat | (vii) ____________________ | symbolized the extreme struggle and challenges faced by the crow |
| Final Solution | (viii) ____________________ | showed the importance of creativity and learning from experience |
Answers
- It humorously connects the crow’s problem-solving to human scientific legacy ✅
- It mocks the idea of intelligence in animals
- It shows the crow’s arrogance in comparing itself to humans
- It suggests that ancient myths originated from birds
- The replacement of moral tradition with laziness
- The rejection of experience in favor of recklessness
- The shift from inherited wisdom to innovative thinking ✅
- The acceptance of fate over creative problem-solving
- Irony
- Parody ✅
- Symbolism
- Metaphor
- The rejection of ancestral traditions as obsolete
- The adaptability of each generation to new tools and ideas ✅
- The decline of nature’s instinct in a modern world
- The futility of learning from experience
- The barren landscape mirrors the crow’s desperation and isolation ✅
- The dry heat represents the crow’s pride
- The deserted town symbolizes humanity’s indifference
- The riverbed reflects the illusion of hope
- Bitter resentment toward outdated wisdom
- Affectionate irony mixed with subtle admiration ✅
- Detached scientific curiosity
- Mocking condescension
- It criticizes the arrogance of the young
- It implies that wisdom has a single timeless form
- It dismisses the value of experience altogether
- It reflects the evolution of knowledge across generations ✅
- Though seeking self-reliance, the crow imitates human innovation ✅
- The crow’s imitation of man leads to its downfall
- The crow proves that animals are morally superior to men
- The crow’s cleverness only exposes human ignorance
- Wisdom must always be inherited, not invented
- Survival depends solely on obedience to elders
- True intelligence lies not in tradition, but in adaptation ✅
- Nature punishes those who reject old methods
Short Questions with Answers
-
Why was the crow desperately searching for water at the beginning of the story?
The crow was extremely thirsty due to the intense heat and the lack of available water sources. -
What advice did Grandpa Crow give to help the narrator get water from the bottle?
Grandpa Crow suggested dropping pebbles into the bottle to raise the water level so the crow could drink. -
How does the narrator demonstrate problem-solving skills differently from Grandpa Crow’s method?
The narrator inventively used straws to drink the water, showing creativity beyond the traditional method taught by Grandpa. -
Why were pebbles difficult for the crow to carry, and what does this reveal about perseverance?
Pebbles kept slipping from the crow’s beak, revealing the crow’s patience, persistence, and determination to solve the problem. -
What role does the riverbed play in the story, both literally and symbolically?
Literally, it provided pebbles for Grandpa Crow’s method; symbolically, it represents the source of tools and knowledge from which one can learn. -
Why does the crow decide to use straws, and how does this solution reflect creativity?
Seeing straws allowed the crow to drink water like humans, showing innovation and adaptation to circumstances. -
How does the setting of the dry town emphasize the crow’s struggle?
The barren and deserted town highlights the scarcity of resources and the difficulty of survival for the crow. -
What lesson does the crow’s journey convey about learning from experience versus inventiveness?
The story demonstrates that while traditional knowledge is valuable, creative thinking can lead to more efficient solutions. -
How does the story illustrate the idea that each generation has its own solutions?
Grandpa Crow’s method represents inherited wisdom, while the narrator’s use of straws represents new, generational solutions. -
In what way does humor play a role in the crow’s problem-solving adventure?
The playful reference to “Ar-crow-medes” and the crow’s struggles add a humorous tone while highlighting cleverness.
Fill in the Blanks – Answer Key
The crow was extremely thirsty due to the heat and lack of water. Grandpa Crow suggested using pebbles to raise the water in the bottle. Carrying pebbles was tricky because they kept slipping from the crow’s beak. Finally, the crow discovered that using straws allowed it to drink water efficiently. This shows that patience and creativity can solve difficult problems even in harsh circumstances.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise – Answer Key
The narrator’s approach to carrying pebbles showed great perseverance (persevere). Grandpa Crow’s method was based on inherited (inherit) knowledge passed down generations. The crow’s final idea using straws was innovative (innovate). The dry and barren land made the task challenging (challenge), yet the crow persisted. The story emphasizes the value of adaptability (adapt) and cleverness over mere obedience.
Complete the Table – Answer Key
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crow | Desperately searched for water | because it was extremely thirsty and survival depended on finding water |
| Grandpa Crow | Suggested dropping pebbles in the bottle | to teach the narrator a traditional method to raise water |
| Pebbles | Were carried one by one to the bottle | to raise the water level so the crow could drink |
| Straws | Used by the crow to drink water | because they allowed a quicker and more efficient solution |
| Riverbed | Provided pebbles | as a source of tools necessary for Grandpa Crow’s method |
| Town | Visited by the crow | represented human civilization where water could be found |
| Heat | Intensified the crow’s struggle | symbolizing extreme difficulty and thirst |
| Final Solution | Drank water using straws | showed the importance of creativity and learning from experience |
📖 Key Features
- 📌 Format: Reading Text with High Quality Graphics
- 📌Content: Class VIII – Unit Ten, Lesson 4: A Summer Story (Page 135)
- 📌Content: class VIII Microsoft Word Vocabulary File, Vocabulary PDF downloadable File, Vocabulary Flashcards for Interactive Learning
- 📌 Exercise: Multiple Choice Questions, Short Questions, Fill-in-the-Blanks, suffix and prefix, information transfer
- 📌 Ideal for: IT-Assisted Classrooms
- 📌 Perfect for: Presentation Purposes and Personal Learning too
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