Std 8 English · Unit One

1.1 A Time to Believe

Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Eight English.

Warming Up!

1Think, choose and fill up the labels with what a 'sunrise' symbolizes.

(jewellery / art / hope / birth / anger / new opportunities / good manners / inspiration / new achievements / happiness / misery / bright moments / new aims / money / new surprises)

hope
birth
new opportunities
inspiration
new achievements
happiness
bright moments
new aims
new surprises

2An acrostic is a poem or a write-up in which the first letter of each line forms a word, when it is read vertically. With your benchmate / group, complete the acrostic of BELIEVE and FAITH.

B — Be certain of

E — Encouraging

L — Loving

I — Inspiring

E — Earnest

V — Valorous

E — Enthusiastic

F — Faithful

A — Assured

I — Inspiring

T — Trusting

H — Hopeful

Note: You can use a thesaurus to find different words related to trust and positivity for your own acrostic.

English Workshop

1ARearrange the letters to make meaningful words, occurring in the poem.

Jumbled Word	Meaningful Word
(1) clearmis	miracles
(2) sowmid	wisdom
(3) gearuoc	courage
(4) rissupser	surprises
(5) tabyue	beauty
(6) madres	dreams
(7) laveu	value
(8) downre	wonder

1BWrite words from the poem that describe the following.

(1) sky — stardust
(2) heart — nurturing
(3) hand — aging
(4) beginning — new
(5) surprises — wonderful

2Say WHY....

(a) the sky has a magical quality.
The sky has a magical quality because it is a "stardust sky," where one can imagine seeing angels dancing among the clouds and find the wisdom of the man in the moon.

(b) even an aging hand has beauty.
Even an aging hand has beauty because it holds the teachings of a lifetime, and it is through these teachings that we learn how to love.

(c) we should believe that we are strong and courageous.
We should believe that we are strong and courageous because we need to find that inner strength when it is time to pick up the pieces and begin our lives again after experiencing a setback or disaster.

3Make a list of any six things that the poet wants us to accept as true.

Everyday is a new beginning.
Miracles happen and dreams really do come true.
There is value in a nurturing heart and the innocence of a child's eyes.
We have the strength and courage lying within us to begin again.
We are never alone in this world.
Life is a gift and wonderful surprises are waiting to happen.

4Find from the poem, positive qualities to fill up the web.

The positive qualities mentioned in the poem are:

Trust
Wisdom
Courage
Strength
Innocence
Love

5Find from the poem three other examples of Epigram.

An Epigram closely resembles a proverb and states a general truth. Examples from the poem:

"To believe is to know that everyday is a new beginning."
"To believe is to find the strength and courage that lies within us."
"To believe is to know we are never alone."

Extra Example: "That life is a gift and this is our time to cherish it."

1.2 Dick Whittington and his Cat →