NCERT Solutions Class 8, English, It So Happened, Chapter- 2, Children at work.
Comprehension Check
1. Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train”. Why?
Solution:
Velu stood on the platform but felt as if he was still on a moving train because his legs were still wobbly and shaky after the journey to Chennai. Usually, the effect of a moving train stays for some time after the end of the journey.
2. What made him feel miserable?
Solution:
Velu felt miserable and exhausted because he had run away from his village two days ago and had not eaten anything except some peanuts and a piece of jaggery for the last two days.
3. (i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
Solution:
Velu travelled without a ticket because he had no money.
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
Solution:
He escaped the ticket collector’s notice because the ticket collector did not come to that unreserved compartment.
4. Why had Velu run away from home?
Solution:
Velu had run away from home because his father used to beat him everyday. His father would also spend the money earned by Velu and his sisters on drinking.
5. Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?
Solution:
Velu agreed to go after the ‘strange’ girl because he was hungry and the girl promised to get food for him.
Comprehension Check
1. Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?
Solution:
Velu could not read sign boards in English. But he read the Tamil sign on the Central jail.
2. “If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there,” the girl said.
(i) What is she referring to?
Solution:
She was referring to the Central Jail.
(ii) Solution:What does she mean when she says “If you are not careful...”? (She says something a little later which means the same. Find that sentence.)
Solution:
When she said “If you are not careful...” to Velu, she meant that he should not get caught. All he had to do to stay away from jail was to not do something stupid and get caught by policemen.
3. (i) Where did the girl lead Velu to?
Solution:
The Girl led Velu to the back of a wedding hall.
(ii) What did they get to eat?
Solution:
Velu got a banana and a vada, while the girl got only one banana to eat.
4. What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.
Solution: Rag picking.
Comprehension Check
1. (i) What material are the ‘strange’ huts made out of?
Solution:
The ‘strange’ huts are made out of tin sheets, bricks, wood and plastic.
(ii) Why does Velu find them strange?
Solution:
Velu finds those huts strange because in his own village the huts were made of mud and palm leaves.
2. What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?
Solution:
Jaya and other children like her collected paper, plastic, and glass etc. They sold all that to a kabadi or junk-dealer.
3. Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.
Solution:
Velu is not at all happy. He had never done such a dirty job in his village.
Excercise
Discuss the following questions in small groups. Write their answers afterwards.
1. Is Velu a smart boy? Which instances in the text show that he is or isn't?
Solution:
Yes. Velu seems to be a smart boy. He makes determination to leave his village and could stand his father’s beating. When he reached Chennai, the girl, who was a ragpicker, tried to help him. Initially, he thought of not taking her help. However, he was smart enough to realize that he was very hungry and did not know where to go. Therefore, he followed the girl. He knew how to read Tamil. When the girl told him to eat the banana that she found in the garbage, he refused at first. However, he quickly realized that he was very hungry and therefore, ate it. Even though he found the place and even the girl very strange, he continued to walk along with her. He tried to understand why she collected rubbish. He knew that he had not come to the big city to collect rubbish; however, he adjusted to the circumstances and decided to do the same work till he found a better job.
2. Do you think Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour? Find instances of her courage, kind nature and humour in the text.
Solution:
Yes, Jaya is a brave and sensitive girl. She takes pity on Velu and gets food for him. She herself earns her livelihood bravely by collecting discarded material and selling them. She has a sense of humour also. She calls the ‘dirty trickle of water Buckingham Canal’.
3. What one throws away as waste may be valuable to others. Do you find this sentence meaningful in the context of this story? How?
Solution:
Yes, the plastic, the paper and rusty metal sheets thrown away by the people, become valuable to ragpickers. They eat leftover food for survival. They sell junk food to some dealer to earn their livelihood.
