WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 English Reading Skill Seen Lesson 9 Summer Friends

Reading Skill Seen Lesson 9 Summer Friends

Word meanings:

Stanza 1

Swallow (সোয়ালো)— দোয়েল পাখি; summer bird — গ্রীষ্মকালের পাখি; chimney (চিমনী) – ধুম্রনালী; weather (ওয়েদার)—আবহাওয়া; chirping (চারপিং) – কিচির মিচির করে; notes (নোটস)—গান বা ধ্বনি; for weeks together——কয়েক সপ্তাহ কাল ধরে।

Stanza 2

cold wintry day—ঠাণ্ডা শীতের দিন; guest (গেস্ট) – অতিথি; gay (গে)—খুশি, আনন্দিত; young অল্পবয়সী; follow (ফলো)—অনুসরণকরা।

Stanza 3

dreary (ড্রিয়ারি)—নিষ্প্রভ, বিষণ্ণ ; frost (ফ্রস্ট্) – তুষার; cling (ক্লিং)— লেগে থাকা, জড়িয়ে থাকা; sparrow (স্প্যারো)—চড়ুই পাখি; although – যদিও; crost (ক্রস্ট) — বিচ্ছিন্ন; narrow (ন্যারো) – সংকীর্ণ।

Read And Learn Also WBBSE Class 8 English Reading Skills

Stanza 4

sorrow (সরো)—দুঃখ ; mischance (মিচান্স ) – দুর্ভাগ্য; greet (গ্রি) — স্বাগত সম্ভাষণ জানানো; with his sight -এসে, দর্শনে।

Substance:

The poet looks upon the Swallow as a fair-weather friend. In summer when the weather is fine and warm, he comes and chirps, taking shelter in our chimneys.

But with the onset of winter, he leaves us like an opportunist guest and flies away to some warm place seeking comfort.

But the Sparrow does not leave us even in winter. Like a true friend, he stays with us in all occasions in summer and winter, sunshine or frost, in joy and sorrow. The poet desires to have such true friends only.

বঙ্গানুবাদ :

কবি সোয়ালো পাখিকে একজন সুসময়ের বন্ধু বলে মনে করেন। গ্রীষ্মকালে যখন আবহাওয়া উয় এবং ভাল থাকে, সে তখন এসে আশ্রয় নেয় আমাদের চিমনিগুলোতে আর কিচিরমিচির করে। কিন্তু শীত যেই আসে, একজন সুবিধাবাদী অতিথির মতো সে তখন আমাদের ছেড়ে উড়ে চলে যায় কোনো উয় জায়গায় আরামের সন্ধানে। কিন্তু চড়ুই পাখি এমনকি শীতকালেও কখনো আমাদের ছেড়ে চলে যায় না। একজন প্রকৃত বন্ধুর মত শীত, গ্রীষ্ম, রোদ, তুষারপাত, আনন্দ, দুঃখ—সব সময়ই সে আমাদের সাথে থাকে। কবি কেবলমাত্র এরকম প্রকৃত বন্ধুদেরই পেতে আকাঙ্খা করেন।

Reading Skill Seen Lesson 9 Summer Friends Examples

Read the texts below and do as directed.

Question 1. The Swallow is a summer bird;

He in our chimneys when the weather
Is fine and warm, may then be heard
Chirping his notes for weeks together.

Come there but one cold wintry day,
Away will fly our guest the Swallow
And much like him we find the way
Which many a gay young friend will follow.

1. Answer the questions below:

1. Why do you think the Swallow leaves the poet during the winter season?
2. What does the Swallow do in summer?
3. Why does the poet call the Swallow a guest?
4. How is the behavior of a “gay young friend” similar to that of the Swallow?

Answer:

1. The Swallow is a migratory bird that lives in a warm place. So during winter, he goes away in search of a warm place.
2. Being a summer bird, the Swallow stays in the chimney chirping for weeks together.
3. The Swallow is called a guest because he does not live in the chimney permanently but flies away in the winter just like a guest who comes only for a short period.
4. Just like a Swallow who leaves us when the winter sets in, a ‘gay young friend’ also leaves us in times of sorrow and need.

2. Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements:

Question 1. The Swallow loves winter.
Answer: False

Question 2. The Swallow takes shelter in the cage.
Answer: False

Question 3. The Swallow is a summer bird.
Answer: True

Question 4. Young friends are considered as temporary friends.
Answer: True

Question 5. The Swallow sings merrily when it rains.
Answer: False

3. Fill in the blanks with words from the text. There may be a few extra words.

List of words: weather, chimneys, guest, wintry, chirping, away, summer, follow.

Question 1. I went to Darjeeling in ________
Answer: Summer

Question 2. A man has been engaged to clean the ________
Answer: Chimneys

Question 3. In spring we can hear ________ of the birds.
Answer: Chirping

Question 4. We have a ________ now at our house.
Answer: Guest

Question 2. In dreary days of snow and frost

Closer to Man will cling the Sparrow
Old friends, although in life we’re crost,
Their hearts to us will never narrow.

Give me the bird give me the friend
Will sing in frost-will love in sorrow-
Whate’er mischance to-day many send,
Will greet me with his sight tomorrow.

1. Answer the questions below:

1. What does the Sparrow do in winter?
2. What does the poet feel about the old friends?
3. What type of friend does the poet want?
4. What type of bird does the poet want?

Answer:

1. The Sparrow clings closer to man during winter which means that it remains emotionally attached to man in his sorrow.
2. The poet feels that though old friends get separated, their hearts always remain closer to each other.
3. The poet wants a friend who will stay with him in joy and sorrow.
4. The poet wants a bird like the Sparrow and not the Swallow because, unlike the Swallow, the Sparrow will stay with him forever in both happy and bad times.

2. Choose the correct answers from the alternatives given:

Question 1. The Sparrow accompanies the poet in times of

1. Snow and frost,
2. Rain and water,
3. Sunshine and warmth.

Answer: 1. Snow and frost

Question 2. During winter the Sparrow will

1. Fly away,
2. Cling closer,
3. Dance in frost.

Answer: 2. Cling closer

Question 3. The hearts of old friends will never be-

1. Broad,
2. Narrow,
3. Kind.

Answer: 2. Narrow

Question 4. The poet wants a bird that will

1. Dance in Frost,
2. Enjoy summer,
3. Sing in frost.

Answer: 3. Enjoy summer

3. Find words in the text which are opposite in meaning of the following words:

1. Joyful;
2. Slip off;
3. Wide;
4. Foe;
5. Hate;
6. Bid farewell.

Answer:

1. Dreary,
2. Cling;
3. Narrow;
4. Friend,
5. Love,
6. Greet.