NCERT English Class 8 | Chapter 4 | The treasure within | Question Answer |

COMPREHENSION CHECK I                                                       PAGE 28

1. What did Hafeez Contractor have nightmares about?

Answer: Hafeez Contractor would have nightmares about sitting for a Maths examination where he knew nothing.

2. What did the Principal say to him, which influenced him deeply?

Answer: The principal told Hafeez Contractor that he (Hafeez) was a good student who never studied. Adding that he would not be able to take care of Hafeez any longer, the principal emphasised that since his mother as a single parent had worked hard to raise him, it was high time Hafeez rose to the occasion and began studying. These words uttered by the principal influenced Hafeez deeply.

3. “... that year I did not step out onto the field.” What was he busy doing that year?

Answer: He busied himself with studies that year. All he would do was attend prayers, eat, and study.

4. (i) What “distraction” did Hafeez Contractor create one day?

Answer: One day, Hafeez Contractor created the “distraction” of chor police, a hide-and-seek game mostly played by children. 

    (ii) Would you have liked to participate in the “distraction” had you been with him?

Answer: I would have probably liked to participate in the “distraction” if I had been with Hafeez Contractor.

 

COMPREHENSION CHECK II                                                     PAGE 32

1. Hafeez Contractor wanted to join the police force. Why didn’t he?

Answer: Despite wanting to join the police force, Hafeez Contractor didn’t do so because his mother advised him to focus on graduation and not get into the police force.

2. In the architect’s office, Hafeez Contractor was advised to drop everything and join architecture. Why?

Answer: In the architect's office, Hafeez Contractor witnessed someone drawing a window detail, and upon taking a closer look, he figured out that there was something wrong. He shared his thoughts with the person who had been drawing the detail. This surprised the architect, who was Hafeez Contractor's cousin's husband. He immediately asked Contractor to draw a few specific things, besides asking him to design a house. Pleased by Contractor's skills, the architect asked him to drop everything and join architecture.

3. (i) What was Mrs Gupta’s advice to Hafeez Contractor?

Answer: Mrs Gupta’s advice to Hafeez Contractor was that he become an architect after growing up.

    (ii) What made her advise him so?

Answer: The beautiful sketches made by Hafeez Contractor made her give such a piece of advice.

4. How did he help fellow students who had lost a button?

Answer: He helped his fellow students who had lost a button by cutting a button for them from chalk with the help of a blade.

5. Which rules did he break as a school boy?

Answer: Hafeez defied many a rule as a school boy. Not only would he cheat during exams, but he would also play pranks on others. Furthermore, he would try getting hold of the examination paper before the actual exam.

6. (i) What is Hafeez Contractor’s definition of Mathematics?

Answer: According to Hafeez Contractor, Mathematics is the act of sketching by putting together design, construction, psychology, and sociology.

    (ii) How would you want to define Mathematics? Do you like the subject?

Answer: I would define Mathematics as a numerical way of understanding the functioning of the world. I do like the subject.

 

EXERCISE                                                                                                PAGE 32

1. Is it 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: It is very likely for someone to be intelligent and original and yet not do well at school. Such a learner shouldn't be called a failure because excelling in academics alone is not an indication of someone's success. Many students do exceedingly well at schools but fail miserably in their lives. Similarly, many people attain success in spite of having no formal degree or being mediocre in academics.

2. Who, in your view, is an ‘unusual’ learner?

Answer: An 'unusual' learner, in my opinion, is someone who does not subscribe to the norms that are usually ascribed to learning. An unusual learner focusses on his calling rather than advancing with the crowd. He might tend to forget things, and thus, may not be a good student in his teacher's view. Nevertheless, such a learner is generally street smart and knows what he ought to do to live a contented life.

3. What can schools do to draw out the best in unusual learners? Suggest whatever seems reasonable to you.

Answer: First and foremost, schools should pay attention to ensuring that students are made to engage in extracurricular activities. Instead of rewarding students who excel in academics alone, schools ought to organise contests that aim at bringing out the hidden talents in unusual learners. Secondly, such learners should never be discouraged but constantly evaluated and advised on what could be done so they may come up in their lives.