Class 8 - L16 - The Mountain and the Squirrel

16. The Mountain and the Squirrel

Reading Comprehension

A. Tick the correct Answer:

(i) The quarrel between the mountain and the squirrel was about

(a) length                                                  (b) size     

(c) ability                                                  (d) strength.

Answer - (b) size

(ii) The mountain is able to

(a) carry a forest                                     (b) crack a nut

(c) make a spry movement.                  (d) make up a year

Answer - (a) carry a forest

(iii) The squrirrel is able to

(a) make a sphere                                   (b) crack a nut

(c) make up a year.                                 (d) carry forests

Answer - (b) crack a nut

B. Answer the following questions:

(i) Why does the mountain call the squirrel ‘little prig’?

Answer - The mountain calls the squirrel ‘little prig’ because they had a quarrel.

(ii) What qualities of the mountain does the squirrel appreciate?

Answer - The squirrel appreciates the qualities of the mountain of making a very pretty squirrel track and carrying a forest on its back.

(iii) What task is the mountain unable to perform?

Answer - The mountain is unable to crack a nut.

(iv) Do you like the squirrel’s reasoning? Why?

Answer - Yes, I like the squirrel’s reasoning. After appreciating the qualities of the mountain the squirrel makes it realise that everyone has unique abilities and size is not a matter of concern.

Vocabulary

A. Find out the meaning of these phrases and make sentences:

(i) Little prig – a small person who is very careful about rules.

Sentence – The squirrel was a little prig and it made the mountain realise of its error.

(ii) All sorts of things – Things of different kind

Sentence – All sorts of things are here in this world.

(iii) Make up a year – The sum of all seasons (duration of one year)

Sentence – All the seasons combined together make up a year.

OR

365 days combined together make up a year.

(iv) Occupy my place – take its place in the world

Sentence – Everything in this world occupy its place.

(v) All is well – Everything is fine

Sentence – The jolly person always think that all is well.

B. Look for words and phrases which describe the qualities of the squirrel and the mountain. An example is done for you:

Mountain	Squirrel
e.g. big	e.g. little
(1) large	(1) small
(2) immoveable	(2) spry
(3) can make a very pretty squirrel track	(3) prig
(4) can carry a forest	(4) can crack a nut

Grammar

A. Two or more Sentences are given below. Use ‘and’, ‘but’ to

make a sentence which gives the entire meaning:

Example:

Cameras capture light on photo film. Digital cameras capture images on computer memory. Sentence - Cameras capture light on photo film but digital cameras capture film on computer memory.

(1) He read the text book.

He made notes from them.

Sentence - He reads the text books and made notes from them.

(2) The average life span of a crocodile in the wild is 45 years.

In captivity, they are known to live upto 80 years.

Sentence - The average life span of a crocodile in the wild is 45 years but in captivity, they are known to live upto 80 years.

 (3) A cricket is an insect which varies from 0.1 to 2 inches.

It is an insect which has hind legs for jumping.

Sentence - A cricket is an insect which varies from 0.1 to 2 inches and has hind legs for jumping.

(4) You can pay your bill with cash.

You also have the option of paying by cheque.

Sentence - You can pay your bill with cash and you also have the option of paying by cheque.

B. With the help of the pictures given below and the given clue in the box, try to describe the animals by comparing them:

heavy, big, tall, intelligent, long, good, slow, small

Example: The giraffe is taller than the elephant.

Answers -

Heavy - The elephant is heavier than the giraffe.

Big – The elephant is bigger than the monkey.

Tall – The giraffe is taller than the monkey.

Intelligent - The elephant is more intelligent than the giraffe.

Longer - The monkey has longer tail than the elephant.

Good - The giraffe is better looking than the monkey.

Slow - The elephant is slower than the giraffe.

Small – The monkey is smaller than the elephant/giraffe.  

Note: There are so many more sentences can be made. Encourage the learners to try making them.

© 2019, Anupam Agrawal and CG-SCERT