KSEEB Solutions for Class 8 English Poem Chapter 9 Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming

Students can Download English Poem 9 Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes Pdf, Activity, KSEEB Solutions for Class 8 English helps you to revise the complete Karnataka State Board Syllabus and to clear all their doubts, score well in final exams.

Karnataka State Syllabus Class 8 English Poem Chapter 9 Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming

Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

I. Comprehension

Textbook Questions And Answers

Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each:

Question 1.
What did Benjamin inform his wife?
Answer:
Benjamin informed his wife that he would compete in the swimming competition and win the race.

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Question 2.
Why did Benjamin’s wife discourage him?
Answer:
His wife discouraged him because he had not practiced since years and the other competitors would be well trained and he will not be able to keep pace with them.

Question 3.
How did Benjamin win the swimming competition?
Answer:
Benjamin won the competition by chance because he feared that the crab would grab his toes as he was swimming slow, hence to escape from the crab bite he swam so fast that he was leading the rest swimmers and won it.

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Question 4.
What do you learn from this poem?
Answer:
We learn that one should not underestimate the potentiality of others. Also, luck plays a role.

II. Appreciation:

Answer the following as directed :

Question 1.
The poem is in the style of _______
a. a dialogue
b. anti-climax
c. satire
d. climax
Answer:
satire

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Question 2.
Appreciate the following expressions in 3 – 4 sentences each:
a. With others so fast, you’re sure to be last.
b. His pace was so slow that a crab saw his toe and thought it would venture a bite.
c. She fell in the lake with a splash.
Answer:
a. Benjamin’s wife warns him that it was since years he had gone for the swimming practice. The other swimmers would be well trained and it was for sure that he would lose in the competition.

b. As Benjamin had not practiced before for the swimming competition he swam very slow that others overbook him. As he was swimming slowly he notices a crab that was about to grab his toe for a bite. This shows his pace was slow.

c. Benjamin was leading the other swimmers in the competition and won the race. The crowd cheered him his wife could not believe this and in a shock fell into the lake.

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Exercises

III. Let’s read and respond:

A. Fill in the blanks based on your understanding of the poem:

1. Benjamin told his wife that ___________
Answer:
It was foolishness to compete with trained people as he has not practiced swimming for years.

2. It was a _________ competition.
Answer:
Free for all.

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3. Benjamin’s wife said that he would come last because __________
Answer:
He had not practiced swimming for years.

4. The swimmers galore waited for _______ on the day of the competition.
Answer:
The race to start.

5. The competition took place on _________
Answer:
The fourth of July.

6. ______ passed Benjamin on the right and the left because
Answer:
The other swimmers; he was very slow.

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7. The crab thought of biting Benjamin’s toe because _________
Answer:
He was slow and it thought it could get a bit of his toe.

8. Benjamin won the race as __________
Answer:
He wanted to escape from the claw of the crab.

9. His wife fell into the water because __________
Answer:
She could not believe that Benjamin was leading the other swimmer and won the race.

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B. Make a list of all the rhyming words in the poem. There are rhyming words in the same lines and at the end of the lines.
Answer:
Jones – tones
Word – absurd
Came – acclaim
Crab – grab
Quessed – possessed
Dash – Splash
Compete – meet
Fast – last
Place – race
Toe – foe
Dock – shock

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Benjamin Jones Goes Swimming Summary in English

The poet Ailean Fischer has written this poem. He has described an incident in a humorous way. It tells the story of Benjamin Jones who participated in a swimming competition. As the day of the competition was nearly he tells his wife that he is competing with the swimmers and is sure to win the race. His wife warns him that it was since, years he hadn’t gone for the practice, the other swimmers would be too fast he is sure to be the last.

Jones doesn’t pay heed to her words and the day of swimming comes. All the swimmers are placed in their respective place to start the race. The contest began the competitors kept pushing him behind. He swam so slow that a crab saw his toe and come near to him to bit his toe. Benjamin noticed this thinking that the crab may grab his toe he swam so fast that he was leading the other swimmers. The spectators cheered him, while his wife could not believe her eyes and in a shock fell into the lake.

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Glossary:

  • confident: sure
  • free-for-all meet: anyone can participate
  • arbsurd: foolish
  • blush: feel shy
  • acclaim: praise
  • swimmers: group of swimmers
  • poised: stood ready
  • spectators: onlookers
  • contest: competition
  • venture a bite: to try to bite grab: catch hold of
  • claw: sharp nails of an animal’s or bird’s foot
  • foe: enemy
  • like a swimmer: a swimmer controlled by an extraordinary spirit possessed

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