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Karnataka State Syllabus Class 8 English Prose Chapter 8 The Woman on Platform 8
The Woman on Platform 8 Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes
I. Comprehension
Textbook Questions And Answers
Answer the following in two or three sentences each:
Question 1.
What was Arun doing all alone on the platform? Why?
Answer:
Arun was waiting on platform 8 at Ambala station for the Northbound train to go to the boarding school. He was alone because his parents thought he was old enough to travel alone.
Question 2.
What normally happens when a train arrives at the platform?
Answer:
When the train arrives people rush like a wild crowd to board the train.
Question 3.
“Are you all alone, my son?” How did Arun react when he heard the voice of a stranger? Why?
Answer:
When Arun heard the voice he looked up at the woman who was standing near him. She was draped in a white saree and was very simple.
Question 4.
How did the bond between Arun and the stranger develop?
Answer:
Arun and the stranger talked very closely. The stranger was dignified and her approach was affectionate and caring that Arun started liking the lady and answered all the questions about him. .
Question 5.
What was the reason behind Aruii’s instinctive dislike towards Satish’s mother?
Answer:
Satish’s mother was a large imposing woman. Her attitude and imposing opinions and giving unasked suggestion annoyed Arun.
Question 6.
Why did Arun say, “I like strangers”?
Answer:
Arun said that he liked strangers because they were more pleasing, unlike Satish mother who was imposing and giving unruly suggestions. The lady though a stranger was affectionate caring and dignified. Hence he said that he liked strangers.
Question 7.
How did Satish and Arun react to the advice of Satish’s mother saying “Never talk to strangers”?
Answer:
Satish and Arun were not happy at the suggestion Satish’s mother gave. Arun instinctively replied that he liked strangers. Satish stood behind his mother grinning at Arun, taking delight in the clash between Arun and his mother.
Question 8.
What did Satish’s mother give and say to Satish as parting advice?
Answer:
Satish mother gave a bag of fruits and a big box of chocolates a cricket bat and told Satish to share food with Arun. She advised Satish not to put his head out of the window’, not to eat rubbish on the way.
Question 9.
Why didn’t Satish’s mother think Arun’s “mother” a very capable person?
Answer:
Satish’s mother thought that Arun’s mother was not a very capable person because she would have observed the lady speak very little. She did not bring any eatables and did not give any advice to Arun.
Question 10.
How did Arun repay the strange woman for her goodness?
Answer:
Arun was very much impressed by the way the lady cared for him. He planted a kiss on the lady’s cheek, shook hand with her and said, goodbye mother.
II. Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow:
1. “She drew me out very well.”
Question i.
Who is the speaker?
Answer:
Arun.
Question ii.
What do you mean by the above sentence?
Answer:
It means that the dignified approach of the lady towards Arun made him feel very comfortable.
2. “Yes, I am Arun’s mother.”
Question i. Who is the speaker?
Answer:
The stranger lady clad in a white sari.
Question ii.
What do you think is the reason behind the speaker saying so?
Answer:
The lady did not want Arun to feel embarrassed as his parents had not came to wish him bye.
3. “These days one has to be very careful of strangers.”
Question i.
Who said these words?
Answer:
Satish’s mother
Question ii.
Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
Because she seemed to be very suspicious and over cautioned about others.
II. Complete The Following:
1. The woman in a white sari was totally a stranger. But Arun developed an instant liking for her the moment she spoke to him. Mention three things that Arun liked about this woman.
Answer:
Arun liked her simplicity, dignified nature, caring and kind nature.
2. Arun says, “I had taken an instinctive dislike to Salish’s mother.” Mention three things that made Arun dislike her.
Answer:
Arun dislikes her imposing attitude impatient nature and annoying advice.
IV. Work in pairs and complete the table:
Answer:
V. Listening:
Your teacher will read out some words which describe the two women. Listen and write the words under appropriate columns:
| Satish’s mother | Stranger |
| imposing, over protective, demanding, impatient, grumling, frustrated, commanding suspicious, complaining. | simple, dignified, soft spoken, kind, considerate, gentle encouraging understanding, supportive, compassionate. |
VI. Speaking:
The class is divided into four groups. Each group will be given a question. Discuss the question in the group and present it in front of the class:
Question 1.
Why do you think Arun was allowed to travel alone?
Answer:
Arun was allowed to travel alone as his parents thought that he was old enough to travel and they wanted him to be self-dependent.
Question 2.
What might be the reason behind the lady’s adoption of a mother’s role?
Answer:
The lady had watched Arun sitting alone on the platform at that night, She felt worried for him. She sensed that he would be bored waiting alone. As she was a good-natured woman she would have helped him by talking to him.
Question 3.
Why do you think the strange “mother” was in a white saree? What would be your reaction when you see a person in white saree especially during night time?
Answer:
The stranger mother’ was in white saree maybe because she was a widow, she may be a nun or she loved simple dressing and would have worn white. If we happen to see a person in white during the night we may get scared and would think it to be an evil spirit.
Question 4.
Imagine that the stranger in a white saree is a ghost. How will you change the ending of the story?
Answer:
I would have ended the storytelling that after the stranger in white saree helped the boy gave him company and see him board the train the ghost disappeared.
VII. The sequence of events has been jumbled up. Rewrite them according to the sequence of the lesson:
- I looked straight into the eyes of the woman who held my hand, and she smiled in a gentle understanding way.
- I had already forgiven her for lying; and besides, I had taken an instinctive dislike to Satish’s mother.
- She stood there on the busy platform; a pale sweet woman in white, and I watched her until she was lost in the milling crowd.
- Now tired of this game and. of ambling about the platform, I sat down on my suitcase and gazed dismally across the railway tracks.
- She drew me out very well, and I had soon forgotten that we were strangers.
- She allowed me to share the benefit of her advice, as she probably didn’t think my “mother” a very capable person.
- We placed ourselves at the open windows, and the two women stood outside on the platform talking up to us.
- She told a coolie to look after my suitcase, and then she led me away down the platform.
- I looked from Satish’s mother to the woman who had given me tea and sweets and then back at Satish’s mother.
- Satish was standing behind his mother, grinning at me, delighting in my clash with his mother.
Answer:
- Now tired of this game and of ambling about the platform, I sat down on my suitcase and gazed dismally across the railway tracks.
- She drew me out very well, and I had soon forgotten that we were strangers.
- Satish was standing behind his mother, grinning at me, delighting in my clash with his mother.
- I looked straight into the eyes of the woman who held my hand, and she smiled in a gentle understanding way.
- I had already forgiven her for lying; and besides, I had taken an instinctive dislike to Satish’s mother.
- She told a coolie to look after my suitcase, and then she led me away down the platform.
- I looked from Satish’s mother to the woman who had given me tea and sweets and then back at Satish’s mother.
- She stood there on the busy platform; a pale sweet woman in white, and I watched her until she was lost in the milling crowd.
- She allowed me to share the benefit of her advice, as she probably didn’t think my “mother” a very capable person.
- We placed ourselves at the open windows, and the two women stood outside on the platform talking up to us.
VII. We use reporting verbs that summarise what was communicated while we change the speech. Some of the verbs which are commonly used are: warn, ask, answer, promise, sympathize, refuse, regret, explain, request, blame, advise, apologize, order, greet, suggest, invite, encourage, say, congratulate, declare, announce, instruct etc. Write appropriate statements as a response to the questions with the help of the examples and clues given below:
Answer:
- Advice: She advised you to wash your hands before eating.’
- regret: The student regretted that he had not committed the mistake
- invite: The girl invited you to her house
- warm: The mother warmed them not too out of the house at bight
- enquire: The stranger enquired where my house was
- request: The girl requested me to lend my book to her.
- exclaim: The boy exclaimed that he was undone.
IX Read the conversation and complete the following:
1. Ramani: Our new servant has a tendency to steal things.
Somu: Is anything missing?
Ramani: Yes, he has stolen one of our blankets.
Somu: Which one?
Ramani: It’s the one we took from Hotel Palm Beach.
i) Ramani told Somu that _______ to steal things.
Answer:
Ramani told Somu that their new servant had a tendency to steal things.
ii) Somu asked Ramani __________
Answer:
Somu asked Ramani if anything was missing.
iii) Ramani answered that __________
Answer:
Ramani answered that he had stolen
one of their blankets.
iv) Somu further asked her which one and Ramani replied that _______ from Hotel Palm Beach.
Answer:
Somu further asked her which one and Ramani replied that it was the one they took from Hotel Palm Beach.
2. Child: I want a balloon, which I can release into the air.
Balloon Man: Which colour balloon do you want?
Child: Which colour balloon will take me up with it?
Balloon ManIt is not the colour of the balloon, it is what is inside that makes it go up.
i) The child told the balloon man that _________ which he could release into the air.
Answer:
he wanted a ballon which he can release into the air.
ii) The balloon man asked him _________.
Answer:
which colour balloon did he want.
iii) The child asked him _______ up with that.
Answer:
which colour balloon would take him up with that
iv) The balloon man told him that it was not the color of the balloon but ________ go up.
Answer:
it was what was inside that made it go up
3. Father: Why were you late from school yesterday?
Ashwin: There was a friendly football match between our school and G.K. Public School.
Father: Why didn’t you inform us earlier?
Ashwin: I rang home but nobody picked up the phone.
i) Father asked Ashwin _______
Answer:
Why was he late from school the
previous day.
ii) Ashwin replied that _______ and G.K. Public School.
Answer:
There was a friendly football match between their school.
iii) Father asked _______earlier.
Answer:
Why he did not inform them earlier.
iv) Ashwin replied that he up the phone.
Answer:
he rang up home but nobody picked up the phone.
4. Man: You are becoming very lazy these days. Didn’t I ask you to get my breakfast ready by 8 O’clock?
Servant: I’m sorry sir. I got up very late today. That’s why I couldn’t make it on time.
Man: Didn’t you set the alarm before going to sleep?
Servant: Yes, I did sir.
Man: Then, what happened?
Servant: I forgot to wind the clock.
i) The man scolded the servant __________
Answer:
he was becoming very lazy those days.
ii) He questioned him ___________
Answer:
hadn’t he asked him to get his breakfast ready by 8 ‘o’clock?
iii) The servant apologised to him respectfully and explained __________
Answer:
he had got up late that day and couldn’t make it on time.
iv) The man asked him _________ To this, the servant answered politely that he had done so. His master further inquired the reason for the delay.
Answer:
had not he set the alarm before going to sleep.
v) The servant answered humbly that _________
Answer:
he had forgotten to wind the clock.
5. Employer: Why did you leave your earlier job?
Applicant: That didn’t meet my requirements.
Employer: What salary do you expect here?
Applicant: I am expecting ‘ 5000 per month.
Employer: We can pay you just ‘ 3000 per month.
An applicant went for an interview in an office. The employer asked him why he had left his earlier job.
i) The applicant replied that _________
Answer:
the previous job didn’t meet his requirements.
ii) The employer further enquired _________
Answer:
What salary he expected there.
iii) The applicant told him ____________
Answer:
That he was expecting Rs 5000 per month
iv) The employer concluded by saying _________
Answer:
That they could pay him just 3000 per month.
6. Customer: Please show me a good cap.
Salesman: What type of cap do you want, sir?
Customer: One that covers the face.
Salesman: It won’t be a cap then, it would be a mask.
i) A customer went up to a salesman and _________
Answer:
requested him to show a good cap.
ii) The salesman asked him ________
Answer:
What type of cap did he want.
iii) The customer ________
Answer:
Replied that he wanted the one that covers his face.
iv) The salesman, on hearing the request ________
Answer:
told him that what he wanted was a mask, not a cap.
X. Writing:
After Arun reaches his boarding school, he writes a diary entry about his strange encounter with the woman at platform 8 from 5-00 P.M. in the evening to 12-00 midnight. Imagine you are Arun and write the diary page on his behalf in the table given below.
| 5-00 pm to 7-00 pm | Arrived at the station early, paced up and down the railway platform fed broken biscuits to stray dogs. Tired- sat down on my suitcase. |
| 7-00 pm to 9-00 pm | Met a strange woman in white saree. She looked kind and gentle. Invited me to have tea and sweets. |
| 9-00 pm to 11-00 pm | The strange woman in white talked to me about everything about myself. Met Satish, my school-mate. |
| 11-00 pm to 12-00 pm | Satish’s mother /warned me not to talk to strangers. Train arrived at 11:30 pm Boarded the train. Said goodbye to the strange women in white. Kissed her on her cheeks. |
XI. pronunciation:
You have already learnt about syllables. When we pronounce words in English, we stress one part of a word more than the other. Say the following words along with your teacher. The syllables to be stressed have been marked.
artificial ‘emotions ‘beautiful superior ‘magic magician optician ‘festival ‘active The following words are taken from the story. Mark the stress and practice saying them aloud. Notice the shift in stress, agitated ambling inferno serenity commanded suspicion imposing contradicted patronizing
Answer:
- agitated
- ambling
- in’ferno
- se’renity
- co’mmanded
- sus’picion
- im’posing
- contra’dicted
- patro’nizing
XII. Grammar:
Direct and Indirect speech:
Study the sentences given below:
1. “I have done the home assignment,” the student said, (direct)
2. The student said that he had done the home assignment, (indirect)
3. He said, “I have lost my umbrella”, (direct)
4. He said that he had lost his umbrella, (indirect)
Sentences 1 and 3 refer to the actual words spoken by someone and they are put within inverted commas. In sentences 2 and 4, the sentences are put in someone else’s words. The first of these sentences is in the form of direct narration (direct speech) and the second is in the indirect form of narration
(indirect speech).
Thus we change:
Direct – Indirect
now – then
this – that
these – those
here – there
today – that day
tomorrow – next day / following day
yesterday – the previous day / the day before
ago – before/earlier
thus – so/in that way
tonight – that night
last week – the previous week / the week before
Below are some examples of the patterns of change of verbs in the reported speech:
| Direct | Indirect |
| shall/will | would |
| may | might |
| can | could |
| is eating | was eating |
| has seen | had seen |
| has been singing | had been singing |
I. Rewrite the following sentences in the reported speech:
i) He said, “Amuda was dancing”.
Answer:
He said that Amuda had been dancing.
ii) My servant says, “Tea is ready”.
Answer:
My servant says that tea is ready.
iii) “I never eat meat,” he explained.
Answer:
He explained that he never ate meat.
iv) “I have found a flat,” he said.
Answer:
He said that he had found a flat.
v) She said, “We will discuss the matter tomorrow.”
Answer:
She said that they would discuss the matter the next day.
The Woman on Platform 8 Summary in English
This is the story of a boy who had an encounter with a woman on platform 8 in the railway station. Her pleasing manners and her care impressed the boy so much.
Arun, a boy of 12 years was in his second year at a boarding school. He was waiting on platform no. 8 at Ambala station for the Northbound train. It was twelve night and he was alone. He was on his way to boarding school. His parents considered him to be old enough to travel alone.
A lady who was dressed very simple saw him sitting alone and talked to him. They became very friendly. A little later after she knew that there was enough time for the arrival of Arun’s train, they, went to the station dining room and she got him samosas jalebies and tea. She was so caring and affectionate that he was very comfortable with her.
Arun met his friend Satish and his mother on the same platform. Satish’s mother and Arun talked to the other. She was an imposing woman. She thought that the lady with Arun was his mother, to which the lady also did not bother. She kept on giving advices and finally when the train arrived Arun planted a kiss on the lady and wished her bye.
Glossary:
- pacing: walking slowly
- browsing: examine in a casual way
- inferno: a place that is like hell.
- heaving: panting with short quick breath.
- agitated: anxious
- ambling: walking at an easy gentle pace.
- dismally: sadly
- serenity: calmness, peace
- thaw: soften (here)
- encounter: sudden or unexpected meeting.
- embarrassed: mental discomfort
- nuisance: troublesome, annoying
- instinctive: natural
- sternly: harshly
- staggered: reeled in shock.
- contradicted: disagreed with
- wagging: shaking
- resentfully: angrily
- befriended: making friendship
- apparently: clearly seen
- squatting: sitting on the floor
- smarting: feeling pained
- patronizing: showing superiority in a rude and insulting way.
- milling: a throng of people moving about in a place.