CBSE Class 8 English Feathered Friend Worksheet Set 01

Fill in the Blanks

Question. The narrator first mistook Claribel's whistle for the ____________.
Answer: intercom
Explanation: The narrator thought the sweet whistling sound came from the loudspeaker on the wall.

Question. Claribel was a tiny yellow ____________ kept as a pet.
Answer: canary
Explanation: Claribel was a little yellow songbird called a canary that Sven brought to space.

Question. The crew passed the ____________ bottle to stay alive during the crisis.
Answer: oxygen
Explanation: The astronauts took turns breathing pure oxygen from a bottle to stay alive.

Question. Claribel's ____________ alerted the crew to the air purifier problem.
Answer: fainting
Explanation: When Claribel passed out, the astronauts realized the air was bad and needed fixing.

Question. Sven was a ____________ construction worker who shined in zero gravity.
Answer: skilled
Explanation: Sven was very good at his job and knew how to build things while floating in space.

Question. Claribel performed ____________ loops in the lack of gravity.
Answer: graceful
Explanation: Claribel learned how to do pretty, gentle somersaults in the air without falling.

Question. The crew hid Claribel in ____________ shafts to escape detection.
Answer: ventilating
Explanation: The astronauts hid the pet bird inside the air pipes so visitors would not see her.

Question. Sven brought Claribel to study her actions in ____________ gravity.
Answer: zero
Explanation: In zero gravity, objects and animals float freely in the air without falling down.

Question. The story compares Claribel to canaries used in ____________ to find gases.
Answer: mines
Explanation: Coal miners on Earth carried canaries underground to warn them of poisonous gas leaks.

Question. The air purifier froze due to an uncommon ____________.
Answer: eclipse
Explanation: An eclipse happens when the Earth blocks the sun, making it bitterly cold in space.

True or False

Question. The crew simply hid Claribel from VIPs.
Answer: True
Explanation: The space station had many air ducts and small storage spaces where the bird could hide safely.

Question. The writer was a psychologist.
Answer: False
Explanation: The author specifically says he is an engineer, not a doctor of the mind.

Question. Sven was a large and muscular construction worker.
Answer: False
Explanation: Sven was actually thin and wiry, which made him light and good for space work.

Question. The air purifier broke due to a rare eclipse.
Answer: True
Explanation: When the station entered Earth's shadow, the bitter cold froze part of the air cleaning unit.

Question. The alarm system was fully functional during the emergency.
Answer: False
Explanation: The backup alarm was not wired yet, and the main alarm failed when the machine froze.

Question. The story uses humour to tell science fiction.
Answer: True
Explanation: The story is fun and amusing, showing how a tiny bird outsmarted high-tech space machines.

Question. Claribel was brought for a formal experiment.
Answer: False
Explanation: Sven smuggled Claribel onto the space station out of his own curiosity, not for an official project.

Question. Claribel's fainting rescued the crew's lives.
Answer: True
Explanation: Because the canary fainted, the crew noticed the oxygen leak in time and fixed the air purifier.

Question. The crew neglected Claribel after her discovery.
Answer: False
Explanation: Everyone on the space station loved Claribel and treated her like their favorite pet.

Question. Claribel failed to move in zero gravity.
Answer: False
Explanation: Claribel quickly adapted and floated gracefully without flapping her wings hard.

Questions / Short Question Answers

Question. Interpret the phrase ‘like a pipe of peace’ in the context of the crew’s response to the air purifier crisis.
Answer: The phrase ‘like a pipe of peace’ suggests a moment of unity and calm amid chaos, as the crew shared the oxygen bottle while awaiting resolution, symbolizing their trust and cooperation in facing the life-threatening air issue together.
Explanation: It means the astronauts sat quietly and shared a single oxygen bottle like good friends while waiting for the air to be fixed.

Question. How did Claribel adjust to the new environment?
Answer: Claribel adjusted remarkably well to zero gravity, hanging motionless like a hummingbird with her wings folded, and performing a backward loop with leisurely flicks, showing she had learned to move efficiently without unnecessary effort.
Explanation: Claribel learned how to float without flapping her wings hard, doing easy flips and loops in the air.

Question. Explain how Claribel's presence on the space station acted both as a scientific experiment and a source of joy for the crew.
Answer: Claribel’s presence was a scientific experiment as Sven brought her to study how a bird adapts to zero gravity, using its wings without weight. Her ability to float and perform loops provided valuable observations. Beyond this, she became a source of joy, with her musical whistles delighting the crew, turning her into a general pet and a morale booster, especially during the monotony of space life.
Explanation: The bird was a science test to see how animals fly in space, and her sweet singing made the astronauts smile every day.

Question. What was the function of the alarm? What had caused its failure?
Answer: The alarm’s purpose was to detect air quality issues in the space station. Its failure was caused by the second alarm circuit not being connected, compounded by a rare eclipse that froze part of the air purifier, disabling the single operational alarm.
Explanation: The alarm was supposed to warn the astronauts about bad air, but its backup wire was not connected and it froze during an eclipse.

Question. Explain how the narrator’s realization about miners’ canaries affected the outcome of the story.
Answer: The narrator's realization that miners used canaries to detect gas prompted him to alert Jim about the air issue, leading to the discovery of the unconnected alarm and frozen purifier. This timely intervention, triggered by Claribel’s fainting, saved the crew’s lives.
Explanation: Remembering that coal miners used canaries to check for bad air helped the narrator realize the oxygen was running out in time.

Question. Justify the appropriateness of the heading of the story.
Answer: The title "Feathered Friend" is appropriate as it reflects Claribel, the canary, who becomes a vital friend to the crew, saving them with her sensitivity to air issues, blending the themes of friendship and survival in space.
Explanation: The title fits well because the little feathered canary becomes a true best friend who saves everyone.

Question. Analyze how the story combines humor with the serious theme of survival in space, providing specific examples.
Answer: The story blends humor with survival by portraying Claribel’s antics, like her backward loop, as amusing, and the crew’s quick explanations for her peeps during VIP visits as light-hearted. The serious survival theme emerges with her fainting, but the humor returns with the oxygen bottle passed “like a pipe of peace,” and the final note of birdsong as a safety signal, balancing tension with wit.
Explanation: The story is funny when the bird does silly flips, but serious when the air purifier breaks and puts their lives in danger.

Question. Why did the narrator think Sven had smuggled a bird aboard? What was Sven's scientific reason?
Answer: The narrator suspected Sven had sneaked a bird aboard because of the unusual musical whistle heard in the space station, which turned out to be Claribel, the canary. Sven’s scientific reason was to observe how a bird would operate in zero gravity, using its wings without weight, out of sheer curiosity.
Explanation: Sven secretly brought a canary to space because he was curious to see how a bird flies when there is no gravity.

Question. Reflect on the moral lesson conveyed by the story regarding the worth of small creatures in critical situations.
Answer: The story conveys that small creatures like Claribel can have immense value, as her sensitivity to air changes saved the crew, teaching that even the seemingly insignificant can play a crucial role in life-or-death scenarios, emphasizing humility and appreciation.
Explanation: Even small and tiny animals can do wonderful, heroic things that can save the lives of many people.

Question. Do you think the presence of the canary would lead the spacers into difficulties? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer: Yes, the presence of the canary could lead to trouble as it risked detection during VIP visits, with her noisy peeps potentially exposing the crew’s rule-breaking. However, it also proved beneficial by alerting them to the air purifier failure, ultimately saving them.
Explanation: Pets were against the rules on the space station, but Claribel ended up saving everyone's life when the air went bad.

Question. Describe the sequence of events that led to the discovery of the air purifier failure and how Claribel played a vital role in it.
Answer: The sequence began with Claribel fainting, prompting Sven to seek help. Jock Duncan attempted to detect a heartbeat, and after an oxygen shot revived her temporarily, she fainted again. The narrator, recalling miners’ use of canaries for gas detection, alerted the duty engineer, Jim, who initially dismissed it. His assistant revealed the second alarm circuit was unconnected, and a rare eclipse had frozen the purifier, causing the failure. Claribel’s sensitivity to the bad air was critical in alerting the crew.
Explanation: Claribel passed out first, which showed the crew that oxygen was running out before their broken machine could tell them.

Question. What does the last part of the story tell us about the significance of unconventional ways of problem solving?
Answer: The last part highlights that unusual methods, like using a canary to detect air problems, can be highly effective, suggesting that unconventional solutions can safeguard lives where advanced technology fails.
Explanation: Sometimes simple nature or smart animal tricks work better than fancy electronic machines.

Question. Compare the working environment of Sven in space with those of construction workers on Earth, based on the text.
Answer: Sven’s work in space involves a slow-motion, three-dimensional ballet with floating girders in zero gravity, free from gravity’s abrupt pull, unlike Earth construction workers who face gravity’s constant challenge, requiring physical effort to prevent falls and maintain stability.
Explanation: On Earth, builders have to worry about falling, but in space, workers and heavy beams float gently in the air.

Question. What made the narrator confuse the musical whistle for a sound from the intercom?
Answer: The narrator mistook the musical whistle for an intercom sound because he was in his office checking technical stores and assumed it was an announcement, waiting for it to be followed by a message, which didn’t happen.
Explanation: The narrator heard a high whistle and thought it was the speaker system making a chime before a voice announcement.

Question. Evaluate the role of teamwork in settling the crisis caused by the air purifier failure, citing specific instances from the text.
Answer: Teamwork was crucial when Claribel fainted, with Jock Duncan checking her heartbeat, someone suggesting oxygen, and the crew passing the bottle around. The narrator’s insight prompted Jim’s investigation, and his assistant’s admission about the alarm circuit led to the solution, showcasing collective effort in overcoming the crisis.
Explanation: All the crew members helped out by checking the bird, sharing the oxygen bottle, and fixing the frozen machine together.

Question. ‘Without Claribel, we should soon have been slightly dead.’ What does this line suggest about fragility of life in space?
Answer: This line suggests that life in space is precarious, with hidden dangers like air quality issues that can be fatal, emphasizing the reliance on unexpected safeguards like Claribel to survive.
Explanation: Living in space is very dangerous because if the air stops working, people can die quickly without noticing it.

Question. Assess how the story uses Claribel’s character to teach a lesson about the value of adaptability in unusual environments.
Answer: Claribel’s character teaches adaptability by thriving in zero gravity with minimal effort, performing loops, and detecting air issues, showing how living beings can adjust to and even benefit from challenging environments like space, unlike rigid technology.
Explanation: Claribel quickly figured out how to float without falling, showing that living things can easily get used to new places.

Question. How does the crew's attitude to Claribel change over the course of the story?
Answer: Initially, the crew was unaware of Claribel and she was Sven’s secret pet, but after her discovery, they grew fond of her. Her fainting and role in detecting the air issue transformed their reaction from casual interest to deep gratitude and reliance.
Explanation: At first she was just a secret pet, but after saving their lives from bad air, the crew loved and thanked her deeply.

Question. Discuss the significance of Sven’s choice to bring Claribel aboard and its impact on the crew’s perception of pets in space.
Answer: Sven’s decision, driven by curiosity, initially risked trouble but ultimately proved significant by saving the crew from the air purifier failure. This shifted the crew’s perception from viewing pets as unnecessary to recognizing them as potential lifesavers, leading to the suggestion of canaries as standard safeguards in space stations.
Explanation: Bringing the bird seemed like a silly risk at first, but it taught the crew that pets can actually save human lives in space.

Question. How would Sven reflect on his experience of almost losing Claribel and for saving the lives of the whole crew?
Answer: Sven would likely reflect with relief and pride, recognizing that his curious decision to bring Claribel not only enriched their lives but also proved her worth by saving the crew, turning a near loss into a heroic outcome.
Explanation: Sven would feel very proud and happy that his beloved little bird was able to save all his friends.