CBSE Class 8 English Feathered Friend Worksheet Set 02

Fill in the Blanks

Question. The weather report says it ............. (rain) later today.
Answer: is going to rain
Explanation: When we see signs or predictions that something will happen soon, we use "is going to".

Question. In the given sentence, ‘will’ indicates ............. (past/present/future) time.
Answer: future
Explanation: We use the word "will" when we talk about things that are going to happen later in the future.

Question. Our plane ............. (leave) at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow.
Answer: leaves
Explanation: For fixed timetables like trains and planes, we use the simple present tense even when talking about tomorrow.

Question. The narrator mentions canaries and miners in order to ............. (highlight the historical use of canaries as warning systems/explain the reason that caused Claribel to faint suddenly)
Answer: highlight the historical use of canaries as warning systems
Explanation: Coal miners on Earth took canaries underground because canaries pass out quickly if the air is bad, giving an early warning.

Question. She ............. (go) to the mall this evening.
Answer: is going
Explanation: "Is going" describes an action that someone has already planned to do later today.

Question. They ............. (finish) the assignment by the end of this week.
Answer: will finish
Explanation: "Will finish" shows an action that will be completed at a later time this week.

Question. Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason. Jim initially rejects the warning about the air because ..............
Answer: he trusts the station's alarm systems, which he believes are working properly and would have alerted them if anything was wrong
Explanation: Jim believed the electric alarm machines would ring if bad air leaked into the space station.

Question. I ............. (begin) my new hobby class next Monday.
Answer: am starting
Explanation: "Am starting" shows a personal schedule or plan that is already arranged for next week.

Question. We ............. (move) into our new home next month.
Answer: are moving
Explanation: When we already have a fixed plan for the future, we can use the present continuous tense "are moving".

Question. I ............. (help) you with your homework after supper.
Answer: will help
Explanation: When you kindly offer to do something for a friend right now, you say "I will help".

Question. The team ............. (have) a gathering at 3.00 p.m. tomorrow.
Answer: is having
Explanation: "Is having" shows an event that is already fixed on a schedule for tomorrow.

True or False

Question. The air purifier froze because there was an unusual eclipse.
Answer: True
Explanation: The space station passed through the Earth's cold shadow, which caused the air purifier to freeze.

Question. Claribel was brought to the space station for a formal experiment on animal behaviour in space.
Answer: False
Explanation: Sven smuggled the bird onto the station just out of his own curiosity, not for a real science project.

Question. The space station crew was indifferent to Claribel and hardly noticed her presence after she was discovered.
Answer: False
Explanation: All the astronauts loved Claribel and adopted her as their shared pet.

Question. The canary’s distress helped the crew discover a problem with the air purifier.
Answer: True
Explanation: When Claribel fainted, the crew noticed that the room was running out of oxygen.

Question. Claribel had fainted and had to be rescued with oxygen supply.
Answer: True
Explanation: Giving Claribel pure oxygen from a small tank brought her back to life.

Question. The alarm at the space station failed to work correctly because they were not connected.
Answer: True
Explanation: The backup alarm was not wired yet, so it stayed silent during the emergency.

Question. Claribel could fly smoothly in the space station, performing loops in the air.
Answer: True
Explanation: In zero gravity, Claribel floated effortlessly and did gentle backward flips.

Questions / Short Question Answers

Question. What made the narrator confuse the musical whistle for a sound from the intercom?
Answer: The narrator mistook the musical whistle because the whistle was clear and musical, the narrator thought it came from the station’s intercom. He wasn’t expecting to hear a bird in space.
Explanation: The whistle was clear and musical, so the narrator assumed it was the speaker system making a chime.

Question. What does the phrase ‘shook Jim’ mean in the setting of the information in the extract?
(a) physically pushed by someone
(b) startled by unexpected information
(c) cold and needed to warm up
(d) trying to shake off sleepiness
Answer: (b) startled by unexpected information
Explanation: 'Shook Jim' means he was shocked to find out that the safety alarm was never connected.

Question. Who can a ‘feathered’ companion be?
Answer: A ‘feathered’ friend is a bird, as birds have feathers.
Explanation: A feathered friend is another name for a bird because only birds have soft feathers covering their bodies.

Question. Do you think a ‘feathered’ or a ‘furry’ friend can join astronauts to space? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer: Yes, a small feathered friend like a bird can go to space, as shown in the story. It doesn’t need much food or space and it can even help detect problems like bad air.
Explanation: Small birds eat very little, take up tiny space, and can warn astronauts if the air becomes dangerous.

Question. Select the option that is correct for both (Assertion) A and (Reason) R. (A): Sven's job needed him to make girders perform a ‘three-dimensional ballet’ in space. (R): Working in zero gravity allows objects to float, making precise positioning more challenging.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Explanation: Beams float in every direction without gravity, so moving them neatly into place takes great skill.

Question. How did Claribel adapt to the new surroundings?
Answer: Claribel adapted very well. She floated calmly, learned to move without much effort and didn’t panic in space.
Explanation: She learned that she could float in the air without flapping her wings hard.

Question. Which ‘feathered’ friend do you prefer? Why?
Answer: I like parrots because they are colourful and can mimic human speech.
Explanation: Parrots are popular pet birds because of their bright colors and ability to copy funny sounds and words.

Question. What can be understood about Sven’s abilities from his job description?
(a) He is good at following instructions but lacks creativity.
(b) He possesses a strong understanding of working in space.
(c) He struggles with the complexities of construction in space.
(d) He prefers working on simpler tasks rather than complex jobs.
Answer: (b) He possesses a strong understanding of working in space.
Explanation: Sven was skilled at joining giant metal beams while floating weightless in space.

Question. Why did the narrator think Sven had smuggled a bird aboard? What was Sven’s scientific reason?
Answer: The narrator believed Sven secretly brought the bird because there was no rule against it. Sven said he did it out of curiosity to see how a bird would behave in zero gravity.
Explanation: Sven took a canary to space to test how a creature with wings flies when there is no gravity.

Question. How can we deduce that Sven was working in zero gravity?
Answer: The passage mentions that the girders floated around in 'free fall' and that he had to manipulate them in 'slow-motion, three-dimensional ballet'-both of which suggest he was working in zero gravity where objects do not fall due to the absence of weight.
Explanation: The metal parts floated in the air like dancers because there was no gravity pulling them down.

Question. If you have a decision between a ‘feathered’ and a ‘furry’ friend, who would you choose? Why?
Answer: I would choose a furry friend like a dog because they are loyal, playful and good companions.
Explanation: Dogs have warm fur, wag their tails, and love to play outside with children.

Question. What does the crew's action of passing the oxygen bottle around ‘like a pipe of peace’ reveal about their response to the situation?
Answer: It shows they were anxious but united in their concern, sharing the oxygen for comfort and safety while waiting for confirmation. It also suggests a temporary bonding and calm in a tense moment, much like the symbolic sharing of a peace pipe.
Explanation: The astronauts stayed calm and shared their one oxygen bottle fairly like caring teammates.

Question. Do you think the presence of the canary would lead the spacers into difficulties? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer: No, Claribel didn’t cause trouble. In fact, she saved the crew’s lives by warning them about the bad air before any alarm did.
Explanation: Claribel turned out to be a hero because she alerted the astronauts to the oxygen failure.

Match the Following

Question. Match each word in Column 1 with Column 2 to make merged words, along with their meanings.

Answer: motor + hotel = motel; smoke + fog = smog; situation + comedy = sitcom; video + log = vlog; spoon + fork = spork; web + seminar = webinar.
Explanation: Merged words, or portmanteau words, are created by joining parts of two different words together to make a new word.

Question. Match the appropriate adjectives from the box with their corresponding words.

Answer: 1. narrow path, 2. nagging worry, 3. vague plan, 4. sheepish look, 5. inexplicable reason, 6. sluggish traffic, 7. hushed voices, 8. delighted expression.
Explanation: Adjectives describe nouns, and these word pairs naturally go together in English sentences.

Vocabulary Activity - "Guess the Word"

Question. Official rule that governs how something is done: R_G_L_T__N
Answer: Regulation
Explanation: A regulation is an official rule made by leaders to keep people safe and orderly.

Question. Acknowledge one's mistake: C_NF_SS
Answer: Confess
Explanation: To confess means to be honest and tell the truth about a mistake you made.

Question. A person who advises what to eat to keep fit: D_T_T_T_N
Answer: Dietitian
Explanation: A dietitian is a health professional who helps people choose good, nutritious meals.

Question. To not permit something: F_RB_D
Answer: Forbid
Explanation: To forbid means to make a strict rule saying that something must not be done.

Question. Replace the underlined word with a word similar in meaning from the extract: During the festival, people wore bright outfits that represented their culture.
Answer: dress (or garbs)
Explanation: 'Garbs' is an older word that means special clothes or outfits that people wear.

Question. Join or combine to form a single entity: F_S_
Answer: Fuse
Explanation: To fuse means to melt or stick different parts together into one single piece.

Question. Happening unexpectedly: _BR_PTLY
Answer: Abruptly
Explanation: Abruptly means happening very quickly without any warning.