CBSE Class 8 English Somebody’s Mother Worksheet Set 03

Fill in the Blanks

Question. The boy wished someone would help his ________ if she were ever in need.
Answer: mother
Explanation: He hoped a gentle person would help his own mother when she grew old.

Question. The poet uses the phrase “Somebody’s mother” to show that every elderly person is ______ to someone.
Answer: dear
Explanation: Even if an old person is a stranger to us, they are deeply loved by their own family.

Question. The woman stood at the crossing because she was feeling ________.
Answer: timid
Explanation: She felt very nervous and scared to cross the dangerous road by herself.

Question. The poem likens the boys to a flock of ________.
Answer: sheep
Explanation: The schoolboys ran out in a big, noisy crowd just like playful sheep in a field.

Question. The kind boy hoped that someone would help his ______ if she was old and lonely.
Answer: mother
Explanation: He wished that another kind child would hold his mother's hand when she was old.

Question. The poem teaches the values of ________.
Answer: kindness
Explanation: It teaches us that helping people in trouble is the right and sweet thing to do.

Question. The boy who assisted the woman was the ________ of all the group.
Answer: gayest
Explanation: 'Gayest' here means that he was the most cheerful, happy, and lively boy.

Question. The street was wet with a ______ snow, making it hard for the old woman to cross.
Answer: recent
Explanation: Fresh snow had just fallen and melted on the ground, making the stones slippery.

Question. The children passed the old woman and did not ________ her worried eyes.
Answer: heed
Explanation: 'Heed' means to pay attention. The running boys did not notice that she was scared.

Question. The woman was fearful of the ________ in the slippery street.
Answer: carriage wheels
Explanation: Heavy carts were moving fast on the ice, and she was afraid of getting hurt.

Question. The old woman was afraid to cross the crowded and ______ street by herself.
Answer: slippery
Explanation: The wet snow made it very easy to slip, so she was scared to take a step.

Question. The woman was shown as being ________ and slow.
Answer: aged
Explanation: 'Aged' means she was very old, so her legs were weak and moved with slow steps.

Question. The poem ends with the woman offering a ________ for the boy.
Answer: prayer
Explanation: Before going to sleep, she thanked God and asked Him to bless the polite boy.

Question. The boy whispered, “I’ll help you ________, if you wish to go.”
Answer: cross
Explanation: The polite boy offered his strong arm to guide her to the other side.

True or False

Question. The phrase “came the boys like a flock of sheep” is an instance of a simile.
Answer: True
Explanation: When we compare two things using the word 'like', it is called a simile.

Question. The woman was old and smartly-dressed when she was at the crossing.
Answer: False
Explanation: Her clothes were old, torn, and ragged, not smart or fine.

Question. The boy wished someone would help his own mother if she were ever old and poor.
Answer: True
Explanation: He helped the poor lady because he wanted people to care for his own mother one day.

Question. The poem “Somebody’s Mother” is chiefly about adventure and courage.
Answer: False
Explanation: The poem is mainly about kindness, sympathy, and helping elders.

Question. The schoolboys came down the street with laughter and cheers.
Answer: True
Explanation: School was over for the day, so the children were shouting and laughing happily.

Question. The boy told his friends that he was anxious about the old woman’s safety after helping her.
Answer: False
Explanation: He was glad, proud, and happy that he had led her safely across.

Question. The boy in the poem helped the woman without demanding anything in return.
Answer: True
Explanation: He helped her purely out of love and goodness, without asking for any reward.

Question. The old woman was called “meek” and “timid.”
Answer: True
Explanation: She stood very quietly and felt shy and scared to cross the road alone.

Question. After helping the woman, the boy returned to his friends feeling unhappy.
Answer: False
Explanation: His young heart felt warm and joyful because he did a wonderful deed.

Question. The woman in the poem was promptly helped by many people.
Answer: False
Explanation: Many people walked past without looking at her; only one boy stopped.

Question. The old woman was scared of being crowded down by carriage wheels or horses’ feet.
Answer: True
Explanation: She was afraid that the fast carriages and horses would knock her down on the snow.

Question. The poem is composed in couplets, with two lines in each stanza.
Answer: True
Explanation: The poem is written in pairs of rhyming lines called couplets.

Question. The old woman’s feet were mentioned as “aged and slow.”
Answer: True
Explanation: The poem says her feet were old and moved with slow, unsteady steps.

Question. The snow piled white and deep on the street made it simpler for the old woman to cross.
Answer: False
Explanation: Deep, cold snow made the road slippery and very dangerous for her to walk on.

Questions / Short Question Answers

Question. What thought does the boy express to his friends after helping the old woman?
Answer: The boy tells his friends that the woman is “somebody’s mother” and hopes someone will also help his mother if she is ever old, poor, or alone when he is far away, reflecting empathy and care for others.
Explanation: He told them that every elder is someone's dear mother, and he hoped someone would help his own mother too.

Question. Assertion (A): The old woman stood at the crossing for a long time without moving. Reason (R): She was waiting for someone to help her cross securely.
Answer: Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation: She was weak and afraid of falling on the ice, so she stood still until a kind person came to help.

Question. What does the word “ragged” signify in the poem?
Answer: “Ragged” means old and torn, especially referring to shabby clothes, highlighting the woman's poor condition.
Explanation: It means her clothes were old, thin, and torn because she was poor.

Question. How does the poet portray the helplessness of the old woman in the poem?
Answer: The poet describes the old woman as being “old and ragged and grey,” “bent with the chill,” “alone, uncared for, amid the throng.” She waits long at the crossing, anxious and unable to cross the busy slippery street by herself.
Explanation: The poet shows her shivering in the cold wind, all alone in a crowd, too scared to step onto the wet street.

Question. Name the author of “Somebody’s Mother.”
Answer: Mary Dow Brine is the poet who wrote “Somebody’s Mother.”
Explanation: Mary Dow Brine wrote this story in verse to teach children how to care for elders.

Question. Assertion (A): None of the children helped the old woman because they did not notice her. Reason (R): The boys were too occupied playing and enjoying the snow.
Answer: Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation: The school children were having so much fun laughing and running in the snow that they did not see her.

Question. Why was the old woman waiting at the crossing?
Answer: The old woman stood at the crossing because she was afraid to cross the slippery street alone.
Explanation: She was scared that the rushing horses and slippery ice would make her fall.

Question. Why did none of the other children assist the old woman?
Answer: The other children were eager to enjoy their freedom when school let out and hurried past her without noticing her anxious glance. They were busy playing and did not offer help, unlike the kind boy.
Explanation: The other boys rushed home to play in the fresh snow, so they did not stop to help.

Question. Who aided the old woman in the poem?
Answer: A kind young schoolboy helped the old woman cross the street safely.
Explanation: A cheerful young schoolboy paused his game and held her arm safely across the road.

Question. Give one example of imagery from the poem.
Answer: An example of imagery is the description, “The street was wet with a recent snow and the woman’s feet were aged and slow.” This line creates a vivid picture of the cold and slippery street and the woman’s difficulty in walking.
Explanation: These words help us imagine the wet, shiny snow and the lady's slow, shivering footsteps.