CBSE Class 8 English The Magic Brush of Dreams Worksheet Set 01

Fill in the Blanks

Question. The Zamindar lies in his bed, ________ of his riches and gold.
Answer: dreaming
Explanation: The landlord loved money so much that he even saw piles of shiny gold while sleeping.

Question. At the end, Gopi rejoices with the villagers by painting a ________ of sweets and tea.
Answer: feast
Explanation: Gopi drew delicious treats and sweet tea so everyone could enjoy a big party together.

Question. The magic brush was given to Gopi with the rule that she should use it only for the ________.
Answer: poor
Explanation: The mysterious old man told Gopi to help needy families who had no food or clothes.

Question. Gopi leaps on the horse and ________ fast to escape from the jail.
Answer: gallops
Explanation: "Gallops" means the horse is running as fast as it can to get away from danger.

Question. The river painted by Gopi served as a ________ that halted the Zamindar and his men.
Answer: barrier
Explanation: The rushing river water blocked the road so the angry soldiers could not chase Gopi.

Question. Gopi paints a ________ for a grandmother in the town.
Answer: shawl
Explanation: A shawl is a cozy piece of wool wrapped around the shoulders to stay warm in the cold.

Question. When the Zamindar joins the story, the tone shifts to one of ________.
Answer: tension and suspense
Explanation: When the mean landlord enters, the story becomes scary and exciting because of the danger.

Question. The Zamindar tells his men to ________ the brush and the girl.
Answer: seize
Explanation: "Seize" means to grab something quickly and by force.

Question. Before receiving the magic brush, Gopi used a ________ to draw pictures in the sand.
Answer: twig
Explanation: Gopi was poor and had no pencils or paper, so she drew in the dirt with a small wooden stick.

Question. The poem mostly follows a basic rhyme scheme ________ which adds a rhythmic flow.
Answer: ABCB
Explanation: ABCB means that the second and fourth lines in each verse end with matching sounds.

True or False

Question. Gopi paints a scarf for a girl.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gopi painted a warm muffler for a hardworking farmer and a cooling fan for the young girl.

Question. The story ends with a celebration in the village after the Zamindar escapes.
Answer: True
Explanation: Once the scary landlord ran away, all the villagers celebrated happily together.

Question. Gopi agreed to paint treasures for the Zamindar after he warned her.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gopi was very brave and kept her promise, refusing to paint gold for the rich landlord.

Question. The Zamindar orders Gopi to paint a large fortress with treasures.
Answer: True
Explanation: The greedy landlord ordered Gopi to paint him a giant fortress filled with precious gems.

Question. The man with the magic brush gives Gopi a stick.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gopi already had a stick; the kind old man gave her a wonderful, magical paintbrush.

Question. The Zamindar uses the magic brush to assist the villagers.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Zamindar never got the brush; he only cared about gaining riches for himself.

Question. The magic paintbrush symbolises art’s strength to bring about change.
Answer: True
Explanation: Art and imagination can bring people together and help make the world a kinder place.

Question. Gopi stops painting once she flees from the Zamindar's men.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gopi kept painting useful items, food, and warm treats for her village friends.

Question. The tone of the poem changes from playful to suspenseful as the story unfolds.
Answer: True
Explanation: The poem starts with quiet drawing in the sand and becomes suspenseful when the landlord attacks.

Question. The man with the magic brush sits on a rock.
Answer: True
Explanation: The mysterious giver of the brush was sitting quietly on a big stone near the tree.

Question. Gopi uses the magic brush to paint for the wealthy.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gopi promised to use the paintbrush only for poor and needy people, never the rich.

Questions / Short Question Answers

Question. Who gave Gopi the magic brush and what did he instruct her?
Answer: A mysterious man sitting on a stone gave Gopi the magic brush and told her to paint only for the poor, not for the wealthy ones.
Explanation: The kind stranger trusted Gopi to use the magic brush only to help needy people.

Question. Why did the Zamindar desire Gopi's magic brush?
Answer: The Zamindar wanted to use the magic brush to get treasures, gold, jewels, and a grand fortress for himself.
Explanation: He was very greedy and wanted to use magical power to hoard giant piles of gold.

Question. What did Gopi do to break from imprisonment?
Answer: At night, Gopi painted a winding road and a strong horse, then rode away quickly to escape from the prison.
Explanation: She drew a real living horse inside her cell and rode it out into the open night.

Question. What stopped the Zamindar and his men from capturing Gopi?
Answer: Gopi used the magic brush to paint a wide, mighty river, which prevented the Zamindar and his men from following her further.
Explanation: The rushing river was too wide and deep for the bad men to cross over.

Question. What did Gopi paint for the people?
Answer: Gopi painted items the villagers needed, like a bowl of khichdi, a muffler, a plough, a shawl, and a fan, using the magic brush.
Explanation: She created practical things like food, warm clothing, and farming tools to help everyone.

Question. How does the poem “The Magic Brush of Dreams” showcase the theme of kindness?
Answer: The poem shows Gopi using the magic brush selflessly to help the poor and fulfill their needs. Her actions contrast with the Zamindar’s greed, bringing happiness and unity to the village.
Explanation: Gopi never kept anything for herself; she always thought about helping poor neighbors first.

Question. Explain the use of imagery in the poem, giving an example.
Answer: Imagery brings the poem to life by creating vivid mental pictures, such as “She paints a mighty river wide, Its currents fast and deep,” helping readers imagine the rushing water clearly.
Explanation: Imagery means using colorful words that help you see a movie inside your mind while reading.

Question. Describe how Gopi showed bravery when facing the Zamindar.
Answer: Gopi bravely refused the Zamindar’s orders to paint treasures, kept her promise, and threatened to paint a beast to scare him, showing courage and quick thinking.
Explanation: She stood tall, refused to break her promise, and outsmarted the angry landlord.

Question. In what way did the villagers react to Gopi’s magic brush? What does this reaction tell us about human nature?
Answer: The villagers were amazed, gathered excitedly, and celebrated Gopi’s kindness. Their reaction shows that people value generosity and find happiness in helpful, caring acts.
Explanation: People love and respect those who share their gifts and help others in need.

Question. How does the narrative structure of the poem help in conveying its moral?
Answer: The ballad style and sequence of events build suspense, highlight clear moral choices, and allow readers to connect with Gopi’s journey of kindness and justice.
Explanation: Telling the poem like a story makes it fun to follow while learning a great lesson.

Question. Assertion (A): The young and old villagers desire to see the magic brush.
Reason (R): The magic brush can create real objects out of paintings.
Answer: Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation: Villagers came running because they were thrilled to see drawings turn into real, usable things!

Question. Assertion (A): The Zamindar dreamt of the magic brush that Gopi possesses.
Reason (R): He is furious because he wants Gopi to use the magic brush to paint treasures for him so that he can become powerful.
Answer: (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Explanation: The landlord dreamt only of gold, but he got angry because Gopi refused to make him rich.

Question. Arrange the actions in order of occurrence in the poem.
Answer: 1. Gopi is told to gather food but instead sits drawing pictures in the sand.
2. A man gives a magic brush to Gopi to paint only for the poor.
3. Gopi paints a bowl of khichdi, which becomes real and amazes the villagers.
4. Gopi uses the magic brush to paint useful items for the villagers.
5. The Zamindar orders Gopi to paint treasures for him.
6. The Zamindar throws Gopi into prison.
7. Gopi paints a road and a horse to escape.
8. Gopi returns to the village with the Zamindar and his men chasing her.
9. Gopi paints a wide river, stopping the Zamindar and his men.
10. Gopi scares the Zamindar away and celebrates with the villagers.
Explanation: This list puts the main events in order from Gopi sitting in the sand to the final celebration.

Question. Give an example from the poem to show that it is full in imagery.
Answer: “She paints a mighty river wide, / Its currents fast and deep.” This line helps readers clearly picture the foaming, rushing water Gopi paints.
Explanation: These descriptive words help you picture the deep, rushing water blocking the road.

Question. What is the impact of repetition in the line – ‘On you and you and you!’?
Answer: It builds tension, emphasizes Gopi's warning, and scares the Zamindar's soldiers by showing she is ready to defend herself.
Explanation: Pointing at each enemy one by one made them feel terrified of the painted monster.

Question. What is the significance of the man placing the brush into Gopi's hand?
Answer: It symbolizes the transfer of a magical responsibility, showing that the man trusts Gopi's pure heart to help the poor.
Explanation: Giving the brush to Gopi shows that the old man chose her to bring goodness into the world.

Question. What is the most likely reason the man tells Gopi to 'Paint not for wealthy ones but only for the poor'?
Answer: He believes the brush should be used to relieve suffering and help the needy, not to satisfy the greed of the rich.
Explanation: Rich people already have enough, but poor people need basic food, tools, and clothing to survive.

Question. Select the most suitable title for the opening extract.
Answer: The Magic Brush's Secret
Explanation: The poem opens with the mysterious man sharing the secret rule of the paintbrush.

Question. Why does the news of Gopi's magic brush travel 'through forests, fields and plains'?
Answer: Because of the brush's extraordinary power to turn painted pictures into real, helpful objects for poor people.
Explanation: When something truly amazing happens, news travels quickly from village to village.

Question. Why does the poet describe things painted by Gopi's paintbrush as 'magic gains'?
Answer: Because whatever Gopi paints becomes real, providing poor villagers with valuable food and tools through magic.
Explanation: "Magic gains" refers to the helpful things poor people received through Gopi's magical art.

Question. What does the Zamindar's demand for a grand fortress and jewels show about his character?
Answer: It reveals his extreme greed, pride, and hunger for power, contrasting sharply with Gopi's selfless kindness.
Explanation: He did not care about poor people; he only cared about looking rich and powerful.

Question. Explain why Gopi made the right choice by refusing to paint for the Zamindar.
Answer: She made the right choice because she stayed faithful to her promise of helping only the poor, refusing to enable the landlord's greed.
Explanation: Standing up to bullies and keeping an honest promise is always the right thing to do.

Match the Following

Question. The verb 'draw' has different meanings in different situations. Match the sentences in Column 1 with their appropriate meanings in Column 2.

Answer:

Explanation: The word "draw" can mean pulling out paper, opening curtains, absorbing water, or getting a crowd's attention!

Vocabulary Activity - "Guess the Word"

Question. Guess the word from the poem that means 'a wild, dangerous, or scary animal'.
Answer: Beast
Explanation: A beast is a fierce, wild creature that frightens people away.

Question. Guess the word from the poem that means 'a feeling of unease or mild physical trouble'.
Answer: Discomfort
Explanation: Discomfort means not feeling cozy, such as having to sleep on a cold, muddy floor.

Question. Guess the word from the poem that means 'running very rapidly on horseback'.
Answer: Gallop
Explanation: A horse gallops when it runs forward as fast as its four legs can carry it.