Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Unit 1 Chapter 1.1 A Time To Believe Solutions

Std 8 English Lesson 1.1 A Time To Believe Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Class 8 English Chapter 1.1 A Time To Believe Textbook Questions and Answers

Warming Up:

Question 1. Think, choose and fill up the labels with what a 'sunrise' symbolizes. (jewellery / art / hope / birth / anger / new opportunities / good manners / inspiration/ new achievements / happiness / misery / bright moments / new aims / money / newsurprises)
Answer: A 'sunrise' symbolizes:
(i) hope
(ii) birth
(iii) new opportunities
(iv) inspiration
(v) new achievements
(vi) happiness
(vii) bright moments
(viii) new aims
(ix) new surprises
In simple words: A sunrise represents new beginnings, fresh chances, and positive feelings like hope and happiness, much like the start of a new day.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to identify symbols, think about the common associations and feelings evoked by the concept, and select words that align with those positive or negative connotations.

Question 1. List the positive concepts associated with the central idea shown in the diagram.
Answer: The diagram illustrates various positive concepts that can be associated with a central idea like hope or new beginnings. These concepts enrich life and provide motivation.

• inspiration
• new achievements
• new opportunities
• happiness
• birth
• bright moments
• hope
• new aims
• art
• jewellery
• money
• new surprises

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to list items from a visual, ensure you capture all distinct elements clearly and concisely.

Question 2. An acrostic is a poem or a write up in which the first letter of each line forms a word, when it is read vertically. Complete the acrostics of BELIEVE and FAITH.
Answer: An acrostic uses the letters of a word to start new lines, creating a poem or message. Here are the completed acrostics for BELIEVE and FAITH:
BELIEVE
B - Brave
E - Eager
L - Loyal
I - Inspired
E - Evolve
V - Victorious
E - Excellent

FAITH
F - Future
A - Always
I - In
T - Trust
H - Hope
In simple words: An acrostic uses each letter of a word to begin a new line, forming a related poem or phrase.

🎯 Exam Tip: When creating an acrostic, choose words that are relevant to the main word and try to make them positive or descriptive.

Question 1.A. Rearrange the letters to make meaningful words, occurring in the poem.
1. clearmis
2. sowmid
3. tabyue
4. madres
5. laveu
6. downre
Answer:
1. miracles
2. wisdom
3. beauty
4. dreams
5. value
6. wonder. These words are often found in poems, adding depth and imagery.
In simple words: You need to unscramble the given letters to find real words that fit the poem's theme.

🎯 Exam Tip: When rearranging letters, try to think of common words related to the topic (like a poem) and look for common letter combinations.

Question 1.B. Write words from the poem that describe the following.
1. sky
2. heart
3. hand
4. beginning
Answer: The specific descriptive words from the poem for each item are not provided in the source text. To answer this, one would need to refer to the actual poem.
In simple words: Find the words in the poem that tell us more about the sky, heart, hand, and beginning.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always refer back to the original poem or text to find the exact descriptive words used by the author to ensure accuracy.

Say Why.....

Question a. the sky has a magical quality.
Answer: The sky has a magical quality because it has scurrying clouds, twinkling stars and a beautiful moon. These elements combine to create a truly enchanting spectacle.
In simple words: The sky feels magical because of the moving clouds, sparkling stars, and the lovely moon.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining 'why', always connect the magical quality directly to specific elements mentioned in the poem or text, like clouds, stars, and the moon.

Question b. even an aging hand has beauty.
Answer: An aging hand has beauty because it can teach us how to love, showing wisdom and experience. It carries stories and lessons from a lifetime.
In simple words: An old hand is beautiful because it teaches us about love and life's experiences.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the deeper, symbolic meaning when asked about the beauty in something seemingly ordinary, like an aging hand, linking it to wisdom or emotion.

Question c. we should believe that we are strong and courageous.
Answer: We should believe that we are strong and courageous so that we can recover after we have gone through difficulties and shocks, and return to our normal lives again. This inner belief is crucial for resilience.
In simple words: We need to believe in our strength and courage to overcome tough times and get back to normal life.

🎯 Exam Tip: Emphasize resilience and the ability to bounce back from challenges when discussing the importance of self-belief in strength and courage.

Question 3. Make a list of any six things that the poet wants us to accept as true.
Answer: The poet wants us to accept as true the following things:

• that we have the strength and courage to get back to normal after a setback
• that we are never alone
• that life is a gift we must cherish
• that there are wonderful surprises in store for us
• that all our hopes and dreams are within reach
• that great things will happen if we have belief in life and in ourselves

🎯 Exam Tip: When listing points from a poem, ensure each point directly reflects the poet's message or theme, and use bullet points for clarity.

Question 4. Find from the poem, positive qualities to fill up the web.
Answer: The positive qualities from the poem are:

• strength
• courage
• to believe
• to cherish
• to pick up the pieces

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to fill a web or diagram, identify the central theme and list all related concepts or qualities mentioned in the source text.

Question 5. Read the lines below.
(A) 'To believe is to see angels dancing among the clouds'.
The above line contain a human characteristic 'dancing' given to something non human, 'angels'. The Figure of Speech used in the line is called 'Personification'.
(B) 'To believe is to know that
Everyday is a new beginning'.
(C) To believe is to know .......... life is a gift
Lines in poetry, such as the above, state a general truth and can be used as sayings or quotes etc. They contain the Figure of Speech called Epigram.
Epigram closely resembles a proverb.
Find from the poem three other examples of Epigram.
Answer:
In simple words: Epigrams are short, clever, and memorable statements that express a general truth or a witty observation.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify an epigram, look for concise, impactful statements that offer a universal truth or a clever twist of thought, often resembling proverbs.

(i) 'To believe is to find the strength and courage that lies within us.'
(ii) 'To believe is to know we are never alone, that life is a gift.'
(iii) 'To believe is to know that wonderful surprises are just waiting to happen.'
(These lines state a general truth.)

6. Divide the class into 5 groups. Each group can prepare a decorative chart / poster using an epigrammatic lines from the poem. You may use calligraphy / painting / or Paint programme on a computer. (With permission, put up these charts in your school.)

Class 8 English Chapter 1.1 A Time To Believe Additional Important Questions And Answers

Complete The Following:

Question 1. One should know and trust _____.
Answer: One should know and trust that every day is a new beginning, that miracles happen and dreams really do come true. This belief helps us face challenges with optimism.
In simple words: We should believe that each day brings new chances, and good things like miracles and dreams coming true are possible.

🎯 Exam Tip: When completing sentences, ensure your answer logically extends the given phrase and aligns with the theme of the poem or text.

Question 2. The two supernatural references in the second stanza _____.
Answer: The two supernatural references in the second stanza are to angels and to the man in the moon. These elements add a touch of wonder and magic to the poem.
In simple words: The poem mentions angels and the man in the moon as supernatural things in its second part.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify specific phrases or words that suggest supernatural elements directly from the text to ensure accuracy.

Activities Based On Poetic Devices/Vocabulary:

Question 1. Find out an example of Personification from the extract.
Answer:
In simple words: Personification is when you give human qualities to non-human things.

🎯 Exam Tip: To find personification, look for actions or feelings attributed to inanimate objects or abstract ideas in the poem.

Question 2. Pick out examples of Alliteration from the extract.
Answer:
(i) ... and the wisdom of the man in the moon'. (Repetition of the sound of the letter 'm'.) This repetition creates a musical effect in the line.
(ii) For it is through their teachings, we learn to love. (Repetition of the sound of the letters 't' and T.)
In simple words: Alliteration is when words close together start with the same sound, like 'man in the moon' or 'teachings, we learn to love'.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify alliteration, look for words that are near each other and begin with the same consonant sound. Remember to state the repeated sound clearly.

Question 3. Pick out an example of Repetition from the extract.
Answer: The words 'To believe is to ....' are repeated at the beginning of each stanza. This provides emphasis to the message in the poem and gives rhythm to the stanzas, making the central theme more memorable.
In simple words: Repetition is when a phrase or line is used multiple times, often at the start of sections, to make a point stronger and give the poem a good flow.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for repetition, identify the exact phrase or line that recurs and explain its effect on the poem's meaning or rhythm.

Complete The Following

Question 1. The two qualities that are needed to recover after a shocking event are ______.
Answer: strength and courage. These qualities are essential for resilience and moving forward.
In simple words: To get better after a bad experience, you need to be strong and brave.

🎯 Exam Tip: For fill-in-the-blank questions, choose words that directly and accurately complete the sentence based on the context provided.

Question 2. The poet advises everybody to ______.
Answer: have a positive attitude. A positive outlook helps in facing life's challenges.
In simple words: The poet tells everyone to stay positive.

🎯 Exam Tip: When completing sentences about advice, focus on the core message or moral conveyed by the author or poet.

Complex Factual Activities

Question 1. Explain why .... .... we should believe that we are strong and courageous,
Answer: We should believe that we are strong and courageous because this belief empowers us to face challenges and overcome obstacles in life. It helps build resilience and self-confidence, allowing us to achieve our goals.
In simple words: Believing you are strong and brave helps you tackle problems and feel good about yourself.

🎯 Exam Tip: For 'explain why' questions, always provide a reason that connects directly to the statement and its positive outcome or significance.

Activities Based On Poetic Devices/Vocabulary

Question 1. Rearrange the letters to form meaningful words occurring in the extract.
1. gearuoc
2. rissupser
3. gnehtrts
4. irehchs
Answer:
1. courage
2. surprises
3. strength
4. cherish. These words help convey the poem's central themes of resilience and hope.
In simple words: We need to unscramble the mixed-up letters to find the correct words from the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: When rearranging letters, look for common prefixes, suffixes, and root words to help identify the correct word quickly.

Question 2. Write word from the extract that describe the following : surprises
Answer: wonderful surprises. The poem often uses descriptive words to enhance imagery.
In simple words: Find the word in the poem that tells us more about the "surprises."

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to adjectives used before nouns in the text, as they often serve as descriptive words.

Question 3. Pick out an example of Metaphor from the extract.
Answer: 'That life is a gift.' Life is implicitly compared to a gift, suggesting its precious and valuable nature without using 'like' or 'as'.
In simple words: A metaphor compares two unlike things directly, saying one *is* the other, like saying "life is a gift."

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that a metaphor makes a direct comparison without using 'like' or 'as', unlike a simile. Look for statements where one thing is declared to be another.

Question 4. Pick out an example of Repetition from the extract.
Answer: [The example of repetition from the extract is not provided in the source text.]
In simple words: Look for words or phrases that are repeated multiple times in the poem to emphasize a point.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify repetition, read through the poem specifically looking for words, phrases, or even entire lines that appear more than once. This technique is often used for emphasis or rhythm.

Question 5. Analysis/Appreciation Of The Poem 'A Time To Believe'
Answer: Poem and poet: 'A Time to Believe' by B.J. Morbitzer. Theme: To believe in ourselves and to have a positive and optimistic attitude towards life. Tone: Serious and inspirational. Structure and stanzas: 4 lines in each stanza, except in the last stanza, which has 5 lines. Rhyme and Rhythm: No rhyme scheme; the poem is written in free verse. Language and Imagery: The language is simple and direct. The only instances of Imagery are of 'angels dancing among the clouds' and the 'stardust sky'. Figures of Speech: Personification, Epigram, Repetition, Metaphor. This comprehensive analysis helps in understanding the poem's deeper meaning and artistic elements.
In simple words: This answer breaks down the poem by identifying its author, main idea, mood, structure, rhyme, language, and literary devices, giving a complete overview of its artistic qualities.

🎯 Exam Tip: When appreciating a poem, always cover key aspects like poet, theme, tone, structure, rhyme, language, and figures of speech to ensure a complete answer.