NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Chapter 2 Children at Work

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English It so Happened Chapter 2 Children at Work

Comprehension Check

Question 1. Velu stood on the platform but he felt "as if he was still on a moving train". Why?

Answer

Velu stood on the platform but felt as if he was still on a moving train because his legs were still wobbly and shaky after the journey to Chennai. Usually, the effect of a moving train stays for some time after the end of the journey.

Question 2. What made him feel miserable?

Answer

Velu felt miserable and exhausted because he had run away from his village two days ago and had not eaten anything except some peanuts and a piece of jaggery for the last two days.

Question 3. (i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector's attention?

Answer

(i) Velu travelled without a ticket because he had no money to buy a ticket.

(ii) He escaped the ticket collector's attention because luckily the ticket collector did not come to the unreserved compartment.

Velu had run away from home because his father used to beat him everyday. His father would also spend the money earned by Velu and his sisters on drinking.

Question 5. Why did he decide to follow the 'strange' girl?

Answer

He decided to follow the 'strange' girl because he did not know where to go and what to do.


Question 1. Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?

Answer

Velu can only read Tamil but not English. He failed to read the signboards in English. However, he can read front. Velu read the Tamil sign, Central Jail.

Question 2. Do you think Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour? Find instances of her courage, kind nature and humour in the text.

Answer

Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with sense of humour. She was of Velu’e age. She was a ragpicker and knew how to live in the city. Jaya knew her way around Chennai, which is a fairly big city. She knew from where to find food. She knew that one has to be careful to not get caught by the police.

Jaya was also of a humorous nature. When she saw Velu sitting at the platform, she asked him if he was there to become rich. When Velu was not able to cross the road, she dragged him to the other side of the road and said “What do you think you're doing? Grazing cows? If you stand around in the middle of the road like that, you'll be chutney.”

Question 3. What one throws away as waste may be valuable to others. Do you find this sentence meaningful in the context of this story? How?

Answer

Yes, this story shows that what one throws away as waste might be valuable to others. The empty bottles, paper and items of plastic are thrown out by the people. The ragpickers earn their living by collecting them. Those who store rubbish become very rich people for them. The waste is valuable and a blessing for them and their life depends upon it.