Samacheer Kalvi Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4 Crossing the River

Read and Understand: (Text Book Page No. 116)

A. Match the Following.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always understand the meaning of each word in Column A and then find its closest or correct match in Column B. This helps avoid common errors.

B. Fill in the Blanks: (Text Book Page No. 117)

Question 1. Pundit have many …………… and ……………
Answer: The Pundit had many disciples and admirers. They often looked up to him for his wisdom and teachings.
In simple words: The Pundit had lots of followers and people who liked him.

🎯 Exam Tip: When filling in blanks, consider words that fit both the meaning of the sentence and the grammatical structure.

Question 2. Moti is a poor ……………
Answer: Moti was a poor milkmaid. She worked hard every day to provide milk for her living.
In simple words: Moti was a poor girl who sold milk.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to the role characters play in the story, as this often gives clues for descriptive blanks.

Question 3. The milkmaid discharged her duties ……………
Answer: The milkmaid carried out her duties faithfully. She always did her work with dedication and honesty, no matter what.
In simple words: The milkmaid always did her job truly and well.

🎯 Exam Tip: Words like 'faithfully' describe how someone performs a task, often showing their character traits.

Question 4. Moti feels it as a …………… to serve the great pundit.
Answer: Moti felt it was a great privilege to serve the great pundit. She was honored to help such an important and respected person.
In simple words: Moti felt it was a special honor to serve the pundit.

🎯 Exam Tip: Look for words that express a sense of honor or special opportunity when characters interact with respected figures.

Question 5. The pundit was an …………… speaker.
Answer: The pundit was an eloquent speaker. He spoke very well and persuasively, which made his talks interesting and impactful.
In simple words: The pundit spoke very clearly and beautifully.

🎯 Exam Tip: 'Eloquent' describes someone who speaks fluently and persuasively, often used for powerful speakers.

Question 6. Moti assured to give the milk at the dawn ……………
Answer: Moti promised to deliver the milk before sunrise. She made sure the pundit would have it very early in the morning for his ritual.
In simple words: Moti promised to bring the milk before the sun came up.

🎯 Exam Tip: Context clues, such as the pundit needing milk for a ritual, help determine the correct time frame.

C. Answer the Following:

Question 1. What was the pundit's discourse about?
Answer: The pundit's talks were about God, Truth, and other complicated topics. He often discussed deep spiritual ideas that were difficult for most people to understand.
In simple words: The pundit talked about God, truth, and deep, hard-to-understand things.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a discourse, mention the main themes or subjects discussed to give a complete answer.

Question 2. Why did Moti, the milkmaid, feel happy?
Answer: Moti, the milkmaid, felt very happy because she thought it was a great honor to serve such a respected pundit. She was proud to help him with his daily needs.
In simple words: Moti was happy because she felt it was a big honor to serve the pundit.

🎯 Exam Tip: Connect a character's emotions to the reasons behind them, as this shows understanding of their motivation.

Question 3. What was the resolution of Moti?
Answer: Moti's decision was that she would always do her duty, even if the landlord did not pay her for the milk or her hard work. She was committed to her task, regardless of payment.
In simple words: Moti decided she would always do her job, even if she wasn't paid.

🎯 Exam Tip: A "resolution" refers to a firm decision or promise, so clearly state what Moti decided to do.

Question 4. Give a reason for the pundit to ask for the milk at dawn.
Answer: The pundit needed the milk at dawn because he was performing a special religious ritual that required it. Many such rituals have specific timings and ingredients.
In simple words: The pundit needed milk very early for a religious ceremony he was doing.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always provide the specific reason mentioned in the text, linking the action (asking for milk) to its cause (ritual).

Question 5. Why did Moti come late on the first day of the ritual?
Answer: Moti came late on the first day of the ritual because the boatman did not come early enough. Even though she had told him she needed to cross the river quickly, he was not there at dawn.
In simple words: Moti was late because the boatman did not come early enough, even after she told him she needed to cross the river quickly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure your answer directly addresses the "why" in the question, stating the cause of Moti's delay.

Question 6. Mention an incident that shows the naivety of Moti.
Answer: Moti's innocence is shown when she believed the pundit's playful words about crossing the river by simply saying Lord Vishnu's name. She actually walked across the river without a boat, showing her simple faith and trust.
In simple words: Moti's simple nature is clear when she believed she could cross the river just by saying Vishnu's name, and she actually did it.

🎯 Exam Tip: "Naivety" means innocence or lack of experience; highlight an event where Moti shows simple, unquestioning belief.

Question 7. How did the milkmaid cross the river?
Answer: The milkmaid crossed the river by simply saying the name of Lord Vishnu and then walking across it. Her deep faith in the pundit's words enabled her to perform this feat.
In simple words: She just said Lord Vishnu's name and walked over the river.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly state the method Moti used to cross the river, connecting it to her faith as explained in the story.

Question 8. What was the secret shared by pundit to milkmaid?
Answer: The pundit jokingly told Moti that anyone could cross even the "ocean of life" by saying Lord Vishnu's name. This was the spiritual 'secret' he shared, not expecting her to take it literally.
In simple words: The pundit told Moti that saying Lord Vishnu's name could help one cross any difficulty, even a big "ocean of life."

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain both the literal content of the "secret" and the context that it was shared playfully by the pundit.

Question 9. How did the pundit appreciate the milkmaid? Who else did he convey his thanks for?
Answer: The pundit praised the milkmaid for her hard work: waking up early, milking the cow, and delivering the milk at dawn. He also asked her to thank the boatman for his timely help.
In simple words: The pundit thanked the milkmaid for getting up early and bringing the milk. He also asked her to thank the boatman.

🎯 Exam Tip: List all the ways the pundit showed appreciation and remember to include everyone he thanked.

Question 10. Why did the pundit faint at the end of the story?
Answer: The pundit fainted because he saw Moti, the milkmaid, easily crossing the river by just walking over it. He was utterly shocked and surprised by what he witnessed, as it defied logic.
In simple words: The pundit fainted because he was so surprised to see Moti easily walk across the river.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the element of surprise and disbelief as the primary reason for the pundit's reaction.

D. Identify the Speaker:

Question 1. "But I apply the secret?"
Answer: Moti was the speaker. She asked this when she wasn't sure if she, too, could use the pundit's "secret" to cross the river.
In simple words: Moti said this, wondering if she could use the special words.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify the speaker, recall who would logically say these words in the context of the story's events.

Question 2. "Tell the boatman how pleased I am with him."
Answer: The Pundit was the speaker. He wanted the boatman to know he was happy with his service, especially because he helped Moti.
In simple words: The Pundit said this, wanting the boatman to know he was happy.

🎯 Exam Tip: Consider who would express gratitude or give instructions about a third party in the story.

Step to Success (Text Book Page No. 117)

A. Select the Correct Option to Fill in the Blanks.

Question 1. As I __________ in the rain for the bus to arrive, it appeared as __________ it would not arrive, __________ it took all my patience.
(a) weighted, though, so
(b) wetted, if, so
(c) waited, though, till
Answer: (c) waited, though, till
In simple words: The sentence talks about someone waiting in the rain for a bus. The words 'waited', 'though', and 'till' fit best to complete the idea of waiting patiently.

🎯 Exam Tip: Read the entire sentence with each set of options. The correct set will make the sentence grammatically correct and logically meaningful.

B. Select an Option That Correctly Forms the 2nd Pair Similar to the 1st.

Question 1. Bread: Yeast: : Curd :?
(a) Germs
(b) Bacteria
(c) Fungi
(d) Virus
Answer: (b) Bacteria
In simple words: Yeast is used to make bread (it helps it rise). In the same way, bacteria are used to make curd from milk.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify the relationship between the first pair (e.g., ingredient, cause-effect) and apply the same relationship to find the missing word in the second pair.

Question 2. Fungi: Fungus :: Species: ?
(a) Specey
(b) Specy
(c) Specie
(d) Species
Answer: (d) Species
In simple words: 'Fungi' is the plural of 'Fungus'. Similarly, 'Species' is a word that can be both singular and plural, meaning one species or many species.

🎯 Exam Tip: This question tests your knowledge of singular and plural forms, especially for words that have irregular or identical plural forms.

Question 3. Throw: Worth :: Tide: ?
(a) Water
(b) Ocean
(c) Edit
(d) Sea
Answer: (c) Edit
In simple words: If you rearrange the letters of 'Throw', you can get 'Worth'. In the same way, if you rearrange the letters of 'Tide', you can get 'Edit'.

🎯 Exam Tip: For word puzzles like this, consider if the words are anagrams (letters rearranged) or if they have a relationship like synonyms or antonyms.

Question 4. Lion: Forest: : Otter : ?
(a) Cage
(b) Water
(c) The Alps
(d) Burrow
Answer: (b) Water
In simple words: A lion lives in a forest. Similarly, an otter lives in water, as it is a semi-aquatic animal.

🎯 Exam Tip: This analogy asks for the habitat of the animal. Think about where each animal naturally lives to find the correct match.

Connecting to Self (Text Book Page No. 118)

Question. Put tick (✓) for do's and cross (✗) for don'ts.
Answer:
(✓) Avoid littering in ponds and water resources.
(✗) Using detergents and cleaners that are not environment friendly.
(✗) Throwing chemicals or liquids.
(✓) Save the rain water.
(✓) Not disposing of animal or fish entrails in or around fresh water resources.
(✗) Mixing sudsy water into fresh water resources.
In simple words: This question asks us to identify good habits for protecting water (do's) and bad habits that harm water (don'ts). We mark the good actions with a tick and the harmful actions with a cross.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always think about the positive and negative impacts of actions on the environment to correctly classify them as "do's" or "don'ts."

Crossing the River Summary in English

Moti, a poor milkmaid, used to supply milk to the household of a celebrated Pundit. Usually, she would cross the river with the help of a ferry boat. When the Pundit needed milk before dawn for a special ritual, the boatman could not come that early, which puzzled Moti. Jocularly, the Pundit told her that she could cross even the ocean by uttering the name of Lord Vishnu. Moti believed it and also crossed the river on foot without a boat. The Pundit looked at her with surprise, marveling at her simple faith.

Crossing the River Summary in Tamil

மோதி என்ற எளிய பால்காரி, புகழ் பெற்ற பண்டிதர் இல்லத்திற்கு வழக்கமாய் பால் கொணர்வாள். ஆற்றை படகில் கடந்து வருவாள். பண்டிதர் ஒரு விசேஷ பூஜை செய்வதற்காக அதிகாலையிலேயே பால் வேண்டும் என்றார். படகுகாரன் அதிகாலையில் வரமாட்டான் என்பதை பண்டிதரிடம் கூறினாள். அதைக் கேட்ட பண்டிதர், விளையாட்டாக விஷ்ணுவின் நாமத்தைச் சொல்லிக்கொண்டு கடலையும் கடக்கலாம் என்றார். மோதி, அதனை நம்பி ஏற்று அதேபோல் விஷ்ணுவின் நாமத்தைக் கூறிக்கொண்டு படகு இல்லாது நடந்தே ஆற்றைக் கடந்தாள். அதை அப்பண்டிதர் ஆச்சரியத்துடன் கண்டு வியந்தார்.

Crossing the River About the Author in English

Manoj Das (born 1934) is an award-winning Indian author who writes in Odia and English. In 2000, Manoj Das was awarded Saraswati Samman. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2001, the fourth highest Civilian Award in India for his contribution in the field of Literature and Education. Kendra Sahitya Akademi has bestowed its highest award i.e. Sahitya Akademi Award Fellowship. His deeper quest led him to mysticism and he has been an inmate of Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry since 1963.

Crossing the River About the Author in Tamil

மனோஜ் தாஸ் 1934ல் பிறந்தார். விருது பெறும் இந்திய எழுத்தாளர். ஒரிய மொழியிலும் ஆங்கிலத்திலும் எழுதக்கூடியவர். 2000ஆம் ஆண்டு, மனோஜ் தாஸ் சரஸ்வதி சமான் என்ற விருதினைப் பெற்றார். 2001ஆம் ஆண்டு, பத்ம ஸ்ரீ விருது பெற்றார். இந்த விருது இந்திய குடிமக்களுக்குரிய விருதுகளில் நான்காம் இடத்தில் உள்ள உயரிய விருதாகும். இலக்கியம் மற்றும் கல்வி போன்ற துறைகளில் இவரது பங்களிப்புகளுக்காக வழங்கப்பட்டது. கேந்திரிய சாகித்ய அகாடமியின் உயர்ந்த விருதான சாகித்திய அகாடெமியின் தோழமை விருது வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவரது ஆழ்ந்த தேடல் இவரை ஆன்மீகத்தில் கண்டறியப்படாத விஷயங்களை நோக்கி இவரை உந்தியுள்ளது. எனவே இவர் புதுச்சேரியில் உள்ள ஸ்ரீ அரபிந்தோ ஆசிரமம் சென்று 1963 முதல் தங்கியுள்ளார்.