Class 8: English, Lesson – 9 : Summer Friends
Lesson 9: Summer Friends
(Mary Lamb)
বঙ্গানুবাদ (Bengali Translation)
আবাবিল (Swallow) হলো গ্রীষ্মের পাখি;
আমাদের চিমনির মধ্যে, যখন আবহাওয়া
চমৎকার ও উষ্ণ থাকে, তখন তাকে
সপ্তাহের পর সপ্তাহ ধরে কিচিরমিচির গান গাইতে শোনা যায়।
কিন্তু যেই মাত্র একটা হাড়কাঁপানো শীতের দিন আসে,
আমাদের অতিথি আবাবিল উড়ে পালিয়ে যায়:
এবং অনেকটা তার মতোই আমরা সেই পথ খুঁজে পাই
যা অনেক হাসিখুশি তরুণ বন্ধু অনুসরণ করে। (অর্থাৎ সুসময়ের বন্ধুরা দুঃসময়ে চলে যায়)
বরফ ও তুষারের বিষণ্ণ দিনগুলিতে
মানুষের আরও কাছাকাছি ঘেঁষে থাকে চড়ুই পাখি (Sparrow):
পুরনো বন্ধুরা, যদিও জীবনে আমরা বিচ্ছিন্ন হই বা কষ্টের মুখোমুখি হই,
তাদের হৃদয় আমাদের জন্য কখনো সংকুচিত হয় না (তাদের ভালোবাসা কমে না)।
আমাকে সেই পাখি দাও—আমাকে সেই বন্ধু দাও—
যে শীতে গান গাইবে—যে দুঃখে ভালোবাসবে—
আজ যাই দুর্ভাগ্য আসুক না কেন,
কাল সে তার দেখা দিয়ে আমাকে স্বাগত জানাবে।
শব্দার্থ (Word Nest) [Page 86]
| Word | Meaning (Bengali) |
|---|---|
| gay | happy (হাসিখুশি / আনন্দিত) |
| dreary | dull (বিষণ্ণ / নিরানন্দ) |
| cling | to remain emotionally attached (আঁকড়ে থাকা / ঘেঁষে থাকা) |
| crost | separated (বিচ্ছিন্ন) |
| mischance | misfortune (দুর্ভাগ্য) |
Activity 1 [Page 86]
Tick the correct alternative:
(i) The swallow comes to the poet in — (b) summer
(ii) Many young friends follow the behaviour of the — (c) swallow
(iii) The sparrow accompanies the poet in times of — (a) snow and frost
(iv) The poet wants a friend who will be like — (b) sparrow
Activity 2 [Page 86]
Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) The swallow chirps for weeks together when the weather is fine and warm.
(b) In a cold day the swallow flies away / will fly away.
(c) Even when old friends are separated, their hearts to us will never narrow.
(d) The poet wishes for a bird that will sing in frost and love in sorrow.
Activity 3 [Page 86]
Q: Why do you think the swallow leaves the poet during the winter season?
Activity 4 [Page 87]
Fill in the following chart with information from the text:
| Who | Does what | When |
|---|---|---|
| (i) The Swallow | chirping his notes | the weather is fine and warm |
| (ii) The sparrow | clings closer to man | in dreary days of snow and frost |
| (iii) Old friends | their hearts will never narrow | although in life we’re crost |
| (iv) A true friend of the poet | will greet her with his sight tomorrow | the poet had mischance |
Activity 5 [Page 87]
Answer the following questions:
(a) What does the swallow do in summer?
Ans: In summer, when the weather is fine and warm, the swallow stays in the chimney and chirps his notes for weeks together.
(b) How is the behaviour of a “gay young friend” similar to that of the swallow?
Ans: Like the swallow which flies away in winter, a “gay young friend” stays during good times but leaves when hard times or misfortune comes.
(c) What type of a friend does the poet want?
Ans: The poet wants a friend like the sparrow, who will not leave in difficult times but will sing in frost and love in sorrow.
(d) Whom does the poet like—the swallow or the sparrow? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: The poet likes the sparrow because it stays closer to man even in dull, snowy days of winter, proving to be a faithful friend unlike the swallow.
Activity 6(a) [Page 87]
Read the following sentences. Identify Noun clauses, Adjective clauses and Adverb clauses and fill in the chart given below:
| Noun clause | Adjective clause | Adverb clause |
|---|---|---|
| (i) that I shall get a prize | (ii) which has a yellow handle | (iii) When I was younger |
| – | (iv) where I was born | – |
Activity 6(b) [Page 88]
Change the following sentences into indirect speech:
(i) The sailor said to us, “There will be a storm”.
Ans: The sailor told us that there would be a storm.
(ii) The teacher said to the student, “Did you come to school yesterday?”
Ans: The teacher asked the student if he had come to school the previous day.
(iii) The tired guest said to the host, “Please give me a glass of cold water.”
Ans: The tired guest requested the host to give him a glass of cold water.
(iv) Rita said, “How happy I am!”
Ans: Rita exclaimed that she was very happy.
(v) My grandfather said, “May you live long!”
Ans: My grandfather prayed (or wished) that I might live long.
Activity 7 [Page 88]
Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
(a) guest: The guest arrived late at night.
(b) dreary: The sky looks dreary on a rainy day.
(c) narrow: The road to the village is very narrow.
(d) mischance: By some mischance, he missed the train.
Activity 8(a) [Page 88]
Write a short story in about eighty words using the following hints:
a farmer finds a snake almost dead with cold—brings it home—warms it—saves its life—the snake is about to bite the farmer’s son—the farmer chases away the snake
The Farmer and the Snake
Once a farmer was returning home on a cold winter day. He saw a snake lying on the road, almost dead with cold. The kind farmer felt pity for it. He brought it home and placed it near the fire to warm it. Slowly, the snake got its life back. But as soon as it recovered, it tried to bite the farmer’s son who was playing nearby. The farmer got angry and chased the ungrateful snake away.
Activity 8(b) [Page 88]
Suppose you have a bird that talks and plays with you. Write a paragraph in about eighty words on how you spent a day with the bird during your summer vacation.
During my summer vacation, I spent a memorable day with my pet parrot, Mithu. Mithu can talk and mimic voices. In the morning, I fed him fresh green chillies and fruits. He kept saying “Good Morning” which was very funny. In the afternoon, we played in my room. He sat on my shoulder and we watched cartoons together. When my mother scolded me for not studying, Mithu copied her tone and made us all laugh. It was a day full of joy.
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