Class 8 English Chapter 2 Values and Dispositions (New Course)

Key Concept: Imagery, Theme

b) A cold and slippery urban street
[Solution Description]
The line uses visual imagery to describe a cold and slippery street after recent snowfall. This sets a harsh and challenging environment, emphasizing the difficulty faced by the elderly woman.

Key Concept: Writing vs. Communication

b) Letters can be stored and re-read, providing long-term joy.
[Solution Description]
The passage states that while telephone communication offers immediate but fleeting joy, writing letters conveys present concerns and views, becoming a treasured possession that can be re-read over the years with abiding pleasure.

Key Concept: Birsa Munda’s Leadership, Tribal Resistance

c) To reclaim tribal land rights and prevent exploitation by British policies
[Solution Description]
Birsa Munda opposed British colonial rule primarily due to the exploitation of tribal lands and resources. The British disrupted traditional tribal governance and imposed oppressive policies, leading to economic hardship for the tribal communities. Birsa envisioned a self-governed tribal society free from external control.

Key Concept: Poetic Devices

b) Simile
[Solution Description]
The line uses a simile, comparing the group of boys to a flock of sheep using the word “like.” This comparison suggests their collective movement and playful, carefree behavior, contrasting with the solitary old woman’s helplessness.

Key Concept: Military Operation Details

c) Assault on Point 4875
[Solution Description]
The syllabus states that after capturing Point 5140, 13 JAK RIF was tasked to capture Point 4875. On 07 July 1999, Captain Batra led this assault where he killed five enemy soldiers at point blank range while sustaining fatal injuries himself.

Key Concept: Theme

c) Kindness and empathy.
[Solution Description]
The main theme of the poem is kindness and empathy. It highlights how small acts of kindness can make a significant difference in someone’s life, emphasizing the importance of helping others selflessly.

Key Concept: Values Influencing Verghese Kurien

c) Values inherited from family and mentor Tribhuvandas Patel.
[Solution Description]
Verghese Kurien attributed his contributions to the values he inherited from his parents and family elders, as well as those he observed in his mentor, Tribhuvandas Patel. These values included service, humility, and commitment to the welfare of others, which guided his choice to work for the dairy farmers.

Key Concept: Bravery, Leadership

c) His decision to stand firm despite injuries motivated his men in a desperate situation
[Solution Description]
Major Sharma demonstrated exceptional leadership by continuing to command his troops despite being injured and vastly outnumbered. His refusal to withdraw inspired his men to fight valiantly against overwhelming odds, buying critical time for reinforcements to arrive and ultimately saving Srinagar from falling into enemy hands.

Key Concept: Idioms and Analogies

c) proud
[Solution Description]
The analogy compares attributes—where “somebody’s mother” is described as “aged,” so “somebody’s son” should be matched with a characteristic from the poem. The boy is described as “proud and happy.”

Key Concept: Empathy, Contrast

d) By highlighting the indifference of others against the boy’s kindness
[Solution Description]
The poet contrasts the boy’s compassionate actions with the indifference of his peers. While the other boys “passed her by,” laughing and playing, the protagonist stops to help the woman. This juxtaposition underscores the rarity and value of empathy, making the boy’s kindness stand out as an example of humanity.

Key Concept: Param Vir Chakra, Battle of Badgam

d) His citation includes simultaneous leadership, battlefield communication and ultimate sacrifice
[Solution Description]
Major Somnath Sharma’s PVC was unique because he led a small company against overwhelming odds (700 enemy troops), continued fighting after being injured, and kept radioing critical updates while under fire until his death by mortar shell. These simultaneous actions of leadership, communication under duress, and ultimate sacrifice make his case distinctive.

Key Concept: Outcome & Recognition

c) His resistance delayed the enemy, saving Srinagar.
[Solution Description]
His heroic stand delayed the enemy advance for six hours, allowing reinforcements to arrive, which saved Srinagar. His sacrifice inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy (over 300) and earned him the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Key Concept: Indo-Pakistan War 1947-48, Operation Gulmarg

b) To annex the Kashmir Valley by capturing strategic locations
[Solution Description]
The primary objective of Operation Gulmarg was to annex the Kashmir Valley by capturing strategic locations like Srinagar airport and controlling mountain passes, peaks, and rivers. This operation involved training and equipping tribal invaders to engineer a revolt in Kashmir.

Key Concept: Integrity

d) Written words provide lasting value and deeper understanding

[Solution Description]

Kurien contrasts fleeting phone conversations with lasting written communication. He values how letters become treasured possessions that can be revisited years later, providing deeper understanding – showing his integrity in valuing meaningful, lasting communication.

Key Concept: Purpose of Writing

c) Written words provide an enduring record that can be revisited
[Solution Description]
Verghese Kurien explicitly states in the letter that writing provides a lasting record of thoughts and experiences, unlike fleeting phone conversations. He mentions that the written word can be treasured and revisited later for deeper understanding, which aligns perfectly with the correct option.

Key Concept: Message of Selfless Service

c) Collective efforts and integrity lead to lasting societal progress.
[Solution Description]
Dr. Kurien stresses that selfless service creates a long-term impact on society. His dedication to farmers’ welfare shows how choosing a purposeful life over personal gains can uplift communities. He acknowledges the support of those around him, like his wife and mentors, emphasizing collective effort over individual glory.

Key Concept: Operation Gulmarg, Defense of Srinagar

c) Poor land route conditions and emergency
[Solution Description]
The Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar due to poor land route conditions and urgency of the situation after Kashmir’s accession to India, as Pakistani infiltrators had launched Operation Gulmarg.

Key Concept: Communication and Technology

b) It provides a tangible record that can be preserved
[Solution Description]
Written communication is a permanent record that can be revisited, while spoken words are fleeting. Unlike telephonic conversations which provide only immediate but temporary satisfaction, written letters or documents can be treasured and re-read over time, offering lasting joy and reflection. This makes them more meaningful.

Key Concept: Military Operations, Tactical Significance

Correct Answer option (a) It stopped the enemy from advancing into Srinagar.
[Solution Description]
The defense of Badgam was strategically important because it prevented Pakistani tribal raiders from capturing Srinagar Airport, which would have allowed them to sever critical supply routes and air support for Indian forces in Kashmir.

Key Concept: Vocabulary in Context

b) Lifelong or enduring
[Solution Description]
In the passage, “abiding pleasure” is described as happiness that lasts for a long time. This matches the meaning of “lifelong” or enduring pleasure. It contrasts with “fleeting,” which means momentary.

Key Concept: Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra

b) The PVC was instituted retroactively before 15 August 1947.
[Solution Description]
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the highest military award in India, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy. It is cast in bronze and features the State Emblem of India surrounded by four replicas of Indra’s Vajra. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient, while Captain Vikram Batra was the last. The PVC was designed by Mrs. Savitri Khanolkar, who drew inspiration from Sage Dadhichi. However, the PVC was not instituted retroactively before 1947; it was instituted on 15 August 1947.

Key Concept: Duties of Citizens

c) Advocating for truthfulness in local governance
[Solution Description]
Righteous conduct involves ethical behavior and integrity. Among the options, promoting honesty and fairness in communities directly relates to this theme, unlike environmental or health-related actions.

Key Concept: Values, Integrity, Life Choices

c) Being honest with oneself first
[Solution Description]
Verghese Kurien explains that integrity, especially personal integrity, means being honest with oneself. He states that if one is honest with themselves, it naturally extends to being honest with others. This concept is central to his values and life choices.

Key Concept: Poetic Devices, Theme Analysis

b) Emphasize the contrast between youth and neglect.
[Solution Description]
The phrase contrasts the carefree joy of children leaving school with the neglected state of the elderly woman. It highlights the indifference of society towards those in need and emphasizes the theme of empathy through juxtaposition.

Key Concept: Military Career, Param Vir Chakra

b) Earning mentions in despatches during the Arakan Campaign in Burma
[Solution Description]
Before the Battle of Badgam, Major Somnath Sharma had already distinguished himself in the Arakan Campaign during World War II, where he earned mentions in despatches for his bravery. This established his reputation as a courageous leader before his ultimate sacrifice in 1947–1948.