NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 ‘A Short Monsoon Diary’: Notes and Solutions (Free PDF)

Through NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8, we learn about making diary entries. In this chapter, we explore Mussorie in the monsoon months through the eyes of Ruskin Bond, one of India’s highly acclaimed authors. To help you navigate the chapter we have described the content of the lesson and important word meanings in our notes. In addition, our subject experts have answered all written questions in the Comprehension Check, Working with Text, and Working with Language sections of the chapter. Keep browning for more details!!

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NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8: A Short Monsoon Diary

NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 is a collection of diary entries by Ruskin Bond, one of the most-read authors in India. Throughout the chapter, we come across Bond’s experiences and observations on rainy days. In the first section, the author describes the beginning of the rainy season in the hills of Mussoorie. While, in the second half, the writer gives a record of the weather in the monsoon month of August. Furthermore, in the third section, we get to know about the rainy days in the chilly month of January. 

All these diary entities inform us about the monsoon season and rainy days in the hills of Mussoorie. Also, we can learn about the art of diary entry through Ruskin Bond’s diary. 

Important Words and Phrases and Their Meanings

Here are important words and phrases and their meanings in NCERT Class 8 Honeydew Chapter 8 ‘A Short Monsoon’:

• Melancholy: A feeling of sadness
• Blankets: Covers to keep warm
• Fern: A flowerless plant with feathery green leaves
• Heralded: To signal or announce the news of something
• Imprecations: Curses
• Bloodletting: To lose blood
• Scarlet Minivet: A bright red bird with a cuckoo
• Drongo: A singing bird with a round bill
• Drumming: To make a rhythmic noise
• Disconsolately: Unhappily
• Ravine: Valley
• Crevices: Small cracks or narrow openings in walls or rocks
• Shrew: A small insectivorous rodent like a mouse
• Caress: To hold or touch someone lovingly
• Menace: Danger

Explore NCERT Solutions for all chapters of Honeydew:

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Download NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8: A Short Monsoon Diary

NCERT Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8: A Short Monsoon Diary

In the final section of the notes, we have important questions and answers in NCERT Class 8 English Honeydew Chapter 8 ‘A Short Monsoon Diary’. 

Comprehension Check I (Page 106)

Ques 1. Why is the author not able to see Bijju?

Ans: The author could not see Bijju because of the mist in the air.

Ques 2. What are the two ways in which the hills appear to change when the mist comes up?

Ans: When the mist appears, the birds stop chirping. The mist spreads over the hills, and the forest gets very quiet like it is the middle of the night.

Comprehension Check II (Page 108)

Ques 1. When does the monsoon season begin and when does it end? How do you prepare to face the monsoon?

Ans: The monsoon starts in June and ends in the last week of August.

Ques 2. Which hill station does the author describe in this diary entry?

Ans: The author has described a hill station in Dehradun ‘Mussorie’ in his diary entry.

Ques 3. For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?

Ans: It rained continuously for eight or nine days. Since the author could not go anywhere, he walked back and forth in his room. During this time he watched a few umbrellas moving outside through the window.

Ques 4. Where do the snakes and rodents take shelter? Why?

Ans: The snakes and rodents seek refuge in roofs, attics, and storage areas because they are forced out of their holes and burrows by the heavy rain, which causes flooding.

Ques 5. What did the author receive in the mail?

Ans: The author received a cheque in the mail.

Working with the Text

Ques 1. Look carefully at the diary entries for June 24-25, August 2 and March 23. Now write down the changes that happen as the rains progress from June to March.

Ans: On June 24, the monsoon mist arrived, causing all the birds to fall silent as it covered the hills. The author describes the mist as melancholy because it not only hides the hills but also brings silence over them. 

The following day, June 25, brought some genuine early monsoon rain, which felt warm and humid compared to the cold weather the author had been experiencing. It seemed to him that even the plants recognised the change, as the first cobra lily emerged from the ferns, creating a sense of paradise. 

On August 2, rain fell throughout the night without any accompanying storm or thunder. The author felt a unique sensation of being both untouched by and yet connected to the rain. 

March 23 marked the end of winter, as a very dark cloud spread over Mussoorie, bringing a hailstorm that lasted for half an hour. After the hailstorm passed, the sky cleared, and the author observed a rainbow forming.

Ques 2. Why did the grandmother ask the children not to kill the Chuchundar?

Ans: The grandmother told the children not to harm the Chuchundar because it was believed to bring good luck and wealth.

Ques 3. What signs do we find in Nature which show that the monsoons are about to end?

Ans: When the seeds of the cobra lily turned red, it indicated that the monsoon season was coming to a close.

Ques 4. Complete the following sentences.

(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because __________________.

(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as __________________.

(iii) The leopard was successful in _(a)_________________ but had to flee when

__(b)____________________________________________________.

(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because __________________.

(v) It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when __________________.

(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because __________________________.

Ans:

(i) the mist is covering his surroundings

(ii) a paradise that might have been

(iii) (a) attacking one of Bijju’s cows (b) Bijju’s mother came screaming curses

(iv) of their bright colours

(v) mauve lady’s slipper, the white butterfly orchids, and ground orchids bloom

(vi) they are flooded out of their holes and burrows

Ques 5. ‘Although tin roofs are given to springing unaccountable leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain.’

(i) Why has the writer used the word, ‘springing’?

(ii) How is the writer untouched by the rain?

(iii) How is the writer in touch with the rain at the same time?

Ans: 

(i) The term “springing” refers to a sudden and quick movement. The author uses this word to describe how tin roofs are susceptible to developing unexpected leaks all at once.

(ii) The author remains physically untouched by the rain because he is safely indoors, protected by the tin roof which prevents the rain from leaking inside.

(iii) The writer experiences a sense of connection with the rain despite being indoors. He can see and hear the rain drumming on the corrugated tin roof of his house from inside his room, which allows him to feel in touch with the rain despite being physically sheltered from it.

Ques 6. Mention a few things that can happen when there is endless rain for days together.

Ans: When there is continuous rain for several days, everything becomes soggy and damp, making it hard for anyone to venture outside. However, this rain also brings about lush greenery on the hillsides as late-monsoon flowers such as wild balsam, dahlias, begonias, and ground orchids begin to bloom. As a result of the flooding caused by the rain, the holes and burrows of snakes and rodents get filled with water, prompting them to seek shelter in roofs, attics, and storage areas.

Ques 7. What is the significance of cobra lily in relation to the monsoon season, its beginning and end?

Ans: At the start of the monsoon season, the first cobra lily emerges from the ferns. As the monsoon progresses, when the seeds of the cobra lily turn red, it indicates that the monsoon is approaching its end.

Working with Language

Ques 1. Here are some words that are associated with the monsoon. Add as many words as you can to this list. Can you find words for these in your languages?

Downpour	Floods	Mist
Cloudy	Powercuts	Cold
	Umbrella

Ans: Here are some words associated with monsoon:

• Thunderstorm
• Refreshing
• Rainbow
• Torrential
• Dampness
• Humid
• Muddy
• Hailstones
• Slippery
• Raincoat

Ques 2. Look at the sentences below.

(i) Bijju wandered into the garden in the evening.

(ii) The trees were ringing with birdsong.

Notice the highlighted (italicised) verbs.

The verb wandered tells us what Bijju did that evening. But the verb was ringing tells us what was happening continually at same time in the past (the birds were chirping in the trees).

Now look at the sentences below. They tell us about something that happened in the past. They also tell us about other things that happened continually, at the same time in the past.

Put the verbs in the brackets into their proper forms. The first one is done for you.

(i) We (get out) of the school bus. The bell (ring) and everyone (rush) to class.

Ans: We got out of the school bus. The bell was ringing and everyone was rushing to class.

(ii) The traffic (stop). Some people (sit) on the road and they (shout) slogans.

(iii) I (wear) my raincoat. It (rain) and people (get) wet.

(iv) She (see) a film. She (narrate) it to her friends who (listen) carefully.

(v) We (go) to the exhibition. Some people (buy) clothes while others (play) games.

(vi) The class (is) quiet. Some children (read) books and the rest (draw).

Ans:

(ii) stopped; were sitting; were shouting

(iii) wore; was raining; were getting

(iv) saw; was narrating; were listening

(v) went; were buting; were playing

(vi) was; were reading; were drawing

Ques 3. Here are some words from the lesson which describe different kinds of sounds.

Drum

Swish

Tinkle

Caw

Drip

(i) Match these words with their correct meanings.

(a) to fall in small drops

(b) to make a sound by hitting a surface repeatedly

(c) to move quickly through the air, making a soft sound

(d) harsh sound made by birds

(e) ringing sound (of a bell or breaking glass, etc.)

Ans: 

(a) drip

(b) drum

(c) swish

(d) caw

(e) tinkle

(ii) Now fill in the blanks using the correct form of the words given above.

(a) Ramesh ____________ on his desk in impatience.

(b) Rain water ____________ from the umbrella all over

the carpet.

(c) The pony ____________ its tail.

(d) The _________________ of breaking glass woke me up.

(e) The ____________ of the raven disturbed the child’s sleep.

Ans:

(a) drummed

(b) dripped

(c ) swished

(d) tinkling

(e) cawing

Ques 4. And sure enough, I received a cheque in the mail.

Complete each sentence below by using appropriate phrase from the ones given below.

Sure enough	Colourful enough	Serious enough
Kind enough	Big enough	Fair enough
Brave enough	Foolish enough	Anxious enough

(i) I saw thick black clouds in the sky. And ___________ ___________ it soon started raining heavily.

(ii) The blue umbrella was ___________ ___________ for the brother and sister.

(iii) The butterflies are ___________ ___________ to get noticed.

(iv) The lady was ___________ ___________ to chase the leopard.

(v) The boy was ___________ ___________ to call out to his sister.

(vi) The man was ___________ ___________ to offer help.

(vii) The victim’s injury was ___________ ___________ for him to get admitted in hospital.

(viii) That person was ___________ ___________ to repeat the same mistake again.

(ix) He told me he was sorry and he would compensate for the loss. I said, ‘___________ ___________.’

Ans: 

(i) sure enough

(ii) big enough

(iii) colourful enough

(iv) brave enough

(v) anxious enough

(vi) kind enough

(vii) serious enough

(viii) foolish enough

(ix) fair enough

You can download NCERT Solutions PDF of all poems in Honeydew here:

Unit 1 Poem	Unit 2 Poem	Unit 3 Poem	Unit 4 Poem
Unit 5 Poem	Unit 6 Poem	Unit 7 Poem	Unit 8 Poem

FAQs

Also, you can access Notes and NCERT Solutions of all chapters in the Class 8 English ‘It So Happened’ textbook

Chapter 1: How the Camel Got His Hump

Chapter 2: Children at Work

Chapter 3: The Selfish Giant

Chapter 4: The Treasure Within

Chapter 5: Princess September

Chapter 6: The Fight

Chapter 7: Jalebis

Chapter 8: Ancient Education System of India

For NCERT study material, follow CBSE Notes Class 8 English by Leverage Edu now.