Life in the Woods

অষ্টম শ্রেণি (মাধ্যমিক ২০২৪) - ইংরেজি - English - NCTB BOOK

8.1.1 Write answers to the following questions individually, and then share your responses in pairs/groups.
(নিচের প্রশ্নগুলোর উত্তর লেখো এবং তোমার উত্তরগুলো জোড়ায়/দলে শেয়ার করো।)

a) Have you ever noticed things like the sky, birds, rivers, trees, ants and school bells closely?
b) What comes to your mind when you think of them?
c) How do you describe your feelings about them? You can write your feelings in the following way One is given as an example.

Name of the thing

Your feelings about them

the skyWhen I notice the sky, I love its vastness. So, you can say- The sky is vast.
bird 
river 
tree 
ant 
the school bell 

 

On a Rainy Day

In the early afternoon through the classroom window, the sky seemed vast and cloudy with all the signs of rain and storm. The rough winds started screaming and howling. But, kites are flying very high in the sky. They seem tiny from afar. However, the flow of life has not ceased yet. The ant colony gets busy with their work as the raindrops may destroy their families, larvas, eggs and homes. Ant's family seems like a deep-rooted tree. Just then, the nearby river appeared, overflowing with heavy rain. It was rushing down the nearby streets, carrying leaves and branches with it. All of a sudden, the school bell announces an early school break. I took my bag and rushed home.

Questions
1) Have you ever experienced a situation like this?
2) Is there any similarity between the given situation and your experience of such a day?
3) Which words/phrases can you compare the day with?

 

 

8.1.3 Read the text again and in pairs/groups, match the things in column A with their characteristics in column B. Share your findings with the whole class.
(Text-টি আবার পড়ো এবং দলে/জোড়ায় কলাম A এর জিনিস/বিষয় গুলোর সাথে কলাম B এর বৈশিষ্ট্য গুলোর মিল করো। প্রাপ্ত ফল পুরো ক্লাসের সাথে শেয়ার করো।)

Column A (things)

Column B (characteristics)

a) flying objects from afari) ants
b) Vastnessii) flowing river
c) Lifeiii) school bell
d) A familyiv) deep-rooted tree
e) Breakv) tiny
f) “Unity is a strength” invi) sky

 

8.2.1 Now, rellect on the things and their characteristics you have matched, and identify the things which are described and which are compared. One is given as an example.
(এখন তোমার মিলকৃত জিনিস/বিষয় এবং সেগুলোর বৈশিষ্ট্য নিয়ে আবার চিন্তা করো এবং কোন জিনিস। বিষয় গুলো বর্ণনা করা হয়েছে তা চিহ্নিত করো। যেমন- নিচের text গুলো সতর্কভাবে পড়ো এবং বাক্যে কোন বিষয়/জিনিস/ব্যক্তিকে কার সাথে তুলনা করা হয়েছে তা চিহ্নিত করো। একটি বাক্য করে দেওয়া হয়েছে।)

'flying objects are tiny is a description whereas 'life is a flowing river' is a comparison.
Read the texts below carefully and identify the comparing objects/persons and with what/whom it is compared in a sentence. One is done for you.

Text 1
On a summer day, I am on my way to school. I can feel the warmth around me. The sun seems to be a golden globe when I look at the sky. It is casting its warm rays over the green fields and sparkling river. The world is alive with colour and light, and I feel everything has its own beauty.

Question: What is compared to what/ whom?
Your Answer: In the text, the sun is compared to a golden globe.
Your Answer:________________

Text 2
The streets seemed to be veins and arteries, carrying the lifeblood of people and commerce through every corner of its leaning body. It was a place of constant movement and changes which was always growing and evolving in response to the needs of its inhabitants Thus the city was a living, breathing organism, beating with energy and activity.

Question: To what/whom are the streets compared?
Your Answer:____________

 

Text 3
On a gloomy day, I looked through the window. The sky looked like a magical wonderland full of beauty and grace. The clouds were like cotton candies, pink and fluffy. They seemed to stretch on forever I wished if I were the clouds, I could fly like them!

Question: To what/whom are the clouds compared?

Your Answer:______________

Text 4
I respect and love my elder uncle so much. It hurts me if I see him down, filled with a sense of emptiness and despair. When I see him resting on his rocking chair on the verandah, I feel his heart is a stone - heavy and cold in his chest. It seems that he is trapped inside a cage, with no hope of escape

Question: To what/whom is the uncle's heart compared?
Your Answer:__________________

Text 5
It was a moonlit night with a clear sky 1, along with my parents and uncles, went to the roof The moon looked like a silvery disc in the sky. It was casting its pale light over the world which created a ghostly look. It was a symbol of mystery and magic, reminding us that there is more to the world than what we can see with our eyes. It was a flashlight in the darkness, guiding us through the night with its gentle glow

Question: To what/whom is the moon compared?

Your Answer:____________________

 

Text 6
My music teacher has a divine voice. It is like a song waving its way through the air like a melody on the wind. When she speaks, it seems she is speaking directly to our souls and it fills us with wonder.

Question: To what/whom is the voice of the music teacher compared?

Your Answer:______________________

 

8.3.1 Let's recite a poem (sonnet)! Before reciting the poem (sonnet), read the short note to know about a sonnet. Then, listen to the recitation of the poem and practice it in the chorus. Later, recite the poem in front of the class.
(কবিতাটি আবৃত্তি করার পূর্বে সনেট সম্পর্কে জানার জন্য নিচের সংক্ষিপ্ত note টি পড়ো।)

Note: This poem is a sonnet A sonnet is a type of poem that consists of fourteen (14) lines in a sonnet, the poet typically expresses a single theme or idea related to love or mortality. It uses various literary devices, such as simile, metaphor, imagery, etc., to convey its message.

The most common types of sannets are Petrarchan or Italian sonnets, Shakespearean sonnets, Spensertian sonnets, Miltonic sonnets, Terza Rima sonnets and Curtal sonnets.

 

8.3.2 Read the new words, their meanings and examples in the table below. Then, write your sentences with the words in the fourth column.
(নিচের সারণিতে দেওয়া নতুন শব্দ, সেগুলোর অর্থ এবং উদাহরণগুলো পড়ো। তারপর শব্দগুলো দিয়ে বাক্য তৈরি করো।)

 

8.3.3 Read the rewritten simple version of the poem for your better understanding. It will help you match the lines with their explanation in the table that follows.
(তোমার বোঝার সুবিধার্থে সহজ সংস্করণে নতুনভাবে লেখা কবিতাটি আবার পড়ো। এটা নিচের সারণিতে লাইনগুলোর সাথে উদাহরণের মিল করতে তোমাকে সাহায্য করবে।)

Should I compare you to a summer's day? You are lovelier and milder. In May rough winds shake the delicate flower buds, And the duration of summer is always too short Sometimes the Sun, the eye of heaven, is too hot, And his golden face is often dimmed, And beauty falls away from beautiful people, Stripped by chance or nature's changing course But your eternal summer will not fade, Nor will you lose possession of the beauty you own, Nor will death be able to boast that you wander in his shade, When you live in eternal lines, set apart from time. As long as men breathe or have eyes to see, As long as this sonnet lives, it will give life to you.

 

8.3.4 Work in groups. Some lines of the poem are given below in the left column. Their explanations are given at the right side. Match them. The first one is done as an example.
(দলে কাজ করো। নিচের বাম কলামে কবিতাটির কিছু লাইন দেওয়া আছে। ডান পার্শ্বে সেগুলোর ব্যাখ্যা দেওয়া আছে। সেগুলো মিলাও। উদাহরণ হিসেবে প্রথমটি করে দেওয়া হলো।)

 

8.3.5 Read the note below and identify metaphors used in the poem in pairs/groups.
(নিচের note টি পড়ো এবং দলে।জোড়ায় কবিতাটিতে ব্যবহৃত metaphor গুলো চিহ্নিত করো।)

Note

Metaphor: It is a powerful tool in language and can help learners better understand complex ideas and express themselves more creatively A metaphor is a figure of speech used to describe something by comparing it to something else Unlike similes, which use "like", "as... as' or 'as' to make a comparison, metaphors state that one thing is another.
For example, "Life is a journey' is a metaphor that compares life to a journey In metaphor, we compare the two things that may not have anything in common. In other words, the metaphor can help create a more vivid and meaningful image
in the reader's mind by comparing two things that are not usually associated with each other. This comparison can help to convey complex ideas in a simple and interesting way.
For example, "The classroom was a zoo is a metaphor that compares a classroom
to a zoo. Here, readers understand that the classroom was chaotic and noisy
'He has a heart of stone This metaphor compares someone's emotional state to an inanimate object. It suggests that they are unfeeling or cold-hearted
"She was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. This metaphor compares someone's personality to a sunny day. It suggests that they bring joy and happiness to others
Again, "Life is a rollercoaster. This metaphor compares life to a rollercoaster ride. It suggests that it has ups and downs and can be both exciting and scary

 

8.3.6 Read the poem in groups and identify metaphors used in the poem. The first one is given for you.
(দলে কবিতাটি পড়ো এবং সেখানে ব্যবহৃত metaphor গুলো চিহ্নিত করো।)

 

8.3.7 Read the poem in pairs again. Then, read the following questions and answer them.
(জোড়ায় কবিতাটি আবার পড়ো। তারপর নিচের প্রশ্নগুলো পড়ো এবং উত্তর দাও।)

a) What is the sun compared to in the poem?
b) Why is the person being described different from other beautiful things, according to the speaker?
c) What are the metaphors that Shakespeare uses to describe the beauty of a person in Sonnet 187
d) In the line 'Long lives this and this gives life to thee', what/whom is the metaphor 'life' used for?
e) What is the overall message of Sonnet 18?

 

8.3.8 Dear students, read the summary and the central theme of the poem. It will help you answer the questions above.
(প্রিয় শিক্ষার্থীরা, কবিতাটির summary এবং central theme পড়ো। এটি তোমাদেরকে উপরের প্রশ্নগুলোর উত্তর দিতে সাহায্য করবে।)

In the sonnet 'Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day? (Sonnet 18), William Shakespeare uses the metaphor of a summer's day to describe the beauty of a person, likely a beloved. The opening line poses the question of whether it is fitting to compare this person to a summer's day. However, the speaker quickly points out that the person is more beautiful and enduring than any mere season.

The speaker contrasts the fickleness and beauty of summer with the timeless and unchanging beauty of the person. Then, he talks about the imperfections of a summer day, such as rough winds that shake the tender flowers of May and the fact that summer 

is fleeting. Summer is characterized by rough winds and a brief lease that comes to an end too soon. The sun, which is referred to as 'the eye of heaven, can sometimes be too hot, scorching the earth below And even the sun's 'gold complexion, a metaphor for its radiant appearance, can be dimmed by clouds.
Additionally, the poet acknowledges that all beautiful things fade over time due to chance or natural cycles. The speaker then broadens the scope of the comparison, saying that everything beautiful and fair will eventually decline and fade away, subject to the unpredictable whims of chance and nature. However, the person being described here is different. Hence, he declares that his friend's beauty will never fade, nor will they be claimed by death. Instead, the person's 'eternal summer' will live on and be preserved in the poem's 'eternal lines

The final two lines say that as long as people can read and appreciate the poem, the person's beauty will continue to live on. The use of the word 'this' in the final line refers not just to the poem, but to the idea of immortalizing the person's beauty in art Thus, the poem itself becomes a metaphor for the poet's love and admiration for the person and an eternal tribute to his friend's beauty

 

8.4.1 Now, read the texts given below and in pairs/groups, identify the metaphors, to what/whom they are compared and the purpose of the comparison. Then, share your answers with the class.
(এখন নিচের text গুলো পড়ো এবং জোড়ায়/দলে metaphors এবং কার সাথে কোন কারণে তুলনা করা হয়েছে তা চিহ্নিত করো। তারপর তোমার উত্তরগুলো শ্রেণিতে শেয়ার করো। একটি করে দেওয়া হলো।)

One is done for you.

Text 1:

Friendship is a tree 

Strong and rooted 

Growing and branching 

Offering shelter and support.

(Anonymous)

Person/thing/ concept described

Compared to

Metaphor

Why

Friendshipthe strong and rooted treetreeFriendship like a tree is ever- growing and becomes a repose to each other being stronger and flourishing day by day

 

Text 2:

Wisdom is a compass 

Guiding us on our jourmey 

Through stormy seas and rocky terrain 

Towards our true north.

(Anonymous)

Person/thing/concept described

Compared to

Metaphor

Why?

 

Text 3:

Hope is a light 

That shines in the dark 

A beacon of strength 

That ignites a spark.

(Anonymous)

Person/thing/concept described

Compared to

Metaphor

Why?

 

Text 4:

Life is a river 

Rushing and flowing 

Through twists and turns 

With unknown destinations

(Anonymous)

Person/thing/concept described

Compared to

Metaphor

Why?

 

Text 5:

Dreams are wings 

That take us high 

Above the clouds

To a limitless sky

(Anonymous)

Person/thing/concept described

Compared to

Metaphor

Why?

 

Text 6:
Fear is a shadow
Lurking and looming
With the power to paralyze
And hold us back

(Anonymous)

Person/thing/concept described

Compared to

Metaphor

Why?

 

 

8.4.2 Now, you can list some metaphors that you have encountered in your surroundings. One is done for you.
(এখন তুমি এমন কিছু metaphor এর তালিকা করো যেগুলো তুমি তোমার চতুর্পাশে দেখতে পেয়েছো। একটি করে দেওয়া হলো।)

Meta- phorElement person/thing compared toElement/person/ thing being com pared toMeaning of meta- phorIn which situa- tion or condition
this metaphor is used based on your personal feelings
Golden opportu nityChance or opportunityrichness, worth, and desirabilityThis metaphor re- fers to a chance or an opportunity that in highly valuable, precious, or rare. The term 'golden implies richness, worth, and desir- ability, conveying the idea that op- portunity is like a precious metal that is highly prizedOne of my friends has recently returned from America When she came to visit us she said, "Being selected for the YES Program was the golden opportunity in my life'
     
     
     
     

 

8.4.3 Work in groups. Read the story and then match the columns to make complete sentences. After that, write them chronologically.
(দলে কাজ করো। গল্পটি পড়ো এবং কলামগুলো মিলিয়ে নিয়ে Sentence তৈরি করো। তারপর সেগুলোর ক্রমানুসারে সাজাও।)

A Korean Folk Tale

Long ago in the times of great kings in Korea, two brothers lived with their elderly father in a house on a mountainside near the banks of a flowing river. From a very young age, the two boys were as different as day and night. Nobu, the elder, liked to pull the wings off butterflies and trample the vegetables in the neighbour's garden. He was very cruel and selfish. He was inconsiderate of others. On the other hand, Hungbu was a gentle soul. He didn't even want to hurt a fly Hungbu respected his father and older brother. Sometimes people would blame him for something his brother did. "It is better that I take the blame", he would say to himself rather than bring dishonour on my father and older brother. 

Year after year the harvest festivals came and went, spring rains fell and in summer the warm sun shone down on the house by the river. The two bays grew up and when they became young men, they married. Soon Hungbu and Nobu had children of their own and they all lived together with their father and grandfather under the same roof. While Hunghu and his wife worked hard at the chores, Nobu sat twiddling his thumbs and scowling. He was waiting impatiently till the day when the house and everything in it would belong to him and him alone. Nobu's wife stayed indoors all day fanning herself as the children played

One year at the beginning of the fall harvest, their aged father died After the funeral and days of mourning were over, Nobu called his brother into the courtyard. "As you 

know, my dear young brother, our father left this house and everything in it to me as I am the oldest. I am tired of having you and your family around, eating up all our food, and crowding into every room in the house. Be off with me" He said spitefully and "don't bother to come back." Hungbu knot and said, "It shall be as you wish my brother And that very afternoon he, his wife, and three children set off down the mountainside with nothing but few belongings on their backs to find a new home. They walked for miles up and down the steep hillsides and rocky paths. The wind blew in their faces and dry leaves crackled under their weary feet. Toward evening they came upon a small shack in a forest clearing on the other side of the mountain "Let us wait", Hungbu and his wife said to each other. "Perhaps the people who live here will return and give us shelter" The moon tose, casting its silver light on the trees and branches below. Through all the cold nights and chilly dawn, they waited for the owners to return but no one came. The house was empty. And, so they settled there, eking out a living as best they could from whatever Hungbu could grow in the dry, dusty sail of their garden. One day as he walked through the forest, Hungbu heard a chirping sound at his feet Looking down, he saw a baby swallow lying on the ground. One of its wings was broken. He took the tiny bird home. He wrapped the wing carefully in soft cotton. He and his family looked after the bird until the broken wing was healed, and soon after the swallow flew away

Autumn passed, and then winter came. They barely made it to the spring. One day, as Hungbu was raking the garden, he heard a familiar chirping sound. The swallow he saved was flying overhead. Down it swooped and dropped three small white seeds in his hand. Hungbu planted the seeds and watered them. The seeds took root in a few weeks. They began to sprout and blossom and soon three small gourds, bright and yellow, appeared on the vines When the gourds were ripe and ready, Hungbu went to harvest them. Before he could touch them, they opened up all by themselves. Yards and yards of shimmering silk and handfuls of gold coins came out of the first gourd, sacks and sacks of rice came out from the second one, and seven carpenters came out of the third. The carpenters instantly set to work, hammering and sawing. They built a beautiful house and vanished. And so, Hungbu and his family began a new life.

One day an impoverished couple with their two children came to Hungbu's door asking for food. Hungbu asked them to sit and told his wife to bring food for them. "Thanks for the food", said the man after he and his family finished eating. He said, "We should be going now" "Where are you going may I know?", said Hungbu. "My house was on the banks of the river. A great flood came and washed away my house with all its belongings" "Sorry for your loss", said Hungbu "I probably deserved it as I made my brother leave the house. I feel so ashamed that I behaved so terribly with my own bother" "Is your brother's name Hungbu?" asked Hungbu Nobu answered, "Yes, but how do you know?" "Don't you recognize your little brother? Take a good look at me." "Hungbu, my brother. I didn't recognize you in this attire of a nobleman." "Will you not embrace me, brother?", said Hungbu "Forgive me brother for what I have done", said Nobu. "There is nothing to forgive", said Hungbu. The two brothers embraced each other with teary eyes. They lived the rest of the days as one big happy family

 

Column A

Column B

a) The thematic metaphor in this Korean folk tale is the contrast between1) while Hungbu embodies kind- ness, generosity, and selflessness
b) Nobu represents greed, selfishness and disregard for others2) greed and generosity, as embod- ied by the two brothers, Nobu and Hungbu
c) The story illustrates how the actions and attitudes of these two3) as he receives magical gourds that bring him great wealth and happi- ness.
d) Nobu's selfishness leads him to drive his brother and family out of their home,4) characters lead to very different outcomes in their lives
e) In the end, it is Hungbu's kind and giving nature that is rewarded,5) while Hungbu's generosity leads him to help a wounded bird and feed a poor family
f) Contrarily, Nobu receives hardship, pover ty and suffering,6) while selfishness and greed ulti- mately lead to unhappiness and isolation
g) The story suggests that kindness and gen- eresity can bring great rewards, both ma- terial and emotional,7) that teaches him the value of for- giveness and reconciliation.

 

8.4.4 Now, read the story in the same group and write answer to the following questions:
(এখন একই দলে গল্পটি আবার পড়ো এবং নিচের প্রশ্নগুলোর উত্তর দাও।)

a) What were the differences between Nobu and Hungbu from a young age?
b) How did Hungbu react when people blamed him for his brother's actions?
c) How did Hungbu treat his father and older brother?
d) What happened after their father died?

e) How did Hungbu and his family survive after leaving their home?
f) What did Hungbu find in the forest one day?
g) What does the swallow symbolize in the text?
h) What did the three gourds contain?
i) What do the three gifts that came out of the gourds represent?
j) How did Hungbu react when he recognised his brother and his family?

 

8.4.5 In the same group, now, read the story again and identify the metaphors used in the text. Then, write them in the first column and the meaning of the metaphor in the next column. After that, write the elements/ person/ thing that is compared to and compared within the third column and fourth column respectively.
(একই দলে গল্পটি আবার পড়ো এবং text এ ব্যবহৃত metaphor গুলো চিহ্নিত করো। তারপর সেগুলোকে প্রথম কলামে এবং সেগুলোর অর্থ দ্বিতীয় কলামে লেখো। তারপর তৃতীয় এবং চতুর্থ কলামে কাকে তুলনা করা হয়েছে এবং কার সাথে তুলনা করা হয়েছে পৃথকভাবে লেখো।)

Metaphor

Meaning of metaphor

Element/person/ thing being described

compared to

    
    
    
    
    
    
    

 

8.4.6 Write a text on Metaphors. Use the following guidelines to write the first draft of the text:
(Metaphor সংক্রান্ত একটি text লেখো। text এর প্রথম খসড়া লেখার সময় নিচের দিকনির্দেশনাগুলো ব্যবহার করো।।

a) Define Metaphor in your own words.
b) Make a list of metaphors that you like from what you have read or from your surroundings.
c) Choose one metaphor you like from the list and explain what it means. Give an example of how you will use it while you are talking to someone and in your writing
d) Explain how the use of metaphor makes your writing an improved piece of writing. Later, exchange your note in pairs and make the necessary changes. Finally, present your text to the class and share your opinion on using metaphors in a text.

New Words:
inhabitants, gloomy, despair, ghostly, mystery, divine, complexion, eternal, impatiently, impoverished

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