The Tsunami – Class 8 English NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “The Tsunami,” Class 8 English NCERT. This powerful story teaches students about the importance of natural disaster awareness, the value of education in real-life situations, and how both humans and animals respond to natural calamities. Through Tilly Smith’s story, we learn that knowledge gained in school can save lives, while the accounts of survivors like Meghna and Almas show us the incredible human spirit in the face of adversity.

Summary/Gist of the Story

The chapter “The Tsunami” narrates several real-life stories from the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It includes accounts of survivors from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, like Ignesious who lost his family, and young survivors Meghna and Almas. The story also highlights the remarkable tale of Tilly Smith, a 10-year-old British girl who saved many lives in Thailand by recognizing the tsunami warning signs from her geography lesson. The chapter concludes with observations about how animals sensed the impending danger and saved themselves, suggesting their acute natural instincts.

हिंदी सारांश:
“द सुनामी” अध्याय 2004 की भीषण सुनामी से जुड़ी कई वास्तविक कहानियों को प्रस्तुत करता है। इसमें अंडमान और निकोबार द्वीप समूह के बचे लोगों की कहानियां शामिल हैं, जैसे इग्नेसियस जिन्होंने अपना परिवार खो दिया, और युवा बचे हुए मेघना और अल्मास। कहानी में टिली स्मिथ, एक 10 वर्षीय ब्रिटिश लड़की की उल्लेखनीय कहानी भी है, जिसने थाईलैंड में अपने भूगोल पाठ से सुनामी के खतरे के संकेतों को पहचानकर कई लोगों की जान बचाई। अध्याय का समापन इस टिप्पणी के साथ होता है कि कैसे जानवरों ने आने वाले खतरे को भांप लिया और खुद को बचा लिया, जो उनकी तीव्र प्राकृतिक सहज बुद्धि को दर्शाता है।

Vocabulary

Comprehension Check

1. Say whether the following are true or false:

1. Ignesious lost his wife, two children, his father-in-law, and his brother-in-law in the tsunami. True – The text clearly states that Ignesious lost his wife, two children who went with their grandparents (mother’s father and mother’s brother), and only three children who were with him survived.

2. Sanjeev made it to safety after the tsunami. False – Sanjeev was swept away while trying to save John’s wife, showing his bravery but unfortunately losing his life.

3. Meghna was saved by a relief helicopter. False – Though Meghna saw relief helicopters eleven times, they didn’t spot her. She was eventually brought to shore by a wave after floating for two days.

4. Almas’s father realized that a tsunami was going to hit the island. True – When Almas’s father saw the sea water recede, he understood that it would come rushing back with great force.

5. Her mother and aunts were washed away with the tree that they were holding on to. True – The text mentions that a wave uprooted the coconut tree they were holding onto, and they were washed away.

2. Answer using a phrase or a sentence:

1. In the tsunami 150,000 people died. How many animals died?
Surprisingly, very few animals died in the tsunami. While over 150,000 people lost their lives across a dozen countries, there were remarkably few reported animal deaths, showing their natural ability to sense and escape danger.

2. How many people and animals died in Yala National Park?
In Yala National Park, sixty visitors lost their lives at Patanangala beach, but among animals, only two water buffaloes were found dead. This stark contrast highlights the animals’ extraordinary survival instinct.

3. What do people say about the elephants of Yala National Park?
People observed three elephants running away from Patanangala beach approximately one hour before the tsunami struck, demonstrating their ability to sense the impending danger well in advance.

4. What did the dogs in Galle do?
The dogs in Galle refused to go for their usual daily run on the beach, despite typically being excited about this activity. Their unusual behavior likely saved their owner’s life by keeping him away from the beach.

Understanding Tilly’s Story

Answer the following in a phrase or sentence:

1. Why did Tilly’s family come to Thailand?
Tilly’s family came to Thailand to celebrate Christmas at a beach resort in southern Thailand, choosing it as their holiday destination.

2. What were the warning signs that both Tilly and her mother saw?
They observed several warning signs:

• The water was swelling and continuously coming in
• The beach was getting progressively smaller
• The sea began to foam, bubble, and form whirlpools
• These signs matched what Tilly had learned about tsunamis in her geography class

3. Do you think Tilly’s mother was alarmed by them?
Initially, Tilly’s mother wasn’t alarmed as she didn’t understand what was happening. However, she became concerned when she saw her daughter’s intense fear and agitation, leading her to take Tilly’s warnings seriously.

4. Where had Tilly seen the sea behaving in the same strange fashion?
Tilly had seen similar sea behavior in a video shown by her geography teacher just two weeks before their Thailand trip. The video showed a tsunami that had hit the Hawaiian islands in 1946.

5. Where did the Smith family and the others on the beach go to escape from the tsunami?
The Smith family and other tourists quickly moved from the beach to the hotel’s swimming pool area and then took refuge on the third floor of the hotel, which successfully withstood three tsunami waves.

6. How do you think her geography teacher felt when he heard about what Tilly had done in Phuket?
The geography teacher must have felt immensely proud and gratified knowing that his lesson had such a profound real-world impact, enabling Tilly to save numerous lives by applying what she had learned in class. It validates the importance of effective teaching and shows how classroom knowledge can be literally lifesaving.

Working with Text

1. How are Meghna and Almas’s stories similar?

Meghna and Almas’s stories share several striking similarities:

• Both girls were the sole survivors from their families
• Both managed to stay alive by floating on wooden objects (Meghna on a door, Almas on a log)
• Both experienced severe trauma after their rescue
• Both showed remarkable resilience in surviving the disaster
• Both lost multiple family members in the tragedy
• Both were eventually rescued and taken to safety (Meghna walked to shore, Almas was taken to a hospital)

2. What are the different ways in which Tilly’s parents could have reacted to her behaviour? What would you have done if you were in their place?

Tilly’s parents could have reacted in several ways:

• They could have dismissed her concerns as childish fears
• They might have scolded her for creating panic
• They could have stayed on the beach, ignoring her warnings
• They could have waited for more obvious signs of danger

• Children rarely show such intense fear without reason
• The unusual sea behavior warranted caution
• The cost of ignoring the warning was potentially fatal
• It’s better to be safe than sorry in potential emergency situations

3. If Tilly’s award was to be shared, who do you think she should share it with – her parents or her geography teacher?

Tilly should share her award with her geography teacher because:

• The teacher provided the crucial knowledge that helped save lives
• The lesson was taught in an engaging way that made a lasting impression
• The teacher went beyond textbook learning by showing real-world examples through videos
• The practical application of classroom knowledge was only possible because of effective teaching

4. What are the two different ideas about why so few animals were killed in the tsunami? Which idea do you find more believable?

The two ideas presented are: 1. Sixth Sense Theory:

• Animals possess a natural sixth sense
• They can intuitively predict natural disasters
• This special ability warns them of impending danger

• Animals have more acute hearing abilities than humans
• They can detect earth’s vibrations earlier
• Their sensitive hearing allows them to perceive seismic activity before it becomes noticeable to humans

• It has a scientific basis in animal biology
• It explains the observable behavior of different species
• It aligns with our understanding of animal sensory capabilities
• It doesn’t rely on supernatural or unexplainable phenomena

5. When he felt the earthquake, do you think Ignesious immediately worked about a tsunami? Give reasons for your answer.

No, Ignesious clearly didn’t immediately worry about a tsunami for these reasons:

• His first reaction was to protect his television set from damage
• He treated it as a normal earthquake or tremor
• He didn’t immediately evacuate to higher ground
• The text shows he was unprepared for what followed

6. Which words describe Sanjeev? Complete the sentences:

Based on Sanjeev’s actions during the tsunami: (i) I don’t know if Sanjeev was cheerful, ambitious or humorous.
(ii) I think that he was very brave, heroic and selfless.
(iii) Sanjeev was not heartless, brash or careless. Explanation:

• Brave and heroic: He risked his own life to save another person
• Selfless: He jumped into dangerous waters to help someone in need
• Not heartless: He showed great compassion by trying to save John’s wife
• Not brash or careless: His action was intentional to help others, not reckless

Working With Language

1. Say whether the following sentences are in the Active or the Passive voice:

(i) Someone stole my bicycle. Active Voice – The subject (someone) is performing the action (stole)

(ii) The tyres were deflated by the traffic police. Passive Voice – The subject (tyres) is receiving the action (were deflated)

(iii) I found it last night in a ditch near my house. Active Voice – The subject (I) is performing the action (found)

(iv) It had been thrown there. Passive Voice – The subject (it) is receiving the action (had been thrown)

(v) My father gave it to the mechanic. Active Voice – The subject (father) is performing the action (gave)

(vi) The mechanic repaired it for me. Active Voice – The subject (mechanic) is performing the action (repaired)

2. Make a list of words that indicate movement of different kinds and categorize them:

Explanation: The ‘fast movement’ column has more words because the story describes a tsunami, which involves sudden, rapid actions. The emergency nature of the situation required quick movements for survival, hence the abundance of words describing fast motion.

3. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words (based on verbs in brackets):

(i) The earth trembled, but not many people felt the trembling. (tremble)
– The noun form describes the sensation of the earthquake

(ii) When the zoo was flooded, there was a lot of confusion and many animals escaped into the countryside. (confuse)
– The noun form describes the chaotic state during the flood

(iii) We heard with relief that the lion had been recaptured. (relieve)
– The noun form expresses the feeling after hearing good news

(iv) The zookeeper was stuck in a tree and his rescue was filmed by the TV crew. (rescue)
– The noun form describes the action of saving the zookeeper

(v) There was much excitement in the village when the snake charmer came visiting. (excite)
– The noun form expresses the villagers’ emotional state