The detailed Poorvi Class 8 Solutions and Unit 4 Environment Chapter 11 Harvest Hymn Question Answer serve as excellent models for writing neat exam answers.
Harvest Hymn Class 8 Question Answer
Class 8 English Poorvi Chapter 11 Question Answer
Class 8 English Chapter 11 Harvest Hymn Question Answer
Let Us Do These Activities Before We Read (Ncertpage 173)
I. Work in pairs and share your responses with your classmates and teacher.
Question 1.
India celebrates many harvest festivals. When is the harvest festival celebrated in your region and how is it celebrated?
Answer:
In Punjab, the harvest festival is Lohri, celebrated in January. People light bonfires, sing traditional songs and offer peanuts, popcorn and sesame sweets to the fire. It marks the end of winter and the harvesting of sugarcane. Folk dances like bhangra and gidda are performed.
(Students can write about Pongal, Baisakhi, Onam, Makar Sankranti, etc., based on their region.)
Question 2.
A hymn refers to a song of praise.
(i) To whom do we offer a hymn?
Answer:
We offer a hymn to gods, goddesses or divine powers.
(ii) When and where do we sing a hymn?
Answer:
Hymns are sung during religious ceremonies, festivals or rituals, usually in temples, homes or places of worship.
(iii) Why do we offer a hymn?
Answer:
We offer hymns to express our devotion, gratitude or to seek blessings.
II. Some poets and authors use words that are no longer a part of common usage, such words are called archaic words.
Work in pairs. Read the sentences given below. Match the archaic words in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher. Thou art my friend and I trust thee. Thy kindness is great and everything that is mine is thine.
Answer:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | ||
| 1. | thou | (iii) | you (subject) |
| 2. | art | (iv) | are |
| 3. | thee | (ii) | you (object) |
| 4. | thy | (v) | your |
| 5. | thine | (i) | yours |
III. Work in pairs. Read the paragraph and select the correct meaning for each underlined word from the options given below. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
Under the golden 1. radiance of the evening sun, the villagers gathered to pay 2. tribute to their 3. cherished elder, who had dedicated his life to their well-being. His wise 4. counsel had guided generations, steering them through challenges. Known for his 5. munificent spirit. he never hesitated to share his resources generously.
Answer:
1-(ii), 2-(i), 3-(ii), 4-(i), 5-(ii)
Let Us Discuss (Ncert Pages 176 & 177)
Question 1.
Write the stanza number for the main idea of each stanza given below. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
| 1. | The speakers recognise the lord’s kindness and praise him for nourishing the field. | |
| 2. | The speakers praise the generosity of the creator of the universe who ensures a rich harvest. | |
| 3. | The speakers devote their lives and work as a mark of respect to the lord and seek his support, wisdom and care. | |
| 4. | The speakers pay homage to the Earth and appreciate her role in supporting life, by dedicating their harvest. |
Answer:
1. Stanza 1
2. Stanza 2
3. Stanza 4
4. Stanza 3
II. Fill in the blanks by choosing the appropriate words or phrases from within the brackets.
Question 1.
The setting of the poem is a rural landscape, possibly during a ………… (harvest/religious) festival.
Answer:
harvest
Question 2.
The tone of the poem is respectful and celebratory because it praises ………… (the men and women/ nature and the Lord) with deep respect and gratitude.
Answer:
nature and the Lord
Question 3.
In the line ‘Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home’, the letter ‘ $h$ ‘ is capitalised in ‘Hands’, ‘Heart’ and ‘Home’ because ………… (it represents the hard work of farmenrs/God resides in them)
Answer:
God resides in them
III. Identify the poetic device used in the following lines from the poem.
Bright and munificent lord of the morn!
Answer:
Epiphet and Personification (‘Bright and munificent’ are epithets describing the sun with human qualities.)
We bring thee our lives and our labours for tribute
Answer:
Alliteration and Hyperbole (Repetition of the ‘l’ sound; hyperbole in offering lives and labour to the divine.)
IV. Match the lines from the poem in Column 1 with their expressions in Column 2. Choose the appropriate poetic devices from the box given below and write in Column 3.
Answer:
1. (iii) Personification
2. (i) Imagery
3. (ii) Metaphor
V. Certain words or phrases are repeated in the same line of the poem.
For example, The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit;
Find more such repetitions from the poem. What is the poet’s purpose of using repetition in the poem?
Answer:
1. “We bring thee our songs and our garlands for tribute”
2. “Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home” Purpose of Repetition The poet uses repetition to
- Emphasise devotion and reverence.
- Create a rhythmic and ceremonial tone, like a chant.
- Reinforce key themes such as gratitude, worship and nature’s bounty.
VI. The poem uses symbolism to convey deeper meaning. Match the symbols in Column 1 with the meaning they convey in Column 2.
Answer:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | ||
| 1. | Prithvi (the Earth) | (iii) | fertile land, motherhood, nurturing – the source of all life |
| 2. | Surya (the Sun) | (i) | light, energy, life – representing the giver of warmth and prosperity |
| 3. | Varuna (Rain) | (ii) | mercy and nourishment – crucial for agriculture and sustenance |
Let Us Think And Reflect (Ncert Pages 178 & 179)
I. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. We bring thee our songs and our garlands for tribute, The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit; O giver of mellowing radiance, we hail thee, We praise thee, O Surya, with cymbal and flute.
(i) What does the act of bringing songs and garlands as tribute suggest about the people’s relationship with the divine?
(a) They fear the gods and wish to calm them in any way possible.
(b) They have a deep sense of reverence and gratitude towards the divine.
(c) They are forced to perform rituals without understanding the divine.
(d) They depend on the gods for their daily needs and activities.
Answer:
(b) They have a deep sense of reverence and gratitude towards the divine.
(ii) Complete the following sentence suitably. The word ‘gold’ in the phrases ‘the gold of our fields’ and ‘the gold of our fruit’ symbolises
Answer:
the rich harvest and the value of nature’s blessings
(iii) How does the description ‘ O giver of mellowing radiance’ help us understand Surya’s role in the harvest?
Answer:
It shows that Surya (the sun) gently ripens the crops and plays a key role in their growth, making the harvest possible.
(iv) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The use of ‘cymbal and flute’ signifies ………… (joy and celebration/meditation and worship)
Answer:
joy and celebration a
2. All Voices:
Lord of the Universe, Lord of our being.
Father eternal, ineffable Om!
Thou art the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests,
Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home.
(i) In the phrase “Lord of our being”, what does the word ‘being’ most likely refer to?
(a) Our physical body
(b) Our entire existence
(c) Our spiritual practices
(d) Our earthly possessions
Answer:
(b) Our entire existence
(ii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false.
The imagery of ‘the Seed and the Scythe’ symbolises the divine’s role as both the beginning (creation) and the end (harvest) of the agricultural cycle.
Answer:
True
(iii) Identify the phrases from the extract that mean the following.
A. The divine as a timeless, everlasting presence
Answer:
‘Father eternal’
B. Beyond human comprehension or description
Answer:
‘Ineffable Om’
(iv) How do we know that these lines from the extract are spoken as a chorus?
Answer:
The heading ‘All Voices’ shows that everyone – men, women and the community – joins together to speak, indicating a chorus.
II. Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
Why do the farmers hail the God of rain?
Answer:
The farmers hail Varuna, the God of rain, because he plays a vital role in their lives. Rain and dew are essential for making the soil fertile and helping the crops grow. Without water, there can be no harvest. By praising Varuna, they express their gratitude for his mercy and nourishment, which ensure food security and the success of their hard work in the fields.
Question 2.
What is being referred to as ‘wealth of our valleys’? Why?
Answer:
The phrase ‘wealth of our valleys’ refers to the rich harvest-grains, fruits and other produce-that grows in the fertile land of the valleys. It is considered wealth not in terms of money but in the form of food, health and well-being. This natural abundance results from the combined blessings of the Earth, the Sun and rain and is the reward of the farmers’ dedication and effort.
Question 3.
State one reason why the women refer to the Earth as a ‘source of manifold gladness’.
Answer:
The Earth is described as a ‘source of manifold gladness’ because she provides countless blessings to humans-nourishing crops, medicinal plants, water and shelter. The women honour the Earth as a motherly figure who feeds and nurtures life.
Their joy and emotional bond with the land reflect how deeply they value her role in their survival and happiness.
Question 4.
Why does everyone in the poem offer their ‘labours for tribute’?
Answer:
In the poem, offering one’s ‘labours for tribute’ means dedicating all their hard work to the divine powers. The people acknowledge that even though they toil in the fields, the ultimate success of their work depends on the grace of the natural elements-sunlight, rain and fertile soil. By offering their labour as a tribute, they show humility, devotion and gratitude for the blessings they receive.
Question 5.
Why has the poet presented the poem as voices of men, women and all voices?
Answer:
The poet uses the voices of men, women and then all voices together to show how every member of the community is united in gratitude and celebration. This structure highlights inclusivity, togetherness and the collective spirit of rural life.
It also shows that nature’s gifts benefit everyone equally and therefore, all must come together to honour and thank the divine.
Question 6.
How does the poet create the joyous atmosphere of rural India at harvesting time?
Answer:
The poet creates a vivid picture of rural celebration through rich imagery and sound. The mention of cymbals, drums and flutes brings the sound of festivity to life. Words like tribute, garlands, gold of our fruit and the respectful addresses to gods and the Earth evoke a sense of sacred joy. The poem captures the excitement, unity and devotion that are part of traditional harvest festivals in India.
Question 7.
Why is the poem presented as a hymn?
Answer:
The poem is structured like a hymn to reflect the deep spiritual connection between people and nature. A hymn is usually a prayer or song of praise and here it is used to express thankfulness to divine forces like Surya (Sun), Varuna (Rain) and Prithvi (Earth).
This form also adds a rhythmic and sacred quality. enhancing the reverence with which the community regards the harvest and natural world.
let us learn (NCERT pages 179-181)
I. Match the pictures of the farming implements given in Column 1 with their use given in Column 2. Then, fill in the blanks in Column 3 to complete the name of the implement.
1-(iii) sickle
2-(vi) scythe
3-(iv) plough
4-(iv) trowel
5-(v) rake
6-(i) spade
II. Choose the correct synonyms for the underlined words in the given sentences from the box below. Circle the words or phrases in the sentences that helped you to infer the meanings. One example has been done for you.
1. The king was beneficent to the poor because he took good care of them. synonym: kind
2. He was munificent towards the needy and donated a lot for their health care. synonym: ………..
Answer:
generous circle donated a lot
3. When he lost his job, all his friends gave him succour by supporting him with money.
synonym
Answer:
help
circle supporting him with money
4. When the sun’s rays came into the dark room, the whole room was full of radiance.
synonym
Answer:
brightness
circle the sun’s rays came into the room
5. The little girl was speechless with ineffable joy when she got her birthday gift from her aunt.
synonym
Answer:
indescribable
circle speechless with joy
III. You have learnt about some archaic words. Some more archaic words are given below. Refer to a dictionary to find commonly used words which are similar in meaning.
1. morrow
2. hither
3. quoth
4. betwixt
5. yonder
Answer:
1. tomorrow / the next day
2. here
3. said
4. between
5. over there / that place
Let Us Write (Ncert Pages 183 & 184)
Creative slogans are used to spread a message to capture the reader’s attention. Some examples are given below.
- Education is the Key, Unlock Your Destiny!
- Protect the Environment Today for a Better Tomorrow
- Learn, Grow, Succeed
- Go Green by Keeping the Planet Clean
Your school wishes to express gratitude to the farmers who play an important role in providing us the food on our plates. Draft a creative slogan to be put up on the school notice board.
Remember to
- focus on the main idea to be expressed
- use simple language
- be concise – express yourself in a few words
Answer:
“No Farmers, No Food – Thank You for Every Meal!”
This slogan appreciates the role of farmers in our lives and reminds everyone to be grateful for the food we eat, which comes through their hard work.
Let us write (Ncert pages 183 & 184)
Creative slogans are used to spread a message to capture the reader’s attention. Some examples are given below.
- Education is the Key, Unlock Your Destiny!
- Protect the Environment Today for a Better Tomorrow
- Learn, Grow, Succeed
- Go Green by Keeping the Planet Clean
Your school wishes to express gratitude to the farmers who play an important role in providing us the food on our plates. Draft a creative slogan to be put up on the school notice board.
Remember to
- focus on the main idea to be expressed
- use simple language
- be concise – express yourself in a few words
Answer:
“No Farmers, No Food – Thank You for Every Meal!”
This slogan appreciates the role of farmers in our lives and reminds everyone to be grateful for the food we eat, which comes through their hard work.