“An April Day” of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is a lesson of “Blossom” textbook approved by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education for class 8 students. Here all the Activity Questions are solved by English Teachers.
Activity – 1
Tick the correct alternative:
(i) When the warm sun has returned again, it is nice to
(a) sing out loud
(b) visit the still wood √
(c) sail down the river
Answer: When the warm sun has returned again, it is nice to visit the still wood.
(ii) The sapling draws its sustenance from
(a) the blue sky
(b) rainwater
(c) earth’s loosened mould √
Answer: The sapling draws its sustenance from earth’s loosened mould.
(iii) The birds
(a) glance quick in the bright sun √
(b) sit on the branches of the trees
(c) peck at the grains from the ground
Answer: The birds glance quick in the bright sun.
(iv) The green slope throws its shadow upon
(a) the mountain
(b) the hollows of the hills √
(c) the sand dunes
Answer: The green slope throws its shadow upon the hollows of the hills.
Activity – 2
Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) Spring is the season of blooming of flowers.
(b) The coming-on of storms is foretold by marry–folded dark clouds.
(c) The birds move along the forest opening.
(d) The bright sunset fills the silver woods with light.
Activity – 3
Answer the following questions:
Why do you think the poet ‘Loves the season well ? ‘
Answer: The poet “loves the season well” because when spring comes the trees of the forest are filled with new leaves and become brighter. The many folded clouds foretell the coming of storms. The birds move along the forest and fill the forest with their pleasant song. The bright sunset fills the wood with light and the green trees throw their shadow on the hill.
Activity – 4
Fill in the chart with information from the text:
| Who | Did what |
| (i) The first flower | Bloomed in the plain for the first time in spring |
| (ii) The forest glades | were teeming with bright forms |
| (iii) The sapling | drew its sustenance from the earth’s loosened mould and thrives |
| (iv) The drooping tree | revived through stricken to the heart with winters cold |
Activity – 5
Answer the following questions:
(a) Why is it sweet to visit the wood during springtime ?
Answer: In springtime, the trees which had lost their leaves get back their leaves, and the trees become brighter. So it is sweet to visit wood in spring.
(b) What does winter’s cold do to the tree?
Answer: In winter the leaves of the tree fall from the tree.
(c) What time of the Day do you think it is when “ The green slope throws its shadows in the hollows of the hills ?”
Answer: During the sunset the green slope throws its shadow in the hills.
(d) Why do you think the poem is titled “An April Day”? Suggest an alternative title.
Answer: Because the poet talks about the sweetness of spring season so the title of the poem is “An April Day”. An alternative title may be ” The Spring Season”.
Activity 6(a)
Fill in the blanks with the correct verb forms from those given in brackets:
(i) He has been working here for the last two years. (worked, is working, has been working)
(ii) The baby has been crying all morning. (cries, has been crying, had cried)
(iii) It had been raining for a long time before we went to school. (had been raining, rained, rains)
(iv) The passengers of the train had been sleeping fast when the accident occurred. (slept, had been sleeping, sleep)
Activity 6(b)
Fill in the blanks with either the Future Continuous tense or Future Perfect tense of the verbs given in brackets:
(i) suppose it will be raining when we start. (rain)
(ii) He will be meeting us next week. (meet)
(iii) She will have reached Jamshedpur by then. (reach)
(iv) This book is not fat, I shall have read it by lunch time. (read)
Activity – 7
Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
(a) Harvest : During the harvesting , my uncle guides me to harvest .
(b) Teeming : whenever we think of forest glades which are teeming with shining forms.
(c) Thrives : The saplings make their sustenance and thrive .
(d) Glance : He gave her a sidelong glance.
Activity 8(a)
Write a paragraph in about eight words on the changes that you see in nature when spring comes after winter.
Answer:
Nature of Spring after Winter
After the roughness of winter, spring turns up with its natural beauty and blue sky. This season starts from the middle of March and lasts up to the middle of May. Spring is thought to be the best season. In winter’s cold the trees shed their leaves and nature is gloomy. The trees and the flowers become fresh and colorful. All areas are filled with grass and thus the whole of nature looks green and fresh. The colourful birds fly about and Twitter in the trees. The small creatures like bees and butterflies which hide in the cold of winter, come out and fly from flower to flower. The light breeze from the north starts to blow. Spring revives the naked trees and makes nature attractive. During the entire spring, the temperature is normal. It is neither very cold like winter nor hot like Summer. The charming weather keeps us active throughout the day.
Activity 8(b)
You have a separate routine of work in the morning and in the evening. Write a page in your diary on that part of the day which you prefer more.
Answer: I wake up at 5.00 am. I like the morning part of the day because it is the time when I feel fresh and active. My day starts from going for a walk then I come back after 1 hour. I had breakfast around 8.00 am and then I got ready to go to school. I attend school from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Then, I go back home around 4.30. Then I have my badminton classes to attend. After that, I return home around 8.00 pm. Then, I study for 2 hours and have dinner at 10.00 pm. I go to sleep at 10.30 pm.
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