CBSE Class 8 English Unit 5 Science and Curiosity Chapter 1 Feathered Friend Important Question Answers from Poorvi Book

 

Class 8 English Feathered Friend Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for CBSE Class 8 English Unit 5 Science and Curiosity Chapter 1 Feathered Friend? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 8 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Unit 5 Science and Curiosity Chapter 1 Feathered Friend now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract-based questions, multiple choice questions and Extra Question Answers 

Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams. 

 

 

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Feathered Friend Textbook Questions (NCERT Solutions)

 

Exercises:

Let us do these activities before we read.
I. Work in pairs and discuss the questions given below. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. Who can a ‘feathered’ friend be?
Ans. A ‘feathered’ friend is a friend who is covered with feathers, like a bird.

2. Which ‘feathered’ friend do you like? Why?
Ans. I like doves because of their simple beauty and quiet and calm nature.
.
3. If you have a choice between a ‘feathered’ and a ‘furry’ friend, who would you choose? Why?
Ans. I would choose a furry friend because of my personal preference

4. Do you think a ‘feathered’ or a ‘furry’ friend can accompany astronauts to space? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Ans. Yes, a ‘feathered’ or a ‘furry’ friend can accompany astronauts to space. As we read in this chapter, ‘feathered’ friends can be useful in their own ways. ‘Furry’ friends like dogs, cats and monkeys have gone out to space with astronauts earlier too, for scientific purposes.

Feathered-Friend-QNA-img1

 

II. Complete the words given below by inserting vowels. Refer to their meanings given alongside. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Feathered-Friend-QNA-img4

Let us discuss
I. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Why did the narrator think Sven had sneaked a bird aboard? What was Sven’s scientific reason?
Ans. Sven had sneaked a bird aboard the space station because he wanted to have a pet as a companion. He made an excuse that he had smuggled in Claribel to see how a canary would react to the absence of gravity.

2. How did Claribel adjust to the new surroundings?
Ans. Claribel did not have to fly anymore. She would flap her wings sometimes to float in the no-gravity environment. She did not need much food anyways, but she grew fat because she wasn’t making effort to fly anymore.

3. What made the narrator mistake the musical whistle for a sound from the intercom?
Ans. The narrator did not know that there was a canary in the space station. So, when there was a musical whistle, they mistook it for a sound in the intercom because there was no other logical explanation for the melodic sound in her cubbyhole.

4. Do you think the presence of the canary would lead the spacers into trouble? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Ans. No, the canary is not disturbing in nature. Sometimes a canary can whistle and peep a lot when upset, but a little bird cannot disrupt the activities of the spacers. In fact, the chapter shows that the canary can be useful as well in the survival of the spacers. However, some precautions should be taken for the safety of the canary, and that the canary would not accidentally ruin something in the space station.

Let us discuss
I. Identify whether the following statements from parts I and II are true or false. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. The alarm at the space station failed to work properly because they were not connected.
Ans. True.

2. Claribel was brought to the space station for an official experiment on animal behaviour in space.
Ans. False.

3. The canary’s suffering helped the crew discover a problem with the air purifier.
Ans. True.

4. The air purifier froze because there was a rare eclipse.
Ans. True.

5. Claribel could fly gracefully in the space station, performing loops in the air.
Ans. True.

6. The space station crew was uninterested in Claribel and hardly noticed her presence after she was discovered.
Ans. False.

7. Claribel had fainted and had to be revived with oxygen supply.
Ans. True.

Let us think and reflect
I. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. Sven was one of our best construction men, and excelled at the tricky and specialised work of collecting assorted girders as they floated around in free fall, making them do the slow-motion, three-dimensional ballet that would get them into their right positions, and fusing the pieces together when they were precisely dovetailed into the intended pattern: it was a skilled and difficult job, for a space suit is not the most convenient of garbs in which to work.

(i) What can be inferred about Sven’s abilities from his job description?
A. He is good at following instructions but lacks creativity.
B. He possesses a strong understanding of working in space.
C. He struggles with the complexities of construction in space.
D. He prefers working on simpler tasks rather than complex jobs.
Ans. B. He possesses a strong understanding of working in space.

(ii) How can we conclude that Sven was working in zero gravity?
Ans. “Sven was one of our best construction men, and excelled at the tricky and specialised work of collecting assorted girders as they floated around in free fall, making them do the slow-motion, three-dimensional ballet that would get them into their right positions,”
The words ‘free fall’ and ‘three-dimensional ballet’ suggests that Sven was working in zero gravity.

(iii) Select the option that is correct for both (Assertion) A and (Reason) R.
(A): Sven’s job required him to make girders perform a ‘three-dimensional ballet’ in space.
(R): Working in zero gravity allows objects to float, making precise positioning more challenging.
A. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
C. (A) is true, but (R) is false.
D. (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans. D. (A) is false, but (R) is true.

(iv) Replace the underlined word with a word similar in meaning from the extract.
During the festival, people wore colourful outfits that represented their culture.
Ans. During the festival, people wore colourful garbs that represented their culture.

2. “Jim!” There’s something wrong with the air! That’s why Claribel’s passed out. I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.”
“Nonsense!” said Jim. “The alarms would have gone off. We’ve got duplicate circuits, operating independently.”
“Er—the second alarm circuit isn’t connected up yet,” his assistant reminded him. That shook Jim; he left without a word, while we stood arguing and passing the oxygen bottle around like a pipe of peace.

(i) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The narrator references canaries and miners in order to __________.
(highlight the historical use of canaries as warning systems/explain the reason that caused Claribel to faint suddenly)
Ans. explain the reason that caused Claribel to faint suddenly

(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason.
Jim initially dismisses the warning about the air because __________.
Ans. the alarms would have informed them about the harmful gases in the air.

(iii) What does the phrase ‘shook Jim’ mean in the context of the information in the extract?
Jim was _________.
A. physically pushed by someone
B. startled by unexpected information
C. cold and needed to warm up
D. trying to shake off sleepiness
Ans. B. startled by unexpected information

(iv) What does the crew’s action of passing the oxygen bottle around ‘like a pipe of peace’ suggest about their response to the situation?
Ans. It suggests that they were worried and slightly panicking over the shortage of oxygen. However, to avoid a fight over the bottle, they passed it around one by one in a peaceful and serial manner.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. What was the purpose of the alarm? What had caused its failure?
Ans. The purpose of the alarm was to warn the spacers about the rise in the amounts of harmful gases in the air. However, the alarm worked with two circuits in it. The single circuit was complete, but the secondary circuit was not connected yet. Therefore, it failed to warn the spacers.

2. How does the crew’s reaction to Claribel change over the course of the story?
Ans. When the crew first discovered Claribel, they (excluding Sven) did not care for the small bird. They were relieved that the bird did not cause major problems but found her problematic when she would peep and whistle during the VIP’s visits to the station. However, they were anxious and distressed when they saw that Claribel was fainting and unresponsive. Then, when they realized that she saved their lives than their advanced engineering and technology, they became caring and accepting of the bird’s presence in the space station.

3. What does the last part of the story tell us about the significance of unusual ways of problem solving?
Ans. The last part of the story shows the crew realising the limitations of technology and the potential of conventional problem-solving methods. We see that advanced technology is not always a solution. Due to certain rare-case scenarios, even advanced engineering can fail to function up to the standards. However, a canary can solve the problem by indicating that the air has a huge amount of harmful gases. Therefore, the story tells us that traditional methods are just as important as non-conventional, scientifically built methods.

4. Justify the appropriateness of the title of the story.
Ans. The title of the story is The Feathered Friend. It is appropriate because the story is about a pet bird that Sven snuck inside and helped the spacers survive in the space station. The title highlights how Claribel is a pet canary and how, eventually, the rest of the crew accept Claribel as a friend because she saves them all.

5. ‘Without Claribel, we should soon have been slightly dead.’ What does this line suggest about uncertainty of life in space?
Ans. Space is an interesting and unknown territory, which has various variables and undiscovered celestial objects and forces. Therefore, space is not a fun and carefree place to be. It is very dangerous to be in space because many things can change drastically quickly. For example, in the story, we see that the air purifier freezes because of the rare event of the Earth blocking the sun completely.

6. Explain how has the writer presented science fiction with a touch of humour.
Ans. The writer presented science fiction with a touch of humour by displaying juxtaposition between technology and nature with the help of an absurd situation. The absurd situation is the Earth eclipsing the Sun and blocking the sunlight to the space station. The juxtaposition is humorous because no one expects a canary to be better than years of engineering efforts.

7. How would Sven reflect on his experience of almost losing Claribel and for saving the lives of the entire crew?
Ans. Sven would be thankful for carrying out the experiment with a canary onboard the space station. He would be glad to have accidentally saved the crew.

Feathered Friend Grammar Exercises

Let us learn
I Choose the appropriate adjectives from the box given below to match with the words 1–8 that follow.

nagging vague delighted narrow
sluggish hushed inexplicable sheepish

 1. ________________ path
2. ________________ worry
3. ________________ plan
4. ________________ look
5. ________________ reason
6. ________________ traffic
7. ________________ voices
8. _______________ expression

Now, underline the sentences that use these adjectives in the text.

Ans. 1. narrow path
2. nagging worry
3. vague plan
4. delighted look
5. inexplicable reason
6. sluggish traffic
7. hushed voices
8. sheepish expression

The sentences that use these adjectives in the text are:
There were a couple of narrow escapes—but then who would dream of looking for a canary in a space station?
I had a nagging headache, and vague memories of fitful, disturbed dreams.
To our delighted surprise, she revived at once.
So now, if you visit any space station, don’t be surprised if you hear an inexplicable snatch of birdsong.
My mind seemed to be very sluggish that morning, as if I was still unable to cast off the burden of sleep.
We all waited in hushed silence while he held Claribel against his ear in an attempt to detect any heartbeat.
He came back ten minutes later with a sheepish expression.

II. The word ‘intercom’ is used in the text. It is called a merged word as it is made by combining the parts of two words—‘internal’ and ‘communication’. Merged words are made by combining two words.

Combine the words in Column 1 with the words in Column 2 to make merged words. Write the merged word and its meaning.

One example has been done for you.

Column 1 Column 2 Merged word Meaning
breakfast lunch (i) brunch meal eaten between breakfast and lunch hours
motor  hotel
smoke  fog 
situation  comedy
video log 
spoon  fork 
web  seminar 

Ans.

Column 1 Column 2 Merged word Meaning
breakfast lunch (i) brunch meal eaten between breakfast and lunch hours
motor  hotel (ii) motel a roadside hotel designed primarily for motorists
smoke  fog  (iii) smog fog having smoke and atmospheric pollutants
situation  comedy (iv) sitcom a television or radio series in which the same set of characters is involved in various amusing situations
video log  (v) vlog a journal recorded and depicted via videos
spoon  fork  (vi) spork a utensil that functions both as a spoon and a fork
web  seminar  (vii) webinar an online seminar where the lecturer and the lecture are captured and displayed via the internet and webcam

III. Read the following sentence from the text and fill in the blank.

It will mean that you’re being doubly safeguarded.

In the given sentence, ‘will’ denotes __________ (past/present/future) time.
There are several ways to use verbs to talk about the future in English.
The following table lists some of the usages of future time references.

S. No. Tense  Usage Examples
1. ‘will’ [Note: also common in offers, promises, and orders expressing willingness, certainty or obligations] When we provide information about future events or discuss possible future occurrences. • I think the Kailash House will win.
2. Simple Present Tense  When we talk about the future only in situations that are a part of a regular schedule or planned action. • My school reopens on 03 January.
3. Present Progressive Tense When we use for future actions and events mostly for personal arrangements and fixed plans. • My exams are getting over this weekend.
• I am visiting my grandparents during the vacation.
4. ‘Going to’  Present Progressive Tense of ‘go’— This is common in informal style, especially in speech or conversation. • We’re going to get a new motorbike soon.
5. Future Perfect (will have + Past Participle)  When we say that something will be finished or completed by a certain time in future. • The teacher says, she will have completed the portions by next month.
6. Future Progressive (will + be + -ing)  When we say that something will be in progress at a particular moment in the future.  • This time tomorrow I will be relaxing at home.
7. Future in the Past  Sometimes, when we talk about the past, we need to mention something that was still in the future at that time— something that had not happened yet. • I had no time to shop as I was leaving for Chennai in an hour. (instead of ‘am leaving’)
• Last time I saw you, you were going to start a new business. (instead of ‘are going to’)
• In 2024, I arrived in a town where I would spend the rest of my life. (instead of ‘will spend’)

IV. Fill in the blanks with the correct form (Simple Present, Present Progressive, ‘will’, or ‘going to’) to indicate future time.
1. Our flight __________ (leave) at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow.
2. They __________ (finish) the project by the end of this week.
3. The weather forecast says it __________ (rain) later today.
4. We __________ (move) into our new house next month.
5. I __________ (start) my new hobby class next Monday.
6. She __________ (go) to the mall this afternoon.
7. The team __________ (have) a meeting at 3.00 p.m. tomorrow.
8. I __________ (help) you with your homework after dinner.

Ans.
1. Our flight will leave at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow.
2. They will have finished the project by the end of this week.
3. The weather forecast says it is going to rain later today.
4. We will be moving into our new house next month.
5. I will be starting my new hobby class next Monday.
6. She is going to go to the mall this afternoon.
7. The team will have a meeting at 3.00 p.m. tomorrow.
8. I will help you with your homework after dinner.

V. Fill in the blanks with the suitable forms of verbs given in brackets to express future time reference.

By 2040, artificial intelligence 1. ________ (revolutionise) medical treatments. Researchers 2.________ (develop) AI-powered diagnostic tools that 3. ________ (transform) healthcare by the end of this decade. Next week, the International Science Congress 4. _______ (open) to showcase advancements in AI and robotics. In the coming years, robots 5. _______ (assist) surgeons in performing complex operations. Years ago, experts had predicted that AI would reshape our world, and now, as we approach the future, this 6. _______ (be) our new reality.

Ans. By 2040, artificial intelligence will revolutionise medical treatments. Researchers are developing AI-powered diagnostic tools that will have transformed healthcare by the end of this decade. Next week, the International Science Congress is going to open to showcase advancements in AI and robotics. In the coming years, robots will assist surgeons in performing complex operations. Years ago, experts had predicted that AI would reshape our world, and now, as we approach the future, this will be our new reality.

Let us listen
I. You will listen to a conversation between Monika and Toby. Toby is a Martian and is stranded on Earth. He has become Monika’s friend. As you listen, put a tick mark () against the correct statements and a cross against the wrong ones. (Transcript for teacher on page 249)
1. Toby misses his school.
2. Monika accepts Toby as her friend.
3. Monika asks Toby about one of his facial features.
4. Toby tells Monika that she had a banana for breakfast.
5. Toby shares that he can see much clearer with a closed eye.

Ans.

Feathered-Friend-QNA-img2

II. Listen to the conversation again and fill in the blanks with the exact words you hear.
1. Toby: I miss my _________________ and home.
2. Toby: Well, we _________________ don’t need to eat anything. We get our _________________ from the Sun.
3. Monika: Oh! Don’t you ever feel like having ice-creams and _________________!
4. Monika: Okay, tell me one thing. How are you able to see ony with _________________ eye?
5. Toby: I can see beyond mountains and _________________, woods and even ____________.

Ans. 1. Toby: I miss my people and home.
2. Toby: Well, we Martians don’t need to eat anything. We get our energy from the Sun.
3. Monika: Oh! Don’t you ever feel like having ice-creams and chocolates!
4. Monika: Okay, tell me one thing. How are you able to see only with one eye?
5. Toby: I can see beyond mountains and clouds, woods and even metals.

Let us write
I. Complete the social media web given below with the uses of the internet.

Feathered-Friend-QNA-img3

Now, write an article titled ‘The Importance of Internet’ with the help of the social media web.
Points to remember:

Heading/Title
Name of the writer

Paragraph 1: Give a general introduction to the topic.
Paragraph 2: Explain the uses of the internet and why it is important.
Give examples to support your view.
Paragraph 3: End with a comment and leave the reader with a thoughtful idea or quote.

Ans.
The Importance of Internet
[Your name]

The internet stands as one of the most transformative inventions in modern history. It has connected distant corners of the globe, reshaping the way people communicate, access information, and experience the world. In our digital era, the internet is not just a tool but an essential part of daily life, influencing everything from education to entertainment and beyond.

The internet serves countless purposes, making life easier, faster, and more efficient. The various domains are online learning, marketing, social networking, instant communication, and a myriad of other fields. In the field of education, students use the internet to access educational resources, participate in online learning, attend virtual classes, and collaborate globally. It provides immediate access to vast information, making research and self-learning more effective for students and professionals alike.​ In the domain of marketing, businesses rely on the internet for marketing, customer engagement, and brand building, often leveraging social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach broader audiences. Social connections have become easier through instant messaging apps and social networking services. Families and friends separated by distance can communicate instantly, share experiences, and build relationships regardless of geographical limitations. The internet is also vital in public services, healthcare access, telework, and even entertainment, influencing nearly every sphere of modern life.

The Internet is an important tool for every task and aspect of modern life. Like Bill Gates himself once said, “The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” This means that the Internet is the vital center that powers the future.

 

CBSE Class 8 English Unit 5 Science and Curiosity Chapter 1 Feathered Friend Extract-Based Questions

 

A. To the best of my knowledge, there’s never been a regulation that forbids one to keep pets in a space station. No one ever thought it was necessary—and even had such a rule existed, I am quite certain that Sven Olsen would have ignored it.
Actually he was a wiry little fellow, like most of the early spacers, and managed to qualify easily for the 150-pound bonus that kept so many of us on a reducing diet. Had he been built otherwise, his chances of getting a job in space would have been very slim.

Q1. Is there a law related to keeping pets in Space stations?
Ans. No, there isn’t any such law.

Q2. Who is ‘he’?
Ans. Sven Olson

Q3. slim means ______
Ans. very less

Q4. Who is a ‘spacer’?
Ans. One who travels in space or lives there is a spacer.

Q5. What kept most of them on a diet?
Ans. The desire to win the 150-pound bonus kept them on a reducing diet.

B. I first became aware that Claribel was aboard when I was sitting in the little cubbyhole laughingly called my office, checking through my lists of technical stores to decide what items we’d be running out of next. When I heard the musical whistle beside my ear, I assumed that it had come over the station intercom, and waited for an announcement to follow. It didn’t; instead, there was a long and involved pattern of melody that made me look up with such a start that I forgot all about the angle beam just behind my head. When the stars had ceased to explode before my eyes, I had my first view of Claribel.

Q1. Who is Claribel?
Ans. It is a bird petted by Sven.

Q2. Where was Claribel?
Ans. Claribel was aboard the space station. Sven got it to experiment.

Q3. How did the speaker come to know of Claribel’s presence?
Ans. He heard a musical whistle beside his ear.

Q4. What happened to the speaker when he looked up?
Ans. He forgot that there was an angle beam overhead and hit his head on it.

Q5. Why did stars explode over his head?
Ans. As his head hit the beam, he got hurt and lost his senses which can be termed as seeing stars all around.

C. Sven didn’t confess to her ownership for several days, and by that time it no longer mattered, because Claribel was a general pet. He had smuggled her up on the last ferry from Earth, when he came back from leave—partly, he claimed, out of sheer scientific curiosity. He wanted to see just how a bird would operate when it had no weight but could still use its wings.
Claribel thrived and grew fat. On the whole, we had little trouble concealing our guest when VIPs from Earth came visiting. A space station has more hiding places than you can count; the only problem was that Claribel got rather noisy when she was upset, and we sometimes had to think fast to explain the curious peeps and whistles that came from ventilating shafts and storage bulkheads.

Q1. Why didn’t Sven accept that he owned Claribel?
Ans. Perhaps Sven felt guilty for getting a bird on the space station which could go against the rules.

Q2. Why did Sven get the bird?
Ans. He was curious to see how the bird would operate without weight and use its wings.

Q3. When did Claribel get noisy?
Ans. It got noisy when it was upset.

Q4. Where did they hide Claribel?
Ans. They hid it in ventilating shafts and storage bulkheads.

Q5. Why did they hide the bird?
Ans. Whenever VIPs visited, they had to hide the bird from them.

D. “Give her a shot of oxygen,” suggested somebody, pointing to the green-banded emergency cylinder in its recess beside the door. Everyone agreed that this was an excellent idea, and Claribel was tucked snugly into a face mask that was large enough to serve as a complete oxygen tent for her.
To our delighted surprise, she revived at once. Beaming broadly, Sven removed the mask, and she hopped onto his finger. She gave her series of “Come to the cookhouse, boys” trills—then promptly keeled over again.
“I don’t get it,” lamented Sven. “What’s wrong with her? She’s never done this before.”
For the last few minutes, something had been tugging at my memory. My mind seemed to be very sluggish that morning, as if I was still unable to cast off the burden of sleep. I felt that I could do with some of that oxygen—but before I could reach the mask, understanding exploded in my brain. I whirled on the duty engineer and said urgently: “Jim!” There’s something wrong with the air! That’s why Claribel’s passed out. I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.”

Q1. Why was Claribel tucked into a face mask?
Ans. The bird suffered from gas poisoning and needed oxygen. So it was tucked in a face mask.

Q2. Why did the bird keel over again?
Ans. Perhaps, it again relapsed and as there was leakage of poisonous gas, it suffered from lack of oxygen.

Q3. Did the speaker also suffer?
Ans. Yes, the speaker also felt sluggish.

Q4. Claribel was a ______ bird.
Ans. canary

Q5. Who used canaries to warn them of gas?
Ans. Miners took canaries along to warn them of gas presence because canaries reacted fast to shortage of oxygen.

 

Class 8 Feathered Friend Multiple Choice Questions

Q1. Sven’s pet bird was called ______
A. Clara
B. Claribel
C. Canary
D. Costa
Ans. B. Claribel

Q2. Where did Sven take the bird?
A. to college
B. space station
C. market
D. aeroplane
Ans. B. space station

Q3. Why did he get the bird along?
A. it was homeless
B. out of curiosity
C. he wanted to break the rules
D. he was playing a prank
Ans. B. out of curiosity

Q4. What led to Claribel’s condition?
A. food poisoning
B. gas poisoning
C. overeating
D. change in surrounding
Ans. B. gas poisoning

Q5. How did they try to revive the bird?
A. with an injection
B. with a dose of oxygen
C. with rest
D. with exercise and a cut in diet
Ans. B. with a dose of oxygen

Q6. What is “Come to the cookhouse, boys”?
A. a musical whistle that the bird made
B. a rhyme
C. a story’s title
D. none of these
Ans. A. a musical whistle that the bird made

Q7. The air purifier had _________
A. frozen
B. burst
C. broken
D. leaked
Ans. A. frozen

Q8. Jim’s sheepish expression shows that
A. he was guilty
B. he was embarrased
C. he was annoyed
D. he was happy
Ans. B. he was embarrased

Q9. The alarm in the circuit _______
A. failed
B. buzzed continuously
C. both A and B
D. None of these
Ans. A. failed

Q10. The engineering system that failed was worth _______
A. a few million dollars
B. half a million dollars
C. it was free
D. several hundred million dollars
Ans. B. half a million dollars

Q11. How did Claribel help the humans?
A. it protected them from the curse
B. it forewarned a gas leak
C. it whistled and announced the arrival of aliens
D. it warned them of shortage of food
Ans. B. it forewarned a gas leak

Q12. What could have happened in the absence of Claribel?
A. they could have died of gas poisoning
B. the station could have exploded
C. they would die due to starvation
D. none of these
Ans. A. they could have died of gas poisoning

Q13. Who owned Claribel?
A. speaker
B. no one
C. Sven
D. not mentioned
Ans. C. Sven

Q14. Why was the author sluggish that morning?
A. he was sleepy
B. he was tired
C. lack of oxygen
D. all of these
Ans. C. lack of oxygen

Q15. Who carried canaries to detect gas?
A. scientists
B. experts
C. the staff at the station
D. miners
Ans. D. miners

Q16. Who is Jock Duncan?
A. owner of the bird
B. a sweeper at the space station
C. the author
D. cook-doctor-dietitian
Ans. D. cook-doctor-dietitian

Q17. Who is the author?
A. Sven Olson
B. Arthur C. Clarke
C. Jock Duncan
D. None of these
Ans. B. Arthur C. Clarke

Q18. Find a synonym of ‘forbid’.
A. avoid
B. prohibit
C. allow
D. confuse
Ans. B. prohibit

Q19. Who was Claribel?
A. a staffer
B. a bird
C. a VIP from Earth
D. all of these
Ans. B. a bird

Q20. Which of the following is best suited for a cubbyhole?
A. hole in golf course
B. place where pigeons live
C. vast open area
D. small enclosed space
Ans. D. small enclosed space

CBSE Class 8 English Poorvi Book Unit 5 Science and Curiosity Chapter 1 Feathered Friend Extra Question and Answers

Answer the following questions-

Q1. How did Claribel save the crew?
Ans. Claribel was a canary bird which reacted faster to lack of oxygen. When it fainted repeatedly, the crew got alarmed and on checking, they detected a frozen air purifier and failed alarm. Had the bird not fainted, they could have gone slightly dead.

Q2. Why did they hide the bird?
Ans. They weren’t sure if they were allowed to get pets on the space station. So, they would hide the bird when VIPs from earth visited the station.

Q3. Who got the canary bird and why?
Ans. Sven Olson, a member of the construction team got his pet bird on the space station. He was curious to see the bird’s reaction to lack of gravity.

Q4. Why is the bird called a ‘feathered friend’?
Ans. The bird saved the crew from dying due to lack of oxygen. So, it is called a feathered friend.

Q5. Why was the author’s mind sluggish that morning?
Ans. The author was suffering from a lack of oxygen. That was causing drowsiness and making his mind sluggish.