This article contains NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 2 – Children At Work. Below are the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 2 that have been solved by expert teachers in compliance with the most recent CBSE rules.
In the chapter ‘Children At Work’, we see Velu, an eleven-year-old boy who runs away from home and encounters unforeseen issues and harsh experiences in life. He meets Jaya, a ragpicker who works and eats food that has been thrown by others.
Students in the eighth grade should check the English Supplementary textbook – It So Happened for NCERT Solutions. The latest CBSE English curriculum has been used to solve all textbook and supplementary exercise questions.
Chapter 1 – Children At Work: Summary
An eleven-year-old boy named Velu is the protagonist of the story ‘Children At Work’. Velu’s father was a drinker who robbed him and his sister of their money. Every day, he used to beat them up. One day, Velu ran away from home to escape from his father’s beating. He took the Kanyakumari Express without a ticket because he had no money after wandering in Conoor for an entire day.
When Velu arrived at Chennai Central Station, he noticed that everyone was hustling. He felt weak because he didn’t get much sleep the night before. His legs trembled, and he felt lonely in the unfamiliar surroundings. Jaya, a girl, noticed him and approached him. Velu was hesitant to speak to her since she was dressed in banian and her hair was messy. Class 8 English It So Happened Children At Work. On her shoulder, she was carrying a large sack. Jaya worked as a rag collector. She told him she would get him some food and asked him to come with her.
He couldn’t decide whether or not he could trust her. Later, he followed her across the busy street since he had no other choice. Velu was terrified. As they passed by the central jail, Jaya urged him not to get caught by the cops. After an hour, they arrived at a facility where the wedding ceremony was held. Jaya saw two bananas and vada in the garbage can and offered him one of each. Velu was hesitant to eat it, but he did so since he was hungry and had no other options.
After the meal, Jaya took him to her place; it was a slum. Waste metal sheets, tyres, bricks, wood, and plastic made up her abode. Jaya told Velu that she collects scrap from various places and sells it to scrappers for money. She requested his assistance. He accepted the job she offered and planned to change the job once he recovered.
Chapter 1 – Children At Work: Important Points To Remember
- This chapter narrates the story of Velu, a boy who had walked away from home because he was exhausted, hungry, and terrified.
- While boarding the train, he was alone, hungry, and sleepy. Velu was unable to purchase a railway ticket because he had no money.
- He decided to pursue the odd girl since she had promised to bring him food, and he was starving.
Chapter 1 – Children At Work: NCERT Solutions
Comprehension Check (Page 9)
Children At Work
Q1: Velu stood on the platform, but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train”. Why?
Answer: Velu stood on the platform, but his legs were unsteady and unstable after the voyage to Chennai, and he felt like he was still on a moving train. The impression of a moving train usually lasts for some time after the voyage is completed.
Q2: What made him feel horrible?
Answer: Velu was sad and fatigued since he had fled his village two days ago and had not eaten anything for the past days except peanuts and a piece of jaggery.
Q3(i) Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
Answer: (i) Because he didn’t have enough money to buy a ticket, Velu travelled without one.
(ii) He escaped the ticket collector’s notice because he happened to be in the unreserved section at the time.
Question 4: Why had Velu run away from home?
Answer: Velu had run away from home because his father had been abusing him on a daily basis. Velu’s father would also squander the money Velu and his sisters earned on alcohol.
Question 5: Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?
Answer: He chose to follow the ‘weird’ female since he didn’t know where else to go or what to do. He had no strategy for himself.
Comprehension Check (Page 13)
Children At Work
Question 1:
Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?
Answer: Velu couldn’t see the enormous signboards written in English since he didn’t understand what they said. He squinted and read it as it was written in Tamil as he walked through the Central Jail.
Question 2:
“If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there,” the girl said.
(i) What is she referring to?
(ii) What does she mean when she says, “If you are not careful…”?
(She says something a little later, which means the same. Find that sentence.)
Answer: (i) She was referring to the Central Correctional Facility.
(ii) When she told Velu, “If you are not careful…”, she meant that he should never be caught and imprisoned. Furthermore, she implied that they should be extra cautious and not do anything foolish in order to avoid being apprehended by the cops.
Another thing the girl said to him was, “You don’t have to do anything.” “All I ask is that you don’t get caught.”
Question 3:
(i) Where did the girl lead Velu to?
(ii) What did they get to eat?
Answer:(i) Velu was escorted to Sri Rajarajeshwari Prasanna Kalyana Mandapam by the girl. She led him behind the hall to a large garbage can loaded with trash. There was a wedding going on at that time.
(ii) Velu received a banana and a vada, whilst the female received only one banana.
Question 4:
What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.
Answer: The girl in the story worked as a ragpicker
