Class 8 DAV SA1 Literature Sample Paper

SA1 DAV LITERATURE Sample Paper

Q.12 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate option.(4M)

My Mother! You come to me like heaven’s caring arms,

I remember the war days when life was challenge and toil ---- Miles to walk, hours before sunshine.

(a) Who are ‘you’ and ‘me’ in the above lines?

(i) poet’s mother and poet

(ii)poet and poet’s mother

(iii) poet and grandmother

(iv)poet and brother

(b) What does ‘war days ‘refer to here?

(i) World War-I

(ii) India- Pakistan War

(iii) India- China War

(iv) World War-II

(c) Why did the poet have to walk so much, early in the morning?

(i) to learn Arabic

(ii) to fetch milk from the market

(iii)to take lessons from the saintly teacher (iv) both (i) and (iii)

(d) Name the poem and the poet.

(i) ‘ My Mother ‘ by Ruskin Bond (ii) ‘My Mother ‘ by A.P.J .Abdul Kalam

(iii) ‘My Mother ‘ by Leo Tolstoy (iv) ‘My Mother ‘ by R.K. Narayan

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Q.13 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate option.(4M)

Teach us to bear the yoke in youth, With steadfastness and careful truth;

That in our times, thy grace may give That truth whereby the Nationslive.

(a) What yoke is the poet referring to?

(i)unafraid (ii) happiness (iii) responsibilities (iv) none of the above

(b) What does the poet mean by ‘careful truth’?

(i) firmness (ii) sadness (iii)resoluteness (iv) to speak the truth and not hurt others

(c) ‘Steadfastness’ in the second line means__________________

(i)firmness and resoluteness(ii)happy and unafraid (iii) very bold (iv)focus

(d) Name the poem and the poet.

(i) ‘The Children’s Song’ by Joseph Rudyard Kipling

(ii) ‘The Children’s Song’ by Isaac Asimov

(iii) ‘The Children’s Song’ by Alexander Pope

(iv) ‘The Children’s Song’ by R.K.Narayan

Q.14 Answer any four questions given below in about 30-40 words each.(2x4=8M)

(a) Why did the King dress like a commoner when he went to meet the hermit?

(b) What was the complication in the geography sector of Margie’s teacher?

(c) Why was granny confined to bed? Why did she feel it as ‘a brief season in hell?’

(d) How did Swami’s father react when his son told him that he was not going to school? What was mother’s reaction?

(e) What pain is the poet Abdul Kalam talking about and how did he overcome it?

Q.15 Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words. (2x2=4M)

(a) What type of people does the poet wish the children to become?

(b) Describe Swami’s feeling when he felt that he was the ‘worst perjurer ‘on the earth.

Q.16 Imagine you are the King. You were quite excited and satisfied after getting answers for your three questions. Write a letter thanking the hermit by expressing your feelings of gratitude for his words of wisdom  1in about 80-90 words.

Class 9 SST Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution

The russian revolution of 1917 centers around two primary events:February revolution and October revolution .The february revolution which removed Tsar Nicholas II from power devoloped spontaneously out of a serious of increasingly violent demonstrations and riots on the streets Petrograd during a time when tsar was away from the capital visiting troops on the world war I front.
The October Revolution overtuned the interim provisional government and established the soviet union.It was a much more deliberate event orchestrated by a small group of people.The Bolsheviks who led this coup, prepared their coup in only six months.By october,the bolsheviks popular base was much popular,they had built up a majority of support with Petrograd and other urban 

centres.Liberals, Racials and Coservatives

Liberals: Liberals wanted a change in the society. They wanted toleration towards all religions. They opposed the uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers. They wanted to safeguard the rights of individuals. They favoured a representative, elected parliamentary government. Such a government should be subject to laws interpreted by a well-trained and independent judiciary. However, some of the liberal ideas were not democratic. They did not believe in universal adult franchise and wanted the voting rights only for men with property.
Radicals: Radicals also wanted a change in the society. The radicals were in favour of women’s suffragate movement. They opposed the privileges of wealthy landowners and factory owners. They were not against private property but opposed the concentration of property in a few hands.
Conservatives: The conservatives preferred the status quo. However, their attitudes changed after the French Revolution. They were in favour of gradual change; with some preservation of old institutions.

Industrial Society and Social Change

Industrialization resulted in a large number of people working in factories. Work hours were usually long and the workers were getting poor wages. Unemployment was quite common. As towns were growing rapidly, there were problems of housing and sanitation.
Many among the liberals and radicals were property owners and employers. They wanted the benefit of industrialization to reach the workforce. They believed that healthy and educated citizens would be more productive for the economy. Some liberals and radicals wanted revolutions which could end all kind of governments established in Europe in 1815.

The Coming of Socialism to Europe

Socialism was a radical idea which was based on abolition of private properties and projected a dream of classless society. Socialists saw private property as the root of all social ills. They argued that the capitalists were only concerned about their profit and not with the welfare of workers.
Some socialists believed in the idea of cooperatives. Some other socialists believed that the governments should encourage cooperatives because it was not possible to build large-scale cooperatives by individual initiatives.
Karl Marx (1818-1883) argued that workers should make a cooperative society in which collective ownership of land and factories would be promoted. According to Marx, it was the way to get rid of ills of capitalism. Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) also added other ideas to the concept of socialism.

Support for Socialism

Socialist ideas spread through Europe by the 1870s. An international body; called Second International was formed to coordinate these efforts.
Workers in England and Germany began forming associations so that they could fight for better living and working conditions. They also set up funds to help members in times of distress. They demanded reduced working hours and the voting rights. These associations worked closely with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Germany and helped it in winning the parliamentary seats. Similarly, a Labour Party was formed in Britain and a Socialist Party was formed in France by 1905. However, till 1914, the socialists did not succeed in forming a government in Europe.

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

The fall of monarchy in February 1917 and the subsequent events of October are normally called the Russian Revolution.

The Russian Empire in 1914

In 1914, Russia and its empire was ruled by Tsar Nicholas II. The Russian empire included modern-day Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, parts of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus. It stretched to the Pacific and comprised modern day Central Asian states, as well as Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Orthodox Christianity was the majority religion in Russia but Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Buddhists also lived in the Russian Empire.

Economy and Society

At the beginning of the twentieth century, about 85% of the Russian empire’s population was dependent on agriculture. Industry was found in some pockets; like St. Petersburg and Moscow. Much of the production was done by craftsmen but large factories also existed. Most of the factories were set up in the 1890s. This was the period when Russia’s railway network was extended and foreign investment in industry increased.
Most of the industry was owned by private individuals. The government kept an eye on large factories to ensure minimum wages and limited working hours. But rules were broken with impunity. Workers sometimes had to work up to 15 hours. Accommodation for workers could be in rooms or dormitories.
Workers: The workers were divided into different social groups. Some of them had strong links with their ancestral villages. Some others had permanently settled in the cities. Workers were divided by skill and metalworkers were on top of this hierarchy. Workers’ dress and manners also manifested such divisions.
In spite of divisions, the workers often united to strike work whenever there was some issue related to dismissals or work conditions. Such strikes frequently took place in the textiles industry during 1896-1897, and in the metal industry during 1902.
Peasants: In villages, the peasants cultivated most of the land, but large properties were owned by the nobility, the crown and the Orthodox Church.
Barring a few exceptions, the peasants had no respect for the nobility. Nobles enjoyed their power and position because of their services to the Tsar. The peasants of Russia wanted the land of the nobles to be given to them. They often refused to pay rent and even murdered landlords. Such incidents occurred on a large scale in south Russia in 1902. And in 1905, such incidents happened all over Russia.
Russian peasants pooled their land together periodically. Their commune (mir) divided the land according to the needs of individual families. Thus, they had a long tradition of working in close association.

Liberals, Racials and Coservatives

SOCIALISM IN RUSSIA

Some Russian socialists felt that the Russian peasant tradition of sharing the land according to commune (mir) made them natural socialists. They felt that peasants, rather than workers, would be the main force behind the revolution. They felt that Russia could become socialist more quickly than other countries.
Socialists were active in the countryside through the late nineteenth century. The Socialist Revolutionary Party was formed in 1900. This party demanded that land of the nobles should be transferred to peasants.
Social Democrats did not agree with Socialist Revolutionaries about peasants’ rights. Lenin thought that peasants were not one united group and hence they could all be part of a socialist movement.
Lenin thought that the party should be disciplined and should control the number and quality of its members. Others (Mensheviks) thought that the party should be open to all; as in Germany.

A Turbulent Time: The 1905 Revolution

The Tsar was not answerable to parliament. The liberals in Russia; along with the Social Democrats and Socialist Revolutionaries; worked with peasants and workers during the revolution of 1905 to demand a constitution. They were also supported in the empire by nationalists and by jadidists (in Muslim dominated areas). The jadidists wanted modernized Islam in their lives.
1904 was a bad year for Russian workers. Prices of essential goods arose so quickly that real wages declined by 20 percent. The membership of workers’ associations increased dramatically. The Assembly of Russian Workers was formed in 1904. When four of its members were dismissed at the Putilov Iron Works, there was a call for industrial action. Over 110,000 workers in St. Petersburg went on strike within a few days. They were demanding an eight hour work-schedule, increase in wages and improved working conditions.
Bloody Sunday: Father Gapon led the procession of workers. When the procession reached the Winter Palace, it was attacked by the police and the Cossacks. Over 100 workers were killed and 300 injured. This incident is known as Bloody Sunday. It started a serried of events which came to be known as the 1905 Revolution.
Strikes took place all over the country. Student bodies staged walkouts and universities were closed down. Lawyers, doctors, engineers and other middle-class workers formed the Union of Unions. They demanded a constituent assembly.
Creation of Duma: The Tsar allowed the creation of an elected consultative Parliament (Duma). Most of the committees and unions which were formed during this period were declared illegal after 1905 and hence many of them continued to work unofficially.
The Tsar imposed several restrictions on political activity. The first Duma was dismissed within 75 day and the re-elected second Duma was dismissed within three months. The Tsar then changed the voting laws and the third Duma was packed with conservative politicians.

The First World War and the Russian Empire

The War was initially popular and people rallied around Tsar Nicholas II. But the Tsar refused to consult the main parties in the Duma; when the war continued. This led to reduced support for the Tsar.
Defeat of Russian Army: The War on the ‘eastern front’ was different from the War on the ‘western front’. The armies fought from trenches along the eastern France; in the west. On the other hand, the armies moved a good deal on the east and fought battles. Casualties were high on the eastern front. Russia’s armies lost badly in Germany and Austria between 1914 and 1916. By 1917, over 7 million people died in the battle.
The retreating Russian army destroyed crops and buildings. The destruction of crops and buildings resulted in 3 million refugees in Russia. This development tarnished the image of the Tsar. Soldiers did not wish to fight such a war.
Effect on Industry: Industry was also badly affected by the war. German control of the Baltic Sea resulted in supplies being cut off to Russia. Due to this, industrial equipments disintegrated more rapidly in Russia than anywhere else in Europe. Railway lines began to break down by 1916. There was shortage of labour because the able-bodied men had been called for the war duty. This led to small workshops being shut and resulted in shortage of essential items. Large supplies of grains were sent to feed the army. Riots at bread shops were a common sight by the winter of 1916.
In the winter of 1917, conditions in the capital, Petrograd, were grim. Food shortages were severe in the workers’ quarters. The winter was very cold; accompanied by frost and heavy snow.

February Revolution:

On 22 February, a lockout took place at a factory on the right bank of the Neva river. On the next day, workers in fifty factories went on strike to show solidarity. Women led the way to strikes in many factories.
The demonstrators crossed from the factory quarters to the centre of the capital; the Nevskii Prospekt. The movement was not being actively organized by any political party. The government imposed a curfew and the demonstrators dispersed by the evening. But they came back on the 24th and 25th. Cavalry and police were called to keep a watch on the demonstrators.
The government suspended the Duma on 25th February. Demonstrators returned in larger number to the streets of the left bank on the 26th February. The Police Headquarters were ransacked on 27th February.
The government once again called out the cavalry to control the situation. But the cavalry refused to fire on the demonstrators. An officer of a regiment was shot at and three other regiments mutinied to join the striking workers.
By the evening of 27th February, soldiers and striking workers gathered to form a ‘soviet’ or ‘council’ in the same building as the Duma met. This was the Petrograd Soviet.
A delegation went to see the Tsar on 28th February. The Tsar abdicated on 2nd March; on the advice of the military.
A provisional government was formed by the Soviet Leaders and the Duma leaders. Thus the February Revolution of 1917 brought down the monarchy in Russia.

After February

The Provisional Government took steps towards an elected government. Restrictions on public meetings and associations were removed. ‘Soviets’ were set up everywhere, though no common system of election was followed.
Return of Lenin: The Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin returned from exile in April 1917. He made three demands which were known as ‘April Theses’. He declared an end to the war, transfer of land to the peasants and nationalization of banks. He proposed renaming of the Bolshevik Party as the Communist Party; to indicate its new radical aims.
Most others in the Bolshevik Party thought that the time was not ripe for socialist revolution. They wanted the Provisional Government to continue for some time. But various developments in the subsequent months changed their mindset.
The workers’ movement spread through the summer. Trade unions grew in number; in industrial areas. Soldiers’ committees were formed in the army. In the month of June, about 500 Soviets sent representatives to an All Russian Congress of Soviets.
The provisional government viewed these developments are an erosion in its powers and as growing influence of Bolshevik. The Provisional Government decided to take stern measures. The demonstrations by the Bolsheviks in July 1917 were sternly repressed. Many Bolshevik leaders had to go hiding. Many of them fled as well.
The peasants and their Socialist Revolutionary leaders demanded a redistribution of land. The peasants seized land between July and September 1917.

Liberals, Racials and Coservatives

THE REVOLUTION OF OCTOBER 1917

Lenin was apprehensive of imposition of dictatorship by the Provisional Government. On 16 October 1917, he convinced the Petrograd Soviet and the Bolshevik Party to agree to a socialist seizure of power. A Military Revolutionary Committee was appointed by the Soviet under Leon Trotskii to organize the seizure.
The uprising began on 24 October. Prime Minister Kerenskii had sensed trouble and hence left the city to summon troops. In the morning, military men loyal to the government seized the buildings of two Bolshevik newspapers. Pro-government troops were sent to take over the telephone and telegraph offices and protect the Winter Palace.
The Military Revolutionary Committee moved swiftly and ordered its supporters to seize government offices and arrest ministers. Later in the day, the ship Aurora shelled the Winter Palace. Various other vessels sailed down the Neva and took over various military points. The city was under the Committee’s control by night and the ministers had surrendered. At a meeting of the All Russian Congress of Soviets in Petrograd, the Bolshevik action was approved by the majority. By December, the Bolsheviks controlled the Moscow-Petrograd area.

What Changed after October?

• Most of the industry and banks were nationalized in November 1917. The government took over ownership and management.
• Land was declared social property. Peasants were allowed to seize the land of the nobility.
• In cities, large houses were partitioned as per family requirements.
• Old titles of aristocracy were banned.
• A clothing competition was held in 1918; to design new uniforms for the army and officials.

The Bolshevik Party was renamed the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik). Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in November 1917. The Bolsheviks failed to get majority after this election. The Assembly rejected Bolshevik measures and Lenin dismissed the Assembly in January 1918. Lenin thought that the All Russian Congress of Soviets was more democratic than the Assembly because the Assembly was elected under uncertain conditions.
In March 1918, the Bolsheviks made peace with Germany at Brest Litovsk; in spite of opposition by their political allies. In subsequent years, the Bolsheviks became the only party to participate in the elections to the All Russian Congress of Soviets. The All Russian Congress of Soviets became the parliament of the country.
Russia became a one-party state. Trade unions were kept under party control. The secret police punished those who criticized the Bolsheviks. Many writers and artists; who had earlier rallied behind the party felt disillusioned, because of censorship being imposed by the Bolsheviks.

The Civil War

After the land distribution order by the Bolsheviks, the Russian army began to break up. Most of the soldiers had come from farming background and hence wanted to go home for the redistribution of land.
Non-Bolshevik socialists, liberals and supporters of autocracy protested the Bolshevik uprising. Their leaders moved to south Russia. They organized troops to fight the Bolsheviks (the ‘reds’).
The ‘greens’ (Socialist Revolutionaries) and ‘whites (pro-Tsarists) controlled most of the Russian empire during 1918 and 1919. They were backed by French, American, British and Japanese troops. These forces were worried at the growth of socialism in Russia. A civil war ensued between these forces and the Bolsheviks.
Supporters of private property; among ‘whites’; took harsh steps with peasants who had seized land. But such actions led to a loss of popular support for the non-Bolsheviks.
The Bolsheviks took control of most of the former Russian empire by January 1920. The succeeded because of cooperation with non-Russian nationalities and Muslim jadidists.
But the cooperation did not work where Russian colonists themselves turned Bolshevik. In Khiva (Central Asia), Bolshevik colonists brutally massacred local nationalists in the name of defending socialism.
Finally, in December 1922, the Soviet Union (USSR) was formed from the Russian empire. Most non-Russian nationalities were given political autonomy in this union to prevent oppression by the Russian colonists. But various unpopular policies of the Bolsheviks meant that the attempts to win over different nationalities were only partially successful.

Making a Socialist Society

Planned Economy: A process of centralised planning was introduced by the Bolshevik. The officials planned for the development of the economy and made the Five Year Plans. Industrial growth was the target of the first two ‘Plans’ (1927-32 and 1933-38). Industrial production increased during this period and new industrial cities came up.
But rapid construction led to poor working conditions. Workers’ quarters were built in haphazard manner; without giving proper attention to certain facilities. Toilets and other conveniences were often made across the street from the living quarter. It often made for miserable life in the bitterly cold weather.
Schools were established for workers’ children and an extended schooling system was developed for factory workers and peasants. Crèches were made in factories for the benefit of women workers. Cheap healthcare was provided by the government.

Stalinism and Collectivisation

The early years of the Planned Economy proved to be disasters for the collectivization of agriculture. There was acute problem of grain supplies in the towns in 1927-28. The prices were fixed by the government but the peasants refused to sell grains to government buyers at these prices.
This was the time when Stalin was the head of the party. He introduced firm emergency measures. In 1928, he sent party members to the grain-producing areas. They supervised enforced collections of grains. Kulaks (well to do peasants) were raided. But these steps could not solve the grain crisis.
Stalin’s collectivization programme was then started. From 1929, all peasants were forced to cultivate in collective farms (kolhoz). The bulk of land and implements were transferred to the ownership of collective farm.
Enraged peasants resisted such attempts and destroyed their livestock. Those who resisted the attempts of collectivization were severely punished. Many were deported and exiled. After large-scale protests, some peasants were allowed to work on their independent farms, but the government was not sympathetic to them.
But collectivization did not produce the desired results. Bad harvests of 1930-1933 led to one of the most devastating famines in Soviet history. Over 4 million died in that famine.
Many within the Party who criticized Stalin’s policies were charged with conspiracy against socialism. By 1939, over 2 milion were in prisons or in labour camps. A large number were forced to make false confessions and were executed.

The Global Influence of the Russian Revolution and the USSR

The possibility of a workers’ state fired people’s imagination across the world, but most of the existing socialist parties in Europe did not wholly support the policies in Russia. Communist parties were formed in many countries. By the time, the Second World War began, USSR was considered to be the global face of socialism.
By the 1950s, many within the country began to acknowledge the fact that everything was not right in Russia. Although USSR had become a global industrial power; but basic freedoms were denied to the people. Many countries adapted to some ideals of socialism, but each country interpreted them in their own ways.

Liberals, Racials and Coservatives

NCERT Solution

Question – 1- What were the social, economic and political conditions in Russia before 1905?

Answer: A large section of the Russian population was dependent on agriculture. Some industries had developed in selected pockets. The Russian empire was under the autocratic rule of the Tsar. The workers were divided in different social groups, but often united to strike work in factories. The peasants had a long tradition of working in commune. 

Another Answer:

Question.1: What were the social, economic and political conditions in Russia before 1905 ?  

Solution: The social, economic and political conditions in Russia were very deplorable before 1905 which brought about a big revolution there known as ‘1905 Revolution’.

At the beginning of the 20^th century about 85% of the Russia’s population was agriculturists. Russia was a major exporter of grains. Industry was found in pockets only. Most industries were run by the private industrialists. Because of wide spread corruption and exploitations, sometimes workers did not get even the minimum wages and also there was no limit of working hours. Russia was an autocracy and was ruled by the Tsar. The Tsar, especially Tsar Nicholas II was a self-willed, corrupt, oppressive ruler. He ignored public welfare as a result of which the conditions of the peasants and workers had also become very deplorable. The workers and peasants both were divided. Peasants frequently refused to pay rent and even murdered landlords. Being influenced by the democratic experiments by the Western European countries, the Russians also demanded a responsible government but all their demands were turned down. Consequently, even the moderate reformers began to talk of revolutions.

During the rule of Tsar Nicholas II the privileged had got special rights while the general public including the workers and farmers had no say in the government. The situation had become so explosive that even the liberals campaigned to end this state of affairs. The Russian Social Democratic Workers Party was founded in 1898 by socialists who respected Marx’s ideas. In 1903, this party was divided into two groups - Mensheviks and Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks, who were in majority, were led by Lenin who is regarded as the greatest thinker on socialism after Marx.

Question – 2 - In what ways was the working population in Russia different from other countries in Europe, before 1917?

Answer: Compared to other parts of Europe, a larger portion of the Russian population was engaged in farming. Workers in the industry had already begun to organize themselves to stop work in factories. Farmers had a long tradition of working collectively on farms.

Question – 3 - Why did the Tsarist autocracy collapse in 1917?

Answer: The Tsar first dismissed the initial two Dumas and then packed the parliament with the conservatives. During the First World War, the Tsar took decision without consulting the Duma. Large scale casualties of Russian soldiers in the war further alienated the people from the Tsar. Burning of crops and buildings by the retreating Russian armies created huge shortage of food in Russia. All of these led to the collapse of the Tsarist autocracy in 1917.

Question – 4 - Make two lists: one with the main events and the effects of the February Revolution and the other with the main events and effects of the October Revolution. Write a paragraph on who was involved in each, who were the leaders and what was the impact of each on Soviet history.

Answer: February Revolution

• On 22 February: A lockout at a factory.
• Demonstrators thronged the centre of the capital, and curfew was imposed.
• 25th February: Suspension of Duma.
• 27th February: Formation of Soviet.
• 2nd March: Tsar leaves power and provisional government formed.

The February Revolution ended the autocratic Tsarist rule in Russia and paved the way for an elected government. There was no leader of this movement.

October Revolution:

• 16th October: Formation of Military Revolutionary Committee
• 24th October: Pro-government troops called in to deal with the situation.
• Military Revolutionary Committee controls the city by night and ministers surrender.
• The Bolshevik take control of the power.

The October Revolution was led by Lenin. This event paved the way for complete control of the Bolsheviks over Russia and the beginning of a single-party rule.

Question – 5 - What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks immediately after the October Revolution?

Answer: Major changes after the October Revolution:

• Most of the industry and banks were nationalized in November 1917. The government took over ownership and management.
• Land was declared social property. Peasants were allowed to seize the land of the nobility.
• In cities, large houses were partitioned as per family requirements.
• Old titles of aristocracy were banned.

Question – 6 - Write a few lines to show what you know about:
(a) Kulaks

Answer: The wealthy landowners were called the kulaks. Stalin was suspicious of them for hoarding. During collectivization of farming, the kulaks were raided and their lands were seized.

(b) The Duma

Answer: The Russian parliament is called the Duma. The first Duma was constituted in 1905.

(c) Women workers between 1900 and 1930

Answer: Participation of women workers was quite significant in Russia. About one-third industrial workers were women. Especially during the war years, the number of women workers increased because the able-bodied men were called for wartime duties.

(d) The Liberals

Answer: Liberals wanted a change in the society. They wanted toleration towards all religions. They opposed the uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers. They wanted to safeguard the rights of individuals. They favoured a representative, elected parliamentary government. Such a government should be subject to laws interpreted by a well-trained and independent judiciary. However, some of the liberal ideas were not democratic. They did not believe in universal adult franchise and wanted the voting rights only for men with property.

(e) Stalin’s collectivization programme

Answer: Stalin believed that collectivization of agriculture would help in improving grains supplies in Russia. He began collectivization in 1929. All peasants were forced to cultivate in collective farms (kolhoz). The bulk of land and implements were transferred to the ownership of collective farm. Many peasants protested such attempts and destroyed livestock to show their anger. Collectivization did not bring the desired results in the food supply situation turned even worse in subsequent years.

Class 8 ENGLISH IT SO HAPPENED THE TREASURE WITHIN

Amend Education Academy 9999908238

The Treasure Within

 

 

New words 

Nightmare = an unpleasant & frightening dream,

Psyche = mentality, the deepest feelings & attitudes,

Pranks = naughty jokes, mischiefs,

Bring up = to support life, nurture

Offbeat =unusual or unconventional

Rise to the occasion = to take advantage of the opportunity,

Key Points 

Hafeez was an unhappy but carefree school boy who loved doing things but not interested in mechanical learning.

When he reached his 11th Class, the Principal advised him to act as a responsible grown-up boy and take his studies seriously. The Principal’s advice had a deep influence on Hafeez. He scored 50% marks in his SSC exam.

Hafeez Contractor was destined to be an architect, though he never tried to be one. It was by chance that he became a famous architect.

 The lesson highlights the key idea that every child is talented and a potential achiever and is different from other children in his/her style of learning and area of interest

Summary

“The Treasure Within’ is a lesson based on a conversation between Ms. Bela Raja, editor of the newsletter-‘Sparsh’ and Mr. Hafeez Contractor, one of India’s leading architects.

Hafeez Contractor was good at drawing sketches. But as a school boy he didn’t do well in academics. He passed his exams only by copying.

Architect Hafeez Contractor is full of surprising and revolutionary ideas. He looks at the face & clothes of a client and learns about his habit and tastes. This helps him to design for the client.

His designs are stimulating and spontaneous. His famous designs are Lake castle Building, Imperial Towers, MP Compound Mill, etc.

At present, he is a member of the Bombay Heritage Committee and New Delhi Lutyens Bungalow Zone Review Committee.

Hafeez explains: “Architecture can give form to beliefs, and can make building into a real and arresting symbol of brand intent.”

Short Questions and Answers

Q1.What did Hafeez Contractor have nightmares about?

Ans.- About appearing in Maths exam. where he didn’t know anything.

Q.2. In what special way did Hafeez Contractor remember things?

Ans.- He didn’t remember them through his mind and saw things as photographs.

Q.3. What did Hafeez do in school as a gang leader?

Ans.-  He would plan strategies for gang fights.

Q.4. Why could Hafeez not join the army?

Ans.- His aunt tore up his admission letter as she didn’t want Hafeez to join the army.

Q.5. How do you assess Hafeez Contractor as a learner?

Ans.- Hafeez Contractor is an “unusual learner”  who does not accept things mechanically but applies his mind to remember them. (Learning by doing)

Q.6. How did Contractor define Mathematics?

Ans. Putting design, construction, psychology & sociology together and making a sketch from all these is Mathematics.

Q.7. Why did Hafeez Contractor go to an architect’s office?

Ans. Hafeez Contractor wanted to learn French from his cousin whose husband was an architect.  So, Hafeez had to go to an architect’s office.

Answers of Textbook Questions

1.      What did Hafeez Contractor have nightmares about?
 Ans.  Nightmares about appearing Maths test where he didn’t know anything.

2.      What did the Principal say to him, which influenced him deeply?
 Ans. That he should act as a responsible grown up person and take his studies seriously.

3.      “…….that year I did not step out onto the field”. What was he busy doing that year?
Ans. He would go for prayers, would eat and study. He read all the books, starting right from the 5th class.

4.      (i) What ‘distraction’ did Hafeez create one day?
Ans. One day, Hafeez did not want to study. So, he created a ‘distraction’ by playing ‘Chor-Police’ for an hour.

       (ii) Would you have liked to participate in the distraction had you been with him?
  Ans.  (For self attempt)

5.      Hafeez wanted to join the police force. Why couldn’t he?
 Ans.  Because his mother didn’t like so.  She wanted him to do his graduation.

6.      In the architect’s office, Hafeez Contractor was advised to drop everything and join architecture. Why?

 Ans. Hafeez Contractor had a natural talent of drawing sketches. The architect asked him to design a house.  He did so immediately which impressed the architect. Then he asked Hafeez to drop everything and join architecture.

7.      (i) What was Mrs. Gupta’s advice to Hafeez Contractor?
 Ans. Mrs. Gupta was Hafeez Contractor’s teacher in 3rd Standard. Her advice was to become an architect  on growing up.

(ii) What made her advise him so?

Ans. Mrs. Gupta saw that Hafeez Contractor’s sketches were very good which is a quality  possessed by an architect.

8.      How did he help his fellow students who had lost a button?
 Ans.- Hafeez Contractor would cut a chalk piece in the shape of a button and fixed it in the shirt. It looked like a real button.

9.      Which rules did he break as a school boy?
  Ans. Hafeez Contractor used to copy in every test, it was against the rule of the school.

10.  What is Hafeez Contractor’s definition of Mathematics?
  Ans. Putting design, construction, psychology & sociology together and making a sketch from all these is Mathematics.

Linear Equation in One Variable Solved questions Amend Education Academy Poonam Dua

AMEND EDUCATION ACADEMY

Worked-out problems on linear equations in one variable:

1. The sum of three consecutive multiples of 4 is 444. Find these multiples.

Solution:

If x is a multiple of 4, the next multiple is x + 4, next to this is x + 8.

Their sum = 444

According to the question,

x + (x + 4) + (x + 8) = 444

⇒ x + x + 4 + x + 8 = 444

⇒ x + x + x + 4 + 8 = 444

⇒ 3x + 12 = 444

⇒ 3x = 444 - 12

⇒ x = 432/3

⇒ x = 144

Therefore, x + 4 = 144 + 4 = 148

Therefore, x + 8 - 144 + 8 – 152

Therefore, the three consecutive multiples of 4 are 144, 148, 152.
2. The denominator of a rational number is greater than its numerator by 3. If the numerator is increased by 7 and the denominator is decreased by 1, the new number becomes 3/2. Find the original number.

Solution:

Let the numerator of a rational number = x

Then the denominator of a rational number = x + 3

When numerator is increased by 7, then new numerator = x + 7

When denominator is decreased by 1, then new denominator = x + 3 - 1

The new number formed = 3/2

According to the question,

(x + 7)/(x + 3 - 1) = 3/2

⇒ (x + 7)/(x + 2) = 3/2

⇒ 2(x + 7) = 3(x + 2)

⇒ 2x + 14 = 3x + 6

⇒ 3x - 2x = 14 - 6

⇒ x = 8

The original number i.e., x/(x + 3) = 8/(8 + 3) = 8/11


3. The sum of the digits of a two digit number is 7. If the number formed by reversing the digits is less than the original number by 27, find the original number.

Solution:

Let the units digit of the original number be x.

Then the tens digit of the original number be 7 - x

Then the number formed = 10(7 - x) + x × 1

                  = 70 - 10x + x = 70 - 9x

On reversing the digits, the number formed

                  = 10 × x + (7 - x) × 1

                  = 10x + 7 - x = 9x + 7

According to the question,

New number = original number - 27

9x + 7 = 70 - 9x - 27

9x + 7 = 43 - 9x

9x + 9x = 43 – 7

18x = 36

x = 36/18

x = 2

Therefore, 7 - x

        = 7 - 2

        = 5

The original number is 52



4. A motorboat goes downstream in river and covers a distance between two coastal towns in 5 hours. It covers this distance upstream in 6 hours. If the speed of the stream is 3 km/hr, find the speed of the boat in still water.

Solution:

Let the speed of the boat in still water = x km/hr.

Speed of the boat downstream = (x + 3) km/hr.

Time taken to cover the distance = 5 hrs

Therefore, distance covered in 5 hrs = (x + 3) × 5   (D = Speed × Time)

Speed of the boat upstream = (x - 3) km/hr

Time taken to cover the distance = 6 hrs.

Therefore, distance covered in 6 hrs = 6(x - 3)

Therefore, the distance between two coastal towns is fixed, i.e., same.

According to the question,

5(x + 3) = 6(x - 3)

⇒ 5x + 15 = 6x - 18

⇒ 5x - 6x = -18 – 15

⇒ -x = -33

⇒ x = 33

Required speed of the boat is 33 km/hr.


5. Divide 28 into two parts in such a way that 6/5 of one part is equal to 2/3 of the other.

Solution:

Let one part be x.

Then other part = 28 - x

It is given 6/5 of one part = 2/3 of the other.

⇒ 6/5x = 2/3(28 - x)

⇒ 3x/5 = 1/3(28 - x)

⇒ 9x = 5(28 - x)

⇒ 9x = 140 - 5x

⇒ 9x + 5x = 140

⇒ 14x = 140

⇒ x = 140/14

⇒ x = 10

Then the two parts are 10 and 28 - 10 = 18.


6. A total of $10000 is distributed among 150 persons as gift. A gift is either of $50 or $100. Find the number of gifts of each type.

Solution:

Total number of gifts = 150

Let the number of $50 is x

Then the number of gifts of $100 is (150 - x)

Amount spent on x gifts of $50 = $ 50x

Amount spent on (150 - x) gifts of $100 = $100(150 - x)

Total amount spent for prizes = $10000

According to the question,

50x + 100 (150 - x) = 10000

⇒ 50x + 15000 - 100x = 10000

⇒ -50x = 10000 - 15000

⇒ -50x = -5000

⇒ x = 5000/50

⇒ x = 100

⇒ 150 - x = 150 - 100 = 50

Therefore, gifts of $50 are 100 and gifts of $100 are 50.


The above step-by-step examples demonstrate the solved problems on linear equations in one variable.

Class 9 SST Economics People As Resources

People As Resources

 

Human Resources:

People who are part of the workforce are called human resource. By contributing in productivity, the human resource plays a significant role in the economy of a country. Any other resource becomes useful only because of the input by the human resource.
Investment in human capital yields a return like investment in other resources. Investment in human capital is done through education, training and healthcare. A person with better education usually earns better than an uneducated person. Moreover, a healthy person is more productive than an unhealthy person.
Educated parents understand the value of education and hence invest in their child’s education to secure a better future for the child. Educated parents also take extra care of the health and nutrition of their child. This creates a virtuous cycle of creating a better human capital.
Uneducated parents are unable to invest on education and healthcare of their children. This creates a vicious cycle in which the coming generation is often forced to remain poor.

Economic Activities:

Economic activities can be categorized into three types, viz. primary, secondary and tertiary activities.
Primary Activities: Economic activities which are related to agriculture, poultry farming, fishing, horticulture, animal husbandry, mining, quarrying, etc. are called primary activities. Natural resources are just extracted (with little or no modification) in primary activities.
Secondary Activities: Manufacturing is called secondary activity. Natural resources are properly modified in secondary activity.
Tertiary Activity: Economic activities which support the primary and secondary activities are called tertiary activities. Banking, transport, finance and different types of services come under tertiary activities.
On the basis of production goal, economic activities are also divided into two types, viz. market activities and non-market activities.
Market Activities: When some product or service is produced to be sold in the market, it is called market activity.
Non-market Activities: When some product or service is produced for self consumption, it is called non-market activity. If a farmer produces just enough to meet his family needs, then his activity is a non-market activity. Similarly, the work of a housewife is a non-market activity; because she is working for the benefit of her family members.

QUALITY OF POPULATION

Literacy rate, health and skills determine the quality of a population. Illiterate and unhealthy population can be a liability for the economy. Literate and healthy population can be made into an asset for the economy. Literate and healthy population contributes towards GDP of a country.

Education:

Education enhances the literacy level and skill level of a person. It also helps in enriching the culture of the society. Presence of educated persons in the society indirectly benefits the illiterate persons as well.
Government has taken various steps to spread education among the people. Government strives to provide universal access to education. It also makes various plans to increase the retention of students. Special emphasis is given on girl’s education.
The plan outlay on education in the first plan was Rs. 151 crore. It has increased to Rs. 43,825 crore in the tenth plan. The expenditure on education was 0.64% of the GDP in 1950-51 and has increased to 3.98% of the GDP in 2002-03.
Due to constant efforts, the literacy rate has grown from 18% in 1951 to more than 70% in 2011. Literacy rate is higher among males compared to among females. Kerala is a state with more than 90% literacy, while some states have a very low literacy level.
Government has recently launched Sarva Siksha Abhiyan to spread education to remotest parts of the country. Under this programme, all children under 6 to 14 years of age are given elementary education.
Government also provides Mid-Day Meal in government schools so that children of poor people can attend the school. Mid-day Meal has helped many children from the poor family to attend school.
The Tenth Plan has focused on increasing the enrolment in higher education from 6% to 9%. The strategy is to increase access, quality and adoption of state-specific curriculum to motivate enrolment in higher education. Vocational courses are also offered and use of Information Technology is being maximized to attain the goal. The Tenth Plan also focuses on distant education, convergence of formal, non-formal and IT education.

People As Resources

Health

A healthy person can fully realize his potential and can be an asset for the economy. An unhealthy person shall not be able to realize his potential and can be a liability for the economy. The national health policy of India is aimed towards improving access to health services and improving nutrition; especially among the underprivileged classes.
The government health system is composed of many tiers of hospitals. The Primary Health Centres are the bottom of this tier, and provide general medical care to rural people. This is followed by Community Health Centres in bigger Tehsils or Block level towns. The District Hospitals are at district level. Further, medical colleges are present in major cities where doctors of all specialties are present.
The reach of healthcare services is still too little but reduction in infant mortality and improvement in life expectancy over the years have shown that the healthcare system has indeed helped in improving the quality of human resources.

Unemployment:

When a person is actively seeking a job but is unable to get employed, he is called an unemployed person. People in the working age (15 to 59 years) only can be termed unemployed if any one of them is without a gainful employment. Additionally, if a person voluntarily does not want to work he cannot be termed as unemployed.

Seasonal Unemployment:

This type of unemployment is more prevalent in rural areas. The farming cycle is season based. There are certain months which are quite busy for a farm worker. There are many other months when a farm worker is without a work.

Hidden Unemployment:

This type of unemployment is also more prevalent in rural areas. To understand this, let us take the example of a family with 8 working members. All of them are working on their farm. The size of the farm makes it possible to be efficiently managed by 5 persons only. The extra three persons are not contributing towards any growth in productivity. They are working because they have no other gainful employment. Their potential could have given better results if utilised elsewhere. Similar situation can also be seen in some family owned shops where all the family members may be working in the same shop but not adding substantially to the output.

Educated Unemployed:

The problem of unemployment among the educated youth is very high in urban areas. Now-a-days, even highly educated youths; like graduates and postgraduates; are unable to find a job. Some analysts suggest that most of the highly educated youth do not possess employability. But most of the analysts say that it is because of demand supply gap.
While many technically qualified people are unemployed, there are many jobs remaining vacant because of lack properly trained person.

Effects of Unemployment:

• Unemployment can be emotionally draining on the unemployed person.
• It can be a financial and emotional drain on his family members.
• A large number of unemployed people is ultimately a liability for the society.
• High rate of unemployment can also increase the crime rate.

Employment Scenario in Different Sectors in India

Agriculture is still the largest employer. However, the percentage of people working in agriculture has declined in recent years. Due to the fact the agriculture is the largest employer, the problem of seasonal and hidden unemployment is quite high in India.
The secondary and tertiary sectors have failed to generate employment in enough numbers which could absorb the surplus labour force. In the secondary sector, small scale sector is more labour intensive and hence provides employment to a large number of people. In recent years, the IT sector has produced more opportunities for the technically qualified people.

People As Resources

NCERT Solution

Question – 1- What do you understand by ’people as a resource’?

Answer: People who are part of the workforce are called human resource. By contributing in productivity, the human resource plays a significant role in the economy of a country. Any other resource becomes useful only because of the input by the human resource.

Question – 2 - How is human resource different from other resources like land and physical capital?

Answer: Human resource is different from other resources in many senses. Human resources need education, training and healthcare to develop. On the other hand, land and physical capital need money and physical inputs to develop. Land and physical capital are useless without human resources.

Question – 3 - What is the role of education in human capital formation?

Answer: Education plays an important role in human capital formation. Education improves the quality of human resources. An educated person is likely to contribute to the economy in a better way than an uneducated person. We should keep in mind that education does not only mean a formal education to obtain degrees but also means skill development.

Question – 4 - What is the role of health in human capital formation?

Answer: Health plays an important role in human capital formation. A healthy person is more likely to realize his full potential and can become an asset for the economy. An unhealthy person is less likely to realize his potential and can become a liability for the economy.

Question – 5 - What part does health play in the individual’s working life?
Answer: A healthy person will not have to take frequent breaks from his work. By working on full

schedule, a healthy person can improve his earnings and can live a better life. Moreover, he will also be in a position to save on medical bills. The money thus saved can be utilised for creating some assets.

Question – 6 - What are the various activities undertaken in the primary sector, secondary sector and tertiary sector?

Answer: Primary Sector: Agriculture, poultry farming, fishing, horticulture, animal husbandry, mining, quarrying, etc.

Secondary Sector: Manufacturing

Tertiary Sector: Banking, transport, finance and different types of services

Question – 7 - What is the difference between economic activities and non-economic activities?

Answer: An activity which is done with the aim of monetary return is called an economic activity, while an activity which is not done with the aim of monetary return is called a non-economic activity. The most quoted example to understand this is that of a teacher. When a teacher teaches students in a school, he is doing economic activity. When the same teacher teaches his son, he is doing non-economic activity.

Question – 8 - Why are women employed in low paid work?

Answer: Our society has evolved in such a way, that a woman’s work is given less importance. Bias against women is the prime reason of lower wages given to women.

Question – 9 - How will you explain the term unemployment?

Answer: When a person is actively seeking a job but is unable to get employed, he is called an unemployed person. This condition is called unemployment.

Question – 10 - What is the difference between disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment?

Answer: Disguised employment is the situation when more people are working on something which can be efficiently done by less number of people. Seasonal employment is the situation in which people remain without work in certain months of a year.

Question – 11 - Why is educated unemployed, a peculiar problem of India?

Answer: India has a huge population and every year a large number of people graduate from schools and colleges. Employment generation in various sectors is not keeping pace with the number of educated people coming out of educational institutions. Due to this, educated unemployed is a peculiar problem of India.

Question – 12 - In which field do you think India can build the maximum employment opportunity?

Answer: Service sector can generate the maximum employment opportunity.

Question – 13 - Can you suggest some measures in the education system to mitigate the problem of the educated unemployed?

Answer: The current curriculum is based on theoretical learning and no emphasis is being given on skill development. There should be more emphasis on vocational training so that people can become employable. People in India have a greater inclination towards joining a job rather than becoming entrepreneurs. There is a need for change in such a mindset.

Question – 14 - Can you imagine some village which initially had no job opportunities but later came up with many?

Answer: There can be many examples of such villages. When an infrastructure project or some industry develops near a village, employment generation takes place. Gurgaon can be a very good example. Before the beginning of the Maruti Udyog Limited, Gurgaon used to be a small village. Subsequent development of industry changed the situation in Gurgaon.

Question – 15 - Which capital would you consider the best: land, labour, physical capital and human capital? Why?

Answer: Human capital is the best because other resources are useless without human capital.