Prose · Class 8 English · Chapter 6

Samacheer Class 8 English - Friendship

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Friendship — key concepts & quick answers

What is the story 'Friendship' about?
It tells of the strong friendship between Vetri and Asif: when Vetri's once-leading construction company faces trouble, his true friend stands by him and helps him through the crisis.
What is the theme of 'Friendship'?
The theme is the worth of true friendship — a real friend helps and supports you in difficult times and not only in good days.
Who are the main characters in the lesson?
The two friends Vetri, who runs a construction company, and Asif, a businessman, whose loyal friendship is at the heart of the story.
What lesson about friendship does the story teach?
It teaches that genuine friends stay loyal and helpful during hardships, and that such friendship is a precious support in life.
Sections in this chapter
Warm Up (Text Book Page No. 151) 2Textual Exercise (Text Book Page No. 152) 3Textual Exercise (Text Book Page No. 153) 3Read and Understand (Text Book Page No. 153) 16Vocabulary (Text Book Page No. 156) 5Listening (Text Book Page No. 158) 2I. Fill in the form given below. 33
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1Warm Up (Text Book Page No. 151)2 questions
Q.1Do you have any childhood friendship that is still strong today?v
Answer:

Yes, I have a childhood friendship that is still strong today. This friendship has endured through the years because of the bond and trust that was built during our early years together. Such lasting friendships are special because they are based on genuine connection and shared experiences from childhood, which often create deep and meaningful relationships that can withstand the test of time and distance.

Q.2Do you make friendship with others easily?v
Answer:

No, I do not make friendship with others easily. I believe that true friendship requires a strong foundation of mutual understanding, trust, and shared values. I prefer to take time to know a person well before considering them a close friend. This approach helps me build meaningful and lasting relationships rather than forming superficial connections. I make friendship with others only after a good understanding has been established between us.

2Textual Exercise (Text Book Page No. 152)3 questions
Q.1…………………. constructions was once a leading companyv
Answer:

Vetri

Q.2He took a …………………. to run his company.v
Answer:

loan

Q.3Vetri’s friend is ………………….v
Answer:

Asif
Section – II

3Textual Exercise (Text Book Page No. 153)3 questions
Q.3Vetri and Asif were good in studies.v
Answer:

True

Q.4Vetri never visited Chennai.v
Answer:

True

Q.5Asif was a businessman.v
Answer:

True
Section – III

4Read and Understand (Text Book Page No. 153)16 questions
Q.1Vetri went to Asif’sv
  1. A. home
  2. B. office
  3. C. room
Answer:

b) Office

Q.2Vetri came to Chennai to visit his.v
  1. A. father
  2. B. friend
  3. C. brother
Answer:

b) friend

Q.3Asif saw his friend through thev
  1. A. camera
  2. B. window
  3. C. glas
Answer:

a) camera

Q.1Vetri constructed a bungalow.v
  1. A. designed
  2. B. built
  3. C. demolished
  4. D. destroyed
Answer:

b) built

Q.3I am living in the outskirts of the village.v
  1. A. border
  2. B. outpost
  3. C. center
  4. D. region.
Answer:

a) border

Q.4Asif quarreled with his friend.v
  1. A. fought
  2. B. differ
  3. C. peace
  4. D. fun
Answer:

a) fought

Q.5He stood astounded.v
  1. A. happy
  2. B. surprised
  3. C. shocked
  4. D. exicted
Answer:

b) surprised

Q.1Vetri’s wife replied angrily .v
  1. A. calm
  2. B. annoyed
  3. C. irritate
Answer:

a) calm

Q.2The vegetables look fresh .v
  1. A. rotten
  2. B. dull
  3. C. new
Answer:

a) rotten

Q.3Vetri had a strong will to start a new business.v
  1. A. desire
  2. B. thin
  3. C. weak
Answer:

c) weak

Q.4Vetri was surprised bv his friend.v
  1. A. unsurprised
  2. B. expected
  3. C. shocked
Answer:

a) unsurprised

Q.5He spoke nervously.v
  1. A. scared
  2. B. confident
  3. C. anxious
Answer:

a) confident

Q.1What was the name of Vetri’s company?v
Answer:

The name of Vetri’s company was ‘Vetri Constructions’.

Q.2Why did he sell his properties?v
Answer:

He sold his properties in order to repay the loans he had taken. Vetri had borrowed money to run his company, but due to various difficulties and financial challenges, he was unable to pay back the loans. Therefore, he was forced to sell all his properties to settle his debts and meet his financial obligations.

Q.4When did Vetri receive a call from Asifs office?v
Answer:

Two days later after reaching his home, Vetri received a call from Asif’s office.

Q.1How did Vetri lose his properties?v
Answer:

Vetri lost his properties due to a series of unfortunate circumstances. Once he was a successful businessman who owned Vetri Constructions, a leading company that constructed many complexes, houses, and apartments in Coimbatore. However, after the death of his father, his brothers demanded him to divide the family wealth because they wanted to start their own business independently. This division of wealth weakened Vetri's financial position significantly. Thereafter, it became really difficult for him to establish and maintain his business successfully. In order to keep his company running, he took loans from various sources. However, due to business difficulties and lack of sufficient income, he could not pay back these loans on time. The mounting debt and financial pressure forced him to make the difficult decision to sell all his properties in order to repay the loans and avoid complete financial ruin.

5Vocabulary (Text Book Page No. 156)5 questions
Q.1The sugar had a negative on the science experiment, (effect/affect)v
Answer:

effect

Q.2I am going to down for an hour, (lie/lay)v
Answer:

lie

Q.3The gas prices continue to (raise/rise)v
Answer:

rise

Q.4She always gives me good (advice/advise)v
Answer:

advice

Q.5The war had no on oil prices, (affect/effect)v
Answer:

The correct answer is 'effect'. In this sentence, 'effect' is the appropriate choice because it functions as a noun meaning 'result' or 'consequence'. The sentence means that the war had no result or consequence on oil prices. The word 'affect' is a verb meaning 'to influence', while 'effect' as a noun refers to the outcome or impact of something. Therefore, 'effect' is the grammatically correct word to complete this sentence.

6Listening (Text Book Page No. 158)2 questions
Q.2What did Rahul engrave?v
Answer:

Rahul engraved Rahim's help and kindness in his heart. This means that Rahul deeply valued and remembered the assistance that Rahim provided to him. By engraving something in one's heart, it signifies that the memory or feeling becomes a permanent and cherished part of one's emotional being. Rahul's action of engraving Rahim's help in his heart demonstrates the lasting impact of true friendship and the importance of remembering those who have supported us during difficult times.

Q.4Who bagged the ‘all-rounder’ award?v
Answer:

Rahul bagged the all-rounder award. This award recognizes his excellence and outstanding performance across multiple areas or disciplines, not just in a single field. An all-rounder award is typically given to someone who demonstrates exceptional skills and abilities in various aspects, whether in academics, sports, or other activities. Rahul's achievement of winning this award highlights his versatility and well-rounded capabilities, making him a deserving recipient of such recognition.

7I. Fill in the form given below.33 questions
Q.1“What do you want?” he said to her.v
Answer:

He asked her what she wanted. This is the conversion of a direct question into indirect speech. In the original direct speech, the question 'What do you want?' is asked directly to the person. When converting to indirect speech, the question word 'what' remains the same, but the pronoun changes from 'you' to 'she' to reflect the third person perspective, and the verb form adjusts accordingly. The reporting verb 'asked' is used to introduce the indirect question.

Q.2He said, “How’s your father?”v
Answer:

He asked how my father was. This sentence converts the direct question 'How's your father?' into indirect speech. When changing to indirect speech, the question word 'how' is retained, the pronoun 'your' changes to 'my' since the speaker is now being referred to in the third person, and the contracted form 'How's' becomes 'how was' in the past tense. The reporting verb 'asked' introduces the indirect question, maintaining the interrogative nature of the original statement.

Q.3“Are you coming home with me?” he asked.v
Answer:

He asked whether I was coming home with him. This conversion changes the direct question into indirect speech using the reporting verb 'asked'. The original question 'Are you coming home with me?' is transformed by replacing 'Are' with 'whether', changing the pronoun 'you' to 'I' and 'me' to 'him' to reflect the proper perspective in indirect speech. The verb 'am coming' changes to 'was coming' to maintain the past tense required in indirect speech. The word 'whether' is used to introduce yes-or-no questions in indirect speech.

Q.4The poor man exclaimed, “Will none of you help me?”v
Answer:

The poor man sadly exclaimed that none of us would help him. This converts the direct exclamatory question into indirect speech. The original exclamation 'Will none of you help me?' is transformed into an indirect statement using the reporting verb 'exclaimed'. The adverb 'sadly' is added to convey the emotional tone of the poor man's plea. The pronoun 'you' changes to 'us' and 'me' changes to 'him' to reflect the third person perspective. The future tense 'will help' is maintained in the indirect form to preserve the original meaning and urgency of the statement.

Q.5“Don’t you know the way home?” asked I.v
Answer:

I asked if he knew the way home. This sentence converts the direct question 'Don't you know the way home?' into indirect speech. The reporting verb 'asked' introduces the indirect question. The negative question is transformed using the conjunction 'if' to introduce the indirect form. The pronoun 'you' changes to 'he' to reflect the third person perspective, and the verb 'don't know' changes to 'knew' to maintain the past tense required in indirect speech. The phrase 'the way home' remains unchanged as it is already clear in meaning.

Q.1“Bring me a glass of milk,” said the swami to the villagers.v
Answer:

The swami said to the villagers to bring him a glass of milk. This sentence converts the direct command into indirect speech. The original imperative statement 'Bring me a glass of milk' is transformed using the reporting verb 'said to'. The infinitive form 'to bring' is used to express the command in indirect speech. The pronoun 'me' changes to 'him' to reflect the third person perspective. The object 'a glass of milk' remains the same as it clearly identifies what is being requested. This structure properly conveys the swami's instruction to the villagers in reported form.

Q.2“Sit down, boys,” said the teacher.v
Answer:

The teacher told the boys to sit down. This sentence converts the direct command into indirect speech. The original imperative statement 'Sit down, boys' is transformed using the reporting verb 'told'. The infinitive form 'to sit down' is used to express the command in indirect speech. The addressing of 'boys' is incorporated into the object 'the boys' in the indirect form. The reporting verb 'told' is more appropriate than 'said' when conveying commands or instructions to a specific group of people. This structure effectively communicates the teacher's instruction in reported form.

Q.3“Halt!” shouted the officer to his men.v
Answer:

The officer shouted to his men to halt. This sentence converts the direct command into indirect speech. The original exclamatory command 'Halt!' is transformed using the reporting verb 'shouted to', which conveys the forceful and urgent nature of the order. The infinitive form 'to halt' is used to express the command in indirect speech. The pronoun 'his' replaces the implied reference to the officer's own men. The reporting verb 'shouted' is particularly appropriate here as it reflects the commanding and emphatic tone of the original statement, maintaining the urgency and authority of the officer's order.

Q.4“Take off your hat,” the king said to the Hatter.v
Answer:

The king ordered the Hatter to take off his hat. This sentence converts the direct command into indirect speech. The original imperative statement 'Take off your hat' is transformed using the reporting verb 'ordered', which emphasizes the authority and formal nature of the king's instruction. The infinitive form 'to take off' is used to express the command in indirect speech. The pronoun 'your' changes to 'his' to reflect the third person perspective and to indicate that the hat belongs to the Hatter. The reporting verb 'ordered' is more suitable than 'said' or 'told' when expressing commands from someone in a position of authority like a king.

Q.5The teacher said to him, “Do not read so fast.”v
Answer:

The teacher ordered him not to read so fast.

Q.6He said to me, “Wait until I come.”v
Answer:

He told me to wait until he came.

Q.7“Hurry up,” he said to his servant, “do not waste time.”v
Answer:

He ordered his servant to hurry up and not to waste time. .

Q.8“Runaway, children,” said their mother.v
Answer:

The mother told her children to run away.

Q.9He said, “Daughter, take my golden jug, and fetch me some water from the Well.”v
Answer:

He told his daughter to take his golden jug and fetch him some water from the well. This conversion from direct to indirect speech transforms the imperative statements into reported form, where 'take' and 'fetch' become infinitives, and the possessive pronouns are adjusted from 'my' to 'his' to reflect the change in perspective.

Q.10“Go down to the bazaar. Bring me some oil and a lump of ice.” ordered his master.v
Answer:

The master ordered his servant to go down to the bazaar and bring him some oil and a lump of ice. This sentence converts the direct command into reported speech using the verb 'ordered' followed by the infinitive forms 'to go' and 'to bring'. The two related instructions are connected by the conjunction 'and' to show they are part of a single command. The pronoun 'me' in the original becomes 'him' in the reported form to maintain grammatical consistency, and the specific items requested, oil and a lump of ice, are preserved to convey the complete nature of the master's instructions.

Q.1Punitha asked Pushpa what she was reading.v
Answer:

“What are you reading, Pushpa”? asked Punitha.

Q.2Pushpa told her that he was reading Robinson Crusoe.v
Answer:

“I am reading Robinson Crusoe”, Pushpa told her.

Q.3Punitha asked her what it was all about.v
Answer:

“What is it all about”? Punitha asked.

Q.4Pushpa said it was about a man wrecked on an island.v
Answer:

“It is about a man wrecked on an island,” said Pushpa.

Q.5Punitha then asked her friend who gave her the book.v
Answer:

“Who gave you the book, Pushpa?” Punitha then asked.

Q.6Pushpa answered that her uncle gave it to her at Christmas.v
Answer:

“Uncle gave it to me at Christmas,” answered Pushpa.

Q.7Finally Punitha inquired if she could borrow it.v
Answer:

"May I borrow it?" inquired Punitha. This is the correct conversion of the indirect speech statement into direct speech. When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to use quotation marks around the exact words spoken and include the appropriate reporting verb. In this case, "inquired" is used as the reporting verb, which is suitable for a question. The question mark at the end indicates that this is an interrogative sentence. The conversion maintains the original meaning and intent of Punitha's request to borrow something from someone.

Q.8Pushpa replied that she would certainly lend it to her.v
Answer:

Pushpa replied that she would certainly lend it to her. This statement represents Pushpa's positive response to Punitha's request to borrow the book. Pushpa's reply shows her willingness and generosity in lending her possession to her friend. The use of "certainly" emphasizes her confident and immediate agreement without any hesitation. This response demonstrates the friendly relationship between the two characters and Pushpa's helpful nature. The indirect speech format indicates that this is a reported version of what Pushpa actually said. Her willingness to lend the book reflects the theme of friendship and sharing that is central to their interaction in the story.

Q.1Nevin asked his father when the next letter would come.v
Answer:

Nevin said to his father, "When will the next letter come?" This is the correct conversion of the indirect speech into direct speech. When changing from indirect to direct speech, we place the exact words within quotation marks and use an appropriate reporting verb. In this case, "said to" is the reporting verb that connects Nevin to his question. The question mark is essential because this is an interrogative sentence. The conversion preserves the original meaning of Nevin's inquiry about the timing of the next letter. This type of conversion is important for understanding how reported speech can be transformed into the actual words spoken by a character.

Q.2I wrote that I would visit him next day.v
Answer:

I write, ” I will visit you tomorrow.”

Q.3I told them to be quiet.v
Answer:

I said to them, "Be quiet." This is the correct conversion from indirect speech to direct speech. The sentence shows a command being given to a group of people. When converting to direct speech, the imperative verb "Be" is placed within quotation marks along with the object "quiet." The reporting verb "said to" introduces the direct speech. The period at the end indicates the completion of the command. This type of sentence is commonly used when someone is instructing or ordering others to perform or stop an action. The conversion maintains the authoritative tone of the original indirect statement.

Q.4Lakshan asked me if I had anything to say.v
Answer:

Lakshan said to me, "Do you have anything to say?" This is the correct conversion of the indirect speech into direct speech. The sentence is a question, so it requires a question mark at the end. When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we use quotation marks to enclose the exact words that were spoken. The reporting verb "said to" introduces the direct speech and indicates that Lakshan is addressing the speaker directly. The question "Do you have anything to say?" is an interrogative sentence that seeks information or invites a response from the listener. This conversion demonstrates how reported questions can be transformed into their original form.

Q.5An old mouse asked who would bell the cat.v
Answer:

An old mouse said, "Who will bell the cat?" This is the correct conversion from indirect speech to direct speech. The sentence presents a famous question from the fable about mice planning to protect themselves from a cat. When converting to direct speech, the exact words are placed within quotation marks. The reporting verb "said" introduces the direct speech. The question mark at the end is necessary because this is an interrogative sentence. This particular question is rhetorical in nature, as it highlights the difficulty of the mice's plan. The conversion preserves the original meaning and the philosophical nature of the old mouse's inquiry about who would undertake such a dangerous task.

Q.6Mervin said that he wanted to be a soldier.v
Answer:

Mervin said, "I want to be a soldier." This is the correct conversion of the indirect speech into direct speech. The sentence expresses Mervin's ambition or desire for his future career. When converting from indirect to direct speech, the exact words are enclosed in quotation marks and the reporting verb "said" introduces the statement. The period at the end indicates that this is a declarative sentence expressing a fact or intention. The use of the present tense "want" in direct speech corresponds to the original meaning in the indirect form. This conversion shows how Mervin's personal aspiration is communicated directly through his own words.

Q.7Ebin asked me what I wanted.v
Answer:

Ebin said to me, "What do you want?" This is the correct conversion from indirect speech to direct speech. The sentence is a question, so it requires a question mark at the end. When converting indirect speech to direct speech, the exact words are placed within quotation marks. The reporting verb "said to" indicates that Ebin is addressing the speaker directly. The question "What do you want?" is an interrogative sentence that seeks information about the listener's desires or needs. The conversion demonstrates how reported questions can be transformed into their original interrogative form with proper punctuation and structure.

Q.8Bhagya said that she had seen that picture.v
Answer:

Bhagya said, "I have seen that picture." This is the correct conversion of the indirect speech into direct speech. The sentence is a declarative statement expressing Bhagya's past experience. When converting from indirect to direct speech, the exact words are enclosed in quotation marks and the reporting verb "said" introduces the statement. The present perfect tense "have seen" is used in direct speech to indicate an action that occurred in the past but has relevance to the present moment. The period at the end indicates the completion of the statement. This conversion shows how Bhagya's personal experience is communicated directly through her own words.

Q.9The stranger asked Nasrin where she lived.v
Answer:

The stranger said, "Where do you live?" This is the correct conversion from indirect speech to direct speech. The sentence is a question, so it requires a question mark at the end. When converting indirect speech to direct speech, the exact words are placed within quotation marks. The reporting verb "said" introduces the direct speech. The question "Where do you live?" is an interrogative sentence that seeks information about someone's place of residence. The conversion demonstrates how reported questions can be transformed into their original form. This type of question is commonly used when someone is trying to gather personal information about another person.

Q.10I asked Mary if she would lend me a pencil.v
Answer:

I said to Mary, “Will you lend me a pencil?”
F) Sherlyn receives a postcard from her friend Pushpa who is holidaying in Sri Lanka. She calls her friend Galen and tells him what Pushpa has written. Help her by filling in the blanks, using reported speech. (Text Book Page No. 169)Hello, Galen Today I received a postcard from Pushpa. Remember I had told you that She has gone to Sri Lanka on a holiday? Well, she has written from Colombo. She has written that she had visited Elephant Orphanage. It had 84 elephants. She said that it is the biggest herd of elephants in the world that is living under human supervision. She also added that she was glad that they had come there because she was learning a lot. The Elephant Orphanage was truly worth visiting. She said that the next day. they were going to the national park. She would be returning next week and added that she was looking forward to meeting me. then.