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SCERT Class 8 English Lesson 7
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Sympathy
Lesson 7
ACTIVITIES
Q. 1. Read the poem and choose the correct options to complete the sentences.
(a) The poet was in deep sorrow. A proud man came and helped him by
(i) offering him kind words
(ii) ignoring him
(iii) giving him gold
(iv) giving him pleasant company
Answer— (iii) Giving him gold.
(b) When the poet lay in want and grief, the one who helped him was
(i) a rich man
(ii) a poor man
(iii) a proud man
(iv) a holy man
Answer— (ii) A poor man.
(c) The poor man gave the poet
(i) a cold look
(ii) sympathy
(iii) gold
(iv) not a kind word
Answer— (ii) Sympathy.
(d) When the poet’s sorrow passed, he went to the proud man and
(i) gave me back the gold
(ii) ignored him
(iii) didn’t give back the gold
(iv) helped him
Answer— (iii) Didn’t give back the gold.
(e) The poet refers to sympathy as ‘heavenly’ because sympathy
(i) is a feeling found in proud people
(ii) is found only in rich people
(iii) is an ordinary human feeling
(iv) is a blessing from God
Answer— (iv) Is a blessing from God.
Q. 2. (a) Here are some questions to help you find out how much you have understood the poem:
(i) How did the proud person help the poet when the poet was unhappy?
Answer— When the poet was unhappy, the proud person helped him by giving money.
(ii) What did the poor man do when he found the poet lying in pain and sadness?
Answer— When the poet was lying in pain and sadness, the poor man saw him and he bound his head, offered food and took care of him night and day.
(iii) Why does the poet think that he can not help the poor man back in the same way?
Answer— The poet realises that having money to repay a debt is a great thing, but kindness is a heavenly act that cannot be easily repaid.
(iv) Why is poor man’s help greater than gold?
Answer— Because the poor man’s way of help is full of heavenly sympathy. While the proud man gave money to showcase wealth but didn’t show any sympathy with words. So, the poor man’s help is greater than money.
(v) “Oh, gold is great, but greater far
Is heavenly sympathy.”
Why does the poet think so?
Answer— The poet believes that although gold is nice to have, kindness and compassion from heaven are even more important and valuable. So, being caring and understanding is better than having gold.
OR
The poet’s belief is simple: gold is something you can buy and sell in the world, but sympathy is like a special gift from heaven that you can’t really repay. It’s a precious and divine blessing.
(b) Find in the poem lines that match the meaning of the following sentences.
(i) I was sad and very unhappy.
Answer— I lay in sorrow, deep distressed.
(ii) I was in need and was sad and hurt.
Answer— I lay in want, and grief, and pain.
(iii) He fed me and took care of me.
Answer— He bound my head, he gave me bread,
He watched me night and day.
(iv) Gold is valuable but sympathy and love are far more valuable.
Answer— Oh, gold is great, but greater far
Is heavenly sympathy.
(c) Make sentences with the following phrases:
(i) looks were cold : _________________________________
Answer— At the function, his looks were cold as he stood alone in the corner.
(ii) night and day : _________________________________
Answer— She worked tirelessly, night and day, to complete her project on time.
(iii) pay him back : _________________________________
Answer— I will pay him back the money I borrowed last week.
Q. 3. Below are some lines from the poem with some words underlined. Choose the correct meanings of the words from the options given in brackets.
(a) I lay in sorrow, deep distressed
(tired/unhappy/angry)
Answer— unhappy.
(b) He gave me gold
(money/jewellery/sheets)
Answer— money.
(c) And blessed him charity
(money/kind help/pride)
Answer— kind help.
(d) A poor man passed my way
(to move past/ stopped me)
Answer— to move past.
(e) Is heavenly sympathy
(selfishness/goldly goodness/pride)
Answer— goldly goodness.
(f) Greater far is heavenly sympathy
(the feeling of being sorry at another’s sadness/the feeling of pain/a superior feeling)
Answer— the feeling of being sorry at another’s sadness
Q. 4. Let’s have fun with words!
The jumbled words below have been taken from the poem. Spell the words correctly. List their antonyms (if any) alongside. Mention whether the words are noun or adjectives. One has been done for you.
| Jumbled Words | Correct Words | Antonyms | Nouns/Adjectives |
| wsoror | sorrow | joy | noun |
| ymsapyth | |||
| dkiynl | |||
| ifegr | |||
| rdupo | |||
| ycahirt | |||
| lcod |
Answer—
| Jumbled Words | Correct Words | Antonyms | Nouns/Adjectives |
| wsoror | sorrow | joy | noun |
| ymsapyth | sympathy | apathy | noun |
| dkiynl | kindly | unkindly | adverb |
| ifegr | grief | joy/happiness | noun |
| rdupo | proud | humble | adjective |
| ycahirt | charity | selfishness | noun |
| lcod | cold | hot | adjective |
Q. 5. As you know, the lines of a poem are not always written like prose. Here are some of the main ideas of the poem, but in a jumbled order. Rearrange each set of words to get a complete sentence. Remember to start the sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop.
(a) deeply/distressed/was/he
Answer— He was deeply distressed.
(b) heard/a proud man/of/his grief
Answer— A proud man heard of his grief.
(c) looks/cold/were/his
Answer— His looks were cold.
(d) didn’t offer/he/a/kindly word
Answer— He didn’t offer a kindly word.
(e) the gold/him back/ paid/to/he
Answer— He paid back the gold to him.
(f) even/thanked/him/I
Answer— I even thanked him.
(g) gave him/bread/the poor man/and him/looked after
Answer— The poor man gave him bread and looked after him.
(h) than/the poor man’s/is/gold/greater/sympathy
Answer— The poor man’s sympathy is greater than gold.
Q. 6. Read the paragraphs and then match them to the appropriate stanzas of the poem:
The poet was lying in sorrow and in pain. A poor man saw him and took care of him. He also offered him food to restore the poet’s health. He took great care of the poet until the poet regained his health.
Answer— I lay in sorrow, deep distressed;
My grief a proud man heard;
His looks were cold, he gave me gold;
But not a kindly word.
When the poet recovered, he went back to the man and repaid all the gold. He also stood straight, offered the man thanks, and blessed him for his help.
Answer— My sorrow passed – I paid him back
The gold gave to me;
Then stood erect amd spoke my thanks
And blessed his charity.
Once the poet was full of grief and was very depressed. A rich and proud man heard about the poet’s problems and came to help him. The proud man offered him money, but did not offer any words of sympathy.
Answer— I lay in sorrow, deep distressed;
My grief a proud man heard;
His looks were cold; he gave me gold;
But not a kindly word.
The poet wonders how to repay an act of selfless kindness. He realises that having money to repay a debt is a great thing, but kindness is a heavenly act that cannot be easily repaid.
| S. L. No | Contents (Class 8 English) |
| Lesson 1 | The Prince of Panidihing |
| Lesson 2 | My Native Land |
| Lesson 3 | Explore India: Quiz Time |
| Lesson 4 | Dokchory learns about the Panchayat |
| Lesson 5 | Louis Pasteur |
| Lesson 6 | A New Day, A New Way |
| Lesson 7 | Sympathy |
| Lesson 8 | Chandraprabha Saikiani |
Q. 7. (a) Look up the dictionary to find out what is meant by the word ‘values’.
Answer— Values – honour/ respect / appreciation
(b) Discuss what is meant by the term ‘human values’.
Answer— Human values are the beliefs and principles that guide our behavior and decisions, shaping our character and interactions with others. They encompass qualities like honesty, compassion, fairness, and respect for others, reflecting what is considered important and worthwhile in human life. These values influence our choices, relationships, and contribute to a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives.
(c) Make a list of different types of human values. Taking the help of the dictionary, write the meaning of each of the human values you have listed. Also, write at least one synonym and antonym for each human value you have selected. One example has been worked out for you.
| Human values | Meaning | Synonym | Antonym |
| kindness | The quality of being kind, gentle, friendly and generous | care, concern | unkindness |
| Honesty | a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way | integrity, truthfulness | dishonesty |
| Politeness | behaviour that is socially correct and shows understanding of and care for other people’s feelings | courtesy, good manners | impoliteness |
| Responsibility | the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control | accountability, duty | irresponsibility |
| Fairness | the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right or reasonable | justice, equity | unfairness |
| Forgiveness | to stop being angry with someone who has done something wrong | pardon, mercy | unforgiveness |
| Loyalty | the quality of being faithful in your support of someone or something | fidelity, devotion | disloyalty |
Q. 8. In groups, turn the theme of the poem “Sympathy” into a story. You can write about four men in a village- one who is very rich, one who is very poor and two who are neither too rich nor too poor.
Hints:
- One man fell into deep distress (describe the type of distress)
- Approached a rich man; rich man gave money.
- He repaid the rich man’s money when he recovered from his problems.
- Later he fell sick; was nursed back to health by a poor man.
- Conclusion
Answer—
Sympathy
Once upon a time in the village of Rangamati, there lived four men who, despite their differences, found themselves entwined in the threads of fate. There was the wealthy merchant, Mr. Thompson (Hariprasad Saikia), the impoverished farmer, Mr. Davis, (Haren Bora) and the two middle-class neighbors, Mr. Smith (Haliram Haloi) and Mr. Wilson (Kuladhar Hazarika).
One fateful day, Haliram faced a sudden and severe financial crisis, leaving him in deep distress. Desperate for help, he approached the affluent Hariprasad, hoping for a glimmer of sympathy. Surprisingly, the rich man didn’t turn him away; instead, he extended a helping hand and provided the much-needed funds to lift Haliram Haloi out of his dire situation.
Grateful for the kindness shown to him, Haliram tirelessly worked to overcome his challenges. Eventually, he managed to repay every penny to Hariprasad, proving that even in the face of adversity, he was a man of integrity.
However, life is unpredictable, and soon Haliram found himself bedridden with a severe illness. This time, it was the humble Haren, the poor farmer, who stepped forward. Despite his meager means, Haren selflessly nursed Haliram back to health, showcasing the boundless compassion that can exist between individuals, transcending social and economic differences.
In the end, the four men in the village of Rangamati discovered that sympathy and kindness know no boundaries. The rich and poor alike, when faced with trials, found support and solace in the most unexpected places. Through their shared experiences, they learned that true wealth lies not just in material possessions but in the richness of the human heart, capable of both giving and receiving the precious gift of sympathy.
Q. 9. Let’s learn some grammer:
Read the following sentences-
(a) Give me some bread. (b) Take me to the doctor.
We can say these sentences in a polite way by using could and would as shown below:
(a) (i) Could/would you give me some bread?
(ii) I wonder if you could give me some bread.
(iii) Would you mind giving me some bread?
(b) (i) Could/would you take me to the doctor?
(ii) I wonder if you could take me to the doctor.
(iii) Would you mind taking me to the doctor?
Now let’s practise saying these sentences. Divide the class into two groups and give them names. Let one group ask questions beginning with will/would/can/could. The other group will give answers.
Answer— Do it with the help of your class teacher.
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