West Bengal Board
Summer Friends
Activity 1
Tick the correct alternative:
(i) The swallow comes to the poet in (a) spring (b) summer (c) winter
(ii) Many young friends follow the behaviour of the (a) sparrow (b) pigeon (c) swallow
(iii) The sparrow accompanies the poet in times of (a) snow and frost (b) rain and thunder (c) sunshine and warmth
(iv) The poet wants a friend who will be like (a) swallow (b) sparrow (c) nightingale
Activity 2
Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
(a) The swallow chirps for weeks together when the weather is fine and warm.
(b) In a cold day the swallow flies away.
(c) Even when old friends are separated, their hearts never become narrow.
(d) The poet wishes for a bird that will sing in frost and love in sorrow.
Activity 3
Answer the following question:
Question - Why do you think the swallow leaves the poet during the winter season?
Answer - Swallow is a summer bird so it can’t stand the bitter coldness of the winter season, so it leaves the poet during the winter season.
Activity 4
Fill in the following chart with information from the text:
| Who | Does what | When |
| (a) The swallow | Chirping his notes | In fine and warm weather |
| (b) The sparrow | Clings closer to man | In dreary days of snow and frost |
| (c) Old friends | Never narrow their hearts | Even when they are separated |
| (d) A true friend of the poet | Greets him | The poet had mischance |
Activity 5
Answer the following questions:
(a) What does the swallow do in summer?
Answer - The swallow chirps his notes for week together in summer.
(b) How is the behavior of a “gay young friend” similar to that of the swallow?
Answer - The swallow flies away in winter times in the same way ‘a gay young friend’ also leaves his friend alone in the time of difficulty.
(c) What type of a friend does the poet want?
Answer - The poet wants a friend who is like a sparrow who will never leave in the times of difficulty.
(d) Whom does the poet like- the swallow or the sparrow? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer - The poet likes the sparrow because the sparrow never leaves the man even when there are difficult times.
Activity 6 (a)
Read the following sentences. Identify noun clauses, Adjective clauses and Adverb clauses and fill in the chart given below:
(i) I expect that I shall get a prize.
(ii) The umbrella which has a yellow handle is mine.
(iii) When I was younger I used to fly kites.
(iv) I remember the house where I was born.
| Noun Clause | Adjective Clause | Adverb Clause |
| That I shall get a prize | Which has a yellow handle is mine | When I was younger Where I was born |
Activity 6 (b)
Change the following sentences into indirect speech:
(i) The sailor said to us, “There will be a storm.”
Answer - The sailor told us that there would be a storm.
(ii) The teacher said to the student, “Did you come to school yesterday?”
Answer - The teacher asked the student if he had come to school the previous day.
(iii) The tired guest said to the host, “Please give me a glass of cold water.”
Answer - The tired guest requested the host to give him a glass of cold water.
(iv) Rita said, “How happy I am!”
Answer - Rita exclaimed that she was very happy.
(v) My grandmother said, “May you live long!”
Answer - My grandmother wished that I might live long.
Activity 7
Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
(a) Guest – He was just a guest at Bird Song.
(b) Dreary – Tuesday dawned a dreary overcast day.
(c) Narrow – They rode along narrow country lanes.
(d) Mischance –I lost your file by pure mischance.
Summer Friends Question Answer
Activity 8 (a)
Write a short story in about eight words using the following hints. Give a suitable title to the story:
A farmer finds a snake almost dead with cold-brings it home-warms it-saves its life—the snake is about to bite the farmer's son-the farmer chases away the snake
A farmer and a snake
Once upon a time, there lived a poor and kind farmer. It was a cold winter afternoon. A farmer was returning from his day's work. Suddenly he saw a snake lying by the roadside. It was lying almost dead from the cold. The farmer took pity on the dying snake. He picked it up and brought it home. He warmed it and saved its life. He didn’t think about the risk involved in saving the life of the snake. One day, the snake was about to bite the farmer’s son. It was then the farmer realized his mistake. He then chased the snake away from him.
Moral: Don't expect gratitude from the wicked.
Activity 8 (b)
Suppose you have a bird that talks and plays with you. Write a paragraph in about eight words on how you spent a day with the bird during your summer vacation.
I was very happy in these summer vacation because my father allowed me to have a pet bird. He surprised me by giving a parrot and the most interesting thing is that it can talk. I named it as Putu. Putu and I spent maximum time together. We used to have fun. We used to eat many things. I remember one particular day when it was my birthday and he wished me happy birthday in his sweetest voice. It was so magical. I spent my birthday with him by going to park and having a big party at my home. He talked with my friends and enjoyed with them.
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