Saving the Gharial - Gulmohar - Class 8 - English

The territory-holder surges forward, churning the water into froth with his tail.

1. What or who is being talked about?

2. What does he surge forward towards? With what intention?

3. What are the two possible results?

Her thirty-six babies followed, rather like ducklings.

1. Whose babies? Whom did they follow?

2. Where were the babies? Where did they go from there?

3. In what way was this unusual?

What were Whitaker and his team going to do with the eggs? Why? (para 3)

Was their work part of a larger project? What project? What made it necessary? (paras 12 and 13)

Did Whitaker and his team succeed in breeding a large number of gharials in captivity? Was their project a success or a failure? What made it so? (paras 13 and 14).

Is Whitaker optimistic at the end of the text? What makes him feel that way? (para 16)

What do you think was the writer’s intention behind writing the text? Does she want to persuade us about something? Can you identify the line in para 16 in which she makes her plea to the readers?

Would you call the text factual or opinion–based? What parts of the text support your answer?

In your opinion, does writing the text as ‘I’ – a first-person account of events – make the text more believable or less so? Give reasons for your answer.

Would you describe the writing as dry and informational or vivid, visual and interesting? What are the phrases or sentences that caught your eye?

What information about the gharials’ behaviour and lifestyle gives us an emotional connection with them?

Were you convinced by the writer’s arguments? Did it change the way you think about crocodiles? Why or why not?

Complete this conversation with the correct modals from the box. Some of them may be used more than once.
        need to                 would                    must      will         shall       could     can         can’t
Anand:                          Good evening! Can you tell me until when the restaurant is open?
Man at front desk:   Oh, I am so sorry, sir, it is already closed for the night. But would you like to
                                        have a snack sent up to your room?
Anand:                          Yes, please. I am famished and tired. I have driven straight for eight hours.
Man:                             You _____________ be exhausted. I _____________ see what they
                                        _____________ do for you.
Anand:                          Something light, a sandwich, perhaps? And some fruit. I _____________ eat
                                        anything heavy so late in the night.
Man:                             Sure, you _____________ want to order a hot drink too?
Anand:                          Well, I _____________  prefer something cold, actually. An iced tea?
Man:                             Done, _____________ I charge this to your room? Or _____________ you
                                        pay cash now?
Anand:                          You _____________ charge this to my room. I also _____________ settle
                                        the laundry charges. Thank you very much.

Complete these sentences with the –ed or –ing forms of the words given in the brackets.

1. The _____________ letter made Varun call the police. (threaten)

2. The _____________ habitat of the tiger is contributing to its extinction. (vanish)

3. The _____________ parents called up the school to enquire about their sick child. (worry)

4. The story of the television show was a _____________ one. (complicate)

5. The results of the competition were pretty _____________. (disappoint)

6. Switch off the television! The film has him _____________. (terrify)

7. Look at that poor _____________ child. She needs to sleep. (exhaust)

8. Was the cartoon really so _____________? You couldn’t stop laughing! (amuse)

Find words in the text which have the opposite meaning.

1. Freedom (para 3)

2. Partners or allies (para 5)

3. Plump (para 7)

4. Strong (para 7)

5. Advance or move forward (para 7)

6. Animal that is hunted and killed by another for food (para 8)

7. Thoughtless or inconsiderate (para 9)

8. Friendly or peaceful (para 11)

9. Increase in quantity (para 13)

10. Extinction (para 16)

The author says –

1.       This (the gharial) is a river-dweller and eats only fish. Unfortunately, this choice of habitat and diet has been the gharial’s downfall. (para 12)

2.       The species faces an uncertain future and its survival is closely linked with the needs of the humans dependent on the rivers. (para 16)

This shows a very difficult choice – if the gharials are to prosper, the humans dependent on rivers have to suffer – and if the humans go on using the rivers, the gharials will suffer.

Which do you think is more Important? Can we argue that one side should make a sacrifice for the other? Do you think there is a way of finding a solution that will benefit both sides?

State your own view of the problem and the best possible solution, in two paragraphs. State the problem briefly. Refer to the argument in support of the gharial and any argument you can see on the opposite side. Then, say what you think might be the solution.

How does the ghara (the bulbous growth on the male gharial's snout) help male gharials attract females and warn off rivals?