Heaven Lake Class 8 ABC Eng II Answer Briefly:

1. The writer, Vikram Seth and his companions; John and Ann
got a lift in a transport company truck that took them just a
couple of miles down the road. It required them to take
another lift and undertake a bus journey later to reach the
city centre.
2. The writer saw fields of sunflowers as far as the house could
see. Where there was no water, the land reverted to a
desert. Their destination, Mount Bogda appeared abruptly
like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It
was over 5000 metres high, with peaks covered with
permanent snow, in powerful contrast to the flat desert all
around it.
3. As the bus climbed up the hill to reach the writer’s
destination, it grew cooler and therefore he wished he had
brought with him something warm to wear.
4. On your own from page 116.
5. Mr Cao was a relaxed young man who ran the mess at the
resort cottage by the shore of Heaven Lake. He lent the
writer a spare pair of trousers that were very warm and
comfortable.
6. The day of John’s departure was spent picnicking by the
small ice- blue serendipitous pool with a picnic lunch
provided by Mr Cao. The narrator lit a fire in the lee of a
rock, swam, sunned themselves, ate, drank and made
merry.

Extracts:
1 a. All around in the surroundings of the Mount Bogda there
was level ground, however Mount Bogda stood abruptly on
the desert surface to a height of almost 5000 metres above
sea level.

b. Heaven Lake which was situated half way up the range of

Mount Bogda was the writer’s destination.

c. As the bus climbed upwards, the desert was replaced by

arable land then pastures and finally the slopes of mountain
was covered with pine trees. The brilliant sky grew overcast
with clouds and it grew colder.

d. The narrator reached his destination at about noon. The

writer who was feeling cold as he was dressed in shorts was
happy to see the thick quilts on the beds.

2 a. The writer wanted to swim in the cool waters of Heaven

Lake therefore he untied his shoelaces.
b. Mr Cao discouraged him by telling him about the
drowning of the Beijing athlete who went to swim in Heaven
Lake.
c. The writer was slightly intimidated by Mr Cao’s warning so
he re-tied his shoelaces.
d. When temptation overcame passion, the writer let go of
caution and took a dip in the cool waters of Heaven Lake.

Characters and Themes: do on your own.