Pakistan International School, Jubail

WORK BOOK Grade VIII

Page 6: The leopard
2. Rewrite the extract using present tense verbs.
The bold words (verbs) are converted from past tense to present tense.
I walk through the hills trying to find an ancient temple. I come to a small rover. On the
other side, stand a leopard quiet and proud. I too stand quietly. I am amazed. I have
never looked on such an animal before and never have since. Our eyes lock for a second
and then it vanishes. I walk on, despite to tell my story to the next person I meet.

Page 7: 1.2. The mysterious figure

Rules of setting a dialogue
I. Dialogue should stay on topic.
II. Avoid long speeches.
III. Each time a new parson speaks on his turn. Indent new paragraph.
IV. Keep characters speech consistent.
V. Punctuate conversation properly. Conversation in dialogue goes in
quotation marks (Inverted commas). Single quotation marks are used in
quoted dialogue.
VI. Be grammatically correct
VII. Use Em dash to show that character is interrupted.

1. Focus
The given lines of dialogue on page 7 reveal:
Layout: Each line spoken by a character is indented. Each time a new character speaks.
Conversation of the characters is consistent. Long speeches are avoided.
Punctuation: Lines are properly punctuated through the use of capital letters, end stop
and commas. Single inverted commas are used for each conversation. There is no use
of em dash to show character’s interruption.
Page 8 Look at the exchange between a teacher and a learner.
2.
‘Why haven’t you handed in your homework?’ Yells Mrs. Smith.
‘I just forgot’, answers Tim, quietly.
‘But you shouldn’t forget’, says Mrs. Smith. ‘You‘re a clever boy.’
‘Sorry, miss’, apologizes Tim. ‘I will hand it in first thing tomorrow.’
3 Challenge
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A conversation between two young people seeing a wild animal

Background. Two young friends Mr. A and Mr. B are talking about a wild animal on their
visit to a forest. All of sudden they halt on their way.
‘Why do you stop all of sudden’, inquires Mr. B
‘Do you hear something?’
‘What?’
‘I heard the movement of something here, perhaps movement of some animal behind
trees’
‘It might be a big wild animal.’
‘An elk.’ ---
‘May be a mountain leopard!’
‘But I don’t see, though I hear sound of movement of something.’
‘Oh! See there. It’s a big wild grey bear carrying its cub moving towards steam.’
Note: The students will write second conversation for their practice taking help of above
clues.
Page 9: 1.3. The wildness of eagles
Focus
1. Answer the questions.
a. Who taught Arman how to tame a bird?
Answer: His father taught Arman how to tame a bird.
b. Why are female birds preferred?
Answer: Female birds are preferred on the account of their size and stature. They
are larger and they can catch larger prey.
c. Give two ways that trainers communicate with their birds.
Answer: The trainers communicate to their birds through either singing or talking
with them.
d. Why are birds released after ten years?
Answer: The birds are freed after ten years eventually because they are noble and
need freedom.

Page 10:
Practice
2. Main points of each paragraph
Paragraph 1
i. Catching of a bird from nest and taming it.
ii. Preference of female bird over male bird.
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Paragraph 2
i. Training of a bird through talking and singing.
ii. Time duration for hunting an eagle.
Paragraph 3
i. Man’s bonding and relationship with an eagle.
ii. Freedom of eagle.
Page 11:
Write paragraph about what you think the author means.
The paragraph highlights the traits of an eagle. The “Crooked Hands” make an
eagle look old and wise to see the world from height. He stands impressive in the
“Azure World”. He suddenly attacks on his prey like a “Thunderbolt”. The
paragraph also describes how an eagle is communicated and trained to hunt
through singing and talking. It shows man-eagle relation in nature. The eagle is
ultimately freed after ten years to the wild.

Page 11: 1.4. The poetry of Tu Fu

Language Focus
1. End-Stopped: Where a line of a poetry has a full stop at the end or a comma.
2. Enjambment: It shows sense of movement or to make poem sound like a
monologue.
3. Caesura: A break in the line of poetry where either punctuation or the rhythm
of poem indicates a pause.
Page 12: Focus
1. Punctuation of Poem
Through the air,
The falcon moves gracefully riding the currents.
Like a feather it glides
Coming to a rest high
Upon a cliff edge.
Its journey is over.
Page 12: Practice
2. ‘Visitors’ by Tu Fu
End-stopped and enjambment
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And more rested. I am happy here.

When someone calls at my thatched hut
My son brings ma my straw hat
The first line is end stopped to show the condition of the poet. In the second and third
line, the enjambment is used to show the movement of a visitor and bringing of straw
hat.
Page 13: Challenge (The Poem is arranged)
The Fish
Swimming through,
The depths of the water is a bright fish.
Its colors glimmer in the sunlight,
Bubbles ripping upwards.
I sit for a moment, taken by its beauty.
It pauses, tail and fins paddling.
A sound beyond the water troubles it,
And with a dart, it’s gone.
I’m left with my thoughts again.
Page 15: 1.5. Destroying the planet
Effects of formal language on reader
Formal language consists more grammar, complex sentences, modal verbs, difficult
diction and punctuation. It is less personal. Formal language is systematic and
ensures flow of ideas and thoughts. The formal language increases knowable of
reader and makes him adept in writing embellished language.
Page 16: Practice
3. Our planet is in a state of physical change. Man has contributed to these
changes but man is not completely responsible for these changes. Natural forces
and the movement of the Earth are also responsible for these changes.

Page 17: 1.6 Tsunami

Focus
1. The root word of ‘unusually’ is unusual. The related words are uncommonly,
unexpectedly, suddenly, etc.
 Pakistan International School, Jubail

2. The root word of ‘immediately’ is immediate. The related words are directly,
promptly, instantaneously, etc.
3. The root word of ‘electricity’ is electron. The related words are energy, power,
current, etc.

Page 18: Practice

2. Find meanings to the following words.

Words Meanings
Tsunami High sea wave cause by an earthquake
Disconcerting Disturbing
Immobile Immovable/Static
Miraculously Stunningly
Ascending Skyrocketing
Refuge Harborage

Page 18: 1.6 Challenge

3. Search etymology of the following words

i. Tsunami
From Japanese, ‘Tsu’= Harbor and ‘Nami’= Wave
ii. Disconcerting
From French, ‘Dis’= Expressing Reversal and ‘Concert’= Bring together
iii. Immobile
From Latin, ‘Im’= Not and ‘Mobile’= Moving
iv. Miraculously
From Latin, ‘Miraculous’= Exceedingly Surprising
v. Ascending
From Latin, ‘Ascend’= Climb
vi. Refuge
From Latin, ‘Re’= Back and ‘Fuge’= Flee