Gul Mohar English Class 8 Chapter - 6 Feathered Friend

Gul Mohar Edition 9 Orient Blackswan

Gul Mohar English Chapter - 6 Feathered Friend

Writer of the story - Sir Arthur C Clarke
Question and Answers
Question 1: What were the two things that made Sven’s construction job more difficult? Does the text say whether the hard work was worth the trouble?
Answer: Sven’s construction job was in space. Weightlessness in space station due to absence of gravity makes it difficult for engineers as they have to execute a skillful ballet mid space in order to get the girders in their right positions. Making such maneuvers in a space suit was also a challenge for him.  The hard work was well worth the trouble because, it was rather satisfying to lean back and admire the job that they had skillfully executed.

Question 2: How did Claribel adjust to space environment?
Answer: Claribel has well-adjusted to the conditions of space (absence of gravity) with ease and even in the absence of gravitational pull it had learnt to fly around with minimal effort. It floated with its wings tucked at the sides did a kind of backward loop and hanged in the air as motionless as a hummingbird .It adjusted to its new surroundings and managed to live comfortably.

Question 3: Why did Sven not get into any trouble for sneaking a bird on board the space station?
Answer: Seven didn’t get into trouble because there is no rule that explicitly forbids people from keeping pets in a space station. Sven had also been careful about not admitting the ownership of the canary for several days.

Question 4: ‘Sheer scientific curiosity’ was the part of the reason why Sven got Claribel onto the space station. Based on your knowledge of life on space stations, can you guess what the other reason was?
Answer: Sven’s “sheer scientific curiosity” was perhaps another reason that makes many people keep pets on earth. This is the desire of companionship. Life in a space station is lonely. One is isolated from friends and family and most of the recreational activities become impossible or difficult to execute in a space station. In such a living condition, the singing of a canary and its bright, chirpy presence can enliven the daily life of the astronauts.

Question 5: a) What was wrong with the air in the space station?
Answer: The proportion of oxygen in the air inside the space station had reduced drastically below the optimum level. This had led the speaker to feel rather dizzy and the canary to completely collapse.

b) How did Claribel’s unconscious state help the speaker understand what the problem was?
Answer: Canaries are known for their sensitivity to the presence of toxic gases. Claribel’s unconscious state and her revival only when exposed to a shot of oxygen reminded the speaker of what he knew about canaries. He understood what the problem was.

c) Other than Claribel’s condition, what were the clues the speaker put together to solve the mystery?
Answer: Besides Claribel’s condition, the other clues were the speaker found it difficult to wake up in the morning as he had a headache, he had slept badly, waking up rather tired, he had continued to feel sluggish. He recalled that miners used to carry down with them to warn them of toxic gases.

Question 6: It was one of those accidents that couldn’t possibly happen. What accident is the speaker referring to? Was the accident someone’s fault? Who saved everyone from the accident?
Answer: The accident happened as a result of a rare eclipse at the space station cast by the Earth’s shadow. This led to the freezing of a part of the air purifier .The single alarm in the circuit failed to go off.
The accident was perhaps no one’s fault because it was caused due to a natural phenomenon. However, not having set up the second alarm circuit was one of the crew member’s fault.
The speaker marvels at the fact that a little bird saved them whereas an expensive system failed do so. Claribel, the canary had saved everyone from the accident at the cost of its own life.