CBSE Important Questions for Class 8 English Honeydew The Tsunami - 2025-26
FAQs on CBSE Important Questions for Class 8 English Honeydew The Tsunami - 2025-26
1. What are some important short-answer questions (2-3 marks) from the CBSE Class 8 English chapter, "The Tsunami"?
For the 2025-26 exams, students should focus on these expected short-answer questions, each typically worth 2-3 marks:
- How did Meghna survive the tsunami? Answer should mention she was swept away with her parents, held onto a wooden door for two days, and was found walking on the seashore in a daze.
- What did Sanjeev do that showed his bravery? Describe how Sanjeev, a policeman, saved his wife and baby daughter and then lost his life trying to save the guesthouse cook's wife.
- Why were very few animals killed in the tsunami? The answer should refer to the belief that animals possess a sixth sense and could feel the earth's vibration, allowing them to flee to safer, higher ground before the waves hit.
2. How did Tilly Smith use her knowledge from a geography lesson to save people at the beach in Thailand?
Tilly Smith saved her family and others on the beach in Phuket, Thailand, by recognising the warning signs of a tsunami she had learned about in a geography lesson. She noticed that the sea was slowly rising, starting to foam, bubble, and form whirlpools. She remembered a video her teacher had shown of a tsunami in the Hawaiian Islands with the exact same signs. Realising the danger, she became hysterical and screamed for her family to get off the beach. Her parents took her warnings seriously, leading to the evacuation of the beach and a nearby hotel, saving many lives.
3. Beyond individual stories, what are the key differences in the human and animal responses to the tsunami as shown in the chapter?
The chapter highlights a stark contrast between human and animal responses, a key analytical point for an important question in your exam.
- Human Response: Humans were largely caught by surprise. Their reaction was one of confusion, chaos, and panic. Survival often depended on luck or quick thinking after the event began, as seen with Ignesious and Meghna. They did not have any natural, prior warning.
- Animal Response: Animals, on the other hand, seemed to possess a 'sixth sense' or acute hearing that warned them of the impending disaster. Eyewitness accounts suggest elephants screamed and ran for higher ground, dogs refused to go outdoors, and zoo animals rushed into their shelters. This proactive response resulted in a significantly lower casualty rate among animals.
4. Why is the chapter "The Tsunami" more than just a collection of survival stories? What larger message does it convey for the 2025-26 syllabus?
This is a Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) question. The chapter "The Tsunami" is important because it goes beyond just narrating tragic events. Its larger message for students focuses on three critical themes:
- The Power of Education and Awareness: Tilly Smith's story is the prime example, showing how classroom knowledge can have life-saving, real-world applications. It champions the importance of disaster preparedness education.
- Courage and Resilience: It showcases the incredible strength of the human spirit through characters who faced immense loss and chaos but fought to survive.
- Nature's Power and Intuition: The chapter contrasts the destructive force of nature with the intuitive, protective instincts of animals, prompting readers to respect nature and perhaps learn from it.
5. How does the story of Ignesious, the manager of a cooperative society, highlight the chaos and indiscriminate tragedy of the tsunami?
The story of Ignesious is crucial as it demonstrates how the tsunami created complete chaos and affected everyone, regardless of their preparedness for a normal emergency. He was awakened by an earthquake, a situation he managed calmly by placing his television on the ground. However, this foresight was useless against the tsunami. The ensuing confusion caused his family to run in opposite directions. He lost his wife, two children, his father-in-law, and his brother-in-law, saving only the three children who came with him. His story underscores the overwhelming power of the tsunami and how it turned a moment of order into complete and tragic devastation.
6. In what ways does "The Tsunami" test the courage and resilience of its characters? Provide examples that might be asked in a 5-mark question.
The chapter provides several powerful examples of courage and resilience, which are frequently asked about in exams. For a high-scoring answer, you should include:
- Tilly Smith's Courage: She showed intellectual courage by trusting her knowledge and emotional courage by persistently warning her family despite their initial confusion.
- Sanjeev's Selflessness: The policeman displayed ultimate courage by re-entering the dangerous waters to save another person, even after ensuring his own family's safety. This act of bravery unfortunately cost him his life.
- Meghna's Resilience: A 13-year-old girl, she showed immense resilience by surviving for two days in the sea, holding onto a wooden door. Her will to live despite the trauma is a key example.
- Almas's Trauma and Survival: Almas Javed saw her family being swept away. Her ability to climb onto a log of wood and survive, despite fainting from the shock, shows her instinctual resilience in the face of unimaginable loss.
