CBSE Important Questions for Class 8 English Honeydew Geography Lesson - 2025-26
FAQs on CBSE Important Questions for Class 8 English Honeydew Geography Lesson - 2025-26
1. What is the central theme of the poem 'Geography Lesson' that is important for the CBSE Class 8 exams in 2025-26?
The central theme of 'Geography Lesson' is the stark contrast between the logical, orderly structure of the Earth as dictated by geography and the chaotic, illogical conflicts created by humans. From a jet, the poet sees that natural settlements near rivers make sense, but human hatred, borders, and wars do not. This is a key concept for scoring well on thematic questions in the final exam.
2. For a 3-mark question, explain what the poet finds 'clear' and what remains 'unclear' from the sky in 'Geography Lesson'.
What the poet finds clear and unclear is a common type of exam question.
- What is Clear: The poet finds the logic of geography to be clear. He understands why cities grew near rivers and why valleys were populated. He also sees clearly that the Earth is round and has more sea than land.
- What is Unclear: Despite this clarity, the poet finds it impossible to understand why humans hate each other, build walls across cities, and engage in war. This human behaviour remains a confusing puzzle.
3. How does the poet's changing altitude in the jet present an important lesson about perspective?
The poet's changing altitude is crucial as it represents a shift in perspective, a concept often tested in exams. Initially, from a lower height, the city seems unplanned. As the jet rises to ten thousand feet, a geographical logic appears. Finally, from six miles high, the Earth looks like one unified entity, making human-made borders and divisions seem petty and nonsensical. This progression teaches us that a broader perspective often reveals the triviality of our conflicts.
4. What is the symbolic importance of the phrase "walls across cities" in the poem?
The phrase "walls across cities" is highly symbolic and important for exams. It does not just refer to physical boundaries but represents the man-made barriers of hatred, prejudice, and conflict that divide humanity. From the poet's high vantage point, where the Earth appears as a single unit, these self-imposed divisions seem completely illogical and tragic.
5. Why is the title 'Geography Lesson' ironic? Explain why this could be a Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) question.
The title is ironic because the poem is about more than just a literal geography lesson. While the poet learns about the Earth's shape and the logic of settlements, the real, more profound lesson is about humanity's failures. This is a HOTS question because it requires you to look beyond the literal meaning and analyse the contrast between the simple geographical facts the poet learns and the complex moral questions he cannot answer.
6. What specific "logic of geography" becomes apparent to the poet when the jet is ten thousand feet high?
When the jet is ten thousand feet high, the poet understands the "logic of geography." He sees that it was an “inevitability” that cities were founded near rivers and that valleys were populated. This was a geographical compulsion because water and fertile land are essential resources that have always attracted and sustained human settlement, making the city's layout seem planned and logical from that height.
7. What is the main paradox the poet discovers in 'Geography Lesson,' and why is it a frequently asked question?
The main paradox, and a recurring exam topic, is that from a great height, the Earth appears beautiful, logical, and unified, yet the people living on it create ugliness, illogic, and division. The poet can understand the physical geography of the planet but cannot comprehend the moral geography of humankind—why people who share a single Earth find reasons to hate and kill. This captures the central conflict of the poem.
8. As per the CBSE 2025-26 syllabus, what two key geographical facts could be asked as 1-mark important questions from the last stanza?
From the final stanza, two key facts that are expected in short-answer questions are:
- The poet realised that the Earth is definitively round when viewed from a height of six miles.
- He also observed that the planet has significantly more sea than land, confirming a basic geographical truth.






















