Important Questions for CBSE Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 10 - The Comet - II

A. Very Short Answer Questions: 1 Mark 

1. Word – Meaning from the given chapter

i. Star-studded 

Ans: Night sky filled with stars

ii. Inevitable 

Ans: Unavoidable 

iii. Rendezvous 

Ans: Meeting 

iv. Averted 

Ans:  Turn away

2. Where is Duttada invited to? 

Ans: Duttada is invited to the secret conference. 

3. Where does Sir John Macpherson drop off James Forsyth? 

Ans: Sir John Macpherson dropped off James Forsyth at his hotel Regent Street. 

4. Who all were present at the conference? 

Ans: Astronomers, computer scientists, nuclear physicists, space technologists, and biologists were present at the conference. 

5. Who was Sir John’s Macpherson’s special invitee? 

Ans: Manoj Dutta was Sir John’s Macpherson’s special invitee. 

B. Short Answer Questions: 2 Marks 

1. How long did the conference last, what was the first thing that the committee decided to do, what was the result of it? 

Ans: The conference lasted one week under total cover of secrecy. The experts checked and rechecked James Forsyth‟s predictions with the latest observations of Comet Dutta and it turned out that he was right. 

2. What was the small chance that the experts predicted? 

Ans: The small chance that the experts predicted was that the comet may graze the atmosphere of the Earth and not collide. 

3. What defensive measures do the experts dismiss? 

Ans: The experts dismissed defensive measures such as living in underground bunkers and decided to take an offensive action to marginally deflect Comet Dutta from its path by giving it a push. 

4. How do the experts calculate to deflect the Comet Dutta from its path? 

Ans: All of the specialists agreed that a devastating nuclear power on Earth would be used to divert Comet Dutta from its course. A gigantic nuclear explosion suitably placed, directed and timed could do the trick. 

5. How do the experts plan to make a nuclear explosion? 

Ans: Experts planned to carry off a nuclear explosion by loading a nuclear payload into a spaceship and sending it to cut off the comet and blow it up remotely.

C. Short Answer Questions: 3 Marks 

1. What was the operation named? What were its important dates? 

Ans: The operation was named “Project Light Brigade”. The important dates were October 10 which recorded dispatching of the spacecraft with payload unless by then the comet was already destroyed by natural causes or might have changed its path. The second date was November 15, meeting with the comet and blowing up the payload, and the third date was December 15, if the experiment failed, it would become the day of collision between earth and the comet. 

2. Where did Duttada tour during the conference? 

Ans: Duttada toured the British Isles for two weeks after his conference and had a great time visiting observatories and exchanging views with amateur as well as professional astronomers. 

3. How was Duttada greeted on his return? 

Ans: On his return, Duttada was greeted by an inevitable vast crowd of friends, social leaders and students. He was greeted with garlands and was constantly bombarded with questions from the media.

4. What did he find on arriving at home? 

Ans: When Duttada arrived home he found out that a crowd was gathered under a pandal. He looks at Indrani Debi with questions as she knew that he hated crowds. Indrani tells him that he has arranged a yajna and called priests to bless him. 

5. Who was Sibajibabu? What did he tell Duttada? 

Ans: Sibajibabu was younger brother of Duttada. He was also at the Pandal, and he told Duttada that they had all been frightened since the comet was discovered. The priests suggested organising a shanty yajna to calm evil spirits behind the comet. 

D. Long Answer Questions: 5 Marks 

1. Why was yajna organised? How does Duttada react to the reason? 

Ans: Duttada’s family told him that the yajna was organised so that the comet discovered by him would not have any bad effects on Earth. After this, Duttada got furious as he did not believe in such things and said that it was all superstitions. Things like this were performed in earlier times when they had no clue about comets however, in modern times people know about a comet and everything about it could be easily calculated but someone who never studied science wouldn’t understand it. 

2. How did the bond between Macpherson and Duttada grow? 

Ans: Duttada and Macpherson met at a conference in London about the Comet Dutta. They developed a bond there. And after returning to India, Duttada was in continuous touch with him. Both the men were in regular touch and the friendship grew out of their appreciation of each other’s virtues. Duttada admired the discipline and efficiency of Sir John Macpherson and Sir John Macpherson admired Duttada‟s scientific outlook. As Project Light Brigade was a secret mission, they never discussed it in their long-distance conversations, but Macpherson often hinted to Duttada about the status and progress of the project. 

3. What was the condition of the comet before October? What does Duttada get in October? 

Ans: The condition of the comet was as it was. It was following its predicted path and it developed its tail also. The comet circled around the Sun without breaking apart, neither did it evaporate. The scientist and the leaders involved in the Project Light Brigade were confirmed that the Comet Dutta would collide with earth. Duttada received a letter from Sir John Macpherson. 

4. What information does the letter contain which Duttada received in October? What did he feel after receiving it? 

Ans: A letter was sent to Duttada by Sir John Macpherson which was written in a coded language and only Duttada could understand it. It contained information about the meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society, warm weather and opening matches of the football season and also a recent by-election. In between all of this, a sentence was written which Duttada was looking for “The Charge of the Light Brigade has begun. Let us hope for the best” and Duttada was sure that the spacecraft had been launched. As soon as Duttada read the letter, he felt anxious and so regularly monitored the comet which was visible to the naked eye. 

5. What were the two pictures that formed inside Duttada‟s mind when he received the news that the comet had finally been diverted from its path? How are the two pictures different?

Ans: Duttada had two images of different situations. His first imagination included his eight-year-old grandson Khoka performing rituals in the yajna, chanting mantras that he did not even understand and pouring ghee at specified intervals into the fire. His second imagination was about scientists at the conference analysing the problem, devising solutions and executing them efficiently and rationally. Both his imaginations differed significantly as it was a difference between the poor and the rich, the educated and the illiterate, the privileged and the unprivileged.