EURO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

SESSION -2022-2023 Class VIII

SUBJECT –ENGLISH LESSON PLAN
Book-The English Cruise

CONTENTS

UNIT NAME CH. NO. CHAPTER NAME

1. 1 Moby Dick
2 The Mouse and The Snake
2. 3 How I taught my grandmother to read
4 Children’s Hour
3. 5 The Red Headed League
6 Macavity, The Mystery Cat
4. 7 Never-Never Lost (Drama)

UNIT 1
CHAPTER 1: Moby Vick (Graphic Story)

Introduction: - The Whale is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is
the sailor Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod,
for vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that crippled him on the ship's
previous voyage. (To be told verbally only)

Vocabulary
1. Blasphemy                 
2. Doubloon
3. Vengeance 
4.  Impaled
5. Smithereens
6. Mottled
7. Slack 
Word Meaning
1. Harpooner- a person who uses a harpoon to hunt whales
2. One tithe- one tenth part of something 
3. Starboard- the side of a ship that is on the right when facing forward
4. Cascades- to flow downwards in large amounts
5. Taut- stretched tightly 
6. Bow- the front part of a ship

Frame Sentences 
1. Blows (noun)
2. Mangled (verb) 
3. Flukes (noun) 
4. Relentlessly (adverb)
5. Parched (adjective)

Book Exercise
 A. About the passage (Tick the correct            answer)
       1. (d)     2. (c)    3. (d)     4. (d)   5. (b)

B. Answer the following questions.

  1. Who is Moby Dick? Why is Ahab  hunting him?
Ans. Moby Dick was a huge, white, sperm whale whom many a whaling ship had tried to
capture. unsuccessfully.

Ahab was the captain of the whaling ship Pequod. He had lost his leg in a previous voyage while
trying to capture Moby Dick. That's why he wanted to kill Moby Dick at any cost.

2. Why does Starbuck term Ahab's desire for revenge on Moby Dick as 'blasphemy'?
Ans. The word, 'blasphemy' means an act of defiance (showing opposition) against God or
nature. Starbuck thought that Ahab's obsessive desire to hunt and kill Moby Dick is unreasonable
and blasphemous as the whale is a 'dumb' animal.

 3. Who is Captain Dowling? What advice   does he give to Ahab?

Ans. Dowling was the captain of another whaling ship similar to the Pequod.  He advised Ahab
to stop Pursuing Moby Dick as he thought it was a futile and dangerous hunt.

 4. How does Ahab lose his life? 

Ans. Ahab met a brutal end where he became entangled in the line of his own harpoon which he
had aimed at Moby Dick. He was dragged underwater and drowned It was Perhaps his obsession
with killing Moby Dick that led to this own gory end.

 5. How is Ishmael rescued?

Ans. He was flung into the sea where he stayed afloat for one and half days clinging onto a
lifeboat. He was spotted by another whaling ship on the second day and rescued.

Reference To Context Questions

"It is now Ahab's desire to pursue and kill Dick. He has promised a gold doubloon to one who
kills Moby Dick.”

1.Who is Ahab?
Ans. Ahab is the ship’s captain.

2. Who is Moby Dick?

Ans. Moby Dick is a white sperm whale.

3. Why does Ahab want to kill Moby Dick?

Ans. Ahab wants to kill Moby Dick because he has lost his leg in an encounter with Moby Dick.

4. What does ‘doubloon’ refer to?

Ans. Spanish gold coin

CHAPTER 2: Poem: The Mouse and The Snake 

Introduction: The mouse and the snake is a beautiful poem written by Vikram Seth. It shows us
the cleverness of a mouse and the greediness of a snake which makes him fool. In this poem a
mouse fells into a farmer's trap and is unable to free himself after so many failed attempts. (To
be told verbally only)

Vocabulary 
1. Unpoliced
2. Ebbed
3. Bereft 
4. Elegiac
5. Extols

Word Meaning 
1. Vicious- violent or cruel 
2. Hypnotic' a person capable of hypnotizing anyone
3. Unfroze- recovered from fear and swung back into action
4. Flail- wave or swing wildly 
5. Might and main- all one's strength or power

Frame Sentence 
1. Surged (verb)
2. Mangled (adjective)
3. Trunk (noun)
4. Obscenely (adverb) 
5. Stoic (noun)
6. Metre ( verb)

Book Exercise
A. About the poem.  (Tick the correct answer)
1. (a)   2. (c)  3. (c)  4. (a)  5. (d) 

B. Answer the following questions.

1 . Where did the two mice want to go? Why had they been warned not to go there?
Ans. The two mice wanted to enter the room where grain was stored.
They had been warned by their friends not to enter the room as no mouse had ever come out of
the room alive.

2. Briefly describe the snake. What makes him frightening?

Ans. The snake was big and strong. Its skin was golden in colour and it had a hypnotic presence.
Its most dangerous feature was that it was a venomous snake.

3. Why was the snake able to catch one of the mice? How did the second mouse escape?
Ans. The two mice stood still, frozen with fear and horror when they saw the snake sliding
towards them. Thus, the snake swallowed the first one very easily.
The second mouse recovered from the shock and overcame her fear. When the snake tried to
catch the mouse managed to dodge it.

4. The mouse attacked the snake till he spat out her friend's body. What quality does this reveal?
Ans. The mouse kept dodging the snake while simultaneously biting its tail with all her strength
until the snake was completely tired. This brings out the quality of courage in the mouse. The
courage that we all should have to face and fight a stronger problem and win. 

5. What is the theme of the poem The Mouse and the Snake?
Ans. The central theme is thatfacing problem in life can make or break someone. The courage to
persist, even during the phase of difficulty is called resilience. The second mouse saved herself
because of her guts and resilience.

Reference To Context Questions

“But the two friends, unpoliced
Broke in and began to feast;
And their laughter fell and rose,
Till their blood with horror froze.”

1.Who were the two friends?

Ans. Two mice

2. Where did they break in?

Ans. They broke into a room which was filled with grain.

3. Why did their blood freeze?

Ans. Their blood froze after seeing a long vicious snake approaching them.

4. Name the poem

Ans. Mouse and the Snake.
UNIT 2:
CHAPTER 3: How I taught my grandmother to read

Introduction: In 'How I Taught My Grandmother To Read', SudhaMurty describes the

determined efforts of an illiterate old lady Krishtakka to make herself literate. She decided to
read a novel on her own. The grandmother set the deadline and achieved the target next to
impossible within the time set for it. (To be told verbally only)

Vocabulary 
1. Deadline
2. Determination
3. Obstacle
4. Convincing 
5. Ordinary 

Word Meaning 
1. Ardent- keen or passionate 
2. Punya- good results of actions
3. Protagonist- central character of story
4. Savouring- enjoying 

Frame Sentences
1. Unfortunately (adverb)
2. Orphan (noun)
3. Eagerly (adverb)
4. Affectionate (noun)
5. Regret (verb)

A. About the passage. (Tick the correct answer)

1. (b)     2. (c)   3. (a)    4. (d)    5. (c)

B. Answer the following questions briefly.

l . Why is Triveni still a popular writer?
Ans. Triveni was a popular writer because her style was easy to read and very convincing. It was
also because she wrote about complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people. 

2. What was the story of the novel Kashi Yatre? Why was the narrator's grandmother so drawn to
the serial?
Ans. Triveni's novel Kashi Yatre was a story of an old lady and her ardent desire to go to Kashi.
Kashi is considered a holy place where worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate punya.
The old lady in the novel believed this and the book described her struggle to go there. The old
lady gave up all her savings without going to Kashi for the orphan girl's happiness. The narrator's
grandmother was drawn to the serial as she identified herself with the protagonist of the story.

3. Why did the narrator find her grandmother in tears after she returned from the wedding?
Ans. The narrator found her grandmother in tears when she came back from the wedding because
in the narrator's absence her grandmother was unable to read the next episode of Kashi Yatre.
This was the time when she felt extremely dependent and helpless because of her inability to
read.

4. Why could the grandmother never go to school?

Ans. When the grandmother was a young girl, she lost her mother and there was no one to look
after or guide her. During those times education was not considered important for girls.
Grandmother got married at a young age and started a family. In her life, she never got the
chance to go to school.

5. Why did the grandmother touch the feet of the narrator?

Ans. It's a tradition to touch the feet of God, elders and teachers. It is considered as a mark of
respect. So, the grandmother touched the feet of the narrator as her teacher to pay respect.

Reference To Context Questions

"Her style was easy to, read and very convincing. Her stories usually dealt with complex
psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people and were always interesting. “

1.Whom does "her" in the above lines refers to?

Ans. Triveni, the popular writer.

2. What does the narrator mean when she says, 'Her style'? What is she referring to?
Ans.The narrator is talking about the style of writing that the writer Triveni uses. Triveni wrote
stories that were convincing, easy to read and talked about complex psychological problems in
the lives of ordinary people.

3. Find a word from the extract that means to make someone believe in something.
Ans. Convincing
CHAPTER 4: Poem: Children's Hour

Introduction: The poem describes the poet's idyllic family life with his own three daughters,
Alice, Edith, and Anne Allegra:[1] "grave Alice, and laughing Allegra, and Edith with golden
hair." As the darkness begins to fall, the narrator of the poem (Longfellow himself) is sitting in
his study and hears his daughters in the room above. He describes them as an approaching army
about to enter through a "sudden rush" and a "sudden raid" via unguarded doors. Climbing into
his arms, the girls "devour" their father with kisses, who in turn promises to keep them forever in
his heart. .(To be told verbally only)

Vocabulary 
1. Moulder
2.  Entwine
3. Grave
4. Patter
5. Devour 
Word Meaning 
1. The Children's hour: an hour of recreation in the evening spent by children with their parents
2. Turret: a small tower on top of a wall or building 
3. Banditti: plural of bandit
4. Scale: to climb to the top of something 
5. Moulder: to decay 

Frame Sentences 
1. Whisper (verb)
2. Dungeon (noun)
3. Merry
4. Raid 
5. Crumble 

Book Exercise
A. About the poem (Tick the correct answer)
1. (b)   2. (d)   3. (c)   4. (a)   5. (b) 

B. Answer the following questions briefly.

l . Why is a part of the day referred to as the 'children's hour'?
Ans. The 'children's hour' is one hour in the evening because in this hour, they got to spend time
with their parents. This was the time when the nursemaids/ nannies were not taking care of the
children.

2. How does the poet describe the three girls?

Ans. The poet describes the three girls as banditti in a loving and funny way as the children were
planning and plotting to attack and devour the poet (father).

3. What is the mood in the first stanza? Is there a shift in the mood in the second and third
stanzas? Explain.
Ans. The mood in the first stanza was one of happy anticipation. The same mood is in the second
and the third stanza along with a little bit of mischievous tone as the father knows that his
daughters are tip-toeing to his room and is still lovingly waiting for his daughters.

4. What do the invaders do to the poet?

Ans. The invaders (daughters) climbed on the chair where the poet (father) was sitting and
devoured him with kisses and entwined their arms around him.

5. Quote the lines that show that the poet welcomes the invasion.
Ans. The following lines portray that the poet welcomes the invasion:
I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart, 
But put you down into the dungeon In the round - tower of my heart.

Reference To Context Questions

“Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall
Such an old moustache as I am Is not a match for you all!
Absolutely prepared at home”

1.Who are the blue-eyed banditti referred to here?

Ans.The poet's three daughters Alice, Allegra and Edith are referred to here.
2.How have they scaled the wall?
Ans.They had scaled the wall by coming in through three doors left unguarded.

3.What does the poet wish to convey through the last two lines of the stanza?
Ans. The poet wants to convey that he is aware of all the tricks employed by his daughters to
come to him and he is quite prepared to welcome them in his castle as it is their time.

UNIT3:
CHAPTER 5: The Red-Headed Leagueh
Chapter: 
Introduction: The Red-Headed League is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It first appeared in The Strand Magazine in August 1891, with
illustrations by Sidney Paget. Conan Doyle ranked "The Red-Headed League" second in his list
of his twelve favourite Holmes stories. .(To be told verbally only)

Vocabulary
1. Fiery
2. Vulnerable
3. Bequest
4. Butted (here)
5. Chagrin

Word Meaning 
1. Portly: stout
2. Amateur: doing something for fun
3. Solicitor: lawyer
4. Sarasate: Spanish violinist and composer
5. In contemplation: being considered

Frame Sentences
1. Obliging (adjective)
2. Choked (noun)
3. Started up (verb) 
4. Suspicion (verb)
5. Admiration (adjective)

Book Exercise
A. About the passage (Tick the correct answer)
1. (b)  2. (b)  3. (b)  4. (c) 5. (b) 
B. Answer the following questions.
l. Who is Jabez Wilson? Why does he come to see Sherlock Holmes?
Ans. Jabez Wilson is a pawn-broker. He comes to consult Sherlock Holmes on a very important
problem. He was taken aback when his job at The Red-Headed League suddenly came to an end
with the notice that The Red-Headed League is dissolved.

2. Holmes lists the 'obvious facts' that he deduces from Mr. Wilson's appearance. What are they
and how did Holmes make those deductions?
Ans. The 'obvious facts' that Holmes deduces from Mr. Wilson's appearance are:-
1. He has at some time done manual labour. he has been in China and he has done a considerable
amount of writing lately.
2. Holmes deduces that Mr. Wilson has done manual labour from the fact that his right hand is
larger than his left hand and the muscles are more developed. 
3. He cleverly concludes that he has been in China because the fish which was tattooed
immediately above his wrist could only have been done in China. 

3. What is the Red-headed League? How does Jabez Wilson find out about it? What are the
conditions for getting and keeping a place in the League?
Ans. The Red-Headed League was founded by an American millionaire, Mr.Ezekiah Hopkins to
help all red-heads.A man called Vincent Spaulding showed Mr. Wilson the advertisement of The
Redheaded League.

The conditions are: 

1. In order to apply to The Red-headed League a person should be above the age of twenty-one
years and he must have red hair.
2. In order to keep the job, the person must be in the office or at least in the building for four
hours from ten to two every day.
 3. Neither sickness nor business nor anything else should keep him away from work.

4.According to the advertisement, what is the purpose of the Red-headed League? What is the
real purpose of the Red-headed League?
Ans. The advertisement of The Red-headed League said that there was a vacancy for a member
of the League and the salary would be four pounds a week. All the red-heads above the age of
twenty-one are eligible.
The main purpose of the Red-headed League was to keep Mr. Wilson away from his business for
some time during the day so that they could dig a tunnel from his premises to the bank and steal
gold from the bank.

5.Who is John Clay? How did Holmes know Clay would attempt to rob the bank that night?
Ans.  John Clay is a criminal working at Jabez Wilson's pawnshop under the name of Vincent
Spaulding. 
Mr. Holmes had suspected that Clay would attempt to rob the bank that night because it was a
Friday and the banks and offices would be closed for the weekend making the work of the
criminals easier.
6. 'The Red-headed League' depicts a world in which everyday life is filled with bizarre
occurrences. Justify.
The advertisement and selection procedure of The Red-Headed League itself is utterly bizarre:
the idea that someone is hired for a job purely because his hair is redder than that of hundreds of
other applicants is strange.
Vincent Spaulding taking up the job at Mr. Wilson's pawnshop for half the wages, just to learn
business was strange. His diving down to the cellar every now and then and spending time in the
cellar points out to some strange behaviour. 

7. Write a brief character  sketch of John Clay.

Ans. John Clay is a notorious criminal working at Mr.Jabez Wilson's pawnshop under the name
of Vincent Spaulding. He is smart and daring. He wins the respect of Sherlock Holmes because
of his clever plot to rob The City and Suburban Bank.

8. Jabez Wilson is slow-witted and trusting. Do you agree? Why/ Why not? 
Ans. Yes, Mr.Jabez Wilson is slow-witted and trusting. His slow and trusting nature does not
allow him to  see anything suspicious about either Vincent Spaulding or the Red-Headed League.
The Red-Headed League offering him the job so easily and paying a handsome salary for doing
little work were enough to arouse suspicion. He trusted Vincent Spaulding blindly. 

Reference To Context Questions

“Please be quiet for we do not want to alert the criminals.”

1.Who says this and to whom?

Ans. Mr. Holmes says this to Mr.Merryweather, Mr. Watson and Mr. Jones.

2.Who are the criminals?

Ans.The criminals are Mr. Vincent Spaulding alias Clay and Mr. Duncan Ross.

3. What are the criminals after?

Ans.The criminals are after the French gold which is still lying in the cellar of the bank.

CHAPTER 6: Poem: Macavity, The Mystery Cat

Introduction
Macavity is a fictional character and depicts the actions of the crooks. He is also known as
'Hidden Paw'. He is a notorious criminal, spy, and a trickster and openly disobeys the laws.
Macavity is a mastermind and leaves no evidence after committing the crime.(To be told
verbally only)

Vocabulary
1. Trellis
2. Suavity
3. Peke
4. Bafflement 
Word Meaning
1. Mungojerrie and Griddle bone: other criminal cats
2. Levitation: rising and floating in the air
3. Fakir: a holy man or ascetic
4. Depravity: moral corruption
Frame Sentences 
1. Defy (verb)
2. Stare (verb)
3. Neglect (adjective)
4. Deceitful (adjective) 

Book Exercise 
A. About the poem (Tick the correct answer)
1. (c)   2. (d)   3. (b)   4. (d)   5. (c) 

B. Answer the following questions.

1. Why are the Scotland Yard and Flying Squad confused and left in despair by Macavity?
Ans. Macavity is a mysterious cat. He fools and confuses the Scotland Yard and the Flying
Squad. His footprints are not found anywhere. He commits several crimes, but when the police
reach the spot of crime, Macavity is not there.

2. What is Macavity's speciality? How many times does the poet refer to it? What is the effect of
the repetition?
Ans. Macavity is a notorious cat. His specialty is that after committing crimes he disappears
without leaving a single trace. 
'Macavity's not there!' is repeated six times in the poem. The repetition of this line emphasizes
Macavity's unique criminal ability, and elusive nature and also adds excitement to the poem.

3. List the crimes attributed to Macavity for which he has never been caught.
Ans. Macavity breaks the greenhouse glass, cheats in cards, drinks milk, loots a larder, steals a
jewel-case and breaks the trellis. He also manages to take away a file of an important treaty from
the foreign office.

4. Explain the phrase outwardly respectable with reference to Macavity. 

Ans. Macavity is outwardly respectable because he is deceitful and charming. He commits crime
in such a way that no one succeeds in catching him.

5. Why does the poet call Macavity the Napoleon of crime?

Ans. Many refer to Napoleon as a dictating person and in charge of everything. Macavity is
called the Napoleon of crime because he is the mastermind behind all the crimes and commits all
types of crimes.

Reference To Context Questions

"Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw
For he's the master criminal who can defy the law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the flying squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!"

1. What is the name of the mystery cat?

Ans. The mystery cat was called as Macavity. It was also famous as the Hidden paw and master
criminal.

2. Why is it the bafflement of Scotland Yard?

Ans. He is a master criminal who fled from the crime scene. He was never caught.

3. What had helped him in escaping from the crime scene?

Ans. It was believed that he had a 'hidden paw' which helped him in escaping the crime scene in
no time.

4. Name the poem.

Ans. Macavity The Mystery Cat

UNIT 4:
CHAPTER 7: Never-Never Lost (Drama)

For Enactment Purpose only

Introduction: The “Never-Never Nest” by Cedric Mount is a one-act play about a young couple
named Jack and Jill. They have a habit of buying things on an Instalment basis. The play
condemns the so called trend of young couples, who possess the habit of purchasing household
items and houses in easy instalments.