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(SCERT)
State Council of Educational Research and Training.
Class : VIII
Subject : Sunbeam English Reader Part III
Chapter : 1
The Prince of Panidihing
1. Answer the following questions to check your understanding:
(a): Why did the people of Chitolia and the neighbouring villages panic?
Answer: The swelling water of the Brahmaputra continued rising.
OR
Answer: Panic gripped the villages because it had rained heavily all week and the swelling waters of the Brahmaputra continued rising.
OR
Answer: The villagers panicked because the swelling water of the Brahmaputra continued to rise after raining heavily all week, and they realized the embankment at Chitolia village had been breached.
(b): What happened when the embankment at Chitolia village was breached?
Answer: In moments, huge waves of water broke into the villages. The water rolled over some of the house-tops. The air quickly filled with the cries and wails of the village folk huddled on roof-tops of the chang-ghars and the mad bellowing of the livestock being swept away.
OR
Answer: When the embankment was breached, a loud roar alerted the villagers, and huge waves of water broke into the villages in moments, rolling over house-tops and sweeping away livestock.
(c): What action did Khagen and his classmates take to rescue the villagers of Chitolia?
Answer: Khagen, a young man of seventeen, quickly grasped the seriousness of the situation and swung into action. "We need a few rafts of banana trunks. I’ll bring along my father’s boat. We must rush to Chitolia." In no time, five rafts were feady, each one steered with long poles by two boys. The fleet of rafts with Khagen’s boat in the lead now raced towards Chitolia.
OR
Answer: Khagen and his friends quickly made five rafts out of banana trunks. They used these rafts and Khagen's father’s boat to evacuate the people of Chitolia to the high grounds of the school building.
(d): How did Khagen and Dambaru rescue Dr. Hatibaruah and Moni Baidew?
Answer: Khagen spotted Moni Baidew’s head popping in and out of the water as she was carried along by the current. An expert swimmer, Khagen dashed towards her like an otter. He caught her by the arm and helped her to keep afloat until they reached a mound above the flood water. The doctor was also rescued and carried to the mound. The boys picked up the doctor and his wife and flung them into the boat.
OR
Answer : Khagen and Dambaru took a boat to the doctor's house. After the boat capsized in a whirlpool, Khagen, an expert swimmer, rescued Moni Baidew and the doctor from the floodwaters and carried them to a mound before getting them back into the boat.
(e): Why did the people of the village call Khagen ‘The Prince of Panidihing’?
Answer: They called him this because he was a brave fellow who had a knack for solving all kinds of problems and was always ready to help.
2. How much of the story do you remember? Answer these questions quickly.
(a): Who was Khagen? How old was he?
Answer: Khagen, a young man of seventeen.
OR
Answer: Khagen was a young man from Borgaon village who was seventeen years old.
(b): ‘It rained heavily all week.’ What was the result?
Answer: The swelling water of the Brahmaputra continued rising.
OR
Answer: The result was that the water of the Brahmaputra swelled and rose, eventually causing the embankment at Chitolia to breach.
(c): ‘In moments, huge waves of water broke into the villages.’ – What is this situation called?
Answer: This situation is called a flood.
(d): “Khagen! You have saved our lives, given us a new life.” – Who said this? Why did he say this?
Answer: Dr. Hatibaruah said this. He said it because Khagen had rescued him and his wife after their boat capsized in the dangerous floodwaters.
3: Complete the following sentences in your own words
(a) The water rolled over some of the house-tops and ________________________________________
Answer: the air quickly filled with the cries and wails of the village folk.
(b) By the time the people of Chitolia were evacuated, ________________________________________
Answer: Khagen and his friends were exhausted.
(c) Half an hour later, the boat reached the doctor's house ________________________________________
Answer: and narrowly missed crashing into the railing of the verandah.
(d) The boat took a U turn now and ________________________________________
Answer: began to move swiftly with the current.
(e) Dambaru and the two other men somehow managed to catch ________________________________________
Answer: hold of the capsized boat that had almost been swept away.
4. Read the following. Use the clues to write a summary of the situation in the local newspaper. Give a suitable title.
Clues provided in the text:
it rained heavily
panic gripped the village
the embankment was breached
Villagers took shelter on house-tops
villagers from neighbouring villages rushed to help
in no time rafts and boats were made ready
hundreds of villagers were rescued along with their livestock
the civil authorities were also informed
Answer:
The Prince of Panidihing
It rained heavily for an entire week, causing the water levels of the Brahmaputra to rise and swell. Panic gripped the villagers of Chitolia and neighboring areas as the embankment was eventually breached. As huge waves of water broke into the villages and rolled over house-tops, many villagers were forced to take shelter on their roofs.
In response to the crisis, brave villagers from neighboring areas, led by seventeen-year-old Khagen, rushed to help. In no time, five rafts made of banana trunks and a boat were made ready for the rescue mission. Khagen and his friends worked tirelessly, and hundreds of villagers were rescued along with their livestock. The rescued people were evacuated to the high grounds of the local school building. To ensure further safety and supplies, the civil authorities at Demow were also informed immediately.
5. (a) Let's learn some grammar:
Now read the lesson again and underline all the adverbs. Also, find out the verbs to which they add new information.
(b) More practice with adverbs:
Underline the adverbs in the sentences below and mention what types they are.
(i) Khagen quickly grasped the situation.
Answer: Adverb of Manner
(ii) He will stay there.
Answer: Adverb of Place
(iii) The civil authorities at Demow had to be informed immediately.
Answer: Adverb of Time
(iv) He had done it already.
Answer: Adverb of Time
(v) He is strong enough to steer the raft.
Answer: Adverb of Degree
(vi) Where have they been stranded?
Answer: Interrogative Adverb
(vii) Moni Baidew is too afraid to board the boat.
Answer: Adverb of Degree
7. Work in groups to make five sentences with the word cards. Your sentences should match the events in the story. You may use a card more than once. After you have completed, read out the sentences. One is done for you.
Example provided in the text:
That morning a loud roar alerted the riverside villagers.
Word cards available:
THEY, SO, LOUD, THE, STEERED, GOT, HOUR, OR, ALERTED, INTO, BOAT, REACHED, HALF, RIVERSIDE VILLAGERS, A, ROAR, SHE, LATER, DOCTOR'S, THAT.
Answers:
Here are five sentences created using the word cards that match the events in the story:
A loud roar alerted the riverside villagers.
Half an hour later the boat reached the doctor's house.
She got into the boat.
They steered the boat into the stretch.
That morning they reached the riverside villagers.
8. (a) Read this news item carefully:
Two die in Assam floods
Anil Nagar, July 16: Two persons, a man and a woman were drowned in a devastating flood caused by heavy rains in Anil Nagar, Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, Assam. Most of the flood affected people were however rescued and taken to the relief camps. The district administration sought the help of paramilitary forces in the rescue operation. Many NGOs also offered their help in the operation.
(b) Look at the kinds of information that are mentioned in the news item and find answers to the following questions:
(i) Where did the flood occur?
(ii) How many people died in the flood?
(iii) Where were the flood affected people taken to?
(iv) Who helped the flood affected people?
(c) Imagine you are Khagen. Working with your partner, write a newspaper report on the floods and how they affected the lives of the people in your village and the neighbouring villages.
Your report should include the following:
(i) The headline, (ii) The dateline, (iii) Where and how the floods occurred, (iv) Damages caused to life and property, (v) How the people of the village responded to the crisis, (vi) How rescue operations were carried out, (vii) Where relief camps were set up, (viii) How many people were shifted to the relief camps, (ix) What steps the government took to provide relief and rehabilitation to the people.
Answers:
8. (b) Answers based on the news item:
(i) Where did the flood occur?
The flood occurred in Anil Nagar, Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, Assam.
(ii) How many people died in the flood?
Two persons (a man and a woman) died in the flood.
(iii) Where were the flood affected people taken to?
They were taken to relief camps.
(iv) Who helped the flood affected people?
The district administration, paramilitary forces, and many NGOs helped the flood-affected people.
8. (c) Newspaper Report (as Khagen):
BRAVE YOUTHS RESCUE HUNDREDS IN CHITOLIA FLOOD
Chitolia, August 28: A devastating flood hit the village of Chitolia and its neighboring areas this week after the Brahmaputra breached its embankment following heavy monsoon rains. The breach occurred early in the morning with a loud roar, sending huge waves of water into the villages.
The flood caused massive damage, submerging houses up to their roofs and sweeping away livestock. Residents were forced to huddle on the roof-tops of chang-ghars to escape the rising water.
In response to the crisis, local youth Khagen and his classmates from Nitaipukhuri College immediately swung into action. They constructed five rafts from banana trunks and used a boat to rescue stranded villagers. One daring rescue involved saving Dr. Hatibaruah and his wife from their submerged hospital quarters.
Hundreds of villagers and their cattle were successfully evacuated to the high grounds of the local school building, which has been converted into a relief camp. Civil authorities at Demow were informed to provide necessary food and water supplies for the survivors. The government is now working on rehabilitation steps as the flood-affected people remain sheltered in the camp.
9. What would you have done if you were Khagen? Write a diary entry describing your experience and actions on the day the floods occurred in your village. Use the information from the main text to write your entry. Your diary page may include the following points:
(i) Date and time of making the entry
(ii) How you alerted the people about the breach in the embankment
(iii) What steps you took to help your family and people of the village (including alerting the civil authorities)
Answer:
Diary Entry
Date: 28 July 2025
Time: 10:30 PM
Dear Diary,
Today was the most harrowing yet fulfilling day of my life. It had been raining heavily all week, and this morning, a loud roar confirmed our worst fears—the embankment at Chitolia had breached. I immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.
I quickly alerted my friends Ramen, Dambaru, and others to help. We prepared five rafts from banana trunks and I brought my father's boat to start the rescue operation. We raced toward Chitolia to save the marooned villagers and their livestock. After evacuating everyone to the school building, I ensured that food and water arrangements were made and sent word to the civil authorities at Demow.
The most dangerous part was rescuing Dr. Hatibaruah and Moni Baidew. Our boat capsized in a strong whirlpool, but thanks to my swimming skills, I managed to keep Baidew afloat until we reached a safe mound. Seeing them safe and having the doctor call me a "real Prince" made all the exhaustion disappear. Now, as the moonlight gleams over the floodwaters, I feel grateful that we could save so many lives today.
— Khagen
10. Project work:
Imagine your village has been inundated by the flood waters of the Brahmaputra. Discuss in your group what steps you will take as volunteers to provide relief to the flood victims of your village. Draw up a plan of action. The plan of action may include the following:
(a) Collecting donations, including clothes, food and other items of daily use for the flood affected people
(b) Writing to various NGOs for help
(c) Writing to civil authorities for aid, on behalf of different individual victims and so on
(d) Giving company to the affected children and the elderly victims
(e) Providing first aid to the flood affected people
Answer: Plan of Action
Project Title: Flood Relief Volunteer Plan
As volunteers, our group has decided on the following plan of action to assist our village during the Brahmaputra floods:
Resource Collection: We will organize a collection drive to gather essential items such as dry food (chira, jaggery, biscuits), clean drinking water, clothes, and blankets for the displaced villagers.
External Assistance: Our team will draft formal letters to local NGOs like the Red Cross and the district civil authorities at Demow to request urgent medical supplies and professional rescue teams.
Documentation for Victims: We will help individual victims who have lost property or livestock to write applications for government aid and rehabilitation.
Emotional Support: Group members will spend time at the relief camp in the school building to provide comfort and company to the elderly and organize small games or storytelling sessions for the children to help them cope with the trauma.
Emergency First Aid: We will set up a dedicated corner in the relief camp to provide basic first aid for minor cuts and bruises and assist the local doctor in monitoring the health of the victims.
11. Prepare a notice to be hung on your school noticeboard informing the students about a free health camp to help the flood victims.
Answer:
NOTICE
FREE HEALTH CAMP FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
Date: May 10, 2026
Organization: School Volunteer Group
This is to inform all students that our school is organizing a Free Health Camp to provide medical assistance to the victims of the recent floods. As many villagers are currently sheltered in relief camps following the breach of the embankment, they are in urgent need of medical check-ups and first aid.
Date: May 15, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Venue: School Campus
Chief Physician: Dr. Hatibaruah
We request all students to volunteer and assist in coordinating the camp. Volunteers will help provide first aid and keep company with elderly victims and children.
Interested students should register their names with the undersigned by May 13.
(Signature) School Captain
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