Class 8 English - MP
Prose: Feathered Friend
Feathered Friend is an engaging prose piece set in a space station, written by Arthur C. Clarke. The story revolves around the crew's unauthorized pet canary named Claribel, who plays a crucial role in detecting a dangerous oxygen leak. For Class 8 MP Board students, this chapter is important as it teaches values of animal companionship, quick thinking, and how science fiction blends with real scientific principles. Questions from this chapter frequently appear in board exams to test reading comprehension, vocabulary, and character understanding.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Setting of the Story
The story takes place on a space station orbiting Earth, showcasing life in zero gravity and the unique challenges faced by astronauts.
Claribel the Canary
Claribel is a smuggled pet canary brought on board by Sven, who becomes the beloved mascot and an unexpected lifesaver for the crew.
The Crisis (Oxygen Leak)
A malfunction causes an odorless and tasteless carbon dioxide build-up, putting the crew's lives in danger before they realize it.
The Canary as an Early Warning System
Because birds are much more sensitive to poor air quality than humans, Claribel fainting alerts the crew to the deadly gas leak just in time.
Theme of Human-Animal Bond
The chapter highlights how animals can bring comfort in isolated environments and how humans and animals can mutually protect each other.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the MP Board Class 8 English exams, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include short-answer questions about the plot, reference-to-context questions, vocabulary exercises, and character sketches of Sven or Claribel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the canary smuggled onto the space station?
Pets were strictly forbidden on the space station due to strict regulations and hygiene reasons, so Sven had to sneak Claribel aboard in a zero-gravity cage.
How did Claribel save the crew's lives?
Claribel fainted due to the lack of oxygen caused by a hidden machinery failure, alerting the astronauts to the dangerous gas leak before it could harm them.
What happened to Claribel at the end of the story?
After being revived with oxygen from a medical kit, Claribel recovered completely and was later sent back safely to Earth.
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