Chapter 5 – All Summer in a Day Solutions

Content Structure

  • 1. About the author – Gerald Malcolm Durrell
  • 2. Theme of the A Day in the Zoo
  • 3. Summary of the A Day in the Zoo
  • 4. Word meanings
  • 5. Exercise Solutions
    • Exercise – 1
    • Exercise – 2
    • Exercise – 3
  • 6. Grammar in use
    • Exercise – 5
  • 7. Composition
    • Exercise – 6

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1. About the author – Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury was a famous American writer who was born on 22nd August 1920 in Illinois, USA. He wrote science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery stories. His most famous book is Fahrenheit 451, which tells about a world where books are not allowed. He also wrote wonderful works like The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into comic books, television shows, and films. All Summer in a Day is an excerpt from a science fiction story that gives us an imaginary account of life on the planet Venus. He died on 5th June 2012.

2. Theme of the All Summer in a Day

  • The story shows how the children on Venus wait for seven years to see the sun who talk about it, dream about it, and feel very excited.
  • The children understand that sunlight is very precious because it gives them joy, warmth, and freedom. It shows how much we need nature and how sunlight is important for happiness, life, and growth.
  • The story shows how children feel excitement, curiosity, joy, and sadness when the sun shines, they are full of happiness but when the rain comes back, they feel very sad. It shows the pure and strong feelings of childhood.
  • The story shows a strange world where rain never stops so people live underground because storms destroy things on the surface. It makes us imagine how life would be if we lived in such hard conditions.
  • The story teaches that happy times do not last forever. The children enjoy the sunshine for only an hour before the rain returns. Their sadness shows how people feel when something wonderful ends too quickly.

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3. Summary of the All Summer in a Day

On the planet Venus, it rained for seven years without stopping. It poured from morning to night, washing away forests and flooding the land. People from Earth had come there in rockets and built homes underground, because life above was too wet and stormy. In one underground school, a group of nine-year-old children read excitedly in books about the sun, how it looked like a bright yellow lemon and felt hot, but they had seen it only once when they were two years old, so they could not remember it. Slowly, the rain stopped, and the world grew very quiet, then the door opened, and the sun came out. It was big and shining like bronze. The sky turned blue, and the jungle sparkled with light. The children shouted with joy and ran outside. They played, laughed, rolled on the warm ground, and lifted their faces to feel the sun’s heat. They ran in circles like happy animals, enjoying the sunshine with all their hearts, but after an hour, a girl noticed a raindrop in her hand. The sky darkened, thunder boomed, and heavy rain returned. The children hurried back to their underground houses, their smiles gone, because they knew they would have to wait seven more years before seeing the sun again.

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4. Word meanings

 WordMeanings
1.Gush of waterA sudden, strong flow of water
2.Tidal wavesVery large ocean waves caused by natural forces
3.CrushedPressed or broken into small pieces
4.CivilizationHuman society
5.ChatteredTalked fast
6.StunnedShocked
7.SlackeningBecoming slower or weaker
8.EchoingSound repeating back from walls or mountains
9.TremorA small shaking movement
10.ImmenseVery large or huge
11.StuffedFilled
12.SlidMoved smoothly
13.BlazingVery bright, hot, or burning
14.Rushing outComing out very quickly
15.YellingShouting loudly
16.SquintedHalf-closed eyes to see clearly
17.SavouredEnjoyed
18.TremblingShaking because of fear, cold, or weakness
19.GlancedLooked quickly at something
20.StruckHit
21.GiganticVery big
22.SteadilyFirmly

5. Exercise Solutions

Exercise – 1

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Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives

1. Men and women came from the earth to Venus by
(a) Aeroplanes
(b) Helicopters
(c) Rockets
(d) Satellites

Ans: (c) Rockets

2. The children learned that the sun was like a/an
(a) Lemon
(b) Apple
(c) Orange
(d) Guava

Ans: (a) Lemon

3. The children had long forgotten the colour of the
(a) Earth
(b) Sun
(c) Venus
(d) Moon

Ans: (b) Sun

4. When the children felt warm in the sun they look of their
(a) Jackets
(b) Sweaters
(c) Blazers
(d) Coats

Ans: (a) Jackets

5. The children came to know that the sun would come out after
(a) Two years
(b) Six years
(c) Seven years
(d) Nine years

Ans: (c) Seven years

Exercise – 2

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Answer the following questions within fifteen words:

1. How did the heavy storms affect the island of the Venus?
Ans:
 Heavy storms caused tidal waves and destroyed forests, which grew again but were crushed repeatedly.

2. What did the children write about the sun?
Ans:
 The children wrote small poems, essays, and stories describing the sun’s brightness and warmth.

3. Where did the children play?
Ans:
 The children played in underground tunnels and later in the jungle when the sun appeared.

4. How did the jungle in Venus look?
Ans:
The jungle looked dark and dull, colored like rubber, ash, and ink without sunlight.

Exercise – 3

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Answer the following questions within twenty-five words:

1. Why were the children eager to see the sun?
Ans:
 The children were eager because they had not seen the sun for seven years and longed to feel its warmth and light.

2. What did the children do immediately after the rain stopped?
Ans:
 The children went outside immediately after the rain stopped. They played joyfully in the jungle, enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and laughed together with happiness.

3. Why do you think that the children were feel unhappy when it started raining again?
Ans:
 The children felt unhappy because the sun vanished too quickly, and they realized they must wait seven more years to see it again.

6. Grammar in use

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Exercise – 5

Do as directed:

1. I have a blue pen. (Change into a complex sentence)
Ans:
 I have a pen which is blue.

2. Seeing a snake, the boy shouted. (Change into a compound sentence)
Ans:
 The boy saw a snake and he shouted.

3. I know a man who is very wise. (Change into a simple sentence)
Ans:
 I know a very wise man.

4. The girl who is dancing on the stage is my sister. (Change into a compound sentence)
Ans:
 The girl is dancing on the stage and she is my sister.

5. I met my friend and told her about an incident. (Change into a simple sentence)
Ans
: Meeting my friend, I told her about an incident.

6. The sky was overcast but it didn’t rain. (Change into a complex sentence)
Ans:
 Though the sky was overcast, it didn’t rain.

7. Composition

Exercise – 6

Write a letter within 100 words to the postmaster of your locality informing him about the loss of an important letter addressed to you, and requesting him to help you get it.

To
The Postmaster
Behala post office
Town, 700002

Date: 12/04/2020

Subject: Complaint Regarding Loss of an Important Letter

Respected Sir,

I am writing to inform you about the loss of an important letter addressed to me. The letter was sent by [mention sender’s name/office, if known] around [mention date], but I have not received it yet. The sender has confirmed that it was posted, and I am therefore concerned about its whereabouts.

The letter contains [mention importance, e.g., admit card, official documents, job information], and its loss or delay may cause me serious difficulty. I kindly request you to check your records and make the necessary inquiries so that the letter may be traced and delivered to me at the earliest.

I will be grateful if you take quick action in this matter. Please let me know if you need any further details from me.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Rajiv Roy
12, Behala kolkata 700002