EnglishCBSE Class 8 · Chapter 13

Feathered Friend Class 8: Summary, Characters and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Feathered Friend by Arthur C. Clarke opens Poorvi Unit 5. Sven, a space-station builder, secretly keeps a canary named Claribel. One morning she faints. The narrator remembers that miners used canaries to detect bad air, and the crew discovers a frozen air purifier and a failed alarm. Claribel's collapse saves everyone's lives.

What Feathered Friend is about

Feathered Friend by Arthur C. Clarke is the first lesson of Unit 5 (Science and Curiosity) in Poorvi, the Class 8 English textbook. It is a science-fiction short story told with gentle humour by an unnamed narrator who works on a space station.

Sven Olsen, an expert construction worker, smuggles a small yellow canary, Claribel, aboard. She learns to fly easily without gravity and becomes the crew's pet, hidden from visiting VIPs. One 'morning' the narrator wakes with a headache and Claribel is found unconscious. Oxygen revives her briefly. The narrator remembers that miners carried canaries to warn them of gas. The crew finds that, during a rare eclipse by Earth's shadow, part of the air purifier froze and the only connected alarm failed. Claribel's fainting warns them in time.

Key ideas: observation and quick thinking, the limits of technology, animals as early warning systems, and curiosity. The phrase 'a canary in the coal mine' means an early sign of danger.

CBSE sets no Class 8 paper; your school sets the exam. Expect extract questions, true/false, characters, humour in science fiction, grammar (adjective collocations, merged words, future time), silent letters, and an article on the importance of the internet.

Weightage: CBSE sets no Class 8 English paper or marks: Class 8 is assessed by your school, which teaches from NCERT Poorvi. School papers usually mix extract questions, short answers (about 40-50 words) and longer answers (about 100-150 words), plus grammar and writing from the "Let us learn" and "Let us write" sections.Source: docs/research/cbse-8-2026-27.md (NCERT book list, Reprint 2026-27)

Feathered Friend: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Part I: Claribel arrives. The narrator says no rule ever forbade pets in a space station, and even if one had existed, Sven Olsen would have ignored it. Sven, thin but strong like most early spacers, is one of the best construction men: he guides floating girders into position in free fall and welds them together, a skilled job in a clumsy space suit. The narrator does not know why Sven wanted a pet, but admits the choice was sensible: a canary weighs almost nothing, eats very little and is not bothered by weightlessness.

The narrator first meets Claribel while checking lists in his tiny office. Hearing a musical whistle, he thinks it is the intercom, then looks up so suddenly that he bangs his head on a beam. When he recovers, he sees a small yellow canary hanging motionless in the air with folded wings. She does a backward loop no bird on Earth could manage and flies off lazily, clearly having learned to move without wasting effort. Sven admits days later that he smuggled her up on the last ferry from Earth, partly out of scientific curiosity about how a bird would fly without weight. Claribel becomes everyone's pet and grows fat. The crew hides her from visiting VIPs, explaining away her peeps from the air shafts.

Part II: the warning. The crew is on twelve-hour shifts. One 'morning' the narrator wakes with a nagging headache after disturbed dreams and feels slow. At breakfast, Sven is missing; he is searching for Claribel, who usually wakes him. He arrives holding her limp body, claws in the air. Jock Duncan, the cook-doctor-dietitian, cannot hear a heartbeat. Someone suggests oxygen; inside a face mask, she revives at once, sings her usual trills and then collapses again.

Suddenly the narrator understands: something is wrong with the air. He recalls that miners used to carry canaries to warn them of gas. Jim, the duty engineer, says the alarms would have sounded, as there are two independent circuits, but his assistant reminds him that the second circuit is not yet connected. Jim leaves at once while the others share the oxygen bottle. He returns embarrassed: during a rare eclipse by Earth's shadow, part of the air purifier froze and the single alarm failed. Expensive engineering had let them down; without Claribel, they would soon have been 'slightly dead'.

Ending. So if you ever hear birdsong in a space station, don't worry: you are being doubly protected at almost no extra cost.

Themes and message

Nature's wisdom versus technology

Half a million dollars of equipment fails, but a tiny canary's natural sensitivity saves the crew. Technology is powerful but not perfect.

From the text: 'Half a million dollars’ worth of chemical and electronic engineering had let us down completely.'

Observation and quick thinking

The narrator links Claribel's fainting, his own headache and an old mining practice to discover the danger.

From the text: 'I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.'

Curiosity and companionship

Sven brings Claribel partly out of scientific curiosity, and she becomes a cheerful companion for the whole crew in a lonely place.

From the text: 'Claribel was a general pet.'

Humour in science fiction

Clarke mixes real science (free fall, oxygen, air purifiers) with funny moments: the narrator hitting his head, the 'cook-doctor-dietitian', 'slightly dead'.

From the text: 'Without Claribel, we should soon have been slightly dead.'

Characters

The narrator

A crew member in charge of technical stores; tells the story.

Humorous and observant
Quick-witted: connects canaries and gas
Honest about his own clumsiness

'understanding exploded in my brain'

Sven Olsen

Construction expert who smuggles Claribel aboard.

Skilled at difficult space construction
Rule-bending but curious
Loving owner, deeply upset when Claribel collapses

'Sven was one of our best construction men'

Claribel

A small yellow canary; the 'feathered friend'.

Adapts quickly to weightlessness
Cheerful singer
Sensitive to bad air: her fainting is the warning

'She was a small yellow canary'

Jock Duncan

The station's cook-doctor-dietitian.

Willing to help; honest about what he does not know

'I’ve never listened to a canary’s heart,'

Jim

The duty engineer.

Confident in the alarm system at first
Acts quickly once he realises the problem

'Nonsense!' said Jim. 'The alarms would have gone off.'

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Humour and understatement	'we should soon have been slightly dead'; the office 'laughingly called my office'	Makes a life-threatening situation entertaining and shows the crew's calm wit.
Simile	'hanging in the air as motionless as a hummingbird'; 'like a pipe of peace'	Helps us picture the weightless bird and the crew's friendly sharing of oxygen.
Metaphor	'the slow-motion, three-dimensional ballet' of girders	Turns construction in free fall into a graceful dance.
First-person narration	'I first became aware that Claribel was aboard...'	Makes the story personal and believable, like an eyewitness account.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

who would dream of looking for a canary in a space station?
Narrator: On hiding Claribel from VIPs.
Humour; the crew's cheerful secret.
I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.
Narrator: When Claribel faints the second time.
The key insight that solves the mystery.
passing the oxygen bottle around like a pipe of peace
Narrator: While Jim checks the air system.
Simile showing the crew calmly sharing oxygen.
Half a million dollars’ worth of chemical and electronic engineering had let us down completely.
Narrator: After the fault is found.
Irony: costly technology failed, a cheap bird did not.
Without Claribel, we should soon have been slightly dead.
Narrator: Realising how close they came to disaster.
Humorous understatement of a deadly danger.
It will mean that you’re being doubly safeguarded, at practically no extra expense.
Narrator: Closing lines.
Canaries as a second, natural alarm.

Key concepts

How the danger was discovered

Chain of events:
1. Rare eclipse by Earth's shadow at night.
2. Part of the air purifier froze; the air became unsafe.
3. The station had two alarm circuits, but the second was not yet connected, and the single alarm failed.
4. Crew wake with headaches and feel sluggish; Claribel faints.
5. Oxygen revives her, but she collapses again.
6. Narrator recalls miners' canaries; Jim checks and finds the fault.

Why canaries? They are much more sensitive to harmful gases (such as carbon monoxide) than humans, so they show signs of danger first. Hence the phrase 'a canary in the coal mine': an early warning.

Worked example

Why did Claribel faint before the humans?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Small birds are highly sensitive to bad air.
They react to low levels that humans barely notice.

Answer: Being tiny and very sensitive, she was affected by the bad air sooner than the crew, who only felt headaches and sluggishness.

Adjective collocations and merged words

Adjectives from the story with natural partners: narrow path (or escape), nagging worry, vague plan, sheepish look, inexplicable reason, sluggish traffic, hushed voices, delighted expression.

Merged words (blends) combine parts of two words: intercom (internal + communication), brunch (breakfast + lunch), motel (motor + hotel), smog (smoke + fog), sitcom (situation + comedy), vlog (video + log), spork (spoon + fork), webinar (web + seminar).

Worked example

Make blends and give meanings: (i) motor + hotel (ii) smoke + fog

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Take the start of one word and the end of the other.
Meaning combines both.

Answer: (i) motel: a roadside hotel for motorists (ii) smog: fog mixed with smoke or pollution

Talking about the future

will: predictions, offers, promises: 'I think it *will* rain.' 'I *will* help you.'
simple present: timetables and schedules: 'The ferry *leaves* at 6.'
present progressive: fixed personal plans: 'I *am visiting* Pune next week.'
going to: intentions or evidence-based predictions: 'Look at the clouds; it *is going to* rain.'
future perfect (will have + past participle): completed by a future time: 'They *will have finished* the station by 2030.'
future progressive (will be + -ing): in progress at a future moment: 'This time tomorrow I *will be flying*.'
future in the past: 'I *was leaving* in an hour', 'you *were going to* start', 'where I *would* spend my life'.

Worked example

Choose the best form: By next month, the crew ______ (fix) the second alarm circuit.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'By next month' = completed before a future time.
Future perfect.

Answer: will have fixed

Silent letters and giving advice

Silent letters: balle(t), whis(t)le, (p)sychologist, recei(p)t, debri(s), (p)neumonia, a(l)mond, forei(g)n, i(s)land, (w)reck, ai(s)le, campai(g)n, fas(t)en.

Asking for advice: 'What should I do...?', 'How can I...?', 'What are the best ways...?'
Giving advice: 'I feel you should...', 'You should ensure...', 'It is best to use...', 'If you have an issue, try...'

Worked example

Circle the silent letters: island, wreck, campaign.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

is-land: s silent.
wreck: w silent; campaign: g silent.

Answer: i(s)land, (w)reck, campai(g)n

Writing an article

Layout: title; writer's name; three paragraphs: (1) general introduction; (2) the main points (for example, the uses of the internet in the book's task) with examples; (3) a closing comment that leaves the reader with a thoughtful idea or quote. A balanced article may briefly mention drawbacks or safe use.

Worked example

Write an article (about 150 words) titled 'Living in Space: Small Problems, Clever Solutions', using the 'Let us explore' facts.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Title and byline.
Introduction; uses with examples; thoughtful ending.

Answer: Living in Space: Small Problems, Clever Solutions / by Arjun Rao, Class 8C / / In 'Feathered Friend', a canary flies in loops because there is no gravity. For astronauts, the same weightlessness turns simple daily tasks into puzzles. / / Writing needs a special tool: a space pen whose ink stays solid until friction at the ball point makes it liquid, so it works in any position. Exercise is another challenge. Astronauts run on treadmills with rubber straps holding them down and train with machines that use vacuum cylinders. Their food is dried, canned or vacuum-packed and is prepared by adding water. Even sleep needs planning, because a sleeper may slowly float away, so astronauts restrain themselves in small sleeping compartments or sleeping bags. / / These solutions show that human curiosity and creativity can adapt to almost any place. Just as Claribel learnt to fly without wasting effort, people can learn to live where no one has lived before.

Feathered Friend in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Early warning signs

Suppose everyone in your house wakes up with headaches and dizziness on a cold winter morning after a coal heater was left burning in a closed room.

What does the story teach you to do?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Shared symptoms = check the air, as the narrator did.
Burning fuel in a closed room can produce harmful gas.
Open windows, put out the heater, get fresh air and medical help.

Answer: Like the narrator, I should connect the clues: everyone feeling ill together suggests bad air. I would open doors and windows at once, switch off the heater, take everyone outside and call for medical help. Never burn fuel in a closed room.

Memory hook: Headache for all? Check the air first.

Backup systems

Imagine your school relies only on a single fire alarm that has not been tested for a year.

How does the story's alarm failure apply?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The station's second circuit was not connected.
Single systems can fail silently.
Test alarms; keep backups and drills.

Answer: Like the station, the school could be in danger if its only alarm fails. I would suggest regular testing, a backup alarm and fire drills, so that safety never depends on one device.

Memory hook: One alarm is none; test and back up.

'Canary in the coal mine'

Say the weakest plants in your balcony garden start wilting first whenever you forget to water.

How can this be a 'canary in the coal mine'?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The phrase means an early warning sign.
The most sensitive plant shows the problem first.
Act before the stronger plants suffer.

Answer: The most delicate plant works like a canary: when it droops, it warns me that all the plants need water. If I act at once, I can save the whole garden.

Memory hook: Watch the weakest, save the rest.

Topics in this chapter

Feathered Friend: Claribel, the Crew and Clarke's Humour

How the school exam asks Feathered Friend

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Extract-based (5 x 1 mark)	A passage with MCQs, assertion-reason, inference, word meaning and true/false.	Use margin meanings (wiry, girders, cubbyhole, keeled, sluggish, sheepish).
True or false	Statements about Claribel, the alarm and the air purifier.	Check details: she was smuggled (not official); the second circuit was not connected.
Short answer (2 marks, 40-50 words)	Why did Sven bring Claribel? Why did the alarm fail? Why did the narrator think of miners?	Cause and effect with one detail.
Long answer (5 marks, 100-150 words)	Humour in science fiction; title; crew's changing attitude; Sven's reflection.	Examples from the story, linked to the theme.
Grammar and writing	Adjective collocations, merged words, future forms, silent letters; article on the internet.	Look for time clues (by, this time tomorrow, timetable) to choose the future form.

Tricks to remember Feathered Friend

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Why the air went bad
'Eclipse, Ice, One alarm': eclipse by Earth's shadow, purifier froze, only one alarm connected and it failed.
Use it when: Cause questions.
Characters
'Sven Smuggles, Jock Checks, Jim Fixes, Narrator Realises, Claribel Saves'.
Use it when: Character recall.
Merged words
'Brunch at the Motel in Smog, watching a Sitcom on a Vlog': brunch, motel, smog, sitcom, vlog.
Use it when: Blend questions.
Future forms
'Timetable = present; Plan = -ing; Proof = going to; Promise = will; By then = will have'.
Use it when: Future-time fill-ins.

Feathered Friend: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: First sight of Claribel

We stared at each other for a minute; then, before I had quite recovered my wits, she did a curious kind of backward loop I’m sure no earthbound canary had ever managed, and departed with a few leisurely flicks.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Just before this, the narrator sees a small yellow canary hanging in the air 'as motionless as a hummingbird', with her wings quietly folded. The comparison 'as motionless as a hummingbird' is a:
(a) metaphor (b) simile (c) personification (d) pun
(2) · 1 mark · Short answer
(See the context given in the first question.) Why does Claribel need 'much less effort' than a hummingbird to stay still?
(3) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why had the narrator not 'recovered his wits'?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
'Leisurely flicks' suggests Claribel flew:
(a) in panic (b) in a relaxed, unhurried way (c) clumsily (d) very fast
(5) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Why could no 'earthbound canary' manage her backward loop?

Show the answersAnswers

(b) simile
There is no gravity in the space station, so she does not have to flap to stay up.
He had just banged his head on the angle beam and was dazed and surprised.
(b) in a relaxed, unhurried way
Because gravity on Earth would pull it down.

Extract 2: Sven's bad news

Sven came in through the doorway, and we could see at once that something was wrong. He slowly opened his hand, and there lay a tiny bundle of yellow feathers, with two clenched claws sticking pathetically up into the air.

(1) · 1 mark · Short answer
Just before this, the narrator asks where Sven is, 'not very much caring'; someone answers that Sven is looking for Claribel, who usually wakes him up. Why does the narrator ask about Sven 'not very much caring'?
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
The narrator was about to 'retort' that Claribel usually woke him up, too. 'Retort' means:
(a) complain (b) answer quickly (c) shout (d) laugh
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What does 'a tiny bundle of yellow feathers' refer to?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
(See the context given in the second question.) The narrator's joke that Claribel woke him up too shows:
(a) anger at Sven (b) gentle humour (c) fear (d) jealousy
(5) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which word shows the crew felt pity at the sight?

Show the answersAnswers

He feels sluggish and has a headache (an early effect of the bad air).
(b) answer quickly
Claribel, lying unconscious in Sven's hand.
(b) gentle humour
pathetically

Feathered Friend: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Why a canary was sensible · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Why does the narrator call Sven's choice of a canary 'very sensible'? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Weighs practically nothing.
Tiny food needs.
Not bothered by absence of gravity.

Answer: A canary weighs almost nothing, which matters where every pound counts, and needs very little food. Unlike most animals, Claribel was not worried by weightlessness and quickly learned to fly in free fall. So she was an easy, practical pet for a space station.

Example 2: Revived, then collapsed again · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

Why did Claribel recover in the oxygen mask and then collapse again, and why did this matter to the narrator? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Mask: clean oxygen, so she revived at once.
Mask removed: back in the station's air, she keeled over.
Pattern pointed to the air, not illness.

Answer: The oxygen mask gave her clean air, so she revived at once. When Sven took the mask off, she was breathing the station's bad air again and collapsed. This pattern suggested that the problem was the air, not an illness, and helped the narrator work out the danger.

Example 3: The narrator's insight · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

What clues helped the narrator realise that the air was unsafe? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

His headache, disturbed sleep, sluggishness.
Claribel fainted, revived with oxygen, fainted again.
Memory: miners' canaries.

Answer: He had woken with a nagging headache and felt unusually sluggish. Claribel fainted, revived with oxygen and then collapsed again, which pointed to the air rather than illness. Linking these with how miners used canaries to detect gas, he realised the air was bad.

Example 4: 'Slightly dead' · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Comment on the phrase 'we should soon have been slightly dead'. What does it show about the narrator and the story? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

One cannot be 'slightly' dead: understatement.
Humour about deadly danger.
Calm, witty narrator; tone of the story.

Answer: Nobody can be 'slightly' dead, so the phrase is humorous understatement. It turns a near-disaster into a joke, showing the narrator's calm, witty personality. It also reflects Clarke's style of mixing serious science with light humour, reminding us how close the crew came to death.

Example 5: Planting the clues · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Explain how Clarke places clues through the story so that the ending feels surprising yet fair. Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Part I: Claribel aboard out of curiosity; the crew's secret pet.
Part II: headache, fitful dreams, bunk straps, sluggishness, quiet breakfast.
Claribel revives with oxygen, collapses without it; narrator wants oxygen too.
Miners' canaries; Jim's 'duplicate circuits' and the unconnected second circuit.
Conclusion: the frozen purifier explanation convinces.

Answer: Clarke places the clues so carefully that the ending surprises us yet feels fair. Early on, Sven brings the canary aboard partly out of scientific curiosity, and she becomes the whole crew's secret pet. In Part II, the narrator wakes with a nagging headache after fitful dreams, struggles with his bunk straps and feels sluggish, and breakfast is unusually quiet. These seem like ordinary signs of a bad night. Then Claribel is found unconscious, revives with oxygen and collapses again as soon as the mask is removed, which points to the air rather than illness. The narrator even feels he could do with some oxygen himself. Finally, the memory of miners' canaries ties everything together, and Jim's confidence in 'duplicate circuits' is undone by the unconnected second circuit. Because every clue was there from the start, the explanation of the frozen purifier convinces us completely.

Example 6: Jim's log entry · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Imagine you are Jim, the duty engineer. Write a log entry for that day explaining what went wrong and what you have learnt. Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Time; first person; honest tone.
What happened: eclipse, frozen purifier, unconnected circuit, failed alarm.
His mistake: dismissing the warning.
Credit to the narrator and Claribel.
Lessons and actions.

Answer: Engineering Log, Jim, Duty Engineer

Today the station came close to disaster, and I must record it honestly. During last night's eclipse by Earth's shadow, part of the air purifier froze. Our design has two independent alarm circuits, but the second was still not connected, and the single working alarm failed to sound. The crew woke with headaches and nobody suspected the air. When Sven's canary collapsed, our storekeeper remembered that miners used canaries to detect gas. I am ashamed to say my first word was 'Nonsense!' because I trusted the alarms. My assistant reminded me about the missing circuit, and I found the fault within minutes. Lessons: never assume a system works without testing it; finish backup circuits before anything else; and listen when a crewmate raises a concern. The purifier is repaired. Claribel, I admit, has earned her keep.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

How does the narrator use humour to describe his first meeting with Claribel? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks) (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: he waits for an intercom announcement after her whistle; looks up so fast he hits the angle beam ('stars had ceased to explode'); she does a backward loop and leaves with 'leisurely flicks', not believing in unnecessary work.	1
Expression within the word limit.	1

Write an article for your school magazine titled 'Can Machines Replace Our Senses?' (5 marks) (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Format: title and writer's name.	1
Content: introduction; uses with examples; thoughtful ending.	2
Organisation into three clear paragraphs.	1
Accuracy of language.	1

Where students lose marks in Feathered Friend

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying Claribel died
Reading 'keeled over' as death.
Wrong working
Claribel died, but her death saved the crew.
Right working
She fainted; oxygen revived her, and the story ends with canaries still in space stations.
Do this: 'Keeled over' = collapsed or fainted.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Saying both alarms failed
Missing the detail about the circuits.
Wrong working
Both alarm circuits broke down.
Right working
The second circuit was not yet connected; the single working alarm failed.
Do this: Remember: one connected, one not.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Thinking the narrator is Sven
Not noticing the first-person narrator is another crew member.
Wrong working
Sven tells the story of his canary.
Right working
An unnamed crew member in charge of technical stores tells the story.
Do this: Check who says 'I'.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Using 'will' for a timetable event
Overusing 'will'.
Wrong working
The ferry will leave at 6 every morning.
Right working
The ferry leaves at 6 every morning.
Do this: Schedules use the simple present.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Practice questions on Feathered Friend

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
What was Claribel?
(a) a parrot (b) a small yellow canary (c) a hummingbird (d) a robot bird
Hint
Part I.
Answer
(b) a small yellow canary
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
What was Jock Duncan's job on the station?
Hint
Three roles in one.
Answer
Cook-doctor-dietitian.
Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
True or false: Both alarm circuits were connected but failed together. Correct it if false.
Hint
Jim's assistant reminds him.
Answer
False. The second alarm circuit was not yet connected, and the single alarm in the circuit failed to go off.
Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Make merged words: (i) situation + comedy (ii) web + seminar (iii) video + log
Hint
Blends.
Answer
(i) sitcom (ii) webinar (iii) vlog
Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Fill in suitable future forms: (i) The ISRO launch ______ (take) place at 9 a.m. tomorrow. (ii) This time next week I ______ (travel) to Sriharikota. (iii) Look at those dark clouds! It ______ (rain).
Hint
Schedule; in progress at a future time; evidence.
Answer
(i) takes (ii) will be travelling (iii) is going to rain
Q6 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Pair each adjective with a suitable noun: sheepish, hushed, sluggish, inexplicable.
Hint
look, voices, traffic, reason.
Answer
sheepish look, hushed voices, sluggish traffic, inexplicable reason.
Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Explain the simile 'passing the oxygen bottle around like a pipe of peace'. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
A peace pipe is shared in friendship.
Answer
A pipe of peace is passed around a group as a sign of friendship. The crew shares the oxygen bottle in the same calm, friendly way while they argue about the air. The simile adds humour and shows their teamwork even in danger.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Jim was sure the alarms would work. What lesson does his mistake teach about relying on machines? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Assumptions; backup systems.
Answer
It shows we should never assume a safety system is perfect. Jim forgot that the backup circuit was not connected. Machines need checking, and backups must actually work. Paying attention to warning signs, even unusual ones like a fainting bird, can save lives.
Q9 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose a modern space station has electronic gas sensors. Should it still keep a canary? Argue one side in about 50 words.
Hint
Backup vs animal welfare.
Answer
Sample (for): Yes, as a cheap, independent backup. Sensors can fail, as the story shows, and a bird reacts to bad air whether or not electricity works. Sample (against): No; risking a bird's life is cruel when several tested electronic sensors can be installed. Either view with reasons is acceptable.
Q10 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write an article (120-150 words) titled 'Animals: Nature's Early Warning System', using the story and the 'Let us explore' examples.
Hint
Title, byline, three paragraphs.
Answer
Points: title and byline; introduction (animals sense dangers before humans); examples (canaries in coal mines and Claribel in the story; animals fleeing before the 2004 tsunami; sharks moving to deeper water before hurricanes); thoughtful ending (respect animals, combine their signals with science).

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What bonus did Sven easily qualify for?Show answer
The 150-pound bonus (for staying light).
2.What did the narrator hit his head on when he first saw Claribel?Show answer
The angle beam just behind his head.
3.How did Sven bring Claribel aboard?Show answer
He smuggled her on the last ferry from Earth after his leave.
4.How long were the crew's watches?Show answer
Twelve hours.
5.What revived Claribel briefly?Show answer
Oxygen from a face mask.
6.What was Claribel's usual song called?Show answer
Her 'Come to the cookhouse, boys' trills.
7.What expression did Jim have when he returned?Show answer
A sheepish (embarrassed) expression.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Author: Arthur C. Clarke; Poorvi Unit 5, Science and Curiosity; science fiction with humour.
Sven Olsen, construction expert, smuggles canary Claribel aboard.
Claribel flies easily in free fall; becomes the crew's pet; hidden from VIPs.
Narrator's headache; Claribel found unconscious; oxygen revives her briefly.
Narrator recalls miners' canaries: the air is bad.
Eclipse froze part of the air purifier; second alarm not connected; single alarm failed.
'Without Claribel, we should soon have been slightly dead.'
Birdsong in space stations = doubly safeguarded.
Grammar: adjective collocations, merged words, future forms; silent letters.
Writing: article 'The Importance of Internet'.

Feathered Friend: frequently asked questions

Who wrote 'Feathered Friend'?

Arthur C. Clarke, the famous science-fiction writer. It is the first lesson of Unit 5, Science and Curiosity, in Poorvi.

How did Claribel save the crew?

She fainted because of the bad air before the humans were badly affected, which made the narrator realise the air purifier had failed.

Why did the air go bad?

During a rare eclipse by Earth's shadow, part of the air purifier froze, and the only connected alarm failed.

What does 'a canary in the coal mine' mean?

An early warning of danger, from the old practice of miners carrying canaries to detect harmful gas.

What is the writing task?

An article titled 'The Importance of Internet', with a title, the writer's name and three paragraphs.

Based on: NCERT Poorvi, Textbook of English for Grade 8 (Reprint 2026-27); NCERT unit PDF: Poorvi Unit 5