EnglishCBSE Class 8 · Chapter 12

Waiting for the Rain Class 8: Summary, Characters and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Waiting for the Rain by Kamakshi Balasubramanian, in Poorvi Unit 4, follows Velu, a hard-working farmer whose fields lie dry when the rains fail. An old woman under a shady tree tells him the land, like people, needs rest. Velu begins to understand, and as he nears home the rain finally begins to fall.

What Waiting for the Rain is about

Waiting for the Rain by Kamakshi Balasubramanian is the third lesson of Unit 4 (Environment) in Poorvi, the Class 8 English textbook. It is a short story in two parts.

Velu, a hard-working farmer, has cultivated his land without a break for nearly six years, growing jowar one season and dhal the next. One year the rains do not come. He refuses to consult astrologers and visits the weather office, but even the experts are puzzled. Resting under a tree, he meets an old woman who suggests that perhaps he has worked the land too hard: the earth is old and, like people, needs rest. Nature, she says, is a mother who gives her children the rest they need. Velu begins to understand, and on his way home the rain arrives.

Key ideas: respect for nature, the need for rest (for land and people), patience and hope, and traditional wisdom alongside science. The 'Let us explore' section links this to fallowing, leaving land unsown so that it recovers.

CBSE sets no Class 8 paper; your school sets the exam. Expect extract questions, character questions, homophones, collocations, present tenses, determiners, and a formal letter to a municipal councillor about rainwater harvesting.

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)

Waiting for the Rain: summary

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

Part I: the drought. Velu wakes at sunrise hoping for rain, but the crimson sky has no clouds. As a farmer, he rises early whatever the weather. For nearly six years, since he got his own land, he has worked it every season without rest, growing jowar and dhal by turns, and it has never failed him. This year, however, the summer ends without rain. Days, weeks and months pass. The fields lie untended; the earth grows hard and cracked, and the farmers live only on hope.

Someone suggests consulting astrologers to please the heavens. Velu disagrees: the rains came for years without such consultations. Instead, he goes to the weather office in the city, but the staff admit they too are puzzled: conditions are favourable, yet there is no rain. Tired and disappointed, coughing in the dust, Velu rests in the cool shade of a large tree, where an old woman is also sheltering from the sun.

Part II: the old woman's wisdom. The woman has a wrinkled face and sparkling eyes, and she smiles at him. Velu asks how she can smile with no rain, and she agrees. He pours out his worry: he has worked honestly, yet he cannot till the land, and he wonders how he will feed his family. She gently suggests that perhaps he has worked too hard. Velu is surprised and a little angry: can anyone work too hard? This is the first season in six years that he has not ploughed or sown.

The woman explains that the earth also works whenever he ploughs and sows, and it has been working for thousands of years. Shouldn't the land be allowed to rest? Velu is puzzled. She says Nature is a mother to all, people, trees, water and soil, and gives her children the rest they need. When the rains do not come, the land lies undisturbed, resting, and when the rains return it will be fresh and ready for his crop. Telling him that Nature knows a thing or two, she gets up and leaves.

The rain. Walking home, Velu thinks of his beloved land breathing peacefully after years of non-stop farming, and he feels that she may be right. As evening falls, a cool breeze touches his back and a drop falls on his shoulder. Clouds gather; lightning, thunder and sweet, fragrant rain are on their way. Velu runs home, laughing and happy.

Themes and message

Respect for nature's rhythms

The land is not a machine. Nature has its own cycles, and the drought gives the soil a chance to recover.

From the text: 'Nature knows a thing or two'

The value of rest

Just as people need rest to stay healthy, so does the earth. Non-stop work, however honest, can exhaust both.

From the text: 'The earth works, too, when you plough, and sow, and plant.'

Hope and patience

The farmers live on hope through months of waiting, and the story ends with the first drops of rain and Velu's joy.

From the text: 'And sweet, fragrant rain.'

Practical thinking and traditional wisdom

Velu prefers facts (the weather office) to astrology, but even science has no answer. The old woman's experience offers a deeper understanding of nature.

From the text: 'We are at a loss ourselves!'

Characters

Velu

A hard-working farmer waiting for rain.

Hard-working and dedicated (never rests)
Practical and rational (goes to the weather office, not astrologers)
Anxious and responsible for his family
Open-minded: begins to understand the old woman

'Rain or no rain, a farmer wakes up early.'

The old woman (Amma)

A wise stranger who explains why the land needs rest.

Calm, gentle and cheerful (sparkling eyes, soft voice)
Wise: understands nature's cycles
Caring: calls Velu 'my son'

'But Nature is a mother to all of us.'

The people at the weather office

Experts Velu consults.

Honest about the limits of their knowledge

'So many favourable conditions but still no rain. Very odd!'

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Simile and imagery	'The sun was beginning to rise, glowing crimson like fire.'; 'the earth hardened, crusted and cracked'	Shows the heat and dryness of the drought.
Personification	Nature as 'a mother to all of us'; the land 'breathing peacefully', 'staring at the sky, resting'	Makes the land a living being that deserves care.
Sensory ending	'a cool breeze on his back'; 'a tiny drop on his shoulder'; 'sweet, fragrant rain'	Lets the reader feel and smell the relief of the first rain.
Contrast	Velu's belief that more work is always better vs the woman's idea of rest	Highlights the story's lesson and Velu's change of mind.

Key quotations

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

Rain or no rain, a farmer wakes up early.
Narrator: Describing Velu's routine.
Shows a farmer's discipline.
We are at a loss ourselves!
People at the weather office: When Velu asks about the rain.
Even science cannot fully predict nature.
Can anyone work too hard?
Velu: Reacting to the old woman's suggestion.
Shows his belief that hard work is always good.
The earth works, too, when you plough, and sow, and plant.
The old woman: Explaining why the land needs rest.
Central idea: the soil labours with the farmer.
But Nature is a mother to all of us.
The old woman: Explaining nature's care.
Nature nurtures and gives rest to her children.
Velu ran home, laughing and happy.
Narrator: Final line, as the rain arrives.
Hope fulfilled; a joyful ending.

Key concepts

Why the land needs rest (fallowing)

The old woman's idea matches a real farming practice called fallowing: leaving land unsown for one or more cycles so that it can recover nutrients, retain moisture and break the cycle of pests and diseases. A traditional method divides a field into two halves, planting one and resting the other, then swapping the next year.

Link to the story: Velu has farmed non-stop for six years. The drought forces a 'fallow' season, and the land will be 'fresh and ready' when the rains return. Crop rotation (changing crops each season) is another way farmers protect soil.

Worked example

How is the land like a person who works without rest?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

A person who never rests gets tired and ill.
Soil worked every season loses nutrients and moisture.
Rest restores both.

Answer: Like a tired worker, overused soil becomes exhausted and less productive; a period of rest lets it recover strength (nutrients and moisture).

Vocabulary: homophones, meanings, collocations

Homophones (same sound, different spelling and meaning): weather/whether, piece/peace, son/sun, rain/reign, plain/plane, sell/cell, seem/seam.

Meanings: crimson (deep red), crusted (formed a hard layer), forlorn (sad and neglected), consultations (discussions), dejected (sad and disappointed), muttered (spoke in a low voice), at a loss (confused), bitterly (hurtfully, with resentment), ceaseless (continuous), sparkled (showed joy).

Collocations (words that naturally go together): favourable weather, wrinkled skin, dejected expression, fragrant garden, ceaseless activity, beloved country.

Worked example

Choose: The farmer did not know ______ (weather/whether) the ______ (weather/whether) would change.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'if' meaning: whether.
Climate condition: weather.

Answer: The farmer did not know whether the weather would change.

Present tenses

Simple present: habits and facts: 'A farmer *wakes* up early.' 'It *is* hard not to work.'
Present progressive (am/is/are + -ing): actions happening now: 'What *are* you *smiling* at?'
Present perfect (has/have + past participle): past action with present result or experience: 'The earth *has worked* for centuries.' 'I *have worked* hard.'

Signal words: always, every day (simple); now, at present, this year (progressive); since, for, already, ever, yet (perfect).

Worked example

Fill in: Velu ______ (farm) this land for nearly six years, but this year he ______ (wait) for rain.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'for' + up to now -> present perfect: has farmed.
'this year', ongoing -> is waiting.

Answer: Velu has farmed this land for nearly six years, but this year he is waiting for rain.

Determiners

Words before a noun that point out or quantify it:

Articles: a, an, the.
Demonstratives: this, that, these, those.
Possessives: my, our, your, his, her, its, their.
Numerals: one, two, first...
Quantity: some (positive sentences), any and no (negatives and questions), all, much (uncountable), many (countable), few/a few (countable), little/a little (uncountable), less, several.
Distributive: each (one by one), every (all as a group), either (one of two), neither (not one of two).

Few vs a few: 'few friends' = almost none (negative); 'a few friends' = some (positive). Same with little / a little.

Worked example

Fill in: There was ______ (little/a little) water left, so ______ (each/either) farmer got only one bucket.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Hardly any water: little (negative sense).
Individual farmers: each.

Answer: There was little water left, so each farmer got only one bucket.

Formal letter: requesting rainwater harvesting

Layout: sender's address, date, receiver (The Municipal Councillor, ward and address), subject, salutation, four paragraphs, 'Yours sincerely' (as in the book's layout), signature and full name.

Paragraphs: (1) the problem: water scarcity in summer; (2) causes and consequences; (3) request for a rainwater harvesting unit, with suggestions; (4) conclusion and thanks. Keep sentences short, formal and specific.

Worked example

Write a letter to your Principal requesting a rooftop rainwater harvesting system for the school.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Format and subject line.
Problem, causes, request, conclusion.

Answer: Kunal Mehta / Class 8B / Green Park Public School, Jaipur / 10 April 20XX / / The Principal / Green Park Public School, Jaipur / / Subject: Request to set up a rooftop rainwater harvesting system / / Dear Madam, / / I am writing to draw your attention to the shortage of water in our school every summer. / / The taps near the junior wing often run dry by noon, and the school has to buy water from tankers. Yet during the monsoon, rainwater from our large roofs simply flows into the drains and floods the playground. / / I request you to install a rooftop rainwater harvesting system that stores this water or recharges the groundwater. The Eco Club would be glad to make awareness posters and to check the pipes regularly. / / I am sure this step will ease the problem and set an example for all of us. Thank you for your attention. / / Yours sincerely, / (Kunal Mehta)

Waiting for the Rain 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.

Rest and productivity

Suppose you plan to study twelve hours a day for a week before exams, skipping sleep and play.

What would the old woman say to you?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The earth needs rest; so do you.
A tired mind learns less.
Plan breaks and sleep.

Answer: She would say, as she told Velu, that even hard workers need rest. Without sleep and breaks, my mind will be tired and I will remember less. A balanced timetable with study, rest and play will help me do better.

Memory hook: Rested soil, richer crop; rested mind, better marks.

Saving rainwater

Imagine your school's taps run short every summer while rainwater floods the playground in the monsoon.

How can you act on the story's respect for rain?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Rain is precious, as Velu's wait shows.
Collect rooftop rainwater; recharge groundwater.
Write to the principal or councillor.

Answer: Velu's long wait shows how precious rain is. I could suggest a rooftop rainwater harvesting system that stores or recharges groundwater, and write a formal letter to the principal proposing it. The monsoon's gift should not run into drains.

Memory hook: Catch the rain where it falls.

Facts first

Say a neighbour says a ritual will stop the dengue outbreak in your area.

How did Velu handle a similar suggestion, and what would you do?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Velu chose the weather office over astrologers.
Seek reliable information: doctors, health office.
Act: remove stagnant water, use nets.

Answer: Like Velu, I would rely on facts. I would follow advice from doctors and the health department: clear stagnant water, use mosquito nets and repellents, and report cases. Practical steps protect people.

Memory hook: Ask the experts, then act.

Topics in this chapter

Waiting for the Rain: Velu's Worry and the Old Woman's Wisdom

How the school exam asks Waiting for the Rain

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 on mood, inference, word meaning, fact or opinion and the writer's purpose.	Use margin meanings (crimson, forlorn, dejected, ceaseless).
Short answer (2 marks, 40-50 words)	Why didn't Velu consult astrologers? What did the old woman mean? Why did he run home happy?	Answer directly, with one detail from the story.
Long answer (5 marks, 100-150 words)	The old woman's wisdom; rest for land and people; farmers and nature; sustainability.	Explain the idea, link to fallowing, add a real-life example.
Grammar	Homophones, collocations, present tenses, determiners.	Spot signal words (since, now) and countable vs uncountable nouns.
Writing: formal letter	To a municipal councillor about water scarcity or rainwater harvesting.	Four-paragraph body: problem, causes and effects, request and suggestions, conclusion.

Tricks to remember Waiting for the Rain

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

Story steps
'Wake, Wait, Weather office, Woman, Wisdom, Wet': six W's for the plot.
Use it when: Sequencing.
Fallowing benefits
'N-M-P': Nutrients back, Moisture kept, Pests reduced.
Use it when: Questions on land rest.
Present tenses
'Habit = do; Now = doing; Since/For = have done'.
Use it when: Tense fill-ins.
Few vs a few
'A' adds hope: a few = some; few = hardly any.
Use it when: Determiners.

Waiting for the Rain: extract-based questions

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

Extract 1: Velu wakes

Velu was a farmer. The sun was beginning to rise, glowing crimson like fire. Velu scanned the sky. There was not a cloud.
“It doesn’t look encouraging,” he muttered to himself and got up.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The simile in the extract is:
(a) 'Velu was a farmer' (b) 'glowing crimson like fire' (c) 'There was not a cloud' (d) 'Velu worked hard'
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What does 'muttered' tell us about how Velu spoke?
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
The passage goes on: Velu worked hard, and 'His piece of land never failed him'; season after season he grew jowar one season and dhal the next. Which two crops did Velu grow by turns?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
(See the context given in the third question.) 'His piece of land never failed him' suggests that:
(a) the land was always productive until now (b) the land was small (c) he was lucky in business (d) he never farmed
(5) · 1 mark · Very short answer
(See the context given in the third question.) Pick a homophone pair from the extract and give its partner.

Show the answersAnswers

(b) 'glowing crimson like fire'
He spoke in a low voice, mostly to himself.
Jowar and dhal.
(a) the land was always productive until now
piece / peace (also rain / reign, sun / son).

Extract 2: The rain arrives

Then he felt a tiny drop on his shoulder. He looked up. Yes... the clouds were gathering in the distance. It was growing dark. Soon there would be lightning. And thunder.
And sweet, fragrant rain.
Velu ran home, laughing and happy.

(1) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Just before this, as Velu nears the village in the evening, he thinks, 'Perhaps she is right,' and feels a cool breeze on his back. Who is 'she'?
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
The short sentences ('And thunder.', 'And sweet, fragrant rain.') create:
(a) boredom (b) excitement and anticipation (c) fear (d) confusion
(3) · 1 mark · Short answer
Name two senses the writer appeals to in this extract.
(4) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Identify the determiner in 'a cool breeze'.
(5) · 1 mark · MCQ
Why does Velu run home 'laughing and happy'?
(a) He has found the old woman again (b) The rain he waited months for has come (c) He is late for dinner (d) He won a prize

Show the answersAnswers

The old woman he met under the tree.
(b) excitement and anticipation
Touch (cool breeze, a tiny drop) and smell (fragrant rain); also sight (gathering clouds).
a (article).
(b) The rain he waited months for has come

Waiting for the Rain: exam-level solved questions

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

Example 1: No astrologers · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Why did Velu not agree to consult astrologers, and what did he do instead? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Rains came for years without astrologers.
Practical: weather office in the city.
Experts also puzzled.

Answer: Velu argued that the rains had come for years without any such consultations, so astrologers could not bring rain. Being practical, he went to the weather office in the city instead. The officials, however, admitted they were puzzled too, since conditions were favourable yet no rain came.

Example 2: Velu's reaction · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

Why was Velu angry when the old woman said he might have worked too hard? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

He values hard work.
Believes more work = better farmer.
Missing work hurts him.

Answer: Velu believed hard work was a farmer's duty and had never rested in six years. To him, working 'too hard' seemed impossible and even unfair as a criticism. Not being able to plough or sow already pained him, so her remark sounded like blame.

Example 3: Nature as mother · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

What does the old woman mean by 'Nature is a mother to all of us'? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Cares for people, trees, water, soil.
Gives her children rest.
The drought is rest for the land.

Answer: She means that Nature cares for all her 'children': people, trees, water and soil. Like a wise mother who makes a tired child rest, Nature holds back the rain so the overworked land can lie undisturbed and recover, ready to give a fresh crop later.

Example 4: Is the drought a blessing? · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Can the failure of the rains be seen as both a problem and a blessing? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Problem: no crop, worry about family.
Blessing: soil rests and recovers.
Balanced view.

Answer: Yes. For Velu it is a real problem: he cannot till the land and fears for his family. Yet, as the old woman says, the pause lets the overworked soil rest and recover, so future crops may be better. A hardship in the short term can protect long-term health.

Example 5: How Velu changes · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Trace how Velu's view of the drought changes from his first words to the old woman until he walks home. Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Velu's view: punishment despite hard work.
She listens kindly; suggests he worked too hard.
Explains the earth works too; old; needs rest.
Nature as mother; land will spring back.
Velu reflects; rain arrives; hope.

Answer: At first, Velu sees the drought as an unfair punishment: he has worked hard and honestly, yet cannot farm or feed his family. The old woman listens kindly and then offers a surprising idea, that perhaps he has worked too hard. When he protests, she patiently explains that the earth also works whenever he ploughs, sows and plants, and that it has worked for thousands of years. Like any worker, it needs rest. She describes Nature as a mother to people, trees, water and soil, who gives her children the rest they need. The dry season, she says, lets the land lie undisturbed so that it will spring back, fresh and ready, when the rains come. Her gentle words turn Velu's despair into understanding, and he walks home picturing his land breathing peacefully, just before the rain begins to fall.

Example 6: Rest for land and people · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

'Shouldn't someone let the land rest a bit?' Explain how this idea applies to both farming and our own lives today. Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Farming: fallowing, nutrients, moisture, pests.
Crop rotation; sustainable farming.
People: students, workers need breaks, sleep.
Over-use leads to burnout or barren soil.
Balance is wisdom.

Answer: The old woman's question holds a lesson for farming and for life. In farming, soil that is cultivated every season loses nutrients and moisture and becomes a breeding ground for pests. Leaving land fallow for a season, or rotating crops, lets it recover, so it produces better harvests later. This is the idea of sustainable farming: using nature without exhausting it. The same is true of people. A student who studies late every night without sleep or play may score less, not more, because a tired mind cannot focus. Workers who never take holidays can burn out and fall ill. Like Velu, many of us believe that working harder is always better, but rest is not laziness; it is how strength is rebuilt. Wisdom lies in balance: effort followed by rest, for both the land and ourselves.

Where the marks are

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

Why do you think the writer makes Velu meet the old woman only after the weather office has failed him? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks) (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: he has rejected astrologers and science is 'at a loss'; tired and dejected, he is ready for a new idea; she offers a different wisdom, understanding nature rather than predicting it.	1
Expression within the word limit.	1

Write a letter to the Councillor of your ward about a blocked storm-water drain that floods your street every monsoon, suggesting solutions. (5 marks) (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Format: addresses, date, subject, salutation, close, name.	1
Content: problem, causes and consequences, request and suggestions.	2
Organisation into paragraphs; formal tone.	1
Accuracy of language.	1

Where students lose marks in Waiting for the Rain

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

Mistake: Saying Velu consulted astrologers
Someone else suggested it.
Wrong working
Velu asked astrologers when it would rain.
Right working
Velu refused; he went to the weather office instead.
Do this: Remember Velu is practical.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Thinking the old woman blames Velu for laziness
Misreading her point.
Wrong working
She said he did not work hard enough.
Right working
She said he may have worked too hard; the land needs rest.
Do this: Note the word 'too'.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Using the past tense instead of the present perfect
Ignoring 'for' or 'since'.
Wrong working
It did not rain since March.
Right working
It has not rained since March.
Do this: 'since/for' + up to now = present perfect.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Letter without a clear request
Only complaining.
Wrong working
Water is a big problem. Please do something.
Right working
I request you to install a rainwater harvesting unit in the community park...
Do this: State exactly what you want and suggest how.
Usually costs: 1 mark of 5.

Practice questions on Waiting for the Rain

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
For how long had Velu been farming his own land without a break?
(a) two years (b) nearly six years (c) ten years (d) all his life
Hint
'ever since he had got his own piece of land'.
Answer
(b) nearly six years
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
What did the weather office staff say about the lack of rain?
Hint
Favourable conditions.
Answer
They were at a loss themselves: conditions were favourable, yet there was no rain, which they found very odd.
Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
Make collocations by matching: favourable / wrinkled / ceaseless + skin / activity / weather.
Hint
Which pairs sound natural?
Answer
favourable weather, wrinkled skin, ceaseless activity.
Q4 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Fill in with present tenses: Look! The clouds ______ (gather). Farmers here ______ (depend) on the monsoon. It ______ (not rain) for three months.
Hint
now; fact; since/for.
Answer
Look! The clouds are gathering. Farmers here depend on the monsoon. It has not rained for three months.
Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Choose the correct determiners: (i) There are ______ (few/a few) clouds today, so we may get some rain. (ii) ______ (Neither/Either) of the two wells had water.
Hint
Positive sense; not one of two.
Answer
(i) a few (ii) Neither
Q6 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Correct the homophone errors: 'The farmer was at piece when the reign finally came, and he could here the thunder.'
Hint
Three errors.
Answer
The farmer was at peace when the rain finally came, and he could hear the thunder.
Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Why does the writer describe the land as 'breathing peacefully' after the old woman leaves? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Personification; Velu's changed view.
Answer
It personifies the land as a living being that can rest like a person. The phrase shows how Velu's view has changed: instead of seeing dry, useless fields, he now imagines his beloved land enjoying a well-earned break from constant, year-round cultivation.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
The rain begins just after Velu accepts the woman's idea. Do you think the writer means the woman caused the rain? Give your view in about 50 words.
Hint
Timing and symbolism.
Answer
Not literally. The timing is symbolic: once Velu stops fighting nature and understands its rhythm, his waiting ends. The rain rewards his new understanding and gives the story a hopeful close. The woman shares wisdom; the rain comes in nature's own time.
Q9 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose you are Velu. Write a short diary note (about 50 words) for that evening.
Hint
Worry, the woman, the rain.
Answer
Sample: Today I went to the city for answers and got none. Then an old Amma under a tree told me the land was tired, like me. I was angry at first, but she was right. As I reached home, the rain came! My fields will wake up fresh.
Q10 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write a letter (100-120 words) to the Councillor of your ward about water wasted from leaking public taps, suggesting solutions.
Hint
Problem, effects, request, conclusion.
Answer
Format: sender's address, date, The Municipal Councillor (ward, city), Subject: Leaking public taps in ___, Dear Sir/Madam. Para 1: leaking taps at named spots for weeks. Para 2: thousands of litres wasted daily, slippery roads, mosquito breeding, while homes face shortages. Para 3: request repairs, self-closing taps, regular checks and a helpline. Para 4: thanks and hope for prompt action. Yours sincerely, name.

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 colour was the rising sun?Show answer
Crimson, like fire.
2.Where did Velu go for information?Show answer
The weather office in the city.
3.Where did Velu meet the old woman?Show answer
In the shade of a large tree on his way back.
4.What did Velu call the old woman?Show answer
Amma.
5.What did she call Velu?Show answer
'My son'.
6.What did Velu feel first as the rain approached?Show answer
A cool breeze on his back, then a tiny drop on his shoulder.

Quick revision checklist

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

Author: Kamakshi Balasubramanian; Poorvi Unit 4, Environment.
Velu: hard-working farmer; jowar and dhal by turns; no rest for six years.
Rains fail; fields crusted and cracked; farmers live on hope.
Velu rejects astrologers; weather office is 'at a loss'.
Old woman: he may have worked too hard; the earth works too.
'Nature is a mother to all of us'; land rests and will spring back.
Breeze, a drop, clouds: rain arrives; Velu runs home happy.
Link: fallowing (nutrients, moisture, fewer pests).
Grammar: homophones, collocations, present tenses, determiners.
Writing: formal letter to the ward Councillor on rainwater harvesting.

Waiting for the Rain: frequently asked questions

Who wrote 'Waiting for the Rain'?

Kamakshi Balasubramanian. It is the third lesson of Unit 4, Environment, in Poorvi, the Class 8 English textbook.

What is the message of the story?

Nature has its own rhythm; land, like people, needs rest, and we should respect nature while being patient and hopeful.

What advice did the old woman give Velu?

That perhaps he had worked the land too hard; the earth also works and needs rest, and Nature, like a mother, gives it that rest.

What is fallowing?

Leaving land unsown for one or more cycles so that it can recover nutrients and moisture and reduce pests and diseases.

What is the writing task?

A formal letter to the Councillor of your municipal ward requesting a rainwater harvesting unit and suggesting solutions to water scarcity.

Based on: NCERT Poorvi, Textbook of English for Grade 8 (Reprint 2026-27); NCERT unit PDF: Poorvi Unit 4