Revathi's Musical Plants: summary, simple meanings, question answers, and key passages

English Balbharti Higher English

Maharashtra Board

Class 8 Lesson 1.4

Explore Revathi's Musical Plants: summary, simple meanings, question answers, and key passages for a comprehensive understanding of the lesson.

Summary

"Revathi's Musical Plants" is a story that revolves around a character named Revathi who discovers or interacts with plants in a unique and magical way, through music. The plants in the story respond to music in some special way. The plants grow, bloom, and show emotions. They reflect the deep connection between nature and the arts.

This story explores themes such as the power of nature, the importance of nurturing, and the magical bond between humans and the natural world. It also highlights Revathi's personal growth as she learns more about herself and her connection to the environment.

Revathi is a young girl who enjoys playing the violin while sitting in the garden. She hopes to participate in the "Best Plant Competition," so she takes great care of her plants. One day, she notices that the plants respond to her music and seem to be drawn towards her.

However, when the day of the competition arrives, she discovers that her plants have been stolen, which makes her very sad. Despite her disappointment, she decides to attend the event. To her surprise, she finds her plants there, displayed under someone else's name. By playing her violin, she proves that the plants respond to her music, thereby demonstrating that they are indeed hers. In the end, she wins the prize.

a balsam plant Revathi's Musical Plants: summary, simple meanings, question answers, and key passages

Difficult words and their meanings

Balsam English: A plant with fragrant flowers
Stunned
1. English: Very shocked or surprised.
2. Marathi: खूप आश्चर्यचकित किंवा धक्कादायक.
Ample
1. English: Enough or more than enough.
2. Marathi: पुरेसं किंवा जास्त प्रमाणात.
Contact
1. English: Communication or connection with someone.
2. Marathi: संपर्क किंवा जोडणं.
Watered
1. English: To give water to plants.
2. Marathi: पाण्याची देऊन झाडांना पाणी देणे.
Astonished
1. English: Extremely surprised.
2. Marathi: अत्यंत आश्चर्यचकित.
Straightened
1. English: Made straight or tidy.
2. Marathi: सरळ किंवा नीट करणे.
Struck her odd
1. English: Found her unusual or strange.
2. Marathi: तिला विचित्र किंवा अनोखे वाटले.
Surmise
1. English: To guess or suppose.
2. Marathi: अंदाज लावणे किंवा समजणे.
Unusual
1. English: Not common or ordinary.
2. Marathi: असामान्य किंवा सामान्य नाही.
Remarked
1. English: To say something as a comment.
2. Marathi: काहीतरी टिप्पणी म्हणून सांगणे.
Rare
1. English: Not common; very uncommon.
2. Marathi: दुर्मिळ; फारच कमी.
Blinked
1. English: To close and open the eyes quickly.
2. Marathi: पटकन डोळे बंद करणे आणि उघडणे.
Bounds
1. English: Limits or borders.
2. Marathi: सीमा किंवा मर्यादा.
Complaint
1. English: A statement that something is wrong.
2. Marathi: काहीतरी चुकीचं असल्याची तक्रार.
Ceremony
1. English: A formal event or ritual.
2. Marathi: एक औपचारिक कार्यक्रम किंवा विधी.
Disputed
1. English: Argued or questioned.
2. Marathi: वाद घालणे किंवा प्रश्न विचारणे.
Competitor
1. English: A person who takes part in a competition.
2. Marathi: स्पर्धेत भाग घेणारी व्यक्ती.
Distant
1. English: Far away in space or time.
2. Marathi: अंतरावर किंवा दूरवर.
Convinced
1. English: To be sure or persuaded.
2. Marathi: खात्री पटणे किंवा पटवणे.
Flashed
1. English: To shine brightly and suddenly.
2. Marathi: चमकणे किंवा अचानक तेजस्वी प्रकाश.
Ridicule
1. English: Mock or make fun of.
2. Marathi: उपहास करणे किंवा चेष्टा करणे.
Deter
1. English: To discourage or prevent.
2. Marathi: निरुत्साही करणे किंवा प्रतिबंध करणे.
Engrossed
1. English: Fully absorbed or focused.
2. Marathi: पूर्णतः मग्न किंवा लक्ष केंद्रित.
Slightly
1. English: A little bit; somewhat.
2. Marathi: थोडेसे; किंचित.
Stunned
1. English: Very shocked or surprised (Repeated word).
2. Marathi: खूप आश्चर्यचकित किंवा धक्कादायक.
Phenomenon
1. English: An unusual or remarkable event.
2. Marathi: एक असामान्य किंवा उल्लेखनीय घटना.
Discoverer
1. English: A person who finds something new.
2. Marathi: काहीतरी नवीन शोधणारी व्यक्ती.
Applauded
1. English: Praised or clapped for.
2. Marathi: कौतुक केले किंवा टाळ्या वाजवल्या.
Pulled
1. English: To move something towards oneself.
2. Marathi: स्वतःकडे काहीतरी खेचणे.
Clip
1. English: A small piece or section.
2. Marathi: एक लहान तुकडा किंवा भाग.
Stolen
1. English: Taken without permission.
2. Marathi: परवानगीशिवाय घेतलेले, चोरलेले
Authorities
1. English: People or organizations with power or control.
2. Marathi: अधिकार असलेल्या लोकांना किंवा संस्थांना.
Poetic part

English: A section of a poem.
Marathi: कवितेचा एक भाग.

Textual Questions with Answers

1. Read the story and complete the following.

(a) At first, Revathi’s plants did not look normal and healthy because,

Ans.

They weren't getting ample sunlight.

(b) When Revathi played her favourite raga, the plants began to move because,

Ans.

The plants liked her music.

(c) Revathi’s grief knew no bounds because,

Ans.

When the day of the competition arrives, she discovers that her plants have been stolen.

(d) Revathi was confident of proving her ownership of her pot of plants because,

Ans.

By playing her violin, she knew she could prove that the plants respond to her music, thereby demonstrating that they are indeed hers.

(e) Revathi won the prize for the ‘Best plant’ because,

Ans.

By playing her violin, she proved that the plants respond to her music, thereby demonstrating that they were indeed hers.

2. Answer in your own words.

(a) What did Revathi discover about her balsam plants?

Ans.

Revathi discovered that whenever she played raga Mohanam her stunted balsam plants moved towards her.

(b) Why did she decide to keep her new knowledge ‘a secret’?

Ans.

She decided to keep her new knowledge 'a secret' because it was a secret between her and her beloved plants. Perhaps, she wanted to surprise her family by winning a prize.

(c) How did the plants respond when Revathi played her favourite tune?

Ans.

When Revathi played her favourite tune, there was a movement in her potted plants. They were slowly moving their stems, bending slightly towards her.

(d) How did the plants react to the fast rhythmic music?

Ans.

All plants began to turn away from her as though they did not like the fast rhythmic music.

(e) How did Revathi prove to the organisers of the competition, that the plants truly
belonged to her?

Ans.

She sat near her plants with her violin and slowly started playing her favourite raga. Straight at first, they bent slightly. As she played on and on, their stems bent towards her as though they wanted to touch her, in their happiness. Thus the organisers were stunned and convinced that they belonged to her.

(f) What helped Revathi to claim her plants - her belief in magic or the belief in her
convictions? Explain your choice.

Ans.

She was confident that her plants would respond to her if she played their favourite raga, Raga Mohanam because she knew they were music lovers like her. Thus, Revathi's belief in her convictions helped her claim her plants.

3. (A) A word chain consists of words of a certain category that begin with the letter that the previous word has ended with.
Complete the word chain adding four nouns from the text.

Music - courtyard - distribution, neighbour, raga, argument.

(B) Add the appropriate Prefix to make the following words opposite in meaning.

continue x discontinue
possible x impossoble
certain x uncertain
definite x indefinite
believe x disbelieve
important x unimportant
place x misplace
known x unknown
regular x irregular

(C) Use the following expressions to make sentences of your own.

Make up one’s mind :

Meaning: To decide something.

Sentence: Pushkar made up his mind about which game to play during recess.

Flash across one’s mind :

Meaning: To suddenly think of something.

Sentence: An idea to draw a rainbow flashed across Preet's mind during art class.

Struck as odd :

Meaning: To seem strange or unusual.

Sentence: It struck Raza as odd that the cat was sitting on the books.

To surmise :

Meaning: To guess or think something is true without knowing for sure.

Sentence: I surmise that it will rain today because the sky is full of dark clouds.

Knew no bounds :

Meaning: To have no limits; to be very strong or intense.

Sentence: Manyata's excitement knew no bounds when she won the school sports competition.

Not to deter:

Meaning: Not to stop someone from doing something.

Sentence: The heavy rain did not deter us from going on our picnic.

Extra phrases

In front of:

There is a temple in front of my house.

To be fond of

My mother is fond of hearing music.

4. Imagine there is a ‘Best Plant’ Competition in the locality / colony where you live. Frame a Notice about the same, in the form of an attractive poster. Cover the following points. (1) Name of the organisation (2) Name of the Contest (3) Day, Date, Venue (4) Who can participate (5) Prizes (6) Contact details for further enquiry

🌱Green Leaf Society Presents 🌱

🏆 Best Plant Competition 🏆

👍Showcase Your Green Thumb and Win Exciting Prizes! 👍

Date: Sunday, 15th September 2024
Time: 10:00 AM
Venue: Central Park, Green Valley Colony

Who Can Participate:
Open to all residents of Green Valley Colony – children, adults, and seniors are all welcome!

Prizes:

1st Prize: Gold Trophy and Gardening Kit
2nd Prize: Silver Trophy and Plant Vouchers
3rd Prize: Bronze Trophy and a Set of Rare Seeds

For More Information, Contact Us:

Mr. Sharma: +91 9876543210
Email: greenleafsociety@example.com

🌱 Let’s make our colony greener together! 🌱

Come and be a part of this blooming event!

5. State the kinds of the following sentences.

(1) How happily she played the violin!

Ans.

Exclamatory sentence.

(2) They all bent towards her.

ans.

Assertive or declarative sentence.

(3) Don’t play that quick tune.

Ans.

Imperative sentence

(4) She kept the knowledge a secret.

Ans.

Assertive or declarative sentence.

(5) How can plants enjoy music?

Ans.

Interrogative sentence.

(6) How proudly did Revathi carry home her prize!

Ans.

Exclamatory sentence.

(7) What could have taken my plants?

Ans.

Interrogative sentence.

(8) The organisers were not convinced.

Ans.

Assertive sentence.

6. Make the following Negative using the negative words given.

(1) There were a few potted plants in the courtyard. (not many)

Ans.

There were not many potted plants in the courtyard.

(2) They looked healthier than the other plants. (not as healthy as)

Ans.

The other plants did not look as healthy as they looked.

(3) She refused to share her secret. (would not)

Ans.

She would not share her secret.

(4) She went around asking everyone about her plants. (No one / did not)

Ans.

She left no one asking about her plants.

7. Make the following Affirmative using the words given.

(1) There was no breeze. (hardly)

Ans.

There was hardly any breeze.

(2) Their ridicule did not deter her. (failed to)

Ans.

Their ridicule failed to deter her.

(3) Her mother knew nothing about it. (denied)

Ans. Her mother denied knowing anything about it.

(4) She did not give up. (refuse to)

Ans.

She refused to give up.

8. Imagine that Revathi’s father is abroad on business and she wishes to convey the news of her prize - winning plants. Draft an email for the above subject. (Use an email format.)

[Here’s a draft of an email that Revathi might write to her father:]

Subject: Exciting News About My Prize-Winning Plants!

Dear Dad,

I hope this email finds you well and that your business trip is going smoothly. I have some exciting news to share with you!

As you know, I’ve been taking special care of a pot of balsam plants in our courtyard. I’ve been playing my violin for them every day, and I believe it’s really helped them grow beautifully. Last week, I decided to enter them into the “Best Plant” contest that was held in our colony.

I’m thrilled to tell you that my plants won the first prize! The judges were really impressed with how healthy and vibrant they looked. I’ve been so proud of how well they’ve grown, and it feels amazing to have my hard work recognized.

I can’t wait for you to come home and see the prize-winning plants yourself. I know you would have loved to be here, but I wanted to share the good news with you right away.

Take care, and I’ll be waiting to hear back from you.

Love, Revathi

Some exam-oriented passages based on the text for practice

Passage no.1

Read the passage and answer the questions given below:

Revathi was a student of music. She was happy playing on her violin whenever she was free. There was a small open courtyard in front of her house, with a small cement bench. She would sit on the bench and practise on her violin. There were a few potted plants in the courtyard. While playing on the violin one day, she noted a pot of balsam plants near the wall. The plants were not looking normal. They had pale green leaves and their growth was stunted. She remembered she had learnt in the lower classes that plants need light for normal growth. She shifted the pot to the centre of the courtyard where there was ample sunlight. While shifting the pot, an idea struck Revathi. Why not participate in the ‘Best plant’ contest which was to be held in her colony a few weeks later! Then and there she decided to participate. Thus making up her mind, she watered the plants and sat down on the bench and started playing her violin. She was very fond of the raga ‘Mohanam’. She played the raga for some time and then went in for her studies.

1. Simple Factual Questions:

What instrument does Revathi play?

What type of plants did Revathi notice in the courtyard?

2. Complex Factual Question:

Why did Revathi decide to shift the balsam plant to the center of the courtyard?

3. Vocabulary-Based Questions:

Find a word in the passage that means i) 'an area with a hard surface, typically cement.' ii) in a sufficient amount

4. Grammar-Based Questions:

Identify the tense of the sentence: Plants need light for normal growth.

She played the raga for some time. (Convert the sentence into the present tense.)

5. Personal Response Question:

Do you think Revathi's idea to participate in the contest? Why or why not?

The next day was the all - important day. She got up in the morning and went straight to the courtyard to see her plants. Revathi blinked for a few minutes, for there was neither the pot nor the plants. She looked to see if someone had moved the pot. She searched all over. She asked her mother. Her mother said she knew nothing either about the pot or the plants. Some of the neighbours had been to their house the previous afternoon and had remarked at the beautiful flowers and the healthy - looking plants in the pot. But later, she had been busy inside the house and had been not to the courtyard. Revathi’s grief knew no bounds. She went around asking every one of her neighbours but no one had been anywhere near the pot of plants. She could not lodge a complaint for a pot of plants. She felt as though everything was lost. She did not mind, not getting the prize but she really missed her plants. She had grown very fond of them. They were her friends, who enjoyed her music.

1. Simple Factual Questions:

What did Revathi do as soon as she woke up on the all-important day?

What did Revathi's mother say about the missing pot and plants?

2. Complex Factual Question:

Why did Revathi feel as though everything was lost even though she didn't mind not getting the prize?

3. Vocabulary-Based Questions:

What does the word 'remarked' mean in the context of the passage?

Find a word in the passage that means 'great sorrow or sadness'.

4. Grammar-Based Questions:

Identify the tense of the sentence: "Revathi’s grief knew no bounds."

Rewrite the sentence "She could not lodge a complaint for a pot of plants." in the negative form without changing its meaning.

5. Personal Response Question:

If you were in Revathi’s situation, how would you feel and what would you do?

Some grammar based questions

Add a question tag.

The plants were not looking normal.
They had pale green leaves.
There were a few potted plants in the courtyard.

There are more than one verb or one tense in the following sentences. Underline them and tell their tenses. Also tell which word connects them.

She remembered she had learnt in the lower classes that plants need light for normal growth.
She shifted the pot to the centre of the courtyard where there was ample sunlight.
While shifting the pot, an idea struck Revathi.
While playing on the violin one day, she noted a pot of balsam plants near the wall. T
She watered the plants and sat down on the bench and started playing her violin
She played the raga for some time and then went in for her studies.
One day as she was playing, she noticed a movement in her potted plants.
She wondered why they were moving as there was no breeze.
The next evening too she played on her violin as usual and watched the potted plants with care.
There was a definite movement in her plants.
Revathi sat on the bench and played a different tune, one with a quick rhythm.
She got up in the morning and went straight to the courtyard to see her plants.

Here’s the analysis of the sentences with the verbs underlined, their tenses identified, and the connecting words highlighted:

Sentence:

1. She remembered she had learnt in the lower classes that plants need light for normal growth.

Tenses:

Remembered (Simple Past)

Had learnt (Past Perfect)

Need (Simple Present)

Connecting Words: that

Sentence:

2. She shifted the pot to the centre of the courtyard where there was ample sunlight.

Tenses:

Shifted (Simple Past)

Was (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: where

Sentence:

3. While shifting the pot, an idea struck Revathi.

Tenses:

Shifting (Present Participle/Gerund, used in a continuous sense)

Struck (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: while

Sentence:

4. While playing on the violin one day, she noted a pot of balsam plants near the wall.

Tenses:

Playing (Present Participle/Gerund, used in a continuous sense)

Noted (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: while

Sentence:

5. She watered the plants and sat down on the bench and started playing her violin.

Tenses:

Watered (Simple Past)

Sat (Simple Past)

Started (Simple Past)

Playing (Present Participle/Gerund, used in a continuous sense)

Connecting Words: and

Sentence:

6. She played the raga for some time and then went in for her studies.

Tenses:

Played (Simple Past)

Went (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: and then

Sentence:

7. One day as she was playing, she noticed a movement in her potted plants.

Tenses:

Was playing (Past Continuous)

Noticed (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: as

Sentence:

8. She wondered why they were moving as there was no breeze.

Tenses:

Wondered (Simple Past)

Were moving (Past Continuous)

Was (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: why, as

Sentence:

9. The next evening too she played on her violin as usual and watched the potted plants with care.

Tenses:

Played (Simple Past)

Watched (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: and

10. Sentence:

There was a definite movement in her plants.

Tenses:

Was (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: None (Only one verb)

Sentence:

11. Revathi sat on the bench and played a different tune, one with a quick rhythm.

Tenses:

Sat (Simple Past)

Played (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: and

Sentence:

12. She got up in the morning and went straight to the courtyard to see her plants.

Tenses:

Got (Simple Past)

Went (Simple Past)

Connecting Words: and

You should also go through these links.

Determiners in English

Three forms of verbs

Tenses

Parts of Speech