Class 8 English Notes Chapter 2 (The Tsunami ; Geography Lesson) – Honeydew Book

Alright class, let's get straight into the important points from Chapter 2, 'The Tsunami', and the poem 'Geography Lesson'. These are significant for your understanding and potential exam questions. Pay close attention.

Chapter 2: The Tsunami

This chapter recounts the harrowing experiences of people during the devastating tsunami that struck parts of India and other countries on December 26, 2004. It is not a single story but a collection of accounts focusing on courage, loss, survival, and interesting observations about animal behaviour.

Key Points & Stories for Exam Preparation:

Part 1: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

1. The Event: The tsunami was triggered by a massive earthquake under the sea near Sumatra, Indonesia.
2. Ignesious:
   • Manager of a cooperative society in Katchall.
   • His wife felt the earthquake tremor at 6 a.m.
   • He put his television down to save it, then rushed his family out.
   • In the chaos, his wife, two children, father-in-law, and brother-in-law were swept away. Only the three children who came with him were saved. This highlights the suddenness and confusion.
3. Sanjeev:
   • A policeman serving in the Katchall island.
   • He managed to save himself, his wife, and his baby daughter.
   • However, when he heard cries for help from the wife of John, the guesthouse cook, he jumped into the water to rescue her. Both were swept away. This shows immense bravery but also the overwhelming power of the waves.
4. Meghna:
   • 13 years old. Swept away along with her parents and seventy-seven other people.
   • She spent two days floating in the sea, holding onto a wooden door.
   • She saw relief helicopters but was not spotted.
   • Eventually found walking on the seashore in a daze. Demonstrates resilience and luck.
5. Almas Javed:
   • 10 years old. Family was in Nancowry island.
   • Her father saw the sea water recede (move back) and understood the danger. He tried to alert everyone and move them to safety.
   • As they ran, her grandfather was hit on the head and fell. Her father rushed to help him, but both were swept away by the first giant wave.
   • Almas's mother and aunts, clinging to a coconut tree, were also washed away.
   • Almas climbed onto a log of wood and fainted. She woke up in a hospital in Kamorta.
   • She was traumatized and did not speak about the incident. Shows the psychological impact.

Part 2: Tilly Smith (Thailand)

1. Location: Phuket beach, Thailand.
2. Tilly's Action: A British schoolgirl (10 years old) who saved her family and others.
3. The Geography Lesson Connection: Tilly had learned about tsunamis in her geography class in England just two weeks prior. Her teacher had shown a video of the 1946 Hawaiian tsunami.
4. Warning Signs Recognized: Tilly saw the sea slowly rise, start to foam, bubble, and form whirlpools. She remembered these signs from the video.
5. Action Taken: She screamed at her family to get off the beach. Her parents took her warnings seriously, alerted other tourists and hotel staff, leading to the evacuation of the beach and the hotel's swimming pool area.
6. Outcome: Many lives were saved because of her awareness and quick thinking, directly linked to her education.

Part 3: Animal Behaviour

1. The Sixth Sense Theory: The chapter explores the idea that animals might possess a 'sixth sense' or can hear/feel the Earth's vibrations, allowing them to anticipate disasters.
2. Examples:
   • Before the giant waves hit, wild and domestic animals reportedly sensed the danger.
   • Elephants screamed and ran for higher ground.
   • Dogs refused to go outdoors.
   • Flamingoes abandoned their low-lying breeding areas.
   • Zoo animals rushed into their shelters.
3. Low Animal Casualties: Reports suggested that very few animals were killed in the tsunami compared to the massive human loss (estimated 150,000 people died, but animal carcasses were relatively few).
   • At Yala National Park in Sri Lanka, home to many animals, only two water buffaloes were reported killed, while 60 human visitors washed away.
   • People observed elephants, leopards, etc., running away from the coast before the tsunami hit.
   • A man in Galle (Sri Lanka) said his two dogs refused their daily run on the beach that morning, likely saving his life too.

Key Themes:

• Courage and selflessness in the face of disaster (Sanjeev).
• Survival against odds (Meghna, Almas).
• The importance of awareness and education (Tilly Smith).
• The potential 'sixth sense' or heightened senses of animals.
• The immense destructive power of nature.
• Trauma and loss experienced by survivors.

Poem: Geography Lesson

Poet: Zulfikar Ghose

Central Idea: The poem explores how perspective changes with distance (altitude) and reflects on human behaviour. As the poet flies higher in a jet plane, the Earth looks more orderly and logical, but human conflicts seem increasingly illogical.

Stanza-wise Analysis:

1. Stanza 1 (Low Altitude):

   • The jet takes off ("sprang into the sky").
   • From this height, the city looks unplanned and haphazard ("without style").
   • However, the poet realizes there's a certain logic or "inevitability" to why it developed the way it did, dictated by necessity (ground level realities).

2. Stanza 2 (10,000 Feet):

   • The jet climbs higher.
   • From here, the poet understands the "logic of geography."
   • He sees clearly why cities are located near rivers and why valleys are populated. Water and land resources dictate settlement patterns.

3. Stanza 3 (Six Miles High):

   • The jet is very high now.
   • The Earth looks round, and there appears to be more sea than land.
   • From this vast perspective, the geographical logic is clear.
   • BUT, the poet finds it "difficult to understand" why humans on this single Earth hate each other, build walls across cities, and kill.
   • This ultimate perspective highlights the irrationality and tragedy of human conflict, which seems petty and senseless from afar.

Key Themes:

• Perspective changes understanding.
• The influence of geography on human settlement ("logic of geography").
• The contrast between the natural order of the Earth and the disorder/conflict created by humans.
• The irrationality of human hatred, borders, and violence when viewed from a larger perspective.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. On which date did the tsunami discussed in Chapter 2 strike?
   a) December 24, 2004
   b) December 26, 2004
   c) January 1, 2005
   d) December 26, 2005

2. Where was Ignesious the manager of a cooperative society?
   a) Phuket
   b) Nancowry
   c) Katchall
   d) Kamorta

3. What did Almas Javed cling to in the sea to survive?
   a) A wooden door
   b) A coconut tree
   c) A log of wood
   d) A rescue boat

4. Tilly Smith saved her family and others on a beach in which country?
   a) India
   b) Sri Lanka
   c) Indonesia
   d) Thailand

5. What specific signs made Tilly realize a tsunami was coming?
   a) The sky turning dark and strong winds
   b) The sea rising, foaming, bubbling, and forming whirlpools
   c) Birds flying away erratically
   d) An earthquake tremor felt on the beach

6. According to Part 3 of "The Tsunami", what did many animals reportedly do before the waves hit?
   a) Gathered near the coast
   b) Showed unusual aggression
   c) Fled to safer, higher ground
   d) Made no unusual movements

7. In the poem "Geography Lesson," what does the poet understand when the jet reaches 10,000 feet?
   a) Why the city looks haphazard
   b) Why humans hate each other
   c) Why cities are near rivers and valleys are populated
   d) That the Earth is round

8. According to the poet in "Geography Lesson," what is "difficult to understand" even from a great height?
   a) Why the Earth is mostly covered by sea
   b) Why humans build cities near rivers
   c) Why humans hate each other and build walls
   d) Why the city appeared unplanned from lower altitudes

9. What object did Meghna hold onto for two days in the sea?
   a) A log of wood
   b) A life jacket
   c) A wooden door
   d) Her father's hand

10. What does the poet Zulfikar Ghose imply about human conflict in "Geography Lesson"?
    a) It is a logical outcome of geography
    b) It is necessary for human survival
    c) It looks small and irrational from a distance
    d) It is mainly caused by lack of resources

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. b) December 26, 2004
2. c) Katchall
3. c) A log of wood
4. d) Thailand
5. b) The sea rising, foaming, bubbling, and forming whirlpools
6. c) Fled to safer, higher ground
7. c) Why cities are near rivers and valleys are populated
8. c) Why humans hate each other and build walls
9. c) A wooden door
10. c) It looks small and irrational from a distance

Make sure you revise these points thoroughly. Understanding the specific stories from "The Tsunami" and the changing perspectives in "Geography Lesson" is crucial. Good luck with your preparation!