Ranji’s Wonderful Bat’ Question and Answers Class 8 Skylark

Question and answers of the lesson ‘Ranji’s Wonderful bat’ given in English book ‘Skylark’ for class 8. It would help students in Homework and understanding the lesson.

Question and Answers of “Ranji’s Wonderful Bat’ Class 8 Book Skylark

Understanding the Text

A. Tick (✔) the correct answer from the options given.

1. Ranji was the youngest member of the school team but
   a. he was the only option as there was a general lack of players.
   b. he was a personal favourite of the school coach.
   c. he had a good eye and strong wrists, and had made lots of runs in some of the minor matches.
   d. he had paid for his position in the team.
2. Ranji had to greet Mr Kumar with a namaste as the latter
   a. was Ranji’s neighbour.
   b. had always been kind and helpful towards Ranji.
   c. was one of Ranji’s relatives.
   d. was Ranji’s school team coach.
3. Ranji was unable to score runs in his inter-school matches because he
   a. was a weak player.
   b. had lost interest in cricket.
   c. lacked confidence in himself.
   d. was distracted during the games.
4. Ranji lost his lucky bat when he was
   a. buying laddoos for Koki.
   b. busy talking to a friend.
   c. examining Mr Kumar’s shop for sports equipment.
   d. returning home in a bus.
5. In the story, Ranji was able to score in the last match as
   a. he got back his magic bat.
   b. the opposite team performed poorly.
   c. he gained confidence in himself with Mr Kumar’s help.
   d. he had developed his skills through continuous practice.

Answers:

1. Ranji was the youngest member of the school team but
✔ c. he had a good eye and strong wrists, and had made lots of runs in some of the minor matches.

2. Ranji had to greet Mr Kumar with a namaste as the latter
✔ b. had always been kind and helpful towards Ranji.

3. Ranji was unable to score runs in his inter-school matches because he
✔ c. lacked confidence in himself.

4. Ranji lost his lucky bat when he was
✔ d. returning home in a bus.

5. In the story, Ranji was able to score in the last match as
✔ c. he gained confidence in himself with Mr Kumar’s help.

B. State whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Ranji had scored poorly in the last two inter-school games. _____
2. The coach of the school team was very helpful towards Ranji when he was unable to score well for the matches. _____
3. Mr Kumar’s old bat possessed magical properties that helped Ranji score well in his matches. _____
4. Ranji practised cricket with his neighbour Koki. _____
5. After losing his lucky bat, Ranji lost the match against the Delhi school as well. _____

Answers:

1. Ranji had scored poorly in the last two inter-school games. ✔ True

2. The coach of the school team was very helpful towards Ranji when he was unable to score well for the matches. ✘ False (He was stern and warned Ranji that he would lose his place in the team.)

3. Mr Kumar’s old bat possessed magical properties that helped Ranji score well in his matches. ✘ False (The bat had no magic – it was Ranji’s belief in it that gave him confidence.)

4. Ranji practised cricket with his neighbour Koki. ✘ False (Koki was not mentioned as a practice partner – Ranji bought laddoos for her.)

5. After losing his lucky bat, Ranji lost the match against the Delhi school as well. ✘ False (He scored seventy-five runs and the match ended in a draw.)

C. Answer the following questions.

1. Who was Suraj? Give an instance from the story to show his attitude towards Ranji.
2. Why was Ranji unable to score well in the first few inter-school matches?
3. Who was Mr Kumar? Why was Ranji unwilling to meet him after his match?
4. Based on his interactions with Ranji, provide a brief description of Mr Kumar’s character.
5. What did Ranji do after his first match using Mr Kumar’s old bat? Why did he act in such a manner?

Answers: Three sets of answers are provided here. You can pick one that suits you or come up with your own responses.

Answer Set – 1 (Short Answers)

1. Who was Suraj?
Ans. Suraj was the captain of Ranji’s school cricket team. He was kind and encouraged Ranji even when he failed.

2. Why was Ranji unable to score well?
Ans. He lacked confidence and felt nervous during important matches.

3. Who was Mr Kumar? Why was Ranji unwilling to meet him?
Ans. Mr Kumar was the owner of a sports shop. Ranji didn’t want to meet him because he felt sad after losing the match.

4. Describe Mr Kumar’s character.
Ans. He was kind, encouraging, and believed in building confidence in young players.

5. What did Ranji do after his first match with Mr Kumar’s bat?
Ans. He bought two laddoos for Koki to share his happiness and success.

Answer Set – 2

1. Who was Suraj?
Ans. Suraj was the captain of Ranji’s school cricket team. He was friendly and supportive. After Ranji got out without scoring, Suraj encouraged him by saying he would do better next time and was just out of form.

2. Why was Ranji unable to score well?
Ans. Ranji was unable to score in the inter-school matches because he lacked confidence. Though he practised regularly, he got nervous during important games and couldn’t perform well under pressure, which made him fear losing his place in the team.

3. Who was Mr Kumar? Why was Ranji unwilling to meet him?
Ans. Mr Kumar was a kind, retired cricketer who ran a sports shop and supported young players. Ranji was unwilling to meet him after his poor performance because he felt ashamed and sad after losing the match without scoring any runs.

4. Describe Mr Kumar’s character.
Ans. Mr Kumar was wise, friendly, and encouraging. He motivated Ranji when he was upset and helped him regain confidence by giving him an old bat. He believed that it was the player’s belief and confidence that truly mattered.

5. What did Ranji do after his first match with Mr Kumar’s bat?
Ans. After scoring fifty-eight runs with Mr Kumar’s bat, Ranji happily shared the good news with him. He felt so pleased that he stopped at the sweet shop and bought two laddoos for Koki to celebrate his success.

Answer Set – 3 (Long Answers)

1. Who was Suraj? Give an instance from the story to show his attitude towards Ranji.
Answer:
Suraj was the captain of Ranji’s school cricket team.
He showed a strict attitude towards Ranji when he warned him, “If you don’t make some runs this time, you’ll be dropped from the team!” This shows that Suraj was focused on winning and expected Ranji to perform well.

2. Why was Ranji unable to score well in the first few inter-school matches?
Answer:
Ranji was unable to score well because he had lost confidence in himself. He started doubting his abilities, which affected his performance on the field.

3. Who was Mr Kumar? Why was Ranji unwilling to meet him after his match?
Answer:
Mr Kumar was a kind and experienced sports shop owner and a former cricketer.
Ranji was unwilling to meet him after the match because he was feeling sad and ashamed after losing the game and scoring no runs.

4. Based on his interactions with Ranji, provide a brief description of Mr Kumar’s character.
Answer:
Mr Kumar was kind, encouraging, and wise. He motivated young players like Ranji and helped them believe in themselves. He gave Ranji an old bat and told him it was lucky, helping Ranji regain his confidence. He also taught Ranji that success comes from within, not from any magical object.

5. What did Ranji do after his first match using Mr Kumar’s old bat? Why did he act in such a manner?
Answer:
After his first match with the old bat, Ranji visited Mr Kumar’s shop to share the good news and thank him. He also bought laddoos for Koki on the way home.
He acted this way because he was happy and grateful. He believed the bat had brought him good luck and wanted to celebrate his success.

D. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

1. ‘I’m just unlucky,…
   a. Who is the speaker of the above line?
   b. Who is the speaker talking to?
   c. Why does the speaker call themselves unlucky?
   d. What is the listener’s reaction to this?
2. The first thing she said was, ‘Ranji, where’s your bat?’
   a. Who is the speaker of the above line?
   b. Who is the speaker talking to?
   c. What is the listener’s reply to this?
   d. Where does the listener think he has left the bat?
3. ‘A bat has magic only when the batsman has magic!’
   a. Who is the speaker of the above line?
   b. Who is the speaker talking to?
   c. Why does the speaker say this?
   d. What does the listener do after listening to the above statement?

Answers:

1. ‘I’m just unlucky,…

a. Who is the speaker of the above line?
Answer: Ranji is the speaker.

b. Who is the speaker talking to?
Answer: He is talking to Mr Kumar.

c. Why does the speaker call themselves unlucky?
Answer: Ranji feels unlucky because he has not been able to score runs in the last three matches and thinks it’s due to bad luck.

d. What is the listener’s reaction to this?
Answer: Mr Kumar calmly responds by offering to help Ranji change his luck. He takes Ranji to the back of the shop and gives him an old cricket bat, claiming it to be lucky.

2. ‘The first thing she said was, “Ranji, where’s your bat?”‘

a. Who is the speaker of the above line?
Answer: The narrator is the speaker.

b. Who is the speaker talking to?
Answer: The narrator is talking about Koki speaking to Ranji.

c. What is the listener’s reply to this?
Answer: Ranji replies that he has lost the bat.

d. Where does the listener think he has left the bat?
Answer: Ranji thinks he left the bat on the bus while returning home.

3. ‘A bat has magic only when the batsman has magic!’

a. Who is the speaker of the above line?
Answer: Mr Kumar is the speaker.

b. Who is the speaker talking to?
Answer: He is talking to Ranji.

c. Why does the speaker say this?
Answer: Mr Kumar says this to explain that the bat was never magical—it was Ranji’s confidence and self-belief that helped him play well. He wanted Ranji to understand that success comes from within.

d. What does the listener do after listening to the above statement?
Answer: Ranji regains his confidence and plays the next match with a borrowed bat. He performs very well and scores seventy-five runs.

E. Think and answer.

1. ‘Confidence is “knowing you are good? Do you agree with the statement? Give examples from the text to support your answer.

Answer: Yes, I agree with the statement “Confidence is knowing you are good.”

In the story, Ranji couldn’t score runs because he had lost confidence. When Mr Kumar gave him an old bat and called it lucky, Ranji believed it and started playing well. Later, when he lost the bat, Mr Kumar told him the magic was in him, not the bat. With this confidence, Ranji played with a borrowed bat and scored seventy-five runs.

This shows that self-belief and confidence helped Ranji succeed—not the bat.

OR (Long Answer)

Yes, I agree with the statement: “Confidence is knowing you are good.”

In the story, Ranji could not score runs in the first few matches even though he had talent. He felt unlucky and lost confidence in himself. However, when Mr Kumar gave him an old bat and told him it was lucky, Ranji believed in it. That belief gave him the confidence he needed, and he started playing well again.

Here are some examples from the text:

• Before getting the bat: Ranji felt unlucky and said, “I haven’t made a good score in my last three matches.”
• After getting the bat: He scored fifty-eight runs, and in the next matches, he continued to perform well.
• After losing the bat: He became upset again and thought he would fail.
• But Mr Kumar reminded him: “A bat has magic only when the batsman has magic!” This helped Ranji understand that the bat wasn’t special—he was.
• With this new confidence, Ranji played with a borrowed bat and scored seventy-five runs.

So, the story clearly shows that confidence—not luck or a special object—helped Ranji play better. Once he believed in himself, he started doing well. This proves the line true: Confidence is knowing you are good.

Playing with Words

F. Write the correct idioms from the box for the given meanings.

1. a situation where it is difficult to say which of two actions has happened first
   __________________________________
2. extremely happy
   __________________________________
3. not trusted by other people
   __________________________________
4. someone who is a small part of a large organisation
   __________________________________
5. continue doing a difficult work till it is finished
   __________________________________
6. finish a job before time
   __________________________________
7. wait for a moment and think before taking an action or decision
   __________________________________
8. better to deal with something immediately before it gets worse
   __________________________________

Answers:

1. a chicken-and-egg situation – a situation where it is difficult to say which of two actions has happened first
2. on cloud nine – extremely happy
3. under a cloud – not trusted by other people
4. a cog in the wheel – someone who is a small part of a large organisation
5. stay the course – continue doing a difficult work till it is finished
6. beat the clock – finish a job before time
7. hold your horses – wait for a moment and think before taking an action or decision
8. a stitch in time saves nine – better to deal with something immediately before it gets worse

Mastering the Skills

G. Punctuate the following sentences using apostrophes in the appropriate places.

1. Whos party are you going to attend-Rishabhs or Ritus?
2. Its the older sister who won the competition.
3. Our neighbours car is an old Chrysler, so hes going to sell it off.
4. In three weeks time well have to begin school again.
5. Didnt you hear that theyre leaving tomorrow?

Answers:

1. Who‘s party are you going to attend—Rishabh‘s or Ritu‘s?
2. It‘s the older sister who won the competition.
3. Our neighbour‘s car is an old Chrysler, so he‘s going to sell it off.
4. In three weeks’ time, we‘ll have to begin school again.
5. Didn‘t you hear that they‘re leaving tomorrow?

Learning the language

H. Change the following declarative sentences to the interrogative and the exclamatory.

1. He has a lot of work to do within the week.
2. Too many people in Delhi own cars, hence the traffic jams.
3. Jatin is going to the US for further studies.
4. Shilpa got two new dresses on her birthday.
5. The new shoes are hurting the feet.

Answer:

I. Identify these sentences as declarative, imperative, interrogative or exclamatory.

1. Do you like pastries?
2. Her brother is in college.
3. Great! You have done a fantastic job.
4. Please write down your comments on this form.
5. Clark was on his way back home when it started raining.

Answer:

1. Do you like pastries?
   → Interrogative (It asks a question.)
2. Her brother is in college.
   → Declarative (It gives information.)
3. Great! You have done a fantastic job.
   → Exclamatory (It expresses strong feeling or emotion.)
4. Please write down your comments on this form.
   → Imperative (It gives a request or command.)
5. Clark was on his way back home when it started raining.
   → Declarative (It gives information.)

Writing

L. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper highlighting the difficulties of getting admission into a good college after class 12.

Ans: A Sample Answer is given below:

Here is a simple and clear letter to the editor suitable for students:

To
The Editor,
The Daily Times,
New Delhi.

Subject: Difficulty in getting admission into good colleges after Class 12

Sir/Madam,

Through the columns of your newspaper, I would like to draw attention to the difficulties students face in getting admission into good colleges after Class 12.

Every year, thousands of students pass out of school with good marks. However, the number of seats in reputed colleges is very limited. The cut-off marks are very high, often above 95%. Even hardworking students are not able to get admission to the college or course of their choice. The competition is very tough and stressful.

I request the concerned authorities to take steps to increase the number of seats and colleges, so that more students get a fair chance to continue their education.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Ajeet
Class 8
Sirji Tutorial Schooland School

(Note: You can use own credentials like - your name, address, class, school name etc.)

M. Imagine you are the school captain. Write a notice informing the students about a Poetry Competition to be held in your school. You must mention the following in the notice:
date of the competition
day of the competition
time
criteria (age groups, themes, etc.)
last date of submission of entries

Answer: A Sample Answer is given below:

Here is a Sample Notice for the Poetry Competition:

ABC Public School
NOTICE
Poetry Competition

Date: 29 May 2025
Day: Thursday

A Poetry Competition will be held in our school to encourage creativity and self-expression.

Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Venue: School Auditorium

Criteria:

• Age Groups: Class 6–8 and Class 9–10
• Theme: Nature, Friendship, Patriotism (choose any one)
• Poems must be original and written in English.
• Time limit for recitation: 2 minutes

Last Date for Submission of Entries: 26 May 2025 (Submit to your English teacher)

All interested students are requested to participate and show their talent!

(School captain)
Poonam Negi
School Captain
Date: 22 May 2025