How the Camel Got Its Hump: Summary Question Answers Meanings Class 8 English

How the Camel Got Its Hump: Summary, Question Answers & Word Meanings: ‘ait so Happened’ is the NCERT supplementary reader for the CBSE class 8 students. ‘How the Camel Got Its Hump’ is the first lesson of the book. The study notes given here would help students learn and understand well the lesson ‘How the Camel Got Its Hump’. The notes comprise a summary, word meanings and question answers of intext questions (in between the story text) and the end exercise of the lesson ‘How the Camel Got Its Hump’.

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Summary

During the early days of the world, animals were just starting to work for humans. In the middle of a howling desert lived a Camel who had no desire to work. Instead, he ate sticks and thorns and responded to anyone who spoke to him with a dismissive “Humph!”

One Monday morning, the Horse approached the Camel and asked him to come out and trot, but the Camel responded with another “Humph!” The Horse then reported the situation to the Man. The Dog and the Ox also tried to persuade the Camel to work, but they too were met with “Humphs!”

The Man called the Horse, Dog, and Ox together to discuss the situation with the Camel. In order to compensate for the Camel’s lack of work, the Man asked the three animals to work double-time. This angered the three animals, who held a meeting where they summoned the Djinn of All Deserts.

The Horse complained to the Djinn about the Camel’s laziness and lack of work. The Djinn promised to intervene and went to find the Camel in the desert. When the Djinn asked the Camel to work, he responded with yet another “Humph!” However, as soon as he said this, he saw that his once-beautiful back had become ugly and hump-shaped.

The Djinn explained to the Camel that his hump was a result of his own laziness and failure to work. The hump had a purpose, however – the Camel could work for three days without eating, living off of his hump. The Djinn ordered the Camel to start behaving properly and to work.

The Camel joined the Horse, Dog, and Ox and from that day on, he always had a hump. However, he never caught up with his three missed days of work and still struggles to behave properly.

Summary in Hindi

कहानी हमें उस समय की घटना बताती है जब दुनिया अभी शुरू हुई थी। जानवरों ने इंसानों के लिए काम करना शुरू करना शुरू कर दिया था। उन्हीं में से था एक ऊंट था जो रेगिस्तान के बीच में रहता था क्योंकि उसे काम करना पसंद नहीं था। जब कोई उससे बात करता तो वह हमेशा “हम्फ” कहता था। सोमवार की सुबह, घोड़ा उसके पास आया और उसे दूसरों के साथ घूमने के लिए कहा। ऊंट ने “हम्फ!” कहकर उत्तर दिया। थोड़ी देर बाद, कुत्ता उसके पास आया और उसे बाकी लोगों के साथ सामान लाने के लिए कहा, उसने कहा “हम्फ!”। इसी तरह, जब बैल उसके पास आया और उसे बाकी लोगों की तरह हल चलाने के लिए कहा, तो उसने “हम्फ!” के साथ जवाब दिया। उन तीनों ने इसकी सूचना उस आदमी को दी। जब दिन खत्म होने वाला था, तो आदमी ने घोड़े, कुत्ते और बैल को एक साथ बुलाया और उनसे कहा कि उन्हें दो बार काम करना होगा क्योंकि हम्फ़ चीज़ काम नहीं करेगी।

तीनों नाराज हो गए थे और पंचायत करने का फैसला किया गया था। उस समय उन्हें ऊंट मिला जो उन पर हंसा और फिर से “हम्फ!” कहते हुए वहाँ से चला गया।

कुछ समय बाद, सभी वनों के जिन्न पहुंचे और उन तीनों से उनके क्रोध का कारण पूछा। घोड़े ने उन्हें बताया कि इसका कारण एक आलसी ऊंट था जो “हम्फ!” कहते हुए नहीं रुक रहा था और उसने अपनी दोहरी पाली के बारे में भी बताया।

जिन्न ने पूरा मामला सुलझाने के लिए मामला अपने हाथ में लिया और ऊंट को देखने चला गया। जब जिन्न पहुंचा तब ऊंट पानी में अपने ही परछाई को देख रहा था। ऊंट ने जिन्न से भी ठीक से बात नहीं की। इसके बाद , ऊंट ने पानी में देखा कि उसकी पीठ फूल रही थी। अचानक उसकी पीठ पर एक कूबड़ बन गया था । ऊंट ने पूछा तो जिन्न ने बताया की ये सब उसके कर्मों के ही फल है ओर उसे अब इसी अपने साथ हमेशा ढोना पड़ेगा। ऊंट इस बात को लेकर समझ नहीं पा रहा था कि वह अपनी पीठ पर कूबड़ रखकर काम कैसे करेगा। जिन्न ने उससे कहा कि कूबड़ उसे बिना कुछ खाए तीन दिन तक काम करने में मदद देगा। वह अपने कूबड़ के बाल पर जीवित रह सकता है। तब से, ऊंट काम करता है और अपने कूबड़ को ढोता है। लेकिन ऊंट आज भी अपने वो तीन दिनों की पूर्ति नहीं आकर पाया ओर आज भी सही से व्यवहार नहीं कर पाता।

Word Meanings

‘How the Camel Got Its Hump’ Question Answers

Intext Questions (Comprehension Check)

Comprehension Check (Page-3)

Q. 1. What tasks, do you think, were assigned to the dog and the ox?

Ans. The task of carrying and fetching things was assigned to the dog, while the ox was tasked with carrying a yoke on its neck to plough the field.

Q. 2. Why did the camel live in the middle of the desert?

Ans. The camel lived in the middle of the howling desert because he did not want to work.

Q. 3. What made the dog, the horse and the ox very angry?

Ans. The dog, horse, and ox were infuriated that they had to do additional labor to make up for the camel’s laziness, as the camel did not contribute any effort.

Q. 4. How did the Djinn know the horse was complaining against the camel?

Ans. The Djinn was aware of the horse’s grievances towards the camel, which the horse had expressed through its description of the camel. As the overseer of the deserts, the Djinn was well-versed in knowledge about the various animals inhabiting the region.

Comprehension Check (Page-5)

Q. 1. The camel was looking at his own reflection in the pool. What does it suggest to you about the camel?

Ans. The camel’s gaze fixed upon his reflection in the pool implies an affection for his own appearance. He gazed into the water with admiration, enjoying his own company.

Q. 2. The camel said ‘Humph’ repeatedly. How did it affect him?

The camel repeatedly responded with a “Humph” to any question posed to him, which resulted in his idle behaviour and the development of a round mass, or “hump,” on his back. The camel took great pride in his back, so this had a significant impact on him.

Q. 3. What according to the Djinn, was the use of the ‘hump’?

Ans. The use of the ‘hump’ that it would aid in the storage of food and enable the camel to sustain work for a period of three days without requiring nourishment.

Q. 4. ‘……. he has never yet learnt to behave.’ In the light of this, what is the writer’s opinion about the camel?

Ans. The writer holds a negative view towards camels, noting its lethargic and arrogant nature.

Chapter End Exercise

Discuss the following topic in groups.

Q. 1. Can this story be factually true?

Ans. No, the story is a fable. It uses animal characters to convey a moral, value-based message.

Q. 2. What according to you, is the story about? Consider the following:
(i) How the world began?
(ii) Why everyone should do his/her share of work seriously.
(iii) How animals are important to humans?
(iv) How the camel got his hump?

Ans. (i) The world had begun when the animals started working for humans.
(ii) It is unfair for anyone to be idle, therefore everyone should take their share of work seriously.
(iii) Animals are important to humans because humans value animals for their ability to perform laborious tasks, such as carrying heavy loads, and for providing diverse sources of food.
(iv) When Djinn realise the camel about his idleness and try to convince him to do work, the camel again said “Humph!”: but no sooner had he said it than he saw his back that he was so proud of, puffing up and puffing up into a great big hump.

Q. 3. What did you do over the weekend? Were you generally active or idle? Please check your back before starting to discuss or answer the question.

Ans. We don’t need to check our back as we are not the camel way but since it was asked so we did and found no hump as a punishment ha ha ha ha (laugh)…! Last weekend, I decided to break out of my routine and try something new. Instead of staying at home, I went on a day trip to a nearby town. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for exploring. I walked around the town’s charming streets, taking in the sights and sounds. I stopped at a local café and enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee and a croissant. Afterward, I visited a small art gallery and was inspired by the creative works on display. In the afternoon, I went for a hike in the nearby hills and enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful scenery. I returned home feeling refreshed and energized, ready to tackle the week ahead. It was a great reminder that sometimes, the best way to recharge is to step out of our comfort zone and try something new.

Q. 4. There are broadly two categories of workers—those who prefer to do today what they can do tomorrow, and those who prefer to do tomorrow, what they can do today. Where do you belong?

Ans. We fall into the first category, which is to complete tasks today instead of postponing them until tomorrow, as it is uncertain what might happen in the future.

Long answer:

Workers who prefer to do today what they can do tomorrow are generally considered procrastinators. They tend to delay tasks until the last minute, which can lead to stress and a rush to complete tasks before the deadline. Procrastination can also lead to lower quality work and missed deadlines.

On the other hand, workers who prefer to do tomorrow what they can do today are generally considered proactive. They tend to prioritize tasks and work on them as soon as possible, which can lead to better time management and a sense of control over their workload.

It’s important to note that these two categories are not mutually exclusive, and individuals can fall somewhere in between. It’s also worth noting that some tasks may require more immediate attention, while others may be able to wait until later. Ultimately, the best approach depends on the individual and the specific task at hand.