Class 8 English Chapter 12 – Waiting for the Rain with easy NCERT Poorvi Notes and complete Book Solutions. Get simple explanations, important concepts, questions and answers, and revision material to understand the chapter and prepare effectively for tests and exams.
Class 8 English Poorvi
Unit 4 – Environment
Waiting for the Rain
“Waiting for the Rain” is a story about a farmer named Velu who is eagerly waiting for rain. There has been no rain for a long time, so the land has become dry, hard and cracked. Velu worries because he cannot plough or sow his field without rain.
Velu first thinks about finding out why it is not raining. He rejects the idea of asking astrologers and visits the weather office. The people there also cannot explain why there is no rain.
On his way home, Velu meets an old woman. She explains that the earth also needs rest after being worked continuously for many years. Her words help Velu understand that the land needs time to recover.
Soon, Velu notices cool wind, clouds, lightning and the first drops of rain. He becomes happy and runs home.
The story teaches us to respect nature, understand the needs of the soil and practise sustainable farming. It also shows the difficulties faced by farmers when rainfall is uncertain.
A dry and cracked agricultural field during a period of water shortage.
Let us do these activities before we read
1. How do you spend the waiting period?
2. What do you think about?
3. How do you feel?
Let us read
I
“I hope it rains at least today,” Velu thought, as he opened his eyes.
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.
Rain or no rain, a farmer wakes up early. Velu worked hard. His piece of land never failed him. Season after season he cultivated it, harvesting jowar one season and dhal the next. Throughout the year he worked, never thinking of rest or taking a holiday. For nearly six years it had been so, ever since he had got his own piece of land.
But this year turned out to be different. At the end of summer, the rains didn’t come. Velu and his neighbours waited, but their waiting didn’t end. Days, weeks and months passed, and still there was no rain.
The fields lay untended, the earth hardened, crusted and cracked. The barren land looked forlorn and the farmers lived entirely on hope. Every day they hoped that the rains would come.
Someone said, “We ought to talk to some astrologers. They can tell us what will please the heavens and the heavens will send down rain.”
Velu didn’t agree. He said, “The rains came all these years without any such consultations; I can’t see how talking to astrologers will bring rain.”
He decided to go to the weather office in the city and talk to someone. But the people at the weather office said they couldn’t really tell him when the sky would gather clouds and bring rain.
“We are at a loss ourselves!” they exclaimed. “So many favourable conditions but still no rain. Very odd!”
Velu, too, was at a loss. He walked back to the village, tired, and dejected. He was thirsty and the dust made him cough and sneeze. He decided to rest for a while.
He saw a large tree. Its shade was cool and inviting. As he sat down, he noticed that an old woman was also sitting there, sheltering from the sun.
Let us discuss
| What was Said | Who Said |
|---|---|
| It doesn’t look encouraging. | Velu to himself |
| The rains came all these years without any such consultations… | Velu |
| So many favourable conditions but still no rain. | The people at the weather office |
II
Her skin was wrinkled, but her eyes sparkled when she smiled. She looked at Velu and her smile grew wider, her wrinkles deeper.
“What are you smiling at, Amma?” Velu asked. “Without the rains, there’s nothing to smile about.”
“Yes, yes, you’re right,” the old woman said, the smile leaving her lips.
“I wonder what I have done to deserve this,” Velu began. “I have worked hard and honestly. Yet I am being punished. Without the rains I can’t till the land. If I don’t till the land no crop will grow. What will happen to me? How shall I feed my family?” he asked, somewhat bitterly.
He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular, but the old lady thought that he was opening his heart to her.
“Perhaps you have worked too hard,” she said.
“What do you mean? Can anyone work too hard? I have only done what any hard-working farmer would do. I shall work and never rest until I am too old. This is the first season in five, no, six years that I have not sown, nor ploughed. Oh, it is hard not to be able to work…” said Velu a little angrily.
“But my son, that is what I am talking about. You have strength now. You can work without a break. But have you thought about the land? The earth works, too, when you plough, and sow, and plant. The earth has worked for years, centuries, in fact, thousands of years.
The soil, the land, the earth… shouldn’t someone let the land rest a bit?” the old woman said, softly, smiling.
“Rest? Let the land rest? I don’t understand,” Velu looked at her, a little puzzled.
“Yes, my son, that is the difficulty. You don’t realise that the earth is old… But Nature is a mother to all of us. To you and to me. And to the trees, the water and the soil. She takes care to give her children the rest they need…”
Velu began to understand.
“When the rains don’t come, you are dejected. But in that way the land is left alone. The land lies undisturbed, staring at the sky, resting… And when the rains come, it will spring back into activity, fresh and ready for your crop. Go home, my son, Nature knows a thing or two… go home,” she said, and got up.
She walked away. After a while Velu, too, got up and walked homeward. He thought about the land, his beloved piece of land, which, if he were to believe the old woman, was perhaps breathing peacefully, taking a break from the constant, ceaseless year-round cultivation.
“Perhaps she is right,” he thought, as he approached the village. It was already evening. The sun was low in the sky. And… what was that? Velu felt a cool breeze on his back.
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.
Kamakshi Balasubramanian
Let us discuss
1. Velu asked the old woman to stop smiling because _________________.
2. Velu said that it was hard not being able to work since _________________.
3. Velu was confused when the old lady said that the land needed rest because _________________.
4. The old lady said that it was good for the land when it didn’t rain as _________________.
5. Velu ran home laughing and happy because _________________.
Let us think and reflect
I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. “…I can’t see how talking to astrologers will bring rain.”
He decided to go to the weather office in the city and talk to someone. But the people at the weather office said they couldn’t really tell him when the sky would gather clouds and bring rain. “We are at a loss ourselves!” they exclaimed. “So many favourable conditions but still no rain. Very odd!”
(i) What does the first line of the extract tell us about Velu’s beliefs?
(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason.
Velu is determined to seek information about the rain because ___________________. (he was at a loss of words/he wants to find a practical solution to the drought affecting his farm)
(iii) Complete the table with reference to Velu’s weather office visit.
| Expectation (What I think will happen) | Outcome (What actually happened) |
|---|---|
| Velu expected the weather office to tell him when the rain would come. | The people at the weather office could not tell him when the rain would come. |
(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable option.
The absence of rain despite favourable conditions, shows ___________________.
A. lack of astrological knowledge
B. ineffectiveness of farmers like Velu
C. delay in understanding the weather
D. unpredictability of nature
2. “The soil, the land, the earth… shouldn’t someone let the land rest a bit?” the old woman said, softly, smiling.
“Rest? Let the land rest? I don’t understand,” Velu looked at her, a little puzzled.
“Yes, my son, that is the difficulty. You don’t realise that the earth is old…”
(i) The old woman’s advice was accompanied with a soft tone and a smile. What does that tell us about her?
(ii) Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given below.
The old woman’s advice ___________ Velu, at that moment.
A. failed to impress B. confused C. scared D. made sense to
(iii) State one thing about the old woman when she referred to Velu as ‘my son’, while offering advice.
(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable explanation.
The ‘difficulty’ that the old woman mentions is due to the fact that ________________.
II Answer the following questions.
1. How does the old woman convey Nature’s wisdom to Velu?
2. The writer says, ‘The fields lay untended…’ Why couldn’t the farmers tend to their fields in the absence of rain?
3. Support the old woman’s perspective that the land needs rest just like people do.
4. What can be inferred about Velu’s character based on his reaction to the drought?
5. What does the story suggest about the life of farmers and their relationship with nature?
6. How might the rest and care of land contribute to a balanced and sustainable ecosystem?
Let us learn
I Solve a crossword using picture and word clues. All clues are related to the words from the text that are connected to weather or agriculture.
| Clue | Answer |
|---|---|
| Down 1. gentle wind | BREEZE |
| Down 3. rumbling sound with rain | THUNDER |
| Down 4. grains etc. grown in large quantity in fields | CROP |
| Across 5. collected crops | HARVEST |
| Across 8. Picture clue | SUN |
| Across 9. prepare and use land for crops | CULTIVATE |
| Across 10. turn up the field soil | PLOUGH |
| Across 11. plant seed/s | SOW |
II The text uses words like ‘piece,’ ‘weather,’ ‘son,’ and ‘rain’. These words are the same as other words that are spelt differently—peace, whether, sun, and reign.
Words that are pronounced the same as other words but differ in meaning or in spelling are called homophones.
Now, complete the paragraph by filling in the correct option of homophones given in the brackets.
The farmer looked at the sky and wondered 1. ________________ (weather/whether) the clouds would finally bring rain. He sat down on the ground, breaking a small 2. ________________ (piece/peace) of roti for his meal. The 3. ________________ (plain/plane) fields stretched endlessly before him, completely dry. He thought about how he could 4. ________________ (sell/cell) his last sack of grain to buy some essentials for his family. Without the rains, it didn’t 5. ________________ (seam/seem) possible to grow another crop this season. Despite his worries, he smiled, knowing that every farmer hopes for the next 6. ________________ (rain/reign) by nature to bring life back to the land.
1. whether
2. piece
3. plain
4. sell
5. seem
6. rain
III Choose the correct meanings from the given options for the underlined words or phrases in the following sentences.
1. Being annoyed, she muttered something which nobody heard.
(i) spoke in a low voice (ii) spoke slowly (iii) spoke angrily
2. At the new work place, Riya felt forlorn for a week.
(i) upset and irritated (ii) angry and bitter (iii) sad and neglected
3. When all his friends had gone, he was at a loss because he did not know what to do.
(i) confused (ii) shocked (iii) lonely
4. When the little child saw her father, her eyes sparkled.
(i) glowed dimly (ii) showed joy (iii) opened wide
IV Match each word (adjective) in Column 1 with a word (noun) that collocates in Column 2. Write the adjective-noun collocation in Column 3. One example has been done for you.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. favourable | (iii) weather | favourable weather |
| 2. wrinkled | (iv) skin | wrinkled skin |
| 3. dejected | (vi) expression | dejected expression |
| 4. fragrant | (v) garden | fragrant garden |
| 5. ceaseless | (ii) activity | ceaseless activity |
| 6. beloved | (i) country | beloved country |
V Underline the verbs and identify the forms of tenses for the following sentences from the text.
1. Oh, it is hard not to be able to work…
2. …I am too old.
3. What are you smiling at, Amma?
4. But my son, that is what I am talking about.
5. The earth has worked for years, centuries…
6. I have worked hard and honestly.
The forms of tenses in the given statements are Simple Present Tense (1 and 2), Present Progressive Tense (3 and 4) Present Perfect Tense (5 and 6).
Now, fill in the blanks with the correct form of Simple Present, Present Progressive or Present Perfect tenses of the verbs given in brackets.
Ravi (i) __________ (be) a farmer who (ii) __________ (practise) crop rotation on his land. Each season, he (iii) __________ (plant) different crops to maintain the soil’s health. This year, he (iv) __________ (grow) legumes, which help restore the nutrients in the soil. Over the years, Ravi (v) __________ (learn) that planting the same crop repeatedly (vi) __________ (deplete) the soil, making it less fertile. By rotating crops, he (vii) __________ (keep) the land productive and fertile. He (viii) __________ (see) a noticeable improvement in his yields since adopting this method. Now, Ravi (ix) __________ (share) his knowledge with other farmers, explaining how crop rotation (x) __________ (benefit) both the soil and their harvests.
(i) is
(ii) practises
(iii) plants
(iv) is growing
(v) has learned
(vi) depletes
(vii) keeps
(viii) has seen
(ix) is sharing
(x) benefits
VI Study the highlighted words in the following sentences from the text.
The rains came all these years without any such consultations.
So many favourable conditions, but still no rain.
Every day they hoped that the rains would come.
But this year turned out to be different.
This is the first season in five, no, six years that I have not sown, nor ploughed.
We ought to talk to some astrologers.
I have only done what any hard-working farmer would do.
Velu looked at her, a little puzzled.
She takes care to give her children the rest they need…
Velu felt a cool breeze on his back.
The highlighted words or phrases that come before a noun but do not describe them are called determiners.
Common Determiners
| Type | Examples | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Articles | a, an, the | Introduce nouns. |
| Demonstrative Determiners | this, that, these, those | Point out specific items. |
| Possessive Determiners | my, our, your, his, her, its, their | Show ownership or relationship. |
| Definite Numeral Determiners | one, two, three | Show exact quantities. |
| Indefinite Numeral Determiners | some, any, no, all, much, many, few, less, several, little | Show quantities without exact numbers. |
| Distributive Determiners | each, every, either, neither | Refer to people or things individually or as choices. |
‘Some’ is used in affirmative sentences, while ‘any’ and ‘no’ are used in negative and interrogative sentences.
‘All’ refers to the entirety of a group.
‘Much’ and ‘many’ denote large quantities of uncountable and countable nouns, respectively.
‘Few’ indicates a small number, ‘less’ refers to a smaller quantity, and ‘several’ means more than two but not many.
‘Little’ means not much, ‘few’ means not many. Use ‘a little’ and ‘a few’ to convey a positive sense.
‘Each’ refers to individual items or people, ‘every’ refers to all items or people collectively.
‘Either’ means one of two options and ‘neither’ means not one of the two options.
Now, fill in the blanks by choosing the correct determiner from those given in the brackets.
It was 1. ________ (a/an) rainy afternoon, and 2. ________ (a/the) sky was thick with dark clouds. Mala noticed a large puddle quickly forming in front of 3. ________ (her/their) house. Excited, she called for her brother to join her, knowing that both of them always loved playing in 4. ________ (a/the) rain. While jumping from 5. ________ (some/one) puddle to another, Mala spotted 6. ________ (few/a few) snails slowly creeping along the wet sidewalk and pointed them out to her brother. With 7. ________ (each/every) jump, the sound of both 8. ________ (her/their) squeals and laughter was heard through the soft patter of raindrops. Though they were fully drenched 9. ________ (either/neither) siblings minded it. It had been a perfect rainy day.
1. a
2. the
3. her
4. the
5. one
6. a few
7. each
8. her
9. neither
Let us listen
I Listen to the weather forecast. As you listen, fill in the blanks with the exact word you listen to. (Transcript for teacher on page 204)
1. Delhi will mostly have a ___________ sky with light rain.
2. Moderate rain is likely to happen in ___________.
3. Kolkata is likely to have a maximum temperature of around ___________ °C.
4. There is a chance of a ___________ in Chennai.
5. Bengaluru will have a ___________ temperature of 29 °C.
6. Taking an ___________ is advisable because of the weather conditions.
1. cloudy
2. Mumbai
3. 34
4. thunderstorm
5. maximum
6. umbrella
Let us speak
I Here is a tongue twister about ‘weather’. Practice saying it as fast as you can.
Whether the weather be fine, or whether the weather be not, whether the weather be cold, or whether the weather be hot, we’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not.
II Rain has arrived after a long dry spell on the Earth. Imagine the Rain and the Earth have a conversation. Work in pairs and present the role-play.
You may use the hints in the table given below.
| Rain | Earth |
|---|---|
| Ask Earth how it has been. | Say that you are happy to see Rain. |
| Say that you enjoy being on Earth. | Ask how Rain feels about being on Earth. |
| Thank Earth for the invitation. | Invite Rain to join the celebration of rivers, forests and people. |
| Promise to return on time next year. | Explain how important Rain is for agriculture, plants and animals. |
| Speak about the journey from Earth to the sky and back. | Express gratitude for the gift of water. |
| Ask how Earth can use the rainwater. | Ask why Rain took so long to arrive. |
Sample Role-play
Rain: Greetings, Earth! It’s been a while since we’ve met. How have you been?
Earth: Hello Rain! I am so glad to see you. I was very dry and thirsty.
Rain: I am happy to be back. I have travelled a long way from the Earth to the sky and back again.
Earth: Your arrival brings great relief. My rivers, forests, plants and animals need you.
Rain: How will you use the gift of rainwater?
Earth: The water will fill rivers and ponds, support plants and help farmers grow crops.
Rain: I am glad to help. I promise to return on time next year.
Earth: Thank you, Rain. You are very important for life on Earth.
Let us write
I You have observed the difficulties faced by the people in your neighbourhood due to scarcity of water especially during the summer months. Write a letter to the Councillor of your Municipal ward, requesting her/him to set up a rain water harvesting unit. Provide suggestions to address the issue.
Remember to
- use formal language
- keep sentences short and to the point
- state the purpose clearly and concisely
- give relevant details
Format and Layout:
Sender’s address
Date
The Municipal Councillor (Receiver’s designation and address)
Subject: Request to Install a Rainwater Harvesting Unit in Ward No. 44
Dear Madam,
Paragraph 1: Drawing attention to the problem
Paragraph 2: Causes and Consequences
Paragraph 3: Request and Suggestions
Paragraph 4: Conclusion
Yours sincerely,
Signature of the sender
(Sender’s full name in brackets)
Body of the letter
Sample Answer
24 Green Park
Dehradun
20 September 2026
The Municipal Councillor
Municipal Ward No. 44
Dehradun
Subject: Request to Install a Rainwater Harvesting Unit in Ward No. 44
Dear Madam,
I am writing to draw your attention to the shortage of water in our neighbourhood, especially during the summer months. Many families face difficulty in getting enough water for their daily needs.
The problem becomes serious because rainwater is not properly collected and stored. Much of the rainwater flows away instead of being saved for later use.
I request you to install a rainwater harvesting unit in our ward. Rooftop rainwater can be collected and stored or directed into the ground. Awareness programmes can also be organised to encourage residents to save water.
I hope you will take suitable action soon for the benefit of the residents.
Yours sincerely,
Riya Sharma
Rainwater harvesting collects and stores rainwater for useful purposes.
Let us explore
I Rest is very important for us to function in a proper manner. Even the Earth needs rest. This is known as fallowing.
Read the facts given below related to fallowing:
- A fallow year refers to leaving the land without sowing for one, or several vegetative cycles.
- This is done to allow the land to recover its nutrients and retain moisture. It also helps to avoid spreading of diseases and controlling pests.
- The sustainable land management method has been applied for centuries, wherein a field is divided into two halves—one is planted with crops while the other remains unplanted. Then, the process is reversed in the following year.
Fallowing means leaving a field without crops for some time. This gives the soil a chance to recover its nutrients and moisture. It can also help in managing pests and diseases.
Crop rotation and fallow periods can help maintain soil health.
II Find out from your Vocational Education teacher about Agriculture as a vocation and other related vocations, such as horticulture, etc.
Agriculture is an important vocation. Related vocations include horticulture, dairy farming, poultry farming, beekeeping, floriculture and agricultural business.
Horticulture involves growing fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants.
III India’s rich tradition of meteorological knowledge includes indigenous forecasting systems, grounded in ancient wisdom. These provide sophisticated methods for predicting climate, calculating rainfall, and issuing early warnings.
References to rain and weather are found in numerous ancient texts, including the Rigveda, Shrimad Bhagavad, Parashara Samhita, Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, and Meghmala. These texts offer insights into rainfall patterns and seasonal changes.
India has a long tradition of studying weather and rainfall. Ancient texts contain information about seasons, rain and weather patterns.
IV Meteorological Services for Agriculture in India
The primary objective of the Agricultural Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department (IMD) is to minimise the impact of adverse weather on crops and to leverage crop-weather relationships to boost agricultural production.
In addition to forecasts and advisories, several other weather related services are also provided.
The Agricultural Meteorology Division of the IMD provides weather information and advisories to help farmers understand weather conditions and protect their crops.
Important Words and Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| crimson | deep red colour |
| crusted | formed a hard outer layer |
| forlorn | sad and neglected |
| consultations | discussions |
| dejected | sad and disappointed |
| bitterly | hurtfully |
| ceaseless | continuous |
Key Points to Remember
- Velu is a hardworking farmer.
- His village faces a long period without rain.
- The fields become dry, hard and cracked.
- Velu does not believe that astrologers can bring rain.
- He visits the weather office but gets no clear answer.
- He meets a wise old woman under a tree.
- The old woman explains that the earth also needs rest.
- Velu understands the importance of allowing land to recover.
- The clouds finally gather and rain begins.
- The story teaches us to respect nature and care for the soil.
- Fallowing is a farming practice in which land is left without crops for a period of time.
- Rainwater harvesting helps collect and save rainwater.
Prepare this worksheet to practise important questions and revision exercises from Chapter 12. It will help you understand the chapter, revise key concepts, and prepare effectively for tests and exams.
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