Class 8 English Chapter 14 – Magnifying Glass with easy NCERT Poorvi Notes and complete Book Solutions. Get simple explanations, important ideas, questions and answers, and revision material to understand the chapter and prepare effectively for tests and exams.

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Class 8 English Poorvi

Unit 5 – Science and Curiosity
Magnifying Glass

A magnifying glass helps us observe small objects more closely.

Complete Poem: Magnifying Glass

With this round glass
I can make Magic talk—
A myriad shells show
In a scrap of chalk;
Of but an inch of moss
A forest—flowers and trees;
A drop of water
Like hive of bees.

I lie in wait and watch
How the deft spider jets
The woven web-silk
From his spinnerets;
The tigerish claws he has!
And oh! the silly flies
The stumble into his net—
With all those eyes!

Not even the tiniest thing
But this my glass
Will make more marvellous
And itself surpass.
Yes, and with lenses like it,
Eyeing the moon,
‘Twould seem you’d walk there
In an afternoon!

Walter de la Mare

Chapter Summary

The poem “Magnifying Glass” by Walter de la Mare describes the wonderful things that become visible when we look at tiny objects through a magnifying glass.

The poet observes shells, moss, water, a spider and its web. A small piece of moss looks like a forest, while a drop of water looks like a hive of bees. The spider’s web and claws also become fascinating when seen closely.

In the final part, the poet imagines using powerful lenses to look at the moon. The moon appears so close that it seems possible to walk there in an afternoon.

The poem teaches us that careful observation can reveal wonderful details in ordinary things. It celebrates curiosity, imagination, science and the beauty of nature.

Important Vocabulary

Word	Meaning
myriad	A very large number of things
scrap	A small piece of something
moss	A small green plant that grows in damp places
deft	Skillful and quick
jets	Sends out quickly
spinnerets	Small organs of a spider that produce silk
tigerish	Like a tiger
stumble	To move or fall awkwardly
surpass	To become better or greater than something

Let us do these activities before we read

I Work in pairs. Answer the questions that follow the pictures given below. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. What is common in all these pictures?

All the pictures show things that can be observed closely or magnified.

2. Select the pictures you are familiar with.

I am familiar with pictures showing a magnifying glass, small objects, plants and insects.

3. Why do you think the people in the pictures need to use a magnifying glass?

They use a magnifying glass to see small objects and details more clearly.

4. What other instruments magnify objects?

A microscope, binoculars, magnifying spectacles and telescopes can magnify or help us see objects more clearly.

II If you have a magnifying glass, what would you like to use it for and why? Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

I would use a magnifying glass to observe leaves, insects and tiny patterns because it would help me discover details that I cannot normally see.

Let us read

Central Idea: The poem shows how magnification changes our view of ordinary things and helps us discover hidden beauty and wonder.

Let us discuss

I Complete the summary of the poem given below with suitable words from the poem.

The poem describes the magic of seeing the world through a 1. __________. It reveals how tiny things like 2. __________ and 3. __________ can appear vast and complex. Even a 4. __________ of water can seem like a hive of 5. __________. The poet is impressed at how the spider spins its 6. __________ from its 7. __________. The poem ends with the idea that, through lenses, the 8. __________ could seem within reach.

1. glass
2. shells
3. moss
4. drop
5. bees
6. web-silk
7. spinnerets
8. moon

II Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct answer from the brackets.

1. The main idea of the poem is the transformative power of __________ (wonders in nature/close observation) through the magnifying glass.

Answer: close observation

2. The tone of the poem is __________ . (wonder and curiosity/peaceful and emotional)

Answer: wonder and curiosity

3. The poem has __________ stanzas with __________ lines in each stanza. Hence, it is a quatrain. (four; six/six; four)

Answer: six; four

4. The rhyme scheme of the poem is __________. (ABCD; ABCB)

Answer: ABCB

III Pick examples from the poem for the following poetic devices.

1. Simile

“Like hive of bees.”

2. Alliteration

“flowers and trees”

3. Metaphor

“A forest—flowers and trees” compares the tiny patch of moss to a forest.

IV The poem is rich in visual imagery, painting vivid pictures of small, everyday things magnified into something grand.

1. In the line, ‘A myriad shells show in a scrap of chalk’, the magnifying glass reveals ______________________.

The tiny shell-like details or patterns hidden in the small piece of chalk.

2. In the line, ‘A forest—flowers and trees’ the poet uses the imagery of nature to emphasise ______________________.

how a tiny piece of moss can look like a large forest when magnified.

V Complete the following sentences with a reason.

1. The poet uses exclamation marks in lines, ‘The tigerish claws he has!’, ‘With all those eyes!’ and ‘In an afternoon!’ because it ______________________.

shows the poet’s excitement, surprise and wonder.

2. In the phrase, ‘Magic talk’ the poet uses personification to describe the magnifying glass because it ______________________.

makes the magnifying glass seem alive because it reveals hidden details as if it can speak.

3. Each stanza follows a repetitive pattern of introducing a small or ordinary object and then describing the extraordinary details revealed through magnification. This is because it supports the theme of __________ as the speaker reveals ____________.

It supports the theme of curiosity and observation as the speaker reveals hidden wonders in ordinary things.

4. In the final stanza the poet shifts from small, everyday objects being magnified to a celestial body like moon because __________.

he wants to show that lenses can help us observe even very distant objects and make the moon seem close.

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. With this round glass
I can make Magic talk—
A myriad shells show
In a scrap of chalk;
Of but an inch of moss
A forest—flowers and trees;

(i) Identify whether the following statement is true or false.

The poet uses his magical powers to make the round glass powerful.

Answer: False. The poet is describing the magnifying power of the glass in an imaginative way.

(ii) Select the line from the extract that expresses the presence of intricate patterns in ordinary objects.

Answer: “A myriad shells show / In a scrap of chalk;”

(iii) What does the comparison of ‘an inch of moss’ to a ‘forest’ suggest about the speaker’s view of the world through the magnifying glass?

It suggests that the magnifying glass makes tiny things appear large, detailed and full of life.

(iv) How does the poet feel about the ability of the magnifying glass to reveal hidden wonders?

A. Satisfied
B. Fascinated
C. Grateful
D. Determined

Answer: B. Fascinated

II Answer the following questions.

1. What is the significance of the spider in the poem?

The spider shows how fascinating ordinary creatures can become when observed closely. The poet notices its web, spinnerets, claws and eyes.

2. How might the speaker’s view of the natural world change if there was no use of a magnifying glass?

He might miss many tiny details and hidden patterns. The natural world would appear less detailed and less surprising.

3. Why does the poem end with the idea of the moon being within reach?

It shows the great power of lenses. They can make even a very distant object like the moon seem close.

4. What is the speaker’s attitude towards nature and the act of observation?

The speaker is curious, excited and fascinated by nature. He enjoys observing even the smallest details.

5. Which is your favourite part of the poem? Why?

My favourite part is the description of the moss as a forest because it shows how something very small can look wonderfully large through a magnifying glass.

Let us learn

I Fill in the blanks in the sentences with the words given in the box below.

woven stumble myriad surpass deft marvellous

With his 1. ____________ description, the author has written the story beautifully 2. ____________with fascinating details. When you read the story, you will surely enjoy the 3. ____________storytelling technique that attracts all kinds of readers. What makes the story interesting is the superb way of describing the 4. ____________emotions and feelings of the characters. The reader will 5. ____________upon the unexpected twists and turns that 6. ____________ all our understanding and make us wonder at the narrative power of the author.

1. deft
2. woven
3. marvellous
4. myriad
5. stumble
6. surpass

II The collective noun ‘a hive of bees’, is used in the poem. Match the phrases in Column 1 with suitable words in Column 2 to make collective nouns.

Column 1	Column 2	Answer
1. a swarm of	(i) ships	locusts
2. a constellation of	(ii) soldiers	stars
3. a grove of	(iii) dancers	trees
4. a troupe of	(iv) locusts	dancers
5. a battalion of	(v) trees	soldiers
6. a fleet of	(vi) stars	ships

III The poet uses the expression ‘eyeing the moon’ in the poem. Match the idiomatic expressions with ‘eye’ given in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. You may refer to a dictionary.

Column 1	Column 2	Answer
1. apple of one’s eye	(i) watch something or someone closely	(v) a person who is very precious or important
2. in the blink of an eye	(ii) act as if you do not see or notice	(iii) something that happens very quickly
3. keep an eye on something or somebody	(iii) something that happens very quickly	(i) watch something or someone closely
4. turn a blind eye	(iv) an overall look at something	(ii) act as if you do not see or notice
5. see eye to eye	(v) a person who is very precious or important	(vi) agree with each other
6. bird’s-eye view	(vi) agree with each other	(iv) an overall look at something

IV The poet uses the adjective form ‘tigerish’ in the poem by adding the suffix -‘ish’ to the noun ‘tiger’. In the same way, we can make adjectives by adding the suffix -‘ish’ to some nouns.

Choose the nouns to which you can add the suffix -‘ish’ to make adjectives.

girl glass book silk
boy water moon scrap

Answer: girl, boy

Examples: girlish, boyish.

Let us listen

I You will listen to a conversation between a father and daughter about lesser-known Indian inventions. As you listen, mark the four true statements from (1)–(6) given below. (Transcript for teacher on page 250)

The father is surprised by the fact that India was involved in the invention of radio broadcasting and fibre optics.
The daughter appears indifferent when learning the origins of the USB port.
The father shows little interest in the information about the origin of snakes and ladders.
The father was simply confirming all the facts shared by the daughter.
The daughter expresses pride and admiration for India’s role in global inventions.
The daughter is excited as she shares new discoveries about India’s contributions with her father.

Answers: 1, 3, 5 and 6

Let us speak

I When pronouncing /v/ and /f/, the lower lip lightly touches the edge of the upper teeth. Air flows through the small gap, creating a soft friction sound.

Note the difference between /v/ and /f/. When we pronounce words with /v/ sound, there is a vibration, whereas /f/ sound has no vibration. Both the sounds can occur in the beginning, middle, or at the end of words.

Read these words aloud with the help of your teacher.

Sound	Beginning	Middle	End
/f/	forest, flowers, from	deft, afternoon	of, itself
/v/	vase, valour, victory	even, marvellous	woven, hive

II If you could travel to space, which planet would you like to visit? Why? What preparations would you like to make? Speak about any five things that you would like to take along.

I would like to visit Mars because it is one of the most interesting planets. I would prepare by learning about space travel and safety. I would like to take:

A space suit
Food and water
A communication device
A camera
A scientific notebook

III If you could invent something, what would you like to invent and how? Give reasons for the choice of your invention. Speak about your wonder invention.

I would like to invent a small device that can clean polluted air. It would use special filters to remove harmful particles from the air. I would invent it because clean air is important for everyone’s health.

Let us write

I In a conversation, we communicate through dialogues. While writing a conversation, we need to ensure that the dialogues are engaging and serve a purpose.

Points to remember:

Mention where, when, and with whom the conversation is taking place.
Identify the word choice and tone—formal or informal.
Include key information, points of agreement and disagreement, etc.
Use words in brackets to express emotions or actions, such as (joyfully) (sits down).
You may use filler words like Uff, Er… , Ugh, etc.

Deepa and Asma, members of the Science Club have a conversation to take a decision about making a model for an upcoming Science Fair. Create this conversation between Deepa and Asma.

Deepa: Hi Asma! Our Science teacher mentioned that you have a wonderful idea for the Science Fair project.

Asma: (hesitatingly) Yes, I do. But I’m not sure if it is good enough.

Deepa: (encouragingly) Don’t worry. Tell me about it.

Asma: I was thinking of making a working model of the solar system.

Deepa: That sounds interesting. How will the model work?

Asma: I will use small balls for the planets and connect them to a motor so that they can move around the Sun.

Deepa: Wonderful! We can also add labels showing the names of the planets.

Asma: Good idea. We can also explain the movement of the planets during our presentation.

Deepa: Then let us make this model together.

Asma: (happily) Yes. I think our project will be both interesting and educational.

Let us explore

I Children with low vision may benefit from different types of visual aids, such as magnifying spectacles, stand magnifiers, hand-held magnifiers, and telescopes.

Magnifying glass used for close observation

Magnification helps people observe small details.

Easy Note: Magnifying spectacles are useful for close-up work such as reading and threading a needle. Stand magnifiers remain above an object and allow hands-free use. Hand-held magnifiers can be moved over printed material. Telescopes help people see objects that are far away.

II Did you know that telescopes also use lenses?

1. The largest telescope in India for studying celestial objects is located in the district of Nainital, Uttarakhand. Commissioned in 2016, it is maintained and operated by ARIES (Āryabhaṭa Research Institute of Observational Sciences).

This telescope helps scientists study objects in space. It is located in Uttarakhand and is operated by ARIES.

2. The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) is a high-altitude astronomy station located in Hanle, Ladakh, India. It is situated at an elevation of 4,500 meters (14,764 ft), and supports optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes.

The IAO is a high-altitude observatory in Hanle, Ladakh. Its high location provides suitable conditions for astronomical observations.

3. The largest, most powerful, and most complex telescope ever launched into space is the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA launched it on, 25 December 2021. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. To learn more, visit the link below.

James Webb Space Telescope. Image source: NASA.

The James Webb Space Telescope is a powerful space telescope. It was launched on 25 December 2021 and studies distant objects in the universe.

4. The Mauna Kea Observatory, astronomical observatory in Hawaii, US, that has become one of the most important in the world because of its outstanding observational conditions. The observatory is operated by the University of Hawaii and lies at an elevation of 4,205 metres (13,796 feet) atop the peak of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on north-central Hawaii island. The summit hosts a world-renowned collection of astronomical research facilities and large telescope observatories, including the Keck Observatory and Subaru Telescope, for optical, infrared, and submillimeter astronomy.

Mauna Kea is an important location for astronomy because it is high, dry and has stable airflow. These conditions are helpful for observing objects in space.

III Read about ancient Indian scholars.

1. One of the eminent astronomers of the ancient India was Āryabhaṭa. His work Āryabhaṭiyam, laid the groundwork for various astronomers to develop in subsequent centuries and continues to be an important work even today. Āryabhaṭa proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system centuries before Copernicus. He also gave a scientific explanation of lunar and solar eclipses.

Āryabhaṭa was an important ancient Indian astronomer and mathematician. His work contributed greatly to astronomy and included explanations of eclipses.

2. Varāmihira, the sixth-century CE astronomer, philosopher, and mathematician wrote the astronomical treatise Pañchasiddhāntika (Five Treatises), a compendium of Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Indian astronomy.

Varāmihira was a sixth-century scholar who contributed to astronomy, mathematics and philosophy. His Pañchasiddhāntika collected knowledge from several astronomical traditions.

3. The tenth-century CE mathematician-astronomer Bhāskarachārya II contributed significantly to the advancement of astronomical concepts. His works Siddhāntaśiromaṇi and Karaṇakutūhala, include compiled data on planetary positions, conjunctions, and eclipses.

Bhāskarachārya II was an important mathematician and astronomer. His works included information about planets, their positions, conjunctions and eclipses.

IV Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is an astronomical observatory.

Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.

Jantar Mantar in New Delhi contains large astronomical instruments used for precise calculations and measurements. It was built in 1724 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Five such observatories were built, with the others at Ujjain, Mathura, Varanasi and Jaipur.

Key Learning Points

Topic	Key Point
Magnifying glass	It makes small objects appear larger and reveals hidden details.
Observation	Careful observation helps us understand nature better.
Spider	The poem uses the spider and its web to show the beauty of tiny details.
Lenses	Lenses are used in magnifying glasses, microscopes and telescopes.
Telescopes	Telescopes help scientists observe distant objects in space.
Āryabhaṭa	An important ancient Indian astronomer and mathematician.
Varāmihira	An ancient Indian astronomer, mathematician and philosopher.
Bhāskarachārya II	An important mathematician-astronomer who studied planetary positions and eclipses.
Jantar Mantar	An astronomical observatory containing large instruments for measurements.

Very Short Revision

Who wrote the poem? Walter de la Mare.

What is the poem about? The wonders seen through a magnifying glass.

What does the moss look like? A forest.

What does the drop of water look like? A hive of bees.

What does the spider make? A web of silk.

What distant object is mentioned? The moon.

What is the main message? Careful observation reveals the hidden beauty of the world.

Prepare this worksheet to practise important questions and revision exercises from Chapter14. It will help you understand the chapter, revise key concepts, and prepare effectively for tests and exams.

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Class 8 English Chapter 14 – Magnifying Glass | NCERT Notes & Book Solutions