Waiting for the Rain – Class 8 English Poorvi Question Answer (NCERT 2026–27)

Complete solutions for Class 8 English Poorvi Unit 4 (Environment) – the prose piece “Waiting for the Rain” by Kamakshi Balasubramanian: summary, theme, about the author, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Let us discuss, think and reflect, learn, listen, speak, write, explore) answered in full text. We keep the questions exactly as in the NCERT book, and write out every box, table, match and fill-in activity as readable text.

Class: 8 Subject: English Book: Poorvi Unit: 4 – Environment Type: Prose / Non-fiction (Story) Session: 2026–27
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About the piece

“Waiting for the Rain” is the prose piece of Unit 4, ‘Environment’. It is a gentle, thought-provoking story about Velu, a hard-working farmer whose land lies dry and cracked because the rains have failed for an entire season. Anxious and dejected, Velu searches everywhere for an answer – from astrologers to the weather office – but finds none. The turning point comes when a wise old woman, resting under a tree, helps him see that even the earth, like all of us, needs rest. The piece quietly teaches respect for nature’s rhythms and the value of patience.

About the author

Kamakshi Balasubramanian is an Indian writer and translator known for her simple, reflective storytelling that speaks gently to young readers. In “Waiting for the Rain” she takes an everyday rural worry – a farmer waiting for the monsoon – and turns it into a quiet meditation on the bond between people and the land. Through the conversation between Velu and the old woman, she shows nature not as a harsh master but as a caring mother who knows when to give and when to let her children rest. Her writing values kindness, observation and the wisdom that often comes from ordinary people.

Summary

Velu is a sincere farmer who has cultivated his own piece of land for nearly six years, harvesting jowar one season and dhal the next, never thinking of rest. But this year the rains do not come. At the end of summer the sky stays cloudless; days, weeks and months pass and still there is no rain. The fields lie untended, the earth hardens, crusts and cracks, and the farmers live entirely on hope.

When a neighbour suggests consulting astrologers, Velu disagrees – the rains had always come without such consultations. Instead he walks to the weather office in the city, but the officials there admit they too are at a loss: despite many favourable conditions, there is still no rain. Tired, thirsty and dejected, Velu rests in the cool shade of a large tree, where an old woman is also sheltering from the sun.

The old woman smiles even though there is nothing to smile about. When Velu pours out his sorrow – that he has worked hard and honestly yet is being punished – she gently suggests that perhaps he has worked too hard. She reminds him that the earth, too, works when he ploughs, sows and plants, and that it has worked for thousands of years. Nature, she says, is a mother to all; when the rains fail, the land is simply left undisturbed to rest, and when the rains return it will spring back, fresh and ready. Comforted, Velu walks homeward thinking about his beloved land breathing peacefully. As he nears the village, he feels a cool breeze, then a tiny drop on his shoulder. Clouds gather, the sky darkens, and the sweet, fragrant rain begins. Velu runs home, laughing and happy.

Theme, characters & message

Theme: The story explores the deep relationship between humans and nature and the idea that the earth, like every living thing, needs rest. Drought is shown not only as a hardship but as Nature’s way of letting the tired land recover.

Characters: Velu – a hard-working, honest and sincere farmer who is anxious during the drought but open-minded enough to learn; the old woman – a calm, wise and kindly figure who voices Nature’s wisdom.

Message: We should respect the rhythms of nature, be patient in hard times, and understand that rest and renewal are as important as constant work. Just as people need rest to stay healthy, the land needs fallow periods to regain its fertility.

Word meanings

WordMeaning
crimsona deep red colour
scannedlooked at carefully all over
encouraginggiving hope or confidence
cultivatedprepared and used land to grow crops
untendednot cared for or looked after
crustedformed a hard outer layer
barren(of land) unable to produce crops
forlornsad, lonely and neglected
astrologerspeople who study stars to foretell events
consultationsdiscussions to get advice
dejectedsad and disappointed
mutteredspoke in a low, unclear voice
wrinkledhaving lines or folds (skin)
sparkledshone brightly with joy
bitterlyin a hurt, resentful way
puzzledconfused, unable to understand
undisturbednot interrupted or troubled
ceaselesscontinuous, without stopping
fragranthaving a pleasant smell
till (the land)to dig or turn over soil for crops

Before you read

I. Have you ever waited for the rains? Why?   II. How do you feel when it rains after a long time?   III. Why do you think the farmers wait for the rains?   IV. Discuss in groups what happens when you wait for something for a long period (how you spend the time, what you think about, how you feel).

SAMPLE ANSWERI. Yes – during a hot, dry summer I waited eagerly for the rains so that the heat would ease, the air would turn cool and the dusty ground would turn green again.II. When it rains after a long time I feel fresh, relieved and joyful; the cool, earthy smell of the first rain lifts everyone’s mood.III. Farmers wait for the rains because their crops depend on water. Without rain they cannot plough or sow, the fields stay dry and barren, and their livelihood is at risk.IV. While waiting I keep myself busy with small tasks and stay hopeful; I think about whether the thing I want will finally come, and I feel a mix of impatience, anxiety and hope. (Share your own experience.)

Let us discuss

Part I – Complete the table (What was Said / Who Said)

I. Complete the table given below. One example has been done for you.

ANSWER1. “It doesn’t look encouraging.” – Said by: Velu  |  Said to himself: He looked up at the sky (example given).2. “The rains came all these years without any such consultations…” – Said by: Velu  |  Said to: the neighbour/villager who suggested talking to astrologers.3. “So many favourable conditions but still no rain.” – Said by: the people at the weather office  |  Said to: Velu (when he visited to ask about the rain).

II. Do you think the old woman would help Velu? If yes, why? If no, why not?

SAMPLE ANSWERYes, the old woman would help Velu. She is calm, wise and warm-hearted – she smiles kindly and calls him ‘my son’. Sensing his distress, she would share her understanding of nature and comfort him, even though she cannot bring the rain herself.

III. Will Velu’s wait continue or will it rain?

SAMPLE ANSWERIt will rain. After the old woman’s wise words, Velu walks home with a peaceful heart, and just as he reaches the village he feels a cool breeze and the first drops, with clouds gathering and thunder approaching – signalling that the long wait is finally over.

Part II – Complete the statements with reasons

I. Complete the following statements given below with suitable reasons.

ANSWER1. Velu asked the old woman to stop smiling because he felt there was nothing to smile about when there was no rain and the land lay dry and ruined.2. Velu said that it was hard not being able to work since for the first time in five or six years he could neither sow nor plough his land, and being idle was painful for such a hard-working farmer.3. Velu was confused when the old lady said that the land needed rest because he had never thought of the earth as something that worked and tired; he believed a farmer must keep working without a break.4. The old lady said that it was good for the land when it didn’t rain as the land was then left undisturbed to rest, and when the rains returned it would spring back, fresh and ready for the next crop.5. Velu ran home laughing and happy because the rains had finally arrived – he felt a cool breeze and raindrops, and saw the clouds gathering, ending his long, anxious wait.

Let us think and reflect

I.1. Extract – “…I can’t see how talking to astrologers will bring rain.” He decided to go to the weather office in the city… “We are at a loss ourselves!” they exclaimed. “So many favourable conditions but still no rain. Very odd!”

ANSWER(i) The first line tells us that Velu is rational and practical; he does not believe in superstition and trusts experience and natural causes rather than astrology to explain the rains.(ii) Velu is determined to seek information about the rain because he wants to find a practical solution to the drought affecting his farm.(iii) Expectation: Velu thinks the experts at the weather office will be able to tell him when the rain will come.  |  Outcome: The officials admit they too are at a loss – despite favourable conditions, they cannot say when it will rain.(iv) D. unpredictability of nature.

I.2. Extract – “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…”

ANSWER(i) Her soft tone and gentle smile tell us that she is calm, kind and wise; she wants to guide Velu patiently, without scolding or upsetting him.(ii) B. confused. (At that moment the advice puzzled Velu.)(iii) By calling Velu ‘my son’, the old woman shows affection and a motherly, caring attitude; she treats him with warmth and concern, like an elder guiding a child.(iv) The ‘difficulty’ that the old woman mentions is due to the fact that Velu cannot realise the earth is old and tired and, like every living thing, needs rest after years of constant cultivation.

II. Answer the following questions.

ANSWER1. The old woman conveys Nature’s wisdom gently and lovingly. Through a calm conversation, she explains that the earth also works when it is ploughed and sown, that Nature is a mother who gives her children the rest they need, and that the drought is simply the land resting before it springs back to life.2. The farmers could not tend their fields because, without rain, the soil had hardened, crusted and cracked. Dry, rock-hard earth cannot be ploughed, sown or planted, so the fields lay untended.3. Yes, the land needs rest like people do. Just as continuous work tires a human body and reduces its strength, constant year-round cultivation drains the soil of its nutrients and moisture. A fallow period lets the earth recover its fertility, so it can yield healthy crops again – exactly as the old woman suggests.4. Velu is shown to be hard-working, honest and sincere, but also anxious and emotional during the drought. At the same time he is rational (rejecting astrology) and open-minded – he listens to the old woman and is willing to change his thinking.5. The story suggests that farmers’ lives are completely dependent on nature, especially on timely rain. Their hope, work and worry all revolve around the seasons, showing a deep, almost spiritual bond between farmers and the natural world.6. Resting and caring for the land helps the soil regain nutrients and moisture, controls pests and diseases, and keeps the earth fertile. This balance between use and rest supports a healthy, sustainable ecosystem in which crops, water, soil and living things can all thrive over the long term.

Let us learn

I. Crossword (words related to weather and agriculture)

ANSWERAcross: 5. collected crops → HARVEST   |   9. prepare and use land for crops → CULTIVATE   |   10. turn up the field soil → PLOUGH   |   11. plant seed/s → SOWDown: 1. gentle wind → BREEZE   |   3. rumbling sound with rain → THUNDER   |   4. grains etc. grown in large quantity in fields → CROP(The picture-only clues 2, 6, 7 and 8 are solved using the textbook images; the word clues above give the lettered answers.)

II. Homophones – complete the paragraph

ANSWER1. whether   2. piece   3. plain   4. sell   5. seem   6. reign

III. Choose the correct meanings of the underlined words/phrases

ANSWER1. muttered → (i) spoke in a low voice2. forlorn → (iii) sad and neglected3. at a loss → (i) confused4. sparkled → (ii) showed joy

IV. Adjective–noun collocations

AdjectiveNounCollocation
1. favourable(iii) weatherfavourable weather (example)
2. wrinkled(iv) skinwrinkled skin
3. dejected(vi) expressiondejected expression
4. fragrant(v) gardenfragrant garden
5. ceaseless(ii) activityceaseless activity
6. beloved(i) countrybeloved country

V. Underline the verbs and identify the tense; then fill in the blanks

ANSWER – tenses of the given sentences1. “Oh, it is hard not to be able to work…” – Simple Present Tense2. “…I am too old.” – Simple Present Tense3. “What are you smiling at, Amma?” – Present Progressive Tense4. “But my son, that is what I am talking about.” – Present Progressive Tense5. “The earth has worked for years, centuries…” – Present Perfect Tense6. “I have worked hard and honestly.” – Present Perfect Tense
ANSWER – fill in the blanks (Ravi, the farmer)(i) is   (ii) practises   (iii) plants   (iv) is growing   (v) has learnt(vi) depletes   (vii) keeps   (viii) has seen   (ix) is sharing   (x) benefits

VI. Determiners – fill in the blanks

ANSWER1. a   2. the   3. her   4. the   5. one6. a few   7. each   8. their   9. neither

Let us listen

(You listen to a weather forecast and fill in the exact words you hear. The answers below are from the textbook transcript.)

ANSWER1. Delhi will mostly have a cloudy sky with light rain.2. Moderate rain is likely to happen in Mumbai.3. Kolkata is likely to have a maximum temperature of around 34 °C.4. There is a chance of a thunderstorm in Chennai.5. Bengaluru will have a maximum temperature of 29 °C.6. Taking an umbrella is advisable because of the weather conditions.

Let us speak

I. Tongue twister about ‘weather’ – practise saying it fast.

ANSWERPractise aloud: “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.” Say it slowly first, then build up speed, keeping the ‘w’ and ‘th’ sounds clear.

II. Role-play – a conversation between the Rain and the Earth after a long dry spell.

SAMPLE ROLE-PLAYRain: 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 had been waiting and resting under the hot sun. Why did it take you so long to arrive?Rain: I travelled far – rising as vapour from your seas, drifting across the sky as clouds, and now falling back to you. How can you use the gift I bring?Earth: Thank you for this precious water! I will soak it in to soften my soil, fill the rivers and wells, and help the crops, plants and animals live and grow. Rain is truly life for me.Rain: I enjoy being on the Earth, dancing on your fields and forests. Will you welcome me again next year?Earth: Of course! Come and join the celebration of our rivers, forests and people. Rain: Thank you for the invite – I promise to return on time next year. (Present in pairs with expression.)

Let us write

I. Write a letter to the Councillor of your Municipal ward, requesting her/him to set up a rainwater harvesting unit, with suggestions to address the water scarcity in your neighbourhood.

SAMPLE LETTER12, Green Park Colony
Ward No. 44
Chennai – 600 028
18 June 2026The Municipal Councillor
Ward No. 44, ChennaiSubject: Request to Install a Rainwater Harvesting Unit in Ward No. 44Dear Madam,I am a resident of Ward No. 44 and wish to draw your kind attention to the severe shortage of water in our locality, especially during the summer months.Every year the groundwater level drops sharply, taps run dry for hours, and families are forced to buy expensive tanker water. Wells and borewells in the area have almost no water left, and a great deal of rainwater is simply wasted during the monsoon as it runs off into the drains.I therefore request you to set up a community rainwater harvesting unit in our ward. Rooftop water from public buildings could be channelled into recharge pits, and residents could be encouraged, through awareness drives, to build small harvesting structures in their homes. This would refill the groundwater and ease our water problem.I am confident that this step will benefit hundreds of families. I look forward to your kind and early action in this matter.Yours sincerely,
R. Anand
(R. Anand) — (write your own name and details)

Let us explore

ANSWER / ACTIVITY NOTESI. Fallowing: ‘Fallowing’ means leaving land unsown for one or more growing seasons so that it can recover its nutrients, retain moisture, and avoid the build-up of pests and diseases. In this old method a field is split in two – one half is cropped while the other rests – and the process is reversed the next year. This is exactly what the old woman means when she says the land needs rest.II. Ask your Vocational Education teacher about agriculture as a vocation and related fields such as horticulture (growing fruits, vegetables and flowers), floriculture, sericulture and dairy farming. (Activity task.)III. India has a rich tradition of meteorological (weather) knowledge. Ancient texts such as the Rigveda, Shrimad Bhagavad, Parashara Samhita, Panini’s Ashtadhyayi and Meghmala contain insights into rainfall patterns and seasonal changes. (Reading/exploration task.)IV. The Agricultural Meteorology Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) provides forecasts and advisories to reduce the impact of bad weather on crops and to boost agricultural production. (Explore further at the IMD website.)

Extra questions

Short answer (30–40 words)

1. What did Velu grow on his piece of land?

ANSWERVelu cultivated his land season after season, harvesting jowar in one season and dhal in the next. He had worked it for nearly six years, ever since he got his own piece of land.

2. Why did Velu refuse to consult astrologers?

ANSWERVelu refused because he was practical, not superstitious. He pointed out that the rains had always come in earlier years without any such consultations, so he could not see how talking to astrologers would bring rain.

3. What did the people at the weather office tell Velu?

ANSWERThey told Velu that they were at a loss themselves. Even though there were many favourable conditions, there was still no rain, and they could not say when the sky would gather clouds and bring rain.

4. How did the drought change the appearance of the land?

ANSWERWithout rain the fields lay untended. The earth hardened, crusted and cracked, and the barren land looked forlorn. The farmers, unable to till the soil, lived entirely on the hope that the rains would come.

5. What signs showed that the rain was finally coming?

ANSWERAs Velu neared the village in the evening, he felt a cool breeze, then a tiny drop on his shoulder. The clouds were gathering in the distance, it was growing dark, and soon there would be lightning, thunder and fragrant rain.

Long answer (100–120 words)

6. How does the old woman change Velu’s way of thinking about the drought?

ANSWERAt first Velu sees the drought only as punishment for a hard-working, honest farmer, and being unable to work makes him angry and dejected. The old woman gently turns his thinking around. She tells him that perhaps he has worked too hard, and reminds him that the earth also works when it is ploughed, sown and planted, and has done so for thousands of years. Nature, she says, is a mother who gives her children the rest they need. When the rains stay away, the land simply lies undisturbed, resting, and when they return it springs back, fresh and ready. Comforted, Velu begins to see the drought as nature’s wise way of renewing the tired earth.

7. What is the message of “Waiting for the Rain” and how is it relevant today?

ANSWERThe story’s message is that nature has its own rhythm of work and rest, and we must respect it with patience instead of fighting it. Just as people need rest to stay healthy, the land needs fallow periods to regain its fertility. The constant, ceaseless cultivation that Velu is so proud of can actually exhaust the soil. This idea is very relevant today, when over-farming, chemical overuse and the demand for endless production are damaging soils worldwide. The story quietly urges sustainable farming – giving land time to recover, conserving water through methods like rainwater harvesting, and living in harmony with the environment rather than exploiting it.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Who is the author of “Waiting for the Rain”?

(a) Ruskin Bond   (b) Sarojini Naidu   (c) Kamakshi Balasubramanian   (d) R. K. Narayan

ANSWER(c) Kamakshi Balasubramanian.

2. What crops did Velu harvest on his land?

(a) Wheat and rice   (b) Jowar and dhal   (c) Maize and barley   (d) Cotton and sugarcane

ANSWER(b) Jowar and dhal.

3. Where did Velu go to find out when it would rain?

(a) To a temple   (b) To an astrologer   (c) To the weather office in the city   (d) To the city market

ANSWER(c) To the weather office in the city.

4. According to the old woman, what does the land do when the rains fail?

(a) It dies forever   (b) It rests and recovers   (c) It produces poison   (d) It must be sold

ANSWER(b) It rests and recovers.

5. How did the old woman address Velu while giving advice?

(a) ‘Sir’   (b) ‘My son’   (c) ‘Friend’   (d) ‘Farmer’

ANSWER(b) ‘My son’.

6. The colour of the rising sun at the start of the story is described as:

(a) golden   (b) crimson   (c) pale yellow   (d) silver

ANSWER(b) crimson (glowing crimson like fire).

7. Why couldn’t the farmers tend their fields?

(a) They were lazy   (b) The earth was hardened, crusted and cracked   (c) They had no seeds   (d) The fields were flooded

ANSWER(b) The earth was hardened, crusted and cracked.

8. Velu’s attitude towards consulting astrologers shows that he is:

(a) superstitious   (b) practical and rational   (c) careless   (d) fearful

ANSWER(b) practical and rational.

9. The word ‘dejected’ in the story means:

(a) excited   (b) sad and disappointed   (c) angry   (d) confused

ANSWER(b) sad and disappointed.

10. The central theme of “Waiting for the Rain” is that:

(a) farmers should give up farming   (b) astrology brings rain   (c) the earth, like all of us, needs rest   (d) cities are better than villages

ANSWER(c) the earth, like all of us, needs rest.
MCQ Answer Key: 1-(c), 2-(b), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(b), 6-(b), 7-(b), 8-(b), 9-(b), 10-(c).

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Velu went to the weather office to ask when it would rain.

Reason (R): He wanted a practical answer to the drought and trusted experts more than astrologers.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): The fields lay untended during the drought.

Reason (R): The hard, cracked earth could not be ploughed or sown without rain.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

3. Assertion (A): The old woman believed the drought was a complete disaster for the land.

Reason (R): She told Velu that the rest from rain allowed the tired earth to recover and renew itself.

ANSWER(d) A is false (she saw the drought as the land’s rest, not a disaster), while R is true.

4. Assertion (A): Velu was at first confused by the old woman’s advice.

Reason (R): He had never thought of the earth as something that works and needs rest.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

5. Assertion (A): Velu ran home laughing and happy at the end of the story.

Reason (R): The astrologers had finally promised that the rain would come.

ANSWER(c) A is true, but R is false – Velu was happy because the rain itself had begun, not because of any astrologer.

Exam tips

Always name the author Kamakshi Balasubramanian and the two key characters – Velu and the old woman. For the central message, link the title to the idea that the earth needs rest (fallowing). When answering ‘character’ questions about Velu, use words like hard-working, honest, rational, anxious, open-minded. Quote short phrases such as “Nature is a mother to all of us” to support your points and earn extra marks.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not confuse this prose piece with the other Unit 4 texts – “The Cherry Tree” (Ruskin Bond) and the poem “Harvest Hymn” (Sarojini Naidu). Do not write that astrologers or the weather office solved Velu’s problem – it was the old woman’s wisdom and nature itself. Avoid saying the land ‘dies’ in a drought; the story’s point is that it rests. Finally, remember the crops are jowar and dhal, not wheat or rice.

FAQs

Who wrote ‘Waiting for the Rain’ in Class 8 Poorvi?

The prose piece “Waiting for the Rain”, in Unit 4 (Environment) of Class 8 English Poorvi, is written by Kamakshi Balasubramanian.

What is the main message of ‘Waiting for the Rain’?

The story teaches that the earth, like every living thing, needs rest. A drought lets the tired land recover its fertility, so we should respect nature’s rhythms with patience instead of working the soil endlessly.

How does the old woman help Velu?

The old woman gently explains that the earth also works and needs rest. She compares Nature to a caring mother, helping Velu see the drought as the land resting rather than a punishment.

Why did Velu run home laughing and happy at the end?

As he neared the village, Velu felt a cool breeze and the first raindrops, and saw clouds gathering for thunder and rain. His long wait was finally over, so he ran home laughing with joy.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Poorvi textbook; summaries and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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