Compassionate Souls, My English Reader, Class VIII, DAV Board, The Best Solutions, Section- C

Section – C

C.1. Have you heard of the term ‘NGO’?

(a) Tick (✓) the correct full form of NGO from the options given below.

New Government Office

Non-Governmental Organisation  

New Governmental Offer

Answer – Non-Governmental Organisation

(b) Discuss in groups of four the objectives of NGOs and their areas of work.

Group Discussion – Objectives and Areas of Work of NGOs:

Objectives of NGOs:

• To work for the welfare of society.
• To provide help and services to the underprivileged and marginalized.
• To promote education, health, and basic rights.
• To raise awareness about environmental and social issues.
• To provide disaster relief and rehabilitation support.

Common Areas of Work:

• Child welfare and education
• Health and medical care
• Women empowerment
• Environmental protection
• Elderly care
• Disaster management
• Poverty alleviation
• Human rights advocacy

(c) Look at the list of the NGOs given below and collect information about them. Information about the Listed NGOs:

C.2. Now read the true story of a man who is an NGO in himself. A man of compassion, Dr Parameswara Rao decided to move out of his comfort zone to alleviate the sufferings of the poor people of his native village, Dimli.

Summary In English: Return Of The Native

“Return of the Native” is the story of Dr. Parameswar Rao, who gave up a lucrative job in the USA to serve the people of his native village, Dimli. Despite his family’s doubts, Rao followed his heart. Shocked to see children walking 10 miles daily to school, he decided to build a school in the village. With villagers’ help, he raised ₹70,000. However, the school lacked government recognition. Rao didn’t give up and eventually got approval after meeting the Governor. He later started adult education, improved farming practices, and empowered women. Today, the villagers admire him as a true social reformer—a real Good Samaritan.

हिंदी में :

“रिटर्न ऑफ द नेटिव” कहानी डॉ. परमेश्वर राव की है, जिन्होंने अमेरिका में एक अच्छी नौकरी छोड़कर अपने गाँव डिमली में समाज सेवा का निर्णय लिया। बच्चों को रोज़ 10 मील पैदल स्कूल जाते देख, उन्होंने गाँव में स्कूल शुरू करने का निश्चय किया। गाँववालों की मदद से ₹70,000 एकत्र किया गया। स्कूल को मान्यता नहीं मिली लेकिन राव ने हार नहीं मानी। अंततः राज्यपाल से मिलकर मान्यता प्राप्त की। उन्होंने व्यस्क शिक्षा शुरू की, किसानों को खेती के नए तरीके सिखाए और महिलाओं को आत्मनिर्भर बनाया। आज गाँववाले उन्हें भगवान समान मानते हैं।

Word Meanings

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Why did Dr. Rao return to India?
   A. To join a government job
   B. To be with his family
   C. To work for village welfare ✅
   D. To start a business
2. What was the first thing Dr. Rao decided to do in Dimli?
   A. Improve farming
   B. Build roads
   C. Start a school ✅
   D. Start a hospital
3. How far did children walk to school every day?
   A. 1 mile
   B. 2 miles
   C. 10 miles ✅
   D. 15 miles
4. Who helped arrange a meeting with the Governor?
   A. The Chief Minister
   B. A village head
   C. The Governor’s ADC ✅
   D. A journalist
5. What did the villagers call Dr. Rao?
   A. The Teacher
   B. The Social Worker
   C. A Government Officer
   D. Good Samaritan ✅

Short Questions and Answers

Q1. Why did Dr. Rao refuse the job in America?
Ans: He wanted to serve the people of his native village in India and work for their welfare.

Q2. What was the biggest challenge in starting the school?
Ans: The school initially did not receive government recognition.

Q3. How did Dr. Rao raise funds for the school?
Ans: He encouraged the villagers to contribute small and big donations to create a sense of ownership.

Q4. How did Dr. Rao help the farmers?
Ans: He taught them better farming techniques and how to reclaim wasteland for cultivation.

Q5. How did women benefit from Dr. Rao’s efforts?
Ans: He worked with them to find ways to earn extra income, making them more self-reliant.

C.3. On the basis of your understanding of the text, complete the following statements briefly.

(a) Dr. Parameswar Rao refused a job in the USA because
Answer – he wanted to work for the welfare of the people in his native village.

(b) His dream was to
Answer – serve his village and help improve the lives of its people.

(c) Rao’s brothers helped him
Answer – settle down in his ancestral home in Dimli.

(d) ______ became his first priority.
Answer – Establishing a school in Dimli became his first priority.

(e) Rao wanted everyone to contribute
Answer – so that they would feel the school was their own.

(f) For the people of Dimli, Rao is
Answer – a Good Samaritan who transformed their lives.

C.4. Why did Rao ask for contributions from the villagers for the school? Discuss in groups of four.

Answer – Rao believed that public participation would give villagers a sense of ownership and pride. He didn’t want to fund it alone because if people contributed—even in small amounts—they would care more and feel responsible for the school’s success.

C.5. HOTS

Can one serve one’s community, nation or people while staying in a foreign land? If yes, how?

Write down the various ways and means to serve the society.

Yes. Here are ways to serve society from a foreign land:

• Donate to NGOs or fund social projects.
• Raise awareness about social issues in India.
• Start educational scholarships for underprivileged students.
• Conduct online skill or language classes.
• Support Indian rural artisans or businesses.
• Volunteer with international humanitarian groups.
• Fund village infrastructure (sanitation, libraries, internet access).

C.6. Values – Dr Rao chose social service over a remunerative job of an Assistant Professor at the university and subsequently returned to his native village.

In groups of four, identify the qualities of his character that influenced his decision and write them below.

• Selflessness
• Visionary thinking
• Courage to follow dreams
• Strong sense of duty
• Dedication
• Empathy
• Leadership
• Determination
• Respect for roots

C.7. Life Skills – Dr Rao’s inspiring saga of service and sacrifice inspires one and all to the core.

Had you been in his place, what would you have done?

If I were in Dr. Rao’s place, I would also have returned to help my village. Maybe I would start a library, teach children, or work to provide clean drinking water. Serving others gives meaning to life.

C.8. Find words from the passage which mean the following.

(a) Giving a lot of money
Answer – Lucrative

(b) Belonging to one’s forefathers
Answer – Ancestral

(c) An important thing that must be attended to before other things
Answer – Priority

(d) Doubting that something is useful
Answer – Skeptical

C.9. The given words are similar in meaning to the main word selected from the text. Underline the meaning which you feel is correct as per the text.

(a) Persuaded — ✅ convinced

(b) Contribution — ✅ offering

(c) Sense — ✅ awareness

(d) Determination — ✅ will-power

(e) Yield — ✅ produce

C.10. Work in groups of four and discuss the following points.

Who are Good Samaritans?
Answer – People who help others selflessly, especially in distress.

What qualities make a person a good Samaritan?

• Compassion
• Selflessness
• Courage
• Empathy
• Kindness

Do they still exist?
Yes, though rare, many individuals and NGOs serve society without expecting anything in return.

Is the rapid change in our society leading to an increase in self-seeking individuals?
Unfortunately, yes, due to materialism and digital isolation. But awareness and value education can revive compassion.

Now organise a JAM (Just a Minute) session in the class. One student from each group will speak for a minute on the topic–’Decline of Good Samaritans’.  

JAM Topic: “Decline of Good Samaritans”
Students should speak for 1 minute about how materialism, competition, and lack of community bonding are making people less compassionate.

C.11. You have read about Dr Parmeswara Rao, who opened a school in a village and thus helped the children. Now listen about Hemant Chhabra, who helped village children by providing bicycles.

One word in each of the statements given below is wrong. After listening to the tape script, identify the wrong word, underline it and then write the correct word in the space provided.

(a) Hemant Chhabra has been helping the village children by providing them with education.
Incorrect Word: education
Correct Word: bicycles

(b) He is also known as the ‘Cycle Santa’.
Incorrect Word: Cycle
Correct Word: Bicycle

(c) His wife and children helped him in starting this project.
Incorrect Word: children
Correct Word: journalist friend

(d) He sent pamphlets to people asking them to donate their old bicycles.
Incorrect Word: pamphlets
Correct Word: emails

(e) He was discouraged by the initial response.
Incorrect Word: discouraged
Correct Word: encouraged

(f) The rusted bicycles were given away to the village children.
Incorrect Word: given away
Correct Word: repaired

(g) The children were given bicycles on the basis of their age, attendance record and distance from school.
Incorrect Word: age
Correct Word: class performance

(h) His project has spread to other cities like Pune and Chennai.
Incorrect Word: Chennai
Correct Word: Delhi

C.12 – Letter Writing Task: Karan’s Letter on ‘We Care’ Project

44
B-204, Green Heights
Rohini Sector-9
New Delhi – 110085
12th June, 2025

Dear Rohan,

I hope this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits. I’m writing to share something close to my heart. Recently, I’ve started a small project named ‘We Care’, which aims to help the less fortunate children in our locality.

The main goal of this project is to provide basic school supplies, clothes, and food to underprivileged children. We are also planning to organize weekend classes and fun activities to help them learn and grow in a joyful environment. I believe every small act of kindness counts, and this initiative could bring a real difference in their lives.

I remember how you always wanted to contribute to society, and this is the perfect opportunity. I would love for you to join hands with me in this noble cause. Together, we can collect donations, conduct awareness drives, and even volunteer some of our time every week.

Let me know what you think. I’m really excited about this and would love to have your support. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

With warm regards,
Your friend,
Karan