NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Unit 7 A Visit to Cambridge

The A Visit to Cambridge question answer guide is designed to help students understand important values like courage, confidence, and intelligence. This chapter is based on a real-life meeting between Firdaus Kanga, a writer with a physical disability, and Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest scientists in the world. Through the A Visit to Cambridge Class 8 questions and answers, students learn that physical limitations cannot stop a person from dreaming big and achieving success. The story shows how positive thinking, strong willpower, and knowledge can help people overcome challenges in life. The explanations are written in very simple and clear language, so students can easily understand the message of the lesson. Even younger learners from Class 4 or Class 7 can enjoy this inspiring chapter and learn valuable life lessons about respect, determination, and self-belief.

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Class 8 English Unit 7 A Visit to Cambridge Questions Answers

Which is the right sentence?
Question 1. “Cambridge was my metaphor for England.” To the writer,
(i) Cambridge was a reputed university in England.
(ii) England was famous for Cambridge.
(iii) Cambridge was the real England.
Solution : (iii) Cambridge was the real England.

Question 2. The writer phoned Stephen Hawking’s house
(i) from the nearest phone booth.
(ii) from outside a phone booth.
(iii) from inside a phone booth.
Solution : (ii) from outside a phone booth.

Read More: NCERT Solution for Class 8 English Chapter 1

Question 3. Every time he spoke to the scientist, the writer felt guilty because
(i) he wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask.
(ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.
(iii) he was face to face with a legend.
Solution : (ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.

Question 4. “I felt a huge relief… in the possibilities of my body.” In the given context, the highlighted words refer to
(i) shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.
(ii) standing up, walking.
(iii) speaking, writing.
Solution : (i) shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 2

Working with Text
Answer the following Questions :
Question 1.
(i) Did the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous? If so, why?
(ii) Did he at the same time feel very excited? If so, why?

Solution :
(i) Yes, the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous because Stephen Hawking was the ablest scientist on the earth. He was the worthy author of world renouned book “A Brief History of Time”. He had become the successor to Issac Newton at the University of Cambridge. Meeting with such a great personality made the writer nervous.

(ii) Yes, he felt excited at the same time because it made him stronger to see somebody like him achieving something huge. This made him aware of the many possibilities present before him, thereby helping him to reach out further than he ever thought he could.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 3

Question 2. Guess the first put to the scientist by the writer.
Solution : The writer might have asked the scientist if he had been brave to reach where he had.

Question 3. Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve had no choice.” Does the writer think there was a choice? What was it?
Solution : The writer thought that there was a choice. Stephen Hawking could have chosen to leave everything, and be sad and depressed. He could have sulked. However, he chose to live creatively knowing the reality of his disintegrating body.<

Question 4. “I could feel his anguish.” What could be the anguish?
Solution : Stephen Hawking’s mind was active with many thoughts that he wanted to express. However, his thoughts came out in phrases, without reflecting his feelings or emotions. His sentences were mere lines, without any sentiment. The writer felt he could understand his anguish and frustration at that.

Question 5. What endeared the scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world?
Solution : The writer asked Stephen Hawking if he found it annoying that someone like him came and disturbed him in his work. To this query, the scientist replied in the affirmative, frankly and honestly. Then, he smiled his one-way smile and this was what endeared him to the writer. The writer felt that he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world.

Question 6. Read aloud the description of ‘the beautiful’ man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the description?
Solution : The sentence describing the inner glow of Hawking’s personality which makes his physical looks irrelevant is probably one of the most beautiful descriptions of beauty.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 4

Question 7.
(i) If ‘the lantern’ is the man, what would its ‘walls’ be?
(ii) What is housed within the thin walls?
(iii) What general conclusion does the writer draw from this comparison?
Solution :
(i) If the lantern is man, its ‘walls’ is the human boy.
(ii) Light of life is housed within the thin walls
(iii) The writer draws a general conclusion that inside our body is the eternal soul. Everything else is an accessory.

Question 8. What is the scientist’s message for the disabled?
Solution : The scientists Stephen Hawking’s message for the disabled they should concentrate on what they are good at. They should make the best use of them and thanks God.

Question 9. Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident? Which idea does it support?
Solution : When Stephen Hawking said that things such as disabled Olympics were a waste of time, the writer agreed with him. He remembered the years which he spent trying to play a Spanish guitar that was considerably larger than he was. He was very happy when he unstringed it one night. It supports Stephen Hawking’s idea that the disabled should only concentrate on what they are good at, and not take up things unnecessarily.

Question 10. The writer expresses his great gratitude to Stephen Hawking. What is the gratitude for?
Solution : The writer expressed his gratitude to Stephen Hawking because he had been an inspiration for him. He saw Stephen as the embodiment of his bravest self. He felt that if he had been as brave as Stephen, he would have achieved a lot. He felt he was moving towards that embodiment that he had believed in for many years. That is why he expressed his greatest gratitude to him as he had made him realise what great heights he could reach.

Question 11. Complete the following sentences taking their appropriate parts from both the boxes below. (i) There was his assistant on the line …
(ii) You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, …
(iii) There he was, …
(iv) You look at his eyes which can speak, …
(v) It doesn’t do much good to know …

A	B
tapping at a little switch in his hand	trying to find the words on his computer
and I told him	I had come in a wheelchair from India
that there are people	on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque
as if you have a courage account	smiling with admiration to see you breathing still
and they are saying something huge and urgent	it is hard to tell what

Solution :
(i) There was his assistant on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India.
(ii) You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, as if you have a courage account on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
(iii) There he was, tapping at a little switch in his hand trying to find words on his computer.
(iv) You look at his eyes which can speak, and they are saying something huge and urgent − it is hard to tell what.
(v) It doesn’t do much good to know that there are people smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 5

Working with Language
Question 1.
 Fill in the blanks in the sentences below using the appropriate forms of the words given in the following box.
(i) I met a _____ from an antique land.
(ii) I need special _____ in mathematics. I can’t count the number of times I have failed in the subject.
(iii) The guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy _____ to Issac Newton.
(iv) His other problems _____ into insignificance beside this unforeseen mishap.
(v) The meeting was _____ by the youngest member of the board.
(vi) Some people say ‘yours _____’ when they informally refer to themselves.
(vii) I wish it had been a _____ match. We would have been spared the noise of celebrations, at least.

Solution :
(i) I met a traveller from an antique land.
(ii) I need special guidance in mathematics. I can’t count the number of times I have failed in the subject.
(iii) The guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy successor to Isaac Newton.
(iv) His other problems paled into insignificance beside this unforeseen mishap.
(v) The meeting was chaired by the youngest member of the board.
(vi) Some people say ‘yours truly’ when they informally refer to themselves.
(vii) I wish it had been a drawn match. We would have been spared the noise of celebrations, at least.

Question 2. Make six phrases using the words given in the box.

read/session	Smile/face	Remove/chair
walk/tour	dance/doll	Win/chance

Solution :
(i) Reading session
(ii) Smiling face
(iii) Revolving chair
(iv) Walking tour
(v) Dancing doll
(vi) Winning chance

Question 3. Use all or both in the blanks. Tell your partner why you chose one or the other.
(i) He has two brothers. _______ are lawyers.
(ii) More than ten persons called. _______ of them wanted to see you.
(iii) They _______ cheered the team.
(iv) _______ her parents are teachers.
(v) How much have you got? Give me _______ of it.
Solution :
(i) He has two brothers. Both are lawyers.
(ii) More than ten persons called. All of them wanted to see you.
(iii) They all cheered the team.
(iv) Both her parents are teachers.
(v) How much have you got? Give me all of it.

Question 4. Complete each sentence using the right form of the adjective given in brackets.
(i) My friend has one of the _______ cars on the road. (fast)
(ii) This is the _______ story I have ever read. (interesting)
(iii) What you are doing now is _______ than what you did yesterday. (easy)
(iv) Ramesh and his wife are both _______. (short)
(v) He arrived _______ as usual. Even the chief guest came _______ than he did. (late, early)
Solution :
(i) My friend has one of the fastest cars on the road.
(ii) This is the most interesting story I have ever read.
(iii) What you are doing now is easier than what you did yesterday.
(iv) Ramesh and his wife are both short.
(v) He arrived late as usual. Even the chief guest came earlier than he did.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 6

Introduction to the Story of Two Heroes

"A Visit to Cambridge" is a story written by Firdaus Kanga. He is a writer and a journalist from Mumbai. Firdaus was born with "brittle bones" that tended to break easily when he was a child. Like him, the person he went to meet, Stephen Hawking, also used a wheelchair. Stephen Hawking was one of the greatest scientists in the world. He lived in Cambridge and was a very brilliant person who studied the stars and the universe.

In this a visit to cambridge question answer section, we see how these two men talked about their lives. They didn't talk about being sad. Instead, they talked about how to live life to the fullest. It's a very moving story that teaches us to respect everyone and to look at the strength inside a person's mind.

The Meeting at Cambridge University

When Firdaus Kanga was walking through Cambridge, his guide mentioned that Stephen Hawking lived there. Firdaus immediately called Hawking's house. To his surprise, the assistant allowed him to meet the great scientist for half an hour. This meeting changed the way Firdaus looked at the world.

During the talk, Stephen Hawking spoke using a computer. He couldn't speak with his voice, so he tapped a little switch in his hand to choose words on a screen. The computer then spoke for him in a machine-like voice.

A Visit to Cambridge Question Answer: Textbook Solutions

Q1: Which is the right sentence? "Cambridge was my metaphor for England." This means:

(i) Cambridge was a famous city in England.

(ii) To the writer, Cambridge was the same as England.

(iii) Cambridge was the most important place in the world.

Answer: (ii) To the writer, Cambridge was the same as England.

Q2: Why did the writer feel guilty every time he spoke to Stephen Hawking?

The writer felt guilty because he was forcing Hawking to use his little switch to speak. Hawking was already very tired, and searching for words on the computer was hard work for him. The writer felt he was disturbing the great man's peace.

Q3: What did Stephen Hawking say was the best thing about being disabled?

Hawking said that he didn't think there was anything good about it. However, he did agree that it makes you realize how much kindness there is in the world.

Q4: Did the writer find Hawking a happy person?

Yes, the writer felt that Hawking was very calm and strong from the inside. Even though he had many difficulties, he was not complaining about his life.

Q5: What advice did Hawking give to disabled people?

He said that they should focus on what they are good at. He thought that things like the "Disabled Olympics" were a waste of time and that people should do things they truly love and can do well.

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Important Points to Remember

To help you with your exams, we have added some a visit to cambridge question answer extra bits that are not in the main textbook but are very useful:

• The Lantern Analogy: The writer compares a person's body to a lantern and the soul inside to the light. He says the body might be thin or broken, but the soul is what really matters.

• The Silent Conversation: Most of the time, Hawking was silent because the machine took time to talk. But the writer could feel his big heart and his smart mind.

• The Departure: When the meeting ended, the writer couldn't kiss Hawking or cry. He just touched his shoulder and wheeled out. He looked back and saw a man who was a symbol of hope.

If you want to keep these notes on your phone, you should look for a visit to cambridge question answer pdf download. Having a PDF makes it easy to study when you are traveling or sitting in a park.

Why This Story is Special for Students

This story teaches us "Empathy." Empathy means trying to understand how someone else feels. 

The a visit to cambridge question answer class 8 notes show us that Stephen Hawking was the successor to Isaac Newton. He held the same position at the University. This shows that your physical health has nothing to do with how smart you can be.

Simple Summary for Younger Students

If you are in class 4 or class 7, here is a tiny summary:

A man named Firdaus went to a famous school in England. He met a very smart scientist named Stephen Hawking. Both men used wheelchairs. They talked about life and being happy. Firdaus felt very inspired after meeting Hawking because he realized that his own life was also full of possibilities.

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Benefits of PW Class 8 Study Material

Benefits of PW Class 8 Study Material

Strong Concept Clarity
PW Class 8 study material explains every topic in simple language, helping students clearly understand concepts instead of rote learning.

NCERT-Focused Content
The material is strictly based on the NCERT syllabus, making it perfect for school exams and regular revisions.

Easy Notes and Visual Learning
Well-structured notes, diagrams, and examples make learning interesting and easy to remember.

Practice Questions with Solutions
Chapter-wise questions and detailed solutions help students improve accuracy and confidence.

Builds a Strong Foundation
Regular use of PW study material strengthens basics and prepares students well for higher classes.

Class 8 English Unit 7 A Visit to Cambridge FAQs

1. Who is the author of 'A Visit to Cambridge'?

The author is Firdaus Kanga. He is a famous Indian writer who also uses a wheelchair.

2. How did Stephen Hawking talk?

He used a special computer. He would press a button with his finger to select words, and the computer would speak the words out loud.

3. Why is the chapter named 'A Visit to Cambridge'?

Because the meeting took place at Cambridge University in England, where Stephen Hawking lived and worked.

4. What is the main message of this story?

The message is that we should focus on our strengths and be brave. We should never feel sad about what we cannot do, but celebrate what we can do.