Page 127 - English_Spark_8

Listening Text

1. A Little Grain of Gold
The Magic of the Garden
In a garden lush and green,
A wondrous scene was to be seen,
A humble gardener’s heart was light,
As magic danced in morning light.
With a single seed gently sown,
A miracle in daylight shone,
From modest acts of care and love,
Greatness blooms like stars above.

2. What Do Mythologies and Folklore Do for Us?
Ruskin Bond is one of India's most beloved authors, known for his simple yet deeply touching stories about life in the hills.
His first novel, 'The Room of the Roof', was published in 1956. For his debut novel, Ruskin Bond received the John Llewellyn
Rhys Prize in 1957. In recognition of his literary contribution, Bond was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992
for his collection of short stories 'Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra'. Later, he received two of India's highest civilian awards—
the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhusan in 2014.

6. A Tiger in The House
One day, while strolling through the Terai jungle near Dehra, Grandfather stumbled upon a small tiger cub hidden among
the roots of a banyan tree. This little tiger, later named Timothy by Grandmother, was brought home and initially fed milk
from a bottle. As Timothy grew, his diet shifted to raw mutton and pigeons, and he soon became a beloved companion
to the family, especially enjoying playful interactions with Toto the monkey and a small mongrel puppy. However, as he
matured, Timothy’s wild instincts surfaced, leading to mischief and eventually his transfer to a zoo. During a visit to the zoo,
Grandfather was surprised to find that the tiger he thought he knew was actually a new, dangerous one, while the friendly
Timothy had passed away months earlier.
8. The Ashes that Made Trees Bloom

Once, a kind farmer couple had a little dog named Muko, whom they loved like their own child. One day, the dog led the
farmer to a hidden treasure of gold, making the couple wealthy. However, their greedy neighbour, hoping for the same
fortune, tried to force the dog to find treasure, but instead, found misfortune. The neighbour’s cruelty led to the dog’s
death, but the spirit of the dog continued to help the kind couple, bringing them even more luck. In the end, the kind
couple lived happily, while the wicked neighbor faced punishment for his greed.

9. Fir Tree
Aman : Hey, Neha! I was thinking about our recent vacation. Remember how excited we were about finally going to
that tropical resort?
Neha : Oh, absolutely! We were so focused on that trip and how perfect it would be.
Aman : And once we were there, we realized that it wasn’t exactly as we’d imagined. The weather was a bit
unpredictable, and some of the activities were overcrowded.
Neha : Yes, I remember feeling a bit disappointed at first. I had such high expectations that I didn't fully appreciate
the good moments we did have, like the beautiful sunsets and the time we spent relaxing by the pool.
Aman : Exactly. It’s like we were so focused on the idea of the perfect vacation that we missed out on enjoying the
small, special moments we experienced.
Neha : That’s true. It made me realise that sometimes we can overlook the enjoyment in the present while waiting
for a future that we think will be better.
Aman : Yeah, it’s a good reminder that even when things don’t go perfectly, there’s still a lot to appreciate in the here
and now.

English-8
English-8 127
127