What was Claribel's name among the crew?

A general pet loved by everyone

What job does Sven Olsen do on the space station?

He is one of the best construction men

What was the 150-pound bonus mentioned in the story?

A physical weight requirement — those under 150 pounds got a bonus for saving fuel

What did the narrator hear from Claribel before seeing her for the first time?

A long and involved pattern of melody

What was found to be wrong with the air on the space station?

The carbon dioxide levels were high

Part of the air purifier had frozen up during an eclipse causing oxygen levels to drop

Why did Claribel collapse in the space station?

She was affected by the low oxygen level when the air purifier failed

What was the first thing done to revive Claribel after she was found unconscious?

She was given a shot of oxygen from an emergency cylinder

What is the historical significance of miners carrying canaries underground as mentioned in the story?

Canaries sang better underground

Canaries were used to detect dangerous gases — they would die first warning miners of gas before humans were affected

Canaries could navigate in the dark

Why was Sven's bird an especially sensible choice for a space station pet according to the narrator?

Because she could help with construction

Because she weighed practically nothing needed tiny amounts of food and was unbothered by the absence of gravity

Because she was trained to detect oxygen levels

Because she had been specifically designed for space

What does "dovetailed" mean in the description of Sven's construction work?

Precisely fitted together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle

Why had the second alarm circuit not gone off when the air purifier failed?

The second alarm circuit was not yet connected up

The alarms had been switched off

The circuit had been deliberately disabled

What does "sheepish expression" mean in the description of the engineer Jim's face when he came back?

He looked embarrassed having discovered his own system had failed

What was the cause of the air purifier failure?

One of the station's rare eclipses by Earth's shadow caused part of the purifier to freeze

What does the narrator mean by "there was no day and night when you are floating in permanent sunlight"?

Because the space station orbited in permanent sunlight there were no natural day-night cycles

The station's lights were always on

What does "doubly safeguarded" mean in the final line of the story?

Protected by both the electronic alarm systems and Claribel as a biological oxygen-level indicator

Claribel sings twice as a warning

How does Claribel's collapse become the critical clue that saves the crew?

It seems unrelated to the air quality

Her collapse precisely replicates the function of a miner's canary — she is more sensitive to oxygen loss than humans and her fainting before the crew became symptomatic gave them the warning they needed

The crew had already noticed the air problem

The alarm system detected the issue first

What is the dramatic irony in the story regarding the air purifier and alarm systems?

The crew had invested half a million dollars in electronic air-safety systems — yet it was a small canary smuggled onto the station illegally that actually saved their lives — highlighting the irony of complex systems failing and simple nature succeeding

The electronic systems detected the problem

How does the author use the narrative detail about Claribel's zero-gravity flying abilities to enrich the story?

It establishes Claribel as a fully adapted member of the station's world — a living creature that has made the artificial environment her natural home — which deepens the emotional impact when she is later found unconscious

It shows Sven is an unusual person

It demonstrates the absence of gravity

What does the title "Feathered Friend" mean on multiple levels?

On the surface it refers to Claribel as the crew's bird pet / on a deeper level she is a literal lifesaver — a "friend" whose feathered sensitivity saved the crew from death

It is the name of the space station

How does the story build suspense around Claribel's collapse?

It tells us immediately what is wrong

The story withholds the cause of Claribel's collapse — showing the crew's confusion and failed revival attempts and the narrator's sluggish thinking — before the sudden breakthrough of recognition creates the story's climax

The collapse is not described in detail

What does the narrator's own feeling that "I could do with some of that oxygen" contribute to the story?

It plants a clue that the narrator too is being affected by low oxygen — his sluggish thinking earlier was also a symptom — which retrospectively shows how close they all were to danger

It shows the narrator is greedy

What does the story suggest about the value of biological indicators over purely technological systems?

Biological life forms can detect environmental changes at a physiological level before human-made instruments fail — making nature's own warning systems sometimes more reliable than expensive technology

Technology and biology are equally unreliable

Only very advanced technology can detect air problems

How does Arthur C. Clarke use the domestic detail of the narrator's office and the crew's breakfast routine to ground the science fiction setting?

By embedding the alien environment of a space station in familiar routines — offices breakfasts watches nagging headaches — Clarke makes the extraordinary setting feel lived-in and human amplifying the shock when the ordinary routine reveals a life-threatening crisis

The domestic details are irrelevant

What does the story suggest about the relationship between human technological achievement and the limits of that achievement?

No matter how sophisticated the technology — worth half a million dollars — it remains vulnerable to failure and sometimes the simplest oldest biological mechanism — a canary detecting low oxygen — proves more reliable and essential

Technology is entirely unreliable

Biological systems are always better

How does the illegal status of Claribel — smuggled onto the station — add meaning to the story?

The fact that a rule-breaking act — smuggling a canary — led directly to saving the entire crew raises the question of whether strict regulations always serve safety — and whether nature's solutions sometimes override human systems

It shows space stations have too many rules

What philosophical point does the final line of the story — about hearing birdsong in a space station being a sign of being doubly safeguarded — make?

It suggests that combining the best of nature's biological indicators with human technology creates a more complete safety system than either could achieve alone

Space stations should ban technology

How does the story function as a comment on the role of animals and nature in an increasingly technological human world?

Animals have no role in technology

By making a simple canary the literal saviour in a high-tech space environment the story argues that natural creatures remain irreplaceable partners in human life — even in the most artificial environments

The story argues animals should not be in space

The story argues technology always wins

What are the multiple ways in which Claribel functions in the story beyond simply being a pet?

She is a source of joy and music for the crew / She represents life and nature brought into an artificial environment / She serves as a biological oxygen sensor that saves the crew / She embodies the idea that nature's simplest solutions can outperform complex technology

NCERT Solutions Class 8 English - Poorvi Chapter 5.1 – Feathered Friend

Name: Feathered Friend – Class 8 English - Poorvi
Uploaded: 2026-07-23T08:36:42+00:00
Description: The story follows Sven Olsen, a space worker who secretly brings his pet canary, Claribel, to the space station. Claribel helps alert the crew to a dangerous air shortage, saving everyone’s lives.

Class 8 English - Poorvi

Last Updated: 23 July 2026

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Chapter Introduction

The story follows Sven Olsen, a space worker who secretly brings his pet canary, Claribel, to the space station. Claribel helps alert the crew to a dangerous air shortage, saving everyone’s lives.

हिंदी में (Hindi)

कहानी में अंतरिक्षकर्मी स्वेन ओल्सन अपने पालतू तोते, क्लैरिबेल, को अंतरिक्ष स्टेशन लाते हैं। क्लैरिबेल हवा की कमी का संकेत देकर सभी की जान बचाती है।

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Important Points

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Practice MCQ Questions (33 questions)

Q1. What type of bird is Claribel?

Q2. Who is the owner of Claribel?

Q3. Where does the story take place?

Q4. What colour is Claribel?

Q5. How did Sven bring Claribel to the space station?

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Tough Words (Glossary)

regulation

Meaning: An official rule or law

अर्थ: नियम / विनियम

"The new regulation bans smoking in public places."

forbids

Meaning: Prohibits, does not allow

अर्थ: निषेध करना

"The teacher forbids cheating during exams."

wiry

Meaning: Thin but strong

अर्थ: दुबला-पतला लेकिन मजबूत

"The wiry man climbed the wall easily."

qualify

Meaning: To meet the required standard

अर्थ: योग्यता प्राप्त करना

"She worked hard to qualify for the competition."

slim

Meaning: Thin in an attractive way

अर्थ: पतला

"He had a slim chance of winning the race."

excelled

Meaning: Did very well

अर्थ: श्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन किया

"She excelled in her exams."

assorted

Meaning: Of different kinds

अर्थ: विविध / मिश्रित

"The box contained assorted chocolates."

dovetailed

Meaning: Fitted perfectly together

अर्थ: ठीक से मेल खाना

"The carpenter dovetailed the joints neatly."

garb

Meaning: Clothing, especially unusual clothes

अर्थ: वेशभूषा

"The priest wore a religious garb."

handiwork

Meaning: Something made skillfully by hand

अर्थ: हस्तकला / काम

"The embroidery was her finest handiwork."

psychologist

Meaning: A person who studies the human mind

अर्थ: मनोवैज्ञानिक

"The psychologist helped the child overcome fear."

cubbyhole

Meaning: A small, cramped space

अर्थ: छोटा कमरा / कोना

"He worked in a tiny cubbyhole of an office."

melody

Meaning: A sequence of musical notes

अर्थ: संगीत की धुन

"The song had a sweet melody."

motionless

Meaning: Without movement

अर्थ: अचल / स्थिर

"The statue stood motionless in the square."

leisurely

Meaning: Unhurried, relaxed

अर्थ: आराम से / धीरे-धीरे

"They enjoyed a leisurely walk in the park."

smuggled

Meaning: Brought secretly without permission

अर्थ: तस्करी करना / चोरी-छिपे लाना

"He smuggled chocolates into the hostel."

curiosity

Meaning: Desire to know or learn

अर्थ: जिज्ञासा

"The book aroused his curiosity."

concealing

Meaning: Hiding from view

अर्थ: छिपाना

"She was concealing a letter in her bag."

ventilating

Meaning: Allowing fresh air to enter

अर्थ: हवा आने-जाने देना

"The ventilating system keeps the room cool."

fitful

Meaning: Not regular, disturbed

अर्थ: टूट-टूट कर / अस्थिर

"He had a fitful sleep last night."

vacant

Meaning: Empty, not filled

अर्थ: खाली

"There was only one vacant seat in the bus."

distressed

Meaning: Feeling very upset or worried

अर्थ: व्यथित / परेशान

"She was distressed after hearing the news."

mournfully

Meaning: Sadly, in a sorrowful way

अर्थ: दुखपूर्वक

"He spoke mournfully about his loss."

apologetically

Meaning: In a way that shows regret

अर्थ: माफी मांगते हुए

"He smiled apologetically for being late."

revived

Meaning: Brought back to life or consciousness

अर्थ: पुनर्जीवित होना

"The patient revived after treatment."

lamented

Meaning: Expressed grief or sorrow

अर्थ: शोक व्यक्त करना

"The poet lamented the loss of youth."

sluggish

Meaning: Slow-moving, lacking energy

अर्थ: सुस्त

"He felt sluggish after the long journey."

inexplicable

Meaning: Impossible to explain

अर्थ: अव्याख्येय

"The mystery was inexplicable."

sheepish

Meaning: Embarrassed or shy

अर्थ: शर्मिंदा

"He gave a sheepish smile after the mistake."

safeguarded

Meaning: Protected from harm

अर्थ: सुरक्षित करना

"The system safeguarded the data from hackers."

NCERT Solutions Class 8 English - Poorvi Chapter 5.1 – Feathered Friend

Chapter Introduction

Watch Video Lecture

Important Points

Practice MCQ Questions (33 questions)

Q1. What type of bird is Claribel?

Q2. Who is the owner of Claribel?

Q3. Where does the story take place?

Q4. What colour is Claribel?

Q5. How did Sven bring Claribel to the space station?

Q6. What was Claribel's name among the crew?

Q7. What job does Sven Olsen do on the space station?

Q8. What was the 150-pound bonus mentioned in the story?

Q9. What did the narrator hear from Claribel before seeing her for the first time?

Q10. What was found to be wrong with the air on the space station?

Q11. Why did Claribel collapse in the space station?

Q12. What was the first thing done to revive Claribel after she was found unconscious?

Q13. What is the historical significance of miners carrying canaries underground as mentioned in the story?

Q14. Why was Sven's bird an especially sensible choice for a space station pet according to the narrator?

Q15. What does "dovetailed" mean in the description of Sven's construction work?

Q16. Why had the second alarm circuit not gone off when the air purifier failed?

Q17. What does "sheepish expression" mean in the description of the engineer Jim's face when he came back?

Q18. What was the cause of the air purifier failure?

Q19. What does the narrator mean by "there was no day and night when you are floating in permanent sunlight"?

Q20. What does "doubly safeguarded" mean in the final line of the story?

Q21. How does Claribel's collapse become the critical clue that saves the crew?

Q22. What is the dramatic irony in the story regarding the air purifier and alarm systems?

Q23. How does the author use the narrative detail about Claribel's zero-gravity flying abilities to enrich the story?

Q24. What does the title "Feathered Friend" mean on multiple levels?

Q25. How does the story build suspense around Claribel's collapse?

Q26. What does the narrator's own feeling that "I could do with some of that oxygen" contribute to the story?

Q27. What does the story suggest about the value of biological indicators over purely technological systems?

Q28. How does Arthur C. Clarke use the domestic detail of the narrator's office and the crew's breakfast routine to ground the science fiction setting?

Q29. What does the story suggest about the relationship between human technological achievement and the limits of that achievement?

Q30. How does the illegal status of Claribel — smuggled onto the station — add meaning to the story?

Q31. What philosophical point does the final line of the story — about hearing birdsong in a space station being a sign of being doubly safeguarded — make?

Q32. How does the story function as a comment on the role of animals and nature in an increasingly technological human world?

Q33. What are the multiple ways in which Claribel functions in the story beyond simply being a pet?