Class 8 · English · New NCERT
Chapter 2: A Concrete Example
"A Concrete Example" is a poem by Reginald Arkell. The preface says it highlights irony and satire in everyday situations: a rock garden may be a thing of beauty for one person and unnoticed by another. At about ten pages with its activities, it is a compact chapter. Students read the poem aloud, notice its humour and tone, discuss how the poet gently mocks and compare differing views of the same thing. It gives practice with literary devices, one of the book's curricular goals, and invites students to write a few lines on an everyday irony of their own.
This is chapter 2 of 15 in Poorvi, the Class 8 English textbook, in Unit 1, Wit and Wisdom, and begins on page 17 of the printed 2026-27 book. It follows "The Wit that Won Hearts" and is followed by "Wisdom Paves the Way".
Teachers can use "A Concrete Example" to build confidence as well as vocabulary. Short, repeated tasks, pair talk, role-play and choral reading help children who are shy about speaking English. The book's sections (the Let us discuss, Let us think and reflect, Let us learn, Let us listen, Let us speak, Let us write and Let us explore activities) offer ready-made activities, and the notes to the teacher encourage the use of the home language, local stories and objects to explain new ideas. The aim is progress from guided to independent use of English rather than perfect accuracy at any single step.
At home, listen to your child speak English about "A Concrete Example" without correcting every mistake. Ask them to sing or say the lines, point to pictures and name things, or tell you in two or three sentences what the lesson was about. Reading a favourite part aloud a few times builds fluency and confidence.
This overview is written from the 2026-27 textbook's Contents page, its preface and the chapter title, to help families and teachers prepare. Please read the chapter itself for exact content, activities and exercises.