Std 8 English chapters › Unit 4 · Question Answers ↓ · Take the lesson test ↓
In short: The poet compares friendship to a golden chain whose links are our dear friends, and says it is a priceless gift that grows more precious every year and can never be bought or sold.
(कवयित्री मैत्रीला सोन्याच्या साखळीची उपमा देते, जिच्या कड्या म्हणजे आपले प्रिय मित्र; मैत्री ही अमूल्य भेट आहे, जी दरवर्षी अधिक मौल्यवान होते आणि कधीही विकत घेता किंवा विकता येत नाही, असे ती सांगते.)
- Type: Poem
- Poet: Helen Steiner Rice
- Speaker: The poet, describing friendship
- Unit: 4
Summary in English
Friendship is a golden chain, and its links are our dear friends. Like a rare and precious jewel, it is treasured more each year. It is held together firmly by deep and true love, and it is rich with happy memories.
Time cannot destroy its beauty as long as memory lives, and the years cannot erase the joy it gives. Friendship is a priceless gift that cannot be bought or sold, and an understanding friend is worth far more than gold.
The golden chain of friendship is a strong and blessed tie that binds similar hearts together as the years go by.
मराठीत सारांश (Summary in Marathi)
मैत्री ही सोन्याची साखळी आहे आणि आपले प्रिय मित्र तिच्या कड्या आहेत. एखाद्या दुर्मीळ, मौल्यवान रत्नासारखी ती दरवर्षी अधिक जपली जाते. खोल आणि खऱ्या प्रेमाने ती घट्ट जोडलेली असते आणि आनंदी आठवणींनी समृद्ध असते.
जोपर्यंत आठवणी जिवंत आहेत, तोपर्यंत काळ तिचे सौंदर्य नष्ट करू शकत नाही, आणि वर्षे तिचा आनंद पुसू शकत नाहीत. मैत्री ही अमूल्य भेट आहे, जी विकत घेता किंवा विकता येत नाही; समजूतदार मित्र सोन्यापेक्षाही अधिक मोलाचा असतो.
मैत्रीची सोन्याची साखळी हे एक मजबूत आणि पवित्र बंधन आहे, जे वर्षामागून वर्षे सारख्या मनाच्या माणसांना एकत्र बांधून ठेवते.
Theme and Message (मध्यवर्ती कल्पना)
True friendship is precious, lasting and priceless; it grows stronger with time and is worth more than any wealth.
खरी मैत्री मौल्यवान, चिरकाल टिकणारी आणि अमूल्य असते; ती काळाबरोबर अधिक दृढ होते आणि कोणत्याही संपत्तीपेक्षा मोलाची असते.
Figures of Speech (अलंकार)
- Metaphor (रूपक): 'Friendship is a Golden chain'; 'friendship is a priceless gift'.
- Simile (उपमा): 'like a rare and precious jewel'.
- Antithesis (विरोधाभास): 'can't be bought or sold'.
- Alliteration (अनुप्रास): 'For friendship', 'golden … gift'.
Useful Words (शब्दार्थ)
| Word | मराठी अर्थ | Use it in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| precious | मौल्यवान | Time is precious. |
| clasped | घट्ट धरलेले | She clasped her mother's hand. |
| recollections | आठवणी | He shared his recollections of school. |
| erase | पुसून टाकणे | Nothing can erase those memories. |
| kindred | समान स्वभावाचे | They were kindred spirits. |
For the Exam (परीक्षेसाठी)
- For the appreciation: metaphor (golden chain), simile (like a jewel), antithesis (bought or sold). Learn the difference between simile and metaphor.
- Write an acrostic on your best friend’s name, using one good quality for each letter.
4.3 Golden Chain: English Workshop Question Answers
Every English Workshop activity for this poem, as games. Score points, earn stars and challenge a friend on WhatsApp! (खेळा, गुण मिळवा आणि मित्रांना आव्हान द्या!)
🤝 Warm-up: True friendship
🗂️ Do or Don’t?
Dos and Don’ts of true friendship
Warm-up: Simile or metaphor?
🗂️ A simile uses ‘like’ or ‘as’; a metaphor compares directly.
Classify
🤔 Think as you read
To what two things is friendship compared in stanza 1?
Answer: Friends are the links of the chain.
Which possession is more precious than gold?
Answer: ‘To have an understanding friend is worth far more than gold.’
Q2. True or false?
👉 Tap True or False.
(a) Time can destroy the beauty of friendship.
Answer: Time can’t destroy its beauty.
(b) Friendship cannot be bought or sold.
Answer: It is a priceless gift.
(c) Friendship binds the hands together.
Answer: It binds kindred hearts, not hands.
(d) Friendship is like a rare and precious jewel.
Answer: It is treasured more each year.
(e) Friendship has more value than gold.
Answer: Worth far more than gold.
Q4. Why is friendship compared to …?
🧩 Match each comparison with its reason.
Comparison → reason
Q6. Words that go together
🎯 Tap the word and its partner from the poem.
Word partners
Q7. Figures of speech
🧩 Match each line with its figure of speech.
Line → figure of speech
Q1, Q5, Q8 and Q9. Think and write
✍️ Q5. Reasons friendship is the best gift. Try, then compare
- It grows more precious as each year passes.
- It is held together by deep and true love.
- It is full of happy memories.
- Time cannot destroy its beauty.
- It cannot be bought or sold.
- It binds kindred hearts together for life.
✍️ Q8. Friendship is like … Try, then compare
An evergreen forest: true friendship stays fresh and green in every season of life.
An ever-flowing river: it keeps flowing, giving support and refreshing us without stopping.
A rainbow after heavy rains: a true friend brings colour and hope after hard times.
✍️ Q9. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Try, then compare
Rahul and Sameer were classmates. Many boys liked Rahul because he had a new bicycle and shared snacks. One day Rahul broke his leg and had to stay home for a month. Only Sameer came every evening with notes, explained lessons and played carrom with him. When Rahul returned to school, he passed his exams thanks to Sameer. He understood that the one who stands by you in trouble is your true friend.
Think and Write (विचार करा, लिहा)
- Why is friendship compared to a golden chain?
- Write a story that ends with 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.'
- What five things make a true friend?
Online test · 15 questions
4.3 Golden Chain: Lesson Test
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शिक्षकांसाठी: धडा शिकवून झाल्यावर ही test वर्गाला पाठवा. प्रत्येक विद्यार्थ्याचे गुण तुम्हाला आपोआप मिळतील.
These are original study notes by englishresources.in to help you revise. Read the lesson in your Balbharati textbook first: these notes do not replace it and do not reproduce its text.