1. Chapter Introduction
Welcome to the complete study guide for Class 8 English. In this post, we will read A New Religion Class 8 notes, summary, and important question answers. Written by R. S. Khambete, this thought-provoking story beautifully connects environmental conservation with religious discipline. It revolves around a young girl named Sneha, whose stolen bicycle leads her to deeply reflect on how human actions, such as pollution and plastic waste, are actively destroying nature.
2. Characters Detail
- Sneha: A thoughtful and environmentally conscious schoolgirl. Her red and gold racer bicycle gets stolen, which triggers her realization about environmental damage.
- Preksha: Sneha’s classmate and the “class scholar”. She appears slightly arrogant but proves to be a true friend by secretly submitting Sneha’s lost essay.
- Siddharth: Another classmate who participates in the essay competition and supports Sneha’s views on reducing pollution and protecting the environment.
3. Full Summary
The Stolen Bicycle and Clogged Drains
Sneha’s beautiful red and gold racer bicycle was stolen from the school compound. It had rained heavily, and the entire school area had turned into a waterlogged muddy quagmire because polythene bags and Styrofoam cups had clogged the rainwater drains. Since everyone had to park outside, a thief took advantage and stole her bike. Now, Sneha was forced to walk to school carrying a heavy bag.
The Essay Competition
Sneha’s class teacher asked Sneha, Preksha, and Siddharth to participate in an essay competition on the topic “How to Protect Our Environment”. The first prize was a whopping Rs. 2000. Initially, Sneha felt she couldn’t write well without her beloved bicycle, but she eventually started thinking deeply about the topic. When she asked her father for a new bicycle and he said it wasn’t possible, Sneha realized she didn’t want one anyway. She understood that manufacturing a new bike required mining ore and burning coal, which emits toxic gases and damages the environment.
Formulating “A New Religion”
While recovering from an illness, Sneha had a profound realization. She thought about how fasting is a strict religious discipline practiced across all faiths (Christians, Jews, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus). She realized that while people follow religious rules strictly, they lack discipline when it comes to the environment. She concluded that combining environmental protection with religion would create the perfect discipline. She quickly scribbled the rules for ‘A New Religion’: The sun is our father, the earth is our mother, trees are our elder brothers and sisters, and animals are our younger brothers and sisters. Therefore, it is our religious duty to protect this family.
The Surprise Victory
Unfortunately, Sneha lost her essay paper and felt deeply disappointed. However, a month later during the school assembly, the Principal announced that Sneha had won the third prize (Rs. 1000) for her brilliant essay. The Principal read the essay aloud and declared that the school would enforce Sneha’s rules right away. Sneha was completely shocked because she knew she hadn’t submitted it. Later, her friend Preksha revealed the suspense: she had found the essay while visiting Sneha during her illness and had submitted it on her behalf.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of “A New Religion”?
(a) Ruskin Bond | (b) R. S. Khambete | (c) R.K. Narayan | (d) William Wordsworth
Answer: (b) R. S. Khambete
Q2. What happened to Sneha’s bicycle?
(a) It was broken | (b) She sold it | (c) It was stolen | (d) She lost it
Answer: (c) It was stolen
Q3. Why was the school compound flooded with water?
(a) A pipe burst | (b) Drains were clogged with polythene bags | (c) The river overflowed | (d) There were no drains
Answer: (b) Drains were clogged with polythene bags
Q4. What was the topic of the essay competition?
(a) My Favorite Sport | (b) The Value of Time | (c) How to Protect Our Environment | (d) A New Technology
Answer: (c) How to Protect Our Environment
Q5. Why did Sneha decide she didn’t want a new bicycle?
(a) She wanted a scooter | (b) She liked walking | (c) To prevent environmental damage from manufacturing | (d) Her father couldn’t afford it
Answer: (c) To prevent environmental damage from manufacturing
Q6. According to Sneha’s new religion, who is our father?
(a) The Moon | (b) The Sun | (c) The Ocean | (d) The Sky
Answer: (b) The Sun
Q7. According to Sneha, who are our elder brothers and sisters?
(a) Animals | (b) Birds | (c) Trees | (d) Rivers
Answer: (c) Trees
Q8. Who secretly submitted Sneha’s essay to the competition?
(a) Siddharth | (b) Her father | (c) Preksha | (d) The Principal
Answer: (c) Preksha
Q9. What prize did Sneha win in the essay competition?
(a) First prize | (b) Second prize | (c) Third prize | (d) Consolation prize
Answer: (c) Third prize
Q10. What action did the Principal take after reading Sneha’s essay?
(a) Expelled her | (b) Made her the head girl | (c) Enforced her rules in the school | (d) Published it in a book
Answer: (c) Enforced her rules in the school
5. Short Answer Questions (35 Words)
Q1. Why was the school compound flooded with rainwater?
Ans. The school compound became a waterlogged muddy quagmire because students had thrown plastic garbage around. Polythene bags and Styrofoam cups had completely clogged the rainwater drains.
Q2. How did Sneha’s bicycle get stolen?
Ans. Due to the heavy rain and clogged drains, the school compound was flooded. Therefore, students had to park their bicycles outside the gate, where a thief took advantage and stole Sneha’s red and gold racer.
Q3. What are the main rules of Sneha’s ‘New Religion’?
Ans. Sneha’s rules are: The sun is our father, the earth is our mother, trees are our elder brothers and sisters, and animals are our younger siblings. We must protect this natural family.
Q4. How did Sneha’s lost essay reach the competition?
Ans. Sneha thought she had lost her essay. However, her classmate Preksha had found and read the essay when she came to visit Sneha during her illness. Preksha secretly submitted it on Sneha’s behalf.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-70 Words)
Q1. Describe the concept of ‘A New Religion’ as proposed by Sneha.
Ans. Sneha realized that people strictly follow religious disciplines like fasting, but lack basic discipline regarding the environment. She proposed a new concept where environmental protection is treated as a religion. In this religion, nature is family: the sun gives energy (father), the earth sustains us (mother), trees give oxygen (elder siblings), and animals help us (younger siblings). Protecting this family is our religious duty.
Q2. Why did Sneha refuse to get a new bicycle, even though she faced difficulty without it?
Ans. Sneha faced immense physical pain carrying her heavy school bag after her bicycle was stolen. However, while thinking about her essay on environmental protection, she realized that manufacturing a new bike requires mining ore and burning tons of coal to make steel. This process emits toxic carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. To practice what she preached, she decided not to contribute to environmental damage.
Q3. What role did Preksha play in the story, and what does it tell us about her character?
Ans. Preksha initially appeared as a smug and arrogant “class scholar” who teased Sneha about her stolen bicycle. However, her true character was revealed at the end. When she visited sick Sneha, she found the brilliant essay, recognized its value, and submitted it to the competition. Her action proves that beneath her competitive exterior, she was a supportive, honest, and true friend who wanted Sneha’s talent to be recognized.
