The Magic Brush of Dreams — Class 8 MCQs with Answers
Class 8 CBSE English · Chapter 8
48 practice questions · 16 Easy · 16 Medium · 16 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 8 CBSE English questions from Chapter 8, "The Magic Brush of Dreams". You get 6 timed quizzes made from 48 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 16 Easy, 16 Medium and 16 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "The Magic Brush of Dreams", focus on comprehension, grammar and writing skills. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on The Magic Brush of Dreams, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 8 English mastery score. 9 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
The Magic Brush of Dreams — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 8 English)
9 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation.
- Q1Easy
'The Magic Brush of Dreams' is best described as which kind of text?
A.An adapted folk tale told as a narrative poem✓ CorrectB.A newspaper report on a robberyC.A page from a personal diaryD.A science article about brushesAnswer: A. An adapted folk tale told as a narrative poem
Explanation: The chapter retells a classic magic-brush folk tale in rhyming verse, so it is an adapted folk tale in the form of a narrative poem.
- Q2Easy
Who is the young protagonist of the poem?
A.A wealthy princeB.A travelling merchantC.Gopi, a young girl✓ CorrectD.A palace soldierAnswer: C. Gopi, a young girl
Explanation: The story follows Gopi, a poor young girl who loves to draw and later receives the magic brush.
- Q3Easy
Instead of going to gather food, what was Gopi doing at the start of the poem?
A.Sleeping in the fieldsB.Drawing pictures on the ground✓ CorrectC.Selling cloth in the marketD.Fetching water from a wellAnswer: B. Drawing pictures on the ground
Explanation: Gopi was supposed to gather food but sat drawing pictures in the sand instead, which is how the stranger notices her.
- Q4Medium
Painting khichdi, a muffler, a plough and a shawl for the villagers mainly shows that Gopi is:
A.Selfish and proudB.Timid and fearfulC.Kind and generous✓ CorrectD.Lazy and carelessAnswer: C. Kind and generous
Explanation: She uses her gift to meet others' needs before her own, revealing a kind and generous nature.
- Q5Medium
Gopi paints a horse and a road chiefly in order to:
A.Help a farmer plough his fieldB.Escape from the Zamindar's prison✓ CorrectC.Win a village raceD.Entertain the crowdAnswer: B. Escape from the Zamindar's prison
Explanation: Trapped in the cell, she paints a road and a horse so that they come alive and carry her to freedom.
- Q6Medium
Why would the stranger want the brush used only for the poor?
A.So its magic would ease the suffering of the needy rather than enrich the greedy✓ CorrectB.Because rich people disliked all paintingsC.Because the poor paid more money for artD.Because painting for the rich was against the lawAnswer: A. So its magic would ease the suffering of the needy rather than enrich the greedy
Explanation: The condition ties the gift to compassion: magic that helps the poor does good, while magic serving the greedy only feeds selfishness.
- Q7Hard
The painted khichdi, horse and river all turning real is the feature that most clearly marks the poem's genre as:
A.A factual news reportB.A dull moral lectureC.A folk tale with magic and fantasy✓ CorrectD.A truthful biographyAnswer: C. A folk tale with magic and fantasy
Explanation: Objects coming to life through magic is the hallmark of a folk tale, placing the poem in the world of fantasy rather than fact.
- Q8Hard
The stranger chooses a poor girl who practises art in the sand rather than a wealthy buyer. This implies the gift is meant to reward:
A.High social rankB.Dedication and a generous heart✓ CorrectC.Physical strengthD.Simple good luckAnswer: B. Dedication and a generous heart
Explanation: Gopi earns the brush through her devotion to art and her kindness, not through wealth or chance, so the gift honours character.
- Q9Hard
The idea that 'good triumphs over evil' is shown chiefly through:
A.Gopi's kindness defeating the Zamindar's greed✓ CorrectB.The stranger vanishing from the villageC.The villagers staying silent throughoutD.The painted river drying upAnswer: A. Gopi's kindness defeating the Zamindar's greed
Explanation: The kind, honest girl wins and the greedy landlord is driven off, so goodness clearly triumphs over evil.
Key concepts: The Magic Brush of Dreams (Class 8 English)
This chapter, from Unit 3 'Mystery and Magic', is an adapted folk tale told as a narrative poem in rhyming stanzas. A poor young girl named Gopi loves to draw, and a mysterious stranger gives her a magic brush on one condition: paint only for the poor, never for the wealthy. Everything Gopi paints turns real. She helps the needy with useful things, but a greedy Zamindar demands treasures for himself and imprisons her when she refuses. Using imagination and quick thinking, Gopi paints her way to freedom and drives the Zamindar off, and the village celebrates. The poem shows that talent and power are meant to serve others, and that kindness and cleverness triumph over greed.
- Genre: adapted folk tale in verse
- The chapter retells a classic magic-brush folk tale as a narrative poem with rhyming stanzas (rhyme scheme ABCB), blending story-telling with the rhythm of poetry.
- Gopi (the protagonist)
- A poor young girl who loves art and draws in the sand with a twig. She is kind, honest, brave, generous and clever, and uses her gift to help others rather than herself.
- The mysterious stranger
- An old man who watches Gopi draw and gives her the magic brush. By choosing a poor, good-hearted girl he shows he trusts character over wealth.
- The magic brush and its condition
- Whatever Gopi paints comes to life. The stranger's rule, 'Paint not for the wealthy ones, but only for the poor,' is the moral compass that guides every choice she makes.
- The Zamindar (the antagonist)
- A greedy, cruel landlord who demands that Gopi paint treasures and gold for him, and imprisons her when she refuses. He represents selfish greed and misuse of power.
- What Gopi paints
- First a bowl of khichdi, then useful items for villagers (a muffler, plough, shawl and fan); to escape, a road and a horse; to block pursuers, a wide river with fast currents; finally sweets, tea and music for the celebration.
- The escape and victory
- Gopi frees herself by painting a road and a galloping horse, stops the chase with a mighty river, and frightens the Zamindar away by threatening to paint a fierce beast, winning without any violence.
- Theme: power for the needy, not the greedy
- The central message is that gifts, talent and power should be used to help the poor and do good, never to feed selfishness and greed.
- Good triumphs over evil
- Kindness, courage, honesty and creative wisdom defeat the greedy, powerful Zamindar, so goodness clearly wins in the end.
- Literary devices
- Look for personification (painted objects and winds behaving as if alive), contrast (Gopi's kindness versus the Zamindar's greed), symbolism (the brush stands for art and imagination), vivid visual imagery (the wide, deep river) and a circular structure that returns to art at the close.
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What are the key concepts in Class 8 English The Magic Brush of Dreams?+
This chapter, from Unit 3 'Mystery and Magic', is an adapted folk tale told as a narrative poem in rhyming stanzas. A poor young girl named Gopi loves to draw, and a mysterious stranger gives her a magic brush on one condition: paint only for the poor, never for the wealthy. Everything Gopi paints turns real. She helps the needy with useful things, but a greedy Zamindar demands treasures for himself and imprisons her when she refuses. Using imagination and quick thinking, Gopi paints her way to freedom and drives the Zamindar off, and the village celebrates. The poem shows that talent and power are meant to serve others, and that kindness and cleverness triumph over greed. Key ideas include Genre: adapted folk tale in verse, Gopi (the protagonist), The mysterious stranger, The magic brush and its condition, The Zamindar (the antagonist), What Gopi paints.
What does Class 8 English Chapter 8 (The Magic Brush of Dreams) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 48 NCERT-based MCQs on "The Magic Brush of Dreams": 16 Easy, 16 Medium and 16 Hard. Together they make 6 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "The Magic Brush of Dreams" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "The Magic Brush of Dreams" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 8 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 9 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "The Magic Brush of Dreams" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 6 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "The Magic Brush of Dreams" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 9 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "The Magic Brush of Dreams" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from The Magic Brush of Dreams (Class 8 English)?+
The questions that matter most test Genre: adapted folk tale in verse, Gopi (the protagonist), The mysterious stranger, The magic brush and its condition, The Zamindar (the antagonist), What Gopi paints. This page shows 9 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 48 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for The Magic Brush of Dreams?+
Yes — Class 8 English The Magic Brush of Dreams has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.