Author name: Prasanna

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English

The Invention of Vita Wonk NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 7

The Invention of Vita Wonk Text Book Questions and Answers

The Invention of Vita Wonk Comprehension check-I

Question 1.
Choose the right answer.

i.Mr Willy Wonka is ………..
(a) a cook,
(b) an inventor
(c) a manager.
Answer:
(b) an inventor.

ii. Wonka-Vite makes people
(a) older
(b) younger.
Answer:
(b) younger.

iii. Mr Wonka wants to invent a new thing which will make people
(a) younger
(b) older.
Answer:
(b) older.

Question 2.
Can anyone s age be a minus number? What does “minus 87” mean?
Answer:
No, it is impossible for anyone’s age to be a minus number? “Minus 87” means that it will take 87 years for the person to be bom.

Question 3.
Mr Wonka begins by asking himself two questions. What are they?
Solved
i. What is the oldest living thing in the world?
ii. What lives longer than anything else?

The Invention of Vita Wonk Working with the text

Question 1.
i. What trees does Mr Wonka mention? Which tree does he say lives the longest?
Answer:
Mr Wonka mentions the douglas fir, oak and cedar. He says that the bristlecone pines are the oldest.

ii. How long does this tree live? Where can you find it?
Answer:
This tree can live upto 4,000 years ago. One can find it upon the slopes of Wheeler Peak in Nevada, USA.

Question 2.
How many of the oldest living things can you remember from Mr Wonka s list? (Don’t look back at the story!) Do you think all these things really exist, or are some of them purely imaginary?
Answer:
I remember the toe-nail clippings of an old farmer in Russia, and a flea from a 36 years old cat. Yes, some of these things like the bristlecone pine and the 51-year-old horse tail may exist, but most of them are purely imaginary.

Question 3.
Why does Mr Wonka collect items from the oldest things? Do you think this is the right way to begin his invention?
Answer:
Mr Wonka collected items from the oldest things to make a potion that would make you very old. Yes, it is a fine and creative way to begin an invention.

Question 4.
What happens to the volunteer who swallows four drops of the new invention? What is the name of the invention?
Answer:
The volunteer who swallowed four drops of the new invention began wrinkling and shrivelling up all over and his hair started dropping off and his teeth started falling out and, he suddenly became an old fellow of seventy-five. The name of this invention is Vita-Wonk.

The Invention of Vita Wonk Working with language

Question 1.
What do you call these insects in your language?
(Encourage the students to answer this question individually.)

• Cockroach: tilchatta
• Housefly: makhi
• Mosquito: machchar
• Dragon fly: vyaadh-patang
• Grasshopper: tidha
• Ant: cheenti

Some insects common in my area include beetles, honeybees, spiders and wasps.

Question 2.
Fill in the blanks in the recipe given below with words from the box.
INGREDIENTS
Solved

• One onion
• One cup dal
• Two thin green chillies
• Half a teaspoon red chilli powder
• Eight small bunches of palak
• Two tomatoes
• Salt to taste

Wash and cut the vegetables; shred the palak. Put everything in a pressure cooker. Let the cooker whistle three times, then switch it off. Fry a few cumin seeds in oil and add to the palak—dal.

Question 3.
A ‘family tree’ is a diagram that shows the relationship between the different members of a family. Fill in the family tree below with names, ages, and other details you think are relevant (you may even stick photographs, if you have them). Put your family trees up in the class.
Answer:
(Encourage the students to fill the family tree in their notebooks individually.)

The Invention of Vita Wonk Speaking

Question 1.
Given below are a few emphatic utterances. Say them to your partner. Let your partner repeat your utterance without the emphasis. Your partner may also add something to show she/he disagrees with you. (Encourage the students to practice the given dialogues in pairs.) Solved
You: I did go there.
Partner: You went there? Then why didn’t I see you there?

You: I do play games.
Partner: I know you play games. That’s all you do.

You: He does read his books.
Partner: Does he? I doubt it. He had not heard about the famous dramatist,William Shakespeare.

You: You do say the most unbelievable things!
Partner: I know. My mother says the same thing.

You: The Earth does spin around.
Partner: Oh yes, I knew that.

You: We all do want you to come with us.
Partner: I would love to, but I have so much home work.

You: Who does know how to cook?
Partner: I know how to cook.

You: I do believe that man is a thief.
Partner: Really? You should not jump to conclusions to fast.

The Invention of Vita Wonk Writing

Question 1.
i. Make a list of the trees Mr Wonka mentions. Where do these trees grow? Try to find out from an encyclopaedia. Write a short paragraph about two or three of these trees.
Answer:
These are the trees that Mr Wonka mentions in his conversation with Charlie:

• Douglas fir
• Cedar
• Oak
• Bristlecone pine

The Doglas fir grows in the coastal regions, from west-central British Columbia southward to central California. In Oregon and Washington, it extends from the eastern edge of the Cascades west to the Pacific Coast Ranges and Pacific Ocean. It is often used as a Christmas tree. They have brightly-coloured cones, and grow very tall.

The oak grows in the most southern zone in the United States. These trees are native to Americas, Asia, Europe, and North Africa. They mostly grow in the wild, and can survive in all types of areas and climates, such as, temperate climates, Mediterranean and tropical areas.

You will find the cedar in different parts of the world. The red cedar tree grows in the eastern North America, from Maine, west to southern Ontario and South Dakota, south to northernmost Florida and southwest into the post oak savannah of east-central Texas.

They are large, evergreen trees and mostly reach a height of up to fifty feet, but others can reach one hundred or more feet in height. It is common to find them in forest areas that get a lot of annual rainfall. They prefer moist soil with limestone beneath it.

The Bristlecone pine is found in Utah, Nevada and eastern California in the United States. They are considered to be the oldest trees in the world. The oldest living bristlecone pine tree is named “Methuselah” and is 4,765 years old. This tree is almost 1,000 years older than any other living bristlecone today. It lives in a secret location in the White Mountain range of eastern California.

ii. Name some large trees commonly found in your area. Find out something about them (How old are they? Who planted them? Do birds eat their fruit?), and write two or three sentences about each one of them.
Answer:
Some of the trees commonly found in my locality are the neem, peepul and gulmohar tree. You can recognize the gulmohar tree very easily through a sheet of orange-red coloured flowers. Its flowers can be seen between April and June. It can be found in both dry as well as tropical conditions. The tree spreads and offers a dense shade. The flowers of this tree are large and orange-red in colour.

The peepal tree is a semi-evergreen tree. Its one rare quality is that it releases oxygen both in the day and the night. Its leaves are heart-shaped and have an extended drip tip.

The neem is a very popular tree, and grows in both tropical and sub-tropical regions. Neem has countless medicinal properties. It can be used to control insects and viruses. Neem is considered to be healthy for our skin.

Question 2.
Find out something interesting about age, or growing old, and write a paragraph about it. Following are a few topics, suggested as examples. (Encourage the students to come up with individual answers.)
Answer:
More than 50% of India’s population comprises of persons below the age of 25 and more than 65% comprise of persons below the age of 35. In 2020, the average age of an Indian is expected to be 29 years. By 2030, India’s dependency ratio is expected to be just over 0.4.

The implication of such a demographic will lead to an increase in the working age group in its first phase. This means the economy is likely to boom at this point. This is also known as the demographic dividend stage. It often does not last very long in a country. After a while, this young population will grow old, and we can expect the proportion of the elderly to increase at this point. The economy may grow somewhat slowly at this stage.

• One can determine the age of a tree by counting the annual rings in a tree when it is chopped.
• The age of a horse is determined by the number of teeth.
• The age of rocks can be determined by the process of carbon dating which is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon.

Question 3.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

The Wonder Called Sleep NCERT Solutions for Class 6 A Pact with the Sun Chapter 7

The Wonder Called Sleep NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What is the most obvious advantage of sleep?
Answer:
The most obvious advantage of sleep is that it helps our body recover from the fatigue caused by the activities of the day. It helps us to get ready to face the next day’s activities.

Question 2.
What happens to our body when we sleep?
Answer:
Several things happen to our body while we are sleeping. As we sink deeper into sleep, our muscles relax more and more. Our heartbeat becomes slower. Our temperature and blood pressure also reduces considerably. The ever-active brain also slows down so that we can’t think or act consciously.

Question 3.
Define a dream in your own words.
Answer:
A dream is a series of thoughts, images and sensations that we see, feel and sense when we are asleep.

Question 4.
Why are dreams important? Mention two reasons.
Answer:
Dreams are important firstly because they help us sleep through noise and other disturbances. Secondly, scientists have deduced that dreams have powerful messages for us. They reveal our deepest fears, insecurities and motivations. If understood correctly, they can help us find solutions to problems that are bothering us.

Question 5.
Why has sleep been called a wonder?
Answer:
Sleep has been called a wonder because it has a strange power over us. We have no idea about when and how we drift off to sleep, and one cannot even go without sleeping for a long time. It gives our body the required rest. It is like an unknown state that nobody has been able to fathom the depths of.

Question 6.
Describe briefly to the class an improbable dream you have ever had.
(Encourage the students to describe an improbable dream they have had.)
Answer:
Once I dreamt that I had turned into a potato, and was lying on a plate with boiled peas and other boiled vegetables. A party was going on, and all my family was sitting around the dinner table talking to each other. I was shouting from where I was, but nobody seemed to be able to hear me. I could hardly move.

All of a sudden, someone picked up the plate where I was kept and I rolled down into my mother’s plate. I could see the tines of the fork coming at me, while I was shouting the entire time. I woke up suddenly with beads of sweat rolling down my forehead. What a nightmare that was!

Extra question – Grandmothers and mothers sing nice little songs while rocking little ones to sleep. Such a song is called a ‘lullaby ’. Do you remember a lullaby in your own language? Tell the class in English what the lullaby says.
(Encourage the students to share or sing a lullaby in the class.)
Answer:
My grandmother and mother used to tap my head in a rhythmic motion, and sung me lullabies to make me go to sleep. They were almost always in Hindi. A lullaby is a quiet and gentle song sung to send a child to sleep.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

Fair Play NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Honeysuckle Chapter 7

Fair Play NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Fair Play Working with the text

A. Match the sentences.

Question 1.
Jumman and Algu were the best of friends.
Answer:
5. The bond of friendship between him and Jumman was very strong.

Question 2.
Jumman’s aunt transferred her property to him.
Answer:
4. The condition was that he would be responsible for her welfare.

Question 3.
The aunt decided to appeal to the panchayat.
Answer:
2. She wanted justice.

Question 4.
Algu was unwilling to support the aunt.
Answer:
3. In the absence of one, the other took care of his family.

Question 5.
Jumman was very happy to hear Algu’s name as head Panch.
Answer:
1. He believed that his friend would never go against him.

B. Who says this to whom and why?

Question 1.
“My wife knows best how to run the house. ”
Answer:
Jumman said this to his aunt.

Question 2.
“But is it right, my son, to keep mum and not say what you consider just and fair? ”
Answer:
Jumman’s aunt said this to Algu.

Question 3.
“ What have you to say in your defence? ”
Answer:
Algu said this to Jumman.

Question 4.
“I can’t pay you a penny for the wretched beast you sold me. ”
Answer:
Samjhu sahu said this to Algu.

Question 5.
“ Victory to the panchayat. This is justice. ”
Answer:
Algu said this loudly to Jumman and the panchayat.

C. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
“Then the situation changed. ” What is being referred to?
Answer:
The situation that is being referred to here is the relationship between Jumman and his aunt when she came to stay with her and his wife. They did not care for her as they used to do.

Question 2.
When Jumman’s aunt realized that she was not welcome in his house, what arrangement did she suggest?
Answer:
When Jumman’s aunt realized that she was not welcome in his house, she suggested that he give him a monthly allowance so she could have a separate kitchen in the house.

Question 3.
What was the villagers’ reaction when the aunt explained her case to them?
Answer:
The villagers’ had a mixed reaction when the aunt explained her case to them. Some of them sympathized with her, while some were amused at the situation and laughed at her, while some advised her to make it up with her nephew and wife.

Question 4.
Why was Jumman happy over Algu s nomination as headPanch?
Answer:
Jumman was happy over Algu’s nomination as head Panch because they were very close friends, and Jumman thought that Algu will side with him in his matter with his aunt.

Question 5.
“God lives in the heart of the Panch. ” the aunt said. What did she mean?
Answer:
She meant that God denotes justice, and speaks through the Panch. In other words, the Panch’s voice is the God’s voice because it is fair and just.

Question 6.
What was Algu’s verdict as head Panch? How did Jumman take it?
Answer:
Algu’s verdict as head Panch was to pay his aunt a monthly allowance, or else the property would go back to her. Jumman did not take this well and harboured feelings of enmity for Algo. The bond between them had completely snapped because Jumman considered Algu’s verdict unfair.

Question 7.
Algu found himself in a tight spot. What was his problem?
Answer:
Algu suffered a case of bad luck. One of his fine pair of bullocks died, and he sold the other to Samjhu Sahu, a cart driver of the village. Samjhu had not paid for the bullock yet, when it died within the duration of a month. And Samjhu refused to pay for the bullock.

Question 8.
Why was Algu upset over Jumman s nomination as head Panch?
Answer:
Algu was upset over Jumman’s nomination as head Panch because Jumman harboured enmity towards him, and would try to revenge Algu for his verdict as Panch in Jumman’s
aunt’s case.

Question 9.
What was Jumman’s verdict as head Panch? How did Algu take it?
Answer:
Jumman’s verdict as head Panch was that Samjhu should pay Algu the price of the bullock, as he cannot be blamed for its death. Algu was ecstatic over the decision. Algu could not contain his feelings. He stood up and said loudly over and over again, “Victory to the panchayat. This is justice. God lives in the voice of the Panch.”

Question 10.
Which of the following sums up the story best?
Answer:
ii. “Let no one deviate from the path of justice and truth for friendship or enmity.”
The reason for choosing this option is that the story is a commentary on the importance of justice over petty feelings of enmity and resentment. Both Algu and Jumman choose the path of justice over feelings of friendship and enmity respectively. It is not an easy choice, and they choose truth and justice over everything else.

Fair Play Working with language

A. Replace the italicized portion of each sentence below with a suitable phrase from the box. Make necessary changes, wherever required.

Question 1.
The best way to avoid an unnecessary argument is to remain silent.
Answer:
keep mum

Question 2.
Unfortunately, the train I was trying to catch was cancelled.
Answer:
As ill luck would have it

Question 3.
He has been told not to take risks while driving a car through a crowded street,
Answer:
take chances

Question 4.
The patient needs to be properly taken care of.
Answer:
looked after

Question 5.
Why don’t the two of you end your quarrel by shaking hands?
Answer:
make it up

Question 6.
I was in a difficult situation till my friends came to my rescue,
Answer:
tight spot

Question 7.
When I saw a pile of dirty dishes, I felt very disappointed.
Answer:
my heart sank

Question 8.
I will examine the matter carefully before commenting on it.
Answer:
go into

Question 9.
They criticized him in the meeting but he accepted without protest all the criticism,
Answer:
swallowed

Question 10.
It will free me from worry to know that I had done nothing wrong,
Answer:
ease my conscience

B. Fill in the blanks with the phrases given below. With answers

1. Why don’t you set down your ideas on paper?
2. A fund has been set up for the soldiers ’ families.
3. We should set aside a little money every month.
4. You should buy some woollens before winter sets in.
5. They set out on the last stage of their journey.

Fair Play Speaking and writing

A. Look at the following picture. One asks a question, the other answers it. Then the answer is noted in a form as shown below.
Encourage the students to work in pairs and complete the activity.

B. Work in small groups. Ask your partner the questions given below. If possible, ask him/her a reason for saying Yes or No. Then tick Yes/No, whichever is proper.
(Encourage the students to work in pairs and complete the activity.)
Answers.

1. Yes, because I need space for my books, toys and other things.
2. Yes, because I want to live with my grandparents and aunts and uncles. I love them a lot.
3. Yes, I usually get along with people because I make a lot of jokes.
4. No, I would like to live in a more peaceful society.
5. Yes, there are times when I find the place to be overcrowded because of traffic.
6. Yes, my parents say that it causes less pollution.
7. Yes, I would like my own car when I grow up.
8. Yes, reading is one of my favourite hobbies.
9. No, I would like to be an artist.

C. Now that you have completed the above project, write a brief report stating what you did, how you did it and the conclusion.
Answer:
I posed nine questions to my partner, who answered in a yes or no, and then gave me the reasons for saying the same. I have come to the conclusion that my partner gets along easily with people. While he loves living in a joint family, he still needs his own home. He does not like overcrowding, and is aware of the environment. He likes to read and wants to become an artist when he grows up.

Fair Play Dictation

Your teacher will speak the words listed below. Write against each a word of opposite
meaning.

1. old : new
2. wet : dry
3. open : close
4. blunt : sharp
5. forget : remember

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English

The Book that Saved the Earth NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 10

The Book that Saved the Earth NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Book that Saved the Earth Read and Find out

Question 1.
Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the Books’?
Answer:
The twentieth country was called ‘the era of the books’ because the books were very important in people’s life. They were the sources of important information. They had everything from anteaters to Zulus.

Question 2.
Who tried to invade the earth in the twenty-first century?
Answer:
The Martians tried to invade the earth in the twenty-first country.

Question 3.
What guesses are made by Think-Tank about the books found on the earth?
Answer:
Think-Tank guessed that the books were sandwiches the earthlings loved to eat. He made another guess that the books were about some communication device used by the earthlings.

The Book that Saved the Earth Extra Questions and Answers

The Book that Saved the Earth Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
What does Noodle tell Think-Tank about the books? [Delhi 2016]
Answer:
Noodle tells Think-Tank that books are like sandwiches. They are means of communication. These sandwiches are not for ear communication but for eye communication. The Earthlings do not listen to the sandwiches. They open them and watch them. Noodle reads out the nursery rhymes to Think- Tank from Mother Goose.

Question 2.
How did one old book of nursery rhymes save the world from a Martian invasion?
Answer:
The Martians under the leadership of Think-Tank decided to invade the Earth. They found an old book of nursery rhymes Mother Goose. Think-Tank interpreted the rhymes in his own way. He got frightened. He concluded that the people on the Earth were more powerful and advanced than he was. He called his crew members back. Hence, the old book of nursery rhymes saved the world from a Martian invasion.

Question 3.
What is Think-Tank’s opinion about the Earth?
Answer:
Think-Tank was the mighty captain of Mars Space Control. He did not have good opinion about the Earth and its people. He considered the Earth a ridiculous little planet. He thought that it was an insignificant place where ugly earthlings, with their tiny heads dwell.

Question 4.
How did Think-Tank interpret the rhymes of the book ‘Mother Goose’?
Answer:
Think-Tank was an arrogant fool ruling the planet Mars. After taking the vitamins they were able to read the rhymes in the book Mother Goose. He interpreted the rhymes in his own way. He concluded that the people on the Earth were more powerful and more advanced than he was.

Question 5.
How did the people on the Earth help the Martian people?
Answer:
After the departure of Think-Tank from the Mars, Noodle was elected as the ruler of the Mars. He was an intelligent and wonderful person. The earthlings resumed contact with the Martians. They became friends and taught the Martians how to read. The people on both the planets exchanged their views and values. They established a model library in the capital city of Marsopolis.

Question 6.
How does Think-Tank compare the Martians with the people on the Earth? What does he call the Earth mockingly?
Answer:
Think-Tank compares the Martians with the people on the Earth. He calls Martians more handsome race than that of the people on the Earth. He calls the Earth ‘a ridiculous little planet’ and ‘a primitive ball of mud’.

Question 7.
What ‘high levels of civilisation’ have earthlings reached, according to Think-Tank?
Answer:
According to Think-Tank, the people of the Earth have made advancement in all the fields of life. They have reached the ‘high levels of civilisation’. They have taught their domesticated animals musical culture and space techniques.

Question 8.
What was Oop’s opinion about the ‘sandwiches’ he had eaten?
Answer:
Oop found a book in the library. He thought it to be a sandwich. He was ordered to eat it. He found it absolutely tasteless and useless. He could not understand how such things could be eaten by the earthlings without water. They were as dry as Martian dust.

Question 9.
What did Noodle suggest about the book?
Answer:
Noodle was an intelligent person but he did not want to offend Think-Tank. He suggested that the book was not a sandwich, it was some device used for communication. Later on, he suggested that the team should eat vitamins to increase their intelligence so that they would read them.

Question 10.
Which book saved the Earth from Martian invasion and how?
Answer:
Mother Goose, a nursery rhymes book, saved the Earth from the Martian invasion. Think-Tank interpreted the rhymes in his own way. He got frightened and decided to vacate the planet.

Question 11.
Who was Think-Tank? What did he want?
Answer:
Think-Tank was an arrogant ruler of the Martian Planet. He wanted to expand his kingdom and rule over the Earth. So he decided to invade the Earth. He was top confident of his abilities.

Question 12.
Who was Noodle? What type of a person was he?
Answer:
Noodle was an apprentice in the kindgom of Think-Tank. He was an intelligent attendant of Think- Tank. He was a person who knew how to communicate his idea without offending the king. It was he who described the so-called sandwich as a means of communication.

Question 13.
How did Noodle address Think-Tank?
Answer:
Think-Tank is the ruler of Mars. Noodle addressed him, ‘O Great and Mighty Think-Tank, Ruler of Mars and her two moons, most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe.’

Question 14.
Why did Think-Tank send his crew on the Earth?
Answer:
Think-Tank intended to invade the Earth. He wanted to control the Earth and put it under his rulership. He was an arrogant ruler who was hungry for power. So he sent his crew on the Earth.

Question 15.
Where was the crew on the Earth? What did they find there?
Answer:
The crew led by captain Omega landed on the Earth with his team. They found themselves in the Centerville Public Library amidst thousands of books. They thought the books to be sandwiches.

Question 16.
Who was Omega? Why did he try to eat the book?
Answer:
Omega was the captain of the crew which was sent by Think-Tank to invade the Earth. He tried to eat the book because he was ordered by Think-Tank to do so. They all thought the book to be a sandwich.

Question 17.
What was the book about? How did Think-Tank interpret its content?
Answer:
The book was a popular book of nursery rhymes, Mother Goose. Think-Tank interpreted the rhymes in his own unique way. He concluded that the people on the Earth were more advanced and powerful. He decided to call his crew back. He was so frightened that he vacated the planet Mars too.

Question 18.
Why did Think-Tank decide to call the crew back?
Answer:
When Think-Tank listened the nursery rhymes read out by Noodle, he concluded that the people on the Earth were more powerful and advanced. He called his crew back and gave up the idea of invading the planet.

Question 19.
Why did Think-Tank decide to evacuate the Martian Planet?
Answer:
Think-Tank was so frightened after the wrong interpretation of the rhymes book that he not only called the crew back but decided to leave the Martian planet too. He concluded that the people on the Earth were more powerful and advanced. He thought that they might attack his planet and kill him. So, he decided to leave the Martian planet forever and shift to some far away galaxy.

The Book that Saved the Earth Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
Compare the contrast the characters of Think-Tank and Noodle.
Answer:
Think-Tank and Noodles are the two main characters in the play. Think-Tank is an arrogant fool ruling the planet. He is very strict and cannot hear anything against himself. He thinks that he is the most intelligent and powerful person in the universe. He is an arrogant and stupid person. He has little knowledge about the things.Noodle, on the other hand, is an intelligent and sensible character. He knows how to tackle Think- Tank intelligently. He corrects him tactfully without offending him. Noodle is better than arrogant Think-Tank.

Question 2.
Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes. How does he manage to do that?
Answer:
This is a fiction which is anticipated. Time has gone five centuries ahead and the twentieth century’s period is being taken as history. The place is Mars and the Martians are speaking about the life on the Earth. In this very funny and interesting play, the character of captain Think-Tank has been depicted as a dictator or almighty who thinks himself to be on the top. He never spares his subordinates and mentions their mistakes immediately.

Every time Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank, he corrects his mistakes also. There are many instances to highlight the same. When the team of Martians on the Earth is oblivious about the object ‘Books’, captain Think-Tank claims that the books are sandwiches. At this Noodle corrects Think’ Tank with utter humility by mentioning that they were not sandwiches but a means of communication. Later also, he mentions the fact that the Martians on the Earth will attain extra intelligence if they eat the vitamins provided by the chemical department but Noodle modestly corrects him and gives him the right information.

At one place when Think-Tank declares that he is never wrong and tells them to eat the sandwiches, with all humility and humbleness, Noodle tells him that sandwiches are some sort of communication device. Thus, with subtle modesty and utter humility, Noodle corrects captain Think-Tank, though he avoided his best to do the same.

Question 3.
If you were in Noodle’s place, how would you have handled Think-Tank’s mistakes?
Answer:
Think-Tank was a proud and mighty captain. He enjoyed to be honoured by other captains and does not like his mistakes to be corrected. Noodle also avoids correcting his mistakes but he does his work very nicely and gracefully. If I were in Noodle’s place, I would also have handled the situation in the same way he did.

It is said that humility can move mountains. By being most humble, modest and with full respect, I would correct captain Think-Tank’s mistakes so that he should not get annoyed or irritated as he becomes in the beginning when Noodle misses some part of his salutation but pacifies him with his modest manner.

Question 4.
Do you think books are being replaced by the electronic media? Can we do away with books altogether?
Answer:
This is an era of machines. Machines have occupied almost all the fields of life. Yes, books are also being replaced by electronic media to some extent. Mobile phones, computers and TVs are slowly eating away books. Not only children but even adults prefer electronic media. With the world developing at such a rapid rate, the use of electronic media has become indispensable and the young generation finds more fantasy in playing games than reading books.

Also the concept of electronic books (Books on Computer) makes matter easier for adults and professionals. Books cannot be done away with. Our rich cultural heritage lies in these books that can be preserved for generations ‘ to come. Books are a treasure of history and one can learn a lot by inculcating the habit of reading. Thus, books can never be done away with totally, though electronic media has replaced the traditional books to some extent.

Question 5.
Why are books referred to as man’s best companion? Which is your favourite book and why? Write a paragraph about that book.
Answer:
It is said that books are the treasure of knowledge and information. The experiences of great scholars are transferred to us through books. Reading is not only a pleasant hobby but an excellent diversion. Our leisure is utilised and we don’t fall into bad company or habit. Books provide us with intellectual feast of knowledge and improve quality of our mind. Thus, books are the best companion of man. I have read many books and I have liked them too.

But my favourite book is ‘Angels and Demons’. It is written by Dan Brown and was the first in the series of four bestsellers, including ‘The Da Vinci Code’. The plot is based on an anti-matter bomb ticking in the core of Vatican City amidst the elections for the Pope. It is a perfect blend of history and modern science. The research involved with the book is stupendous. The scene where the Camerlango stands upon the roof of the church is etched in my memory forever. It is a must-read masterpiece and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Question 6.
In what ways does Think-Tank misinterpret innocent nursery rhymes as threats to the Martians? Can you think of any incidents where you misinterpreted a word or an action? How did you resolve the misunderstanding?
Answer:
Think-Tank misinterprets innocent nursery rhymes as threats to the Martians. He interprets the rhymes in a complete verbal manner without understanding their contextual meanings. The rhyme mistress Mary makes him ponder over the discovery of the Earth. He understood that silver crops and high explosives could be grown on the Earth. When he listens to the rhyme “Hey diddle, diddle” The is alarmed and is surprised to find that the earthlings are more civilised.

He concluded that they had mastered space technique and were planning interplanetary attack. He screamed when heheard “Humpty Dumpty had a great fall” He interprets, “Had a great fall to the fall of Mars.”He was so scared that he changed his plan to capture the Earth planet. [The remaining part of the answer may differ from student to student as it is based on personal experience.]

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Honeysuckle Chapter 4

An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla Working with the text
A. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Where was Kalpana Chawla born? Why is she called an Indian American?
Answer:
Kalpana Chawla was born in the Kamal district of Punjab in India. She is called an Indian American because she was a naturalized American citizen, but was born and brought up in India.

Question 2.
When and why did she go to the United States? Who did she marry?
Answer:
She went for a master’s degree to the United States of America. She was married to the flight instructor, Jean-Pierre Harrison.

Question 3.
How did she become an astronaut? What gave her the idea that she could be an astronaut?
Answer:
Kalpana had earned her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, and had become a certified flight instructor. Later, she applied for NASA’s space shuttle program. She was first hired as a research scientist at NASA. In 1994, she was selected by NASA for training as an astronaut. It was her dream to become an astronaut, and she worked very hard to become one. She was very intelligent and sharp.

Question 4.
What abilities must an astronaut have, according to the journalist?
Answer:
According to the journalist, it takes enormous ability to become an astronaut. You need to know a lot about everything, from biology to astrophysics to aeronautical engineering. You must have encyclopaedic knowledge to be an astronaut.

Question 5.
Describe Kalpana Chawla s first mission in space.
Answer:
Kalpana’s first space mission in the space shuttle, Columbia, was 15 days, 16 hours and 34 minutes long. During this time she went around the earth 252 times, travelling 10.45 million kilometres! The crew included a Japanese and a Ukrainian astronaut. The crew performed experiments such as pollinating plants to observe food growth in space, and tests for making stronger metals and faster computer chips—all for a price tag of about 56 million dollars.

Question 6.
What does Kalpana Chawla say about pursuing a dream? Do you agree with her that success is possible?
Answer:
Kalpana Chawla said that she just followed her dream, and never had any qualms about being a woman in a male-dominated field, or belonging to a small town in India. She just  studied what interested her, and got encouragement for that. Yes, success is possible when you have the ability to overcome self-doubts.

B. Read the newspaper report to find the following facts about the Columbia’s ill-fated voyage.

• Date and place of lift-off: 16lh January 2003
• Number of astronauts on board: seven
• Number of days it stayed in space: 16 days
• Number of experiments done by scientists: 80
• Date of return journey: 1st February 2003
• Height at which it lost contact: 200,000 feet

An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla Working with language

A. Match the following answers.

1. unprecedented space tragedy: a sad accident of a kind that has never happened before in space
2. certified flight instructor: a person with the correct qualification to teach people to fly planes
3. space mission: a set of jobs to be done in space by a group
4. super specialization: great expertise in a limited field or a particular subject
5. encyclopaedic knowledge: having knowledge of a wide variety of subjects
6. awe-inspiring: something that causes feelings of respect and wonder
7. in this age: nowadays, in these times

B. Use these phrases in sentences of your own, after finding out their meanings.

1. broke apart: took apart; separated
The country broke apart in 1947.

2. streaked over: moved in a straight line
The plane streaked over the vast expanse of the Savannahs.

3. spread across: became widely known
The news of the impending spread across the cities.

4. lifted off: took off
The helicopter lifted off the ground hurriedly.

5. blast off: took off noisily
The spaceship blasted off at a great speed.

6. went on: continued
The grandmother went on to tell the story about how she met my grandfather.

7. cheered along: urged; encouraged
The Indian fans cheered along the team.

8. on board: inside an aircraft or plane
The passengers went on board the flight very happily.

9. carry on: to continue to do something
He carried on doing the most part of the job.

C. Add ‘un’ to the words below to make their opposites. Then look up the meanings of the words you have formed in the dictionary.

1. unidentified: one that has not been recognized
2. uncontrolled: something or someone that cannot be controlled
3. unattended: not noticed or dealt with
4. unsuccessful: not successful; a failure
5. unimportant: not important; insignificant
6. uneducated: someone who is not educated
7. uninteresting: boring; dull
8. unqualified: someone who does not have the required qualifications to do something
9. untrained: someone who lacks training
10. unanswerable: unable to be answered

An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla Speaking

Form pairs. Use “May you… ” and “I wish you/Wishing you” to wish your partner good luck and success in

• a sports event,
• a quiz or a competition, and
• a test or examination.

Be sure to thank your partner when she/he wishes you in turn. You may also look up a telephone directory, or go to a post office, and get a list in English and Hindi of standard phrases that can be sent in greeting telegrams anywhere in India. Discuss which of these you might use, and when. Compare the English and Hindi phrases for expressing good wishes. Do you know such phrases in any other language?

• May you win all the races.
• I wish you the best of luck.
• Wishing you success and loads of luck.

Standard phrases that can be used as telegrams include:

• Thank you for your wishes: when someone congratulates us.
• Thanks with all my heart: when someone gives us wishes on special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Some phrases for expressing thanks include the following:

• dhanyawaad (Hindi)
• obrigado/a (Portuguese)
• grazie (Italian)
• merci (French)
• gracias (Spanish)
• danke (German)

An Indian-American Woman in Space : Kalpana Chawla Writing

A. Do you have a ‘dream’, or something you very much wish to do? Write a paragraph saying what you want or wish to do. Then say (in another paragraph) how you think you can make your dream come true.
(Encourage the students to give individual answers.)
Answer:
I really want to become a pilot some day. Some days back, I had read about the youngest woman pilot in India, and I felt really inspired to follow her. I want to feel the rush and adrenaline when I fly and operate a plane in the air. I think it is a very respectable profession and one that is equally challenging. It is like I would be imitating the birds, and fly like them, albeit in my own unique way.

I will make it possible by taking up science as a subject when I reach senior secondary, and then take up engineering and specialize in aeronautics.

B. Given below are some words that are spelt differently in British and American English.
Fill in the blanks accordingly.
British  – American
1. colour  – color
2. labour – labor
3. traveller – traveler
4. counsellor – counselor
5. centre – center
6. theatre – theater
7. organise – organize
8. realise – realize
9. defence – defense
10. offence – offense

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

Taro’s Reward NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Honeysuckle Chapter 3

Taro’s Reward NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Taro’s Reward Working with the text

A. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Why did Taro run in the direction of the stream?
Answer:
Taro ran in the direction of the stream as he was hot and thirsty because of chopping wood all day.

Question 2.
How did Taro s father show his happiness after drinking sake?
Answer:
Taro’s father was delighted with the sake. After only one swallow of the liquid, he stopped shivering and did a little dance in the middle of the floor.

Question 3.
Why did the waterfall give Taro sake and others water?
Answer:
The waterfall gave Taro sake and others water as Taro was not greedy, and wanted the drink for his father, which was a selfless act.

Question 4.
Why did the villagers want to drown Taro?
Answer:
The villagers wanted to drown Taro because they thought that he had tricked them by telling them that he got the sake from a waterfall.

Question 5.
Why did the Emperor reward Taro?
Answer:
The Emperor wanted to reward Taro for having been so good and kind. He respected his parents and loved them selflessly. The Emperor wanted to honour him for this quality.

B. Mark the right item.

1. iii. the price of wood was very low.
2. ii. to buy his old father some sake.
3. iii. she wanted to tell the whole village about the waterfall.

Taro’s Reward Working with language

A. Strike off the words in the box below that are not suitable.
Taro wanted to give his old parents everything they needed. This shows that he was ………….
Answer:
hardworking; honest; efficient

B. Mark the right item.

Question 1.
“This made Taw sadder than ever. ”
‘This’refers to …
iii. Taro’s inability to buy expensive sake for his father.

Question 2.
“This, said the emperor, was to encourage all children to honour and obey their parents. ”
‘This’refers to …
ii. rewarding Taro with gold and giving the fountain his name.

C. Arrange the words below in pairs that rhyme.
(Solved)
young – lung; sad – bad; money – sunny; chop – stop; last – fast; wax – axe; could – wood; sound – round; way – day

D.  Question 1.
Fill in the blanks.
A young woodcutter lived on a lonely hillside. He was a thoughtful son who worked hard but earned little money. One day he saw a beautiful waterfall hidden behind a rock. He tasted the water andfound it delicious.

Question 2.
Find these sentences in the story and fill in the blanks.

i. This made Taro sadder than ever.
ii. He decided to work harder than before.
iii. Next morning, Taro jumped out of bed earlier than usual.
iv. He began to chop even faster.
v. Next morning, Taro started for work even earlier than the morning before.

Taro’s Reward Speaking and writing

A. Encourage the students to say the tongue-twisters aloud and then learn them by heart.

B. Question 1. The story ‘Taro’s Reward’ shows that Taro is thoughtful, hardworking and also wise. Read aloud the parts of story that show these qualities in Taro.
(Encourage the students to read the parts of the story that they find interesting.)

Question 2.
i. Like Patrick in the story ‘Who Did Patrick’s Homework’, Taro is helped by magic. Do you believe in magic? What are the magical things that happen in these stories?
(Encourage the students to come up with interesting answers.)
Answer:
No, I do not always believe in magic because I mostly believe in logic and science. In the story, ‘Who Did Patrick’s Homework?’ the element of magic is the elf who helps Patrick do all homework. And in the story, ‘Taro’s Rewards’, Taro comes across a waterfall that gives him the delicious magical sake.

ii. Which story do you like better, and why? Do you know such stories in other languages? Discuss these questions in class. (Encourage the students to come up with their individual answers and have an animated discussion in class.)
Answer:
Personally, I liked the story ‘Taro’s Rewards’ better because it teaches the values of selflessness and love. It also shows that hard work is rewarded sooner or later. I have heard many such stories with similar themes, which are quite often Japanese or Chinese.

Question 3.
Now write a paragraph or two about these two stories, comparing them.
Answer:
The first story ‘Who Did Patrick’s Homework?’ is about a boy called Patrick who saves the life of an elf from a cat. The elf grants him a wish in return. Patrick wishes that the elf should do all his homework till the end of semester.

But in the end, it is Patrick who ends up doing all the work, as the elf does not have any idea about how to do homework. In this way, Patrick changes into a hardworking and cheerful student. The story teaches us . that there is no substitute for hard work, not even magic.

The second story ‘Taro’s Rewards’ is about a young, hardworking woodcutter who wants to keep his parents happy and help them live comfortably. In this bid, he goes to the forest to chop more and more wood in the forest. Just when he is completely tired, he hears the sound of a waterfall. He soon realizes that it is a magical waterfall, and it gives sake instead of water.

He is happy to take the sake to his parents, who are delighted to have it. But the waterfall only gives sake to someone as selfless as Taro; to everyone else, the magical waterfall only bestows plain water.

The Emperor honours Taro’s qualities by naming a fountain after him and sending him gold. In this way, Taro’s considerate and thoughtful acts are rewarded. The story demonstrates that love leads to magic and great rewards. The power of love is unquestionable and extraordinary.

C. Question 1. Listen to these children. What are they talking about?
(Encourage the students to come up with their individual answers.)

Question 2.
Work in groups. Come to some agreement on each of the activities given below. Decide which is the most interesting, dullest, most dangerous, safest, most rewarding, most exciting.
Answer:
To me, the most interesting activities to do are fishing, dancing, swimming and mountain climbing (even though it would be quite dangerous). But the truth is that I would never in my right mind take up cooking, sewing or knitting because they sound boring and time-consuming to me.

Another exciting option would be to learn a new language, or collect stamps. In my free time, I often read or listen to music. In fact, I paint also, but my paintings often do not turn out to be the way I intend them to be. Also, the best form of exercise for me would be to play football. In this way, I not only get to spend time with my friends but also learn about teamwork

Taro’s Reward Dictation

Your teacher will speak the words given below. Write against each two new words that rhyme with it.

1. bed: dead; head
2. wax: tax; axe
3. fast: last; cast
4. chop: mop; hop
5. young: lung; sung