Category: English

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 4: The Cop and the Anthem

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 4: The Cop and the Anthem – An Alien Hand Supplementary Reader

Exercise (Page 29)

Answer the following Questions.

Question 1:
What are some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text?
Answer:
The signs of the approaching winter are the movement of birds to warm south, the woollens needed by people and the dead leaves covering the ground.

Question 2:
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following:
(i) Soapy did not want to go to prison.                                                                                           __________
(ii) Soapy had been to prison several times.                                                                                 __________
(iii) It was not possible for Soapy to survive in the city through the winter.                          __________
(iv) Soapy hated to answer questions of a personal nature.                                                      __________
Answer:
(i) False (ii) True (iii)  True (iv) True

Question 3:
What was Soapy’s first plan? Why did it not work?
Answer:
He would go to eat at restaurant and would then tell them he had no money. They would immediately call a cop who would arrest him. But as soon as he put his foot inside the restaurant, the waiters blocked his entry. Thus his first plan did not work.

Question 4:
“But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy”. What did the cop not consider, and why?
Answer:
The policeman did not believe that Soapy had broken the window glass. The reason was that no such criminal would stop and talk to a policeman.

Question 5:
“We have orders to let them shout.” What is the policeman referring to?
Answer:
The policeman means to say that he had got orders not to arrest the unruly and shouting college students.

Question 6:
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.
(i) Soapy stole a man’s umbrella. _________
(ii) The owner of the umbrella offered to give it to Soapy. _________
(iii) The man had stolen the umbrella that was now Soapy’s. _________
(iv) Soapy threw away the umbrella.   _________
Answer:
(i) True (ii) True (iii) True {iv) True.

Question 7:
“There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul”. What brought about the change on Soapy?
Answer:
The sight of the home where Soapy had spent his childhood suddenly changed his outlook. The old memories of his mother and the sweet music revived his love for a decent life. He decided to work and become somebody in life.

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1:
Suppose no cop came at the end. What would Soapy’s life be like through the winter?
Answer:
In case Soapy was not arrested and sent to prison he would have started a new life. He might have taken up some job and lived like a normal gentleman. But through the winter he might have faced the icy winds.

Question 2:
Retell an episode in the story which is a good example of irony in a situation.
Answer:
Soapy was keen to be sent to prison for the three cold months. He made several attempts to get arrested. But none of his plans worked. Finally, when he decided to live a decent life honestly, he was arrested. Such an episode is ironical.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
Why did Soapy move restlessly on his seat?
Answer:
Soapy was a homeless and jobless man. Cold winter was approaching fast. He was lying on his seat in Madison Square. He had to find some way to face the cold. Therefore, he moved restlessly on his seat.

Question 2:
What were Soapy’s hopes for the winter?
Answer:
Soapy did not have high hopes for the winter. He had no thought of sailing away on a ship. He was not thinking of southern skies or of the Bay of Naples. He hoped to spend three months in the prison on Blackwell’s Island.

Question 3:
Why did Soapy not like to go to his known persons?
Answer:
Soapy didn’t want to go to his known persons because he thought that they would ask personal questions from him. And he was not ready to answer all their questions about his life.

Question 4:
Why did Soapy like to go to the prison?
Answer:
Soapy was a man of ego. He thought that a gentleman’s own life was still his own life in prison. He considered the prison a better place than the houses of his known people. Therefore, he liked to go to the prison where he would get both food and shelter during the cold weather.

Question 5:
Why did Soapy hope to get food at a large and brightly lighted restaurant?
Answer:
Soapy looked all right above his legs. His face was clean. His coat was good enough.The part of his body that would be seen above the table would look all right. So he hoped to get food at a large and brightly lighted restaurant.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
Which ways did Soapy try to reach the prison in vain?
Answer:
Soapy put his foot inside a large and brightly lighted restaurant door. The waiters turned him outside. Then Soapy threw a stone at the glass window of a shop in Sixth Avenue. A cop came there but he ran after another person leaving Soapy at the place where he was standing. Then Soapy reached another restaurant. It was meant for the poor people. After eating to his full he declared that he had no money. Two waiters threw him outside. A cop was standing nearby. He simply laughed and walked away. Then he shouted and danced like a drunken person outside a posh theatre. The cops spared him thinking that he was a college boy. Last of all he saw a man buying a newspaper at a shop. His umbrella stood beside the door. Luckily it was a stolen umbrella. Soapy took it. The man could neither claim it nor send Soapy to prison.

Question 2:
Give the character sketch of Soapy.
Answer:
Soapy was a homeless and jobless man. He needed a place to stay comfortably for three months during the approaching winter. He could get food and shelter at the houses of his known persons but he did not like to answer their odd questions and lose his freedom. He was a man of ego and considered himself a gentleman. He preferred to go to prison where he would follow the rules but live his own life. He made many attempts to get arrested. His luck failed at the restaurants. He was thrown outside but was not handed over to the police. He broke the glass of a window and stole an umbrella. He was arrested only after he had determined to lead an honourable life.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 3: The Desert

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 3: The Desert – An Alien Hand Supplementary Reader

Comprehension Check (Page 16)

Question 1:
From the first paragraph
(i) pick out two phrases which describe the desert as most people believe it is;
(ii) Pick out two phrases which describe the desert as specialists see it.
Which do you think is an apt description, and why?
Answer:
(i) an endless stretch of sand; water less and without shelter.
(ii) a beautiful place; the home of a variety of people, animals and plants Description (ii) is apt. Human experience tells us so.

Question 2:

Answer:

Comprehension Check (Page 19)

Question 1:
A camel can do without water for days together. What is the reason given in the text?
Answer:
The reason is that the camel sweats very little. It can therefore retain the water it drinks for long periods of time.

Question 2:
How do the smaller desert animals fulfill their need for water?
Answer:
The smaller desert animals spend the day in the underground burrows to escape the heat. Some of them eat other animals and get the water they need from the moisture in the meat. Others eat plants and get the water they need from plant juices.

Question 3:
In a desert the temperature rises during the day and falls rapidly at night. Why?
Answer:
In humid climates, the air has moisture that protects the earth’s surface from the heat of the sun. Since deserts have no moisture cover, they heat up rapidly during the day and cool off rapidly at night.

Exercise (Page 19)

Do the following activities in group

Question 1:
Describe a desert in your own way. Write a paragraph and read it aloud to your classmates.
Answer:
A desert is usually a dry, hot and horrifying place. That is why only the nomads and camels in a small number live there. Of course, there are green patches also near the water spring. These places are called oases. The deserts occupy vast areas. In India the hot desert of Rajasthan can also be turned into fertile agricultural land provided we take water over there through canals.

Question 2:
Go to the library and collect information about the lifestyle of people in desert areas- their food, clothes, work, social customs, etc.Show this information with the group.
Answer:
The nomads are homeless people in desert areas. They keep shifting to places where they can get food and fodder. Their life is very hard. They use camels for transportation. They eat mainly meat and dates. They weave their clothes from the wool of camel or sheep. Their life style is very simple. They look to the sky for rain water. Thev have developed their own customs.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
Who finds it difficult to imagine what a desert is Uke?
Answer:
Some people living in regions covered with forests and surrounded with hills find it difficult to imagine what a desert is like.

Question 2:
What happens when it rains in deserts?
Answer:
Rains are rare in the deserts. Whenever it rains, desert flowers start blooming The sight becomes as rewarding as that of any tropical garden.

Question 3:
What is an oasis? How is it useful for desert plants?
Answer:
An oasis is like a green island in the middle of a desert where a spring or a well gives plants and trees a better chance to grow.

Question 4:
How do desert plants and animals differ from most plants and animals?
Answer:
Desert plants and animals have developed the ability to require less water than most plants and animals.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
How do the desert plants fulfill their need for water?
Answer:
Some desert plants adopt themselves to the life they lead. The cactus plants have thick stems. They store water in them. Their roots lie close to the surface of the ground. The roots quickly absorb the moisture from the light rains that occasionally fall. In this way, their fulfill their need for water. A few plants that live in deserts have developed the ability to require less water than most plants in other regions.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English –  Chapter 2: Bringing Up Kari

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 2: Bringing Up Kari – An Alien Hand Supplementary Reader

Exercise (Page 14)

Answer the following questions:

Question 1:
The enclosure in which Kari lived had a thatched roof that lay on thick tree stumps.
Examine the illustration of Kari’s pavilion on page 8 and say why it was built that way.
Answer:
Kari’s pavilion was built under a thatched roof having its support on a thick tree trunk. The support was necessary to save the roof from falling down when he moved about and bumped against the bamboo poles.

Question 2:
Did Kari enjoy his morning bath on the river? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
Yes, Kari loved to be taken to the river for his bath. He lay down on the sand bank. The narrator rubbed his body with clean sand. Then he washed his body with water. He used to make sounds joyfully.

Question 3:
Finding good twigs for Kari took a long time. Why?
Answer:
The narrator had to work hard to gather soft new twigs for Kari. He had to climb all kinds of trees. If the twigs were deformed, Kari refused to eat them.

Question 4:
Why did Kari push his friend into the stream?
Answer:
Kari pushed his friend (the narrator) into the stream because a boy was drowning in the water. Kari himself could not save and carry the boy to the shore.

Question 5:
Kari was like a baby. What are the main points of comparison?
Answer:
Kari was like a human baby. He had to be taught a few lessons to become good. Like a baby he too played some mischief. He used to steal away the fruits from the dining-table.

Question 6:
Kari helped himself to all the bananas in the house without anyone noticing it. How did he do it?
Answer:
Kari was a mischievous but intelligent creature. He started taking away the bananas kept on the dining-table. He used his black long trunk to steal fruits, through the window.

Question 7:
Kari learnt the commands to sit and to walk. What were the instructions for each command?
Answer:
Kari learnt the commands to sit down or stand up and walk fast or slow. The word “Dhat” was the command to sit down. The word ‘Mali’ was the command to walk.

Question 8:
What is “the master call?” Why is it the most important signal for an elephant to learn?
Answer:
The master-call was a strange kind of hissing like a snake and howling like a tiger. It sounded like a fight between a snake and a tiger. The sound had to be made in the elephant’s ear. It was a necessary signal for Kari to uproot trees and make a passage through the dense forest for the house.

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
How old were Kari (the elephant) and the narrator?
Answer:
Kari, the elephant, was five months old when he was given to the narrator. The narrator was nine years old then.

Question 2:
What did Kari eat and how much?
Answer:
Kari ate twigs. He did not eat much. Still he needed forty pounds of it daily. He chewed the twigs and played with them.

Question 3:
What did the narrator do with the hatchet?
Answer:
The narrator had to bring some luscious twigs for Kari’s dinner. He used to cut down the twigs with a very sharp hatchet.

Question 4:
Why did the narrator climb the trees?
Answer:
The narrator had to get twigs for Kari. The most tender and delicate twigs were found on the trees. So he used to climb the trees.

Question 5:
Why was it necessary to train kari to he good?
Answer:
Kari was like a naughty boy. He took pleasure in making mischief. Therefore, he had to be trained to be good.

Question 6:
Who were wrongly blamed for the theft of the bananas?
Answer:
The bananas were stolen again and again. First of all, the narrator’s family blamed the servants for eating all the fruit. The next time, the narrator himself was blamed for the theft. Both the narrator and the servants were wrongly blamed. Kari used to steal the bananas every time.

Question 7:
What did the narrator do when he found Kari stealing the bananas?
Answer:
The narrator found Kari stealing the bananas. He pulled out Kari from the pavilion by the ear. He showed Kari to his parents. He also scloded the elephant.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1:
Give a character sketch of Kari.
Answer:
Kari, the elephant lived in a pavilion under a thatched roof. Once he saved the life of a drowning boy with the narrator’s help. He was fond of eating luscious twigs. He enjoyed rolling in sand and bathing in the river. He was a sensible elephant. He made a call to the narrator when he saw a boy drowning in the river. He helped the narrator fully in bringing out the drowning child. He was a naughty elephant. He took pleasure in making mischief. He had to be a great love for ripe bananas. He used to steal the bananas. Soon he was found out stealing the bananas. When the narrator scolded him his ego was hurt. He never stole anything in future. He was willing to be punished for his wrong. He was a slow but good learner like a child.

Question 2:
Give the character sketch of the narrator.
Answer:
The narrator was a boy of nine years when the five months old Kari was given to him. They grew together. He was not a good swimmer. However, he saved the life of a drowning boy with the help of the elephant. He grew friendly with the elephant. He climbed up the trees to get luscious twigs for Kari. He took Kari to the river and rubbed him with clean sand. He cut the twigs with a sharp hatchet. He always heeded to the elephant’s call. He was a boy of ego. He got angry with his parents when they blamed him for the theft of the bananas. He was a good observer. Soon he discovered that Kari was the thief. He pulled Kari by the ear and scolded him in harsh language. He learnt how to make the elephant sit down, walk, go fast or go fast or go slow by saying ‘D hat’and ‘Mali’.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 1: The Tiny Teacher

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 English – Chapter 1: The Tiny Teacher – An Alien Hand Supplementary Reader

Comprehension Check (Page 3)

Question 1:
The story of an ant’s life sounds almost untrue.
The italicised phrase means

1. highly exaggerated.
2. too remarkable to be true.
3. not based on facts.

Answer:

1. highly exaggerated.

Question 2:
Complete the following sentences.

1. An ant is the smallest,________________________________
2. We know a number of facts about an ant’s life because________________________________

Answer:

1. insect we have seen.
2. people have kept the ants as pets and watched their behaviour closely.

Question 3:
In what ways is an ant’s life peaceful?
Answer:
The ants live in peace because each one does its share of work honestly, wisely and bravely. They don’t interfere in the work given to others. They never fight in their group.

Comprehension Check (Page 5)

1. How long does it take for a grub to become a complete ant?
2. Why do the worker ants carry the grubs about?
3. What jobs are new ants trained for?
4. Name some other creatures that live in anthills.
5. Mention three things we can learn from the ‘tiny teacher’. Give reasons for choosing these items.

Answers:

1. The grubs take in three to six weeks to become cocoons and then to be a complete ant.
2. The grubs are carried about daily for airing, exercise and sunshine.
3. The new ants learn their duties from old ants as workers, soldiers, builders, cleaners, etc.
4. Some other creatures that live in anthills are beetles, lesser breeds of ants and the open fly.
5. We can learn from the tiny ants the lessons of hard work, sense of duty and discipline, cleanliness, loyalty and care for the young ones. These lessons are necessary for the happiness and smooth working of the society.

Exercise

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1:

1. What problems are you likely to face if you keep ants as pets?
2.  When a group of bees finds nectar, it informs other bees of its location, quantity, etc. through dancing. Can you guess what ants communicate to their fellow ants by touching one another’s feelers?

Answer:

1. Keeping ants as pets is very uncommon or rare. The reason is that they don’t take orders. They follow their own rules. Above all, they bite and spoil the food.
2. By touching one another’s feelers, the ants give message to others about new-found food.

Question 2:
Complete the following poem with words from the box below.
Soldiers live in barracks
And birds in (a)___________________ ,
Much like a snake that rests
In a (b)__________________ . No horse is able
To sleep except in a (c)____________________ .
And a dog lives well,
Mind you, only in a (d)____________________ .
To say *hi’ to an ant if you will,
You may have to climb an (e)____________________ .
hole,     kennel,     nests,     anthill,     stable
Answer:
(a) nests
(b) hole
(c) stable
(d) kennel
(e) anthill.

More Questions Solved

I. Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Who looks after the grubs and how?
Answer:
Soldiers and workers look after the grubs. Soldiers guard them. Workers feed and clean them, and also carry them about daily for airing, exercise and sunshine.

Question 2:
How much time do grubs take for becoming cocoons? What do the cocoons do after that?
Answer:
Grubs take two or three weeks for becoming cocoons. After that cocoons lie with- out-food or activity for three weeks more. Then they break and perfect ants ap­pear.

Question 3:
Why do ants want alien creatures to live in their nests?
Answer:
Some give off smell pleasant to the ants’ senses; others give sweet juices; and some are just pets or playthings like cats and dogs to human beings.

Question 4:
Why do the ants train the greenfly?
Answer:
The greenfly is the ants’ cow. The ants train it to give honeydew (like milk) with a touch of their antennae. They milk it just as we milk the cow.

Question 5:
What are the functions of feelers or antennae for an ant?
Answer:
An ant uses its feelers or antennae to talk to other ants. It passes messages through them. It greets other ants by touching one another’s feelers.

Question 6:
What do you know about worker ants?
Answer:
Worker ants live in their reserved quarters. They search for food most of their time. They do only their own share of work.

II. Long Answer Type Questions 

Question 1:
What do you know about the homes of the ants?
Answer:
The homes of the ants are called ‘nests’ or ‘anthills’. Each nest has hundreds of little rooms and passages. The queen ant lays eggs in some of the rooms. Other rooms serve as nurseries for the gurbs ( young ants). Some rooms serve as store houses for food. Some rooms serve as reserved quarters for workers or barracks for soldiers. Cleaners also live in the nests.

Question 2:
What do you know about the queen ant?
Answer:
The queen ant is known as the ‘Mother Ant’. It has a pair of wings. It bites them off after its ‘wedding fight’. This fight takes place on a hot summer day. The queen leaves the nest and goes out to meet a male ant, or drone, high up in the air. On its return to earth, it gets rid of its wings and then does nothing but lay eggs.

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