A Journey to the Magical Mountains — NCERT Solutions

The correct matches are:

$$1. \text{ Himalayas} \rightarrow d) \text{ The tallest mountain range in the world}$$
$$2. \text{ Sherpa} \rightarrow a) \text{ Guides and helpers in mountain climbing}$$
$$3. \text{ Journey} \rightarrow c) \text{ A series of connected events or travel from one place to another}$$
$$4. \text{ Yaks} \rightarrow b) \text{ Large, strong animals found in mountains}$$
$$5. \text{ Magical} \rightarrow e) \text{ Something wonderful, amazing, or enchanting}$$
$$6. \text{ Memories} \rightarrow f) \text{ Things we remember and cherish}$$

The correct matches are:

$$1. \text{ Mouth of the river} \rightarrow b) \text{ Mouth}$$
$$2. \text{ Arm of the chair} \rightarrow c) \text{ Arm}$$
$$3. \text{ Heart of the city} \rightarrow d) \text{ Heart}$$
$$4. \text{ Ear of corn} \rightarrow e) \text{ Ear}$$
$$5. \text{ Eye of a needle} \rightarrow a) \text{ Eye}$$

Explanation: Just like 'foot of the mountain' uses a body part word to describe a part of a mountain, these phrases use body part words to describe parts of other objects. For example, the 'mouth' of a river is where it meets the sea, and the 'eye' of a needle is the small hole through which thread passes.

Given: A set of geographical terms related to landforms.

Meanings of the words:

1. Plain — A large area of flat land with few trees.
2. Slope — The side of a hill or mountain that goes up or down at an angle.
3. River — A large natural stream of water that flows towards the sea, a lake, or another river.
4. Plateau — A large area of flat land that is higher than the land around it.
5. Valley — A low area of land between hills or mountains, often with a river running through it.
6. Hill — A raised area of land, smaller than a mountain.
7. Summit — The highest point or top of a mountain.
8. Mountain range — A series or group of mountains connected together.
9. Foot — The lowest part or base of a mountain or hill.
10. Range — A line or group of mountains or hills.

Note: Students should use these meanings to label the corresponding parts in the picture provided in their textbook. For example, the highest point should be labelled 'Summit', the flat raised land should be labelled 'Plateau', the low land between mountains should be labelled 'Valley', and so on.

Concept: 'Because' is used to give a reason.

Here, the reason she ate a sandwich is that she was hungry.

Answer: She ate a sandwich because she was hungry.

Concept: 'But' is used to show contrast or difference between two ideas.

Here, wanting to go out and it being too late are contrasting ideas.

Answer: I wanted to go out, but it was too late.

Concept: 'Because' is used to give a reason.

Here, the reason he was happy is that he got a new toy.

Answer: He was happy because he got a new toy.

Concept: 'Or' is used to give a choice between two options.

Here, going to the zoo and going to the aquarium are two choices.

Answer: We can go to the zoo or we can go to the aquarium.

Concept: 'And' is used to add information or join more than two items in a list.

Here, three items that Aman has are being listed together.

Answer: Aman has a pen, a pencil, and an eraser.

Concept: 'And' is used to add information.

Here, two things that Simran loves are being added together.

Answer: Simran loves to eat mangoes and she loves bananas.

Concept: 'But' is used to show contrast.

Here, running fast and still missing the bus are contrasting ideas — we would expect that running fast means catching the bus, but the opposite happened.

Answer: He ran fast, but he missed the bus.

Concept: 'Because' is used to give a reason.

Here, the reason she stayed home is that she was not feeling well.

Answer: She stayed home because she was not feeling well.

Concept: 'And' is used to add information when both things are true.

Here, the person loves both chocolate and vanilla, so 'and' joins the two ideas.

Answer: I love chocolate and I love vanilla.

Concept: 'Because' is used to give a reason.

Here, the reason the baby is crying is that he is hungry.

Answer: The baby is crying because he is hungry.

This is an oral speaking activity. Below are sample completed sentences to guide students:

Starter 1 (Group A): On a bright summer morning, ...
Completion (Group B): ... Minam and her grandfather set off on their exciting journey to the mountains.

Starter 2 (Group B): One day, a clever squirrel decided ...
Completion (Group A): ... to collect as many nuts as possible before the winter arrived.

More sample starters and completions:

• Starter: 'In a faraway land, there lived ...'

Completion: '... a kind old woman who loved to help everyone around her.'

• Starter: 'The little bird flew high into the sky and ...'

Completion: '... discovered a beautiful garden full of colourful flowers.'

Note: The teacher should encourage students to speak clearly and in complete sentences. The sentences need not be related to each other, but they must make sense.

This is a project and presentation activity. Below is a sample write-up for one animal to guide students:

Sample Animal: Snow Leopard

Habitat:
The Snow Leopard lives in the cold, rocky mountains of Central Asia, including the Himalayas. It is found at heights of 3,000 to 4,500 metres above sea level.

Adaptation:

• It has thick, white-grey fur that keeps it warm in freezing temperatures and also acts as camouflage against the snow and rocks.
• Its large paws act like natural snowshoes, helping it walk on snow without sinking.
• Its long, thick tail helps it balance on rocky slopes and can also be wrapped around its body for warmth.
• Its wide nostrils help it breathe in thin mountain air.

Life Cycle:
Snow leopards give birth to 2–3 cubs in spring. The cubs stay with their mother for about 18–22 months, learning to hunt before they become independent.

Lifestyle:
Snow leopards are solitary animals. They are most active at dawn and dusk. They hunt animals like blue sheep (bharal) and ibex.

How they survive in harsh conditions:
Their thick fur, padded paws, and ability to leap great distances (up to 15 metres) help them survive in the harsh, cold, and rocky mountain environment.

Students should draw or paste pictures of their chosen animal, write captions, and present the chart to the class in a clear and confident manner.

This is a research and exploration activity.

Answer:

The first woman to climb Mount Everest twice was Santosh Yadav, an Indian mountaineer.

Key Facts about Santosh Yadav:

• She was born on 1 September 1969 in Joniyawas, Rajasthan, India.
• She first climbed Mount Everest in 1992.
• She climbed Mount Everest for the second time in 1993, becoming the first woman in the world to climb Everest twice.
• She received the Padma Shri award in 2000 for her outstanding achievement.
• She is an officer in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
• She is an inspiration to millions of young girls and women across India and the world.

What students should do:

• Collect pictures of Santosh Yadav from newspapers, magazines, or the internet.
• Write down interesting facts about her journey and achievements.
• Make a small scrapbook or poster with her pictures and facts.
• Share what they have learned with the class.

Note: Some sources also mention Pasang Lhamu Sherpa as the first Nepali woman to summit Everest (1993). Students may also research her as an additional explorer.