What a Tank! — NCERT Solutions

Given: The lesson introduces exclamatory sentences that express strong emotions.

Four emotions:

1. Joy / Happiness — e.g., Hurrah! We won!
2. Surprise / Amazement — e.g., Wow! What a beautiful painting!
3. Sadness / Grief — e.g., Oh no! That is terrible!
4. Anger / Frustration — e.g., How dare you do that!

These emotions are often expressed using exclamatory sentences ending with an exclamation mark (!).

Concept: Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions and end with an exclamation mark (!).

Note to students: You should find sentences from your own Grade 4 English textbook. Below are five sample exclamatory sentences with the emotions they express:

(Students should replace the sample sentences above with actual sentences found in their Grade 4 English textbook.)

Given: Pictures and names of male, female, and young ones of five animal families.

Summary Table of Animal Family Names:

Key learning: Each animal has a specific name for its male, female, and young one. Learning these names helps us describe animals correctly.

Given: We need to identify ways water is wasted and suggest solutions.

Three examples of water wastage and ways to stop it:

1. Wastage: Leaving the tap running while brushing teeth.

Solution: Use a tumbler or mug with only the water needed. Turn off the tap when not in use.

2. Wastage: Taking very long showers uses a large amount of water.

Solution: Take shorter showers or use a bucket and mug instead of a shower.

3. Wastage: Watering plants with a hose pipe wastes a lot of water.

Solution: Use a watering can with just the right amount of water, or water plants in the evening to reduce evaporation.

(Students may discuss more examples in their groups and share additional points with the class.)

Part 1: 'What a tank!' and 'Water tank'

• Do both phrases use the word 'tank'? Yes
• Do they mean the same thing? No
• 'What a tank!' is an exclamatory sentence expressing surprise or admiration about something (in this chapter, the creatively shaped water tanks).
• 'Water tank' is a noun phrase referring to a container used to store water.

Part 2: 'I scream' and 'Ice cream'

• Do both phrases sound the same? Yes (when spoken quickly, they sound alike)
• Do they mean the same thing? No
• 'I scream' means a person is shouting or crying out loudly.
• 'Ice cream' is a sweet frozen dessert.

Key Learning: Words or phrases can sound the same (or similar) but have completely different meanings. This is called a homophone or a sound-alike pair. Context helps us understand the correct meaning.

Correct Answer: (b) There was no water in the tap.

Justification: When Suma went to brush her teeth in the morning and turned on the tap, no water came out. This surprised her because she had not expected the water supply to be cut off.

Correct Answer: (b) They bought bottles and waited for tankers.

Justification: The passage states that some people ran to the nearby shop to buy water bottles, while others waited near a water tanker that came from another place. This is how people in Suma's neighbourhood managed without water.

Correct Answer: (b) To never waste water again.

Justification: The passage clearly states: 'Suma felt very happy and promised herself that she would never waste water again.' She also decided to tell her friends how precious water is.

Correct Answer: (b) Poster-making and planting trees.

Justification: According to the passage, Suma's school planned activities like poster-making, planting trees, and a water-saving competition during the Water Conservation Week.

Correct Answer: (c) To fix a rainwater harvesting system.

Justification: The passage states: 'She asked her parents to set up a rainwater harvesting system at home. Her parents agreed happily.' This shows that Suma wanted to conserve rainwater at home.

Sample Poster:

🌊 SAVE OUR WATER TANKS — A COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN 🌊

Slogan: 'Save Tanks, Save Lives! — Every Drop Counts!'

Why are water tanks important?

• ✅ They store clean water for our daily needs — drinking, cooking, and bathing.
• ✅ They ensure water supply during shortages and dry seasons.
• ✅ Clean tanks prevent waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid.
• ✅ Well-maintained tanks reduce water wastage in our community.
• ✅ They support rainwater harvesting and help conserve natural water sources.

JOIN US FOR A TANK CLEANING DRIVE!

📅 Date: Sunday, 22nd June 2025
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
📍 Place: Community Park, Near Main Gate, Sector 5

Bring your gloves, brushes, and enthusiasm!
Together, we can make a difference.

'A clean tank today — safe water tomorrow!'

(Students should draw and colour their own poster in the space provided in the textbook, using this content as a guide.)

Given: We need to find words ending in '-er'.

Ten words ending with '-er':

Complete list:

1. water
2. teacher
3. flower
4. butter
5. river
6. ladder
7. tiger
8. mother
9. letter
10. finger

(Note: The textbook also asks students to find words ending in other suffixes shown in pictures. Students should write those words in their notebooks as instructed.)

Given: We need to research and present techniques for cleaning water tanks.

Techniques for Cleaning Water Tanks:

Step-by-step process of cleaning a water tank:

1. Empty the tank: First, all the water in the tank is drained out completely.

2. Scrubbing: The inner walls, floor, and corners of the tank are scrubbed thoroughly using stiff brushes to remove dirt, algae, and slime.

3. Washing: The tank is washed with clean water to remove all loosened dirt.

4. Disinfection: A mild chlorine solution (bleaching powder mixed with water) is applied to the inner surface of the tank to kill germs and bacteria. This is left for a few hours.

5. Rinsing: The tank is rinsed thoroughly with clean water to remove all traces of the disinfectant.

6. Drying: The tank is allowed to dry before being refilled.

7. Refilling: Clean, treated water is filled back into the tank.

Important tips:

• Water tanks should be cleaned at least once every six months.
• Always use safe, food-grade disinfectants.
• Professional tank-cleaning services use high-pressure jets and vacuum pumps for large tanks.
• Keep the tank covered at all times to prevent contamination.

(Students should prepare a colourful chart with pictures/photographs and display it in the classroom.)