What a Tank!

Given: The question asks about the use of a water tank.

Answer: We use a water tank to store water. The stored water is used for our daily needs such as drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, and cleaning.

Given: The question asks about the location of Punjab on the map of India.

Answer: Punjab is located in the north-western part of India. It shares its borders with Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to the north, Haryana and Rajasthan to the south and east, and Pakistan to the west.

Given: The question is about the construction of water tanks in Punjab.

Answer: The water tanks in Punjab are made of cement. They are built in unique and creative shapes such as a rooster, a tractor, a giant football, and many other interesting forms. Skilled workers shape the cement into these designs.

Given: The question asks how the shapes of water tanks reflect the identity of the owners.

Answer: The unique shapes of the water tanks reflect the interests, professions, and personalities of the house owners. For example, a farmer might have a tractor-shaped tank, while someone who loves sports might have a football-shaped tank. These creative designs show what the owners value and take pride in, making each tank a personal symbol of identity.

Given: The question asks about other methods of storing water besides an overhead tank.

Answer: Yes, there are several other ways of storing water:
- Underground sumps or reservoirs — large tanks built below the ground to store water.
- Ponds and lakes — natural or man-made bodies of water.
- Dams — large structures built across rivers to store huge amounts of water.
- Rainwater harvesting systems — collecting and storing rainwater in tanks or pits.
- Buckets, drums, and pots — used at home to store small amounts of water.
- Wells — dug into the ground to collect groundwater.

Given: This is a creative, personal-response question.

Answer (Sample): If I had to build a water tank, I would make it look like a giant book, because I love reading. A book-shaped tank would remind everyone in my neighbourhood that knowledge, like water, is precious and should never be wasted. It would also make my home look unique and interesting. The pages of the book could be painted with colourful illustrations, making it a beautiful piece of art as well as a useful structure.

*(Note: Students may write their own creative answers. Any well-reasoned response is acceptable.)*

Concept: A contraction combines two words, replacing missing letters with an apostrophe (').

$$\text{do not} \rightarrow \textbf{don't}$$

The letter 'o' in 'not' is replaced by an apostrophe.

Concept: Contraction — missing letters replaced by an apostrophe.

$$\text{is not} \rightarrow \textbf{isn't}$$

The letter 'o' in 'not' is replaced by an apostrophe.

Concept: Contraction — missing letters replaced by an apostrophe.

$$\text{are not} \rightarrow \textbf{aren't}$$

The letter 'o' in 'not' is replaced by an apostrophe.

Concept: Contraction — missing letters replaced by an apostrophe.

$$\text{cannot} \rightarrow \textbf{can't}$$

The letters 'no' are replaced by an apostrophe.

Concept: Contraction — missing letters replaced by an apostrophe.

$$\text{could not} \rightarrow \textbf{couldn't}$$

The letter 'o' in 'not' is replaced by an apostrophe.

Concept: Contraction — missing letters replaced by an apostrophe.

$$\text{did not} \rightarrow \textbf{didn't}$$

The letter 'o' in 'not' is replaced by an apostrophe.

Concept: Replace the underlined full forms with their contractions.

Rewritten passage:

Partho isn't feeling well today. His parents have decided that he will stay at home till he gets better. Partho is bored and can't stay at home anymore. He decides to ask his grandmother if he can go outside, but he thinks she, too, wouldn't agree.

Contractions used:
- is not → isn't
- cannot → can't
- would not → wouldn't

Concept: Replace the underlined full forms with their contractions.

Rewritten passage:

It's a rainy day, and Tina isn't happy. She can't go out to play with her friends. Her brother doesn't want to play indoors either. They have decided to watch a movie instead. Their mother says she will make popcorn for them.

Contractions used:
- It is → It's
- is not → isn't
- cannot → can't
- does not → doesn't