My Brother’s Great Invention — NCERT Solutions

Creative Ending (Sample Answer):

Boppa, the neighbourhood sweeper who had turned to burglary, stumbled into Anand's dark room and tripped over the time machine. In his panic, he accidentally activated it. With a loud hum, a flash of light, and an eerie whine, the machine whirred to life — and Boppa vanished into thin air, leaving behind only his green scarf.

He was transported back to ancient India, to the time of the great mathematician Aryabhata. Confused and frightened, Boppa found himself in a world without electricity, cars, or modern comforts. He had no choice but to work hard and honestly to survive. Over time, he learned the value of hard work and honesty.

Meanwhile, back in the present, Anand remained convinced that his time machine was a success. He proudly told everyone that Boppa had been sent to the past as proof of his genius. As for Boppa — perhaps somewhere in history, there is a record of a strange, confused man who appeared out of nowhere and reformed his ways entirely.

Concept: Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate the actual sounds they describe.

Completed Table:

Explanation:

• Humming imitates a continuous, low, steady sound.
• Hissed imitates the sharp, angry sound of whispering through clenched teeth.
• Hammering, sawing, clattering all imitate the loud, repetitive sounds of construction work.

Concept: Binomials are expressions of two words in a fixed order, linked by 'and' or 'or'.

Matched Pairs:

Concept: Using binomials correctly in context.

Answers:

(i) This project will be a make or break moment for our team's success.

(ii) After a long journey, we were relieved to arrive home safe and sound.

(iii) Every friendship works well when there is a balance of give and take.

(iv) She organised all the odds and ends in the cupboard, to make space for new clothes.

(v) Before making a decision, it is important to weigh the pros and cons carefully.

(vi) This is our final chance to perform on stage, it is now or never.

Concept: Phrasal verbs — verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs that create a new meaning.

Note: The box in the original text appears as a word-search grid containing the letters for the phrasal verbs. Based on context, the appropriate phrasal verbs are identified as follows:

Completed Paragraph:

It had been raining and we (i) fell short of time to set up for the function, so we quickly (ii) put together / rigged up some decorations using whatever materials we had. We accidentally (iii) tripped the fire alarm because of the smoke from the bonfire. Thankfully, the rain (iv) let up just as the guests were arriving, and despite all the chaos, the function (v) turned out to be a huge success.

Explanation of phrasal verbs used:

• fell short of = did not have enough of
• tripped = accidentally set off/activated
• let up = stopped or became less intense
• turned out = resulted in / proved to be

Concept: Idioms are phrases whose meanings differ from the literal meanings of the individual words.

Answers:

1. Shekhar knew he would get a shelling for breaking his mother's favourite flower vase.

(get a shelling = to be scolded severely)

2. We fell over ourselves trying to help the injured dog and get it to the vet as quickly as possible.

(fell over ourselves = tried very hard and eagerly)

3. Faizy distracted Kanchan, leaving the coast clear for us to get inside the room to prepare the birthday surprise.

(leaving the coast clear = making the way free of obstacles or people)

4. The constant power fluctuations during meetings can get on our nerves.

(get on our nerves = to irritate or annoy)

5. When I am alone at home, any unexpected loud noise in the night can frighten me half to death.

(frighten me half to death = to scare someone very badly)

Concept:

• Past Perfect Tense = had + past participle (used for the action that happened earlier)
• Simple Past Tense = second form of the verb (used for the action that happened later)

(i) Ma had rushed in to see what the racket was all about and found Papa standing there, sopping wet and scowling.

• Past Perfect: had rushed
• Simple Past: was, found

(ii) Anand had vanished by this time and reappeared only after dinner when Papa had cooled down.

• Past Perfect: had vanished, had cooled
• Simple Past: reappeared

Concept: Past perfect is used for the action completed before another past action. Simple past is used for the later or main action.

(i)

• A. After Rohan had finished (finish) his homework, (past perfect — earlier action)
• B. he decided (decide) to go for a walk. (simple past — later action)
• C. He left (leave) the house (simple past)
• D. and realised (realise) (simple past)
• E. he had forgotten (forget) his keys inside. (past perfect — this happened before he realised)

(ii)

• A. By the time we reached (reach) the station, (simple past)
• B. the train had already left (already/leave). (past perfect — happened before reaching)
• C. We waited (wait) for the next one to arrive. (simple past)

Concept: When combining two past actions, the earlier (older) action uses the past perfect tense (had + past participle), and the later (newer) action uses the simple past tense.

(i) Rohan had packed his suitcase before he left for the airport.
(Example already given)

(ii) We had already started work when he arrived in the morning.
(OR: By the time he arrived in the morning, we had already started work.)

(iii) They had set up the tents before the others brought food and medicine.
(OR: By the time the others brought food and medicine, they had already set up the tents.)

(iv) The students had become quiet when they heard the teacher coming.
(OR: By the time they heard the teacher coming, the students had already become quiet.)

(v) The villagers had left the village before the flood submerged the entire area.
(OR: By the time the flood submerged the entire area, the villagers had already left the village.)

Note: This is a listening activity. The answers are based on the transcript provided to the teacher (pg. 136 of the textbook). Students should listen carefully to the audio/teacher reading the transcript.

True Statements:

2. Anita accepts Toby as her friend. — TRUE
3. Anita asks Toby about one of his facial features. — TRUE (she asks about his single eye)
4. Toby tells Anita that she had a banana for breakfast. — TRUE

False Statements:

1. Toby misses his school — FALSE (he misses his planet/home, not specifically school)
2. Toby shares that he can see much clearer with a closed eye — FALSE (he sees better with his one open eye; Martians have special vision)

Note: This is a listening activity based on the audio transcript (pg. 136 of the textbook). Students must listen carefully to fill in the exact words.

Expected Answers (based on the transcript):

1. Toby: I miss my planet and home.
2. Toby: Well, we Martians don't need to eat anything. We get our energy from the Sun.
3. Anita: Oh! Don't you ever feel like having ice creams and chocolates?
4. Anita: Okay, tell me one thing. How are you able to see with only one eye?
5. Toby: I can see beyond mountains and rivers, woods and even oceans.

*(Note: Students should verify these answers by listening to the actual audio provided by the teacher, as the exact words depend on the transcript on pg. 136.)

Concept: Words ending in –ough are pronounced differently depending on the word.

Sorted Table:

Explanation:

• through → rhymes with 'blue/too' (sounds like 'throo')
• cough → rhymes with 'off' (sounds like 'coff')
• dough → rhymes with 'low/go' (sounds like 'doe')
• bough → rhymes with 'cow/now' (sounds like 'bow')
• plough → rhymes with 'cow/now' (sounds like 'plow')
• thought → rhymes with 'saw/law' (sounds like 'thawt')

More words with similar sounds:

• Sounds like 'oo': although (no), borough (no) — through is the main one
• Sounds like 'off': trough (sounds like 'troff')
• Sounds like 'o': although, dough
• Sounds like 'ow': brow (different spelling), drought (sounds like 'drowt')
• Sounds like 'aw': bought, brought, fought, sought, ought

Sample Paragraph: The Vocation of a Chef

Among all the vocations I have come across, the one that fascinates me the most is that of a chef. I love this vocation because food has the power to bring people together and create moments of joy. A beautifully prepared meal can turn an ordinary day into a celebration.

To become a skilled chef, one needs proper training from a culinary institute, where one learns cooking techniques, food safety, nutrition, and kitchen management. Practical experience through internships in restaurants or hotels is equally important.

A chef requires various tools and equipment such as sharp knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, ovens, blenders, and measuring instruments. Keeping these tools clean and in good condition is essential.

In a professional kitchen, a chef works closely with sous chefs, line cooks, pastry chefs, and kitchen helpers. Teamwork is the backbone of any successful kitchen — every member has a specific role, and the meal reaches the customer only when everyone works in harmony and coordination.

Dealing with customers requires patience, a positive attitude, and a willingness to accommodate special requests or dietary needs. A good chef always takes feedback graciously and strives to improve.

I plan to pursue this vocation with dedication and pride by enrolling in a reputed culinary school, practising every day, and always putting my heart into every dish I prepare. I believe that cooking is not just a job — it is an art, and I intend to master it.

Famous Indian Inventors and Their Inventions:

1. Sushruta (6th century B.C.) — Pioneer of surgery; his work Sushruta Samhita described surgical procedures, instruments, and techniques that laid the foundation for modern surgery.

2. Aryabhata (476–550 A.D.) — Mathematician and astronomer who introduced the concept of zero and calculated the value of pi (π). He also explained the rotation of the Earth.

3. Dr. Janaki Ammal (1897–1984) — Botanist and cytogeneticist who made significant contributions to the study of plant chromosomes and genetics. She was awarded the Padma Shri.

4. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931–2015) — Aerospace scientist and former President of India. Under his leadership, ISRO launched India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III), placing the Rohini satellite in orbit in 1980. He is known as the 'Missile Man of India'.

5. Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany (1926–2020) — Known as the 'Father of Fibre Optics'. He invented fibre optic technology, which revolutionised telecommunications and medical imaging. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan.

6. C.V. Raman (1888–1970) — Physicist who discovered the 'Raman Effect' (scattering of light), for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

7. Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858–1937) — Scientist who pioneered research in radio waves and also demonstrated that plants have feelings. He invented the crescograph to measure plant growth.

8. Homi J. Bhabha (1909–1966) — Nuclear physicist known as the 'Father of the Indian Nuclear Programme'. He founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).

Conclusion: India has a rich tradition of scientific discovery and invention. These inventors inspire us to be curious, creative, and dedicated in our pursuit of knowledge.