North, South, East, West — NCERT Solutions

This is an open-ended pair activity. Sample Answer:

I enjoyed travelling to Ooty, Tamil Nadu, with my family during the summer holidays. We travelled by train from Chennai to Mettupalayam and then took the famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway (a UNESCO World Heritage toy train) up to Ooty. I learnt that the Nilgiris are home to the Toda tribe, who have a unique culture and lifestyle. I also learnt about tea cultivation — we visited a tea estate and saw how tea leaves are plucked, dried, and processed. The experience taught me that India has incredible natural beauty and rich cultural diversity even within a single state.

This is a personalised activity. A sample answer for Delhi (National Capital Territory) is given below:

1. Part of the country: North (Centre)
2. Its capital: New Delhi (Delhi itself is the NCT; New Delhi is the capital of India)
3. Language: Hindi (also Punjabi, Urdu)
4. River(s): Yamuna
5. Tourist attraction: Red Fort, Qutub Minar, India Gate, Humayun's Tomb
6. Food: Chole Bhature, Paranthas, Butter Chicken, Chaat

(Students should fill in details relevant to their own state or Union Territory.)

States with 'Pradesh' in their names:

(Note: Students may also include Telangana if they recall it was carved out of Andhra Pradesh, though it does not have 'Pradesh' in its current name. The five listed above are the primary ones.)

Based on the postcards in the chapter, the completed table is:

(Note: The exact details depend on the full text of the postcards in the textbook. Students should refer to the actual postcards in their book and fill in accordingly.)

Correct Answer: D. wonder

Justification: The phrase 'I never knew such a place existed' expresses amazement and surprise at discovering something completely new and unexpected — the Sundarbans and mangrove trees growing in seawater. This feeling of amazement at something new is best described as wonder.

Amma is sad about the frequent flooding in Sundarbans because it threatens the unique ecosystem of the wetlands, including the mangrove forests and the wildlife that lives there, and could eventually destroy this rare and precious natural habitat.

The evidence from the text that reflects the speaker's slight nervousness is: "I hope they don't follow us home."

This line, said after seeing crocodiles and a snake while boating, shows that Shaana is slightly nervous or uneasy about the wild animals she encountered, even though she tries to express it in a light-hearted way.

Correct Answer: B. Both the assertion and the reason are true, but the reason does not correctly explain the assertion.

Justification: The assertion is true — Shaana is missing her friends, as shown by her asking 'Are you missing me yet?' The reason is also true — she does wish to know how her friends are doing, as shown by 'How is everyone?' However, the reason (wishing to know their well-being) does not correctly explain why she is missing them. Missing friends is an emotional feeling of longing, not simply a desire to know about their well-being.

The speaker chooses to stay awake because she loves looking out of the window and enjoys the beautiful view of the plateaus, hills, and the landscape passing by in the night.

By saying 'You won't believe how nice the plateaus look', the speaker means that the plateaus are so strikingly beautiful and impressive that it is hard to imagine or believe without seeing them in person. She is expressing her amazement and trying to convey the extraordinary beauty of the landscape to the person she is writing to.

Correct Answer: A. from fear to comfort

Justification: The speaker clearly states, 'I used to be afraid of tunnels, but I'm not any more.' This shows a change from being scared (fear) to being at ease with them (comfort).

The speaker's wish to share the experience of touring the plateaus with others indicates her sense of connection as well as the value she places on shared experiences with her peers.

Explanation: Shaana's desire to take everyone on a tour of the plateaus shows that she feels emotionally connected to her friends and family, and she believes that experiencing things together makes them more meaningful and enjoyable.

Given: Shaana says, 'I used to be afraid of tunnels, but I'm not any more.'

Answer: The most likely reason for Shaana's fear of tunnels could be the sudden darkness and enclosed space that one experiences when a train enters a tunnel. Tunnels are dark, narrow, and the sound of the train becomes very loud inside them. For a child, this sudden shift from light to complete darkness, combined with the loud echoing noise and the feeling of being enclosed underground, can be quite frightening. This type of fear is known as claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) or nyctophobia (fear of darkness). Over the course of her travels, Shaana experienced many tunnels and gradually overcame this fear.

Yes, Shaana's Appa and Amma enjoyed themselves just as much as children do, if not more.

Evidence from the text:

• Appa and Amma went for a dive in the sea (at the place where Shaana was floating and looking at fish), which shows they were enthusiastic about adventure activities.
• Amma was knowledgeable and excited enough to explain about wetlands and mangroves to Shaana, showing her own deep interest in nature.
• The family travelled across the entire country — from glaciers in Kashmir to beaches in Chennai — which shows that the parents planned and participated in a wide variety of experiences with great enthusiasm.
• The fact that Amma and Appa are described as 'fast asleep' after a long day of travel shows they were actively engaged throughout the journey, tiring themselves out just like children do after a fun day.

Thus, the parents clearly enjoyed the journey with the same spirit of curiosity and adventure as children.

Given: Shaana observes less snow in the glaciers and more flooding in the Sundarbans.

These observations indicate the effects of climate change and global warming:

1. Less snow in the glaciers: Glaciers are melting at a faster rate due to rising global temperatures caused by climate change. The reduction in snow and ice in places like the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir is a direct consequence of global warming. This is alarming because glaciers are a major source of freshwater for rivers.

2. More flooding in the Sundarbans: The Sundarbans, a coastal wetland, is experiencing increased flooding due to rising sea levels (caused by melting glaciers and polar ice caps) and more intense rainfall patterns — both consequences of climate change. Amma's sadness about this reflects concern for the fragile ecosystem of the Sundarbans, which is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and unique mangrove forests.

Together, these observations highlight the urgent environmental crisis facing our planet and the need for conservation and climate action.

Statement: Shaana's travels highlight the geographical diversity of India.

Evidence from the text:

1. Glaciers in Kashmir (North): Shaana visits the Thajiwas glacier, showing India's snow-covered, icy terrain in the Himalayan region.
2. Forests in the Northeast: She walks through a thick forest to reach a tree house, highlighting India's dense tropical and subtropical forests.
3. Wetlands — the Sundarbans: She visits the mangrove wetlands of the Sundarbans, a unique ecosystem where trees grow in seawater.
4. Deserts in Gujarat: The Rann of Kutch represents India's vast arid desert landscape.
5. Plateaus in Goa/Western Ghats: She describes beautiful plateaus and hills in the southwest, representing India's Deccan Plateau region.
6. Rivers — the Narmada: The mention of the Narmada river highlights India's great river systems.
7. Coastal areas — Chennai and Lakshadweep: Beaches and the sea represent India's long coastline and island territories.

Thus, from snow-capped mountains to deserts, from wetlands to plateaus, and from forests to beaches, Shaana's journey captures the remarkable geographical diversity of India.

Shaana uses simple, lively, and expressive language in her postcards to convey a range of emotions:

1. Excitement: She uses exclamatory expressions like 'I can't believe we travelled across the whole country!' and 'You won't believe how nice the plateaus look.' These show her enthusiasm and joy.

2. Curiosity: Phrases like 'I never knew such a place existed' and 'I just love looking out of the window' show her eagerness to learn and discover new things. She describes new geographical features (mangroves, wetlands, plateaus) with genuine interest.

3. Fear/Nervousness: She expresses mild fear humorously, saying 'I hope they don't follow us home' after seeing crocodiles and a snake. She also admits, 'I used to be afraid of tunnels,' showing honesty about her fears.

4. Personal and conversational tone: By addressing her letters to friends and asking 'How is everyone? Are you missing me yet?', she makes her writing warm and relatable.

5. Vivid descriptions: She describes glaciers as 'white and blue', which creates a visual image for the reader.

Overall, Shaana's language is child-like yet observant, making the reader feel as if they are travelling alongside her.

Shaana's travels across India would have taught her many valuable lessons:

Geographical knowledge:

• She learnt about different landforms — glaciers, wetlands, deserts, plateaus, forests, rivers, and coastlines — all within one country.
• She learnt about unique ecosystems like the Sundarbans and the mangrove forests.

Environmental awareness:

• She became aware of environmental issues like glacial melting and flooding in the Sundarbans, which are signs of climate change.

Cultural diversity:

• By travelling across different states, she would have encountered different languages, foods, customs, and traditions, helping her appreciate India's rich cultural diversity.

Personal growth:

• She overcame her fear of tunnels, showing that travel builds courage and confidence.
• She developed a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world.

Impact on her understanding:
Shaana's travels would give her a deeper, more personal understanding of India — not just as lines on a map, but as a living, breathing country full of diversity, beauty, and challenges. She would grow up with a broader perspective, greater empathy for different communities, and a stronger sense of national identity and environmental responsibility.

The author's purpose of presenting the text in the form of postcards is multi-fold:

1. Child-friendly and relatable format: Postcards are written in a personal, informal, and conversational tone. This makes the text easy and enjoyable for young readers to connect with, as they can imagine themselves writing similar letters.

2. First-person perspective: The postcard format allows the author to present Shaana's personal observations, feelings, and reactions directly, making the descriptions of places more vivid and emotionally engaging.

3. Episodic structure: Each postcard covers a different place, allowing the author to take the reader on a journey across India in short, digestible segments — from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

4. Authenticity: Postcards are a real-world form of communication that travellers use. Using this format makes the story feel authentic and realistic.

5. Educational purpose: Through Shaana's postcards, the author subtly educates young readers about India's geography, ecology, and diversity without making it feel like a textbook lesson.

6. Emotional connection: The personal address ('Dear...') and questions like 'Are you missing me yet?' create an emotional bond between the narrator and the reader, making the reading experience more immersive.

(Note: The actual pictures are not visible in the OCR. The matching is based on the standard descriptions of these geographical/natural features.)

1. glaciers → The picture showing large masses of ice and snow on mountains (likely image iii or i).
2. treehouse → The picture showing a small house built among the branches of a tree (likely image ii).
3. wetlands → The picture showing marshy land with water and mangrove-type vegetation (likely image iv).
4. plateaus → The picture showing flat-topped elevated land (likely image v).
5. pebbles → The picture showing small, smooth, rounded stones (likely image vi).
6. rafting → The picture showing people on a raft/boat navigating through river rapids (likely image i).

(Students should match based on the actual pictures in their textbook.)

(Note: The exact words depend on the word box provided in the textbook. Students should choose from the given options in their book.)