Chapter - 11

A Journey to the Magical Mountains

Let us Read

Once upon a time, in a small village at the foot of the mighty Himalayas, lived a young girl named Minam. She loved to listen to stories about the mountains from her grandfather, who was once a Sherpa. The two of them would often go on long walks together.

One sunny morning, Minam's grandfather said, "Minam, you have become strong, and you can walk for a long distance. Today, I will take you on a special journey to the mountains. We'll see the beauty of the Himalayas up close!"

Minam was excited and quickly packed her bag with some rotis with achaar, two water bottles, and her favourite fruit, apples.

They started their journey early in the morning. As they walked, Minam saw beautiful flowers, tall trees, and heard the sounds of birds she had never heard before. The air was fresh and cool, and Minam felt very happy.

After a while, they reached a small river with clear water. Minam's grandfather said, "This is where we will have our lunch."

They sat by the river, enjoying their rotis and watching the fish swim. Minam dipped her feet in the cool water and laughed with joy while eating an apple.

After their meal, they continued their journey. They climbed higher and higher, and soon they could see yaks. Minam's grandfather told her, "Yaks are very important to the people living in the mountains. They give us milk, wool, and help carry heavy loads."

As they walked further, they reached a place where the ground was covered with snow. Minam had never seen so much snow before! She and her grandfather made a small snowman. They laughed and played, making memories Minam would value forever.

Finally, they reached the top of a hill. From there, Minam could see the huge peaks of the Himalayas shining in the sun. It was a beautiful sight. Her grandfather pointed to the highest mountain and said, "That is Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. Many brave people have tried to climb it."

Minam felt happy to be living near such wonderful mountains. As the sun began to set, A Journey to the Magical Mountains 115 Minam and her grandfather started their journey back home.

On their way down, they heard the beautiful musical notes of a Santoor. It was played by an old man sitting under a tree. They also saw a family of mountain goats jumping from rock to rock. Minam’s grandfather explained, “These goats are good at climbing. They can go to places where it’s very hard for people to reach.”

By the time they reached their village, it was getting dark. Minam was tired but very happy. She turned to her grandfather and said, “Thank you for taking me to the magical mountains. I will never forget this day.”

Her grandfather smiled and replied, “The mountains are truly magical, Minam. They teach us about strength, beauty, and the wonders of nature. Always remember to respect and protect them.”

Minam promised to take care of the mountains and share their magic with everyone she met.

New Words

Himalayas, Sherpa, journey, loads, memories, journey, mighty

Let us Think

A. Answer the following.

1. Who was Minam, and what did she enjoy to do with her grandfather?

2. What did Minam’s grandfather say to her one sunny morning?

3. What items did Minam pack for her journey to the mountains?

4. Where did Minam and her grandfather stop for lunch? What did they do there?

5. What was Minam's reaction when she saw snow for the first time?

6. What did Minam promise her grandfather at the end of their journey?

B. Think and discuss.

1. Minam enjoyed learning from her grandfather during their walk. Is there someone in your family or community who teaches you special things? What have you learned from them?

2. Minam saw yaks and mountain goats helping people in the mountains. Can you think of animals or things in your surroundings that are very important to the people around you? How do they help?

3. Minam promised to protect the mountains. Is there something in nature around your home, school, or neighbourhood that you feel should be protected? What would you do to keep it safe?

C. Match the following based on the story.

Let us Learn

A. Use the words to complete these sentences.

journey, memories, Sherpa, Himalayas, snowman, heavyloads

1. Minam saw the tall peaks of the ............... .

2. Her grandfather was once a ............. .

3. They went on a long ............... to the mountai

4. Yaks are used by mountain people to carry heavy ............... .

5. They saw the snow-covered mountains. She and her grandfather made a small ................

6. The day created beautiful .................for Minam

B. Solve the crossword puzzle.

Down:

1. The pointed top of a mountain.

3. The tallest mountain range in the world.

4. White cover on the top of mountains.

6. A large animal used in mountain regions for milk and wool.

Clues

Across:

2. Guide who helps climbers in the Himalayas.

5. A low area of land between mountains

7. A trip from one place to another.

C. Match each word with its correct meaning.

D. Read these lines from the lesson.

Now, it’s your turn to think creatively! Match the objects below with the correct “body part” they are often compared to.

Let us Write

A. Look up a dictionary and find the meaning of the words in the box. Later label the picture.

Plain, River, Valley, Summit, Foot Slope, Plateau, Hill, Mountain range

The words that join two or more words, phrases, or sentences together are known as Conjunctions. They help make sentences flow better and add meaning.

Example:

• I have a dog and a cat.

AND - It adds information.

............................

• Do you want an apple or a banana?

OR - It gives a choice.

............................

• I was tired, but I finished my Homework.

BUT - It shows contrast (difference).

.............................

• I stayed inside because it was raining.

BECAUSE - It gives a reason.

.............................

B. Join the sentences using the correct conjunction.

1. She was hungry. She ate a sandwich. (or/but/ because)

............................

2. I wanted to go out. It was too late. (or/and/ but)

............................

3. He was happy. He got a new toy. (or/and/ because)

............................

4. We can go to the zoo. We can go to the aquarium. (or/but/because)

.............................

5. Aman has a pen. Aman has a pencil. Aman has an eraser. (or/because/and)

..............................

6. Simran loves to eat mangoes. She loves bananas. (or/and/but)

..............................

7. He ran fast. He missed the bus. (and/but/ because)

..............................

8. She stayed home. She was not feeling well. (or/and/because)

..............................

9. I love chocolate. I love vanilla. (and/but/or)

..............................

10. The baby is crying. He is hungry. (but/or/ because)

..............................

Let us Speak

Form your class into two groups, A and B. Each group will sit facing to each other. Follow the instructions to play the ‘Sentence Completion’ game.

1. A child from group A will say the beginning of a sentence such as:

• On a bright summer morning, ............................

(A child from group B will complete the sentence.)

2. Next, a child from group B, will be invited to say the beginning of another sentence such as:

• One day, a clever squirrel decided .....................

(A child from group A will complete the sentence.)

Note to the Teacher

Let us Do

Pick any one of the given mountain animal or bird.

Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, Red Panda, Himalayan Brown Bear, Blood Pheasant, Yak

Find out details about them. You may include their picture, habitat, adaptation, life cycle and lifestyle, as will as how they survive in harsh conditions.

Design a colourful chart with drawings, pictures, and captions about the animal or bird. Make a presentation and present it to the class.

Let us Explore

Collect pictures and facts about the first woman to climb Mount Everest twice.