UNIT 4

ENVIRONMENT

The Cherry Tree

Let us do these activities before we read.

I.  Work in pairs. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

1. Have you ever used a seed or a sapling to grow a plant?
2. What kind of care did the plant need? Who helped you with it?
3. How did you feel when you saw the plant grow?

II What kind of trees do people plant in their homes? Why is it important to plant trees?

III Name some fruit trees that grow in your region. What type of conditions help these fruit trees to grow?

Let us read

One day, when Rakesh was six, he walked home from the Mussoorie bazaar eating cherries. They were a little sweet, a little sour; small, bright red cherries, which had come all the way from the Kashmir Valley.

Here in the Himalayan foothills where Rakesh lived, there were not many fruit trees. The soil was stony, and the dry cold winds stunted the growth of most plants. But on the more sheltered slopes there were forests of oak and deodar.

Rakesh lived with his grandfather on the outskirts of Mussoorie, just where the forest began. His father and mother lived in a small village fifty miles away, where they grew maize and rice and barley in narrow terraced fields on the lower slopes of the mountain.

But there were no schools in the village and Rakesh's parents were keen that he should go to school. As soon as he was of school-going age, they sent him to stay with his grandfather in Mussoorie.

He had a little cottage outside the town.

Rakesh was on his way home from school when he bought the cherries. He paid fifty paise for the bunch. It took him about half-an-hour to walk home, and by the time he reached the cottage there were only three cherries left.

"Have a cherry, Grandfather," he said, as soon as he saw his grandfather in the garden.

Grandfather took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate the other two. He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time,rolling it round and round on his tongue until all the tang had gone. Then he placed the seed on the palm of his hand and studied it.

'Are cherry seeds lucky?' asked Rakesh.

'Of course.'

'Then I'll keep it.'

'Nothing is lucky if you put it away. If you want luck, you must put it to some use.'

'What can I do with a seed?'

'Plant it.'

So Rakesh found a small space and began to dig up a flowerbed.

'Hey, not there,' said Grandfather. 'I've sown mustard in that bed. Plant it in that shady corner, where it won't be disturbed.'

Rakesh went to a corner of the garden where the earth was soft and yielding. He did not have to dig.

He pressed the seed into the soil with his thumb and it went right in.

Then he had his lunch, and ran off to play cricket with his friends, and forgot all about the cherry seed.

When it was winter in the hills, a cold wind blew down from the snows and went whoo-whoo-whoo in the deodar trees, and the garden was dry and bare.

In the evenings Grandfather and Rakesh sat over a charcoal fire, and Grandfather told Rakesh stories—stories about people.

who turned into animals, and ghosts who lived in trees, and beans that jumped and stones that wept—and in turn, Rakesh would read to him from the newspaper, Grandfather's eyesight being rather weak. Rakesh found the newspaper very dull—especially after the stories—but Grandfather wanted all the news ...

They knew it was spring when the wild duck flew north again, to Siberia. Early in the morning, when he got up to chop wood and light a fire, Rakesh saw the V-shaped formation streaming northward, the calls of the birds carrying clearly through the thin mountain air.

One morning in the garden he bent to pick up what he thought was a small twig and found to his surprise that it was well rooted. He stared at it for a moment, then ran to fetch Grandfather, calling, 'Dada, come and look, the cherry tree has come up!'

'What cherry tree?' asked Grandfather, who had forgotten about it. 'The seed we planted last year—look, it's come up!'

Rakesh went down on his haunches, while Grandfather bent almost double and peered down at the tiny tree. It was about four inches high.

'Yes, it's a cherry tree,' said Grandfather. 'You should water it now and then.'

Rakesh ran indoors and came back with a bucket of water.

'Don't drown it!' said Grandfather.

Rakesh gave it a sprinkling and circled it with pebbles.

'What are the pebbles for?' asked Grandfather. 'For privacy,' said Rakesh.

He looked at the tree every morning but it did not seem to be growing very fast, so he stopped looking at it except quickly, out of the corner of his eye. And, after a week or two, when he allowed himself to look at it properly, he found that it had grown—at least an inch!

That year the monsoon rains came early and Rakesh plodded to and from school in raincoat and chappals. Ferns sprang from the trunks of trees, strange-looking lilies came up in the long grass, and even when it wasn't raining the trees dripped and mist came curling up the valley. The cherry tree grew quickly in this season.

It was about two feet high when a goat entered the garden and ate all the leaves. Only the main stem and two thin branches remained.

'Never mind,' said Grandfather, seeing that Rakesh was upset. 'It will grow again, cherry trees are tough.'

Let us discuss

I Arrange the events in order of occurrence in the story. Two have been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

1. Rakesh discovered that the small, well-rooted twig, had grown into a cherry tree.
2. Rakesh was sent to live with his grandfather in Mussoorie.
3. Rakesh pressed the cherry seed into the soft soil with his thumb.
4. The cherry tree grew quickly after the rains arrived early.
5. Rakesh bought a bunch of cherries and ate most of them.
6. A goat entered the garden and ate all the leaves of the young cherry tree.
7. Rakesh's parents grew maize, rice, and barley in a village.
8. Rakesh sprinkled water on the cherry tree and surrounded it with pebbles.
9. Grandfather told Rakesh that cherry trees were tough.
10. Rakesh kept rolling the last cherry seed in his mouth.

II Do you think the cherry tree would survive? Why do you think so?

Towards the end of the rainy season new leaves appeared on the tree. Then a woman cutting grass scrambled down the hillside, her scythe swishing through the heavy monsoon foliage. She did not try to avoid the tree: one sweep, and the cherry tree was cut in two. When Grandfather saw what had happened, he went after the woman and scolded her; but the damage could not be repaired.

'Maybe it will die now,' said Rakesh.

'Maybe,' said Grandfather.

But the cherry tree had no intention of dying.

By the time summer came round again, it had sent out several new shoots with tender green leaves.

Rakesh had grown taller too. He was eight now, a sturdy boy with curly black hair and deep black eyes. Blackberry eyes, Grandfather called them.

That monsoon Rakesh went home to his village, to help his father and mother with the planting and ploughing and

sowing. He was thinner but stronger when he came back to Grandfather's house at the end of the rains to find that the cherry tree had grown another foot. It was now up to his chest. Even when there was rain, Rakesh would sometimes water the tree. He wanted it to know that he was there. One day he found a bright green praying-mantis perched on a branch, peering at him with bulging eyes. Rakesh let it remain there; it was the cherry tree's first visitor. The next visitor was a hairy caterpillar, who started making a meal of the leaves. Rakesh removed it quickly and dropped it on a heap of dry leaves. 'Come back when you're a butterfly,' he said. Winter came early. The cherry tree bent low with the weight of snow. Field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage. The road from the valley was blocked, and for several days there was no newspaper, and this made Grandfather quite grumpy. His stories began to have unhappy endings. In February it was Rakesh's birthday. He was nine—and the tree was four, but almost as tall as Rakesh. One morning, when the sun came out, Grandfather came into the garden to let some warmth 'get into my bones,' as he put it. He stopped in front of the cherry tree, stared at it for a few moments, and then called out, 'Rakesh! Come and look! Come quickly before it falls!' Rakesh and Grandfather gazed at the tree as though it had performed a miracle. There was a pale pink blossom at the end of a branch. The following year there were more blossoms. And suddenly the tree was taller than Rakesh, even though it was less than half his age. And then it was taller than Grandfather, who was older than some of the oak trees.

But Rakesh had grown too. He could run and jump and climb trees as well as most boys, and he read a lot of books, although he still liked listening to Grandfather's tales. In the cherry tree, bees came to feed on the nectar in the blossoms, and tiny birds pecked at the blossoms and broke them off. But the tree kept blossoming right through the spring, and there were always more blossoms than birds. That summer there were small cherries on the tree. Rakesh tasted one and spat it out. 'It's too sour,' he said. 'They'll be better next year,' said Grandfather. But the birds liked them—especially the bigger birds, such as the bulbuls and scarlet minivets—and they flitted in and out of the foliage, feasting on the cherries. On a warm sunny afternoon, when even the bees looked sleepy, Rakesh was looking for Grandfather without finding him in any of his favourite places around the house. Then he looked out of the bedroom window and saw Grandfather reclining on a cane chair under the cherry tree.

'There's just the right amount of shade here,' said Grandfather. 'And I like looking at the leaves.' 'They're pretty leaves,' said Rakesh. 'And they are always ready to dance, if there's a breeze.' After Grandfather had come indoors, Rakesh went into the garden and lay down on the grass beneath the tree. He gazed up through the leaves at the great blue sky; and turning on his side, he could see the mountains striding away into the clouds.

He was still lying beneath the tree when the evening shadows crept across the garden. Grandfather came back and sat down beside Rakesh, and they waited in silence until the stars came out and the nightjar began to call. In the forest below, the crickets and cicadas began tuning up; and suddenly the trees were full of the sound of insects.

'There are so many trees in the forest,' said Rakesh. 'What's so special about this tree? Why do we like it so much?'

'We planted it ourselves,' said Grandfather. 'That's why it's special.'

'Just one small seed,' said Rakesh, and he touched the smooth bark of the tree that he had grown. He ran his hand along the trunk of the tree and put his finger to the tip of a leaf. 'I wonder,' he whispered. 'Is this what it feels to be God?'

— RUSKIN BOND

Let us discuss

I Complete the table given below based on your understanding of Part II of the story. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

“Have a cherry, Grandfather,” he said, as soon as he saw his grandfather in the garden.
Grandfather took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate the other two.
He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time, rolling it round and round on his tongue until all the tang had gone. Then he placed the seed on the palm of his hand and studied it.
“Are cherry seeds lucky?” asked Rakesh.
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll keep it.”
“Nothing is lucky if you put it away. If you want luck, you must put it to some use.”

1. Substitute the underlined phrase with a correct word from the extract.
   The Kho-kho captain changed her strategy quickly and without delay when a new player came in from the opposing team.
2. What does Rakesh’s action of rolling the cherry seed in his mouth most likely suggest about his mood at that moment?
   A. He is feeling impatient and restless.
   B. He is enjoying the taste and the moment.
   C. He is bored and has nothing better to do.
   D. He is thoughtful and feeling playful.
3. Complete the following sentence suitably with reference to Rakesh and his grandfather.
   Rakesh’s decision to plant the seed shows that ______________.
   (he respects and values his grandfather’s advice / he has a close bond with his grandfather and a willingness to learn from him)
4. How does the grandfather’s advice reflect his view about luck and effort?

2. Winter came early. The cherry tree bent low with the weight of snow. Field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage. The road from the valley was blocked, and for several days there was no newspaper, and this made Grandfather quite grumpy. His stories began to have unhappy endings.
In February it was Rakesh’s birthday. He was nine—and the tree was four, but almost as tall as Rakesh.

1. Complete the following sentence suitably.
2. The phrase ‘field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage’ suggests that _____________.
3. What can be inferred about the cherry tree’s toughness from the line, ‘The cherry tree bent low with the weight of snow’?
   A. The weight of the tree was more than the snow.
   B. The tree could withstand harsh weather.
   C. The tree was growing close to the ground.
   D. The snow gave support to the tree.
4. How did the early winter affect Grandfather’s mood and storytelling?
5. Complete the sentence by choosing the correct option.
   The comparison of Rakesh’s age to the cherry tree’s age symbolises _______________.
   (the tree’s growth paralleling Rakesh’s own development / the tree standing as a dear one on Rakesh’s birthday)

II. Answer the following questions

1. Why did Rakesh’s parents send him to Mussoorie?
2. Why did Rakesh let the praying-mantis remain on the branch of the cherry tree?
3. How is life in the Himalayan foothills described in the story?
4. What might Rakesh mean when he says, “Is this what it feels to be God?” at the end of the story?
5. How does the writer describe the relationship between Rakesh and his grandfather?
6. What can you infer about the connection between humans and nature based on the story?
7. Imagine Rakesh reflects on his wonderful experience of watching a seed being transformed into a full-grown cherry tree. Write how he must have felt.

Let us learn

I Each word list has one word that does not match with the other words. One example has been done for you.

1. chop, trim, slice, mince (‘chop’, ‘slice’ and ‘mince’ are words used for cutting with a knife; whereas ‘trim’ is to cut a part with a pair of scissors)
2. plodded, galloped, scrambled, trudged
3. tender, delicate, soft, smooth
4. stared, peered, pecked, gazed
5. growing, blossoming, progressing, planting

IV Read the following lines from the text and underline all the verbs and identify the form of tense.

1. Rakesh was on his way home from school when he bought the cherries.
2. Rakesh was looking for Grandfather without finding him in any of his favourite places around the house.
3. Rakesh and Grandfather gazed at the tree as though it had performed a miracle. The forms of tenses in the given statements are Simple Past Tense (1 and 3), Past Progressive Tense , and Past Perfect Tense.

V Study the punctuation marks in the following sentences from the text. • “Hey, not there,” said Grandfather, “I’ve sown mustard in that bed. Plant it in that shady corner, where it won’t be disturbed.”
• When Grandfather saw what had happened, he went after the woman and scolded her; but the damage could not be repaired.
• She did not try to avoid the tree: one sweep, and the cherry tree was cut in two. Here are some of the most common punctuation marks:
• Full stop (.)—ends a declarative sentence
For example: She went to the store.
• Comma (,)—separates components in a list, clauses, or phrases within a sentence
For example: We bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
• Question Mark (?)—ends a direct question
For example: Where are you going?
• Exclamation Mark (!)—indicates strong emotion or emphasis
For example: Watch out!
• Colon (:)—introduces a list, explanation or elaboration
For example: He had one goal: win the race.
• Semicolon (;)—connects closely related independent clauses or separates complex list items
For example: She likes reading; he prefers writing
• Apostrophe ( ’) In contractions—He’s (He is), they’ll (they will), I’m (I am)To show possession—Jagan’s book, the girls’ toys If the noun ends in -s, add only the apostrophe—Manas’ car
• Quotation Marks (“ ”)—enclose direct speech or quotations
For example: She said, “I’m happy.”
• Dash (– or —)—adds emphasis or separates related thoughts
For example: He was late—again.
• Capitalisation Rules

• Names of people and places—Priya, India
• Days, months, festivals—Monday, December, Diwali
• Titles with names—Dr. Sneha, Mr. Patel
• Deities and holy books—God, the Quran, the Bhagawad Gita
• First person pronoun—I
• Adjectives from proper nouns—Indian, American
• Geographical features, races, religions, languages—the Himalayas, Hindu, French
• Titles of books, poems, or plays—Malgudi Days, The Road Not Taken, Good Heavens, etc.

Let us listen

1. The mother encouraged her son to deliver a presentation on the Chipko Movement.
2. The son was surprised to know about the Appiko Movement.
3. The son agreed that the Chipko Movement was about people uniting to make an impact.
4. The mother expressed a desire to share more details about Saalumarada
5. The mother expressed a desire to share more details about Saalumarada Thimakka.
6. The mother and son were in disagreement about the work of Jadav Payeng.
7. The son found the information on Jadav Payeng wonderful.

Let us speak

A syllable is a single, unbroken vowel sound in a word. Some words have only one syllable. Some have two and some more than two. For example, the word ‘tree’ has one syllable. The word ‘cherry’ has two syllables—che-rry. (Here the hyphen is used to mark the gap between the two syllables.)

I Work in pairs. Read aloud the following words from the text. Write the number of syllables in each word. Check your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Let us write

An article is a piece of writing on a specific topic. It showcases independent opinions expressed by a writer. Articles are published in newspapers,newsletters, magazines, journals, and online portals.
Let us understand how to draft an article for a school magazine. Remember to • write the heading or title at the top,
• write the name of the writer below it as a byline, and
• follow the correct layout.
    Paragraph 1: Give a brief introduction of the topic or issue.
Focus on the main idea of the paragraph.     Paragraph 2: Elaborate by giving facts and advantages.
    Paragraph 3: Include consequences and disadvantages.
    Paragraph 4: Provide suggestions. End with a word of hope, a word of caution or a call for action.
Now, complete the article for a magazine on ‘Trees–Our Lifeline’. Use the words and phrases given in the box below.

(i) To conclude ________________ -by ________________ (write your name and class) Trees are essential for life on Earth. Without them, life as we know (ii) ________________. This is the reason why trees are our lifeline. Trees provide us with food, shelter, and even medicine. Trees (iii) ________________ and release oxygen, helping us breathe. This process also (iv) ________________ and keeps the environment clean. (v) ________________, trees give us fruits, nuts, and other foods. Trees also help in (vi) ________________ and prevention of soil erosion. (vii) ________________, the air would be polluted, and we would struggle to breathe. (viii) ________________ would be barren, lacking food, shelter, and life-giving greenery. (ix) ________________, trees are true friends. Protecting and planting trees (x) ________________ for everyone on Earth. Therefore, we must act now to protect and plant more trees, preserving Earth’s green lifeline for future generations. polluted, and we would struggle to breathe. (viii) barren, lacking food, shelter, and life-giving greenery. (ix) trees are true friends. Protecting and planting trees (x) everyone on Earth. Therefore, we must act now to protect and plant more trees, preserving Earth’s green lifeline for future generations

Let us write

II Kailash Sankhala, ‘The Tiger Man of India’, was an Indian biologist and conservationist. He carried out a census of the tigers in India in 1971. Later, because of his studies, he was appointed the first director of Project Tiger—an initiative to prevent the extinction of the Indian Tiger. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1992. Now, find more information about such Indian environmentalists and share with your classmates.

Let us do these activities before we read.

Let us read

Let us discuss

I Write the stanza number for the main idea of each stanza given below. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
II Fill in the blanks by choosing the appropriate words or phrases from within the brackets.
1. The setting of the poem is a rural landscape, possibly during a _______________ (harvest/religious) festival.
2. The tone of the poem is respectful and celebratory because it praises ___________________ (the men and women/ nature and the Lord) with deep respect and gratitude.
3. In the line ‘Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home’, the letter ‘h’ is capitalised in ‘Hands’, ‘Heart’ and ‘Home’ because ___________________. (it represents the hard work of farmers/God resides in them)
III Identify the poetic device used in the following lines from the poem.
• Bright and munificent lord of the morn!
• We bring thee our lives and our labours for tribute
IV Match the lines from the poem in Column 1 with their expressions in Column 2. Choose the appropriate poetic device from the box given below and write in Column 3.
V Certain words or phrases are repeated in the same line of the poem.
For example, The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit;
Find more such repetitions from the poem. What is the poet’s purpose of using repetition in the poem?
VI The poem uses symbolism to convey deeper meanings. Match the symbols in Column 1 with the meanings they convey in Column 2.

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. We bring thee our songs and our garlands for tribute,
The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit;
O giver of mellowing radiance, we hail thee,
We praise thee, O Surya, with cymbal and flute.
(i) What does the act of bringing songs and garlands as tribute suggest about the people’s relationship with the divine?

1. They fear the gods and wish to calm them in any way possible.
2. They have a deep sense of reverence and gratitude towards the divine.
3. They are forced to perform rituals without understanding the divine.
4. They depend on the gods for their daily needs and activities.

(ii) Complete the following sentence suitably.

The word ‘gold’ in the phrases ‘the gold of our fields’ and ‘the gold of our fruit’ symbolises ________________.

(iii) How does the description ‘O giver of mellowing radiance’ help us understand Surya’s role in the harvest?

(iv) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option from those given in the brackets.

The use of cymbal and flute signifies ________________. (joy and celebration/meditation and worship)

2. All Voices:

Lord of the Universe, Lord of our being,

Father eternal, ineffable Om!

Thou art the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests,

Thou art our Hands and our Heart and our Home.

(i) In the phrase ‘Lord of our being,’ what does the word ‘being’ most likely refer to?

1. Our physical body
2. Our entire existence
3. Our spiritual practices
4. Our earthly possessions

Let us learn

I Match the pictures of the farming implements given in Column 1 with their use given in Column 2. Then, fill in the blanks in Column 3 to complete the name of the implement.
3. When he lost his job, all his friends gave him succour by supporting him with money.
synonym: ____________________
4. When the sun’s rays came into the dark room, the whole room was full of radiance.
synonym: ____________________
5. The little girl was speechless with ineffable joy when she got her birthday gift from her aunt.
synonym: ____________________
III You have learnt about some archaic words. Some more archaic words are given below. Refer to a dictionary to find commonly used words which are similar in meaning.
1. morrow 2. hither 3. quoth 4. betwixt 5. yonder

Let us listen

I Listen to the talk about paddy cultivation. As you listen, number the events in the correct order in which they happen. (Transcript for teacher on page 203)
1. Transplanting of seedlings
2. Ploughing of soil
3. Threshing of grains
4. Puddling of land
5. Harvesting of paddy
6. Irrigating the field
7. Milling of rice
II Now, listen to the talk again. As you listen, choose the correct option to answer the questions that follow.
1. What is the main step in preparing the soil for cultivation of rice?
(i) Ploughing the soil (ii) Clearing the soil (iii) Puddling the soil 2. How long does it take for rice seeds to grow into seedlings before being transplanted?
(i) 2–3 weeks (ii) 4–5 weeks (iii) 6–7 weeks
3. Why is drying rice grains important after threshing?
(i) To get rice seeds for plantation
(ii) To separate the rice grains easily
(iii) To store the rice grains for longer

Let us listen

I In English, some letters are not pronounced in certain words. For example, in words like ‘knife’, ‘knowledge’, and ‘know’, the first letter ‘k’ is not pronounced. Let us look at a few more such examples.
• In the words given below the letter ‘n’ is silent when it appears with ‘m’ at the end of the word.
hymn, column, autumn, solemn Now, say these words aloud. • In the words given below the letter ‘b’ is silent when it appears with ‘m’. womb, tomb, bomb, climb, comb Now, say these words aloud.
II In our country, harvest is celebrated with the preparation of delicious dishes. Work in groups and make a presentation on any popular dish made during the harvest festival in your region. Use the prompts given in the box to make your presentation. Make sure that all the members share their views.
Include the following:
• What is the dish called? Is it known by any other name in other parts of India?
• What ingredients are used to make the dish?
• How is the dish prepared?
• How is the dish served?
• What does the dish taste like?
• What is the special ritual related to the preparation of this dish?
• Describe any special memory associated with the preparation of this dish.

Let us listen

Creative slogans are used to spread a message to capture the reader’s attention. Some examples are given below:
Your school wishes to express gratitude to the farmers who play an important role in providing us the food on our plates. Draft a creative slogan to be put up on the school notice board. Remember to
• focus on the main idea to be expressed
• use simple language
• be concise—express yourself in a few words
You may write the slogan on a chart paper and decorate it.

Let us explore

I Millets are a varied group of small-seeded grasses. They have more fibre and minerals than other cereals. Millets have been a part of the Indian cuisine for years. They have been rediscovered worldwide as superfoods.
1. Read the information on Pearl Millet given below. Use the link given below to know more about other kinds of millets. https://eatrightindia.gov.in/
millets2023/assets/
documents/Millets%20-%20 Nutritious%20Cereal%
20of%20India.pdf Nutritious%20Cereal%
20of%20India.pdf
2. Work in groups of four and do the following activities.
(i) Find out if millets are a part of your cuisine.
(ii) Find recipes with millets and compile them into a booklet.
(iii) Create a recipe of your choice.
II Songs related to harvest season form a part of our culture and heritage.
Talk to the elders in your house and learn a song sung on a harvest festival. Share it with your classmates and teacher. Then, compile all the songs to create a songbook with the help of teacher.

Waiting for the Rain

Let us do these activities before we read.
I Have you ever waited for the rains? Why?
II How do you feel when it rains after a long time?
III Why do you think the farmers wait for the rains?
IV Discuss in groups what happens when you wait for something or someone for a long period of time.
1. How do you spend the waiting period?
2. What do you think about?
3. How do you feel?
Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Let us read

Let us discuss

Her skin was wrinkled, but her eyes sparkled when she smiled. She looked at Velu and her smile grew wider, her wrinkles deeper. “What are you smiling at, Amma?” Velu asked. “Without the rains, there’s nothing to smile about.” “Yes, yes, you’re right,” the old woman said, the smile leaving her lips. “I wonder what I have done to deserve this,” Velu began. “I have worked hard and honestly. Yet I am being punished. Without the rains I can’t till the land. If I don’t till the land no crop will grow. What will happen to me? How shall I feed my family?” he asked, somewhat bitterly. He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular, but the old lady thought that he was opening his heart to her. “Perhaps you have worked too hard,” she said. “What do you mean? Can anyone work too hard? I have only done what any hard-working farmer would do. I shall work and never rest until I am too old. This is the first season in five, no, six years that I have not sown, nor ploughed.Oh, it is hard not to be able to work...” said Velu a little angrily. “But my son, that is what I am talking about. You have strength now. You can work without a break. But have you thought about the land? The earth works, too, when you plough, and sow, and plant. The earth has worked for years, centuries, in fact, thousands of years. The soil, the land, the earth... shouldn’t someone let the land rest a bit?” the old woman said, softly, smiling.

Let us discuss

I Complete the following statements given below with suitable reasons.
1. Velu asked the old woman to stop smiling because _________________.
2. Velu said that it was hard not being able to work since _________________.
3. Velu was confused when the old lady said that the land needed rest because _________________.
4. The old lady said that it was good for the land when it didn’t rain as _________________.
5. Velu ran home laughing and happy because _________________.

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. “...I can’t see how talking to astrologers will bring rain.” He decided to go to the weather office in the city and talk to someone. But the people at the weather office said they couldn’t really tell him when the sky would gather clouds and bring rain. “We are at a loss ourselves!” they exclaimed. “So many favourable conditions but still no rain. Very odd!”
(i) What does the first line of the extract tell us about Velu’s beliefs?
(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason. Velu is determined to seek information about the rain because ___________________. (he was at a loss of words/he wants to find a practical solution to the drought affecting his farm)
(iii) Complete the table with reference to Velu’s weather office visit.

(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable option. The absence of rain despite favourable conditions, shows ___________________.
A. lack of astrological knowledge
B. ineffectiveness of farmers like Velu
C. delay in understanding the weather
D. unpredictability of nature
2. “The soil, the land, the earth... shouldn’t someone let the land rest a bit?” the old woman said, softly, smiling. “Rest? Let the land rest? I don’t understand,” Velu looked at her, a little puzzled. “Yes, my son, that is the difficulty. You don’t realise that the earth is old...”
(i) The old woman’s advice was accompanied with a soft tone and a smile. What does that tell us about her?
(ii) Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given below. The old woman’s advice ___________ Velu, at that moment.
A. failed to impress
B. confused
C. scared
D. made sense to
(iii) State one thing about the old woman when she referred to Velu as ‘my son’, while offering advice.
(iv) Complete the following sentence with a suitable explanation. The ‘difficulty’ that the old woman mentions is due to the fact that ________________.
II Answer the following questions.
1. How does the old woman convey Nature’s wisdom to Velu?
2. The writer says, ‘The fields lay untended…’ Why couldn’t the farmers tend to their fields in the absence of rain?
3. Support the old woman’s perspective that the land needs rest just like people do.
4. What can be inferred about Velu’s character based on his reaction to the drought?
5. What does the story suggest about the life of farmers and their relationship with nature?
6. How might the rest and care of land contribute to a balanced and sustainable ecosystem?

Let us learn

II The text uses words like ‘piece,’ ‘weather,’ ‘son,’ and ‘rain’. These words are the same as other words that are spelt differently—peace, whether, sun, and reign.
Words that are pronounced the same as other words but differ in meaning or in spelling are called homophones.
Now, complete the paragraph by filling in the correct option of homophones given in the brackets. The farmer looked at the sky and wondered 1. ________________ (weather/whether) the clouds would finally bring rain. He sat down on the ground, breaking a small
2. ________________ (piece/peace) of roti for his meal.
The 3. ________________ (plain/plane) fields stretched endlessly before him, completely dry. He thought about how he could
4. ________________ (sell/cell) his last sack of grain to buy some essentials for his family. Without the rains, it didn’t
5. ________________ (seam/seem) possible to grow another crop this season. Despite his worries, he smiled, knowing that every farmer hopes for the next
6. ________________ (rain/reign) by nature to bring life back to the land.
III Choose the correct meanings from the given options for the underlined words or phrases in the following sentences.
1. Being annoyed, she muttered something which nobody heard.
(i) spoke in a low voice (ii) spoke slowly (iii) spoke angrily
2. At the new work place, Riya felt forlorn for a week.
(i) upset and irritated (ii) angry and bitter (iii) sad and neglected
3. When all his friends had gone, he was at a loss because he did not know what to do.
(i) confused (ii) shocked (iii) lonely
4. When the little child saw her father, her eyes sparkled.
(i) glowed dimly (ii) showed joy (iii) opened wide
IV Match each word (adjective) in Column 1 with a word (noun) that collocates in Column 2. Write the adjective-noun collocation in Column 3. One example has been done for you.

V Underline the verbs and identify the forms of tenses for the following sentences from the text.
1. Oh, it is hard not to be able to work...
2. …I am too old.
3. What are you smiling at, Amma?
4. But my son, that is what I am talking about.
5. The earth has worked for years, centuries…
6. I have worked hard and honestly. The forms of tenses in the given statements are Simple Present Tense (1 and 2), Present Progressive Tense (3 and 4) Present Perfect Tense (5 and 6).
Now, fill in the blanks with the correct form of Simple Present, Present Progressive or Present Perfect tenses of the verbs given in brackets.
Ravi (i) __________ (be) a farmer who (ii) __________ (practise) crop rotation on his land. Each season, he (iii) __________ (plant) different crops to maintain the soil’s health. This year, he (iv) __________ (grow) legumes, which help restore the nutrients in the soil. Over the years, Ravi (v) __________ (learn) that planting the same crop repeatedly (vi) __________ (deplete) the soil, making it less fertile. By rotating crops, he (vii) __________ (keep) the land productive and fertile. He (viii) __________ (see) a noticeable improvement in his yields since adopting this method. Now, Ravi (ix) __________ (share) his knowledge with other farmers, explaining how crop rotation(x) __________ (benefit) both the soil and their harvests.
VI Study the highlighted words in the following sentences from the text.
• The rains came all these years without any such consultations.
• So many favourable conditions, but still no rain.
• Every day they hoped that the rains would come.
• But this year turned out to be different.
• This is the first season in five, no, six years that I have not sown, nor ploughed.
• We ought to talk to some astrologers. • I have only done what any hard-working farmer would do.
• Velu looked at her, a little puzzled.
• She takes care to give her children the rest they need...
• Velu felt a cool breeze on his back.
The highlighted words or phrases that come before a noun but do not describe them are called determiners.
Let us learn the use of some common determiners.
• Articles: a, an, the These are used to introduce nouns.
• Demonstrative Determiners: this, that, these, those These are used to point out specific items.
• Possessive Determiners: my, our, your, his, her, its, their, one’s These indicate ownership or relationship.
• Definite Numeral Determiners: one, two, three, etc.
These specify exact quantities.
• Indefinite Numeral Determiners: some, any, no, all, much, many, few, less, several, little and few
•‘Some’ is used in affirmative sentences, while ‘any’ and ‘no’ are used in negative and interrogative sentences.
•‘All’ refers to the entirety of a group. •‘Much’ and ‘many’ denote large quantities of uncountable and countable nouns, respectively.
•‘Few’ indicates a small number, ‘less’ refers to a smaller quantity, and ‘several’ means more than two but not many.
•‘Little’ means not much, ‘few’ means not many. Use ‘a little’ and ‘a few’ to convey a positive sense.
• Distributive Determiners: each, every, either, neither
•‘Each’ refers to individual items or people, ‘every’ refers to all items or people collectively.
•‘Either’ means one of two options and ‘neither’ means not one of the two options.
Now, fill in the blanks by choosing the correct determiner from those given in the brackets.
It was 1. ________ (a/an) rainy afternoon, and 2. ________ Mala noticed a large puddle quickly forming in front of 3. ________ (her/their) house. Excited, she called for her brother to join her, knowing that both of them always loved playing in 4. ________ (a/the) rain. While jumping from 5. ________ (some/one) puddle to another, Mala spotted 6. ________ (few/a few) snails slowly creeping along the wet sidewalk and pointed them out to her brother. With 7. ________ (each/every) jump, the sound of both 8. ________ (her/their) squeals and laughter was heard through the soft patter of raindrops. Though they were fully drenched 9. ________ (either/neither) siblings minded it. It had been a perfect rainy day.

Let us listen

I Listen to the weather forecast. As you listen, fill in the blanks with the exact word you listen to. (Transcript for teacher on page 204)
1. Delhi will mostly have a ___________ sky with light rain.
2. Moderate rain is likely to happen in ___________.
3. Kolkata is likely to have a maximum temperature of around ___________ °C.
4. There is a chance of a ___________ in Chennai.
5. Bengaluru will have a ___________ temperature of 29 °C.
6. Taking an ___________ is advisable because of the weather conditions. (a/the) sky was thick with dark clouds.

Let us speak

I Here is a tongue twister about ‘weather’. Practice saying it as fast as you can.
II Rain has arrived after a long dry spell on the Earth. Imagine the Rain and the Earth have a conversation. Work in pairs and present the role-play.
You may use the hints in the table given below.
You may start the conversation in the following way.
Rain: Greetings, Earth! It’s been a while since we’ve met. How have you been?
Earth: Hello Rain! I am so glad to see you.
To continue the conversation, use the hints given below.

Let us write

I You have observed the difficulties faced by the people in your neighbourhood due to scarcity of water especially during the summer months. Write a letter to the Councillor of your Municipal ward, requesting her/him to set up a rain water harvesting unit. Provide suggestions to address the issue.
Remember to
• use formal language • keep sentences short and to the point • state the purpose clearly and concisely • give relevant details Format and Layout:
I Rest is very important for us to function in a proper manner. Even the Earth needs rest. This is known as fallowing.
Read the facts given below related to fallowing:
• A fallow year refers to leaving the land without sowing for one, or several vegetative cycles.
• This is done to allow the land to recover its nutrients and retain moisture. It also helps to avoid spreading of diseases and controlling pests.
• The sustainable land management method has been applied for centuries, wherein a field is divided into two halves—one is planted with crops while the other remains unplanted. Then, the process is reversed in the following year.
II Find out from your Vocational Education teacher about Agriculture as a vocation and other related vocations, such as horticulture, etc.
III India’s rich tradition of meteorological knowledge includes indigenous forecasting systems, grounded in ancient wisdom. These provide sophisticated methods for predicting climate, calculating rainfall, and issuing early warnings.
References to rain and weather are found in numerous ancient texts, including the Rigveda, Shrimad Bhagavad, Parashara Samhita, Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, and Meghmala. These texts offer insights into rainfall patterns and seasonal changes.
IV Meteorological Services for Agriculture in India 200 The primary objective of the Agricultural Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department (IMD) is to minimise the impact of adverse weather on crops and to leverage crop-weather relationships to boost agricultural production.
In addition to forecasts and advisories, several other weather related services are also provided.
For detailed information, please visit: https://mausam. imd.gov.in/responsive
/servicesMetEnvironment.php

TRANSCRIPTS

The Cherry Tree

Let us listen (refer to page 170) I You will listen to a conversation between a son and his mother. As you listen, select four true statements from 1–7 given below. Son: Amma, could you help me with this project?

Mother: Why not? What’s the project about?

Son: It’s about the Chipko Movement. I have to make a PowerPoint presentation and talk about it in class.

Mother: That’s good! Chipko Movement was all about hugging trees to prevent them from being cut, isn’t it? Such an inspiring movement it was!

Son: Yes, it was the first time that common people came together for the noble cause of saving trees. It showed how people can also make a difference. Have you heard or read about something similar?

Mother: Yes, of course. The success of the Chipko Movement led to the Appiko Movement.

Son: Really? Doesn’t appiko mean ‘hugging’ in Kannada? So, did they also hug trees to protect them?

Mother: Yes they did. In this movement people not only hugged trees to protect them but also regenerated the forest areas in the Western Ghats.

Son: That’s great! This reminds me of what my teacher shared about Saalumarada Thimakka last week. She is a Padma Shri awardee.

Mother: What an amazing personality! I’ve heard about her and I’m interested to know what your teacher has shared with you. Son: She is an Indian environmentalist who has been planting trees since 1948. She has planted over 8000 trees in the area around her village.

Mother: Wonderful!

Son: What I admire about her is the commitment she has towards conserving the environment.

Mother: Incredible! That is one superwoman! But do you know who the Forest Man of India is?

Son: Yes, I’ve read about him. It is Jadav Payeng, from Assam. He too is a Padma Shri awardee. Isn’t he the one who single-handedly turned a barren land of around a thousand acres into a lush green forest? He did so by planting nearly forty million trees.

Mother: Yes, you’re absolutely right. It was not something that happened overnight. It took him thirty years to achieve this. This forest has become a habitat for different kinds of animals including migratory birds.

Son: Fascinating, isn’t it? I’ve read a book and watched a documentary in school about him which has really inspired me.

Mother: I’m glad that you have begun to care about the environment too.

Harvest Hymn

Let us listen (refer to page 181)

I Listen to this talk about paddy cultivation. As you listen, number the events in the correct order in which they happen.

Hello everyone!
Did you know that rice is actually a type of grass, and the part we eat is its seed? Let me tell you about the process of cultivating rice.

It all starts with preparing the land. First, the soil has to be ploughed. Rice is typically grown in fertile soil that holds a lot of water. The most important step in preparing the soil is to soak it with plenty of water. This step is called puddling. Once the nursery bed is prepared, the seeds can be planted. After that, we sow the seeds on the soil’s surface.

Paddy farmers have to ensure that their fields stay flooded with water because irrigation is crucial. It takes around 4 to 5 weeks for the seeds to grow into seedlings. After this comes the most important step—transplanting. The seedlings that were prepared in the nursery bed are uprooted and then transplanted into the flooded field.

In around 120 days, the rice plants are fully grown. At this point, the crops are harvested by cutting them. Following this, the seeds are separated from the plant. This is called threshing. To reduce the moisture content even more, the separated grains are dried. This ensures that they can be stored or processed further. Through a process called milling, the rice is separated from the outer covering on it.

Finally, the rice reaches the market, and that’s where we get it to make all kinds of delicious foods. Whether it’s Appam, Pulao, Khichdi, or Daal Bhaat, rice is a big part of many meals.

II Now listen to the talk again. As you listen, choose the correct option to answer the questions that follow.

Waiting for the Rain

Let us listen (refer to page 197)

I Listen to the weather forecast. As you listen, fill in the blanks with the exact word you listen to.

Hello and welcome to today’s weather forecast.

Delhi is expected to have a generally cloudy sky with light rain. The temperature will range between a minimum of 25 °C and a maximum of 36 °C.

The sky will generally be cloudy with moderate rain in Mumbai. The minimum temperature is 24 °C and the maximum will be around 30 °C.

Moving eastwards, Kolkata will have a partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers. The minimum temperature will be 28 °C and the maximum will be around 34 °C.

Chennai is expected to have a partly cloudy sky with a possibility of thunderstorm. The minimum temperature will be 27 °C and the maximum will be around 36 °C.

Bengaluru will have a generally cloudy sky with light rain. The minimum temperature will be 21 °C and will rise to a maximum of around 29 °C.

Hyderabad is expected to have a generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle. Temperature will be between a minimum of 23 °C and a maximum of 33 °C.

That’s all from me today. Have a beautiful day ahead. Don’t forget to carry your umbrellas!

https://www.newsonair.gov.in
/weather-forecast-for-today/