Unit-2
THE ELIXIR OF LIFE
C.V. Raman
Comprehension Questions:
I. Answer briefly the following questions.
1) What is the imaginary elixir of life?
Ans: The divine amrita
is the imaginary elixir of life.
2) What according to the writer is the real
elixir of life?
Ans: Water is the
real elixir of life according to the writer.
3) What is the ‘wonderful difference’ the
writer talks about in paragraph 2?
Ans: The writer
talks about the Libyan Desert and the Nile valley in Egypt. One side was a vast
area of sand without a speck of greenery and on the other side the greenest,
most populated area.
4) What brought about this wonderful difference?
Ans: The wonderful
difference brought by water of the River Nile, which flows from its source, a
few thousand miles away, on its course towards the Mediterranean Sea.
5) What is the ‘cheering sight’, mentioned in
paragraph 5?
Ans: When the
rain-fed tanks filled with water are a ‘cheering sight’ which are so common in
South India.
6) a) What does the writer compare water in a
landscape too?
b) Why
does he make this comparison?
Ans: a) To a human face does the writer compare
water in a landscape too.
b) Water reflects the mood of the hour, happy and
bright in the morning and dark and sad in the evening. So, he makes this
comparison.
7) How does the water in rain-fed tanks get
its color?
Ans: The water in
rain-fed tanks gets its color from the color of the earth in the catchment
area.
8) What is the main cause of soil erosion?
Ans: The main cause
of soil erosion is heavy rain resulting in sudden flow of water.
9) What other factors add to the erosion of
precious soil?
Ans: Slope of the
land, removal of the top natural protective layer of earth, deep pits, absence
of bunds are the other factors add to the erosion of precious soil.
10) How can soil erosion be prevented?
Ans: Terracing of
the land, construction of bunds, practice of contour cultivation, and planting
appropriate types of vegetation can prevent soil erosion.
11) How does the prevention of soil erosion
serve a double purpose?
Ans: Modern
techniques would prevent soil erosion and help to conserve and save water.
12) What are the two sources of water
mentioned in paragraph 10?
Ans: Rain and snowfall
are the two sources of water mentioned in paragraph 10.
13) The land formed of silt in alluvial areas
is always fertile (Say whether the statement is True or False).
Ans: True.
14) _________ Takes place when water carrying
silt mixes with the salt water of the sea. (Complete the sentence with the
appropriate word)
Ans: Soil Erosion.
15) Planting of the appropriate type of
vegetation will result in _________
a) the continuance of successful agriculture.
b) the terracing of the land.
c) preventing environmental pollution.
d) reducing the momentum of the flow of
water.
Ans: (d) reducing
the momentum of the flow of water.
16) What does the writer mean by “civilized
forests”?
Ans: Systematic
planting of suitable trees in both approachable and remote areas and their development
is called civilized forests.
17) Mention any two advantages of civilized
forests.
Ans: To check soil
erosion and conservation of rain water from flowing away to waste are two
advantages of civilized forests.
18) How will the development of
hydro-electric power help to overcome the inadequacy of water supply?
Ans: The
development of hydro-electric power would help to overcome the inadequacy of
water supply by constructing dams for its purpose and it would conserve
rainwater and ground water too.
19) Complete the following sentences with
appropriate details:
a) The Nile Valley
is the creation of river Nile.
b) Rain-fed
tanks in South India when they are full are a ‘cheering sight’.
c) A remarkable
feature of water is its power to carry silt.
d) It is the silt
which gives color to the water in rain-fed tanks.
e) Soil the
foundation of all agriculture.
f) Ruts are formed
by cutting up and washing away of earth.
g) Terracing of
lands helps in prevention of soil erosion.
h) Indian
agriculture depends heavily on seasonal rainfall.
i) Farmyard manure
should not be used as fuel.
j) Development
of hydroelectric power would enable the overall development of the rural
economy.
Close Study:
Read the following extracts carefully.
Discuss in pairs and then write the answers to the questions given below them.
1) Much of the Indian agriculture depends on
seasonal rainfall and is therefore very sensitive to any failure or
irregularity of the same.
a) In what context does the writer say these
words?
b) What does “same” refer to?
c) Why is Indian agriculture “very
sensitive”?
Ans: a) To conserve
water and prevent soil erosion does the writer say these words.
b) “Same” refers to seasonal rainfall in India.
c) It depends on seasonal
rainfall, if it fails, cultivation would not be possible by farmers.
2) They would check soil erosion and conserve
the rainfall of the country from flowing
away to waste and would provide the necessary supplies of cheap fuel, and thus
render unnecessary the wasteful conversion of farmyard manure into a form of
fuel.
a) What does “they” in the first line refer
to?
b) What is the cheap fuel referred to in the
passage?
c) How would cheap fuel help the farmer?
a) Civilized
forests “they” are referred in the first line.
b) The wood and
other stuff from forests are the cheap fuel referred to in the passage.
c) The farmer would
not convert farmyard manure into a form of fuel, so that would be cheap fuel to
help the farmer.
Paragraph Writing:
Discuss in pairs/groups of 4 each and answer
the following questions. Note down the important points for each question and
then develop the points into one paragraph answers.
1) How does C.V. Raman show that water is the
real elixir of life?
Ans: C.V. Raman
shows that water is the real elixir of life. As water is very essential fluid
for human beings as well as all living creatures. C.V. Raman explains about
separation of Libyan Desert and a fertile land due the river Nile in Egypt.
Water plays very important role for beautifying the villages, it might be small
stream or ponds. Water is responsible for shaping and destruction of rocks and
soil, heavy rain fall would carry silt, water has played very important role
for numerous civilization. Water is essential for hydro-electric power and
generating lot of energy too. Water is real elixir of life, no life would
sustain on earth without water.
2) What are the various causes of soil
erosion? How can we prevent it?
Ans: The various
causes of soil erosion are heavy rainfall, slope of land, absence of bunds,
removal of the top natural protective layer, the absence of checks to flow
water. It can be prevented by terracing of lands, constructing bunds, by the practice
of contour cultivation and planting appropriate vegetation.
3) What does C.V. Raman say about rain-fed
tanks?
Ans: Rain-fed tanks
are so much popular and commonly seen in South India. But presently those tanks
are poorly maintained, rain-fed tanks are a cheering sight when they are full
during rainy seasons. These tanks differ when water flows in rain-fed tanks gets
its color from the color of the earth in the catchment area. The main fact
about water is its ability to carry silt, which is floating in the flowing water,
provides the original color to water in rain-fed tanks. These rain-fed tanks
play very important role in South Indian agriculture.
