NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 3 The Desert

The Desert NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English An Alien Hand Chapter 3

The Desert NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Desert Comprehension check-I

Question 1.
From the first paragraph

i. pick out two phrases which describe the desert as most people believe it is.
Answer:
an endless stretch of sand where no rain falls/dry, hot, waterless and without shelter; a flat, unchanging wasteland of dry sand

ii. pick out two phrases which describe the desert as specialists see it. a beautiful place; home of a variety of people, animals and plants
Answer:
I think the description of a desert as a beautiful place where different kinds of flora and fauna can survive is a more apt description. This is so because there is a popular misconception that a desert is dry, hot, waterless and without shelter, but this is not true. Deserts have flowers and also get rain (though not as often). Deserts may also have oasis, a green island in the middle of a desert.In fact, deserts are not always hot. For example, while Thar is a hot desert, Ladakh is a cold one.

Question 2.
The phrases on the left in the following box occur in the text. Match each of them with a phrase on the right. Solved
Answer:

an endless stretch of sand—nothing but sand as far as one can see
waterless and without shelter—no water and no shade
an oasis—fertile place with water and plants in a desert
hidden by a cover of grass—not visible because the grass is thick

The Desert Comprehension check-II

Question 1.
A camel can do without water for days together. What is the reason given in the text?
Answer:
A camel can do without water for days together. The reason is they sweat very little. They can stand high body temperature. They don’t need to sweat and can, therefore, retain the water they drink for long periods of time.

Question 2.
How do the smaller desert animals fulfil their need for water?
Answer:
The smaller desert animals do not drink water. They burrow underground during the hot day and come out at night to eat. Some of them eat other animals and get the water they need from the moisture in the meat. Others eat plants and seeds and get the water they need from plant juices.

Question 3.
In a desert the temperature rises during the day and falls rapidly at night. Why?
Answer:
In hot and humid climates, the moisture in the air acts like a blanket and protects the Earth’s surface from the hot rays of the sun. The absence of this blanket in desert lands causes the desert to heat up rapidly during the day and to cool off rapidly at night.

The Desert Exercises Question and Answer

Do the following activities in groups.

Question 1.
Describe a desert in your own way. Write a paragraph and read it aloud to your classmates.
(Encourage the students to complete the given activities in groups.)
Answer:
A desert is a strange and surreal place that has so much to offer to us. To me, deserts seem to have a personality of their own—a tough place that has survived so much hostility from Mother Nature. It is a place with colourful people who have so many forgotten tales to tell us. I believe it’s a magical place in its own way.

It is an expanse of land that has taught us one thing, and that is, that human beings can survive in any place of the planet. The unfathomable quiet of the desert makes one delve deeper into one’s soul and find answers to questions forgotten and buried. Everybody should visit deserts at least once.

Question 2.
Go to the library and collect information about the lifestyle of people in desert areas—their food, clothes, work, social customs, etc. Share this information with the group.
Answer:
The Thar Desert is home to approximately 40% of the total population of Rajasthan. The main occupation of the people who live here is agriculture and animal husbandry. The culture followed by the people of this desert can be best described as colourful and rich. There are many here who appreciate folk music and folk poetry.

A majority of the people who live here live a nomadic life. They rear cattle like goats, cows and camels. They look for food and water by moving from one place to another. Some of them are craftsmen and earn their living by selling their goods.

Some common crops grown by the people of Rajasthan include bajra, jowar, wheat and mustard seeds. Other means of livelihood are the industries such as textiles, sugar, cement and fertilizers, and mines of iron-ore, zinc and lead. Rajasthan is well-known for its magnificent handicrafts and jewellery.

One can see the women of Rajasthan donning colourful ghaghra-cholis with an odhni or chunni. The men can be seen wearing dhoti-kurta with turbans so as to protect themselves from the harsh rays of the sun.