Let us discuss
Complete the table given below with Jahnavi’s questions in Column 1 and the River’s answers in Column 2. Check your answers with the teacher.
| Column 1(Jahnavi’s Questions) |
Column 2(River’s Answers) |
| ...why the moon always comes from behind the hills…? |
It goes down towards the sea. I’ve seen it—it always takes the same path, over the mountains and down to the sea, like me! |
| “Can I do something?” |
… little girls can do as much as little boys. |
| “What are ships?” |
Big boats, so big that they can take
hundreds of people, and they sail
along the sea with lights that shine
all night. |
| Will they come here? |
No, they won’t. They’re too big. Chandu’s catamaran is fine for me. He can take you to see a ship someday. |
Let us think and reflect
I Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. “You shouldn’t cry, you know,” the voice went on. “And you really shouldn’t be scared, when you have been coming here to see me every
day, well, almost every day.” She was puzzled. It was such a voice, like the river. It couldn’t be the river! “Well, tell me all about it,” said
the River, for it was the River. “I’ve got to hurry to reach the sea, you know.”
(i) Complete the sentence with the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The tone of the River in the given extract is __________________. (assuring /sympathising)
Ans: assuring.
(ii) Select a phrase from the extract which shows that Jahnavi was a frequent visitor to the spot.
The phrase showing Jahnavi was a frequent visitor is “when you have been coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day”.
(iii) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
The use of an exclamation mark at the end of the line, ‘It couldn’t be the river!’ expresses __________________.
A. excitement
B. hesitation
C. irritation
D. disbelief
(iv) Choose three qualities of the River highlighted in the extract from the words in the box given below.
[affectionate forgiving thoughtful impatient kind-hearted]
Ans: affectionate, thoughtful, kind-hearted
2. “Can I do something?” asked Jahnavi. “Well, it’s up to you,” said the River. “Seems to me little girls can do as much as little boys—they swim as fast as little boys. You just slip along one morning and sit there in the school and listen to what’s going on, and maybe the teacher will let
you stay.”
“I couldn’t,” gasped Jahnavi. “I couldn’t! They’d scare me! They’d chase me out.”
(i) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason.
According to the River, there was no difference between girls and boys because __________________.
Ans: they can do the same things, like swim as fast.
(ii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false.
The River encourages Jahnavi to have faith in herself and fulfill her desire to go to school.
Ans: True
Reason: It tells her to try school and trust herself.
(iii) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
When the River suggests that Jahnavi should ‘slip along’, it means that she should move __________________.
A. quickly B. casually C. quietly D. confidently
(iv) What does the repetition of the phrase I couldn’t, tell us?
scared and unsure
II Answer the following questions.
1. Why does the writer describe different aspects of nature in great detail at the beginning of the story? Why do you think the writer does this?
The writer describes the blue kingfisher, the green lizard, and the river to show nature’s beauty. This makes the story interesting and shows that Jahnavi loves nature and the special river.
2. How did the River know so much about Jahnavi?
Jahnavi visited the river almost every day. She talked to it and shared her thoughts. The river knew her well and saw that she was never afraid of lizards or other animals.
3. Jahnavi says, “And I’m so old now, they’ll never let me go.” What can you infer about Jahnavi and the school from this line?
Jahnavi thinks she is too old to start school because she is almost ten years old. She believes she has missed the chance to study and may not be allowed to join school.
4. Why did the River laugh when Jahnavi said she would be scared at school?
The River laughed because Jahnavi was brave with lizards and spiders but afraid of going to school. It thought this was funny because she was usually very brave.
5. Why should Jahnavi follow the River’s advice?
She should follow the River because it knows her well and gives her a good idea to go to school. The plan works, and the teacher allows her to stay.
6. How does the conversation between Jahnavi and the River make the story more appealing?
The talking river makes the story interesting and magical. It shows Jahnavi’s hopes and fears and makes us want to read more to find out what happens next.
7. What is the main message that the writer intends to convey?
The writer teaches us to be brave and follow our dreams, like going to school. The story also shows that girls can do anything if they work hard and believe in themselves.
Let us learn
I You have learnt that naming words are called nouns and only proper nouns begin with a capital letter. Why has the author used a capital letter for the ‘River’ even when it is a common noun?
(Clue: Has the River been given qualities of a human being?)
In real, rivers cannot talk. In this story, the writer makes the River speak and act like a person. The River guides Jahnavi and encourages her to go to school. The capital **“R”** shows it is an important character with its own voice, wisdom, and kindness.
II There are a few words related to sound in the text. Pick the words from the text and write them next to the correct definition.
1. made a high-pitched piercing sound - shrieked
2. to cause liquid to strike or fall on something - splashed
3. a low continuous background noise - murmuring
4. cry with loud uncontrollable gasps - sob
5. to make a soft dry sound, like paper or leaves moving - rustled
6. took a short quick breath through the mouth due to surprise, pain or shock - gasped
7. shaking rapidly to make continuous short, sharp sounds - rattling
8. making a lot of noise - noisy
9. made a long, high cry, usually because of pain or sadness - wailed
Now, fill in the blanks with suitable sound words from exercise (II).
The classroom grew (i) _______ as the students noticed the teacher carrying the answer papers. As the teacher turned the pages with a (ii) _______, the children (iii) _______, wondering what comments awaited.
Someone (iv) _______ in frustration, and the (v) _______of the students steadily increased. Finally, when the teacher praised the students for their excellent performance, the students (vi) _______ with excitement.
Answers:
(i) noisy
(ii) rustled
(iii) gasped
(iv) wailed
(v) murmuring
(vi) shrieked
III The word ‘catamaran’ is used in the text. The word originates from Tamil language ‘kattu maram’ meaning ‘tied wood’.
Find out the meanings of these words. From which Indian language these words were borrowed. An example has been given.
1. karma (Sanskrit)
2. sahib
3. chutney
4. guru
5. verandah
6. jungle
7. areca
8. palanquin
| Word | Meaning | Borrowed from (Indian language) |
|---|
| 1. karma | The result of a person's actions; fate | Sanskrit (Example) |
| 2. sahib | A respectful title for a man; sir | Hindi / Urdu |
| 3. chutney | A spicy sauce or relish eaten with food | Hindi |
| 4. guru | A teacher or spiritual guide | Sanskrit |
| 5. verandah | A roofed open space or porch attached to a house | Hindi (from barāmda) |
| 6. jungle | A thick forest with many trees and plants | Hindi |
| 7. areca | A type of palm tree whose nut is chewed as betel nut | Malayalam |
| 8. palanquin | A covered chair carried by people for travelling | Sanskrit (through Hindi/Bengali) |
IV Chandu, the fisherman, has a catamaran that the River preferred to a ship. Given below are some boats that are used in different parts of our country.
1. canoe
2. catamaran
3. coracle
4. shikara
(i) Which one would you like to travel in?
(ii) Make a colourful drawing of a boat that you would like to travel in.
V Solve the crossword puzzle based on words related to water transport.
Across
1. a large vessel used for transporting goods or passengers by sea
2. a small vessel for travelling on water, typically propelled by oars, sails, or an engine
3. a flat floating structure for travelling across water 4. a boat or ship driven by steam
Down
5. a small, light, narrow boat, pointed at both ends and moved using a paddle
6. a boat with a powerful engine which can change direction easily and is used to pull large ships into and out of port
7. a boat with sails and sometimes an engine, used for either racing or travelling for pleasure, rhymes with ‘cot’
VI Read the highlighted words in the following lines from the text.
“She goes down towards the sea. I’ve seen her; she always takes the same way—over the mountains and down to the sea, like me!”
Prepositions are words that indicate the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence. They show direction, location, time or logical relationships between ideas.
Now, fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions given within the brackets.
Jahnavi takes the River’s advice and goes to school. On her first day 1. _________ (at/in/on) school, Jahnavi stood nervously 2. _________ (in/ outside/above) the gate, clutching her bag close to her. The bell rang and she hurried 3. _________ (outside/through/inside) the bustling classroom. She found a seat 4. _________ (among/between/from) two friendly classmates. The teacher greeted them warmly and started the lesson 5. _________ (about/in/for) numbers. Jahnavi listened attentively, feeling
excited 6. _________ (at/about/for) the new adventure ahead.
Answer:
at
outside
inside
between
about
about
VII Read the highlighted words in the following sentence from the text.
A kingfisher swept down, its wings an arrow of blue in the sunlight.
Words like on, off, up, down can function both as preposition and as adverb.
For example:
• She ran up the stairs. (preposition) • She rang me up. (adverb)
Remember, a preposition will always be followed by an object (noun) whereas an adverb will tell you more about the action (verb).
Fill in the blanks with prepositions or adverbs.
1. The cat jumped ___________ the table. (preposition)
2. The children played ___________ until dark. (adverb)
3. She quickly ran ___________ the park. (preposition)
4. The helicopter was hovering ___________. (adverb)
5. We were just walking ___________, chatting. (adverb)
6. After thoroughly wiping his shoes, he stepped ___________. (adverb)
7. She drove slowly ___________ the sharp curve. (preposition)
8. He placed the keys ___________ the mat before leaving. (preposition)
Answer:
onto
outside
through
above
along
inside
around
under
Let us listen
I Read the words given in the box below. You will listen to five people speak about school life. As you listen, circle the words that are used by the speakers. There are two words you do not need. (Transcript for the teacher on pg. 39 )
[lawyer desks homemaker principal posters newspapers marriage advertisements careers books]
Answer: homemaker, career, principal, books
II You will once again listen to the five speakers. As you listen, match each statement 1–7 to each speaker (i)–(v). There are two statements that you do not need.
Statements
1. Promotes active participation for all in school activities - V
2. Comments on how school makes learning Mathematics joyful - Nil
3. Believes in the power of education that leads to freedom of choice - I
4. Shares that school also means companionship - IV
5. Understands that boys and girls have different abilities - Nil
6. Persuades the parent to grant permission to attend school - II
7. Believes that learning skills is not gender-based -
Let us speak
I Read the sentence given below.
“Dear, dear! What’s the matter? … You shouldn’t cry, you know. And you really shouldn’t be scared, when you have been coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day.”
The River spoke to Jahnavi in a ‘sleepy’ voice. Work in pairs and take turns to speak the same sentence in ‘other’ voices. Some hints are given below
Happy Surprised Angry Scared Sad Worried
Happy:
Dear, dear! What’s the matter? Don’t cry. Don’t be scared. You come to see me every day!
Surprised:
Dear, dear! What’s the matter? Oh! Why are you crying? Don’t be scared!
Angry:
Dear, dear! What’s the matter? Stop crying! Don’t be scared!
Scared:
D-dear… what’s the matter? D-don’t cry. D-don’t be scared.
Sad:
Dear, dear! What’s the matter? Please don’t cry. Don’t be scared.
Worried:
Dear, dear! What’s the matter? Why are you crying? Don’t be scared.
II. Janhavi asks the River for advice and the River gives advice. Read the given situations and work in pairs to ask for and give advice. Take turns to change your roles. Use the prompts given below.
1. Situation (i) : You wish to play football at school but it has an all-boys’ team only.
2. Situation (ii): You have been unable to score well in Mathematics due to nervousness during exams.
3. Situation (iii): You really enjoy music classes but do not get enough time to practise for it.
4. Situation (iv): You cannot see the blackboard clearly from the last bench.
Answer:
1. Football Team
A: I want to play football. What should I do?
B: You should ask your teacher.
2. Maths Exam
A: I get nervous in Maths exams. What should I do?
B: You should practise every day.
3. Music Practice
A: I like music, but I cannot practise. What should I do?
B: You should practise every day.
4. Blackboard
A: I cannot see the blackboard. What should I do?
B: You should sit in the front row.
Observing Nature
(Students to read the paragraph from page 14 of the NCERT textbook)
Now, write a descriptive paragraph based on what you’ve observed. Highlight the colours, shapes textures, and unique details that made an impression on you.
Give a title to your paragraph.
The Beauty of Nature
Every day, I enjoy watching nature around me. I see green leaves, bright flowers, and colourful butterflies. The cool breeze and warm sunlight make me feel happy and peaceful. Birds fly across the blue sky and sing sweet songs. Nature is beautiful in many small ways. We should spend time outside and enjoy its beauty every day.
II. Discuss why rivers in India are considered to be sacred and most of them are referred to as female. Some rivers are referred to as male, for example, the Brahmaputra and the Sone.
In India, rivers are considered sacred because they give us water, support farming, and help people live. Many rivers are called Mother because they care for and protect us like a mother. People worship them with love and respect. Some rivers, such as the Brahmaputra and the Sone, are referred to as male in local traditions and stories.
II. Whole Class Activity
1. India is a multilingual country, and many of us can speak two to three languages easily. Make a list of the languages that everyone in the class can speak and display it on a chart paper in the classroom.
(Example response – can be modified as per classroom).
Languages Spoken by the students in the Class are:
Hindi
English
Telugu
Urdu
2. In which language do you enjoy reading and learning the most?
I enjoy learning English because the stories are interesting. It helps me read new books and learn many new things. English also helps me understand science and technology.
I also enjoy learning in my mother tongue, Telugu. I can easily understand the lessons and share my ideas. It makes learning easy and enjoyable.
3. Read the poster given on page 15 of the textbook and answer the questions that follow.
1. What are the things you can observe in the poster?
I can see a few girls studying together. They are smiling, learning happily, and enjoying a safe, friendly, and peaceful environment.
2. Why do you think the girls look happy?
The girls look happy because they can study, learn new things, and spend time with friends in a caring place.
3. Dignity means ‘self-respect’. What is the relation between ‘dignity’ and ‘happiness’?
When girls are treated with respect, they feel confident and happy. Self-respect helps them live with pride and joy.
4. How does a Nation prosper when its daughters are happy?
Happy and educated girls become responsible citizens. They help their families, support society, and make the nation stronger and better.
IV. The Government has launched many schemes for the education of the girl child. Some of them are ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, ‘Balika Samridhi Yojana’, ‘Samagra Shiksha Scheme-Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas’, etc.
Find out more such schemes from the internet or from your teacher and spread awareness in your neighbourhood.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao – Encourages the protection and education of girls.
Balika Samridhi Yojana – Provides financial support for girls' education.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya – Offers residential schooling for girls from disadvantaged groups.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana – Helps parents save for a girl child's education and future.
National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education – Encourages girls to continue secondary education.
CBSE Udaan Scheme – Supports girls preparing for higher studies in science and engineering.
Bicycle Distribution Scheme for Girls – Helps girls travel to school easily.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme – Encourages regular school attendance.
Awareness Message:
Educate every girl, empower every family. A girl with education can build a brighter future for herself and the nation.
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