Let us do these activities before we read
Q1. What kind of an adventure activity would you like to be a part of?
Answer:
This is a personal response question. Students may choose any adventure activity such as mountain climbing, exploring a jungle, trekking, camping, etc. There is no single correct answer.
Q2. How would you like to spend your weekends? (i) Trying new activities (ii) Reading a book (iii) Spending time with friends (iv) Learning something new
Answer:
This is a personal choice question. Students can select one or more options based on their preference. For example, a 'Bold Explorer' might choose (i), an 'Imaginative Dreamer' might choose (ii), an 'Energetic Planner' might choose (iii), and a 'Thoughtful Creator' might choose (iv).
Q3. Which of these places would you prefer to explore? (i) Dense forests and clear streams (ii) Magical lands with fairies (iii) Busy cities with interesting people (iv) Quiet places to think and create
Answer:
This is a personal choice question. Students can select one or more options. For example, a 'Bold Explorer' might prefer (i), an 'Imaginative Dreamer' might prefer (ii), an 'Energetic Planner' might prefer (iii), and a 'Thoughtful Creator' might prefer (iv).
Q4. Which one of these activities would you prefer to do? (i) Climbing a mountain or exploring a jungle (ii) Finding a hidden treasure or discovering a secret world (iii) Solving puzzles or guessing riddles with friends (iv) Making something creative or building a model
Answer:
This is a personal choice question. Students can select one or more options. For example, a 'Bold Explorer' might choose (i), an 'Imaginative Dreamer' might choose (ii), an 'Energetic Planner' might choose (iii), and a 'Thoughtful Creator' might choose (iv).
Q5. What do you think about teamwork? (i) I love leading the team. (ii) I enjoy working with others. (iii) I prefer sharing ideas with friends. (iv) I like working alone.
Answer:
This is a personal choice question. Students can select one or more options based on their teamwork style. For example, a 'Bold Explorer' might choose (i), an 'Energetic Planner' might choose (ii), an 'Imaginative Dreamer' might choose (iii), and a 'Thoughtful Creator' might choose (iv).
Q6. Based on your choices, which of the following do you think applies the best to you? Discuss with your classmates. • Bold Explorer • Imaginative Dreamer • Energetic Planner • Thoughtful Creator. You may add to the list as per your choices.
Answer:
This is a discussion activity. Students should analyze their responses to the previous questions and determine which category best describes them. For example, if a student chose adventurous activities like climbing mountains, they may be a 'Bold Explorer'. Students can also add new categories like 'Curious Scientist' or 'Nature Lover'.
Let us discuss
Q1. Suraj compares the train to a magical creature. Pick the phrases that convey the meaning.
Answer:
The phrases that convey Suraj's comparison of the train to a magical creature are: 'some green, black, and gold dragon' and 'some beautiful monster out of Suraj’s dreams'. These phrases are found in paragraph 6 of Part I, where the steam engine is described as snorting and puffing like a dragon, showering sparks and roaring a challenge to the jungle.
Q2. Suraj knew that the train was close by because ____________________.
Answer:
Suraj knew that the train was close by because a sound like distant thunder issued from the tunnel. This is mentioned in paragraph 5 of Part I: 'but presently a sound like distant thunder issued from the tunnel, and he knew the train was coming through.'
Q3. What did Suraj see inside the tunnel?
Answer:
Inside the tunnel, Suraj saw that the walls were damp and sticky. He also saw a bat flying past and a lizard scuttling between the lines. This is described in paragraph 10 of Part I: 'The walls were damp and sticky. A bat flew past. A lizard scuttled between the lines.'
Q4. Select the correct option. What does Sunder Singh convey about the tunnel? He says that ____________________ (it is damp and sticky inside/he has lent it to the Government).
Answer:
The correct option is: 'he has lent it to the Government'. Sunder Singh says this in Part I: 'It is truly my tunnel, since no one else will have anything to do with it. I have only lent it to the Government.' This is a humorous way of saying he takes care of the tunnel as a watchman.
Q5. The watchman has created a system through which he informs the locomotive driver about any danger in the tunnel. The following flow chart shows this system. Refer to the text and complete the flow chart. Walks the length of the tunnel (i) _________ Night (iv) _________ (v) _________ Goes to take a nap Waves his lamp to warn the locomotive driver (ii) _________ (iii) _________ Danger found No danger found
Answer:
Based on the text in Part I, the completed flow chart is: (i) Day (ii) Danger found (iii) Waves a red flag (iv) No danger found (v) Hangs lamp at the door of his hut and goes to sleep. Explanation: During the day, if no danger is found, the watchman goes to take a nap. If danger is found, he waves a red flag. At night, if no danger is found, he hangs his lamp at the door of his hut and goes to sleep. If danger is found, he waves his lamp to warn the locomotive driver.
QI. The main ideas of each stanza of the poem are given below. Write the number of the stanza against the matching main idea. 1. At night, the speaker imagines the train and hears its engine in the quiet. 2. The speaker feels a strong desire to take any train, no matter where it goes. 3. The speaker hears the train whistle during the day, even though the train is far away.
Answer:
Stanza (i) - 3; Stanza (ii) - 1; Stanza (iii) - 2
QII. Read the poem and underline the rhyming words in each stanza. Write the rhyming words from each stanza. An example has been done for you. 1. Stanza (i): away-day; 2. Stanza (ii): 3. Stanza (iii):
Answer:
2. Stanza (ii): by-sky; dreaming-steaming; 3. Stanza (iii): make-knowing; take-going
QIII. Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem from the options given below. 1. AABB 2. ABCA 3. ABAB 4. ABBC
Answer:
Option 3: ABAB. Explanation: Each stanza follows an alternate rhyme pattern (lines 1 and 3 rhyme, lines 2 and 4 rhyme).
QIV. Identify the word in the poem that personifies the whistle of the train.
Answer:
The word is 'shrieking'. Personification is giving human qualities to non-human things. The whistle is described as shrieking, which is a human action.
QV. Tone refers to the attitude the poet has about the poem. Which of these words can be used to describe the poet's tone in this poem? serious, excited, curious, worried, thoughtful, content, enthusiastic, critical, joyful
Answer:
The appropriate words are: thoughtful, content, enthusiastic, joyful. The poet expresses warm feelings about friends and a strong desire to travel, showing contentment and enthusiasm.
QVI. Select the words that tell us what the train symbolises for the poet. 1. education 2. adventure 3. comfort 4. opportunities
Answer:
Options 2 (adventure) and 4 (opportunities). The poet says 'My heart is warm with the friends I make' and 'There isn't a train I wouldn't take, no matter where it's going', showing trains represent adventure and new opportunities.
QVII. Complete the following by choosing the correct option from those given in brackets. The poet repeats the line, '...there isn't a train goes by,' in all three stanzas to _______. (highlight the speaker's fascination with the train/suggest that the area has many trains passing through)
Answer:
highlight the speaker's fascination with the train. The repetition emphasises that even though no train actually passes, the speaker is constantly aware of and thinking about trains.
QVIII. The poem contrasts the busy day with the stillness of the night. What is the common factor in these?
Answer:
The common factor is the speaker's constant awareness of the train. Both day and night, the speaker hears or imagines the train's sounds and sights.
QIX. Imagery is a literary device that uses descriptive language to create mental pictures and appeal to the reader's senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch). Select the phrases from the poem that are examples of imagery. One example is given: day is loud.
Answer:
Imagery phrases from the poem: 'whistle shrieking' (sound), 'cinders red on the sky' (sight), 'engine steaming' (sight/sound), 'night is still' (sound/silence)
Let us think and reflect
QI (i). Choose the suitable option to complete the following. The line 'My heart is warm' refers to a heart that is ___. A. filled with worries B. full of love C. feeling upset D. experiencing anger
Answer:
Option B: full of love. Explanation: The context shows the speaker is talking about friends with affection, so 'warm heart' means feeling love and happiness.
QI (ii). What does the speaker say about her current friends?
Answer:
The speaker says her heart is warm because of the friends she makes, and she will not know better friends than them.
QI (iii). What does the line 'better friends I'll not be knowing' suggest about the speaker's feelings toward their current friends?
Answer:
It suggests the speaker deeply values and appreciates her current friends, considering them the best friends she could ever have.
QI (iv). Complete the following suitably. The tone of the speaker in these lines is ______. (grateful/content)
Answer:
grateful/content. Both are acceptable, but 'grateful' more specifically captures appreciation for the friends.
QII (1). What does the phrase 'cinders red on the sky' tell us about the train at night?
Answer:
It tells us that the train's sparks and smoke glow red against the night sky, creating a visual image of the train's passage even in darkness.
QII (2). What is the significance of the repeated references to the train's whistle?
Answer:
The train's whistle symbolises the speaker's constant longing for travel and adventure. Even though the train is far away, the speaker always hears it, showing an intense fascination.
QII (3). What does the line 'no matter where it's going' reveal about the speaker's attitude towards travel?
Answer:
It reveals the speaker's strong desire for travel and adventure - she doesn't care about the destination, only the experience of journeying itself.
QII (4). Do you think the poet actually sees and hears the train? Why or why not?
Answer:
No, the poet does not actually see or hear the train. The poem says 'there isn't a train goes by all day' and 'all night there isn't a train goes by', showing the train sounds are imagined or remembered, not real.
Let us learn
QI. Read the expressions from the poem given in Column 1 and match them with what they indicate in Column 2. Column 1: 1. miles away, 2. cinders red, 3. heart is warm, 4. day is loud, 5. engine steaming Column 2: (i) The speaker's affection for their friends, (ii) The fast and powerful movement of the train, (iii) The busy and noisy atmosphere during the day, (iv) The glow of the train's sparks lighting up the night sky, (v) The distance of the train from the speaker
Answer:
1-(v), 2-(iv), 3-(i), 4-(iii), 5-(ii)
QII. Now, use the expressions in Column 1 to fill in the following blanks correctly. 1. After meeting her old friend, her ______ with the joy of rekindled memories. 2. As I arrived at the railway station I could hear the ______. 3. The marketplace is bustling, and the ______ with the chatter of shoppers and vendors. 4. The bonfire glowed brightly, throwing ______ into the dark night sky. 5. The sound of a train could still be heard _____ as the evening grew quiet.
Answer:
1. heart is warm; 2. engine steaming; 3. day is loud; 4. cinders red; 5. miles away
QIII. Read the meanings of such words in Column 1 and match them with the words in Column 2. Column 1: 1. shouting loudly, often in anger or excitement, 2. crying out in fear or excitement, 3. crying loudly with grief or sorrow, 4. making a high-pitched, piercing sound, 5. calling out loudly, often in a casual or informal way, 6. crying softly in a low, broken voice, 7. crying loudly and uncontrollably Column 2: (i) wailing, (ii) hollering, (iii) screeching, (iv) yelling, (v) whimpering, (vi) bawling, (vii) screaming
Answer:
1-(iv), 2-(vii), 3-(i), 4-(iii), 5-(ii), 6-(v), 7-(vi)
QIV. Complete the following paragraph by using suitable words from Column 2. The street was filled with a variety of sounds. A shopkeeper was 1. ______ to attract customers, while a child nearby was 2. _______ at his friend to wait for him. From the other side of the road, a toddler was 3. ________ uncontrollably after dropping his ice cream, and his mother tried to calm him as he began 4. _________ softly. In the background, someone's loud 5. _________ voice added to the bustling noise of the busy evening.
Answer:
1. yelling, 2. hollering, 3. bawling, 4. whimpering, 5. screaming
Let us listen
QI. Listen to this announcement made in the morning assembly about a school trip to the National Science Centre. As you listen, circle the information that is not correct. 1. The trip to the National Science Centre is organised on 15 September. 2. Students will start from school at 8.00 in the morning and return by 5.00 in the evening. 3. Refreshment will not be provided during the trip. 4. Students are permitted to carry a phone, a notebook, and a pen. 5. The permission slip is to be signed by the class teacher. 6. The permission slip is to be submitted to your class teacher by 10 September. 7. Mr. Mukherjee is the Adventure Club in-charge.
Answer:
This is a listening exercise. Students must listen to the transcript (provided by teacher on pg. 177) and identify incorrect information. The transcript is not provided in the given text, so students should listen carefully in class.
QII. Now, listen to the announcement again and rectify the sentences.
Answer:
This is a listening exercise. Students must correct the incorrect statements after listening again. The transcript on pg. 177 should be used by the teacher.
Let us speak
QI. Now, work in pairs. Pronounce the given words aloud. Keep the rules of the soft and hard 'c' pronunciation in mind. cell, cable, race, cake, decide, receive, concert, circle, bicycle, echo, uncle
Answer:
Soft 'c' words (/s/ sound): cell, race, decide, receive, circle, bicycle
Hard 'c' words (/k/ sound): cable, cake, concert, echo, uncle
Let us write
QI. Let us now write a diamante poem that connects 'reading' and 'adventure'. Reading the first topic ___________, ___________ two adjectives about reading ___________, ___________, ___________ three -ing words about reading _____________________________________ four nouns or a short phrase linking your topics ___________, ___________, ___________ three -ing words about adventure ___________, ___________ two adjectives about adventure Adventure the second topic
Answer:
Sample poem:
Reading
Quiet, enjoyable
Imagining, learning, exploring
Books open doors to new worlds
Traveling, discovering, experiencing
Exciting, thrilling
Adventure
QII. We come across many interesting characters while travelling. Describe one such character that you met. Follow these steps. 1. Choose the character. 2. Create a first draft of your description including the following details. (i) What is the name of the character? (ii) What does the character look like? (iii) What does the character do? (iv) What kind of person is she or he? (v) Include any line or incident from the text that you like the most. 3. Check your description for any spelling mistakes or errors. 4. Show your classmates your work and ask for suggestions. 5. Rewrite your description including all the changes and suggestions for improvement.
Answer:
This is a writing activity. Students should follow the steps to write a descriptive paragraph about a character they met while travelling. No single correct answer - students must create their own original descriptions.
Let us explore
QI. In groups of four, find out more about these heritage trains and make a presentation in the class. (The Mountain Railways of India: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Kalka-Shimla Railway)
Answer:
This is a group project activity. Students should research these UNESCO World Heritage railway sites and create presentations. Key points to include: year of construction, unique features, scenic routes, engineering challenges, current operations.
QII. In groups of four, find out more about these heritage trains and make a presentation in the class. (Vande Bharat Express)
Answer:
This is a group project activity. Students should research India's first indigenous semi-high-speed train. Key points: launched 15 February 2019, speed of 160 km/h, New Delhi-Varanasi route, 'Make in India' initiative, modern features.
QIII. Some of the underwater rail tunnels are the Thames Tunnel in London, the Seikan Tunnel in Japan and the Channel Tunnel between England and France. India's first underwater metro route in Kolkata started in March 2024. A part of this special metro line runs beneath the Hooghly River.
Answer:
This is an information passage. Students should note these facts about underwater rail tunnels for discussion.
QIV. Which of these trains do you think would be adventurous to travel in? Discuss among yourselves.
Answer:
This is a discussion question. Students should share opinions about which trains mentioned (mountain railways, Vande Bharat Express, underwater metro) would be most adventurous and why.