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 (Page 16) 

Question 1.

From the first paragraph

(i) pick out two phrases which describe the desert as most people believe it is;

(ii) pick out two phrases which describe the desert as specialists see it. Which do you think is an apt description, and why?

Answer:

(i) The two such phrases are :

(a) “an endless stretch of land where no rain falls”, and

(b) “no vegetation grows”

(ii) (a) “a beautiful place”.

(b) “home of variety of people, animals and plants that have learnt to live under very hot and dry conditions”. I think the description of the specialists is more apt because a desert is not always dry, hot and sandy. It can also be covered with hills.

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.

(i) an endless stretch of land  –  fertile place with water and plants in a desert.

(ii) waterless and without shelter. –  not visible because the grass is thick.

(iii) an oasis –  nothing but sand as far as one can see.

(iv) hidden by a cover of grass. –  no water and no shade.

Answer:

An endless stretch of sand – nothing but sand as far as one can see

Waterless and without shelter – no water and to 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 (Page 19)

Question 1.

A camel can do without water for days together. What is the reason given in the text?

Answer:

A camel has a large capacity for water consumption. It is capable of going days at a time without water. It doesn't sweat much, therefore that's the explanation. Very high body temperatures are no match for it. As a result, it can store the water it drinks for a long time.

Question 2.

How do the smaller desert animals fulfil their need for water?

Answer:

The smaller desert animals fulfil their need for water from the moisture of the meat of other animals and from plant juices.  

Question 3.

In a desert the temperature rises during the day and falls rapidly at night. Why?

Answer:

The desert has extremely dry air. The climate in a desert has little humidity. The earth's rays are shielded from the sun's intense beams by the humidity, which functions as a blanket. Due to the lack of this protective layer, desert areas see significant daytime and nighttime temperature changes.

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.

Answer:

A desert is any big, arid territory characterized by sand or rocks, with little rainfall, unfavorable circumstances for crops and agriculture, and poor living conditions for humans. Life in a desert is difficult owing to a lack of rainfall, high temperatures, and a lack of flora. Nonetheless, if you look attentively, you will notice that deserts are alive in their nooks and crevices. Desert plants and wildlife have adapted to survive under severe, arid environments. Cacti and camels, for example, have evolved to retain water in their succulent xylem and humps, respectively. Desert plants and animals require particular adaptations to thrive in the harsh climate.

Qus.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:

Many desert dwellers are nomads. Nomads raise livestock such as goats, cows, and camels. They go from one location to another with their animals in search of food and water. Some of them are artisans who make a livelihood by selling their wares. Some individuals cultivate crops such as bajra, jowar, wheat, and mustard seeds. There are also several businesses (textiles, sugar, cement, fertilizers, etc.) and mines (lead, zinc, iron ore, etc.) that provide a living for the inhabitants of this region. Rajasthani handicrafts and jewelry are marketed all across India and the world. Rajasthani ladies wear colorful ghaghra-cholis with an odhni or chunni. To defend oneself from the scorching sun, the males wear dhoti-kurtas with turbans.