SUMMER HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENT-I (2019-20)

SOCIAL SCIENCE
CHAPTER 2- THE SNAKE CHARMER’S STORY
CHAPTER 6- EVERY DROP COUNTS
CLASS V (ANSWER KEY)
1. Answer the following in one word :
i)The poisonous teeth of a snake are called fangs.
ii) Water pumps are used to pump out water from bore well.
iii) According to the custom, in some cities, the new bride worships the tap.
iv)Al-Biruni, a traveller came from Uzbekistan.

2. Give reason :
i)There is so much water on the earth yet we face water shortage.
75% of the earth is covered with water, much of the water is saline or salty and not fit for drinking
only 1% of fresh water is available for our consumption. We have polluted our water resources and
also wasting water due to which we are facing water shortage.

ii)Snakes are friends of the farmers.

Snakes are farmer’s friends because it kills rats, frogs and other animals or insects which destroy
farmer’s crops. These rodents often cause many communicable diseases. The snakes reduce the
number of rats and save the farmers.

iii)The Government has made a law that no one can catch wild animals and keep them.
The Government has made a law for:
a. The protection of the wild animals from being extinct or endangered.
b. To let the animals live freely in their natural habitat.
3. What is Rainwater Harvesting? How is roof- top rain water harvesting is done? Show with the help of a
diagram.
Rainwater harvesting is a technique of collecting and storing rainwater into natural reservoirs or tanks
before it gets waste in surface runoff. This is done to trap water so that it can be used later when the
need arises.
4. Read the given extract and answer the following questions: (Chapter-2 A Snake Charmer’s Story)
“Oh, those were the good days. We could help a lot of people in many ways. We also entertain them.

i)Who said these lines?

These lines were spoken by Aryanath’s grandfather.

ii)Write the ways in which they help the people.

They helped the people by giving them medicines and catching the poisonous snakes.

iii)What were the sources of entertainment in early times?

The sources of entertainment in early times were : Painting, music, dancing, debates, handicrafts,
hunting, sports like Kushti, chess, hen-fighting etc..
5. How will you differentiate between poisonous and non- poisonous snakes? Write any two points.
Poisonous Snakes
i)Poisonous snakes are generally brightly
coloured.
ii)They have a very distinctive head, looks like
hand or triangular shaped and side portion is
wide.
iii)Usually,all the poisonous snakes have fangs.
iv)They have heat sensitive pit.
Non Poisonous Snakes
i)Non poisonous snakes are not brightly
coloured.
ii)Their head is usually narrow and elongated.
iii)Non poisonous snakes do not have fangs but
few snakes do have fangs.
iv)Not all but some snakes are equipped with
rows of teeth.

6. There are two old wells in the area where Savita lives. Her grandmother says that about fifteen-twenty years
ago there was water in these wells.
What could be the possible reasons for the drying up of the wells now?
The possible reasons for the drying up of the wells are:
i)Water is being pumped up from under the ground, with the help of electric motors.
ii)The lakes in which rain water used to collect are no longer there.
iii)The soil around trees and parks is now covered with cement.

7. Indians are skilled in making ponds, as described by Al-Biruni. Write answer in 30-40 words to justify this
statement.
Al-Biruni, a traveller from Uzbekistan, mentioned in his travelogue that:
The Indians are very skilled at making ponds. They pile up huge rocks and join them with iron rods to
build chabutaras(raised platform) all around the lake. Between these, there are rows of long staircases,
going up and down. The steps for going up and coming down are separate. So there is less crowding.

8. Can the snake hear the been or does it dance when the been moves? Explain with appropritate reasons.
No, the snake cannot hear the been as it does not have ears it dances as the been moves. It thinks that
the been is something that can harm him. So, it becomes alert and moves as the been moves.
9. According to the chapter, “Every Drop Counts” many places in Rajasthan get very little rainfall. It rain only
for a few days here. Rivers, here, do not have water throughout the year. Yet most of the villages in this area
do not have water shortage.

Why do you think the people of this area do not have water shortage?
People in this area do not have water shortage because they knew that every drop of water is
precious and so they collectively contribute to conserve it.
10. Map Work
On an outline map of the World Physical, mark all the continents and the oceans of the world.
CONTINENTS: OCEANS:
a)Asia a)Pacific Ocean
b)Africa b)Indian Ocean
c)North America c)Atlantic Ocean
d)South America d)Antarctic/Southern Ocean
e)Antarctica e)Arctic Ocean
f)Europe
g)Australia