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Unseen Passages for Class 6 CBSE With Questions and Answers PDF
Comprehension Passages for Class (Grade) 6 CBSE With Questions and Answers PDF
A. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. Unlike the usual rain that is refreshing and useful, acid rain is one type of rain that causes a great deal of harm to the environment. Acid rain is the name given to a situation created when certain gases mix with atmospheric moisture to create precipitation that is more acidic than normal. Acid rain can come in both wet and dry form based on how the acidic materials fall from the atmosphere. When the materials are in a wet form, they fall as rain, sleet, snow or fog and as dry rain they fall as gases or particles. Both volcanoes and waste material release gases that are natural causes of acid rain while gases that come from man-made sources such as burning of fossil fuel, electric power, exhaust from vehicles and industry.
2. The environment and its inhabitants are tolerant to certain acidity level but if the levels exceed, these can cause a great deal of damage to the living and non-living things. Acid rain affects human health badly by creating particles in the air that can cause respiratory problems. This can also cause building materials to decay more rapidly and paint more likely to peel. It can erode stone statues, making them appear duller and older and reducing their value. This is known to have caused damage to the magnificent Taj Mahal. Acid rain drastically affects forests and waterways. It seeps into the soil and washes away many of the essential nutrients. It also makes it difficult for trees to absorb water. Thus, trees become more prone to infection, insects, and are less resistant to cold weather.
3. Black Forest in Germany is a result of acid rain that caused the trees to drop their needles. These trees have black trunks and branches. Acid rain flows into rivers and lakes, where it causes severe damage to the plant and animal life in aquatic systems.
A. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
Question 1.
What is acid rain?
Answer:
Acid rain is the name given to a situation created when certain gases get mixed with atmospheric moisture to create precipitation that is more acidic than normal.
Question 2.
What is wet and dry acid rain?
Answer:
When the acidic materials that fall from the atmosphere are in a wet form, they fall as rain, sleet, snow or fog. As dry rain, they fall as gases or particles.
Question 3.
What are the natural causes of acid rain?
Answer:
The natural causes of acid rain are the gases released by volcanoes and waste material.
Question 4.
Name some man-made sources of acid rain.
Answer:
Some man-made sources of acid rain include gases that come from man-made sources, such as burning of fossil fuel, electric power, exhaust from vehicles and industry.
Question 5.
What are the effects of acid rain on human health?/How does acid rain affect our health?
Answer:
Acid rain affects human health badly by creating particles in the air that can cause respiratory problems.
Question 6.
How does acid rain affect building materials?
Answer:
Acid rains cause building materials to decay more rapidly and paint more likely to peel. It can erode stone statues, making them appear duller and older and reducing their value.
Question 7.
How did the Black Forest in Germany take its present form?
Answer:
Black Forest in Germany is a result of acid rain-that caused the trees to drop their needles. These trees have black trunks and branches.
Question 8.
What happens when acid rain runs into water bodies?
Answer:
When acid rain runs into water bodies, it causes severe damage to the plant and animal life in aquatic system.
B. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. Exercise refers to the physical activity and mental exertion carried out to maintain physical health and mental fitness. It plays a vital role in our lives by helping us to stay fit. If we do. not include exercise in our daily regime, we will be prone to different ailments as well as suffer from obesity. Even if a person escapes diseases, he/she will keep indifferent health, and may not be active. Young boys and girls should take sufficient exercise to counteract the effects of stress. More and more young people are being diagnosed with diabetes due to excessive stress and a lack of physical activity. The blood glucose levels of the body can also be kept under control with regular exercise. Exercise improves the efficiency of cardiovascular system which improves the flow of oxygen and nutritions in the body, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.
2. Exercise helps release brain cells which help in the production of cells in hippocampus. Hippocampus is that part of the brain which helps in learning, and it also controls the memory. The concentration levels in the body improve with exercise which will also lower the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
3. Exercising daily helps in improving muscle strength and making tendons and ligaments flexible. This helps in easy movement and protects one from sudden injuries. Strong muscles and ligaments decrease the chances of joint and lower back pain. Exercise is also known to cure indigestion, reduce ailments, increase physical strength and strengthen the body and mind.
4. Physical exercises are generally classified into aerobics, anaerobic and flexibility exercises. Aerobics means requiring or using oxygen. These benefit the heart and the circulatory system. These include exercises such as swimming and cycling. Anaerobic are very intensive exercises done for a short duration. These would include exercises suchas weightlifting. Flexibility exercises are done to improve muscular mobility and joint flexibility, such as stretching.
B. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. Mention any two benefits of exercise.
2. Mention two harmful effects of a lethargic lifestyle.
3. How does physical activity help youngsters?
4. Which ailment is becoming common among youngsters?
5. How does exercise help the heart?
6. How does exercise help the brain?
7. What is the benefit of strong muscles and ligaments?
8. How is aerobics different from anaerobic exercises?
Answer:
1. Exercise help to keep the blood glucose levels of the body under control. Exercise improves the efficiency of cardiovascular system which improves the flow of oxygen and nutritions in the body, thus, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Exercise is also known to cure indigestion, reduce ailments, increase physical strength and strengthen the body and mind.
2. A lethargic person will be prone to different ailments as well as suffer from obesity. Even if a person escapes diseases, he/she will keep indifferent health, and may not be active.
3. Exercising helps youngsters in improving your muscle strength and making tendons and ligaments flexible. This helps in easy movement and protects one from sudden injuries.
4. Diabetes is an ailment that has become common among youngsters.
5. Exercise improves the efficiency of cardiovascular system which improves the flow of oxygen and nutritions in the body, thus, reducing the risk of heart disease.
6. Exercise helps release brain cells which help in the production of cells in hippocampus.
Hippocampus is that part of the brain which helps in learning, and it controls the memory. Exercise will improve the concentration levels in the body which will also lower the risk of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
7. Strong muscles and ligaments decrease the chances of joint and lower back pain.
8. Aerobics exercises involve the use of a lot of oxygen. These benefit the heart and the circulatory system. These include exercises such as swimming and cycling.
Black Forest in Germany is a result of acid rain-that caused the trees to drop their needles. These trees have black trunks and branches. Anaerobic are very intensive exercises done for a short duration. These would include exercises such as weightlifting.
B. 2. Give synonyms of the following words taken from the passage.
1. regime
2. efficiency
3. flexible
4. facilitates
Answer:
1. regime – schedule; system
2. efficiency – productivity
3. flexible – stretchy; bendable
4. facilitates – helps
C. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. A handicraft is any piece of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It began in ancient India when people made utility items for their daily needs. Later, they began selling these items. But as civilization advanced, these utility items went on to become creations of art and began to be used for decoration.
2. People find these handicrafts so eye-catching that these art pieces attract customers from all over the globe. These pieces of art are hand-carved by masters working for years. Handicrafts in India such as dolls, designer clothes, embroidery materials, woodwork, hand painting, gifts, furniture, toys and a lot more, are much popular worldwide. In India too, like in other countries, these products are now being replicated in large quantities with the help of machines for the international market at a high price. The machine made products have a better finish and are of a superior quality. They can be replicated in thousands with same shapes and same weights, unlike hand-made products.
3. These handicrafts have various advantages. First, it uses waste materials. Handicrafts are made of raw materials from recycled wastes. Even household items such as plastic cups, cans, cardboard box, pins, buttons, magazines and old clothes are used to make handicraft products. Therefore, it helps to recycle the waste. Moreover, the availability of this kind of raw material is easy. Manufacturing handicrafts improves the creativity and skills; and this can result in a definite chance to grow your own business. It is the best platform to enhance your interests and skills. This also helps eradicate unemployment as it provides opportunities to explore your skills and talents. Selling handcrafted items can increase the export rate of a country and, hence, it boosts economic growth. Moreover, handicraft items are eco-friendly property because these are free from hazardous materials and chemicals. These advantages amaze and attract buyers all around the world!
C. 1. Complete the following statements.
1. A handicraft is made using
2. Long back handicrafts were made as
3. People are fascinated by handicrafts because
4. Handicrafts in India include
5. Handicrafts are now made by because
6. The handicrafts made by machines have
7. The two major advantages of manufacturing handicrafts are:
a. …………………………………………
b. …………………………………………
Answer:
1. only simple tools
2. utility items for daily needs
3. they are creations of art and can be used as decorations.
4. dolls, designer clothes, embroidery materials, woodwork, hand painting, gifts, furniture, toys and a lot more
5. machines; the machine made products have a better finish and are of a superior quality.
6. the same shapes and same weights, unlike hand-made products.
7.
a. It eradicates unemployment as it provides opportunities to explore the skills and talents. Selling handcrafted items can increase the export rate of a country and, hence, it boosts the economic growth.
b. The best quality is that handicraft items are eco-friendly property because these are free from hazardous materials and chemicals.
D. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. There’s a lot of discrimination against girls in India and many other countries. While many privileges are given to boys, girls get limited or no opportunities to learn and grow in life. Unfortunately, cases of female infanticide are still reported. In the Population Census of 2011, it was revealed that the population ratio of India in 2011 is 940 females per 1000 of males. Therefore, it becomes imperative that efforts are made to spread awareness about the importance of having a girl child and to ensure that girls are allowed to be bom and flourish in life.
2. Although the Indian Constitution provides equal rights and privileges to men and women, many women still face a great deal of oppression and discrimination. Various factors are responsible for this miserable plight. These include poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, social customs and beliefs.
3. Women’s lack of economic security and lack of access to education leads to their minimal participation in the decision-making process. Poverty is the root of gender discrimination in our society.
4. Educational backwardness of the girls has been a major cause of gender discrimination. Education for girls is still lagging behind. Not even 50 per cent of Indian girls are educated. Thus, they lack the ability to create an identity. Moreover, women spend a large proportion of time on unpaid work at home. This makes women economically dependent on men and this leads to gender disparity. In addition, the traditional joint family system confines the role of women mostly to the domestic sphere, putting them to a subordinate status, authority and power, as compared to men. Men are known as the major providers and protectors of a family, while women are perceived as playing only a supportive role. The preference for sons still persists in many places. Thus, social bias against women is the main cause of female foeticide in our society.
D. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. What has been the attitude towards girls in India?
2. What has been the impact of female infanticide?
3. What can be done to prevent such crimes?
4. Mention four causes for discrimination against women.
5. How does poverty affect women?
6. How will education help women?
7. How are male and female roles viewed in our society?
8. What are the causes of female foeticide?
Answer:
1. There’s a lot of discrimination against girls in India and many other countries. While many privileges are given to boys, girls get limited or no opportunities to learn and grow in life. Unfortunately, cases of female infanticide are still reported.
2. In the Population Census of 2011, it was revealed that the population ratio of India in 2011 is 940 females per 1000 of males.
3. Equal rights and privileges should be given to men and women to avoid this.
4. Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, and our social customs and beliefs are the main causes of discrimination against women.
5. Women’s lack of economic security and lack of access to education leads to their minimal participation in the decision-making process. Poverty is the root of gender discrimination in our society.
6. Education will help women create an identity and help in reducing gender discrimination.
7. Women spend a large proportion of time on unpaid work at home. This makes women economically dependent on men. The traditional joint family system * confines the role of women mostly to the domestic sphere, putting them to a subordinate status, authority and power, as compared to men. Men are known as the major providers and protectors of a family, while women are perceived as playing only a supportive role.
8. The preference for sons still persists in many places. Thus, social bias against women is the main cause of female foeticide in our society.
D.2. Give words from the passage that are the antonyms of words given below.
1. favoritism
2. unimportant
3. liberation
4. independent
Answer:
1. discrimination
2. imperative
3. oppression
4. dependent
E. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. The word kinesics comes from the word kinesis, which means ‘movement’. Kinesics, thus, refers to the study of hand, arm, body and face movements. It is the interpretation of body movements such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and other bodily signs. Thus, the study of non-verbal forms of communication, which express emotions, feelings and attitudes, is known as kinesics. The words we speak, or verbal communication, accounts only for about one-third of the message intended by us. Hence, kinesics is the study of communication through ‘silent’ language.
2. The American anthropologist Dr Ray Birdwhistell, founder of kinesics, said that kinesics involves a systematic research of the conscious or unconscious actions of the communicator and their interpretations. Examples of non-verbal communication that express meaning without saying a word are numerous – a hug for affection, a pat on the back for comfort, a light touch on the arm or hand for instant connection, a handshake upon greeting, etc.
3. Non-verbals make up the biggest part of communication because they are hard to fake – the body automatically flashes the truth; words can lie. Investigators have often used kinesics for interrogation. They notice even the slightest change in the speaker’s expression for they know it can dramatically change the meaning of words. Professional colleges nowadays look for effective body language in group discussions and interviews. The ability to use your body language in a positive way can make a huge difference between an effective meeting and the loss of a client.
4. Actors and dancers are trained to perfect the nuances of the body language, and performers often deliberately mismatch their words with kinesics to create a comical effect.
E. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. What does the word kinesics mean?
2. What does the study of kinesics refers to?
3. Who is Dr Ray Birdwhistell?
4. What did Dr Ray Birdwhistell research on?
5. What makes non-verbal communication important?
6. How is non-verbal communication helpful to an investigator?
7. How does the study of kinesics help professionals?
8. How do comedians use their body language?
Answer:
1. The word kinesics comes from the word kinesis, which means ‘movement’.
2. Kinesics refers to the study of hand, arm, body and face movements. It is the interpretation of body movements such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and other bodily signs.
3. Dr Ray Birdwhistell is the American anthropologist who is also the founder of kinesics.
4. Dr Ray Birdwhistell research on kinesics involves a systematic research of the conscious or unconscious actions of the communicator and their interpretations.
5. Non-verbal communication is important because it is hard to fake. The body automatically flashes the truth; words can lie.
6. Investigators use non-verbal communication for interrogation. They notice even the slightest change in the speaker’s expression for they know it can dramatically change the meaning of the words.
7. Professional colleges now a day look for effective body language in the group discussions and interviews. The ability to use your body language in a positive ways can make a difference between an effective meeting and the loss of a client.
8. Actors and dancers are trained to perfect the nuances of the body language, and performers often deliberately mismatch their words with kinesics to create a comical effect.
F. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. Sports and games have been an important part of human society since ancient times. Not only do sports and games keep us healthy and fit, they are an important means of entertainment and physical activity. These help in building our character and also boost our energy and strength. They improve blood circulation. This improves our physical well-being. Besides this, a lot of learning happens when we participate in these events.
2. Hence, sports and games help in mental growth as well. We learn to compete and lose t with grace. We learn how to maintain proper mental balance and deal with difficult situations. We learn to collaborate, compete and develop team spirit in us. Thus, sports and games help us lead happier, healthier and more productive lives.
3. Several studies have found that there are potential benefits from sports that include the development of healthy physical and social skills, the development of fine motor skills, and improved health and sport-specific fitness in young people. Games provide a competitive channel.
4. Adults need 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This can be accomplished through sports such as tennis, basketball or racquetball. Playing indoor games with family and friends also provides social interaction that helps relieve the stress of daily life. Senior citizens can benefit the most from sports and exercise. These can improve heart functions, balance and flexibility. These ensure better sleep at night, a boost in self-confidence, a better mood, and prevent memory loss. These can also help our reasoning ability and cognitive functions. Playing games strengthens ties and build relationships between parents and the elderly. Education without sports is incomplete. Keeping their value in mind, sports are an important part of academic curricula these days.
F. 1. Complete the following sentences with information from the text.
1. Humans have been familiar with sports and games since
2. Sports and games help us by
3. Sports and games help in mental growth as and
4. Young people benefit from sports and games
5. Playing with family helps
6. Elderly people benefit from sports because
7. Sports are a part of academic curricula because
Answer:
1. ancient times
2. building our character; boost our energy and strength
3. we learn to compete; lose with grace
4. by developing healthy physical and social skills, motor skills and health and sport-specific fitness.
5. relieve the stress of daily life
F.2. Give words from the passage that are the antonyms of words given below.
1. very old
2. latent
3. restrained
4. suppleness
6. sports and exercise can increase improve heart functions, balance and flexibility.
7. education without sports is incomplete
Answer:
Give words from the passage that are the synonyms of words given below.
1. very old – elderly
2. cooperate – collaborate
3. communication – interaction
4. suppleness – flexibility
G. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. Penguins are aquatic, flightless birds that are found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere. The largest of the living species is the Emperor Penguin that is about 3 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 35 kg or more. The smallest penguin species is the little Blue Penguin, also known as the fairy penguin, which stands around 16 inches tall and weighs 1 kg. Some penguins in ancient times were very large, growing nearly as tall and heavy as a human. Emperor Penguins spend their entire lives on Antarctic ice and in its waters. They survive by relying on a number of clever adaptations. They have a feather pattern called countershading, a form of camouflage that keeps them safe in the water. This hides them from predators as well as their prey in the water. From above, the penguin’s black back blends into the dark ocean bottom and from below the white belly blends into the bright surface of the water.
2. These intelligent birds employ cooperative behaviour in order to survive in a severely harsh environment. They huddle together to escape wind and conserve warmth. Individuals take turns moving to the group’s protected and warm interior. Once a penguin has warmed a bit, it will move to the boundary of the group so that others can enjoy the warmth.
3. Female Emperor penguins lay a single egg and go off to a hunting trip that lasts about two months. Male emperors keep the newly laid eggs warm by standing and protecting their eggs by balancing them on their feet and covering them with feathered skin known as a brood pouch. Once the female penguins return with a belly full of food, they nurture the newly hatched chicks. Then it is the turn of the male emperors to go to the sea in search of food.
G. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. Where are penguins found?
2. Comment on the penguins’ size.
3. What is special about Emperor Penguin’s feathers?
4. How do penguins bear the harsh winters?
5. What is meant by ‘cooperative behaviour’?
6. How does the male penguin guard the egg?
7. Where does the female penguin go after laying the egg?
8. When does the female penguin return?
Answer:
1. Penguins are found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere.
2. The largest of the living species is the Emperor Penguin that is about 3 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 35 kg or more. The smallest penguin species is the little Blue Penguin, also known as the fairy penguin, which stands around 16 inches tall and weighs 1 kg.
3. Emperor penguins have a feather pattern called countershading, a form of camouflage that keep them safe in the water. This hides them from predators as well as their prey in the water.
From above, the penguin’s black back blends into the dark ocean bottom and from below th white belly blends into the bright surface of the water.
4. Penguins employ cooperative behaviour in order to survive in a severely harsh environment. They huddle together to escape wind and conserve warmth. Individuals take turns moving to the group’s protected and warm interior. Once a penguin has warmed a bit, it will move to the boundary of the group so that others can enjoy the warmth.
5. ‘Cooperative behaviour’ refers to working together to achieve a common goal. In the case of the penguins, it is their collective effort to keep everybody warm in the group.
6. Male emperors protect their eggs by balancing them on their feet and covering them with feathered skin known as a brood pouch.
7. After laying the eggs, the female penguins go off to a hunting trip that lasts about two months. They come back with food for the baby.
8. The female penguin returns after it has found food for the baby. This usually lasts for about two months.
H. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. The idiot box has been increasingly pushing the bookshelf out of modem homes. There are other factors also that are making reading an old hobby such as academic pressure for performance, browsing the internet, and playing games on cell phones. The students are acquiring knowledge, but they browse internet instead of reading books. This is because, pitted against an audio-visual presentation, printed works lose their charm for many.
2. The diminishing numbers at public libraries and dwindling business of leading booksellers and publishers confirm this fact. This is true of regions with a high literacy rate. This is certainly an alarming situation as the advantages of reading cannot be undermined. This trend is alarming because reading is one of the most fundamental skills a child needs to leam to succeed in life. Reading habit develops vocabulary. It introduces the reader to new words and phrases that contribute to rich language. Reading is also known to increase a student’s attention span. It helps them to focus better and for longer periods of time. Reading prepares children for school. So, children who spend a lot of time reading before attending school find it easier to adapt to the learning environment at school. This habit also develops a lifelong love of books and this benefits them later in life as well. Moreover, children with good reading habits have a wider understanding about the world.
3. A young child can be motivated to read if adults read to them at a young age. Children learn by example. If parents read, children will take to this habit on thir own. By talking about the content of what parents read, they will motivate the children to read.
H. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. What has been the impact of television on reading?
2. What are the other inventions that have affected reading habits?
3. Why does the internet seem more alluring than books?
4. The diminishing numbers at public libraries and dwindling business of leading booksellers and publishers confirm this fact. What is the fact that is being referred to here?
5. How does reading enrich vocabulary?
6. How does reading prepare a child for formal school?
7. What affect does reading have on a child’s worldview?
Answer:
1. Television has had a negative impact on reading. This is so because people prefer watching television over reading.
2. Computers and cell phones are the other inventions that have affected reading habits.
3. The youngsters today prefer browsing internet for information instead of reading books. They prefer the audio-visual presentation over printed books.
4. The fact that is being referred to here is that the youth of today prefers watching television, browsing the internet and using their cell-phones over reading books.
5. Reading enriches vocabulary because it introduces the reader to new words and phrases that contribute to rich language.
6. Reading is also known to increase a student’s attention span. It helps them to focus better and for longer periods of time. Reading prepares children for school. So children who spend a lot of time reading before attending school find it easier to adapt to the learning environment at school.
7. The habitof reading in children develops a lifelong love of books and this benefits them later in life as well. So, children with good reading habits have a wider understanding about the world.
8. A young child can be motivated to read if adults read to them at a young age. Children learn by example. If parents read, children will take to this habit on thir own. By talking about the content of what parents read, they will motivate the children to read.
H. 2. Which words in the passage mean the following?
1. television
2. ancient
3. dwindling
4. basic
Answer:
1. The Idiot box
2. old
3. diminishing
4. fundamental
I. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. There are over 470 species of sharks and they have been living since 420 million years. Sharks are predators at the top of their marine food chains. They have fascinated humans for long, but irresponsible fishing practices are depleting their numbers. Removing these from the food chain has serious consequences for marine ecosystems as well as on human lives.
2. The smallest shark is only 17 centimeters in length, while the whale shark is the largest species in the world, with a length of approximately 12 meters. Sharks have darker upper side of the body to blend in with the water from above, and their undersides are white or lighter coloured to blend in with the lighter surface of the sea from below. This helps them to camouflage from predators and prey. They have multiple rows of teeth, and while they lose teeth on a regular basis, new teeth continue to grow in and replace those they lose. They eat fish, crustaceans, mollusks, plankton, marine mammals and other sharks. They can detect food/blood from miles away because of their acute sense of smell. Some sharks migrate over great distances to feed and breed. But most sharks are nocturnal animals. Hence, they hunt in the evening or night.
3. Sharks have adapted to living in a wide range of aquatic habitats at various temperatures. While some species inhabit shallow, coastal regions, others live in deep waters, on the ocean floor and in the open ocean. Soon after birth, baby sharks fend for themselves. This is not difficult as they are bom with fully-fledged sets of teeth and are able to feed and live on their own.
I. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. How long have sharks existed on the planet?
2. Why are sharks dwindling in numbers?
3. Compare the largest and the smallest shark.
4. How does the colour of sharks help them camaflouge?
5. What is special about a shark’s teeth?
6. How do sharks detect food?
7. Sharks have adapted to living in a wide range of aquatic habitats. How do we know this?
8. How do baby sharks fend for themselves?
Answer:
1. Sharks have existed on the planet since 420 million years.
2. Sharks are dwindling in numbers because of irresponsible fishing practices.
3. The smallest shark is only 17 centimeters in length, while the whale shark is the largest species in the world, with approximately 12 meters length.
4. Sharks have darker upper side of the body to blend in with the water from above, and their undersides are white or lighter colored to blend in with the lighter surface of the sea from below. This helps them to camouflage from predators and prey.
5. Sharks have multiple rows of teeth, and while they lose teeth on a regular basis, new teeth continue to grow in and replace those they lose.
6. Sharks can detect food/blood from miles away because of their acute sense of smell. Some sharks migrate over great distances to feed and breed. But most sharks are nocturnal animals. Hence, they hunt in the evening or night.
7. Sharks have adapted to living in a wide range of aquatic habitats at various temperatures. While some species inhabit shallow, coastal regions, others live in deep waters, on the ocean floor and in the open ocean.
8. Soon after birth, baby sharks fend for themselves. This is not difficult as they are bom with fully-fledged sets of teeth and are able to feed and live on their own.
J. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. Most of us do not realize that plants can be very interesting. While the commonly seen ornamental plants look nice and are also believed to increase memory and concentration, some lesser known carnivorous plants are among the most intriguing ones. These meat eating plants use the sneakiest tricks to get their dinner. These plants eat insects, spiders, crustaceans and other small soil and water-living invertebrates and protozoans, lizards, mice, rats, and other small vertebrates. They trick their prey using specialized leaves that act as traps. Many traps lure prey with bright colours.
2. Bladderwort is one such plant. Normally, these are tiny and delicate but are the fastest- known killers of the plant kingdom. These grow in ponds and get a hearty meal of mosquito larvae that they grab using a trapdoor! After trapping the prey, the plant uses digestive juices to slowly consume the insect. When dinner is over, the plant ejects the remains and is ready to trap again.
3. Carnivorous plants grow in places where the soil does not have many nutrients. Hence, these incredible plants are predatory flowering plants that kill animals in order to derive nutritional requirements to survive.
4. The pitcher plants look like beautiful pitchers full of nectar and the poor insect is tempted to come close and take a sip. But just as it sits on the pitcher, it slides down the slippery slope and into the plant. It has hair-like growths along the pitcher walls that do not let it crawl out. Soon the digestive juices consume it. A tiny insect called a midge might be digested in a few hours, but a fly may take a couple of days.
5. Venus flytraps detect insects on their leaves by means of trigger hair that are located on the trap leaves. These send an electrical signal that propagates across the leaf. This results in the leaves snapping shut on its victims.
J. 1. Answer the following questions very briefly.
1. Mention two commonly known advantages of plants.
2. What do carnivorous plants eat?
3. Mention two methods used by plants to attract their prey?
4. What is the trait that bladderwort is known for?
5. Why do some plants eat insects?
7. Why can’t an insect leave the pitcher plant?
8. How does the Venus flytrap sense its food?
Answer:
1. Plants release oxygen into the air. They look nice and are also believed to increase memory and concentration.
2. Carnivorous plants eat insects, spiders, crustaceans and other small soil and water-living invertebrates and protozoans, lizards, mice, rats, and other small vertebrates.
3. Many plants trick their prey using specialized leaves that act as traps. Many traps lure prey with bright colours. Some plants temptinsects to come close and take a sip of their nectar. When they do, these plants trap the insets inside them.
4. Bladderworts are the fastest-known killers of the plant kingdom. These grow in ponds and get a hearty meal of mosquito larva that they grab using a trapdoor! After trapping the prey the plant uses digestive juices to slowly consume the insect. When dinner is over, the plant ejects the remains and is ready to trap again.
5. Carnivorous plants grow in places where the soil does not have many nutrients. Hence, these incredible plants are predatory flowering plants that kill animals in order to derive nutritional requirements to survive.
6. The pitcher plants look like beautiful pitchers full of nectar, and this is where they get their name from.
7. When an insect sits on the pitcher plant, it slides down its slippery slope and into the plant. It gets trapped in the hair-like growths along the pitcher walls that do not let it crawl out.
8. Venus flytraps detect insects on their leaves by means of trigger hair that are located on the trap leaves. These send an electrical signal that propagates across the leaf. This results in the leaves snapping shut on its victims.
J. 2. Which words in the passage mean the following?
1. puzzling
2. snare
3. gripping
4. tender
Answer:
1. intriguing
2. lure
3. trapping
4. delicate