Chapter - 2: The Elixir of Life

— C.V. Raman

Comprehension Questions :

I. Answer briefly the following questions.

1. What is the imaginary elixir of life?

Answer: The divine amrita which can make man immortal.

2. What, according to the writer is the real elixir of life?

Answer: Plain water.

3. What is the “wonderful difference” the writer talks about in paragraph 2?

Answer: The ‘wonderful difference’ the writer talks about is between the two areas: the Libyan desert and the Nile Valley – the sea of billowing sand without a speck of green on the side of the Libyan desert and the green, fertile, densely populated area on the valley of the Nile in Egypt.

4. What brought about this wonderful difference?

Answer: The wonderful difference was brought about by the water of the river Nile flowing down to the Mediterranean from its sources a couple of thousands of miles away.

5. What is the ‘cheering sight’, mentioned in paragraph 5

Answer: The ‘cheering sight’ to the writer is the filled rain-fed tanks that are so common in South India.

6. What does the writer compare water in a landscape too? Why does he make this comparison?

Answers:

7. How does the water in rainfed tanks get its color?

Answer: The color of the water in rain-fed tanks is from the silt or finely- divided soil in suspension. This color varies with the nature of the earth in the catchment area and is most vivid immediately after a fresh inflow following rain.

8. What is the main cause of soil erosion?

Answer: Sudden bursts of excessively heavy rain resulting in a large run off of surplus water are the principal factors causing soil erosion.

9. What other factors add to the erosion of precious soil?

Answer: Contributory causes to the erosion of previous soil are the slope of the land, removal of the natural protective coat of vegetation, the existence of ruts along which the water can flow rapidly gathering momentum, and the absence of any checks to such flow.

10.How can soil erosion be prevented?

Answer: Soil erosion can be prevented by terracing of the land, construction of bunds to check the flow of water, the practice of contour cultivation and the planting of appropriate types of vegetation.

11.How does the prevention of soil erosion serve a double purpose?

Answer: Adoption of techniques preventing soil erosion would also help to conserve and keep the water where it is wanted, i.e., on and in the soil.

12.What are the two sources of water mentioned in paragraph 10?

Answer: Rain and snowfall.

13.The land formed of silt in alluvial areas is always fertile (Say whether the statement is True or False).

Answer: True.

Answer: Erosion

15.Planting of the appropriate type of vegetation will result in _________

a. the continuance of successful agriculture.

b. the terracing of the land.

c. preventing environmental pollution.

d. reducing the momentum of the flow of water.

Answer: (d) reducing the momentum of the flow of water.

16.What does the writer mean by ‘civilized forests’?

Answer: Forests created by the deliberate planting of saplings by human beings, as contrasted with wild and untamed natural jungles.

17.Mention any two advantages of civilized forests.

Answer: Civilized forests would, directly and indirectly, prove a source of untold wealth to the country. They would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste.

18.How will the development of hydro-electric power help to overcome the inadequacy of water supply?

Answer: The development of hydro-electric power would enable underground water to be tapped to a greater extent than at present, and thus help to overcome the difficulties arising from irregularity or inadequacy of other sources of supply.

19.Complete the following sentences with appropriate details:

a. The Nile Valley is the creation of ________

Answer: the river itself. It was brought down as the finest silt in its flood waters, from the highlands of Abyssinia and from remote Central Africa, and laid down through the ages in the trough through which the Nile flows into the sea.

b. _____ are a ‘cheering sight’.

Answer: c.

A remarkable feature of water is its power to carry ______

Answer: silt or finely-divided soil in suspension.

d. It is the silt which gives _____ to the water in rainfed tanks

Answer: the characteristic water.

e. __________ the foundation of all agriculture

Answer: The upper layer of soil.

f. Ruts are formed by __________

Answer: rapidly flowing rainwater.

g. Terracing of lands helps in _____________

Answer: preventing soil erosion.

h. Indian agriculture depends heavily on _____________

Answer: seasonal rainfall.

i. Farmyard manure should not be used as ____________

Answer: fuel.

j. ____________ would enable the overall development of the rural economy.

Answer: Availability of electric power.

II. Close Study: Read the following extracts carefully. Discuss in pairs and then write the answers to the questions given below them.

1. Much of the Indian agriculture depends on seasonal rainfall and is therefore very sensitive to any failure or irregularity of the same

a. In what context does the writer say these words?

Answer: The writer talks about soil erosion and the importance of conservation of water. Conservation of water would help agriculture at times of irregular or inadequate rainfall. The techniques of conservation of water would prevent soil erosion which is of great importance to agriculture.

b. What does “same” refer to?

Answer: “Same” refers to rainfall in India.

c. Why is Indian agriculture “very sensitive”?

Answer: Since Indian agriculture depends on seasonal rainfall and does not have many other sources of water, it is “very sensitive” – easily affected by inadequate or irregular rainfall.

2. They would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste and would provide the necessary supplies of cheap fuel, and thus render unnecessary the wasteful conversion of farmyard manure into a form of fuel.

Answer: Vegetation like shrubs and trees grown in order to check soil erosion.

b. What is the cheap fuel referred to in the passage?

Answer: Dried branches and leaves of trees grown to prevent soil erosion. c. How would cheap fuel help the farmer? Answer: He could preserve the farmyard manure to enrich his farmland.

III. Paragraph Writing: Discuss in pairs/groups of 4 each and answer the following questions. Note down the important points for each question and then develop the points into one paragraph answers.

1. How does C.V. Raman show that water is the real elixir of life?

Answers: Water makes the difference between a barren desert and a fertile valley teeming with life and vegetation. Water plays an important role in shaping the history of the earth. Water bodies add to the beauty of the scenery. Water has power to cany silt which is very necessary for agriculture. Water creates this silt by flowing over the rocks of the earth’s crust. Water is the basis of all life, animals, plants or human beings. Paragraph: C.V. Raman shows that water is the elixir of life. He gives us the example of the Libyan desert where there is no vegetation and not a single living thing visible. On the other hand, in the immediate neighbourhood the Nile Valley is teeming with vegetation, and people. The water of the Nile Valley has made all the difference. He says that water is a wonderful thing and it has shaped the history and the civilization of our earth. He also adds that the presence of water makes the countryside beautiful and it has enabled agriculture to thrive. Water enriches soil and makes it fertile. If water is used judiciously, it can improve our economy by generating electricity as well and provide us with cheap means of internal transport. He tells us that water is fundamental for human welfare.

2. What are the various causes of soil erosion? How can we prevent it?

Answers: Heavy rain Slope of land, removal of vegetation, ruts which enable water to flow faster and absence of my barriers to check flow of water. preventive action would be terracing of land, consu action ui aunds to check flow, contour cultivation, planting of vegetation. Paragraph : C.V. Raman tells that soil erosion is a major problem in India. Soil erosion happens due to several reasons: Firstly, a sudden downpour of heavy rain can result in excess water carxying top soil into the sea. Secondly, the slope of the land and the removalof the natural protective coat of vegetation, and the existence of ruts along which water can flow rapidly can giv. se to erosion. Thirdly, the lack of bunds to prevent water from flowing forcefully can lead to erosion of soil.

3. What does C.V. Raman say about rain-fed tanks?

Answers: Rain-fed tanks common in South India.

Shallow but bottom does not show up. Play a vital role in agriculture. Are surprisingly large in size.

Milan Tomic

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