How Far is the River - Kerala SCERT questions and answers-7class
Textual questions
1. What prevented the boy from seeing the river?
Answer: The mountain prevented the boy from seeing the river.
2. What did the boy hear about the river from the villagers?
Answer:The boy had heard about the fish in
the waters of the river and about the
rocks.
3. Why did the boy like to walk barefooted?
Answer:The boy walked barefooted as he liked
the feel of warm stones and cool grass
4.How did the boy get a chance to see the river?
Answer:The boy’s father and mother had gone to visit their relatives and left him on his own. His parents wouldn’t return home till evening. By this time, he could go and see the river.
5. Did the woodcutter encourage the boy to go to the river?
Answer:No, the woodcutter did not encourage the boy to go to the river.
6. Was the boy a good walker? Pick out the sentence that justify your answer.
Answer: No, the boy is not a good walker. 'He had never walked further than the mile from his house to his school.'
7. ‘The hands spoke a language of their own.’ What does the expression mean?
Answer:When the girl moved her hands, the bangles she wore made music, as though they were speaking to each other.
8. Identify the expression used by the author to describe the flow of water.
Answer:Sound words/Onomatopoeia is the use of words that echo the sounds which are referred to.
9. Was the boy really thirsty? What made the boy thirsty?
Answer: No, the boy was not really thirsty. But
the cold and refreshing water that
came from the hillside made him feel
more thirsty.
10 Why was the boy sure that
he had covered half the
way?
Answer:The boy was sure that he had covered
half the way because he had walked
for over an hour.
11. ‘The boy unwrapped his loaf of bread and broke it in halves, offering one portion to the village boy.’
a. What attitude of the boy is revealed here?
a) He is very kind and sympathetic.
Answer:He has the good quality of sharing
things with others.
b. Have you ever shared your food with the needy? Describe such experiences, if any.
Answer: The teacher may generate a
discussion on the quality of
sharing things. The learners may
be given a chance to share their
experiences and then the teacher
may ask them to write them in
their notebooks.
12. Why did the boy feel discouraged?
Answer:When the village boy left him, he was
very sad. He was far away from his
home and the river was not in sight
either. So he felt very lonely and
discouraged.
13. The boy found the silence impressive but frightening. Why?
Answer:The silence was impressive, but there was no one around or any sign of man’s influence. So he was a little frightened.
14. What broke the silence of space?
Answer:The roaring sound of the river broke the silence.
15. ‘The boy slipped and stumbled, but still he ran.’ Why?
Answer: He was very happy to see the river
which he had only heard of. When he
saw it for the first time, his happiness
knew no bounds. In his excitement,
though he slipped and stumbled, he
still ran.
16. a. Identify the words used to describe the water.
Answer: blue, white, wonderful, cold, etc.
b. The water in this river is clean and bright. Are our rivers the same? If not, why?
Answer: You may elicit free responses
Activity 1
1. You’ve read the story How Far is the River? haven’t you? Now, try
to remember the story and complete the following suitably.
answers are your choice
Activity 2
2. Here are the thoughts of a boy after his nature walk. Read it.
Recently, I visited a mountain valley, the
magnificent Valley of Kashmir. It was
surrounded by snow-capped lofty mountains
which made it a land of springs and beautiful
lakes. For a moment, I wondered whether
I was in heaven. Really ! Kashmir is a
land of paradise.
a. Identify the words/phrases he uses to express his
thoughts. Write them below.
Answer:a) I wondered whether I was in heaven.
Activity 3
3. The boy who goes in search of the river feels discouraged when he
misses the village boy. He looks up and down the mountain path, but
sees no one. His own home is hidden from view by the side of the mountain,
and the river is not in sight either. He wishes someone were with him.
What would be his thoughts at the time? Write them below.
answer:
I do not know how far I have to go. The
information I received from the boy may
not be true. Why did he give me false
information? But the woodcutter said a
three hour walk will take me to the river!
My father and mother might have
returned... What will I tell them? I’m sure
to be beaten up tonight. It’s getting dark
and I think it is better to return. How? I
don’t know the way back home.
There are no shops or even houses
nearby. What sort of a place is this? I’m
feeling hungry. .... Oh ... No one is to be
seen, why isn’t someone coming along
this path? I feel tired and worn out.
Activity 4
4. The following are the descriptions of a path to the hill. Read them.
A
The path was steep. It was a
dizzy, winding one. The hill was
covered with lush green ferns, the
trees were wound in creepers, and
a great wild dahlia would
suddenly rear its golden head
from the leaves and ferns. A
trickle of water came from the
hillside. The water was cold and
sharp, but very refreshing.
B
The path was steep. The hill
was covered with ferns, trees
and dahlias. Water came from
the hillside. The water was
refreshing.
1. Which description is more interesting?
2. List the words which add greater effect to the description.
3. Find out the words that describe the place.
answer
The words that describe the place:
• steep, dizzy, winding.
• While water trickles, it produces
a sound.
Activity 5
Imagine that after several years, the boy visits the place again. He notices
that the place has changed a lot. It has become a tourist spot now. What
could be the changes? Describe the changes in the place, in your own words.
answer
I was happy to visit the tourist spot again. He was astonished to see the huge buildings
and flats to accommodate the tourists. The place had completely changed. Now it has
become a huge city with a lot of modern facilities. The city is busy with huge traffic.
Roads have been become widened. The city has got a new face. Everything wore a
new look and fashion. We can’t see the old buildings there. Many new buildings have come there. Old Park has been converted into big factories. Many new showrooms
have come into their place. Unbelievable changes happened to many things. People
flock to the city for shopping and sightseeing.
Activity 6
The boy notices a few placards and posters, with slogans written by
lovers of nature. Read the slogans.
a. Now, write two other slogans on the need to conserve nature
- Plant a tree, get air for free.
- Plant more trees, get more rain.
- Take care of trees and they will take care of you.
- Trees are lungs of nature
- Trees are valuable
- Plant trees: save nature
- Plant trees; live longer
- Trees give you fresh air; makes you healthier
- Grow trees; save the life
b. Look at the poster against deforestation.
Title : Lend a Helping Hand.
Illustration : Suitable pictures
Slogan : No trees, No Man.
Instruction : Do not cut trees.
Message : Stop deforestation, save nature.
Activity 7
Imagine that the Nature Club of your school is going to conduct a
poster-making competition in connection with the 'World
Environment Day.' Prepare a poster for the competition
Activity8
8. Read the description about the boy in the story How Far is the River?
‘He was about twelve years old, a sturdy boy, with
untidy black hair and shining black eyes; he
had fine features and a clear brown skin, but
his hands and feet were rough and
scratched. He was barefooted; not
because he couldn't afford shoes, but
because he liked the feel of warm
stones and cool grass.’
What are the words used to describe
the boy?
ï physique : ..............................................................
ï hair : ..............................................................
ï eyes : ..............................................................
ïskin : ..............................................................
ï hands and feet: ..............................................................
answer
physique : sturdy
hair : black
eyes : black
skin : brown
hands and feet : rough and scratched
Activity 9
The boy meets a girl on his way to the river. Describe the girl with
reference to the following. Write it below:
ï appearance
ï attitude
ï behaviour
answer
The brown-eyed girl I met in the valley exuded confidence. She held a curved knife with an air of self-reliance. She was alone but her fearless and perfectly poised manners instilled in me the determination to continue my journey to the river. Her bangles made music when she moved her hands and it was as though the hands spoke a language of their own.
Activity 11
Find the words that convey the same idea and write them in the
space provided.
walk : march, stride, stroll, step, tread
stop : pause, block, close, finish
ask : inquire, demand, request, quiz
decide : agree, conclude, determine choose
Activity 12
12 (a) Look at the following sentences.
a. The boy walked along the path.
b. The sturdy boy walked along the stony path.
c. The young barefooted sturdy boy walked along the stony path.
1) Which sentence tells you more
about the place and the boy?
2) Circle the words that give more information.
stop
(b) Here is an extract from the story How Far is the River? Read it
carefully.
A trickle of water came from the hillside, and the
boy stopped to drink. The water was cold and sharp,
but very refreshing. However, it seemed to have the
effect of making him more thirsty. The sun was
striking his side of the hill, and the dusty path
became hotter, the stones scorching the boy's feet.
He was sure he had gone halfway; he had walked
for over an hour.
Now, pick out the describing words and naming words from the
extract and stick them on the bags given below. One each has
been done for you.
answer
Describing words Naming words
cold water
sharp boy
refreshing path
Activity 13
13 (a) Read the description of the path and take note of the words in
bold.
Describing
words
ï cold
ï
ï
A trickle of water came from the hillside, and the
boy stopped to drink. The water was cold and sharp,
but very refreshing. However, it seemed to have the
effect of making him more thirsty. The sun was
striking his side of the hill, and the dusty path
became hotter, the stones scorching the boy's feet.
He was sure he had gone halfway; he had walked
for over an hour.
(b) Here is an extract from the story How Far is the River? Read it
carefully.
Now, pick out the describing words and naming words from the
extract and stick them on the bags given below. One each has
been done for you.
The path to the river dropped steeply into the valley, then
rose and went round the big mountain. It was frequently used
by the villagers - the woodcutters, milkmen and mule-drivers;
but there were no villages beyond the mountain, or near the
river.
Look at the sentence 'The path to the river dropped steeply ....’
ï Which word shows the relation between the path and the
river?
The word 'to'.
Words like 'to', 'into', 'beyond' etc., are prepositions.
(b) Supply the missing prepositions on the signboards
answer
on in
on, on from
with of
(c) Look at the picture and write a paragraph using prepositions.
The first sentence is given for you.
answer
An old man is sitting on a bench. He has kept his walking stick beside him. We can see a boy lying on the grass who is writing something with his pen and a girl flying a kite. The kite is flying above the man. There is a tree just behind the man with a placard on it. To the right of the man, there is another tree surrounded by a fence. Two birds are sitting on the tree.
