Home and Abroad Class 4 Notes EVS Chapter 24

Introduction

• Today was an exciting day at Maalu's house as her uncle, Chittappan, and his family were returning home after five years. 
• Five years ago Chittappan had got a job in the capital city of United Arab Emirates (UAE) called Abu Dhabi.
• Maalu and her father went to the airport to pick them up. 

Airport

• At last Chittappan, Kunjamma and their two children could be seen coming out.
• When they arrived, Maalu noticed how much Shanta and Sashi, Chittappan's children, had grown. 
• They all took a taxi home, where Maalu asked Shanta about her journey. Shanta explained that the flight was fast, unlike Maalu's long train trips. 
• They chatted happily on the way home, with Maalu eager to hear about Shanta's adventures in Abu Dhabi.

Dust All Around!

• Maalu asked Shanta and Sashi about their aeroplane journey. Shanta explained that most of the time, they only saw clouds because the plane flew very high. However, before reaching that height, they saw sandy areas with changing colours like white, brown, yellow, red, and black. Shanta mentioned seeing mountains made of sand, which are called sand dunes. Maalu mentioned only seeing sand at the seashore, to which Chittappan invited her to visit them.

Sand Dunes

• Chittappan explained that the countries around Abu Dhabi are located in a desert area, where there are miles and miles of sand without any trees or greenery. Kunjamma expressed her happiness at seeing greenery again after living in a desert. Chittappan added that it rarely rains in desert areas, making water very precious. Sashi mentioned that despite the lack of water, there's a lot of oil under the sand, making petrol readily available and cheaper than water.
• Upon reaching Maalu's house, Shanta and Sashi were surprised to see many fruit trees like coconuts, bananas, jackfruits, papayas, and betelnuts. They mentioned that in the desert, they only saw one kind of tree, date palms, as they are the only ones that can grow in such conditions. They also noted that dates are the most common fruit in the desert.

Date Farms

• Overall, the conversation highlighted the stark differences between living in a desert area like Abu Dhabi and a place with lush greenery like Maalu's home in Kerala.

Lush Greens of Kerala

Nice Gifts and Photographs!

• After greeting everyone, Kunjamma unpacked their bags and they distributed dates, a sweet and tasty treat from Abu Dhabi. 

Dates

• Sashi showed Maalu some different currency and explained that it's called Dirham and has Arabic writing. 

Dirham

• They also shared photos of Abu Dhabi, showing tall buildings with many floors and large glass windows. 
• Chittappan gave Maalu a globe and suggested locating Abu Dhabi and Kerala on it. 
• They all sat in the verandah in the evening, enjoying the breeze and discussing life in Abu Dhabi. 
• Maalu was fascinated by the differences and decided to make a project about Abu Dhabi for her class.

Important Concepts

• Airport: An airport is a special place where airplanes take off and land. It's like a big station for airplanes. People go to airports when they want to travel to faraway places. At the airport, there are special buildings where passengers wait before they get on the airplane. There are also runways, which are like long roads where airplanes can take off and land.
• Abu Dhabi:
  >> Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates and is one of the seven emirates which form the United Arab Emirates.
  >> The city is on a T-shaped island going into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast.
  >> Abu Dhabi has a hot desert climate and sunny blue skies to be expected throughout the year.
  >> Abu Dhabi has a diverse and multicultural society.
• Luggage: When people travel, they bring along their clothes, toys, and other things they need. All these things are packed into bags and suitcases, which are called luggage. Luggage can be big or small, and people usually carry it with them when they travel.
• Passengers: Passengers are people who travel in vehicles like airplanes, trains, or buses. They sit inside the vehicle and go to different places. Passengers buy tickets to travel and sit in seats provided inside the vehicle.
• Taxi: A taxi is like a special car that people can hire to take them to different places. It's like a private car that you pay money to use for traveling. Taxis usually have a special sign on the roof that lights up when they are available to pick up passengers.
• Journey: A journey is when someone travels from one place to another. It could be a short trip to visit a friend's house or a long trip to go on vacation. During a journey, people travel by different means of transportation like cars, buses, trains, or airplanes.
• Clouds: Clouds are fluffy masses of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that float in the sky. They form when water vapor in the air cools and condenses into tiny droplets. Clouds come in many shapes and sizes and can be white, gray, or even dark depending on the weather.
• Desert: A desert is a vast, sandy, and dry area of land where there is very little rainfall. Deserts are usually very hot during the day and very cold at night. They have sandy landscapes with very few trees or plants.
• Sand dunes: Sand dunes are large hills or mounds of sand that form in deserts or on beaches. They are created by the wind blowing sand particles together, shaping them into hills. Sand dunes can be very tall and can change shape over time as the wind moves the sand around.
• Air-conditioned: When a place or a vehicle is air-conditioned, it means that the air inside is made cooler or warmer to make people feel comfortable. Air conditioners use special systems to cool down or heat up the air, making it more pleasant to be indoors, especially during hot or cold weather.
• Currency: 
  >> Currency is the money that is used in a particular country. Different countries have their own types of currency, such as dollars, euros, pounds, or rupees. Currency comes in the form of coins and paper notes, and it is used to buy goods and services.
  >> Currency is like special money used in different countries. Just like how we use rupees in India, other countries have their own types of currency. Each currency has its own name and value.
  Different Currencies>> Examples:
  In India, we use the currency called "rupees." Rupees come in the form of coins and paper notes. For example, we have coins like 1 rupee, 2 rupees, and 5 rupees, and we also have notes like 10 rupees, 50 rupees, and 100 rupees.
  In the United States, they use the currency called "dollars." Dollars also come in coins and paper notes. For instance, they have coins like 1 cent (penny), 5 cents (nickel), and 25 cents (quarter), and they have notes like 1 dollar, 5 dollars, and 20 dollars.
  In Europe, many countries use a common currency called the "euro." Euros are used in countries like France, Germany, and Spain. They have coins like 1 euro, 2 euros, and 5 euros, and they also have notes like 10 euros, 20 euros, and 50 euros.
  >> So, just like we use rupees in India, people in different countries use their own currencies to buy things and pay for services. Each currency has its own symbols, colors, and designs on the coins and notes, making them unique to their country.

Word Meanings

• Activity: Things happening or events taking place.
• Airport: A place where airplanes take off and land, and where passengers get on and off.
• Passengers: People who travel in a vehicle like a plane, train, or bus.
• Luggage: Bags and suitcases that people carry when they travel, containing their belongings.
• Taxi: A car that you pay to drive you somewhere.
• Journey: The act of traveling from one place to another.
• Chatted: Talked in a friendly and informal way.
• Surprised: Feeling amazed or shocked because something unexpected happened.
• Fascinated: Extremely interested or curious about something.
• Unpacked: Took things out of bags or suitcases.
• Currency: Money that is used in a particular country.
• Locate: Find or identify the exact place or position of something.
• Breeze: A light and pleasant wind.
• Air-conditioned: Having a system that cools the air inside a building or vehicle.
• Comparing: Examining the similarities and differences between two or more things.
• Project report: A document that presents information about a particular topic or project.