Walls Tell Stories NCERT Solutions - EVS Class 5

Think

1. Why were bastions made in the fort wall?

Ans. Bastions were made in the front wall to ensure the security of the fort.

2. Why were big holes made in them?

Ans. Big holes were made in them to increase the viewing area and thus the soldiers peeping through them could have better vigilance.

3. What difference would be there if you were to look from a straight flat wall or a Bastion at a height? How would the soldiers find peeping from the holes in the bastions useful while attacking?

Ans. Bastions are made in such a manner that soldiers can peep through their holes safely and can have a better vantage point is not possible in the case of a straight flat wall.

Think and Discuss

1. How would the fountains have worked?

Ans. Fountains would have run through the water supplied by large tanks.

2. What arrangements would have been made in the building for air and light?

Ans. Large windows, doors, and ventilators would have been for air and light.

3. Look carefully at the picture of the beautiful carving on the wall. What kind of tools would have been used for such fine carving?

Ans. These carvings would have been made using a chisel and hammer which were made up of iron. 

4. We still do not have any electricity in many places in our country. Even in places that do not have electricity, imagine what would happen if there were no electricity for one week. What are the things that would be difficult to manage without it?

Ans. If there is no electricity in our city, we would not able to use TV, computers, etc. Even the mobile phone would not work. Work in offices etc. cannot be possible either. In other words, life will come to a standstill.

Where is East-West?

1. At the place you are, where does the sunrise? Where does it set? Where you are standing, find out what is all there to your east. What all is there to your west? Also find out, what places are to your north and south.

(Disclaimer: This is a sample answer, students are advised to answer this on their own)

Ans. Sun arises in the east and sets in the west. Right now I am standing in my classroom and from here the main gate of the school is in the east and the playground is in the west. In the north, there are other classrooms and in the south, there is the administrative block.

Tell and Write

Look carefully at the map of Golconda. On the map, arrows show all four directions.

 a). If you are peeping inside from Bodli Darwaja, in which direction from you is Katora Hauz?

Ans. Katora Hauz is in north of Bodli Darwaja.

b). If someone is entering from Banjara Darwaja, in which direction from her is Katora Hauz?

Ans. In the west direction.

c). In which direction will you walk from Bala Hissar to reach Moti Mahal?

Ans. If he walks in the east of Bala Hissar, we will reach Moti Mahal.

d). How many gates can you see on the outer walls of the fort?

Ans. There are nine gates on the outer walls of the fort.

e). Count how many palaces are there in the fort?

Ans. There are three palaces in the fort.

f). What arrangements for water can you see inside the fort? For example, wells, tanks, and step wells.

Ans. For water, five baolis and three Hauz have been made. On the map, a 1 cm distance is equal to a distance of 110 meters on the ground.

2. On the map, a 1 cm distance is equal to a distance of 110 meters on the ground. Now tell 

a) On the map the distance between Bala Hisar and Fateh Darwaja is 8 cm. On the ground, the distance between the two would be 880 meters. 
b) How far is Makai Darwaja from Fateh Darwaja?

Ans. Distance from Makai Darwaza from Fateh Darwaza= 12 × 110 = 1320 m. 

Discuss

1. Have you recently read or heard about any country attacking or going to war with another country?

Ans. Yes, recently I heard that the United States attacked Iraq.

2. Find out what was the reason for this war?

Ans. The United States wanted to topple the Iraqi president Saddam Hussain.

3. What kind of weapons were used in this war?

Ans. In this war, many sophisticated fighter planes, tanks, helicopters, machine guns, explosives, etc. were used.

4. What kind of destruction was caused because of this?

Ans. There was a huge of life and property. Many people were killed and a large number of buildings etc. were ruined.

 Find Out

The big gun that Shreedhar saw was made of bronze. 

1. Have you seen anything made of bronze? What?

Ans. Yes, I have seen idols, medals, cannons,s and decorative goods made up of bronze.

2. Find out from your elders about some of the things made from bronze that were, or are still used in your house. From its color try to identify which one of them is made from copper, which from brass, and which from bronze.

Ans. There are many idols and decorative goods, which are still used in our house. Goods made up of copper are reddish-brown in color, brass goods are yellow while those made up of bronze are shiny grey-black in color.

Arrangements of Water 

The picture shown here is made after seeing a very old painting of those times. 

1. Can you think why bullocks have been used here?

Ans. Bullocks are used to uplift the water.

2. Use your hand movement to show in which direction in the drum attached to the rod moves when the bullock move?

Ans. The drum will move in anti clock direction.

3. In which direction would the ‘toothed wheel’ move?

Ans. It will move in a clockwise direction.

4. Now imagine, how would this garland of pots lift water from the well.

Ans. The bullocks move the drum, which in turn moves the toothed wheel. From this wheel, the garland wheel is connected through a rod. So as the toothed wheel moves, it rotates the garland wheel and thus water is lifted from the well.

5. Do you now get some idea about how the tanks could have been filled by lifting water from the wells?

Ans. Yes, the tanks could have been filled up by lifting water from the wells using this technique.

6. Where else have you seen such wheels attached to each other? For example, in the gear of a cycle or somewhere else?

Ans. Besides cycles, I have seen such attached wheels in old mechanical watches, clocks, sewing machines, generators, and in heavy machines.

7. Look around and find out how water is pumped up from the ground to higher places.

Ans. These days water is pumped up using boring machines, windmills, etc. Somewhere, especially in villages, a traditional method like using bullocks is also used.

8. How is water pumped up using electricity? How is water lifted without electricity?

Ans. The electric machines absorb underground water through a tube well and pump it up. Without electricity, water can be lifted using buckets and ropes, windmills, and also using bullocks.

Close your Eyes and Go back in Time

1. What is the Sultan doing in the palace? What kind of clothes is he wearing? What dishes are being offered to him? But why does he seem so worried? And in what language is he talking?

Ans. Sultan is in a meeting with his ministers. He has worn an elegant dress and many jewels. Many types of sweet drinks and Mughlai foods are being offered to him. But he seems worried due to the invasion of enemies on the fort. He is talking in Persian.

2. Imagine the rooms in the palace … the beautiful carpets and curtains, the fountains on the terrace .. and the sweet smell of roses and chameli – where is the coming from?

Ans.  The palace is looking grand. The rooms are decorated with beautiful carpets and curtains. Fountains are running on the terrace. The sweet smell of roses and chameli is coming from the garden.

3. What are the different kinds of factories you can see? How many people are working there? What are they doing? What are they wearing? How long do you think they work?

Ans. I can see the factories of clothes, utensils, idols, decorative goods, and arms. On average 20 people and working there. They are preparing the goods and have worn tight clothes. I think they would work early morning to late in the evenings.

4. Look there! See finely those craftsmen are carving the stones using a chisel and hammer? Can you see the stone dust in the air? Do you think this stone dust would harm them in the same way?

Ans. No, this stone dust would not be causing any harm to them as they have wrapped a cloth around their nose and mouth.

 Write

1. What kind of pots have seen around you?

Ans. I have seen pots made up of steel, iron, brass, glass, fiber, aluminum, and plastics.

2. Try to find out from your grandparents about the other kinds of pots and pans they used in their time?

Ans. In the time of our grandparent's pots and pans made up of brass, clay, iron, and copper were used.

3. Have you ever been to a museum or heard about it? What all the things are there in a museum?

Ans. Yes, once I visited a museum. Antiques of historical importance are kept in a museum.

Survey and Write

 1. Is there any old building or monument near the house which people come to see? If yes, name it.

Ans. Yes, there is a tomb near my house. Many people come to see it.

2. Have you ever gone to see an old monument? Which was that? Did you feel it told you a story? What could you know about these times from it?

Ans. Yes, once I went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I felt as if it was telling the story of its time. We could know about the culture, art, sculptures, etc. of that time from it.

 3. How old was it? How did you know?

Ans. It was about 350 years old. I came to know if from my history books. Though it was also mentioned on the inscription over there.

4. What was it made of?

Ans. It was made up of marbles.

5. What color was it?

Ans. It was white in color.

6. Who used to live there in the olden days?

Ans. Nobody used to live there.

7. What kinds of activities took place there?

Ans. Taj Mahal is a tomb where the graves of Mughal emperor Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaj Mahal are based.

8. Do some people still live there?

Ans. No, since the Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world, no people are allowed to live there.

What we have learnt

1. Sangeeta thinks it is useless to keep old things in a museum. How would you convince her that it is important to have a museum?

Ans. From the antiques kept in a museum, we came to know about our culture and heritage. It helps us to know about our culture, art, literature, science, technology, etc. and we can learn a lot about these. So, it is very important to have a museum.

2. Why do you think the chapter is named, “Walls Tell Stories?

Ans. It is because every historical structure is a witness of their art, culture science, and technology and thus appears to tell the stories of that time.