Textbook Solutions: Darwin Diaries | Buzzword Class 7: Book Solutions, Summaries & Worksheets PDF Download

Reading

A.

Q1.

Ans:
Comparison of Distinctive Features of Animals on Chatham Island, Albemarle Island, and James Island:

(1) Chatham Island:

• Land Characteristics: Dark-colored lava, jagged and buckled terrain, stunted brushwood, scorched by the sun, craters, and steaming vents.
• Animals: Sea-going iguanas, fish, sharks, turtles, birds that are unaccustomed to humans.

(2) Albemarle Island:

• Land Characteristics: Similar to Chatham Island, dark lava, uneven terrain.
• Animals: Land-based iguanas, burying themselves in burrows, unaccustomed to humans.

James Island:

• Land Characteristics: 
• Animals: Finches with varied habits, some living on cacti, some on insects and leaves, different beak shapes suited to their diet.

B. Read the lines front the text and answer these questions.

(b)
Ans: He thought the land was barren because it appeared dark and desolate, with little vegetation and rugged terrain.

(c)
Ans: The barrenness of the land was deceptive because despite its harsh appearance, the sea around Chatham Island was abundant with marine life, including fish, sharks, and turtles.

2. Mr Darwin bad tbcnj all sketche .
(a)
Ans: Mr. Darwin had various creatures, including finches, sketched.

(b)
Ans: The finches on James Island had different habits, some living on cacti, some on insects and leaves, and had varied beak shapes adapted to their specific diets.

(c)
Ans: Mr. Darwin used the sketches to point out how the finches' beak shapes were suited to their particular diets, illustrating his observations on adaptation.

C. Answer in detail.

• Birds: On Chatham Island, the birds were unaccustomed to human presence and allowed people to get close without fear.
• Tortoises: The huge Galapagos tortoises did not react when James and Midshipman King attempted to ride them, indicating their lack of fear or familiarity with humans.
• Finches: Mr. Darwin observed that the finches on James Island had diverse habits and beak shapes, adapted to their specific diets. This diversity showed that they had not yet adapted to fear humans as they had developed various specialized adaptations for their environments.

2.
Ans: Hereditary Instinct of Iguanas:

• Darwin believed that the iguanas on Chatham and Albemarle Islands had failed to develop the hereditary instinct of fearing humans.
• He proved this by observing that when he picked up, swung around, and threw an iguana into a rock pool, it did not exhibit fear or avoidance behavior. It simply returned to its previous location, as if nothing had happened.
• This lack of fear indicated that the iguanas had not yet evolved a survival instinct to avoid potential threats posed by humans.

D. Think and answer.

2.
Ans: If James had known or read about the Galapagos Islands before visiting them with Darwin, his experience might have been different. He may have had some expectations or background knowledge about the unique wildlife and ecosystems of the islands. However, his sense of wonder and discovery as a young assistant to Darwin would likely still have been significant, as firsthand observations and experiences would have been far more vivid and impactful than any prior knowledge.