Short & Long Questions: Darwin Diaries | Buzzword Class 7: Book Solutions, Summaries & Worksheets PDF Download

Short Answer Questions

Q1: What is the name of the British naturalist who went on a historic expedition in this chapter?
Ans: Charles Darwin.

Q2: How many islands make up the Galapagos group, and where are they located?
Ans: There are fifteen islands, and they are located about 600 miles from the coast of Ecuador.

Q3: Why is Charles Darwin excited about visiting the Galapagos Islands?
Ans: He believes the islands are like a unique and isolated world with interesting creatures and ecosystems.

Q4: Describe the landscape of Chatham Island as mentioned in the text.
Ans: Chatham Island has dark-colored lava, a jagged and rocky landscape, and stunted brushwood. There are craters and steaming vents.

Q5: What is the unique behavior of the iguanas on Chatham Island and Albemarle Island?
Ans: The iguanas are unafraid of humans and do not run away or show fear when people approach them.

Q6: What kinds of animals were found in the sea around Chatham Island, despite its barren appearance?
Ans: The sea around Chatham Island is teeming with fish, sharks, and turtles.

Q7: What unusual behavior do the birds on Chatham Island display when people get close to them?
Ans: The birds on Chatham Island hop up very close to people and ignore being prodded or having pebbles thrown at them.

Q8: What did Charles Darwin do with the sketches of finches on James Island?
Ans: He used the sketches to point out how the finches had different beak shapes suited to their diets.

Q9: According to Mr. Darwin, what instinct have the iguanas on the Galapagos Islands failed to develop?
Ans: The iguanas have failed to develop the instinct of fearing humans.

Q10: Why does Mr. Darwin call the Galapagos Islands the "land that time forgot"?
Ans: He calls them this because the islands have unique, untouched ecosystems and creatures that have not been greatly influenced by external factors.

Long Answer Questions

Q1: Describe the landscape of Chatham Island in detail and explain why its barrenness is deceptive.
Ans: Chatham Island has a landscape of dark-colored lava, jagged rocks, and stunted brushwood. The barrenness is deceptive because despite its harsh appearance, the sea around it is rich in marine life, like fish, sharks, and turtles. This shows that life thrives in the surrounding waters, even if the land itself seems barren.

Q2: Discuss the behavior of the iguanas on Chatham Island and Albemarle Island as explained by Charles Darwin. How did he prove that these iguanas lack the instinct to fear humans?
Ans: Charles Darwin observed that the iguanas on both islands were unafraid of humans. He demonstrated this by prodding them, picking them up, or pulling their tails, and they did not react with fear or defensive behaviors as European lizards would. They remained unresponsive and unafraid, indicating a lack of learned fear of humans.

Q3: Explain the significance of the finches found on James Island. How did their beak shapes relate to their diets, and what did Mr. Darwin do with the sketches of these finches?
Ans: The finches on James Island are significant because they have different beak shapes corresponding to their specific diets. Mr. Darwin had sketches of these finches to illustrate how their beaks were suited to their particular diets. He used these sketches to show that their beak shapes were adapted for different types of food, such as cacti, insects, or leaves.

Q4: If James had known about the Galapagos Islands before visiting them with Darwin, how might his experience have been different? Discuss the potential impact of prior knowledge on his sense of wonder and discovery.
Ans: If James had known about the Galapagos Islands beforehand, his experience might have been less surprising and filled with less wonder. He could have had certain expectations and preconceived notions about the islands and their wildlife. His sense of discovery and amazement might have been diminished because he would not have been encountering these unique and untouched environments with the same sense of novelty that comes from discovering the unknown.