Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions Kumarbharati Chapter 2.2 A True Story of Sea Turtles Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.
Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.2 A True Story of Sea Turtles
English Kumarbharati 9th Solutions Chapter 2.2 A True Story of Sea Turtles Textbook Questions and Answers
Warming up
It is our world, too!
1. Observe the following photographs. What is common among all these animals? They are all endangered species. They are likely to die out completely, one of the reasons being human activity in their habitat. If these animals could think and speak like humans, what would they say?
Form groups of 5 – 8. Prepare short autobiographical speeches for each of these animals (10 – 15 lines). Use the following points:
- How the animal lives – It’s the only way he/she can.
- How he interacts with nature and other animals.
- How humans interact with that species – whether it is fair, necessaiy or desirable, etc.
- The possible ill effects of the way human beings treat the animals, for the whole living world.
- The animal getting ready to bid farewell to this world.
Question 1.
Form groups of 5 – 8. Prepare short autobiographical speeches for each of these endangered animals (10 – 15 lines). Use the points given on page 30 of the textbook.
(Note: A complete autobiographical speech is given only for (c). Students may write the others based on the given points.)
Answer:
(a) Tiger:
(Points: lives in tropical, evergreen forests – eats different types of prey, mostly other large mammals – humans hunt them for their skin and destroy their habitats – if extinct, other species will run wild – ecosystem damaged.)
(b) Monkey:
(Points: proper name rhesus macaque – herbivorous – eats fruits, seeds, roots, . bark, cereals, etc. – found mostly in Asia – friendly and comes close to human habitations – in demand for research programmes because close to humans in behaviour – intelligent – fear of diseases being spread through these animals – important part of ecosystem.)
(c) Indian wild dog or the Dhole:
Hi there! You may wonder who I am, for I am not as popular as some of the other animals. I am called ‘dhole’, or the red wolf, or the Indian wild dog. I live only in Asia, in the mountainous regions, generally in the forested areas.
I am a very social animal and live together with my whole family. I am reddish in colour, and my home is a ‘den’. I am carnivorous, and mostly hunt during the day. My food is deer, monkeys, buffaloes, etc. I compete with tigers and leopards for food. I am endangered today because of the loss of the habitat in which I live and lack of food.
There is severe competition from other species too. I am also hunted for fun by humans. Unfortunately, many diseases have been transferred to me from domestic dogs, and many of my family members are dying due to these diseases. Today, there are less than 2,500 of us adults left. I ask you for your help in my conservation. Thank you.
(d) Whale:
(Points: marine animal – mammal – largest animal on earth – extinction due to overfishing, pollution, etc. – help regulate the flow of food – ensure that certain species do not overpopulate the ocean and threaten others.)
2. Hold a classroom discussion on the following topics and later on, expand the themes on your own. (10 – 15 lines)
- Why human beings need to use more and more natural resources.
- Should we conserve only the most beautiful and most useful things in nature?
- What is ‘beautiful’ or ‘useful’? Who has the right to decide that?
Question 1.
Hold a classroom discussion on the following topics and later on, expand the themes on your own. (10-15 lines)
Answer:
(a) Why human beings need to use more and more natural resources.
(Points: we don’t need to use more natural resources but to conserve them – we must conserve wood, oil, minerals, forests, water, etc. – we cannot create these things quickly – take years and years to form – must use them sparingly.)
(b) Should we conserve only the most beautiful and most useful things in nature?
(Points: what is beautiful to one may be dangerous to others – example: leopards seem beautiful to city dwellers but are dangerous to villagers – many animals like pollinating insects, bees, slugs – not beautiful but useful – nothing useless – every animal and plant contributes to the ecosystem in some way or the other – nothing should be allowed to become extinct.)
(c) What is ‘beautiful’ or ‘useful’? Who has the right to decide that?
(Points: no one is judge of what is useful and what is beautiful – no one has the right to decide that – beauty lies in the eyes of beholder – what is beautiful to one may be dangerous to others – we: must live in such a way so as to conserve as much flora and fauna as possible.)
English Workshop:
1. Form groups. Discuss the first two paragraphs. Try to present their content in the form of a series of conversations among the (a) volunteers (b) the volunteers and the villagers.
Question 1.
Form groups. Discuss the first two paragraphs. Try to present their content in the form of a series of conversations among the (a) volunteers (b) the volunteers and the villagers.
Answer:
a. Conversation between volunteers:
Answer:
- Volunteer A: Look, what are these things here? They look like egg shells! Where have they come from?
- Vol. B: Eggshells? Where? Oh, yes, there they are. Deep in that pit in the sand!
- Vol. C: I have never seen so many egg shells around here before!
- Vol. A: It’s certainly unusual. Let’s ask these villagers about it.
- Vol. B: I just asked. They say that they are turtle egg shells.
- Vol. C: But we have never come across any turtle eggs in all our walks along the beaches of this region.
- Vol. A: I wonder how this is possible.
- Vol. B: I made some more enquiries. This beach has been sealed to the public for nearly one month.
- Vol. C: Why?
- Vol. B: To prevent the smuggling of silver bricks, it seems.
- Vol. A: That means that these eggs are seen only after the beach has been sealed to the public,
- Vol. C: Oh, Oh. Do you know what that implies?
b. Conversation between the volunteers and the villagers:
Answer:
- Villager 1: Why have you brought us here ?
- Volunteer A: We wanted to ask you about these egg shells. What are they?
- Vill. 2: These are turtle egg shells, sir.
- Vol. B: We have never seen them before, in all our walks along the Konkan coast.
- Vill. 3: Well, sir, this beach has been sealed to the public since the past month to prevent smuggling activities.
- Vol. C: Turtle eggs? But turtles are a protected species.
(Students may continue the conversation of your own.)
2. Prepare a short note on sea turtles with the help of the information given in the passage.
Question 1.
Prepare a short note on sea turtles with the help of the information given in the passage.
Answer:
There are seven types of sea turtles in the world, five of which are found in India. The Olive Ridley turtles nest along the entire coastline of Maharashtra. Green turtles and Hawkbills have also been found. When the female turtle reaches maturity at about the age of fifteen years, she returns to the shore to lay her eggs at the same place where she was born. The female comes to the shore just to make a nest in the sand and lay her eggs and immediately returns to the sea. She does not return to the nest after that.
The eggs hatch after a period of 40-50 days, using natural heat. Innumerable dangers await the eggs on the land and the hatchlings in the deep sea, and they have to face them all on their own. Their survival rate is therefore very low. Turtles perform an important function – they keep the sea clean. Thus they occupy an important place in marine ecology.
3. Prepare a poster to illustrate how the turtle eggs were/are protected. Include the following in the poster.
- Some pictures of sea turtles and their habitat
- Information about turtle nests and eggs
- A picture and information about a ‘protected nest’
- Appeal to the public to spread awareness about their conservation
- Some data (figures) regarding the achievements so far
Question 1.
Prepare a poster to illustrate how the turtle eggs were/are protected. Include the following in the poster.
- Some pictures of sea turtles and their habitat
- Information about turtle nests and eggs
- A picture and information about a ‘protected nest’
- Appeal to the public to spread awareness about their conservation
- Some data (figures) regarding the achievements so far
4. Prepare a simple brochure regarding the ‘homestay’ facilities made available in the villages. Form groups and discuss the points you will use in the brochure. Remember to include the precautions that tourists have to take at the site, in your brochure.
Question 1.
Prepare a simple brochure regarding the ‘homestay’ facilities made available in the villages. Form groups and discuss the points you will use in the brochure. Remember to include the precautions that tourists have to take at the site, in your brochure.
(An example is given below.)
Welcome to: Kasav Mahotsav
Homestay facilities: ‘Nisarg’ Homestay
- Close to the beach
- SpacIous arid clean rooms
- Private toilets for every room
- Delicious, fresh, home-cooked food
- Green surroundings
A home away from home!
Additional facilities:
- 24-hour wifi
- tour guides
- boat ride in the sea
Precautions:
- No flash to be used while photographing the hatchlings
- Restricted entry into the sea
- Barricades and rules to be respected
Contact us on:
Mobile: 98194 xxxxx
Email: nisargforyou@xxx.com
5. Explain the idea of conservation of Nature through Livelihood’ briefly, using the example given here.
Question 1.
Explain the idea of conservation of Nature through Livelihood’ briefly, using the example given here.
Answer:
Nature has to be conserved and protected. If, while doing this, people are also provided with employment, it becomes sustainable. In Velas village, tourists came in hordes to see the turtle hatchlings. These tourists were given food and accommodation by the villagers. This brought in business and money for them. However, in order to earn that money, it was important to protect the hatchlings, which the tourists came to see. Therefore, they took pains to protect the turtles, hence conserving this bit of nature. This is the idea of ‘Conservation of Nature through Livelihood’.
6. Prepare bullet point presentations on the following:
(a) Scope for tourism in your locality
(b) Prudent utilisation of natural resources .
Question 1.
Prepare bullet point presentations on the following:
- Scope for tourism in your locality
- Prudent utilization of natural resources.
(Students may complete this activity in the computer labs.)
7. Read the following entries in the ‘Language Study pages :
(a) clause (b) sentence
Underline the main clause in the following sentences.
1. There are a few people in every village who keep combing the beach in the early hours of the morning, throughout the year.
2. When the female turtle comes onshore to nest and to lay eggs, she leaves behind a trail just like a track of wheels on the sand.
3. The egg hunters follow this trail right up to the nest which is about half a meter deep.
Question 1.
Underline the main clause in the following sentences:
(The answers are underlined directly.)
Answer:
1. There are a few people in every village who keep combing the beach in the early hours of the s morning, throughout the year.
2. When the female turtle comes on shore to nest and to lay eggs, she leaves behind a trail just like the track of wheels on the sand.
3. The egg hunters follow this trail right up to the nest which is about half a metre deep.
4. Enquiries with the villagers revealed that they s were turtle eggs.
8. Read: ‘Last Chance to See’ by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine
Question 1.
Read: ‘Last Chance to See’ by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine
English Kumarbharati 9th Digest Chapter 2.2 A True Story of Sea Turtles Additional Important Questions and Answers
Read the following passages carefully and complete the activities:
Simple Factual Activity:
Question 1.
Complete the following statements:
(The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:
- The volunteers were surveying the white-bellied sea-eagles in the summer that year.
- The volunteers had never come across turtle eggs in their walks in all the years.
- Turtles nest along the entire coastline of our state.
- The stolen turtle eggs are either eaten or sold in the market.
Question 2.
Why have these turtles been protected in India?
Answer:
The eggs of the turtles are stolen by egg hunters and then either eaten or sold in the market. If a turtle is spotted while it is still laying eggs, it is killed and eaten after it has finished laying the eggs. The turtles are an important part of the marine food chain. Hence they have been protected in India.
Activity-based on Vocabulary:
Question 1.
Match the adjectives in Column A with the nouns in Column B:
| A | B |
| 1. shallow | (a) practice |
| 2. unusual | (b) pits |
| 3. ruthless | (c) bricks |
| 4. silver | (d) occurrence |
Answer:
| A | B |
| 1. shallow | (b) pits |
| 2. unusual | (d) occurrence |
| 3. ruthless | (a) practice |
| 4. silver | (c) bricks |
Personal Response:
Question 1.
Do you think that we, in India, look after and nurture the flora and fauna around us?
Answer:
No, we don’t. People poach endangered species for the money they can earn from the skin, furs, etc. Trees are routinely cut down for agriculture, roads, buildings, and so on. In cities, trees are pruned very haphazardly and concrete is often poured round their roots. Domestic animals roam around the streets eating from garbage dumps. The list is endless. I think that people should be educated to respect nature.
Simple Factual Activity:
Question 1.
State whether the following statements are Right or Wrong:
Answer:
- Turtles are a protected species in India. Right
- Many of the elderly villagers had seen hatchlings. Wrong
- In the first year, the volunteers protected 500 nests. Wrong
- The volunteers had no experience regarding sea turtles. Right
Complex Factual Activity:
Question 1.
Why were the people asked to look for the eggs or nests in the morning?
Answer:
Sea turtles usually come ashore at night to lay eggs. The people who were asked to .look for the eggs or nests in the morning, carefully removed the eggs from the nest and buried them in a similar pit. This new pit was protected with wire fencing to prevent thefts.
Question 2.
The elderly persons had seen the hatchlings for the first time. What does it indicate?
Answer:
This indicates that the theft of turtle eggs was so common that no eggs had been allowed to hatch for many years in the past.
Activities based on Vocabulary:
Question 1.
Form adverbs from the following words:
- secret
- serious
- special
- careful
Answer:
- secret – secretly
- serious – seriously
- special – specially
- careful – carefully.
Question 2.
Form adjectives from the following words:
- secret
- spectacle
- protection
- information
Answer:
- secret – secret/secretive
- spectacle – spectacular
- protection – protective
- information – informative.
Activities based on Contextual Grammar:
Question 1.
Rewrite the following sentence using ‘never’:
It was for the first time that they had seen the hatchlings rushing to the sea.
Answer:
They had never before seen the hatchlings rushing to the sea.
Question 2.
Frame a Wh-question to get the underlined part as the answer:
They had to watch over the protected nest to prevent thefts.
Answer:
Why did they have to watch over the protected nest?
Personal Response:
Question 1.
“Have you seen any turtles? If so, where? If not, would you like to see?
Answer:
I have seen turtles only at the zoo, in pictures and on TV. I am very fond of animals and I would certainly like to see turtles in their natural habitat. I would love to see the hatchlings rushing out to meet the sea.
Simple Factual Activity:
Choose the correct alternatives:
Question 1.
The Olive Ridley turtles nest along
(a) the hilly areas of Maharashtra
(b) the coastline of Maharashtra
(C) the Interiors of Maharashtra
Answer:
(b) the coastline of Maharashtra
Question 2.
The turtles reach maturity at the age of about
(a) one or two years
(b) 40-50 days
(c) 15 years
Answer:
(c) 15 years
Question 3.
The turtle eggs hatch after
(a) 40-50 days
(b) five to seven days
(c) 15 days
Answer:
(a) 40-50 days
Question 4.
ProtectIon to the turtle was offered In – villages.
(a) 80
(b) 40-50
(c) all
Answer:
(a) 80
Complex Factual Activity:
Question 1.
Why was it necessary to undertake turtle protection on a large scale?
Answer:
Turtles perform an important function-they keep the sea clean. Thus, they occupy an important place in marine ecology. However, there are innumerable dangers awaiting the turtles, their eggs and the young hatchlings. The survival rate of the hatchlings is as low as just one or two turtles out of a thousand. Considering all these factors, it was necessary to undertake their protection on a large scale.
Activity-based on Vocabulary:
Fill in the blanks using the phrases given in the brackets:
(The answers are given directly and underlined.)
(to the shore, after a period of, on their own, to spread the message)
- It is necessary to spread the message of peace all over the world.
- You can withdraw your money after a period of three years.
- The boat returned to the shore after a long time.
- Students must learn to do their homework on their own.
Personal Response:
Question 1.
Why were those who had stolen the eggs earlier, Involved In the work of protection? Give at least two reasons.
Answer:
The first reason is that those who had stolen the eggs earlier, knew the exact details of where and I when the turtles would lay their eggs. The second reason was to give them a sense of responsibility, so ‘ that they would not continue to steal the eggs.
Simple Factual Activity :
Name the following :
(The answers are given directly and underlined.)
- The Turtle festival: Kasav Mahotsava
- Accommodation for tourists in the homes of villagers: Homestay
- A sum of money saved for the protection of turtles: Turtle Protection Fund
- The organization that took the initiative to save turtles: Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra
Complex Factual Activities :
Question 1.
What do the ‘homestay’ families do?
Answer:
The ‘homestay’ families provide accommodation to the tourists. These families also give ten percent of their income from ‘homestay’ for the Turtle Protection Fund.
Question 2.
Why was the project entrusted to the local people?
Answer:
The project was entrusted to the local people because it was believed that it is only the local villagers who can offer excellent protection to the local species.
Activity-based on Vocabulary:
Question 1.
Match the meanings of the following expressions with reference to the passage :
| A | B |
| 1. novel concept | (a) volunteered |
| 2. unique spectacle | (b) new idea |
| 3. came forward | (c) possible to be maintained |
| 4. become sustainable | (d) unusual sight |
Answer:
| A | B |
| 1. novel concept | (b) new idea |
| 2. unique spectacle | (d) unusual sight |
| 3. came forward | (a) volunteered |
| 4. become sustainable | (c) possible to be maintained |
Activity-based on Contextual Grammar:
Rewrite using the noun form of the underlined words:
Question 1.
- The tourists were accommodated in the homes of the villagers.
- We are happy to see the project running smoothly.
Answer:
- The tourists were given (provided) accommodation in the homes of the villagers.
- It gives us happiness to see the project running smoothly.
Simple Activities:
Question 1.
Make a meaningful sentence using the following phrase:
throughout the year
Answer:
Nowadays, mangoes are available throughout the year
Question 2.
Spot the error and correct the sentence:
Turtles nests along the entire coastline of our state.
Answer:
Turtles nest along the entire coastline of our state.
Question 3.
Punctuate the following:
as soon as the eggs are laid it is caught and then killed and eaten
Answer:
As soon as the eggs are laid, it is caught and then killed and eaten.
Question 4.
Pick out the infinitive in the following sentence:
They had to prevent thefts.
Answer:
Infinitive – to prevent.
Question 5.
Identify the type of sentence:
We had never come across turtle eggs in our walks.
Answer:
Assertive sentence
Question 6.
Find out two hidden words from the word ‘organisation’
Answer:
organization- organ, grain, (rain, nation)
Question 7.
Find a verb from the lesson that forms its past and present participles by doubling the last letter.
Answer:
spot – spotted, spotting
Question 8.
Arrange the words in alphabetical order:
turtle, trail, ruthless, response
Answer:
response, ruthless, trail, turtle
Medium-Level Activities:
Question 1.
A comprehensive booklet and a short film was prepared to spread the message.
(Change the voice beginning ‘We……’)
Answer:
We prepared a comprehensive booklet and a short film to spread the message.
Question 2.
Use the word ‘leaves’ in two separate sentences, the word having different meanings (homographs):
Answer:
(a) The leaves of many trees turn yellow in autumn.
(b) A smart thief never leaves any clues behind.
Question 3.
They gave ten percent of their income from ‘homestay’ for the Turtle Protection Fund.
(Use the future continuous form of the verb.)
Answer:
They will be giving ten percent of their income from ‘homestay’ for the Turtle Protection Fund.
Question 4.
Some of the elderly villagers confessed that it was the first time that they had seen the hatchlings rushing to the sea.
(Rewrite indirect speech.)
Answer:
“It is the first time we have seen the hatchlings rushing to the sea,” confessed some of the elderly villagers.
Challenging Activities:
Question 1.
Use the word ‘harm’ as a noun and a verb in two separate sentences.
Answer:
(a) “You will come to no harm if you obey the rules,” said the teacher, (noun)
(b) If we harm the environment, we will suffer for it. (verb)
Question 2.
A Turtle Friends Club was established in each village. (Rewrite using a modal auxiliary for advice.)
Answer:
A Turtle Friends Club should be established in each village.