What a Tank! NCERT Solutions for Chapter 6 of Class 5 English (Santoor Textbook)
NCERT Solutions — What a Tank! (Class 5 English, Santoor)
NCERT Solutions — What a Tank! (Class 5 English, Santoor). Here is a full NCERT solutions set for Class 5 English — Chapter “What a Tank!” (Santoor / NCERT Book for CBSE Notes).
Let Us Think / Let Us Read
A. Answer the following
- What do we use a water tank for?
Answer: We use a water tank to store water for various purposes such as drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning. - Where is Punjab located on the map of India?
Answer: Punjab is located in the northwestern part of India. - How are the water tanks in Punjab made?
Answer: The water tanks in Punjab are constructed by creating a frame with steel rods, then concrete is used to shape them, and they are placed on roofs. - How do the unique shapes of water tanks reflect the identity of the house owners?
Answer: The special shapes (for example, shaped like a tractor, or a football) reflect the interests, profession or personality of the house owners, telling something about who lives there.
B. Think and Answer
- An overhead water tank is a way to store water. Do you know any other ways of storing water?
Answer: Yes. Other ways include underground tanks (tankas), ponds (ooranis), wells, reservoirs, rainwater harvesting tanks, earthen pots, etc. - If you had to build a water tank, what would you make it look like? Why?
Answer: (Student’s answer)
Sample: If I had to build a tank, I would make it in the shape of a tree or a bird. Because it would blend with nature, look beautiful, and remind everyone to protect water and nature.
Let Us Learn (Grammar / Language Exercises)
A. Write the contractions (short forms) for the following words.
Short forms (or contractions) are when two words are combined and some letters are left out. An
apostrophe (’) takes the place of the missing letters.
For example:
• aren’t = are not
• wouldn’t = would not
- do not → don’t
- is not → isn’t
- are not → aren’t
- cannot → can’t
- could not → couldn’t
- did not → didn’t
B. Rewrite the following underlined parts using contracted forms
- Partho is not feeling well today. His parents have decided that he will stay at home till he gets better. Partho is bored and cannot stay at home anymore. He decides to ask his grandmother if he can go outside, but he thinks she, too, would not agree.
Answer: Partho isn’t feeling well today. His parents have decided that he’ll stay at home till he gets better. Partho’s bored and can’t stay at home anymore. He decides to ask his grandmother if he can go outside, but he thinks she, too, wouldn’t agree. - It is a rainy day, and Tina is not happy. She cannot go out to play with her friends. Her brother does not want to play indoors either. They have decided to watch a movie instead. Their mother says she will make popcorn for them.
Answer: It’s a rainy day, and Tina isn’t happy. She can’t go out to play with her friends. Her brother doesn’t want to play indoors either. They’ve decided to watch a movie instead. Their mother says she ’ll make popcorn for them.
C. Read the following (Exclamatory Sentences)
- That’s so creative!
- He saw a rooster, a tractor, and a giant football, all made of cement!
- Hurrah! India has won the match!
These are exclamatory sentences because they express strong emotions.
Question: Can you name any four emotions that exclamatory sentences express?
Answer (examples): happiness, surprise, excitement, amazement.
D. Find at least five exclamatory sentences from your Grade 5 English textbook and identify the
emotions or feelings expressed in them.
| Sentence | Feeling / Emotion |
|---|---|
| 1. That’s so creative! | Amazement / Wonder |
| 2. What a beautiful day! | Happiness / Joy |
| 3. Oh no, I dropped my ice cream! | Sadness / Disappointment |
| 4. Hurray! We won the match! | Excitement / Joy |
| 5. How brave you are! | Admiration / Surprise |
E. Look at the pictures of the animal families and read the words given below each of them.
Look at the pictures of the animal families and read the words given below each of them carefully.
These show the male, female, and young one of each animal.
| Animal Family | Male | Female | Young One |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion Family | Lion | Lioness | Lion cub |
| Tiger Family | Tiger | Tigress | Tiger cub |
| Hen Family | Rooster | Hen | Chick |
| Cow Family | Bull | Cow | Calf |
| Horse Family | Stallion | Mare | Foal |
F. Look at the picture below. Would you like to add anything to this picture?
Use your crayons and colour pencils to add to the picture.
Let us Speak
There are many ways in which we can save water. The simplest way is to stop the wastage of water.
A. Sit in groups of three and discuss:
Question 1: How do we waste water in our daily lives?
Question 2: What can we do to stop this wastage?
Example (Given in textbook):
1. Using running water to brush teeth wastes a lot of water.
2. Solution: Use a tumbler or a mug to save water.
B. Write at least three such examples and share with the class.
| S.No. | How We Waste Water | How We Can Save Water |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leaving the tap running while washing hands or dishes | Turn off the tap when not in use and use a small bowl or bucket instead |
| 2 | Taking long showers or using too much water for bathing | Use a bucket and mug for bathing instead of a shower |
| 3 | Watering plants with a running hose | Use a watering can or reuse leftover water from washing vegetables |
| 4 | Washing vehicles with a pipe | Use a bucket and cloth to clean vehicles |
| 5 | Letting rainwater go to waste | Collect rainwater in tanks or pits for reuse (Rainwater harvesting) |
Short Paragraph Answer (for written exercise):
There are many ways we can save water in our daily lives. We waste water when we keep the tap running while brushing or washing hands. We can use a mug or a bucket instead. Watering plants with a hose also wastes water; we can use a watering can. Washing vehicles with a bucket and saving rainwater are other good ways to stop wastage. Every drop counts, and saving water helps everyone.
C. Say aloud, ‘What a tank!’ and ‘Water tank’.
Questions and Answers:
- Do both phrases use the word ‘tank’?
Answer: Yes - Do they mean the same thing?
Answer: No
Explanation:
- ‘What a tank!’ is an exclamation showing surprise or admiration.
- ‘Water tank’ refers to a container used for storing water.
So, although both have the word tank, they have different meanings.
Now, say aloud, ‘I scream’ and ‘Ice cream’.
Questions and Answers:
- Do both phrases sound the same?
Answer: Yes - Do they mean the same thing?
Answer: No
Explanation:
- ‘I scream’ means that a person is shouting.
- ‘Ice cream’ is a sweet frozen dessert.
They sound alike but have different meanings — these are called homophones (words or phrases that sound similar but mean different things).
Let us Listen
Listen to your teacher read out the following passage and choose the correct option.
A Day without Water
One hot summer morning, Suma woke up and went to brush her teeth. But when she turned on the tap, no water came out! She was surprised. Her mother said, “There’s no water in the tank. The whole area has no water today.”
Suma quickly realised how difficult it was to live without water. She couldn’t brush her teeth, wash her face, or take a bath. In the kitchen, there was no water to cook food or clean the dishes. At school, the toilets were closed, very little drinking water was available, and the children were told to bring water bottles from home.
Suma saw that people in her neighbourhood were upset. Some ran to the nearby shop to buy water bottles, while others waited near a water tanker that came from another place. Everyone looked worried.
That evening, the water was finally restored. Suma felt very happy and promised herself that she would never waste water again. She decided to tell her friends how precious water is.
Suma’s school also announced a Water Conservation Week. They planned activities like poster-making, planting trees, and even a water-saving competition.
Suma and her friends made posters with slogans like ‘Save Every Drop’ and ‘No Water, No Life.’
After this experience, Suma understood how important water tanks and water-saving habits are.
She asked her parents to set up a rainwater harvesting system at home. Her parents agreed happily.
Choose the Correct Option
1. Why was Suma surprised in the morning?
a. Her friends came to visit.
b. There was no water in the tap.
c. She saw a rainbow.
d. She had a holiday.
Answer: b. There was no water in the tap.
Explanation:
Suma turned on the tap to brush her teeth, but no water came out, which surprised her.
2. How did people manage without water?
a. They didn’t need water.
b. They bought bottles and waited for tankers.
c. They drank juice instead.
d. They went swimming.
Answer: b. They bought bottles and waited for tankers.
Explanation:
People in her neighbourhood bought bottled water and waited for water tankers to arrive.
3. What did Suma promise after the water supply was restored?
a. To waste more water.
b. To never waste water again.
c. To turn off the tap.
d. To check the water tank frequently
Answer: b. To never waste water again.
Explanation:
After the water came back, Suma promised herself that she would never waste water again.
4. What activities were planned during the Water Conservation Week?
a. Making taps.
b. Poster-making and planting trees.
c. Tank making.
d. Watching flowing water.
Answer: b. Poster-making and planting trees.
Explanation:
Suma’s school announced a Water Conservation Week with activities like poster-making, planting trees, and water-saving competitions.
5. What did Suma suggest to her parents?
a. To go near a well.
b. To build a swimming pool.
c. To fix a rainwater harvesting system.
d. To buy a new tank.
Answer: c. To fix a rainwater harvesting system.
Explanation:
Suma suggested setting up a rainwater harvesting system at home, and her parents agreed.
Let us Write
A. Design a poster in the space below, encouraging people to preserve and clean old water tanks. Include:
- Topic: ‘Save Our Water Tanks—A Community Awareness Campaign’
- A catchy slogan (e.g., ‘Save Tanks, Save Lives!’).
- A few bullet points on why tanks are important.
- An invitation to join a cleaning drive or awareness programme (mention the place and time of the cleaning drive).
Let’s Write — Poster Activity (Guided Answer Example)
Topic: Save Our Water Tanks — A Community Awareness Campaign
Slogan: “Save Tanks, Save Lives!”
Points to Include on Poster:
- Water tanks store clean water for our daily needs.
- Clean tanks mean healthy water and healthy lives.
- Let’s stop water wastage and keep our community tanks clean.
- Together, we can save every drop!
Invitation:
Join the Cleaning Drive on Sunday, 9:00 AM at Green Park Community Tank.
Let’s make our city shine and our tanks clean!
B. Write 10 words that end with ‘er’.
Example: water)
- teacher
- painter
- farmer
- writer
- singer
- player
- driver
- dancer
- baker
- reader
Now, do the same with words ending with ‘or’.
- actor
- doctor
- inventor
- visitor
- editor
- sailor
- mentor
- author
- governor
- conductor
Now, do the same with words ending with ‘at’.
- cat
- hat
- bat
- mat
- rat
- flat
- chat
- that
- sat
- pat
Let us Explore
A. You have read a lot about tanks. Have you ever wondered how these tanks are cleaned? Find out about the techniques for cleaning water tanks. You may bring relevant pictures or photographs. Prepare a chart and put it up in your class.
Answer: Techniques for Cleaning Water Tanks
Here are some common methods used to clean overhead or underground water tanks:
- Draining the Water
- First, the tank is emptied completely.
- The remaining water is removed using a pump.
- Scrubbing the Walls and Floor
- The inner walls and floor of the tank are scrubbed with brushes to remove algae, mud, or dirt.
- Sometimes, mild cleaning agents are used.
- High-Pressure Water Jet Cleaning
- A water jet machine sprays high-pressure water to clean the tank thoroughly.
- This helps remove stubborn dirt and bacteria.
- Vacuum Cleaning and Sludge Removal
- After scrubbing, vacuum pumps are used to remove the sludge and dirty water from the tank.
- Disinfection
- The tank is disinfected using chlorine solution or bleaching powder to kill germs and bacteria.
- After some time, the tank is washed again with clean water.
- Drying and Refilling
- The tank is allowed to dry completely.
- Then, fresh and clean water is filled for use.
Chart Idea for Classroom
You can divide your chart into four parts:
- Title: “How Water Tanks Are Cleaned”
- Steps (with short notes)
- Pictures (for each step)
- Safety Tips (e.g., “Always wear gloves and mask while cleaning.”)
B. Look at the pictures given below. The story may already be familiar to you.
The Thirsty Crow
The crow has become famous for its innovative idea. Imagine that your school has invited the crow to interact with the students. Enact the event with the help of your teacher.
Note to the Teacher : You may assign the roles, such as the crow, school principal, teachers, school pupil leader, as well as technicians for mic testing, photographer, and videographer. The audience may consist of 15–20 students, some of whom may ask questions. Ensure that the whole class is involved in the activity.
Extension Question
Q. Why is it important to clean water tanks regularly?
A. It helps keep the water safe, free from germs, and prevents diseases.
Extra Question Let Us Write (Creative Tasks & Application)
Let Us Write (Sample / Suggested Writing Task)
Suppose you were asked to design a water tank for your house, what shape would you choose and why?
Sample Answer: I would design my water tank in the shape of a bird, with its wings spread. This would symbolise freedom and nature. I would build it with strong concrete and steel rods so it is durable. The tank would remind people to not waste water and treat it as something alive. It would also look beautiful on my roof and reflect my love for birds and nature.