Short & Long Answer Questions: Earth-Our Shared Home | Our Wondrous World Class 5 - New NCERT PDF Download

Short Answer Questions

Q1: What does Earth look like from space?
Ans: From space, Earth appears as one blue planet without borders. Astronauts like Rakesh Sharma noted its unity, calling it the best.

Q2: How do rosy starlings benefit Indian farmers?
Ans: They migrate from Russia to India in winter, eating pests like locusts. This natural pest control helps crops without chemicals.

Q3: What is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam?
Ans: An ancient Indian saying meaning 'the world is one family'. It promotes global unity, respect, and shared care for nature.

Q4: How did yoga spread globally?
Ans: Originating in India over 3,000 years ago for harmony, it spread via travellers. Now, International Yoga Day unites millions worldwide.

Q5: Trace the journey of chillies to India.
Ans: From South America, Portuguese traders brought chillies 400-500 years ago. They became essential in Indian cuisine, replacing pepper.

Q6: What is the origin of sugar?
Ans: Discovered in India from sugarcane, turned into jaggery, then sugar. It spread globally via trade, sweetening foods worldwide.

Q7: How did marigolds come to India?
Ans: From Mexico, marigolds travelled to festivals. Their bright colours fit Indian celebrations like Diwali, becoming temple staples.

Q8: What Indian cows were taken to Brazil?
Ans: Gir, Kankrej, and Ongole breeds, strong and milk-rich, adapted well. Now, they provide most of Brazil's milk, even on stamps.

Q9: Name some Indian inventions shared globally.
Ans: Zero for math, chess for strategy, ayurveda for medicine, indigo for dyes. These influenced global knowledge and culture.

Q10: What does the MoEFCC logo represent?
Ans: It shows a balance between nature and humans, with the motto 'Nature Protects if She is Protected'. It urges harmony and conservation.

Long Answer Questions

Q1: Explain how the migration of birds like rosy starlings shows nature's connections.
Ans: The migration of birds like rosy starlings in India vividly illustrates nature’s interconnected cycles, linking seasons, ecosystems, and human life in a harmonious web.

• Rosy starlings fly from Russia to India's warmth, eating pests to aid farmers.
• This migration highlights the borderless nature, with winds and currents helping journeys.
• It teaches interdependence, as protecting habitats ensures their survival.
• Human actions like conservation support these links, reminding us of global family ties in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

Q2: Discuss the global spread of Indian practices like yoga and their benefits.
Ans: India's ancient practices, particularly yoga, have transcended cultural boundaries to become global phenomena, promoting holistic well-being while fostering cross-cultural exchanges.

• Yoga, practised in India for 3,000 years, promotes health and peace, now global via International Yoga Day.
• It harmonises body and mind with nature.
• Similarly, Ayurveda offers ancient medicine.
• These share wisdom, improving well-being worldwide.
• They embody India's contributions, fostering unity and respect for shared human heritage.

Q3: Trace the journeys of foods like chillies and sugar between countries.
Ans: Here’s a traced journey of each:

• Chillies from South America reached India via Portugal, spicing cuisine.
• Sugar from Indian sugarcane spread to sweeten global foods.
• Marigolds from Mexico enhance festivals.
• These exchanges blend cultures, showing interconnectedness.
• They highlight trade's role in enriching lives, encouraging appreciation for origins and sustainable sharing.

Q4: How do animal and plant exchanges reflect world connections?
Ans: Animal and plant exchanges reflect world connections because they show how regions are linked through trade, migration, colonisation, and cultural interaction.

• Indian Gir cows thrive in Brazil, providing milk and featured on stamps.
• Dates from Arabs and paper from China enriched India.
• These movements show nature's borderless flow, like migrating birds.
• They teach Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, urging protection of shared resources for mutual benefit and global family harmony.

Q5: What does 'Earth as our shared home' mean, with examples from the chapter?
Ans: "Earth as our shared home" means that the planet belongs to all living beings — humans, animals, and plants — and we are all interconnected. It stresses the idea that resources, environments, and ecosystems are not owned by one person, nation, or species, but are shared and need to be cared for collectively.

• It means viewing the world as one family, per Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, with shared nature and ideas.
• Examples include yoga's global practice, chillies' journey, and bird migrations.
• Protecting Earth, as in MoEFCC's logo, ensures harmony.
• Stories of exchanges inspire care, recognising interconnected lives and the need for collective responsibility.