Spices that Heal Us Questions & Answers | Class 6 English | CBSE NCERT

(b) — The letter begins "Dear Vikram and Vaibhavi" and ends "Yours affectionately, Daadi".

(b) — She writes that she just got their message that they are better, and is happy that the natural cures she shared helped them.

(c) — She says, "When I was a child, I learnt them from my grandmother."

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She asks them to try to remember the cures and to share them with their friends so that others can also benefit.

Daadi learnt the cures from her grandmother, used them for her grandchildren, and now wants the children to share them with friends — so the knowledge passes from generation to generation like a family treasure.

(c) — The letter itself gives the English name: "haldi, which is called turmeric in English".

(b) — The extract says haldi helps in improving our energy level and digestion.

(a) — 'Improving' means making something better, as in improving our energy level.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Haldi (turmeric) helps improve our energy level and digestion, and it also helps reduce body pain.

In my home haldi is added to vegetables, dal and milk. It is not only a spice — as Daadi's letter shows, it is also a medicine that improves energy, digestion and gives relief from body pain.

(b) — The extract states, "methi, which is called fenugreek in English".

(b) — She says, "I need to soak the methi seeds overnight and drink the water in the morning."

(b) — It is surprising that an everyday kitchen spice like methi has such a powerful health benefit.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Daadi says methi helps her keep her sugar level and her body weight in control. For this, she soaks the seeds overnight and drinks the water in the morning.

Natural cures work gently and slowly, so their effect builds up only when we follow the routine properly every day, just as Daadi does with her methi water.

(b) — The extract itself names them as "Jeera (cumin) seeds".

(b) — Jeera seeds soaked in water overnight help cure sleeplessness along with improving digestion.

(b) — Methi seeds and jeera seeds are both soaked in water overnight to prepare the remedy.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Jeera (cumin) seeds should be soaked in water overnight. This water, when taken, improves digestion and helps cure sleeplessness.

Yes — going to bed very late, or using a mobile phone late into the night, can cause sleeplessness; a jeera-water remedy and good habits together can help.

(a) — The extract names it "heeng (asafoetida)".

(b) — She says she used to put heeng (asafoetida) water on their tummy to give them relief.

(b) — The memory of caring for them as babies makes her advice personal and trustworthy — she has tested it herself.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Heeng water put on the tummy gives relief to babies who have gas, and heeng also helps in controlling cough and cold.

Yes, my grandmother gives me warm water with a pinch of haldi and pepper when I catch a cold, and she always asks an elder before trying anything new.

(a) — The extract names them "Dalchini (cinnamon) and laung (clove)".

(b) — They give relief when we have toothache.

(b) — The spice eases the pain for a while, but the real cure for a bad tooth must come from the dentist.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Dalchini (cinnamon) and laung (clove) give relief from toothache. This relief lasts till we can consult a dentist.

No. Home remedies give only temporary relief; a toothache usually needs proper treatment, so we must visit a dentist, just as Daadi's words suggest.

(b) — The extract names it "Adrak (ginger)".

(c) — Daadi writes that ginger has been used in cooking for more than 4000 years.

(b) — 'Extensively used' means used widely, in almost all Indian cooking.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Adrak (ginger) helps us when we have cough and cold, and it also gives relief from pain. It has also been used in cooking for more than 4000 years.

It tells us that ginger's usefulness has been tested by generations of people over thousands of years. Something used for so long in everyday cooking must be truly valuable and trustworthy.

(c) — The extract names it "Kali mirch (black pepper)".

(b) — The extract says kali mirch is helpful in digestion and gives relief from body pain.

(c) — Earlier in the letter, Daadi says haldi (turmeric) also helps in reducing body pain; so does adrak (ginger).

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Haldi (turmeric), adrak (ginger) and kali mirch (black pepper) all help with body pain, according to Daadi's letter.

I would like to try jeera water, because it improves digestion and cures sleeplessness — both of which would help me feel fresh in the mornings. I would first consult an elder, as Daadi advises.

(a) — The extract names them "saunf (fennel seeds) and ajwain (carom seeds)".

(c) — Daadi says they are served at the end of a meal.

(b) — The extract clearly gives the reason: "they help in the digestion of food."

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Because this is a very common practice — fennel seeds and carom seeds are served at the end of meals in most homes. Daadi connects her letter to things the children already know from daily life.

Yes, at home and in restaurants we are often given saunf after a meal. Earlier I thought it was just a mouth freshener; now I know from the letter that it also helps digest the food.

(b) — The extract names it "Elaichi (cardamom)".

(d) — Toothache relief comes from dalchini and laung, not elaichi, in the letter.

(c) — 'Respiratory' refers to breathing, so respiratory troubles are difficulties with breathing.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Elaichi (cardamom) helps us with digestion and respiratory troubles, and it also cures bad breath.

Since elaichi cures bad breath and helps digestion, it is a pleasant, useful thing to offer after food — it freshens the mouth and helps the tummy at the same time.

(b) — She says, "go into the kitchen and try to identify these herbs and spices."

(a) — Daadi clearly says, "you must consult an elder before you use them."

(b) — 'Aashirwaad' is a Hindi word for blessings; Daadi sends her love and blessings to the children.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She ends warmly, sending "My love and aashirwaad" to both children and signing off as "Yours affectionately, Daadi".

Elders know the right spice, the right amount and the right method for each problem. Using a remedy wrongly could harm us, so their experience keeps us safe.

The letter is addressed to Vikram and Vaibhavi. It is written by their grandmother, whom they call Daadi.

When Daadi was a child, she learnt the cures from her own grandmother. Her grandmother used to find home remedies for most of the weather-related common illnesses.

Haldi is called turmeric in English. It helps improve our energy level and digestion, and it also helps in reducing body pain.

Methi (fenugreek) seeds are soaked in water overnight and the water is drunk in the morning. It helps keep the sugar level and body weight in control.

Jeera (cumin) seeds soaked in water overnight improve digestion and help cure sleeplessness.

When Vikram and Vaibhavi were babies and had gas in their tummy, Daadi used to put heeng (asafoetida) water on their tummy to give them relief.

Dalchini (cinnamon) and laung (clove) give relief when we have toothache, till we can consult a dentist.

Adrak (ginger) helps when we have cough and cold and gives relief from pain. It has been used in cooking for more than 4000 years and is still extensively used in cooking Indian food.

Kali mirch (black pepper) is helpful in digestion and can give us relief from body pain.

Saunf (fennel seeds) and ajwain (carom seeds) are served at the end of a meal because they help in the digestion of food.

Elaichi (cardamom) helps us with digestion and respiratory troubles, in addition to curing bad breath.

Her final advice was to go into the kitchen and try to identify the herbs and spices, and to remember that they must consult an elder before using them.

Daadi learnt the cures from her grandmother, used them to help her grandchildren, and asked the children to remember them and share them with their friends. The same knowledge has thus travelled through three generations.

Haldi (turmeric), jeera (cumin), kali mirch (black pepper), saunf (fennel seeds), ajwain (carom seeds) and elaichi (cardamom) all help in digestion — any four.

Haldi (turmeric), adrak (ginger) and kali mirch (black pepper) give relief from body pain.

Heeng (asafoetida) helps in controlling cough and cold, and adrak (ginger) also helps us when we have cough and cold.

Daadi's grandmother used to find home remedies for most of the weather-related common illnesses, using things found in the kitchen.

'Natural cures' and 'home remedies' are simple treatments made from things available at home, like spices and herbs, instead of strong medicines from the market.

(i)–(c) asafoetida; (ii)–(d) clove; (iii)–(a) ginger; (iv)–(b) fennel seeds.

Daadi shows love and care for her grandchildren, respect for the traditional wisdom of her own grandmother, and responsibility — she reminds the children to consult an elder before using any remedy.

Daadi's letter gives a healing role to almost every common spice. Haldi improves energy and digestion and reduces body pain; methi controls sugar level and body weight; jeera water cures sleeplessness; heeng relieves babies' gas and controls cough and cold; dalchini and laung ease toothache; adrak fights cough, cold and pain; kali mirch helps digestion and body pain; saunf and ajwain digest food; and elaichi helps breathing and cures bad breath. Each spice from the kitchen rack thus acts as a gentle medicine.

Just as a pharmacy stores medicines for different problems, our kitchen stores spices that cure common illnesses. For a cough, the kitchen offers adrak and heeng; for toothache, dalchini and laung; for tummy gas in babies, heeng water; for poor digestion, jeera, kali mirch, saunf, ajwain or elaichi; and for body pain, haldi, adrak or kali mirch. Daadi's grandmother found remedies for most weather-related common illnesses right in the kitchen, which shows how true this statement is.

The letter shows a chain of love and learning across three generations. Daadi herself learnt the cures from her grandmother, and now she lovingly shares them with her grandchildren. She remembers caring for them as babies with heeng water, celebrates their recovery, and wants them to remember and share the cures with their friends. She ends with her love and aashirwaad. The letter is thus not just health advice but a gift of family tradition and affection.

Daadi knows that even natural things can be harmful if used in the wrong way, in the wrong amount, or for the wrong problem. Elders have experience of which spice suits which illness and how it should be prepared — like soaking methi overnight or putting heeng water on a baby's tummy. Her advice also teaches children not to experiment on their own. It shows that tradition and caution must go hand in hand.

Daadi writes in a warm, conversational way, starting with 'Namaste' and news of the children's recovery. She uses everyday Hindi names like haldi, methi, jeera and adrak along with their English names, so children recognise the spices from their own kitchen. She recalls personal memories, such as treating the babies with heeng water, and asks friendly questions like "Do you know, ginger has been used in cooking for more than 4000 years?" She ends with an activity — identifying spices in the kitchen — and her love and aashirwaad.

For cough and cold, Daadi mentions heeng (asafoetida), which helps in controlling cough and cold, and adrak (ginger), which helps us when we have cough and cold. For body pain, she names haldi (turmeric), which helps reduce body pain, adrak (ginger), which also gives relief from pain, and kali mirch (black pepper). Adrak is common to both lists, showing that some spices, like ginger, are all-round healers useful for more than one problem.

The chapter's message is that nature has placed gentle healers in our own kitchen, and that traditional knowledge about them is worth respecting, remembering and passing on. Ordinary spices like haldi, methi and jeera can cure everyday illnesses and give comfort without cost or chemicals. At the same time, the chapter teaches balance: home remedies are for common illnesses and must be used with the guidance of elders, and a dentist must still be seen for a toothache.

The unit 'Nurturing Nature' is about recognising and caring for the gifts nature gives us, and this chapter shows that those gifts include our spices. Plants give us roots, barks, seeds and fruits that do more than flavour our food — they heal our bodies, as Daadi's grandmother knew and as Daadi now teaches. When we understand this, we learn to value the plants around us and the traditional wisdom that uses them. Nurturing nature thus also means nurturing and preserving the knowledge of nature's healing gifts.

A practice survives only as long as it keeps proving useful. Ginger's continued use for more than 4000 years shows that generation after generation found it truly effective against cough, cold and pain, and pleasant enough to cook with. Its extensive use in Indian cooking even today proves that the wisdom of our ancestors was sound. It reminds us that the oldest remedies can still be the most trusted ones.

Daadi says the children "should try to remember these cures" and "may share them with your friends" — 'should' gives advice and 'may' gives permission or a gentle suggestion. She says, "you must consult an elder before you use them" and "I need to soak the methi seeds overnight" — 'must' expresses compulsion and 'need to' expresses necessity. Her careful choice of these words shows firmness exactly where safety is involved, and gentle encouragement everywhere else.

The main theme of the chapter is that the common spices in our kitchen are gentle healers, and that the traditional knowledge of using them is a treasure to be remembered and passed on. Daadi writes to her grandchildren, Vikram and Vaibhavi, to share the benefits of eleven everyday spices. Haldi improves energy, digestion and eases body pain; methi water controls sugar level and body weight; jeera water cures sleeplessness; heeng water relieved the babies' tummy gas; dalchini and laung soothe toothache; adrak and heeng fight cough and cold; kali mirch helps digestion and pain; saunf and ajwain digest food; and elaichi helps breathing and bad breath. Behind this list lies a second theme — the chain of learning from Daadi's grandmother, to Daadi, to the grandchildren, and now to their friends. Finally, the letter carries a note of caution: remedies must be used only after consulting an elder, and a dentist must be seen for a tooth that truly hurts.

The letter is living proof that traditional knowledge has real value. Daadi's grandmother found remedies for most weather-related common illnesses in the kitchen — long before modern pharmacies, families depended on this wisdom. The remedies have stood the test of time: ginger has been used in cooking for more than 4000 years and is still extensively used. Modern experience also supports them — Daadi's natural cures actually helped Vikram and Vaibhavi recover, and doctors themselves advise home care for common illnesses. Yet the chapter does not reject modern knowledge; it balances the two. Daadi's remedies are for common, everyday illnesses, and she insists that a dentist be consulted for toothache and an elder before using any spice. The best approach, therefore, respects the wisdom of grandmothers while knowing when expert help is needed — each kind of knowledge supports the other.

First, Daadi teaches the value of caring for family — she writes out of concern for her grandchildren's health, remembers treating them with heeng water when they were babies, and closes with 'My love and aashirwaad'. Second, she shows respect for elders and tradition — she herself learnt the cures from her grandmother and calls this inherited wisdom worth remembering. Third, she models sharing and generosity — she asks the children to "share them with your friends" so others can benefit too. Fourth, she shows responsibility and caution — she firmly says, "you must consult an elder before you use them," proving that care includes safety. Fifth, she encourages learning by doing — she sends the children into the kitchen to identify the herbs and spices themselves, turning knowledge into an activity rather than a lecture.

I can apply this knowledge in many small, safe ways. After a heavy meal, I can understand why elders serve saunf and ajwain — they help digest food. If I catch a common cold, I can remember that adrak and heeng are traditionally used for cough and cold, and ask a parent or grandparent to prepare a suitable remedy. I can visit the kitchen with Daadi's letter as a guide and learn to identify all eleven spices — haldi, methi, jeera, heeng, dalchini, laung, adrak, kali mirch, saunf, ajwain and elaichi — by sight and smell. Most importantly, I will follow the letter's golden rule: consult an elder before using any spice as a remedy, and never use home cures in place of a doctor for anything serious. I can also share what I learn with friends, just as Daadi asked, so the knowledge keeps travelling.

A letter has several advantages over a conversation here. First, it lasts — the children can keep the letter, reread it, and "try to remember these cures" whenever they need them, whereas spoken words are forgotten. Second, it is complete and organised — Daadi moves spice by spice, from haldi to elaichi, in a way that is easy to follow and revise. Third, a written letter shows special effort and affection; the loving closing, "My love and aashirwaad to both of you! Yours affectionately, Daadi," carries a personal warmth. Fourth, a letter can travel — the children can even share it or copy its ideas for their friends, spreading the knowledge further. And fifth, it becomes a family document, a piece of tradition in Daadi's own handwriting, that one day the children may pass to their own grandchildren.

Dear Daadi, Namaste! Thank you so much for your wonderful letter. Vaibhavi and I are feeling much better now, and we are sure your natural cures helped us recover quickly. We never knew that the spices in our own kitchen could do so much! Yesterday we went into the kitchen as you asked and identified all the spices — haldi, methi, jeera, heeng, dalchini, laung, adrak, kali mirch, saunf, ajwain and elaichi. Maa was surprised that we knew so many English names too! We have started soaking methi seeds at night for Maa, after asking her first, because you told us it keeps sugar level and weight in control. We also told our friends Aarav and Diya about jeera water for sleeplessness, and about saunf and ajwain after meals — they were very interested. We promise we will always consult you or Maa before trying any remedy. Please keep writing to us and sharing more of Grandmother's cures. We miss you a lot. Yours lovingly, Vikram.

I would choose Adrak, the Ginger. Good morning, everyone! I come from under the ground, because I am the root of a plant, brown outside and pale yellow inside. I taste sharp and hot, and my smell is strong enough to wake up a sleepy kitchen. People have loved me for a very long time — I have been used in cooking for more than 4000 years, and even today almost every Indian dish welcomes me! But I am not just a spice; I am a healer too. When you have a cough or a cold, a little adrak in warm water or tea can help you feel better, and I can also give relief from pain. Daadi's letter calls me a herb that helps in cough and cold. I ask no fancy price and grow humbly in the soil, yet I keep serving you every single day. So the next time you sip ginger tea on a cold evening, remember — a small root is doing a big job! Counts: Section A — 11 extracts × 6 questions = 66; Section B — 20; Section C — 10; Section D — 7.