North, South, East, West Questions & Answers | Class 7 English | CBSE NCERT

(b) — The introduction clearly states that Shaana lives in Rameswaram island, in the south of India.

(c) — Shaana is travelling the length and breadth of the country with her parents.

(b) — She writes postcards to her friends back at school about her experiences.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

This line is an invitation to the reader to begin the chapter. It tells us that the rest of the text is made up of Shaana's own postcards from different parts of India.

The title suggests that Shaana's journey covers the entire country in every direction. It hints that the postcards will describe places from all corners of India, not just one region.

(b) — Shaana says she is "way up north, at the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir".

(c) — Because of the cold, they have to wear four layers of clothes.

(b) — The postcard says Appa and Amma love it there and like throwing snowballs at each other.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Appa and Amma say that there was much more snow at the Thajiwas glacier last year than there is now. This suggests that the snow and ice are reducing over time.

It shows that even far away in Kashmir, Shaana remembers and is fond of her teachers. She is warm-hearted, affectionate and close to the people at her school.

(c) — They "took another train yesterday" and reached Himachal Pradesh.

(b) — Colourful birds wake her with their chirping when the Sun rises in the east.

(c) — Amma says the growling sound in the west when it gets dark is just Appa snoring.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She mentions the east, where the Sun rises and colourful birds chirp to wake her; and the west, where it gets dark and she thinks she hears bears growling (which is actually Appa snoring).

The closing line shows Shaana's playful, affectionate nature. She misses her classmates and uses warm, friendly words to keep her bond with them alive while she is away.

(c) — Shaana explains that Himachal is in the north but Arunachal is all the way in the east.

(b) — They took two trains and drove a long time to reach Arunachal Pradesh.

(c) — They walked through a thick forest in the morning to reach their treehouse.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She is using exaggeration (hyperbole) to describe how dense the forest is. The trees and plants are packed so closely together that a careless walker could easily lose their way.

Shaana loves Arunachal the best so far and says she is beginning to enjoy herself. This shows that as the journey continues, she is growing more confident and getting more pleasure from new experiences.

(b) — Shaana says it did not take any time at all to travel south west and get to the Sundarbans in West Bengal.

(c) — Amma tells Shaana that places like the Sundarbans are called wetlands.

(b) — She never knew such a place existed or that trees called mangroves could grow in seawater.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Amma is sad about how much the Sundarbans floods today. Frequent flooding suggests that the environment of the wetlands is changing and the region faces environmental problems.

The playful question shows that Shaana misses her friends and wants to be missed in return. Even while enjoying new places, she stays connected to her classmates back at school.

(c) — Travelling all the way from east to west, from West Bengal to Gujarat, took them two-and-a-half days.

(a) — She says it is hot, dry and sandy — "It's like a beach without the sea!"

(b) — Though she finds the desert hot and dry, she really loves the pretty and colourful clothes there.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

It shows that Shaana continues to study even while travelling, and that Amma makes sure her holiday is combined with learning. It also proves that Shaana keeps up her studies, scoring 88 per cent.

Yes — a desert's endless sand, unique clothes, culture and way of life are very different from other places, and such contrasts teach us about India's diversity. (Accept any reasoned personal response.)

(c) — They drove east from the desert to the Narmada river, and it took only six hours.

(a) — The Narmada flows all the way to the centre of India.

(c) — In the afternoon, Amma, Appa and Shaana went rafting in the river.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She had always thought rivers were calm, but rafting on the Narmada showed her how wild, fast and scary they are up close. Her impression of rivers changed completely, and she loved the adventure.

Shaana was thrilled — she was fully wet but loved the water and cannot wait to go back. Appa, on the other hand, was so scared that he decided never to go rafting ever again.

(c) — Shaana writes that they are in the southwest part of the country, in Goa.

(b) — She should be sleeping too, but she loves looking out of the window at the plateaus, hills and beaches.

(a) — She used to be afraid of tunnels, but she is not any more, showing a change from fear to comfort.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She wishes that someday she and her classmates could all go on a tour of the plateaus together, maybe when they are in Class 11. It shows she wants to share her discoveries with her friends.

It shows that Shaana is curious and observant. She does not want to miss a single view — plateaus, hills, beaches or tunnels — even late at night, showing genuine wonder at India's landscapes.

(b) — They travelled south, and Shaana knew she would be home soon.

(b) — On the way to Puducherry, the family decided to learn how to surf.

(b) — Amma and Appa splashed water on each other like children, and Shaana humorously claims the parents needed her to control them.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Shaana says the beaches there are not like the ones on her island. The waves on these beaches are a lot rougher and the water is browner, though she still likes it there.

It shows that Amma and Appa are fun-loving and playful. Even as parents, they enjoy themselves like children — splashing water on each other — and are clearly enjoying the holiday as much as Shaana.

(b) — Shaana writes that she has just crossed the Pamban bridge.

(c) — As the train crossed the Pamban bridge, she could see the ocean on both sides.

(b) — She exclaims, "How amazing that a train can travel across the sea like this!"

Answer not supplied in the source file.

The Pamban bridge connects the mainland to Rameswaram island, where Shaana lives. Crossing it means she is almost home after travelling across the whole country.

I would feel excited and a little nervous to see nothing but water on both sides, and amazed by the engineering of a bridge built across the sea. (Accept any reasonable personal response.)

(b) — They made one last stop at the Olaikaadu beach before they reached home.

(b) — Amma wanted to teach her, but they did not have diving suits her size.

(b) — She spent the day floating and looking at the fish while her parents dove below her.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

She cannot wait to give the pebbles to her classmates in person the next day. The pebbles are her gifts and memories from the trip for her friends.

It shows that the family does not tire of exploring. Even after travelling across the whole country, they happily make one more stop at the beach, and each member enjoys it in their own way — diving, floating or collecting pebbles.

(c) — Unlike the postcards to her class, the final letter is addressed to 'Dear Amma and Appa'.

(d) — She lists forests, glaciers, deserts, wetlands, plateaus and mountains; volcanoes are not mentioned.

(b) — Shaana says they will miss hearing all those new languages and meeting all those different people.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

The mood is a happy mixture of pride, gratitude and sweet sadness. She is proud that they travelled across the whole country, grateful to her parents, a little sad that the journey is over, yet cheerful because they are home with friends again and hopeful about future trips.

Her wish that friends could join the next trip shows how much she values friendship and shared experiences. Discovering new places has made her happy, but she wants the people she loves to share that joy with her.

Shaana is a girl who lives in Rameswaram island and is travelling across India with her parents, Amma and Appa. She keeps in touch with her classmates by writing postcards to them from every place she visits.

She begins at the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir, way up north. She sees white and blue glaciers, wears four layers of clothes, and watches her parents throwing snowballs at each other.

Appa and Amma told her that there was much more snow at the glacier last year. This observation hints at reducing snowfall, an effect of changing climate.

At night, when it gets dark, Shaana thinks she hears bears growling in the west. Amma tells her it is actually just Appa snoring.

Shaana learns that the two states are far apart — Himachal Pradesh is in the north, while Arunachal Pradesh is all the way in the east. She had earlier thought all the 'Pradesh' states sat next to each other.

Shaana walked through the forest in the morning to reach their treehouse. It was so thick that if you blinked or stopped to tie your shoelaces, you would get lost.

Wetlands are places like the Sundarbans, where land is covered by or soaked with water — here, a river meets the sea. Shaana visited the Sundarbans in West Bengal, where she also learned that mangrove trees can grow in seawater.

Amma is sad about how much the Sundarbans floods today. The frequent flooding worries her because it shows the wetland region is facing environmental change.

She says the desert is hot and dry, with sand everywhere — "It's like a beach without the sea!" However, she loves the pretty and colourful clothes worn there.

She went rafting on the Narmada with Amma and Appa, and found it wild and scary. She had always thought rivers were calm, but up close she discovered they are really fast.

Shaana was fully wet by the end but loved the water so much that she could not wait to go back. Appa was so scared that he decided never to go rafting ever again.

Shaana used to be afraid of tunnels, but after the train passed through many tunnels in Goa, she was no longer afraid. This shows her growing confidence and courage.

She wishes that she and her classmates could all go on a tour of the plateaus someday — maybe when they are in Class 11 — because she finds them so beautiful.

She decided to learn surfing on the way to Puducherry and believes she is good at it because she only fell down twice.

Shaana says the beaches near Chennai are not like the ones on her island. The waves there are a lot rougher and the water is browner, though she still likes those beaches.

While crossing the Pamban bridge by train, Shaana could see the ocean on both sides. She is amazed that a train can travel across the sea, and the bridge brings her close to her island home.

Amma wanted to teach her to dive, but the beach did not have diving suits her size. So Shaana spent the day floating and looking at the fish while her parents dove below her.

At the Olaikaadu beach, the family found all sorts of pebbles. Shaana cannot wait to give these pebbles to her classmates in person.

She says they will miss visiting the forests, glaciers, deserts, wetlands, plateaus and mountains, and also miss hearing all those new languages and meeting all those different people across India.

Shaana hopes the family gets to travel like this again, and that next time they can take their friends along with them so that others can also share the experience.

Shaana begins way up north at the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir, then takes a train to Himachal Pradesh. From there the family travels east to Arunachal Pradesh, reaching their treehouse through a thick forest. Next they move south west to the Sundarbans in West Bengal, then west across the country to the desert of Gujarat. They drive east to the Narmada river for rafting, then to the plateaus of Goa in the southwest, and finally south to Chennai and Puducherry before crossing the Pamban bridge home to Rameswaram, with a last stop at the Olaikaadu beach.

Yes, they clearly did. At the Thajiwas glacier, Appa and Amma throw snowballs at each other. In Himachal, Appa's loud snoring is mistaken for growling bears, showing his deep, carefree sleep. While Shaana learns to surf near Puducherry, Amma and Appa splash water on each other and behave like children, so much so that Shaana jokes, "It's a good thing I was there to control them." They dive below her at the Olaikaadu beach, full of energy. Their playfulness shows that travel made the whole family childlike and joyful.

Both observations point towards environmental change. At the Thajiwas glacier, Appa and Amma note that there was much more snow last year, suggesting that the ice and snow are reducing. At the Sundarbans, Amma is sad about how much the place floods today, pointing to rising water and more frequent floods in the wetlands. Together, these remarks indicate a changing climate affecting India's mountains and coasts, and the author uses Shaana's honest observations to make young readers think about protecting the environment.

Shaana's excitement bursts out in exclamations like "You won't believe where I am!", "Today was the best day ever!" and "How amazing that a train can travel across the sea like this!" Her curiosity appears in her questions and discoveries — she wonders why her parents brought her to the desert, learns new words like 'wetlands' and 'mangroves', and hopes to see red pandas. Her fears and worries also surface: her hands shake in the cold when she forgets her gloves, she hopes the crocodiles and snake don't follow them home, and she admits she used to be afraid of tunnels. This mix makes her writing lively, honest and believable.

The postcards cover nearly every kind of landscape India has. In the far north, she visits the white and blue Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir; in Himachal Pradesh she sees quiet mountains; in Arunachal Pradesh she walks through thick forests to a treehouse. She then explores the wetlands and mangroves of the Sundarbans, the hot desert of Gujarat, and the fast Narmada river in the centre. In the southwest, she admires the plateaus, hills and beaches of Goa, and finally the rough-wave beaches of Chennai and Puducherry and her own island home. Forests, glaciers, deserts, wetlands, plateaus, mountains, rivers and seas — the postcards together present the amazing geographical diversity of India.

Shaana learnt that India is far larger and more varied than she imagined — she discovered, for instance, that Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh lie in opposite corners of the country, and that it takes two-and-a-half days to cross from east to west. She learnt new geographical words such as 'wetlands' and 'mangroves', saw how people dress differently in Gujarat, and heard many new languages and met different people. These experiences would make her realise that despite the differences in landscape, food and dress, all these places belong to one country. Her final letter shows this understanding: she treasures the variety and wants to explore it again — this time sharing it with her friends.

Postcards are a perfect medium for a travel story because they are short, personal and written on the spot, so each one captures a place immediately and freshly. The postcard form lets the author pack many different regions — Kashmir, Himachal, Arunachal, the Sundarbans, Gujarat, Goa, Tamil Nadu — into one short text, each with its own date and mood. It also creates a warm bond between Shaana and her classmates, because every postcard is addressed to them, and builds the feeling of a real journey ending with the final letter home. The dates on the postcards additionally help readers follow the route and the passage of time across the country.

At the start, Shaana is a curious but slightly uncertain traveller — her hands shake in the Kashmir cold, and she does not understand how far apart the states are. As the journey continues, she becomes more adventurous and confident: in Arunachal she says she is beginning to enjoy herself, at the Narmada she loves the wild rafting that scares Appa, in Goa she has overcome her fear of tunnels, and near Puducherry she learns to surf with only two falls. By the end, she is proud of having crossed the whole country, and instead of wanting the trip to be about herself, she wishes to share the next journey with her friends. Her travels have made her braver, more knowledgeable and more generous.

Yes, the trip blends fun with learning at every stage. The fun is everywhere — snowball fights in Kashmir, rafting on the Narmada, surfing near Puducherry, floating and watching fish at Olaikaadu beach, and her parents splashing water like children. The learning is just as constant: Amma teaches her that the Sundarbans are called wetlands and that mangroves grow in seawater; she learns geography, discovering how far Arunachal is from Himachal; she observes that rivers are fast up close; and Amma even gives her a surprise test, which she passes with 88 per cent. The journey shows that travel itself is one of the best classrooms.

The closing line reveals Shaana's warm, sharing nature. Having experienced the joy of discovering India — its glaciers, deserts, wetlands, plateaus and people — her first instinct is not to keep the happiness to herself but to want her friends to enjoy it too. It also shows her optimism and adventurous spirit: instead of being tired after the long journey, she already dreams of the next one. Her affection for her classmates shines through the whole set of postcards, from 'your best friend' to the pebbles she collects for them, and this final wish completes that picture of friendship.

Shaana's journey begins way up north at the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir, where the glaciers are white and blue and four layers of clothes are needed; she watches her parents throw snowballs, and her hands shake from the cold because she forgot her gloves. Next, the family travels by train to Himachal Pradesh, a quiet land of mountains, where colourful birds wake her at sunrise in the east and her father's snoring is mistaken for bears in the west. From there they move all the way east to Arunachal Pradesh, and Shaana learns that the two states are at opposite ends of the country. There, they walk through a forest so thick that you could get lost if you blink, to reach their treehouse, and she hopes to see red pandas. The journey then sweeps east to west — two-and-a-half days of travel — to the desert of Gujarat, which she compares to "a beach without the sea", though she adores the colourful clothes. Finally, they drive east again to the Narmada river, which flows to the centre of India, where she goes rafting and discovers that rivers are really fast up close. Each postcard captures a different landscape, climate and culture, showing the variety of India.

Shaana is a lively, curious and warm-hearted girl from Rameswaram island. Her curiosity shines everywhere: she wonders why her parents brought her to the desert, asks her classmates questions like "Are you missing me yet?", and loves learning new things such as the words 'wetlands' and 'mangroves'. She is brave and adventurous — she goes rafting on the wild Narmada, learns to surf with only two falls, walks through the thick Arunachal forest, and overcomes her old fear of tunnels in Goa. She is observant and thoughtful, noticing that there was more snow at the glacier last year and that the Sundarbans flood a lot today. She is affectionate — she sends love to PT Miss and Library Ma'am, calls her classmates "your best friend", collects pebbles for them, and ends her journey wishing friends could join the next trip. She also has a charming sense of humour, joking that her splashing parents are like children and that it is "a good thing" she was there to control them. Above all, she is an eager explorer who finds joy in every landscape, from glaciers and deserts to plateaus and seas.

The text celebrates India's diversity by showing Shaana experiencing its many landscapes, climates and cultures in a single journey. Geographically, the postcards move from the icy Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir, where four layers of clothes are needed, to the hot, dry desert of Gujarat, "a beach without the sea", and from the thick forests of Arunachal Pradesh to the wetlands and mangroves of the Sundarbans and the plateaus, hills and beaches of Goa. The variety of wildlife is equally rich — colourful birds, possible red pandas, crocodiles and a lonely snake, and fish at Olaikaadu beach. Shaana also notices the human diversity of India: she loves the pretty and colourful clothes of Gujarat, and in her final letter she mentions hearing all those new languages and meeting all those different people. Even the activities change with the land — snowball fights, forest treks, river rafting, surfing and diving. Through one child's honest eyes, the postcards show that within one country there are deserts and glaciers, forests and seas, many languages and many ways of living — the true diversity of India.

Though the postcards are cheerful, two observations carry a serious message about the environment. At the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir, Appa and Amma tell Shaana that there was much more snow last year — an indication that the snow and ice are reducing, which is a sign of warming in the mountains. At the Sundarbans in West Bengal, Amma is sad about how much the place floods today — pointing to rising seas and more frequent flooding that threatens the mangroves, the wildlife like crocodiles, and the people of the wetlands. A third hint appears at the Narmada river, where Appa says that there used to be a lot more water, and rafting was much scarier then — suggesting falling water levels in India's rivers. By placing these remarks in a child's honest postcards, the author gently makes young readers notice that India's glaciers, wetlands and rivers are changing, and encourages them to care for nature while enjoying its beauty.

Amma and Appa show that travel becomes the best education when it is enjoyed together. They plan a journey that covers the length and breadth of India — glaciers, forests, deserts, rivers, plateaus and beaches — so that Shaana sees the country's diversity firsthand. They mix fun with learning: they throw snowballs in Kashmir and splash water like children in Puducherry, yet Amma also teaches Shaana new words like 'wetlands' and 'mangroves', and even gives her a surprise test, which she passes with 88 per cent. They let Shaana try adventurous activities such as rafting and surfing, building her courage, while keeping her close and safe. They respect her feelings — listening to her delight in plateaus and her wish to see red pandas. Most importantly, they share their own wonder: Appa's amazement at the Pamban bridge and Amma's concern for the flooding Sundarbans teach Shaana both joy and responsibility. Their parenting shows that the best lessons come from experiences shared as a family.

Among all of Shaana's destinations, I would most like to visit the Sundarbans in West Bengal. Shaana describes gliding on the river in a small boat, seeing crocodiles and a lonely snake, and learning from Amma that the Sundarbans are wetlands where mangrove trees grow in seawater — things I have never seen. I am fascinated by the idea of a forest growing right in the sea, and by the wildlife that lives there. I would hope to learn how mangroves protect the coast from storms and floods, why this special habitat is home to animals found nowhere else, and what people are doing to protect it, since Amma is sad about how much it floods today. I would also love to meet the people of the islands and hear about their lives on the water. A trip like Shaana's would teach me geography, ecology and respect for nature — while giving me my own postcard-worthy adventures. (Accept any of Shaana's destinations with a reasoned answer.)

Dear Shaana, your postcard from the Thajiwas glacier made me shiver just reading it — four layers of clothes! We all laughed about Appa's snoring sounding like growling bears in Himachal, and PT Miss and Library Ma'am were so happy to get your love. I was amazed to learn that mangrove trees can grow in seawater at the Sundarbans, and I told my family about it at dinner. Your description of the Gujarat desert as "a beach without the sea" was so funny, and 88 per cent on a surprise test while travelling — congratulations! You are much braver than I am; I would be too scared to go rafting on a fast river. When you come back, you must show us the pebbles you collected at Olaikaadu beach and tell us everything about the red pandas you hoped to see. If you ever visit my state next, I will take you to our own special places — you have not seen anything like them yet! Your friend is counting the days until you hand over your final letter in person. Travel safe, and save a snowball story for me. (Accept any imaginative reply consistent with the text.)