Water The Elixir Of Life (Prose)
Water – The Elixir of Life
Sir C. V. Raman
Warm Up
- Do you think the living organisms on this planet can survive without water? Why?
- Where do you get your drinking water from?
- Is the drinking water you use in your home treated?
- If not, how do you purify it?
Man has through the ages sought in vain for an imaginary elixir of life, the divine Amrita, a draught of which was thought to confer immortality. But the true elixir of life lies near our hands; for it is the commonest of all liquids, plain water!
I remember one day standing on the line which separates the Libyan Desert from the Valley of the Nile in Egypt. On one side was visible a sea of billowing sand without a speck of green or a single living thing anywhere on it. On the other side lay one of the greatest, most fertile and densely populated areas to be found anywhere on the earth, teeming with life and vegetation. What made this wonderful difference? Why, it is the water of the river Nile flowing down to the Mediterranean from its sources a couple of thousands of miles away.
Geologists tell us that the entire soil of the Nile valley is the creation of the river itself, brought down as the finest silt in its flood waters, from the highlands of Abyssinia and from remote Central Africa, and laid down through the ages in the trough through which the Nile flows into the sea. Egypt, in fact, was made by its river. Its ancient civilization was created and is sustained by the life-giving waters which come down year after year with unfailing regularity.
Quick Checks
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What is the imaginary elixir of life?
The divine Amrita, believed to grant immortality.
-
What according to the writer is the real elixir of life?
Water – the commonest of all liquids.
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What is the ‘wonderful difference’ the writer talks about in the passage?
The contrast between the barren desert and the fertile Nile valley.
There is nothing which adds so much to the beauty of the countryside as water, be it just a little stream trickling over the rocks or a little pond by the wayside, where the cattle quench their thirst of an evening. The rain-fed tanks that are so common in South India – alas! often so sadly neglected in their maintenance – are a cheering sight when they are full. They are, of course, shallow, but this is less evident since the water is silt-laden and throws the light back, and the bottom does not therefore show up. These tanks play a vital role in South Indian agriculture. Some of these tanks are surprisingly large and it is a beautiful sight to see the sun rise or set over one of them.
Water in a landscape may be compared to the eyes in a human face. It reflects the mood of the hour, being bright and gay when the sun shines, turning to dark and gloomy when the sky is overcast.
Quick Checks
One of the most remarkable facts about water is its power to carry silt or finely divided soil in suspension. This is the origin of the characteristic colour of the water in rain-fed tanks. This colour varies with the nature of the earth in the catchment area and is most vivid immediately after a fresh inflow following rain. Swiftly flowing water can carry fairly large and heavy particles. The finest particles, however, remain floating within the liquid in spite of their greater density and are carried to great distances. Such particles are, of course, extremely small, but their number is also great and incredibly large amounts of solid matter can be transported in this way.
When silt-laden water mixes with the salt water of the sea, there is rapid precipitation of the suspended matter. This can be readily seen when one travels by steamer down a great river to the deep sea. The colour of the water changes successively from the muddy red or brown of silt through varying shades of yellow and green finally to the blue of the deep sea. That great tracts of land have been formed by silt thus deposited is evident on an examination of the soil in alluvial areas. Such land, consisting as it does of finely divided matter, is usually very fertile.
Quick Checks
- How does the water in rain-fed tanks get its colour?
From the silt it carries in suspension.
The flow of water has undoubtedly played a great part and a beneficent one in the geological processes by which the soil on the earth’s surface has been formed from the rocks of its crust. The same agency, however, under appropriate conditions, can also play a destructive part and wash away the soil which is the foundation of all agriculture, and if allowed to proceed unchecked can have the most disastrous effect on the life of the country. The problem of soil erosion is one of serious import in various countries and especially in many parts of India.
Soil erosion occurs in successive steps, the earliest of which may easily pass unnoticed. In the later stages, the cutting up and washing away of the earth is only too painfully apparent in the formation of deep gullies and ravines which make all agriculture impossible. Sudden bursts of excessively heavy rain resulting in a large run of surplus water are the principal factors in causing soil erosion. Contributory causes are the slope of the land, removal of the natural protective coat of vegetation, the existence of ruts along which the water can flow with rapidly gathering momentum, and the absence of any checks of such flow. Incredibly large quantities of precious soil can be washed away if such conditions exist, as is too often the case.
Quick Checks
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What is the main cause of soil erosion?
Heavy rainfall and resultant surplus run-off.
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What other factors add to the erosion of precious soil?
Slope, loss of vegetation, ruts, and absence of checks.
The menace which soil erosion presents to the continuance of successful agriculture is an alarming one in many parts of India, calling urgently for attention and preventive action. The terracing of land, construction of bunds to check the flow of water, the practice of contour cultivation and the planting of appropriate types of vegetation are amongst the measures that have been suggested. It is obvious that the aim should be to check the flow of water at the earliest possible stage before it has acquired any appreciable momentum and correspondingly large destructive power.
Quick Checks
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How can soil erosion be prevented?
By terracing, bunds, contour cultivation, and vegetation.
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How does prevention of soil erosion serve a double purpose?
It conserves water as well as soil.
Water is the basis of all life. Every animal or plant contains a substantial proportion of free or combined water in its body, and no kind of physiological activity is possible in which the fluid does not play an essential part. Water is, of course, necessary for animal life, while moisture in the soil is equally imperative for the life and growth of plants and trees though the quantity necessary varies enormously with the species. The conservation and utilization of water is thus fundamental for human welfare. Apart from artesian water the ultimate source in all cases is rain or snowfall. Much of Indian agriculture depends on seasonal rainfall and is therefore very sensitive to any failure or irregularity of the same. The problems of soil erosion and of inadequate or irregular rainfall are closely connected with each other.
Quick Checks
Closely connected with the conservation of water supplies is the problem of afforestation. The systematic planting of suitable trees in every possible or even in impossible areas, and the development of what one can call civilized forests, as distinguished from wild and untamed jungle, is one of the most urgent needs of India. Such plantation would directly and indirectly prove a source of untold wealth to the country. They would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste, and would provide the necessary supplies of cheap fuel, and thus render unnecessary the wasteful conversion of farmyard manure into a form of fuel.
Quick Checks
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What is the idea of civilized forest?
Planned, managed forests as opposed to wild jungle.
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How can you check soil erosion?
By afforestation and conservation practices.
The measures necessary to control the movement of water and conserve the supplies of it can also serve subsidiary purposes of value to the life of the countryside. By far the cheapest means of transport in a country is by boats and barges through canals and rivers. We hear much about programmes of rails and road construction, but far too little about the development of internal waterways in India. Then, again the harnessing of water supplies usually also makes possible the development of hydro-electric power. The availability of electric power would make a tremendous difference to the life of the countryside and enable rural economy to be improved in various directions.
Quick Checks
In one sense, water is the commonest of liquids. In another sense, it is the most uncommon of liquids with amazing properties which are responsible for its unique power of maintaining animal and plant life. The investigation of the nature and properties of water is, therefore, of the highest scientific interest and is far from an exhausted field of research.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
- It is the world’s largest collection of floating trash.
- It is in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California and is often described as “larger than Texas”.
- Approximately 7 million tons of plastic and other debris up to 9 feet deep are floating.
- By estimation 80 % of the plastic originates from land; floating in rivers to the ocean and the remaining 20 % originates from oil platforms and ships.
- These trash piles are the biggest threat to sea animals.
About the Author
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (7 November 1888 – 21 November 1970) was an Indian physicist born in Tiruchirappalli. He carried out ground-breaking work in the field of light scattering, which earned him the 1930 Nobel Prize for Physics. He discovered that when light traverses a transparent material, some of the deflected light changes wavelength. This phenomenon, subsequently known as Raman scattering, results from the Raman effect and to commemorate it, February 28 is celebrated as National Science Day. In 1954, India honoured him with its highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
Glossary
- elixir (n) – a hypothetical substance believed to maintain life indefinitely / a substance believed to cure all ills
- billowing (adj.) – characterized by great swelling waves or surges
- teeming (adj.) – abundantly filled, especially with living things
- trickling (v) – to flow slowly and with little force
- precipitate (v) – a solid substance produced from a liquid during a chemical process
- crust (n) – a hard outer covering of something
- catchment (n) – a structure, such as a basin or reservoir, used for collecting or draining water
- barges (n) – a long boat with a flat bottom, used for carrying freight on rivers
Section A – Answer in one or two sentences
- What makes water one of the most powerful and wonderful things on earth?
- How does water help in the formation of fertile lands?
- How does soil erosion happen and what are its main causes?
- What are some measures that are used to prevent soil erosion?
- How, according to Sir C. V. Raman, can rainwater as well as the water of rivers be prevented from going to waste?
Section B – Answer in 80-100 words
- How does C.V. Raman show that water is the real elixir of life?
- Water exists in all plant and animal forms – Explain.
- Life cannot exist on earth without water – Explain.
Section C – Idioms Match
| Idiom | Meaning |
| 1. blood runs thicker than water | d. family members have stronger obligations with each other than with people outside the family |
| 2. to be a fish out of water | i. to be uncomfortable in a particular situation |
| 3. dull as dishwater | f. boring, uninteresting |
| 4. as a duck takes to water | b. naturally, with ease |
| 5. come hell or high water | j. no matter what happens |
| 6. You never miss the water till the well runs dry | h. people are not grateful for what they have until they lose it |
| 7. pour cold water on something | a. to criticize or stop something that some people are enthusiastic about |
| 8. tread water | c. to be active but without making progress or falling farther behind |
| 9. be (like) water off a duck’s back | g. criticism to someone that has no effect on them at all |
| 10. to be in deep water | e. to be in a difficult situation |
Section D – Water Scarcity
| Cause | Problem | Solution |
| Over-extraction | Falling water tables | Rain-water harvesting |
| Pollution | Health hazards | Strict waste-water treatment |
| Climate change | Irregular rainfall | Afforestation, watershed management |
| Population growth | Increased demand | Public awareness, conservation |
| Poor infrastructure | Wastage of water | Repair leaks, efficient irrigation |
Listening (Page 208)
Choose the correct option after listening to the passage.
Speaking – World Environment Day Speech
Topic: “The Nature of Our Future Depends on the Future of Our Nature”
Follow the given guidelines and deliver a three-part speech: introduction, body, conclusion.
Project – A Class of Superheroes
Design a green project for your campus: compost pit, waste segregation, solar panel, water filtration, etc.
Prepare a project manual and a letter of request to the Head Master for a green revolving fund.
Grammar – Tenses
Comprehensive tables and exercises on:
- Simple Present
- Present Continuous
- Present Perfect
- Present Perfect Continuous
- Simple Past
- Past Continuous
- Past Perfect
- Past Perfect Continuous
- Simple Future
- Future Continuous
- Future Perfect
- Future Perfect Continuous
Complete all A–T exercises as directed in the textbook.
Practice Practice Exercises
All the human actions in this modern world directly impact the whole ecosystem.
Let us do our bit. Let us walk or cycle to our work places or school. Let us not use plastic bags. Let us all keep our surroundings clean and plant at least one tree.
I will
I will not
I promise
1. All children something new every day. .(learn/Learns/learned)
2. A good student always hard. (work/works/worked)
3. Engineers bridges. (build/builds/built)
4. My sister is an architect. She skyscrapers. (design/designs/designed)
5. The Himalayas India from the cold winds. (protect/protects/protected)
6. It always here in the afternoon. (drizzle/drizzles/drizzled)
7. My mother in a factory. (work/works/worked)
8. Kamali English very well, but she doesn’t understand Hindi. (speak/speaks/spoke)
9. Cows us milk. (give/gives/gave)
10. The trains to Chennai always on time. (run/runs/ran)
1. Who is that boy on the table? (stand)
2. What are you ? (do) I (listen) to music.
3. My brother (work) in London now.
4. I (wait) for my mother.
5. It is better not to disturb her, she (work).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. Is Galen reading?
2. Is Velu eating?
3. Is Kalai dancing?
4. Is Peter watching TV?
5. Is Anu crying?
1. Come
2. Take
3. Fly
4.. Swim
5. Study
6. Read
1. He is learning to read
2. I am having a bath
3. I’m reading a fantastic book
4. Raja is driving a new car
5. I’m looking for my bag
1. No, they aren’t singing.
2. Yes, She is writing a new book.
3. Yes, It is working.
4. No, he is not doing the project.
5. Yes, We are planning to go.
1. You (listen) to the music.
2. He (cry)
3. I (swim)in the pool.
4. Latha (wait) for her daughter.
5. she (watch) TV?
6. Who he (help)?
7. Her father (not/cook)dinner.
8. Akila (not/sing)a song.
9. My brother (not/do) his homework.
10. your mother (work) today?
11. Amutha and Praba (play) tennis.
12. Amith and Ravi (not/swim) in the lake.
1. She to anybody.
2. My mother to London.
3. I all the plays of Shakespeare.
4. Have you your lunch?
5. he brought his bike?
1. How long
2. She in the garden since morning.
3. I this mobile for three years.
4. The children in the park.
5. The workers higher wages for a long time.
One day a and a decided to have a race. The (know) that the (can) run faster than him. But the (be) more intelligent than the . 'Yes, I'll race you,' (say) the . The (have) a clever plan. He (find) his brothers and sisters and he (tell) them to wait in different places along the path of the race. So they all (hide) behind the trees along the path. The race (begin) ! () The (run) as fast as possible. But the (be) faster, of course. 'This will be a very easy race’, (think) the . So the (decide) to rest, and he quickly (fall) asleep at the side of the road. Suddenly, the (wake up)
and he (see) a ahead of him! 'How did he get ahead of me? ' the asked himself. In fact, it (be) not his friend the : it (be) the 's sister. But to a , all tortoises look the same. The (run) past the easily. Soon, he (cannot) see the, so he (sit) down to rest. Then the (get up) and continued the race. But as the (turn) around the last corner before the finish line, his friend the crossed the line and (win) the race!
1. The lake(freeze) overnight.
2. Hema (buy) a new bicycle.
3. Aravind(give) me a slice of pizza.
4. We(drink) milk.
5. The dog(sleep) on the sofa.
6. He (write) a letter to his cousin in America.
1. I (find) a coin on the ground.
2. Tony (teach) his cat to use the litter box.
3. Selvi (blow) out the candle.
1. The children (wait) for the bus.
2. The girls (learn) their lessons.
3. I (play) in the rain all evening.
4. Vijay (repair) his car.
5. Hari (work) hard to pass the entrance examination.
1. Kalai didn’t complete his homework because
2. By the time Sundar got up .
3. When we reached the park .
4. Saralah didn’t want to see her .
5. Manohar was laughing because .
1. Elil baked. / had been baking a cake when they came.
2. Veeran cleaned / had been cleaning the room since morning.
3. We worked. / had been working in the city for ten years before we moved to the village.
4. The cat had been waiting. / was waiting for the mice to come out of its hole.
5. Kannan had been looking. / have been looking for a job for a long time.
1. We hope you (have) a great time in Ooty.
2. I think Manju (visit) her grandparents during the vacation.
3. Be careful, that mirror (fall) on the floor.
4. As soon as my father arrives, we (go) to watch the film.
5. When your train arrives, I (wait) for you at the station.
1. Ashwin (complete) M.B.A. in another two years.
2. I (go) to Thanjavur by this time tomorrow.
3. Prabha (receive) the best student award in six months’ time.
4. The plane (leave) at 3 o’clock.
5. He (attend) the conference.
1. What will Amala do on Sunday morning?
2. What is Amala planning to do on Saturday afternoon ?
3. Where is Amala going on Wednesday morning?
4. Who is Amala meeting on Tuesday morning?
5. What will she buy on Monday afternoon?
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1. What makes water one of the most powerful and wonderful things on earth?
2. How does water help in the formation of fertile lands?
3. How does soil erosion happen and what are its main causes?
4. What are some measures that are used to prevent soil erosion?
5. How, according to Sir C. V. Raman, can rainwater as well as the water of rivers be prevented from going to waste?
1. How does C.V. Raman show that water is the real elixir of life?
2. Water exists in all plant and animal forms – Explain.
3. Life cannot exist on earth without water – Explain.
1. Severn Suzuki represents an organization called E C O which stands for
a) Ecological Cooperation
b) Environmental Coordinating Organization.
c) Environmental Children’s Organization.
d) Ecological Children’s Organization
2. “I am fighting for my future.” The ‘fight’ refers to her
a) fight to win an election.
b) fight to gain a few points in share market.
c) fight against corruption.
d) fight against environmental pollution.
3. Animals and fish are becoming extinct because
a) they have no place to go.
b) they die of diseases.
c)their food and habitat are polluted
d) all the above.
4. It is evident that Severn Suzuki is concerned about all other species too as,
a) she considers them all belonging to one world.
b) they have nobody except her to speak for
c) they belong to her.
d) they are all children.
5. Severn Suzuki condemns the people of her country for
a) contributing large amounts of waste and not sharing the excess with the needy.
b) being afraid of the poor.
c) being angry with the poor belonging to other countries.
d) being wealthy.
a) Canada is a rich country and people have in plenty.
b) Canadian children are privileged.
c) Brazilian child was willing to share because she was rich.
d) Northern countries will not share with the needy
1. What is the humble request of the twelve- year -old to the elders?
2. The dream of Severn Suzuki is
3. The fear and agony of Severn Suzuki is
4. How does she proclaim that she represents the future generation?
(b)
(C)