NCERT Solutions Class 7 English (Honeycomb)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 7 English (Honeycomb) Chapter – 8 Fire: Friend and Foe has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Chapter – 8 (Fire: Friend and Foe)
Comprehension Check
Answer the following questions:
1. Mark the correct answer in each of the following.
(i) Early man was frightened of
(a) lightning and volcanoes.
(b) the damage caused by them.
(c) fire.
Answer – (c) fire
(ii)
(a) Fire is energy.
(b) Fire is heat and light.
(c) Fire is the result of a chemical reaction.
Choose the right answer.
Answer – (c) Fire is the result of a chemical reaction.
2. From the boxes given below choose the one with the correct order of the following sentences.
(i) That is fire.
(ii) A chemical reaction takes place.
(iii) Energy in the form of heat and light is released.
(iv) Oxygen combines with carbon and hydrogen.
| a. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) | b. (ii) (iii) (i) (iv) |
| c. (iv) (iii) (ii) (i) | d. (iv) (ii) (iii) (i) |
Answer – d. (iv) (ii) (iii) (i)
Working with the text
Answer the following questions.
1. What do you understand by the ‘flash point’ of a fuel?
Answer – The “flashpoint” of the fuel is a certain temperature at which it begins to burn, upon heating.
2.
(i) What are some common uses of fire?
(ii) In what sense is it a “bad master”?
Answer – (i) Some common uses of fire are to cook food, generate electricity and keep our houses warm during the winters.
(ii) It is a bad master if it gets out of control. Then it burns the things which it engulfs.
3. Match items in Column A with those in Column B.
| A | B |
| (i) fuel | Lighted matchstick |
| (ii) oxygen | Air |
| (iii) heat | Coal |
| Burning coal | |
| Wood | |
| Smoldering paper | |
| Cooking gas |
Answer –
| A | B |
| (i) fuel | Smoldering paper |
| Cooking gas | |
| Coal | |
| Wood | |
| (ii) oxygen | Air |
| (iii) heat | Lighted matchstick |
| Burning coal |
4. What are the three main ways in which a fire can be controlled or put out?
Answer – A fire can be put out by removing one of the three things which are responsible for its cause.
(i) Ceasing the oxygen supply. If oxygen doesn’t reach the fire, it will immediately stop.
(ii) Removing the fuel, as burning cannot take place without the fuel.
(iii) Bringing the fuel’s temperature below its ‘flash point’.
5. Match the items in Box A with those in Box B
| A | B |
| (i) To burn paper or a piece of wood, | • it absorbs heat from the burning material and lowers the temperature. |
| (ii) Small fires can be put out |
• reduces the risk of fire. |
| (iii) When water is spread on fire, | • with a damp blanket. |
| (iv) A carbon dioxide extinguisher is the best thing | • we heat it before it catches fire. |
| (v) Space left between buildings | • to put out an electrical fire. |
Answer –
| A | B |
| (i) To burn paper or a piece of wood, | • we heat it before it catches fire. |
| (ii) Small fires can be put out | • with a damp blanket. |
| (iii) When water is spread on fire, | • it absorbs heat from the burning material and lowers the temperature. |
| (iv) A carbon dioxide extinguisher is the best thing | • to put out an electrical fire. |
| (v) Space left between buildings | • reduces the risk of fire. |
6. Why does a burning candle go out when you blow on it?
Answer – A burning candle goes out when we blow on it because blowing removes the hot air around the flame, bringing down its temperature below the flash point.
7. Spraying water is not a good way of putting out an oil fire or an electrical fire. Why not?
Answer – If water is sprayed onto an oil fire, the oil will float on the top and continue to burn. Water can carry oil with it and continue to burn. Water should also not be used on fires caused by electrical appliances. The person might get an electric shock and get killed.
8. What are some of the things you should do to prevent a fire at home and in the school?
Answer – This question requires you to use your own perspective as well as your analytical skills. The answer to the question would vary from one person to another. It is suggested that you read the text carefully and try attempting it on your own.
Working with language
1. Read the following sentences.
To burn paper or a piece of wood, we heat it before it catches fire. We generally do it with a lighted match. Every fuel has a particular temperature at which it burns.
The verbs in italics are in the simple present tense. When we use it, we are not thinking only about the present. We use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general.
Find ten examples of verbs in the simple present tense in the text ‘Fire: Friend and Foe’ and write them down here. Do not include any passive verbs.
Answer –
1. fire is the result of a chemical reaction.
2. Energy in the form of heat and light is released in this process.
3. When the oxygen in the air combines with carbon and hydrogen in a fuel, a chemical reaction takes place.
4. Oxygen comes from the air.
5. Every fuel has a particular temperature at which it begins to burn.
6. For instance, we use it to cook our food, warm our homes in winter and to generate electricity.
7. if fire gets out of control it can be very dangerous.
8. Vast areas of forest are also destroyed and hundreds of people are killed or injured.
9. It absorbs heat from the burning fuel and lowers the temperature.
10. The blanket of water also cuts off the supply of oxygen, and the fire is extinguished.
2: Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with words from the box. You may use a word more than once.
| carbon, cause, fire, smother |
(i) Gandhiji’s life was devoted to the __________ of justice and fair play.
(ii) Have you insured your house against __________?
(iii) Diamond is nothing but __________ in its pure form.
(iv) If you put too much coal on the fire at once you will __________ it.
(v) Smoking is said to be the main __________ of heart disease.
(vi) When asked by an ambitious writer whether he should put some __________ into his stories, Somerset Maugham murmured, “No, the other way round”.
(vii) She is a __________ copy of her mother.
(viii) It is often difficult to _________ a yawn when you listen to a long speech on the value of time.
Answer –
(i) Gandhiji’s life was devoted to the cause of justice and fair play.
(ii) Have you insured your house against fire?
(iii) Diamond is nothing but carbon in its pure form.
(iv) If you put too much coal on the fire at once you will smother it.
(v) Smoking is said to be the main cause of heart disease.
(vi) When asked by an ambitious writer whether he should put some fire into his stories, Somerset Maugham murmured, “No, the other way round”.
(vii) She is a carbon copy of her mother.
(viii) It is often difficult to smother a yawn when you listen to a long speech on the value of time.
3: One word is italicized in each sentence. Find its opposite in the box and fill in the blanks.
| spending, shut, destroy, subtract, increase |
(i) You were required to keep all the doors open, not __________.
(ii) PUPIL: What mark did I get in yesterday’s Maths test?
TEACHER: You got what you get when you add five and five and __________ ten from the total.
(iii) Run four kilometres a day to preserve your health. Run a lot more to __________ it.
(iv) If a doctor advises a lean and lanky patient to reduce his weight further, be sure he is doing it to __________ his income.
(v) The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and __________ we lay waste our powers.
Answer –
(i) You were required to keep all the doors open, not shut.
(ii) PUPIL: What mark did I get in yesterday’s Maths test?
TEACHER: You got what you get when you add five and five and subtract ten from the total.
(iii) Run four kilometres a day to preserve your health. Run a lot more to destroy it.
(iv) If a doctor advises a lean and lanky patient to reduce his weight further, be sure he is doing it to increase his income.
(v) The world is too much with us; late and soon. Getting and spending we lay waste our powers.
4. Use the words given in the box to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.
| across, along, past, through |
(i) The cat chased the mouse _________ the lawn.
(ii) We were not allowed to cross the frontier. So we drove _________ it as far as we could and came back happy.
(iii) The horse went _________ the winning post and had to be stopped with difficulty.
(iv) It is not difficult to see _________ your plan. Anyone can see your motive.
(v) Go _________ the yellow line, then turn left. You will reach the post office in five minutes.
Answer –
(i) The cat chased the mouse across the lawn.
(ii) We were not allowed to cross the frontier. So we drove along it as far as we could and came back happy.
(iii) The horse went past the winning post and had to be stopped with difficulty.
(iv) It is not difficult to see through your plan. Anyone can see your motive.
(v) Go along the yellow line, then turn left. You will reach the post office in five minutes.
