Nature's Gifts

Question Why are forests called the 'lungs of the Earth'? tap to flip ↻ Answer Because trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, helping maintain the balance of atmospheric gases needed for breathing. Question Name two products obtained from forests besides timber. tap to flip ↻ Answer Medicinal plants and honey (or fruits, gum, resin). Question What are the two main categories of crops in India? tap to flip ↻ Answer Food crops and cash crops. Question Define a food crop. tap to flip ↻ Answer A crop grown mainly to directly feed people (e.g., rice, wheat). Question Define a cash crop. tap to flip ↻ Answer A crop grown mainly to be sold or used as industrial raw material (e.g., cotton, sugarcane). Question Classify these crops as food or cash crops: wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane. tap to flip ↻ Answer Wheat and rice are food crops; cotton and sugarcane are cash crops. Question Which crop is a major food crop grown in West Bengal, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh? tap to flip ↻ Answer Rice. Question Which crop is a major cash crop grown in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh? tap to flip ↻ Answer Cotton. Question What is a fibre? tap to flip ↻ Answer A thin, thread-like strand that can be spun into yarn and woven into fabric. Question Name two plant fibres and two animal fibres. tap to flip ↻ Answer Plant fibres: cotton, jute; Animal fibres: wool, silk. Question What is ginning? tap to flip ↻ Answer The process of separating cotton fibres from the plant's seeds. Question What is spinning? tap to flip ↻ Answer Twisting loose fibres together to make yarn or thread. Question What is weaving? tap to flip ↻ Answer Interlacing yarn on a loom to produce fabric. Question List the three main steps in turning cotton into cloth. tap to flip ↻ Answer Ginning, spinning, and weaving. Question What is sericulture? tap to flip ↻ Answer The practice of raising silkworms to produce silk. Question How is silk fibre obtained from silkworms? tap to flip ↻ Answer Silkworms spin cocoons of silk thread; workers unwind (reel) the thread from the cocoon to produce silk yarn. Question Why is cotton clothing preferred in hot regions? tap to flip ↻ Answer Because cotton is breathable, absorbs sweat, and lets air pass through, keeping the body cool. Question Why is wool clothing preferred in cold regions like the Himalayas? tap to flip ↻ Answer Because wool traps air within its fibres, and trapped air is a poor conductor of heat, keeping body heat in. Question From which part of the jute plant is jute fibre obtained? tap to flip ↻ Answer The stem. Question What is one common use of jute fibre? tap to flip ↻ Answer Making sacks, ropes, or mats. Question Which type of forest is found in areas with heavy rainfall? tap to flip ↻ Answer Evergreen forests. Question Which type of forest has trees that shed their leaves during the dry season? tap to flip ↻ Answer Deciduous forests. Question What are the two main sources of natural fibres? tap to flip ↻ Answer Plants and animals. Question What is the difference between a plant fibre and an animal fibre? tap to flip ↻ Answer Plant fibres come from plants (e.g., cotton); animal fibres come from animals (e.g., wool). Question Why is cotton called a cash crop? tap to flip ↻ Answer Because it is grown mainly to be sold for profit or used as industrial raw material, rather than eaten directly. Question Name two major growing regions for wheat in India. tap to flip ↻ Answer Uttar Pradesh and Punjab (also Haryana). Question Name two major growing regions for sugarcane in India. tap to flip ↻ Answer Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Question What is the role of forests in maintaining climate and rainfall? tap to flip ↻ Answer Forests help maintain the balance of climate and rainfall. Question What is the first step in making cotton fabric from raw cotton? tap to flip ↻ Answer Ginning. Question What is the purpose of spinning in cloth making? tap to flip ↻ Answer To twist loose fibres together into strong yarn or thread.