ENGLISH CHAPTER 8 WATER - A TRUE ELIXIR ( Dr. D. V. Jindal) Class 11th Complete Solution

                         CHAPTER 8

                   Water -- A True Elixir 

                                            (Dr. D.V. Jindal) 

Q. Why is only one per cent of the water available on our planet fit for drinking ? 

Ans. 97 per cent of the water available on our planet is salty ocean water. The remaining 3 per cent water is tresh water, but 2 per cent of it is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. This is the reason why only one per cent of the water available on our planet is fit for drinking 

Q. Why should we preserve the quality of water available to us? 

Ans. Only one per cent of the water available on our planet is fit for drinking. And moreover, the Earth is water supply is also fixed. No new water is being made. So we must preserve the quality of water available to us. 

Q. Why did civilizations generally grow on the banks of big rivers? 

Ans. The most vital thing in our life is water. We cannot live without it.Thisis the that the civilizations generally grew on the banks of big rivers to fulfil their need of water. They did so to have easy access to 

Q. What type of water supply and sewerage system prevailed during the Indus Civilization period ? 

Ans. The Indus Valley Civilization flourished about 5000 years ago. The Indus Val Civilization period had one of the most sophisticated urban water supply and see we systems in the world

Q. What role do forests play in the conservation of water 

Ans. Forests play a big role in the conservation of water.In the forests, water seeps gent, into the ground as vegetation breaks the flow of water. This groundwater, in turn, feed wells, lakes and rivers. 

Q. Why is water conservation the need of the day? 

Ans. In the forests, water seeps gent  into the ground as vegetation breaks the flow of water This groundwater in turn feeds wels, lakes and rivers. Since the absence of water can turn fertile lands into dry, barren lifeless tracts of death, water conservation has become the need of the day. Forests play a big role in the conservation of water. 

Q. What did the Punjab Agriculture Minister admit on the floor of the house? 

Ans. The writer says that the level of water is falling very fast in Punjab. It is estimated that there will be great shortage of water in Punjab. The Punjab Agriculture Minister also admitted that the groundwater was continuously declining in 85% of areas of the state.

Q. W/hat is the result of the excessive decline in water table in the state ? 

Ans. Due to the excessive decline in water table in the Punjab state, presence of nitrate in water has gone up by 10 times in the past four decades. It has increased to 5 me litre. The technologies related to soil and agronomic management can be used to save water

Q. What technology can be used to save water ? 

Ans. The water level is falling at very tast rate. So there is great need to save water. The technologies related to soil and agronomic management can be used to save water. Planting and transplanting of crops, use of sprinklers, drip irrigation and furrow can help a lor in saving water. 

Q. How do the rural communities and the poor urban classes suffer due to the shortage of water? 

Ans. The rural communities and the poor urban classes suffer from a lack of clean anc sa cafe water. They have to bear the pain of walking miles at a time to gather water from pond- and streams. Thus they have to tace great suffering due to the shortage of water. 

         Long Answer Type Questions

Q. How is water source of beauty and joy ? Explain. 

Ans. Water is no doubt a source of beauty and joy. Little streams trickling down the rocks give joy to our soul. Brooks or river dancing down the hills present betore our eyes great feast. In other words, water presents a joy to our eyes and a freshening breath of beauty to our mind.A great writer and scientist, C. V. Raman,compares water in a landscape to the eyes in a humanface.Eyes lend a unique beauty to the humanface.Similarly wata in a landscape adds a unique beauty to the landscape. 

Q. Write a note on the necessity of conserving water.

Ans. Today, there is great necessity of conserving water. Rising populations, growing industrialization and expanding agriculture have, no doubt, increased the consumption of water. But besides consuming, we are also wasting water. We are using it for wasteful purposes Moreover, by cutting down our forests, we have disturbed the water cycle also. As a result, 139 he water level is sinking year after year. And if this continues, a day will come when nre ues, a day will come when life ld become impossible on this earth.So to prevent that, we will have to conserve every the water level w drop of water 

Q. How and why is the groundwater level falling in Punjab with every passing year? Explain. 

Ans. In Punjab, the groundwater level is falling due to overexploitation of water resources. Jt is going down 60 cm every year. In less than 30 years,our state has used up groundwater reserves built up over the last 105 years. Besides this, major share of water is taken by rice wheat cropping system in Punjab. It may be noticed that 1 kilogram of rice consumes about 3500 litres of water for its growth. Now in order to reach the water table, the farmers have to dig deep erand deeper into the ground and use more power to pump out water 

Q. How does the cropping pattern affect the water table?

Ans. The present cropping pattern is continually lowering the groundwater levels. It is a grave danger to mankind since water is the elixir of life. No life is possible without water. And in the absence of water, no cropping would be possible also. The lands would become dry, barren lifeless tracts of death. So it is the need of the present situation that the traditional Cropping pattern should be changed immediately.

Q. Write a short paragraph on: Water-A True Elixir 

Ans. Water is no doubt the true elixir of life. It is the basis of all life. We can live without food for a number of days, but we can't do without water for a day even. But sadly, we are wasting and polluting this very source of life. We have disturbed the water cycle.Water keeps evaporating into the air. There are no trees to bring it back as rain because we have cut down our forests. This is the reason that the water level is sinking year after year. And if this continues, a day will come when life would be impossible on this earth. To prevent that, we shall have to take urgent steps. We must conserve every drop of water to keep this earth liveable for our coming generations.