Gujarat Board GSEB Solutions Class 7 English Second Language Let’s Read More Chapter 1 The Ganga Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

GSEB Std 7 English Textbook Solutions Let’s Read More Chapter 1 The Ganga

GSEB Class 7 English The Ganga Text Book Questions and Answers

Rivers are the lifeline for mankind. There are many great rivers in our country, India. The Ganga is the most important and the greatest river among them. The Ganga is 2480 kilometres long. The source of the Ganga is in the Himalayan mountains. It comes down through the hills and flows into the Bay of Bengal.

The Ganga is a holy river. There are many stories of how the river Ganga came down to the earth. Would you like to know one of them? Long ago, there was a king. His name was Sagara. He had a beautiful horse. He wanted to give his horse as a present to the gods. One day, a thief took away the horse. The king was very unhappy.

He sent all his sons to search for it. But he asked one of his sons named Bhagirath to stay with him. Sagara’s sons searched for the horse all over the land, but they could not find it anywhere. So they decided to search for it inside the earth. They dug a deep, deep hole. At last, they came to a great sea. There they saw a very old man. Sagara’s sons disturbed that old man. So he became very angry. He became so angry that he burnt Sagara’s all sons to ashes.

Now, only the water of the Ganga could give them all a new life. But, at that time, Ganga was not on the earth. She was in heaven. Bhagirath was alone at home. He prayed to the river Ganga to come down on the earth and bring his brothers to life again. Ganga was happy to be on the earth, but was afraid that her fall from heaven to earth would break the earth.

Bhagirath requested Lord Shiva to help Ganga. Lord Shiva agreed. He asked Ganga to flow down to the earth through his long hair. In this way, Ganga could come down gently to the earth. The Ganga flowed over ashes of Sagara’s sons and they all came to life again.Bhagirath prayed to Ganga to flow on the earth. So she is also known as ‘Bhagirathi’.

(રિવર્ઝ આર ધ લાઇફલાઇન ફૉર મૅનકાઇન્ડ. ધેઅર આર મેનિ ગ્રેટ રિવર્ઝ ઇન અવર કન્દ્રિ, ઇન્ડિયા. ધ ગંગા ઇઝ ધ મોસ્ટ ઇમ્પોર્ટન્ટ ઍન્ડ ધ ગ્રેટેસ્ટ રિવર અમંગ ધમ. ધ ગંગા ઇઝ 2480 કિલોમીટર્ઝ લૉગ. ધ સૉર્સ ઑવ ધ ગંગા ઇઝ ઇન ધ હિમાલયન માઉન્ટિન્ઝ. ઇટ કન્ઝ ડાઉન થૂ ધ હિલ્સ ઍન ફ્લોઝ ઇન્દુ ધ બે ઑવ બેંગૉલ.) નદીઓ માનવજાતિ માટે જીવાદોરી છે. આપણા દેશ, ભારતમાં ઘણી મોટી નદીઓ છે.

તે સૌમાં ગંગા સૌથી મહત્ત્વની અને સૌથી મોટી નદી છે. ગંગા 2480 કિલોમીટર લાંબી છે. ગંગાનું ઊગમ સ્થાન હિમાલય પર્વતોમાં છે. તે પર્વતોમાંથી નીચે ઊતરીને બંગાળની ખાડીમાં વહે છે. (ધ ગંગા ઇઝ અ હોલિ રિવર. ધેઅર આર મેનિ સ્ટોરિઝ ઑવ હાઉ ધ રિવર ગંગા કેમ ડાઉન ટૂ ધ અર્થ. વુડ યૂ લાઈક ટૂ નો વન ઑવ ધેમ?)

ગંગા એક પવિત્ર નદી છે. ગંગા પૃથ્વી પર કઈ રીતે આવી તેના વિશે ઘણી વાર્તાઓ છે. તમારે તેમાંની એક (વાર્તા) જાણવી છે? (લૉંગ અગો, ધેઅર વૉઝ અ કિંગ. હિઝ નેમ વૉઝ સગર. હી હેડ અ બ્યુટિફુલ હૉર્સ. હી વૉન્ટિડ ટૂ ગિવ હિઝ હૉર્સ ઍઝ આ પ્રેઝન્ટ ટૂ ધ ગૉડ્ઝ.) ઘણાં સમય પહેલાં, એક રાજા હતો.

તેનું નામ સગર હતું. તેની પાસે એક સુંદર ઘોડો હતો. તે તેનો ઘોડો દેવોને ભેટ તરીકે આપવા માગતો હતો. (વન ડે, આ થિફ ટુક અવે ધ હૉર્સ. ધ કિંગ વૉઝ વેરિ અનુૉપિ.) એક દિવસ, એક ચોર ઘોડો લઈ ગયો. રાજા ખૂબ દુઃખી થઈ ગયો. (હી સેન્ટ ઑલ હિઝ સન્ઝ ટુ સર્ચ ફૉર ઇટ, બટ હી આફડ વન ઑવ હિઝ સન્ઝ ને… ભગીરથ ટૂ સ્ટે વિથ હિમ. સગર્ગ સન્ઝા સડ ફૉર ધ હૉર્સ ઑલ ઑવર ધ લૅન્ડ, બટ ધે કુડ નૉટ ફાઇન્ડ ઇટ ઍનિવેઅર. સો ધે ડિસાઇડિડ ટુ સર્ચ ફૉર ઇટ ઇનુસાઇડ ધ અર્થ. ધે ડગ અ ડીપ, ડીપ હોલ.

ઍટ લાસ્ટ, ધે કેમ ટૂ અ ગ્રેટ સી. ધેઅર ધે સૉ અ વેરિ ઓલ્ડ મૅન. સગર્ગ સ ડિસ્ટર્બડ ધેટ ઓલ્ડ મૅન. સો હી બિકેમ વેરિ ઍગ્રિ. હી બિકેમ સો ઍગ્રિ ઘંટ હી બન્ટ સગર્ઝ ઑલ સન્ઝ ટુ ઍશિઝ.) તેણે તેના બધા પુત્રોને તેની શોધમાં મોકલ્યા. પણ તેણે ભગીરથ નામના તેના પુત્રને તેની સાથે રહેવા કહ્યું. સગરના પુત્રોએ ધરતી પર બધે જ ઘોડાને શોધ્યો, પણ તેમને તે ક્યાંય મળ્યો નહીં. તેથી તેઓએ પૃથ્વીની અંદર તેને શોધવાનું નક્કી કર્યું.

તેમણે ખૂબ ઊંડો ખાડો ખોદ્યો. અંતે તેઓ એક વિશાળ સમુદ્ર સુધી પહોંચ્યા. ત્યાં તેમણે એક વૃદ્ધ માણસ જોયો. સગરનાં પુત્રોએ તે વૃદ્ધ માણસને ખલેલ પહોંચાડી. તેથી તે ખૂબ ક્રોધિત થયો. તે એટલો બધો ક્રોધિત થયો કે તેણે સગરના બધા જ પુત્રોને બાળીને રાખ કરી દીધા.

(નાઉ, ઓલિ ધ વૉટર ઑવ ધ ગંગા કુંડ ગિવ ધેમ ઑલ અ ન્યૂ લાઇફ. બટ, ઍટ ધેટ ટાઇમ, ગંગા વૉઝ નૉટ ઑન ધ અર્થ. શી વૉઝ ઇન હેવન. ભગીરથ વૉઝ અલોન ઍટ હોમ. હી પ્રેડ ટૂ ધ રિવર ગંગા ટૂકમ ડાઉન ઑન ધ અર્થ ઍન્ડ બ્રિગ | હિઝ બ્રધર્ઝ ટુ લાઇફ અગેન. ગંગા વૉઝ ઑપિ ટૂ બી ઑન ધ અર્થ, બટ વૉઝ અફ્રેડ ધેટ પર ફૉલ ફ્રૉમ હેવન ટૂ અર્થ વુડ બ્રેક ધ અર્થ. ભગીરથ રિક્વેસ્ટિડ લૉર્ડ શિવ ટુ હેલ્પ ગંગા.

લૉડ શિવ અગ્રીડ. હી આફડ ગંગા ટૂ ફ્લો ડાઉન ટૂ ધ અર્થ ઘૂ હિઝ લોંગ હેઅર. ઇન ધિસ વે, ગંગા કુડ કમ ડાઉન જેલિ ટુ ધ અર્થ. ધ ગંગા ફ્લોડ ઓવર ધ ઍશિઝ ઑવ સગર્ઝ સઝ ઍન્ડ ધે ઑલ કેમ ટૂ લાઇફ અગેન.) હવે, ફક્ત ગંગાનું પાણી તેમને નવું જીવન આપી શકે. પણ તે સમયે ગંગા પૃથ્વી પર નહોતી. તે સ્વર્ગમાં હતી. ભગીરથ ઘરે એકલો હતો. તેણે ગંગાને પૃથ્વી પર આવી, તેનાં ભાઈઓને ફરીથી જીવિત કરવા પ્રાર્થના કરી.

ગંગા પૃથ્વી પર (આવવા માટે) રાજી હતી, પણ તેને ડર હતો કે સ્વર્ગમાંથી પૃથ્વી પર તેના પડવાથી પૃથ્વી ફાટી જશે. ભગીરથે ભગવાન શિવને ગંગાની મદદ કરવા વિનંતી કરી. ભગવાન શિવ કબુલ થયા. તેમણે ગંગાને તેમની લાંબી જટામાંથી નીચે વહેવા કહ્યું. આ રીતે ગંગા હળવેથી પૃથ્વી પર આવી શકી.

ગંગા સગરના પુત્રોની રાખ ઉપરથી વહી અને તેઓ બધા ફરથી જીવિત થયા. (ભગીરથ પ્રેડ ટૂ ગંગા ટૂ ફ્લો ઑન ધ અર્થ. સો શી ઇઝ ઑલ્સો નોન ઍઝ ‘ભાગીરથી’.) ભગીરથે ગંગાને પૃથ્વી પર વહેવા માટે પ્રાર્થના કરી. તેથી તે ‘ભાગીરથી’ તરીકે પણ ઓળખાય છે.

Exercise

1. Choose (a), (b) or (c) and complete the sentences.

(1) The Ganga’s source Is high up in the Himalayan mountains.
(a) the Bay of Bengal
(b) high up in the Himalayan mountains
(c) the hills

(2) The angry old man burnt all the king’s sons, except Bhagirath.
(a) all the king’s sons, except Bhagirath
(b) all the king’s sons
(c) Bhagirath

(3) King Sagara sent all his sons, except Bhagirath to look for his horse.
(a) Bhagirath
(b) all his sons, except Bhagirath
(c) all his sons

(4) At the end of the story, the Ganga was a river only on the earth.
(a) only in heaven
(b) only on the earth
(c) on the earth as well as in heaven

(5) Give another name for the river Ganga The Bhagirathi.
(a) The Revati
(b) The Saraswati
(c) The Bhagirathi

2. Collect other such stories about the river Ganga and share them with your class.

Let’s Learn More

1. Read the following paragraphs from the lesson.

(1) Rivers are the lifeline for mankind. There are many great rivers in our country, India. The Ganga is the most important and the greatest river among them. The Ganga is 2480 kilometres long. The source of the Ganga is in the Himalayan mountains. It comes down through the hills and flows into the Bay of Bengal.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Which river is the lifeline for mankind ?
Answer:
The river Ganga is the lifeline for mankind.

Question 2.
How long is the river Ganga ?
Answer:
The river Ganga is 2480 kilometres long.

Question 3.
Where is the source of the Ganga ?
Answer:
The source of the Ganga is in the Himalayan mountains.

Answer the questions selecting the correct options.

Question 1.
………… are the lifeline for mankind.
A. Seas
B. Waters
C. Rivers
D. Streams
Answer:
C. Rivers

Question 2.
The Ganga is ……………. kilometres long.
A. 2480
B.2408
C.4280
D. 4208
Answer:
A. 2480

Question 3.
The Ganga flows into the
A. Indian Ocean
B. Arabian Sea
C. Yamuna
D. Bay of Bengal
Answer:
D. Bay of Bengal

(2) Long ago, there was a king. His name was Sagara. He had a beautiful horse. He wanted to give his horse as a present to the gods. One day, a thief took away the horse. The king was very unhappy. He sent all his sons to search for it. But he asked one of his sons named Bhagirath to stay with him.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What did the king want to do with the horse ?
Answer:
The king wanted to present the horse to his gods.

Question 2.
Why was the king unhappy ?
Answer:
The king was unhappy because a thief took dway his horse.

Question 3.
Who stayed with the king ?
Answer:
Bhagirath stayed with the king.

Answer the questions selecting the correct options.

Question 1.
Which word in the passage means ‘gift’?
A. beautiful
B. search
C. present
D. stay
Answer:
C. present

Question 2.
The king was unhappy because…
A. he had a beautiful horse.
B. a thief took away his horse.
C. gods took away his horse.
D. his sons took away his horse.
Answer:
B. a thief took away his horse.

(3) Sagara’s sons searched for the horse all over the land, but they could not find it anywhere. So they decided to search for it inside the earth. They dug a deep, deep hole. At last, they came to a great sea. There they saw a very old man. Sagara’s sons disturbed that old man. So he became very angry. He became so angry that he burnt Sagara’s all sons to ashes.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What did the old man do ?
Answer:
The old man burnt Sagara’s sons to ashes.

Question 2.
Why was the old man angry ?
Answer:
The old man was angry because Sagara’s sons disturbed him.

Question 3.
Could the sons find the horse on land ?
Answer:
No, the sons could not find the horse on land.

Answer the questions selecting the correct options.

Question 1.
Sagara’s sons could not find the horse
A. inside the earth
B. on the land
C. in the sea
D. in the sky
Answer:
B. on the land

Question 2.
Sagara’s sons ………… the old man.
A. helped
B. talked to
C. disturbed
D. did not disturb
Answer:
C. disturbed

(4) Now, only the water of the Ganga could give them all a new life. But, at that time, Ganga was not on the earth. She was in heaven. Bhagirath was alone at home. He prayed to the river Ganga to come down on the earth and bring his brothers to life again. Ganga was happy to be on the earth, but was afraid that her fall from heaven to earth would break the earth.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What could give the sons a new life ?
Answer:
The water of the Ganga could give the sons a new life.

Question 2.
Where was Ganga ?
Answer:
Ganga was in heaven.

Question 3.
What did Bhagirath pray to Ganga ?
Answer:
Bhagirath prayed to Ganga to come down on the earth and bring his brothers to life again.

Question 4.
Ganga was afraid that her fall would
Answer:
Ganga was afraid that her fall would break the earth.

Answer the questions selecting the correct options.

Question 1.
The Ganga was ………… .
A. on land
B. inside the earth
C. in heaven
D. in the sky
Answer:
C. in heaven

Question 2.
………….. prayed to Ganga.
A. Bhagirath
B. Sagara
C. The old man
D. The sons
Answer:
A. Bhagirath

Question 3.
Ganga was happy to be …………..
A. In heaven
B. on earth
C. in sea
D. in the sky
Answer:
B. on earth

Question 4.
Ganga was afraid that her fall from heaven would ………..
A. break the land
B. break the Himalayas
C. break the sky
D. break the earth
Answer:
D. break the earth

(5) Bhagirath requested Lord Shiva to help Ganga. Lord Shiva agreed. He asked Ganga to flow down to the earth through his long hair. In this way, Ganga could come down gently to the earth. The Ganga flowed over ashes of Sagara’s sons and they all came to life again. Bhagirath prayed to Ganga to flow on the earth. So she is also known as ‘Bhagirathi’.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What did Bhagirath request Lord Shiva ?
Answer:
Bhagirath requested Lord Shiva to help Ganga.

Question 2.
What did Lord Shiva ask Ganga to do ?
Answer:
Lord Shiva asked Ganga to flow down to the earth through his long hair.

Question 3.
When Ganga flowed over the ashes of Sagara’s sons,….
Answer:
When Ganga flowed over the ashes of Sagara’s sons, they all came to life again.

Answer the questions selecting the correct options.

Question 1.
Bhagirath requested ………. to help Ganga.
A. Lord Vishnu
B. Lord Brahma
C. Lord Shiva
D. Lord Ganesh
Answer:
C. Lord Shiva

Question 2.
Ganga came down ………. to the earth.
A. gently
B. forcefully
C. quickly
D. slowly
Answer:
A. gently

Word Meanings