MP Board Class 9 English Bridge Course Unit6 Unity in Diversity
Unit 6: Unity in Diversity
Activity 1: Map-Based Questions
Look at the map and answer the questions orally.
- What does this map show?
Answer: This map shows the different languages spoken in various regions of India. - Name some languages spoken in India with the help of the map.
Answer: Some languages spoken in India are Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Marathi. - According to the map, which language is spoken in the largest area?
Answer: Hindi is spoken in the largest area according to the map. - What language do you speak at home?
Answer: I speak Hindi at home.
Activity 2: Reading Comprehension
Read the following passage:
There is a popular saying in India – “कोस-कोस पर बदले पानी, चार कोस पर बाणी”. This shows the variety of languages we have in India. According to a survey by the People’s Linguistic Survey of India 2013, there are over 780 languages and 66 different scripts in India. The state of Arunachal Pradesh has the highest number of languages, that is 90! As per the 2011 Census, in India there are about 122 languages, which are spoken by more than 10,000 people. Of them, 22 are the scheduled languages. English and Hindi are the official languages of the union government. They are also ‘link languages’ that help us communicate with people from different parts of the country.
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each:
- What is the popular saying about languages in India? What does it mean?
Answer: The popular saying is “कोस-कोस पर बदले पानी, चार कोस पर बाणी”. It means that in India, the water changes every kos (a unit of distance), and the language changes every four kos, highlighting the vast linguistic diversity across the country. - How many languages are there in India according to the People’s Linguistic Survey of India?
Answer: According to the People’s Linguistic Survey of India 2013, there are over 780 languages in India. The survey also notes that there are 66 different scripts used for these languages. - Which state has the highest number of languages in India?
Answer: Arunachal Pradesh has the highest number of languages in India. The state is home to 90 different languages, as mentioned in the passage. - How many scheduled languages are there in India?
Answer: There are 22 scheduled languages in India. These are languages recognized by the Constitution of India, as per the 2011 Census data mentioned in the passage. - What are the official languages of the union government?
Answer: The official languages of the union government are English and Hindi. They are also used as ‘link languages’ to help people from different regions communicate with each other.
Activity 3: Verb Form Practice
Fill in the blanks with ‘is’ or ‘are’:
- English and Hindi are the official languages of the union government.
- English is a link language in India.
- Hindi is the official language of Madhya Pradesh.
- 66 different scripts are used in India.
Activity 4: Story Comprehension
Read the following story:
Once a lion went to a river to drink water. At the same time, a big elephant also came there. “I will drink water first,” growled the lion. The elephant replied, “No, I was here first, so I will drink first.” The lion shouted, “I have sharp teeth! Be careful!” The elephant also shouted, “I am stronger than you.” Just then they heard some noise. Some hyenas were coming closer. Both the lion and the elephant became scared. The lion said, “The hyenas come when an animal dies. If we fight and I kill you, or you kill me, the hyenas will be happy.” The elephant agreed, “You are right. Let’s not fight.” Both the lion and the elephant drank water at the same time and went away.
Answer the following questions in one word each:
- Where did the lion go to drink water? River
- Who else was there to drink water? Elephant
- Who had sharp teeth? Lion
- Who was stronger? Elephant
- What scared both the lion and the elephant? Hyenas
- What made the lion and the elephant decide not to fight with each other? Hyenas
Activity 5: Sentence Transformation
Read the following pairs of sentences and notice the differences:
- a. The lion told the elephant, “I have sharp teeth.”
b. The lion told the elephant that it had sharp teeth. - a. The elephant told the lion, “I am stronger than you.”
b. The elephant told the lion that it was stronger than the lion. - a. The lion said, “We should not fight.”
b. The lion said that they should not fight. - a. The lion said, “I will drink water first.”
b. The lion said that it would drink water first.
Note: This activity is for observation; students are expected to notice the shift from direct speech (using quotation marks) to indirect speech (using “that” and changing pronouns/verbs).
Activity 6: Comparative Forms Practice
Make comparative forms by adding ‘more’. An example is provided:
- important – more important
- useful – more useful
- famous – more famous
- intelligent – more intelligent
Activity 6 (Continued): Sentence Completion
Now, complete the sentences with the newly formed words:
- Health is more important than wealth.
- William Shakespeare is more famous than John Milton.
- A chimpanzee is more intelligent than a 2-year-old child.
- A map is more useful than a dictionary while trekking.
Activity 7: Story Retelling
Read the following story:
Once an old farmer lived in a village. He had four sons. They were always quarreling with each other. One day, the old farmer fell sick. He decided that he should bring unity among his sons. He called his sons and asked them to bring a few sticks. They brought the sticks. The farmer gave one stick to each and asked them to break it. Each of them was able to do it easily. Then the farmer asked one of his sons to tie them in a bundle. He then asked them to try and break it. Each of the sons tried to break the bundle, but they failed.
Write a sentence under each picture and then retell the story.
Note: As no pictures are provided, example sentences assume typical illustrations for the story.
- Picture 1: An old farmer is sitting with his four sons, who are arguing with each other.
- Picture 2: The farmer gives one stick to each son and asks them to break it.
- Picture 3: The farmer ties the sticks into a bundle and asks the sons to break it together.
- Picture 4: The sons try to break the bundle but fail, learning the lesson of unity.
Retold Story:
An old farmer in a village had four sons who always quarreled with each other. When the farmer fell sick, he decided to teach them the importance of unity. He asked his sons to bring a few sticks and gave one stick to each, which they broke easily. Then, he tied the sticks into a bundle and asked them to break it, but they failed, learning that they are stronger when united.
Activity 7 (Continued): Story Retelling
The sentences and retelling are completed above under Page 4, as the activity continues across pages.
Activity 8: Famous Food Items
Write the names of different food items that are famous in our country:
- Biryani
- Dosa
- Butter Chicken
- Pav Bhaji
- Chole Bhature
- Rasgulla
- Idli Sambar
- Tandoori Roti
- Pani Puri
- Jalebi
Vocabulary Table
| English Word | Hindi Translation |
|---|---|
| Unity | एकता |
| Diversity | विविधता |
| Popular | प्रसिद्ध |
| Languages | भाषाएँ |
| Survey | सर्वेक्षण |
| Highest | सबसे अधिक |
| Spoken | बोली जाने वाली |
| Official | आधिकारिक |
| Communicate | वार्ता करना |
| Growl | गुर्राना |
| Shouted | चिल्लाया |
| Hyena | हाइना |
| Son | बेटा |
| Quarrel | झगड़ा करना |
| Decide | निर्णय लेना |
| Stick | छड़ी |
| Break | तोड़ना |
| Easily | आसानी से |
| Tie | बाँधना |
| Fail | असफल होना |