NCERT Solutions Class 5 English Santoor Chapter 03 The Rainbow

Let us Think (Page 28)

Question 1. Explain the meaning of the word 'bow' used in the poem.
Answer: In the poem, the word 'bow' refers to a curved arch shape that appears in the sky after rain. A rainbow is a beautiful natural phenomenon that forms when sunlight passes through water droplets.
In simple words: 'Bow' means a curved arch. A rainbow is shaped like a bow in the sky.

Exam Tip: When explaining word meanings, always connect them to the context in which they appear in the poem - this shows deep understanding.

Question 2. Which bridge does the poet like more and why?
Answer: The poet likes the rainbow much more than the bridges built on rivers. This is because the rainbow is far more beautiful and magical, and it stretches all the way from earth to the sky, making it a wonder to behold.
In simple words: The poet likes rainbows more because they are prettier and more magical than river bridges.

Exam Tip: Always support your answer with reasons from the poem - explain both which thing the poet prefers and why the preference exists.

Question 3. The word 'these' is used for different things in stanzas one and two. What are the things for which 'these' has been used in each stanza?
Answer: In the first stanza, 'these' is used to refer to boats and ships. In the second stanza, 'these' refers to the bridges that are built across rivers.
In simple words: In stanza one, 'these' means boats and ships. In stanza two, 'these' means river bridges.

Exam Tip: Pay attention to how pronouns like 'these' change their meaning depending on which stanza or line they appear in - this tests reading comprehension.

Question 4. State whether the following are True or False.
(a) Ships sail on the river.
(b) Boats sail on the sea.
(c) Bridges are built on the river.
(d) A road is built from earth to the sky.
Answer:
(a) False
(b) False
(c) True
(d) False
In simple words: Ships sail on the sea, not rivers. Boats sail on rivers and lakes, not the sea. Bridges do go across rivers. Roads do not reach the sky.

Exam Tip: True/False questions require you to check each statement very carefully - one wrong word in the statement can make the whole thing false.

B. Think and discuss

Question 1. What are the ways in which you can cross a river?
Answer: There are several ways to cross a river. You can travel by boat or use a bridge to walk across. Swimming is another option if the water is calm and safe. You can also use a ferry service, which carries many people at once.
In simple words: You can cross a river by boat, bridge, swimming, or ferry.

Exam Tip: Discussion questions ask you to think beyond the poem - name as many methods as you can and briefly explain each one.

Question 2. Have you ever seen a rainbow, in real life or in pictures? How did you feel?
Answer: Yes, I have seen a rainbow in the sky. It was a wonderful experience to observe so many bright colours arranged together in the sky. I felt joyful and amazed by the natural beauty of this sight.
In simple words: I felt happy and surprised when I saw the rainbow with all its colours.

Exam Tip: For personal experience questions, share your own genuine feelings and observations - examiners value honest, descriptive answers over generic responses.

Question 3. If you could walk on a rainbow, where do you think it would take you?
Answer: If I could walk on a rainbow, I imagine it would take me high into the sky, lifting me above the clouds and toward the heavens. It would be an amazing journey to explore the sky and discover what lies beyond the clouds.
In simple words: A rainbow would carry me up into the sky and above the clouds.

Exam Tip: Imaginative questions allow creative thinking - use descriptive language to paint a picture of your imagined journey.

Let us Learn (Page 29)

Question A. Rearrange the letters of each word to form a meaningful word from the poem. Write them in the space provided.
Answer:
(1) sail
(2) river
(3) sea
(4) clouds
(5) bridges
(6) heaven
(7) overtops
(8) bow
(9) road
In simple words: Look at the jumbled letters and rearrange them to make words that appear in the rainbow poem.

Exam Tip: Word puzzles like this test spelling and vocabulary - read the jumbled letters carefully and think of words that fit the context of the poem.

Let us Listen (Page 30)

Question. Sit in a circle and listen to the words read aloud by your teacher. Give five rhyming words for each word as indicated.
Answer:
Ship: tip, dip, lip, rip, flip
Tree: bee, free, see, three, spree
Bow: how, now, cow, meow, allow
Rain: pain, gain, main, train, plain
Sun: fun, run, bun, done, none
Sea: bee, tea, knee, plea, spree
Sail: mail, pail, nail, tail, fail
And: sand, band, hand, land, stand
Sky: fly, my, by, tie, try
Far: car, star, bar, jar, guitar
In simple words: Find five words that rhyme with each given word - they should have the same ending sound.

Exam Tip: When finding rhyming words, focus on the sound at the end of the word, not just the spelling - sound is what matters most in rhyming.

Let us Speak (Page 31-32)

Question. Recite the poem given below in three ways: (a) In a happy voice (b) In an angry voice (c) In a surprised voice
Answer: Do it yourself.
In simple words: Read the poem aloud three times, changing your tone and feelings each time to match happy, angry, or surprised emotions.

Exam Tip: Use different voice tones, speed, and loudness to show different emotions - this demonstrates that you understand how tone changes meaning.

Let Us Write (Page 33-38)

Question A. The poem The Rainbow mentions boats and ships and their journey across the water bodies. You too may have travelled to different places. Share your experience of travelling to any one place with your class. Write a short paragraph of 80-100 words about your journey to a place you visited recently. You may include the following points in your paragraph: Time of journey and destination; Purpose of travel; Whom you travelled with; Things you liked or disliked during your travel; Local dishes and snacks; Monument, landmark or scenery
Answer: During the last summer holidays, I went to Jaipur along with my family. We made the trip by train and got there in the morning. Our main goal was to visit the historical forts and beautiful palaces. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip with my mother, father, and younger sister. The grand palaces left me impressed, and I also ate tasty local treats like kachori and jalebi. We made sure to see the Hawa Mahal, which was truly amazing. The whole experience was unforgettable, and every part of the journey made me smile.
In simple words: Write about a place you visited - tell when you went, who went with you, what you saw, what you ate, and how you felt.

Exam Tip: Focus on describing your personal experience and feelings rather than just listing facts about the place - use descriptive words to bring your story to life.

Question B. A word joins a 'friend word' to make new words, as shown below. Complete the table.
Answer:

In simple words: Take two smaller words and put them together to make one new word - this new word has a meaning that combines both words.

Exam Tip: Compound words are made by joining two complete words together - recognize this pattern to build and understand new vocabulary.

Question C. The following words are both nouns and verbs. Create two sentences for each word, once as a noun and then as a verb and write them in your notebook. 1. cut 2. bat 3. picture 4. cry 5. filter 6. dance 7. plant 8. paint 9. fly 10. face
Answer:

Cut

• Noun: I have a cut on my finger.
• Verb: Please cut the paper.

Bat

• Noun: He hit the ball with a bat.
• Verb: Indian cricketers bat excellently.

Picture

• Noun: The picture is beautiful.
• Verb: Can you picture yourself on a rainbow?

Cry

• Noun: He let out a cry of pain.
• Verb: You will cry tears of joy.

Filter

• Noun: She used a filter on her camera to get the perfect shot.
• Verb: The crowd began to filter into the arena.

Dance

• Noun: The children learned a new dance at school.
• Verb: He asked her to dance at the party.

Plant

• Noun: Plant gives us food.
• Verb: I am trying to plant the idea in his mind.

Paint

• Noun: The green paint on the wall looks very beautiful.
• Verb: She used different colours to paint her drawing.

Fly

• Noun: A fly landed in the glass of water.
• Verb: She likes to fly kites.

Face

• Noun: She has a beautiful face.
• Verb: We should face the problem together.

In simple words: Some words can work as either nouns (naming things) or verbs (action words) - the way they are used in a sentence tells you which one they are.

Exam Tip: Identify whether a word is a noun or verb by looking at its position and function in the sentence - nouns name things, while verbs show actions.

Question D.1. Write the opposites of the following words in the space provided. All your answers must begin with an 'S'.
Answer:
(a) large - small
(b) weak - strong
(c) fast - slow
(d) rough - smooth
(e) dull - sharp
(f) curved - straight
(g) finish - start
(h) addition - subtraction
(i) complicated - simple
(j) mild - severe
(k) blunt - sharp
In simple words: Look for words that mean the opposite of each word given, and make sure your answer begins with the letter 'S'.

Exam Tip: When looking for opposites (antonyms) with a specific starting letter, think of as many opposite words as possible, then pick the one that starts with the required letter.

Question D.2. Now, make sentences using the words that you have written in the blanks. Write them in your notebook.
Answer:
(a) small: My schoolbag is very small.
(b) strong: We must eat nutritious food to become healthy and strong.
(c) slow: My watch is slow.
(d) smooth: The floor of the classroom is very smooth.
(e) sharp: Ananya's mind is very sharp.
(f) straight: Draw a straight line on this page.
(g) start: Now you should start to study early in the morning.
(h) subtraction: In class 1, we practised addition and subtraction.
(i) simple: This is a very simple question.
(j) severe: He has severe pain in chest.
(k) sharp: We should not play with sharp things.
In simple words: Write your own sentences using each opposite word you found - this shows you understand the meaning.

Exam Tip: When making sentences, ensure each word is used correctly in context - avoid copying the example sentences exactly.

Question D.3. In small groups, choose a letter of the English alphabet and create an exercise similar to the one above.
Answer: Do it yourself.
In simple words: Work together as a group and make a list of opposites that all start with the same letter - it will be fun and challenging!

Exam Tip: Creative exercises like this test your understanding of vocabulary and word relationships - work collaboratively to produce quality results.

E. VIBGYOR - The Colours of the Rainbow

VIBGYOR is a simple way to remember all seven colours of the rainbow in the right order:

• V - Violet
• I - Indigo
• B - Blue
• G - Green
• Y - Yellow
• O - Orange
• R - Red

When sunlight shines through raindrops in the air, it breaks into these seven beautiful colours and forms a rainbow in the sky. This happens because white light bends and separates into its component colours as it passes through the water droplets.

Question F. The following items, generally found in kitchens, add colour and taste to the food. What colours are they? Write them in the column. What do you call them in your mother tongue?
Answer:

In simple words: Look at each spice, write down its colour, and then think about what you call it in your home language.

Exam Tip: This activity builds cultural awareness and language skills - learning words in your mother tongue alongside English enriches your vocabulary in both languages.

Question G. Welcome to the land of flowerpots! Design and colour a Flowerpot Friend!
Answer: Do it yourself.
In simple words: Draw a flowerpot with a face and body, then colour it with your favourite colours to make it look fun and happy.

Exam Tip: Creative activities like this encourage artistic expression - use bright colours and interesting designs to make your flowerpot friend unique.

Question. Do you know these colour combinations? Colour within the outline and write the name of the new colour.
Answer:
(1) red + blue = purple
(2) yellow + blue = green
(3) red + yellow = orange
(4) red + white = pink
(5) red + black = maroon
(6) red + yellow + black = brown
In simple words: When you mix two colours together, you get a brand new colour - try mixing different colours and see what happens!

Exam Tip: Understanding colour mixing helps you appreciate how primary colours combine to create secondary colours - this is an important art and science concept.

Let Us Explore (Page 40)

Question A. Make a list of different types of boats. Collect pictures and information about the listed types of boats. Make a presentation to depict the differences among them.
Answer:

Rowboat

A rowboat is a small, hand-powered vessel that is typically used for fun activities or getting from place to place on calm waters. It moves forward by using oars and is usually built from wood, fiberglass, or similar lightweight materials. Most rowboats fit just one or two people and you will find them most often on lakes, rivers, and peaceful coastal regions.

Sailboat

A sailboat moves by catching the wind in its sails. These boats vary in size from tiny dinghies all the way up to large yachts. They are popular for both leisure sailing and racing competitions. A typical sailboat has a hull, a tall mast, and different types of sails like the mainsail, jib, and spinnaker. The captain steers using a helm or steering wheel.

Canoe

A canoe is a slender, lightweight boat that narrows to a point at both ends and is moved forward using paddles. It serves many purposes such as recreational paddling, fishing, and travelling, and is commonly seen on lakes and rivers. Canoes can be built from materials including wood, aluminum, or fiberglass, making them flexible for different environments.

Motorboat

A motorboat runs using an engine - either an internal combustion engine or an electric motor - to push it through the water. These vessels come in many sizes, from small recreational craft to larger boats used for racing, fishing, and pleasure cruising. You might also hear them called powerboats or speedboats.

Ferry

A ferry is a larger passenger transport boat designed to move many people across bodies of water on regular scheduled routes. Ferries are built for comfort and safety and are used to carry commuters, tourists, and cargo across rivers, harbours, and straits.

In simple words: Different boats are made for different purposes - some are small and quiet, others are big and fast, but all boats help people travel across water.

Exam Tip: When presenting information about boats, highlight the key differences in size, power source, and purpose - this shows you understand how boats are classified.

Ferry

A ferry is a vessel that moves passengers and sometimes vehicles across water, usually following a set timetable and route. Ferries often link islands to mainland areas or span rivers and lakes. They come in various sizes, from small boats to massive ships that can hold many hundreds of people and cars.

Houseboat

A houseboat is a boat that has been built or changed to function as a dwelling, complete with living areas and home-like facilities. These boats may stay in one place or have engines for movement, and they exist on lakes, rivers, and canals. Living on a houseboat offers a special water-based lifestyle, ranging from basic, rough-and-ready builds to high-end, luxury floating homes.

Yacht

A yacht is a leisure vessel, generally bigger and fancier than a basic boat, made for pleasure journeys, competitive sailing, or long voyages. Most yachts have rooms for sleeping aboard and often include features such as bedrooms, cooking areas, and leisure equipment.

Catamaran

A catamaran is a boat or ship with a double-hull structure, made up of two hulls positioned side by side and matching in size. This two-hull layout brings several perks: better balance on water, less rolling (leaning to one side), and quicker movement than single-hull boats of similar type. Catamaran designs are valued in leisure boating as well as for business uses such as running ferry services.

Activity

Split the class into two groups. One group talks about human-made objects such as ships and bridges. The other group discusses natural phenomena such as clouds and rainbows. Both groups then present what they discovered.

Did You Know?

Isaac Newton made a spinning wheel with all seven rainbow colors painted on it to show that plain white light is actually made up of many different colors put together. When the wheel spins at high speed, your eyes pick up white instead of seeing the individual colors.