Current Affairs 2nd Class

      Medicinal value of the Plants Plants have always been considered as a healthy source of life for living organism. They are very useful for healing various diseases, therefore, called natural medicine. Particularly the ayurvedic medical system is fully depended on different plants and herbs for the treatment of various diseases. For example, Amla is very useful in cough, cold, diabetes, hyperacidity etc. Similarly, basil or Tulsi leaf and muleti is a good medicine in cold. Sandalwood is used for the treatment of skin disorder, burning, jaundice, and cough . Some other medicinal plants are Ashok, Aswagandha, Sarpagandha, etc.            Which one of the following is correct? (a) Every plant has medicinal value (b) No plant has medicinal value (c) Only very small plant has medicinal value (d) Some plants have medicinal value   Answer: (d) Explanations  There are different types of plant but only some plants have medicinal value. Therefore, option (D) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.          Some plants are ______________ medicine. (a) Synthetic (b) Irregular (c) Natural (d) Artificial   Answer: (c) Explanations  Some plans are natural medicine. Therefore, option (C) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.      Herbs are the plants that are used for flavor and medicines. Shrubs plants are smaller than trees. Creeper plants spread over long distance. Climber plants need a support to grow. Stem is a food storehouse for plants. Stem gives support to the upper part of the plant. Leaves are generally green and can be big and small in shape and size.      Plants provide food items, like cereals/pulses, vegetables, fruits and spices. Plants are responsible for the presence of oxygen in the environment. Beverages like tea and coffee are also the product of plants. Big plants are tall and larger than other plants. Fruits come out from flowers. A plant comes out of seeds. Plants grow with the help of water, sunlight, minerals, fresh air and temperature.

   Food from the Plants The following are the name of some food which are obtained from the plants: Cereals, pulses and wheat. Fruits and vegetables. Spices like turmeric, garlic, ginger, mustard etc. Sugar, tea and coffee. Different kind of oil like mustered oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, etc.            Look at the following picture of some food :                                                                   Rice                                    Wheat                                     Pulses                       Fruits and Vegitables            Which one of the following food items we get from plants? (a) Rice                                                                 (b) Mutton (c) Chicken                                                          (d) Egg   Answer: (a) Explanations Rice is obtained from plants. Therefore, option (A) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.         Which one of the following comes from spice plant? (a) Wheat                                                            (b) Oat (c) Turmeric                                                        (d) Rice   Answers (c) Explanation  Root of turmeric plant is used for spice. Therefore, option (C) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.

    Characteristic Features of Different Parts of a Plant             Look at the following picture of parts of a plant:                  Roots The following are the properties of roots of the plants: This is the part of the plants that develops inside the soil. This acts as an anchor providing underground base to the plants. Roots absorb water and mineral from soil and send it to the other part of plants through stem.            Stem The following are the properties of stem part of the plants: Stem gives support to the upper part of the plant. Water and dissolved nutrients from the soil travel up through stems. Food from leaves come down to roots via stems. It acts as the food storehouse in some plants. It is very similar to veins and arteries of the human body which transport essential substances in the human circulatory system. Stem of plant also transports plant hormones from one part of another.            Leaves The following are the properties of leaves part of the plant: Leaves of different plants can have different shapes and sizes. Generally they are green, but may be of different colours also. They are the prime locations for food production. In this part of the plants, food are made through the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, leaves use light energy to change carbon dioxide and water into food.            Flowers The following are the properties of flowers part of the plant: They are the most attractive part of the plants. Flowers attract human and insects because of their fragrance and colour. They are the reproductive parts of the plants. Flower petals and the flowers scent attract insects and bees to pollinate the flowers.           Fruits The following are the properties of fruits part of the plant: They come out from flowers. They are the extra food, which are made by the plant but do not utilize.           Seeds The following are the properties of seeds part of the plants: A tiny embryo inside the fruits called seed. Seeds contains food. It supplies energy and minerals for growth until the plant grows its first leaves, above the ground.              Fruits come out from___________________. (a) Flowers                                                         (b) Seeds (c) Shoots                                                            (d) Roots   Answer: (a) Explanation  Fruits come out from flowers. Therefore, option (A) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.          Which one of more...

    Types of Plants   In general, there are about 350,000 plant species. Therefore, their classification is very difficult. Some plants grow on land, whereas some grow in water. We can differentiate plants on the basis of their habitat as well as on their structure.      Classification of Plants on the Basis of their Habitat 1. Terrestrial 2. Aquatic       Terrestrial Plants Plants, which grow on the land are called terrestrial plants. Structure of terrestrial plants are well defined to survive on different types of soil on the land. Some plants whose leaves are pointed like a niddle grow in sandy soil.       Look at the following picture of some terrestrial plants:                                                          Papaya tree                      Mango tree                       Apple tree                       Orange tree          Aquatic Plants Plants which grow in water are called aquatic plants. Some aquatic plants float in water, whereas some are not. The plants, which float in water are called floating plants. Plants, those do not float in water are called fixed plants.        Look at the following picture of some aquatic plants:                                                  Water lily                           Lotus                      Dwarf hygrophilla                       Bonsal           Classification of Plants on the Basis of their Structure          Mosses Plants These are tiny plants having equally tiny leaves and no flower bearing capacity. They do not have roots like other plants, but, they have thin structure that holds them down. They don't have seeds, but they have spores.      Look at the following picture of mosses plant:              Grasses They can be identified by their distinct leaves, narrow slender and usually long size. They may or may not bear flowers. Their roots are in the form of clump.       Look at the following picture of more...

   Introduction Living things are divided into two groups Plants and animals. A feature which differentiates the plant and the animal are that, the plant cannot move from one place to another, but an animal can move from one place to another place. In this chapter we will learn about the characteristic features of plants.       Importance of Plants Plants are the oldest living organism on the earth. Plants make their own food from the sunlight and take necessary nutrients and water from the soil. Hence plants do not depend on others to obtain food for itself. Living organism, other than plants, is directly or indirectly depend on plants for their nutritional needs.        The following are some importance of plants in our daily life: They provide food to other living organism. They are necessary for the fresh and cool environment. They are responsible for the presence of oxygen in the environment, as oxygen is the gas that is inhaled by most living organisms to be alive. They are used for wood industry. Many wooden furniture like beds, tables, chairs, etc. are made from the wood of plants. Wood of plants are also used in construction works. Some special kind of plants are used for making medicines.           Which one of the following does not eat food from plant? (a) Goat                                                               (b) Cow (c) Rat                                                                   (d) Telephone   Answer: (d) Explanation  Plants and its products are food for living organism. But telephone is a non-living thing. Therefore, option (D) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.       Which one of the following is true? (a) Plants are not used for food of the living things (b) Plants are not used for making medicines (c) Chairs are made from the wood of plants (c) Plants are useless for living things   Answer: (c) Explanation  Stem part of plants are used for making the wooden chairs. Therefore, option (C) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect. 

    Intake of Food   Eating is the process of taking food that provides the living things nutrition, that is, energy for growth. Plants also need food to survive. See some facts about the intake of food of living things.          Food for Human Human is the most knowledgeable living organism. They require food to provide them nutrients, like carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, water etc.        To get these nutrients, human eat following food items: Cereals like rice, wheat, oat, great millet, pearl millet etc. Pulses of gram, lentil, pigeon pea etc. Fruits and vegetables Non vegetarian food items like mutton, chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs etc. Milk, curd, ghee, butter, cheese, paneer etc.              Food for Animals Some animal eats flesh of other animals. For example lion, tiger etc. Some animals do not eat flesh of other animals. Therefore, they survive on grasses, leaves, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Such animals are cow, goat, ass, monkey, elephant etc. Some animal eats both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items like dog, bear, etc.          Food of Plants Plants make their food by the process of photosynthesis. In this process they use, oxygen, carbon dioxide, sunlight and water to make sugar.           Which one of the following living things eat flesh? (a) Lion (b) Cow (c) Parrot   (d) Squirrel   Answer: (a) Explanation Lions eat flesh. Therefore, option (A) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.          Which one of the following is true? (a) Living things cannot move (b) Living things do not take part in reproduction (c) Living things do not eat (d) Living things take part in reproduction   Answer: (d) Explanation  Living things produce their offspring. Therefore, option (D) is correct and rest of the options is incorrect.       Trees are the longest living organism on the earth. Blue whale is the heaviest known animal on the earth. The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile.       Living things grow but non living things do not. Changes take place inside the body of living things but not possible in case of non living things. Living things can be healthy and sick from time to time, but this does not happen in case of non living things. Generally living things hear sound and non living things do not posses this quality. Living things take part in their reproduction, but non living things do not posses such quality. Living things eat and breath, but non living things do more...

   Breathing Breathing is the physical activity of inhaling and exhaling air. Living things do this act to be alive. Living things, those are not able to do breathing become dead. Human and animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide to complete their breathing. The plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. For example men, women, boy, girl, dog, cat, cow, goat, lion etc. inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, while a banyan tree inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen.         Look at the following picture of living organism inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide:                                                                                                                                                          Human                                                                        Animals                                                  Plants                                                              Trees    

  Reproduction Living organisms produce offspring’s of their own kind. Adult male and female of same kind take part in their reproduction. For example, human male and female produces human male or female child. Male and female of animals give birth to same kind of animals, male and female birds give birth to the same kind of birds. This reproduction process goes on for all the other living organisms.      Look at the following pictures of living organism and their reproduction:                                                                                          Baby boy and girl with their father and mother                                         Male and female dogs with their puppies        Movement Living things have movements. They can move their body parts. They can jump, walk, run or fly. It means living things can move from one place to another on their own will. For example, a man can walk and run, a monkey can jump, walk and run, a bird can fly etc.       Look at the following pictures to understand movements in living things:                   Walking Man                                Running Boy            Flying Birds                                   Running Dog  

   Introduction There are different types of things around us. Some are living and some are non-living. The things which can grow and have sense organs are called living things. Non living things are different from the living things as they can not Grow and don't have sense organs. In this chapter we will study about the both living and non-living things.     Characteristic Features of Living Things       Growth Growth is the main characteristic features of living things. A boy grows as a man, a girl grows as a woman, a baby grows as an adult one, a small plant grows to a tree. These all are the examples of the growth of living things. However, proper growth of a living thing can not be possible without proper food. In fact, rate of growth of a living body depends on growth hormones. But our body cannot produce proper growth of hormones without proper food.       Look at the following pictures of growth in living things:            A child grows into an adult                                                                               A baby elephant grows into a young one                                              A small plant grows into a tree    

LEARNING OBJECTIVES This lesson will help you to:—

• Learn about different means of transport.
• Identify the various means of transport and their importance in daily life.
• Study about communication and identify the various means of communication.

  QUICK CONCEPT REVIEW We all move from one place to another for our work, for study etc. for example, every morning we go to school by school bus. My father goes to office by car. We go to meet our grandparents by train. These all are the means of transport.   MEANS OF TRANSPORT All the vehicles used for travelling from one place to the other are called means of transport. There are 3 types of transport: Land, Water and air.   1. AIR TRANSPORT: Air transport moves in air. It is fastest and most expensive means of transport. For example: aero plane, helicopter.   2. WATER TRANSORT: Water transport moves in water. These carry people and goods across rivers and seas. For example: boats, ships, sailboats.   3. LAND TRANSPORT: Land transport moves on land. Bicycle, cycle-rickshaws (run by man power), bullock carts, tongas (run by animals); Car, bus, truck, train etc. (run by petrol or diesel or gas engines)   COMMUNICATION My grandmother lives in Delhi. I talk to her over the telephone. My aunt lives in London, we use to talk to her through computer using internet. We can see her also on the computer. People use different methods to communicate with their friends, family and relatives. Communication means to speak, write and share ideas and information with each other. There are different methods by which we can talk to each other. Let us study types of communication in detail.   TYPES OF COMMUNICATION 1. Postal Communication: Post card. Inland letters stamped envelopes are means of postal communication.   2. Mass communication: Newspaper, Magazines, radio, television and internet are the example of mass communication.   3. Modern means of communication: These are the fastest means of Communication. Telephone, mobile phone, e-mail, fax are the example of modern means of communication.     Real life Examples: Walking and cycling are good exercises. They do not cause pollution. In more...