Kids Learning English V Term-I

5th Standard English Term-I

Our Nation

I love my country.  So I keep it clean.  Do you?

The Guardians of the Nation

Anandhan and Yazhini came home from school.  After washing their face, hands and legs, they sat down next to their father.  Their father was watching the news on the television.  There were two bowls of chickpea sundal.  They ate and watched  ceremony where people were paying respect to a helmet on top of a gun.  "Dad, "This is Amar Jawan Jyoti, a memorial for the soldiers who died for our country.  Every year, 7th December is observed as Armed Forces Flag Day.  On that day, we remember the sacrifices of our soldiers for guarding our nation.  It is a great honour to serve the nation by joining the army."

  Why do the soldiers (people) die?  

  When will it stop?  

Yazhini proudly declared, "When I grow up I will join the army and serve the nation."  Anandhan said, "I will become a doctor, and treat the people." Yazhini asked, "Why don't you join the army and serve the nation like me?" Father intervened her and said, "Joining the army is not the only way to serve the nation.  Each one of us can serve the nation in our own way."  Yazhini asked, "Really dad? How can we serve the nation?" Father said, "Serving in the army is a grace, but not everyone gets a chance to serve.  But, each of us has a role in our society and, by doing that role we are serving our nation."

Father continued.  "I will tell you the story of Karmugilan.  He was a doctor, who died, serving the people.  He was young and talented.  He went to the USA for studying.  His parents were very proud of him.  They thought that he would live in the USA and continue his practice.  But to everyone's surprise, he came back to India and started treating poor people free of cost."

Yazhini asked, "Were his parents not angry with him?" Dad said, "They were angry.  But, they knew he was happy."

One day dengue broke out in the nearby villages.  He left to those villages to treat the people.  He was soon well known in the village, and people poured in to get treated.  But, one day he got infected by the disease and was taken to the city hospital.  He was in critical condition.  His parents were upset and worried.  He told his parents that he had done his duty to the country and, was happy.  In a couple of days, he died.  In his memory, the people of the village have built a hospital and treated people at free of cost."

"That's really great, dad.  He is a real hero.", said Yazhini.

Father replied, "Each one of us should love and respect our country.  We should treat everyone around us with love and respect.  That's the real service to the nation."

  Patriotism  

Will we live in a country,

Without inner boundaries?

Will we treat everyone alike,

Or will we show our dislike?

Will we stick to our core in,

Or will we become foreign?

Yes, we love our nation,

Divided when seen as persons.

Yes, we have different language,

Yet, our integrity shouldn't damage.

Will we make our mother proud,

Or be with her like the crowd?

Learn how to be kind,

And love each of her child.

https://youtu.be/83BJDd02ptQ

The Legend of Jaswantgarh

Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier, the place Jaswantgarh in Arunachal Pradesh gets its name from him. The legendary story, "The battle of Nauranang", handed down through the ages of Nauranang is inspiring and records the valour and patriotism of Jaswant. 

There was a war between India and China in the year 1962.  In the final part of the war, Nauranang was the last stand of the Indian army against the Chinese army. The battle started on 17th November 1962 and continued for seventy-two hours.  At 5.00 A.M. in the Eastern Himalayas, the Chinese army attacked the lonely Indian post in Nauranang. Knowing that the Chinese army was stronger, the Indian soldiers on the post were ordered to retreat and regroup.  But, Jaswant did not leave his post and decided to continue the fight to hold the Chinese until the reinforcements arrive.

Two village girls named Sela and Nura helped Jaswant.  They set up weapons at separate points.  Jaswant taught the girls to handle fire guns.  All three kept shooting on the Chinese army.  Jaswant was running to different gun points and kept shooting.  His intention was to give the Chinese army a perception that they are facing a huge Indian battalion.  He did this for three continuous days.  Jaswant and the girls had killed three hundred Chinese soldiers.  The Chinese army decided to cut the food supply to the post.

The Chinese soldiers caught the man, who brought food for the three.  In the Chinese interrogation, the man told the truth that a single soldier was guarding the post.  A single soldier and two girls from a local tribe had fooled the Chinese. They were shocked and furious.  They surrounded Jaswant Singh and launched the final attack.

Jaswant shot himself as Chinese were going to capture him.  A grenade blast killed Sela.  Nura, the tribal girl, was captured alive.

After the war, the commander of the Chinese army returned the brass bust of Jaswant.  A war memorial with the brass bust was made to remember him and his service to the nation.  All army personnel who pass through this memorial pay their respect to him.

The Indian Army still treats him as a serving officer and awards him promotions.  India awarded him the Mahavir Chakra.  Jaswant may have died in battle that day, but he still lives in the memory of people in Jaswantgarh and the Indian army.

  

Kids Learning English V Term-I

5th Standard English Term-I

My Native Place

I Love my native place.  Do you?

Trip to My Grandparents' Village

It is summer.  Vocation has started for Santhosh.  His parents are going to Sirumalai, their parents' village.  Santhosh is excited.  He records an audio diary on his mother's phone.  He records all his feelings during the visit.  Later, he writes down in his diary what he had recorded.  Let's read his diary to know his experiences during this visit.

10th April

I am very eager to visit my grandparents' village.  I will meet my grandparents and cousins.  I have packed my clothes and tab for playing video games.  We will be travelling in a bus.  I am so excited.

11th April

Today we are travelling.  Though it is summer, the weather is pleasant in the morning.  There are numerous trees with yellow flowers on both sides of the road.  There is greenery all around.  There are many white cranes in the lush green paddy fields.  The scarecrows have managed to scare away the crows in the fields.  There is no traffic, noise and air pollution in the village.

I get off the bus and run to meet my grandparents.  They are delighted to see me.  The house is surrounded by many big trees.  There are a few jackfruit, mango, neem, banana, pomegranate and coconut trees.  The trees have abundant fruits.  My grandfather plucked some ripe mangoes for me.  The mangoes are so juicy and sweet.

12th April

I have woken up early today.  I am out for a walk in the morning.  The cool breeze is calming.  The coconut palms are swaying lazily.  The farmers are already in their fields.  Some of them re cutting the crops and some of them are threshing the paddy.  The air is filled with the sweet sound of birds singing in the trees and the bushes.  The cuckoo's song is perhaps the most enchanting.

I come home, I freshen up and eat the tastiest breakfast in my life.  Later, my grandmother introduces a girl, Paavai.  She goes to the village school.  She lives down the street.  She is very eager to show me around the village.  Paavai shows me how to play with a tyre and a stick.  We happily run down the lanes balancing the tyre with a small stick.  We stop to talk to Paavai's friends, Amir, Peter and Umaiyal.  

All children here too have their summer vacation.  Amir is helping his father in milking their cows.  He lets me pat his black calf.  Peter and Umaiyal are sitting with their grandmother breaking groundnut pods and piling them neatly.  Later they will take the nuts to the village market to sell them.  I help them for some time.

13th April

Paavai takes me to the village pond.  There are many children splashing around in the pond.  Some boys are climbing to the top of the tall tamarind tree.  Girls are playing hide and seek near the big banyan tree.

My mother and my aunties take me to the river for a refreshing bath.  I play for some time in the cool water but I cannot swim.  So, I sit on a big smooth rock and watch my friends swim like experts.  They talk and laugh a lot as they wash their clothes and dry their hair in the Sun.  The river is so clean that I can see the pebbles in the riverbed and colourful fish swim by.  I love the scenery.

14th April

We are back to our home in the city.  The trip to our grandparents' home was so enjoyable.  Those two days flew by so fast.  I realised that during this stay, I had neither watched television nor played video games.  I am eagerly looking forward to our next visit.

Farmer's Friend

Often seen as filth

But gives the soil good health

To reward the farmer with wealth.

Ploughs the soil before farmer

Use not the chemicals to harm her

Please praise our motherland's armour.

Shy to show his looks

Toils often on fishing hooks

To give the fisher something to cook.

Be humble like worm

Think no one to harm

You will be free to spread your charm.

https://youtu.be/scbTdMqB8kg

The Farmer and his Daughters

    In the village of Manipuram, there lived a wealthy farmer.  He had three daughters.  All his daughters were married and living their life happily.  The farmer was getting old.  He wanted to distribute his wealth to his daughters.  But he wanted to know what responsibility he could give to each of his daughters.  He called all his daughters and gave each of them a bag of millet.  He asked them to use grains in the best way possible and then come back to him after one year.

    After one year the daughters came back to their father's house.  The farmer welcomed all of them.

    First he called the elder daughter and asked about what she had done with the grains given to her.  She replied, "Father, I fed those grains to flocks of birds that I saw on my way back to home."

    Then the father called the second daughter and asked the same.  She replied, "Father, I thought those grains were sacred.  So I mixed those with other grains kept for community food service.  So that everyone could have it.  After this, the third daughter came.  The farmer asked her about the grains.  She said, "Father, I don't have those grains with me now.  I need two bullocks and men to get the grains."  Father was confused and asked her, "Why do you need bullocks and men to bring the grains here?"

The daughter smiled and replied "I sowed those grains and now it has grown as crops.  So, I need a bullock cart and men to harvest and bring back the grains."  Father was happy to know that she used the grains wisely.  Father found her apt and gave her the responsibility of the fields.  He distributed his other wealth equally among the other two daughters.

Kids Learning English V Term-I

5th Standard English Term-I

Earth, the Desolated Home

It was the year 2068, humans had destroyed the Earth, and started colonising the red planet Mars.  India established three colonies; Arivomathi's family lived in one such colony.  On her birthday, her grandfather travelled more than 1500 km to meet her.  When he reached, he saw her sleeping in her capsule.

He said, "Wake up, Arivu."  Arivumathi was surprised, " Grandpa! When did you come? I was thinking that you won't be coming for my birthday."  He sighed, "Don't you know about the dust storm of Mars? Sometimes, it even lasts for a month.  But this time it did not.  So I am on time.  It still took me three sols to reach here.  Now come on, let's not waste time.  We will go to harvest the vegetation hab for vegetables."

In the hab, he said, "Hmm, these carrots are not tasty anymore, like the one I ate i my childhood."  She asked, "Why do you say so, Grandpa?" Grandfather explained to Arivu "The vegetables we grow here do not taste like the ones onn the Earth.  I really wish you had tasted the carrots from the Earth."  Arivu asked eagerly, "How did they grow the crops and vegetables on Earth?"

Hearing this, Grandfather was remainded of life on Earth.  He said, "The Earth had fertile soil, so the fruits and vegetables grown were healthy and tasty."  She asked, "But, I learnt that humans used chemical fertilizers, and polluted the soil.  Here, we get unpolluted food and water.  It that correct?"

https://youtu.be/0IfNnf9H2T0

Continues.....

Grandfather laughed, "These fruits, vegetables and water are not the same as in the Earth.  They are not real."  Arivu exclaimed, "Even the water?" He said, "Of course! In Mars, we get water from burning fuels.  On the Earth, we used to get water from rain, it was natural, and it was to get water from rain, it was natural, and it was free!" She said, "Grandpa, enough of your stories about the Eart.  I know that life there was easy but, here survival is very difficult."  He replied, "Yes my dear, adapting to Mars is difficult.  Today, we are fighting for things which we got easily."

He continued, "In the Earth, you did not need a spacefuit or an oxygen cylinder.  Also, the years are longer here." Arivu said, "Yes, grandpa.  In Mars, 668 sols (687 Earth days) make a year."  He smiled, "Ha! Ha! Yes, you would be 18 years old on the Earth now."

Grandpa thought to himself, "We destroyed our home.  The home that nature had offered us.  Now, we are trying to make this our home."

Arivu looked at him and said, "Don't worry grandpa, the scientists are trying to Terraform the Mars."  He said, "True, but nothing can be the Earth.  The Earth is our home.  Ah, let us leave this for now.  Today we should celebrate."

https://youtu.be/PRbWYOFLb78

I dream of flying beyond the Earth, 

amidst the planets and the countless stars.

I would stop by the red planet Mars,

here we dream of a home away from home.

Fly on, to watch the saturn,

with its ring and moons.

Then, I stopped by Jupiter, marvelled,

by its red storms that look like marbles.

Hurdling through a belt of asteroids,

I crossed Uranus, without a fuss.

To Neptune, the blue ice giant,

Further high, I fly, beyond the galaxy.

To meet the creator,

Of this Magnificent display.

To take me beyod the Milky Way,

To voyage across the galaxies.

https://youtu.be/jAwC-rBAgmU

Lost in Space

Amuthan and Nilavan visited the 'Space Museum'.  They saw a model of a space shuttle.  Then, Nilvan found a latch and opened the shuttle.  They entered the shuttle nd the door locked.

Now, they were tropped inside, and they walked into the deck.

So many switches! What does this big green switch do?

No, don't touch it.

But, Amuthan had pressed the switch, and the shuttle bursts into outer space.

What have you done Amuthan?

Sorry.  I thought the button would open the door but looks like I hit the wrong buttong.

The shuttle went through  belt of asteroids.

Amuthan, an Asteroid is coming towards us.  Turn the shuttle.

How will I turn the shuttle? Let me try pulling this lever.

The shuttle crash-landed on a new planet.

Are you alright, Amuthan?

I am fine.  Quick! We mush wear a spacesuit!

They ran for the suits.  Nilavan saw green lights coming towards the shuttle.

Look at those lights.  It is coming towards us.

Yes, they are all around us and that shuttle is very big! Let us wear our suits.

Aliens from the big shuttle shatered the windows and took them out.

How is this possible? Do you speak our language

Please, don't be afraid.  There is a problem with your shuttle.  We can fix it for you.

We can read your mind and use that to speak your language.

The aliens gave them a special room so that they can remove their suits and rest.

Please, rest here and eat these capsules.  They are the same as your food.

Hey, wake up.  Your ship is ready.  Put on your suits.  It is time to go home.

When the time comes, we will... See you.

Thank you for your help.  Are you coming to Earth with us?

https://youtu.be/0JUpYlsPPN4