OTBA-CLASS VIII

S.A II-ENGLISH
THEME 1: Patience has its reward
TOPIC: The Chinese Bamboo
My favourite spot at home and my wifes pride and joy- is a little palm and bamboo
garden shes managed to create in the balcony of our apartment. So every morning
thats where we sit and devour the days newspapers, with some freshly brewed
south Indian filter coffee making the news seem just a wee bit more interesting!
And its probably this news patch of green that sparked off my interest in the Chinese
bamboo. A tree that grows really tall to a height of over eighty feet. It takes around
five years and three months to grow to its full height. But here is the interesting bit.
For the first five years after you plant the seed, you see nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Except perhaps a little shoot springing out of the bulb and struggling to make a
squiggle.
And then, in the next ninety days, it shoots up to a towering eighty feet.
Can you believe it? For the first six months, all the growth is invisible, below the
surface. The Chinese bamboos roots create a complex network, like a miniature
version of the London Underground. It is these strong roots that, when fully
developed, help support a tree that will soar above all else.
And in next ninety days- yes merely ninety daysnit literally takes off. And becomes
as tall as an eight-storeyed building.
In this era of instant coffee and fast food, of get-rich quick schemes and lose-weightquicker regimens, of quarterly earnings and month-on-month growth, perhaps we all
need to pause and take a lesson from the Chinese Bamboo.
Patience has its reward. Nothing of substance happens in a jiffy. All too often,
we are unwilling to wait for the pay off, and tend to settle for shorter trees.

Having sown the seed and having initiated something, when we dont see
results, we get impatient. We keep pulling out the sapling to check if the roots are
growing. (Well, when you do that, they dont!)
As leaders and bosses, we tend to be impatient for results. And often, too
often, we rush to reward the mushrooms that spring up after one spectacular rainy
night (and wither away soon after) only because we can see them! Long-term,
sustainable successes take time, and a good question to ask yourself is whether your
leadership style encouragesor even allowsthe growth of the Chinese bamboo. Or
are you creating an organization of stunted, but quickly visible trees.
Every major achievement is almost always preceded by years of toil, hard
work, failure, stress, tests of character, determination, sleepless nights. All of which
help form the network of roots that can then support real accomplishments. And
eightyfeettall trees.
So the next time you feel frustrated by lack of results and want to give up,
dont. Think of the Chinese bamboo.
When you the world is unjust and is refusing to recognize your hard work and
your commitment, dont panic. Five years of subterranean activity will almost always
be followed by three months of meteoric rise.
And ah, yes, after years of slogging it out in relative obscurity, when you
finally achieve success, be prepared for people to say: Oh, hes so lucky. Hes
become an overnight success!
If only they knew about the Chinese bamboo!

On the basis of passage, answer the following:

1. (a)After doing your best what will you prefer to do:(3)
# Wait for the best output of your hard work.
OR
# Tend to settle for the short term happiness.
(b)Write down the major steps that one has to go throughon the ladder of
success.
(2)
2. Write a note the Chinese bamboo growth.
(5)

MARKING SCHEME
Answer1: Choosing right option (1)
Explanation (2)
Ill wait for the best output of my hard work.
.because the result will be sustainable and give us life time satisfaction. Short
term happiness always causes stress when we see more successful people who get reward
of their patience.
Answer2: Toil, hard work, failure, stress, tests of character, determination, sleepless nights
Answer3: A Chinese bamboo takes around five years and three months to grow its fullest
height. When we plant a seed we see nothing for the first five years except a little shoot
springing out of the bulb. And then in the next ninety days, it shoots up to a towering eighty
feet.

CLASS VIII - THEME II-ENGLISH

Monsoon
Introduction: The monsoon is generally referred to the season of rain. In India, it
starts in the middle of June and continues after August.. The sky remains mostly
cloudy.
How rain is formed?
Rain is caused by condensing water vapour in the air. The heat of the sun rays raises
the temperature of the water on the earth. Thus, water starts evaporating and fills
vapor in the atmosphere with. This vapor forms the clouds that give us rain..
Enjoyment: The rains provide relief from heat. Youngsters and poets enjoy the
season. It is the time for indoor games, story-reading and story-telling., It is also the
.season for umbrellas and waterproofs. The temperature remains pleasant during
the monsoon.
Importance:
A large portion of Indian farmers still depend upon rain-fall to carry out the
agricultural activities. Since, agriculture is one of the most important constituent on
Indian economy; monsoon season has an indirect impact on its economy as well. The
agriculture of our country mainly depends upon water from rainfall.
Crops like rice, jute, sugarcane, etc. require high temperature and heavy
rainfall for their cultivation. So these are cultivated in summer.
Crops like wheat, barley etc. require moderate temperature and rainfall. So
these are cultivated in winter.
Rubber trees require uniformly high temperature and regular rainfall all the
year round.In the southern parts of the Deccan, the temperature is fairly high
all the year round and the rainfall is well-distributed over 6 to 8 months. So
rubber is grown in the southern parts of the Deccan.
.Rain is of immense value to the cultivators. The greatest boon of the monsoon is the
rich cultivation of crops. The tillers of land sow the seeds or plants as soon the rain
makes the fields soft. Constant natural watering leads to their quick growth. During
the period of adequate monsoon, we get good agricultural output.

Problems:
During monsoon season, people also face many difficulties. However, heavy downpours choke the drains of the cities. The drainage system in our country is not
adequate to drain away the rain-water completely. The ditches besides the roads
start overflowing.
Water logging causes severe traffic jam in most of the cities. People are not able to
move out due to water logging. The rivers and lakes overflow their banks, and many
villages are flooded. The condition of flood in slum areas badly affects the life of
people.
Land transport and communication system is suspended in many places. In such
conditions, small boats become the means of transportation at villages.
Conclusion: Like everything in life, timely monsoon is most welcome. However,
excessive or inadequate rainfall leads to scarcity and famine. Adequate rainfall
during the sowing seasons ensures good harvest. If it is very late, plants and trees are
badly affected. The soil gets too dry and cracks up in the heat. On the other hand, if
the monsoon continues for too long, it leads to various diseases. In such cases the
joys of autumn are also spoiled
.(500 words)
1 How can we say that the greatest boon of the monsoon is the rich cultivation of
crops? .What important steps can be taken to create awareness among the farmers
for better agricultural output?
(5)
2 Timely monsoon is most welcome. However, excessive or inadequate rainfall leads
to various problems. What are the different obstacles we face due to excessive
rainfall? How can we be prepared to meet the challenge?
(5)

OTBA Paper for CLASS- VIII (MATHEMATICS)

Theme-1 Childrens Day
Children's day, in Hindi known as "BalDiwas", in India falls on November 14th
every year and for good reason. Children's day

in

India is celebrated on Pandit Nehru's birthday

as a day of fun and frolic, a celebration of
childhood, children and Nehruji's love for them.
Most schools have cultural programmes for the
day, with the students managing it all.
Today it is Novemeber 14th and Neha in
excitement of going to school got up very early in the morning around 5 am as she
was participating in fancy dress competition. She wore the dress of a doctor.
Normally her school van
comes at 7:15 am but today
it came late at 7:20 am and
Neha thought that today she
will be late but the driver
told her that the school is
only 15 km from here and it will take only 30 min. So dont worry we will reach on
time. He was correct they reached school at 7:50am.
On the school gate a big banner on the occasion of children day was placed .
Soon after the Morning Prayer fancy dress competition started and all enjoyed it.
Participants were given milk and juice cylindrical and cubical packs.

Milk

JUICE

Nehas friend Rehana choose to take juice instead of milk thinking that a cubical box
has larger capacity.
Many competitions like Rangoli making, quiz, singing, solo dance, speech were
organized. All the winners were given prizes by the Principal.
At 12 Oclock an inter house cricket match was played.
All the children enjoyed the match a lot as it ended in a tie.
It was over by 3 pm. With the speech of the school principal the celebrations came to
an end.
QUESTIONS
1. Neha was allotted an area in the shape of a Rectangle having sides 110 cm and
70 cm. She had to prepare Rangoli in the middle in the shape of a square of
side 50 cm. Find the area of the remaining portion.

2. The juice was served in two types of containers a cube of side 7 cm and a
cylinder if radius 7 cm and height 7 cm. which container has more capacity. 5

THEME-2 CHILD LABOUR

OTBA Paper for CLASS- VIII (MATHEMATICS)

M.M. 10

Session 2015-16

T.A.-30 Min

Abstract:Child labour is the practice of engaging children in economic activity, on part-time or

full-time basis. Contrary to the notion that it is better when all members of a family,
irrespective of age, work and earn money, child labour actually makes poverty worse.
The more children are forced to work, the fewer opportunities are there for adults to
earn a living. By driving down adult wages and depriving children of education, child
labour results in poverty passing down from generation to generation. According to
the International labour Organisation (ILO) Born to parents who themselves were
uneducated child workers, many child worker are forced to continue a tradition that
leaves them chained to a life of poverty (ILO, United States Policies to Address Child
labour Globally, 2010). That is why child labour is a very complicated development
issue, affecting human society all over the world.
Some of the situations in which children are engaged in work:

Measuring Child Labour

The census results show a fluctuating trend in child labour over the years.

Source: Population Census, Office of Registrar General of india

The occupation wise distribution of children engaged in hazardous occupations as
per Census of India 2001 shown below. The major occupations engaging child
labour are Pan, Bidi& Cigarettes (21%), Construction (17%), Domestic workers (15%)
and Spinning & weaving (11%).

Source: Census 2001

As per census 2001, Uttar Pradesh (15.22%) recorded the highest share of child
labour in the country, followed by Andhra Pradesh (10.76%), Rajasthan (9.97%),
Bihar (8.82%), Madhya Pradesh (8.41%), and West Bengal (6.77%).
Poverty is a prominent cause for child labour, and the NFHS 3 results also reveal this.
One in every 7 children in the lowest and second lowest wealth index category is
working.

Source: NFHS 3 (2005-06)

About 12.1% children from households headed by Hindus are engaged in work, while
the corresponding figure for Muslim and Christian are 10.8% and 7.4% respectively.
16.6% children from households headed by a member of a scheduled tribe are

engaged in work while the corresponding figure for Scheduled Caste and Other
Backward Class 11.6% and 12.2% respectively.
Percentage of children engaged in work in different - different States.
States

Biha
r
3.6

Chattisgar
h
3.3

Jharkhan
d
3.2

M Odish
P
a
4.5
4.1

Rajastha
n
5.0

UP Uttarakhan
d
2.
2.2
7

% of
children
engage
d in
work
Source: Annual Health Survey 2010-11(Table 1)
Conclusion:Child labour denies the child of his basic right that is the right to education. No
education means unskilled jobs and exploitative wages.

This leads to the creation of an unskilled adult labour force which causes early
physical decay, economic insecurity, low quality of life and ultimately high poverty.
Thus child labour creates a vicious circle of poverty, unemployment,
underemployment and low wages.
Over the years the Government of India has multiplied its efforts to address the
needs and rights of exploited children. Still, the issue remains grave and demanding
more rigorous measures. In order to eliminate the social evil of child labour there is a
need for more intensive initiatives to tackle poverty and promote education
opportunities to all children to help children and families in crisis.
------------------------------------------------------------XXX-----------------------------------------------Sample Questions:1. Prepare a Bar graph by taking states on x-axis and % of children on y-axis
(Table 1).
(5)
2. From the given pie chart, Answer the following questions :(a) Name the occupation engaging the highest % of child labour.
(b) What is the percentage of child labour in construction work?
(5)

Theme 1
OTBA Paper Session 2015-16 .
Class VIII
Subject: Science
Time : 30 Min.

M.M. : 10
Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal, fuel oil or natural gas, formed from
the remains of dead plants and animals.
In common dialogue, the term fossil fuel also includes hydrocarbon-containing
natural resources that are not derived from animal or plant sources.
These are sometimes known instead as mineral fuels.
The utilization of fossil fuels has enabled large-scale industrial development and
largely supplanted water-driven mills, as well as the combustion of wood or peat for
heat.
Fossil fuel is a general term for buried combustible geologic deposits of organic
materials, formed from decayed plants and animals that have been converted to
crude oil, coal, natural gas, or heavy oils by exposure to heat and pressure in the
earth's crust over hundreds of millions of years.
The burning of fossil fuels by humans is the largest source of emissions of carbon
dioxide, which is one of the greenhouse gases that allows radiative forcing and
contributes to global warming.
A small portion of hydrocarbon-based fuels are biofuels derived from atmospheric
carbon dioxide, and thus do not increase the net amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.
Types of Fossil Fuel:
There are three major forms of fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas.
1) COAL:Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance. It is made up of carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varyingamounts of sulphur. There are three
main types of coal - anthracite, bituminous and lignite.

Anthracite coal is the hardest and has more carbon, which gives it a higher energy
content. Lignite is the softest and is low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen
content. Bituminous is in between. Today, the precursor to coal - peat - is still found
in many countries and is also used as an energy source. Coal does get used for other
purposes, although some of these uses get mixed with generating electricity.
2)

3)

OIL:Begins with plants using solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water
into oxygen and carbohydrates through a process known as photosynthesis.
When the plants die, the sediments containing them become buried and, as the
depth of burial increases, heat and pressure transform the carbohydrates into
hydrocarbons. This takes place in source rocks, usually very fine-grained rocks
known as black shale's. Coal is a solid hydrocarbon derived from land plants.

Oil is a liquid hydrocarbon derived primarily from simple marine plants and
animals, and natural gas is a gaseous hydrocarbon derived from either
terrestrial or marine materials at a higher temperature and pressure than coal
or oil. The other way oil is made: speculates that hydrocarbons were trapped
inside the earth as it formed and are migrating to the surface.
Natural Gas:In the world of fossil fuels, natural gas is often the overlooked ugly
duckling. It gets lumped in with oil, as in oil and gas industry, even though the
discussion usually centers upon oil. It does not help that gasoline, which is
derived from oil, is shortened to gas. In many peoples mind, the gas in oil
and gas refers to gasoline, and not natural gas. Natural gas is composed
primarily of methane (CH4). It does contain other chemical species, such as
butane and propane. If the mixture is comprised only of these species, it is
called dry natural gas, as there will be no liquid components at standard
pressure and temperature. There might also be some other organic
components, such as pentanes, that are mixed in with these species. These

heavier species are normally liquid at standard temperature and pressure, and
comprise what is called natural gas liquids.

Natural gas might also be mixed in with non-hydrocarbon compounds, such as

water vapor, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. If so, it forms what is called
wet natural gas, and requires some processing before it can be used. Natural
gas comes from the decomposition of organic matter, just like oil and coal.
Unlike oil and coal, though, it can come from almost any organic matter,
whereas coal comes only from plant matter and oil comes almost exclusively
from plankton and micro plankton remains. Natural gas can come from both of
these sources as well. This is why you often find it associated with both oil wells
and coalmines.
Advantages of Fossil Fuels
1)

2)

3)

Easily Available:Since these fossil fuels have been of such a great source of
energy, more and more extractions are going on every day. The geologists all
around the world are trying to find out mines of coals. The pressure is even
more as the population is increasing day by day. With the advancement in
science and technology, the refineries and the extraction procedures have also
improved a lot. This makes the availability even smoother.
Produce Large Amount of Energy:Fossil fuels are easily combustible. Most
combustion engines need to be powered with little amount of fuel to and they
can produce large amount of energy. Fossil fuels have been serving us for
centuries. It is considered as a portable form of energy. Industrial revolution has
popularized the usage of fossil fuel in the entire planet. All machines, devices,
vehicles depend on the fossil fuels, may it be coal, petroleum or natural gas.
Sustainable fuel sources like solar, wind or geothermal have complex process to
harness energy from them.
High Calorific Value: All energy produced has some calorific value. The more the
value, the more effective it is. Fossil fuels are the highest producers of calorific
value in terms of energy. This is also one of the reasons why they are still

preferred over the renewable sources of energy or the alternative sources of

energy.
4)
Stability: The fossil fuels are composed of the molecules of carbon, and
hydrogen. This makes them very stable. The nuclear energy, for instance is
produced from radioactive elements and the energy is produced due to their
instability. Fossil fuels, due to their constancy in the constitution of the
molecules are easy to store as well. They do not form any other compound if
stored in the cans for a long time. For the same reason, carrying fossil fuels is
also easy than any other form of fuels.
5)
Transportation: The industries need regular supply of fossil fuel like oil, gas and
coal. The biggest advantage of using fossil fuels is that they can be easily stored
and transported from one place to another. Large reserves of coal are therefore
taken from the coal mines to the industries which are acres away from the
mines. The petroleum is also taken to too far off power stations to produce
energy. These transportation are possible as these fuels are portable. Even
natural gas is nowadays being transferred to different areas via pipelines.
6)
Abundantly Available: Though every effort is made to make the usage of
alternative fuels popular, still fossil fuels are the most common ones in use. This
is because, these are very easily available. They have a vast presence over the
globe. Though it is known to everyone that fossil fuels are going to expire one
day but it is estimated they would last for another 40 -50 years at current rate
of consumption.
7)
Low Cost: Fossil fuels are available all over the world and the methods to
extract energy from them are also not that expensive. To obtain the fossil fuels
in their refined form, they need to be properly treated. This does not need a
wide set up and is economical. Unlike other alternative sources like solar power
or wind turbines whose initial investment cost are too high, fossil fuels have
pretty low cost as compared to them. The high cost prevents many people from
installing wind turbines or solar panels at their home.
Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels
1) Environmental Hazards:Environmental pollution is one of the major
disadvantages of fossil fuels. It is a known fact that carbon dioxide, gas
released when fossil fuels are burnt, is one of the primary gas responsible for
global warming. Rise in temperature of earth has resulted in melting of polar
ice caps, flooding of low lying areas and rise in sea levels. If such conditions
continue, our planet Earth might face some serious consequences in near
future.
2) Rising Prices:Middle-east countries have huge reserves of oil and natural gas
and many other countries are dependent on them for constant supply of these
fuels. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group of

13 countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. They are
responsible for 40 percent of the worlds oil production and hold the majority
of the worlds oil reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration
(EIA). OPEC constantly monitors the volume of oil consumed and then adjusts
its own production to maintain its desired barrel price.
3) Acid Rain:Sulphur dioxide is one of the pollutant that is released when fossil
fuels are burnt and is a main cause of acid rain. Acid rain can lead to
destruction of monuments made up of brickwork or marbles. Even crops can
affect due to acidification of loams. Coal mining results in destruction of
ecosystems and also endangers the lives of mineworkers.
4) Effect on Human Health: Pollution from vehicles and coal powered power
plants can cause serious environmental hazards. Pollution related diseases
range from mild to severe and can significantly affect ones quality of life. Air
pollution can result in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or
COPD and lung cancer. Long-term exposure may increase respiratory infections
in general population. Children and the elderly are most vulnerable to fine
particulate matter and other airborne toxicants.
5) Non-Renewable:As of today, fossil fuels are being extracted at an exorbitant
rate to meet the gap between demand and supply and it is estimated that they
will be finished in next 30-40 years. Since they are non-renewable, it is more
likely that fuel expenses will face a steep hike in near future. It would take
millions of years to replace coal, and oil, and this means that we will not be
able drive cars anymore unless we switch to electric cars that use energy from
renewable energy sources. This means once these non-renewable sources are
completely used up, there is nothing more left.
Questions:Q.1 What is meant by fossil fuels. Mention various advantages of fossil fuels?
Explain any two of them.
[1+2+2]
Q.2
(a) Define Calorific Value.
(b) What are the tree forms of coal?
Discuss any three disadvantages of fossil fuels.
[ 1+1+3]

Theme 2-Class VIII- Subject: Science

Climate Change and Global Warming -Harmful consequences of combustion
Scientists have warned that the world's climate has changed a lot, and has affected
many living and non-living things. Many places that were warmer are now getting
colder and many colder regions are getting even warmer (known as Global
Warming).
For example, between 1901 and 2012, it is believed that the earth's temperature has
risen by 0.89 C. Rainfall amounts have also risen in the mid-latitudes of the northern
hemisphere since the beginning of the 20th Century. It is also believed that sea levels
have risen up to about 19cm globally, with lots of glaciers melting in addition.
Climate:This describes the total of all-weather occurring over a period of years in a
given place. It is the average weather condition of that place. Climate tells us what
its usually like in the place where you live.
For example, some countries like Cameroon, Ghana and Liberia are all in the tropical
wet region of Africa. They have a very sunny, hot and wet climate all year round.
However, there may be very different day-to-day weather conditions in each village
or town in these countries.
Weather: Weather is all around us. Weather may be one of the first things you
notice when you wake up. Weather describes whatever is happening outdoors in a
given place at a given time. It can change a lot within a very short time. For example,
It can be windy at night, rainy in the morning, hot and sunny at noontime, and even
back to windy before sunset. It includes daily changes in rainfall, temperature and
wind in a given location.
Greenhouse: Greenhouse is also another word you should know about. Have you
ever seen a greenhouse? In some countries, people build a small glass house to plant
crops in it. It is built to keep the sun's heat from escaping from the glasshouses.
In a way, the earth is like a glasshouse. The earth has some very important gasses in
the atmosphere that keeps us warm.Some of these gases are water vapour, carbon
dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane.
When the sun heats the earth, these gases keep the heat on the earth's surface.
Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earths average
temperature would be about 60F colder.

How does the Earth Greenhouse Effect happen?

The earths atmosphere is all around

us. It is the air that we breathe.

As it reaches the earths surface, the

land and water absorbs the sunlights
energy

Sunlight enters the Earths

atmosphere, passing through the
blanket of greenhouse gases.

Once absorbed, the energy is sent

back into the atmosphere in the form
of infra-red rays.

Some of the energy passes back into

space, but much of it remains
trapped in the atmosphere by the
greenhouse gases, causing our globe
(earth) to warm up

This warming is what we call Global Warming, and it is caused by the greenhouse
effect.
The greenhouse effect is important. Without the greenhouse effect, the earth would
not be warm enough for humans to live. But if the greenhouse effect becomes
stronger, it could make the earth warmer than usual. Even a little extra warming of
the earth may cause problems for humans, plants and animals.
What brings about more Greenhouse gases? Simply the answer is combustion of
fossil fuels in industries to meet the demand of people.
In this new era (the age of industrialization), the earth is full of industries. Millions of
vehicles, aeroplanes and engines are produced every year. A lot of artificial things
have been produced and have ended up in waste dumps. Humans produce much
more waste than ever before.
Simply put, human's reliance on artificial things, including all the things that make us
comfortable at home, has contributed immensely to the emission of more
greenhouse gases by industries than before. These gases in the atmosphere have

trapped more heat on the earths surface and made it warmer. This is Global
Warming.
YOU and I also produce CO2 and other greenhouse gases in a way, by the things we
use at home. Do you have some of these items in your house?

It is very IMPORTANT that you turn off all electrical appliances when they are not in
use. This is good practice, and you end up saving some money too.
Everything humans have at home or workplace need power to work. This power
comes from burning fossil fuels(combustion) and other natural sources. The more
fuels are burnt, the more CO2 are produced into the atmosphere.
This means each time your dad drives his car, or you turn on an electric appliance,
you are indirectly adding to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
But thats not all it must also be noted that less forest cover all over the world has
resulted in less carbon absorption and storage. This is because plants absorb carbon
from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. Additionally there is more methane
release from permafrost due to higher temperatures.
Global Warming also causes other things to happen apart from climate change.
Global warming causes thermal expansion of land and water. It also causes ice sheets
to melt in icy regions of the world and mountain tops.
Large volumes of melted ice (water) then flows down into streams, rivers, lakes and
seas. The result is raising sea and water levels, causing floods and massive
destruction to low-lying towns and cities along water bodies.
Changing climate may also cause the weather to become more extreme, be it
droughts or violent storms and heavy rain.
Extreme changes in temperature make people suffer breathing difficulties,
headaches, body rashes and other illnesses.

Climate change also distorts the natural habitats and lives of many plants and
animals. For example, the survival of polar bears and penguins in icy regions are in
danger, as they cannot survive anywhere else. Other plants and animals in hot
regions will die if temperatures suddenly become too cold for them.
Changing climate also causes water bodies to dry out. There is also dryness that
causes droughts, bush fires and many water and land animals will die as a result.
Interesting facts
Combustion of fuels
Combustion of coal, natural gas and oils for manufacturing and transportation, since
the Industrial Revolution, has produced and released massive carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
To put this in perspective, about 38% more CO2 has been released into the
atmosphere, a value higher than has been measured for over 800,000 years. And yes,
the amounts we release is still rising year after year.
Rising global temperatures
A rising trend in global temperatures has been noticed after analyzing data for the
last century. Scientists are aware that the difference in temperatures around the
world is very wide apart, but after taking readings at specific locations over a long
period of time, it is observed that there are more places warming up than cooling
down.
Ocean acidification
The acidity of the earth's oceans is known to have increased by about 30%. This is a
result of more CO2 emitted since the Industrial Revolution, being absorbed by the
oceans. CO2 being absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2
billion tons per year according to PMEL Carbon Program, Ocean Acidification.
Melting Glaciers
Glaciers are massive amounts of snow that have stayed long enough to harden into
blocks of ice. Smaller blocks could be the size of a football field and larger once could
be hundreds of kilometers long. Glaciers can move like rivers too. On the average,
glaciers are losing ice at the rate of about 28 inches of water per year. Scientists
revealed that even though only a small fraction of glaciers have been monitored
since 1980, the trend is one that we need to be aware of.

Things you can do about global warming.

Before we look at what you can do, it is important to note that big automobile industries,
refineries, commercial farmers, and others are the main bodies with the highest carbon emissions.
During combustion. This is because we rely on them to provide products and food that we enjoy at
home. This means if we reduce our reliance for these big industries, they won't have to produce
more.
So, a good way to solve the problem may be from our government and legislature level to regulate
these big companies. We can get our leaders to make laws that discourage activities that has high
carbon footprint. But many of our leaders have been a bit disappointing. So it is our turn to do our
bit!
What about you? ...in your own little way?
Start by reducing your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO2
(carbon dioxide), which was produced by your activities in a given time frame.
Let's start with vehicles. Vehicles produce greenhouse gases.
Go by bus!Get your family to go to school, work, market, holiday, place of worship on a bus rather
than in daddys car. Its cheaper too, and you save some money.
Walk! Dont drive. Walk to the shop, market, farm, school and everywhere. Sometimes there are
too many cars causing heavy traffic and it is better to walk. It is also great exercise.
Ride! Dont drive. You can always ride down to almost everywhere. It's great fun and very good
exercise!
Protect and plant trees Planting trees is fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees
absorb CO2, (a greenhouse gas) from the air. This means the air will be fresher and also help
regulate climate. You can also save old trees by protecting them from being cut down. One great
way to have fun with trees is to plant one on every special day like your birthday, Christmas,
National holidays or even in memory of special friends.
Recycle, reduce and re-use items Recycling, reducing the use of things and re-using things is also a
brilliant attitude for us to acquire. When we recycle cans, bottles, plastic and paper, we send less
trash to landfill. It also helps save natural resources such as trees, oil and aluminum. When you go
shopping, always look for the recycle mark on products before buying them. The mark means they
have been produced from recycled materials, and you want to encourage them to do so.
Questions

1. (i) Process of combustion leads to global warming. Explain.

2. (ii) (a) What do you mean by three Rs.?
(b)Which gas is released during combustion?

3
2

2. (i) State harmful effects of Global Warming.

(ii) What can we do to protect our environment from Global Warming?

2
3

OTBA FOR CLASS VIII SOCIAL SCIENCE

THEME : 1 - CHENNAI FLOOD
It was Tuesday morning. I woke up at 6 am, made breakfast and bid goodbye to my
husband who left for office at 7:15 am. I was still trying to get my house back in order
since the first wave of floods had hit us the week before. The cleaning and washing
seemed to be never ending. I started the washing machine and lay down next to my
5-year-old daughter, checking to see if there was anything about the incessant rains
in the news. The rain was still at its peak. At 8 am, I looked outside. The water level
had reached the main gate. I knew my maid wouldnt come now, so I thought Id
clean the dishes first. I had barely done two dishes when I felt the urge to look out
again.
The water had touched the porch now.

I left the dishes and started putting our clothes in a travel bag. Thankfully, I had the
keys to an empty second floor flat. I went upstairs and left our clothes there, then
packed the induction cook top, electric kettle, a few utensils, my laptop, a couple of
rice and daal packets, and biscuits. After carrying this bag upstairs, I thought Id wake
up my baby and give her breakfast. But by the time I came back to the ground floor,
water had started entering the verandah. I woke up my kid, took six bottles of water
and her brush and toothpaste, and rushed her to the second floor.
After settling her there, I came back and tried to put as many of our belongings as I
could on the beds and on the top shelves of the cupboards. By this time the water
was about to enter the house. I thought Id drag a mattress and a few blankets

upstairs but suddenly the power went off. I got worried that my daughter would get
scared in the dark, so I just picked up three blankets and rushed to the second floor.
Around this time my husband called and said he was leaving office to come back
home. His office is an hour away so I was praying that he would reach us safely.I kept
trying to call for help. Taxi services were busy. Rescue teams assured me that they
would send help. But none was forthcoming as yet.
My daughter was hungry by now. I had raw food but no resources to cook it. I kept
standing near the window, waiting for my husband. Suddenly, I saw four young men
going through the water on the other side of the road. I thought they were the
rescue people sent for me. I called out for help. At first they did not hear me but
when they passed by a second time they did. I asked if they were from the rescue
team.We are not a rescue team maam but we will help. Tell us what you want,
said one of them.
These were four unknown boys. I was not sure if I was doing the right thing but I
called them in. My husband was stuck in a water wave in the lane next to our house.
His phone was not reachable now.The boys came in. I asked if they could get the gas
stove and cylinder to the second floor. Without wasting a second, they started
helping me.
I gathered more food while they were trying to take the stove upstairs. They also
helped me get the drinking water can to the second floor.
After ensuring that my daughter and I were alright, they left, smiling and giggling.
The four boys who helped without expecting anything in return Sagar,
Suresh, Jagan and Gopal
The water was raising so fast, that by this time it had reached knee level inside my
house. Thankfully, my husband reached home by 2 pm and started rescuing as many
of our belongings as he could. Things like the fridge, washing machine, sofa and bed
had started floating.
By 5:30 pm, it was so dark that it was impossible to see anything inside the house.
We went back up to the second floor, waiting for the rain to stop. But it kept
raining
Next morning.
The entire ground floor was under water!
A few families from the ground floor flats had shifted to their neighbours homes on
the first floor. But this morning they just wanted to get out of there. It was only a
matter of a few hours before the water would reach this floor too.
We finally saw a boat at the entrance of our area at 9 am. The boat rescued just one
family and went away. People kept whistling, clapping and calling out for help. Later
on, I came to know that it was the family of the municipality head of our area. No

helplines were working. The next boat came at 1 pm. It did not stop anywhere else
but only at a house next to our flats. The family was rescued. We pleaded with the
boatman to come back, and he said he would, but never did!
I could see from our terrace that a couple on the terrace behind ours was desperate
to leave. I asked them if they were alright and they said they had climbed up to the
first floor without any food or water. We started sharing food with them. But water
was too limited!
By 5:30 pm it was almost dark and we lost hope of getting any help now. Several
helicopters had flown by during the day but food and water had not yet been
distributed.
Next morning.
The water level was going down. We could see the boundary walls of the ground
floor houses now. Our neighbours decided to walk through the water once it came
down to hip level. We were in a dilemma whether to do the same but finally decided
to go ahead. We were about to leave when a small boat carrying two elderly ladies
passed us from the backyard. We called out for help. When we told them that we
have a kid with us, they allowed us to get in.
The boat left us till the main road where an ambulance was ready to take people to a
government school. All this was being done by an organization called TMMK.
When we asked them where we should go, one of them offered us his own home.

We kept looking for hotels and finally got a room in one. Once our family was safe,
my husband went back to our area to help others.
In the meantime, my friends were using social media to the fullest extent possible to
help me. Some had tagged as many as they could on Twitter. Others had posted my
address on Facebook. One friend had even arranged for us to join her relative in his
hotel room.

There were friends who kept calling helpline numbers and sending me the same too.
My employers ordered food for us, called up the disaster management team, and
managed to speak to a boat guy to come rescue us.
All this time, I dont know why, but I was pretty relaxed. We were happy about all the
positive things that were happening with us amongst all the chaos.
Here are 4 lessons I learnt:
1. The water level in our area rose so suddenly, not due to rain, but because the
canal water had to be opened by the government. We dont know why this decision
was made but perhaps we could have been alerted.
2. When the lady from the balcony opposite ours came out and saw me on the
second floor, she exclaimed: Thank God, you are safe. She is Tamilian and I am
North Indian (as she knows). Yes, Tamilians and North Indians feel happy when they
see each other safe!
3. The four young boys who helped me did not know my name, status or religion.
Yes, young boys are good people too. And there are still people who will help
without expecting anything in return.
4. My husband risked his life to reach us and kept struggling till the end to save our
belongings. Yes, though men dont show their emotions, they can go to any extent to
save their families.

Q1
Q2

QUESTIONS
Read the story of Chennai flood and find out the lesson which the narrator had
learnt after facing Chennai flood.
( 5 Marks )
What are the social, economical problems occurs duringdisaster?( 5 Marks)
OR
As per the above mentioned story find out the problems faced by the people
of Chennai during flood.
( 5 Marks )

CLASS VIII SOCIAL STUDIES

THEME II VISUAL ART FORMS IN INDIA
Chitrakathi Paintings

Chitrakathi Paintings (Maharastra) These paintings which are around 300-400 yrs
old are called Chitra(picture)-Kathi or Katha(story)in which stories of the Ramayana,
the Mahabharata are depicted on handmade paper using natural colours. Its an almost
extinct art form practised by the Thakkar tribal community of Maharashtra.
Chitrakathi artists are a community of migrating story tellers found all over
Maharashtra and some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. They made a series of
single sheets of paintings. All paintings belonging to one story were kept in a bundle
called pothi.
Kalamkari

Kalamkari is an art that involves weaving and hand block printing apart from painting.
The figures with rounded shapes and border designs are typical of kalamkari. Wall
hangings, prayer mats, waist bands and dress materials like kurtas, and caps are
popular kalamkari products. The Kalahasti tradition which developed in the temple
region of Andhra Pradesh mostly concentrated on themes form Hindu mythology
(Ramayana, Mahabharatha), images of Gods and heroes The cloth and color are first
decided. The cloth is first bleached with goat or cow dung and then treated with milk

solution to avoid the color spreading. Color dyes are all natural. Wax resist is used for
dying the cloth in different colors. Since the whole process involves natural colors and
chemicals, the art has fast gained a place for itself in the international markets.
Madhubani

Madhubani painting is a style of painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar

state. Themes revolve around Hindu Gods and mythology, along with scenes from
the royal court and social events like weddings. Generally no space is left empty; the
gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs.In
this paintings artists uses leaf, Herbs, Flowers to make the colour which is used for
paintings.
Warli

The Warlis or Varlis are an indigenoustribe or Adivasis, living in mountainous as well

as coastal areas of Maharashtra-Gujarat border and surrounding areas. They have
their own animistic beliefs, life, customs and traditions, as a result of their culture
that they have adopted .The Warlis speak an unwritten Varli language which belong
to the southern zone of the Indo-Aryan languagesand the union territories of Dadra
and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Cave Painting
Cave paintings are paintings found on cave
walls and ceilings. The exact purpose of the
cave paintings is not known. Evidence suggests
that they were often located in areas that are
not easily accessible. Some theories hold that
cave paintings may have been a way of
communicating with others, while other
theories suggest a religious purposeto them.
AJANTA is world's greatest historical
monument recognized by UNESCO located just
55kms from Jalgaon city and 105kms from
Aurangabad City of Maharashtra, India. There
are 30 caves in Ajanta of which 9, 10, 19, 26
and 29 are chaitya-grihas and the rest are
monasteries.
**********
Q1 (a) Madhubani is the art form of which region of Bihar?
(b) Write short note on cave paintings of Ajanta?
Q2 Give any two similarities and two differences between Warli
and Kalamkati Art forms.