NCERT Solutions Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille

F R E E S T U D Y M AT E R I A L F O R E V E R Y S T U D E N T

CLASS 4 · ENGLISH

NCERT Solutions

Chapter 6: Braille

NCERT Textbook — Santoor

BOOK PAGES SECTIONS QUESTIONS MEDIUM

55 – 64 13 39 English

Solutions, notes, sample papers & more at 56 pages

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

CLASS 4 · ENGLISH · SANTOOR

NCERT Solutions — Chapter 6: Braille
Chapter 6 of Santoor is the last chapter of Unit 2, My Beautiful World. It is a short true story about Louis
Braille, a boy in France who lost his sight at the age of three. As a teenager he made a simple alphabet of
raised dots that a person can read with the fingers. The book calls it “a method of reading through touch”. The
chapter then takes you into practice: you answer questions about the story, guess an object with your eyes
shut, say the sp and spl words, write words in Braille, learn was/were + action word + ing, and press a shape
into paper to feel it from behind.

TEXTBOOK BOOK PAGES

Santoor (Class 4) 55 – 64

SECTIONS QUESTIONS

13 39

MEDIUM

English

Let us Read — Pages 55–57
Braille — the story of Louis Braille

LET US READ

Text Let us Read — Braille. Read the chapter and understand what Braille is and who
made it.

Here is the whole story, part by part, in the order the book tells it.

1. A little boy in France (page 55). Long ago, in France, a little boy named Louis Braille was
playing outside his home. He was three years old. His father was a blacksmith and was
working nearby. Louis started playing with the tools around him. Suddenly a sharp tool
pierced his eye. He cried out in pain. Within a few days he became blind in that eye. The
other eye also got affected, and he became totally blind.
2. School in Paris (page 56). In 1819, when Louis was ten years old, he got admission in the
Royal Institute for Young Blind Persons in Paris. There he learnt letters by using wood,
cloth or pins arranged in pincushions. He could feel those shapes with his fingers.
3. ‘Night Writing’ (page 56). Around this time an army man named Capt. Charles Barbier de
la Serre had invented something called ‘Night Writing’. It was an alphabet of raised dots
and dashes that soldiers could ‘read’ with their fingers in the dark. But it was too difficult, and
so it was not a success.

Page 1 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

4. Louis makes it simple (page 56). Louis, now a teenager, became interested in Night Writing
and simplified it. He gave the world the Braille alphabet. The book says: “Thus, a blind
person taught the world to see.”
5. What Braille is (page 57). Braille is a method of reading through touch. There is one Braille
symbol for each of the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet.
6. Why a Braille book is thick (page 57). Braille needs more space, because the letters cannot
be written too close together. So a Braille book is thicker than a regular printed book.
7. Braille is for everyone (page 57). The speech bubble on this page says that Braille is not just
for people with blindness. People with sight can learn Braille too. Then they can write small
poems and stories in Braille.

The picture beside the speech bubble (page 57) — what it shows: A young
woman in a pink salwar kameez sits in an armchair. She wears dark glasses. An
open book rests on her lap and her fingers are on the page. A long cane leans
against the arm of the chair beside her.

A short description of this picture, because the book prints it as a painting.

a b c d e f g h i j

k l m n o p q r s t

u v w x y z

The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56. Each letter has its own block of six dot places
— two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an outlined dot place stays flat.

Page 2 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why dots work: Your fingertip cannot see, but it can feel a tiny bump very well.
Louis kept only dots, and kept them inside one small block, so a fingertip can feel a
whole letter in one touch. That is why his alphabet worked and Night Writing did
not.

The picture beside the text (page 57) — what it shows: A boy sits at a table
with a big open book in front of him. The two pages of the book are covered
with rows of tiny raised dots. He is not looking down at the page. His right hand
rests flat on the page and his fingers are moving along a line of dots.

A short description of this picture, because the book prints it as a painting.

Dates and names to remember: Louis Braille · France · blind at three · Royal
Institute for Young Blind Persons, Paris · 1819, aged ten · Capt. Charles Barbier de la
Serre · ‘Night Writing’.

New Words New Words (page 57): blacksmith, blind, pincushions, invented.

These are the four new words the book puts in the New Words box on page 57.

WORD WHAT IT MEANS IN THE CHAPTER A SENTENCE OF YOUR
OWN

blacksmith A person who makes things “His father, a blacksmith, The blacksmith made a
out of iron, using fire and a was working nearby.” new gate for our school.
hammer.

blind Not able to see. “he became totally blind.” The blind girl reads her
lessons in Braille.

pincushions Small soft cushions in which “pins arranged in My mother keeps her
pins are kept stuck. pincushions.” needles in a round
pincushion.

invented Made something new that “had invented something Who invented the bicycle?
nobody had made before. called ‘Night Writing’.”

Page 3 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Tip — how to say them: blacksmith = black + smith. pincushions = pin + cushions,

m as e
l
and cushion is said “koo-shun”. invented has three beats: in-ven-ted.
.co a g
a s em
gl a blacksmith matters in this story: A blacksmith works with hot iron and
aWhy
sharp, heavy tools. Those tools were lying near the little boy. That is how the

com
ag
accident happened.
m .
as e
a g l
Let us Think — Page 58
co m
m.
A. Answer the following.

m as e
LET US THINK
.co a g l
a s em
gl Describe the Braille alphabet.
a A.1
m a s
m .co agl
a b c
l a sde e f g h i j
a g

co m
m .
m as er
l
k l m n o p q s t

m .co a g
l a se
ag
se m
u v
c o m w x y z
g l a
m . a
ase
agl

co m
The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56. Each letter has its own block of

m .
e
six dot places — two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an

m l as
.co g
outlined dot place stays flat.

m a
l a se
ag
.c
e m

m a s
. co agl
The Braille alphabet is an alphabet made of raised dots, which you read with your fingers

e m
as
instead of your eyes.
Here is how it is built:
a g l
Each letter gets one small block of six dot places — two across and three down.

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 4 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

In each letter, some of those six places are raised and the rest stay flat.
The pattern of the raised dots tells you which letter it is. For example, one dot at the top left
is a. Two dots down the left side is b.
There is one Braille symbol for each of the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet, as
the book says on page 57.
You read it by moving your fingers along the line of dots. So the book calls Braille “a method
of reading through touch”.
Braille needs more space, because the letters cannot be written too close together. That is
why a Braille book is thicker than a regular printed book.

1 4 top row

left 2 5 middle row

3 6 bottom row

One Braille cell has six dot places. We give them numbers 1 to 6 so that we can talk about them
easily. In a letter, some of these places are raised and the rest stay flat.

Why six dots and not more: A fingertip can feel only a small patch at one time. Six
dots fit neatly under one fingertip, so the whole letter is felt in one touch. More dots
would spill outside the fingertip and slow the reader down.

Look for the pattern: The first ten letters, a to j, use only the four top dot places.
Add the bottom-left dot to each of them and you get k to t. That is why the chart is
printed in three neat bands.

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A.2 Why was ‘Night Writing’ not a success?

Because it was too difficult. The book says plainly: “However, it was too difficult and, therefore,
not a success.”
What made it difficult:

Night Writing used raised dots and dashes. A dash is a long line, so each sign took up a lot
of room.
Because each sign was big, a finger could not feel a whole sign in one touch. The reader had
to move the finger about to work out one letter.
That made reading slow and tiring.

Why it was made at all: Capt. Charles Barbier de la Serre was an army man. He
made Night Writing so that soldiers could read messages in the dark, without
lighting a lamp that the enemy would see. It was a good idea — it was just too hard
to use.

The good that came of it: Night Writing failed, but it gave Louis Braille the idea. He
kept the raised dots, threw away the dashes, and made each letter small enough for
one fingertip.

A.3 What did Louis Braille do to make reading easier for the blind?

He took Night Writing and simplified it, and gave the world the Braille alphabet.
What he did, step by step:

1. As a teenager at the Royal Institute in Paris, he became interested in Capt. Barbier’s Night
Writing.
2. He removed the dashes and kept only the raised dots.
3. He made each letter fit into one small block of six dot places, small enough for one fingertip.
4. He gave one symbol to each of the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet.

Now a person who cannot see could read a whole book by touch, and write in it too. The book
ends this part with a beautiful line: “Thus, a blind person taught the world to see.”

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

a b c d e f g h i j

k l m n o p q r s t

u v w x y z

The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56. Each letter has its own block of six dot places
— two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an outlined dot place stays flat.

Why this was such a big change: Before Braille, a blind person had to be read to by
someone else. After Braille, the same person could pick up a book and read it alone,
at any hour, as many times as he liked. That is the difference Louis Braille made.

Remember: He did not start from nothing. He took an idea that had failed and
made it simple. Making a thing simpler is itself an invention.

Let us Think — Page 58

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B. Think and discuss.

THINK AND DISCUSS

B.1 You may have seen people with blindness walking with a white cane. Why is the
cane always white-coloured?

The picture printed beside question 1 on page 58: a man wearing dark glasses walks
along a road. He holds a long, thin white stick and taps the ground ahead of him with it.

Because white is the colour that is seen most easily from far away, and even in dim light.
Three reasons, in order:

1. It can be seen from a distance. A white stick stands out against a grey road, brown mud or
green grass. A driver notices it long before he reaches the person.
2. It can be seen at night. White throws back the light of headlamps and streetlights. A brown
or black cane would disappear in the dark.

Page 8 of 56

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co
3. It is a signal that everyone knows. All over the world, a white cane means: this person is
m
e m.
finding the way by touch and by sound. Seeing it, drivers slow down and other people make
m l as
.co g
way or offer help.

em a
a s
gl the cane itself is needed: The cane is swung gently from side to side just
aahead
Why
of the feet. It touches a step, a stone, a pit or a wall before the foot does. So

co m
the cane tells the walker what is coming, the way a finger tells a Braille reader what
is on the page.
e m . ag
g l as
a
Sample answer (for the discussion): The cane is white so that everybody can see it

. c om
easily, even from far away and even at night. When people see a white cane they

s e m is the
know that the person cannot see, so they slow down and give way. White

. com for this.
safest colour
a gla
a s em
a gl Did you know? Many white canes have a strip near the bottom that shines brightly

m
when a light falls on it. That makes the cane even easier to spot after dark.
a s
m .co agl
l a se
a g
B.2 Imagine that the world becomes dark for a day and there is no light. What
difficulties might one face on such a day?
co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
a s emis a “think and discuss” question, so talk about it with your friends first. Give three or four
gl real difficulties, and then say what would help.
This

a
Difficulties one might face:
se m
o m l a
Moving about. You would bump into
m .c tables, doors and steps. Going down a staircase would ag
be frightening.
l a se
agyour shoes, your plate — you would have to hunt for each one by
Finding things. Your bag,
feeling around.

co m
.
Reading and writing. No book, no blackboard, no notice could be read. School work would

em
as
stop.
m l
.co a g
Roads and traffic. Drivers could not see the road or each other. Buses and trains would have
m to stop.
l a se
ag Work at home. Cooking on a fire, cutting vegetables or filling water would become risky.
.c
Knowing who is there. You could not tell who had come into the room until the person
s e m
com gl a
.
spoke.
m
e going slowly, keeping one hand on the wall, calling out and a
a s
agl the shape of things, and keeping everything in its fixed place.
What would help on such a day:
listening for answers, feeling

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 9 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Sample answer: If the world became dark for a day, I would not be able to see
anything at all. I would knock into chairs and doors while walking. I could not read
my book or write in my notebook. I would have to find my things by touch and listen
carefully to know who was near me. I would go very slowly and keep one hand on
the wall.

What this teaches us: For one day it would be hard for us. People with blindness
manage all of this every day — and they manage it well, with a white cane, with
Braille books, by remembering where things are kept, and by using their ears and
hands. That is why we should never move a blind person’s things without telling
them.

Let us Speak — Pages 58–59
Close your eyes. Pick an object. Keep the object back. Now complete the sentences and share them with
the class.

LET US SPEAK

S.1 Close your eyes. Pick an object. Keep the object back. Now complete the sentences
and share them with the class.
1. The object in my hand was ....................... in shape.

This is a speaking activity, so your own answer is the right one. Nobody can fill this blank for
you.
How to do it:

1. Shut your eyes. Do not peep.
2. Pick up one thing from the box your teacher has kept.
3. Roll it slowly in your hand. Feel the edges, the corners and the surface.
4. Put it back, open your eyes and say your sentence to the class.

Shape words you can use: round · long · flat · square · oval · curved · three-cornered · box-
shaped · thin · pointed.

Sample answer: The object in my hand was round and flat in shape.

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why the book asks you to shut your eyes: This is the whole chapter in one small
game. With your eyes shut, your fingers do the work. That is exactly how a Braille
reader knows a letter — by feel, not by sight.

S.2 2. The object in my hand was ....................... (longer/shorter) than my forefinger.

Here the book gives you the two words to choose from: longer or shorter.
How to decide: While your eyes are shut, hold the object along your forefinger. If one end sticks
out past your fingertip, it is longer. If it ends before your fingertip, it is shorter.

Sample answers:
The object in my hand was shorter than my forefinger. (an eraser)
The object in my hand was longer than my forefinger. (a pencil)

Why we compare with a finger: You cannot use a scale with your eyes shut. So you
use a measure you always carry with you — your own finger. Comparing one thing
with another is a fair way to measure.

Tip: Your forefinger is the finger next to your thumb. It is the finger you point with,
and also the finger a Braille reader uses most.

S.3 3. The object in my hand was a ....................... .

Now say what the thing was. This is the naming sentence, so only one word or two go in the
blank.
How to work it out: put together the three clues your hand gave you — the shape, the size and
the feel.

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

WHAT YOUR HAND FELT THE OBJECT MAY BE

Round, flat, hard, smooth, small a coin

Long, thin, six-sided, pointed at one end a pencil

Small, soft, box-shaped, smells nice an eraser

Round, light, with a small hole, made of plastic a bangle

Flat, square, with many thin sheets inside a small notebook

Sample answer: The object in my hand was a rubber eraser.

Why touch is enough: Every thing has a shape, a weight and a surface of its own. A
coin is never soft and an eraser is never cold and shiny. So the fingers alone can
often name a thing correctly.

S.4 Now add two more lines to describe the object.

Two more lines means two more sentences, each telling something new about the same
object. Do not repeat the shape you have already said.
What your two lines can talk about:

How it felt — smooth, rough, soft, hard, cold, sticky, bumpy.
How heavy it was — light as a leaf, or heavy for its size.
What it is used for.
What it is made of — wood, plastic, metal, rubber, cloth.
Its colour, if you saw it after opening your eyes.

Sample answer (the full set of lines):
1. The object in my hand was oblong in shape.
2. The object in my hand was shorter than my forefinger.
3. The object in my hand was a rubber eraser.
4. It felt soft and a little rough at the corners.
5. I use it to rub out my mistakes in my notebook.

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Tip for speaking: Stand up straight, look at the class and speak slowly. Say only one
idea in each sentence.

Let us Listen — Page 59
Your teacher will read out the following words. Listen carefully and repeat.

LET US LISTEN

L.1 Your teacher will read out the following words. Listen carefully and repeat.
spoon · splinter · spin · splash · speak · split · space · splendid

This is a listening and saying activity. Your teacher says each word and you say it back. Listen
first, then repeat.
Sort the eight words into two groups. That is the whole point of this list.

WORDS THAT BEGIN WITH SP WORDS THAT BEGIN WITH SPL

spoon, spin, speak, space splinter, splash, split, splendid

What each word means:

WORD WHAT IT MEANS A SENTENCE

spoon A small dish on a handle, used for eating. Eat your rice with a spoon.

spin To turn round and round quickly. The top began to spin on the floor.

speak To say words. Please speak a little louder.

space An empty place; room for something. There is space for one more chair.

splinter A tiny sharp piece broken off wood or glass. A splinter of wood went into my
thumb.

splash The sound and spray of water when something The stone fell into the pond with a
falls in it. splash.

split To break something into two parts. We split the guava into two halves.

splendid Very fine; very beautiful. The fort looked splendid at sunset.

Page 13 of 56

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Why these words are hard to say: Three sounds come one after another with no

m l a se
vowel in between — s, p, l. Your tongue has to move very fast. That is why the book
o
gives you.c g
four easy sp words first and four harder spl words withathem.
se m
g l a
aTip — how to practise: Say s-p-in slowly first, then faster: spin. Then try s-p-l-it, then

co m
ag
split. Repeat each word three or four times. Never add a vowel — it is split, not “sa-
m .
plit”.
as e
a g l
Note: The Note to the Teacher box beside this list speaks only of the cluster spl, but

. c om
four of the eight words — spoon, spin, speak and space — have only sp. Listen for

m a s em useful.
the difference between the two groups; that is what makes the practice

. co a gl
a s em
a gl this: Find two more words of your own for each group, such as spider and sport
Try
for sp, and splendour and splatter for spl.

m a s
m .co agl
l a se
Let us Write — Page 60 a g

com
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
agl

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 14 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A. Write these words using the Braille alphabet. You can paste “bindis”. One is done for you.

LET US WRITE

A.1 A. Write these words using the Braille alphabet. You can paste “bindis”. One is done
for you.
1. Cat

The three cells the book has already filled in for you on page 60. Read them off the
alphabet chart on page 56.

Cat is the word the book has already done for you. Look at the three cells carefully — they
show you exactly what to do for the other words.

c a t

Page 15 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Cat in Braille: c (dots 1 and 4), a (dot 1), t (dots 2, 3, 4 and 5).

LETTER RAISED DOTS WHERE THEY ARE

c 1 and 4 the two top places, side by side

a 1 the top left place only

t 2, 3, 4 and 5 middle left, bottom left, top right, middle right

Why one cell for each letter: A word in Braille is written the same way as in print —
one symbol after another, left to right. Cat has three letters, so it needs three cells.

Tip — using bindis: Draw three boxes in your notebook. Paste a bindi in every place
that must be raised, and leave the other places empty. A bindi stands up a little from
the paper, so your friend can read your word with her eyes shut.

A small point about capital letters: The book writes Cat, Man, Boy and Jug with a
capital first letter, but the chart on page 56 gives only the twenty-six small letters,
and the finished example for Cat uses the plain letter c. So write the plain letter
symbols, just as the book has done. (In real Braille a special capital sign is put before
a letter to make it a capital. Your book does not teach that sign, so you do not need it
here.)

Page 16 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A.2 A. Write these words using the Braille alphabet. You can paste “bindis”. One is done
for you.
2. Man

Three empty boxes, exactly as the book prints them for this word. One box for each
letter.

a b c d e f g h i j

k l m n o p q r s t

u v w x y z

The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56. Each letter has its own block of
six dot places — two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an
outlined dot place stays flat.

Man has three letters, so you need three cells: m, a, n.

Page 17 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

m a n

Man in Braille: m (dots 1, 3 and 4), a (dot 1), n (dots 1, 3, 4 and 5).

LETTER RAISED DOTS

m 1, 3 and 4

a 1

n 1, 3, 4 and 5

How to find each letter: Run your finger along the middle band of the chart — k, l,
m, n, o. Copy the dots you see there, place for place, into your box.

Check it yourself: m and n look almost the same. n has one dot more than m — the
middle right dot (dot 5). Count the dots before you paste your bindis.

Page 18 of 56

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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
A. Write these words using the Braille alphabet. You can paste “bindis”. One is done
e
A.3

3. Boy.co
for you.
m g l as
m a
ase
agl

co m
e m . ag
g l as
a

co m
em.
m l as
m .co a g
l a se
a g
m a s
.co letter. agl
Three empty boxes, exactly as the book prints them for this word. One box for each

se m
g l a
a
a b c d e f g h
co mi j
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a k l m n o p q r s t

se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
agul v w x y z

co m
m .
o m l a se
m .c agEach letter has its own block of
se
The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56.

g l a
a
six dot places — two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an
outlined dot place stays flat.
.c
s e m
m a
e m . co agl
g l as
a
Boy has three letters, so you need three cells: b, o, y.

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 19 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

b o y

Boy in Braille: b (dots 1 and 2), o (dots 1, 3 and 5), y (dots 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6).

LETTER RAISED DOTS

b 1 and 2

o 1, 3 and 5

y 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Why y has so many dots: Only one of the six places is left flat in y — the middle left
place (dot 2). Letters near the end of the alphabet use the bottom dots as well, so
they are fuller.

Tip: Fill in the easy letter first. b is just two dots, one under the other, on the left.
Then do o, then count carefully for y.

Page 20 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A.4 A. Write these words using the Braille alphabet. You can paste “bindis”. One is done
for you.
4. Jug

Three empty boxes, exactly as the book prints them for this word. One box for each
letter.

a b c d e f g h i j

k l m n o p q r s t

u v w x y z

The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56. Each letter has its own block of
six dot places — two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an
outlined dot place stays flat.

Jug has three letters, so you need three cells: j, u, g.

Page 21 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

j u g

Jug in Braille: j (dots 2, 4 and 5), u (dots 1, 3 and 6), g (dots 1, 2, 4 and 5).

LETTER RAISED DOTS

j 2, 4 and 5

u 1, 3 and 6

g 1, 2, 4 and 5

Watch the top left place: In j the top left place stays flat. That is what makes j
different from d, which has dots 1, 4 and 5. One dot changes the whole letter.

Check it yourself: Cover the chart and write Jug from memory. Then uncover the
chart and match dot by dot.

Page 22 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A.5 5. Write your name in Braille.

a b c d e f g h i j

k l m n o p q r s t

u v w x y z

The Braille alphabet as your book prints it on page 56. Each letter has its own block of
six dot places — two across and three down. A solid dot is raised and can be felt; an
outlined dot place stays flat.

This one is about your own name, so only you can write it. Here is exactly how.
What to do:

1. Write your name in small letters, for example ravi.
2. Count the letters. Draw that many boxes in a row in your notebook.
3. Take the letters one at a time. Find each one on the chart on page 56.
4. Paste a bindi in every place that is raised for that letter. Leave the rest empty.
5. Read your name back with your eyes shut, using one fingertip.

Page 23 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
r a v sei m.
m l a
m .o
c ag
l a se
a g

co m
em . ag
g l as
a

co m
e m.
as
A sample name, Ravi, written in Braille: r, a, v, i.
m l
m .co a g
l a se
g
LETTER RAISED DOTS
a
s
r 1, 2, 3 and 5

m a
a
em
1 .co agl
a s
v
a gl 1, 2, 3 and 6

co m
i 2 and 4

m .
m as e
.co a g l
Sample answer: the name Ravi needs four cells — r, a, v, i — drawn above. Your

se m
a
own name may need more boxes or fewer.

ag l
se m
om Then they can find the right one by touch, a
Why a Braille name-card is useful: People with blindness often stick a small Braille
label on a box, a file or a medicine.cbottle. a g l
a s em
agl
without asking anybody.

A small point about capital letters: The book writes Cat, Man, Boy and Jug with a
com
m .
e
capital first letter, but the chart on page 56 gives only the twenty-six small letters,
m l as
.co g
and the finished example for Cat uses the plain letter c. So write the plain letter

e a
m symbols, just as the book has done. (In real Braille a special capital sign is put before
la s
ag a letter to make it a capital. Your book does not teach that sign, so you do not need it
c
here.)
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
g l as
Let us Write — Pagea61

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 24 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

B. Louis Braille lost his eyesight in an accident.

LET US WRITE

B.1 B. Louis Braille lost his eyesight in an accident. Some time ago, a newspaper
reported that a child lost one eye while lighting firecrackers. List the precautions
that should be taken to protect eyes from harm.

The picture printed beside part B on page 61: a child is bending down close to a
firecracker and lighting it with a long stick. Bright sparks are shooting up from the
cracker.

A precaution is something we do before the harm happens, so that it never happens. Here is a
list you can write in your notebook.
1. With firecrackers

Never light a cracker alone. An elder must be standing with you.
Light it with a long agarbatti, never with a matchstick held close.
Light it and step well back at once. Never bend your face over a cracker.
Never pick up a cracker that did not burst. Pour water on it from a distance.
Keep a bucket of water or a heap of sand ready beside you.
Burst crackers in an open place, never on a terrace, a lane or inside a room.
Wear cotton clothes that fit close, and tie up long hair.

Page 25 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

2. Every day

Keep sharp things — scissors, knives, nails, pencils, tools — away from small children. That is
how Louis Braille lost his sight.
Never throw stones, sand or dust at anyone, and never point a stick at a face.
Do not rub your eyes with dirty hands. Wash your hands and your face with clean water.
Do not stare straight at the sun, at a welding flame or at a laser light.
Read in good light. Do not hold the book too close, and rest your eyes after screen time.
Wear the goggles given to you when you cut grass, hammer, or work near a machine.
If dust or chemical gets into the eye, wash it at once with plenty of clean water and go to a
doctor. Do not rub it.

Model written answer (five lines, as the book expects): We should never light
firecrackers alone; an elder must be with us. We should step back at once after
lighting a cracker and never bend over it. We should never pick up a cracker that has
not burst. We should keep sharp things away from small children. If anything falls
into the eye, we should wash it with clean water and go to a doctor at once.

Why the eye needs so much care: The eye is a very soft part of the body and it has
no bone in front of it. A cut or a burn in the eye does not heal the way a cut on the
hand does. That is why we guard it before the harm, not after.

Let us Write — Pages 61–62

Page 26 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words. Change the present into the past.

LET US WRITE

C.1 C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words.
The following sentences describe actions in the present. Change them to the past
as shown in the examples.

PRESENT PAST

I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger.

Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

Sheeba is writing a letter.

He is singing a song.

We are playing kho-kho.

The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

The table as your book prints it. The first row is filled in for you.
1. The dogs are barking at the stranger.

The dogs were barking at the stranger.

The rule the book gives (page 61): These sentences are about something that
started in the past and went on for some time. If the sentence is about one person,
animal or bird, we use was + action word + ing. If it is about more than one, we
use were + action word + ing. The –ing word itself never changes.

Why were: The sentence is about dogs — more than one. For more than one we use were. The
action word stays the same: barking.

are barking → were barking

were + bark + ing

Page 27 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Tip: Look at the present sentence first. If it says are, the past will be were. If it says is
or am, the past will be was. That is the quickest check.

A sentence of your own: The birds were singing outside my window.

C.2 C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words.
The following sentences describe actions in the present. Change them to the past
as shown in the examples.

PRESENT PAST

I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger.

Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

Sheeba is writing a letter.

He is singing a song.

We are playing kho-kho.

The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

The table as your book prints it. The first row is filled in for you.
2. Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

Grandfather was searching for his spectacles.
Why was: The sentence is about one person — Grandfather. So we use was + searching.

is searching → was searching

What this tense tells us: He did not look once and stop. He went on looking for
some time. That is why we use was searching and not searched.

A sentence of your own: My sister was searching for her water bottle.

Page 28 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words.
e
C.3

comin the examples. l
The following sentences describe actions in the present. Change them to the past
g as
m .
as shown a
ase
agl PRESENT PAST

m
.co ag
I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger. sem

a gla
Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

co m
m.
Sheeba is writing a letter.

m as e
.co a g l
emWe are playing kho-kho.
He is singing a song.

a s
a gl
m a s
The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

m.co agl
a se
The table as your book prints it. The first row is filled in for you.
l
ag
3. Sheeba is writing a letter.

co m
.

se m
o m
Sheeba was writing a letter.
l a
g writing does not change.
m .c Sheeba is one person, so the word is was. The action word
a
se
Why was:

g l a
a
m
is writing → was writing
a se
. com a g l
e m
g l as its e before –ing — writ + ing = writing. The same
Tip about spelling: write drops
a and come → coming.
happens in make → making

co m
A sentence of your own: Meera was writing her name on the cover.
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
em . co agl
g l as
a

com
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 29 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

C.4 C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words.
The following sentences describe actions in the present. Change them to the past
as shown in the examples.

PRESENT PAST

I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger.

Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

Sheeba is writing a letter.

He is singing a song.

We are playing kho-kho.

The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

The table as your book prints it. The first row is filled in for you.
4. He is singing a song.

He was singing a song.
Why was: He means one person. One person takes was.

is singing → was singing

Check it yourself: Change He to They and the sentence becomes “They were singing
a song.” The number of people decides between was and were.

A sentence of your own: My friend was singing on the school stage.

Page 30 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

C.5 C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words.
The following sentences describe actions in the present. Change them to the past
as shown in the examples.

PRESENT PAST

I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger.

Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

Sheeba is writing a letter.

He is singing a song.

We are playing kho-kho.

The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

The table as your book prints it. The first row is filled in for you.
5. We are playing kho-kho.

We were playing kho-kho.
Why were: We always means more than one person, so it takes were.

are playing → were playing

A small point to remember: I is the odd one out. I is only one person, so we say I
was playing. But we, you and they all take were.

A sentence of your own: We were playing kabaddi in the ground.

Page 31 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

C.6 C. Read the following sentences and notice the underlined words.
The following sentences describe actions in the present. Change them to the past
as shown in the examples.

PRESENT PAST

I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger.

Grandfather is searching for his spectacles.

Sheeba is writing a letter.

He is singing a song.

We are playing kho-kho.

The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

The table as your book prints it. The first row is filled in for you.
6. The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair.

The man was using his hands to push his wheelchair.
Why was: The sentence is about the man — one person. So was + using.

is using → was using

Here is the whole table, completed:

Page 32 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

PRESENT PAST

I am sleeping. I was sleeping.

The dogs are barking at the stranger. The dogs were barking at the stranger.

Grandfather is searching for his spectacles. Grandfather was searching for his spectacles.

Sheeba is writing a letter. Sheeba was writing a letter.

He is singing a song. He was singing a song.

We are playing kho-kho. We were playing kho-kho.

The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair. The man was using his hands to push his wheelchair.

Tip about spelling: use also drops its e — us + ing = using.

Words that tell you it is the past: The Note to the Teacher on page 62 points to
words like long ago, yesterday and last night. When you see one of those in a
sentence, the verb must be in the past. That is why the book’s own example on page
61 reads, “Long ago, in France, a little boy named Louis Braille was playing near his
home.”

A sentence of your own: The man was using a stick to walk up the hill.

Let us Write — Page 62

Page 33 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

D. Look at the picture story.
co m
e m.
m as
LET US WRITE

.co a g l
s m at the picture story.
eLook
gl aD.
a
D

co m2
1
e m . ag
g l as
a

co m
em.
m l as
m .co a g
l a se
a g
3
m
4
a s
m .co agl
l a se
a g

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a
se m
o m
The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on the
l a
m .c sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet clothes on ag
ground for the squirrels and the
the clothesline. (3) Aestrong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and the
l s
athe
g
a andhouse.
grandmother goes into (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the clothes
the two of them come and look.

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
emLook at the four pictures in order. Together they tell one small story. Here it is, picture by picture.

a s
agl
.c
m
1. Picture 1. A girl is standing in her courtyard under a tree. She is throwing grains on the

m a s e
co agl
ground. Squirrels and sparrows have come to eat them. They are her friends.

m .
se
2. Picture 2. Her grandmother has brought a bucket of washed clothes. She is putting them on

l a
ag starts to blow. The clothes flap hard on the line. The girl holds her
the clothesline to dry. The girl stands and watches her.
3. Picture 3. A strong wind
hair, and the grandmother goes into the house — she has gone to fetch the clothes pegs.

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 34 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

4. Picture 4. When the grandmother comes back, she sees a wonderful sight. The sparrows
and the squirrels are sitting on the clothes and holding them down, so that they do not blow
away. The girl claps her hands with joy.

What the story means: The girl fed the birds and the squirrels every day. When the
wind came, the same little friends helped her family. Kindness is returned.

Tip for reading a picture story: Before you read the words under it, look at what
has changed from one picture to the next — the weather, who is there, what they are
holding. The change is the story.

Now turn the page: On page 63 the same story is written out with six blanks. You
will fill them with was or were + an action word.

Let us Write — Page 63

Page 35 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.

LET US WRITE

Blank 1 D. Look at the picture story.
Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.
Options: was clapping · was scattering · were sitting · was hanging · was
entering · was feeding
My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She (1)
............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.
She (2) ............................... grains for them.
Her grandmother (3) ............................... out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Grandmother (4) ............................... the house when a strong wind began to
blow.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The
sparrows and squirrels (5) ............................... on the clothes to prevent them
from falling.
Tarandeep (6) ............................... her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs
on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.
Blank (1): She ............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.

1 2

3 4

Page 36 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on
the ground for the squirrels and the sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet
clothes on the clothesline. (3) A strong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and
the grandmother goes into the house. (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the
clothes and the two of them come and look.

She was feeding her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.
Why this one: In picture 1 the girl is giving food to the squirrels and the sparrows. The word for
giving food is feeding. Tarandeep is one person, so we use was.

The rule again: one person → was + action word + ing. More than one → were +
action word + ing.

Tip: Read the rest of the sentence before you choose. The words “her friends, the
squirrels and the sparrows” tell you at once that this blank is about food.

Page 37 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Blank 2 D. Look at the picture story.
Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.
Options: was clapping · was scattering · were sitting · was hanging · was
entering · was feeding
My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She (1)
............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.
She (2) ............................... grains for them.
Her grandmother (3) ............................... out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Grandmother (4) ............................... the house when a strong wind began to
blow.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The
sparrows and squirrels (5) ............................... on the clothes to prevent them
from falling.
Tarandeep (6) ............................... her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs
on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.
Blank (2): She ............................... grains for them.

1 2

3 4

The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on
the ground for the squirrels and the sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet
clothes on the clothesline. (3) A strong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and

Page 38 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co
the grandmother goes into the house. (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the
m
e m.
clothes and the two of them come and look.

m l as
m .co a g
l a se
ag

She was scattering grains for them.

. com
Why this one: To scatter means to throw things loosely all around, so that they fall in many
ag
a s emthe grains in picture 1. Again she is one person, so
places. That is just what the girl is doing with
was.
agl

c o m
Word to keep: scatter. We scatter seeds in a field, and we scatter flower petals on a
floor. A sentence of your own: The farmer was scattering seeds in them .
s e wet field.

. com a gla
a s emnot “was feeding” here: That word has already been used in the sentence
gl
Why
a before. Each option in the box is used only once.

m a s
m .co agl
l a se
a g

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
agl

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Blank 3 D. Look at the picture story.
Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.
Options: was clapping · was scattering · were sitting · was hanging · was
entering · was feeding
My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She (1)
............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.
She (2) ............................... grains for them.
Her grandmother (3) ............................... out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Grandmother (4) ............................... the house when a strong wind began to
blow.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The
sparrows and squirrels (5) ............................... on the clothes to prevent them
from falling.
Tarandeep (6) ............................... her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs
on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.
Blank (3): Her grandmother ............................... out the clothes to dry on a
clothesline.

1 2

3 4

The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on
the ground for the squirrels and the sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet
clothes on the clothesline. (3) A strong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and

Page 40 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

the grandmother goes into the house. (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the
clothes and the two of them come and look.

Her grandmother was hanging out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Why this one: We hang out washed clothes on a line so that the sun and the wind dry them.
Picture 2 shows the grandmother doing exactly that. She is one person, so was.

Tip: The words out the clothes and on a clothesline are the clue. Only hanging fits
with them. You cannot “scatter out the clothes” or “enter out the clothes”.

A sentence of your own: Amma was hanging the wet towels on the line.

Page 41 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Blank 4 D. Look at the picture story.
Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.
Options: was clapping · was scattering · were sitting · was hanging · was
entering · was feeding
My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She (1)
............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.
She (2) ............................... grains for them.
Her grandmother (3) ............................... out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Grandmother (4) ............................... the house when a strong wind began to
blow.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The
sparrows and squirrels (5) ............................... on the clothes to prevent them
from falling.
Tarandeep (6) ............................... her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs
on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.
Blank (4): Grandmother ............................... the house when a strong wind began
to blow.

1 2

3 4

The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on
the ground for the squirrels and the sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet
clothes on the clothesline. (3) A strong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and

Page 42 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

the grandmother goes into the house. (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the
clothes and the two of them come and look.

Grandmother was entering the house when a strong wind began to blow.
Why this one: To enter means to go inside. In picture 3 the grandmother is stepping in at the
door, to fetch the clothes pegs. She is one person, so was.

Two actions at one time: This sentence joins two things — she was entering the
house, and just then the wind began to blow. The longer action takes was + –ing; the
sudden one takes the plain past, began.

A sentence of your own: I was entering the classroom when the bell rang.

Page 43 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
D. Look at the picture story.
se
Blank 5

o m
Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.
l a
ghanging · was
m .c
Options: a
was clapping · was scattering · were sitting · was

a se entering · was feeding
agl My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She (1)
............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.

com
m .
She (2) ............................... grains for them.
e ag
g l as
Her grandmother (3) ............................... out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
a
Grandmother (4) ............................... the house when a strong wind began to

m
blow.
co
m.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The

m as e
.cofrom falling. l
sparrows and squirrels (5) ............................... on the clothes to prevent them
a g
se m
g l a
a
Tarandeep (6) ............................... her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs
on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.

m a s
.co agl
Blank (5): The sparrows and squirrels ............................... on the clothes to

se m
prevent them from falling.

g l a
a
1 2
co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
3
agl 4

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
m . co agl
l a se
agfor the squirrels and the sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet
The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on
the ground
clothes on the clothesline. (3) A strong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and

co m
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

the grandmother goes into the house. (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the
clothes and the two of them come and look.

The sparrows and squirrels were sitting on the clothes to prevent them from falling.
Why were and not was: This is the only blank in the whole passage about more than one —
sparrows and squirrels, many of them. For more than one we must use were.
Why sitting: Picture 4 shows them perched on the clothes, holding them down with their weight
so that the wind cannot blow them away.

Check it yourself: were sitting is the only option in the box that begins with were. So
this blank was waiting for it.

Why the little friends did this: The girl had been feeding them every day. When the
wind came, they helped her family in the only way they could.

Page 45 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Blank 6 D. Look at the picture story.
Now fill in the blanks from the suitable options.
Options: was clapping · was scattering · were sitting · was hanging · was
entering · was feeding
My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She (1)
............................... her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.
She (2) ............................... grains for them.
Her grandmother (3) ............................... out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Grandmother (4) ............................... the house when a strong wind began to
blow.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The
sparrows and squirrels (5) ............................... on the clothes to prevent them
from falling.
Tarandeep (6) ............................... her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs
on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.
Blank (6): Tarandeep ............................... her hands with joy.

1 2

3 4

The four-picture story printed on page 62 of your book. (1) A girl throws grains on
the ground for the squirrels and the sparrows. (2) Her grandmother puts the wet
clothes on the clothesline. (3) A strong wind blows, the clothes flap on the line and

Page 46 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

the grandmother goes into the house. (4) The sparrows and the squirrels sit on the
clothes and the two of them come and look.

Tarandeep was clapping her hands with joy.
Why this one: We clap our hands when we are very happy. Tarandeep saw her friends saving
the clothes, so she clapped. She is one person, so was.
Here is the whole passage, filled in:
My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She was feeding her friends, the
squirrels and the sparrows.
She was scattering grains for them.
Her grandmother was hanging out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.
Grandmother was entering the house when a strong wind began to blow.
When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The sparrows and
squirrels were sitting on the clothes to prevent them from falling.
Tarandeep was clapping her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs on the clothes, and
Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.

BLANK ANSWER WHY

1. She ___ her friends, the squirrels and was feeding Tarandeep is one person, and she was giving
the sparrows. food to the birds and squirrels.

2. She ___ grains for them. was Grains are thrown loosely all around, not placed
scattering in one heap.

3. Her grandmother ___ out the clothes to was hanging We hang out washed clothes on a clothesline.
dry.

4. Grandmother ___ the house when a was entering She was going inside the house at that
strong wind began to blow. moment.

5. The sparrows and squirrels ___ on the were sitting Many birds and squirrels — more than one —
clothes. so were.

6. Tarandeep ___ her hands with joy. was Tarandeep is one person, and we clap our
clapping hands when we are happy.

Tip about spelling: Short words that end in one vowel and one consonant double
that consonant before –ing — clap → clapping, sit → sitting, run → running.

Page 47 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Let us Do — Page 64
Two activities to do yourself

LET US DO

Do 1 1. Take a piece of paper. With the help of a matchstick, or the back of a pencil,
press hard on the paper to ‘draw’ a circle, a plus sign, or a letter of the alphabet.
Now, close your eyes, turn the page over, and run your finger on the raised surface
on the paper. Can you make out what the shape or outline is? Now, try the same
activity with your friend. You may also use white clay for the same.

This is a making and feeling activity. Do it yourself — that is the only way to learn what it
teaches.
What to do:

1. Put your sheet of paper on something soft — a folded cloth, a newspaper or a rubber mat.
Not on a hard table.
2. Hold the back of a pencil, or a matchstick, upright. Press hard and draw a circle, a plus sign
or one letter. Do not tear the paper.
3. Turn the paper over. The line you pressed in now stands up on this side.
4. Shut your eyes. Run one fingertip slowly along the raised line.
5. Say aloud what you think the shape is. Then open your eyes and check.
6. Now do it with a friend. One of you presses a shape, the other reads it with eyes shut.

1. Press hard 2. Turn it over 3. Feel it, eyes shut

What the Let us Do activity looks like. You press a shape into the paper from the front. On the back,
the same shape stands up as a raised line that your finger can feel.

Page 48 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

What you should find (this is the part to keep): Yes, you can make out the shape. A simple
co m
e m.
shape with few lines — a circle, a plus sign, the letter L or T — is easy to feel. A shape with many
m l as
.co g
curves close together, like the letter g, is much harder.

em a
a s
gl it works: Your fingertip has thousands of tiny feelers in the skin. They cannot
asee,
Why
but they notice the smallest bump. When you press the front of the paper, the

co m
back rises. Your finger follows that raised line the way your eye follows a drawn line.

m . ag
l a se
ag is exactly how Braille is read. That is also why Braille
The link with the chapter: This
uses only dots and keeps them a little apart — marks that are too close together feel

co m
m.
like one blur.

o m l a se
.c clay: Roll six tiny balls of clay. Press them onto carda g in the six dot places
m
sea Braille cell, leaving out the ones that must stay flat. You have made a letter you
With white

g l a
of
a can really feel.

m a s
em
.co agl
a s
Do 2
a gl with low vision. (e.g., wearing thick glasses or holding a
2. There are some children
book too close to their eyes). Being a classmate and friend, how can you assist

co m
them? For example: Bringing a printout of a paragraph with large fonts to help

m .
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them read.

o m g l a
m .c a
se book gives you one example — a printout in large letters. Here are more, of the same

g l a
a The

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practical kind.

com g l a
.
In the classroom
m a
ase
agl
Offer them a seat in the front row, near the board and near the window light.
Read out aloud whatever the teacher writes on the board.
Give them a copy of the notes in large, clear letters, with dark ink on white paper.

co m
.
Do not stand in front of the board or the light while they are reading.

em
m l as
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Around the school
a g
s e m Keep the walking path clear — push in chairs, move bags off the floor.
agla Never move their things without telling them. They remember where each thing is kept.
.c
Say your name when you come near, so they know at once who is speaking.
s e m
m a
co agl
Walk with them on the stairs and tell them when a step is coming.

m .
How to be a friend
l a se
Ask first: “Would youag
like some help?” Then help in the way they ask for.

m
Pick them for your team, your project and your games.

. co
e m
m l as
.co a g
Page 49 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Never tease anyone about thick glasses or about holding a book close.

Model written answer: I can give my friend a printout of the lesson in large letters.
I will let him sit in the front row and read out what the teacher writes on the board. I
will keep the path clear and never move his things. I will always ask him first before
helping him.

Why “ask first” matters: A classmate with low vision does most things perfectly well
on his own. Help that is pushed on someone is not help. Help that is asked for is.

Let us Explore — Page 64
Find out about the nearest resource centre for people with blindness.

LET US EXPLORE

E.1 Find out about the nearest resource centre for people with blindness.

This is a find-out task. The answer is different for every town, so you must look it up near your
home. Here is how.
Where to ask:

1. Your class teacher and the school office — they often already know one.
2. The District Education Office, or the special-education teacher of your block.
3. The public library in your town.
4. An elder at home, with the help of a phone or the internet.

What kinds of places to look for:

A school for the blind, which usually has a Braille library.
A Braille press or Braille book library.
A District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) — most districts have one.
A centre of the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual
Disabilities, whose main campus is at Dehradun, in Uttarakhand.

What to write down when you find one:

Page 50 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

WHAT TO NOTE WHAT IT MEANS

Name of the centre Write it exactly as it is on the board outside.

Where it is The road, the town and the district.

What it gives Braille books, talking books, white canes, training, help with school work.

Who may go there Children, grown-ups, or both.

How you found out Teacher, library, office or elder at home.

Sample answer (the shape your answer should take): The nearest centre near my
home is a school for the blind in my district town. It has a Braille library where
students can borrow Braille books. It also gives white canes and teaches children to
read and write Braille. My class teacher told me about it. — Fill in the real name and
place that you find. Do not copy this sample.

Why a resource centre matters: Braille books are big and costly to make. One
centre keeps them for a whole district, so anybody can borrow them — just as our
school library keeps books for the whole school.

Self Assessment 1 — Pages 65–66
You may select more than one box for each point. (This sheet comes after Chapter 6 and covers Units 1
and 2.)

SELF ASSESSMENT

SA.1 You may select more than one box for each point.
1. I can recite the poems with gestures:
□ By myself □ In a group □ By repeating after my teacher □ None of the above. I
like reading poems quietly

This is about you, not about the chapter. There is no right or wrong answer here. Think back to
Together We Can and the other poems you have recited this year, and tick the boxes that are true
for you.
The boxes you may tick:

By myself
In a group

Page 51 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

By repeating after my teacher
None of the above. I like reading poems quietly

You may tick more than one box, because you may do it in more than one way. Tick only what is
really true for you.

Sample answer: A child who can stand up and say the poem alone, with actions,
ticks By myself. A child who joins in with the class ticks In a group. Many children tick
two boxes — for example In a group and By repeating after my teacher.

Why this helps you: It shows you and your teacher how you learn best. If you can
only say the poem after your teacher, you know what to practise next — saying one
verse alone.

SA.2 You may select more than one box for each point.
2. I can understand new words:
□ By using a dictionary □ After listening to my teacher’s explanation □ By
reading with my classmates in groups □ By reading the entire sentence again □
By looking at the pictures

Think of the new words you met this year — blacksmith, pincushions, invented, bouquet. How did
you work out what each one meant? Tick every way that you really use.
The boxes you may tick:

By using a dictionary
After listening to my teacher’s explanation
By reading with my classmates in groups
By reading the entire sentence again
By looking at the pictures

You may tick more than one box, because you may do it in more than one way. Tick only what is
really true for you.

Sample answer: Most children tick three — By looking at the pictures, By reading the
entire sentence again and After listening to my teacher’s explanation.

Page 52 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why this helps you: Every one of these five ways is a good one. Knowing which
ones you already use tells you which new one to try. Reading the whole sentence
again is the quickest of all, and it needs no help from anybody.

SA.3 You may select more than one box for each point.
3. I can answer questions:
□ In my mother tongue □ In English □ In English with a few words from my
mother tongue □ In my mother tongue, with a few words of English

Think about how you answer in class. Do the words come to you in English, or in your own home
language, or in a mix of the two? Tick honestly.
The boxes you may tick:

In my mother tongue
In English
In English with a few words from my mother tongue
In my mother tongue, with a few words of English

You may tick more than one box, because you may do it in more than one way. Tick only what is
really true for you.

Sample answer: A child who is still learning English may tick In my mother tongue,
with a few words of English. A child who is comfortable ticks In English.

Why this helps you: Using your mother tongue is not a mistake. It is a step. The
book itself says you may mix the two. Each month you will find a few more English
words coming to you on their own.

SA.4 You may select more than one box for each point.
4. I can write:
□ By myself □ After following my teacher’s instructions □ After reading my
friends’ work □ With my teachers’/friends’ help

Think of the writing you did this year — the five picture answers in Chapter 1, the eye-safety list
in this chapter, the picture story. Did you write them alone, or did you need help to start?
The boxes you may tick:

Page 53 of 56

as e
Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

By myself
co m
After following my teacher’s instructions
e m.
m l as
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After reading my friends’ work

se m
a
With my teachers’/friends’ help

a g l
You may tick more than one box, because you may do it in more than one way. Tick only what is
really true for you.

. com ag
a
Sample answer: A child who can plan
s emand write a five-line answer alone ticks By
agl sentence to be given ticks After following my
myself. A child who needs the first
teacher’s instructions.

co m
se m.
o m l a
Why this helps you: Writing grows in steps: first with help, then after instructions,

m .c Ticking the true box shows you the very next stepagto take.
se
then alone.

g l a
a
om a s
. c agl
SA.5 You may select more than one box for each point.

s eofmmy teacher □ With the help of my classmates □
5. I was able to do all the activities:
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□ By myself □ With the help
With the help of my family members

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m l as
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Think of the activities — the paper chain in Chapter 1, writing your name in Braille, pressing a

a s em
shape into paper and feeling it from behind. Who was with you when you did them?

agl The boxes you may tick:
By myself
se m
com g l a
With the help of my teacher
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With the help of my classmates
With the help of my family members

m
You may tick more than one box, because you may do it in more than one way. Tick only what is

. co
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really true for you.

o m l a se
g because some activities
.cSample answer: Most children tick two or three boxesahere,
se m were done in class and some at home.
g l a
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s e
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Why this helps you: Some activities really do need another pair of hands, and
a g la
s e m But if every box you tick is a helper, try the next
asking for help is not a weakness.
a only when you are stuck.
activity alone first, andlask
ag

co m
m .
m ase
.co


a g l Page 54 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Chapter at a glance
The accident. Long ago in France, a little boy named Louis Braille was playing outside his
home. He was three years old. His father was a blacksmith and was working nearby. Louis
played with the tools, and a sharp tool pierced his eye. Within a few days he was blind in
that eye. The other eye also got affected, and he became totally blind.
School, and ‘Night Writing’. In 1819, when he was ten, Louis joined the Royal Institute for
Young Blind Persons in Paris. He learnt letters by using wood, cloth or pins arranged in
pincushions. Around that time an army man, Capt. Charles Barbier de la Serre, had invented
‘Night Writing’ — an alphabet of raised dots and dashes that soldiers could ‘read’ with their
fingers in the dark. It was too difficult, and so it was not a success.
The Braille alphabet. Louis, now a teenager, became interested in Night Writing and
simplified it. He gave the world the Braille alphabet. There is one Braille symbol for each of
the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet. The book sums it up in one line: “Thus, a blind
person taught the world to see.”
Why a Braille book is fat. Braille needs more space, because the letters cannot be written
too close together. So a Braille book is thicker than a regular printed book.
Braille is for everyone. The speech bubble on page 57 says Braille is not just for people
with blindness. People with sight can learn Braille too, and then write small poems and
stories in it.
The rest of the chapter. Let us Think has questions on the story and on the white cane. Let
us Speak asks you to name an object you held with your eyes shut. Let us Listen practises the
sp and spl sounds. Let us Write has words to write in Braille, eye-safety rules, the was/were + –
ing rule and a picture story. Let us Do and Let us Explore send you off to make and to find out.

Page 55 of 56

Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Quick revision

WORD WHAT IT MEANS WHERE IT COMES IN THE A SENTENCE OF YOUR
CHAPTER OWN

blacksmith A person who makes things out “His father, a blacksmith, was The blacksmith made a
of iron, using fire and a working nearby.” (page 55) new gate for our school.
hammer.

pierced Went in sharply and made a “a sharp tool pierced his eye.” A thorn pierced my thumb
hole. (page 55) while I was picking
flowers.

blind Not able to see. “he became totally blind.” (page My uncle went blind after
55) an illness, but he still
teaches.

pincushions Small soft cushions in which “pins arranged in pincushions.” My mother keeps her
pins are kept stuck. (page 56) needles in a round
pincushion.

invented Made something new that “had invented something called Who invented the bicycle?
nobody had made before. ‘Night Writing’.” (page 56)

‘Night An alphabet of raised dots and “soldiers could ‘read’ with their Night Writing was too
Writing’ dashes, made so that soldiers fingers in the dark.” (page 56) hard, so nobody used it
could read in the dark. for long.

simplified Made something easier. “became interested in it and Our teacher simplified the
simplified it.” (page 56) sum for us.

Braille A way of reading and writing “He gave the world the Braille Our library has three
with raised dots, read by touch. alphabet.” (page 56) storybooks in Braille.

touch Feeling a thing with the skin, “Braille is a method of reading I knew it was a coin just
mostly with the fingers. through touch.” (page 57) by touch.

symbol A mark or a sign that stands for “there is one Braille symbol for The symbol + tells us to
something. each of the twenty-six symbols add.
(letters)” (page 57)

white cane The long white stick that a “walking with a white cane” He tapped the footpath
person with blindness uses to (page 58) with his white cane and
feel the path ahead. walked on.

low vision Seeing only a little, even with “There are some children with A child with low vision
glasses. low vision.” (page 64) needs the notes printed in
large letters.

Page 56 of 56