NCERT Solutions Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts

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 7 · ENGLISH

NCERT Solutions

Unit 5: Bravehearts

NCERT Textbook — Poorvi

BOOK PAGES SECTIONS QUESTIONS MEDIUM

179 – 222 26 132 English

Solutions, notes, sample papers & more at 84 pages

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

CLASS 7 · ENGLISH · POORVI

NCERT Solutions — Unit 5: Bravehearts
Complete NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts from the NCERT textbook Poorvi. Every
numbered item from all three pieces of the unit — the pair of letters A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers, the
poem My Dear Soldiers by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the graphic story Rani Abbakka — is answered heading
by heading, from pages 179 to 222.

TEXTBOOK BOOK PAGES

Poorvi (Class 7) 179 – 222

SECTIONS QUESTIONS

26 132

MEDIUM

English

Let us do these activities before we read — Page 179
A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers

BEFORE YOU READ

I Homage means ‘something that is said or done to show respect publicly for
someone’. Whom should every Indian pay homage to? Share your answers with
your classmates and the teacher.

Every Indian should pay homage to the men and women who gave their lives so that the
rest of us could live in safety and freedom.
A good answer names people and says why they deserve homage. You could speak about:

The soldiers of the Armed Forces — the more than 26,000 names etched on the tablets of
the National War Memorial, from the Battle of Badgam in 1947 to the Kargil War of 1999 and
after.
The freedom fighters who won us Independence — from Rani Abbakka and Rani
Lakshmibai to Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi and Rani Gaidinliu.
The police, fire services and disaster-relief teams, who run towards danger when
everyone else runs away from it.
Doctors, nurses and sanitation workers, whose service during floods and epidemics keeps
a whole city alive.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Sample answer: “I think every Indian should pay homage first to the soldiers of our
Armed Forces. They stand at the border in the snow and in the desert so that my
school opens every morning and my family sleeps without fear. I would also pay
homage to the freedom fighters, because the country I live in was won by them.”

Why the word matters: homage is public respect. Feeling grateful in your heart is
good; homage means saying it aloud — at the assembly, at a memorial, in a letter —
so that others remember too.

II Work in pairs to complete the table by writing any three ways in which we can
celebrate the victories and honour the sacrifices of the soldiers. An example has
been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORIES HONOURING THEIR SACRIFICES

visiting a war memorial

The table as printed on page 179, with the one example already filled in.

The example given in the book — visiting a war memorial — belongs in the second column. Here
are three ideas for each column.

CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORIES HONOURING THEIR SACRIFICES

Marking Vijay Diwas (16 December) and Kargil visiting a war memorial (example given)
Vijay Diwas (26 July) in the school assembly

Watching the Republic Day parade together and Laying a wreath and observing two minutes' silence on Armed
reading about the units marching in it Forces Flag Day (7 December)

Making a class presentation or wall magazine on Writing letters of thanks to serving soldiers, or contributing to
stories of valour, as Soumya's class decided to do the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund for the families of the fallen

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Tip: keep the two columns different in mood. Celebrating is loud and happy —
parades, songs, quizzes. Honouring is quiet — silence, flowers, remembering a
name.

In-text Questions — Page 180
A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers

IN-TEXT

1 The memorial symbolises the patriotism of Indian soldiers. Which is this memorial?

It is the National War Memorial, New Delhi.
Soumya's letter gives every clue needed to name it — its construction began in April 2018 and
finished in February 2019, it is spread over 40 acres near the iconic India Gate, and it was
inaugurated by the Prime Minister in February 2019. It honours the soldiers who have fallen in
service of India since 1947.

2 Let me begin by asking you to guess the name of the monument that I found most
inspiring. Let’s see if you can guess.

The monument is the National War Memorial, and Soumya herself confirms the guess two
paragraphs later: “I'm sure you've guessed! It's the ‘National War Memorial’.”

CLUE IN THE LETTER WHAT IT TELLS YOU

Construction started April 2018, completed February 2019 A very recent monument

Envisioned and inaugurated by the Prime Minister A national, government-built monument

Spread over 40 acres near the iconic India Gate In central New Delhi

“a tribute to some of the bravest Indians” Built for soldiers, not for a ruler

Let us discuss — Pages 187 & 188

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers — Letter I (Soumya to Ananda)
co m
e m.
m as
COMPREHENSION

.co a g l
a s em the table given below. An example has been done for you. Check your
gl
Complete
a
I
answers with the teacher.

com
m . ag
l a se
ag
NAME OF THE CONTRIBUTION AND AWARD GIVEN
WAR HERO ACHIEVEMENT

Major Somnath Battle of Badgam in 1947
co
First Param Vir Chakra
m
Sharma
em.
awarded posthumously

om Mahendra g l as
.cCaptain
m Nath Mulla a
l a se
a g
Lance Naik Albert

m a s
.co agl
Ekka

se m
a
Major Padmapani
Acharya
a g l
The table as printed on page 187, with row 1 filled in as the example.
co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
a s em
gl All four rows can be filled from the letter and the two citations printed in it.

a
se m
com g l a
. a
NAME OF THE CONTRIBUTION AND ACHIEVEMENT AWARD GIVEN

m
ase
WAR HERO

Major Somnath agl
Battle of Badgam in 1947 (example given) First Param Vir
Sharma Chakra, awarded

m
.co
posthumously

se m
comMulla
Captain Mahendra
g l a
Navy officer in the 1971 India-Pakistan War; showed exemplary Maha Vir Chakra

m . a
e
Nath courage and leadership (MVC)

g l as
a Lance Naik Albert 1971 war, attack on the enemy defence at Gangasagar on the eastern Param Vir Chakra
c
m .
e
Ekka, 14 Guards front — silenced a Light Machine Gun and then a Medium Machine (PVC), posthumously

a s
com agl
Gun though seriously wounded, and made the supreme sacrifice

.
m 1999 — as Company Commander led the
Kargil War, 28eJune
Major Padmapani
a s
l through artillery fire and captured a heavily fortified
Maha Vir Chakra
Acharya, 2
Rajputana Rifles a g
reserve platoon
enemy position; succumbed to his injuries
(MVC), posthumously

co m
m .
m as e
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Did you know? The letter tells us that 21 bravehearts have been awarded the
Param Vir Chakra. The other medals Soumya's teacher named are the Maha Vir
Chakra (MVC), Kirti Chakra (KC), Vir Chakra (VrC) and Shaurya Chakra (SC).

II 1 Find the paragraph(s) and sentences in the text that evoke the feelings given
below. 1. feeling of wonder

The paragraph in which the teacher reads out Lance Naik Albert Ekka's citation:

“It touched my heart and also motivated me. We were awestruck and humbled by
his bravery.”

The paragraph describing the four chakras ends in the same tone of wonder: “It also houses
bronze and stone murals and graphic panels. Isn't it amazing!”

II 2 2. heartening

The paragraph about the gallantry awards begins with the word itself:

“It was heartening to know that our government has recognised the sacrifice
of brave soldiers. Our teacher told us about the 21 bravehearts who were awarded
the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), India's highest wartime gallantry medal, for their
service to the nation.”

Why it is heartening: the sacrifice is not forgotten. A medal, a citation and a tablet
with a name on it are a country's way of saying that it remembers.

II 3 3. sense of motivation

Two places carry this feeling clearly:

After the citation is read out — “It touched my heart and also motivated me. … I aspire to be
courageous like him when I join the Army!”

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

At the end of the day at the memorial — “It motivated me to live a life worthy of the
sacrifices of our heroes.”

Notice: Soumya's motivation is not a wish to fight. It is a wish to be worthy — to live
a life that deserves the freedom she has been given.

II 4 4. pride

In the paragraph about the Amar Jawan Jyoti and the wreaths:

“It truly is a majestic site that filled me with pride for our nation.”

II 5 5. visually inspiring

Two sentences describe the memorial as something to look at:

“The lighting design is planned in such a way that it transforms the monument's
landscape as sunlight changes from dawn to dusk.”
“The overall environment created an emotive experience that was visually inspiring.”

II 6 6. sadness

In the paragraph that closes the day's visit:

“I learnt a lot, but I also have to admit that the various discourses during the day
brought tears to my eyes. It was sad to think about the massive devastation
and loss of life caused by wars.”

Why the book keeps this in: the letter never pretends that war is glorious. It says
plainly that war “always takes its toll”. That is exactly why a memorial exists — “so
that we should never forget the cost of freedom”.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

II 7 7. gratitude

In the paragraph about what the teacher explained at the entrance:

“…the freedom and security we enjoy today is because of the many brave men and
women who have served in the Indian Armed Forces over decades.”

Ananda says the same thing in her reply letter: “…it is also an expression of deep gratitude for
the supreme sacrifice made by our brave soldiers defending the sovereignty and integrity of
the country.”

II 8 8. inspiration

Inspiration runs through both letters:

Soumya: “Let me begin by asking you to guess the name of the monument that I found
most inspiring.”
Ananda: “I was inspired by your idea of presenting the valourous stories of India's soldiers.”
Ananda's closing line: “I am inspired by your letter!”

III Which is India’s highest gallantry award?

The Param Vir Chakra (PVC).
The letter calls it “India's highest wartime gallantry medal”. It was first awarded to Major
Somnath Sharma, posthumously, for the Battle of Badgam in 1947, and so far 21 bravehearts
have received it.

Tip: the words mean what they say — param (highest) + vir (brave) + chakra (wheel, a
medal). Below it come the Maha Vir Chakra and the Vir Chakra.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

IV How would Ananda feel after reading this letter?

Ananda would feel moved, grateful, proud and inspired — and we do not have to guess,
because her reply tells us so.

Pleased: “It was such a pleasure to receive your letter. I enjoyed reading your experience…”
Grateful and respectful: she calls a war memorial “an expression of deep gratitude for the
supreme sacrifice made by our brave soldiers”.
Motivated: “I feel motivated and I am seriously thinking of joining the Armed Forces to serve
my motherland.”
Reflective: the letter reminds her of her own visit to the war memorial in Chandigarh and of
the poem ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’.
Inspired: her last line is “I am inspired by your letter!”

V Do you think Soumya enjoyed writing this letter? Why or why not?

Yes, she clearly enjoyed writing it.
Three things in the letter show it:

1. She says so herself at the end — “I have written a long letter as I could not help sharing
this inspiring experience with you.” A person who could not help writing is a person who
wanted to write.
2. She plays with her friend instead of simply reporting — “Let me begin by asking you to guess
the name of the monument… Let's see if you can guess.”
3. She keeps the warm, chatty tone of friendship right to the last line — “I miss your mom's
chhole bhature. You know I am a foodie! Say hello to Amit.”

Why it reads that way: the letter mixes two moods — the solemn one of the
memorial and the affectionate one of a friend. Only someone enjoying the writing
would move so easily between the two.

Let us discuss — Page 192

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
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A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers — Letter II (Ananda to Soumya)
co m
em.
m as
COMPREHENSION

.co a g l
a s emwas Ananda reminded of the poem ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’?
gl
Why
a
I

c om ag
.
m at the War Memorial in Chandigarh.
s
Because of the flowers she saw being offered
a e
a l
Ananda writes that while visiting thegBougainvillea Garden in Sector 3, she found a crowd
“offering flowers and prayers” at the War Memorial in the heart of the garden. Remembering
“my visit where everyone was dedicating flowers as a mark of respect to our soldiers”, she
co m
thought of Makhanlal Chaturvedi's poem.
se m.
o m l a
grefuses every
m .c poem, of all poems: in ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’ a flower
a
se
Why that

g l a
a
ordinary honour — it does not want to be woven into a beautiful girl's ornaments, or
into a lover's garland, or thrown on an emperor's body, or placed on the head of

m a s
coon agl
gods. Its one wish is: “मुझे तोड़ लेना , वनमाली ! उस पथ पर देना तुम फेंक, मातभ
ृ ूि म पर शीश चढ़ ाने िजस पथ

m .
e
जावे ं वीर अनेक!” — pluck me and throw me the path along which brave men go to

g l
offer their heads to the motherland. as The flowers Ananda saw were doing exactly
a
what the flower in the poem wished for.

co m
m .
m ase
.co
How does Soumya’s letter help Ananda in pursuing her hobby?
a g l
m
II

l a se
ag ANSWER

se m
com l a
Ananda's hobby is philately — collecting stamps — and Soumya's letters keep adding to her
. a g
m
collection.
e
as letters from you, not just because of the ideas that you
g l
Ananda writes: “I really like to receive
share but also because the a envelope of your letters often comes with beautiful stamps,
which make me happy.” This time the envelope carried a stamp “that celebrates India's

co m
independence, a theme related to your letter”.
m .
o m l a se
g
.cWord to keep: philately = the collection and study of apostage
m she had been collecting for years before she learnt the name for it.
stamps. Ananda says

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

co m
m .
m as e
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

III Ananda is inspired to act after reading the letter from Soumya. What actions does
she intend to take up? Fill in the table citing the sentences from the text.

1. visit

2. mobile app

3. sharing ideas

4. creating a collage

5. joining the army

6. website

The table on page 192 — the cue word is printed in the middle column and the sentence
from the text goes in the empty column beside it.

# ACTION SENTENCE FROM THE TEXT

1. visit “We all wish to visit the National War Memorial, Delhi.”

2. mobile app “We have found out a mobile app ‘National War Memorial and Museum’. This app is very
interactive and provides answers to our queries in 21 languages.”

3. sharing ideas “I have shared your experience with many of my friends.” and “Next week, I am going to
share this idea with my classmates and my teacher.”

4. creating a “I think it would be great to create a collage capturing the lives and stories of people that
collage can inspire us each day.”

5. joining the “I feel motivated and I am seriously thinking of joining the Armed Forces to serve my
army motherland.”

6. website Ananda's letter as printed does not name a website. The nearest thing in the text is the
digital resource she does mention — the ‘National War Memorial and Museum’ app that
“provides answers to our queries in 21 languages”.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A note on row 6: read the letter on pages 188–191 carefully — no sentence in it
refers to a website. Write the app sentence against row 6 as well and add a line of
your own about looking up the official National War Memorial website
(nationalwarmemorial.gov.in) for the same information, and check it with your
teacher.

Let us think and reflect — Pages 192 & 193
A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers

EXTRACT-BASED

I 1 (i) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. “You can see
the obelisk surrounded by wreaths that have been placed as a mark of respect.
The lighting design is planned in such a way that it transforms the monument’s
landscape as sunlight changes from dawn to dusk. It truly is a majestic site that
filled me with pride for our nation. I was also overwhelmed by the interminable
flame as a metaphor for eternal stories of courage and valour.” — (i) Complete the
analogy with a word from the extract. flame: valour:: wreath: ______________

flame : valour :: wreath : respect

Why: an analogy asks you to find the same relationship twice. The flame in the
extract stands for valour (“a metaphor for eternal stories of courage and valour”); in
exactly the same way the wreaths stand for respect (“wreaths that have been placed
as a mark of respect”). In both pairs the first word is the object and the second is
the feeling it symbolises.

I 1 (ii) (ii) How does the lighting design make the monument visually appealing?

The lights are planned so that they “transform the monument's landscape as sunlight
changes from dawn to dusk”.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

In other words, the memorial does not look the same all day. As the sun moves, the light on the
obelisk, the walls and the trees keeps changing, and the whole landscape seems to be made
new — soft at dawn, bright at noon, golden at dusk, and glowing around the eternal flame after
dark. A visitor who stays a few hours sees several different monuments in one.

I 1 (iii) (iii) State whether the following sentence is a fact or an opinion. It truly is a
majestic site…

It is an opinion.

Why: ‘majestic’ is a judgement, not a measurement. The size of the memorial (40
acres) or the height of the obelisk (15 metres) can be checked and proved — those
are facts. Whether the place is majestic depends on how the viewer feels, and the
words “truly” and “filled me with pride” show that Soumya is giving her personal
response.

I 1 (iv) (iv) What does the everlasting flame suggest?

The flame that never goes out suggests that the memory of the fallen soldiers will never go
out either.
Soumya calls it “a metaphor for eternal stories of courage and valour”, and the letter explains it
further on page 184: “The Amar Jawan Jyoti flame symbolises the immortality of the spirit of
fallen soldiers with the assurance that the nation will never forget their sacrifice.”

Tip: a fire has to be tended day and night by someone. That is the point —
remembering is not automatic; a country has to keep doing it.

I 1 (v) (v) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence. The tone of the writer in
this extract is ______________. A. modest B. light-hearted C. admiring D. nostalgic

C. admiring

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

OPTION DOES IT FIT?

A. modest No — she is praising the monument, not playing down herself.

B. light-hearted No — the extract is solemn, not playful.

C. admiring Yes — “majestic”, “filled me with pride”, “overwhelmed”.

D. nostalgic No — she is describing what she is seeing now, not longing for the past.

I 2 (i) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. “I was happy
to hear that you got an opportunity to visit the National War Memorial. I have
heard a lot about it. Some people might see a war memorial as just a monument,
statue, an edifice to celebrate a war or victory and commemorate those who
sacrificed their lives or got injured in the war. In my view, it is also an expression
of deep gratitude for the supreme sacrifice made by our brave soldiers defending
the sovereignty and integrity of the country.” — (i) Choose a line from the extract
which shows that Ananda was aware about the National War Memorial.

“I have heard a lot about it.”
Ananda has never been to the memorial, but the line shows she already knew of it — which is
why Soumya's letter interests her so much rather than surprising her.

I 2 (ii) (ii) What might be the most likely reason for people to consider a war memorial
as a monument?

Because all that such people see is the structure — the stone, the statue, the tall edifice —
and not the human story behind it.
A visitor who walks past quickly, or who has never lost anyone to war and has no connection
with the Armed Forces, reads the place the way one reads any large building: something
impressive that was built to mark an event. Ananda gently corrects this in the next sentence —
“In my view, it is also an expression of deep gratitude…” Notice that she says ‘also’, not ‘not’: she
does not call those people wrong, only incomplete.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
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co m
m.
(iii) Fill in the blank with a suitable word from the extract. We conduct special
e
I 2 (iii)

m l as
.co
competitions at school to ______________ our Independence day.

a g
se m
g l a
a

We conduct special competitions at school to commemorate our Independence day.

co m
e m .
Meaning: commemorate = to remember officially and show respect (the gloss given ag
g l as
on page 183). Another example of your own: “The village commemorates its martyrs
with a lamp lit every 15 August.” a

co m
em.
m l as
.co a g
(iv) Select a phrase from the extract showing that Ananda is expressing an
m opinion.
I 2 (iv)

l a se
a g
s

m a
.co agl
“In my view,”

a s em
agl But the clearest opinion marker is “In my view”, because it
Other phrases in the extract that soften a statement into an opinion are “Some people might
see…” and “I was happy to hear…”.
names the owner of the idea.

co m
m .
o m l a se
.c (v) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason. Ananda
a g refers to the sacrifice
m
ase
I 2 (v)

agl
of soldiers as ‘supreme’ sacrifice because ______________.

se m
m a

o
.c as ‘supreme’ sacrifice because they give up their own ag l
m
Ananda refers to the sacrifice of soldiers
e
lives — the most precious thingsanyone
a
l
has — so that the country's sovereignty and
agstrangers they will never meet, are protected.
integrity, and the safety of

. c om
Why ‘supreme’ is the right word: supreme means highest. A person may give
money, time, comfort or health; nothing greater than life canebe
s m given, and it cannot
m a
.cbeo given twice or taken back. That is why the citationsaonglpages 182–186 use the
m same phrase — “made the supreme sacrifice in the best traditions of the Army”.
l a se
ag
.c
s e m
m a
e m . co agl
g l as
a

com
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

II 1 Answer the following questions. 1. What is the significance of the National War
Memorial?

The National War Memorial is significant because it is the country's permanent record of, and
thank-you to, the soldiers who have died in its service since 1947.

It names people, not battles. Each brick is a tablet; there are 29,000 of them, carrying more
than 26,000 names in golden letters — from the Indo-China conflict of 1962, the Indo-Pak
Wars of 1965 and 1971, the Kargil War of 1999 and after. Sacrifice stops being a number and
becomes a person.
It keeps the cost of freedom visible. As the letter says, monuments like this matter “so that
we should never forget the cost of freedom. We are aware, always, of the pain and horrors of
war.”
Its design carries meaning. Four concentric circles — Amar Chakra (immortality), Veerta
Chakra (bravery), Tyag Chakra (sacrifice) and Raksha Chakra (protection) — say the whole
thing in stone, with the Amar Jawan Jyoti burning at the centre.
It inspires. Soumya leaves it wanting “to live a life worthy of the sacrifices of our heroes”,
and Ananda's class decides to visit.

II 2 2. Lance Naik Albert Ekka is an example of selflessness, determination, and
exceptional courage. Elaborate.

His citation shows all three qualities, one after the other, in a single action at Gangasagar on the
eastern front in 1971.

QUALITY WHAT HE DID (FROM THE CITATION)

Selflessness “With complete disregard to his personal safety, he charged the enemy bunker” — and later,
already seriously wounded, “without worrying about his personal safety… crawled forward
till he reached the building”. He was thinking of the company, not of himself.

Determination “Though seriously wounded in this encounter, he continued to fight alongside his comrades
through the mile deep objective, clearing bunker after bunker with undaunted courage.”
When the Medium Machine Gun still fired after his grenade, he did not stop — he “scaled a
side wall” and went in.

Exceptional He silenced a Light Machine Gun that was “inflicting heavy casualties on his company”, then a
courage Medium Machine Gun firing from the second storey of a fortified building — attacking, alone,
the very weapons everyone else was pinned down by.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

He received serious injuries and “succumbed to them after the capture of the objective”. He was
awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously. What makes the story worth telling is not that
he killed, but that he kept going after he was wounded, so that the men behind him would live.

II 3 3. Explain how the National War Memorial and Museum app will be helpful in
spreading awareness about war heroes.

The app carries the memorial to people who cannot travel to Delhi.

It reaches everyone. Ananda writes that it “provides answers to our queries in 21
languages” — a student in Assam, Kerala or Nagaland can read about the same heroes in
her own language.
It is interactive. She calls it “very interactive”; instead of reading a plaque you can search a
name, follow a story, look at the murals — “The murals on the walls are enchanting.”
It answers questions. Soumya's letter begins from questions — “Who were these brave
Indian people? What were their names? Where did they come from?” An app that answers
queries is exactly what such curiosity needs.
It costs nothing to share. A phone in a classroom in any village becomes a doorway to the
memorial, so awareness spreads far beyond those who can afford the trip.

II 4 4. Why is it our duty to pay homage to our brave soldiers?

Because we are enjoying, every single day, something that other people paid for with their lives.

We owe them our ordinary days. Ananda puts it simply: “Their sacrifices enable us to walk
freely in our country without fear of enemy threats.” School, markets, festivals, letters
between friends — all of it rests on somebody standing guard.
They are still doing it. Soldiers serve in snow, desert and sea, away from their families, in
peace time as much as in war.
Remembering is the only payment possible. Nothing can be given back to a soldier who
has died. What can be given is memory — a wreath, a silence, a name read out at the
assembly — and the assurance to the families that the country has not forgotten.
It keeps us honest about war. Homage reminds us of “the massive devastation and loss of
life caused by wars”, and so it strengthens our respect for peace rather than a taste for
fighting.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

How a student can do it: visit a local war memorial, write to a soldier, read one
citation aloud on 26 July or 7 December — and, as Soumya resolves, live a life worthy
of their sacrifice.

II 5 5. What is the main idea of this text? How does it justify the title, ‘A Homage to our
Brave Soldiers’?

Main idea: the freedom and safety we take for granted were bought by ordinary Indians who
gave their lives, and remembering them — publicly, gratefully and honestly — is a duty every
citizen owes.
How the title fits: homage means respect shown publicly, and that is precisely what the two
letters do.

Soumya's letter is itself an act of homage — she names the heroes (Somnath Sharma,
Mahendra Nath Mulla, Albert Ekka, Padmapani Acharya), quotes their citations in full, and
describes the memorial built for them.
Ananda's reply extends the homage — she calls a war memorial “an expression of deep
gratitude”, remembers the flowers offered in Chandigarh, and quotes ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’.
The homage is brave-hearted, not boastful: the text weeps for the “massive devastation
and loss of life caused by wars” even as it honours the courage.
It ends in action, which is what real homage looks like — presentations in the school
assembly, a collage, a wish to serve.

II 6 6. Why were the students awestruck and humbled? Explain in your own words.

They had just heard, in his own citation, what one man did at Gangasagar.
The students were awestruck because Lance Naik Albert Ekka's courage was beyond anything
they had imagined — badly wounded, he still crawled to a fortified building and climbed a wall
to silence the gun that was killing his company. They were humbled because, standing there
safe and comfortable, they realised how little they had ever been asked to give, and how much a
man of their own country had given without hesitation. Awe looks up at someone; humility
looks honestly at oneself. The citation produced both at once, which is why Soumya adds, “I
aspire to be courageous like him when I join the Army!”

Let us learn — Pages 194 to 196

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers — Prefixes, Word Building and Clauses

VOCABULARY GRAMMAR

I Match the prefixes with their meanings and the root words to create a new word in
the table given below. An example has been done for you.

1. PREFIXES 2. MEANINGS 3. ROOT WORDS 4. NEW WORDS

re- badly, wrongly questionable

mal- beyond, outside activate

un- opposed to; against define

anti- former functioning

extra- lacking; not service Extraordinary

ex- remove ordinary

de- do again social

The table as printed on page 194. The four columns are not in matching order. The
worked example is marked in the book by two arrows: extra- is joined to beyond, outside
and on to ordinary, giving Extraordinary in the last column.

The example joined extra- (beyond, outside) to ordinary to give Extraordinary. Matching the
rest the same way:

Page 18 of 84

as e
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
1. PREFIX 2. MEANING 3. ROOT WORD 4. NEW WORD

mdo again ase
re-
.co
define redefine
a g l
se m
g l a
a
mal- badly, wrongly functioning malfunctioning

un- lacking; not questionable unquestionable

co m
m . ag
se
anti- opposed to; against social antisocial

l a
extra- beyond, outside
ag ordinary Extraordinary (example)

ex- former service
co m
ex-service (as in ex-servicemen)

em.
com l as
de- remove activate deactivate

. a g
m
ase
agl know that de- means ‘remove’, you can read defrost, derail, decode and deforest
Why a prefix is worth learning: one prefix unlocks dozens of words. Once you

m a s
.co agl
without a dictionary.

se m
g l a
a

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 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

I (paragraph) Now, complete the paragraph by using the new words created in the
table.

1. 2. MEANINGS 3. ROOT 4. NEW
PREFIXES WORDS WORDS

re- badly, wrongly questionable

mal- beyond, outside activate

un- opposed to; define
against

anti- former functioning

extra- lacking; not service Extraordinary

ex- remove ordinary

de- do again social

The table as printed on page 194. The four columns are not in matching order.
The worked example is marked in the book by two arrows: extra- is joined to
beyond, outside and on to ordinary, giving Extraordinary in the last column.

Soldiers undergo (i) extraordinary training to prepare for their challenging
duties. They learn to (ii) ____________ explosives and handle (iii) ____________
equipment with precision. They stand as a powerful force against (iv)
____________ elements, displaying (v) ____________ bravery. (vi)________ members
often share their experiences to inspire new recruits. Their service can
continually (vii) ____________ the essence of commitment and sacrifice.

Soldiers undergo (i) extraordinary training to prepare for their challenging duties. They learn
to (ii) deactivate explosives and handle (iii) malfunctioning equipment with precision. They
stand as a powerful force against (iv) antisocial elements, displaying (v) unquestionable
bravery. (vi) Ex-service members often share their experiences to inspire new recruits. Their
service can continually (vii) redefine the essence of commitment and sacrifice.

Page 20 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Tip: read the whole sentence before choosing. ‘Deactivate explosives’ and
‘malfunctioning equipment’ both fit the idea of danger handled calmly; ‘ex-service
members’ must be a person, so only ex- works there.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

II Find words associated with ‘brave’ by filling in the missing vowels in the boxes given
below.

V_L__NT
C__R_G_ V_L__R

G_LL_NT

H_R__C BRAVE
F__RL_SS

B_LD _ND__NT_D

D _ R _ NG

The word web printed on page 195: nine boxes around the word ‘BRAVE’, each with its
vowels left out.

IN THE WORD WHAT IT MEANS
BOX

V_L__NT VALIANT Very brave (used of Ananda's “valiant soldiers”, page 188)

C__R_G_ COURAGE The strength to face danger or pain

V_L__R VALOUR Great bravery, especially in battle

G_LL_NT GALLANT Brave and noble — “this gallant soldier” in Ekka's citation

H_R__C HEROIC Like a hero; extremely brave

F__RL_S FEARLESS Without fear
S

B_LD BOLD Willing to take risks

Page 22 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

D _ R _ NG DARING Adventurous, ready to do risky things

_ND__NT UNDAUNTED Not discouraged by difficulty or danger — “clearing bunker after
_D bunker with undaunted courage”

Check it yourself: count the letters in the box before you write. VALIANT has 7,
GALLANT 7, UNDAUNTED 9 — if your word does not fill the boxes exactly, it is the
wrong word.

III 1 Fill in the blanks with the correct opposite words of ‘brave’ from the box to
complete the following sentences. (fear, cowardly, timid, afraid) 1. Ajay’s ____________
refusal to stand up for his friend was disappointing to everyone.

Ajay's cowardly refusal to stand up for his friend was disappointing to everyone.

Why this word: the blank comes before a noun (‘refusal’), so an adjective is needed
— and cowardly is the adjective that carries blame. It is the exact opposite of ‘brave’
when someone chooses not to act.

III 2 2. The ____________ child hid behind his mother, too scared to meet the new teacher.

The timid child hid behind his mother, too scared to meet the new teacher.

Careful: timid is shy and easily frightened — it describes a nature, not a fault. Do not
confuse it with cowardly, which blames.

III 3 3. Anjali’s ____________ of heights prevented her from climbing the tall ladder.

Anjali's fear of heights prevented her from climbing the tall ladder.

Page 23 of 84

as e
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Why: the blank follows the possessive ‘Anjali's’ and is followed by ‘of’, so a noun is

m as e
l
needed. Of the four words in the box, only fear is a noun.

m .co a g
l a se
a g
III 4 4. Sushma felt ____________ as she entered the dark, abandoned building alone.

co m
m . ag
l a se
Sushma felt afraid as she entered a g dark, abandoned building alone.
the

. com
Tip: after ‘felt’ we need an adjective describing the feeling at that moment. Afraid
m — we say
works after a verb like felt / was / seemed, but it is not used before a enoun
s
m
co child”? No; we say “a frightened child”. gl a
. a
em
“an afraid

a s
a gl

om a s
agl
Read the following sentences from the text and divide them into two parts. An
example has been done for you. .1.c I aspire to be courageous like him when I join
IV 1

a s em
agl
the army!

m

. co
e m
m l as
.co
PART 1 PART 2

a g
se m
l a
I aspire to be courageous like him when I join the army!

ag
This is the example the book has already done. Part 1 makes complete sense on its own — it is
se m
com
the main clause. Part 2 begins with when and cannot stand alone — it is the subordinate
g l a
m . a
ase
clause, and it tells us the time.

agl
2. They exchange letters and share their feelings of gratitude for the freedom they
co m
.
IV 2
enjoy because of the sacrifices made by the bravehearts of the country.
em
m l as
.co
mANSWER a g
s e
agla
.c
m
PART 1 PART 2

m a s e
m . co agl
They exchange letters and share their feelings of gratitude for because of the sacrifices made by the bravehearts

e
las
the freedom they enjoy of the country

ag

com
m .
m as e
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Part 1 is complete in itself. Part 2 begins with because of and gives the reason.

IV 3 3. Though seriously wounded in this encounter, he continued to fight alongside his
comrades.

PART 1 PART 2

he continued to fight alongside his comrades Though seriously wounded in this encounter

Here the dependent part comes first in the sentence. It begins with though and shows
contrast; the main clause is “he continued to fight alongside his comrades”.

Tip: to find the main clause, cover each part in turn and ask, “Does this make
complete sense by itself?” ‘Though seriously wounded in this encounter’ leaves you
waiting — so it is the subordinate part, wherever it stands.

IV 4 4. The sacrifices of the soldiers make monuments like the National War Memorial
extremely important so that we should never forget the cost of freedom.

PART 1 PART 2

The sacrifices of the soldiers make monuments like the National War so that we should never forget the cost
Memorial extremely important of freedom

Part 2 begins with so that and gives the purpose.

The pattern to remember: when → time, because → reason, though → contrast, so
that → purpose. These joining words are called subordinating conjunctions, and
the part they introduce is the subordinate clause.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

V1 Combine the following pairs of sentences using suitable subordinating
conjunctions given in the box below. (because, unless, when, where, though) 1. Wasi
burst into tears. He heard the good news.

Wasi burst into tears when he heard the good news.

Why ‘when’: the two actions happened at the same moment, so we need the
conjunction of time. (You could also write “When he heard the good news, Wasi burst
into tears.”)

V2 2. Himani was very nervous. She delivered a great presentation.

Though Himani was very nervous, she delivered a great presentation.

Why ‘though’: the second fact is surprising after the first — nervousness usually
spoils a presentation. That surprise is contrast, and though is the contrast word.

V3 3. This is the place. I was born.

This is the place where I was born.

Tip: where joins a clause to a word naming a place — the place, the village, the
school, the fort.

V4 4. The students performed very well. They studied diligently.

The students performed very well because they studied diligently.

Why ‘because’: the second sentence explains the reason for the first.

Page 26 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

V5 5. Water the plants. They will die.

Unless you water the plants, they will die.
(It can also be written the other way round: “The plants will die unless you water them.”)

Why ‘unless’: unless means ‘if… not’. The plants will die if you do not water them —
that is a condition, and unless is the conjunction the box gives for it. Note that we do
not add another ‘not’: “Unless you do not water the plants” is wrong.

VI 1 Complete the following sentences with suitable main clause or subordinate clause.
1. Farheen was late to work because ________________.

Farheen was late to work because her bus broke down near the railway crossing.

What to add: after because, give a reason — and make it a full clause with its own
subject and verb.

VI 2 2. The dog started barking when ________________.

The dog started barking when a stranger pushed open the gate.

VI 3 3. She completed the marathon although ________________.

She completed the marathon although she had hurt her ankle at the eighth kilometre.

Why this works: although needs a contrast — something that should have stopped
her but did not.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

VI 4 4. ________________ while they were hiking in the mountains.

The friends spotted a herd of ibex while they were hiking in the mountains.

Careful: here the blank comes first, so what you supply is the main clause — it must
make complete sense on its own.

VI 5 5. Abhishek received a promotion after ________________.

Abhishek received a promotion after he completed the flood-relief project on time.

VI 6 6. ________________ before the deadline approached.

The team submitted the entire report before the deadline approached.

VI 7 7. We waited in the car until ________________.

We waited in the car until the rain stopped.

VI 8 8. ________________ as the waves rushed to the shore.

The children shrieked with delight as the waves rushed to the shore.

Page 28 of 84

as e
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
The rule behind all eight: a sentence needs exactly one part that can stand alone. If

m l a se
the blank follows a joining word (because, when, although, after, until), fill in a
o g before, as), fill
.c clause; if the joining word comes after the blank (while,
a
m
subordinate
in aas e clause.
ag l main

co m
e m . ag
as
Let us listen — Pages 196 & 197
A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers
a g l

m
LISTENING

co
se m.
o m l a
g in two–three exact
.cgrows up. As you listen, answer the questions given below
You will listen to a girl speak about why she wishes to join the Armed Forces when
a
1

se m
she
a
agl
words you hear. 1. What type of job does Gunjan think the Armed Forces is?

m a s
.co agl

The most honourable job.
se m
g l a
a
Gunjan says: “Serving our country is the most honourable job one can have. It means
protecting and securing our nation, even if it means risking one's life.”

com
m .
m as e
.co
2. What feature of the Armed Forces fills Gunjan with pride?
a g l
m
2

l a se
ag ANSWER

se m
m a
Wearing the uniform.
“The thought of wearing the uniform,.c o a g l
m
which can only be earned through hard work, fills me

l a se India.” The uniform matters to her because it has to be
with pride and a strong desire to serve
earned, not bought. ag

co m
m .
m as e
.co according to Gunjan? l
3. How does the disciplined life of the Armed Forces impact the body and mind,
g
3

m a
l a se
ag ANSWER
.c
s e m
m a
co agl
It keeps both (the mind and body) active.

m .
e
“The Armed Forces teach you to live a disciplined and organised life. This keeps both the mind

g l as
and body active. Soldiers are always ready to face challenges because of this discipline.”
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

4 4. List any one aspect about a job in the Armed Forces that Gunjan feels helps
someone grow.

New experiences and adventures (every day).
“Being a soldier means having new experiences and adventures everyday. Each day brings
new challenges, teaching important lessons, and helping one grow.” You could also answer with
“new challenges”.

5 5. State any two things that Gunjan feels life in the Armed Forces teaches.

Any two of: loyalty, duty, service, honesty.
“It is a life that teaches loyalty, duty, service, and honesty.” For example — loyalty and duty.

Listening tip: the question says “in two–three exact words you hear”. Do not rewrite
the speaker's idea in your own words — catch and copy her phrase.

Let us speak — Page 197

Page 30 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers

SPEAKING

1 Work in pairs and identify the different professions displayed in the picture.

The picture on page 197, redrawn: a boy and a girl stand thinking, and nine thought-
clouds around them each show a person at work.

Two children are shown thinking, and each thought-cloud around them holds a profession or
vocation. Looking at the picture on page 197, these are:

Page 31 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

IN THE PICTURE PROFESSION / VOCATION

A man sawing and measuring a wooden plank Carpenter

A man holding books and a pen Teacher

A girl in pads and helmet playing a shot Cricketer (sportsperson)

A woman in a white uniform with a peaked cap and wings badge Pilot

A man with a hoe and a woman carrying a pot in a field Farmers

A man in a white coat with a stethoscope Doctor

A woman in a tall white hat holding a bowl Chef

A boy painting a landscape on an easel Painter / artist

A woman in an elaborate costume striking a pose Classical dancer

Page 32 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

2 Imagine that you dream of or wish to pursue some of these professions and
vocations. Take turns to express this along with a reason. Do not forget to include
what preparation would be required to fulfill the dream. Speak about all the given
professions and vocations.

The picture on page 197, redrawn: a boy and a girl stand thinking, and nine thought-
clouds around them each show a person at work.

Each turn should have three parts: the dream, the reason, and the preparation. The prompts
printed on page 198 are the sentence frames to use — “I would like to become… because… For
this I would have to first…”

Page 33 of 84

as e
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
PROFESSION A MODEL TURN

m a e involve
swould
Pilot
o
.c finishing Class 12 with Physics and Maths and then training at a flying l
ag school.”
“I dream of working as a pilot, as I love the idea of touching the sky. This

se m
g l a
aDoctor “To become a doctor has been a childhood dream. This is so because my grandmother was
cured by one. In order to become a doctor I would have to study Biology and clear the medical

co m
. ag
entrance test.”

se m
l a
ag For this I would have to complete graduation and then a B.Ed.”
Teacher “It would be great if I could work as a teacher, as it would let me explain things I love to
people younger than me.

Farmer
co m
“One day, I hope to become a farmer who uses new methods. Then I would be able to grow

e m.
more with less water. However, first I would need to learn about soil and drip irrigation.”

m l as
Chef
m.co a g
“I would like to become a chef because feeding people well makes them happy. For this I

l a se would have to first join a hotel management institute and practise every day at home.”

g
a Cricketer “I dream of playing cricket for India, as the game teaches me to keep calm. This would involve

om a s
agl
joining a coaching academy and playing at district level first.”

. c
s e mwork as a carpenter, as it would let me make things with my own
a have to first learn the craft from a skilled worker and take an ITI
Carpenter “It would be great if I could

agl
hands. For this I would
course.”

co m
.
Artist “To become an artist has been a childhood dream, because colours say what I cannot. In order

se m
to become one I would have to keep a sketchbook daily and later join an art college.”

com l a
m . agbe able to tell old stories with my
ase
Classical dancer “One day, I hope to become a classical dancer. Then I would

agl
hands. However, first I would need years of daily riyaaz under a guru.”

se m
com
Speaking tip: keep each turn to three or four sentences and look at your partner
g l a
m . a
e
while speaking. Every one of these vocations serves other people — that is the

g l as to the lesson about soldiers.
thread that connects this activity
a

co m
m .
Let us explore — Page 198
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

co m
m .
m as e
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers

PROJECT

I Every branch of the Armed Forces has a motto. Read the mottos given below. 1.
Indian Army — Sevā Paramo Dharmaḥ (Service Before Self) 2. Indian Air Force —
Nabhaḥ Spr̥ śaṁ Dīptam (Touch the Sky with Glory) 3. Indian Navy — Sham No
Varunah (Be Auspicious Unto Us Oh Varuna)

Read each motto aloud, then discuss what it promises.

FORCE MOTTO WHAT IT SAYS

Indian Sevā Paramo Dharmaḥ — Serving others is the highest duty. A soldier's own comfort, and
Army Service Before Self even his life, come after the task.

Indian Air Nabhaḥ Spr̥śaṁ Dīptam — A line from the Bhagavad Gita (11.24). The sky is the Air Force's
Force Touch the Sky with Glory field of work, and it is to be entered with honour, not merely
crossed.

Indian Sham No Varunah — Be A prayer from the Vedas to Varuna, lord of the waters, for a safe
Navy Auspicious Unto Us Oh voyage — the sailor's respect for a sea that no fleet can
Varuna command.

Try this: write a one-line motto for your own class in Sanskrit, Hindi or your mother
tongue, with its English meaning below. Notice that not one of these three mottos
boasts about defeating anybody — they speak of service, honour and a prayer.

II India has many other Forces that serve the nation. For example, Central Reserve
Police Force (CRPF). Find out about such Forces and discuss with the teacher.

Besides the three Armed Forces, India has several Central Armed Police Forces and other
uniformed services. Find out what each one does, and where you have seen them:

Page 35 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

FORCE WHAT IT DOES

CRPF — Central Reserve Police The country's largest central police force; internal security, election duty,
Force riot control.

BSF — Border Security Force Guards the land borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh in peace time.

ITBP — Indo-Tibetan Border Police Guards the high Himalayan border; trained for extreme altitude.

SSB — Sashastra Seema Bal Guards the borders with Nepal and Bhutan.

CISF — Central Industrial Security Protects airports, ports, metro systems, power plants and other key
Force installations.

Assam Rifles India's oldest paramilitary force, serving in the North-East.

NSG — National Security Guard Counter-terrorism and hostage rescue.

Indian Coast Guard Guards the coastline, rescues fishermen, checks smuggling and oil spills.

NDRF — National Disaster Response Rescue and relief in floods, earthquakes, cyclones and building collapses.
Force

State Police and Fire Services Everyday safety in your own town — the force you are most likely to
meet.

How to research: use each force's official website, an atlas to see where it is
deployed, and the newspaper for a recent rescue or operation. Bring one
photograph and one fact each to class.

III Create a collage capturing the lives and stories of people that inspire us. In groups
of four, prepare a collage on a chart paper on any such person and present it in the
class.

This is the very project Ananda suggests at the end of her letter, so do it the way she describes it
— “capturing the lives and stories of people that can inspire us each day.”
Method

1. Choose one person as a group — a soldier such as Lance Naik Albert Ekka or Captain Anuj
Nayyar, a scientist, a sportsperson, a social worker, or someone in your own town.
2. Divide the work: one collects pictures, one writes the captions, one designs the layout, one
prepares the two-minute talk.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

3. Collect material — printed photographs, newspaper cuttings, a map showing where the
person worked, a short quotation, dates.
4. Lay it out before pasting. Put the largest picture slightly off-centre, arrange the rest around
it, leave a border, and keep the title in the biggest letters.
5. Caption everything. A collage without captions is only decoration; one line under each
picture turns it into a story.

What a good collage must contain: the person's name and dates; three or four moments from
the life, in order; one line saying why the group chose this person; the sources used.

Presentation tip: do not read out the chart. Point to one picture at a time and tell
what happened there — that is what Soumya's class did in their school assembly.

IV Many women have joined the Armed Forces and are serving the nation. Have a
discussion in the class with examples.

The letter itself makes the point — the freedom we enjoy is owed to “the many brave men and
women who have served in the Indian Armed Forces over decades”, and the poem's note on
page 200 says that when Kalam writes ‘great sons’ he means “all the soldiers (men and women)
serving the nation”.
Examples you can bring to the discussion

Flight Lieutenant Nivedita Choudhary, Squadron Leader Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana
Kanth and Mohana Singh — among the first women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force.
Captain Lakshmi Sahgal — a doctor who commanded the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the
Indian National Army during the freedom struggle.
Lieutenant General Punita Arora — the first woman in India to reach that rank.
Women officers of the Army Medical Corps and the Military Nursing Service, who have
served in every war and in every disaster-relief operation since 1947.
Women contingents at the Republic Day parade, and women officers now granted
permanent commission in most branches.

Questions to steer the discussion: What jobs in the Forces were once closed to women and
are now open? What changed? What does an all-women contingent marching down Kartavya
Path say to a girl watching it?

Sample opening line: “I read that in 2016 three women became fighter pilots for
the first time in the IAF. My grandmother was not allowed to cycle to school. In one
lifetime, that much has changed.”

Page 37 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Let us write — Page 198
A Homage to Our Brave Soldiers

WRITING

1 You have read about the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces during war. However,
the Armed Forces also play a key role during peace time. Write a letter to your
friend sharing how the Armed Forces contribute their services during the times of
natural calamities (floods, earthquakes, etc.), infrastructure development (building
bridges in remote areas, etc.) and for welfare initiatives (medical camps,
establishment of libraries, etc.)

What the letter must contain

The informal letter format the unit itself uses — address, date, ‘Dear ___,’, an opening line
of greeting, three or four short paragraphs, ‘Your friend,’ and your name.
One paragraph for each of the three areas named in the question — natural calamities,
infrastructure, welfare — with a real example in each.
A closing that says why this side of the Forces surprised or moved you.

Page 38 of 84

ase
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Sample answer:

as e
om l
14, Nehru Colony
Dehradun.c a g
a s em
agl
18 August 20XX
Dear Ritu,

. com
Hope you and your family are well. Do you remember arguing with me that the
ag
a s em I have just finished a chapter in our English
Army only matters when there is a war?

agl I had to write to you at once.
book that changed my mind, and
Think of the last big flood you saw on television. The helicopters lifting people off

. com
rooftops, the soldiers wading chest-deep with a rope, the inflatable boats — those

m a s em Army,
are the Armed Forces. In the Kerala floods and in the Uttarakhand disaster,

. co Air Force teams rescued thousands and set up kitchens
a gl and shelters. In an
em
Navy and

l a s
earthquake they are usually the first to reach, because they are trained to move fast
a g with their own food, tents and doctors.

m
They also build. The Border Roads Organisation cuts roads and throws bridges
a s
em
.co
across rivers in places where no contractor will go — high passes in Ladakh and
agl
l a s
Arunachal Pradesh, where a bridge means that a village gets medicines in winter.
agtemporary
Army engineers have put up bridges in a single night after floods washed
the old ones away.

co m
And there is the quiet work nobody photographs: free medical camps in border
m .
o m l a se
villages, veterinary care for cattle, schools and libraries run for children who live too
far.c a glocal youngsters. In
m
aseLadakh and the North-East, soldiers have taught in village schools for years.
from a town, and swimming and adventure courses for

agl So the uniform is not only for war. It is for the worst day of an ordinary family's life,
se m
com
whatever causes it. Write back and tell me what you think now!
g l a
m . a
ase
Your friend,

agl
Ananya

co m
.
Why this matters to the unit: Ananda writes that a memorial is “an expression of
m
m l a se
deep gratitude”. Knowing what soldiers do in peace time makes that gratitude an
o
m ag is a war.
.ceveryday one rather than something felt only when there
l a se
ag
.c
s e m
omwe read — Page 199 a
c agl
Let us do these activities before
e m.
g l as
a

com
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

My Dear Soldiers (poem by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam)

BEFORE YOU READ

I Look around and identify the people who contribute to your life selflessly with a
risk to their own lives. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

Look for people whose work puts them in danger so that you are safe.

WHO THE RISK THEY TAKE FOR US

Soldiers of the Armed Forces Guard borders in snow, desert and sea, away from their families

Police personnel Face armed criminals and control crowds so that streets stay safe

Firefighters Enter burning buildings that everyone else is running out of

Doctors, nurses and ambulance staff Treat infectious patients — as they did through the COVID-19 pandemic

Sanitation workers Handle waste and enter drains so that our neighbourhoods do not fall ill

NDRF and rescue teams Work in collapsed buildings and flooded villages

Electric linemen and railway gangmen Repair live wires and tracks in storms and at night

Farmers and fishermen Work in extreme heat and go out to sea in uncertain weather to feed us

Sample answer: “The person I thought of first is not a soldier. It is the lineman in
our colony. Last monsoon he climbed a pole in the rain at eleven at night so that the
whole lane got its lights back. Nobody clapped for him.”

II Work in pairs. Discuss at least three questions that you would like to ask the people
identified in I.

Frame questions that ask about feelings and experience, not just facts — those get the
interesting answers.

1. “What made you choose this work, and did your family agree at first?”
2. “Can you tell us about the day you were most afraid, and what you did with that fear?”
3. “What is the one thing people misunderstand about your job?”
4. “What is the hardest part of your day — and the part you enjoy most?”

Page 40 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

5. “What do you want school students like us to do, or to stop doing, to make your work
easier?”

Interview tip: begin by introducing yourself and asking permission. Write the
answers down in the speaker's own words — a real sentence from a real person is
worth more than a page of your own.

Let us discuss — Page 201
My Dear Soldiers

POETRY

I Complete the summary with an exact word from the poem. An example has been
done for you. The poem is a tribute to the soldiers of the 1. land who defend the 2.
_______________ of their country. It highlights their untiring commitment and sacrifices
as they guard the nation. The soldiers remain vigilant and dedicated, whether it’s
windy, snowy, or 3. _______________ hot. They walk on 4. _______________ stretches of land
like the yogis. Their duty takes them to different terrains, including mountains,
valleys, 5. _______________, and marshes. The poet acknowledges that they have given a
major part of their 6. _______________ to protect the nation. The poet says the wind
chimes show their respect to the soldiers’ 7. _______________. The poet concludes with
prayers for their well-being and blessings.

Every blank is filled with a word taken straight from the poem:

BLANK WORD LINE IN THE POEM

1. land (example) “You are great sons of my land”

2. borders “Oh! Defenders of borders”

3. scorching “Or scorching sun's sweltering rays”

4. lonely “Treading the lonely expanses as yogis”

5. deserts “Defending the deserts or guarding the marshes”

6. youth “Prime of your youth given to the nation!!”

7. feat “Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feat”

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Careful with 7: the poem's word is feat (a remarkable deed), not ‘feet’. They sound
alike but mean quite different things.

II 1 Select the correct option for the following questions. 1. The theme of the poem is
_______. (i) patriotism and sacrifice (ii) heroism and awareness (iii) nature and
hardship (iv) seasons and terrains

(i) patriotism and sacrifice

Why: the seasons and terrains in the poem (snow, scorching sun, heights, valleys,
deserts, marshes) are not the subject — they are the setting that shows how hard the
soldiers' duty is. The subject is the soldiers' love for the land and what they give up
for it: “Prime of your youth given to the nation!!”

II 2 2. The tone of the poem is _______. (i) admiring (ii) sad (iii) respectful (iv) grateful (v)
prayerful — A. Only (v) B. (i) and (iii) C. (ii), (iii) and (v) D. (i), (iii), (iv) and (v)

D. (i), (iii), (iv) and (v)

TONE EVIDENCE FROM THE POEM

admiring “You are great sons of my land”; “Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feat”

respectful “Oh! Defenders of borders”; the comparison to yogis

grateful “When we are all asleep / You still hold on to your deed”

prayerful “We pray for you brave men!! / May the Lord bless you all!!”

sad Not present — the poem never mourns; it praises and blesses. That is why option (ii) must be left out.

Page 42 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

III 1 Complete the following sentences by explaining why the poet has used the
following poetic devices. 1. Imagery because
___________________________________________________.

Imagery because the poet wants us to see the soldier's day instead of merely being told
about it — “snowy days”, “scorching sun's sweltering rays”, “Climbing the heights or
striding the valleys”, “Defending the deserts or guarding the marshes” put a picture of
every kind of hardship in front of our eyes.

What imagery does here: a plain sentence like ‘soldiers work in difficult places' is
forgotten at once. A picture of a man striding through a marsh in the blazing sun is
not. Kalam uses images of sight (snow, deserts, heights) and of touch (wind,
sweltering rays) so that the reader almost feels the duty.

III 2 2. Simile because the soldiers are likened to __________________________.

Simile because the soldiers are likened to yogis — “Treading the lonely expanses as yogis”.

Why the comparison fits: a yogi walks alone, endures cold and heat without
complaint, wants nothing for himself and is completely devoted to a purpose. So
does a soldier on a lonely stretch of border. The word as (like ‘like') is what makes it a
simile rather than a metaphor.

III 3 3. Metaphor because the poet uses wind chimes ______________________.

Metaphor because the poet uses wind chimes to stand for the whole land itself giving
thanks — “Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feat” means that the country's very air
rings with the soldiers' brave deeds.

Page 43 of 84

as e
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Unpacking it: wind chimes make music only when the wind moves them. Kalam

m l a se
imagines the land hung with such chimes, so that every breeze sets the story of the
o
.c Nobody has to sing their praise deliberately — a g land does it by
m
soldiers ringing. the

l a seall the time. No ‘like' or ‘as' is used, which is what makes this a metaphor.
ag
itself,

o m
e
. c
m ‘we’ because _____________________. ag
s
4. Repetition of the words ‘you’ and
a
III 4

agl

. c om
Repetition of the words ‘you' and ‘we' because the poet wants to keep two groups
m ‘we', the
constantly side by side — ‘you', the soldiers who stay awake and guard,eand
s
m a
l a direct thank-you
co sleep safely and pray. The repetition turns the poemaginto
.
citizens who

a s
spokenemto the soldiers, and reminds us at every line how much ‘we' owe ‘you'.
l the contrast the two words build: “When we are all asleep / You still hold on to your
agNotice
deed… We pray for you brave men!!”
m a s
em
.co agl
a s
III 5 gl or snowy’ and _________________________ to create
5. Alliteration such asa‘season
_____________________.

com
m .

o m l a se
.c such as ‘season or snowy' and ‘scorching sun's sweltering'
a g
m
Alliteration
se
(also ‘Defending the

g l adeserts', ‘Surveillance in seas', ‘securing the air') to create a marching rhythm and a
a musical, chant-like effect that also stresses the harshness of the weather and the sweep
of the terrain.
se m
com g l a
m. a
ase
Say it aloud: “scorching sun's sweltering rays” — the repeated s hisses like heat

agl
itself. That is alliteration doing more than decoration; it carries meaning.

co m
m .
Let usm as e
.co
think and reflect — Page 202
a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
g l as
a

com
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m ase
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

My Dear Soldiers

EXTRACT-BASED

I1 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. “When we are
all asleep / You still hold on to your deed / Windy season or snowy days / Or
scorching sun’s sweltering rays / You are there guarding all the time awake /
Treading the lonely expanses as yogis” — 1. Identify a set of opposite words from
the extract.

asleep and awake.
“When we are all asleep… You are there guarding all the time awake.” The poet places the two
words at opposite ends of the same picture so that the contrast between citizens and soldiers
cannot be missed.

I2 2. Complete the sentence appropriately. The phrase ‘still hold on to your deed’
refers to the soldier’s attitude of ______________.

The phrase ‘still hold on to your deed' refers to the soldier's attitude of unwavering devotion to
duty — staying at his post and doing his work faithfully however tired he is and whatever
the hour.

Read the word ‘still': it means ‘even then, even now'. Even when the whole country
has gone to sleep, the soldier has not let go of his task. Words like steadfastness,
dedication and commitment would all complete the sentence correctly.

I3 3. Identify whether the following statement is true or false. The soldiers walk across
the deserted stretches of land.

True.
The line “Treading the lonely expanses as yogis” says exactly this — treading is walking, and
lonely expanses are wide, empty, deserted stretches of land.

Page 45 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

I4 4. Give evidence from the extract to show that soldiers face harsh weather
conditions.

Two lines name three kinds of harsh weather, one after another:

“Windy season or snowy days
Or scorching sun's sweltering rays”

Wind, snow and blazing heat — and the word ‘or' repeated between them shows that it makes
no difference which one comes; the soldier is “there guarding all the time awake” through every
one of them.

I5 5. Which quality of the soldiers is highlighted in this extract? (i) modesty (ii)
optimism (iii) simplicity (iv) dedication

(iv) dedication

Why: everything in the extract is about staying at the task — awake while others
sleep, on duty in wind, snow and heat, walking lonely stretches without company.
That single-minded sticking to duty is dedication. Modesty, optimism and simplicity
are not what these six lines are about.

II 1 Answer the following questions. 1. Who is the speaker of this poem? How can you
say so?

The speaker is a grateful citizen of India speaking on behalf of the whole country — that is,
the poet A.P.J. Abdul Kalam himself, in the voice of ‘we', the people the soldiers protect.
Three clues in the poem show it:

The speaker calls the country “my land” — twice — so he is an Indian speaking about India.
He speaks as part of a group: “When we are all asleep”, “We pray for you brave men!!” —
he is one of the protected, not one of the soldiers.
He addresses the soldiers as “you” from outside their world — “Oh! Defenders of borders /
You are great sons of my land”.

Page 46 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Remember the footnote on page 200: when the poet says ‘great sons', he means
all the soldiers, women as well as men.

II 2 2. How is the theme of the poem conveyed through imagery? Support your answer
with examples from the poem.

The theme — patriotism and sacrifice — is never stated; it is shown, picture by picture, until the
reader arrives at it himself.

IMAGE WHAT IT MAKES US FEEL ABOUT THE
THEME

“When we are all asleep / You still hold on to your deed” Our safe sleep is being paid for by someone's
sleepless night.

“Windy season or snowy days / Or scorching sun's sweltering The duty does not pause for weather — sacrifice is
rays” daily, not occasional.

“Treading the lonely expanses as yogis” Loneliness and self-denial, borne like a spiritual
discipline.

“Climbing the heights or striding the valleys / Defending the The whole map of India — land, sea and sky — is
deserts or guarding the marshes / Surveillance in seas and by being held by these few. The scale of the service
securing the air” becomes visible.

“Prime of your youth given to the nation!!” The sharpest image of all: the best years of a life,
handed over.

“Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feat” The land itself rings with gratitude — patriotism
answered by patriotism.

II 3 3. How does the poet highlight the commitment of the soldiers? Provide examples
from the poem to support your answer.

The poet highlights it by showing that the soldiers' duty has no gaps — no gap in time, in
weather, or in place.

No gap in time: “You are there guarding all the time awake”, while “we are all asleep”.

Page 47 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

No gap in weather: wind, snow or “scorching sun's sweltering rays” — the soldier is at his
post through all of them.
No gap in place: heights, valleys, deserts, marshes, seas and air are all covered in three
lines.
No gap in the life given: not a few years but the “Prime of your youth given to the nation!!”
Without complaint: the comparison to yogis suggests men who accept hardship as
discipline rather than suffering.

Notice the punctuation: the double exclamation marks (“Prime of your youth given
to the nation!!”, “We pray for you brave men!!”) are the poet raising his voice — the
only place in this quiet poem where he does.

II 4 4. What is the significance of the line ‘Prime of your youth given to the nation!!’
with reference to sacrifice and service?

The ‘prime of youth' is the strongest, freest and most hopeful stretch of a person's life — the
years in which most people build a career, marry, watch their children grow and enjoy their own
health. The line says that soldiers hand over exactly those years to the country.
Its significance is that it enlarges what we mean by sacrifice:

Sacrifice is not only death in battle. It is also birthdays missed, festivals spent at a post, a
family raised over a telephone line.
It is given, not taken. The word is “given” — freely, as a gift to the nation.
Service is measured in years, not moments. A medal marks one day; this line marks a
whole youth.

Why the poet ends this way: after the line comes the land's answer — “Wind
chimes of my land vibrate your feat” — and then the prayer. Youth is given;
remembrance and blessing are what can be given back.

II 5 5. The poem ends with a prayer for the soldiers’ well-being and blessings. Why is it
important for each one of us to pray for the well-being of soldiers?

Because the prayer is the one thing every citizen can offer, and because it keeps us honestly
connected to people whose danger we do not share.

Page 48 of 84

as e
Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

It admits a debt. To pray for someone is first to remember that he is out there. “We pray for
co m
se
you brave men!!” is the poem's way of saying: we know what you are doing for us tonight.
m.
o m g l a
.ccan pray. Nobody is left with nothing to give.
It includes everyone. A child, an old person, someone with no money and no influence —
m a
se
all of them
Itla
ag
is a wish for their return, not for victory. “May the Lord bless you all!!” asks that they be
kept safe, which is what their families are asking too. That is a prayer for peace as much as

m
for courage.
. co ag
e m
It keeps gratitude alive between wars, when the news has moved on and the soldiers are
still at the border.
g l as
a
Beyond praying: respect for their families in our neighbourhood, care of public
co m
m.
property they defend, and honest citizenship are the everyday forms the same

m as e
l
prayer can take.

m .co a g
l a se
a g
Let us learn — Pages 202 & 203
m a s
.co agl
My Dear Soldiers — Terrains and Collocations

se m
VOCABULARY
g l a
a
I
co
The poem mentions a few terrains (physical features of land)—valleys, deserts, and
m
m .
marshes. Identify the terrains from the box given below. There are two that you do

m as e
.co l
not need. (ghats, river, plateau, delta, bay, peninsula, mountains)
a g
a s em
agl ANSWER

m
The five terrains are: ghats, plateau, delta, peninsula, mountains.

a se
com g l
The two not needed are: river and bay.

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 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

WORD TERRAIN? WHAT IT IS

ghats Yes A line of steep hills along a coast, as in the Western and Eastern Ghats

river No — a water Flowing water, not a landform
body

plateau Yes High, flat land, as in the Deccan Plateau

delta Yes Low, fan-shaped land built of silt where a river meets the sea (the
Sundarbans)

bay No — a water A part of the sea curving into the land (the Bay of Bengal)
body

peninsula Yes Land with water on three sides — peninsular India

mountains Yes Very high land, as in the poem's “Climbing the heights”

How to decide quickly: ask “Is it made of land or of water?” A river and a bay are
water. Everything else in the box is a shape of the land — which is what a terrain is.

II 1 Fill in the blanks by choosing the words given in the brackets that collocate
appropriately. 1. The hikers reached the ____________ (summit/peak) of the mountain
after several days of trekking through challenging conditions.

The hikers reached the summit of the mountain after several days of trekking through
challenging conditions.

Why ‘summit': both words mean the top, but English pairs reach the summit far
more often than ‘reach the peak'. Peak usually names the mountain itself — “Nanda
Devi is the second highest peak in India.” That is what a collocation is: not a rule of
grammar but a habit of the language.

II 2 2. The ____________ (empty/barren) landscape of the desert made it nearly impossible
to find any water sources.

The barren landscape of the desert made it nearly impossible to find any water sources.

Page 50 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Difference: empty means nothing is in it; barren means nothing will grow in it. For
land, ‘barren landscape' is the natural pairing.

II 3 3. In the rainforest, the ____________ (heavy/dense) forest provides a habitat for a
diverse range of wildlife.

In the rainforest, the dense forest provides a habitat for a diverse range of wildlife.

Remember the pairs: dense forest, dense fog, dense crowd — but heavy rain, heavy
traffic, heavy bag.

II 4 4. Chitra is a very ____________ (heroic/adventurous) person and enjoys mountain
climbing.

Chitra is a very adventurous person and enjoys mountain climbing.

Why not ‘heroic': heroic is kept for someone who risks himself to save others, as in a
battle or a rescue. Someone who simply enjoys risk and new experiences is
adventurous.

II 5 5. I’ll try to get back in time, but I'm not ____________ (doing/making) any promises.

I'll try to get back in time, but I'm not making any promises.

A useful pair to memorise: we make a promise, a decision, a mistake, an effort,
noise — but we do homework, a job, the dishes, a favour, our best.

Let us listen — Pages 203 & 204

Page 51 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

My Dear Soldiers — ‘A Soldier’s Pride’

LISTENING

I Think and complete the poem titled ‘A Soldier’s Pride’, given below. In fields so vast,
our soldiers stand, / With hearts so brave, and firm 1. ______________, / They guard our
land both night and 2. ______________, / To keep our fears and foes at bay. // With every
dawn and setting 3. ______________, / Their duty calls, it must be done, / Through 4.
______________ skies and blazing heat, / They 5. ______________ along with steady feet. //
For love of land, they 6. ______________ and strive, / To keep our hopes and 7.
______________ alive, / With pride and honour, they defend, / Our beloved India, till the
very 8. ______________.

Use the rhyme and the sense together to guess before you listen.

BLANK WORD HOW YOU COULD WORK IT OUT

1. command Rhymes with stand and land

2. day ‘night and day'; rhymes with bay

3. sun ‘dawn and setting sun'; rhymes with done

4. stormy Set against ‘blazing heat'

5. march Goes with ‘steady feet'

6. fight ‘fight and strive'

7. dreams ‘hopes and dreams alive'

8. end ‘till the very end'; rhymes with defend

II Now, listen to the poem and correct your answers wherever required.

Here is the complete poem as read out in the transcript (page 224), so that you can check every
blank:

In fields so vast, our soldiers stand,
With hearts so brave, and firm command,
They guard our land both night and day,

Page 52 of 84

Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

To keep our fears and foes at bay.

With every dawn and setting sun,
Their duty calls, it must be done,
Through stormy skies and blazing heat,
They march along with steady feet.

For love of land, they fight and strive,
To keep our hopes and dreams alive,
With pride and honour, they defend,
Our India, till the very end.

One small difference: the poem printed on page 203 ends “Our beloved India, till
the very end”, while the transcript on page 224 reads “Our India, till the very end.”
The blank you have to fill — end — is the same either way.

Listening skill being practised: predict first, then confirm. Guessing from rhyme
and meaning before the audio plays makes you a far better listener than waiting
passively for the words.

Let us speak — Page 204
My Dear Soldiers

SPEAKING

I Work in pairs and practise reciting the poem ‘My Dear Soldiers’. Pause briefly at (/)
and emphasise the highlighted words.

Recite it the way the book marks it — the slashes are breathing places, not full stops.

My / Dear / Soldiers / by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
(pause and count 1-2-3 silently before beginning)

Oh! Defenders / of borders /
You are great sons / of my land /
When we are all / asleep /
You still hold on / to your deed /
Windy season / or snowy days /
Or scorching sun's / sweltering rays /
You are there / guarding all the time / awake /

Page 53 of 84

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Treading the lonely expanses / as yogis /
co m
Climbing the heights / or striding the valleys /
e m.
comin seas / and by securing the air /
Defending the deserts / or guarding the marshes /
g l as
. a
s emof your youth / given to the nation!! /
Surveillance
a
a gl Prime
Wind chimes of my land / vibrate your feat /

m
We pray for you / brave men!! /
May the Lord bless you all!! /
. co ag
e m
g l as
a
How to practise in pairs: one recites while the other follows the printed text and marks any
slash that was missed or any word that was rushed. Then change roles.

co m
Where to give weight: the contrast words — asleep / awake; the list of terrains,
em.
c o m g l as
said a little faster to show how wide the duty is; and the last three lines, said slower
andm . a
s e softer, because they are a prayer.

a gla

om a s
. c agl
Now, recite aloud in groups of 8–10. Remember — Use volume to add emotion to the
poem. Maintain a steady pace.em
2

meaning of the poem. gl a s Use appropriate facial expressions to boost the

a

co m
.

How to organise the group recitation
se m
o m l a
g group together for “Prime
m .c the lines. Two voices for the opening address; the whole a
se of your youth given to the nation!!”; the whole group, softly, for the closing prayer.
1. Divide
a
agl 2. Volume for meaning: soft for the tender lines (“When we are all asleep”), strong for the
se m
a
proud lines (“You are great sons of my land”), softest of all for “May the Lord bless you all!!”
o m a slow, even beat; the commonest fault in
3. Steady pace. Practise with someonectapping g l
m . a
group recitation is racing.
l a se
4. Faces and posture. Stand agtall, shoulders back, chin level — the poem is about dignity, and
the body should show it. Look up and out, not at the paper.

co m
.
5. Start and end together. Count 1-2-3 silently before the first word, and hold a two-second

em
as
silence after the last one instead of relaxing at once.
m l
.co a g
m Self-check: record one practice on a phone and listen to it. You will hear at once
l a se
ag whether the group was together, and whether the ending sounded like a prayer or
.c
like a shout.
s e m
m a
e m . co agl
g l as
Let us write — Page 205 a

com
m .
m ase
.co


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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

My Dear Soldiers

WRITING

I An acrostic poem is the one in which the first letter of each line spells out a word,
name or phrase when read vertically. Read the example given below and compose
your own acrostic poem. (Proud of motherland / Always alert I stand / Time, my
concern never / Respect to her, forever / In worse times or better / Our love has no
end / To me, my country is my friend. — S O L D I E R)

The example spells PATRIOT. Your poem must spell SOLDIER — seven lines, each beginning
with the next letter.
Method

1. Write the seven letters down the left margin first, one below the other.
2. For each letter, think of a word about soldiers that begins with it — Standing, Only, Leaving,
Devoted, India, Every, Ready.
3. Build a short line from that word. Keep the lines roughly the same length; rhyme is welcome
but not compulsory.
4. Read it down the margin at the end to check that the word is spelt correctly.

Sample answer:
Standing awake while a whole country sleeps,
Only duty comes before the self,
Leaving home, festival and family behind,
Devoted to the flag they have promised to hold,
India rests in peace because of them,
Every season — snow, sand or rain — they stay,
Ready always, come what may.

Why acrostics are good practice: the fixed first letter forces you to hunt for a fresh
word instead of the first one that comes to mind. That hunt is where vocabulary
grows.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

II We cannot thank our soldiers enough. To express your admiration, draft a note of
gratitude for their selfless service to the nation. (Word limit: 50 words) You may
begin this way: Dear Bravehearts, I would like to…

What a good note needs — the opening given in the book, one specific thing you are thankful
for (not just ‘thank you'), one promise of your own, a warm close, and a count of about 50
words.

Sample answer (50 words):
Dear Bravehearts,
I would like to thank you for the nights you stay awake so that my family sleeps
without fear. I read about Lance Naik Albert Ekka today, and I could not stop thinking
about him. I promise to live a life worthy of your service.
With respect,
Meera, Class 7-B

Why ‘one specific thing' matters: a general thank-you could be sent to anybody.
Naming the sleepless night, or one soldier's name, shows that you actually thought
about the person you are writing to.

Let us explore — Page 205
My Dear Soldiers

PROJECT

I Design a badge of honour for the soldiers. You may make it by hand, with
cardboard, paper, and colours, or alternately, design it digitally and take a printout.
Remember to include a self-designed logo and a slogan in the badge.

What the badge must contain (both are named in the question): a self-designed logo and a
slogan.
Method

1. Pick a shape — circle, shield, star or chakra. Cut it from cardboard, about 8–10 cm across.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

2. Design the logo yourself. Do not copy a real regimental crest. Combine two or three simple
symbols that mean something — a flame (the Amar Jawan Jyoti), a mountain and a wave
(land and sea), a lamp, an outstretched palm of protection, a lotus, a chakra.
3. Write a short slogan — four or five words at most, so that it can be read from a distance.
For example: “Awake So India Sleeps”, “Service Before Self”, “For the Land We Love”, “Guarding
Every Horizon”.
4. Use no more than three colours, and leave a clear border.
5. Write one line at the back explaining what your logo stands for — that is what you will read
out in class.

Design tip: a badge is small, so a simple symbol beats a detailed drawing. Squint at
your design from two metres away; if you can still tell what it is, it works.

II Find out any poem or story in your mother tongue or regional language about the
sacrifices and bravery of soldiers. Make a presentation in the class.

Method

1. Ask at home first. Grandparents and neighbours often remember a poem or a folk song
that is not in any book.
2. Choose one piece that is short enough to read aloud in two minutes.
3. Prepare three things: the piece in the original language, a simple translation or summary in
English or Hindi, and one or two lines about the poet or the event behind it.
4. Read the original aloud first, then explain — the class should hear how it sounds before it
learns what it means.

Starting points in different languages

Hindi: ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha' by Makhanlal Chaturvedi (printed in this very unit, page 189);
‘Jhansi ki Rani' by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan; ‘Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga' by Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.
Bengali: Kazi Nazrul Islam's ‘Bidrohi'.
Marathi: the powadas — ballads sung about the bravery of Shivaji Maharaj and his
commanders.
Punjabi: ‘Mera Rang De Basanti Chola'; the vaars sung by dhadi singers.
Tamil: the patriotic songs of Subramania Bharati.
Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese and other languages all have ballads about local
heroes — and Rani Abbakka herself lives on in the Tulu paad-danas of coastal Karnataka.

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Presentation tip: end with one sentence of your own — why this poem stayed with
you. That is the part the class will remember.

Let us do these activities before we read — Page 206
Rani Abbakka (graphic story, Ministry of Culture)

BEFORE YOU READ

I Solve the riddle given below and share your answer with your classmates and the
teacher. She was a queen who led the fight, / She fought for her country and her
right. / With a shining sword in her hand, / Her son on her back in a cloth band /
Remembered as a warrior grand, / She died defending her beloved Motherland.
Who is she?

She is Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.

CLUE WHAT IT POINTS TO

“a queen who led the fight… fought for her Lakshmibai refused to surrender Jhansi to the British after the
country and her right” Doctrine of Lapse

“With a shining sword in her hand” She is always shown on horseback, sword drawn

“Her son on her back in a cloth band” The best-known detail of her story — she rode into battle with her
young son Damodar Rao tied to her back

“She died defending her beloved She fell in battle near Gwalior in 1858, aged about 29
Motherland”

Look at the illustration below the riddle on page 206 — a queen on a rearing white horse, sword
raised, a child held at her back. It matches the riddle line by line.

Why this riddle opens a lesson about Rani Abbakka: it puts you in mind of India's
warrior queens before you meet one you may never have heard of. Abbakka Devi of
Ullal fought the Portuguese nearly three hundred years before Lakshmibai fought
the British — and, as you will read, she won.

Page 58 of 84

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Class 7 English Unit 5 Bravehearts
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