Chapter 7
FROM WALKING TO FLYING
1. Q: Why did early humans keep moving from place to place?
Ans: Early humans kept moving from place to place in search of food, as they needed to find enough resources to survive.
2. Q: What did early humans discover when they threw seeds of the fruits they ate?
Ans: They discovered that new plants grew from the seeds, teaching them the connection between seeds, soil, and plant growth.
3. Q: Why was fertile soil important for early humans?
Ans: Fertile soil was important because it produced good crops, which ensured a reliable source of food for the people.
4. Q: Where did early humans prefer to settle for farming, and why?
Ans: They preferred settling near rivers because these areas had fertile soil and a good supply of water necessary for growing crops.
5. Q: How did the search for fertile land and water influence human habitations?
Ans: Habitations started growing along river banks since people needed fertile land and water for farming, leading to more permanent settlements.
6. Q: Explain the saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” using examples from the text.
Ans: When people had to travel long distances and carry heavy loads, they invented rafts, sledges, and eventually wheels to make transportation easier.
7. Q: What animals did early humans use to carry loads?
Ans: Early humans used animals like bullocks, horses, and donkeys to carry heavy loads over land.
8. Q: How did humans first use logs in rivers for transportation?
Ans: People tied straight logs together to make a raft, which helped them travel and carry heavy loads across rivers.
9. Q: What was the sledge, and how was it used?
Ans: The sledge was a cart without wheels, which people pushed or pulled themselves, or used animals to move it over smooth ground.
10. Q: What limitation did sledges have?
Ans: Sledges could move only on smooth ground and were difficult to use on uneven land.
11. Q: How did the invention of the wheel improve land transport?
Ans: People discovered that round objects rolled easily and attached round logs under carts, allowing them to move easily over uneven ground.
12. Q: Describe how the first wheeled carts were made.
Ans: Small, round pieces of tree trunk were fitted below the cart to make it roll, creating the first wheeled carts.
13. Q: How did wheels make travel faster for early humans?
Ans: Wheels reduced friction and made it easier for people and animals to move carts, allowing heavier loads to be carried faster and more efficiently.
14. Q: Give examples of modern land transport that use wheels.
Ans: Tractors, rickshaws, tongas, scooters, trucks, buses, cars, and bicycles all use wheels for movement.
15. Q: How did the wheel impact railway travel?
Ans: Wheels are used in train engines and coaches, enabling smooth and fast travel on railway tracks.
16. Q: How is the wheel used in air transport?
Ans: Wheels are used in aircraft for landing, takeoff, and taxiing on runways.
17. Q: Why is the invention of the wheel considered one of mankind’s greatest inventions?
Ans: The wheel greatly improved transportation, made life easier, and allowed humans to carry heavy loads and travel long distances efficiently.
18. Q: How did transportation methods evolve from walking to modern vehicles?
Ans: Humans first walked, then used sledges, rafts, wheeled carts, animals, and eventually developed modern vehicles like cars, trains, and aircraft.
19. Q: How did early humans discover that round objects roll easily?
Ans: By observing that round logs or objects could move smoothly on the ground, they realized the potential for reducing effort in transportation.
20. Q: How did the need to transport heavy loads lead to new inventions?
Ans: Carrying heavy loads forced humans to innovate, creating rafts, sledges, and eventually wheeled carts to move goods more efficiently.
21. Q: What role did rivers play in early human transportation?
Ans: Rivers provided water for farming and a natural route for transporting goods using rafts made of logs.
22. Q: How did the wheel help overcome the limitations of sledges?
Ans: Wheels allowed carts to move over uneven terrain where sledges could not, making land transport more versatile.
23. Q: Can you imagine life without wheels today? Explain.
Ans: Life without wheels would be extremely difficult because vehicles, trains, and even aircraft rely on wheels for movement and transportation.
24. Q: What does the story teach us about human innovation?
Ans: It teaches that necessity drives creativity, and humans constantly invent tools and methods to solve problems and make life easier.
25. Q: How did observation of nature help early humans invent new tools?
Ans: They observed logs floating in rivers and round objects rolling, which inspired the invention of rafts and wheels.
26. Q: What is the connection between farming and transportation in early human history?
Ans: Farming created the need to carry seeds, crops, and goods, which led to innovations in transportation.
27. Q: Explain the progression of transport inventions from water to land.
Ans: First, humans used rafts to move on water, then sledges on land, and finally wheels for faster and easier travel.
28. Q: Why did humans prefer river banks for settlements besides farming?
Ans: River banks provided water for drinking, fertile soil for crops, and a natural route for transportation.
29. Q: How did the invention of the wheel affect trade?
Ans: The wheel allowed goods to be transported more easily over long distances, boosting trade and interaction between communities.
30. Q: What does the story imply about the relationship between necessity and invention?
Ans: It implies that humans invent solutions to problems when there is a strong need, such as moving heavy loads or traveling long distances.
Answer by Mrinmoee