Class 7 English Poorvi Chapter 1 The Day The River Spoke NCERT Solutions

Class 7 English Poorvi Chapter 1 – The Day The River Spoke NCERT Solutions provide comprehensive support, including questions and answers, fill-in-the-blanks, grammar exercises, crossword puzzles, and a descriptive paragraph based on the first chapter of the Class 7 English textbook Poorvi. This chapter is important from an examination perspective as it tells the story of a young, talented girl who was not allowed to attend school by her parents. She later befriends a river and shares her desire to study. The river, acting as her guide, encourages her to overcome her fears and helps her take the first step toward achieving her dreams by joining a school. To fully understand the story, students should first read the chapter from the textbook and then practise these solutions.

Class 7 English Poorvi Chapter 1 The Day The River Spoke Questions Answers – PDF Download

Let us do these activities before we read (Page 1)

Ⅰ Close your eyes and quietly listen to the sounds around you for a minute.
1. Are they trying to tell you something?
Answer:
Yes, the sounds around us convey a message. The blowing wind whispers to never stop, the rustling leaves and chirping birds assure us that nature is alive and vibrant.

2. Do you think the things around you also listen to you all day long?
Answer:
Yes, elements of nature like rivers, mountains, and trees listen silently to our words, like a true friend, and offer their support in countless, magical ways.

II Jahnavi was a bright young girl who lived with her parents and three brothers in a coastal village in India. Her parents worked on the farm. She had a dream.
1. What could that dream be?
Answer:
Jahnavi’s dream could be to go to school, study well, pursue higher education, and become capable and confident enough to support her parents financially so that they no longer have to work on the farm.

2. How could she make her dream come true?
Answer:
She could make her dream come true by telling her parents about her interest in studies and learning, and by asking them to enroll her in school to fulfill her dreams.

3. What is your dream? What can you do to make your dream come true?
Answer:
My dream is to be an aeronautical engineer, and to make my dream come true, I need to work hard in my studies, especially in science and math, and keep learning new things every day.

Let us discuss (Page 3)

1. What was Jahnavi’s dream? Was it important to her? Why?
Answer:
Jahnavi’s dream was to go to school to read and learn like his brothers. It was important to her because it could help her find answers to the questions that she had always wanted to know and make her understand the different processes of nature.

2. Do you think the river can help her in fulfilling her dream? How?
Answer:
Yes, the river can help her fulfill her dream by sharing its valuable experiences with her and guiding her like a mentor, helping her solve and overcome the problems of her life.

Let us discuss (Page 6)

Q. Complete the table given below with Jahnavi’s questions in Column 1 and the River’s answers in Column 2. Check your answers with the teacher.

Answer:

Let us think and reflect (Page 7)

Ⅰ Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. “You shouldn’t cry, you know,” the voice went on. “And you really shouldn’t be scared, when you have been coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day.” She was puzzled. It was such a voice, like the river. It couldn’t be the river! “Well, tell me all about it,” said the River, for it was the River. “I’ve got to hurry to reach the sea, you know.”
(i) Complete the sentence with the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The tone of the River in the given extract is __________________. (assuring/sympathising)
Answer:
Sympathising.

(ii) Select a phrase from the extract which shows that Jahnavi was a frequent visitor to the spot.
Answer:
“And you really shouldn’t be scared, when you have been coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day.” This phrase shows that Jahnavi was a frequent visitor to the spot.

(iii) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
The use of an exclamation mark at the end of the line, ‘It couldn’t be the river!’ expresses __________________.
A. excitement    B. hesitation    C. irritation    D. disbelief
Answer:
D. disbelief.

(iv) Choose three qualities of the River highlighted in the extract from the words in the box given below.

Answer:
Affectionate, impatient, kind-hearted.

2. “Can I do something?” asked Jahnavi. “Well, it’s up to you,” said the River. “Seems to me little girls can do as much as little boys—they swim as fast as little boys. You just slip along one morning and sit there in the school and listen to what’s going on, and maybe the teacher will let you stay.”
“I couldn’t,” gasped Jahnavi. “I couldn’t! They’d scare me! They’d chase me out.”
(i) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason.
According to the River, there was no difference between girls and boys because __________________.
Answer:
According to the River, there was no difference between girls and boys because girls can swim as fast as boys.

(ii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false. The River encourages Jahnavi to have faith in herself and fulfill her desire to go to school.
Answer:
True.

(iii) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
When the River suggests that Jahnavi should ‘slip along’, it means that she should move _______________. A. quickly    B. casually    C. quietly    D. confidently
Answer:
A. quietly.

(iv) What does the repetition of the phrase I couldn’t, tell us?
Answer:
The repetition of the phrase “I couldn’t” indicates that the girl was scared and unsure about following the advice of the river.

Ⅱ Answer the following questions.
1. Why does the writer describe different aspects of nature in great detail at the beginning of the story? Why do you think the writer does this?
Answer:
The writer describes the different aspects of nature in great detail at the beginning of the story to create a sense of peaceful beauty in contrast to the girl’s sadness. The writer does this to capture our interest and draw our attention to Jahnavi’s emotions by making them stand out even more.

2. How did the River know so much about Jahnavi?
Answer:
The river knew so much about Jahnavi because it had been watching her for a long time as she visited it almost every day.

3. Jahnavi says, “And I’m so old now, they’ll never let me go.” What can you infer about Jahnavi and the school from this line?
Answer:
We can infer from this line that Jahnavi never had the chance to go to school, and she feels it might be too late for her to join now. It reveals her sadness, frustration, and a sense of hopelessness about being left out.

4. Why did the River laugh when Jahnavi said she would be scared at school?
Answer:
The river laughed because it found it surprising and a little amusing that she was scared to go to school, even though she was brave enough to face a lizard, a snake, or even loud trains that could frighten many people.

5. Why should Jahnavi follow the River’s advice?
Answer:
Jahnavi should follow the river’s advice because it knows her well and is acting like a mentor, guiding her to overcome her fears and encouraging her to pursue her dream of going to school.

6. How does the conversation between Jahnavi and the River make the story more appealing?
Answer:
The conversation between Jahnavi and the river makes the story more engaging, as it portrays the river—an element of nature—as a wise, human-like guide who encourages and motivates the girl to fulfill her dream of going to school.

7. What is the main message that the writer intends to convey?
Answer:
The main message the writer intends to convey is that it is never too late to follow your dreams. With courage, determination, and self-belief, anyone can overcome their fears and start a new journey toward a better future.

Let us learn (Page 8)

Ⅰ You have learnt that naming words are called nouns and only proper nouns begin with a capital letter. Why has the author used a capital letter for the ‘River’ even when it is a common noun? (Clue: Has the River been given qualities of a human being?)
Answer:
The author has used a capital letter for the ‘River’ even when it is a common noun because the river is being treated like a person in the story. It talks, laughs, and gives advice just like a human.

Ⅱ There are a few words related to sound in the text. Pick the words from the text and write them next to the correct definition.
1. made a high-pitched piercing sound
2. to cause liquid to strike or fall on something
3. a low continuous background noise
4. cry with loud uncontrollable gasps
5. to make a soft dry sound, like paper or leaves moving
6. took a short quick breath through the mouth due to surprise, pain or shock
7. shaking rapidly to make continuous, short, sharp sounds
8. making a lot of noise
9. made a long, high cry, usually because of pain or sadness
Answer:
1. shrieked
2. splashed
3. murmuring
4. sob
5. rustle
6. gasped
7. rattling
8. noisy
9. wailed

Q. Now, fill in the blanks with suitable sound words from exercise (II).

The classroom grew (i) _______ as the students noticed the teacher carrying the answer papers. As the teacher turned the pages with a (ii) _______, the children (iii) _______, wondering what comments awaited. Someone (iv) _______ in frustration, and the (v) _______of the students steadily increased. Finally, when the teacher praised the students for their excellent performance, the students (vi) _______ with excitement.
Answer:
The classroom grew (i) noisy as the students noticed the teacher carrying the answer papers. As the teacher turned the pages with a (ii) rustle , the children (iii) gasped , wondering what comments awaited. Someone (iv) sobbed in frustration, and the (v) murmuring of the students steadily increased. Finally, when the teacher praised the students for their excellent performance, the students (vi) shrieked with excitement.

Ⅲ The word ‘catamaran’ is used in the text. The word originates from Tamil language ‘kattu maram’ meaning ‘tied wood’. Find out the meanings of these words. From which Indian language these words were borrowed. An example has been given.
1. karma (Sanskrit)   2. sahib    3. chutney    4. guru
5. verandah    6. jungle    7. areca    8. palanquin
Answer:

Ⅳ Chandu, the fisherman, has a catamaran that the River preferred to a ship. Given below are some boats that are used in different parts of our country.

(i) Which one would you like to travel in?
(ii) Make a colourful drawing of a boat that you would like to travel in.
Answer:
(i) I would like to travel in a Shikara because it is huge, looks beautiful and has more facilities than a normal boat.

(ii) Do it yourself.

Ⅴ Solve the crossword puzzle based on words related to water transport.

Across:
1. a large vessel used for transporting goods or passengers by sea
2. a small vessel for travelling on water, typically propelled by oars, sails, or an engine
3. a flat floating structure for travelling across water
4. a boat or ship driven by steam
Down:
5. a small, light, narrow boat, pointed at both ends and moved using a paddle
6. a boat with a powerful engine which can change direction easily and is used to pull large ships into and out of port
7. a boat with sails and sometimes an engine, used for either racing or travelling for pleasure, rhymes with ‘cot’
Answer:

Ⅵ Read the highlighted words in the following lines from the text.
“She goes down towards the sea. I’ve seen her; she always takes the same way—over the mountains and down to the sea, like me!”
Prepositions are words that indicate the relationship between nouns or pronouns and other elements in a sentence. They show direction, location, time or logical relationships between ideas.
Now, fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions given within the brackets.
Jahnavi takes the River’s advice and goes to school. On her first day 1. _________ (at/in/on) school, Jahnavi stood nervously 2. _________ (in/ outside/above) the gate, clutching her bag close to her. The bell rang and she hurried 3. _________ (outside/through/inside) the bustling classroom. She found a seat 4. _________ (among/between/from) two friendly classmates. The teacher greeted them warmly and started the lesson 5. _________ (about/in/for) numbers. Jahnavi listened attentively, feeling excited 6. _________ (at/about/for) the new adventure ahead.
Answer:
Jahnavi takes the River’s advice and goes to school. On her first day 1. at (at/in/on) school, Jahnavi stood nervously 2. outside (in/ outside/above) the gate, clutching her bag close to her. The bell rang and she hurried 3. inside (outside/through/inside) the bustling classroom. She found a seat 4. between (among/between/from) two friendly classmates. The teacher greeted them warmly and started the lesson 5. about (about/in/for) numbers. Jahnavi listened attentively, feeling excited 6. about (at/about/for) the new adventure ahead.

Ⅶ Read the highlighted words in the following sentence from the text.
A kingfisher swept down, its wings an arrow of blue in the sunlight.
Words like on, off, up, down can function both as preposition and as adverb.
For example:
She ran up the stairs. (preposition)
She rang me up. (adverb)
Remember, a preposition will always be followed by an object (noun) whereas an adverb will tell you more about the action (verb).
Fill in the blanks with prepositions or adverbs.
1. The cat jumped ___________ the table. (preposition)
2. The children played ___________ until dark. (adverb)
3. She quickly ran ___________ the park. (preposition)
4. The helicopter was hovering ___________. (adverb)
5. We were just walking ___________, chatting. (adverb)
6. After thoroughly wiping his shoes, he stepped ___________. (adverb)
7. She drove slowly ___________ the sharp curve. (preposition)
8. He placed the keys ___________ the mat before leaving. (preposition)
Answer:
1. The cat jumped onto the table.
2. The children played outside until dark.
3. She quickly ran through the park.
4. The helicopter was hovering above .
5. We were just walking back , chatting.
6. After thoroughly wiping his shoes, he stepped inside .
7. She drove slowly around the sharp curve.
8. He placed the keys under the mat before leaving.

Let us listen (Page 12)

Ⅰ Read the words given in the box below. You will listen to five people speak about school life. As you listen, circle the words that are used by the speakers. There are two words you do not need. (Transcript for the teacher on pg. 39 )

Answer:

Ⅱ You will once again listen to the five speakers. As you listen, match each statement 1–7 to each speaker (i)–(v). There are two statements that you do not need.

Answer:

Let us speak (Page 13)

Ⅰ Read the sentence given below.
“Dear, dear! What’s the matter? … You shouldn’t cry, you know. And you really shouldn’t be scared, when you have been coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day.” The River spoke to Jahnavi in a ‘sleepy’ voice. Work in pairs and take turns to speak the same sentence in ‘other’ voices. Some hints are given below.
Answer:
To be done by students as a class activity.

Ⅱ Janhavi asks the River for advice and the River gives advice. Read the given situations and work in pairs to ask for and give advice. Take turns to change your roles. Use the prompts given below.
Situation (i): You wish to play football at school but it has an all-boys’ team only.
Situation (ii): You have been unable to score well in Mathematics due to nervousness during exams.
Situation (iii): You really enjoy music classes but do not get enough time to practise for it.
Situation (iv): You cannot see the blackboard clearly from the last bench.

Answer:
Situation (i):
Asking for advice: What do you think I should do to join the school’s football team, even though it’s an all-boys team?
Giving advice: I think you should consult the sports teacher; he will guide you better in this regard.

Situation (ii):
Asking for advice: Do you think I should apply to reappear for the Mathematics exam since I didn’t score well last time?
Giving advice: The best thing to do is to try some breathing exercises to calm and relax your mind before taking any exam.

Situation (iii):
Asking for advice: What would you do in my position if you really enjoyed music but didn’t have time to practice it?
Giving advice: If I were you, I would spare some time during the day to attend music classes.

Situation (iv):
Asking for advice: Do you think I need to get my eyesight checked? I can’t see the blackboard clearly from the last bench.
Giving advice: I think you should ask your teacher to move your seat a few desks forward.

Let us write (Page 14)

Observe
Q. Take some time to observe the world around you. Over the next few days, pay attention to the colours, shapes, patterns, and textures found in nature. Look closely at the plants, trees, flowers, birds, and even the sky. Make detailed notes of what you observe, focusing on textures, movements, and how light plays with these elements. Record your observations in detail and the features that draw your attention the most—whether it’s the soft ripple of water, the vibrant flutter of a butterfly or the colour of the birds or flowers.
Now, write a descriptive paragraph based on what you’ve observed. Highlight the colours, shapes, textures, and unique details that made an impression on you.
Give a title to your paragraph.

Answer:

Title: Listening to the language of the nature
Every day, I see nature speaking to me in my garden in countless ways. As I walk, the soft green grass feels like a cushion, as if Mother Nature is extending her hands to support me. I find it fascinating that even a single blade of grass—something we often overlook—holds so much detail, colour, life, and vibrancy. Leaves that might appear the same are all different in shape, size, colour, and pattern.
The soft rays of the sun, like a paintbrush, add even more detail to the entire scene. I like watching butterflies flutter over the flowers because their swift movements add positivity, liveliness, and joy to the garden. I feel a sense of calm and peace envelop me as I begin to truly notice the wonders of the natural world around me.
I want to tell you that every little thing holds some magic, and that magic begins to unfold the moment you start paying attention. My advice to all is to be grateful, respectful, gentle, and responsible toward nature and its creations.

Let us explore (Page 14)

Ⅰ Discuss why rivers in India are considered to be sacred and most of them are referred to as female. Some rivers are referred to as male, for example, the Brahmaputra and the Sone.
Answer:
Rivers in India are considered sacred because they provide life-giving water for drinking, farming, and other essential activities that sustain life. They are also centers of religious and spiritual practices, where people believe they can wash away their sins by bathing.
Most rivers in India—for example, the Ganga and the Yamuna—are referred to as female, perhaps because of their gentle, nurturing, and life-giving nature, which is often associated with femininity.
Some rivers, such as the Brahmaputra and the Sone, are referred to as male—possibly due to their powerful, forceful, and sometimes ruthless nature, characteristics traditionally seen as masculine.

Ⅱ Whole Class Activity
1. India is a multilingual country, and many of us can speak two to three languages easily. Make a list of the languages that everyone in the class can speak and display it on a chart paper in the classroom.
Answer:
List of languages that everyone in the class can speak:
Hindi
English
Punjabi / Marathi / Bengali / Gujarati / Haryanvi / Tamil / Telugu / Malayalam / Bihari / Kannada etc

2. In which language do you enjoy reading and learning the most?
Answer:
I enjoy reading and learning in English as well as Hindi the most.

Ⅲ Read the poster given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. What are the things you can observe in the poster?
2. Why do you think the girls look happy?
3. Dignity means ‘self-respect’. What is the relation between ‘dignity’ and ‘happiness’ ?
4. How does a Nation prosper when its daughters are happy?
Answer:
1. A nation prospers when its daughters are happy, because happy girls grow into confident, qualified, and independent women who contribute meaningfully to society. They can become ideal homemakers, successful businesswomen, or skilled professionals.

2. I see four girls happily sitting together, wearing comfortable clothes, helping each other study, and sharing broad smiles. The atmosphere feels safe, supportive, and conducive to learning.

3. The girls are happy because they have the opportunity to study in a safe and supportive environment. This fosters a sense of joy, happiness, and confidence as they feel empowered to prove their worth and pursue their dreams.

4. Happiness is a by-product of dignity. When girls are given the right to education and equal opportunities to pursue their dreams, it fosters a sense of self-worth and dignity, which in turn promotes confidence, joy, and happiness.

Ⅳ The Government has launched many schemes for the education of the girl child. Some of them are ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, ‘Balika Samridhi Yojana’, ‘Samagra Shiksha Scheme–Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas’, etc.
Find out more such schemes from the internet or from your teacher and spread awareness in your neighbourhood.
Answer:
Do it yourself.