🧠 Vocabulary Booster (20 words) — सरल हिंदी अर्थ

Tip: Read the Word then the Meaning. Try to use 3 in your own sentence! ✍️

📝 Summary (English) — ~250 words

North, South, East, West is a series of cheerful postcards written by Shaana, a girl from Rameswaram island, who travels across India with her parents. She starts in the north at the Thajiwas glacier in Kashmir, where the cold air bites and the ice shines blue-white. Moving to Himachal Pradesh, she wakes to mountain birds chirping and jokes that the growl in the west is not a bear but her father’s snoring! Next, in the far east, she reaches Arunachal Pradesh, treks through thick forest to a treehouse, and hopes to spot a red panda.

She then slips south-west to the Sundarbans of West Bengal and learns about wetlands and mangroves, but also hears of increasing floods. Crossing the country from east to west, she reaches the Gujarat desert: hot, sandy, yet full of vibrant clothes and culture. Driving east again, she meets the Narmada in central India and goes rafting, discovering that rivers can be swift and thrilling.

The family turns to the south-west—Goa—where plateaus, beaches, and many train tunnels charm her. Nearing home, she reaches Chennai and Puducherry, tries surfing, and laughs as her parents splash each other like children. Finally, the train rolls over the stunning Pamban Bridge with the sea on both sides and they make one last stop at Olaikaadu beach, where Shaana floats, watches fish, and collects pebbles for friends.

Through these warm, funny notes, we see India’s geographical diversity—glaciers, forests, wetlands, deserts, rivers, plateaus, beaches—and a hint of environmental change (less snow, more flooding). The postcards celebrate family, curiosity, courage (she overcomes her fear of tunnels), and the joy of learning through travel. ✈️🏔️🏞️🏝️

📝 सारांश (Hindi) — ~250 शब्द

North, South, East, West में शाना नाम की बच्ची अपने माता-पिता के साथ पूरे भारत की यात्रा करती है और अपने स्कूल के दोस्तों को पोस्टकार्ड लिखकर अनुभव साझा करती है। यात्रा की शुरुआत उत्तरी भारत के थाजिवास ग्लेशियर (कश्मीर) से होती है—जहाँ बर्फ़ नीली-सफ़ेद चमकती है और ठंड बहुत तेज़ है। हिमाचल में वह पहाड़ों, रंग-बिरंगे पक्षियों और सुबह की चहचहाहट से खुश होती है; रात को “भालू” की घर्राहट असल में पापा के खर्राटे निकलते हैं!

आगे पूर्वोत्तर के अरुणाचल प्रदेश में घने जंगल से गुजरकर ट्रीहाउस तक पहुँचती है और लाल पांडा देखने की उम्मीद करती है। फिर वह सुंदरबनों (पश्चिम बंगाल) के वेटलैंड और मैंग्रोव पेड़ों के बारे में जानती है, पर बढ़ती बाढ़ से दुख भी होता है। देश को पूरब से पश्चिम पार कर गुजरात के रेगिस्तान में पहुँचती है—गरमी और रेत के बीच रंगीन कपड़े और लोक संस्कृति उसे खूब भाते हैं। इसके बाद बीच भारत की नर्मदा नदी में वह राफ्टिंग कर रोमांच महसूस करती है।

गोवा में पठार, समुद्र तट और कई सुरंगें उसे उत्साहित करती हैं; सुरंगों से डर अब खत्म हो चुका है। दक्षिण में चेन्नई और पुडुचेरी के तट पर वह सर्फिंग आज़माती है और देखती है कि माँ-पापा भी बच्चों की तरह छप-छप कर रहे हैं! अंत में मनोहारी पंबन ब्रिज से समुद्र के बीच से होकर ट्रेन गुजरती है और घर पहुँचने से पहले ओलैक्काडु बीच पर छोटे-छोटे कंकड़ इकठ्ठा करती है।

इन चुलबुले-स्नेहिल पत्रों में हमें भारत की भौगोलिक विविधता दिखती है—हिमनद, जंगल, दलदली भूमि, रेगिस्तान, नदियाँ, पठार, समुद्र तट—और साथ ही पर्यावरणीय बदलाव का संकेत (कम बर्फ़, अधिक बाढ़) भी मिलता है। शाना की यात्रा परिवार, जिज्ञासा, साहस और सीखने की खुशी का उत्सव है। 🌏🚂💌

🎯 One-Word Answers (10) — simple English

1. Who writes the postcards? — Shaana
2. Where is her home island? — Rameswaram
3. Which glacier did she visit? — Thajiwas
4. Where did she hope to see a red panda? — Arunachal
5. Which wetlands did she boat in? — Sundarbans
6. Which western state desert did she cross? — Gujarat
7. Which river did she raft on? — Narmada
8. Which coastal state had many plateaus and tunnels? — Goa
9. Which bridge crosses the sea near home? — Pamban
10. What did she collect at Olaikaadu beach? — Pebbles

✍️ Very Short Answer (10) — 2–3 lines • simple English

1. How does the postcard form help the story?
   It gives quick, lively snapshots of places and feelings. We travel with Shaana through her short, friendly notes.
2. What shows India’s diversity in her journey?
   Glaciers, forests, wetlands, deserts, rivers, plateaus, long beaches—many landforms and cultures.
3. What fear does Shaana overcome?
   She used to fear tunnels, but after many train rides she becomes comfortable and even enjoys them.
4. What environmental changes are noted?
   Less snow in the glacier and more flooding in the Sundarbans—signs that nature is changing.
5. How does family add fun?
   Amma and Appa throw snowballs, splash in the sea, and try surfing—behaving playfully like kids.
6. Why does she write about languages and people?
   To show that India is rich in languages and cultures and travel helps us meet many different people.
7. What excites her at Narmada?
   Rafting’s speed and foam—she realizes rivers can be wild and thrilling, not always calm.
8. What does the Pamban Bridge scene add?
   A grand homecoming image—sea on both sides, showing South India’s coastal beauty and her excitement to return.
9. What did she do at Olaikaadu?
   She floated, watched fish, and collected smooth pebbles as souvenirs for her classmates.
10. What quality does Shaana show throughout?
    Curiosity—she asks, learns, compares, and shares happily in each postcard.

🧩 Short Answer (10) — 3–4 lines • simple English

1. How do the opening cards set the tone?
   Cold Kashmiri glaciers and quiet Himachal mornings create wonder and humour (bear vs. snoring). We feel family warmth and the thrill of travel.
2. What does Shaana learn in the Sundarbans?
   She discovers wetlands and mangroves that grow in salty water. She also learns about frequent floods, which worries Amma and raises awareness.
3. Why is the desert described like a “beach without the sea”?
   Both are sandy and vast, but the desert is hot and dry. The comparison helps children picture the place quickly.
4. Explain her “train-and-tunnel” growth.
   At first she fears tunnels; later she enjoys looking out and noticing plateaus and beaches. Travel builds her courage.
5. What does rafting reveal about rivers?
   Up close, rivers are powerful and fast. It changes her earlier idea that rivers are always calm.
6. How do colours and clothes in Gujarat affect her?
   The bright, pretty clothes impress her. They show local culture and how every region has its own lively style.
7. Why is surfing in Chennai/Puducherry memorable?
   She tries a new water sport and sees rougher waves than on her island. It becomes a playful family memory.
8. What is special about Pamban Bridge?
   It carries trains over the sea near Rameswaram. Seeing water on both sides makes the return home dramatic and beautiful.
9. What do pebbles symbolize?
   They are small, real souvenirs of places. Sharing them shows her love for friends and wish to bring them into her journey.
10. State the central message of the chapter.
    India is vast and diverse; travel teaches courage, care for nature, and respect for cultures—learning happens best through experience. 🌏❤️