INTRODUCTION TO CIVICS

Civics Chapter – 17
I Question and Answers:-

1. Define natural environment.

Ans. Natural environment relates to the different elements of nature like air, water, soil,
sunlight, forests, wildlilfe, coal, iron, oil, minerals, etc.

2. Define man-made environment.

Ans. Man-made environment relates to the human environment and includes permanent
human settlements like villages, towns and cities, transport and communication and
all the communities found in these settlements.

3. What is civics?
Ans. Civics is the study of the working of the government and the rights and duties of the
citizens.

4. What is the role of civics in our lives?

Ans. Civics helps us to learn about our rights and duties as a citizen of the country. It
makes us aware of our role as members of society and teaches us to cooperate with
everyone around us.

5. Differentiate between natural and man-made environment.

Ans. Natural Environment Man-made environment
(i)It relates to different elements of (i)It relates to all the man-made human
nature. settlements.
(ii)It is the basic physical life support (ii)It is the social life support system.
system.
(iii)Examples are water, air, soil, wildlife (iii)Villages, cities, towns.

6. ‘Nature has endowed us with bountiful natural gifts.’ Explain.

Ans. Nature has endowed us with bountiful natural gifts. The most precious of these gifts
is the natural environment that creates and sustains life on earth. It gives us water to
drink, air to breathe, fertile soil to grow our food and abundant natural resources such
as forests, wildlife, coal, iron, oil, minerals, etc to improve the quality of our lives.
Nature has also blessed us with a congenial temperature and plenty of sunlight which
is the source of all energies.
7. How does natural environment play an important role in shaping and moulding
human patterns of life?
Ans. Natural environment plays an important role in shaping and moulding human patterns
of life. Human beings are basically products of the natural environment which they
have learnt to modify and to some extent, control. As products of a natural
environment with such amazing variations, Indians are as diverse as the environment
that produces them.

8. How does our social environment influence us?

Ans. Every community is bound by common experiences, interests and aspirations. Each
community has its distinctive features that distinguish it from other communities and
define its social and cultural character. India being a country with fascinating
diversity with several cultural differences in terms of language, religion, traditions,
customs, food, dress, art, architecture, music and dance, our social environment
determines our identities and influences our attitudes, perspectives and vision.

9. Why is India described as a land of diversity?

Ans. India is described as a land of diversity because India has the hot deserts in Rajasthan
and the cold deserts in Ladakh, the rugged mountainous terrain in the Himalayas
whereas the gentle fertile plains in the Indo-Gangetic Valley, the coastal areas of
Odisha while the deltaic regions of the Sunderbans in Bengal – the variations are
endless.

10. Why is it important to have a positive and healthy human environment?

Ans. It is important to have a positive and healthy human environment because it enables
us to appreciate the many benefits of community life, respect differences, realize the
importance of cooperation, understand our social responsibilities and duties and
willingly contribute to the fulfillment of our social and economic goals.

11. Does our human environment play a greater role than our natural environment
in moulding our life. Give reasons.
Ans. Our natural environment is the basic physical life support system without which life
shall not exist but human environments plays a greater role than our natural
environment in moulding our life because human environment is our social life
support system which determines our identities and influences our attitudes,
perspective and vision.
II Fill in the blanks:-

1. Natural environment is our basic physical life support system.

2. Human beings are basically products of their natural environment which they have
learnt to modify and to some extent, control.
3. Man-made environment is our social life support system.
4. Every community is bound by its ties of common experiences, interests and
aspirations.
5. Our identities and attitudes are largely shaped by our social environment.
6. A positive and healthy human environment enables us to enjoy the benefits of
community life.
7. Civics is the study of the working of the government and the right and duties of the
citizens.
8. Diversity is the range of many people or things that are very different form each
other.
9. India is diverse with the hot deserts of Rajasthan to the cold deserts of Ladakh, the
rugged mountainous terrain of the Himalayas to the gentle fertile plains of the Indo-
Gangetic Valley, the coastal areas of Odisha to the deltaic regions of the Sunderbans
in Bengal – the variations are endless.
 LIVING IN SOCIETY
Civics Chapter – 18

I Question and Answers:-

1. What do you understand by ‘community’?

Ans. Community is a group of people who live in a particular area or a country or share a
particular religion.

2. Why is it not possible for human beings to survive in isolation?

Ans. All humans are social beings. Hence we cannot survive in isolation. We need to
communicate and interact with others.

3. What is the importance of being in a community?

Ans. As human beings, we are mutually dependent on each other for the fulfillment of our
basic human needs – physical, emotional, social and economic. They key to survival
and well being lies in cooperation and interdependence. Therefore being in a
community has a lot of importance in our lives.

4. What are the different levels of community life?

Ans. The different levels of community life are
(i) Our Family: The family is the building block of society. It is the smallest but
most important unit of civic life. The family takes care of all our needs,
nurtures us, and gives us love, affection, security and happiness. The family
plays an important role in moulding our personality and inculcating in the
moral values such as honesty, discipline, tolerance, patience, respect,
understanding and the spirit of cooperation.
(ii) Our school: The school is a child’s second home. Like the family, the school
plays a major role in moulding a child’s personality and reinforcing the values
that are learnt at home. It imparts knowledge, develops skills, and provides
opportunities for the proper development of a child’s potential. It is the place
where one can interact with other children from different communities, make
friends and experience the joys of caring and sharing.
(iii) Our Neighbourhood: Neighbourhood is an area of a town and the people who
live there. Every neighbourhoods have their own schools, shops, parks, cinema
halls, medical clinics and places of worship. People from different families in
the neighbourhood meet and interact with each other. Living with neighbours
 teaches us not only to live and let live but also to share our joys and sorrows
like members of an extended family.
(iv) Our Village, Town, city: The village, town or city we live in takes care of the
basic needs and provides us with civic amenities and services that we need, to
live a healthy and comfortable life. Villages, town or cities give the adult
members opportunities to understand and solve their local problems and adopt
measures to improve the quality of their lives.
(v) Our Nation: We are all members of the largest community – the nation. All of
us are Indian nationals. As citizens of India, when we attain 18 years of age,
we enjoy important rights.

5. What duties does a person have towards his/her family?

Ans. As a family member, we have certain duties too. We must obey and respect our
parents and elders, help our brothers and sisters and share household tasks.

6. Why is a school described as a child’s ‘second home’?

Ans. The school is described as a child’s second home because like the family, the school
plays a major role in moulding a child’s personality and reinforcing the values that
are learnt at home.

7. What important lessons do we learn from living in a neighbourhood?

Ans. Living with neighbours teaches us not only to live and let live but also to share our
joys and sorrows like members of an extended family. Living in a neighbourhood
teaches us important lessons in tolerance, understanding, cooperation and goodwill.

8. How do local self-governments serve the people?

Ans. Local self-governments serve the people by looking after their basic needs such as
health and sanitation, water, roads, transport and communication, electricity,
education, housing development, etc.

9. What can we do to help our government to work smoothly and efficiently?

Ans. The government is elected by the citizens of India. To enable our government to
function smoothly and effectively we must cooperate worth our government and
abide by all the rules and regulations. Doing so will make our lives better and more
meaningful.

10. What rights does the constitution of India guarantee to all the citizens of India?
Ans. The constitution of India guarantees six fundamental rights to all the citizens of India.
They are – the right to equality, the right to freedom, the right against exploitation,
 the right to religion, cultural and education rights and the right to constitutional
remedies.

II State whether the following are True or False:-

1. The key to human welfare lies in living in isolation. False

2. As a member of a family, we only have rights which we can enjoy. False
3. To be able to enjoy all the rights of an Indian citizen, we must be at least 16 years
old. False
4. As citizens of India, we also have to perform many important duties. True
5. The government of India is elected by the citizens of India. True

III Match the following:-

1. Survival second home (2)

2. School largest community (5)
3. Neighbourhood cooperation (1)
4. Local self-government basic needs (4)
5. Nation social support system (3)

IV Fill in the blanks:-

1. Community is a group of people who live in a particular area or a country or share a

particular region.
2. Civic life is relation with the people who live in a town or city.
3. Neighbourhood is an area of a town and the people who live there.
4. Citizen is a person who has the legal right to belong to a particular country.
5. All human are social beings and cannot live in isolation and need to communicate
and interact with others.
6. The key to our survival and well being lies in cooperation and interdependence.
7. In the community we seek help from different people around us like teachers,
doctors, lawyers, plumbers, masons, carpenters, electricians, shopkeepers,
tailors and many others.
8. Every individual is a member of a number of communities like family, school,
neighbourhood, village, town, city and nation.
9. A close-nit neighbourhood is an important social support system.
10.Living in a neighbourhood teaches us important lessons in tolerance,
understanding, cooperation and goodwill.
11.Our family plays an important role in moulding our personality and inculcating in
our moral values like honesty, discipline, tolerance, patience, respect,
understanding and the spirit of cooperation.
12.The school is a child’s second home.
13.
 PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY
Civics Chapter – 22

I Question and Answers:-

1. Explain the difference between private and public property?

Ans. Private property Public Property
(i)Private property is the property (i)Public property is the property
which is owned by an individual or which is collectively owned by the
by a small group. people of the country.

(ii)It is also called personal property (ii)It is also called National property.

(iii)A person or family buys or acquires (iii)Local governing bodies and the
it. Government jointly create this property.

(iv)Only the individual or the family (iv)Everyone in society has the right to
has right to the use the property. use the public property.

(v)Example, a family’s car, house, (v)Example, Roads, railways, buses

furniture, etc. hospitals, power stations, etc.

2. How are the public property created?

Ans. Public property is created by the government using the taxes that we pay.

3. Give examples of how people are commonly found to misuse or destroy the
public property.
Ans. It is commonly found that roads are damaged or dirty with spittle and garbage, seats
are destroyed in buses and trains, street lamps are broken, or there is writing on the
walls and in public toilets. Few people steal ancient idols and gems for personal gain.
Some people destroy and damage monuments.

4. Why do we need to protect and preserve public property?

Ans. Public property is created by the government using the taxes that we pay. So
destroying or spoiling public property is like destroying our own belongings. Hence
we should take care of these as our own possessions and stop others from misusing or
destroying it.
5. What is national heritage?
Ans. Many historical monuments, i.e. beautiful buildings created in the past by many
skilled artisans which were funded by kings, queens and nobles, and symbolize the
glorious past and make our country famous in the whole world are called national
heritage. Examples are The Taj Mahal in Agra, the Red Fort in Delhi, the Dilwara
Temples in Mount Abu, the Sun Temple in Konark, etc.

6. State a few ways in which our historical monuments are getting destroyed. Why
are they important to us?
Ans. Some people do not appreciate the value of our historical monuments and steal
ancient idols and gems for their personal gain. Historical monuments are symbols of
our glorious past and make out country famous in the whole world. The inscriptions
in stone, the statues and carvings, the paintings and the coins give us valuable
information about our past.

7. How does the government protect the historical buildings?

Ans. The government has made a law to punish people who destroy or spoil historical
buildings. Our monuments are protected by the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958. The government uses the money
from the taxes that we pay to maintain and protect these buildings.

8. How does the government preserve public property?

Ans. The Government builds and maintains the public property with the help of funds
raised from taxes which we pay to the government.

9. How are the transport and communication facilities important to us?

Ans. Transport and communication facilities such as buses, trains, post offices, telephone
booths, etc are important for all citizens. Buses, trains, cars, etc help people to reach
their offices, factories and schools on time. The postal service makes it possible for
people to keep in touch with friends and relatives and send letters and gifts,

10. Give few examples by which few people are seen damaging our transport and
communication facilities.
Ans. Few irresponsible and antisocial people are often seen to cut seats of buses with
blades or steal light bulbs and fans from railway compartments. During bandhs and
strikes they often damage or destroy cars, buses and buildings by throwing stones or
setting them on fire. They cause accidents by removing parts of railway tracks.
 Sometimes telephone booths, letter boxes, post offices and railway stations are
damaged. Electric and telephone lines are often stolen.

11. How does damage to buses, railway lines and post offices affect us?
Ans. Damage to buses, railway lines and post offices inconvenience the public who needs
all these services. Life for the common people gets disrupted and becomes difficult.
Hence, it is one of our important duties to ensure that damage of public property does
not take place.

12. Why are schools and libraries important? Who maintains it and how?
Ans. School property such as the tables, chairs, benches and blackboards in the
classrooms, the books in the libraries and the laboratory equipment should be handled
carefully. The schools maintains this property with the help of the fees paid by the
students. So it is our duty to protect school property from damage.

13. What are the common ways by which the schools and libraries misused?
Ans. Few children are often found to tear pages out of library books or write on them.
They also disfigure the walls and the furniture by scratching or drawing on them.

14. How are hospitals important to us?

Ans. Hospitals are essential for all the people. Hospitals are also part of public property
and need to be protected and preserved so that people can be given proper medical
treatment and hospitals can function properly. When hospitals are damaged or their
equipment is misused, it is the people who suffer. It is an important civic duty to
preserve and protect hospitals.

15. How are museums important to us?

Ans. Museums preserve works of art, and scientific or archeological objects, etc. Large
amounts of public funds go into the building and maintenance of museums.

16. Write down few ways by which few people try to harm the museums.
Ans. Few people often spoil the museums by writing on the walls and damage the exhibits.
Such actions should be immediately reported to the museum authorities. Damaging
museums and their property is a punishable offence.

17. Write down the importance of public property.

Ans. Public property is built and maintained by the government so that everybody in
society can use it and benefit by it. It is built and maintained with the help of funds
raised from taxes which we pay to the government. It costs a lot of money to build
 and preserve these building and services. Hence the destruction of public property is
a loss to all of us and to the nation as a whole.

18. How can you prevent the antisocial people from harming the public property?
Ans. We can prevent the antisocial people from harming the public property by
cooperating and performing our duties as citizens of India by not letting these
antisocial people harm the public property.

II Match the following:-

1. Family house public property [3]

2. National property national heritage [4]
3. Museums private property [1]
4. Taj Mahal property belonging to all of us [2]
5. Taxes Funds for preserving public property [5]

III State whether True or False:-

1. National property only includes historical monuments. False

2. Parks are public property. True
3. The funds for preserving public property come from taxes. True
4. Damaging monuments is not a punishable offence. False
5. During riots, public and private properties are destroyed. True

IV Fill in the Blanks:-

1. Private property is property which is owned by individuals or small groups.

2. Public property is owned by all citizens of the country.
3. Historical monuments are an important part of our heritage.
4. Our historical buildings are protected by the ________________ Act of 1958.
5. Roads, buses and post offices are examples of ______________.