NCERT Solutions for Class 4 English Chapter 6 Braille (PDF) – 2027

The story in short:

• Louis Braille, a boy in France, became totally blind at three after a sharp tool pierced his eye.
• In 1819, aged ten, he joined the Royal Institute for Young Blind Persons in Paris.
• ‘Night Writing’ was too difficult. Louis simplified it and gave the world the Braille alphabet.
• Braille is reading through touch, with one dot pattern for each letter.

The four new words and their meanings:

The Braille alphabet is an alphabet of raised dots. It is read by touch, with the fingers.

• Each letter is a block of six dot places (two across, three down).
• The pattern of raised dots shows the letter.
• There is one symbol for each of the 26 English letters.
• Braille needs more space, so Braille books are thicker.

‘Night Writing’ was not a success because it was too difficult. The book says: “However, it was too difficult and, therefore, not a success.”

Louis Braille became interested in ‘Night Writing’ and simplified it. He kept only raised dots, with one small pattern for each letter. He gave the world the Braille alphabet, so blind people could read and write by touch.

The cane is white because white is easy to see from far away, even at night. Everyone knows that a white cane means the person cannot see well. So drivers slow down, and people make way or offer help.

If the world became dark for a day, one might face these difficulties:

• We would bump into things and fall on the stairs.
• We could not read, write or find our things.
• Vehicles could not move safely on the roads.
• Cooking and other work at home would be risky.

The object in my hand was round and flat in shape.

Say the shape of the object you held. Shape words you can use: round · long · flat · square · oval · curved · three-cornered · box-shaped · thin · pointed.

The object in my hand was shorter than my forefinger. (an eraser)
The object in my hand was longer than my forefinger. (a pencil)

Choose the word that is true for your object.

The object in my hand was a rubber eraser.

Name the object you really held. Use the clues your hand gave you — its shape, size and feel:

1. The object in my hand was oblong in shape.
2. The object in my hand was shorter than my forefinger.
3. The object in my hand was a rubber eraser.
4. It felt soft and a little rough at the corners.
5. I use it to rub out my mistakes in my notebook.

Lines 4 and 5 are the two new lines. Write two lines about your own object.

Listen to your teacher and repeat each word three or four times. The eight words fall into two groups:

Cat is already done in the book: c, a, t — one cell for each letter.

Man has three letters, so you need three cells: m, a, n.

Boy has three letters, so you need three cells: b, o, y.

Jug has three letters, so you need three cells: j, u, g.

the name Ravi needs four cells — r, a, v, i.

Write your own name the same way: one cell for each letter, with the dots copied from the chart.

Precautions to protect our eyes:

1. Burst crackers only with an elder, in an open place.
2. Light a cracker with a long incense stick, keep your face away, and step back at once.
3. Never go near a cracker that did not burst.
4. Keep sharp tools and objects away from the eyes.
5. Do not rub your eyes. If something gets in, wash with clean water and see a doctor.

The dogs were barking at the stranger.

Why were: Dogs means more than one, so are becomes were.

Grandfather was searching for his spectacles.

Why was: The sentence is about one person — Grandfather. So we use was + searching.

Sheeba was writing a letter.

Why was: Sheeba is one person, so the word is was. The action word writing does not change.

He was singing a song.

Why was: He means one person. One person takes was.

We were playing kho-kho.

Why were: We always means more than one person, so it takes were.

The man was using his hands to push his wheelchair.

Why was: The sentence is about the man — one person. So was + using.

Here is the whole table, completed:

The picture story, in short:

1. A girl scatters grains for the squirrels and sparrows.
2. Her grandmother hangs wet clothes on the line.
3. A strong wind blows, and the grandmother goes inside.
4. The sparrows and squirrels sit on the clothes to hold them down. The girl is full of joy.

She was feeding her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows.

Why this one: In picture 1 the girl is giving food to the squirrels and the sparrows. The word for giving food is feeding. Tarandeep is one person, so we use was.

She was scattering grains for them.

Why this one: To scatter means to throw things loosely all around, so that they fall in many places. That is just what the girl is doing with the grains in picture 1. Again she is one person, so was.

Her grandmother was hanging out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.

Why this one: We hang out washed clothes on a line so that the sun and the wind dry them. Picture 2 shows the grandmother doing exactly that. She is one person, so was.

Grandmother was entering the house when a strong wind began to blow.

Why this one: To enter means to go inside. In picture 3 the grandmother is stepping in at the door, to fetch the clothes pegs. She is one person, so was.

The sparrows and squirrels were sitting on the clothes to prevent them from falling.

Why were and not was: This is the only blank in the whole passage about more than one — sparrows and squirrels, many of them. For more than one we must use were.

Tarandeep was clapping her hands with joy.

Why this one: We clap our hands when we are very happy. Tarandeep saw her friends saving the clothes, so she clapped. She is one person, so was.

All six answers:

Yes, you can make out the shape. A simple shape, like a circle, a plus sign or the letter L or T, is easy to feel. A shape with many curves close together, like the letter g, is much harder.

I can bring my friend a printout of the lesson in large letters. I can let my friend sit in the front row, and read out what the teacher writes on the board. I will keep the path clear, and always ask before helping.

The nearest resource centre for people with blindness is a school for the blind in my district town. It has a Braille library and gives white canes. It teaches children to read and write Braille.

Find the real name and place by asking your teacher, the library or an elder at home.

A child who can stand up and say the poem alone, with actions, ticks By myself. A child who joins in with the class ticks In a group. Many children tick two boxes — for example In a group and By repeating after my teacher.

There is no right or wrong answer. Tick every box that is true for you.

Most children tick three — By looking at the pictures, By reading the entire sentence again and After listening to my teacher’s explanation.

There is no right or wrong answer. Tick every box that is true for you.

A child who is still learning English may tick In my mother tongue, with a few words of English. A child who is comfortable ticks In English.

There is no right or wrong answer. Tick every box that is true for you.

A child who can plan and write a five-line answer alone ticks By myself. A child who needs the first sentence to be given ticks After following my teacher’s instructions.

There is no right or wrong answer. Tick every box that is true for you.

Most children tick two or three boxes here, because some activities were done in class and some at home.

There is no right or wrong answer. Tick every box that is true for you.