NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 5 Bravehearts (PDF) – 2027

Every Indian should pay homage to the brave soldiers of our Armed Forces and to the freedom fighters — the men and women who gave their lives so that we could live in safety and freedom.

The example given in the book — visiting a war memorial — belongs in the second column. Here are three ideas for each column.

It is the National War Memorial, New Delhi.

The monument is the National War Memorial, and Soumya herself confirms the guess two paragraphs later: “I’m sure you’ve guessed! It’s the ‘National War Memorial’.”

All four rows can be filled from the letter and the two citations printed in it.

The paragraph in which the teacher reads out Lance Naik Albert Ekka’s citation:

“It touched my heart and also motivated me. We were awestruck and humbled by his bravery.”

The paragraph that introduces the four chakras has the same tone of wonder: “It also houses bronze and stone murals and graphic panels. Isn’t it amazing!”

The paragraph about the gallantry awards begins with the word itself:

“It was heartening to know that our government has recognised the sacrifice of brave soldiers. Our teacher told us about the 21 bravehearts who were awarded the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), India’s highest wartime gallantry medal, for their service to the nation.”

Two places carry this feeling clearly:

• After the citation is read out — “It touched my heart and also motivated me. … I aspire to be courageous like him when I join the Army!”
• At the end of the day at the memorial — “It motivated me to live a life worthy of the sacrifices of our heroes.”

In the paragraph about the Amar Jawan Jyoti and the wreaths:

“It truly is a majestic site that filled me with pride for our nation.”

Two sentences describe the memorial as something to look at:

• “The lighting design is planned in such a way that it transforms the monument’s landscape as sunlight changes from dawn to dusk.”
• “The overall environment created an emotive experience that was visually inspiring.”

In the paragraph that closes the day’s visit:

“I learnt a lot, but I also have to admit that the various discourses during the day brought tears to my eyes. It was sad to think about the massive devastation and loss of life caused by wars.”

In the opening paragraph and in the paragraph about what the teacher explained at the start of the visit:

• “They fought to protect our country and sacrificed their lives so that we could lead our lives in peace.”
• “…the freedom and security we enjoy today is because of the many brave men and women who have served in the Indian Armed Forces over decades.”

Inspiration runs through Soumya’s letter:

• “Let me begin by asking you to guess the name of the monument that I found most inspiring.”
• “It touched my heart and also motivated me. … I aspire to be courageous like him when I join the Army!”
• “I was also overwhelmed by the interminable flame as a metaphor for eternal stories of courage and valour.”
• “I have written a long letter as I could not help sharing this inspiring experience with you.”

The Param Vir Chakra (PVC).

Ananda would feel pleased, grateful, proud and inspired. Her reply shows this: she enjoyed reading the letter, calls a war memorial “an expression of deep gratitude” for the soldiers’ sacrifice, feels motivated to join the Armed Forces, and ends, “I am inspired by your letter!”

Yes, Soumya clearly enjoyed writing the letter. She says, “I have written a long letter as I could not help sharing this inspiring experience with you.” She also plays a guessing game with her friend and keeps a warm, chatty tone to the end — “I miss your mom’s chhole bhature. You know I am a foodie!”

Ananda was reminded of the poem because she had seen people offering flowers at the War Memorial in Chandigarh’s Bougainvillea Garden as a mark of respect to the soldiers. In ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’, a flower wishes to be thrown on the path of the brave soldiers who go to give their lives for the motherland.

Ananda’s hobby is philately — collecting stamps — and Soumya’s letters keep adding to her collection.

Ananda writes: “I really like to receive letters from you, not just because of the ideas that you share but also because the envelope of your letters often comes with beautiful stamps, which make me happy.” This time the envelope carried a stamp “that celebrates India’s independence, a theme related to your letter”.

flame : valour :: wreath : respect

The flame is a metaphor for valour; the wreaths are placed “as a mark of respect”.

The lights are planned so that they “transform the monument’s landscape as sunlight changes from dawn to dusk”.

It is an opinion.

‘Majestic’ is the writer’s personal judgement and feeling; it cannot be measured or proved like a fact.

The everlasting flame suggests that the memory of the fallen soldiers will never die. It is a metaphor for the eternal stories of their courage and valour, and it assures us that the nation will never forget their sacrifice.

C. admiring

Words such as “majestic”, “filled me with pride” and “overwhelmed” show that the writer admires the memorial.

“I have heard a lot about it.”

Ananda has never been to the memorial, but the line shows she already knew of it — which is why Soumya’s letter interests her so much rather than surprising her.

Because all that such people see is the structure — the stone, the statue, the tall edifice — and not the human story behind it.

We conduct special competitions at school to commemorate our Independence day.

“In my view,”

“Some people might see…” reports what other people think; the phrase that shows Ananda giving her own opinion is “In my view”, because it names the owner of the idea.

Ananda refers to the sacrifice of soldiers as ‘supreme’ sacrifice because they give up their own lives — the most precious thing anyone has — to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

The National War Memorial is significant because it is the nation’s tribute to the soldiers who have laid down their lives for India since 1947. Its 29,000 tablets carry more than 26,000 names of fallen soldiers, so that we never forget the cost of our freedom. Its four circles — Amar, Veerta, Tyag and Raksha Chakra — stand for immortality, bravery, sacrifice and protection, and the Amar Jawan Jyoti burns at its centre. It fills visitors with gratitude and pride and inspires them to live a life worthy of the soldiers’ sacrifice.

Lance Naik Albert Ekka’s citation from the 1971 attack at Gangasagar shows all three qualities. Selflessness: “with complete disregard to his personal safety” he charged the enemy bunker and silenced a Light Machine Gun that was killing his comrades. Determination: though seriously wounded, he kept fighting, “clearing bunker after bunker”. Exceptional courage: he crawled to a fortified building, lobbed a grenade, then scaled a wall and silenced the Medium Machine Gun. He died of his wounds and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

The app carries the memorial to people who cannot travel to Delhi. It is very interactive and answers queries in 21 languages, so students all over India can read about the war heroes in their own language. They can search for names, read the stories of valour and see the murals on a phone. In this way awareness about our war heroes spreads far and wide.

It is our duty because we enjoy peace and freedom every day only because our soldiers sacrificed their lives for us. As Ananda says, “Their sacrifices enable us to walk freely in our country without fear of enemy threats.” We cannot repay a soldier who has died; we can only remember and honour them. Paying homage shows our gratitude, comforts their families and reminds us of the cost of war and the value of peace.

Main idea: the freedom and safety we enjoy were won by brave soldiers who gave their lives, and it is our duty to remember and honour them.

The title: homage means respect shown publicly. Both letters do this — Soumya names the heroes, shares their citations and describes the National War Memorial; Ananda calls a war memorial “an expression of deep gratitude” and recalls ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’. So the whole text is a homage to our brave soldiers.

The students were awestruck by Lance Naik Albert Ekka’s courage: though badly wounded, he crawled forward, lobbed a grenade and climbed a wall to silence the enemy gun that was killing his comrades. They were humbled because they realised how much he had given for the country — his life — while they lived safe and comfortable lives.

The example joined extra- (beyond, outside) to ordinary to give Extraordinary. Matching the rest the same way:

Soldiers undergo (i) extraordinary training to prepare for their challenging duties. They learn to (ii) deactivate explosives and handle (iii) malfunctioning equipment with precision. They stand as a powerful force against (iv) antisocial elements, displaying (v) unquestionable bravery. (vi) Ex-service members often share their experiences to inspire new recruits. Their service can continually (vii) redefine the essence of commitment and sacrifice.

Ajay’s cowardly refusal to stand up for his friend was disappointing to everyone.

The timid child hid behind his mother, too scared to meet the new teacher.

Anjali’s fear of heights prevented her from climbing the tall ladder.

Sushma felt afraid as she entered the dark, abandoned building alone.

This is the example the book has already done. Part 1 makes complete sense on its own — it is the main clause. Part 2 begins with when and cannot stand alone — it is the subordinate clause, and it tells us the time.

Part 1 is complete in itself. Part 2 begins with because of and gives the reason.

Part 1 is the main clause, as in the example; in the sentence itself the dependent part comes first. It begins with though and shows contrast; the main clause is “he continued to fight alongside his comrades”.

Part 2 begins with so that and gives the purpose.

Wasi burst into tears when he heard the good news.

Though Himani was very nervous, she delivered a great presentation.

This is the place where I was born.

The students performed very well because they studied diligently.

Unless you water the plants, they will die.

(It can also be written the other way round: “The plants will die unless you water them.”)

Farheen was late to work because her bus broke down near the railway crossing.

The dog started barking when a stranger pushed open the gate.

She completed the marathon although she had hurt her ankle at the eighth kilometre.

The friends spotted a herd of ibex while they were hiking in the mountains.

Abhishek received a promotion after he completed the flood-relief project on time.

The team submitted the entire report before the deadline approached.

We waited in the car until the rain stopped.

The children shrieked with delight as the waves rushed to the shore.

The most honourable job.

Gunjan says: “Serving our country is the most honourable job one can have. It means protecting and securing our nation, even if it means risking one’s life.”

Wearing the uniform.

“The thought of wearing the uniform, which can only be earned through hard work, fills me with pride and a strong desire to serve India.” The uniform matters to her because it has to be earned, not bought.

It keeps both (the mind and body) active.

“The Armed Forces teach you to live a disciplined and organised life. This keeps both the mind and body active. Soldiers are always ready to face challenges because of this discipline.”

New experiences and adventures (every day).

“Being a soldier means having new experiences and adventures everyday. Each day brings new challenges, teaching important lessons, and helping one grow.” You could also answer with “new challenges”.

Any two of: loyalty, duty, service, honesty.

“It is a life that teaches loyalty, duty, service, and honesty.” For example — loyalty and duty.

Two children are shown thinking, and each thought-cloud around them holds a profession or vocation. Looking at the picture on page 197, these are:

Each turn should have three parts: the dream, the reason, and the preparation. The prompts printed on page 198 are the sentence frames to use — “I would like to become… because… For this I would have to first…”

Read each motto aloud, then discuss what it promises.

Besides the three Armed Forces, India has several Central Armed Police Forces and other uniformed services. Find out what each one does, and where you have seen them:

Sample plan: Our group chose Lance Naik Albert Ekka, PVC. One member collected pictures, one wrote captions, one planned the layout and one prepared the talk. The chart has his name and dates in large letters, a map showing Gangasagar, three pictures of key moments in order with a one-line caption under each, a short line from his citation, and one line on why he inspires us.

The letter itself speaks of “the many brave men and women who have served in the Indian Armed Forces”. Examples: Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh became the first women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force in 2016; Lieutenant General Punita Arora was the first woman to reach that rank; women doctors and nurses of the Army Medical Corps and Military Nursing Service have served in every war and disaster since 1947.

Look for people whose work puts them in danger so that you are safe.

Frame questions that ask about feelings and experience, not just facts — those get the interesting answers.

1. “What made you choose this work, and did your family agree at first?”
2. “Can you tell us about the day you were most afraid, and what you did with that fear?”
3. “What is the one thing people misunderstand about your job?”

Every blank is filled with a word taken straight from the poem:

(i) patriotism and sacrifice

D. (i), (iii), (iv) and (v)

Imagery because the poet wants us to see the soldier’s day instead of merely being told about it — “snowy days”, “scorching sun’s sweltering rays”, “Climbing the heights or striding the valleys”, “Defending the deserts or guarding the marshes” put a picture of every kind of hardship in front of our eyes.

Simile because the soldiers are likened to yogis — “Treading the lonely expanses as yogis”.

Metaphor because the poet uses wind chimes to stand for the whole land itself giving thanks — “Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feat” means that the country’s very air rings with the soldiers’ brave deeds.

Repetition of the words ‘you’ and ‘we’ because the poet wants to contrast ‘you’, the soldiers who stay awake and guard, with ‘we’, the citizens who sleep safely and pray. It makes the poem a direct thank-you to the soldiers and shows how much ‘we’ owe ‘you’.

Notice the contrast the two words build: “When we are all asleep / You still hold on to your deed… We pray for you brave men!!”

Alliteration such as ‘season or snowy’ and ‘scorching sun’s sweltering’ (also ‘Defending the deserts’, ‘Surveillance in seas’, ‘securing the air’) to create a marching rhythm and a musical, chant-like effect that also stresses the harshness of the weather and the sweep of the terrain.

asleep and awake.

“When we are all asleep… You are there guarding all the time awake.” The poet places the two words at opposite ends of the same picture so that the contrast between citizens and soldiers cannot be missed.

The phrase ‘still hold on to your deed’ refers to the soldier’s attitude of unwavering devotion to duty — staying at his post and doing his work faithfully however tired he is and whatever the hour.

True.

The line “Treading the lonely expanses as yogis” says exactly this — treading is walking, and lonely expanses are wide, empty, deserted stretches of land.

Two lines name three kinds of harsh weather, one after another:

“Windy season or snowy days
Or scorching sun’s sweltering rays”

Wind, snow and blazing heat — and the word ‘or’ repeated between them shows that it makes no difference which one comes; the soldier is “there guarding all the time awake” through every one of them.

(iv) dedication

The soldiers stay awake and on duty while others sleep, in wind, snow and scorching heat.

The speaker is the poet, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, as a grateful citizen speaking for all Indians. We can say so because he calls India “my land”, speaks as one of the people the soldiers protect — “When we are all asleep”, “We pray for you brave men!!” — and addresses the soldiers directly as “you”.

The theme — patriotism and sacrifice — is never stated; it is shown, picture by picture, until the reader arrives at it himself.

The poet shows that the soldiers’ duty never stops. They guard “all the time awake” while “we are all asleep”. They stay at their posts in every weather — “Windy season or snowy days / Or scorching sun’s sweltering rays”. They guard every kind of place — heights, valleys, deserts, marshes, seas and air. They tread lonely stretches “as yogis”, without complaint, and give the “Prime of your youth” to the nation.

The ‘prime of youth’ is the best, strongest part of a person’s life. The line says that soldiers give these years to the nation — away from home and family, in hard places and weather. It shows that sacrifice is not only dying in battle; it is also a whole youth spent in service. The word “given” shows that they offer it freely, as a gift to the country.

It is important because soldiers risk their lives every day so that we can live in safety. Praying for them shows that we remember them and are grateful. Everyone — a child or an old person — can pray, so everyone can give something back. The prayer “May the Lord bless you all!!” is a wish that they stay safe and return home, which is also what their families want.

Terrains: ghats, plateau, delta, peninsula, mountains.

Not needed: river and bay — they are bodies of water, not shapes of the land.

The hikers reached the summit of the mountain after several days of trekking through challenging conditions.

The barren landscape of the desert made it nearly impossible to find any water sources.

In the rainforest, the dense forest provides a habitat for a diverse range of wildlife.

Chitra is a very adventurous person and enjoys mountain climbing.

I’ll try to get back in time, but I’m not making any promises.

Use the rhyme and the sense together to guess before you listen.

The complete poem (transcript, page 224):

In fields so vast, our soldiers stand,
With hearts so brave, and firm command,
They guard our land both night and day,
To keep our fears and foes at bay.

With every dawn and setting sun,
Their duty calls, it must be done,
Through stormy skies and blazing heat,
They march along with steady feet.

For love of land, they fight and strive,
To keep our hopes and dreams alive,
With pride and honour, they defend,
Our India, till the very end.

How to recite: pause briefly at every slash (/) — it is a breathing place, not a full stop — and give the bold words extra stress: great sons, asleep, deed, snowy days, awake, yogis, deserts, marshes, youth, nation, vibrate your feat, pray for you, Lord. Say the last two lines softly, like a prayer.

Sample plan: Two voices say the opening lines; the whole group says “Prime of your youth given to the nation!!” together, strongly; the last two lines are said softly, as a prayer. Keep a steady pace, stand tall and look at the audience. Count 1-2-3 silently before the first word and hold a short silence at the end.

The example spells PATRIOT. Your poem must spell SOLDIER — seven lines, each beginning with the next letter.

Sample badge: a round cardboard badge with a blue border. Logo: a flame rising from a mountain above a wave — the eternal flame, land and sea. Slogan: “Awake So India Sleeps”. On the back: “The flame stands for the soldiers’ courage that never dies.”

It has the two things the question asks for — a self-designed logo and a slogan.

Sample: I chose the Hindi poem ‘Pushp ki Abhilasha’ by Makhanlal Chaturvedi. I will read it aloud in Hindi, then explain it in English: a flower does not want to adorn gods or kings; it wishes to be thrown on the path of soldiers who go to give their lives for the motherland. It shows that the greatest honour is to serve the nation.

She is Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.

She was a queen who fought the British in 1857–58, rode into battle with a sword in her hand and her young son tied to her back, and died fighting in 1858.

Here tribute means a fixed payment in money or goods that a weaker state was forced to make, year after year, to a stronger power as a sign of submission.

Rani Abbakka says, “We are a sovereign country” because Ullal has its own crowned ruler and its own government with complete authority over its land, its trade and its people — it does not belong to Portugal, and therefore owes the Portuguese neither tribute nor obedience.

True.

The envoy says, “Your Majesty, you will regret your stand.” This is a polite warning of punishment — a threat.

disobeyed

“…she disobeyed the Portuguese and established a hugely profitable trading relation with Arabia.”

C. (i), (iii), and (v) — bold, capable and determined.

She boldly refuses to obey the Portuguese, capably builds ships and a profitable trade, and stays firm even when threatened.

Abbakka’s words — “I am here. And I will not rest till I have driven them out of the west coast!” — would have made her dying mother feel comforted, relieved and proud. She would know she was not alone, that her daughter would carry on the fight against the Portuguese, and that Ullal was in brave hands. She could die in peace.

It suggests that the people and soldiers of Ullal loved freedom and self-respect more than their own safety. They were tired of paying tribute to the Portuguese and gladly shouted, “Victory to Rani Abbakka Devi.” The soldiers were loyal to her courage — when Veera Narasimha ordered, “Seize her!”, not a soldier stirred. They were ready to fight a powerful enemy and accepted a woman as their leader without hesitation.

The people of Ullal would have felt joy, relief and pride. The Portuguese had been beaten “never to trouble Ullal again”, so there would be no more tribute, threats or cannon fire. They would be proud of their brave queen and of themselves for standing by her, and confident that even a mighty power could be defeated. They may also have felt sad for those who died in the four-day battle.

Rani Abbakka’s victory showed that the Portuguese could be beaten. The rajas had said, “Impossible! We are no match for them,” yet small Ullal defeated them. She also showed a way to be free — building her own ships, trading with Arabia and making alliances, as with the Zamorin of Kozhikode. Even the Portuguese Governor admitted they had become “the laughing-stock of the local rulers”. Such an example would give other rulers the courage to stand up to a foreign power.

No — the ‘w’ in wrath is not pronounced. The word sounds like “roth” (see the pronunciation table on page 221).

Here are more words, grouped by the letter that stays silent:

The two expressions from the story:

• laughing stock — a person everybody laughs at. The Governor of Goa tells Ribero, “You have made us the laughing-stock of the local rulers.”
• have the last laugh — to end up the winner after seeming to lose. Ribero says, “I will get help from Goa and we will yet have the last laugh.” (He did not.)

Now the four from the dictionary page on pages 216–217:

The teacher remarked that women of valour had made significant contributions throughout history.

Smitha shared that she enjoyed reading historical novels.

The captain told the coach that their team had won the championship the previous year.

The class teacher requested the students to turn off the lights when they left.

Mother advised Ravi to finish the work before dinner.

The vet instructed the pet owner to take the dog for a walk.

The Captain remarked that (1) they needed to focus on their strategy for the final match. To which one of the players replied that (2) he had some ideas on how they could improve their strategy. The Captain advised the player to (3) make sure to share those ideas with the team during practice.