Important Questions for CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 8 - Fire Friend And Foe

A. Very Short Answer Questions: (1 Marks)

1. Word – Meaning from the given chapter:   

i. Kindlin

Ans: Small sticks or twigs used for lighting fires.

ii. Smothered 

Ans: Cooking in a covered container.

iii. Extinguished

Ans: Put an end to.

iv. Observance

Ans: Examination 

2. Fill in the blanks:

i. Fire was _____, and he was frightened.

Ans: powerful and dangerous  

ii. Three things are needed to make fire_____.

Ans: heat, oxygen and fuel

iii. Wood, coal, cooking gas and petrol are _____.

Ans: some examples of fuel

iv. To burn a piece of paper or wood, we _____ before it catches fire.    

Ans: heat it

3. True – False:

i. Early man always knew what fire was.         

Ans: False.

ii. When the oxygen in the air combines with carbon and hydrogen in a fuel, a biological reaction takes place.   

Ans: False

iii. Fuel and oxygen make fire by themselves, that is why a newspaper or a stick catches fire on its own. 

Ans: False

iv. We use fire to cook our food, warm our homes in winter and to generate electricity.

Ans: True.

4. Did the early man know what fire was? 

Ans: No, the early man does not know what fire was. But they must know the damage caused by fire.

5. Who invented the fire?

Ans:  Our ancestors discovered it by rubbing two stones with each other. 

B. Short Answer Questions: (2 Marks)

1. What scared the early man and why?

Ans: Early men may be scared because they have seen lightning and volcanoes.

2. What is fire?

Ans: When the oxygen which is present in air combines with carbon dioxide and hydrogen, it forms a chemical reaction. Heat and light in the form of energy releases. This is known as fire.

3. List three things that are needed to make a fire?

Ans: The three things which are needed to make fire are:

• Oxygen

• Fuel

• Heat

4. From where do we get the oxygen for fire?

Ans: We get the oxygen for fire from the air. Oxygen is present in the air. 

5. Do fuel and oxygen make fire by themselves? If not, why? 

Ans: No, fuel and oxygen do not make fire by themselves. Heat is the most important factor to light a fire. 

C. Short Answer Questions: (3 Marks)

1. Do the newspaper and stick lying in the open catch fire on their own?

Ans: No, the newspaper and stick do not catch fire on their own. Unlike fuel with oxygen, it does not catch fire. For burning, heat is required.

2. Why do we say that fire is a good servant?

Ans: We say that fire is a good servant when it is kept under control. Fire is used for many purposes. It helps us to generate electricity, helps us to cook food and also in winter it warms our homes.

3. How did people in the earlier times set out a fire?

Ans: People in the earlier times set out a fire by forming a human chain and passing the bucket of water which they have taken from a well or pond and the last person put the water on fire.

4. How can we put an end to the fire by cutting the oxygen supply?

Ans: Oxygen is one of the key factors used to light the fire. By preventing oxygen from reaching the fire we can put an end to the fire. We can use a blanket or sack which is unable to supply oxygen and put out a fire.

5. Write three stanzas from the poem―” Meadow Surprises”. 

Ans: Meadows have surprises,

You can find them if you look;

Walk softly through the velvet grass,

And listen by the brook.

You may see a butterfly

Rest upon a buttercup

And unfold its drinking straws

To sip the nectar up.

You may scare a rabbit

Who is sitting very still;

Though at first, you may not see him,

When he hopes you will.  

D. Long Answer Questions: (5 Marks) 

1. Can water be used to put out fire every time? 

Ans: No, Water cannot be used to put out fire every time. In the case of oil and electricity, water cannot be sprayed. If water is poured in oil, then it will float and continue to burn. The water after pouring it into oil will spread all over and can cause vast burns. While, if water poured water on electricity then an electric shock might happen to anyone which can cause death. 

2. Over time, how have people learned to put out a fire?

Ans: Over time people are spending millions of money to put out fires. Most were trying to learn ways to prevent the fire from happening. While others were trying to control it. People created human chains (which they still do if necessary) and delivered buckets of water to the fire from a well or pond. There are now laws in place concerning the construction of buildings that ensure space is left between buildings that reduce the danger of a fire. There are fire workers who are known to be fire brigades to stop burning.

3. What are the three ways in which can be put out?

Ans: As three things are required to light up the fire, there are three main ways which help to put out a fire.

• The first is to remove fuel from the burning process. If the fire has no fuel, no burning can take place. Put out the fire without adding more fuel.

• The second is to prevent oxygen from reaching the burning process. If the fire has no oxygen, no burning can take place. Use blankets and a sack to put out small fires.

• The third is to remove heat from this process. If the temperature is below the flashpoint, no burning can occur. For example, remove the hot air which surrounds the burning flames.

4. What are the laws for constructing a new building?

Ans: The laws for constructing a new building are that there should be enough space between two buildings to prevent it from catching fire. New buildings such as public places must ensure the rules of fire prevention. The electric wires must not be tangled with each other or else it is a risk when they are put all together. 

5. Who are fire-fighters? What are their skills?

Ans: Fire-fighters are the trained workers, who have special equipment to put out the fires. They have special skills like they can cut the electric wires, spray water to put down the fire. Save people who are caught in burning areas and provide them aid.