Human beings are dependent on few basic needs for living without which they cannot
survive. These basic needs are food (including water), air, shelter, and clothes.
Food - All living things need food to live. Food helps us to work, play and study, Grow,
Remain healthy and Fight diseases.
We can divide our food into three categories:
1. Energy-giving food - Food that gives us energy is called energy-giving food. Wheat, rice,
sugar, potato, butter, ghee, etc. give us energy to work, play and study.
2. Body-building food - Food that helps us to grow and build our bones and muscles are
called body-building food. Milk, meat, eggs, pulses, fish and nuts help in the growth of our
body.
3. Protective food - Food that gives us strength to fight against diseases and keep us healthy
are called protective food. Fresh vegetables and fruits are examples of protective food.
We should eat these foods in the right amount to stay healthy. Diet that contains the right
amount of all these foods is known as a balanced diet. Some vegetables can be eaten raw such
as carrot, radish, tomato, beetroot and lettuce. Eat fruit and vegetables only after washing
them properly.
Sources of Food - We get all our food from either animals or plants.
Food from plants - Different parts of plants are eaten as food. Plants give
us: Vegetables, Fruits, Cereals, Pulses, Spices, Oils.
Food from animals - We get different food items from animals.
Milk - We get milk from cows, goats and buffalo.
Eggs - We get eggs from hen and duck.
Meat - We get meat from hen, goats and fish.
Cheese, ghee, butter, ice-cream and curd are made from milk. The food items that are made
from milk are called milk products or dairy products.
Water - All living things need water to live. We need plenty of clean water to drink daily
without which we cannot live. Water is needed for various other essential things daily, such
as bathing, cleaning, washing and cooking. Plants also need water.
Sources of water - Watering the Plants
Life is possible on earth because of the availability of water. We get water from various
sources.
Rain is the main source of water on earth. Rainwater is collected in various water bodies such
as ponds, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. Some rainwater also goes through the soil and gets
collected below the ground. This groundwater is taken out by digging wells, using hand
pumps and tube wells.
Underground water is mainly used for irrigation as it contains minerals in high quantities.
Dams and canals are built to use river water and to produce hydro-electricity.
Water taken from various sources is treated for cleaning from germs and other impurities and
this clean and pure water is sent to the houses for use. Water received in the houses through
taps is further cleaned for drinking by using various water purifying devices.
House - We all need a house to live a safe life. The house protects us from harsh weather
conditions, wild animals and from thieves. People live in different kinds of houses. They are
named based on the materials used to build them. Early man used to live in caves.
Slowly humans started building houses made up of mud, straw and bamboo. Still, some
people live in such houses. These houses are not so strong. They are called temporary houses.
Types of temporary houses:
Hut - We can see these types of houses in villages and slum areas. These houses are made of
wood, bamboo, straw and mud. These houses are also called Kutcha houses as they are not
very strong.
Caravan - Some people keep on moving from place to place and live in a house on wheels
which is known as a caravan.
Tents - These temporary houses are made up of cloth known as canvas. These are used by
soldiers, mountaineers, campaigners or for picnics as these can be folded and carried easily.
Stilt houses - Such houses are made in flood prone areas. These houses are made of wood and
they stand on wooden poles.
Houseboats - Houseboats are floating houses or houses in a boat. It can be seen in places like
Kashmir and Kerala. A houseboat in Kashmir is called 'shikara'
Igloo - Ice blocks are used to make igloos. It is built in very cold places where the land is
covered with snow throughout the year. People living in such places are called 'Eskimos.
As man advanced, he started building strong houses with the use of bricks, cement and iron
rods. Such houses are called permanent houses. Permanent houses may be in the form of
apartments (multi-storeyed buildings), single-storeyed houses and bungalows.
Air - Air is a mixture of gases that surrounds the earth. Air contains life-supporting gases,
i.e., oxygen and carbon dioxide, which both animals and plants require. Air is colourless and
odourless. Air has weight. Air is a gas and hence occupies the space available.
Clothes - Clothes are one of the basic needs of a human being. Before clothes were made man
used to cover himself with skin of animals or bark of trees or with leaves. Clothes cover our
body and protect us from heat, cold, rain and dust.
1. Which of the following is an example of energy-giving food?
a) b) c) d)
Explanation: Energy-giving foods provide energy to our body. Wheat is an example as it
provides the energy needed for work, play, and study.
2. Which food category helps in the growth of bones and muscles?
a) Energy-giving food b) Body-building food
c) Protective food d) Junk food
Explanation: Body-building foods help in the growth of bones and muscles, such as milk,
meat, and pulses.
3. Which of these foods is considered protective food?
a) b) c) d)
Explanation: Protective foods, such as carrots, help fight diseases and keep us healthy. They
are typically vegetables and fruits.
4. Where does the majority of the Earth's fresh water come from?
a) Oceans b) sea c) Rain d) Groundwater
Explanation: Rain is the main source of water on Earth, as it replenishes rivers, lakes, and
underground water supplies.
5. What type of house is typically made of wood, bamboo, straw, and mud?
a) b)
c) d)
Explanation: Huts, made of materials like wood, bamboo, straw, and mud, are examples of
temporary houses found in villages and slum areas.
6. Which of the following houses is built on poles to prevent flooding?
a) Igloo b) Caravan c) Stilt house d) Tent
Explanation: Stilt houses are built on wooden poles to prevent flooding and are common in
flood-prone areas.
7. What do plants primarily provide as food?
a) b) c) d)
Explanation: Plants provide vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses, and spices as food, which are
vital sources of nutrition.
8. Recognize the thing used for cleaning water from germs and impurities:
a) Hand pump b) Water purifying devices c) Dams d) Well water
Explanation: Water purifying devices are used to clean water and make it safe for drinking
by removing germs and impurities.
9. Identify amongst the images that is NOT a temporary house:
a) b)
c) d)
Explanation: A bungalow is a permanent house made from bricks, cement, and iron, whereas
huts, tents, and igloos are examples of temporary houses.
10. Choose a gas that is essential for life and is found in the air:
a) Nitrogen b) Oxygen c) Helium d) Argon
Explanation: Oxygen is a life-supporting gas found in the air, essential for respiration in
animals and plants.
11. Identify the image and choose the correct answer:
a) Igloo b) Caravan c) Hut d) House boat
Explanation: This image is of Igloo. It is built in cold regions to protect from extreme cold.
12. Fill in the blank:
Food that gives us energy is called __________ food.
a) Body-building b) Energy-giving c) Protective d) Junk
Explanation: Energy-giving foods, such as wheat, rice, and potatoes, provide the energy we
need to work, play, and study.
13. Fill in blank using correct category of food:
Milk, meat, and eggs are examples of __________ food.
a) Body-building b) Energy-giving c) Protective d) Junk
Explanation: Body-building foods help in the growth and development of our muscles and
bones.
14. Fill in the blank with correct category of food:
Fruits and vegetables are considered __________ food.
a) Body-building b) Energy-giving c) Protective d) Junk
Explanation: Protective foods, such as fruits and vegetables, help protect us from diseases
and keep us healthy.
15. Complete the sentence:
We get food from __________ and __________.
a) Animals, plants b) Trees, water c) Sun, water d) Animals, air
Explanation: All our food comes either from plants (vegetables, fruits, grains) or animals
(milk, eggs, meat).
16. Complete the sentence with correct word:
Huts are a type of __________ house.
a) Permanent b) Temporary c) Igloo d) Houseboat
Explanation: Huts are temporary houses made of materials like bamboo, straw, and mud,
which are not as strong as permanent houses.
17. Fill in the blank:
The houses made from bricks, cement, and iron rods are called __________ houses.
a) Temporary b) Permanent c) Igloo d) Caravan
Explanation: Permanent houses are strong and made with materials like bricks, cement, and
iron rods, unlike temporary houses made of mud or bamboo.
18. Select correct option for given blank:
Clothes protect us from __________.
a) Hunger b) Heat, cold, rain, and dust. c) Sleep d) Food
Explanation: Clothes are essential for protecting our bodies from harsh weather conditions,
such as heat, cold, rain, and dust.
19. Identity the place where early humans live:
a) b)
c) d)
Explanation: Early humans lived in caves for shelter before they started building more
permanent homes using various materials.
20. Choose the main purposes of a house:
a) To store food. b) To protect from weather, animals, and thieves.
c) To provide entertainment. d) To grow plants.
Explanation: The primary purpose of a house is to offer safety and protection from external
threats such as weather, wild animals, and theft.
21. Find the odd one out:
a) Rain b) River c) Ocean d) Sun
Explanation: Rain, river, and ocean are all sources of water, while the sun is not a source of
water.
22. Select the odd one out:
a) b) c) d)
Explanation: Hut, igloo, and stilt house are examples of temporary houses, while a bungalow
is a permanent house.
23. Which of the following is the odd one out?
a) b) c) d)
Explanation: Carrot, lettuce, and radish are vegetables, while fish is an animal product and a
body-building food.
24. Identify the odd one out:
a) Igloo b) Caravan c) Tent d) Houseboat
Explanation: Igloo, tent, and houseboat are types of houses related to specific environments
(cold, movable, and water-based), while a caravan is a movable house, but not related to a
specific environment like the others.
25. Why is underground water suitable for irrigation?
a) It is free of minerals. b) It contains a high amount of minerals.
c) It is easy to access. d) It is always pure and clean.
Explanation: Underground water contains a higher concentration of minerals, which makes it
especially beneficial for irrigation purposes.
26. Identify the main purpose of building dams and canals:
a) To store groundwater. b) To generate hydroelectricity.
c) To purify water. d) To enhance irrigation through
groundwater.
Explanation: Dams and canals are primarily built to use river water for irrigation and to
produce hydroelectricity by harnessing the flow of water.
27. Recognize the thing early humans used to cover their bodies before clothes were made:
a) Leaves and tree bark. b) Silk and wool. c) Metal sheets. d) Plastic
Explanation: Before clothes were made, early humans used the skin of animals, tree bark, or
leaves to cover themselves.
28. Match the following -
A B
1 A Temporary houses made of cloth, used by soldiers and
mountaineers.
2 B Houses built with ice blocks, found in cold regions.
3. C Houses that stand on wooden poles in flood-prone areas.
4. D A house on wheels that moves from place to place.
a) (1-A), (2-B), (3-C), (4-D) b) (1-C), (2-B), (3-A), (4-D)
c) (1-B), (2-A), (3-D), (4-C) d) (1- D), (2-A), (3-C), (4-B)
Explanation: A caravan is a house on wheels that moves from place to place. Tents are
temporary houses made of cloth, commonly used by soldiers and mountaineers. Stilt houses
are built on wooden poles in flood-prone areas. Igloos are built with ice blocks and are found
in cold, snow-covered regions.
29. Identify amongst the given image that is NOT considered one of the basic needs for
human survival:
a) b) c) d)
Explanation: The basic needs for human survival include food, clothes, and shelter. T.V is not
considered one of the basic needs for survival.
30. Where would you typically find a "shikara"?
a) On the beaches of Goa. b) On the lakes of Kashmir.
c) In the coastal areas of Kerala. d) On the rivers of Rajasthan.
Explanation: A "shikara" is a traditional houseboat found on the lakes in Kashmir, especially
Dal Lake. It is used as both a mode of transportation and accommodation.
