Summary: Boat Races around the World
Veena and Rajesh watched the Vallam Kalli boat race in Kerala during
Onam, and tell their friends Sam and Alice about it. The boats that take part
in this race are called snake boats because they are very long with narrow
fronts and tall rears—they look like snakes with raised hoods. Specially
trained craftspeople prepare these boats over months. Hundred oarsmen,
four helmsmen and twenty-five singers ride in each boat during the race.
The lively vanchipattu (boatman’s song) encourages the boatmen to row
faster. People crowd along the banks to watch the exciting race.
The focus of the race is not on winning but on unity and friendship. Alice
then tells the others of another boat race that she has read about—the
Dragon Boat Festival. About 2,000 years ago, a Chinese poet called Qu Yuan
drowned in a river. The local people tried to save him by rushing out with
their boats, but his body could not be found. The festival is celebrated in his
memory every summer. People beat drums; eat rice dumplings; and race
boats, the front parts of which are shaped like dragons. The Dragon Boat
Festival is celebrated in many countries, like Hong Kong, Taiwan and Great
Britain. Finally, Sam tells the others about the Regata Storica, which is held
in Venice every September.
It begins with a historical parade of boats, held in the memory of a day in
1489, when the Queen of Cyprus arrived in Venice. Most of the boats are
gondolas decorated in sixteenth-century style, with the crew wearing
traditional dresses. Four boat races take place down the Grand Canal,
divided according to the type of the boats and the age of the rowers. People
watch the Regata Storica from windows and banks and bridges.
This text gives the reader a lot of information about boat races around the
world through a conversation between four friends. It takes a look at the
races, their description and history through the young eyes of these four
children, so it conveys the fascination, wonder and admiration that the
children feel about these famous events. The text lists the different ways
children learn about the outside world—through direct experience, from
reading books and by watching films and videos. The boat races are from
different parts of the world and have different features, but they also share
common characteristics like food, music and decorations. These races are
old and reflect the history and culture of the respective places. The text is
roughly divided into three parts, describing three events. It starts at a
domestic setting, with the friends’ conversation, travels around the world,
describing the races, and then ends by coming back to the original setting
where the children are dreaming of what they want to be, inspired by the
events they have been discussing.
UNIT 7 BOAT RACES AROUND THE WORLD
Embedded Questions 1:
A snake boat is the boat raced in Vallam Kalli—it is tall at the back and narrow at the front, and it
looks like a snake.
Embedded Questions 2:
Free response
Embedded Questions 3:
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Great Britain.
Embedded Questions 4:
● People in Venice travel by boats because canals pass through the city in such a way that the
buildings stand beside the water.
● The Regata Storica begins with a historical parade because the festival is held in memory of a day
in 1489.
Comprehension
A. 1. Vallam Kalli is a boat race held in Kerala during Onam, a harvest festival.
2. Vanchipattu is the song of a boatman. Singers stand in the boats and sing it during the Kerala
boat race.
3. The Chinese boat festival is called the ‘Dragon’ Boat Festival because the front part of each boat is
shaped like a dragon and painted in bright colours.
4. During the Dragon Boat Festival, some of the boats carry a person who beats a drum, encouraging
the boatmen to row faster.
5. The Regata Storica is celebrated in Venice, Italy.
6. a. The Regata Storica.
b. The boats race down the Grand Canal and end at the winning post, which is a floating stage.
B. 1. a. The snake boats of Kerala.
b. These boats look like snakes with raised hoods. They have towering rears and narrow fronts.
Snake boats are usually about a hundred feet long and are made of a special kind of wood. It
takes a lot of patience and hard work to make a snake boat. Specially trained craftspeople work
for months to make a boat ready for the races.
2. The boats in the Kerala boat race are colourfully decorated. They look like fast-moving snakes
heading towards the finishing line. The rhythmic splashing of oars along with the songs and
drumbeats make the race very exciting. Specially trained craftspeople prepare the boats. At
least a hundred oarsmen row each boat. Then there are four helmsmen and twenty-five singers.
Thousands of people watch the races.
3. This statement means that the important thing in Vallam Kalli is not to win the trophy, but to
come together, race together and celebrate the festival together. It is about unity and friendship
because a large number of people work together to make the event successful and they all enjoy
it together.
4. More than 2,000 years ago, a Chinese poet called Qu Yuan fell into a river. The local people loved
him. When they saw what had happened, they raced their boats to rescue him. But his body was
never found. People celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival every summer in the poet’s memory.
5. The Regata Storica begins with a historical parade, which is held in the memory of a day in 1489
when the Queen of Cyprus arrived at Venice. Gondolas are decorated in sixteenth-century style.
The crew wears traditional costume. People also sail wider boats. Four races take place after the
parade. The races are divided according to the type of boats and the age of the rowers.
6. These different boat races have a number of things in common. All of them are part of some
festival. The boats in these races are special—they look like snakes or dragons, or they are
gondolas, and they are beautifully decorated. Music plays a big part in all these races, making the
races more exciting. Also, all these races celebrate the history and tradition of the place where they
are held.
C. Suggested answer (accept any logical answer):
We celebrate Diwali every year. We watch fireworks and eat delicious things like laddoos. During this
time, many special shops are set up in our city, which sell only firecrackers. These people, who make
and sell so many kinds of firecrackers, often work at other jobs the rest of the year. Because the sale in
sweet shops goes up during this time, some shops hire extra people to make and pack sweets. Many
people decorate their houses with lights, and temporary roadside stalls are set up to sell different
kinds of colourful lights. Friends and relatives visit each other at their homes and bring gifts for each
other. This is how Diwali brings different people together.
D. Suggested answer (accept any logical answer):
We can protect nature by:
● Always throwing garbage into bins and keeping our environment clean.
● Turning off taps when we are not using them and saving water.
● Planting more trees and not cutting down forests.
Grammar
A. 2. had eaten 3. had closed 4. had made 5. had fallen 6. had, sat
B. Suggested answers (accept any logical answer):
2. We had already packed our bags when the trip was cancelled.
3. They had changed the tyres before taking out the car.
4. I had met Gaurav years before he became famous.
5. The clothes had just dried when it started raining.
6. She had used crayons till Class 4 but she bought water colours in Class 5.
Vocabulary
2. wind; b 3. dove; a 4. row; a 5. bow; b 6. lead; a
Writing
Suggested answer (accept any logical answer):
The place in the picture is called Amphawa. I went there with my parents and sister last summer. We
went to this market on a Sunday morning, when it was full of boats and people. Everyone was talking
at once—discussing, arguing and laughing. Many people talked in different languages, so I could not
understand all of them.
The boats were long and narrow, but they could carry the sellers and the different things on sale.
The customers were riding the boats or standing on the shore, calling out to nearby, passing boats
to buy different things. We took a boat as well. Our boatwoman was a local person called Anada.
She helped us bargain with the boat-shopkeepers. The boats were selling fruits, clothes, hats and
other food items. My sister and I bought a hat each. We also bought some snacks that we munched
on our way back.
We met a Chinese family on another boat. They had been to our city and could speak English, so we
became friends. They bought clothes and fruits and took many pictures of the place. All of us had
great fun in the floating market.
Listening
Listening text
Passengers, your attention please! Train number 13051, Hindustan Express, bound for Patna, will
depart at 9.30 p.m. from platform number 3.
Passengers, your attention please! Train number 16804, Howrah Mail, is expected to arrive at 10 p.m.
on platform number 7.
Passengers, your attention please! Train number 17899, Kochiveli Express, bound for Trivandrum, will
depart at 10.30 p.m. from platform number 2.
Passengers, your attention please! Train number 12422, Nagpur Express, is expected to arrive at 10.45
p.m. on platform number 5.
Answer:
1. 13051; 9.30 p.m. 2. Howrah Mail; 7 3. 17899; 2 4. Nagpur Express; 10.45 p.m.
Punctuation
A. 1. Harry’s cloak is missing.
2. My rabbit’s tail is short and fluffy.
3. I found different birds’ feathers in the garden.
4. Elena’s brother studies with me.
5. These artists’ exhibition is on at National Art Gallery.
6. The sisters’ shoes were of the same size.
B. 2. I’m going to buy a bag.
3. She’d recognise the player.
4. Shouldn’t they reach by seven?
5. The letter hasn’t arrived yet.
6. Vicky’s the nicest person I know.
7. You didn’t give me the address.
8. He’ll know where to find the book.
Life Skills
Suggested answers (accept any logical answer):
loyalty, cooperation, politeness, helpfulness
BOAT RACES AROUND THE WORLD
A. Answer in brief.
1. Why are the boats in the Vallam Kalli boat festival called snake boats? How are they made?
Ans: The boats in the boat race are called snake boats because they look like snakes with raised
hoods. The rear side is very tall and their front portion is narrow. It is usually 100 ft long and is
made of a special kind of wood. They are made with a lot of patience and care.
2. How is the boat race different from other types of races?
Ans: There are nearly a hundred oarsmen who row the long colourfully decorated boat with four
helmsmen and twenty five singers in each boat. The rhythm of the song encourages the boatmen
to row the boat faster. The race is not about winning a trophy but it is about the unity and the
spirit of friendship and cheer among the people.
B. Answer in detail.
1. How is the Dragon Boat Festival similar to Vallam Kalli? Is it celebrated only in China?
Ans: Both the Dragon Boat Festival and the Vallam Kalli are boat festivals celebrated for different
reasons. While Vallam Kalli is all about speed and the race takes place during Onam, the
harvest festival in Kerala, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in memory of a Chinese poet
who drowned in a river some two thousand years ago. Both the boat races have many people
participating in it and they row to the rhythm of music. Vallam Kalli is an Indian boat race and
takes place only in Kerala. But the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated in quite a few countries like
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and even Great Britain.
2. Where does Regata Storica take place? How is it celebrated?
Ans: Regata Storica is a very famous boat festival that takes place in Venice, Italy on the first
Sunday of every September. The boats sail on the canals of the city. In Venice people have to go
through the city in boats. The Regata Storica begins with the parade of boats and the crowds
cheer from the banks and the bridges. Most of the boats are gondolas and are decorated in
sixteenth-century style with the crews wearing traditional costumes. Some wider boats are
decorated in white, red and gold making them look absolutely grand. Four races take place which
are divided according to the age of the rowers and the type of the boats. Hundreds of people
gather along the canal and watch the race. Many watch from their windows.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. When they saw what had happened, they took out their boats and raced to save him.
a. Who are they in the above line?
b. What did they find out? What did they do?
c. Could they save the person?
Ans: a. They refer to the local people in China.
b. They found out that their loved poet, Qu Yuan, had drowned in the sea and so they raced
to save him.
c. No, they could not save the person. Neither could they find the drowned body.
2. Sometimes, one person sits inside the boat, beating a drum, encouraging the boatmen to row faster
and faster.
a. What is the event referred to here?
b. Why do they beat the drums?
c. How does the race appear on the water?
Ans: a. The event that is referred to in the above line is the Dragon Boat Race.
b. They beat the drums so that would go with the speed of the boat and encourage the
boatmen to row faster.
c. The boat should race such that it must appear as if dragons are racing on the water.
D. Answer in brief. (Think and answer)
1. How did the friends react after sharing their knowledge about different boat festivals?
Ans: The friends seemed greatly thrilled about the boat races and excitedly shared their
knowledge about the races. Alice wanted to travel the world and see all the wonderful festivals.
Veena wanted to join her and be a photographer to shoot the pictures. Sam wanted to be a
reporter and Rajesh wanted to be a champion boatman.
2. What role does music play in the boat races?
Ans: Music makes anything lively and interesting. In the Kerala boat race, the singers sing
vanchipattu—the song of the boatman which encourages the boatmen to row the boat faster.
In the Dragon Boat Festival, drums are played to make the boatmen row faster. Music makes the
whole event more exciting and lively while providing a rhythm to row the boats.
E. Answer in detail. (Think and answer)
The friends in the text discuss three different boat festivals held in different parts of the world. Which
boat festival do you consider most exciting and why?
Ans: [Free response]
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