2.1 A Water Drop !
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Six English.
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About the poem
This poem describes the journey of a single drop of water. It begins high in the sky among soft clouds. Then it falls as rain and flows through the soil and pipes. At last it comes out of the poet’s tap.
Key points
- Form: a short rhyming poem.
- Theme: the journey of water from the sky to our tap.
- The drop plays with the clouds and the wind before it falls as rain.
- It trickles through the soil, then through pipes and tanks.
- Figures of speech: simile (“soft like cotton”) and alliteration.
- Message: water travels a long way to reach us, so we must not waste it.
Words to remember
- gush – to flow out suddenly
- spout – a pipe through which liquid comes out
- humming – making a low, steady sound
- melodious – pleasant to hear; musical
- glee – great joy
- (i) The poem describes the water drop turning into rain. — True
- (ii) The water drop stayed in the sky forever. — False
- (iii) After it fell, the water travelled through soil and pipes. — True
- (iv) The journey of the water drop ended in a large lake. — False (It ended at the poet’s tap.)
| A | Answer | B |
|---|---|---|
| (i) gush | (b) | to flow out suddenly |
| (ii) spout | (c) | a tube or pipe through which liquid comes out |
| (iii) humming | (d) | to make a low steady continuous sound |
| (iv) melodious | (a) | producing pleasant music |
- (i) sky – high
- (ii) glee – see
- (iii) along – song
- (iv) rain – gain
Other rhyming pairs in the poem: around – ground, slow – grow, spout – out.
The poet once wondered about a drop of water in the sky. It looked like a shiny bead floating high above. The clouds around it were soft like cotton. The drop and the clouds seemed to be playing together.
The wind pushed the drop here and there, like a game of hide-and-seek. Then suddenly the drop fell down as rain. The poet wondered if this was a loss or a gain for the drop.
The drop trickled slowly through the soil, where roots and tiny creatures grow. Then pipes and tanks carried it along. All the while it seemed to hum a sweet song.
At last it reached the small shiny spout of the poet’s tap. It splashed out into the basin. Its long journey from the sky was complete.
Simile (a comparison using like or as):
- “The clouds were soft like cotton” — clouds are compared to cotton.
- “Like hide-and-seek” — the drop’s movement in the wind is compared to a game.
- “humming as a melodious song” — the sound of flowing water is compared to a song.
Alliteration (the same beginning sound repeated):
- “wondered how a water drop” — the /w/ sound.
- “small shiny spout” — the /s/ sound.
- “pipes … pleasingly” — the /p/ sound.
- (i) WATER (example) — wet, tea, rate, war, ate, raw, tear
- (ii) cloud — cold, loud, clod, old, cud
- (iii) reach — race, char, hear, each, care, arch, ear
- (iv) creature — create, cure, race, cater, true, trace, crate, tear
My Journey as a Raindrop
I was born in a big grey cloud above the hills. One day the cloud became heavy and I began to fall. I landed on the roof of a school and slid into a puddle in the playground.
From the puddle I flowed into a drain and then into a stream. The stream took me past green fields and into a wide river. On the way, I gave water to farmers, animals and people.
At last the river carried me to the sea. The sea water was salty and the waves were big. Then the hot sun warmed me. I became light and rose into the air as vapour.
High above, I joined other droplets and became part of a new cloud. Now I am waiting to fall as rain again and start a new journey.
Me: Good morning, Water. You look upset today.
Water: I am upset. You left the tap running for ten minutes while you brushed your teeth.
Me: It was only a little water.
Water: A little from you, a little from your neighbour, a little from a thousand houses — and by evening a whole tanker is gone. In many villages girls walk two kilometres for one pot of me.
Me: I never thought of it that way. What should I do?
Water: Close the tap while brushing. Mend the leaking pipe in your kitchen. Use a bucket instead of a shower. Give the water from washing vegetables to your plants.
Me: That sounds easy enough.
Water: It is easy. Remember, you cannot make me in a factory. Once I am wasted, I am gone.
Me: I promise to be careful from today. Thank you for reminding me.
This is a picture-based discussion activity. Students should observe the pictures in their textbook and discuss in class.
Points for the “I can save water by…” chart: closing the tap while brushing; repairing leaking taps and pipes; using a bucket instead of a shower; reusing water from washing vegetables for plants; harvesting rainwater; watering plants in the early morning or evening so less water evaporates.
This is a drawing activity. Students should prepare their own poster.
Slogans students may use: “Save water, save life.” · “Every drop counts.” · “Turn off the tap — don’t let life drip away.” · “No water, no future.”