Shelter the Basic Need for Class 4 EVS
- From primitive times, humans continued their search for protection against wild animals, freezing colds, pounding rains, burning sunlight and shelter became the basic need.
- They built temporary things using available materials that became their first shelters.
- Slowly they developed methods of construction as per their needs.
- As per the geographical areas, they started making different shelters.
- Making shelters gathered humans to build towns and then cities.
Types of Shelters
Question 1:
What Is a Duplex House?
Answer:
- When a house is constructed with two stories, it is considered a duplex.
- The rooms in a duplex are divided into two floors as per the choice and comfortability.
- The floors are interconnected with each other by stairs.
Question 2:
What Is a Cottage? How Is It Different From Huts?
Answer:
- Both cottage houses and huts are seen chiefly in villages or the countryside.
- But both differ in terms of needs, the number of rooms and construction materials.
| Cottage House | Hut |
|---|---|
| Small or big house for a family to live in. | Small in size, either for a family or for storage. |
| More than one room and may have 2nd storey. | Single common living space without 2nd storey. |
| Built using bricks, stones, etc. | Built using mud, clay, wooden twigs, grass, etc. |
Question 3:
Many Forts Used to Have Been Surrounded by a Moat and Many Bastions in the Walls. Why?
Answer:
- In the old days, the kings built forts to defend the territory and protect the people of their kingdom.
- The moats were the deep trenches around the forts that were usually filled with water which was used to keep enemy troops away from the main wall.
- The bastions in the fort walls were excellent places to keep the canons and garrison, the troops with bows and arrows or rifles as they were built, keeping a good angle for view.
Question 4:
Why Do Honeybees Make Beehive Cells Only in Hexagonal Shape?
Answer:
- The hexagonal shape ensures better and more efficient use of space.
- Moreover, less bee wax is used to make this shape.
- Hence this saves the effort of the worker bees and saves the beeswax.
Building a House
Question 1:
The Houses in the Desert of Rajasthan Are Constructed Side-by-Side With Each Other. What Is the Reason Behind Such Construction?
Answer:
- Rajasthan is a desert area. It is characterised by high intensity sunlight.
- Building houses side by side keeps the places away from direct sunlight due to shadows formed y adjacent houses.
- It helps to keep the houses cool.
Question 2:
Why Is Framing So Important for Building Pukka Houses?
Answer:
- The pukka houses are constructed using heavy materials such as bricks, concrete, metal rods, etc.
- It ensures the long life of the house. But such materials need proper support to remain in the same place throughout the life of a house.
- Proper framing guarantees that the materials used for the walls, roof, etc., will remain unaffected over a long period of time.
Question 3:
What Will Happen if the Desert Huts Are Constructed Using Bricks and Concrete Instead of Mud and Husk?
Answer:
- Construction using bricks and concrete in deserts will consume more water, time and money.
- Such materials will keep the interior very hot for the whole day.
- The thick walls of mud and husk are easy to make and require less water, time and money and keep the temperature of the house lower comparatively.
Question 4:
Why Are the Inner Walls of the Buildings Kept Smooth While the Outer Walls Are Made Rough While Plastering?
Answer:
- Plastering on the outer walls is thicker compared to inner plastering.
- Changing weather conditions from the outside can lead to cracks on the outside of the walls.
- Thicker and rough plastering can avoid cracks and does not require more waterproofing.
- Rough plastering on the walls reduces the noise from the outside.
- Plastering on the inner side of the walls is not exposed to weather conditions. So it is kept thin and smooth.
Question 5:
Why Do the Labourers Pour Lots of Water on Newly Constructed Houses?
Answer:
- Pouring the water on cement constructions is called ‘curing’.
- Cement takes some time to settle and gets strong gradually.
- Loss of water due to sunlight from the construction can delay this and add cracks in the new building.
- So to avoid cracks and better stability of cemented parts, labourers pour lots of water on newly constructed houses.
Question 6:
Most of the Office Buildings in the Cities Are Built Using Glass Walls. Why?
Answer:
Glass walls are made for the following reasons:
- To make use of an ample amount of sunlight.
- To save energy used for artificial lighting.
- To make the interior livelier.
- To give an aesthetic look to the buildings.
Question 7:
Japan Is Prone to Frequent Earthquakes. So, How Do They Protect Their Houses From Such Disasters?
Answer:
- Japanese people mostly use wood, clay and paper to make their houses. These materials are lighter and would cause less damage during an earthquake.
- Such buildings are easy to repair or rebuild.
- Significant buildings are made using wood and concrete. The use of grids of steel beams evenly distributes shocks of earthquakes.
- They use shock-absorbing materials in their foundations to absorb shocks from earthquakes.
