Ncert Solutions Class 9 Social Science India And The Contemporary World Chapter 6

Vaishali's family follows a very early and busy schedule. The day begins at 3 o'clock in the morning when her father, Babuji, and other family members start sorting the previous day's vegetables. Babuji then goes to the wholesale market (mandi) to buy fresh produce. When he returns, the entire family, including Vaishali and her brother Chotu, helps in sorting and arranging the fresh vegetables on the handcart before Babuji goes out to sell them.

This is a frequently asked reasoning question. Babuji sells the older vegetables first because they are more likely to get spoilt. Fresh vegetables can last longer. This practice is important because it:

• Reduces the wastage of food and prevents financial loss.
• Ensures customers receive vegetables that are still good for consumption.
• Shows a good understanding of managing perishable goods.

According to the CBSE curriculum, it is important to know how to identify spoilt food. You can check for the following signs in vegetables:

• Appearance: The vegetable might have wrinkles, mould, or dark, mushy spots. Its colour may look dull.
• Texture: It might feel unusually soft, slimy, or mushy to the touch.
• Smell: A sour, foul, or unpleasant smell is a clear indicator that the vegetable has gone bad and should not be eaten.

Vaishali and Chotu play an active role in helping their family. This is an important value-based concept in the chapter. They help by:

• Taking out and sorting vegetables from the sacks.
• Sprinkling water on the vegetables to keep them fresh.
• Helping their father at the vegetable cart, especially after they return from school.

A trip to the vegetable market provides practical knowledge that is important for exams. A student can learn about:

• Practical Mathematics: Observing how vegetables are weighed and how money is calculated.
• Science Concepts: Identifying different types of seasonal and perennial vegetables.
• Life Skills: Understanding the role of community helpers like vendors and learning how to interact with them.

This is a Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) question. Vegetables are sprinkled with water to keep them fresh and prevent wilting. Vegetables contain water, which they lose to the atmosphere through evaporation. This process is faster in hot weather like summer. Sprinkling water helps to replace this lost moisture, keeping the vegetables firm, crisp, and looking appealing for customers.

The 'mandi' is the wholesale market. It is a very busy and noisy place where farmers sell their produce in large quantities. Here, small vendors like Vaishali's father buy vegetables in bulk at a lower price to then sell in their local neighbourhoods. It's the main centre from where fresh produce is distributed across the city.

This is an important observational question. Based on the chapter and general knowledge:

• Spoil Quickly: Vegetables with high water content like spinach (palak) and tomatoes spoil quickly.
• Last Longer: Root vegetables like potatoes and onions, as well as gourds like lauki (bottle gourd), can last for several days if stored properly.