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L e s s o n 17

THE SHRINKING WORLD

The Barua family lives in our neighbourhood. They came to
our city from the state of Assam two years back. There are three
children in the feimily. The father is a businessman. His job
requires out of town visits very frequently. All the children are
still studying in school. The youngest son, Tarun, is my best
friend.
Last week, one evening Tarun’s mother suddenly fell ill. She
was in great pain. Tarun’s Didi (elder sister) immediately
telephoned the doctor’s residence. The doctor was not available
at his home. Tarun’s Didi took the number of the doctor’s
mobile telephone from his daughter and talked to him. On
reaching, the doctor advised that Mrs. Barua be admitted to
the hospital.
“She may have to go through a minor operation’’, he said.
At first, the children were a little worried. But then,
immediately they spoke to their father on S.T.D. (Subscriber’s
Trunk Dialling).
Next day, their father arrived by air at 8 o’clock in the morning.
After treatment, Tarun’s mother came back home.
Everybody was very happy.
What made it possible for :
• the doctor to reach on time ; and
• Mr. Barua to reach home within a few hours.
All this was possible because of inventions in the means of
> communication and transport.
 Some of the means of communication help us to send )
messages immediately, ^^
Similarly the fast movmg means of transport help us to travel i 'c
long distances in a very short time. i|
We already know about some means of communication.
Some of these means are used for communicating personal ^
messages. Some others are used for communicating messages >^
for masses. ' ^
Let us know about some more.
People sta dng at different places send
3

Avritten messages by means of letters.

Short and urgent messages

can be sent quickly through
a telegram.

n «T # «> 4 fM i 4 I
*1M C FOWMUIOTrC . OMAWMJKT TO T>«
:>* aCUM rc WT ' rvT TV
*»«»»«•__

Written messages and parcels can be sent to other places

by means of speed post and courier.

133
 • We can talk instantly with other
persons through a telephone.

S.T.D. facility helps us to talk

instantly to different people living
within our country. The I.S.D.
(International Subscriber
Dialling) facility helps us to talk
to people living in other
countries.

Mobile telephone can be carried

by a person along with him.

Wireless is a very appropriate

and useful means of
communication for the people
working in police and army.

Any person can receive an

instant written message with
the help of a pager.

Faxis also a means of communication.

Afax machine is always attached to
a telephone. With the help of this
machine written and printed matter
can be sent instantly to other places.
• f *J

fJ 4
 The latest national and international
news reaches us every morning
through the newspaper.

Radio is a very effective

means for listening to news,
receiving information and
entertainment programmes. V

With the help of television,

people can watch national,
international events and
entertainment programmes
sitting in their own homes.

The computer is a modern equipment. With the help of a

computer, we can receive information not only about the
different parts of our country, but
also about other countries of the
world.
We can get any information
we need through the
Internet.
With the help of E-mail
(electronic mail) we can
send and receive messages
from anywhere in the
world.

f35
I

Nowa days, most of the modern

means of communication are
controlled by satellites.

These means of communication help in saving time.

We can travel from one place to another Avith the help of
various means of transport, such as train, bus, aeroplane,
ship, boat, car, etc.
Out of these, the fastest is the aeroplane. By using it, we
can travel thousands of kilometers in a few hours.
All these means have helped man to conquer distance in time
and space. They have brought the world closer.
These means not only help us in saving time, but have also
affected other spheres of human life, such as ;
• Things produced in one part of the country can easily be
taken to other parts.
• Receiving information immediately about happenings
around the world and taking related decisions.
• Providing relief during natural calamities, such as
earthquakes, floods and droughts, etc.
• Receiving information from security personnel posted in
border areas.
Starting with the story of the wheel, today we have reached
the age of rockets and satellites. Man has even stepped on the
moon.
Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go into space. When
he was in space, the then prime minister Smt. Indira Gandhi
had asked him how our country looked from space.
He had replied “Sare Jahan Se Achcha”.
The first Indian woman to go into space was Kalpana Chawla.

136
0- ^
 WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?

!o^ ral Work ,W

1. What is meant by means of communication?
2. What would happen if there were no means of communica­
tion?
3. What is the S.T.D. code of your town/city?
4. Name three means of communication associated with the
post office.
5. What is the full form of S.T.D.?
6. What is the slowest means of transport?
Written Work
1. Write the difference between I.S.D. and S.T.D.
2. What is a fax?
3. What is the difference between a telegram and a letter?
4. Write the difference between Akashvani and Doordarshan.
5. How can we say that today the world has come closer?
6. What are the important means of transport?
7. What are the slowest and the fastest means of communica­
tion?
8. Fill in the blanks:
(i) We use____^____to send an E-mail.
(ii) We can watch direct telecast of a cricket match on

(iii) We can travel thousands of kilometers in a few hours

by an________ . itff
(iv) We can________ to other persons over the telephone.
 9. Match the following;
Post Office Entertainment
Telephone E-Mail
Computer Letter
Doordarshan S.T.D.
10. Mark (>^) or (x) in the space provided.
(i) We can talk to people instantly in other
countries using the I.S.D. facility.
(ii) We can get a copy of a written message on the
mobile telephone.
(iii) We can send money to another place through
money order.
(iv) We can talk to people in other parts of the
country using the S.T.D. facility.
THINGS TO DO

Collect pictures of different means of transport and

communication. Paste these in your notebook. Write
two sentences on each of them.
Draw any one mecms of transport used on water. Write
its name also.

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