Class 6 English Poorvi Chapter 9 Spices That Heal Us – easy notes, summary, word meanings, NCERT book solutions, question answers, extra questions and worksheet. Learn about common spices, their traditional uses and importance in simple and easy language.

Spices that Heal Us

Chapter Summary

Spices that Heal Us is about the useful spices found in our kitchens. Daadi writes to Vikram and Vaibhavi and tells them about the healing uses of common spices.

Turmeric helps with digestion, energy and body pain. Fenugreek helps in managing sugar level and body weight. Cumin helps digestion and sleeplessness. Asafoetida gives relief from gas and may help with cough and cold. Cinnamon and clove can give relief from toothache. Ginger helps with cough, cold and pain. Black pepper helps digestion and body pain. Fennel and carom seeds help digestion. Cardamom helps with digestion, breathing troubles and bad breath.

The chapter also teaches us about modal verbs, Tulsi, natural cures, riddles and the importance of knowing about useful plants and spices.

Realistic picture of Indian spices

Let us do these activities before we read

Page 93

I

A spice is any seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf or any other part of a plant used to give taste and colour to our food. Try to recall the names of three spices that are used for cooking in your home. Write them below and share your answers with your teacher.

1. _______________ 2. _______________ 3. _______________

Answer: 1. Turmeric 2. Cumin 3. Coriander

II

Given below are pictures of some spices. Work in pairs and write what you call them in your language. Their names in English are given in the last column. Share your answers with your teacher.

S.No.	Spice	Name in your language	Name in English
1	Turmeric	Haldi	Turmeric
2	Fenugreek	Methi	Fenugreek
3	Cumin seeds	Jeera	Cumin seeds
4	Asafoetida	Heeng	Asafoetida
5	Cinnamon	Dalchini	Cinnamon
6	Clove	Laung	Clove
7	Ginger	Adrak	Ginger
8	Black pepper	Kali mirch	Black pepper
9	Fennel seeds	Saunf	Fennel seeds
10	Cardamom	Elaichi	Cardamom

Cinnamon, clove, cardamom, fennel and black pepper

III

Do you know if these spices can be used for something else other than cooking? Let us find out by reading the letter given below.

Answer: Yes. Many spices can also have useful traditional health benefits. Daadi tells Vikram and Vaibhavi about these uses in her letter.

Easy Explanation of Daadi’s Letter

Turmeric (Haldi): Helps improve energy and digestion and may give relief from body pain.
Fenugreek (Methi): Helps manage sugar level and body weight.
Cumin (Jeera): Helps digestion and sleeplessness.
Asafoetida (Heeng): Can give relief from gas and may help with cough and cold.
Cinnamon and Clove: Can give relief from toothache until a dentist is consulted.
Ginger (Adrak): Helps with cough and cold and gives relief from pain.
Black pepper: Helps digestion and may give relief from body pain.
Fennel seeds and Carom seeds: Help in digestion.
Cardamom: Helps digestion, respiratory troubles and bad breath.

Turmeric (Haldi)

Let us think and reflect

Page 95

I Read the given lines and answer the following questions.

‘When I was a child, I learnt them from my grandmother. She used to find cures for most of the weather-related common illnesses in the kitchen.’

1. Where exactly in the kitchen did her grandmother find the cures?

Solution: She found the cures using spices and other things kept in the kitchen.

2. Give one example of weather-related common illnesses.

Solution: Cough and cold.

3. What kind of relationship did the speaker have with her grandmother?

Solution: They had a loving relationship. The grandmother taught her useful natural cures.

II Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.

Daadi soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage _____________________ and _____________________.

Solution: sugar level and body weight

III Circle the spice that is not useful for body pain according to Daadi’s letter.

1. Turmeric 2. Fennel seeds
3. Ginger 4. Black pepper

Solution: 2. Fennel seeds

IV

Why did Daadi ask Vikram and Vaibhavi to share the natural cures with their friends?

Solution: She wanted their friends to know and benefit from these useful natural cures.

V

What was Daadi’s final advice to Vikram and Vaibhavi?

Solution: She advised them to identify the herbs and spices and consult an elder before using them.

VI

How do we know that natural cures are passed from one generation to another?

Solution: Daadi learnt the cures from her grandmother and then shared them with Vikram and Vaibhavi.

VII

Why do you think we should know about the healing properties of spices?

Solution: It helps us understand the useful properties of common spices and use them wisely for simple health needs.

Remember: The chapter itself says to consult an elder before using these remedies.

Let us learn

Page 96

I You have read the uses of spices in the letter. Complete the following table with the help of your teacher. You may use the words from the box given below.

Part of the plant: root/bark/leaves/flower buds/fruit/seeds

Texture: rough/soft/silky

Taste: bitter/sweet/sour/salty/spicy

Spice Name	Part of the plant	Colour	Texture	Taste
Turmeric	Root	Yellow	Rough	Bitter
Fenugreek	Seeds	Brownish-yellow	Rough	Bitter
Cinnamon	Bark	Brown	Rough	Sweet
Clove	Flower buds	Dark brown	Rough	Spicy
Black pepper	Fruit	Black	Rough	Spicy
Cardamom	Fruit	Green	Soft	Sweet

II Read the sentences given below.

You may share them with your friends.
You should try to remember these cures.
It can help control cough and cold.
You must consult an elder before you use them.
I need to soak the methi seeds overnight.
I used to put heeng water on your tummy.

The underlined words are known as helping verbs. These are called modal verbs or modals. Each modal verb has a different function.

1. The words given in Column A are helping verbs. Match the helping verbs in Column A with their functions in Column B.

Column A — Helping verbs	Answer	Column B — Functions
(i) may	b	suggestion
(ii) should	d	advice
(iii) can	e	ability
(iv) must	c	compulsion
(v) need to	f	necessity
(vi) used to	a	past habit

Page 97

2. Complete the following dialogues with any four modals from the table given above.

(Use a modal only once.)

Ajay : Anand had fever last week. He (i) _____________ take good rest.
Suman : Yes, he (ii) _____________ or he will fall ill again.
Ajay : He (iii) _____________ take grandmother’s natural cures.
Suman : Yes, we (iv) _____________ remember how effective they are.

Solution:
Ajay : Anand had fever last week. He (i) should take good rest.
Suman : Yes, he (ii) must or he will fall ill again.
Ajay : He (iii) can take grandmother’s natural cures.
Suman : Yes, we (iv) need to remember how effective they are.

Let us listen

Page 98

THE WONDER HERB

1. Name Tulsi Family: _____________

2. First found in _____________

3. Now found everywhere in India

4. Known as The _____________ of herbs

5. Can decrease levels of _____________ and cholesterol

6. Used to treat disorders of breathing and _____________

7. Is used to make mouth wash and _____________

8. We can have Tulsi leaves by eating them _____________ or adding them while making _____________

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Solution:

Fact	Answer
Name Tulsi Family	Basil family
First found in	North central India
Now found	Everywhere in India
Known as The ______ of herbs	Queen
Can decrease levels of ______ and cholesterol	glucose
Used to treat disorders of breathing and ______	digestion
Is used to make mouth wash and ______	toothpaste
We can have Tulsi leaves by eating them ______ or adding them while making ______	raw; tea

Let us speak

1. Daadi told Vikram and Vaibhavi about many spices. Choose one spice and introduce yourself as that spice to the class.

Sample Answer — Turmeric:
Hello everyone! I am Turmeric. My Hindi name is Haldi. I come from the root of a plant. I am yellow in colour and have a slightly bitter taste. I help in digestion and may give relief from body pain. I am also used in cooking.

2. Before you speak, make a spicy headband for the spice you chose. Follow the steps given below.

Cut out strips of a paper 2 inches wide.
Join two ends to make a band that can fit your head.
Make a small card with a picture of a spice. Colour it.
Attach the card on your headband.

Solution: Activity — make the headband yourself.

3. Mention the following while speaking.

your name
part of the plant
colour
texture
taste
benefits

Solution: Include all six points while introducing your chosen spice.

Let us write

Page 99

I Vikram’s grandmother shared two natural cures to cure his cough in her earlier letter. It was kept outside and a few drops of rain fell on it. Some of the words got washed away by the rain. Help Vikram complete the natural cures. Use the phrases given in the box below. There are two phrases that you do not need.

some leaves of basil for cough amount of honey the mixture for high fever a piece of fresh ginger you can have it grind to get home remedy

Natural Cures for Cough

1. To prepare this home remedy, you just need ginger and honey. First, take ____________________, grate it and take the juice from it. Take about two teaspoons of this juice and add about two and half teaspoons of honey to it. Mix it properly. Warm ____________________ slightly on very low heat for a minute. Then ____________________ about three to four times a day to get relief from cough. Have patience to see the effect as natural cures ____________________ with ginger and honey might take some time to show results.

Solution:
First blank — a piece of fresh ginger
Second blank — the mixture for high fever
Third blank — you can have it
Fourth blank — for cough

2. To prepare the second ____________________ for cough, take about 10 grams of each— long pepper, dried ginger and basil leaves. Add four to six small cardamoms and ____________________ a fine powder. If you take this powder with an equal ____________________, it will give you relief from cough.

Solution:
First blank — home remedy
Second blank — grind to get
Third blank — amount of honey

II Now, write a short paragraph on Tulsi based on the completed fact sheet in ‘Let us listen’.

Solution: Tulsi is a herb from the basil family. It was first found in north central India and now grows almost everywhere in India. It is known as the Queen of Herbs. It is useful for breathing and digestion problems. Tulsi leaves can be eaten raw or added to tea. It is also used in mouthwash and toothpaste.

Let us explore

Page 100

I Now that you have read about many spices, can you guess the spices based on the riddles given below?

1. When your tummy felt funny
I was used by your granny
I made you fit and fine
And brought back your smile.
Who am I?
________________________

Solution: Asafoetida (Heeng)

2. I come from under the ground
Thousands of years, I’ve been around.
For cooking you use me daily
From cold I can cure you surely.
Who am I?
________________________

Solution: Ginger (Adrak)

II Fill in the blanks to complete the riddle below. Write another riddle of your own and ask your family members to guess the spice.

1. Brownish- _________ in colour,
and _________ to taste,
I help everyone,
to _________ their weight.
Who am I?
Ans: Fenugreek (methi)

Solution:
Brownish-yellow in colour,
and bitter to taste,
I help everyone,
to manage their weight.
Who am I?
Ans: Fenugreek (methi)

2. ___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

Sample riddle:
I am small and round,
Black in colour I am found.
I make food hot and tasty,
And help digestion too.
Who am I?
Answer: Black pepper

III Close your eyes and learn about spices by smelling and feeling them. The teacher may also provide a few different spices to try.

Solution: Activity. Smell and touch the spices carefully and try to identify them. Do this with the teacher or an elder.

Quick Revision

Haldi = Turmeric
Methi = Fenugreek
Jeera = Cumin
Heeng = Asafoetida
Dalchini = Cinnamon
Laung = Clove
Adrak = Ginger
Kali mirch = Black pepper
Saunf = Fennel seeds
Elaichi = Cardamom
Tulsi = Queen of Herbs

Important Things to Remember

Spices are useful for cooking and may also have traditional health uses.
Daadi learnt natural cures from her grandmother.
Natural knowledge can pass from one generation to another.
Modal verbs include may, should, can, must, need to and used to.
Tulsi is a herb from the basil family.
Always consult an elder before trying a home remedy.

Download Class 6 english Chapter 9 Notes PDF

Practice Class 6 English Poorvi Chapter 9 with this easy and engaging worksheet.It covers important questions, vocabulary, comprehension and key concepts from the chapter.

Class 6 English Chapter 9 Revision Worksheet

Revise the chapter with easy practice questions and answers.

Open Revision Worksheet

Download Class 6 english Chapter 9 Worksheet

Class 6 English Chapter 9, Spices That Heal Us, Poorvi Chapter 9, Class 6 English Poorvi, NCERT Class 6 English, Class 6 English notes, Class 6 English solutions, Spices That Heal Us question answers, Class 6 English worksheet, Class 6 English summary, word meanings.

Class 6 English Chapter 9 – Spices That Heal Us | Notes, Solutions & Worksheet