12.4 Words and Phrases

Vocabulary

Word Meaning Example sentence
drought a long period with too little rain The drought ruined the year’s crops.
barren unable to produce crops; bare His field lay barren and cracked.
parched very dry from heat or lack of water The parched earth waited for rain.
cultivation the preparing and use of land for crops Years of cultivation had tired the soil.
fertile able to produce good crops The land had once been fertile.
astrologer one who claims to foretell events by the stars The villagers spoke of an astrologer.
disheartened having lost hope or courage Velu returned disheartened from the city.
restless unable to rest; uneasy He was restless, watching the empty sky.
breeze a gentle wind A cool breeze carried the smell of rain.
harvest the gathering of ripe crops A failed harvest meant great hardship.
balance a state of harmony or evenness Nature restores its own balance.
wisdom deep understanding and good judgement The old woman shared her wisdom.

Phrases and expressions

Expression What it means
waiting for the rain hoping anxiously for relief that has not yet come
the land must rest fields need a fallow period to recover fertility
lose heart to become discouraged
a cloudless sky a sky with no sign of rain

Exam Tip Learn the “dryness” words together: drought, barren, parched, cloudless. Then contrast them with “plenty” words from the harvest poem: fertile, bountiful, harvest. Exams often test such opposite pairs.

Use what you’ve learnt

Fill each blank: drought, barren, disheartened, fertile, wisdom.

  1. The long ___ left the fields dry.
  2. Velu’s land, once ___, had turned to dust.
  3. The earth was cracked and ___.
  4. He returned ___ from the city.
  5. The old woman’s ___ gave him peace.
  1. drought   2. fertile   3. barren   4. disheartened   5. wisdom