H

An Alien Hand

Supplementary Reader in English

for Class VII

Reprint 2024-25
 0754 – An Alien Hand
ISBN 81-7450-736-1
Textbook for Class VII

First Edition
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
April 2007 Chaitra 1929
q No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
Reprinted transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
March 2009, January 2010,
q This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, be
November 2010, January 2012, lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of without the publisher’s consent,
December 2012, October 2013, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.
December 2014, December 2015, q The correct price of this publication is the price printed on this page, Any
March 2017, December 2017, revised price indicated by a rubber stamp or by a sticker or by any other means
is incorrect and should be unacceptable.
December 2018, August 2019,
January 2021, July 2021 and OFFICES OF THE PUBLICATION
November 2021 DIVISION, NCERT

Revised Edition NCERT Campus

Sri Aurobindo Marg
November 2022 Kartika 1944 New Delhi 110 016 Phone : 011-26562708

Reprinted 108, 100 Feet Road

Hosdakere Halli Extension
March 2024 Chaitra 1946 Banashankari III Stage
Bengaluru 560 085 Phone : 080-26725740

Navjivan Trust Building

[Link]
Ahmedabad 380 014 Phone : 079-27541446
PD 450T SU
CWC Campus
Opp. Dhankal Bus Stop
© National Council of Educational Panihati
Research and Training, 2007, 2022 Kolkata 700 114 Phone : 033-25530454

CWC Complex
Maligaon
Guwahati 781 021 Phone : 0361-2674869

Publication Team
Head, Publication : Anup Kumar Rajput
` 45.00 Division
Chief Editor : Shveta Uppal
Chief Production : Arun Chitkara
Officer
Chief Business : Amitabh Kumar
Manager (In charge)
Printed on 80 GSM paper with Editor : Vijayam
NCERT watermark Sankarnaranayanan
Published at the Publication Division Assistant Production : Rajesh Pippal
by the Secretary, National Council of Officer
Educational Research and Training, Cover and Layout
Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi Blue Fish
110 016 and printed at S.K.
Illustrations
O f f s e t ( P. ) L t d . , 1 0 , S p o r t s
Complex Enclave, Delhi Road, Bhushan Shaligram
Meerut - 250 002 (U.P.)

Reprint 2024-25
THE National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005, recommends
that children’s life at school must be linked to their life outside
the school. This principle marks a departure from the legacy
of bookish learning which continues to shape our system and
causes a gap between the school, home and community. The
syllabi and textbooks developed on the basis of NCF signify an
attempt to implement this basic idea. They also attempt to
discourage rote learning and the maintenance of sharp
boundaries between different subject areas. We hope these
measures will take us significantly further in the direction of a
child-centred system of education outlined in the National
Policy of Education (1986).
The success of this effort depends on the steps that school
principals and teachers will take to encourage children to reflect
on their own learning and to pursue imaginative activities and
questions. We must recognise that, given space, time and
freedom, children generate new knowledge by engaging with
the information passed on to them by adults. Treating the
prescribed textbook as the sole basis of examination is one of
the key reasons why other resources and sites of learning are
ignored. Inculcating creativity and initiative is possible if we
perceive and treat children as participants in learning, not as
receivers of a fixed body of knowledge.
These aims imply considerable change in school routines
and mode of functioning. Flexibility in the daily time-table is
as necessary as rigour in implementing the annual calendar
so that the required number of teaching days are actually
devoted to teaching. The methods used for teaching and
evaluation will also determine how effective this supplementary
reader proves for making children’s life at school a happy
experience rather than a source of stress or boredom. Syllabus
designers have tried to address the problem of curricular
burden by restructuring and reorienting knowledge at different
stages with greater consideration for child psychology and the

Reprint 2024-25
time available for teaching. The book attempts to enhance this
endeavour by giving higher priority and space to opportunities
for contemplation and wondering, discussion in small groups,
and activities requiring hands-on experience.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training
(NCERT) appreciates the hard work done by the textbook
development committee responsible for this book. We wish to
thank the Chairperson of the advisory group in languages,
Professor Namwar Singh, and the Chief Advisor for this book,
Professor R. Amritavalli for guiding the work of this committee.
Several teachers contributed to the development of this book;
we are grateful to their principals for making this possible. We
are indebted to the institutions and organisations which have
generously permitted us to draw upon their resources,
materials and personnel. We are especially grateful to the
members of the National Monitoring Committee, appointed by
the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry
of Human Resource Development under the Chairpersonship
of Professor Mrinal Miri and Professor G.P. Deshpande for their
valuable time and contribution. As an organisation committed
to systemic reform and continuous improvement in the quality
of its products, NCERT welcomes comments and suggestions
which will enable us to undertake further revision and
refinements.

Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
20 November 2006 Research and Training

iv

Reprint 2024-25
 RATIONALISATION OF CONTENT IN THE TEXTBOOKS

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to reduce

content load on students. The National Education Policy 2020,
also emphasises reducing the content load and providing
opportunities for experiential learning with creative mindset. In
this background, the NCERT has undertaken the exercise to
rationalise the textbooks across all classes. Learning Outcomes
already developed by the NCERT across classes have been taken
into consideration in this exercise.

Contents of the textbooks have been rationalised in view

of the following:

• Content based on genres of literature in the textbooks

and supplementary readers at different stages of school
education
• Content that is meant for achieving Learning Outcomes
for developing language proficiency and is accessible at
different stages
• For reducing the curriculum load and examination stress
in view of the previling condition of the Pandemic
• Content, which is easily accessible to students without
much interventions from teachers and can be learned
by children through self-learning or peer-learning
• Content, which is irrelevant in the present context
This present edition, is a reformatted version after
carrying out the changes given above.

Reprint 2024-25
Reprint 2024-25
THE main objective of this supplementary reader is to promote
among learners the habit of reading independently with
interest, understanding and enjoyment. It seeks to enable them
to read independently in the sense that they would not expect
the book to be taken up page by page in the classroom. They
would rather read it on their own and later share and confirm
their responses and appreciation with the teacher and the peer
group through discussions, questions and, wherever possible,
even role-play.
The book contains ten pieces. Each piece has been divided
into two or three manageable sections, each section briefly
summarised in point form without revealing crucial turns and
twists of the storyline, thus sustaining readers’ curiosity and
interest. While-reading ‘Comprehension Check,’ given at the
end of sections, is a recall of what has been read and understood
so far.
This format is being tried to make comprehension easier
and concentration keener. Each piece is also followed by a set
of questions as aids to understanding and, at many places,
topics for discussion in groups. All questions should be
attempted orally before well-formulated answers are put down
on paper. Discussion on related topics should be encouraged
so that learners get an opportunity to go beyond the book and
feel inspired to reach hitherto undiscovered vistas of knowledge
and pleasure.
The stories, amply illustrated, deal with themes of
cooperation, compassion, respect and love for flora and fauna,
sound decision-making, science fiction, peace and harmony.
It is hoped that young readers will find the book enjoyable
and rewarding, and will feel motivated to read extensively on
their own to become proficient readers in the years to come.

Reprint 2024-25
Reprint 2024-25
CHAIRPERSON, ADVISORY GROUP IN LANGUAGES
Professor Namwar Singh, formerly Chairman, School of Lan-
guages, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
CHIEF ADVISOR
R. A mritavalli, Professor, English and Foreign Languages
University (EFLU), Hyderabad
CHIEF COORDINATOR
Ram Janma Sharma, Former Professor and Head, Department
of Education in Languages, NCERT, New Delhi
MEMBERS
Beena Sugathan, PGT (English), Loreto Convent, Delhi
Cantonment, New Delhi
Madhavi Gayathri Raman, Lecturer, The English and Foreign
Languages University, Hyderabad.
Rooma Palit, PGT (English), Delhi Public School, Nalcognar
Angul, Odisha

Shyamala Kumaradas, (formerly of CIEFL), Hyderabad, 3C

Sheetal Haven, Peringavu, Trichur

MEMBER–C OORDINATOR
Nasiruddin Khan, Former Reader in English, Department of
Education in Languages, NCERT, New Delhi

Reprint 2024-25
THE National Council of Educational Research and Training is
grateful to Professor M.L. Tickoo, formerly of the Central Insitute
of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad, and the
Regional Language Centre, Singapore for going through the
manuscript and making valuable suggestions. Special thanks
are due to Professor R. Amritavalli for her overall monitoring
and assistance as Chief Adivsor.
For permission to reproduce copyright material in this book
NCERT would like to thank the following: Gita Wolf and
Anoushka Ravishankar for ‘Children at work’ from Trash—On
Ragpicker Children and Recycling, Tara Publishing & Books
for Change, Chennai, 1999; M.S. Bela Raja, Editor, for ‘Treasure
Within’ from Sparsh—A Newsletter from The Resource Centre,
The valley School, Bengaluru, Vol : 003, July 2001; Ruskin
Bond for ‘The Fight’ from Time Stops at Shamli and Other
Stories, Penguin India, 1989; and Jayant Narlikar for ‘The
Comet’ from Tales of the Future, Witness Books, Delhi, 2005.
Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders.
We apologise for some omissions, and will gratefully
acknowledge them as soon as they can be traced.
Special thanks are also due to the Publication Department,
NCERT, for its support. NCERT also acknowledges
the contributions made by Parash Ram Kaushik, Incharge,
Computer Resource Centre; Razi Ahmad and Inder Kumar,
DTP Operators; and Mathew John, Proof Reader.

Reprint 2024-25
HContents
Foreword iii
Rationalisation of Content in the
Textbooks v

A Note for the Teacher vii

1. The Tiny Teacher 1

2. Bringing up Kari 7

3. Golu Grows a Nose 15

4. Chandni 21

5. The Bear Story 30

6. A Tiger in the House 36

7. An Alien Hand 44

Reprint 2024-25
 CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
Part IV A (Article 51 A)

Fundamental Duties
Fundamental Duties – It shall be the duty of every citizen of India —

(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National
Flag and the National Anthem;

(b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle
for freedom;

(c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;

(d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to
do so;

(e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the
people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional
diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

(f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;

(g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes,
rivers, wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;

(h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and
reform;

(i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;

(j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity
so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and
achievement;

(k) who is a parent or guardian, to provide opportunities for education to

his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and
fourteen years.

Reprint 2024-25