Fibre to Fabric

Q23. Why caterpillars need to shed their skin when they grow bigger?

Ans. Caterpillars’ bodies grow but their exoskeleton doesn't grow. Hence, they have to shed their exoskeletons when they grow bigger.

Q24. What do you mean by shearing?

Ans. The fleece of the sheep along with a thin layer of skin is removed from its body. This process is called shearing.

Q25. Write the sequence of steps involved in the processing of wool.

Ans. Steps involved in the processing of wool are: Shearing, Scouring, Sorting, Picking out burrs, Dyeing of fibres, Making of yarn.

Q26. How are Pashmina Shawls made?

Ans. Wool is also obtained from goat hair. The under fur of Kashmiri goat is soft. It is woven into fine shawls called Pashmina shawls.

Q27. Why sheep have a thick coat of hair?

Ans. Hair trap a lot of air. Air is a poor conductor of heat. So, thick coat of hair keeps these animals warm.

Q28. What is fibre?

Ans. A fibre is a long strong thread, which is obtained from natural sources like plants or manmade sources like synthetic fibres.

Q29. How and when shearing is done?

Ans. Machines similar to those used by barbers are used to shave off hair.

Usually, hair are removed during the hot weather.

Q30. Why shearing does not hurt the sheep?

Ans. Shearing does not hurt the sheep because the uppermost layer of the skin is dead. Also, the hair of sheep grow again just as our hair does.

Q31. What is scouring?

Ans. The sheared skin with hair is thoroughly washed in tanks to remove grease, dust and dirt. This is called scouring.

Q32. Where does angora wool come from?

Ans. Angora wool is obtained from angora goats, found in hilly regions such as Jammu and Kashmir.

Q33. What is silk route?

Ans. Traders and travellers introduced silk to other countries. The route they travelled is still called the ‘silk route’.

Q34. What do sheep feed on?

Ans. Sheep are herbivores and prefer grass and leaves. Apart from grazing sheep, rearers also feed them on a mixture of pulses, corn, jowar, oil cakes (material left after taking out oil from seeds) and minerals.

Q35. Where rearing and breeding of sheep is popular in India?

Ans. Rearing and breeding of sheep is popular in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, or the plains of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Q36. What are the two types of fibres that form the fleece of a sheep?

Ans. The hairy skin of the sheep has two types of fibres that form its fleece: (i) the coarse beard hair, and

(ii) the fine soft under-hair close to the skin.

Q37. Why caterpillars should not be collected with bare hands?

Ans. Caterpillars should not be collected with bare hands because they have thick stingy hair which may causes irritation to our skin. So, use a paper napkin or a paper to hold a caterpillar.

Q38. Why sorter's job in wool industry is a risky job?

Ans. Wool industry is an important means of livelihood for many people in our country. But sorter’s job is risky as sometimes they get infected by a bacterium, anthrax, which causes a fatal blood disease called sorter’s disease.

Q39. What is selective breeding?

Ans. Some breeds of sheep possess only fine under-hair. Their parents are specially chosen to give birth to sheep which have only soft under hair. This process of selecting parents for obtaining special characters in their offspring, such as soft under hair in sheep, is termed ‘selective breeding’.