Be Smart, Be Safe — Class 4 English (CBSE)
From the current Class 4 English Santoor textbook, Unit 1: My Land, Chapter 3. Knowing road-safety rules keeps us and others safe every day.
1. Chapter at a glance
- Text type: An informational (non-fiction) chapter on road safety.
- Main idea: Following road rules and staying alert prevents accidents.
- What to notice while reading: The simple rules for crossing roads and reading traffic lights.
2. Key road-safety rules
- Look right, look left, look right again before crossing a road.
- Cross only at the zebra crossing (pedestrian crossing).
- Walk on the footpath, not on the road.
- Obey the traffic lights:
- Red — Stop.
- Yellow — Wait, get ready.
- Green — Go (when it is safe).
- Never run across a road, and do not play on the road.
- Hold an adult's hand while crossing.
- Do not use headphones or a phone near traffic — they distract you.
- On a two-wheeler, wear a helmet; in a car, wear a seat belt.
3. Summary
"Be Smart, Be Safe" teaches road safety. It reminds children to look both ways before crossing, to use zebra crossings and footpaths, and to obey traffic lights (red–stop, yellow–wait, green–go). It warns against running on roads, playing on roads, and getting distracted by headphones. Being careful keeps everyone safe.
4. Theme and values
- Safety first — rules protect us from accidents.
- Awareness — stay alert near traffic.
- Responsibility — follow rules and help others stay safe too.
5. New words and meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| traffic | vehicles moving on the road |
| zebra crossing | black-and-white stripes where people cross safely |
| footpath | the path at the side of a road for walking |
| signal | a light or sign that tells you what to do |
| accident | an unwanted, harmful event |
6. Let Us Think (comprehension)
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What should you do before crossing a road? Look right, look left, and look right again, and cross only when it is safe.
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Where should you cross a busy road? At the zebra crossing.
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What do the red, yellow, and green lights mean? Red — stop; yellow — wait/get ready; green — go.
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Why should you not use headphones near traffic? Because they distract you and you may not hear vehicles.
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Write two more road-safety rules. Walk on the footpath; hold an adult's hand; do not play on the road; wear a helmet or seat belt.
7. Language and grammar practice
Countable and uncountable nouns
- Countable nouns can be counted: one car, two buses, three signals.
- Uncountable nouns cannot be counted one by one: traffic, water, safety, advice.
Sort these: car, traffic, helmet, water, signal.
- Countable: car, helmet, signal.
- Uncountable: traffic, water.
8. Writing and speaking practice
- Writing: Make a list of five road-safety rules in your own words.
- Speaking: Explain to a friend what the three traffic-light colours mean.
9. Common mistakes
- Mistake: Crossing the road anywhere. Fix: Cross only at the zebra crossing, after looking both ways.
- Mistake: Thinking yellow means "go fast". Fix: Yellow means wait and get ready, not speed up.
- Mistake: Counting uncountable nouns (two traffics). Fix: Say "a lot of traffic", not "two traffics".
10. Practice set
- What should you do before crossing a road?
- What does the red light mean? The green light?
- Where should you walk along a road?
- Why should you not use headphones near traffic?
- Sort into countable/uncountable: car, traffic, helmet, water.
- Write three road-safety rules.
11. Answer key
- Look right, left, and right again; cross only when safe.
- Red — stop; green — go (when safe).
- On the footpath.
- Because they distract you from the traffic around you.
- Countable: car, helmet; Uncountable: traffic, water.
- Any three rules, e.g., use the zebra crossing, hold an adult's hand, wear a helmet.
12. Fun activity
Road-Safety Poster
Make a poster with a traffic light. Next to each colour, write what to do. Add one safety slogan, such as "Stop, Look, and Cross!"
13. Quick revision
- Unit 1: My Land · Chapter 3 · an informational chapter on road safety.
- Look right–left–right; cross at the zebra crossing; walk on the footpath.
- Traffic lights: red–stop, yellow–wait, green–go.
- Stay alert: no running, no playing on roads, no headphones near traffic.
- Grammar: countable vs uncountable nouns.
Unit 1: My Land
This chapter is part of Unit 1: My Land. The three chapters in this unit are:
- Chapter 1: Together We Can — a poem about teamwork
- Chapter 2: The Tinkling Bells — a story about honesty
- Chapter 3: Be Smart, Be Safe — about road safety
