Find the Content and Exercises with Solution
Lesson Objectives
The objective of this lesson is to enable students to understand the historical development of the wheel across different civilizations and recognize its impact on human progress.
The History of the Wheel
Look at the following pictures of wheels. They existed in different ages in history. Discuss with your partner and put ordinal numbers under them (in spelling, such as 'first', 'second', etc.) beginning from the ancient to the modern times.
B. Read the following dialogue between the English teacher, Mr Ramis, and a student Rubina.
Mr Ramis: You know that the invention of the wheel has helped to create a new civilization. But do you know who first used wheels?
Rubina: No teacher. But I guess it may be the Greeks.
Mr Ramis: The Greeks were pioneers in many things. But in this case, however, the Mesopotamians were the first. The oldest ever wheel was discovered in Mesopotamia. It was in 3,500 B.C.
Rubina: Where is Mesopotamia?
Mr Ramis: Well, Mesopotamia was in ancient Iraq. It was along the valley of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. After the Mesopotamians, the wheel was further improved by the Egyptians. They first made wheels with spokes. Then they used them on chariots around 2000 BC.
Mr Ramis: Exactly. But it travelled eastwards too. Wheels reached the Indus valley by 3000 B.C. But chariots with spoked wheels were made in ancient India in around 1500 B.C. They were used for war, hunting and racing.
Rubina: What about the Greeks, teacher? Didn't they use wheels?
Mr Ramis: They definitely did. In 1500 BC, the Greeks too learnt the idea of wheel-making from the Egyptians. They also made further improvements on it. Later, the Romans did the same too and produced a variety of wheeled vehicles.
Multiple Choice Questions
- According to Mr. Ramis, which ancient civilization is credited with the discovery of the oldest wheel?
- The Egyptians
- The Mesopotamians
- The Greeks
- The Romans
- What geographical feature does Mr. Ramis associate with the location of Mesopotamia?
- The Nile River valley
- The Indus River delta
- The valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates
- The Mediterranean coastline
- Which innovation is specifically attributed to the Egyptians in the dialogue?
- The invention of the wheel
- The creation of spoke wheels
- The use of chariots in warfare
- The construction of wheeled carts for farming
- What chronological order of civilizations adopting or improving the wheel is implied in the passage?
- Mesopotamians → Egyptians → Greeks → Romans
- Egyptians → Mesopotamians → Indians → Greeks
- Greeks → Egyptians → Mesopotamians → Romans
- Mesopotamians → Romans → Greeks → Egyptians
- According to the dialogue, when did chariots with spoked wheels appear in ancient India?
- 2000 B.C.
- 3500 B.C.
- 1500 B.C.
- 3000 B.C.
- Which of the following functions of spoked-wheel chariots in ancient India is not mentioned in the text?
- Warfare
- Hunting
- Racing
- Trade
- How does Mr. Ramis describe the Greeks’ role in the development of wheel technology?
- They independently invented the wheel without external influence
- They adopted wheel-making ideas from the Egyptians and improved them
- They were the first to attach wheels to carts
- They developed wheeled vehicles before the Romans
Short Questions
- Who were the first people to invent and use the wheel, according to Mr. Ramis?
- In which geographical region was Mesopotamia located?
- What improvement did the Egyptians make to the original wheel?
- For what purposes were spoked-wheel chariots used in ancient India?
- How did the Greeks and Romans contribute to the development of wheel technology?
Fill in the Blanks
The oldest known __________ was discovered in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C. Mesopotamia was located in present-day __________, along the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Later, the __________ improved the wheel by adding spokes and using them on chariots around 2000 B.C. In ancient __________, spoked-wheel chariots were used for war, hunting, and racing. The __________ also learned the art of wheel-making from the Egyptians and made further improvements. Eventually, the __________ produced a variety of wheeled vehicles.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise
The discovery of the wheel in Mesopotamia was an important __________ (civilize) achievement. Its later improvement by the Egyptians shows their __________ (create) in technology. The Greeks’ __________ (contribute) to wheel-making added further refinements. The Romans’ use of wheels in many types of vehicles demonstrates their strong __________ (organize) and practical __________ (apply) of technology. Despite the __________ (know) of the original inventor, the wheel’s role in human history remains __________ (measure).
Complete the Table
Fill in the blanks in the Event/Action and What/Why columns using information from the dialogue. Blanks alternate for practice.
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mesopotamians | (i) ____________________ | to invent and use the first wheel around 3500 B.C. |
| Mesopotamia | Located along the rivers Tigris and Euphrates | ____________________ |
| Egyptians | (iii) ____________________ | to make wheels stronger and suitable for chariots |
| Indians | Made spoked-wheel chariots around 1500 B.C. | ____________________ |
| Greeks | (v) ____________________ | to adopt wheel-making from the Egyptians and improve it |
| Romans | Produced a variety of wheeled vehicles | ____________________ |
Answers
Multiple Choice Questions
- According to Mr. Ramis, which ancient civilization is credited with the discovery of the oldest wheel?
- The Egyptians
- The Mesopotamians ✅
- The Greeks
- The Romans
- What geographical feature does Mr. Ramis associate with the location of Mesopotamia?
- The Nile River valley
- The Indus River delta
- The valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates ✅
- The Mediterranean coastline
- Which innovation is specifically attributed to the Egyptians in the dialogue?
- The invention of the wheel
- The creation of spoke wheels ✅
- The use of chariots in warfare
- The construction of wheeled carts for farming
- What chronological order of civilizations adopting or improving the wheel is implied in the passage?
- Mesopotamians → Egyptians → Greeks → Romans ✅
- Egyptians → Mesopotamians → Indians → Greeks
- Greeks → Egyptians → Mesopotamians → Romans
- Mesopotamians → Romans → Greeks → Egyptians
- According to the dialogue, when did chariots with spoked wheels appear in ancient India?
- 2000 B.C.
- 3500 B.C.
- 1500 B.C. ✅
- 3000 B.C.
- Which of the following functions of spoked-wheel chariots in ancient India is not mentioned in the text?
- Warfare
- Hunting
- Racing
- Trade ✅
- How does Mr. Ramis describe the Greeks’ role in the development of wheel technology?
- They independently invented the wheel without external influence
- They adopted wheel-making ideas from the Egyptians and improved them ✅
- They were the first to attach wheels to carts
- They developed wheeled vehicles before the Romans
Short Questions with Answers
-
Who were the first people to invent and use the wheel, according to Mr. Ramis?
The Mesopotamians were the first people to invent and use the wheel, around 3500 B.C. -
In which geographical region was Mesopotamia located?
Mesopotamia was in ancient Iraq, along the valleys of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. -
What improvement did the Egyptians make to the original wheel?
The Egyptians improved the wheel by making wheels with spokes and using them on chariots around 2000 B.C. -
For what purposes were spoked-wheel chariots used in ancient India?
In ancient India, spoked-wheel chariots were used for war, hunting, and racing. -
How did the Greeks and Romans contribute to the development of wheel technology?
The Greeks learned wheel-making from the Egyptians around 1500 B.C. and improved it further, while the Romans later produced a variety of wheeled vehicles.
Fill in the Blanks – Answer Key
The oldest known wheel was discovered in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C. Mesopotamia was located in present-day Iraq, along the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Later, the Egyptians improved the wheel by adding spokes and using them on chariots around 2000 B.C. In ancient India, spoked-wheel chariots were used for war, hunting, and racing. The Greeks also learned the art of wheel-making from the Egyptians and made further improvements. Eventually, the Romans produced a variety of wheeled vehicles.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise – Answer Key
The discovery of the wheel in Mesopotamia was an important civilized (civilize) achievement. Its later improvement by the Egyptians shows their creativity (create) in technology. The Greeks’ contribution (contribute) to wheel-making added further refinements. The Romans’ use of wheels in many types of vehicles demonstrates their strong organization (organize) and practical application (apply) of technology. Despite the unknown (know) of the original inventor, the wheel’s role in human history remains immeasurable (measure).
Complete the Table – Answer Key
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mesopotamians | Invented and used the first wheel around 3500 B.C. | to begin the earliest known use of wheel technology |
| Mesopotamia | Located along the rivers Tigris and Euphrates | to mark the geographical origin of the first wheel |
| Egyptians | Improved wheels by adding spokes and using them on chariots | to make wheels stronger and suitable for transportation and war |
| Indians | Made spoked-wheel chariots around 1500 B.C. | to use them for war, hunting, and racing |
| Greeks | Learned wheel-making from the Egyptians and refined it further | to advance the technology for their own use |
| Romans | Produced a variety of wheeled vehicles | to expand practical applications of the wheel in daily life |
📖 Key Features
- 📌 Format: Reading Text with High Quality Graphics
- 📌Content: Class VIII – Unit Nine, Lesson 1: The History of the Wheel (Page 113)
- 📌 Exercise: Multiple Choice Questions, Short Questions, Fill-in-the-Blanks, suffix and prefix, information transfer
- 📌 Ideal for: IT-Assisted Classrooms
- 📌 Perfect for: Presentation Purposes and Personal Learning too
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