In Class 11 English Hornbill, Chapter 5, titled ‘The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role,’ you can find answers to each chapter in a list, making it easy to browse through different chapters, access Class 11 English Hornbill question answers, HS 1st-year English notes, and select the information you need.
The Ailing Planet Class 11 Question Answer
Question Answers
1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.
Ans: The following lines in the text support the title “The Ailing Planet”.
i)“Are we going to leave our future generations a planet that is becoming a desert, with poor landscapes and a sick environment?”
ii)A study by the United Nations using satellites and aerial photos shows that the environment has worsened so much that it is in a ‘critical’ state in many of the eighty-eight countries checked.
2. What does the notice ‘The world’s most dangerous animals’ at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?
Ans: A zoo in Lukasa, Zambia has a cage with a sign that says ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Animal.’ Inside the cage is a mirror, which shows that humans are the most dangerous animals.
3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Ans: There are four key biological systems that support the global economy: fisheries, grasslands, forests, and croplands. These systems provide food and materials for industries, except for minerals and synthetics. As these systems become unsustainable, fisheries may collapse, forests might disappear, grasslands could turn barren, and croplands will worsen. In poor countries, forests are being cut down for fuelwood used in cooking, sometimes costing more than food itself, leading to rapid deforestation.
4. Why does the author aver (suggest) that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?
Ans: One reason for harming the environment is the growing population. About one million people are added every four days, which is troubling. To address this, we need to control overpopulation. Development can help by lowering birth rates, improving education, increasing income, and enhancing health. A rising population not only increases food demand but also quickly uses up resources faster than they can be replenished.
B. Talking About the Text
Discuss in groups of four:
1. Laws are never respected nor enforced in India.
Ans: It’s unfortunate but true that laws in India are not respected or enforced. For example, even though there are rules for driving, people often break them by overtaking improperly, jumping lanes, ignoring signals, speeding, and showing road rage. The law says children should receive compulsory education up to age fourteen, but many teenagers are still seen hanging around or working in low-wage jobs instead of going to school. The Constitution mandates protecting the environment, but illegal deforestation and wildlife hunting continue. Similarly, laws against caste discrimination, untouchability, and bonded labor are not enforced and remain just on paper. This shows that laws are not respected or enforced in India.
2. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscape and an ailing environment ?”
Ans: I agree with the statement that we might leave future generations a planet that is becoming a desert with damaged landscapes and a sick environment. This is a real concern for several reasons. Our resources are limited and will not last forever if we keep using them carelessly. Fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands are essential for food and industry. The growing population is putting too much pressure on these resources, reducing their productivity. As a result, these systems are becoming unsustainable. If this continues, fisheries might collapse, forests could disappear, grasslands may turn into barren wastelands, and croplands might lose their fertility. The loss of forests will increase dryness and heat, leading to less rainfall. This could result in the Earth becoming an overheated place with more deserts, poor landscapes, and a failing environment.
3. “We have not inherited the earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.”
Ans: This statement by Mr. Lester Brown highlights an important idea: we don’t own the Earth forever, but we are just borrowing it from future generations. People often think they have inherited the Earth from their ancestors and treat it as their own. However, the real owners are our children, and we are just caretakers. We need to develop and use resources in a way that doesn’t harm the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Right now, we are using up resources too quickly and damaging the environment. We need to be careful with non-renewable resources and make sure we save and protect them for our children.
4.The problems of overpopulation that directly affect our everyday life.
Ans: Overpopulation causes many problems in our daily lives. The basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter have become serious issues. Key resources like fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands are under great stress and can’t keep up with the demand. For example, people overfish to get enough protein, forests are cut down for firewood, grasslands are turning into deserts, and artificial fertilizers are used excessively on croplands. Overpopulation also slows down progress and makes it harder to spread education and healthcare. Poor families often have more children, which just leads to more poverty rather than more workers. This results in higher unemployment and overcrowded public transport, leading to long lines and wait times. Overall, overpopulation damages the environment and shortens our lives by causing more diseases.
D. Working with Words
I. Locate the following phrases in the text and study their connotation:
1)gripped the imagination of
2)dawned upon
3)ushered in
4)passed into current coin
5)passport of the future
Answer:
1)gripped the imagination of: have powerful effect on imagination
2)dawned upon: became obvious; began to realize for the first time
3)ushered in: to make something new begin
4)passed into current coin: become a part of current usage
5)passport of the future: a thing that enables us to achieve something ‘
II. The words grip, dawn, usher, coin, passport have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs of sentences using each word in its literal sense as well as the figurative sense.
Answer:
1/Grip:
(i) She gripped on to the railing with both hands.
(ii) Terrorism has gripped the country for the past five years.
2/Dawn:
(i) A new technological age has dawned.
(ii) It dawned on me that they couldn’t possibly have met before.
3/Usher:
(i) The Secretary ushered me into his office.
(ii) The change of management ushered in fresh ideas and policies.
4/Coin:
(i) Every coin has two sides.
(ii) She coined a phrase to explain her meaning.
5/Passport:
(i) I showed my passport to the security officer.
(ii) Hard work alone is the passport to success.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. What is “Sustainable development”?
Ans: Sustainable development is about improving things today without making it harder for future generations to meet their own needs. This idea was introduced by the World Commission on Environment and Development.
2. Why have several species of wildlife become extinct?
Ans:- This can be due to: Environmental pollution. Deforestation causes a decrease in reproductive power and loss of habitat. Soil erosion.Habitat loss is the primary cause of higher extinction rates. Several species of wildlife have become extinct and the number of animals is rapidly decreasing due to cutting of trees and hunting the animals.
3. The population in the world is growing at an alarming rate. Comment?
Ans: The world’s population is growing rapidly because people are living longer, more babies are being born, and family planning is not always used. Around one million people are added every four days, which is concerning. To manage this growth, we need to control overpopulation. Development can help by lowering birth rates, improving education and income, and enhancing health.
4. Why is our age the “Era of responsibility”?
Ans: Our time is called the “Era of Responsibility” because we are facing serious problems from overusing natural resources. Industries, which are major polluters, need to become more aware of their impact on the environment. Everyone must use natural resources carefully and responsibly to protect the environment.
5. What happens in poor countries?
Ans:- In poor countries, forests are being cut down for fuelwood which is used for cooking purposes. There are some areas where the cost of fuelwood is more than the cost of food.
6. What is the Green Movement? What has been its role in the declining environmental scenario?
Ans: The Green Movement is a global effort that began in the 1960s and 1970s to protect and conserve the environment. In 1972, it helped raise awareness about the Earth’s environmental problems and has since been successful in teaching people about conservation. The movement focuses on issues like pollution, deforestation, climate change, and the depletion of resources.
The author also discusses the idea of “Sustainable Growth” from 1987, which means meeting today’s needs without harming future generations’ ability to meet theirs. We should use natural resources wisely to meet our needs while preserving them for the future. We need to see ourselves as partners with all living things on Earth, not just as inhabitants.
