The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role class 11 Questions Answers

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role class 11 Questions Answers: The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role is the lesson no 8 from the class 11 NCERT English main text-book Hornbill. The lesson The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role is written by Nani Palkhivala. Here you will get The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role class 11 Questions Answers. 

It was published in the newspaper ‘The Indian Express’ on November 23, in the year 1994

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role Class 11 NCERT Solutions

Understanding the Text

Q1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.

Ans: The lines that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’ are:

i.  “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health”

ii.  “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and the ailing environment?”

iii. “…the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated”

iv.  “There can be no doubt that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society”

Q2. What does the notice “The world’s most dangerous animals” at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify ?

Ans: The notice “The world’s most dangerous animals” at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia signifies that man is solely responsible for all the deterioration in environment and depletion of natural resources. Thus man is the world’s most dangerous animal.

Q3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted ?

Ans: There are four principal biological systems – fisheries, grasslands, forests, and croplands. These four systems provide food and raw materials for industry except for minerals and synthetics. These systems have reached an unsustainable point where their productivity have impaired. As a result, fisheries are collapsing, deforestation is taking place, grasslands are turning into barren wasteland and croplands are becoming worse. Overfishing is very common nowadays where people are becoming protein-conscious. In poor countries, the forest is being cut down on a large scale to obtain wood for cooking. In some areas, firewood is more costly than food. Many species are under destruction in tropical forests.

Q4. Why does the author agree that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society ?

Ans: The growth of world population puts a severe strain on the earth’s principal biological systems. Due to excessive human claims these reach an unsustainable level where their productivity is damaged. Development is not possible if world population continues to grow so rapidly. Increasing population brings hunger, poverty and unemployment.

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role HS 1st Year English Questions Answers

Talking About the Text

Discuss in groups of four:

Q1. Laws are neither respected nor enforced in India.

Ans: It is painful but true that laws are neither respected nor enforced in India. Let us take examples from everyday life. Almost everyone is conversant with the rule of the road. Still there are cases of wrong overtaking, lane jumping, signal jumping, over speeding and road rage. Our laws insist on compulsory elementary education up to the age of fourteen. Yet we find many illiterate teenager boys or girls of this age loitering around in lanes or employed in petty jobs in road side restaurants or as domestic servants. Our Constitution insists on the protection and improvement of the environment. The states have been given the responsibility of protecting forests and wildlife. Forests are being cut and illegal shooting of wildlife goes on. Similarly, there are laws regarding abolishing casteism, untouchability and bonded labour. But these remain on paper. In actual life, these are never put into practice. Hence, it can be concluded that laws are neither respected nor enforced in India.

Q2. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing desert, impoverished landscapes and an ailing environment ?”

Ans: The above lines were mentioned in the first report of the Brandt Commission. With the rising scale of distortion of the environment, humans are going to leave a burned planet with aided deserts, poor landscapes and a poor environment for our future generations. Our earth is like a patient with declining health and it is not a good sign. Deforestation and over populations are some of the reasons behind the deterioration of the earth. We must realize our ‘Era of Responsibility’ before it’s too late. We must conserve the earth as if we have borrowed it from our future generations.

Q3. We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children’.

Ans: From many decades, humans are using the resources of the earth at a very alarming rate without worrying about future generations. Now the environment has become critical enough that humans must realize the era of responsibility towards it. With quite some time, human perception is changing and the earth is seen as a ‘holistic and ecological view’. Earth is seen as a living organism which has its own metabolic and vital needs. We must protect the resources for future generations. Use of ‘Sustainable Development’ which means meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising with future generations. Thus, the earth’s resources should be utilized in a way that doesn’t affect the future.

Q4. The problems of overpopulation that directly affect our everyday life.

Ans: Overpopulation leads to many problems that are affecting mankind and natural resources. It leads to poverty and unemployment. The poor children are forced to live the same lifestyle as their parents did because of the lack of resources and facilities. Overpopulation leads to lesser education and low health facilities which results in more problems like the rise in harmful diseases and fertility rate. The natural resources are being consumed at a very fast rate to fulfill the need of the population throughout the world. Deforestation is one of the issues where forests are being cut down. All this results in global warming and if the population is not controlled, it will deplete the environment and earth.

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role class 11 Textual Questions Answers

Thinking About Language

The phrase ‘inter alia’ meaning ‘among other things’ is one of the many Latin expressions commonly used in English.

Find out what these Latin phrases mean:

1. prima facie

2. ad hoc

3. in camera

4. ad infinitum

5. mutatis mutandis

6. caveat

7. tabula rasa

Ans:

1. Prima Facie: – At first sight, before closer inspection

2. Ad Hoc: – for a specific purpose or situation

3. In Camera: – in secret

4. Ad Infinitum: – having no end

5. Mutatis Mutandis: – changing only those things which needs to be changed

6. Caveat: – a warning

7. Tabula Rasa: – without any prior knowledge

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

Ans:

1. gripped the imagination of – received much attention

2. dawned upon – become apparent

3. ushered in – begin the new idea

4. passed into current coin – something which has been brought into use

5. passport of the future – a thing that makes something possible to happen

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.

Ans:

Grip:

(i) She gripped on to the railing with both hands.

(ii) The movement of ‘Stop Rape’ has gripped the minds of people.

Dawn:

(i) A new technological age has dawned.

(ii) It dawned on me that they couldn’t possibly have met before.

Usher:

(i) The Secretary ushered me into his office.

(ii) The change of management ushered in fresh ideas and policies.

Coin:

(i) Every coin has two sides.

(ii) She coined a phrase to explain her meaning.

Passport:

(i) I showed my passport to the security officer.

(ii) Hard work alone is the passport to success.

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role Class 11 Common Questions Answers

Q1. What is the Green Movement ? Why has it become popular all over the world ?

Ans: The Green Movement was started in 1972 in New Zealand. It has informed the people that earth is a living organism which needs to be cared for. It tells us to co-operate and co-exist with other species. The Green Movement takes a holistic view of the situation and seeks to preserve environment as well as continuous development.

Q2. How does the author point out the importance of Green Movement ?

Ans: The author points out the importance of the Green Movement by comparing it to the revolutionary ideas of Copernicus. He had taught mankind in the 16th century that the earth and the other planets revolved round the sun.

Q3. What is the holistic and ecological view of the world that has emerged in recent times ?

Ans: The holistic and ecological view is that earth itself is an organism which needs to be cared for. It has its metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be respected and preserved. We need to save the earth for our future generations.

Q4. What is the concept of ‘sustainable development’ ?

Ans: The development which meets the needs of the present and at the same time preserves the environment for future generations is sustainable development.

Q5. What do you mean by ‘sustainable development’ ? H.S. 2022

Ans: ‘Sustainable development’ is the only way to save the planet earth. It means that development should not be at the cost of the environment. The resources of the earth should be used with restraint so that they are available for future generations too.

Q6. How has the concept of sustainable development been defined ?

Ans: Sustainable development has been defined as the development that meets the needs of the present without putting in danger the ability of future generations to meet their needs. In other words, the present generation would not deprive the natural world of the resources the future generations would need.

Q7. Who is ‘the world’s most dangerous animal’ ? Why is it called so ? H.S. 2022

Ans: Man is the most dangerous animal of the world. They cause more destruction to the environment than any other species does.

Q8. Who is ‘the world’s most dangerous animal’ ? What has he learnt ?

Ans: Man is the most dangerous animal of the world. He has learnt a new awareness. He has acted wisely. He has shifted from the system of domination to one based on partnership.

Q9. What do you learn about the number of living species from this chapter ?

Ans: Scientists have arranged a list of about 1.4 million living species. The number of unlisted species is much more. It varies from three to a hundred million according to various estimates. These still remain unknown and unidentified.

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role class 11 Important Questions Answers

Q10. What do you know about the earth’s biological systems and their functions ?

Ans: The earth has four principal biological systems. These are: fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They form the basis of the world’s economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry.

Q11. What is the state of earth’s biological systems now and why ?

Ans: In many areas of the world, earth’s biological systems have reached an unsustainable level. They have reached a point where their productivity has been damaged. This is because of the excessive pressure exerted by man on them.

Q12. How do the earth’s biological systems behave on reaching an unsustainable level ?

Ans: The productivity of the earth’s biological systems is impaired on reaching an unsustainable level. Fisheries collapse. Forests disappear. Grasslands turn into barren wastelands. Croplands become worse.

Q13. How can over-fishing and decimation of forests prove harmful ?

Ans: Over-fishing may lead to stripping the fisheries. Then man will lose a rich source of protein. The decimation of forests will harm ecology. Moreover, several species of life that live in forest will face extinction.

Q14. How are the biological systems endangered by human beings ?

Ans: The biological systems of the earth are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. These are being fast depleted due to the uncontrolled greed of human beings. Forests are being lost at the rate of an acre and a half per second.

The Ailing Planet ; The Green Movement's Role Class 11 Extra Questions Answers

Q15. How have human beings shifted their perceptions ?

Ans: We have shifted our perceptions from mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view. Now we regard the earth as a living organism. It is an enormous being and we are its parts. It has its own metabolic needs and vital processes. We must respect and preserve them.

Q16. What is the state of earth today? How should we act now ?

Ans: The signs of the earth which are connected with life show that the earth is a patient in declining health. We must realize our moral obligations to be good stewards of the planet. We must act as responsible trustees of the legacy of future generations.

Q17. Why is population control essential in India ?

Ans: The population of India was estimated to be 920 million in 1994. Overpopulation upsets all plans of development and causes poverty and unemployment. So either population is controlled or people would remain poor forever. Voluntary family planning helps population control in India.

Q18. How can industry play its role in the new ‘era of responsibility’ ?

Ans: It is well known that industries are a main source of causing environmental pollution. There will be a great change in the preservation of environment if the industrialists become conscious-of their responsibilities and become environment friendly. Thus Industry has to play a very important role in the new era of responsibility.

Q19.  What was the significance of placing a mirror in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia ?

Ans: In the zoo at Lusaka in Zambia, a mirror has been placed in the cage under which a notice reads, ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’. This notice actually tries to put light on the fact that we humans are the most destructive creatures present on the earth. This has been deliberately done by the zoo authorities to make us realise that we are the real culprits. This step of the zoo authorities up brings some hope.

Q20.  What are the earth’s principal biological systems ? What is happening to them and what can be the results ?

Ans: The four principal biological systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They are the foundation of global economy as they supply us with food and raw materials required by the industries. At present, these biological systems are under threat and stress. In the near future, fisheries will deplete, grasslands will turn into wastelands, forests will start disappearing and croplands will also deteriorate. We need to awake and arise before it’s too late. Sense and sensibility is required on the part of all human beings.