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  • NCERT Solution of The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo

    NCERT Solutions Class 12th: Ch 1 The Last Lesson Flamingo English 

     
     
    Page No: 2
     

    1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meanings from the context.

    in great dread of: fearful in anticipation of something
    counted on: to rely or trust on somebody/something
    thumbed at the edges: worn or soiled edges caused by frequent handling
    in unison:something happening or being done at the same time
    a great bustle: an excited (and often noisy) activity or a rapid, active commotion
    reproach ourselves with: to express disapproval, criticism, or disappointment

    Page No: 7

    Think As you Read

    1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

    Answer

    Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day as Mr. Hamel had told the class that he would be taking a test on the topic that day.

    2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
    Answer
     

    Usually when the school began there would be a lot of commotion. But that day everything was quiet and it appeared to be like a Sunday, but the students were at their places and Mr. Hamel was walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm.

    3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?

    Answer

    The bulletin-board notified the general public about an order from Berlin. It stated that only German was to be taught to students in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.

    Page No: 8

    1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?

    Answer

    The order from Berlin brought all the routine hustle-bustle of the school life to a stand-still. The teacher, M. Hamel, became more sympathetic to his students and taught his lessons with more patience. The students became more attentive in their classes. The villagers, who were sitting at the usually empty back benches and had come to show their respect and gratitude to M. Hamel, regretted not going to school more than they did. The order also brought about a great change in the feelings of the people towards their country and their native language. There was a general sadness about not being able to utilise the opportunities of learning French when it was easily accessible.

    2. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change? 

    Answer

    Franz was shocked when M. Hamel told the students about the order from Berlin and that it was their last French lesson. He forgot about his teacher’s ruler and crankiness. He developed a fondness for M. Hamel at the troubling idea of being separated from him forever. He understood the pain and agony his teacher was undergoing. And, he became more sympathetic towards his teacher.
    His school too, now, carried a different meaning. His books and lessons seemed old friends whom he couldn’t give up. He realised with pain how much French meant to him and regretted not being attentive in his classes earlier. Suddenly, he felt that the ‘difficult concepts’ had never actually been difficult.

    Page No: 9

    1. The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?

    Answer

    M. Hamel told the students and villagers that henceforth only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Those who called themselves Frenchmen would neither be able to speak nor write it. He praised French as the most beautiful, the clearest and most logical language in the world. He said that for the enslaved people, their language was the key to their prison. Then the people realised how precious their language was to them. This shows people’s love for their own culture, traditions and country. Pride in one’s language reflects pride in motherland.

    2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons ?” What could this means?

    Answer

    Alphonse Daudet’s ‘The Last Lesson’ very prominently raises the question of linguistic and cultural hegemony of the colonial and imperial powers and their lust for controlling the world and influencing their cultures and identities. Prussians acquired the districts of Alsace and Lorraine in Franco-Prussian War , but they were not satisfied with mere political domination ,they desired to enforce their own language on the people of the defeated nation. They released the order that from now German would be taught in schools rather than French. Franz wondered whether they would make even pigeons sing in German. It means that they had grown up using French as their language and now snatching away their language from them would be unfair and unkind. The language was as natural to them as cooing is to the pigeon. So, compulsion to speak another language is like dominating the force of nature and enslaving it. As it is next to impossible to alter the way pigeons sing, in the same way it is difficult for people to accept a language which is forcibly imposed on them. Adopting a new language causes pain and discomfort.

    Or

    This sentence could possibly mean that however hard the authorities try to embed German language in the culture of Alsace and Lorraine, the natural status of French, for them, will remain unchanged. French flows in the air and the entire place is imbued with its effect. Even though they train students in German, the basic mode of communication would remain unchanged like the cooing of the pigeons.

    Talking about the Text

    1. “When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
    Can you think of examples in history where a conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?

     
    Answer
     

    Some examples of the native language taken away from its people and/or imposition of the language of the conqueror are:
    (a) Portuguese becoming the lingua franca of Angola.
    (b) English imposed on the various Celtic peoples.
    (c) Spanish imposed on the Basques and the Catalans.
    (d) Turkish imposed on the Kurds.

    2. What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:
    Punjabis in Bangalore
    Tamilians in Mumbai
    Kannadigas in Delhi
    Gujaratis in Kolkata

    Answer

    A linguistic minority in a state does not have as much liberty to exercise linguistic skills as the natives of the state. They initially try to learn the jargons in order to cope with the day-to-day life activities and finally begin to understand the native language with regular interaction. At the workplace and educational organisations, English or the link language helps a lot to cope up with the work and learning process. But, when it comes to understanding the basic norms of the society, in order to socialize, one does face a sort of linguistic barrier during communication.
    To keep their language alive, the linguistic minorities can form small communities where they can celebrate their festivals as per their traditions. Moreover, they can continue to speak their native language at their homes in order to make their children learn the language. People must, even, try to visit their native places at regular intervals in order to stay close to their roots.

    3. Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far? 
    Do you know what ‘linguistic chauvinism’ means?

    Answer

    Yes, it is possible to carry pride in one’s language too far if one is fond of one’s own language at the cost of others. Indifference towards other languages is not healthy for any democracy like India.
    When the sense of belonging to one’s own language crosses the thin line between ‘pride’ and ‘proud’, it becomes linguistic chauvinism. If people feel good about their languages and traditions, they must have tolerance for other languages too. Everybody has the right to follow the religion as well as speak the language as per his/her desire. In fact, it is disparaging to distort the names of communities, for example, Bongs for Bengalis, Gujju for Gujratis, etc.

    Working with Words

    1.English is a language that contains words from many other languages. This inclusiveness is one of the reasons it is now a world language, for example:
    petite – French
    kindergarten – German
    capital – Latin
    democracy – Greek
    bazaar – Hindi
    Find out the origin of the following words.
    Tycoon, tulip, logo, bandicoot, barbecue, veranda, robot, zero, ski, trek

    Answer

    tycoon – Japanese
    tulip – French
    logo – Greek
    bandicoot – Telugu
    barbecue – Spanish
    veranda – Hindi
    robot – Czech
    zero – Italian
    ski – Norwegian
    trek – Dutch

    Page No: 10

    2. Notice the underlined words in these sentences and tick the option that best explains their meanings.
    (a) “What a thunderclap these words were to me!”
    The words were ___________________
    (i) loud and clear.
    (ii) startling and unexpected.
    (iii) pleasant and welcome.

    (b) “When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
    It is as if they have the key to the prison as long as they _______________
    (i) do not lose their language.
    (ii) are attached to their language.
    (iii) quickly learn the conqueror’s language.
    (c) Don’t go so fast, you will get to your school in plenty of time.
    You will get to your school _______________
    (i) very late.
    (ii) too early.
    (iii) early enough.
    (d) I never saw him look so tall.

    M. Hamel _____________________
    (a) had grown physically taller.
    (b) seemed very confident.
    (c) stood on the chair.

    Answer

    (a) (ii) startling and unexpected.
    (b) (ii) are attached to their language.
    (c) (iii) early enough.
    (d) (b) seemed very confident.

    Noticing Form

    1. Read this sentence.

    M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles. 
    In the sentence above, the verb form “had said” in the first part is used to indicate an “earlier past.” The whole story is narrated in the past. M. Hamel’s “saying” happened earlier than the events in this story. This form of the verb is called the past perfect.
    Pick out five sentences from the story with this form of verb and say why this form has been used.

    Answer

    In the following sentences, two activities of past, occurring at two different points of time in the past, are indicated. The one that happens earlier takes the “had” + past form of verb (V3), while the one that follows it takes the simple past form of verb (V2).

    Sentences in past perfect form
    Reason/ Explanation
    I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. The protagonist decided to depend on the commotion to sneak into the classroom before he encountered the quietness at the school.
    Not till then, when I had got a little over my fright, did I see that our teacher had on his beautiful green coat … prize days. Getting over the fright happened before he noticed his teacher’s green coat.
    …Hauser had brought an old primer, thumbed at the edge, and he held it open on his knees with his great spectacles lying across the pages. Of the two actions, Hauser’s bringing of the old primer happened before he held it open on his knees.
    It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more. The feeling of regret comes after they realise they did not go to school more than what they did.
    My books, that had seemed such a nuisance … were old friends now that I couldn’t give up. The books were a nuisance earlier. It is only later that the protagonist talked about them in a different light.

    Content

  • Summary of The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo

    Brief Summary The Last Lesson

    ‘ The last lesson ‘ written by Alphonse Daudet narrates about the year 1870 when the Prussian forces under Bismarck attacked and captured France. The French districts of Alsace and Lorraine went into Prussian hands. The new Prussian rulers discontinued the teaching of French in the schools of these two districts. The French teachers were asked to leave. Now M. Hamel could no longer stay in his old school. Still he gave the last lesson to his students with utmost devotion and sincerity as ever.

    One such student of M. Hamel, Franz who dreaded French class and M. Hamel’s iron rod, came to the school that day thinking he would be punished as he had not learnt his lesson on participles. But on reaching school he found Hamel dressed in his fine Sunday clothes and the old people of the village sitting quietly on the back benches. It was due to an order from Berlin. That was the first day when he realized for the first time that how important French was for him, but it was his last lesson in French.

    The story depicts the pathos of the whole situation about how people feel when they don’t learn their own language. It tells us about the significance of one’s language in one’s life for the very existence of a race and how important it is to safeguard it.

    Main points of The Last Lesson

    1. Franz is afraid of going to school as he has not learnt participles.

    2. Wants to enjoy the beauty of nature – the bright sunshine – the birds chirruping in the woods – Prussian soldiers’ drilling but resisted.

    3. On reaching school Franz notices: unusual silence – Villagers occupying the last benches – teacher well dressed – everybody looked sad.

    4. M. Hamel announces: Today is the last lesson in French.

    5. Franz regrets and realizes why he had not taken his lesson seriously.

    6. Understands the reason why teacher is well dressed and villagers sitting at the back.

    7. M. Hamel realizes that all three, he himself, the children and the parents are to be blamed for losing respect and regards for the mother tongue.

    8. Hamel says: French language – most beautiful, clear and logical language in the world. Always keep close the mother tongue to your heart as it is a key to the prison of slavery.

    9. Hamel becomes emotional and writes on the black board “Vive La France”

    10. Franz remembers the last lesson very well.

     

    Content

  • About The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo

    About the Author

    Alphonse Daudet was a French short-story writer and novelist, now remembered chiefly as the author of sentimental tales of provincial life in the south of France. He was born on May 13, 1840 at Nimes in France.  He was the son of a silk manufacturer. In 1849 his father had to sell his factory and move to Lyon. Alphonse wrote his first poems and his first novel at age 14. He died on Dec. 16, 1897 in Paris, France.

    Setting

    The present story is set during the days of Franco – Prussian War (1870 – 18710) in which France was defeated by Prussia led by Bismarck. At that time Prussia consisted of Germany, Poland and some parts of Austria.

    Characters

    1. Franz: A school student.
    2. M Hamel: A teacher of French language
    3. Class: Consists of some students and some elderly people of the village.
    4. Old Hauser: An elderly villager
    5. Sister of M Hamel

    Content

  • English Class 12th Study Materials, Summary, Notes, NCERT Solutions

    Get Class 12th English Chapters Summary, Hindi Summary And NCERT Solution with PDF Download Free. best Study materials for CBSE class 12th English.

    Flamingo (English Reader)

    Prose Section Poetry Section
    1. The Last Lesson 1. My Mother at Sixty Six
    2. Lost Spring 2. An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum
    3. Deep Water 3. Keeping Quiet
    4. The Rattrap 4. A Thing of Beauty
    5. Indigo 5. Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
    6. Going Places

    Vistas (Supplementary Reader)

    1. The Tiger King
    2. The Enemy
    3. Should Wizard Hit Mommy?
    4. On the Face of It
    5. Evans tries an O-Level
    6. Memories of Childhood

    Long Reading Text – Novel

    The Invisible Man

    Silas Marner

  • The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Class 11th Summary, NCERT Solution, Notes Chapter 6

    The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role

    By Nani Palkhivala

    Content

  • Extra Questions Of The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Class 11th Chapter 6

    The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Important Questions- 

    Short Answer Type Questions

    Q1. Why is the earth said to be an ailing planet?
     
    Ans. Due to the insensitive exploitation by humans for their survival and development, the earth has lost almost all its vital resources. With drying rivers, depleted and polluted environment and deteriorated forests and greenery, the earth is now breathing hard for its survival and thus it is an ailing planet.

    Q2. What is the significance of Green Movement in the modern world?
     
    Ans. The Green Movement that was found in New Zealand in the year 1972 brought a great awareness to the humanity. It taught us that we are just partners on the earth having equal rights to inhabit this planet as any other living organism has. Having learnt this, human beings worldwide stopped large amount of destruction that it used to cause upon the earth. People realized that the earth’s existence was threatened and began to do whatever was possible by each individual and each nation.

    Q3. What did the most dangerous animal on the earth learn in the recent time?
     
    Ans. Man is the most dangerous animal on the earth. He has learnt in the recent years a new lesson that he is not the master of the planet but just one among the rest of the animals and trees, plants and insects, who should live like a partner in survival on the earth.

    Q4. What was the question raised by the First Brandt Commission? What does it suggest? What is the significance of this question?
     
    Ans. The first Brandt Report raised the question, “Are we going to leave behind for our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing planet?” This question finds an answer in our minds but we quite conveniently forget this answer. It has been proved in the recent years that the earth is becoming hotter planet every year and another ice-age is under way. This question is still significant and will remain significant until the only schooled animal of the earth stops his war against the planet.

    Q5. “What goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it.” Explain.
     
    Ans. With a growing population and the pace of the global developments taking wings, the cost of food touched a new height, all time high. Amazingly, the cost of cooking-gas overtook that of food-grains, fish, meat and vegetables, thus the fuel to cook – gas, firewood and electricity – now costs more than the raw-food.

    Q6. Why is it said that forest precedes mankind?
     
    Ans. No animal on the planet earth ever caused damage to it but humans have been causing serious destruction upon the earth ever since he had evolved. By cutting down trees for his survival and development humans have established their monopoly over the other species. Thus, with the coming of humans, the existence of forest was threatened.

    Q7. What did Lester Brown mean when he said that we have not inherited this earth from our forefathers, we have borrowed it from our children?
     
    Ans. Lester Brown believes that the present population of the earth has no right to think that the earth is its property. Each one has to believe that he is having full responsibility to keep the earth protected from all kinds of misuse. He has to feel that the earth is place that he has to return to the generations to come. Brown further furnishes that human beings have no right to misuse the earth because we are accountable to the new generations after us.

    Q8. How is human population explosion the biggest threat to the existence of the ailing earth?
     
    Ans. Human population is the biggest threat to the existence of the earth. Though it reached a billion in a million years, another billion was added to the world population in just another hundred years. Every four or five days the world population increases by one million. The effects of this dangerous increase in world population are endless yet the most catastrophic one is our present struggle for existence.

    Q9. What does the empty cage and the board in the zoo in Lusaka mean?
     
    Ans. In a zoo in Lusaka there is a mirror kept in one of the cages that is said to be the cage of the most dangerous animal in the world. The visitor sees his own face in the mirror and realizes that he is that most dangerous animal. The message is that human beings have won the infamous other than that of a zoo animal. The board message conveyed is a warning to the most dangerous animal to come in terms with the earth.

    Q10. What are the four principal biological systems? How are they the foundation of the global economic system?
     
    Ans. The four principal biological systems of the earth are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. In addition to supplying our food, these four systems provide virtually all the raw materials for industry except minerals and petroleum-derived synthetics.

    Q11. Why is tropical forest called the powerhouse of evolution?
     
    Ans. It is in the heart of the tropical forests where newer plants and animals evolve to more adaptable forms.

    Q12. How is population responsible for the environment degradation?
     
    Ans. With rising population, space that nature assigned for forests and animals. More population means less forests and animals. Unfortunately man’s first choice is nature and it is sadly vulnerable and an easy prey. When cities and megacities occupy the major portion of the earth, the ecological balance is said to be lost.

    Q13. What does more children mean to the poor section of people of India?
     
    Ans. Poverty is directly caused by illiteracy and lack of education. The illiterate and uninformed poor people of India believe that more children is more income. In fact more children means more responsibility and more poverty and an unhealthy family and individual.

    Q14. What does Mr. Edgar S Woolard mean by assuming the post of his company’s Chief Environment Officer?
     
    Ans. Mr. Edgar S Woolard, chairman of DuPont, an international manufacturer, by co-assuming the post of the company’s Chief Environmental Officer (CEO), stands a model for the owners and chairpersons of all the industries worldwide. He implies that the chief motive of an industry is to preserve the stability and life of the earth and profit comes next.

    Q15. What are our ethical obligation to the ailing planet?
     
    Ans. Human beings have the greatest obligation to the earth to safeguard this planet from all advancing deterioration and keeping it safe so that it can be handed over to the coming generations to inhabit here peacefully and in the midst of abundance.

    Q16. How do you explain the concept of sustainable development?
     
    Ans. Sustainable development is the kind development activities that meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This kind of development is expected to be undertaken without stripping the natural world of resources that the future generations would need.

    Q17. How do fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands form the foundation of global economic system?
     
    Ans. A majority of the world population depends on sea food for their survival while forests provide firewood, raw materials for production and timber for construction. Grasslands are the destination of cattle and herds of animals and without them, domestic and wild animals, the global economic system cannot survive. Each one is depending on the other while it help the other to survive. There are nations, except the gulf countries that depend on petroleum, that solely depend on forests and fisheries and croplands for trade and sustenance.

    Q18. Is Indian constitution capable of safeguarding its forests?
     
    Ans. So far, with all the measures adopted, the government has not been able to safeguard its forests effectively. India’s constitution is ostentatiously rich and effective but when it comes to enforcement, it miserably fails or it is not entirely successful.

    Q19. Margaret Thatcher says, “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy – with full repairing lease.” How is this statement significant today?
     
    Ans. Everyone says, “it is my land” and “that is your land.” People fight for other territories and encroach the neighbor’s land. It is here what British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher’s observation gains importance. We are not supposed to occupy the earth considering that the planet belongs to us and that we can exploit the planet any way we like. We, on the contrary, have to extract the resources so carefully that the generation that comes after us will have a better land and sea, a less dense forest, cleaner water and clearer sky.

    Long Answer Questions

    Q1. How has the growth of world population affected the environment? Support your answer with suitable arguments?
     
    Ans. The author Nani Palkhivala enumerates some alarming statistics to suggest how the growth of world population has tremendously affected the environment. The population which took a million years to reach the first billion took just another hundred years to reach the second billion. Another century passed it and reached the alarming figure of 3.7 million. Presently it is over 6 million and there is a huge demand on resources, natural or man-made. The resources worldwide are under a lot of stress and pressure. The four principal biological systems i.e. fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands which form the foundation of the global economic system and provide raw materials to the industry are facing a lot of stress. The human demands on these systems are increasing at a rapid speed. Hence, sustainability and productivity are both hampered. When this happens, fisheries collapse, forests disappear, grasslands become wastelands and croplands deteriorate. The need of the hour is to become sensitive towards the needs of the environment to get affected; we will leave behind nothing but an ailing planet for our future generations.

    Q2. We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children. Discuss.
     
    Ans. Earth’s resources are limited and will not last forever. In the twentieth century, there has been a revolutionary change in human perception. We cannot take the planet for granted. We are mere custodians. We have to take a holistic view of the very basis of our existence. The earth is a living organism of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic needs to stay alive and must be respected and preserved for the future generation. What is required is sustainable development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the destiny of future generation. There are four biological systems, namely fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They form the foundation of the global economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry. In larger areas of the world, these systems are reaching unsustainable levels. Their productivity is being damaged. The growth of world population is another factor distorting the future of our children. Development is not possible if population increases. In this era of responsibility towards our future generation, population must be controlled. Industries must become environmental friendly. Now many industrialists, politicians and writers have realized their responsibility in preserving the non-renewable natural resources for the future generation.

  • NCERT Solutions of The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Class 11th Chapter 6

    Page No: 43
     

    Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

    a holistic and ecological view 
    inter alia
    sustainable development 
    decimated
    languish 
    catastrophic depletion
    ignominious darkness 
    transcending concern

     
    Answer

    a holistic and ecological view – It refers to the view that calls for the preservation of the planet. The holistic and ecological view refers to understanding the importance of earth’s resources and environment for the future generations.

    sustainable development – A balanced development that meets the needs of the present while taking care of the needs of the future generations.

    languish – lot of species are neglected or go unnoticed

    ignominious darkness – disgraced or dishonoured as nobody has knowledge about them or is enlightened about them

    inter alia – among other things

    decimated – to reduce drastically in number

    catastrophic depletion – a disastrous and harmful reduction in the number of something

    transcending concern – a concern that surpasses generation, boundaries. It is not only about the present but also about future; not only about people but also about the planet.

     
    Page No: 47
     

    Understanding the Text

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

    Answer

    The lines that support the title of the chapter are given below.

     

    ► “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.”
    ► “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment?”
    ► “…the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated”.

    2. What does the notice ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?

    Answer

    The notice signifies that there is depletion of resources and deterioration of environment. Man is responsible for this and his own survival is threatened.

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

    Answer

    There are four principal biological systems of the earth. These systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. However, due to the increasing demand of human beings to such an ‘unsustainable’ extent, the productivity of these systems is being hampered. The excessive demand results in deterioration and depletion of these resources. A country where protein is consumed on a large scale, over-fishing is common, which leads to the collapse of fisheries in that area. Grasslands have been turned into deserts and production of crops is decreasing. The forests are destroyed in large proportions to obtain firewood. Depletion of tropical forests has also led to the extinction of several species.

     

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

    Answer

    Over-population is one of the strongest factors responsible for a nation’s poverty and unemployment. It disturbs the earth’s principal biological systems leading to degradation of environment.
    The author highlights the problem of over-population by pointing out the mental set-up of the poor who feel more children means more workers to earn money. They do not realise that more children only means more unemployed people. He argues that development is the best contraceptive, which includes spread of education, improvement of health and rise in income.
    Spread of education leads to awareness among people, which in turn results in a fall in the ‘fertility’ rate. The author makes a comment which emphasises the never ending circle of population and poverty by asserting that “The choice is really between control of population and the perpetuation of poverty.”

     
    Talking about the Text

     

    1. Laws are never respected not enforced in India.

    Answer

    India, the biggest democracy in the world, is condemned for its easy attitude towards laws. Laws are constituted but never respected nor enforced in our country. For instance, the Indian Constitution mentions that casteism, untouchability and bonded labour shall be abolished; however, these evils flourish barefacedly even today.
    The author points out that Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, propounds that “the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. However, little is done in favour of this. What we see is a near “catastrophic depletion” of forests over the last four decades. Forests are disappearing over the decades at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. Areas that are officially designated as forest land, in reality, are treeless. The actual loss of forests is eight times the rate pointed by the government statistics.

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

    Answer

    As we learn in the text, the first Brandt Report raised the above mentioned question about the deteriorating condition of the planet. Earth is like a “patient in declining health”. The depletion of forests, grasslands, fisheries and croplands are the result of excessive demand for resources. Over-population has led to a severe strain on the health of our planet.
    We must realise soon that in this “Era of Responsibility” it is solely our duty to preserve our planet. We must realise that the earth belongs as much to the future generation as much to us. Rather making it our property, we should do our best to preserve it for the generations we have “borrowed it from”.

    3. “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children”.

    Answer

    Over the decades, a change has come in the perception of the people in respect to the planet. The human perception has shifted to a “holistic and ecological view of the world”. Earth is a living organism that has limited resources. These resources will not last forever. The earth has its metabolic needs that require to be preserved. The need of the hour is “sustainable development” which propounds the need of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising with those of future generations.
    The present problems are not necessarily fatal for us but they are a ‘passport for future’. This is the “Era of Responsibility” that calls for a responsible action from us. We must realise that the earth belongs as much to the future generation as much it belongs to us.

    4. The problems of over population that directly affect our everyday life.

    Answer

    Over-population leads to the issues of poverty and unemployment. The vicious circle of population and poverty will continue unless the root cause i.e. population is taken care of. It hampers the development of a country. It leads to the consumption of the natural resources at a much faster rate. The fossils consumed, the resources depleted, the forests cleared, the heat produced, the global warming caused are all the repercussions of the fast-growing population.

    Page No: 48

    Thinking about the Language

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

    Find out what these Latin phrases mean.
    1.Prima face
    2. ad hoc
    3. in camera
    4.ad infinitum
    5.mutatis multanis
    6.tabula rasa

    Answer

    prima facie means ‘at first sight, before closer inspection’

    ad hoc means ‘for the specific purpose, case, or situation at hand and for no other’
    in camera means ‘in secret, in private’
    ad infinitum means ‘to infinity, having no end’
    mutatis mutandis means ‘changing [only] those things which needs to be changed’, [only] the
    necessary changes having been made

    Caveat means ‘a warning or caution’

    tabula rasa means ‘blank slate’, ‘without any prior experience or knowledge’

    Working with Words

    Locate the following words 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: received much attention

    2. dawned upon: realised it for the first time

    3. ushered in: began the new idea

    4. passed into current coin: have been brought into use

    5. passport of the future: a thing that makes something possible or enables one to achieve it

    2. The words ‘grip’, ‘dawn’. ‘usher’, ‘coin’, ‘passport’ have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs of sentences using each word in the literal as well as figurative sense.

    Answer

    1) grip:
    a) She was excellent during the rock-climbing session. She has a good grip.
    b) The movement of ‘India Against corruption’ has gripped the minds of Indians.

    2) dawn:
    a) The day dawned with a clear sky.
    b) Suddenly, the idea dawned on him.

    3) usher:
    a) The waiter ushered them to their seats.
    b) The Green Movement ushered in a new era of awareness.

    4) Coin:
    a) I have ten coins of Rs. 5.
    b) The term was coined by a famous philosopher.

    5) passport:
    a) He has just got his passport made to visit his uncle in the USA.
    b) Education is the passport to a bright future.

  • Summary of The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Class 11th Chapter 6

    About the Author

    Nani Palkhivala was born in 1920 in Bombay to middle-class Parsi parents. His family name derives from the profession of his forefathers who had been manufacturers of palanquins. He was educated at Masters Tutorial High School, and later at St. Xavier’s College in Bombay. He was a dedicated scholar. At college, he earned a master’s degree in English literature.

    Upon graduating, Palkhivala applied for a position as lecturer at Bombay University but was not awarded the post. Soon found himself trying to obtain admission to institutions of higher learning to further his academic career. It is late in the term, most courses were closed, and he enrolled at Government Law College, Bombay, where he discovered that he had a gift for unraveling the intricacies of jurisprudence. He was an excellent barrister at his time.

    Nani was taken critically ill on December 7, 2002, and taken to Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. He died on Wednesday, December 11, 2002.

    Introduction

    More than ever the planet earth is losing its vitality and freshness. Due to human development activities, our earth has become highly polluted, highly irreparable and highly damaged. We have taken out petroleum, coal and a lot of natural resources from the earth. We have removed more than half of world’s vegetation and emitted a large quantity of carbon and a lot of other chemicals. We have destroyed marine life and made rivers dry. Moreover, our greed for more and more wealth resulted in depleting the protective ozone layer and invited all harmful rays to the earth’s surface. Besides, we have brought out a great imbalance between humans and the other species of the earth.

    Summary in Points

    1. First Nation-wide Green Party: established 1972, New Zealand

    2. Worldview shifted from mechanistic to holistic and ecological

    3. The realization that the planet is a living organism in declining health due to human impact on its natural resources

    4. Sustainable development – Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs – the key to human survival and prosperity in the future

    5. We, today is known as the ‘world’s most dangerous animal’, are custodians of the future.

    6. Undiscovered species exist in large numbers but we may never discover their identity if we do not conserve their habitats

    7. Lester R. Brown’s book ‘The Global Economic Prospect’ identifies four principal biological systems of the earth as fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands. They provide food supply and raw material for our survival.

    8. Over-fishing and deforestation, coupled with the uncontrolled population explosion, has led to the collapse of fisheries, the disappearance of forest cover, conversion of grasslands to barren wastelands and the deterioration of crops.

    9. We lose an acre and a half of forests every second and the World Bank estimates a five-fold increase in the rate of forest planting to cope with the demand for fuelwood.

    10. Article 48 A of the Constitution – “The State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. The author laments that laws are never respected or enforced in India.

    11. Fertility falls as incomes rise, education spreads, and health improves. Thus development which may ensure raised incomes is the best contraceptive. But development itself is not possible without a control over our population explosion. More children mean more hungry mouths which imply poverty as well as increased demand on our natural resources.

    12. India’s current population is estimated to be 1.3 billion while the world population is about 7.5 billion. Hence, we hold the major chunk of the world. The author questions whether we recognize this fact and are at least now willing to make a change in our awareness of the human impact on the environment.

    13. The era of responsibility – the awareness of our role and the need for sustainable development

    14. The author claims that the industry must join the cause and work towards becoming eco-friendly just as Du Pont under the leadership of Mr. Edgar S Woolard.

    15. We are tenants of the planet and are required to keep it repaired and well-maintained for generations to come – Margaret Thatcher, Lester Brown

    Summary

    Our Earth is an enormous living organism, of which we are parts. This is our planet, its destruction will make us all homeless. We are dependent on Earth and not the other way round. However, the thankless creature, man, is unconcerned about the dangers that pose threats to our survival. The article by Nani Palkhivala deals with the concerns of the environmentalists at this eleventh hour and talks about the new awareness that has dawned upon our race. A holistic and ecological view of the world has been brought into consideration. The Green Movement launched in 1972 has never looked back. There is a growing need of sustainable development, which was popularised by World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.

    Man is the most dangerous creature, as it was declared by a Zoo in Lusaka, Zambia. Human beings are taking too much time to realize the need of the hour. One of the members of Brandt Commission, Mr.L.K.Jha, raised a vital question, are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and ailing environment? Mr. Lester R. Brown expressed his worry over the fact that our four biological systems are reaching an unsustainable level. The tropical forests, the powerhouse of evolution, as Dr. Meyers called them, are being destroyed causing the extinction of several species.

    The fear hovers, what if the words, forests precede mankind and deserts follow, come true. And the reality is that India is losing its forests at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. The Article 48A of the Indian Constitution provides that the State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country. To conserve the environment and to bring down the population of the world, which is 5.7 billion, Palkhivala suggests that development is the only solution. Fertility falls as the income rises, education spreads, and health improves. Nani supports compulsory sterilization and defends it by saying that there is no other alternative but coercion.

    The population of India today is 920 million, which is more than the entire population of Africa and South America. What is happening today is that rich are getting richer and poor are begetting children, which begets them to remain poor. Now the folks have realized what endangers our race. It is not about the survival of human race but the survival of the planet Earth.

    It is an Era of Responsibility. The industrialists have to understand the present concern with most consideration. The view of the Chairman of Du Pont, Mr. Edgar S. Woolard is much appreciable, our continued existence as a leading manufacturer requires that we excel in environmental performance. Let us be grateful to mother nature and keep Margaret Thatcher’s felicitous words, No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy with a full repairing lease. In the words of Mr. Lester Brown, We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.

  • Hindi Summary Of The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Class 11th Chapter 6





  • The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Chapter in Hindi Class 11th Chapter 6