NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill: The Ailing Planet The Green Movement’s Role

Summary of the Chapter

"The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement's Role" by Nani Palkhivala discusses the profound impact of the Green Movement, which has rapidly captured global attention. The essay marks a shift from a mechanistic view of the world to a holistic and ecological view, recognizing Earth as a living organism with vital processes that must be respected.

The author highlights the concept of sustainable development, which meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. He points out that human demands on Earth's principal biological systems—fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands—are reaching unsustainable levels, leading to their depletion.

The essay emphasizes the critical issue of overpopulation, describing it as a major factor distorting society's future. It argues that development, which leads to better education, health, and income, is the best contraceptive for controlling population growth.

Palkhivala calls for a new era of responsibility where industries and individuals must act as stewards of the planet. The piece concludes with the powerful idea that we have not inherited the Earth from our forefathers but have borrowed it from our children, underscoring our duty to protect it for future generations.

NCERT Textbook Questions and Answers

Understanding the Text (Page 5)

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

Answer-
The following lines support the title:
"The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health."
"We are to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment?"
"In large areas of the world, human claims on these systems are reaching an unsustainable level, a point where their productivity is being impaired."
"A recent report of our Parliament’s Estimates Committee has highlighted the near catastrophic depletion of India’s forests..."

Question 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 the most dangerous animal for the planet is man himself. Inside the cage, there is no animal but a mirror where visitors see their own reflection. This powerful symbol points to the destructive impact of human activities on the environment, making humankind the greatest threat to the planet's health.

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

Answer-
The earth's four principal biological systems - fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands - are being depleted because human demands on them are reaching unsustainable levels.
(a) Fisheries are collapsing due to over-fishing.
(b) Forests are disappearing as they are decimated for firewood and timber.
(c) Grasslands are being converted into barren wastelands.
(d) Croplands are deteriorating due to overuse and loss of fertility.

Question 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-
The author states this because the rapid growth of the world population puts immense pressure on the Earth's resources. It took mankind over a million years to reach the first billion, but the population has exploded since then. This unsustainable growth leads to increased poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation. Development becomes difficult, and without population control, poverty is perpetuated.

Talking about the Text (Page 5)

Question 1: Laws are never respected nor enforced in India.

Answer-
The author cites the example of Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, which mandates the state to protect the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. However, this law, like many others in India, is neither respected nor enforced. The author further supports this by mentioning that despite constitutional provisions against casteism and bonded labour, these evils still flourish. The catastrophic depletion of India's forests, as highlighted by a parliamentary report, is a direct consequence of this lack of respect and enforcement.

Question 2: "Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and an ailing environment?"

Answer-
This question, raised by the Brandt Commission, forces us to reflect on the legacy we are leaving for future generations. Our current practices of over-exploiting resources, deforestation, and pollution are creating a planet that is increasingly barren and unhealthy. It is a call to action, urging us to adopt sustainable development and responsible stewardship to ensure we do not bequeath a damaged world to our children.

Question 3: "We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children".

Answer-
This statement, by Lester Brown, encapsulates the core philosophy of the Green Movement. It means that we do not own the Earth's resources to use as we please. We are merely custodians holding the planet in trust for future generations. This perspective instills a sense of responsibility, compelling us to protect and preserve the environment so that our children can inherit a healthy and thriving planet.

Question 4: The problems of overpopulation that directly affect our everyday life.

Answer-
Overpopulation directly affects our everyday life in several ways:
(a) It leads to increased competition for limited resources like water, food, and energy, making them more expensive.
(b) It results in overcrowding in cities, causing traffic jams, housing shortages, and pollution.
(c) It puts a strain on public services like schools, hospitals, and transportation, reducing their quality and accessibility.
(d) It leads to increased unemployment and poverty as more people compete for a limited number of jobs.

Thinking about Language (Page 5)

Question: 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

Answer-

1. prima facie - at first sight; based on the first impression
2. ad hoc - created or done for a particular purpose as necessary
3. in camera - in private, in a judge's private chambers
4. ad infinitum - endlessly; forever
5. mutatis mutandis - making necessary alterations while not affecting the main point
6. caveat - a warning or caution
7. tabula rasa - a blank slate; an absence of preconceived ideas

Working with Words (Page 6)

Question 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 - Captured the interest and thoughts of people completely.
2. dawned upon - Became clear or understood.
3. ushered in - Introduced or marked the beginning of something.
4. passed into current coin - Became a commonly used phrase or idea.
5. passport of the future - A guarantee or means to secure a better future.

Question 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 the literal as well as the figurative sense.

Answer-

1. Grip
   (a) Literal: He tightened his grip on the handlebars.
   (b) Figurative: Fear can grip a person's heart.

2. Dawn
   (a) Literal: We woke up at dawn to start our journey.
   (b) Figurative: The solution finally dawned upon him after hours of thinking.

3. Usher
   (a) Literal: The waiter will usher you to your table.
   (b) Figurative: The invention of the computer ushered in a new era of information technology.

4. Coin
   (a) Literal: I found an old coin from the 19th century.
   (b) Figurative: Shakespeare coined many words that are still in use today.

5. Passport
   (a) Literal: You need a valid passport to travel abroad.
   (b) Figurative: A good education is a passport to a successful career.

Important Keywords from the Chapter

• Holistic and ecological view: Seeing the world as an integrated whole rather than a collection of parts.
• Sustainable development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations.
• Languish: To suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant situation.
• Ignominious darkness: A state of disgrace or obscurity.
• Inter alia: Among other things.
• Decimated: To destroy a large number of something.
• Catastrophic depletion: A disastrous and severe reduction in the number or quantity of something.
• Transcending concern: A concern that goes beyond ordinary limits.
• Green Movement: A social and political movement for protecting the environment.
• Legacy: Something handed down from the past.
• Stewards: People who act as responsible caretakers.