Class:11th
Subject: English
Introduction
The lesson will lay emphasis on the causes which are, making our planet diseased and weak day
by day. It was an article by Nani Palkhivala published in ‘The Indian Express’ focussing on the
green movement. It also tells us about the worrying nature of humans and how a zoo declared
humans as “world’s most dangerous animals”.
The writer also wants that humans should change their perception towards nature and explains
the term sustainable in her own way.
Summary
The writer through her article stresses the fact that human beings are continuously degrading the
earth by its practices to fulfill its lust and exploiting the natural resources at a large scale. A zoo
in Lusaka, Zambia calls humans the most dangerous animal on the planet earth.
In 1972 the Green Movement was launched to creating new awareness to pave the way for
ecological balance. The earth is actually working upon its metabolism activities but it is
continuously showing signs of ailment which have been diagnosed earlier as well but we didn’t
pay any heed towards it.
He also describes Sustainable Development in a very simple fashion. Sustainable development- a
development that meets the needs of the present but not affecting the needs of posterity. There
has been a shift in the attitude of humans from being materialistic towards being environment
friendly.
He also explains that we must consume according to our needs and leave them behind for the
next generation. We must be partners in sharing and consuming the gifts of nature and not
become the sole proprietorship of these nature’s resources.
According to Mr. Lester Brown, there are four biological levels; aquatic life, forests, grasslands,
and croplands. They all form the foundation of all the ecological balance and if in case they are
affected in any way the whole system would get affected badly, damaging their productivity.
The writer also shows concern about the massive cutting of trees and the lessening of the green
pastures. He told us to use cow dung as a natural fertilizer. Then the author grabs our attention
towards article 48A of the constitution, which states that the state should guard, protect, and also
improve our forest and wildlife. The laws are not imposed properly and certainly, there are many
loopholes. The UN aware that the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is in a critical
stage due to our deeds.
With the increase in population, the two most common problems people are facing is that of
Development and Growth. With this population explosion, Development looks very far away,
and proper family planning is the need of the hour. The writer shows positive signs as people are
a little bit concern about this factor.
He turns our attention towards the industries causing pollution and needs to take major steps
regarding controlling these affluents from reaching the air, water, and soil. Many industrialists
and politicians have realized this issue and are working in cooperation with the rest of the nations
to preserve our natural gifts.
The population explosion has also started degrading our future children as development is not at
all possible. Development behaves as the best contraceptive in controlling as fertility declines as
soon as income rises and health and education improve.
Due to this rat race, we will soon be devoid of our beautiful nature and these valuable gifts will
vanish very easily if steps are not taken.
Conclusion of Summary Of The Ailing Planet
To sum up, the lesson deals with an article published and focuses on how humans have made
our earth weak and it has been diagnosed with certain ailments for which the remedy is to stop
her exploitation and save its gifts for the future generations.
11Locate the lines in the 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”.
“When this happens, fisheries collapse, forests disappear, grasslands are converted into
barren wastelands and croplands deteriorate.”
“it has been well said that forests precede mankind, deserts follow”
“ …. Several species of life face extinction as a result of its destruction.”
“The environmental problem does not necessarily signal our demise, it is our passport
for the future.”
2. What does the notice ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage in the
zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?
Answer:
The inscription ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ in a cage in the Lusaka Zoo in
Zambia indicates that man has always been a completely self-centred being. Even
though man is civilized and has advanced far beyond all other animals, his vision of a
world based on cooperation has yet to take shape. We humans, like all other beings,
want to rule this planet rather than coexist with it. That is why we frequently forget that
humans cannot sustain themselves on their own. We must instead learn to live in a way
that helps the earth sustain itself and thus helps us sustain ourselves.
3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Answer:
There are four major biological systems on Earth – fisheries, forests, grasslands, and
croplands. These four systems are not only the basic systems required for survival, but
they are also the primary sources of raw materials for the majority of our needs. In a
nutshell, they are the foundation of the global economy. However, with rising protein
demands, the demand for fish is increasing all the time. The fish stock is being depleted
in order to meet this demand. Apart from supplying our food, these four systems
provide almost all of the raw materials for the industry, with the exception of minerals
and petroleum-derived synthetics. Human demands on these systems have reached an
unsustainable level in many parts of the world, reducing their productivity. When this
occurs, fisheries fail, forests disappear, grasslands become barren wastelands, and
consequently, croplands deteriorate. Overfishing is a daily occurrence in a protein-
conscious and protein-hungry world. Local forests are being decimated in poor countries
in order to obtain firewood for cooking. Firewood has become so expensive in some
areas that “what goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it.”
4. Why does the author agree that the growth of world population is one of
the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?
Answer:
The author believes that the world’s population growth is one of the most powerful
factors distorting future human society because a growing population not only increases
food demand but also depletes current resources at an unrecoverable rate. Fertility
rates are declining as incomes rise, education spreads, and health improves. As a result,
development is the most effective contraceptive. However, if the current rate of
population growth continues, development may be impossible. The rich get richer, while
the poor have children who keep them poor. Having more children does not imply more
workers, but rather more unemployed people. It is not advocated that humans be
treated like cattle and forced to be sterilized. However, there is no alternative to
voluntary family planning that does not involve some form of coercion. The choice is
really between population control and poverty perpetuation.
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
Answer:
1. prima facie – at first face or first impression
2. ad hoc – created or done for a particular purpose as necessary
3. In-camera – doing something that the camera rolls.
4. ad infinitum – again and again in the same way
5. mutatis mutandis – making necessary alterations while not affecting the main point
at issue.
6. Caveat – a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
7. tabula rasa – an absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals
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: 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
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
Ans:
Grip:
(i) She gripped on to the railing with both hands.
(ii) Terrorism has gripped the country for the past five years.
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.
