Understanding the text

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

• “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 an ailing environment?”
• “a near catastrophic depletion of India’s forests…”
• “the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated.”

Q2. 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 humans are the most dangerous animals on Earth. The mirror inside the cage forces us to look at ourselves and recognize the devastating impact we have had on the environment and other species.

Q3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Answer: The four principal biological systems—fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands—are being depleted in several ways. Over-fishing is common, local forests are being destroyed for firewood, grasslands are turning into barren wastelands, and croplands are deteriorating due to excessive use.

Q4. 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 argues that population growth puts an unsustainable strain on the planet’s resources. More people lead to more poverty, as there are not enough jobs or resources to go around. It creates a vicious cycle where the poor have more children, which in turn keeps them poor.

Talking about the text

Q1. Laws are never respected nor enforced in India.
Answer: This is a complex statement that can be debated. On one hand, some laws, like those against untouchability or bonded labour, have been difficult to enforce. On the other hand, many laws are respected and followed by citizens. It might mean that while a law exists on paper, the societal change needed to enforce it fully hasn’t happened yet.

Q2. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and an ailing environment?”
Answer: This question is a powerful call to action. It forces us to think about our responsibility to future generations. The author is suggesting that if we don’t act now, we are dooming our children to a world that is sick and depleted of its natural resources.

Q3. “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children”.
Answer: This is a beautiful statement that shifts our perspective. Instead of thinking of the Earth as something we own and can do with as we please, it reminds us that we are just temporary caretakers. We have a duty to return it to our children in a good condition, just as we would return a borrowed item.

Q4. The problems of overpopulation that directly affect our everyday life.
Answer: Overpopulation has many daily effects! It leads to increased competition for jobs, housing, and food. It also puts more strain on public services like water supply, electricity, and sanitation. Plus, it contributes to pollution and a scarcity of resources that we all rely on.

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.

Q1. prima facie
Answer: Based on the first impression; accepted as correct until proven otherwise.

Q2. ad hoc
Answer: For a particular purpose only; done as needed without a plan.

Q3. in camera
Answer: In private or in a private session (often a court hearing).

Q4. ad infinitum
Answer: Going on forever; without end.

Q5. mutatis mutandis
Answer: With the necessary changes having been made.

Q6. caveat
Answer: A warning or a word of caution.

Q7. tabula rasa
Answer: Latin for “blank slate”; something or someone with no prior knowledge or experience.

Working with words

I. Locate the following phrases in the text and study their connotation.

Q1. gripped the imagination of
Answer: It means to have a strong, powerful hold on a person’s thoughts or creativity. It suggests the Green Movement was incredibly impactful.

Q2. dawned upon
Answer: This means to become clear or understandable for the first time. It suggests a new, revolutionary awareness.

Q3. ushered in
Answer: This means to begin a new era or change. It suggests a significant and new development.

Q4. passed into current coin
Answer: This means a phrase or idea has become so common that it’s now a part of everyday language and thought.

Q5. passport of the future
Answer: This means a way to ensure our future survival and success. It suggests that a holistic view of the planet is our key to moving forward.

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.

Grip:
Literal: He had a firm grip on the rope.
Figurative: The movie’s plot gripped the audience from the very beginning.

Dawn:
Literal: We woke up just before dawn.
Figurative: The reality of his situation finally dawned on him.

Usher:
Literal: The usher showed us to our seats at the theatre.
Figurative: The new technology will usher in a new era of communication.

Coin:
Literal: I dropped a coin into the fountain.
Figurative: The poet was known to coin new phrases and words.

Passport:
Literal: I had to show my passport to the immigration officer.
Figurative: Education is a passport to a better life.