The Ailing Planet the Green Movements Role Class 11 English Important Questions

Please refer to Business Trade and Commerce Class 11 English Important Questions with solutions provided below. These questions and answers have been provided for Class 11 English based on the latest syllabus and examination guidelines issued by CBSE, NCERT, and KVS. Students should learn these problem solutions as it will help them to gain more marks in examinations. We have provided Important Questions for Class 11 English for all chapters in your book. These Board exam questions have been designed by expert teachers of Standard 11.

Class 11 English Important Questions Business Trade and Commerce

Short Answer Type Questions :

QuestionWhat is the significance of Green Movement in the modern world?
Answer: The Green Movement has brought a great awareness among people. It has taught us that we are just partners on the earth sharing this planet with other living organisms.
Having learnt this, human beings worldwide have reduced the large amount of destruction being caused on the Earth.
People have realised that the earth’s existence has been threatened and have begun to do whatever is possible.

Question. What shift in human perception has been seen as a result of the Green Movement?
Answer: Human perception has gone through a revolutionary shift as a result of the Green Movement replacing the mechanistic view of the Earth with a more holistic and ecological view of the world.
For the first time in human history, there is a growing worldwide consciousness that Earth itself is a living organism, an enormous being of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be respected and preserved.

Question. Why is the Earth referred to as ‘the ailing planet’?
Answer: Due to the insensitive exploitation of Earth’s resources by humans for their survival and development, Earth has lost almost all its vital resources. With drying rivers, depleted and polluted environment and deteriorated forests and greenery, Earth is having a difficult time surviving and thus, it is referred to as ‘the ailing planet’.

Question. 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 man is responsible for the depletion of resources and deterioration of the environment on Earth.
This is so serious that even man’s survival is threatened.

Question. What question did the First Brandt Report raise?
Answer: One of the early international commissions which dealt with the question of ecology and environment was the Brandt Commission. The First Brandt Report raised the question, ‘‘Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment?’’

Question. How are Earth’s principal biological systems important?
Answer: Mr. Lester R. Brown recognises four principal biological systems of Earth, namely ‘fisheries’, ‘forests’, ‘grasslands’ and ‘croplands’.
They form the foundation of the global economic system.
They fulfil our entire needs of food, besides providing virtually all the raw materials for industry except minerals and petroleum derived synthetics. Hence, they are extremely important.

Question. What is the cause of the collapse of fisheries?
Answer: Fisheries have collapsed due to over-fishing. Fish is an important source of protein which is essential for growth.
With the spread of education, people all over the world have become conscious about consuming proteins. This has led to fishermen trying to meet the demand for fish by over-fishing, leading to the collapse of fisheries.

Question. Why and how are our grasslands being converted into barren wastelands, and croplands deteriorating?
Answer: One of the greatest reason of the deterioration of these grasslands and croplands is the growth of population.
Population has been increasing drastically. As a result, the pressure on land is increasing.
Over-grazing of animals has caused havoc to our grasslands.
Due to this, grasslands are becoming barren wastelands. In the same way, the pressure of population on croplands is affecting their productivity. More mouths mean more food and hence, more pressure on croplands.

Question. Why are tropical forests called ‘the powerhouse of evolution’?
Answer: Tropical forests are called ‘the powerhouse of evolution’ because it is in the heart of tropical forests where newer plants and animals evolve to more adaptable forms. If they are drastically reduced, as at present, it will affect evolution as a whole and many species of plants and animals will be rendered extinct in this process.

Question. What do you understand by the statement, ‘‘Forests precede mankind; deserts follow?’’
Answer: Forests are one of the principal biological systems of Earth.
They form the foundation of the global economic system. It is true that if forests disappear, deserts will replace them.
Forests were in existence much before the coming of man on this planet. Local forests are disappearing to provide firewood and timber. The world is losing 40 to 50 million acres of forests a year. If this continues, nothing will be left except deserts and wastelands.

Question. Explain the unusually alarming statistics about the population that the author mentions.
Answer: According to the author, the increase in human population over the years is alarming. The first billionth was reached in a million years, in 1800, followed by the second billionth reached in just a century, in 1900.
It is even more frightening that in just 94 more years, another 3.7 billion was added, making the world population 5.7 billion.
This exponential growth in human population is a threat to the planet.

Question. How can the growth of population be checked or controlled?
Answer: The growth of population can be checked by spreading education and awareness among the masses. The people, especially the ones below the poverty line, think that if they have more children they will have more earning members, which is not true. In order to stop the people from thinking in this manner, development by means of education is the only solution. This will lead to a better life among the masses and will indirectly contribute towards curbing the population explosion.

Question. What do you understand by this statement of Margaret Thatcher, ‘‘No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy—with a full repairing lease’’?
Answer: We understand from her statement that man has been the victimofmany false illusions. In his view, he is the lord of this world. This attitude man has caused untold havoc and destruction. He has always indulged himself in plundering natural resources. However, man should remember that he has to hand over this planet to the coming generations. He should not forget that he is only a trustee and not the master.
It is his foremost duty to leave this earth in good health and shape for future generations.

Question. What did Mr Lester R Brown mean when he said “We have not inherited this Earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children’’?
Answer: Mr Lester R Brown believes that the present generation of people has no right to think that the Earth is their property.
In fact, everyone should believe that they are responsible to leave Earth for future generations in the same condition as they found it. He further says that human beings have no
right to misuse Earth because we are accountable to future generations.

Question. Justify the title of the article by Nani Palkhivala.
Answer: The title of the article by Nani Palkhivala, ‘The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role’, is totally justified and appropriate. The Earth’s vital signs are that of a patient in declining health. We have overexploited its resources. But the Green Movement has changed our thinking. We have started to understand that earth is also a living organism and we have to respect its needs.

Long Answer Type Questions :

Question. “We have not inherited this Earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.” Expain. 
Answer: Man suffers from many misconceptions. He considers himself to be the lord of this world. Perhaps he doesn’t know that his actions are leading to the degradation and destruction of this Earth. He thinks that he has a freehold on this Earth.
The hungry world has been ruined by over fishing. Forests are disappearing at the rate of an acre and a half every second. Grasslands and croplands are being converted into wastelands and deserts. Man’s greed and claims have made this earth a scorched planet of advancing deserts and an ailing environment.
Man should remember that he has to hand over this planet to the coming generations. He is only the trustee and not the master. It is the duty of every living being to leave this Earth in good health and shape. According to Margaret Thatcher, we have only a life tenancy and not the ownership. At any cost, we have to maintain sustainable development in order to meet our present needs without harming the interests and needs of the future generations.

Question. In spite of knowing the deplorable condition of the environment, human beings only make a show of doing something about it. Elaborate.
Answer: The issue of indiscriminate exploitation of nature has become an essential feature of human existence. Although sustainable development of resources is a goal for most nations, the reality is hardly so.
This uncaring behaviour is manifested in practices such as deforestation, destruction of wetlands, excessive mining for oil and mineral supplies, over-fishing and so on. The root causes for such practices are overpopulation, inefficiency in resource utilisation, over-consumption, poverty and ineffective structures such as human institutions, regulatory bodies and attitudes.
Moreover, the funds meant to help in conservation of critically endangered species are being siphoned off for other causes and the concerned authorities are not taking this matter seriously.

Question. ‘‘The problems of overpopulation directly affect our everyday life.’’ Explain. 
Answer: There is no doubt that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society. World population is increasing at a rapid speed.
This is a very alarming situation. Every day, we face the brunt of this menace. There is not a single utility location where there are not long queues, be it a hospital, ration shops or educational institutes.
Overpopulation makes the poor still poorer. More children only means more people without work and more mouths to feed. There are not enough houses for everyone, so we find slums everywhere.
In government hospitals, where the treatment is available at a reduced cost, there are not enough beds for the patients.
Every day, there are new colleges and schools opening, but still the rate of illiteracy is not reducing.
Moreover, high population affects the environment adversely. Trees are cut to make new settlements. As a result, forests recede. More food is needed to support an increasing population. A protein hungry world creates a perpetual pressure on fisheries and croplands. Ultimately, it also adds to impaired productivity.

Question. ‘‘Laws are never respected nor enforced in India.’’ Explain. 
Answer: It is a very sad state of affairs that in India laws are neither respected nor enforced. There is a very well written Constitution of India that covers all the aspects of the running of the country. New laws are also made and reforms take place. But generally, Indians can be seen exploiting these laws in order to get benefits from them.
There is a general apathy towards the system of law. There could be a lot of reasons behind this. Corruption is one of them. We, in India, know that everyone and everything can be bought for a price. The second reason could be that, in our country, the course of justice takes a long time.
We believe in the words that, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied.’ So, there is a possibility that people take law in their own hands and try to meet their demands according to what they want. What needs to be done is to make people more aware about right and wrong.
People should respect laws rather than break them. Corrupt officials should be punished strictly and justice should be delivered quickly. Only after some serious measures have been taken can the situation be improved.

Question. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and an ailing environment?” Explain.
Answer: The ever-rising inflation, the high cost of living, paucity of drinking water and frequent power cuts are some of the problems we face every day. We fall sick with all kinds of new ailments. These are the assets we have inherited from our ancestors. But the question is, if we are suffering, should we not think of finding solutions to these problems and give a better world to our successors.
We certainly have to take corrective measures to ensure that we do not leave our successors a planet that has been exhausted of landscapes and has a suffering environment and barren lands. We should not make unreasonable claims on the planet’s biological systems.
Over-fishing should be avoided and forests should be preserved. New plants should be planted. We should try to avoid using cow dung for burning, so as not to deprive soil of its natural fertiliser.
If utmost care is not taken now, then the future of all of mankind would become endangered. It is high time that we keep our selfish motives in check and try to build a healthy future.

Extract Based Questions :

Question. Read the extract to attempt the questions that follow.
‘‘In the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, there is a cage where the notice reads, ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’. Inside the cage there is no animal but a mirror where you see yourself.
Thanks to the efforts of a number of agencies in different countries, a new awareness has now dawned upon the most dangerous animal in the world. He has realised the wisdom of shifting from a system based on domination to one based on partnership.
Scientists have catalogued about 1.4 million living species with which mankind shares the earth.
Estimates vary widely as regards the still-uncatalogued living species — biologists reckon that about three to a hundred million other living species still languish unnamed in ignominious darkness.’’
(i) Why is man referred to as ‘the most dangerous animal’?
(ii) Do you agree with the author’s opinion?
(iii) What is the purpose of placing a mirror inside the cage?
(iv) The author says that man has realised the wisdom of shifting to a new system. What does it mean?
(v) What is the significance of the lines ‘biologists reckon that about three to a hundred million other living species still languish unnamed in ignominious darkness.’?
Answer: (i) Man is referred to as ‘the most dangerous animal’ because he is using up the resources at an exponential rate. He is also killing animals for his own benefit without any consideration of the planet.
(ii) Yes, I agree with the author’s opinion that man is the most dangerous animal on earth for using the natural resources recklessly.
(iii) The placing of a mirror inside the cage serves to remind man of his own actions so that he can shift to a more sustainable system.
(iv) The fact that man has realised the wisdom of shifting to a new system means that man has seen the consequence of his actions. The Earth and its resources are depleting which can affect the presence of mankind itself.
(v) The given lines show how some species which are still undiscovered are becoming extinct.

Question. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘In addition to supplying our food, these four systems provide virtually all the raw materials for industry except minerals and petroleum-derived synthetics. In large areas of the world, human claims on these systems are reaching an unsustainable level, a point where their productivity is being impaired. When this happens, fisheries collapse, forests disappear, grasslands are converted into barren wastelands, and croplands deteriorate. In a protein-conscious and protein hungry world, over-fishing is common every day.’’
(i) What are ‘these four systems’?
(ii) Why are these systems important?
(iii) How is the productivity of these systems impaired?
(iv) What is the impact of mankind of on these systems?
(v) Whom does the author blame for the collapse of fisheries?
Answer: (i) These four systems are — fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands.
(ii) These systems are important as they form the foundation of living. They provide us with raw material for food, shelter, etc.
(iii) The productivity of these systems gets impaired when mankind overexploits these systems without giving them a chance to renew properly.
(iv) Because of the overexploitation of these systems by mankind, fisheries are depleting, forests and grasslands are becoming wastelands and croplands are deteriorated.
(v) The author blames the protein hungry or specifically non-vegetarian people for the collapse of fisheries.

Extract Based MCQs :

1. Read the extract given below and answer questions that follow.
‘‘We have shifted — one hopes, irrevocably — from the mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world. It is a shift in human perceptions as revolutionary as that introduced by Copernicus who taught mankind in the sixteenth century that the earth and the other planets revolved round the sun. For the first time in human history, there is a growing worldwide consciousness that the Earth itself is a living organism — an enormous being of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be respected and preserved.
The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health. We have begun to realise our ethical obligations to be good stewards of the planet and responsible trustees of the legacy to future generations.’’

Question. Why does the writer exemplify Copernicus to comment on the issue?
(a) To justify the need to save trees
(b) Because he was a fan of Copernicus
(c) As Copernicus fought for the cause
(d) To contrast the change in human perspective

Question. The passage mentions that the earth has metabolic needs. It means that
(a) it needs time to heal
(b) it has its own processes and functions
(c) it needs time to renew and maintain balance
(d) it has to make sure that man gets everything

Question. What is meant by the ‘mechanistic view’ in the extract?
(a) A worldview of machinery
(b) A worldview without human beings in it
(c) Depleting value of mankind
(d) None of the above

Question. The phrase ‘holistic and ecological view’ harbors the relationship based on
(a) Subservience
(b) Partnership
(c) Trustee
(d) Owner

Question. In what tone does the writer present their concerns?
(a) Preaching
(b) Condescending
(c) Informative
(d) Inspiring

2. Read the extract given below to answer the questions that follow.
‘‘In poor countries, local forests are being decimated in order to procure firewood for cooking. In some places, firewood has become so expensive that “what goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it”. Since the tropical forest is, in the words of Dr Myers, “the powerhouse of evolution”, several species of life face extinction as a result of its destruction.
It has been well said that forests precede mankind; deserts follow. The world’s ancient patrimony of tropical forests is now eroding at the rate of forty to fifty million acres a year, and the growing use of dung for burning deprives the soil of an important natural fertiliser. The World Bank estimates that a five-fold increase in the rate of forest planting is needed to cope with the expected fuelwood demand in the year 2000.’’

Question. What has been the result of the tropical forests being “the powerhouse of evolution”?
(a) They promoted technical tools
(b) They caused eradication of livelihoods of species
(c) They improved the search for fodder
(d) All of the above

Question. “What goes under the pot costs more than what goes inside the pot” indicates.
(a) Increasing demand of the fuel
(b) Increase in inflation
(c) Increasing ecological costs
(d) Increasing uses of wood

Question. Select the correct meaning of ‘forests precede mankind’.
(a) Forests provide everything to the mankind
(b) Forests have taught mankind how to grow and build
(c) Forests were in existence on this planet much before the coming of man
(d) None of the above

Question. The reference of the growing use of dung is to highlight the …………… .
(a) depleting forest land
(b) Conversion of grasslands into wastelands
(c) Over dependence on alternate fuels
(d) All of the above

Question. From the above lines, what relation can be made in the statements below?
I. The cost of what is being cooked is much lower than what is being used for cooking that.
II. Firewood is so expensive that one cannot afford it anymore, the resources for cooking have become far more expensive than the ingredients
(a) I is true but II is not
(b) II is the explanation of I
(c) There is no relation between the statements
(d) II is true but I is not