English Made Easy

Kannur University BA English second semester previous year's question papers.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 20:59:00 +0530

COMMON COURSE

1. 2A03 ENG : Communicative English II

2. 2A04 ENG : Language Through Literature II

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE COURSE

1. 2A08 HIN : Vyakaran Thatha Rachana

Vyakaran Thatha Rachana (CCSS) (2014 Admn. Onwards) May 2016

2. 2A08 MAL : Gadya Roopangal

CORE COURSE

2B02 ENG : Studies in Prose

COMPLEMENTARY COURSE

2C02 HIS : Social and Cultural History of Modern England

Social and Cultural History of Modern England (CCSS) (2014 Admn. Onwards) May 2016

Eulogy for a hermit crab - Short Q&A

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:23:00 +0530

Eulogy for a hermit crab - Short Q&A
1. Who is the author of the poem “Eulogy for a Hermit Crab”?
Ans. Pattiann Rogers
2. What is the style of the poem?
Ans. It is an elegy on the death of a hermit crab.
3. How does the poet describe the body of the hermit crab?
Ans. The hermit crab has a soft symmetrical abdomen which lives in a cast of mollusc shell for protection. Its gritty orange claws, soft worm like grip of its hinder body, its black pea eyes and the swing of its antennae are also described beautifully.
4. What is the structure of the poem?
Ans. The poem is divided into three stanzas, written in free verse.
5. What are the literary images in the poem?
Ans. Certain images are profusely used to create the world of the hermit crab. “Surf drenched rocks”, “Salty slough-holes”, “glinting grey sea”, “blinding spume and spray”, “orange curve of the claws”, “black pea eyes” and “swinging antennae”are some of the images used in the poem.
6. What does the first stanza of the poem deal with?
Ans. The first stanza deals with the consistently brave existence and life of the hermit crab in the salty slough holes beside the hostile and vast sea.
7. How does the poet describe the daily routine of the hermit crab?
Ans. The hermit crab lives beside the glinting grey sea and the beam of the light from the sun that spins on account of the rocking nature of the sea. The white froth created out of the continuous disturbance of the sea blinds the vision of the crab. It often collides with other objects like rock pieces. The hermit crab faces the pistol shot collisions of the waves throughout its life, but still it survives. It also withstood nights and their icy cold winds. The hermit crab maintained its poise even in the most hostile of situations.
8. In which lines do the poet employ repetition to convey meaning?
Ans. “Of the sun went spinning and spinning and spinning” “By the mystified swing and swing and swing” “Circling your silver case night after night after night” “Your name intact exactly, day after day after day.”
9. How does the poet pay her tribute to the hermit crab?
Ans. When the poet stands close to the vast expanse of the sea which is endlessly rocking and moving in every direction, she sees the dead hermit crab. She is deeply moved by the sight and wants to pay a tribute to it. So she addresses the crab in an act of narrating its life and its mechanisms of everyday survival. She feels the hermit crab deserves a eulogy for its courageous life.

Eulogy for a hermit crab - MCQ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:22:00 +0530

Eulogy for a hermit crab - MCQ
1. Who is the author of the poem, “Eulogy for a Hermit Crab”?
a. Krushangini	b. Pattiann Rogers	c.Barry Lopez	d. Victor Cruz
2. What type of a poem is “Eulogy for a Hermit Crab”?
a. Autobiographical	b. Elegy	c. Dramatic monologue	d. None of these
3. What does the word “Eulogy” mean?
a. A speech or piece of writing that praises someone	b. Confused noise	c. Saint	d. Spiritual being
4. What does the poet say about the hermit crab?
a. Fearful animal	b. A sorrowful animal	c. Consistently brave	d. A wicked creature
5. The crab manages to survive _____ conditions bravely.
a. Awkward	b. Pathetic	c. Hermitage	d. Hostile
6. What does the first paragraph signify?
a. The obstacles faced by the crab in the sea	b. Poet's tribute to the hermit crab	c. Physical beauty of the hermit crab	d. None of these
7. What is the physical beauty of a hermit crab?
a. Black shell and swinging antennae	b. Yellow curve of its claws, black pea eyes and swinging antennae	c. Orange curve of its claws, black pea eyes and its swinging antennae	d. All of these
8. What does the poet convey at the end of the poem?
a. She considers it as an insignificant creature.	b. She celebrates the physical beauty of the crab	c. She mourns as well as praises the hermit crab and glorifies it.	d. Both ‘a’ and ‘b’
9. What does the poet mean by the word “Pistol shot collision”?
a. The shots from the gun.	b. The crab colliding with the rock pieces	c. The death of the crab	d. All of these.
10. What is the message that the hermit crab conveys to us?
a. A sense of how challenges need to be overcome to survive in an unfavorable condition.	b. To lead an insignificant life	c. To be nervous and awkward	d. A sense of fear.

Answers
1. B	2. B	3. A	4. C	5. D	6. A	7. C	8. C	9. B	10. A

Eulogy for a hermit crab - Vocabulary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:21:00 +0530

VOCABULARY
Word	Meaning	Pronounciation
Eulogy júlədʒi	A speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly especially a tribute to someone who has just died, പ്രശംസ, ശ്മശാന പ്രസംഗം
Consistent kənsɪ́stənt	Unchanging, സ്ഥിരമായ
Hermit hə́rmət	A person living in a solitude, സന്യാസി
Drench drɛ́ntʃ	Wet thoroughly, soak, നനച്ചു കുതിര്‍ക്കുക
Slough slə́f	An area of low lying marsh land, ചതുപ്പുനിലം
Glint glɪ́nt	Flashes of light, തിളക്കം
Tangle tǽŋgəl	To mix together or intertwine in a confused mass, പിണച്ചു കെട്ടുക
Spume	Froth or foam, പത, നുര
Gritty grɪ́ti	Showing courage and resolve, കരുത്തുള്ള
Unveile ənvéld	Reveal, വെളിപ്പെടുത്തുക
Mystify mɪ́stəfàjd	Strange, നിഗൂഢമായിട്ടുള്ളത്
Meticulous mətɪ́kjələsli	Extreme care about minute details, അതിസൂക്ഷ്മതയോടെ
Mourning mɔ́rnɪŋ	Act of expressing or feeling sorrow or regret, അനുശോചിക്കുക
Hermitage hə́rmətədʒ	Dwelling place of a hermit, ആശ്രമം
Racket rǽkət	Loud/ confused noise, ആരവം
Girth gə́rθ	Ones waistline, circumference, അരവണ്ണം

Children in the woods - Summary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:20:00 +0530

Barry Hunston Lopez was a famous English writer. He wrote many essays, short stories, reviews etc. He wrote 'Children in the Woods.’ He loved children and in this story, he talks about teaching kids to learn about nature through experience. In 'Children in the Woods' Barry Lopez conveys his thoughts on how to help children discover and understand their world. Barry Lopez talks about making handprints in the mud, hugging Douglas firs and identifying a raccoon’s skull and a possible cause of death.

Lopez tells that many of our ideas about the workings of the world emerge from observations and discoveries we make as children. Barry says how a woman's words had affected him as a child and that the effect may have lasted a life time. He created his own ways to teach kids.

The children in the woods may be an amazing story and inspirational to adults. It doesn’t have the same effect on the people forced to read it. The story lacks the basic elements needed to entertain a teenager, suspense and action. This story gives an interest and impact of reality. The words used by the writer are very simple.

Children in the woods - Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:19:00 +0530

The narrator of the essay Barry Hunston Lopez, born in 1945, was an explorer. His essays ,short stories and reviews and opinion pieces began appearing in 1966. He won the national book award for his non-fiction for 'Artic Dreams' (1980) and his 'Of Wolves and Men'(1978) was a National Book Award finalist. Lopez lives near Finn rock on the McKenzie river in western Oregon.

In the essay 'Children in the Woods' the narrator shares his experience with children in the context of life in woods. He also describes the advantages of growing up in a rural setting. The rainforest in western Oregon is the setting of the essay and it is described by the narrator in the third paragraph. It is described as a place undisturbed by human interference. Various kinds of animals and trees in the rainforest are described by the narrator to give us a beautiful image of the place. Other than the narrator, children, elderly women, historical remains of animals etc. become a part of the essay. The theme of the essay speaks about the importance of children growing up by understanding nature and forest. It is a theme that has got great importance in the present day, when children are not aware of nature, it's wonders and it's importance in our life.

The essay has an anecdotal beginning in which the narrator recalls an experience from his childhood, while walking with his mother. He observed a pattern formed by sunlight in a window pane and an elderly woman was very much happy to see the narrator as a child noticing these things in nature. He remembers this childhood incident as an incident that asks him to be responsible to children. Years later he lives in a rainforest in western Oregon with his wife. Both of them do not have children but he takes children from his neighbourhood to the woods. Initially he used to speak too much and give too much information about the forest to the children. Later he started speaking less and only gave answers to the curious questions raised by the children.

He then describes another experience that he had when he took children into the forest. They found a fragment of racoon's jaw bone in the woods. He encouraged the children to find whose jaw bone that was with the available clues. Children concluded that the jaw bone was of a racoon's. Then they kept the jaw bone back in the place without disturbing anything in the forest and moved on. The narrator says that it is important to teach children the various relationships in nature rather than teaching them the names of things in nature. Nature maintains itself through these associations and human interference is unnecessary. He also shares his worries related to the future of forest and nature.

Towards the end of the essay he shares another experience with us. He recalls an emotionally touched look that he saw from a child while walking in the woods on seeing the footprints of a heron. They were all making handprints on the mud close to those footprints. He felt as if the look on the child's face said that the child felt happiness and the importance of life in the woods. The concluding paragraph is slightly metaphorical. He says that the easiest way that leads us close to the forest and nature is learning names of things in nature. And the way that leads us close to the real essence of nature is silence. He also tells us that if we are speaking then it must only be to encourage the children and their senses. The role of the adult is to describe the pattern of relationships in nature as and when children seek help or show curiosity. He used the house and the cathedral to demonstrate how to inspire children, both by conversation and silence.

The overall structure of the essay is simple and conversational. The essay is a first person narrative and has an anecdotal beginning. The essay is autobiographical where we find the narrator describing his own experience and it reads like a story. Paragraphs in the essay are moderately short with simple sentences. After the sixth paragraph, the narrator has highlighted a sentence by forming a one line paragraph. Hyphens are also used in the essay by the narrator for the expansion of ideas. He had also used many science related words too to describe animal physiology. Questions are used in the article which make us anticipate the future and it also helps in connecting the present with the future. The author uses images like "house" and "cathedral" in the concluding paragraph. The essay 'Children in the Woods' on the whole imparts the message that nature is an open book from which children can learn a lot with their power of observation and help from grown up people.

Children in the woods – Vocabulary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:18:00 +0530

VOCABULARY
Word	Meaning	Pronounciation
Fragment frægmənt	A detached portion, മുറിഞ്ഞ അംശം.
Raccoon rəˈkuːn	American climbing mammal with long tail and thick fur, നീണ്ട വാലും സമൃദ്ധമായ രോമങ്ങളുമുള്ള ഒരിനം അമേരിക്കൻ മൃഗം.
Alder ˈɔːldə	A widely distributed tree of the birch family which has toothed leaves and bears male catkins and woody female cones, ചതുപ്പുനിലത്തിൽ വളരുന്ന പൂവരശു ജാതിയിൽപ്പെട്ട ഒരു മരം.
Thicketˈθɪkɪt	A Number of trees or bushes growing together, കുറ്റിക്കാട്
Maxilla mækˈsɪlə	the jaw or jawbone, മേൽത്താടി എല്ല്
Extrapolate ɪˈstræpəleɪt	to estimate, മൂല്യനിർണ്ണയം ചെയ്യുക.
Osteologyˌɒstɪˈɒləʤi	study of the structure and function of the Skelton and body structure, എല്ല് വിജ്ഞാനം
Deduce dɪˈdjuːs	to draw as conclusion, നിഗമനത്തിലെത്തുക
Detritus dɪˈtraɪtəs	Substance of solid bodies, ഖരപദാർത്ഥങ്ങൾ ഉരഞ്ഞും തേഞ്ഞും അടിയുന്ന വസ്തു
Effervesce ˌɛfəˈvɛs	to comeup as a topic

Children in the woods - MCQ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:17:00 +0530

Children in the woods - MCQ
1. Where did Barry Lopez spent his childhood?
a) Los Angeles	b) San Fernanch	c) New York	d) Alaska
2. Who is the author of “Children in the woods”?
a) Philip Larkin	b) Edward O Wilson	c) Barry Lopez	d) Victor Hernandez Cruz
3. Who said these “how remarkable children notice these things”?
a) Mother	b) Elderly women	c) Father	d) None of these
4. Where do Barry Lopez live?
a) Western Oregon	b) Los Angeles	c) San Fernando	d) California
5. What did Lopez found in an alder thicket?
a) Raccoon's jaw	b) Heron’s foot print	c) Both a and b	d) None of these
6. Who describes Lopez as ”the nation’s premier nature writer”?
a) Jimes	b) san francisco chronicle	c) Uirror	d) None of these
7. How does Lopez defines himself?
a) A writer who travels	b) The nation's premier nature poet	c) Nature’s poet	d) None of these
8. What does Lopez think whenever he walk with a child?
a) How to explain the object	b) How to observe things	c)How much he have seen disappear in his own life	d) None of these
9. What was his profession until 1981?
a) Writer	b) Painter	c) Journalist	d) Landscape Photographer
10. What was special for Lopez?
a) Trip to San Fernando	b) Trip to Los Angeles	c) Trip to Oregon	d) None of these

Answer
1. B	2. C	3. B	4. A	5. A	6. B	7. A	8. C	9. D	10 A

Children in the Woods – Short Q&A

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:16:00 +0530

Children in the Woods – Short Q&A
1. What was a special occasion for the author in his childhood?
Ans. While in San Fernando Valley in California, a trip to Los Angeles was a special occasion for him.
2. What did the author see while walking down a side walk with his mother?
Ans. He stopped suddenly, caught by a pattern of sunlight trapped in a spiralling imperfection on a window pane. A stranger, an elderly woman in a cloth coat and a dark hat was saying how remarkable it was that children were noticing these things.
3. What happens to the author’s encyclopaedic knowledge?
Ans. He began to speak less. He started talking only for answering a question or calling attention quickly to the slight difference between a sprig of red cedar and a sprig of incense cedar.
4. What did the author do when he found a fragment of a racoons jaw in an alder thicket?
Ans. He sat down alongside the two children and encouraged them to find out what that was. The only thing that was remaining was a piece of the animal’s maxilla.
5. How did the children’s actions excite the author?
Ans. When the children were in the woods, their interest in observing the beauty of nature excited the author.
6. Which is the quickest door to open in the woods for a child?
Ans. The quickest door to open in the woods for a child is the one that leads to the smallest rooms; the one that answer even the minor questions.

The Hills - Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:13:00 +0530

Manoj Das, the author of the story “The Hills", is a bilingual poet, short story writer, essayist, critic and editor who writes in Oriya and English. He has received many awards including Veda Vyas Samman, Padma shri, Kendra Sahithya Academi Award etc.

The title "The Hills" is the most suitable for the story as it narrates the anxieties of the protagonist Jaidev on the destruction of the hills of Salanda. Jaidev the lawyer, Sajan Roy the contractor, his two minor partners, Acharya, Sagar Chowdhary and the Raja are the main characters in the story. The story is a warning against the destruction of the ecosystem and a call for awareness to thwart it. The story assumes importance in the context of rampant deforestation and reckless exploitation of natural resources.

The story describes two memorable and mysterious incidents that happens in the life of Jaidev when he goes to Salanda forty and twenty years back.In his first journey to Salanda, Jaidev was enthralled by the beauty of the Salanda hills and the forest surrounding it. So was Sagar Chowdhury who had accompanied Jaidev and his mentor Acharya to Salanda. Twenty years later when Jaidev goes to Salanda he notices that half of the forest is destroyed. His third return to the place leaves him startled. The forest had totally disappeared. The two hills flanking the bigger one had been reduced to barren mounds only a bit higher than ant hills. Half of the majestic middle one had been scooped out to construct a quarry. Jaidev realizes that he had been called in by the contractor to support his illegal constructions by destroying nature. He feels guilty at his complacence.

The disappearance of Sagar Chowdhury adds mystery to the story. Sagar Chowdhury sets off to the forest after flashes of lightning reveal a mysterious castle and the beauty of the hills to him. He doesnt come back again. When Jaidev goes to the hills twenty years later, he meets a hermit there. His conversations with the hermit remind Jaidev of Sagar Chowdhury. He is confused whether the hermit is Sagar Chowdhury but the question remains unanswered in the story. Sagar Chowdhury and Sajan Roy convey two different attitudes towards nature- one of identification and the other of destruction. Jaidev on the other hand represents the dilemmas of middle class male caught between Sagar Chowdhury and Sajan Roy.

The Hills - Summary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:12:00 +0530

“The Hills” is a sensitive story on the need for ecological conservation by Manoj Das, a bilingual poet, short story writer, essayist, critic and editor, who writes in both Oriya and English. It narrates the anxieties of a lawyer Jaidev at being the mouth piece for illegal construction of a quarry by destroying the hills in Salanda.

Jaidev narrates two memorable experiences that happens in his life to his client, a millionaire Sajan Roy and his two partners. Sajan Roy had approached Jaidev for legal advice regarding the building of a quarry in Salanda. Jaidev didn't know that the quarry was to be constructed by destroying the Salanda hills.

Jaidev had two memorable experiences associated with the place Salanda. Forty years before he had been to Salanda along with his mentor Acharya, the great legal luminary and his friend Sagar Chowdhury. They had stayed in a bungalow built by the Raja. The Raja wanted legal advice from Acharya for protecting his rights over the land. Both Jaidev and Sagar Chowdhury were attracted by the three hills of Salanda which were covered with dense forest. Chowdhury spent a whole night staring at one of the hill tops. The next morning he told them how flashes of lightning at night had revealed a deserted castle on top of the middle hill and its interiors to him. But he couldn't find it in the morning. Nobody believed Chowdhury and they made fun of him. The next morning Chowdhury went missing. Raja’s men searched for Chowdhury everywhere but he was never found. Sajan Roy was least interested in Jaidev’s experience and made fun of him. Jaidev felt humiliated and decided not to tell him about his second incident in Salanda.

The second incident happened twenty years later when Jaidev got an opportunity to go to Salanda a second time. But he was sad to see half of the forest destroyed. He decided to go and look for Sagar Chowdhury, but met a hermit instead at the foot of the hills. He described his experience to the hermit and asked him what might have happened to Chowdhury. The hermit said that Chowdhury might have died for a new person to emerge or he might have found some hidden God instead of some sleeping beauty in the castle. Jaidev returned to his town confused about Sagar Chowdhury and the identity of the hermit.

When Jaidev returned to Salanda a third time with Sajan Roy to inspect the site, half of the hills and the forest had disappeared. The hills were transformed into a quarry. Sajan Roy wanted Jaidev to give him legal advice for the illegal construction of the quarry. Jaidev was hurt at the poor situation of the forest and pushed Sajan Roy to the ground. He was ashamed of speaking for such people in his life.

The story describes how the selfish desires of men lead to the destruction of nature.

The hills - MCQ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:11:00 +0530

The hills - MCQ
1. Which is the hill mentioned as the background for the memorable experience in Jaidev’s life?
a. Salanda	b. Wilson hills	c. Ambanad Hills	d. Khandala
2. Who is the major character in the story?
a. Jaidev	b. Sajan Roy	c. Sagar Chowdhury	d. Raja
3. Who is Jaidev?
a. Contractor	b. Clerk	c. Lawyer	d. Construction worker
4. To whom was Jaidev narrating the experience?
a. Sajan Roy	b. Sajan Roy and Acharya	c. Sajan Roy and his two partners	d. Acharya
5. How was the hills of Salanda in Jaidev’s first visit?
a. Three in a row	b. Hidden under thick forest	c. Hidden	d. Three in a row and lay hidden under a thick forest
6. How was the hills of Salanda on Jaidev's second visit?
a. Hidden under thick forest	b. Denuded green cover by half	c. No more green cover	d. Green cover reduced a little
7. Who built the bungalow?
a. Manoj Das	b. Raja	c. Sagar Chowdhury	d. Jaidev
8. What was in between the bungalow and hills?
a. Tree	b. Pit	c. Pond	d. Lake
9. What attracted Jaidev in the darkness while sitting in the verandah?
a. Hills	b. Darkness	c. Hills in the lightning	d. Lightning
10. Acharya said,” Never again shall I let the chap accompany me!” Why did he say so?
a. His chap destroyed the bungalow	b. Because his chap Sagar was missing and it was not once	c. His chap stole Acharya’s belongings	d. His chap killed Jaidev
11. Who was Acharya referring to as chap?
a. Raja	b. Sagar Chowdhary	c. Jaidev	d. Manoj Das

ANSWERS
1. A	2. A	3. C	4. C	5. D	6. B	7. B	8. D	9. C	10. B	11. B

Going Going - Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:10:00 +0530

Philip Larkin, an eminent writer during the post war England, was commonly referred to as “England’s other poet”- Laureate’ until his death. He is acknowledged as the key figure of the group known as The Movement Poetry which began publishing widely in the mid 1950s. “Going Going”, being a government commissioned poem by the department of Environment, British government was originally titled “Prologue”. It is one of the finest works of Larkin. Larkin wrote this poem in 1972. The poem is about the loss of nature and its effects on human beings and the universe. The title stops before “Gone” perhaps because the poet hopes human beings will stop to ponder over their actions before the destruction becomes complete. ‘Going Going, Gone’ is the standard phrase used by an auctioneer when all bids have been made and the sale is completed.

The poet says that the landscape of England as a green and pleasant surrounding is going away and is being replaced by gradual developments. At the beginning of the poem, the poet is very optimistic about the future of England. He says that he thought that the future of the country was safe and that nature would last his time. But it is already gone. The people of England along with the poet believed that the country would not be overwhelmed by developments. But on the contrary, the country was unable to maintain its natural beauty and was destroyed by industrialization. The poet says that he knew that there would be alarms, which would be false. Here all the predictions of the poet turn out to be wrong.

By the third stanza, there is a change in the poet’s initial belief. The poet gradually realizes how the environment has suffered drastically as a result of our taking advantage of it. The following stanzas indicate that the beautiful landscapes of the country are being replaced by modern constructions like buildings, cafes and also the young people demands for more Caravan sites, more money etc. And later in this stanza the poet mourns for the lost beauty of England. And he also gives an alarm that this progress in country will make the people dishonest and these developments will lead to the destruction of beauty of the country by cutting down trees and building industries. By such developments all the valuable treasures of the country will be lost forever. In the final stanza the poet predicts about the future of England where all natural beauty will be gone. The country which was once beautiful will become a concrete desert by the impact of Industrialization.

Going, Going - MCQ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Dec 2017 19:08:00 +0530

Going, going - MCQ
1. What is the poem “Going, Going” about?
a. The need for conservation of nature	b. The loss of nature and its effect on human beings and the universe	c.Destruction of nature by human beings	d. The beauty of nature
2. When does the auctioneer use the standard phrase, “going, going, gone”?
a. When the nature is affected by human activities	b. When the destruction of human beings is complete	c. When all bids have been made and the sale is completed	d. When the threat of destruction is gone
3.What, according to the author, would be there beyond the town?
a. Trees	b. False alarms	c. Split level shopping	d. Fields and farms
4. What are the kids of the young crowd in M1 café screaming for?
a. More houses	b. More parking allowed	c. More caravan sites and more pay	d. All of these
5. “And when you try to get near the sea in summer…” What do the ellipsis indicate in the given sentence?
a. Words have been left out	b. A series continues beyond the items mentioned	c. The passage of time or action	d. None of these
6. What does the word “dales” in the poem mean?
a. Warning	b. Valleys	c. Estuaries	d. Mountains
7. What, according to the author, would be remaining for us?
a. Meadows and lanes	b. Guildhalls and books	c. Shadows	d. Concrete and tyres
8. Why does the author repeat the phrase “it will happen soon”?
a. To increase the beauty of the poem	b. To emphasize that if the destructive human activities continue then the nature would be destroyed completely.	c. To emphasize on the beauty of nature	d.To emphasize destruction on fields and farms

ANSWERS
1. B	2. C	3. D	4. D	5. C	6. B	7. D	8. B

Eulogy for a hermit crab - Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 2 Dec 2017 11:30:00 +0530

Pattiann Roger was born in Joblin Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri, graduation Phi Beta Kappa and went to the University of Hoston where she earned MA in creative writing. She has got many rewards for her works, including two National Endowment for Art grants, Poetry Fellowship, etc. Rogers has taught at numerous colleges and universities as well as in high schools and kinder gardens’. She is also a profoundly theoretical poet, with the power of sustained attention and persistent observation; she brings to her writing a field biologist’s eye for the details of species and phenomena. Her poems often celebrate the natural world. In all her works there is an exploration of our connection to the world to the lives of animals and plants and on a grander scale, to the universe.

The poem ‘Eulogy for a hermit crab’ by Pattiann Roger is an elegy, a poem written in response to the death of the crab. In the poem, Roger uses a type of figurative language to represent ideas, things and actions. This poem offers Roger full credibility as a writer. Alliteration, consonance, repetition, metaphorical speech, figurative speech, etc are arranged in a beautiful pattern which provides the poem with a perfect harmony.

The title ‘Eulogy for a hermit crab' guides us to the poem. It is one which praises the brave life of a hermit crab which is otherwise considered to be an insignificant being. The poem has twenty five lines in total, and it is arranged in three stanzas and follows an irregular rhyme scheme throughout. In these three stanzas the poets draws a complete picture of the life of a hermit crab. The first stanza of the poem contains ten lines, the second stanza has nine lines and the thirds stanza has six lines. The poem starts with the line -“ You are constantly brave”- and the single line itself provides the reader with the full essence of the poem. The first stanza speaks about the hostile atmosphere and surroundings in which the hermit crab lives and the hardships which the crab has to undergo daily.

The second stanza describes the physical appearance and features of the hermit crab. Its soft symmetrical abdomen which lives in a cast of mollusc shell, its gritty orange claws, soft worm like grip of its hinder body, its black pea eyes and the swing of its antennae are described beautifully. The third stanza describes about the courageous and adamant character of the hermit crab and how the mood of the poem changes from praising the life of the crab to mourning its death. The poet uses rich images to describe the life of the hermit crab. Pattiann Roger describes the movement of the sea as ‘spinning and spinning and spinning’. No archaic words fill the space of the poem. Words like ‘spinning’, ‘day after day’, night after night’ has prime importance in the building up of the content of the poem and are emphasized. The phrases like ‘you stayed’, ‘you were there’ are notable in the poem and describes the life of the hermit crab.
Pattiann Rogers acknowledges the life of a hermit crab which is otherwise considered to be insignificant in a human centric world. The everyday life and struggles of a being like a hermit crab is described meticulously suggesting that the life of a hermit crab is as important as that of a human being.

Killing Field by Krushangini - Short Q&A

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 18:10:00 +0530

KILLING FIELD - SHORT Q&A
1. What is the idea presented in the title of the poem?
Ans. The title of the poem ‘Killing Field’ brings up the image of a battle field. The brutality of killing is suggested to undermine the hitherto positive image of paper industry.
2. What is the theme of the second stanza?
Ans. The theme of the second stanza is the process of making paper by cutting of trees, stacking, planing, making pulp and then changing into sheets of paper.
3. Why did the poet call butterflies dullards?
Ans. The poet calls butterflies dullards because they were still perching on the trees cut down and going to be pulped.
4. What is the purpose behind cutting down trees?
Ans. The trees were cut down to be pulped in order to make sheets of paper.
5. What ideas are presented in the last stanza?
Ans. These spotless and white paper is usually a symbol of purity and goodness. Here it is used ironically. This is because the spotless white paper is produced by killing of trees which causes unnecessary and unrecorded murders of organisms like the butterfly and other insects.
6. Comment on the contradiction in the poem.
Ans. The contradiction is that the invention and making of paper is a milestone in human civilization but it is also an instance of large scale and criminal destruction of other forms of life.
7. What is the specialty of Krushangini’s poem?
Ans. Krushangini’s poem appropriates the visual images of painting.
8. What are the images in this poem?
Ans. ‘Butterflies on the tree trunks like scales on a snake’ is one striking image. ‘The white spotless paper’ is another appealing and ironic image. The butterflies sitting like dullards and getting pasted to the trunk while pulping is also a sharp image.
9. How are the butterflies described in relation to their perch?
Ans. Butterflies on the tree trunk are described as scales on a snake.
10. Explain ‘spotless and white’.
Ans. White is a symbol of purity and goodness. It is also a symbol of death in some cultures. Here it is used ironically. There is the unseen blood of organisms like the butterfly and other insects on the paper.
11. Does the adjective ‘dullard’ suits the human beings also? Why?
Ans. The butterflies sticking on to the cut tree trunks are called ‘dullards’ by the poet. They are called so because they are in danger of death. They are going to be killed by the machine. In the context of the poem the adjective ‘dullard’ appears to suit human beings also for their stupidity of self-destruction through destruction of environment.

Letters from Mothers of Nenjamparambu to the Supreme Court- Summary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 3 Mar 2017 08:24:00 +0530

Courtesy : banendosulfan.com

One of the burning social issues of Kerala and broadly, of India is the problem caused by Endosulfan in Kasargod district. Prof. M.A. Rahman, on behalf of all mothers of the victims, wrote a letter to the Supreme Court for justice, which is discussed in this chapter.

The letter was submitted to the Supreme Court on behalf of tens of thousands of victims who had to live in misery because of the poisonous fiend, ”Endosulfan”. The author begins the letter citing the tragedy of an Endosulfan afflicted family where the new born infant of Mamtha and Narayanan of Adhur, Kaithode is born without eyes and dies immediately. Her other children were also affected by Endosulfan in various ways. The twins that were born in her second delivery also die. These Endosulfan inflicted infants were never mentioned in the government list of people dead due to Endosulfan. The only proof that the family was stricken by Endosulfan was the pension of Rs 2000 per month given to their Endosulfan inflicted child.

The women in Nenjamparambu fear conception rather than abortion because they don’t want to give birth to limbless torsos in place of babies. Malformed children continued to be born even ten years after the ban on Endosulfan spraying in 2000. The Negligence on the part of the government led to an increase in the death rate. In 2002, the author and his people went to shoot a documentary, A Paradise for the Dying, in which a plantation labourer named Achuthan Maniyani revealed that when in 2000, Endosulfan was banned, the excess chemical was buried in Nenjamparambu. This residue of Endosulfan is the cause of these deaths.

Nenjamparambu lies at the heart of Minjipadavu mountain in Adhur. Here lies the Kerala Plantation Corporation’s Minjipadavu estate. The huge cement tank in which Endosulfan was prepared is situated in Nenjamparambu and is even the landing place for helicopters. Around this, the pure water veins of Nenjamparambu flow between the crevices of rocks and these founts of water trickle in streams to the villages in the valley. There are two man made underground tunnels in Nenjamparambu enclosed by stone steps and overlaid with leaves and foliage, embedded with the roots of huge trees. The water that accumulates in these tunnels quenches the thirst of the villagers especially during the scorching summer. The residue of the buried Endosulfan seeps into the stream which explains the deaths even after the ban.

Very long ago one of the streams of this hill was diverted to a village, by an organic farmer named Mammadcha. The village came to be called Kaithode because Mammadcha diverted the stream with the help of a spade. Mammadcha’s daughter Hajira lived on the banks of this stream. However the water which was to be a blessing became a curse as Endosulfan had seeped into it from the ground in which it was buried. Today Kaithod village teems with Endosulfan inflicted children.

Endosulfan, the killer pesticide has made Nenjemparambu a graveyard. It was not the ignorance of any agricultural scientists which gave rise to such a difficult situation. This plight is the result of the fatal, unscrupulous greed and terror- spewing activity of the government which misinterprets scientific knowledge and sold it out to the market. The Plantation Corporation, the Agricultural Scientists, the Central Agricultural Department and manufacturers of Endosulfan cannot evade from this responsibility. Directed by the Supreme Court, the Community Health Department of Calicut medical college conducted an epidemiology study for ICMR and discovered high levels of Endosulfan in the blood samples collected from Nenjemparambu.

Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment conducted a study to measure Endosulfan level in the water and soil of Nenjemparambu and found out that there were dangerous levels of Endosulfan particles even 10 years after its aerial spraying was stopped. The study also revealed that there was every possibility of it having contaminated the food chain. If this observation is placed alongside, the Endosulfan count found in the blood samples collected from Nenjambaramba, it will be revealed that the countless deformed half children who lead a death in life are a creation of Endosulfan.

The Central Agricultural Department which is showing an urgency to export Endosulfan is not even bothered about resisting this grotesque life destructive phenomenon; infact they are actually playing with the life of people in Kasargod. The Agricultural scientists are ignorant of the fact that the plantation corporation has spread over 11 panchayaths and are trying to deprive the victims even of the basic humanitarian consideration that they deserve. They countered the studies conducted by Sunitha Narayanan and Dr. Habibullah. The Calicut Medical College study had proved that Endosulfan was the cause for all severe health problems but this study was suppressed when CAD furnished report against them. The pesticide issue is also impacting the rights of civil society. Authorities are unwilling to take up construction of the central university campus in Periya until they are convinced that the 300 acres of land allotted by the government in Periya is uncontaminated by Endosulfan.

With the strong belief that the Supreme Court would ban Endosulfan, this letter is being written by the mothers on behalf of the infants of Nenjemparambu.

Letters From Mothers Of Nenjamparmabu To The Supreme Court - Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 2 Mar 2017 22:49:00 +0530

As the title of the lesson "Letters from mothers of Nenjamparmbu to the supreme court" suggests, it is a letter written to the Supreme Court of India by Prof. M.A. Rahman, on behalf of the mothers of Endosulfan affected families. The ill-fated, wretched, hapless and chronically ill children are dying day by day, trapped between life and death. There are many infants who die soon after their birth, to which the government pays no heed. They are not even included in the government list of people dead due to Endosulfan. The families victimized by Endosulfan only get Rs.2000 per month as their pension. The women in those areas now have no fear of abortions but they do fear conception. It is because no mother wants to deliver a limbless torso in place of a baby.

Although Endosulfan spraying was banned in 2000, the effects of the chemical continue even after 10 years. It is because, after the ban, the excess chemicals were either buried underground or deep under the streams that flow through the villages. The residue of the chemical is the reason why the effects continue to be seen. If the health department had taken proper care of the situation, conducted research and taken proper preventive measures, the number of deaths would have decreased to a certain extent. Directed by the Supreme Court, the Community Health Department of Calicut Medical College conducted an epidemiology study for ICMR in which they found high levels of Endosulfan in blood samples from Nenjamparambu. The studies reveal that Endosulfan is the root cause of all severe health problems.

This letter is the voice of the people and hence it is written in the language of the people which one can easily understand. The experiences of people who have mixed, sprayed and handled Endosulfan and made victims of it are described in the letter. The scientific details and the description of the pitiful conditions of the victims help us understand how much important and inevitable this case is. Also the letter discusses about the contributions made by journalists, scientists, doctors and documentary makers to bring the issue to the public.

Letters From Mothers Of Nenjamparmabu To The Supreme Court - MCQ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 2 Mar 2017 22:41:00 +0530

Letters From Mothers Of Nenjamparmabu To The Supreme Court – Multiple choice Q&A
1. On whose behalf was the affidavit submitted?
a. Endosulfan victims	b. Tsunami victims	c. Hurricane victims	d. None of these
2. Name the documentary of M.A.Rahman.
a. Paradise Lost	b. A Paradise for Living	c. A Paradise for the Dying	d. None of these
3. Endosulfan,was temporarily banned in _______.
a. 2005	b. 2000	c. 2003	d. 2007
4. The plantation labourer who mixed Endosulfan for 20 years and lost his health completely.
a. Shafi Thiruvath	b. Subbaiah Maniyani	c. Achuthan Maniyani	d. None of these
5. The huge cement tank for preparing Endosulfan was situated in ________.
a. Kaithode	b. Nenjamparambu	c. Enmakaja	d. Minjipadavu
6. Who was the journalist who photographed the child when his body was being shifted from the mortuary?
a. M.A. Rahman	b. Shafi Theruvath	c. Madhuraj	d. None of these
7. Nenjamparambu lies at the heart of ____ mountain in Adhur.
a. Minjippadavu	b. Enmakaje	c. Kaithode	d. Theruvath
8. M.A. Rahman won the National award for the best biographical documentary in which year?
a. 1998	b. 1999	c. 1987	d. 1988

ANSWERS
1. A	2. C	3. B	4. C	5. B	6. B	7. A	8. D

Letters From Mothers Of Nenjamparmabu To The Supreme Court - Short Q&A

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 2 Mar 2017 21:14:00 +0530

Letters From Mothers Of Nenjamparmabu To The Supreme Court - Short Q&A
1. What would have happened if our health department had been vigilant?
Ans. If our health department had been vigilant, there would have been a decrease in the mortality rate. The medical history of the families with multiple deaths and diseases would have been the subject of at least a case study and that would have imparted scientific knowledge about the causes of death by poisoning in this area.
2. What is the full form of MTP? Why did many mothers of Nenjamparambu go for MTP?
Ans. MTP stands for Medical Termination of Pregnancy. Most of the mothers of Nenjamparambu went for MTP because they didnt want to deliver limbless torsos in place of a baby.
3. What do the women in Nenjamparambu do as soon as they conceive?
Ans. As soon as they conceive, the women in Nenjamparambu, consumed by fear and anxiety, go to black magicians and djinns and as a final resort to doctors.
4. What was done to the excess pesticide when it was banned?
Ans. The excess pesticide which remained in the Plantation Corporation godowns of Kasargod was buried in Nenjamparambu.
5. What did Achuthan Maniyani reveal?
Ans. Achuthan Maniyani revealed that excess pesticide was buried in Nenjamparambu by a labourer and that he was dead now.
6. Why did M.A. Rahman go to Nenjamparambu?
Ans. M.A. Rahman went to Nenjamparambu in 2002 to shoot the documentary, A Paradise for the Dying.
7. Describe the locale of Nenjamparambu and the Kerala Plantation Corporation’s Minji Padavu estate.
Ans. Nenjamparambu lies at the heart of Minjipadavu mountain in Adhur. Kerala Plantation Corporation’s Minji Padavu estate was situated at the top of the hill. One could see river Payaswini from there, flowing between the laterite hills to the North-East and the dense forests of the valley. Hundreds of families live on the crest of the hill as well as in the small villages in the valley.
8. How did the plantation labourer's react to the filmmakers when they approached Subbaiah Maniyani’s house?
Ans. When the filmmakers approached Subbaiah Maniyani's house, the plantation labourers who were clearing the land stopped them. They even threatened to chop off their legs if they ventured even a step ahead.
9. Why was,Nenjamparambu the worst affected by Endosulfan?
Ans. The huge cement tank in which Endosulfan was prepared was situated in Nenjamparambu. It was here that the excess pesticide after its temporary ban in 2000 was buried.
10. How did the village acquire the name, Kaithode?
Ans. One of the streams of the hill was diverted to a village in the valley through the hard work of Mammadcha, an organic farmer who lived on the side of the hill. He diverted the stream to the village down below using a spade. The village acquired the name Kaithode because it was a stream (തോട് ) dug by Mammadcha using a spade.
11. Who is responsible for the sad plight of the people in Nenjamparambu?
Ans. The Plantation Corporation, the Agricultural Scientists, the Central Agricultural Department and the manufactures of Endosulfan are equally responsible for the sad plight of people in Nenjamparambu. They are victims of the unscrupulous greed and terror spewing activity of such organisations.
12. What was the result of the study conducted by the KSCSTE (Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment)?
Ans. The study conducted by KSCSTE to measure Endosulfan level in the water and soil in the area concluded that there were traces of Endosulfan particles in Nenjamparambu,even 10 years after its aerial spraying was stopped. It was highly probable for even the food chain to be contaminated.
13. What were the results of the studies conducted by Sunitha Narayanan and Dr Habibulla Sayeed?
Ans. The studies conducted by Sunitha Narayanan of CSE in 2000 and Dr Habibullah Sayeed of NIOH in 2002 have proved that life threatening and physically and mentally disabling diseases were caused by Endosulfan.
14. Why did the Central University hesitate to accept the 300 acres of land allotted in Periya?
Ans. The Central University hesitated to accept the land because they doubted if the land was contaminated by Endosulfan. They were ready to accept the land if it was proved uncontaminated.

Letters from mothers of Nenjamparmabu to the Supreme Court - Vocabulary

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 2 Mar 2017 20:47:00 +0530

Letters from mothers of Nenjamparmabu to the Supreme Court - Vocabulary
Word	Meaning	Pronounciation
Throes θrəʊz	Extreme pain and hardship, യാതന
Sown səʊn	Plant something, വിതയ്ക്കുക
Fiend fiːnd	An evil spirit, പിശാച്
Infernal ɪnˈfɜːnl	Of hell, നരകതുല്യം
Fate feɪt	Destined to happen in a particular way, വിധി
Wretched ˈrɛʧɪd	Unhappy and miserable, ദയനീയo
Hapless ˈhæplɪs	Unlucky, ഭാഗ്യമില്ലാതെ
Chronic ˈkrɒnɪk	Long standing, വിട്ടുമാറാത്ത
Affidavit ˌæfɪˈdeɪvɪt	A written statement sworn on oath to be true, സത്യവാങ്‌മൂലം
Afflict əˈflɪkt	Cause pain, വേദനിപ്പിക്കുക
Infant ˈɪnfənt	New born baby, ശിശു
Corpse kɔːps	Dead body, മൃതദേഹം
Stricken ˈstrɪkən	Seriously affected by, ബാധിച്ച
Decade ˈdɛkeɪd	A period of ten years, ദശാബ്‍ദം
Gouge gaʊʤ	To pluck out, പിഴുതെടുക്കുക
Revelation ˌrɛvɪˈleɪʃən	A piece of information that is disclosed, വെളിപ്പെടുത്തുക
Teem tiːm	Filled with , നിറഞ്ഞു കവിയുക
Autopsy ˈɔːtəpsi	The medical examination of a dead body to discover the exact cause of death, ശവശരീരം പരിശോധിക്കൽ
Ill-fated ˈɪlˈfeɪtɪd	Unlucky, ഭാഗ്യഹീനമായ
Inflated ɪnˈfleɪtɪd	Swelling, വീർത്ത
lament ləˈmɛnt	To feel or express great sorrow or regret, വിലപിക്കുക
Plight plaɪt	Serious and difficult situation, ദുർഘടം
Wreak riːk	To cause destruction, നാശം വിതയ്ക്കുക
Havoc ˈhævək	Large scale destruction, താറുമാറാക്കുക
Unequivocal ˌʌnɪˈkwɪvəkəl	Clear and unmistakeable, സ്പഷ്ടമായ
Suffice səˈfaɪs	Be adequate,തൃപ്തികരം
Trepidation ˌtrɛpɪˈdeɪʃən	Worry about something unpleasant that might happen, ഭയം

Problems with hurricanes - Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 1 Mar 2017 08:31:00 +0530

The title of the poem, ‘Problems with Hurricanes’ poses a seriousness which is absent in the poem. The Campesino is the narrator of the poem, the tone of which is humorous. Humor is evoked by depicting small fruits as the cause of death and havoc. The poet speaks of the havoc caused by hurricanes not by wind but by small fruits like mangoes, avocados, green plantains and bananas. The speaker compares death by drowning and death by fruit and says that the former is more honorable than the latter. The Campesino tells us not to be afraid of the wind or noise of the water but to beware of mangoes and all such beautiful, delicious, innocent things in outward appearance as “appearances are deceptive”.

A paradox is set between sweet, delicious fruit and sudden death which is comical. “Bananas flying into town like projectile” is a simile. It creates an image of a killer fruit. It is an imagery characterizing the plants.

“If the wind picked you up

And slammed you

Against a mountain boulder

This would not carry shame ” is personification.

It is sad to see death by a fruit. People usually blame hurricanes or such calamities as a reason for death in order to bring honor for the dead ones.

Is humanity suicidal by E.O. Wilson - MCQ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 1 Mar 2017 08:17:00 +0530

Is humanity suicidal - MCQ
1. Which species gained intelligent control of the earth?
a. Primates	b. Homo sapiens	c.Chimpanzees	d. None of these
2. What are the main factors that led to the destructive impacts on earth?
a. Population explosion	b. Varying atmospheric and climatic conditions	c. Being aggressively territorial and selfish	d. Both a and c
3. Which is the order of preference of an ordinary individual?
a. Individual, Family, Tribe, Rest of the distant world	b. The rest of the world, Tribe, Family, Indivudal	c. Individual, Tribe, Family, Rest of the distant world	d. None of these
4. What makes humans to underestimate both the likelihood and impact of natural disasters?
a. Myopic fog	b. Exemptionalism	c. Juggernaut theory	d. None of these
5 What is true about environmentalism?
a. Humanity is a biological species tightly dependent on the natural world	b.Humans have solutions for all the problems	c. It is an opposing idea to exemptionalism	d. Both a and c
6. What answer does Edward O Wilson give to the title?
a. Humanity is not suicidal	b. Humanity is suicidal	c. Humanity may be suicidal	d. None of these
7. What is the main reason for the destruction of the ecosystem?
a. Earthquake	b. Conservation of biodiversity	c. Careless human activities	d. All of these
8. What does Wilson think about humanity?
a. They are smart	b. They have enough time to avoid all environmental catastrophes	c. They can conserve the biodiversity to a great extent	d. All of these
9. Which works of Wilson have won Pulitzer prizes?
a. The Future of Life and The Diversity of Life	b. The Ants and On Human Nature	c. On Human Nature and Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge	d.,The Ants and Diversity of Life
10. Which of the following is referred to by Wilson?
a. Enceladus	b. Titan	c. Ganymede	d. Europa
11. Where did homosapiens rise from?
a. Africa	b. South America	c. Asia	d. Europe
12. Which of the following scientists was mentioned by Wilson?
a. Isaac Newton	b. Einstein	c. Lamarck	d. Charles Darwin
13. What does "Paleolithic " mean?
a. Related to dinosaurs	b. Related to stone age	c. Related to space	d. None of these
14. Which of the following is the century of the Environment'?
a. 21 century	b. 20 century	c. 19 century	d. 18 century
15. What does 'androcentric' mean?
a. Female dominated concepts,values and institutions	b. Related to humanity	c. Male dominated concepts, values and institutions	d. Eco system abuse
16. The author asks the readers to imagine that an alien civilization is concealed on an icy moon of Jupiter and they have closely watched the earth for millions of years. What have they recorded till now?
a. They have tracked the surface by means of satellites equipped with sophisticated sensors.	b. They have recorded millennial cycles in the climate, interruption by the glaciers and scattershot volcanic eruptions.	c. High rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide, ozone layer thinning, Nitrous oxide and other plumes.	d. All of these.

ANSWERS
1. b	2. d	3. a	4. b	5. d	6. a	7. c	8. d
9. b	10. c	11. a	12. d	13. b	14. b	15. c	16. d

Is humanity suicidal? - Short Q&A

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 1 Mar 2017 07:01:00 +0530

From the series "War Is The Suicide Of Humanity". *By Lidia Matviyenko*

Is humanity suicidal? - Short Q&A
1. What would the alien civilization concealed on the moon of Jupiter have recorded about earth?
Ans. The alien civilization would have recorded the shrinking of the forest by half, acute rise in carbon dioxide level, thinning and puncture of ozone layer at the poles and the spread of toxic plumes from the fires in South America and Africa.
2. Which species gained control over earth and ecosystem and how did earth change in the process?
Ans. Homosapiens eventually gained intelligent control over the earth. The atmosphere and climate of the earth as well as the composition of the world’s flora and fauna changed for the worse.
3. Edward O Wilson pointed out that 'Darwin’s dice have rolled badly for Earth’. Examine this statement.
Ans. The Homosapiens doubled in number and dominated the earth causing serious damage to the ecosystem. This is why Wilson says that Darwin's dice {evolution}rolled badly for earth.
4. Briefly define, ‘Juggernaut theory of human nature’?
Ans. “Juggernaut theory of Human Nature” says that people are genetically predisposed to be so self-centered that we will not develop an awareness of our global predicament until it is too late. While this aspect of human nature provided our prehistoric ancestors with a competitive advantage, Wilson believes that this type of thinking is a genetic artifact that prevents humans from accepting a long range view of the biosphere.
5. Explain humanity's historical role in creating our current condition of ecosystem?
Ans. According to Edward O Wilson, the current condition of the ecosystem is due to the humanity. Humanity’s uncontrolled activities are badly affecting the ecosystem as well as the earth . The ozone layer of the stratosphere thins, toxic gases like nitrous oxide and other toxins rise from fires in South America and Africa. All these pollutants are mainly due to humanity. Humanity is gobbling up a large part of the living world. We pollute the air and water, lower water tables and extinguish species. Activities like construction of buildings and roadways and the creation of wastelands badly affect the ecosystem.
6. How humanity can pass through into the future?
Ans. Humanity is tightly dependent on the natural world. Many of the Earth’s vital resources are about to be exhausted. Earth is our home in the full, genetic sense, where humanity and its ancestors existed for all the millions of years of their evolution. Natural ecosystems like forests and marine blue waters always maintain the world exactly as we would wish it to be maintained. But it is our duty to protect our mother nature. So it is necessary to save the nature for the survival of humanity.
7. How badly does the population growth affect the ecosystem?
Ans. Many of Earth’s vital resources are about to be exhausted, its atmospheric chemistry is deteriorating and human populations have already grown dangerously large. As a result natural ecosystems, the well springs of a healthful environment are being irreversibly degraded.
8. What is Wilson’s answer to the question “Is humanity suicidal?” Briefly explain it.
Ans. Wilson pointed out that humanity is not suicidal. He says that human beings are smart enough and have time,enough to avoid all environmental catastrophes of civilisation threatening dimensions. But the technical problems are sufficiently formidable to require a redirection of much of science and technology, and Wilson also says that,humans have entered the ' Century of the environment'. Conservation of biodiversity is increasingly seen by both national governments and landowners as an inevitable issue regarding their country's future. So according to Wilson's view humanity is not suicidal.
9. What can careless activity on Earth lead to?
Ans. When we debase the global environment and extinguish the variety of life, we are dismantling a support system that is too complex to understand, let alone replace, in the foreseeable future.
10. What does human reduce during relentless search for more food?
Ans. Humans have reduced animal life in lakes, river and open ocean.

Is humanity suicidal? - Textual question and answers.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 17:37:00 +0530

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
1: Do you place credibility on the opinions expressed in the essay?
Ans: Yes. In the essay, ‘Is humanity suicidal’, Wilson is making a global wake up call. He describes in detail the destruction of world's ecosystem. The picture he presents is very bleak and according to him the human species itself is an environmental hazard. The control of the ecosystem is impossible because we cannot replicate all the complex interactions and relationships that exist among the millions of species on the earth. Some people may take Wilson’s warnings as mere opinions. But Wilson's arguments are scientific to a great extent.
2: Do you think Wilson’s views are a bit pessimistic?
Ans: No. Wilson is not pessimistic. His words may appear pessimistic simply because he speaks about the extinction of the human species. It is bitter but it is a possible reality.
3: Do you agree that humans must change their behavior in order to survive as a species?
Ans: Yes. Humans must change their behaviour to survive. This is because ecosystems on the earth are heavily damaged by the present style of living of humanity. They have to adopt an eco-friendly mode of life.
4: Do Wilson’s statements and opinions appear logical and ring true to you?
Ans: Yes, E.O. Wilson draws our attention to the decline of ecosystem. Human kinds play a crucial role in this process. Wilson traces the history of the gradual destruction of ecosystem in a convincing manner. In addition to this, Wilson suggests the measures to be followed to reduce environmental issues.
5: Can this paper be considered as strictly scientific argument in support of his conclusions?
Ans: No. The paper is scientific only in some aspects. Some other aspects are presented without scientific packing and are not facts.