Hornbill | Class 11 The Ailing Planet Question Answers Solved | NCERT Solutions & Summary, it is essential for young learners to build a strong foundation in the subject, and CBSE Class 11 English Solutions, Understanding the chapter thoroughly helps students grasp key concepts, improve comprehension, and perform well in exams. Also, we provide The Ailing Planet Green Movement’s Role Question Answers | and NCERT Class 11 English Sample Papers.
In this article we will provide you The Ailing Planet class 11 summary in English, Hindi and Bengali.
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The Ailing Planet Question Answers Solved-Complete NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English
The Ailing Planet class 11 summary in English: (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
The chapter furthers the view that the Green Movement, born some 25 years ago, created a global awareness about Earth protection. It began to be perceived as a living organism that needs to be cared for and respected. The principle of sustainable development implies that resources should be used as guards for future uses. Humans are called the most dangerous species with the most aggressive greed and destruction of nature.
The Earth is surely overexploited and damaged on the biological fronts: forests, fisheries, grasslands, and croplands. The resultant effect of deforestation and overfishing ultimately leads to loss of species and conversion of fertile land into wastelands. In India, even if there are laws to protect forests and wildlife, they are poorly implemented. Rapid population growth has accentuated poverty and further exploited natural resources.
According to the author, development is the best contraceptive, as getting better education and income will lower population growth. Industrialists should be responsible for the environment, a concept also known as sustainable development, and will need to apply a much greater degree of conscious awareness and environmentally friendly methodologies in their operations. The world is moving into an era of responsibility, where humans are supposed to take care of nature rather than exploit it.
The lesson ends with a message: We have borrowed the Earth from our children, not inherited it from our ancestors.
The Ailing Planet class 11 summary in Hindi: (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
यह अध्याय इस दृष्टिकोण को और पुष्ट करता है कि लगभग 25 वर्ष पहले शुरू हुए हरित आंदोलन ने पृथ्वी संरक्षण के बारे में वैश्विक जागरूकता पैदा की। इसे एक जीवित जीव के रूप में देखा जाने लगा जिसकी देखभाल और सम्मान किया जाना चाहिए। सतत विकास के सिद्धांत का तात्पर्य है कि संसाधनों का उपयोग भविष्य के उपयोग के लिए रक्षक के रूप में किया जाना चाहिए। मनुष्य को सबसे खतरनाक प्रजाति कहा जाता है जो प्रकृति के सबसे आक्रामक लालच और विनाश के लिए प्रवृत्त है।
पृथ्वी निश्चित रूप से जैविक मोर्चों पर अत्यधिक दोहन और क्षतिग्रस्त है: वन, मत्स्य पालन, घास के मैदान और कृषि भूमि। वनों की कटाई और अत्यधिक मछली पकड़ने का परिणामी प्रभाव अंततः प्रजातियों के विनाश और उपजाऊ भूमि को बंजर भूमि में बदलने का कारण बनता है। भारत में, भले ही वनों और वन्यजीवों की सुरक्षा के लिए कानून हों, उनका क्रियान्वयन ठीक से नहीं किया जाता है। तीव्र जनसंख्या वृद्धि ने गरीबी को बढ़ा दिया है और प्राकृतिक संसाधनों का और अधिक दोहन किया है।
लेखक के अनुसार, विकास सबसे अच्छा गर्भनिरोधक है, क्योंकि बेहतर शिक्षा और आय प्राप्त करने से जनसंख्या वृद्धि कम होगी। उद्योगपतियों को पर्यावरण के प्रति ज़िम्मेदार होना चाहिए, जिसे सतत विकास भी कहा जाता है, और उन्हें अपने कार्यों में अधिक जागरूकता और पर्यावरण के अनुकूल तरीकों को लागू करने की आवश्यकता होगी। विश्व उत्तरदायित्व के युग की ओर बढ़ रहा है, जहां मनुष्य को प्रकृति का दोहन करने के बजाय उसकी देखभाल करनी होगी।
पाठ का अंत इस संदेश के साथ होता है: हमने पृथ्वी को अपने बच्चों से उधार लिया है, अपने पूर्वजों से विरासत में नहीं लिया है।
The Ailing Planet class 11 summary in Bengali: (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
এই অধ্যায়টি এই দৃষ্টিভঙ্গিকে আরও এগিয়ে নিয়ে যায় যে, প্রায় ২৫ বছর আগে জন্ম নেওয়া সবুজ আন্দোলন পৃথিবী সুরক্ষা সম্পর্কে বিশ্বব্যাপী সচেতনতা তৈরি করেছিল। এটিকে একটি জীবন্ত প্রাণী হিসেবে বিবেচনা করা শুরু হয়েছিল যার যত্ন নেওয়া এবং সম্মান করা প্রয়োজন। টেকসই উন্নয়নের নীতির অর্থ হল ভবিষ্যতের ব্যবহারের জন্য সম্পদকে রক্ষক হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা উচিত। মানুষকে সবচেয়ে আক্রমণাত্মক লোভ এবং প্রকৃতির ধ্বংসের সাথে সবচেয়ে বিপজ্জনক প্রজাতি বলা হয়।
পৃথিবী অবশ্যই জৈবিক ফ্রন্টে অতিরিক্ত শোষণ এবং ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হচ্ছে: বন, মৎস্য, তৃণভূমি এবং ফসলি জমি। বন উজাড় এবং অতিরিক্ত মাছ ধরার ফলে শেষ পর্যন্ত প্রজাতির ক্ষতি হয় এবং উর্বর জমি পতিত জমিতে রূপান্তরিত হয়। ভারতে, বন এবং বন্যপ্রাণী রক্ষার জন্য আইন থাকলেও, সেগুলি খুব কমভাবে প্রয়োগ করা হয়। দ্রুত জনসংখ্যা বৃদ্ধি দারিদ্র্যকে আরও বাড়িয়ে তুলেছে এবং প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের আরও শোষণ করেছে।
লেখকের মতে, উন্নয়ন হল সর্বোত্তম গর্ভনিরোধক, কারণ উন্নত শিক্ষা এবং আয় অর্জন জনসংখ্যা বৃদ্ধি কমিয়ে দেবে। শিল্পপতিদের পরিবেশের জন্য দায়ী হওয়া উচিত, একটি ধারণা যা টেকসই উন্নয়ন নামেও পরিচিত, এবং তাদের কার্যক্রমে আরও বেশি সচেতন সচেতনতা এবং পরিবেশবান্ধব পদ্ধতি প্রয়োগ করতে হবে। পৃথিবী দায়িত্ববোধের এক যুগে প্রবেশ করছে, যেখানে মানুষের প্রকৃতিকে শোষণ করার পরিবর্তে তার যত্ন নেওয়ার কথা।
পাঠটি একটি বার্তা দিয়ে শেষ হয়: আমরা আমাদের সন্তানদের কাছ থেকে পৃথিবী ধার করেছি, আমাদের পূর্বপুরুষদের কাছ থেকে উত্তরাধিকারসূত্রে পাইনি।
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NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role
Understanding the text (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.
Answer: The lines that support the title “The Ailing Planet” are:
“The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.”
This line compares Earth to a sick patient, showing that our planet is suffering because of pollution, deforestation, and misuse of natural resources. It clearly explains why the planet is called ailing.
2. What does the notice ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?
Answer:
The notice “The world’s most dangerous animal” at the Lusaka Zoo points to a mirror inside the cage, where visitors see their own reflection.
It means that human beings are the most dangerous creatures on Earth, because they destroy forests, kill animals, pollute air and water, and harm the environment for their selfish needs. It reminds us that humans themselves are responsible for the planet’s suffering.
3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Answer:
The Earth’s four main biological systems – fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands are being overused and damaged by human activities.
Overfishing has reduced fish populations, forests are being cut down for timber and firewood, grasslands are turning into deserts because of overgrazing, and croplands are losing fertility due to overuse. All these actions are reducing the Earth’s natural productivity and harming the balance of nature.
4. Why does the author aver that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?
Answer:
The author says that the rapid growth of world population is one of the biggest threats to the future of human society because it puts heavy pressure on natural resources like land, water, food, and forests.
More people mean more needs for food, houses, fuel, and jobs which leads to overuse and destruction of nature. In poor countries, overpopulation also increases poverty and unemployment. If the population keeps rising, development and environmental protection will both become impossible.
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Talking about the text (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
Discuss in groups of four.
1. Laws are never respected nor enforced in India.
Answer:
It’s true that many laws in India are made but not properly followed or enforced. For example, there are strict laws for protecting forests, wildlife, and pollution control, yet people still cut trees, hunt animals, and dump waste carelessly.
The main reasons are lack of awareness, corruption, weak administration, and careless attitude of people.
If laws were respected and applied strictly, our environment would be in a much better condition today.
So, laws alone are not enough for people’s sense of responsibility and proper enforcement are equally important.
2. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and an ailing environment?”
Answer:
This line is a warning and a question of conscience. The author wants us to think about what kind of world we are leaving for future generations. If we keep destroying forests, polluting air and water, and wasting resources, our children will inherit a barren and unhealthy planet which full of deserts, poor soil, and dying ecosystems. The line reminds us that it’s our duty to protect and heal the Earth now, so that future generations can live on a healthy and beautiful planet.
3. “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children”.
Answer:
This line means that the Earth is not something we own permanently, we are only its temporary caretakers. We must protect and preserve it because future generations. Our childrens will depend on it. It reminds us that our actions today affect the planet tomorrow, so we should use resources wisely and live in harmony with nature.
4. The problems of overpopulation that directly affect our everyday life.
Answer:
Overpopulation affects our everyday life in many ways. It creates a shortage of food because more people compete for limited resources, and unemployment rises as there are not enough jobs for everyone. Many families remain poor, increasing poverty, and natural resources like water, land, forests, and energy are overused, harming the environment. Cities become crowded and polluted, leading to poor living conditions, lack of clean water, and inadequate healthcare. Overall, overpopulation not only makes life harder for people but also threatens the sustainability of the planet.
Thinking about language (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
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.
- prima facie
- ad hoc
- in camera
- ad infinitum
- mutatis mutandis
- caveat
- tabula rasa
Answer: Here is the meaning of these Latin phrases:
- prima facie – At first sight/view
- ad hoc – For a specific purpose
- in camera – In private
- ad infinitum – To infinity
- mutatis mutandis – With necessary changes having been made
- caveat – A warning or caution
- tabula rasa – Blank slate
Working with words (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
I. Locate the following phrases in the text and study their connotation.
- gripped the imagination of
- dawned upon
- ushered in
- passed into current coin
- passport of the future
Answer:
- gripped the imagination of: have powerful effect on imagination
- dawned upon: became obvious; began to realize for the first time
- ushered in: to make something new begin
- passed into current coin: become a part of current usage
- passport of the future: a thing that enables us to achieve something
II. The words ‘grip’, ‘dawn’, ‘usher’, ‘coin’, ‘passport’ have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs of sentences using each word in the literal as well as the figurative sense.
Answer:
1. Grip:
- She gripped on to the railing with both hands.
- Terrorism has gripped the country for the past five years.
2. Dawn:
- A new technological age has dawned.
- It dawned on me that they couldn’t possibly have met before.
3. Usher:
- The Secretary ushered me into his office.
- The change of management ushered in fresh ideas and policies.
4. Coin:
- Every coin has two sides.
- She coined a phrase to explain her meaning.
5. Passport:
- I showed my passport to the security officer.
- Hard work alone is the passport to success.
The Ailing Planet Extra Questions And Answers – NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English
The Ailing Planet Short Question Answer (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
1. What is the Green Movement?
Answer:
The Green Movement is a global effort started about 25 years ago to raise awareness about protecting the environment and maintaining ecological balance.
2. When and where was the world’s first Green Party founded?
Answer:
It was founded in 1972 in New Zealand.
3. What change has come in human perception due to the Green Movement?
Answer:
People have shifted from a mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world.
4. What did Copernicus teach mankind?
Answer:
He taught that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun, changing how humans saw the universe.
5. What does the author mean by saying the Earth is a living organism?
Answer:
It means the Earth has its own systems and needs, and all living beings are part of it.
The Ailing Planet Question Answers
6. What is the main message of the chapter?
Answer:
Humans must protect the Earth and use its resources responsibly for future generations.
7. Who defined ‘sustainable development’ and when?
Answer:
The World Commission on Environment and Development defined it in 1987.
8. What is meant by sustainable development?
Answer:
It means using resources to meet present needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
9. What message does the cage in the Lusaka Zoo give?
Answer:
It shows that humans are the most dangerous animals because they destroy nature.
10. What are the four principal biological systems of the Earth?
Answer:
Fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands.
The Ailing Planet Question Answers
11. Why are the Earth’s biological systems in danger?
Answer:
Because humans are overusing them for food, fuel, and industrial needs.
12. What happens when these biological systems are overused?
Answer:
Forests disappear, fisheries collapse, and croplands turn barren.
13. What did Dr. Myers call the tropical forests?
Answer:
He called them the “powerhouse of evolution.”
14. What is happening to the world’s tropical forests?
Answer:
They are being destroyed at the rate of 40–50 million acres every year.
15. What does the proverb ‘forests precede mankind; deserts follow’ mean?
Answer:
It means that forests support life, but when they are destroyed, only deserts remain.
The Ailing Planet Question Answers
16. What does Article 48A of the Indian Constitution state?
Answer:
It directs the State to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife.
17. What is the condition of forest laws in India according to the author?
Answer:
Laws exist, but they are not properly respected or enforced.
18. How much forest is India losing every year?
Answer:
About 3.7 million acres of forest land each year.
19. Who was Mr. L.K. Jha and what was his contribution?
Answer:
He was a member of the Brandt Commission, which discussed ecology and environment issues.
20. What question did the Brandt Report raise?
Answer:
It asked whether we are leaving a scorched and damaged planet for future generations.
The Ailing Planet Question Answers
21. Who is Lester R. Brown?
Answer:
He is an environmentalist who wrote The Global Economic Prospect explaining the decline of Earth’s biological systems.
22. He is an environmentalist who wrote The Global Economic Prospect explaining the decline of Earth’s biological systems.
Answer:
Rapid population growth has increased demand for food, fuel, and space, damaging natural resources.
23. What was the world population around 1800?
Answer:
It was about one billion.
24. What is the world population now according to the lesson?
Answer:
It is around 5.7 billion and increasing by one million every four days.
25. What does the author mean by “development is the best contraceptive”?
Answer:
It means that with better education and income, fertility rates naturally fall.
The Ailing Planet Question Answers
26. What is the situation of population growth in India?
Answer:
India’s population is over 920 million, more than the combined population of Africa and South America.
27. What does the author mean by ‘Era of Responsibility’?
Answer:
It means a time when humans must act responsibly to protect and preserve the Earth.
28. How can industries help in saving the environment?
Answer:
y adopting eco-friendly policies and reducing pollution.
29. Laws are never respected nor enforced in India.
Answer:
He called himself the company’s “Chief Environmental Officer.”
30. What message does Margaret Thatcher’s quote convey?
Answer:
She said that no generation owns the Earth permanently; we must maintain it for future generations.
The Ailing Planet Long Question Answer (The Ailing Planet Question Answers)
1. Describe how the Green Movement changed the human attitude toward the planet.
Answer:
The Green Movement made people aware that the Earth is not just a resource but a living organism. Earlier, humans tried to dominate nature for their benefit. After the movement began, people realized the importance of harmony and balance with the environment. It brought a new, holistic understanding that the survival of humans depends on the survival of the planet.
2. Explain the concept of sustainable development as discussed in the chapter.
Answer:
Sustainable development means using the Earth’s resources to meet present needs without harming future generations. It was defined in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development. The idea encourages responsible use of forests, land, and water so that the natural balance of the planet remains undisturbed.
3. What are the major threats to the Earth’s biological systems?
Answer:
The four main biological systems – fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands – are overused and damaged by human activities. Overfishing, deforestation, and overgrazing have led to extinction of species and loss of fertile land. As a result, the productivity of these systems is declining, threatening the Earth’s ecological balance.
4. Discuss the population problem mentioned in the essay and its impact on the environment.
Answer:
The essay explains that rapid population growth is one of the biggest threats to the planet. More people means more demand for food, shelter, and fuel, which puts heavy pressure on natural resources. In India, overpopulation worsens poverty and hunger. The author believes population control through voluntary family planning is essential for sustainable development.
4. What is the main message of the essay “The Ailing Planet”?
Answer:
The essay reminds us that the Earth is sick because of human greed and carelessness. It calls for awareness, responsibility, and cooperation among all nations. The author stresses that we must protect forests, control population, and support sustainable development. The essay ends with a powerful thought: We have borrowed this Earth from our children, not inherited it from our ancestors.