NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Chapter 5 The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role

NCERT The Ailing Planet Class 11 Question Answer:- The NCERT Solutions for The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role (Class 11 English Chapter 5) provide detailed question answers that help students understand the chapter thoroughly. Whether you are looking for The Ailing Planet Class 11 question answers, short questions and answers, or specific Class 11 English Chapter 5 question answers, these NCERT solutions are designed to guide you in answering all the questions accurately.

 The Ailing Planet Class 11 emphasizes the urgent need for environmental conservation, and these answers will help students grasp the key ideas and effectively respond to The Ailing Planet questions. With Class 11 English Chapter 5 short question answers, students can practice concise, precise answers, ensuring better preparation for exams.

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NCERT The Ailing Planet Class 11 Question Answer

Here are the NCERT the ailing planet class 11 Chapter 5 question answer below:- 

Page Number: 47

Understanding the text

1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.

Answer: The lines that support the title of the chapter are given below.

“The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.”

“Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment?”

“…the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is “critical‟ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated”.

“When this happens, fisheries collapse, forests disappear, grasslands are converted into barren wastelands and croplands deteriorate.”

“it has been well said that forests precede mankind, deserts follow”

“ …. Several species of life face extinction as a result of its destruction.”

“The environmental problem does not necessarily signal our demise, it is our passport for the future.”

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 1

2. What does the notice ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?

Answer: The inscription ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ in a cage in the Lusaka Zoo in Zambia indicates that man has always been a completely self-centred being. Even though man is civilized and has advanced far beyond all other animals, his vision of a world based on cooperation has yet to take shape. We humans, like all other beings, want to rule this planet rather than coexist with it. That is why we frequently forget that humans cannot sustain themselves on their own. We must instead learn to live in a way that helps the earth sustain itself and thus helps us sustain ourselves.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 2

3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?

Answer: There are four major biological systems on Earth – fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands. These four systems are not only the basic systems required for survival, but they are also the primary sources of raw materials for the majority of our needs. In a nutshell, they are the foundation of the global economy. However, with rising protein demands, the demand for fish is increasing all the time. The fish stock is being depleted in order to meet this demand. 

Apart from supplying our food, these four systems provide almost all of the raw materials for the industry, with the exception of minerals and petroleum-derived synthetics. Human demands on these systems have reached an unsustainable level in many parts of the world, reducing their productivity. When this occurs, fisheries fail, forests disappear, grasslands become barren wastelands, and consequently, croplands deteriorate. Overfishing is a daily occurrence in a protein-conscious and protein-hungry world. Local forests are being decimated in poor countries in order to obtain firewood for cooking. Firewood has become so expensive in some areas that “what goes under the pot now costs more than what goes inside it.”

Read More: NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Chapter 3

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 believes that the world’s population growth is one of the most powerful factors distorting future human society because a growing population not only increases food demand but also depletes current resources at an unrecoverable rate. Fertility rates are declining as incomes rise, education spreads, and health improves. As a result, development is the most effective contraceptive. 

However, if the current rate of population growth continues, development may be impossible. The rich get richer, while the poor have children who keep them poor. Having more children does not imply more workers, but rather more unemployed people. It is not advocated that humans be treated like cattle and forced to be sterilized. However, there is no alternative to voluntary family planning that does not involve some form of coercion. The choice is really between population control and poverty perpetuation.

Read More: NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Chapter 4

Thinking about language

The phrase ‘inter alia’ meaning ‘among other things’ is one of the many Latin expressions commonly used in English. Find out what these Latin phrases mean.

1. prima facie

2. ad hoc

3. in camera

4. ad infinitum

5. mutatis mutandis

6. caveat

7. tabula rasa

Answer:

1. prima facie – at first face or first impression

2. ad hoc – created or done for a particular purpose as necessary

3. In-camera – doing something that the camera rolls.

4. ad infinitum – again and again in the same way

5. mutatis mutandis – making necessary alterations while not affecting the main point at issue.

6. Caveat – a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.

7. tabula rasa – an absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals

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Working with words

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

1. gripped the imagination of

2. dawned upon

3. ushered in

4. passed into current coin

5. passport of the future

Answer:

1. gripped the imagination of: received much attention

2. dawned upon: realised it for the first time

3. ushered in: began the new idea

4. passed into current coin: have been brought into use

5. passport of the future: a thing that makes something possible

II. The words ‘grip’, ‘dawn’, ‘usher’, ‘coin’, ‘passport’ have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs of sentences using each word in the literal as well as the figurative sense

Answer: Write your own answer.

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The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role Summary

The Green Movement began about 25 years ago, with the first nationwide Green party founded in New Zealand in 1972. Since then, it has grown rapidly and raised global awareness about the environment. For the first time, people are recognizing that the Earth is a living organism with its own needs and processes.

The signs of the Earth’s poor health are clear. People now realize their responsibility to care for the planet and protect it for future generations. In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development introduced the idea of sustainable development, which means meeting current needs without harming future generations.

Humans, once seen as the most destructive species, are now shifting from exploiting nature to working in harmony with it. Scientists have identified over 1.4 million species on Earth, with millions more still unknown.

The Brandt Commission, the first international body to address environmental issues, raised the question of whether we should leave behind a damaged planet. Lester R. Brown highlighted the four major biological systems of the Earth—fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands—which are the basis of the global economy. Sadly, these systems are being harmed by overuse, guiding to the collapse of fisheries, deforestation, and desertification.

Overfishing, deforestation, and soil depletion are major concerns. India, for example, is losing forests at a rate of 3.7 million acres per year. A UN study found that many countries are facing severe environmental damage.

The world’s population growth is another huge challenge. In 1800, the population reached one billion, and by 1900, it doubled. Today, the global population is about 5.7 billion, growing by one million every four days. While education and improved living conditions can lower birth rates, rapid population growth may outpace development efforts.

Without population control, poverty will continue. Voluntary family planning is essential for a better future. People are now more concerned about the planet’s future and have begun viewing the Earth as a whole rather than separate parts.

Industries also play a crucial role in this new “Era of Responsibility.” Business leaders must prioritize environmental sustainability to thrive. As Margaret Thatcher said, “No generation has a freehold on this Earth. All we have is a life tenancy with a full repairing lease.” We are borrowing the Earth from future generations, and it’s our responsibility to protect it.

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NCERT The Ailing Planet Class 11 Question Answer FAQs

1. Why is the chapter titled The Ailing Planet?

• The title reflects the deteriorating state of the Earth due to environmental degradation, overexploitation of resources, and unsustainable practices. It likens the planet to a patient whose health is declining rapidly.

2. What is the central message of the chapter?

• The chapter emphasises the urgent need for environmental conservation, sustainable development, and responsible human behaviour to protect the Earth for future generations.

3. What are the four principal biological systems mentioned in the chapter?

• The four principal biological systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands. They form the foundation of the global economy and are crucial for human survival.

4. How does overpopulation affect the environment?

• Overpopulation increases demand for food, water, and resources, guiding to overexploitation of natural systems. It perpetuates poverty and hinders sustainable development.

5. What is sustainable development?

• Sustainable development is a model that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.