Class 11 English - CBSE
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement Role
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement's Role is an article by Nani Palkhivala, originally published in The Indian Express. It highlights the declining health of the Earth, shifting the human perception from a mechanical view to a holistic, ecological one. The chapter discusses the Green Movement, which started in 1972, and introduces the vital concept of 'sustainable development.' It stresses that the earth is not just a legacy passed down by our ancestors, but a loan borrowed from our children. For CBSE board exams, this chapter is crucial for testing reading comprehension, analytical thinking, and long-answer writing skills regarding environmental conservation.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
The Green Movement
A worldwide environmental movement that began in 1972 with the founding of the world's first green party in New Zealand, marking a massive shift in human consciousness toward planetary health.
Holistic and Ecological View
A shift in perspective from viewing the earth as an inanimate object to seeing it as a living organism—a vast, interconnected system of which we are just one part.
Sustainable Development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, a concept popularized by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.
The World's Most Dangerous Animal
A famous zoo exhibit in Lusaka, Zambia, featuring a mirror where visitors see themselves, highlighting human beings as the primary threat to the survival of the planet.
The Four Principal Biological Systems
The earth's foundation consisting of fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands, which form the basis of the global economic system.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the CBSE Class 11 English Core exam, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually appear as short answer questions testing textual understanding, or as long-answer/value-based questions asking students to discuss environmental degradation, sustainable development, or the message behind specific symbols like the zoo mirror in Lusaka.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the significance of the zoo in Lusaka, Zambia?
The zoo featured a cage with a mirror instead of an animal, with a notice reading 'The world's most dangerous animal.' This highlighted the fact that human beings are the greatest threat to the earth's survival.
What are the four principal biological systems of the earth?
They are fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands. They form the foundation of the global economic system by providing food and raw materials.
What did the author mean by the phrase 'No generation has a freehold on this earth; all we have is a life tenancy with a full repairing lease'?
The author meant that humans do not own the earth permanently. We only have the right to use it temporarily, along with the moral responsibility to take care of it and repair the damage for future generations.
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