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The Indian culture lays stress on Nature and God. Nature is the 'yen' or female part whereas God the creator,is the male part. This concept also known as 'Maya' or Brahma' The combination of two creates the whole world, all it objects and also inhabitants.

(i) the most important quality of something that makes it what it is.  

(ii) the main part.  

(iii) practical importance. 

(iv) liquid taken from vanilla that contains its smell and taste in very strong form.  

(i) The Chinese paintings are based on imaginative, inner or spritiual approach whereas  the european paintings reproduce an actual view, of an external or real object. The painings of Wu daozi and mater painters of Europe illustarte the difference.  

(ii) Shanshui, meaning “mountain-water”, refers to a style of Chinese painting that involves natural landscapes, the landscape which is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space. It represents the two complementary poles (`yin’ and `young’) reflecting the Daoist view of the universe.

Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, was the first archaeologist to discover King Tut’s tomb in the year 1922. His was a great discovery but during the investigation process, he damaged the mummy to a great extent. As the body was found cemented to its gold coffin, it was impossible to move it. Finally, to separate the mummy from its adornments, Carter decided to remove its head and break nearly every major joint. Due to this his investigation was resented.

A language becomes extinct when its use is restricted to specific class or category of people. Secondly, the harshness of rules and lack of flexibility in usage also contribute in extinction of languages.

Howard Carter's, the British archaeologist discovered Tut's tomb in 1922. However, his investigation was resented because he used unscientific methods to cut the body away from the wooden base. He also focused more on the discovery of gold than on the fascinating details of Tut's life and the mystery of his death.

For 

if you think history has any relevance in our life, we must get at the truth. There are so many mysteries which remain unsolved. For example, we know very little about the Indus valley civilization. The seals remain un-deciphered. This needs scientific investigation. Without scientific intervention they will remain in the dark.

OR Against

No doubt we need to know the past. History has relevance in our life. But sometimes we take it too far. King Tut's mummy has been repeatedly investigated. In spite of spending millions of dollars, nothing new has been revealed. We must utilize our resources to help the living rather than investigating the dead.

King tut's body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny because he was the last heir of a powerful family that ruled over Egypt for centuries and was just a teenager when he died. He was laid to rest with large quantity of gold. It was when his tomb was discovered that the world speculated over the manner and the time of his death.

King Tut was buried in a coffin made of pure gold “lavished with glittering goods”. The gilded treasures found included precious collars, inland necklaces and bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes. In those times, the royals believed in the idea of taking their wealth with them. Tut was adorned with all such riches for his journey after life. It also gives the idea of the Egyptian belief in resurrection.

Tutankhamen means „Living image of Amun‟. He was a major god in ancient Egypt. King Amennotep smashed the images of Amun and closed his temples. Tut oversaw a restoration of the old ways. He also changed his name to express his belief on Amun.

The ancient royals of Egypt were fabulously wealthy. They believed in after life. They also believed that they could take their wealth with them. So gilded treasures were buried with them.

There are four principal biological systems of the earth. These systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. In addition to supplying our food, these four systems provide virtually all the raw material for the industry. However, due to the increasing demand of human beings to such an „unsustainable‟ extent, the productivity of these systems is being hampered. The excessive demand results in deterioration and depletion of these resources. A country where protein is consumed on a large scale, over-fishing is common, which leads to the collapse of fisheries in that area. Grasslands have been turned into deserts and production of crops is decreasing. The forests are destroyed in large proportions to obtain firewood. Depletion of tropical forests has also led to the extinction of several species.

The notice outside a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia reads that “The world's most dangerous animal.” And inside the cage there is no animal but a mirror where one can see his image. It is a sarcastic way of making man realize how they are responsible for the destruction of so many species which has resulted in the depletion of resources and deterioration of environment. Man is responsible for this and his own survival is threatened.

67, Mansarovar plaza
New Delhi
October 7, 2012
The President
Residents’ Welfare Association
Mansarovar plaza
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Subject: Problem of water scarcity and measures for water conservation
On behalf of the residents of Mansarovar plaza, I would like to draw your attention to the pressing problem of water scarcity in our society. The water supply is not enough to cater to the needs of the residents. Despite this situation, many people are not concerned about water being wasted in house hold chores, washing of cars, etc.
In this backdrop, I have few suggestions to address the above mentioned issue. A seminar cum workshop could be organised to discuss the issue with the residents. Water conservation experts may be invited to make us aware about various methods and technologies available to conserve water. Moreover, the residents should be sensitised to conserve water while bathing, cooking, washing clothes, utensils, etc. Alternatively, a door to door campaign can be organised to spread awareness among the residents about the need for conserving water.
I request you to kindly take immediate steps to address the issue of water scarcity and conservation measures and motivate the residents to solve the problem collectively.

Yours truly,
Rajesh Khattar

The concept of success is integral in our lives. History is replete with examples to demonstrate success and failure. The conquest of the Everest, man’s landing on the surface of the moon, the invention of information technology and so on and so forth; the list is unending.

The secret of success lies in proper thinking. Success means attaining a specific goal within a specific time frame, in a particular situation. Thus, attaining success depends on understanding the situation and setting the right goal in the right situation.

To be successful in any domain, one needs to assess one’s strengths and weaknesses. One has to apply strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis before venturing into any activity. This holds good for an individual as well as a team or an organisation. In other words, our thinking and knowledge plays a key role in attaining success. Moreover, failure in one situation may lead to success in the other. It all depends on one’s attitude. Failure prepares the way for success.

To conclude, success which we all wish to attain comes as a result of proper thinking and attitude. T.S Eliot, the famous poet once said:
“Success is relative. It is what we make of the mess we have made of things.”

The present era shows that there has been tremendous progress in the public health scenario. There has been considerable progress in the development of vaccines for a number of communicable diseases. Illnesses like small pox have almost been wiped out from the world. The use of laser, microsurgery and synthetic components are on the rise.

Over the last few years, W.H.O, together with major international academic institutions, has organized several consultations and seminars on the issue of public health. The future success of the public health institutions will depend largely on how academic institutions prepare health personnel to link meaningfully with other sectors and with decision-makers.

The major challenge, however, is how to produce a proper mix of health care personnel, capable of fulfilling effectively the health needs of the people. The health personnel need to be trained using a more holistic approach, including a team approach, in health care and development. Another challenge is to reorient those already in work force with the new concepts, knowledge and skills.

Finally, global action and cooperation is a must to secure the benefits of globalisation for health for all, on an equitable basis. This is essential to prevent or minimise threats to health and well being. We need to foster global public health action through full utilisation of international and intergovernmental organizations involved in health and health development.

Such global public health action will include active surveillance on the global burden of disease, support for research on poverty and health, and the development of scientific norms and standards.

Those who can bear all can dare all. This holds good at all levels – individual, social, economic and organisational. The ability or attitude to endure in a given situation or environment is of utmost importance.

In a given situation, one’s response is either reactive or proactive. One may have positive or a negative response towards a situation. But for becoming effective in life one should cultivate a balanced or neutral attitude. A balanced attitude promotes development of endurance.

Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of electric bulb, owes his success to his ability to bear hardships. He once commented that genius is ninety percent perspiration and ten percent inspiration. Though he had to perform hundreds of experiment to invent the electric bulb, he did not let the failures overpower him. This attitude ultimately brought him success.

Napoleon, the famous French leader, regarded endurance as the most important quality of leadership. He said that losing a battle does not mean losing the war. Lord Buddha once said that the world we live in is in a state of flux. There is no certainty as situations do not always remain the same. In other words, one should be prepared to face the ups and downs in life. In this context, the best we can do is to remain neutral and not let the problems demoralise us.

In the era of globalisation and market economy, the quality of endurance is a prerequisite for the entrepreneurs. There are ample growth opportunities as well as uncertainties due to the play of market forces. In fact, one can take risk or bear uncertainty only when one has developed the quality of endurance. There may be ups and downs in business but one has to bear all.

To conclude, endurance is not the virtue of the weak rather it is the source of strength. That is why it is said “Those who can bear all can dare all.”

This sentence explains the fact that even though an Emperor might rule an entire kingdom and have power over his conquered territory, only an artist would be able to go beyond any material appearance. He knows both the path and the method of the mysterious work of the universe. True meaning of his work can be seen only by means known to him, irrespective of how powerful an emperor is.

The spirit to experience unique elements of nature, undaunted passion and willingness to accept challenges drive people to take up adventurous expeditions. The people who involve themselves in such activities are very well aware of the risk involved in them. But due to their passion and enthusiasm to do something unique and great, they willingly accept such challenges. Also, their desire to be in the lap of nature and experience its beauty pushes them to such expeditions

(i) Ursa Major (saptarishi mandala)- Ursa major is also known by the name of “Great Bear”. In Hinduism, Ursa Major is known as ‘saptarishi’ or the ‘seven sages’.
(ii) Polaris (Dhruva tara)- It is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor. It is the current northern pole star.
(iii) Pegasus (winged horse)- It is the constellation in the northern sky. It is named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology.
(iv) Sirius (Dog star)- Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. It is called the “Dog Star”. It is classically depicted as Orion’s dog.
(v) Gemini (Mithuna)- It is a zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere. In Greek mythology it is associated with twins, Castor and Pollux.

1. ghostly dust devils- it points out to the devilish or frightful movement of the dusty winds. It reflects the anger of the winds for disturbing the king from his resting place.

2. desert sky- it refers to the dusty sky of the desert. The barren sky spread over the vast desert region portrays a sad and dry picture.

3. stunning artefacts- items found in the tomb were extremely beautiful. Usage of both the words together explains the ‘eternal brilliance’ of the objects.

4. funerary treasures- reference is to the fact that king was buried with numerous things which were no less than treasures as most of the items were made of pure gold.

5. scientific detachment- it refers to an indifference towards science.

6. dark-bellied clouds- it refers to the dark clouds containing rain.

7. casket grey- the words point out to the stars being covered by the ‘dark-bellied clouds’, the way jewels are kept in a casket (a jewel box).

8. eternal brilliance- eternal refers to something that is timeless. Thus, eternal brilliance refers to timeless lustre and shine of the jewels and valuables of the king.

9. ritual resins- resins are used as a customary duty in the process of burying a body.

10. virtual body- a body created through electronic images or CT scan. It resembles a real body and provides a very clear view.

154,
Radhapur
Delhi
September 21, 2012
Dear Friend,
I am writing this letter to share my experiences during a rescue operation. You might have heard about the recent earthquake that rocked some areas of Sikkim. The earthquake was devastating, killing thousands and rendering hundreds of people homeless.
Being the part of NCC of my school, I got the opportunity to participate in the noble mission of helping the distressed. We started the rescue operation on the morning of Sept 15, 2012. Foul smell was coming from all directions. Many were dead and some were stranded in the debris. In the first half my team was able to rescue 60 people. We carried them to the nearby tents erected by the Army Medical Corps. We worked round the clock and the operation continued for three days. I could not sleep at night as the scenes of helpless people kept streaming in my mind. After we returned, the school staff and the officer in charge of NCC appreciated our work.
I would also suggest you to join the NCC as a cadet and play constructive role whenever required.

Yours truly,
Ritesh Thakur

Cat: rat, milk, fur
Cupboard: Clothes, books
Wall: Clock, paint, colours
Pond: ducks, water, lotus
Bird: tree, nest, sky

F-10
Malviya Nagar
New Delhi
November 18, 2012
The Editor
The Week
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Subject: Visit to an art gallery
Through the columns of your esteemed magazine, I would like to share the experiences of my recent visit to an art gallery, which showcases the art work of visually challenged people. The art gallery named Inner Eye is rightly named as it shows how the visually challenged artists from various parts of the country express their inner vision, perception and sensibilities through the medium of colour and brush.
The painting exhibition was inaugurated by Hiren Pathak, an eminent art critic. The theme of the paintings ranged from corruption, climate and poverty to the themes of mythology. Some works displayed fusion of styles like the traditional Madhubani style with modern art. Post-modernist trends were also noticed. The management of the art gallery deserves compliments for undertaking the stupendous task of promoting the works of the visually challenged.
The exhibition reminded me of a saying by Shakespeare: “What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties!” The exhibition was inspiring, motivating and a glaring example of the capabilities of man.

Yours truly,
Natasha Bhatt

A bird is a beautiful little creature. It is an epitome of freedom and independence. Human beings must derive inspiration from the hard work they do to fetch their food and make their nests. Seeing them winging in the vast sky fascinates children to fly as high as them.

When the last of the guests left, I went back into the hall to look for my mobile phone that I had left by mistake. As I went near the table that I had occupied, I saw a man hiding under it. The black mask he wore covered the whole face except his brown eyes, which were filled with terror.
Though dressed as a thief, he seemed incapable of stealing. When I asked him to come out of his hiding, he complied. Standing face to face with the man who had come to rob my house, the only thing I was able to notice about him was his teary, simple and honest eyes. On being asked to remove his mask and reveal his true identity, he broke down inconsolably. I gave him water to drink and made him sit comfortably. He revealed that he had decided to take to robbery as the last resort to save his daughter’s life, who was in coma. Hearing this, I decided to not report the matter to the police.
Already regretting taking to robbery, he was grateful that I was not handing him over to the police. Though he refused to take financial help from me, I insisted. He promised never to rob anyone and work hard to fight the problems of his life.

1. The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role by Nani Palkhivala (newspaper article)
2. ‘Country Town’ by Judith Wright (poem)
3. ‘Environment story for children’ by Ninfa Ortiz

On January 4th, after continuous pumping , the voyagers finally reached the last few centimeters of water. they felt relaxed and had a meal in almost two days. But their respite was short lived and weather again became atrocious. by Dawn   of 5th January when the narrator went to comfort his children, seeing their courage , he was left determined to save his family.

Such experiences teach us the potential that courage, perseverance and tolerance hold. It explains how one must react in the direst of the situations. It teaches us that one must never lose hope and try to find reasons to stay positive in the face of adversity. In such situations one must try his/her best to remain calm and composed and understand the power of unity and team work. Moreover, the importance of common sense, putting continuous efforts to overcome the catastrophe and the significance of being extra cautious and careful are learnt from such hazardous experiences. The experience teaches us that those who rough it out with life's gravest disasters become heroes.

_{The author was feeling rather lonely without Tsetan who had left for Lhasa. There weren’t any pilgrims at Darchen as he had reached the place much early in the season. It was then he Norbu who was a Tibetan and also an academician. He too was there to visit Kailash and they decided to go there together.}

The author was not physically well when he reached Darchen. His sinuses were blocked due to the cold wind at Hor and he was not able to sleep well at night. The next day Tsetan took him to the Darchen Medical College and the doctor there gave him some medicine that gave him some relief.

Tibetan Mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts as hunting dogs. They were brought along the Silk Road in ancient times as tribute from Tibet. They were huge black dogs used as watchdogs. They explode into action like bullets. They are furious and fearless.

Kora: Walk all the way round, circumambulate 

Drokba: shepherd  

Kyang: It is a wild Tibetan ass. 

These words are found in Tibetean Language.

‘This circumstance’ refers to the present situation of the poet wherein the poet is absorbed in the painful memory of her dead mother. Looking at the photograph and thinking of her mother’s laughter, the poet also realizes that it has been the same number of years since her mother died as her mother’s age in the photograph i.e.. twelve years.  

Paddling- The act of dabbling in water. To move a boat by means of paddles. 

Transient: Transitory. Something that stays at a place for a short time-period.

The camera has captured some happy moments from the childhood of the poet’s mother. It was a scene taken from a beach where she had gone with her two cousins, Betty and Dolly and her uncle for a sea holiday. The girls were paddling in the water and holding the hand of poet's mother, when the uncle had clicked the photograph.

The sea has not changed over the years. It is still the same. The sea symbolizes eternity. On the contrary human life is transitory and this transience is compared to the nature which is permanent and eternal

The poet's mother laughed at the happy memories of the moments that had passed long back. She looked back to her childhood with nostalgia and remembered the innocent joys of her childhood days.

What is it that gives Earth a unique place in the Universe? Undoubtedly, it is the availability of water, due to which existence of life is possible on earth.

Biologists opine that life on Earth originated in water. In fact, water has been the subject of study for a number of disciplines. All these studies have generated many fascinating facts about water. The scientific study of water is called Hydrology.

Poets of all literary tradition have composed wonderful poems in praise of water. Leonardo da Vinci, the great Renaissance artist, produced many paintings on water. Moreover, almost all the religions of the world have given exalted position to water. Water is regarded as a symbol of purity in all the religions.

Interestingly, water is considered as a standard of measurement by scientists and a standard of excellence by philosophers. It is a symbol of motion and flux. According to a school of Chinese philosophy, the highest excellence is like water. Besides, in alternative medicine systems, water is very useful in treating many diseases.

In view of the importance of water, the United Nations has declared March 22 as the Day for Water. There are numerous other fascinating facts about water, which is a vital necessity for any living being.

The mesmerising beauty of the Himalayan mountain range was put to question on 8th of October 2005, when a massive earthquake rocked some parts of the Himalayan region.

The earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, was devastating. According to the seismologists, the epicentre of the earthquake was in Muzzaffarabad, Pakistan. The worst hit areas were Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Khyber-pakhtunka and western parts of the Kashmir valley in the Indian-administered Kashmir. About 80 thousand people died in the quake. Many of them were school children who got buried under the rubble of their school buildings.

There was a huge national and international humanitarian response to the crisis. The UN and the US were criticised for not taking practical steps and focussing on training and seminar costing millions.

To conclude, the 2005 Himalayan quake will never be erased from our memories. Though it has taught many lessons to the planners, architects, disaster managers and the policy makers, the suffering of the victims will always invite sympathy of the mankind worldwide.

Though shopaholics adhere to the slogan ‘shop till you drop’, policy makers, the ecologists, the economists, the philosophers, the medical experts and many others do not buy the thought.

Interestingly, Gandhiji used the adage ‘Think before you shop’ during the Swadeshi Movement. He gave the clarion call to boycott foreign made goods to promote indigenous industries.

In the present scenario, ‘Think before you shop’ has been advocated by ecologists to warn that indiscriminate behaviour on our part may affect the environment adversely. In fact, the market is flooded with products made from animal parts making the animals vulnerable. In other words, we should think twice before buying any product. We should consider the possible environmental effects before buying any product.

Economists want us to think before shopping as our shopping behaviour has many economic implications. It affects local, regional, national and international economics. If, for example, we start buying imported goods then this will gradually deplete our foreign exchange reserve.

Medical experts and psychiatrists advise us to think before we shop as the products we buy may have negative effects on our health. On the other hand, social activists advocate us to be very cautious while shopping, as the products we are going to buy might have been produced by child labourers.

To conclude, the adage ‘Think before you shop’ is loaded with implications. It is indeed a very important directive for all of us as our shopping behaviour has multidimensional impact on the world we live in.

The study of human population as a phenomenon yields many interesting trends and patterns. Human population has never been static. Malthus, a famous classical economist, observed that human population grows at geometric proportion whereas food grows at arithmetic proportion. The dynamics of human population is influenced by many factors – social, cultural, economic, environmental and technological factors.

According to demographers, between 1965 to 1970 the growth rate human population was 2.1 percent per annum, which is recorded as the highest. The coming generation will look back at the event as the most significant event in the history of human population. Human population never grew with such speed before 20th century and is never again likely to grow in future.

Demographers like astronomers keep on observing interesting trends and patterns in human population. As of now human population has been showing inflationary trend, that is, it is growing in size.

(i)  For 

A single event may change the course of the history of a nation. The battle of Panipat for example is said to be the turning point in the history of India. In the Battle of Panipat, the Marathas gave in to the forces of Ahmed Shah Abdali. After this event the history of India took another turn. Gradually, the country was was overtaken by the foreign forces. In the story The Adventure it is mentioned how in the beginning Prof. Gaitonde was preparing a speech on what course the history would have taken if the Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat. This shows the importance of a single event in the history of a nation. 

Against  

The motion that A single event may change the course of the history of a nation is a matter of perspective only. It is a relative truth. If we apply the catastrophic theory in understanding history then we will find that there may be alternative outcomes of a single event so that we cannot proclaim that any one course of event is the reality. Since there may be alternative courses of history so debating on a single course is not fruitful. In the story the Adventure due to catastrophic phenomenon the Battle of Panipat is revealed in a different version to Prof Gaitonde. According to this version, the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle of Panipat. After the event the Marathas extended influence over the entire country. India never fell to the alien forces. So, to argue that a single course of event may change the course of history is not tenable. There may be alternative effects following an event.  

(ii) For  

Our senses , that is the senses of touch, sight, taste and hearing and smell provide us facts about the world we live in. Knowledge from experience come through these senses. The reality is what we directly experience through these senses. No other reality exists which is not revealed to the senses.  

Against

Reality is not what is directly revealed to the senses. We cannot experience so many entities like atoms and molecules but these are real. We cannot even predict the behavior of these entities accurately. This point is mooted by Rajendra in the story Adventure when he points to the discoveries made by the physicists regarding the behaviour of the atoms. We can predict the position of a bullet fired in a particular direction from a gun but we cannot predict the position of a an electron fired from a source. This proves that reality is not what is directly revealed to the senses, there can be alternative realities existing side by side. 

(iii) For  

The methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar. In the story The  Adventure one can find the perspectives of History, Philosophy and Science converging towards a focal point. History employs the methods of observation, analysis and rationalism in understanding the course of past events. Science is based on observation, experimentation and analysis.  Rationalism is the most fundamental principle that Science follows. Philosophy is thoroughly critical in methodology.  

Philosophy examines everything including the assumptions and methodology of Science and other disciplines like History. In the story The Adventure History, Science and Philosophy converge. Prof. Gaitonde experienced an altogether different version of the out come of the Battle of Panipat. Contrary to the version as provided in History text books,the Marathas emerged as victorious in this battle. Prof. Gaitonde tried to understand this rationally but he failed to get any clue. In this context, Rajendra intervened to explain this phenomenon in the light of the Catastrophic theory which is being employed by Physicists in understanding the behavior of atoms. Here we find Science and History converging. The similar perspective is seen in Philosophy that truth is relative and not absolute. In fact, the philosophical movement of post Modernism is based on this. In other words, the methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar.  

Against  

It is a misnomer that the methods of inquiry of History,Science and Philosophy are similar. The similarity is at superficial level and not at the core. In the story The Adventure Rajendra tried to rationalise the experience of Prof Gaitonde by applying the Catastrophic theory. But this explanation is not convincing though it convinced the professor. Catastrophic theory can best explain phenomenon of the physical world but History deals with behavioural world. It is concerned with the behaviour of society and individuals. The methods of inquiry will also vary accordingly.  

The method of inquiry of Philosophy is speculative. Philosophy even questions rationalism. Philosophy is highly critical of the methods of Science and History. In other words, the methods of History, Science and Philosophy are not similar. The story The Adventure by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar is, in fact, a science fiction which is trying to show the convergence of Science History and Philosophy. In reality the three disciplines, namely, Science, History and Philosophy have to employ different methodology of inquiry vis-a-vis the subject matter.

1. This statement was said by Rajendra to Professor Gaitonde. He made a transistion from one world to another and back again. By making a transistion, he was able to experience two worlds although one at a time. He neither travelled to the pas nor to the future. He was in the present but experiencing a different world.  

2. This statement was made by Rajendra to Prof. Gaitonde in the text The Adventure by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar. Gangadhar had passed through a strange experience. He had the experience of living in two world, one he lived in now and other where he had spent two days.  

3. Gangadharpant knew India which had seen the decline of Peshwas and experienced the slavery of the British. But the India he had seen in two days was completely different. It had not been subjected to slavery for the whiteman. It was self dependent and enjoyed self respect. He compared the two countries the one that he knew already and other that he was witnessing around him. Both had different histories. 

4. Professor Gaitonde had decided to go to a big library at Bombay and browse through history books. Then he would find out how the present state of affairs was reached. On his return to Pune, he would have a lonk talk with Rajendra Deshpande. He hoped that Rajendra would help him understand what had happened.  

5. This bombay was under the British Raj. An Anglo-Indian in unform checked permits. Each of the blue  carriages of GBMR had the tiny Union Jack painted on it. The Victoria Terminus station looked very neat and clean. The staff was mostly of Anglo-Indians and Parsee alongwith a handful of british Officers.

1. False  

2. True  

3. False  

4. False  

5. True

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.”

(i) gripped the imagination of: received much attention 

(ii) dawned upon: realized it for the first time

(iii) ushered in: began the new idea  

(iv) passed into current coin: have been brought into use  

(v) passport of the future: a thing that makes something possible or enables one to achieve it, authorization of growth

India, the biggest democracy in the world, is condemned for its easy attitude towards laws. Laws are constituted but never respected nor enforced in our country. For instance, the Indian Constitution mentions that casteism, untouchability and bonded labour shall be abolished; however, these evils flourish barefacedly even today.  The author points out that Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, propounds that “the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. However, little is done in favour of this. What we see is a near “catastrophic depletion” of forests over the last four decades. Forests are disappearing over the decades at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. Areas that are officially designated as forest land, in reality, are treeless. The actual loss of forests is eight times the rate pointed by the government statistics.

(i) prima face means „at first sight, before closer inspection‟  

(ii) ad hoc means „for the specific purpose, case, or situation at hand and for no other‟.  

(iii) in camera means „in secret, in private‟  

(iv) ad infinitum means „to infinity, having no end‟  

(v) mutatis multanis means „changing [only] those things which needs to be changed‟, [only] the necessary changes having been made Caveat means „a warning or caution‟  

(vi) tabula rasa means, chance to start afresh, „without any prior experience or knowledge‟.

Over-population is one of the strongest factors responsible for a nation's poverty and unemployment.  It disturbs the earth's principal biological systems leading to degradation of environment.  The author highlights the problem of over-population by pointing out the mental set-up of the poor who feel more children means more workers to earn money. They do not realize that more children only mean more unemployed people. He argues that development is the best contraceptive, which includes spread of education, improvement of health and rise in income.  Spread of education leads to awareness among people, which in turn results in a fall in the „fertility‟ rate. The author makes a comment which emphasizes the never ending circle of population and  poverty by asserting that “The choice is really between control of population and the perpetuation of poverty.”