UNIT-4 LIVE AND LET LIVE
UNIT 4 LIVE AND LET LIVE
LESSON-1
WHEN SAPLING IS PLANTED
By
Wangari Maathai
This
lesson is a speech delivered by the well-known African environmentalist Wangari
maathai after accepting the Nobel Prize for peace in 2004. In this lesson she
advises us to have a sensitive and reverential love for nature.
MAIN
POINTS:
·
Expresses the sensitive and reverential love for nature
·
Dedicates the Nobel Prize to the women and children of Kenya
·
Encourages the women and children of Kenya to take up leadership.
·
Speaks about the damages and changes caused by deforestation
·
Remarks the danger of introducing commercial farming to the
environment.
·
Price of export is controlled by International trade. It affects
the income of the people.
·
Local people suffer so much and they can’t meet their basic needs.
·
Thus the quality of life is disturbed when the environment is
destroyed.
·
Speaks of the importance of planting trees as a remedy for this.
·
Wangari Mathaai planted 30 million trees together with the members
of the Green Belt Movement.
·
As a result of Green Belt Movement employment opportunities were
created .
·
In Kenya the tree became a symbol of peace.
·
She speaks of the urgency to heal the wounds of mother earth.
·
Underlines the importance of sustainable management of
environment.
·
Exhorts the young generation to bring back the biodiversity of the
past.
·
It will ensure our children to enjoy the world of beauty and
wonder.
POSSIBLE
QUESTIONS:-
1.
Imagine that you are selected as the
best NSS Activist by the NSS cell of Higher Secondary Education. You would be
honoured by the Education Minister in the presence of the director, Higher
Secondary Education and other dignitaries. You are supposed to deliver a speech
that you would deliver.
A)
Honourable Chief guests on the dias, Respected teachers and my dear friends, A
warm good morning to one and all….
Today I am
very much honoured by standing here to receive the prize for the best NSS
activist. As I stand here my memories go back to the past. I recall the day
when I expressed my views about conserving nature and save mother Earth to my
loving parents by joining in the NSS organization. I am very much thankful to
God and my loving parents for the kind of support rendered on me.
As a NSS
Activist, my priority was to conserve and save nature by retaining its beauty
for the upcoming generation. We should always think of our fore-fathers who
sacrificed their valuable time for the conservation of nature. NSS has helped
me a lot to conserve the rich natural heritage.
I take this
auspices occasion as a time to inspire others. Let it be an inspiration to many
to come for the protection of nature. I believe in the power of youth to do
great wonder. I wish all the youngsters to devote their valuable time to bring
the best in conserving our motherland and ourselves.
“Let’s not
nip the buds, let it bossom”. Let’s stand together, join our hands to bring out
the best and protect environment
2. Look at the following collage. Write a
short paragraph describing the hazards it presents.
A) This
collage gives us a clear picture of the environmental disasters and the
increasing hazards. It helps us to think about our attitude to nature. Today
people are trying to live in new generation making changes in their style of
life. As a result people witness for earthquakes, droughts, deforestation etc.
Men are very busy to make development without caring nature. The above collage
makes us think about our selfish nature. Flats and large buildings make the
environment a difficult place to live. It really upsets the balance of nature.
Nature loses its natural beauty and thereby our earth becomes a dangerous place
to live. The recent floods occurred in Chennai are the result of men’s selfish
nature. The buildings and the new development degrade the capacity of the soil.
The harmful gases and smokes make the environment a hell. People become to be
rich by any means. They are ready to make any investment in the name of
development. Thus this collage really makes us think about our wrong attitude
to nature and to work for the better environment.
3. ’We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with
love and respect,’’ says Aldo Leopold. How far do you agree with this view?
Prepare a write-up in not more than 50 words in the light of your understanding
of the speech ‘When a Sapling is Planted’ by Wangari Maathai.
LOVE
OUR MOTHER EARTH TO LIVE LONGER
It is the need of the hour to conserve our
indigenous nature. In the Nobel prize acceptance speech, Wangari Maathai
insists youth and others to save our homeland and restore the world of
tadpoles. I do agree with the statement of Aldo Leopold completely. Since
present day society sees land as a commodity to buy and sell, the above advice
assumes so much importance. We always try to abuse nature. We have lost the
love our ancestors had to the nature. Aldo rightly puts it in his words. As
Wangari Maathai stated, the green belt movement was started for the restoration
of plants. But it has has been branched up to other fields like democracy,
politics and so on. She speaks about the loss, this generation would face. We
would not be able to give our next generation what we have already received
from our fore-fathers. We should try to consider nature as a social sphere to
live as a community. Here the speech is mainly addressed to the children and
women of Kenya because women are the most vulnerable persons in any community.
She adds that our environment is a part of our culture. She cites an example to
support this view. The elders of the Kikuyu carried a staff from the thigi
tree. Placing a branch of thigi tree is meant to stop the dispute between two
conflicts. Such practices are really conserving nature and they even promote
peace. Wangari Maathai took the challenge of planting thirty millions of trees
for achieving this dream. She invites everyone to take the challenge of
restoring the homes of tadpoles and gift the future generation its beauty and
wonder.
4. You are greatly honoured by the activities of
the Green Belt Movement but you decide on to launch a similar movement in your
School to ensure a green campus. In order to collect more information regarding
their activities, you decide to write a letter to the head of the Green Belt
Movement. Prepare the letter of enquiry. ( Hints: Their activities-websites/
books giving details-support given to local units)
FROM
NAME
MEDICAL LINE
ERNAKULAM
TO
THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
GREEN BELT MOVEMENT
ERNAKULAM
Sub:- TO COLLECT MORE INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES
OF GREEN BELT MOVEMENT
I am a Plus Two student studying in Florida
School in Chennai. I am planning to launch a movement named “Ever Green earth”
I am very much inspired by your activities on Green Belt Movement. I know your
organization focuses on planting trees, environment conservation and women’s
rights. I also want to implement a green Campus in our School by collecting
more information about your activities.
I would like to know about the websites of Green
Belt Movement and the books on it. I am also interested to know the kind of
support given by your organization to local units. I hope you would forward us
all the information to my E mail id
Thanking you in advance
Yours faithfully
NAME & SIGNATURE
5. A seminar was conducted in your School on the
topic ‘Maintaining the ecological balance in the modern world’ as per the
following programme. Read it carefully and prepare a report of the seminar.
ABC HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL
KOTTAYAM
SEMINAR
VENUE : School Auditorium
Time : 10.00 am
DATE: 20/06/2016
PROGRAMME
Prayer
: School Choir
Welcome Speech : Sri
Joshy Thomas, The Principal of the School
Presidential Address : Sri Mohankumar, The President of the Local
Body
Inaugural Address : Smt.
Radha Menon, Environmental activist
Paper Presentation : 1.
Master Amal Dev
2. Kum.Shanti Thomas
3.
Master Basheer K
4. Kum.Daisy Koshy
Interactive Session :
Vote of Thanks :
Master Francis Cyriac, Chairman of the School
|
REPORT OF THE SEMINAR
A
wonderful and enlightening seminar was conducted in our School on the topic
“Maintaining the ecological balance in the modern world” on 20th
June 2016 at 10 am in the School auditorium. The programme was started with a
prayer by the School choir. It was followed by the welcome speech by Sri Joshy
Thomas, the Principal of the School. The presidential address was done by
Sri.Mohankumar, the President of the Local Body. After the Presidential Address
the seminar was officially inaugurated by the famous Environmental activist
Smt. Radha Menon. It was followed by the Paper Presentation. First Paper was
presented by Master Amal Dev. He presented the paper in a clear manner highlighting
the importance of maintaining the ecological balance in the modern world. After
his presentation, Kumari. Shanit Thomas, Master Basheer K and Kum. Daisy Koshy
also presented their papers in an effective manner. Then there was an
interactive session for ten minutes. Some of the students actively participated
in this session by asking questions and clearing their doubts. Finally vote of
thanks was done by the Chairman of the School Master Francis Cyriac and the School
Choir did the National Anthem.
RICE
- A Poem by Chemmanam Chacko
MAIN
POINTS:-
·
Expresses his protest against social injustice and corruption
·
Criticizes the farmers and the authorities for their selfish
nature to environment.
·
Speaks about the pathetic condition of depending on other states
for rice, fruits and vegetables.
·
The first half of the poem gives us a nostalgic picture of the
past.
·
The poet returns to his little village after four years of
research work in North India.
·
The poet thinks of his father working in the paddy fields soiled
with mud.
·
He imagines his younger brother holding the saplings in his hand.
·
The poet’s mouth waters thinking about the ‘athikira’ rice of his
fields.
·
He imagines his father, mother, oxen and his brother welcoming
him.
·
He gets impatient and wants the train to move faster.
·
When he reached his village he is shocked. He sees the whole area
planted with rubber trees.
·
He notices his father installing a machine to make rubber sheets.
·
Father tells him about the profit of rubber cultivation.
·
He sees his brother arriving home from the ration shop. He trips
on something and the wheat is scattered.
·
Eating ‘adhikira’ rice remains only his dream.
remains as a dream.
·
In the end we see a plane flies over the rubber plants. It was the
Chief Minister going to the centre to ask for more grains to the state.
·
The poem ends with an ironic note. The poet predicts that they
will have to beg to the centre even for husks to make toys for children
POSSIBLE
QUESTIONS:-
1. ‘My little brother runs in to meet me-
I,
eager to have a full meal of athikira rice.
He’s
carrying the rations for the whole household-
Tips
over something and scatters the wheat all over the yard.’
Bring
out the satirical element in the above lines taken from the poem’Rice’.
A) In the poem “Rice” by renowned poet Chemmanam
Chacko clearly depicts the selfish and greedy nature of the farmers. The poem
is packed with sarcasm and scorn. He is shocked to comprehend the truth that
the farmers have stopped agriculture to start commercial crops. After four
years of research in North India, he returns home with a doctoral degree. He
longs for having a meal of athikira
rice. He was completely fed up by eating chapaties of North India. But much
against his expectation he finds that his native land is feeding on the wheat.
He is even greeted by his brother carrying ration for the entire family. We get
a clear picture of the modern society. Food crops are replaced by the cash
crops. Farmers find it very terrible to
go to fields well –dressed. Besides their desire to lead a luxurious life is
very clear in this poem. The image of the poet’s brother running in with the
ration, tripping and falling down is very much satirical. This kind of satire
really suits the theme. Today we get our food grains, vegetables and fruits
from neighbouring states. We can see a society where people want to catch fish
without wetting their fingers. People don’t want to have the good virtue of
hard work. The contrast between the reality and the expectation is depicted
here.
Read the
following lines from the poem Rice and answer the questions.
My father
says, with obvious pride: ‘Son, we’ve stopped working on all the rice.
It was quite
inconvenient. The farmer gained nothing- only fools turn to rice-farming for
gain.
This is
better money-what good times! The government gives rice to those who don’t have
paddyfields.’
2 What was
the poet’s father doing when he arrived?
A) The
poet’s father was watching people setting up a machine for making rubber
sheets.
3. ‘Only
fools turn to rice-farming for gain’. Why did the father say so?
A) The
father says so because nobody promotes the farming of rice. Rice farming was
considered as inconvenient. Besides the farmers gained nothing. Rubber brought
better money for them. Above all the government gives rice to those who have no
paddy fields.
4. Bring out
the satirical element in the above lines.
A) Chemmanam
Chacko is a master satirist. When there is shortage of rice, people rush
towards cash crops like rubber. For this they get support from government. It
is really satirical when father says with pride to his son that they have
stopped working on rice. The excuse ‘Only fools turn to rice-farming for gain’
also makes the readers laugh at the terrible condition. The dependence of the
state to the centre for getting more rice again is a sharp criticism. It is
again satirical when we read the line the government gives rice to those who
don’t have any paddyfields. It is a pity that the people are ruled more by
their greed and consumerism.
5. Read the
following lines from the poem and note how the poet has satirized the shift
from paddy cultivation to rubber planting.
‘My father
says with obvious pride:
Son, we’ve
stopped working on all the rice.
It was quite
inconvenient’
Cite other
instances of satire in the poem.
A) ‘Only
fools turn to rice farming for gain.
This is better money-what good times!’
In these
lines the poet is criticizing the farmers very humorously about their efforts
to get profits. They are not thinking about the negative impact it would bring
in future.
We have
other lines in the poem
“Can we get
some husk from the centre too,
To make toys
with it? I don’t know’
The poet
means that a time will come when we will have to beg for husks from the centre.
It is really a warning and reminds us to be careful to save our paddy fields
for the next generation.
DANGERS
OF DRUG ABUSE BY DR. HARDIN B JONES
·
It is an
essay written by Dr.Hardin B Jones
·
It is a
warning against the excessive use of drugs.
·
Speaks about
the people’s wrong notion of pills to cure any disease.
·
People use
stimulant drugs at the time of nervousness.
·
People use
drugs both at depressed time and good time.
·
It is only
to forget the problems the people use drugs.
·
Medicines
should be distinguished from sensual drugs
·
Accoring to
Hippocrates, the Father of medicine, a remedy should treat not only the
diseases but also the constitution of the patient.
·
The sensual
drugs stimulate the brain’s pleasure centres and gets a strong sense of
pleasure
·
Drugs really
upset our sensations, moods, thoughts and actions.
·
Drugs never
give total satisfaction.
·
There are
lot of drug disorders.
·
Dirty
needles and solutions can cause abscesses in the arms and veins.
·
The
excessive use of drugs can cause liver disease, venereal disease and infection
of the kidney and brain.
·
Sniffing
cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissue of the nose.
·
Marijuana
and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases.
·
Cocaine and
amphetamines cause hair fall.
·
Marijuana
can damage cells.
·
A drug
addict will be troubled by pneumonia, tuberculosis, mal-nutrition and weight
loss.
·
Overdose of
any sensual drug can cause respiratory or cardiac failure and death.
POSSIBLE
QUESTIONS:
1. As part of sensitizing your friends on the harmful effects of drugs
on the human body, you decide to collect information on the overuse of drugs
and its health hazards. Write a letter to the department of health, enquiring
about the various health hazards caused by drug abuse.
A) FROM
NAME
ABC
H S S
Sivaji
Nagar
Kottayam
TO
The
Director
Public
Health Department
Kerala.
Sir,
Sub:- To know various health hazards caused by
drug abuse
I am very happy to say that I am a Plus Two
student in a reputed School of the city. As a student-counselor of this School,
I would be very happy if you could provide me with more information about the
over use of drugs and its health hazards. Very recently, I came to know that my
friend Abijith is in the verge of being a drug addict. I want to stop him from
his bad habit.
According to Indian scenario, the new curse
attacking our society is the menace of drug abuse. It is spreading in our
culture than any other social evils. The young generation is very much addicted
to this and they become the victims of loneliness and depression. People get
different health problems like liver sclerosis, Cancer, etc…. It makes the
people unfit and self-centered. Most of the confusions take place in our State
due to this excessive use of drugs. So I humbly request you to share me some
more information about this.
I am looking forward to hearing from you. I am
waiting for a positive reply soon.
Yours faithfully IDUKKI
NAME & SIGNATURE DATE
2. “Damage to brain is the most subtle, most often unrecognized and
least understood consequence of drug abuse.” Prepare an essay on the topic “The
Hazards of Drug abuse.”(March 2016)
Nice post.
ReplyDelete