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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Main Course Book (MCB) Chapter 17


Unit-4 : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 151


Q1 : Now that you have each read one of the stories above, first complete the appropriate column of the table below. When you have done that, ask the other two students in your group about the stories you have not read. For example, ask “In which country did your story take place? What type of pollution is there?” When it is your turn to give information, only do so when the other two students ask you questions. As you receive the answer, complete the other two columns.


 

D.1

D.2

D.3

Country

_______

_______

_______

Cause (s)of pollution

_______

_______

_______

Who is responsible?

_______

_______

_______

Consequences

_______

_______

_______

What do you think

_______

_______

_______

Answer :
A sample of the table completed on the basis of the stories is given below. You may express your opinion wherever asked for.

D.1

D.2

D.3

Country Nigeria, Africa (Koko village) India, Asia (Ponnimanthuri village) Ukraine, Asia (Vorobyov Village)
Cause (s)of pollution Drums containing poisonous chemicals being disposed in
the local villages like Koko. This poison leaks into the
local streams and other water sources contaminating the
water and thus, threatening lives of locals.
The chemicals discharged from the leather factory set up
in the village into open environment, fields and water
sources, acutely pollute soil/land, air and water. The
factory should have been set up in an uninhabited area
with waste land.
The nuclear dust spread due to the nuclear explosion in
1986. The radioactive rays spread and murdered
children and adults, leaving the village destitute.
Who is responsible? These chemicals drums are brought from Italy. But more
than
Italy’s
government,
Nigeria’s
government is responsible as they should not let other
countries exploit their land in such manner. They alone
know what they gain by putting lives of locals at risk.
The local governing authorities
shouldn’t
have given license for the set up of such factories in an
inhabited village where land is used for agricultural
purpose.
It is possible that a bomb from Chernobyl exploded in the
premise of the nuclear reactor, causing the explosion.
Consequences These chemicals are highly hazardous and life threatening
due to their poisonous nature. And as they are placed
near the water source, and the drums are leaking their
substance into it. There are rising number of deaths in
the village as this water is used by the whole village
for drinking and other domestic chores
Tanning uses as many as 250 different chemicals,
including heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic and
chromium that, if not properly treated before being
discharged, can be acutely hazardous. The agricultural
land has turned into a waste land, the water and air are
polluted to the most. Now the villagers are facing severe
problems like ulcers and sores.
The radioactive rays from the dust due to nuclear
explosion caused lot of deaths.
What do you think We all talk of national integration and patriotism to be
inculcated in citizens of a nation. But it is more
important these days for politicians to be put to schools
and teach them these fundamentals so they are faithful to
their mother land and to their people who have chosen
them their representatives so that the country progresses
and the people are provided with a better system and
society to live. Although colonialism by European
countries has ended but this trend of neo-colonialism has
emerged.
It is not the poor who are actually responsible for the
various blames they receive every now and then; the poor
standards of hygiene, the corruption, pollution, low
standards of agricultural, poor production of crops. The
farmers are not to be blamed. They should be given good
subsidies and the agricultural lands must not be allotted
for chemical industries.
Wars have never done good to anyone. Besides nuclear
energy, though generates huge power, is not suggested by
many experts for power generation. When so many other
sources are available, then why go for a source that
involves such grave risks? Recent happenings in Japan
have taught us the same lesson. Never breach the laws of
nature or she knows well how to have her revenge.

Q2 : Why do you think there are “three large, empty metal drums” outside Mr.Nana’s front door?
Answer :
There are “three large, empty metal drums” outside Mr. Nana’s front door because they were unloaded by a few people who brought those from Italy. These contained poisonous chemicals which were brought over there to the Chief by a few people, in exchange for a brown-bag.


Q3 : Why do you think the drums were sent from Italy to Nigeria?
Answer :
The drums were sent from Italy to Nigeria because people of that village were supposedly illiterate and didn’t have any knowledge about the contents of the drum.


Q4 : What do you think was in the brown paper bag that the Chief received?
Answer :
The brown paper bag which the Chief received must have contained cash in exchange for allowing them to keep the containers in his village.


Q5 : What do you think was in the brown paper bag that the Chief received?
Answer :
The brown paper bag which the Chief received must have contained cash in exchange for allowing them to keep the containers in his village.


Q6 : Vijayasama and the narrator both refer many times to “they.” Who do you think “they” are?
Answer :
Vijayasama and the narrator both refer many times to “they”. “they” are the monster-like leather factories which made handbags, shoes and clothes.


Q7 : Why do you think the women of the village have to walk 10 km every day?
Answer :
The women of the village have to walk 10 kilometers everyday in order to bring water because the industries disposed their chemicals into the river flowing through the village.


Q8 : Why does Vijayasama say: “We don’t buy leather shoes or leather handbags or leather clothes?”
Answer :
Vijayasama says: “We don’t buy leather shoes or leather handbags or leather clothes?” because their families, lives and health have been destroyed because of the factories.


Q9 : Why do you think Natasha’s three children died?
Answer :
Natasha’s three children died because they were exposed to the nuclear dust emitted by the explosion from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.


Q10 : Where do you think Natasha lives now?
Answer :
Now, Natasha lives in Moscow.


Q11 : What do you think is going to happen to Nataasha very soon? Why?
Answer :
According to the text, Natasha would die soon. This is so because then she is the part of the population who were forced to evacuate. She was exposed to the nuclear dust emitted by the explosion from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.


Q12 : Still working in groups of three, find any ten “happy” words and ten “unhappy” words from the passages you have just read. First, copy and complete the table below:

 

“happy“
words

“unhappy“
words

Koko village, Nigeria
Ponnimanthuri
Village, India
Vorobyov
Village, Ukraine
  • Picturesque
  • Colourful
  • skull and crossbones symbol, corroded, slimy

Answer :

happy“
words

unhappy“
words

Koko village, Nigeria
Ponnimanthuri
Village, India
Vorobyov
Village, Ukraine
  • Picturesque
  • Colourful
  • Playful children
  • Rich
  • Laughing
  • skull and crossbones
  • symbol
  • corroded
  • slimy
  • poison
  • anger
  • monster-like
  • ominous-looking
  • mountain of death
  • vomit