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NCERT Class 11 English Chapter 4 The Ailing Planet’s Role Notes: This chapter, written by Nani Palkhivala, discusses the alarming environmental crisis our planet is facing and highlights how the Green Movement brought global attention to ecological conservation. The text blends facts, advocacy, and urgency to inspire action for protecting the Earth.
This chapter is more than just environmental science—it’s a call to responsibility. It urges every human being to understand the delicate balance of nature and to act before it’s too late. These notes will help you understand the chapter’s core ideas, themes, key terms, and literary techniques.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction to the Chapter
- 2 Key Concepts and Individuals
- 3 Short Summary of CBSE English Class 11: The Ailing Planet
- 4 Detailed Summary of CBSE English Class 11: The Ailing Planet
- 5 Key Themes and Takeaways
- 6 Why This Chapter Matters?
- 7 Analysis of The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role
- 8 Literary Devices
- 9 Important Definitions in NCERT Class 11 English Chapter 4
- 10 FAQs
Explore Notes of Class 11 English
Introduction to the Chapter
This section helps you understand what the chapter is about and why it’s important. It gives a simple overview of the author’s message and how the Green Movement plays a major role in saving the planet.
The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role is an essay that explains the growing concern over the planet’s health. The author discusses how human greed and over-exploitation of natural resources have harmed Earth. The chapter introduces the idea that the Earth is like a “patient” in need of care, and highlights the Green Movement, which marked a global shift in attitudes toward environmental protection. It’s an appeal to individuals, governments, and future generations to act with ecological responsibility.
Key Concepts and Individuals
This section introduces you to important people, terms, and ideas discussed in the chapter. Understanding these will help you grasp the overall message better.
- Nani Palkhivala: The author of this piece. A noted Indian jurist and economist who uses persuasive and informative language to address environmental issues.
- Green Movement: A major environmental movement that started in 1972 and shifted the world’s perception of development toward sustainability.
- Earth as a Living Organism: Based on the idea that the planet is a self-sustaining entity, much like a living being.
- Sustainable Development: The concept of using natural resources without depleting them, so that future generations can meet their needs.
- Holistic and Ecological View: Encouraging a broad, nature-centered perspective in contrast to human-centered growth.
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Short Summary of CBSE English Class 11: The Ailing Planet
Here you get a quick overview of the whole chapter. It’s useful for revisions before exams.
The chapter talks about the deteriorating condition of our environment. It highlights how human actions like deforestation, overpopulation, and pollution have weakened Earth. It introduces the Green Movement, which helped the world understand the importance of sustainable development. The author stresses that man must become a “trustee” of Earth’s resources instead of exploiting them. With facts and strong emotional appeal, the essay warns us to change our ways or face disaster.
Detailed Summary of CBSE English Class 11: The Ailing Planet
This section explains the chapter in more detail. It walks you through the main ideas so you can understand each part clearly.
The chapter opens by describing the Earth as a sick patient. The author talks about how the Green Movement, launched in 1972, helped humanity realise that Earth is not a resource to be consumed endlessly but a living system that needs protection.
The essay refers to a report by the World Commission on Environment and Development which states that the environment is being destroyed rapidly, and unless urgent action is taken, the future is in danger.
Palkhivala stresses that forests are vanishing, rivers are drying, and wildlife is becoming extinct—all because of human irresponsibility. He brings attention to the concept of sustainable development, which means using resources in a way that doesn’t harm the future.
He also talks about the population crisis. Too many people consume too many resources, putting pressure on the planet. The author shares India’s example where population growth and environmental degradation go hand-in-hand. Education, especially of women, is suggested as a solution to population control.
Finally, Palkhivala urges that each one of us is responsible. We must shift from being careless exploiters to responsible trustees of the planet. Governments should enforce policies, but individuals must also act with awareness and care.
Key Themes and Takeaways
This part highlights the main messages and lessons from the chapter. Focus on these to understand what the author wants to convey.
- Earth’s Decline: The planet’s resources are being depleted at a dangerous rate.
- Green Movement’s Importance: Marked a global change in mindset towards ecology.
- Human Responsibility: Each individual has a role in protecting the planet.
- Population Control: Managing population is essential to reducing environmental stress.
- Trusteeship vs Ownership: We don’t own the Earth—we are caretakers.
Why This Chapter Matters?
Understanding this section will help you realise why this essay is so important in today’s world. It connects the chapter to real-life relevance.
This chapter is crucial because it teaches us that our environment is fragile and needs urgent attention. It emphasizes how awareness, government policies, and individual responsibility must work together. Through facts and emotional appeal, the author awakens our moral duty to safeguard the planet—not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.
Analysis of The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role
This section helps you understand how the author builds his message—through tone, narrative style, and persuasive techniques.
- Tone: Persuasive, urgent, and informative.
- Setting: Global; refers to international environmental movements and issues.
- Point of View: First-person and third-person narrative blended to present personal insights and factual information.
- Style: Essayistic, logical, supported with real data and reports.
Narrative Techniques
Learn how the author uses different writing tools to express his ideas clearly and make the reader think.
- Use of real statistics and global reports (like the World Commission’s report).
- Emotive appeals comparing Earth to a “patient.”
- Rhetorical questions and analogies to persuade readers.
Literary Devices
Here you’ll see the key figures of speech and stylistic tools used in the chapter. Knowing these helps in answering literary analysis questions.
- Personification: Earth is referred to as a living, suffering organism.
- Metaphor: Earth as a “patient,” highlighting its weak and damaged state.
- Allusion: References to reports and environmental movements to support arguments.
- Imagery: Visual descriptions of vanishing forests, drying rivers, and dying wildlife.
- Irony: Humans, who consider themselves the most intelligent beings, are causing the most harm.
Important Definitions in NCERT Class 11 English Chapter 4
This section lists the most important terms you must know to understand the chapter and answer exam questions properly.
- Green Movement: A global effort to promote environmental protection.
- Sustainable Development: Development that meets current needs without compromising the future.
- Ecological View: A viewpoint that values nature and its systems.
- Population Explosion: Rapid increase in human population that strains resources.
- Trusteeship: The idea that humans are caretakers of the planet, not owners.
- Biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat.
- Deforestation: Large-scale removal of forests.
- Depletion: The reduction or exhaustion of natural resources.
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Credits: Simran Sahni
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FAQs
The chapter emphasizes the urgent need to protect our environment. It promotes the idea that Earth is like a living organism that is suffering due to human actions. The author urges sustainable development and individual responsibility to save the planet.
The Green Movement symbolizes a shift in global thinking—from exploiting nature to protecting it. It helped people understand that unchecked development harms the Earth and that development must be sustainable to ensure a healthy future for coming generations.
Population growth increases the pressure on natural resources, leading to environmental degradation. The author highlights how managing population—especially through education and awareness—is key to reducing this burden and preserving the planet’s health.
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