Read the passage carefully
1 olden times man's worst enemy was nature. He lived under the continual threat of famine, pestilence
storms on the earth and in the sea. A wet summer could bring death to a large population and winters
were menace. Mountains were like a barrier between people of different countries, a sea was less a highway
nan an impassable division. If we go back to the pages of history we find ample proofs that man, in the
distant past, did not worship God but either the sun or the winds or the sea. Fear urged him to worship
these natural forces.
2. Today the scenario has changed a lot. Though nature, still an enemy, is an enemy that is always
unpredicted and unpredictable can be conquered to certain extent. Modern agriculture assures us of an
ample food supply. Modern transportation has reduced the distances between countries. Modern medicine
and sanitation allow dense populations to cover the ground without risk of pestilence. True is the fact that
more severe natural disasters cannot be avoided even now. Against earthquake, flood and hurricane man
has, as yet, devised no adequate protection. The Tsunami tragedy has once again given man shudders. The
tragedy has become a nightmare for humanity. Now the scientists' boastings seem to be cruel jokes.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions briefly.
I (a) In what ways did nature prove to be man's enemy?
(b) What do you mean by natural forces ?
(c) How have we conquered nature ?
(d) Have we really conquered nature ? Quote one example to prove your point.
II. Find words from the passage which have the same meanings as :
(1) threat (para I)
(ii) infectious disease (para I)
(it) adequate (para 2)
(iv) bad dream (para 2)
Answers
Answer:
I (a) Nature proved to be the old man's enemy because the old man lived in the continual threat of natural disasters and severely bad weather.
(b) Natural forces are the forces caused naturally. For example, famines, pestilence
storms on the earth and in the sea.
(c) We have conquered nature by:
- Modern agriculture that assures us of an
ample food supply.
2. Modern transportation that has reduced the distances between countries. and
3. Modern medicine
and sanitation which allow dense populations to cover the ground without risk of pestilence.
(d) No, we haven't really conquered nature. We have only Conquered it to a certain extent. The proof is given below:
"True is the fact that more severe natural disasters cannot be avoided even now." Examples are earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and tsunamis.
II. (1) menace
(2) pestilence
(3) ample
(4) nightmare