Polythene: A Disaster (Abridged & Edited) Class 8th - English : Prose - Lesson 7 -

WORKING WITH THE TEXT

Q1. What is polythene? Who discovered it?

Ans. Polythene is a tough, light, flexible synthetic resin made by polymerization ethylene, chiefly used for plastic bags, food containers, and other packing. It was, discovered by a German Scientist, Hans Von Pechmann.

Q2. What does Rakesh’s father expect from kids?

Ans. Rakesh’s father expects from kids that they will stop using polythene bags which the elders have so far failed to do.

Q3. Why is polythene widely used?

Ans. Polythene is widely used because it is cheap and easy to carry everywhere.

Q4. What is biodegradation?

Ans. Biodegradation is a chemical process by which decaying or decomposition of organic matter takes place. This, chemical dissolution of materials is carried out by bacteria, fungi or other biological means.

Q5. What are the harmful effects of polythene?

Ans. Polythene has many harmful effects. Diseases like cholera, malaria etc. are, caused by the polythene. Since it is non-biodegradable, so it increases infertility of soil. It plays a major role in the blockage of water systems like sewage and water pipes, causing floods during rainfall. Polythene bags are often, eaten by animals and sometimes cause their death.

Q6. How, is soil affected by polythene?

Ans. Since, polythene is a non-biodegradable material, so it is not, decomposed in the soil. After remaining in the soil, it damages the ecosystem of soil by retarding its carrying capacity. Besides, polythene has a property of non-permeability, so it cuts off respiration of soil system, which in turn not only affects plant life, but other creatures living in the soil.

Q7. How does polythene affect animals?

Ans. When polythene bags, carrying eatables like fruits, after usage are thrown in open roads, then these are often eaten, by stray animals, which sometime cause their death. It also affects the marine animals. About one billion marine animals die each year due to polythene pollution.

Q8. What is SRO 182?

Ans. SRO 182 is a law, made by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir on 18^th of June 2008, by which the use of polythene has been, banned within the territorial limits of the state.

Q9. How can we save our posterity from the harmful effects of polythene?

Ans. We can save our posterity by completely avoiding the use of polythene. Instead of polythene, we can use the bags made of jute and cotton. In this way, we can save ourselves from the diseases and harmful effects of polythene.

LANGUAGE WORK

1. Choose the correct sentence from the following: (Answers only)

Ans.

1. I knew him since 2009.

2. The freedom struggle against the Maharaja started in 1930.

3. Television revolutionized the game of cricket in 1980.

4. The economic depression in USA started in 1920.

2. Give the full form of following acronyms.

Ans.

(a). IPL: Indian Premier League

(b). WHO: World Health Organization

(c). WWF: World Wildlife Fund

(d). ILO: International Labour Organization (Office)

(e). BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation

(f). FIFA: Federation International Football Association

(g). HBO: Home Box Office

(h). PIL: Public Interest Litigation

(i). ICC: Integrated Circuit (Chip) Card

(j). IMF: International Monetary Fund

GRAMMER WORK

Exercise:

1. Identify following sentences as Simple, Compound or Complex sentences:

1. I don’t like girls/boys who are lazy……..Complex Sentence

2. He called her but didn’t respond………Compound Sentence

3. She went because she was invited……..Compound sentence

4. You should work hard or you will fail…….Compound sentence

5. He stood first in the class……Simple sentence

6. They must apologize or they will be punished……Compound sentence

7. She must apologize to avoid punishment…..Complex sentence

8. The mother hit him and made him cry……..Complex sentence

9. She succeeded in the very first attempt………Simple sentence

10. She has lost the book that my brother had given her…….Complex sentence

11. Men may come and men may go but I go on forever……..Compound sentence

12. We eat so that we may live……Complex sentence

13. They serve God well who serve his creatures…….Complex sentence

14. One blushes when one is guilty…..Complex sentence

15. Man proposes, but God disposes……..Compound sentence