📖 Understanding the Text
=> Answer: the following questions:**
a. Who is the speaker in the poem?
=> Answer: The speaker in the poem is Corona.
b. Who claims that they are superior to all?
=> Answer: The humans of this modern world claim that they are superior to all.
c. Why has the speaker come to the Earth?
=> Answer: The speaker has appeared on Earth because human beings have mistreated and exploited nature.
d. What positive changes have occurred on Earth after the speaker's visit?
=> Answer: The arrival of the speaker has brought some noticeable changes to the natural environment. The atmosphere has become clearer because dust and smoke have reduced. Human beings have experienced a condition similar to animals confined in a zoo. At the same time, the earth has received an opportunity to pause and recover from continuous human activities.
📚 Reference to the Context
a. What does the speaker mean when he says:
But have you ever counted
How many have died so far
Because of you and your wars?
=> Answer: Through these lines, the speaker reminds human beings that war has caused enormous destruction throughout history. People themselves have created conflicts that have resulted in countless deaths and the loss of property. Such conflicts commonly arise from struggles over land, resources, authority, and political power. Those who initiate wars often fail to consider the suffering their decisions create for ordinary people. Besides immediate deaths and destruction, warfare leaves lasting physical and psychological wounds on survivors.
b. Explain the following:
I will depart one day.
But remember
There’re many others like me.
They’ll come too.
If you don’t get rid of your inflated ego,
You’ll be back to your cave time
That you endured
Long, long, long ago …
=> Answer: The speaker gives humanity a serious warning about its pride and irresponsible conduct. Human beings cannot continue behaving as though nature exists only for their benefit. Although the present pandemic will eventually disappear, other dangerous diseases may emerge if people continue violating natural balance. Therefore, humans need to control their arrogance and respect nature. Otherwise, their own actions may create conditions severe enough to threaten the survival of human civilization and force humanity towards a primitive state.
c. What does the speaker mean in the following lines? Explain.
The earth is not your property alone -
It’s as much ours as yours.
=> Answer: The speaker emphasizes that Earth belongs to every form of life rather than exclusively to human beings. Animals, plants, and other living organisms also depend on its resources for survival. However, humans have treated themselves as masters of nature and have taken excessive control of its resources for personal advantage. Their activities in the name of development have damaged natural habitats and reduced the sources of food available to other creatures. Such continuous interference gradually weakens the balance of the entire ecosystem.
🌍 Reference Beyond the Text
a. What human behaviours are responsible for suffering in people's lives?
=> Answer: Human actions themselves contribute greatly to the suffering experienced by people. Pride, selfishness, excessive desire, and harmful activities have created numerous difficulties in society. Human conflicts and wars have taken countless lives, while irresponsible behaviour has also contributed to the spread of diseases and other crises. Instead of considering the welfare of others and the natural world, people often act according to their own interests. Thus, human beings are largely responsible for many of the hardships affecting human life.
b. How does an epidemic differ from a pandemic? Briefly explain the impact of Corona Virus on human life and environment.
=> Answer: An epidemic refers to a disease that spreads widely among people within a particular population or region. A pandemic, on the other hand, extends across a much broader geographical area and affects a large section of the population in different regions or countries. An epidemic develops when an infectious agent encounters enough susceptible people and can successfully spread from its source to them.
The Coronavirus pandemic created a major threat to human life in the twenty-first century. It caused a large number of deaths and left people around the world living with fear and uncertainty. Economic activities were severely disrupted, businesses suffered, and many people became unemployed or faced difficulties meeting basic needs. Restrictions on movement also affected everyday life.
At the same time, the reduction in human activity produced some positive environmental effects. With people staying indoors, industries operating at reduced levels, and fewer vehicles travelling on roads, pollution declined considerably. As a result, the air became cleaner and the surrounding environment appeared fresher than before.