BSEB Class 9 English Chapter 4 Too Many People, Too Few Trees Important Question Answers from English Panorama-I Book
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BSEB Class 9 English Chapter 4 Too Many People, Too Few Trees Textbook Questions
A. Work in small groups and discuss the relation between population and pollution. You may include these points in your discussion:
1. Population explosion.
2. Its effect on the development of the country.
3. More people, more land.
4. Deforestation
Ans. The human population used to grow at a very slow rate because the number of births was only slightly higher than the number of deaths. After industrialisation, the number of births grew more rapidly and more people reached the reproductive age because of improvements in the fields of science and medicine. Now, every year, the world population grows by more than 80 million people, completely disturbing the ratio. Human populations should not continue to grow indefinitely for various reasons. One, the world and the resources in it are finite. Two, population growth will lead to a decrease in the quality of life due to pollution and overcrowding. This can be seen in the depletion of nonrenewable resources (e.g., oil, natural gas, helium), acid rain, loss of wild species, ozone layer depletion, and the greenhouse effect. Three, indefinite and rapid growth will increase crime cases, ethical issues, and warfare. The United Nations 1993 document states that population size and rates of growth are key elements in environmental change. Therefore, an increase in population results in an increase in energy use, resource consumption and environmental stress. Due to overpopulation, the rate of deforestation has also increased to support the growing human population and to satisfy the needs of wealthy people. The total forest area has gone from 40% to 25%. Therefore, it is necessary to reverse the process of deforestation and control our population.
B.1.1. Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements:
1. Throughout most of human existence, the number of birth was slightly higher than the number of death.
2. More people will need even less food than they need now.
3. With more people both town and country become more crowded.
4. Higher population density is also not likely to exacerbate crime, ethnic conflict and warfare.
5. Population size and rates of growth are key elements in environmental change.
Ans.
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
B.1.2. Answering the following questions very briefly:
1. For how long has the global population been rapidly going up?
2. What happens when the population goes up?
3. How many Americans die each day of asthma?
Ans.
1. The global population has been rapidly going up after industrialisation due to advancements in health, nutrition, and sanitation.
2. When the population goes up, the demands for food, shelter, land, water, and other necessary resources go up. This puts more pressure on the environment and the rest of the human population.
3. Fourteen Americans die each day of asthma.
B.2.1. Complete the following sentences on the basis of the lesson:
1. The more we have, the better………… .
2. History and common sense tell us that we………… .
3. As the population grows, more and more people are forced……… .
4. Forest covered around 40%of the earth’s……… .
5. Humanity can continue to fell trees, cross its finger, and…….. .
Ans.
1. off we are.
2. can control population growth.
3. to convert forests into farmland.
4. total land area.
5. hope for the best.
B.2.2. Answer the following questions very briefly:
1. Name the countries in which the population growth has been slowed down remarkably?
Ans. Germany, Sweden, China, Thailand, and Egypt are the countries in which the population growth has been slowed down remarkably.
2. The productivity and general health of the world’s forest is threatened. How?
Ans. The productivity and general health of the world’s forests is threatened by environmental degradation such as the greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, airborne pollution, and acid rain.
3. What hampers the ability of the biosphere to sustain life?
Ans. Massive and continuous deforestation hampers the ability of the biosphere to sustain life.
4. How does deforestation in Nepal affect India?
Ans. Devastating deforestation in Nepal affects India by increasing flood risks in the coming years.
C.1. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Why have human populations always been in flux?
Ans. Human populations used to be in flux because, compared to the number of deaths, there was only a slightly higher number of births. However, now the number of births are significantly higher than the number of deaths, causing an exponential rise in the human population. This rise in population is the result of industrialisation and medical innovations.
2. What does the writer mean by reproductive age? How do people reach this age?
Ans. Reproductive age is the age when a human being becomes physically capable of reproduction. This age is reached with good healthcare facilities like good nutrition, proper sanitation, and excellent medical care.
3. What is human made pollution? How has it affected America? How will -it affect your locality?
Ans. Human-made pollution is the degradation of environmental resources by pollutants caused by human activities. It has affected America severely. Around 157,000 Americans die each year from respiratory diseases caused by human-made pollution and 14 Americans die each day of asthma made worse by air pollution. It will affect our locality in many ways, like by decreasing the quality of air and portable water.
4. Population size and rates of growth are key elements in environmental change. Explain with any two examples from your own society.
Ans. Population size and rates of growth are key elements in environmental change. We can see various examples of it. In America, the population was increasing at a rapid rate of growth. This led to a rise in human-made pollution, killing around 157,000 Americans each year from respiratory diseases.
5. How do countries like Germany, Switzerland, China, Thailand and Egypt manage to ‘reverse’ or slow down population growth? What does ‘reverse’ mean here? How has it been possible?
Ans. Countries like Germany, Switzerland, China, Thailand and Egypt adopted government actions like modernisation, literacy, media campaigns, readily available family planning and contraceptives, and equal economic, educational, and legal opportunities for women. Those three countries are now seeing a reverse or a slowing in population growth. ‘Reverse’ here means reversing the effects of overpopulation by slowing down the population growth. It has been possible because the countries felt motivated to control population growth.
C.2. GROUP DISCUSSION
Discuss the following in groups or pairs:
1. “Rising population and deforestation are likely to damage the quality of life on the earth.”
Ans. Rising population and deforestation severely threaten Earth’s quality of life by intensifying environmental degradation and socio-economic vulnerabilities. These interconnected pressures disrupt ecosystems, health, and livelihoods globally. Deforestation, driven by overpopulation and its demands, releases massive carbon emissions, accelerating climate change. It erodes soil, disrupts water cycles, and heightens flood risks. Biodiversity loss from habitat destruction endangers species. Overpopulation strains forests for food and fuel, leading to food insecurity for millions reliant on tropical forests. Indigenous communities face displacement, cultural erosion, and polluted water, while urban migration boosts consumption, worsening deforestation cycles. Mental health declines amid these stressors, affecting billions through habitat loss and pollution. Local economies collapse as livelihoods tied to forests vanish, reducing crop yields by up to 60% in areas like the Amazon. Vulnerable populations endure poverty, conflicts, and reduced resilience to disasters.
C.3. COMPOSITION
1. Write a letter to your friend, emphasising the need of population control.
Ans. [Your Address]
Hello [Friend’s name] Greetings, my dear friend. How are you? I hope the letter finds you in good health. Today, I wish to inform you about the current population issue and why we should control our population.
An ideal population growth rate is when the number of births is only slightly higher than the number of deaths. However, now the number of births is significantly higher than the number of deaths, causing a boom in the human population since industrialisation. I was looking at the statistics, and apparently, every year the human population rises by 80 million! The number is astronomical! So many people obviously need just as much food, water, and land to survive. And then we have wealthy people who wish to enrich their lives with the best resources. To fulfil these insurmountable demands, Amazon rainforests are now being cleared at an alarming pace. We are putting so much environmental pressure that environmental degradation like pollution, global warming, greenhouse effects, and risks of natural disasters, is increasing. Therefore, there is a huge need to control population to restore our planet and save the quality of human life.
I hope we both can contribute to the restoration of human life. I wish to meet you again sometime.
Yours sincerely
[Your name]
D. WORD STUDY
D.1. Dictionary Use:
Ex.1. Correct the spelling of the following words:
| existense | specis | allready |
| contineu | eventualy | fourty |
| resorses | probelm | compain |
Ans.
| existence | species | already |
| continue | eventually | forty |
| resources | problem | complain |
D.2. Fill in the blanks with suitable form of words given below:
We are …………… our forest. (destroy)
We are destroying our forest.
| rise | lose | go | grow |
1. As population………… up, more and more people are forced to convert forests into farmlands.
2. In fact world population has been rapidly ……………….up
3. As population ………………………. up, so does pollution of river, lakes, air, drinking water and soil.
4. As the trees of Nepal are cut down, its topsoil is being…………. .
Ans.
1. As population grows, more and more people are forced to convert forests into farmlands.
2. In fact world population has been rapidly rising.
3. As population goes up, so does pollution of river, lakes, air, drinking water and soil.
4. As the trees of Nepal are cut down, its topsoil is being lost.
D.3. Match the following words in column A with the meanings in column B
| A | B |
| i. grim | (a) unsatisfied |
| ii. decisive | (b) cut down |
| iii. affluent | (c) to support. |
| iv. insatiable | (d) severe, horrible. |
| v. felled | (e) wealthy |
| vi. sustain | (f) deciding |
Ans.
| A | B |
| i. grim | (d) severe, horrible. |
| ii. decisive | (f) deciding |
| iii. affluent | (e) wealthy |
| iv. insatiable | (a) unsatisfied |
| v. felled | (b) cut down |
| vi. sustain | (c) to support. |
E. GRAMMAR
Look at the following sentence:
It may appear that, when it comes to something as valuable as a human being, the more we have, the better off we are.
Here ‘may’ indicates possibility. ‘May’ is a ‘Modal’ or
‘Modal Auxiliary’.
can, may, shall, will, could, might, should, would, must, dare, need, used to and ought to are called Modals or Modal Auxiliaries.
Now look at the following sentences:
May I come in, please? Yes, you may. (Here ‘may’ indicates permission) ‘May’ indicates ‘possibility, wish, permission’:
You can take this pen. (Here ‘can’ indicates permission.)
Ravi can solve this problem (Here ‘can’ indicates ability.)
‘Can’ indicates ‘power, capacity, ability’; in informal use ‘permission’ also.
He said that he could do it (indirect speech.)
When Rohit was young, he could run twenty miles (Here ‘could’ indicates ‘past ability, power’.)
‘Could’ indicates ‘past ability/power/capacity’ etc. It also indicates an unreal situation and a polite request.
You must do as you are told. (Here ‘must‘ indicates ‘compulsion’)
You must have heard about Pt. Nehru (Here ‘must‘ indicates ‘strong possibility’)
‘Must’ indicates ‘compulsion, strong possibility, duty, certainty’
We should love our country (Here ‘should’ indicates ‘duty’.)
‘Should’ indicates ‘duty, obligation, advice, instructions’.
Ex.1. Fill in the blanks with suitable Modals given below:
| can | may | should | could | must |
i. We………….. serve our master honestly.
ii. Soldiers…… obey their commander.
iii. It…………… rain today.
iv. I……………… lift this box.
v. He said that he …………..catch a cobra.
vi. Jack was so strong that one…………….. not defeat him.
vii. Candidates………………..answer all the questions.
viii. We……………… honour our National Flag.
ix. My father……………… be late today.
x. I……………… win the race.
Ans.
i. We must serve our master honestly.
ii. Soldiers must obey their commander.
iii. It may rain today.
iv. I can lift this box.
v. He said that he could catch a cobra.
vi. Jack was so strong that one could not defeat him.
vii. Candidates must answer all the questions.
viii. We should honour our National Flag.
ix. My father may be late today.
x. I can win the race.
G. TRANSLATION
Translate the following sentences into English:
1. तुम्हें माता-पिता की आज्ञा माननी चाहिये।
2. तुम यह ले सकते हो।
3. हमें सत्य बोलना चाहिये।
4. सोनू परीक्षा में उत्तीर्ण हो सका।
5. क्या तुम मेरी मदद कर सकते हो ?
6. क्या आज वर्षा होगी ?
7. उसे वहाँ जाने की जरूरत नहीं है।
8. क्या मैं आपकी मदद कर सकता हूँ?
9. हमें जल प्रदूषित नहीं करनी चाहिये ।
10. हमलोग कल बाढ़ पीड़ितों की सेवा करने जायेंगे।
Ans.
1. You should obey your parents.
2. You can take it.
3. We must tell the truth.
4. Sonu was able to pass the exam.
5. Can you help me?
6. Will it rain today?
7. He does not need to go there.
8. May I help you?
9. We should not pollute water.
10. We will go to serve the flood victims tomorrow.
Bihar Board Class 9 English Chapter 4 Too Many People, Too Few Trees Extra Question and Answers
Extract-Based questions
A. Human populations have always been in flux, for the simple reason that every day some people die while others are born. Throughout most of human existence, the number of births was slightly higher than the number of deaths; consequently, world populations grew at a very slow rate. A few hundred years ago, however, the situation. began to change, especially in the industrialized world. With advances in nutrition, sanitation, and health, people live longer and more of them reach reproductive age. Thus, for the first time in our species existence, the balance between the number of deaths and births has been significantly disturbed. Consequently, during the last three centuries or so, the global human population has been rapidly going up. Every year, in fact, the world’s population grows by more than 80 million people. It is, for instance, sobering to recall that for every eleven human beings alive now, only one was alive in the year 1950!
Q1. Flux means ______
Ans. a continuous flow.
Q2. Why has the human population been in a flux?
Ans. Every day some people die while some are born. Thus, there is a flux or continuous flow of humans.
Q3. What led to a disturbance in the balance between the number of births and deaths?
Ans. Advancements in nutrition, sanitation, and health, make people live longer and more of them reach reproductive age. This has disturbed the balance.
Q4. What consequence have we faced for the past three decades?
Ans. For the past three decades, we have seen that the global human population is rapidly going up.
Q5. Every year, the world’s population grows by ___________ million people.
Ans. more than 80
B. Human populations cannot continue to grow indefinitely for the simple reason that the world itself is finite. More people will need even more food than they need now, and therefore, the process of deforestation will continue so that, eventually, wild trees will vanish. As the population goes up, so does pollution of rivers, lakes, air, drinking water and soil. With more people both town and country become more crowded. The quality of life, and the value we place on human life, will continue to erode. When the population is stable, increases in such things as food production, number of physicians, or hospitals are often tantamount to improved quality of life, but such increases often fail to keep pace with population growth. Higher population density is also likely to exacerbate crime, ethnic conflicts, and warfare.
Q1. Why can the human population not grow indefinitely?
Ans. The world is finite or limited and so the available resources like food, water and land are also limited. Thus, an indefinitely growing population will not be supported by it.
Q2. What are the undesirable effects of a high population density?
Ans. High population density will result in an increase in crime, conflicts and warfare. Also, it will result in an erosion in quality of life
Q3. tantamount means-
Ans. Equivalent
Q4. Find a synonym of ‘destroy’ from the extract.
Ans. Erode
Q5. exacerbate means-
Ans. to make sour or bitter
C. The American government, to take another example, estimates that some 60,000 Americans die each year from respiratory diseases which are in turn caused by human made pollution. Fourteen Americans die each day of asthma aggravated by air pollution-three times the incidence of just twenty years ago. Needless to say, the situation in cities like Los Angeles, Kathmandu, Mexico, and Shanghai is even worse. In all these cases, the situation could be considerably improved by controlling pollution and population.
Q1. In America, what is the increase in incidences of death due to asthma over the past twenty years?
Ans. There is a three-times increase in incidences of death due to asthma over the past twenty years.
Q2. What is the cause of 60,000 deaths in a year in America?
Ans. These deaths are caused by respiratory diseases caused by pollution.
Q3. How can the situation of rampant deaths due to respiratory diseases be improved?
Ans. It can be improved by controlling pollution and population.
Q4. The situation is worse in which four cities?
Ans. Los Angeles, Kathmandu, Mexico, and Shanghai
Q5. Which ‘situation’ is being talked of?
Ans. Asthma caused by pollution.
D. Thus, large and rapidly growing populations make decisive contributions to all environmental problems. In the long run, efforts to save the biosphere depend in part on our species’ ability to roll back its numbers. Yet there is a bright side to this otherwise grim tale: History and common sense tell us that we can control population growth. The German and Swedish populations, for example, defy world trends, and are actually declining. In such overpopulated countries like China, Thailand, and Egypt the rate of population growth has slowed down remarkably, thanks to concerted government actions. How do these countries manage to reverse, or slow down, population growth? Many factors account for these remarkable declines; modernization, literacy, media campaigns, readily available family planning and contraceptives equal economic, educational, and legal opportunities for women. Human beings thus know how to control their numbers. What they have been lacking so far is the resolve to make use of this knowledge.
Q1. How can we save the biosphere?
Ans. We can roll back or reduce our population growth rate to save the biosphere.
Q2. How are the German and Swedish populations different?
Ans. They are different because they are defying world trends by declining.
Q3. Identify the countries that have slowed down the growth rate of populations.
Ans. China, Thailand and Egypt have managed to slow down population growth rate.
Q4. How do these countries manage to reverse, or slow down, population growth?
Ans. Many factors account for these remarkable declines; modernization, literacy, media campaigns, readily available family planning and contraceptives equal economic, educational, and legal opportunities for women.
Q5. What can be inferred about humans?
Ans. It can be inferred that humans know how to control their numbers.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. What has been in a flux?
A. pollution
B. human population
C. deaths
D. diseases
Ans. B. human population
Q2. More people are likely to generate more _______
A. diseases
B. tourism
C. corporate profits
D. None of these
Ans. C. corporate profits
Q3. More people will need more ______
A. trees
B. food
C. friends
D. all of these
Ans. B. food
Q4. Find a synonym of ‘tantamount’.
A. pollution
B. tolerate
C. total
D. equivalent
Ans. D. equivalent
Q5. What leads to increase in pollution?
A. rise in income
B. rise in education
C. rise in population
D. all of these
Ans. C. rise in population
Q6. How many Americans die of respiratory issues caused by pollution?
A. 100,000
B. 250,000
C. 157,000
D. Not known
Ans. C. 157,000
Q7. Identify the odd one out-
A. Mexico
B. New Delhi
C. Kathmandu
D. Shanghai
Ans. B. New Delhi
Q8. Since when have we witnessed a rapid increase in the human population?
A. ancient times
B. Last three centuries
C. Last one decade
D. all of these
Ans. B. Last three centuries
Q9. By how much does the world population grow each year?
A. more than 100 million people
B. more than 50 million people
C. around 90 million people
D. more than 80 million people
Ans. D. more than 80 million people
Q10. ‘Exacerbate’ means-
A. to improve
B. to make worse
C. to kill
D. to grow
Ans. B. to make worse
Q11. ‘The quality of life, and the value we place on human life, will continue to erode’. Based on this statement which of the following can be inferred about quality of life?
A. it will get better
B. it will get worse
C. it cannot be measured
D. all of these
Ans. B. it will get worse
Q12. Which of the following is directly proportional to population growth?
A. food
B. housing
C. crime
D. forest cover
Ans. C. crime
Q13. Which government has estimated that 157,000 people die from respiratory diseases in their country?
A. Indian
B. UK
C. American
D. Australian
Ans. C. American
Q14. By how much has the incidence of deaths due to air pollution increased in America in the past twenty years?
A. three times
B. twice
C. it is the same
D. none of these
Ans. A. three times
Q15. Which of the following is a non-renewable resource?
A. helium
B. wind
C. solar power
D. all of these
Ans. A. helium
Q16. Which of the following problem is NOT related to the environment?
A. crime
B. greenhouse effect
C. loss of wild species
D. ozone layer depletion
Ans. A. crime
Q17. Which of the following is a key element in environmental change as identified by UN?
A. Income
B. Population size
C. size of houses
D. Education
Ans. B. Population size
Q18. Large and rapidly growing population causes _______
A. tourism overload
B. lack of education
C. skin diseases
D. environmental problems
Ans. D. environmental problems
Q19. Which of these countries is showing a decline in population?
A. India
B. America
C. Sweden
D. Austria
Ans. C. Sweden
Q20. Which of these countries has slowed down population growth?
A. India
B. Pakistan
C. China
D. Bangladesh
Ans. C. China
Extra Questions
Answer the following questions–
Q1. What is the central message of the lesson?
Ans. The lesson conveys the message that a rapidly growing population cannot be sustained because the earth has limited resources. Thus, we must limit the growth of population to ensure a better quality of life.
Q2. What issue is Nepal facing?
Ans. Nepal has a lot of arable land. Gradually, the forest is being cut and converted to farmland to meet the needs of the growing population.
Q3. List down the causes for cutting trees.
Ans. Trees are cut to provide more land for cultivation. They are also cut to provide fuel. Deforestation is also done to supply wood for furniture and paper. Some trees are damaged by pollution, tourism and also for construction of houses and factories.
Q4. List the phenomena which are a threat to the trees.
Ans. Occurences like the greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, air pollution and acid rain are a threat to the trees.
Q5. How do countries manage to slow down population growth?
Ans. Steps such as modernization, literacy, media campaigns, family planning techniques and equality of women help in slowing down population growth.