Class 11 Eglish Notes Chapter 10

Class 11 English Notes Chapter 10 for Punjab and Rawalpindi board, MCQs, True / False, Match the Columns, Grammar, Questions Answers, and 1st Year FSc Part-1 notes.

Class 11 English Notes Chapter 10

Table of Contents

i. What are locusts?

Answer:
Locusts are large insects that live in hot countries and they fly in large groups called swarms destroying all the plants and crops of the area. They are mostly found in Asia and Africa.

ii. Why did the farmers throw wet leaves on fire?

Answer:
The farmers threw the wet leaves on the fires to make the smoke acrid and black. The purpose was to repel the swarms of locusts from the unpleasant smell spread in the air so that they would fly away.

iii. What was the desire of every farmer?

Answer:
Every farmer desired the locusts not to notice his farm so that the damage may not occur. Although they warned each other of locusts, all of them wanted the locusts to overlook their farms and go to the next ones.

iv. Did Margaret know what to do to keep the locusts away?

Answer:
No, Margaret did not know what to do against the swarms of locusts destroying the fields. Although she wanted to help the people, lack of awareness became a hindrance in her way.

v. What was the condition of trees?

Answer:
The trees looked strange as they were covered with thick locusts and their branches were weighed down under the weight of the insects.

vi. How did old Stephen treat the stray locust which he found on his shirt?

Answer:
Old Steward picked the stray locust from his shirt and split it down into pieces with his thumbnail. He found it to be full of eggs.

vii. Are the hoppers different from the locusts?

Answer:
Hoppers are young locusts that are born from the eggs of the locusts. While locusts fly and jump fast, hoppers jump from point to point and keep on growing.

viii. Did Margaret lose heart on the loss of crops?

Answer:
Margaret did not lose hope on the loss of crops. She preferred not to think about it and was making up her mind to fight against the locusts for two or three years more and replanting them.

ix. Why are the locusts compared with bad weather?

Answer:
The locusts are compared to bad weather because like bad weather they could come at any time. Moreover, they are likely to damage the crops just like bad weather, such as heavy rains, hailstorms, etc. can destroy the fields.

x. Why did the men eat their supper with good appetites?

Answer:
The men ate their supper with good appetites because they had been struggling against the locusts all day long. They were tired and hungry so they had their meal with full desire. Moreover, they thought that the damage could have been worse and they needed to get ready for the next trial.

Q 4. Answer the following questions in 50-100 words.
i. How did the farmers try to prevent the main swarm of locusts from landing on their farms?

Answer:
To prevent the swarms of locusts from landing on their farms, the farmers took as many preventive measures as they could. They made fires with wood and grass and threw wet leaves on them so that their unpleasant odor would repel the locusts. They also made noise to make the locusts fly away.

ii. Why, even after all the crops were destroyed, did the men continue to fight the swarm?

Answer:
Even after all the crops were destroyed, the men continued to fight the swarm because they feared that locusts would lay eggs giving birth to millions of hoppers, that is, baby locusts. The increase in their number could result in further damage to their crops.

iii. What was the condition of the land when the locusts had moved to the south?

Answer:
When the locusts had moved to the South, the condition of the land was devastating. Although the evening air was not black and clouded like before, the sky was clear. The trees and crops were destroyed and there were no bushes for the cattle to rear on so everything needed to be replanted.

iv. What are the measures the farmers should have taken to save their crops? Give five suggestions.

Answer:
The farmers could have taken many preventive measures to save their crops. They could have sprayed insecticides. They could also seek advice from the Agricultural Department to control the attack of locusts. They could also use bio-pesticides such as fungus to spread disease among the locusts, which would have resulted in their ultimate death. The use of Nitrogen fertilizer could also prevent locusts.

v. Write a note on the character of Margaret.

Answer:
Margaret was a farm owner who was a very active, wise, and thoughtful woman. When the locusts attacked the fields, she did not know what to do but he encouraged the servants to make arrangements against them. After the damage that occurred because of the attack of locusts on the crops, she felt like a savior after the war. She tried to get used to locusts for three to four years and believed that they would be like bad weather, which is always unpredictable and imminent. Margaret felt that the countryside was devastated and the situation could not have been worse.

Grammar & Composition

Q 8. Read the following passage and answer the questions given at the end.

Margaret was wondering what she could do to help. She did not know. Then up came old Stephen from the lands. “We’re finished, Margaret, finished! Those beggars can eat every leaf and blade off the farm in half an hour! And it is only early afternoon — if we can make enough smoke, make enough noise till the sun goes down, they’ll settle somewhere else perhaps….” And then: “Get the kettle going. It’s thirsty work, this.”
i. Why did Margaret wonder?
ii. What did old Stephen say?
iii. What did he desire?

Answer:
i. Margaret wondered that she could not help the servants.

ii. Old Stephen said that the locusts could eat every leaf and blade off the farm within an hour. All that they could do was to make smoke in the early afternoon and noise until dusk.

iii. He desired the locusts to leave their fields and settle somewhere else.