Class 12 Section I English Lesson 12

Working with words

A. Find the words from the text which have the following meanings.

a. Persons who are related to you and who live after you, such as your child or grandchild are called descendants.

👉 descendants.

b. ‘Twirl’ means to turn or spin around and around quickly.

👉 twirl.

c. Glycoproteins are proteins which contain oligosaccharide chains (glycans) attached to amino acid side-chains.

👉 glycoproteins.

d. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of other molecules and so cause agglutination of particular cells.

👉 lectins.

e. Polyps are abnormal tissue growths that most often look like small, flat bumps or tiny mushroom-like stalks found in the phylum Cnidaria and the medusa.

👉 polyps.

f. Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey.

👉 predation.

g. Anemone is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family.

👉 anemone.

h. A/An finicky person is extremely or excessively particular, exacting, or meticulous in taste or standards.

👉 finicky.

i. Nudibranch is a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage.

👉 nudibranch.

j. A medusa is a free-swimming sexual form of a coelenterate such as a jellyfish, typically having an umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles around the edge.

👉 medusa.

B. Look up a dictionary and write the meanings of the following words then use them in your own sentences.

Arthropod : an invertebrate animal of the large phylum Arthropoda

Ans 👉 Many arthropod animals undergo physiological changes that smooth their integration.

Gastropod : a mollusc of the large class Gastropoda

Ans 👉 The problem of the causes of the torsion of the Gastropod body has been much discussed.

Biomass : the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume

Ans 👉 Energy from biomass is a growing source of renewable energy.

Calcification : the hardening of tissue or other material by the deposition of insoluble calcium compounds

Ans 👉 The extremities of the cartilages frequently undergo calcification.

Metamorphosis : the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages

Ans 👉 A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.

Sturgeon : a very large primitive fish with bony plates on the body

Ans 👉 Caviar is sturgeon roe prepared by a special process.

Comprehension

a. What are the indicators of the fact that we are very self-conscious about ourselves these days?

Ans 👉 The indicators of the fact that we are very self-conscious about ourselves these days are self-realization, self-help, self-development, self-awareness, self-respect and self-enlightenment.

b. How have we celebrated the fact that we have our individual identity?

Ans 👉 We have celebrated the fact that we have our individual identity by providing ourselves with a real name.

c. Are we, human beings, really unique? Why/Why not?

Ans 👉 No, we human beings aren’t really unique. It’s because uniqueness is so commonplace a property of living things that there is really nothing at all unique about it. The phenomenon can’t be unique and universal at the same time.

d. How do fish recognize each other?

Ans 👉 Fish recognize each other by the smell of each other.

e. What is the function of individuality?

Ans 👉 The function of individuality is self-preservation and maintaining individuality.

f. What does the mix-up of two selves tell us about our identity?

Ans 👉 The mix-up of two selves tells us that unity and cooperation with each other is required for survival and existence.

g. What does the author illustrate with the tale of the nudibranch and the medusa?

Ans 👉 The author illustrates the value of co-existence, cooperation, helpfulness, collaboration and togetherness with the tale of the nudibranch and the medusa. It also shows the significance of friendship and dependence on each other for survival and existence.

h. Why is the author disturbed by the thought of the creatures like the nudibranch and medusa?

Ans 👉 The author is disturbed by the thought of the creatures like the nudibranch and medusa because it provides him with an odd feeling and confuses him with vague and bizarre concepts like a dream.

i. What does the writer mean by “they remind me of the whole earth at once?”

Ans 👉 By saying “they remind me of the whole earth at once,” the writer means that it is very complicated and bizarre to justify the relationship between the creatures and non-living things of the world, and the more one tries to understand, the more confused one gets.

Critical thinking

a. How does the author make satire on the modern idea of the ‘self’ based on individuality, independence and uniqueness?

Ans 👉 The author satirizes the modern idea of ‘self’ based on individuality, independence and uniqueness by presenting the close relationship between the nudibranch and medusa. A mature jellyfish engulfs a tiny newly-hatched slug only to be devoured bit by bit until the snail dominates. This illustrates that both creatures depend on each other for survival. The essay shows that pride over individuality, independence and uniqueness is not applicable in real life, emphasizing cooperation, interdependence, and friendship.

Writing

A. Write an essay on “Independence vs. Interdependence” in about 250 words.

Ans 👉 Human beings usually categorize themselves into individual or group entities. These self-conceptions determine motivation as well as cognitions. There are two perceptions about relationships with others: the independent self-concept, where an individual sees themselves as separate, and the interdependent self-concept, where a person feels connected to others. Interdependence emphasizes shared responsibilities, mutual growth, and social support. Unlike independence, which can create fear and isolation, interdependence fosters cohesion, security, and shared development. Both interdependent and independent self-concepts are necessary, and understanding each other allows society to thrive.

B. Write a newspaper article highlighting the increasing individualism in the modern Nepali society.

Ans 👉 Increasing Individualism in the Modern Nepali Society

By Ramesh Thapa
March 12, 2019

Individualism emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual, valuing independence, self-reliance, and prioritizing personal goals over social or state interests. In modern Nepalese society, individualism is increasing due to socio-economic development, higher education, urbanization, and white-collar jobs. Rising prosperity and education have benefitted not only the wealthy but also the poor. While individualism is sometimes equated with selfishness, it contrasts with collectivism, which emphasizes close social ties and interconnectedness. Individualism shapes modern identity while challenging traditional social norms.

Grammar

A. Make passive sentences from the following information as in the example.

a. volleyball/every/country/play

Ans 👉 Volleyball is played in every country.

b. spaghetti/boiling water/cook

Ans 👉 Spaghetti is cooked in boiling water.

c. each lesson/an exercise/follow

Ans 👉 Each lesson is followed by an exercise.

d. taxes/the price/include

Ans 👉 Taxes are included in the price.

e. extensive information/the internet/find

Ans 👉 Extensive information is found on the internet.

f. our order/the waiter/took

Ans 👉 Our order was taken by the waiter.

g. the schedule/the participants/will distribute

Ans 👉 The schedule will be distributed by the participants.

h. the police/footprint/found

Ans 👉 Footprint was found by the police.

i. the children/the sandcastles/built

Ans 👉 The sandcastles were built by the children.

j. the father/the window/not going to open

Ans 👉 The window is not going to be opened by the father.

B. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice using the correct form of verbs in the brackets.

a. Call the ambulance! Two boys have been injured (injure) in a motorbike accident.

Ans 👉 Two boys have been injured in a motorbike accident.

b. The clock has been used (use) since the 17th century.

Ans 👉 The clock has been used since the 17th century.

c. I had to wait outside the classroom while the classroom was being cleaned (clean).

Ans 👉 I had to wait outside the classroom while the classroom was being cleaned.

d. The problem is being discussed (discuss) by the subject specialists at the moment.

Ans 👉 The problem is being discussed by the subject specialists at the moment.

e. By the time I came back, the task has been finished (finish).

Ans 👉 By the time I came back, the task had been finished.

f. Women are said (say) to be happier than men.

Ans 👉 Women are said to be happier than men.

g. Look! The house had been destroyed (destroy) by the fire.

Ans 👉 Look! The house had been destroyed by the fire.

h. The other three reports will be submitted (submit) by next month.

Ans 👉 The other three reports will be submitted by next month.

i. Many people have been rescued (rescue) from the floods by the security persons this year.

Ans 👉 Many people have been rescued from the floods by the security persons this year.

j. The state of Florida was hit (hit) by a hurricane that did serious damage.

Ans 👉 The state of Florida was hit by a hurricane that did serious damage