Here we have shared Questions Answers from The Greenhouse Effect Poem (Carl Dennis) / HS English 4th Semester
HS English 4th Semester
The Greenhouse Effect Poem (Carl Dennis) 6 Marks Questions Answers
Q.1 What events will supposedly take place according to the poet in the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”?
Answer: According to the poet, the following events will take place in the future due to the Greenhouse Effect:
(i) The grain producing regions will slowly move closer to the poles.
(ii) The Plains States will become dry dust bowls and will have to be abandoned.
(iii) Good farming land will become very expensive, and suburbs will be turned into farms.
(iv) The cities will again become overcrowded because people will not be able to afford cars.
(v) People will have to walk or use trollies for going to work as private transport will be too costly.
(vi) Citizens will have to donate extra time after work to repair and maintain public buildings, since the government will not have enough tax money.
These events show the serious social, economic and environmental consequences of global warming.
Q.2 Describe the poet’s portrayal of urban landscapes in a world affected by climate change in the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”.
Ans: In the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”, the poet shows that climate change will completely change life in cities. Due to pollution and global warming, there will be less food, less rainfall and less shelter. The suburbs will become farming areas. So, huge groups of people will move towards the cities. As a result, the big towns will become very crowded. The poet says life in these urban places will become very difficult and totally different from today. All this will happen because human beings did not take climate change seriously and continued to destroy the environment.
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Q.3 What events will supposedly take place according to the poet in the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”?
Ans: The poet predicts many fearful events in the future world due to global warming. The ecological balance of the earth will be destroyed. The temperature will continue to increase. Glaciers will melt and the sea level will rise. As a result, powerful rich nations of today will suffer shortage of food, rain, shelter and other essential things. Suburbs will become farming areas, and cities will be overcrowded by the movement of people. These rich nations will lose their economic and political power. On the other hand, small nations will become strong in trade and sea power. The poet suggests that the present world powers will only watch helplessly. Life will become difficult and the standard of living will fall. All these will be the result of pollution and careless attitude towards the environment.
Q.4 How does the poem “The Greenhouse Effect” depict changes in social structures and economic systems due to climate change?
Ans: In the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”, the poet shows that climate change will not only affect the weather, but also change society and economy. Due to global warming, the strong nations of today will lose their power. They will face shortage of food, rain, resources, and shelter. Their economy will fall. On the other hand, some small and less powerful nations will grow strong in trade and sea power. The poet uses “Korean armadas” as a symbol of these rising future powers. So, there will be a total reversal of the social and economic order. Those who are rich and powerful today will become weak, and those who were small will rise. In this way, climate change will completely change the social structure and economic system of the world.
Q.5 Justify the title of the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”.
Ans: The title ‘The Greenhouse Effect’ is suitable and meaningful because the whole poem deals with the dangerous result of rising temperature caused by greenhouse gases. The poet shows how global warming will destroy the balance of nature and bring disaster to human civilization. Lands will become barren. Food shortage, overcrowding and economic collapse will occur. Powerful nations will lose their power and small nations will rise. All these future sufferings will be the direct result of the greenhouse effect. Therefore, the title perfectly expresses the cause behind the terrible future described in the poem. This is why the title ‘The Greenhouse Effect’ is fully justified.
Q.6 Describe the Central idea of the poem ‘The Greenhouse Effect’.
OR, Discuss the substance of the poem ‘The Greenhouse Effect’.
Ans: The central idea of the poem “The Greenhouse Effect” is to show how global warming and pollution will destroy the natural balance of the world and bring a dark future for human beings. The poet warns that the gradual rise of temperature will change climate, economy, agriculture and social life. Seas will rise, lands will turn barren and suburbs will become farmlands. Cities will be overcrowded and people will suffer shortage of food and shelter. Powerful nations of today will lose their strength and new small nations will rise in power. The poet makes us realise that if we do not take care of the environment now, the future of the world will be full of disaster and pain. This poem is therefore a strong warning for all human beings to protect the planet before it is too late.
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Q.7 What changes about agricultural activities and plant-world are predicted in the poem ‘The Greenhouse Effect’? Why, according to the poet, should there be such changes?
Ans: In the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”, the poet predicts that agriculture will be badly affected in the future. Fertile lands will dry up and become dust bowls. There will not be enough rain. As a result, crops will not grow properly. Suburbs will turn into agricultural zones because people will try to use every small area of land for cultivation. The plant-world will also suffer because the natural climate needed for plants will be disturbed.
According to the poet, all these changes will happen because of the rapid rise of temperature caused by pollution and greenhouse gases. Human beings are destroying the environment without thinking about the future. So the earth will lose its ecological balance and agriculture will face a serious crisis.
Q.8 How does the poet refer to both future and past in the poem ‘The Greenhouse Effect’?
Ans: In the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”, the poet connects both the future and the past to make his warning stronger. He talks about the past where certain powerful nations enjoyed prosperity, success and political influence. They once ruled world economy and international affairs. But the poet also speaks about the future where these same powerful nations will lose their position because of climate change and global warming. The future world will not be the same as the past world. There will be a complete reversal of fortune. Small nations will rise in place of present big nations. Thus, by comparing the rich past with the dark future, the poet shows how the greenhouse effect will completely change the world.
HS English 4th Semester
The Greenhouse Effect Poem (Carl Dennis) 2 Marks Questions Answers
Q.1 What does the poet mean by the words “Let them have their little time in the sun”?
Answer: The poet means that the new powerful nations of the future may enjoy their success and dominance for some time. The people of the poet’s country will not be jealous. They will watch quietly and think that their power will also not last forever.
Q.2 How will it affect the public? Mention any four events.
Answer: It will bring major changes in public life.
(i) Good farming land will become costly and suburbs will turn into farms.
(ii) Cities will again become crowded with poor people who cannot afford cars.
(iii) People will have to walk or travel by trolley to go to work.
(iv) Citizens will have to donate hours after work to repair and maintain public buildings.
Q.3 What significance does the image of “watching from the beach” hold in “The Greenhouse Effect”?
Answer: The image of “watching from the beach” shows the helpless position of the poet’s country in the future. They will only be silent observers, watching the powerful nations pass by with their fleets, without having any control or influence on world affairs.
Q.4 What does the phrase “around the world” signify in the context of the poem, “The Greenhouse Effect”?
Answer: The phrase “around the world” signifies that the new powerful countries will spread their control everywhere. Their ships and power will not be limited to one place, but will dominate globally.
Q.5 What changes can be expected in the working pattern due to global warming and the greenhouse effect in the poem “The Greenhouse Effect”?
Answer: The poem suggests that because of global warming people will become poorer and lose their luxurious lifestyle. They will have to walk or travel by public transport, and also donate extra time after work for repairing and maintaining public buildings, as the government will not have enough funds to do so.
Q.6 What change in land use does the poet predict for the suburbs?
Answer: The suburbs will no longer remain residential areas. Due to lack of fertile land, the suburbs will be converted into farms to grow food crops.
Q.7 Why will cities again become crowded according to the poem?
Answer: People will be too poor to buy cars and live in distant suburbs. So they will return to cities where everything is close and cheaper, causing overcrowding again.
Q.8 What is the significance of “nut trees” replacing elms and oaks?
Answer: Nut trees are practical and give food value. This shows that people will choose usefulness over beauty when resources become scarce.
Q.9 Why will citizens need to donate extra hours after work?
Answer: The government will not have enough tax money to maintain public buildings. So people must volunteer to repair and preserve them.
Q.10 What does the poet mean by comparing future America with “stronger Carthages”?
Answer: He means that powerful countries of the future will defeat and surpass America just like ancient Rome defeated Carthage. America will lose its top global position.
Q.11 Why does the poet mention Korean armadas?
Answer: He shows that countries considered weaker now may become the dominating powers in future and control world trade with huge fleets.
Q.12 What is the tone expressed by the poet about future changes?
Answer: The tone is ironic and resigned. The poet accepts the decline without anger, as if everything is natural and unavoidable.
Q.13 What does the poet warn against in the poem?
Answer: The poet warns against careless industrial development and greenhouse pollution. This will lead to climate crisis and social decline.
Q.14 What will happen to public buildings in the future according to the poem?
Answer: If not maintained properly, public buildings like the Library and City Hall will collapse like Roman temples. So public must preserve them.
Q.15 What does “dust bowls” refer to?
Answer: It refers to large barren and dry lands which cannot produce crops because of extreme heat and lack of rain.
Q.16 Why will people have to walk or take trollies?
Answer: Because cars will be too costly to maintain and buy. Economic decline will force people to use cheaper public transport.
Q.17 What do the words “little time in the sun” imply about new powers?
Answer: It implies that even their success is temporary. Their power also will not last forever.
Q.18 How does the poem reflect environmental responsibility?
Answer: It shows that if we misuse nature today, we must suffer the consequences tomorrow. Human actions directly shape future living conditions.
Q.19 What is ironic about the poem’s ending?
Answer: Although the country will lose status, people will still pretend to be satisfied and enjoy music on the beach, ignoring dangerous signals from the Arctic.
Q.20 What message does the poet want to give to the readers?
Answer: The poet wants readers to understand that if we do not control greenhouse emissions and development greed today, the future will become harder and poorer for all.
