A TRYST WITH ENGLISH

Q1. What is the ‘Students on Ice’ programme? Why is it significant? ‘Students on Ice’ is an international programme that takes students to Antarctica, giving them firsthand experience of its pristine environment. It sensitizes them to climate change and teaches them the importance of preserving Earth’s delicate ecological balance, inspiring them to become responsible environmental citizens. --- Q2. Why is Antarctica considered the perfect place to understand Earth’s past, present, and future? Antarctica is untouched by human interference, holds 90% of Earth’s ice, and its ice cores reveal 500,000 years of climate history. It helps scientists understand Earth’s geological past, study present global warming, and predict future climate changes, making it the perfect natural laboratory for research. --- Q3. Explain the significance of Gondwana Land in the context of this chapter. Gondwana was a supercontinent that existed 650 million years ago, comprising India, Africa, South America, Aust...

John Keats begins the poem with one of the most memorable lines in English poetry: “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” With this declaration, he establishes the central idea that beauty is permanent and eternal. He compares beauty to an eternal source of joy. Unlike worldly pleasures that fade with time, beauty never loses its charm; rather, its impact deepens as time passes. It offers a “bower quiet” — a peaceful, shady shelter from the chaos of life — and brings “a sleep full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.” In other words, beauty nourishes both body and soul, restoring calm and well-being. The poet then acknowledges the harsh realities of human life. The world, he admits, is full of pain and suffering. People experience “despondence,” meaning hopelessness, and there is an “inhuman dearth of noble natures,” suggesting a lack of kindness and generosity among men. Days often seem “gloomy,” and human beings tend to follow “unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways” that lea...