Bihar Board Class 12 English Book Solutions Chapter 5

Ideas that have Helped Mankind

A. Work in small groups and discuss the following :

Question 1.
Your idea of a happy future life.
Answer:
I think I can be happy by leading a simple life by curtailing my desires.

Question 2.
Man and development.
Answer:
Development is essential. But development should no harm our surroundings. We have
destroyed the forest and wildlife in the name of development. It is not development. It is
destruction.

Q. 3. Some of the valuable ideas which have inspired you.

Answer:
I was inspired by the ideas of Vivekananda, who said that young people should be not only
morally strong but physical strong so. That is why I take regular exercise to keep fit and
healthy, I am also inspired by the idea that work is its own reward. So I keep myself busy and
help others. This keeps me happy and satisfied.

B. 1. Read the following sentences and write T for true and F for false statements
(i) Ideas help mankind.
(ii) Survival was never a problem for homo-sapiens.
(iii) Long infancy was a biological advantage to mankind.
(iv) Man’s earliest technical skill was devoted to increasing their population.
(v) Congenital skills play a more important role than the acquired skills.
(vi) unlike birds, human beings can foresee a catastrophe.
(vii) Forethought can avert physical danger. ,
(viii) The intelligent qualities account for the glory of man.
(ix) In a secure future, there are neither worries nor lack of joy.
Answer:
(i) True (ii) False (iii) True (iv) False (v) True (vi) True (vii) True (viii) True (ix) True.
B. 2. 1. Read the following sentences and write T for True and F for false statements :
(i) Utilization of fire was a milestone in human progress.
(ii) The fire was used only for cooking.
(iii) Domestication of animals had nothing to do with religion.
(iv) Our earliest form of writing was pictorial.
(v) The invention of agriculture was less important than the domestication of animals.
(vi) In the course of time, we have progressed.
Answer:
(i) True (ii) False (iii) False (iv) True (v) False (vi) True.

B. 2. 2. Answer the following questions briefly

Question 1.
Has civilization taught us to be more friendly towards one another?
Answer:
Yes, civilization has taught us to be more friendly towards one another. Birds do not treat,
their elder as human beings do to their elders providing an old-age pension.

Question 2.
What is our attitude towards those ’out-side our herd?
Answer:
Our attitude towards those outside our heard, in spite of all that has been done by moralists
and religious teachers, our emotions are as ferocious as those of any animal, and our
intelligence enables us to give them a scope which is denied to even the most savage beast.

Question 3.
What are the two broad categories of ideas that have helped mankind?
Answer:
Two broad categories of ideas that have helped mankind are those that contribute to
knowledge and technique, and those that are concerned with moral and political.

Question 4.
Did language play a role in human development?
Answer:
Yes, language played a prominent role in human development. At what stage language began
is not known, but we may be pretty certain that it began very gradually. Without it, it would
have been very difficult to hand on from generation to generation the inventions and
discoveries that were gradually made.

Question 5.
How many languages do you know apart from your mother tongue? Has it helped you in any
way?
Answer:

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I know some other languages apart from my mother language such as English, Sanskrit,
Urdu etc. Yes, it has helped me in many ways such as to contact another person who does not
know our mother tongue then we use English to express our feelings. English is widely
spoken all over the world.

Q. 1. Discuss the ideas that have helped mankind.

Answer:
See Summary.

Question 2.
How are human being different from animals? Explain.
Answer:
Human beings are different from animals in such a manner that there are 21 (twenty-one) as
his intellectual and moral qualities that separate human beings from animals. It is obvious
that we know more than animals do, and it is common to consider. It is one of our
advantages. Animals can not think like human beings, because of that human beings have
extra-ordinary thinking power. It has highly sensitive power. Human beings are one of the
most developed and advanced creatures of this world, So human beings are different from
animals.

Question 3. How has civilization helped us? Discuss.

Answer:
Civilization has helped us in such a way that in ancient time we were just like animals. We
hadn’t the knowledge of the way of life. We were not more advanced like today. Civilization
has taught us to be more friendly towards one another. Civilization has made us developed.
Within the herd, we are more friendly to each other than many species of animals, but in our
attitude towards those outside the herd, in spite of all that has been done by moralists and
religious teachers, our emotions are as ferocious as those of any animal, and our intelligence
enables us to give them a scope which is denied to even the most savage-best.

Question 4.
It is important for us to be civilized ? Give examples of the civilized behaviour that you
practise in your everyday life.
Answer:
Yes, it is important for us to be civilized. Civilization is defined as the way of life is called
civilization. We wear neat and clean clothes that are civilization. Daily we greet everyone and
say, thank you, please. This shows us -as a civilized person. If we wear neat and clean clothes
and talk with manners then we are known as a respected person and honoured by all. If
haven’t, these types of qualities we are ignored by all. So it is important for us to be civilized.
C. 3. Composition:

Question 1.
Write a letter to your friend in Delhi about the culture of Bihar.
Answer:

Agam Kuan
Patna – 800 004
1 September 2009

Hope this letter will find you in your pink health. Today I would like to aware you of the
cultures of Bihar. The culture of Bihar is old and rich and its richness is still in existence. The
culture of Bihar is like a tree whose shade gives shelter to all those who come under it. The
culture tells you what this world is all about and what are its motives. The result that it gives
is that the entire universe is one. The culture of Bihar is such that it cannot be ignored. It is
the culture of Bihar which makes its people friendly, co-operative and helpful to others. Its
culture is to respect everybody and every religion. There are many politicians who are trying
to bring a bad name to Bihar but it is the culture which makes it going on and stand firm like
a pillar.

Give my regards to elders & love to youngers.

Yours lovingly
Kavita

Question 2.
Write a paragraph in about 100 words on the ‘significance of original thinking’
Answer:
There is a great importance of original thinking in life. People with original thoughts are
always moving ahead. We can say that original thinking is the key to success. We have
noticed that all those people who have achieved greatness in life are the original thinkers.
They dared to think something different and new for the first time. People who just follow
the wrong and unhealthy traditions are the losers in life. They just think something which
has already been thought by others. They are scared of thinking something new, and this is
the reason they lag behind. We can make our life honourable by thinking something new for
the first time.

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D. Word Study
D. 1. Dictionary Use

Ex. Correct the spelling of the following words

numerus, prelimnary, continualy, vareity, tekhique, acquaintence.
Answer:
numerus — numerous, prelimnary — preliminary, continualy — continually, vareity —
variety, tekhique — technique, acquaintence — acquintance.

D. 2. Word-formation

Read the following sentence carefully

Given below is a list of words from the lesson. Write their anonyms by adding prefixes like
‘in-‘, ‘un-‘, ‘dis-‘, ‘im-‘.
advantage, certain, definite, friendly, moral, agreeable, sure, forseen, pleasure.
Answer:
disadvantage, uncertain, indefinite, unfriendly, immoral disagreeable, unsure, unforseen,
displeasure.

D. 3. Word meaning

Ex. 1. Match the words given in Column ‘A’ with their meanings in Column ‘B’,

Ans. (1) -(g), (2) -(e), (3) -(c), (4)-

D. 4. Phrases

Ex. 1. Read the lesson carefully and find out the sentences in which the following phrases
have been used. Then use these phrases in sentences of your own

at any rate, have to do with,

E. Grammar

Ex. 1. Read the following sentences taken from the lesson,

carefully :
(a) I will say a preliminary word about them.
(b) Birds die of hunger in large numbers during the winter.
You see that the word ‘about’ in the first sentence is used before a pronoun ‘them’. Similarly,
‘of, ‘in’ and ‘during’ in the second sentence are used before a noun ‘hunger’, a noun phrase
‘large number’, and a noun ‘winter’ respectively. Such a word or group of words used before a
noun or pronoun to show relation in terms of place, position, time or method is known as
preposition.

Fill in the blanks with correct prepositions

(a) Please read…………………. line 5………………. page 10.
(b) Birds die………………. hunger………………….. the winter.
(c) Mamta prefers coffee…………………. tea.
(d) Mahatma Gandhi was born…………………. Porbandar………………….. Gujarat.
(e) Chhabi swan………………….. the river.
(f) We have become…………………….. certain respects less like animals.
Answer:
(a) in, on, (b) of, during, (c) to, (d) at, in, (e) across, (f) in’

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