Class 12 Compulsory English Animal World Notes

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: descendants
• b. To turn or spin around and around quickly: twirl
• c. Proteins which contain oligosaccharide chains attached to amino acid side-chains: glycoproteins
• d. Carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups and cause cell agglutination: lectins
• e. Abnormal tissue growths that look like small, flat bumps or tiny mushroom-like stalks: polyps
• f. A biological interaction where one organism kills and eats another organism: predation
• g. A genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family: anemone
• h. Extremely or excessively particular, exacting, or meticulous in taste or standards: finicky
• i. A group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage: nudibranch
• j. A free-swimming sexual form of a coelenterate like a jellyfish, typically having an umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles: medusa

B. Write the meanings of the following words and use them in sentences:

• Arthropod: An invertebrate animal of the large phylum Arthropoda (e.g., insects, spiders, crustaceans).
  • Sentence: Many arthropod animals undergo physiological changes that smooth their integration into new environments.
• Gastropod: A mollusc of the large class Gastropoda, such as snails and slugs.
  • Sentence: The problem of the causes of the torsion of the gastropod body has been much discussed by marine biologists.
• Biomass: The total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume.
  • Sentence: Energy from biomass is a growing and sustainable source of renewable energy.
• Calcification: The hardening of tissue or other material by the deposition of insoluble calcium compounds.
  • Sentence: The extremities of the cartilages frequently undergo calcification as the organism ages.
• Metamorphosis: The process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in distinct stages.
  • Sentence: A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.
• Sturgeon: A very large, primitive fish with bony plates on the body, known for producing caviar.
  • Sentence: Caviar is sturgeon roe prepared by a special traditional process.

Comprehension

Answer the following questions:

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

The indicators of our intense self-consciousness are the widespread cultural focus on 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?

We have celebrated our individual identity by assigning ourselves distinct, unique personal names.

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

No, human beings are not truly unique because uniqueness is a commonplace property shared by all living things. A phenomenon cannot logically be both completely unique and universal at the same time.

d. How do fish recognize each other?

Fish recognize each other primarily through their unique chemical scents or smells.

e. What is the function of individuality?

The main function of individuality is self-preservation and the maintenance of distinct biological identities.

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

The mix-up of two selves demonstrates that unity and cooperation with others are fundamentally required for survival and existence.

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

The author illustrates the vital value of co-existence, cooperation, collaboration, and togetherness, highlighting how friendship and biological dependence are essential for survival.

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

The author is disturbed because these creatures evoke an odd, uncanny feeling and challenge conventional concepts of distinct identity with bizarre, dream-like interdependencies.

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

The writer means that the complex, interconnected relationships between living creatures and their environment mirror the vast, intricate web of life on Earth, which becomes more baffling the deeper one tries to analyze it.

Critical Thinking

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

The author uses biological examples—such as the bizarre symbiotic and parasitic relationship between the nudibranch (slug) and the medusa (jellyfish) in the Bay of Naples—to satirize humanity’s obsessive pride in independence and absolute individuality. While modern humans pride themselves on being self-reliant and entirely unique, nature proves that survival is actually rooted in deep interdependence, cooperation, and mutual dependence. Neither creature can live in isolation; their very existence relies on merging and depending on one another. Through this, the author gently mocks the illusion that human beings exist as independent, standalone entities detached from the rest of the natural world.

Writing

A. Essay: Independence vs. Interdependence

Human beings frequently categorize themselves into individual or group entities, shaping their motivations and self-conceptions. Two primary perceptions define how people view their relationship with society: the independent self-concept and the interdependent self-concept. While independence emphasizes autonomy, personal traits, and separation from others, interdependence highlights connectedness, shared responsibilities, and mutual reliance.

Interdependence offers profound societal and psychological benefits. Unlike an independent mindset that often pits the individual against society, an interdependent framework fosters shared responsibility and social cohesion. It reassures individuals that they are not alone in their struggles, significantly alleviating feelings of insecurity, isolation, and fear. As author Gish Jen notes, “the joy of a functioning interdependent relationship can be tremendous.”

Ultimately, human survival and progress rely on community support. While personal autonomy has its place, embracing our interconnectedness allows societies to flourish through cooperation, empathy, and collective strength.

B. Newspaper Article: Increasing Individualism in Modern Nepali Society

Increasing Individualism in Modern Nepali Society

By Ramesh Thapa

Individualism—the social outlook emphasizing individual worth, self-reliance, and personal goals over strict collectivism—is visibly on the rise in modern Nepali society. Historically rooted in tight-knit, community-oriented structures, Nepal is experiencing a cultural shift driven by socio-economic development, higher household incomes, expanded educational opportunities, and rapid urbanization.

As young Nepalis migrate to cities for white-collar jobs and higher education, traditional joint-family systems are gradually giving way to nuclear households and independent lifestyles. This rising prosperity is a welcome sign of economic progress, lifting many out of poverty. However, it also brings a transition away from traditional collectivism, where social ties and shared family obligations once dictated everyday decisions.

While personal independence fosters ambition and self-growth, society must strike a balance. Preserving our core values of community support and family bonds while embracing modern progress is essential to ensuring that individual success does not come at the cost of social isolation.

Grammar

A. Make passive sentences from the given information:

• a. volleyball/every/country/play → Volleyball is played in every country.
• b. spaghetti/boiling water/cook → Spaghetti is cooked in boiling water.
• c. each lesson/an exercise/follow → Each lesson is followed by an exercise.
• d. taxes/the price/include → Taxes are included in the price.
• e. extensive information/the internet/find → Extensive information is found on the internet.
• f. our order/the waiter/took → Our order was taken by the waiter.
• g. the schedule/the participants/will distribute → The schedule will be distributed by the participants.
• h. the police/footprint/found → Footprints were found by the police.
• i. the children/the sandcastles/built → The sandcastles were built by the children.
• j. the father/the window/not going to open → The window is not going to be opened by the father.

B. Rewrite sentences in the passive voice using the correct verb forms:

• a. Call the ambulance! Two boys have been injured (injure) in a motorbike accident.
• b. The clock has been used (use) since the 17th century.
• c. I had to wait outside the classroom while it was being cleaned (clean).
• d. The problem is being discussed (discuss) by the subject specialists at the moment.
• e. By the time I came back, the task had been finished (finish).
• f. Women are said (say) to be happier than men.
• g. Look! The house had been destroyed (destroy) by the fire.
• h. The other three reports will be submitted (submit) by next month.
• i. Many people have been rescued (rescue) from the floods by security personnel this year.
• j. The state of Florida was hit (hit) by a hurricane that did serious damage.