Unit-2: Lesson-1

Climate Change
Lesson 1: The Greed of the Mighty Rivers

Read the following text and answer the questions.

Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment. The whispering wind from the river Jamuna makes
the fire unsteady. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life. Not long ago, Meherjan had everything—
a family, arable land, and cattle. The erosion of the Jamuna gradually consumed all her land property. It finally claimed her
only shelter during the last monsoon. It took the river only a day to devour Meherjan's house, trees, vegetable garden, and
the bamboo bush. She had a happy family once. Over the years, she lost her husband and her family to diseases that cruel
hunger and poverty brought to the family. Now, she is the only one left to live on with the loss and the pain. The greedy
Jamuna has shattered her dreams and happiness. There are thousands of others waiting to share the same fate as Meherjan.
Bangladesh is a land of rivers, some of whose banks overflow or erode during the monsoon. Erosion is a harsh reality for
the people living along the river banks. During each monsoon, many more villages are threatened by the mighty rivers like
the Jamuna, the Padma, and the Meghna. It is estimated that river erosion makes at least 100,000 people homeless every
year in Bangladesh. In fact, river erosion is one of the main dangers caused by climate change. If we can't take prompt
actions to adapt to climate change, there will be thousands of more Meherjans in our towns and villages every year.

1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives:

1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives:

1. Meher's life was very happy before —. [RB-2024]

i) the liberation
ii) the destruction of the river Jamuna
iii) the victory
iv) the independence
Answer: ii) the destruction of the river Jamuna

2. 'Greedy Jamuna' is used here to describe the —. [RB-2024]

i) cruelty of nature
ii) supply of a consumer
iii) supply of a consumer
Answer: i) cruelty of nature

3. Meherjan is a victim of —. [RB-2024]

i) drought
ii) famine
iii) river erosion
iv) cyclone
Answer: iii) river erosion
4. The word 'turmoil' indicates —. [RB-2024]
i) agitation
ii) reduction
iii) constant
iv) rigid
Answer: i) agitation

5. The word 'shatter' means —. [RB-2024]

i) to destroy something
ii) to create something
iii) to break something into pieces
iv) to complete something
Answer: iii) to break something into pieces

6. The phrase 'whispering wind' means —. [RB-2024]

i) wind that blows from across the river
ii) wind that blows with a hissing sound
iii) wind that helps someone make a fire
iv) wind that blows in summer
Answer: ii) wind that blows with a hissing sound

7. What is the main purpose of the author of the passage? [RB-2024]

i) To explain the importance of river
ii) To describe the impact of monsoon
iii) To describe the effect of river erosion
iv) To describe the fate of a woman
Answer: iii) To describe the effect of river erosion

8. Meherjan is living — in her makeshift house now. [JB-2023; DjB-2019]

i) with her relatives
ii) with her husband
iii) with her family
iv) alone
Answer: iv) alone

9. Before the erosion of the river, Meharjan was —. [JB-2023]

i) healthy
ii) wealthy
iii) unhappy
iv) sad
Answer: ii) wealthy
10. What does the word 'demolish' mean? [JB-2023; CtgB-2019]
i) Build
ii) Preserve
iii) Destroy
iv) Support
Answer: iii) Destroy

11. What is the dangerous result of climate change? [JB-2023; CtgB-2019]

i) Cruel hunger
ii) River erosion
iii) Landed property
iv) The curse of nature
Answer: ii) River erosion

12. River erosion has —. [JB-2023]

i) cruel impact on people
ii) benefits
iii) natural advantages
iv) adverse effects on wildlife
Answer: i) cruel impact on people

13. Meherjan was homeless because of —. [JB-2023; DJB-2019]

i) the erosion of the Jamuna
ii) selling of the house
iii) destruction of her house
iv) flood
Answer: i) the erosion of the Jamuna

14. What does the word 'roar' mean? [JB-2023]

i) smile
ii) cry
iii) moan
iv) to make loud deep harsh sound
Answer: iv) to make loud deep harsh sound

15. Which one is the true cause of river erosion? [JB-2023]

i) monsoon
ii) temperature rise
iii) climate change
iv) river pollution
Answer: iii) climate change
16. The word 'shattered' means —. [JB-2023]
i) faced
ii) exterminated
iii) impoverished
iv) confronted
Answer: ii) exterminated

17. Meherjan's hands are trembling because —. [BB-2022; CTG-2019]

i) she is tired
ii) she is exhausted
iii) she is frightened
iv) she is feeble
Answer: iv) she is feeble

18. River erosion is the effect of —. [BB-2022]

i) climate change
ii) environment pollution
iii) natural disaster
iv) cyclone
Answer: i) climate change

19. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life. Here 'dancing' means —
. [BB-2022]
i) jumping
ii) unstable
iii) glittering
iv) bright
Answer: ii) unstable

20. River banks erode —. [BB-2022]

i) throughout the year
ii) in one season
iii) in two seasons
iv) in three seasons
Answer: ii) in one season

21. Before the erosion of the river, Meharjan was —. [BB-2022; CTG-2019]
i) well off
ii) sad
iii) unhappy
 iv) healthy
Answer: i) well off

22. What does the expression "The turmoil in her life" in the 1st paragraph mean? [DJB-
2019]
i) The pleasures of life
ii) The thunderstorm in her life
iii) The pangs and pains of her life
iv) The dreams of her life
Answer: iii) The pangs and pains of her life

23. Dancing of the flame means —. [DJB-2019]

i) a traditional form of folk dance
ii) a flame that makes people dance around it
iii) instability of flame
iv) a flame made by people to remember their past
Answer: iii) instability of flame

24. Meherjan tries to make fire to —. [CTG-2019]

i) warm herself
ii) cook day's meal
iii) make tea
iv) make night's meal
Answer: ii) cook day's meal

25. — has made Meherjan's life miserable. [CTG-2019]

i) Old age
ii) Sickness
iii) River erosion
iv) Frustration
Answer: iii) River erosion

26. How old is Meherjan? [CTG-2019]

i) Below 40
ii) Below 45
iii) Below 50
iv) Above 50
Answer: ii) Below 45

27. What are the rivers mentioned in the passage? [DJB-2019]

i) The Jamuna
 ii) The Padma
iii) The Meghna
iv) All the above
Answer: iv) All the above

28. Once Meherjan was —. [DJB-2019]

i) solvent
ii) insolvent
iii) poor
iv) impoverished
Answer: i) solvent

29. According to the passage, the word 'monsoon' refers to —.

i) the Summer
ii) the Spring
iii) the Rainy Season
iv) the Winter
Answer: iii) the Rainy Season

30. What has made Meherjan's life deplorable?

i) frustration
ii) dancing flames of fire
iii) illness
iv) the impact of the river erosion
Answer: iv) the impact of the river erosion

31. The word 'erosion' mentioned in the passage means —.

i) creation
ii) annihilation
iii) ruination
iv) the process of being erode
Answer: iv) the process of being erode

32. The word 'estimate' mentioned in the passage means —.

i) verdict
ii) view
iii) assessment
iv) justify
Answer: iii) assessment
 33. We can control the destruction of nature —.
i) if we depend on the force of nature
ii) if we use technology
iii) if we make the rescue team
iv) if we are careful and true to our words
Answer: iv) if we are careful and true to our words

34. — has made Meherjan's life miserable.

i) Old age
ii) Sickness
iii) River erosion
iv) Frustration
Answer: iii) River erosion

35. What does the word 'turmoil' mean in the passage?

i) ups and downs
ii) confusion
iii) anxiety
iv) safety
Answer: i) ups and downs

36. The phrase 'landed property' means —.

i) a rented piece of land
ii) a piece of land on the bank of a river
iii) property in the form of a source of income to its owner
iv) property used only as an agricultural farm
Answer: iii) property in the form of a source of income to its owner

37. 'Over the years' means —.

i) eventually
ii) consequently
iii) over the passage of time
iv) slowly
Answer: iii) over the passage of time

2. Answer the following questions:

a. Why does the author call the Jamuna greedy?

Answer: The author calls the Jamuna greedy because it gradually consumed Meherjan's land,
property, and shelter, leaving her with nothing.
b. Where does Meherjan live?
Answer: Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment.

c. What does 'dancing flame' mean?

Answer: 'Dancing flame' refers to the unstable movement of the fire, symbolizing the turmoil in
Meherjan's life.

d. How can we stop river erosion?

Answer: By taking prompt actions to adapt to climate change, such as using sustainable land
management practices and building protective embankments.

e. When are many more villages threatened by the roaring rivers?

Answer: During each monsoon season.

f. Who are the worst sufferers of climate change?

Answer: People living along river banks, like Meherjan, are the worst sufferers of climate change.

g. What crushed Meherjan's dream and happiness? How?

Answer: The erosion of the Jamuna crushed her dreams and happiness by taking away her land,
home, and family.

h. What property did Meherjan lose due to river erosion?

Answer: She lost her arable land, cattle, house, trees, and vegetable garden.

i. Do you agree with the view that we should take prompt actions to adapt to climate change?
Why?
Answer: Yes, because failing to act will lead to more people like Meherjan losing their homes and
livelihoods.

j. What will happen if we cannot control river erosion?

Answer: Thousands more people will become homeless every year.

k. How was Meherjan's life earlier?

Answer: She had a happy family, arable land, and cattle.

l. Why are many more villages in the threat of erosion?

Answer: Due to the powerful rivers like the Jamuna, Padma, and Meghna overflowing during
monsoons.

m. Why does Meherjan look more than her age?

Answer: The hardships and losses she endured made her look older.

n. Describe Meherjan's residence.

Answer: She lives in a makeshift slum on the embankment, with unsteady conditions.
o. Where does Meherjan live and how does her living place look like?
Answer: She lives in a slum on the embankment; her living place is unstable and poor.

p. How can we reduce the increasing number of shelterless people affected by river erosion?
Answer: By implementing climate adaptation measures and providing rehabilitation programs.

q. What happened to Meherjan after the erosion of the Jamuna?

Answer: She lost her home, land, and family, leaving her alone and destitute.

r. "The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life." Explain in 2/3 sentences.
Answer: The flickering flames symbolize the instability and suffering in Meherjan's life, reminding
her of the losses she endured due to river erosion.