The Fragrance of Soil

Certainly we are not sure about the meaning and pronunciation of those words which are not in common use.
Have you heard the word petrichor? It means a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather. The word "petrichor" is taken from Greek, petros, meaning ‘stone and ichor,  which the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology. It is defined as "the distinctive scent which accompanies the first rain after a long warm dry spell.

When it rains it not only gives birth to vegetation but also it adds to the beauty of nature in the surroundings. But it brings something more which is the feeling of great joy It is the fragrance of the dry soil. The dry earth gives out the fascinating smell when drops of rain star falling. It is like by all the people. It is something natural that we deeply feel.

Most of us don't know the technical meaning of certain words which can be easily found in online dictionaries.

Lesson No. 2 - Using The Scientific Method

USING THE SCIENTIFIC

by Darrel Barnard & Lon Edwards

by Darrel Barnard & Lon Edwards

by Darrel Barnard & Lon Edwards

Q1.      How has the scientific method helped us in our fight against disease?

Ans.    Science has helped us in studying and understanding the real causes of diseases. This makes it clear to us as to how to treat the disease as we have scientifically prepared medicines for different diseases.  Because of scientific method people have much better health and can live up to 70 years or even more. Preventive cure and vaccines save us from many fatal diseases.

Q2.      Write a note on the better sanitary conditions available in our cities today and compare them with what they were like a hundred years ago.

Ans.    Today our cities have suitable drainage systems. The streets are kept clean. Clean water is available. We can easily prevent disease A hundred years our cities did not have proper sewerage systems. Indoor toilets were constructed. People could not get clean water easily.

Q3.      What are the sanitary conditions like in our villages today and how would you improve them?

Ans.    Our villages have poor sanitary conditions. Pure water is not available. Streets are unpaved and poorly drained. Garbage is thrown into streets. I would eliminate these faults by providing facilities of sanitation and I would enforce fine for those people who cause uncleanliness.

Q4.      How has the scientific method helped us in the production and preservation of foods?

Ans.    The scientific method has helped us a lot in this connection. We have increased production of food by modern methods of selecting, grading and processing foods. The quick freeze method provides us with fresh food throughout the year. Dehydration removes the risk of poisoning from canned foods.

Q5.      We are now generally less fearful that our ancestors. What were our ancestors afraid of?

Ans.    Due to scientific method we are much better than our forefathers because our ancestors were afraid of starvation, bad weather, diseases and superstitions. In comparison with them we have better and more food, our homes are more immune to weather, we have controlled many lethal diseases and we believe in the process of cause and effect. We are sure that every happening has a good natural reason.

Q6.      How has the scientific method enabled us to get over the old fears?

Ans.    Because of science we found the truth that there is no sound basis and solid reason in superstitions. We got over the old fears which were the result of superstitions. Now, we believe only those things which are supported by facts. We have become open-minded. We do not believe in the unreasonable things.

Q7.      What part did astrology play in the lives of men and women in the past? Give examples.

Ans.    Astrology is the study of stars which occupied the minds of people to a great extent in past. They would consult the astrologers and fortune tellers, and they acted upon their advice. They always remained constant fear. Now the people think that every event has a solid reason. Scientific method has rid us of such superstitions.

Q8.      Describe some of the superstitions still current in our country. How do they affect the lives of those who believe in them?

Ans.    Many people in our country strongly believe in superstitions like broken mirror, black cats, crows’ crowing and number 13 that are supposed ominous. According to them they bring about their bad luck. They act accordingly and are always under constant fear. Such superstitious people cannot live normal lives.

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HSSC-2, English Book-2, FBISE, Second Year English

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Lesson No. 1 - The Dying Sun

Original Text of "The Dying Sun by Sir James Jeans

Questions and Answers

THE DYING SUN

1         How is it that a star seldom finds another star near it?

Ans:    According to Sir James Jeans, with regard to the vastness of the universe, the stars are at immense distances from one another. It means that they travel through space at the distance of millions of miles away from each other. They have their fixed routes. That is why it is very rare that a star can come anywhere near to another star.

2          What happened when, according to Sir James Jeans, a wandering star wandering through space came near the sun?

Ans:    According to Sir James Jeans, when, about two thousand mllion years ago, a wandering star came near the sun, its tidal pull raised an unimaginably huge tide over the surface of sun. By the sheer tidal pull between the sun and the other star this tide broke into pieces which began circulating around the sun. Thus the whole process gave birth to our planetary system.

3          What happened when the wandering star came nearer and nearer?

Ans:    When the wandering star came nearer and nearer, its tidal pull became stronger and stronger. Ultimately, the mountain on surface of the sun rose higher and higher. By the sheer tidal pull between the sun and the other star, parts of the burning matter from this mountain broke away and spread into space  and gave birth to our planetary system.

4          What are planets? How did they come into existence?

Ans:    The planets such as earth, Mercury, Mars, Venus etc. are such heavenly bodies which are broken from the sun. With passage of time they lost their heat and cooled down. Our planetary system came into existence by famous “stellar encounter” between our sun and a wandering star.

5          Why is there no life on the stars?

Ans:    The stars are fireballs. They have molten matter. They have an immensely high temperature that all life will burn up. On the other hand, life requires a mild temperature that is neither too hot nor too cold. That’s why the stars have no life on them.

6          Write a note on beginning of life on earth.

Ans:    We are not certain how, when and why life came into existence. Most likely, life started in simple organisms which evolved into complex beings. This happened only on one planet, Earth, which has a favourable temperature.

7          Why is the universe, of which our earth is a part, so frightening? Give as many reasons as you can.

Ans:    We find the universe frightening for the following reasons.

a.   It is frightening because of its unimaginable vast space.

b.   It is frightening because of its infinite stretches of time

b. It is frightening because of our loneliness i.e. life is only   present on planet earth.

8          What, in your opinion, should be the conditions necessary, for the kind of life we know to exist on other heavenly bodies? Do such conditions generally exist?

Ans:    There are many things necessary for life of our kind to exist. Above all is a temperature that is mild neither too high nor too low. This mild temperature is present around each star and is known as temperature belt. But life is only possible if there is a planet present in this belt. Possibilities of such conditions are 1 to 100,000. 

Some More Important Questions 

1•       Can a star contain millions and millions of earths in it?

Yes, there are many stars that can contain millions and millions of earths in them.

2.      Define a temperature belt?

An area of a mild temperature is present around each star at a certain distance. This area is known as temperature belt.

3       How according to Sir James Jeans did our earth came into existence?

The planets came into existence by famous “stellar encounter” between our sun and a wandering star. Our earth is one of these planets.

4      How did life come into being?

Probably, life started in simple organisms which evolved into complex beings. This happened only on planet Earth which has a moderate and favourable temperature.

5     How, when and why did life come into existence?

We are not certain how, when and why life came into existence. Most likely, life started in simple organisms which evolved into complex beings. This happened only on one planet, Earth, which has a favourable temperature.

6     What is the purpose of essay “The Dying Sun”

“The Dying Sun” is written with the purpose of informing the reader of creation of planets, origin of life and possibilities of life in the universe.

7    Why life like us is possible on the earth only?

Life like us requires a moderate temperature for its existence. The planet Earth is the only planet which has such temperature. So life like us is possible on earth only.

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HSSC-II, Second Year, FBISE, English Book 2, Questions and Answers