GEOGRAPHY LESSON
I Summary (Do not copy the summary)
The poet Zulfikar Ghose speaks about how our understanding of the earth
varies when it is viewed from different heights.
When the jet takes off and begins its ascent into the sky, the design of the
city begins to make sense. The development of the city which we perceive as
messy and unplanned when on ground, seems unavoidable when viewed
from that height.
When the jet reaches ten thousand feet, the logic of Geography is clearly
visible as the poet notices that cities develop in valleys and close to rivers.
When the jest rose to six miles above the ground, the poet is able to note that
the earth is round and there is more water than land on it; information that he
had previously only learnt in Geography but never really experienced before
that moment. When he looks at the land below, he begins to wonder how
humans, such tiny creatures, are able to find silly reasons to hate and kill
each other. He feels that they do not understand the bigger picture because
their view of the world is limited.
II New Words
1 haphazard messy, without order
2 delineated clearly shown
3 inevitable unavoidable
4 logic reasoning
5 sprang rose swiftly
III Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions set
below.
1 1. “When the jet sprang into the sky ….. it was clear why the city had
developed the way it had”
a a) How does a city appear when viewed at ground level?
Ans
A. When viewed at ground level, the city looks haphazard, unplanned and
without style.
b b) What about the city became clear to the poet when the jet began its ascent?
Ans When the jet began its ascent, it became clear to the poet that the city
spread in a disorderly manner. But he knew it was unavoidable
2 2. “When the jet reached ten thousand feet …. the logic of Geography …. was
clearly delineated”
a)
a b) What logic of Geography was clearly visible at ten thousand feet?
Ans
A. At ten thousand feet, it was clearly visible that cities developed close to
rivers and in valleys.
3 3. “When the jet rose six miles high ….it was difficult to understand”
a)
a b) What about the earth was made clear to the poet when the jet rose six miles
high?
Ans When the jest rose to six miles above the ground it was clear to the poet
that the earth is round and there is more water than land on it.
b c) What was unclear to the poet when the jet rose six miles high?
Ans When the jet rose six miles high, it was unclear to the poet why humans
found reasons to hate and kill each other. He couldn’t understand why
humans have failed to learn how to love each other and live peacefully.
IV Read the following questions in 2-3 sentences
1 What is the central idea of the poem?
Ans The poet flew over the city in a jet plane. And found the city spread in a
disorderly manner. But he knew it was unavoidable. From a height of
10,000 feet, he saw the rivers and valleys. He well understood why the
valleys were populated. The land and water facility attracts people. It was
the logic of geography. From a height of six miles, he noticed that the
earth was round and had more f sea than land. But he failed to understand
why people hated each other, divided the land into separate units and
killed each other.
2 What lesson of Geography did the poet learn when he flew above his city?
Ans As the poet flies in a jet, he notices that the cities below were not properly
planned. He could see why it was so. From a height of 10,000 feet he
noticed that valleys were populated. It was quite reasonable and
understandable. It was the compulsion of geography that people should
settle down in places with flat land and plenty of water and food. It is quite
illogical why people hate and kill one another. It is greatly inhuman.
