Chapter 11 – The Greenhouse Effect Solutions

Content Structure

1. About the author – Carl Dennis
2. Summary of The Greenhouse Effect
3. Word meanings
4. Exercises solutions
5. Additional Questions and Answers
- 5A. Short Questions and answers

1. About the author – Carl Dennis

Carl Dennis is an American poet and educator born on 17th September 1939 in St. Louis, Missouri. He is known for his clear and thoughtful free-verse poetry which reflects on everyday life, human connections, and moral choices. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, followed by a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of California. He works as a professor of English and creative writing at the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 2002 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his well-known collection Practical Gods. Many people respect and find inspiration in his simplicity.

2. Summary of The Greenhouse Effect

Carl Dennis uses a calm and reflective tone in the poem to present a thoughtful image of the future shaped by climate change. He describes how global warming causes temperatures to rise in the northern and southern places near farming areas like the U.S. which become dry and struggle to grow crops. On the other hand, colder places such as Greenland and Antarctica become warmer and gain useful land for farming. The poem shows how poor people are the ones most affected, as good farming land becomes more expensive and daily life becomes more difficult. Suburbs are turned into farmland, forcing people to move into crowded cities where they walk or use carts. Streets are filled with vegetable and nut trees, and people grow food on their lawns. The government does not have enough money to repair public buildings like libraries and city halls, so people need to volunteer to fix them; otherwise, the buildings may fall down like ancient Roman temples. People face many difficulties in daily life, but they stay strong and find joy in simple things like music, friendships, and dancing. They avoid bad news from faraway places and choose instead to enjoy the present, and the poem ends by showing their strength, hope, and will to move forward.

3. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Gradual	Slow
Grain	Seed
Poles	Ends of the earth
Abandoned	Left behind or not used anymore
Giant	Huge
Aid	Help
Tillable	Land that is good for farming
Suburbs	City edges
Farms	Croplands
Tax base	Tax money
Rake	Tool to gather leaves or smooth soil
Tuckpoint	Fix cracks in old brick walls
Fleets	Groups of ships
Merchandise	Goods for buying and selling
Armadas	Large groups of warships
Arctic	Cold area around the North Pole

4. Exercises solutions

1. What events will supposedly take place according to the poet in the poem ‘The Greenhouse Effect’? (6 marks)
Ans: The poet talks about global warming, which will change the weather and make farming areas that used to grow crops become dry and not suitable for farming. At the same time, cold places like Greenland and Antarctica may become fertile and useful for farming. The cost of farmland will rise, and people will have to move from suburbs back into crowded cities. Streets will have fruit and nut trees instead of shade trees, and people will grow food on their lawns. If people do not come forward to help, public buildings like libraries and city halls may not be repaired and could fall down. Still, people will continue to live their lives in new, simpler ways, finding joy in small things.

2. What does the poet mean by the words ‘Let them have their little time in the sun’? (2 marks)
Ans: The poet means that powerful countries may enjoy wealth and success for a short time, but this will change, and other countries will also become strong.

3. How will it affect the public? Mention any four events. (2 marks)
Ans: The poet shows that climate change will strongly affect the daily lives of ordinary people.

People will have to repair public buildings themselves.
Lawns will grow food, not just grass.
Farmland will become too costly for common people.
Nut trees and vegetable plants will replace decorative trees.

5. Additional Questions and Answers

5A. Short Questions and answers

1. What does “Carthage” represent in the poem?
Ans: It represents new powerful nations that will rise as old nations fall.

2. Which new regions will become powerful in the future?
Ans: Greenland and Antarctica will become fertile and powerful as global warming increases.

3. Which buildings are mentioned in the poem?
Ans: The Library, City Hall, and Federal Building are mentioned as public places needing care.

4. What will happen to cities in the future?
Ans: Cities will be crowded with poor people, and suburbs will turn into farms for growing food.

5. What does “tuckpointing the chimney” mean?
Ans: It means repairing and maintaining the building to stop it from breaking down.

6. What kind of trees will line the streets?
Ans: Nut trees will replace decorative trees like elms and oaks because people will need useful trees for food.

7. Why will people walk or use trolleys to work?
Ans: Because they will be too poor to own cars and will depend on public transport or walking.

8. What will happen if citizens do not help maintain buildings?
Ans: The buildings will fall into ruin like the temples of ancient Rome.

9. What type of poem is The Greenhouse Effect?
Ans: It is an eco-poem or environmental poem that warns us about global warming and human negligence.

10. What will happen to the grain belts in the poem?
Ans: The grain belts (fertile farmlands) will move towards the poles and the plains will become dry and useless.

11. What does “Federal Building” mean?
Ans: It means an important government building for national services.

12. Who are the “Korean Armadas”?
Ans: They are powerful fleets from Korea showing the rise of new trade powers.

13. Why will people become poor?
Ans: Because fertile lands will disappear and food will be hard to grow, making everyone poorer.

14. What does “Plains States” mean?
Ans: It means the flat farming lands in America that will become dust bowls due to global warming.

15. What do “beach bands” represent?
Ans: They represent simple joys of life that people enjoy even in tough times.