THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT by Alan Devoe, ADP/B.Sc English Notes

THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT by Alan Devoe

THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT by Alan Devoe, ADP/B.Sc English Notes

THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT is a contribution by Allan Devoe to “ A Collection of Memorable Articles” in The Reader’s Digest. In this essay he has keenly described the insects and the marvels related to their habits, power and structure. He gives references of the researches carried on by entomologists.

Main Idea Of The Story "THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT" (Theme)

Devoe expresses the reality in "THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT" that our earth is teemed with the complex little creatures. These creatures are called insects. These are numerous in size and kind. The entomologists predict that all the insects may be in millions. The writes describes the power and achievement of insects. The insects are a great creation of Allah Almighty. Allah has granted wonderful power of hearing, seeing and touching. They do miraculous things with their tiny structure.

Summary (THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT)

This summary of the article "THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT" is as under:

1. Varieties of insects

Our earth teems with complex little creatures that no one can count them. Nearly seven hundred and fifty thousand species have been classified. About four thousand new varieties are found every year. The insects have countless shapes and habits. They can cope with life under almost any circumstances. There is a beetle that thrives on red pepper. Many tiny insects that lives on the tongues of the horse flies. There are other insects which have neither mouths nor stomachs and they never eat
at all. Insects are the wonderful creatures of God. These have delicate shapes. Some have beautifully patterned wings and some have horrible shapes. These have their living conditions.

2. Structure of Insects / Common things in Insects

The insects have a lot of common aspects as far as their structure is concerned.

Boneless:

An insect had no bones. It has an external Skelton. It is build inside out and upside down. Its heart is on top near its back. Its legs are just like tubes. The legs are the strongest supporting device on an insect. Its legs have immense power.

Flying Power:

The insects have an immense capacity to fly. They fly over long distances regularly. For example, Monarch Butterflies make flights of three thousand miles and more. They are very tiny creature but they do this difficult task easily. Fainted Lady Butterflies are found to make a journey from North Africa to Iceland. They face rain and storm. Sometime they reach their destination with their wings broken on the way.

Outside Skelton:

The insects have common outside skeleton. Its external structure is a protective plate for muscles, nerves and soft tissues.

Circulation of Blood:

The insect’s blood is not confined by any system of veins. Blood circulates in the body of an insect through a single artery.

Respiratory System:

As Insects have marvelous structure. Same is the case with their respiratory system. It quite easy and wonderful. It has no lungs. There are very small holes along its sides. It gets oxygen through these holes.

Wings:

The insects have powerful and patterned wings. They have great striking power. A dragon Fly has thing wings but it can fly at a speed of forty hours per hour. A tiny mosquito can fly easily with its tiny wings.

Sensory Power:

The insects have wonderful sensory power. They listen with delicate hair sensitive to sound waves or tympanic membrane like our ear drums.

Visionary Power:

The insects have small eyes called Ocelli on top of their heads. Without compound eyes an insect see a world of extra ordinary colours. The eye of a dragon fly can see twenty five thousand scenes at a times.

Tate Organs:

An insect has its taste organs in its mouths but it can also taste by other parts of the body.

Wonders of Insects (THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT)

1. A mosquito filled with blood can performs the extra ordinary aerodynamics feat flying off carrying a load twice than its own weight.
2. A mosquito can beat its wings more than three hundred times a second.
3. The midge’s wings which are tiny and invisible beat more than a thousand times a second.
4. A flea can hop hundred times than its own weight.
5. Insects may look fragile but they have immense strength. The little insects can survive even when the air and moisture has been sucked. Whereas the giant elephant cannot stand such type of experiment.
6. Insects have rudimentary brains. They have lavish sensory gifts. These have extra ordinary sensory power. Acute human hearing seldom ranges above twenty thousand vibrations per second. Whereas Bush crickets can hear forty five thousand. These have supersonic hearing power.
7. Insects can hear sounds outside the human range.
8. The insects have their own communication system.
9. They have invisible eyes or light sense.
10. In its capacities to taste and smell, an insect achieves perhaps the most remarkable sensitivity of all.
11. The insects have extra ordinary scent and taste power. Human taste can detect sweetness in the solution having one part of sugar to about two hundred parts of water. Whereas some moths and butterflies can detect the presence of sugar when it is one part in three hundred thousand.

Conclusion of the Lesson "THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT"

The writer has beautifully described the wondrous structure of insects in this article "THE MARVEL OF AN INSECT". He has concluded with keen observation that the insects are having a unique structure and immense power along with extra sensitive organs. All these characteristics enable the insects to cope with their environment. The scientific approach and detail study has revealed marvel of insects. The essay shows that comprehensive and objective approach of the author to the subject matter.

Clearing in the Sky by Jesse Hilton Stuart – American Writer

The chapter 2 Clearing in the Sky of Book 1 of 11th English is written by an American Writer Jesse Hilton Stuart (Birth: August 8, 1906 & Death: February 17, 1984). The short question answer of this chapter are given below. These notes are described comprehensively, and are to the point in this manner that they enable students to achieve maximum marks in terminal examination (HSSC examination of All Punjab Board).

11th English, Chapter 2: Clearing in the Sky by Jesse Hilton Stuart – American Writer

Short Questions/Answers of Chapter 2: Clearing in the Sky

Q 1: Why did not the old man follow the advice of the doctors?

Ans.  He had a strong will power. He wanted to get better with the help of will power.  The old man did not follow the advice of the doctors because he could not give up working. He had to earn for his family.

Q 2: What had the doctors told the old man?

Ans.  The doctors advised him not to walk the length of a city block.   They told the old man that he would not live very long and he should enjoy his short life as much as possible with his family. According to the doctors, his days were numbered.

Q 3: Where did the old man take his son?

Ans.  The old man took his son to the top of mountain where he had cleared a patch  of  land. He had
grown vegetable there. He was proud to be the owner of that land.  Moreover,  he wanted to show his
determination to his son.

Q 4: Has the son ever been there before?

Ans.  The son has been to top of mountain many times except for the last three years. He didn’t know about the secret garden planted by his father. It was a surprise for him.

Q 5: What was the name of vegetables the old man grew on his farm?

Ans.  The old man had grown Yams, potatoes and tomatoes on his farm. He was of the view that the
vegetables grown on that land bore a unique taste.  He also raised maize, pumpkin and cane. Despite of his illness, he improved his farms with his hard work and will power.

Q 6: Why did the old man take the steep path?

Ans.  He took the steep path only to show his physical  fitness.  Moreover, he wanted to prove the doctors wrong. Also, it gave him assurance that he was quite hale and hearty.

Q 7: Why did the son at the age of six cry?

Ans.  The son at the age of six cried because he had lost the plough made by his father for him. He liked that plough very much. Although his father made a new plough for him  yet  that second plough was not liked by him.

Q 8: What were the feelings of the old man at the age of seventy?

Ans. At the age of seventy, the old man wanted to go back to his past. He felt excited. He enjoyed the life full of warmth and real achievement.   He wanted to work hard because it gave him the flavor of his youth. He was in nostalgic mood.

Q 9: Why had the old man planted his secret garden?

Ans. The old man had planted his secret garden because it made him remember his past, his youth when he ploughed for the first time on this land. Moreover, this land being a unique  one, had a great sensation and taste in it. He believed that anything grown in new land like that had a better flavor.

Button Button by Richard Matheson – American Author

The title of chapter 1 of 11th English is "Button Button" that is written by an American Author "Richard Matheson". Following are Short Question/Answers that are described and well defined and to the point manner so that the students of 11th English may secure 100% marks.

11th English, Chapter 1: Button Button by Richard Matheson – American Author 

Short Question/Answers

Q 1: Why did Norma consider the tone and attitude of Mr. Steward Offensive?

Ans.  Norma considered the tone and attitude of Mr. Steward Offensive because she was busy and Mr. Steward was insisting to sell the button unit. Norma disliked his rude behavior. Norma thought his expressive style very odd and disrespectful. Moreover Mr. Steward thought that she was ignoring him, so his tone was offensive. 

Q 2: Why did Arthur disagree with his wife?

Ans.  Arthur disagreed with his wife because he thought it was a murder to kill someone by the pushing button for $ 50,000.  Also,  it was immoral. He  had a humane heart. He knew the importance of moral values. His wife wanted to improve their life style by hook or by crook. 

Q 3: Why did Norma try to persuade her husband to agree with her?

Ans. Norma persuaded her husband to agree with her because she wanted $50,000 to improve their life style by hook or by crook. She wanted to buy a cottage on the island, to buy nicer furniture, nicer 

apartment, nicer clothes and a car. She had a wish to spend a luxurious life.

Q 4: What were the reasons Norma gave to her husband to accept the offer?

Ans. Norma gave many tempting reasons to her husband. She suggested that it might be a psychological research or a game played by an eccentric millionaire. Norma reasoned with her husband that they should accept the offer of $50,000 because it would help them to change their life style and they can buy an Island cottage and can have a trip of Europe. Moreover, she was of the view that it would make no difference to kill an unknown person.

Q 5: Why did Mr. Steward continue persuading Norma?

Ans. Mr. Steward continued persuading Norma because as a good salesman he judged her to be greedy. He was well aware of the fact that women usually take a great interest in such schemes.  He had noted from her conversation that she was taking  interest in his arguments. 

Q 6: What was the massage Norma received on pushing the button?

Ans. After she had pushed the button,  Norma received a telephone call from the Lenox Hill Hospital.  She received a shocking and tragic death of her husband’s death in the subway accident. It seemed unreal to her. 

Q 7: What is the significance of Arthur’s life-insurance policy?

Ans.  Arthur’s life was insured for  twenty-five  thousand dollars. It was to be doubled in case of such an accident.  As he had  died in an accident, his wife was to  receive fifty thousand dollars. Ironically, the amount of his insurance policy with double indemnity was equal to the money that Norma desired to get from the offer given by Mr. Steward. 

Q 8: Did Norma remain normal on hearing the news of the accident of her husband?

Ans.  No, Norma did not remain normal on hearing the news of the accident of her husband. She was in the condition of great shock.  She could neither seem to breathe nor walk.   She felt unreal and something cold pressed at her skull. It was hard for her to believe what she was listening.