Short Questions (with Answers)
1. Who is the author of “Me and the Ecology Bit”?
Answer : Joan Lexau.
2. What is the main theme of the lesson?
Answer : The importance of preserving the environment and the challenges of ecological awareness.
3. What is the narrator’s paper route job?
Answer : Delivering newspapers.
4. What does the narrator advise Mr. Williams about burning leaves?
Answer : To use compost piles instead, as burning harms the air.
5. Why does Mr. Williams criticize the narrator’s compost pile?
Answer : He complains it causes “nose pollution.”
6. Why does the narrator call Ms. Greene by her proper title?
Answer : To avoid her excuse of not having change.
7. What does Ms. Greene accuse the narrator’s dog of doing?
Answer : Digging up her garden and tearing her garbage bags.
8. What does the narrator ask Ms. Greene to do with newspapers?
Answer : Save them for the school paper collection.
9. Why does Ms. Greene refuse to save newspapers?
Answer : The narrator failed to pick them up last time.
10. What is the narrator’s complaint about Mr. Johnson using his car?
Answer : He suggests walking instead to save gas and reduce pollution.
11. What does Mr. Johnson remind the narrator about the tree?
Answer : The narrator killed it by taking shortcuts over it.
12. Why does the narrator tell his mother not to use the mixer?
Answer : To save electricity.
13. How does the narrator’s mother respond to his mixer advice?
Answer : She points out his overuse of the television.
14. What does the narrator call ecology work?
Answer : He calls it boring but feels it’s important.
15. Why do people avoid listening to the narrator?
Answer : They find his advice inconvenient or hypocritical.
16. What does the narrator enjoy doing despite its impact on ecology?
Answer : Riding his motorbike in summer and snowmobile in winter.
17. Why does Mr. Johnson get angry at the narrator?
Answer : The narrator delays him, causing him to miss the post office.
18. What does the narrator say about women using appliances?
Answer : He claims they use too many electric devices.
19. What does Ms. Greene say about keeping dogs on a leash?
She scolds the narrator for letting his dog roam freely.
20. How does the narrator feel about his ecological efforts?
Answer : He feels no one listens to him despite his efforts.
Medium Questions (with Answers)
1. What is the narrator’s approach to spreading awareness about ecology?
Answer : He talks to people during his newspaper route, giving advice on composting, saving resources, and avoiding pollution. However, most people either ignore him or point out his own ecological faults.
2. Why does the narrator feel frustrated after visiting Ms. Greene?
Answer : Ms. Greene criticizes him for littering and not keeping his dog in control. She also refuses to save newspapers and cans, recalling his failure to collect them earlier. This makes the narrator feel defeated.
3. How does Mr. Williams react to the narrator’s advice on composting?
Answer : Mr. Williams sarcastically points out that the narrator’s compost pile smells and causes “nose pollution.” This shows his reluctance to follow the advice and undermines the narrator’s efforts.
4. What does Mr. Johnson say about the narrator’s ecological habits?
Answer : Mr. Johnson criticizes the narrator for killing a tree by taking shortcuts and wasting power by riding a motorbike and snowmobile. This reflects the narrator’s hypocrisy in following his advice.
5. Why does the narrator call ecology work boring?
Answer : He finds it frustrating because people do not listen to him and point out his own ecological faults. This makes him feel that his efforts are thankless.
6. How does the narrator’s mother respond to his advice on saving electricity?
Answer : When he suggests using a manual egg beater, she reminds him of his excessive television watching. This highlights the narrator’s double standards.
7. What lesson does the narrator learn from his interactions with people?
Answer : He realizes that while preaching about ecology is easy, getting people to act on it is very difficult. Most people resist change or find excuses.
8. How does the story reflect the challenges of ecological awareness?
Answer : The story shows how people resist ecological efforts by finding excuses or blaming others. Even well-meaning individuals like the narrator struggle with their own habits.
9. What does the narrator say about his dog’s behavior?
Answer : Ms. Greene blames the narrator’s dog for ruining her garden and tearing garbage bags. The narrator is unable to justify his dog’s actions.
10. Why does the narrator tell Mr. Johnson to walk instead of driving?
Answer : He suggests walking to the post office as it’s only two blocks away. He argues that walking saves gas, reduces pollution, and promotes health.
11. How does the story illustrate hypocrisy in ecological efforts?
Answer : The narrator preaches about saving the environment but fails to follow all practices himself, such as wasting power on his motorbike and killing a tree.
12. Why does the narrator feel his advice is not taken seriously?
Answer : People often point out his own mistakes, like his noisy compost pile or his dog’s behavior. This undermines his credibility.
13. What does Mr. Johnson remind the narrator about noise pollution?
Answer : He accuses the narrator of creating noise pollution with his motorbike and snowmobile. This criticism highlights the narrator’s selective ecological practices.
14. What is the significance of the narrator’s compost pile?
Answer : It symbolizes the effort to be eco-friendly, but it also causes “nose pollution,” showing the unintended consequences of ecological actions.
15. What does the narrator’s failure to collect newspapers teach us?
Answer : It shows the importance of following through on commitments to gain trust and encourage others to support ecological efforts.
Long Questions (with Answers)
1. Why does the narrator feel disappointed with people’s response to his ecological advice?
Answer : The narrator faces resistance or criticism when advising others about ecology. People either dismiss him, like Ms. Greene and Mr. Williams, or point out his own flaws. This makes him feel unappreciated and frustrated, though he continues his efforts.
2. How does the story portray the difficulties of preserving the environment?
Answer : The story highlights how people resist changes that inconvenience them, even when it benefits the environment. It also shows that even well-meaning individuals struggle with their habits, making ecological preservation a shared challenge.
3. What role does the narrator’s dog play in the story?
Answer : The narrator’s dog symbolizes unintended ecological problems. Ms. Greene blames the dog for damaging her yard and tearing garbage bags, showing how small issues can undermine ecological efforts.
4. How does the narrator’s interaction with Mr. Johnson reveal his own faults?
Answer : Mr. Johnson accuses the narrator of destroying a tree and creating noise pollution. This interaction highlights the narrator’s hypocrisy, as he doesn’t fully practice what he preaches about ecology.
5. What is the central conflict in “Me and the Ecology Bit”?
Answer : The conflict lies in the narrator’s efforts to promote ecology versus the resistance he faces from others. It also explores his internal conflict as he fails to follow his advice completely.
6. How does the story reflect the complexity of ecological preservation?
Answer : The story shows that ecological efforts often have unintended consequences, like the narrator’s compost pile causing “nose pollution.” It also reveals how personal habits and societal resistance make ecology work challenging.
7. What message does the narrator’s mother convey in her response to him?
Answer : By pointing out his excessive TV watching, she emphasizes the need to look at one’s own faults before criticizing others. This message underlines the importance of practicing what one preaches.
8. What does the narrator learn from his ecological efforts?
Answer : The narrator learns that changing people’s habits is difficult and requires patience. He also realizes the importance of leading by example rather than just preaching.
9. How does the story address the role of hypocrisy in ecological efforts?
Answer : The narrator’s advice is undermined by his own habits, like using motorbikes and snowmobiles. This reflects the challenge of balancing personal enjoyment with ecological responsibility.
10. What does the story teach us about environmental responsibility?
Answer : It teaches that everyone has a role to play in preserving the environment, but it’s not easy. People must overcome personal habits, societal resistance, and their own hypocrisies to make meaningful changes.
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