Chapter: Unit Ten : Environment and Nature
📚 Vocabulary
ENGLISH FOR TODAY Classes XI-XII & Alim
⭐ Most Important Exam Words
crisispolluteperpetualtoxicdischargetributarysustainwetlandbiodiversityecosystemmigratoryhabitatvegetationpoachingconservationfisheriesfloodplainlivelihoodscenicpreservearisecabingladelappingglimmertranquillitysolitudeminorbearfaultblamesilenceregretimmortalsymmetrydistantterrifyingforgefurnacedreadsymbolize
📃 Word Formation Rules
► Add the suffix -tion to verbs to form nouns: conserve → conservation, pollute → pollution, symbolize → symbolization.
► Add the suffix -ity to adjectives to form abstract nouns: diverse → diversity, tranquil → tranquillity, symmetrical → symmetry.
► Add the suffix -ous to nouns to form adjectives: danger → dangerous, poison → poisonous.
► Add the prefix im- to some adjectives beginning with m or p to form opposites: mortal → immortal, possible → impossible.
► Add the prefix un- to form negative adjectives: polluted → unpolluted, pleasant → unpleasant.
► Add the suffix -ary to nouns to form adjectives: migrate → migratory, imagine → imaginary.
► Add the suffix -ing to verbs to form present participles or gerunds: lap → lapping, graze → grazing, terrify → terrifying.
► Change final -y to -i before adding a suffix: symmetry → symmetrical, beauty → beautiful.
1. Lesson 1: Water, Water Everywhere — Water and Pollution (8 words)
crisis[/ˈkraɪsɪs/]nounmedium
Meaning: সংকট
Alt: a serious emergency or difficult situation
Example: The shortage of clean drinking water has become a national crisis.
Syn: emergencyAnt: stability
💡 Exam tip: Use crisis for a serious problem requiring immediate action.
pollute[/pəˈluːt/]verbeasy
Meaning: দূষিত করা
Alt: to make air, water, or land dirty or harmful
Example: Factories pollute the river by dumping toxic waste.
Syn: contaminateAnt: purify
💡 Exam tip: The noun form is pollution and the adjective is polluted.
perpetual[/pəˈpetʃuəl/]adjhard
Meaning: চিরস্থায়ী; অবিরাম
Alt: continuing for a very long time without stopping
Example: A perpetual stench surrounds the polluted river.
Syn: continuousAnt: temporary
💡 Exam tip: Perpetual is often used with problems, motion, or conflict.
toxic[/ˈtɒksɪk/]adjmedium
Meaning: বিষাক্ত
Alt: containing poisonous substances
Example: The factory releases toxic chemicals into the canal.
Syn: poisonousAnt: harmless
💡 Exam tip: Toxic waste is a common environmental collocation.
discharge[/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒ/]verbmedium
Meaning: নিঃসরণ করা; বের করে দেওয়া
Alt: to release liquid, gas, or waste
Example: The city discharges thousands of tons of solid waste every day.
Syn: releaseAnt: retain
💡 Exam tip: Discharge can be both a verb and a noun.
tributary[/ˈtrɪbjəteri/]nounmedium
Meaning: উপনদী
Alt: a smaller river flowing into a larger river
Example: The Buriganga was once a tributary of the Ganges.
Syn: streamAnt: source
💡 Exam tip: Remember: a tributary flows into a main river.
stench[/stentʃ/]nounmedium
Meaning: দুর্গন্ধ
Alt: a very unpleasant smell
Example: A terrible stench filled the air near the river.
Syn: foul smellAnt: fragrance
💡 Exam tip: Stench is stronger and more negative than smell.
sustain[/səˈsteɪn/]verbmedium
Meaning: টিকিয়ে রাখা; সমর্থন করা
Alt: to support or maintain something over time
Example: Healthy rivers sustain many communities and species.
Syn: maintainAnt: destroy
💡 Exam tip: Sustainable and sustainability are important related forms.
2. Lesson 2: The Hakaluki Haor — Wetlands and Biodiversity (8 words)
wetland[/ˈwetlənd/]nouneasy
Meaning: জলাভূমি
Alt: land saturated with water, such as a haor or marsh
Example: Hakaluki Haor is one of the major wetlands of Bangladesh.
Syn: marshAnt: dryland
💡 Exam tip: Wetland is a key term in environmental essays.
biodiversity[/ˌbaɪoʊdaɪˈvɜːrsəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: জীববৈচিত্র্য
Alt: the variety of plants, animals, and organisms in an area
Example: The haor supports rich biodiversity.
Syn: biological varietyAnt: uniformity
💡 Exam tip: Use biodiversity when discussing ecosystems and conservation.
ecosystem[/ˈiːkoʊsɪstəm/]nounmedium
Meaning: বাস্তুতন্ত্র
Alt: a system of living and non-living things interacting together
Example: A wetland ecosystem depends on water, plants, fish, and birds.
Syn: ecological systemAnt: disorder
💡 Exam tip: An ecosystem includes both living and non-living components.
migratory[/ˈmaɪɡrətɔːri/]adjmedium
Meaning: পরিযায়ী
Alt: moving from one region to another seasonally
Example: Migratory birds visit the haor in winter.
Syn: wanderingAnt: resident
💡 Exam tip: Migratory is commonly used before birds, animals, and species.
habitat[/ˈhæbɪtæt/]nouneasy
Meaning: আবাসস্থল
Alt: the natural home of a plant or animal
Example: The haor provides a safe habitat for waterfowl.
Syn: natural homeAnt: wilderness
💡 Exam tip: Habitat loss is a frequent cause of species decline.
vegetation[/ˌvedʒəˈteɪʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: উদ্ভিদজগৎ; গাছপালা
Alt: all the plants growing in a particular area
Example: The vegetation around the haor includes swamp and evergreen forests.
Syn: plant lifeAnt: barrenness
💡 Exam tip: Vegetation is an uncountable noun; do not write vegetations.
poaching[/ˈpoʊtʃɪŋ/]nounmedium
Meaning: অবৈধ শিকার
Alt: illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals
Example: Illegal poaching threatens the waterfowl population.
Syn: illegal huntingAnt: protection
💡 Exam tip: Poach is the verb; poacher is the person who hunts illegally.
conservation[/ˌkɒnsərˈveɪʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: সংরক্ষণ
Alt: the protection and careful use of nature and resources
Example: Effective conservation can protect the haor from destruction.
Syn: preservationAnt: destruction
💡 Exam tip: Conservation differs from conversation by one letter and pronunciation.
3. Lesson 2: The Hakaluki Haor — Resources and Benefits (8 words)
fisheries[/ˈfɪʃəriz/]nounmedium
Meaning: মৎস্যসম্পদ
Alt: the industry or resources connected with catching fish
Example: Hakaluki Haor is an important source of fisheries resources.
Syn: fish resourcesAnt: fish scarcity
💡 Exam tip: Fisheries usually refers to the sector or resources, not simply fish.
tributary[/ˈtrɪbjəteri/]nounmedium
Meaning: উপনদী
Alt: a smaller river or stream joining a larger one
Example: Fish move upstream through the tributaries of the haor.
Syn: feeder streamAnt: mainstream
💡 Exam tip: Use tributary in descriptions of river systems.
fry[/fraɪ/]nounmedium
Meaning: মাছের পোনা
Alt: young fish
Example: The mother fisheries produce millions of fries during the monsoon.
Syn: young fishAnt: adult fish
💡 Exam tip: In biology, fry means young fish; fries can be used as its plural.
floodplain[/ˈflʌdpleɪn/]nounhard
Meaning: বন্যাপ্রবণ সমভূমি
Alt: low land beside a river that is regularly flooded
Example: Floodplains provide food and shelter for many fish species.
Syn: alluvial plainAnt: highland
💡 Exam tip: A floodplain is formed beside rivers and is periodically inundated.
grazing[/ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/]nouneasy
Meaning: চারণ
Alt: the activity of animals feeding on grass
Example: The dry haor provides good grazing land for cattle.
Syn: pasturingAnt: starvation
💡 Exam tip: Grazing land means land used for animals to eat grass.
livelihood[/ˈlaɪvlihʊd/]nounmedium
Meaning: জীবিকা
Alt: a means of earning money to live
Example: Fishing and farming provide livelihoods for local people.
Syn: means of livingAnt: unemployment
💡 Exam tip: Livelihood is often used in the phrase earn a livelihood.
scenic[/ˈsiːnɪk/]adjeasy
Meaning: নৈসর্গিক; মনোরম
Alt: having beautiful natural views
Example: The haor has great scenic beauty in both seasons.
Syn: picturesqueAnt: ugly
💡 Exam tip: Scenic beauty is a useful phrase for descriptive compositions.
preserve[/prɪˈzɜːrv/]verbeasy
Meaning: সংরক্ষণ করা
Alt: to protect something from harm or decay
Example: We must preserve wetlands for future generations.
Syn: protectAnt: destroy
💡 Exam tip: Preservation and preserved are related forms.
4. Lesson 3: The Lake Isle of Innisfree — Nature and Peace (8 words)
arise[/əˈraɪz/]verbeasy
Meaning: উঠে দাঁড়ানো; উঠে যাওয়া
Alt: to get up or come into existence
Example: The speaker will arise and go to Innisfree.
Syn: riseAnt: sit
💡 Exam tip: Arise is irregular: arise, arose, arisen.
cabin[/ˈkæbɪn/]nouneasy
Meaning: কুটির
Alt: a small simple house
Example: He plans to build a small cabin of clay and wattles.
Syn: cottageAnt: palace
💡 Exam tip: Cabin suggests a simple dwelling close to nature.
wattle[/ˈwɒtəl/]nounhard
Meaning: বেত বা ডাল দিয়ে তৈরি কাঠামো
Alt: a framework of interwoven sticks used in building
Example: The cabin will be made of clay and wattle.
Syn: woven sticksAnt: concrete
💡 Exam tip: Wattle is usually studied with the phrase clay and wattles.
glade[/ɡleɪd/]nounhard
Meaning: বনের খোলা প্রান্তর
Alt: an open space in a forest
Example: The poet wishes to live alone in a bee-loud glade.
Syn: clearingAnt: thicket
💡 Exam tip: Glade refers to a clearing surrounded by trees.
lapping[/ˈlæpɪŋ/]verbmedium
Meaning: ছলাৎ ছলাৎ শব্দ করা
Alt: washing gently against a shore
Example: He hears lake water lapping against the shore.
Syn: washingAnt: receding
💡 Exam tip: Lapping describes the soft repeated movement of water.
glimmer[/ˈɡlɪmər/]nounmedium
Meaning: মৃদু আলো বা ঝিলিক
Alt: a faint or unsteady light
Example: At midnight, the island is filled with a gentle glimmer.
Syn: faint lightAnt: darkness
💡 Exam tip: Glimmer can be used as both a noun and a verb.
tranquillity[/træŋˈkwɪləti/]nounmedium
Meaning: প্রশান্তি
Alt: a state of calm and peacefulness
Example: The speaker seeks tranquillity away from the noisy city.
Syn: peaceAnt: disturbance
💡 Exam tip: The American spelling is tranquility.
solitude[/ˈsɒlɪtuːd/]nounmedium
Meaning: নির্জনতা
Alt: the state of being alone, especially peacefully
Example: Innisfree represents peaceful solitude rather than loneliness.
Syn: seclusionAnt: company
💡 Exam tip: Solitude can be positive, while loneliness is usually negative.
5. Lesson 4: A Minor Bird — Human Attitude to Nature (8 words)
minor[/ˈmaɪnər/]adjeasy
Meaning: ছোট; গৌণ
Alt: less important, serious, or significant
Example: The poem describes a minor bird but conveys a major lesson.
Syn: lesserAnt: major
💡 Exam tip: Minor may mean smaller in importance, age, or degree.
wish[/wɪʃ/]verbeasy
Meaning: ইচ্ছা করা
Alt: to want something to happen
Example: The speaker wished the bird would fly away.
Syn: desireAnt: dislike
💡 Exam tip: After wish, use would for a desired change in behaviour.
clap[/klæp/]verbeasy
Meaning: তালি দেওয়া; আঘাত করে শব্দ করা
Alt: to strike the hands together or make a sharp sound
Example: The speaker clapped his hands to drive the bird away.
Syn: strikeAnt: quiet
💡 Exam tip: Clap is both a verb and a noun.
bear[/ber/]verbmedium
Meaning: সহ্য করা
Alt: to tolerate or endure something unpleasant
Example: He could hardly bear the bird’s song that day.
Syn: endureAnt: avoid
💡 Exam tip: Bear, bore, borne is the relevant verb sequence for endure.
fault[/fɔːlt/]nouneasy
Meaning: দোষ
Alt: responsibility for a mistake or problem
Example: The speaker realizes that the fault was partly in himself.
Syn: blameAnt: merit
💡 Exam tip: The phrase be at fault means be responsible for a mistake.
blame[/bleɪm/]verbeasy
Meaning: দোষারোপ করা
Alt: to hold someone responsible for a fault
Example: He understands that he should not blame the bird for singing.
Syn: accuseAnt: praise
💡 Exam tip: Blame can be followed by a person or for plus a thing.
silence[/ˈsaɪləns/]verbeasy
Meaning: নীরব করা
Alt: to stop someone or something from making a sound
Example: The speaker feels that wanting to silence a song is wrong.
Syn: quietAnt: sound
💡 Exam tip: Silence is also a noun meaning absence of sound.
regret[/rɪˈɡret/]verbmedium
Meaning: অনুতপ্ত হওয়া
Alt: to feel sorry about a past action
Example: The speaker regrets his impatient reaction to the bird.
Syn: repentAnt: approve
💡 Exam tip: Regret is followed by a gerund when referring to a past action.
6. Lesson 5: The Tyger — Symbols and Poetic Ideas (8 words)
immortal[/ɪˈmɔːrtl/]adjmedium
Meaning: অমর
Alt: living forever or never dying
Example: The poet asks what immortal hand created the tiger.
Syn: undyingAnt: mortal
💡 Exam tip: Immortal is formed with the negative prefix im-.
symmetry[/ˈsɪmətri/]nounhard
Meaning: সামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ গঠন
Alt: balanced proportion between parts
Example: The tiger’s fearful symmetry makes it both beautiful and terrifying.
Syn: balanceAnt: asymmetry
💡 Exam tip: Symmetry may describe physical shape or balanced design.
distant[/ˈdɪstənt/]adjeasy
Meaning: দূরবর্তী
Alt: far away in space or time
Example: The poet wonders about distant deeps and skies.
Syn: remoteAnt: near
💡 Exam tip: Distant can describe places, times, relationships, or attitudes.
terrifying[/ˈterɪfaɪɪŋ/]adjmedium
Meaning: ভয়ংকর
Alt: causing great fear
Example: The tiger has a terrifying but magnificent appearance.
Syn: frighteningAnt: reassuring
💡 Exam tip: Terrify is the verb; terror is the related noun.
forge[/fɔːrdʒ/]verbhard
Meaning: গড়া; তৈরি করা
Alt: to shape metal by heating and hammering it
Example: The poem imagines the creator forging the tiger like a weapon.
Syn: shapeAnt: destroy
💡 Exam tip: Forge is associated with hammer, furnace, anvil, and chain.
furnace[/ˈfɜːrnɪs/]nounmedium
Meaning: ভাঁটি
Alt: an enclosed place for producing intense heat
Example: The poet asks in what furnace the tiger’s brain was made.
Syn: kilnAnt: freezer
💡 Exam tip: Furnace imagery suggests heat, power, and deliberate creation.
dread[/dred/]nounmedium
Meaning: ভয়; আতঙ্ক
Alt: great fear or anxiety
Example: The repeated word dread emphasizes the tiger’s frightening power.
Syn: terrorAnt: courage
💡 Exam tip: Dread can function as both a noun and a verb.
symbolize[/ˈsɪmbəlaɪz/]verbmedium
Meaning: প্রতীকী অর্থ প্রকাশ করা
Alt: to represent an idea or quality
Example: The tiger may symbolize the powerful and fearful side of creation.
Syn: representAnt: conceal
💡 Exam tip: Symbolize is the verb; symbol and symbolic are related forms.
💡 Exam Tips
• Learn environmental collocations such as toxic waste, clean drinking water, rich biodiversity, migratory birds, natural habitat, and scenic beauty.
• Distinguish tributary from source: a tributary joins a larger river, while a source is where a river begins.
• Use countable and uncountable nouns accurately: much pollution, little water, many species, and several rivers.
• In poetry answers, explain both the literal meaning and the symbolic meaning of images such as the lake, bird, tiger, lamb, and rainbow.
• For a paragraph on environmental protection, organize ideas as problem, causes, effects, and solutions.
• Remember that preserve, protect, and conserve are close in meaning, but conservation commonly refers to planned protection of natural resources.
• Use the past simple for events in the poems and the present simple for general interpretations.
• In comparison questions, contrast the peaceful love of nature in Innisfree with the speaker’s initial irritation and later self-realization in A Minor Bird.