GSEB Class 12 English Solutions Unit 5 Read 1 Ants

GSEB Class 12 English Ants Text Book Questions and Answers

Comprehension

Underline three sentences and three phrases that gave you a sense of wonder.
(1) While some were carrying up bits of insects, the others went in front and cleared away any sand or small stone that obstructed the way.
(2) The ants at the top (of the anthill) began climbing down into the pit backward, each holding the tail end of another ant in front. In this way an ant-chain was soon formed.
(3) The umbrella ants take large pieces of leaf to their nests, where they chew them up nicely and make beds of these chewed leaves, on which fungus grows which acts as food for the ants.

Phrases:
• Ants carrying large pieces of leaf over their heads like umbrella.
• Ants take greenflies, milk them, pressing their sides gently making them give out their honey.
• The black ants have to carry their masters on their backs. How surprisingly human!

 

Question 2. Tick mark the information about the ants described in this Read.
(X) Ants are miserable.
(✔) They work as a group.
(X) Ants do not work in winter.
(✔) They follow their master's order.
(✔) There are different types of throughout the world.
(X) Ants can climb the Everest too.
(✔) Different ants have different characteristics.
(✔) Some ants are blind.
(✔) Some ants live life of slaves.
Answer: (✔) They work as a group.
(✔) They follow their master's order.
(✔) There are different types of throughout the world.
(✔) Different ants have different characteristics.
(✔) Some ants are blind.
(✔) Some ants live life of slaves.
In simple words: This question assesses comprehension of the various characteristics and behaviors of ants described in the text, requiring identification of accurate statements.

🎯 Exam Tip: For multiple-choice or tick-mark questions, carefully read each option and verify it against the text to ensure accuracy before marking your answer.

 

Question 3. Ants are similar to human beings because...
(1) Intelligence of these tiny creatures is very close to human beings.
(2) Like human beings, the ants do farming by growing fungus on the beds prepared from leaves.
(3) They can accomplish a difficult task with mutual co-operation.
(4) The ants rear the greenflies and 'milk' them pressing their sides making them give out honey. Here the greenflies act as 'cows' and honey is like 'milk'. So similar to human beings the ants domesticate cows and milk them.
(5) The red ants found in Europe train the black ants to become their slaves. This act is surprisingly human.
Answer:
Ants exhibit several traits that resemble human behavior. Their intelligence is remarkably close to that of humans. Similar to how humans farm, ants cultivate fungus on beds made from chewed leaves. They also demonstrate effective mutual cooperation to achieve challenging tasks. Furthermore, ants raise greenflies, essentially 'milking' them for honey by gently pressing their sides, much like humans domesticate cows for milk. A striking parallel is observed in European red ants, which enslave black ants, a behavior surprisingly akin to human practices.
In simple words: Ants are considered human-like because of their intelligence, farming practices (fungus cultivation), teamwork, domestication of greenflies (like cows), and even enslavement of other ants.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to identify similarities, provide specific examples from the text to support each point, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the content.

 

Question 4. Classify phrases from the text according to the roles they play.
(they keep slaves, system like government, domesticate cow, live on leaves of beans, play games, nurse their babies, share work, carry their masters on their back, make beds of chewed leaves, fungus is grown)
Answer:

Ants as organizers	Ants as farmers	Ants as social beings	Ants as masters/slaves
share work, system like government	live on leaves of beans, fungus is grown, domesticate cow, make bed of chewed leaves	play games, nurse their babies	they keep slaves, carry their masters on their backs

In simple words: This classification categorizes various ant behaviors and characteristics into distinct roles such as organizers, farmers, social beings, and masters/slaves, highlighting their complex societal structure.

🎯 Exam Tip: For classification tasks, ensure each phrase is correctly assigned to only one category based on its primary function or characteristic as described in the text.

 

Question 5. Match 'A' with 'B'.
'A'
1. South American ants
2. Cow ants
3. Red ants
4. Black ants
5. African ants
'B'
a. slave ants
b. love to eat honey-like liquid
c. driver ants
d. king ants
e. umbrella ants
Answer: (1 – e), (2 – b), (3 – d), (4 – a), (5 – c)
In simple words: This exercise matches different types of ants with their specific characteristics or roles mentioned in the text.

🎯 Exam Tip: When matching, carefully review the descriptions for each ant type in the reading to correctly link them to their corresponding features or classifications.

 

Question 6. Describe the behaviour of ants in these situations as mentioned in the Read:
(1) Situation : Ants have to carry heavy load and the sides of pit are steep.
Behaviour : Showing the adeptness and intelligence.
(2) Situation : The way to reach the top of the pit is very smooth, steep and without footholds.
Behaviour: Conveying message and yielding to action of co- operation.
(3) Situation : Ants have to grow their food.
Behaviour: Act as farmers having independent attitude.
(4) Situation : Ants like to have honey-like liquid.
Behaviour : Preparing food for themselves.
(5) Situation: Some ants need followers to work for them.
Behaviour: Acting as kings, training slaves.
Answer:
(1) When faced with the challenge of transporting heavy loads up steep pit sides, ants exhibit remarkable ingenuity and cognitive ability by organizing themselves to overcome the obstacle.
(2) In situations where the path to the pit's summit is slick, steep, and lacks footholds, ants effectively communicate amongst themselves and demonstrate collective cooperation to achieve their goal.
(3) For tasks requiring food cultivation, ants operate like independent agriculturalists, growing their own sustenance.
(4) When ants desire a sweet, honey-like liquid, their behavior involves actively preparing this food source for their own consumption.
(5) If certain ants require subordinates for labor, they adopt roles akin to monarchs, supervising and training other ants as slaves.
In simple words: Ants display intelligence and cooperation for heavy loads on steep paths, communicate for smooth climbs, act as farmers for food, prepare their own honey-like liquid, and some even behave like kings training slaves.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on linking each specific situation to the precise ant behavior described in the text, using clear and concise language for the "Behaviour" section.

 

Write reasons to support for the following statements.

 

Question 1. Ants are clever.
Answer:
(1) Ants demonstrate cleverness by performing farming tasks, which involves transporting large leaf pieces to their nests, meticulously chewing them to create beds where fungus can grow, and later consuming this fungus as their primary food source.
(2) Additionally, certain ant species exhibit remarkable intelligence by domesticating and 'milking' greenflies. They extract honey-like liquid from these insects by gently pressing their sides, a process akin to dairy farming.
(3) Ants also prove their resourcefulness by discovering ingenious methods and routes to ascend even smooth and challenging rock surfaces, effectively organizing themselves to achieve such feats.
In simple words: Ants are clever because they farm fungus, 'milk' greenflies for honey, and devise smart ways to climb difficult terrains.

🎯 Exam Tip: When supporting a statement, provide at least two distinct, detailed examples from the text to strengthen your argument and show comprehensive understanding.

 

Question 2. Ants have a system like government,
Answer:
(1) Ants exhibit government-like systems by engaging in activities such as playing games, caring for their sick members, and burying their deceased, reflecting organized social conduct.
(2) They ensure that every individual within the nest contributes its fair share of work, indicating a structured division of labor and responsibility.
(3) Furthermore, ants strictly prevent any member from being idle or unproductive, maintaining collective efficiency and order.
In simple words: Ants have a government-like system because they play games, care for sick and dead, ensure everyone contributes work, and do not tolerate laziness.

🎯 Exam Tip: To illustrate a complex concept like a "system like government," provide concrete examples of social organization, division of labor, and communal rules observed in ant colonies.

 

Question 3. Driver ants are dangerous.
Answer:
(1) Driver ants pose a significant threat as they consume any animal that happens to cross their path, making them highly predatory.
(2) Even large and powerful animals, such as tigers and elephants, harbor a deep fear of these ants due to their relentless and destructive nature.
(3) If a python, after ingesting its meal, becomes immobilized and encounters a marching column of driver ants, these formidable insects will consume both the python and its swallowed prey, highlighting their extreme danger.
In simple words: Driver ants are dangerous because they devour any animal in their path, are feared by large predators like tigers and elephants, and can even consume a python along with its prey.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing why something is dangerous, use vivid descriptions and specific instances of harm or threat to emphasize the severity of the danger.

 

Answer the following questions:

 

Question 1. What did the ants do to carry heavy food ?
Answer:
Ants had killed various flies and insects at the bottom of a pit. Transporting these substantial loads to their anthill was an arduous task. To manage this challenge, they meticulously organized themselves. Some ants took on the role of carrying the insect fragments, while others moved ahead, diligently clearing away any sand or small stones that blocked their path.
When the ants carrying the load struggled to find a foothold, other ants would strategically position themselves to create a path, enabling the load-bearing ants to easily climb over them.
In simple words: To carry heavy food, ants organized themselves with some carrying pieces and others clearing the path; when stuck, some ants positioned themselves to help others climb.

🎯 Exam Tip: Detail the step-by-step actions and collaborative strategies employed by the ants to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of their problem-solving behavior.

 

Question 2. Suppose you are playing a role of South American ant, how will you play your role ?
Answer:
As a South American ant, specifically an Umbrella Ant, my role would involve collecting large leaf pieces and carrying them over my head, resembling an umbrella. I would then transport these leaves to the nest, where I would meticulously chew them into fine fragments to construct soft beds. On these prepared leaf beds, a specialized fungus would be cultivated, which would subsequently serve as a vital food source for the ant colony.
In simple words: As a South American (Umbrella) ant, I would carry leaf pieces like an umbrella to the nest, chew them, and create beds for fungus to grow, which would then be eaten as food.

🎯 Exam Tip: When answering hypothetical role-play questions, explicitly state the actions and responsibilities associated with that role as described in the text, ensuring a clear and direct response.

 

Question 3. Why do some ants protect green flies ?
Answer:
Certain ants protect green flies because these insects serve a crucial role, similar to livestock. Green flies produce a sweet, honey-like liquid that ants relish immensely. Consequently, ants transport these green flies to their nests and safeguard them from predators. They also feed the green flies and then 'milk' them by gently pressing their sides to extract the desired honey.
In simple words: Ants protect green flies because they act like 'cows,' providing a sweet, honey-like liquid that the ants feed on and cherish.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain the symbiotic relationship clearly, identifying both the benefit to the ants (honey-like liquid) and the actions they take to ensure this benefit (protection, feeding, milking).

 

Question 4. Which ants are called master ants and slave ants ?
Answer:
In the ant world, certain species maintain other ants as slaves. The powerful Red ants found in Europe are recognized as the masters in this dynamic. They assert their dominance by taking Black ants, which are smaller in size, as their slaves.
In simple words: Red ants in Europe are called master ants, and the smaller black ants they abduct and force to work are called slave ants.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly identify the specific ant species for both "masters" and "slaves" and briefly state their geographical location or key characteristic for full marks.

 

Question 5. Which ants are called cow ants ? Why ?
Answer:
Ants that domesticate and 'milk' certain insects are referred to as cow ants. This designation arises because they extract a honey-like substance from green flies. Due to this practice, where green flies provide a sweet liquid similar to how cows provide milk, these specific ants are known as cow ants.
In simple words: Ants that extract a sweet, honey-like liquid from green flies are called cow ants because their behavior resembles humans milking cows.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define "cow ants" by their action (extracting honey-like liquid) and explicitly state the "why" by drawing the parallel to dairy farming with cows.

 

Question 6. Do you have sympathy towards servant ants ? How are they treated by their masters ?
Answer:
The behavior of most creatures is governed by instinct. Humans often interpret their actions emotionally. In the case of red ants, they abduct the eggs of black ants. Once these eggs hatch, the black ants are compelled to serve as slaves. A sense of sympathy for these black ants arises primarily because the concept of slavery is no longer accepted in modern human society. These slave ants are treated by being forced into servitude, carrying out various tasks for their red ant masters.
In simple words: Sympathy for servant ants comes from the human perspective against slavery, as red ants abduct black ant eggs and force the hatched black ants into servitude.

🎯 Exam Tip: Address both parts of the question directly: whether sympathy is felt and how the slave ants are treated, drawing a distinction between animal instinct and human moral perception.

 

Question 7. Are people afraid of driver ants ? Why ?
Answer:
Yes, people are indeed afraid of driver ants. The driver ants of Africa are known as an extremely aggressive species. They move in vast, continuous lines, numbering in the millions, consuming any animal that happens to be in their path. Large animals like tigers and elephants live in fear of them. Stories from African villagers even recount instances of these ants consuming babies, which may very well be true. Given their ferocious nature and the widespread destruction they can cause, it is entirely natural for people to be terrified of these ants.
In simple words: Yes, people fear driver ants because they are ferocious, travel in massive numbers, devour any animal in their path, and are even known to attack large animals and, historically, human infants.

🎯 Exam Tip: Provide clear and specific reasons, supported by examples from the text, to explain *why* people are afraid, emphasizing the ants' predatory behavior and destructive capacity.

 

Question 8. How would you know that an army of ants has passed from this place ?
Answer:
Upon the arrival of driver ants, inhabitants of a house typically flee, seeking refuge in the forest until the ant army has moved on. When they return to their homes, a tell-tale sign that driver ants have passed through is the complete absence of insects and spiders; every single one in the house and along their path will have been thoroughly cleared away.
In simple words: You would know an army of driver ants has passed if, upon returning to a house, you find every insect and spider has been completely cleared away.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the direct observable evidence left behind by the ants' passage, making the answer concise and factual.

 

Question 9. What should we learn from ants ?
Answer:
Ants offer numerous valuable lessons. We should cultivate a strong work ethic, actively avoiding idleness and procrastination. It is essential to strive to overcome all obstacles that impede our progress. Despite any limitations we might face, we should consistently endeavor to advance. It is crucial to develop practical skills to aid in achieving our goals. Furthermore, the qualities of effective governance and collaborative teamwork, as demonstrated by ants, should be adopted and practiced.
In simple words: We should learn hard work, overcoming obstacles, continuous progress, skill development, and the importance of good governance and cooperation from ants.

🎯 Exam Tip: When listing lessons, present them as actionable takeaways, clearly outlining the positive traits or behaviors that can be emulated from ants.

 

Additional Questions and Answers

Answer the following question:

 

Question 1. Illustrate adeptness of ants.
Answer:
Ants display remarkable adeptness and intelligence, especially when navigating smooth, steep surfaces while carrying burdens. They organize themselves with extraordinary cleverness. Often, only one ant manages to reach the summit, where it encounters other ants from the anthill. These summit ants then begin descending into the pit backwards, each ant grasping the tail end of the ant in front, forming an 'ant-chain'. This chain extends down the steep side. Once the ant-chain reaches the waiting, load-bearing ants below, these ants can easily climb up the chain and exit the pit.
In simple words: Ants show adeptness by forming an 'ant-chain' to help load-bearing ants climb steep, smooth surfaces, with one ant reaching the top and others descending to create a pathway.

🎯 Exam Tip: Provide a step-by-step description of the ant-chain formation and its purpose to clearly illustrate their problem-solving skills and collective ingenuity.

 

Short Notes

Write short notes focussing on the questions:

 

(1) Ants have Great Adeptness – Illustrate
• ants as human beings
• ants in a pit
• loaded with bits of their food
• difficult to climb steep way upwards !
• one ant manages to reach the top
• calls other ants
• make an ant-chain
• climb down facilitating the load-bearing ants come up the pit
Answer:
Ants possess remarkable intelligence, often compared to human intellect. A scientist once observed ants in a pit, struggling with the arduous task of carrying heavy insect bits up steep sides. They organized their work instantly: some carried the load, while others cleared obstructions. At points without footholds, some ants formed a supportive bridge. For the steepest section, only one ant reached the top, then called other ants from the anthill. These ants descended backward, forming an "ant-chain" by holding each other's tails. Once the chain reached the load-bearing ants below, they easily climbed up, demonstrating exceptional adeptness and teamwork.
In simple words: Ants display great ingenuity by forming human-like social structures, organizing to carry heavy loads up steep pits, and creating ant-chains for others to climb, showcasing remarkable intelligence and teamwork.

🎯 Exam Tip: When illustrating a concept like "great adeptness," combine the bulleted hints into a coherent narrative that provides a complete example of the behavior described in the text.

 

(2) The Driver Ants
• Why are these ants called 'Driver Ants' ?
• Are they completely blind ?
• Which large animals live in fear of driver ants ?
• When do the people flee into the forest? ?
• How long do they stay in the forest?
• What do they find after coming back from the forest?
Answer:
The driver ants of Africa are renowned as the most ferocious and relentless ant species. They are named 'Driver Ants' because they are constantly on the move, marching in incredibly long lines, often numbering in the millions. These ants are entirely blind, yet they relentlessly devour any animal that happens to be in their path. Even formidable creatures like tigers and elephants are known to live in fear of driver ants. African villagers understand the threat: they flee into the forest when an army of driver ants enters a house and remain there until the ants have completely passed. Upon returning, they typically find that every insect and spider in their homes has been cleared away, a benefit despite the initial terror.
In simple words: Driver ants are ferocious, blind African ants that move in huge armies, devouring everything in their path, including large animals. People flee their homes when they arrive, returning to find all insects cleared out.

🎯 Exam Tip: Structure the short note to answer each implied question within the bullet points, providing a comprehensive overview of driver ants' characteristics, behaviors, and impact.

 

(3) Farmer Ants ?
• Where are they found ?
• What do they carry over their heads ?
• What do they bring in their nest?
• What do they do with the leaves?
• What is their food?
Answer:
Farmer ants, also known as 'Umbrella Ants', are ant species that practice a form of agriculture. They are primarily found in South America. These ants earn their 'Umbrella' moniker by carrying large pieces of leaf over their heads, which gives them the appearance of holding umbrellas. They transport these leaf fragments to their nests. Once inside, they meticulously chew the leaves into a pulp, forming beds. On these prepared beds, a specific type of fungus is cultivated. This fungus is the ants' main food source.
In simple words: Farmer ants (Umbrella Ants) are found in South America; they carry leaves over their heads to their nests, chew them to make beds, grow fungus on these beds, and then eat the fungus as food.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure all the bulleted questions are explicitly addressed within the short note, providing concise and accurate information about farmer ants and their unique practices.

 

Reading Comprehension

Read the following extracts and answer the questions:

 

(1) The ants immediately organised the work in this way: while some were carrying up the bits of insects, the others went in front and cleared away any sand or small stone that obstructed the way.
At some points where it was difficult to get a foothold, these other ants would position themselves in such a way that the ants carrying the loads could easily climb over them.

Questions:
(1) How are the ants organised as far as their work is concerned ?
(2) How do they make climbing easy where there is no foothold ?
Answers:
(1) Regarding their work organization, some ants are assigned to carry up the insect pieces, while others go ahead to clear any obstructing sand or small stones from the path. This demonstrates their coordinated effort.
(2) To facilitate climbing in areas lacking footholds, other ants strategically position themselves, creating a pathway that allows the load-carrying ants to easily ascend over them.
In simple words: Ants organize their work by assigning some to carry loads and others to clear paths; they make climbing easy by positioning themselves to create footholds for load-bearing ants.

🎯 Exam Tip: For comprehension questions based on an extract, ensure your answers are directly derived from the provided text and do not introduce outside information.

 

(2) Then there are ants that domesticate 'cows' and 'milk' them ! What we have called 'cow' are a kind of green fly. These are found on rose leaves and on the leaves of beans. They give out a sweet honey-like liquid which the ants relish a lot. So the ants take these green flies to their nests and keep them there. They feed them, protect them from their enemies; and they 'milk' them, pressing their sides gently and making them give out their honey.

Questions:
(1) Who are cows ? Where are they found ?
(2) How do the ants use these 'cows' ?
Answers:
(1) The 'cows' referred to are green flies. They can be found on rose leaves and on the leaves of bean plants.
(2) Ants utilize these green flies by 'milking' them; they gently press the flies' sides to make them secrete a sweet, honey-like liquid. The ants relish this liquid as food.
In simple words: Green flies, found on rose and bean leaves, are called 'cows' by ants. Ants use them by 'milking' them for a sweet, honey-like liquid by gently pressing their sides.

🎯 Exam Tip: Provide concise answers that directly address each part of the question based on the specific details given in the extract.

 

(3) There are ants that keep other ants as 'slaves. One such type is a powerful red ant which is found in Europe. Their slaves are taken from a type of black ant which is smaller in size. When the red ants want slaves, they ambush the nests of the black ants and abduct some of their eggs.
When these eggs hatch in the red ants' nests, the black ants which come out are treated as slaves. From their birth they are taught to obey. They are compelled to drudgery – they have even to carry about their masters on their backs. How surprisingly human!

Questions:
(1) How do the red ants get slaves ?
(2) What are the slaves taught ?
Answers:
(1) Red ants acquire slaves by attacking the nests of black ants and abducting some of their eggs. These eggs are then brought back to the red ants' nests.
(2) The black ants that hatch in the red ants' nests are trained from birth to be subservient. They are forced into performing arduous tasks, including carrying their red ant masters on their backs.
In simple words: Red ants get slaves by abducting black ant eggs; the hatched black ants are then taught obedience from birth and compelled to perform hard labor, even carrying their masters.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly outline the process of slave acquisition and the nature of the training/treatment of the slave ants, adhering strictly to the information presented in the extract.

 

(4) There are ants that keep other ants as slaves. One such type is a powerful red ant which are found in Europe. Their slaves are taken from a type of black ant which is smaller in size. When the red ants want slaves, they ambush the nests of the black ants and abduct some of their eggs.

Questions:
(1) Which type of ants keep other ants as slaves ?
(2) Why do the red ants ambush the nests of the black ants ?
Answers:
(1) The Red ants found in Europe are the type of ants that keep other ants as slaves.
(2) The red ants ambush the nests of the black ants specifically to abduct their eggs, which they will then raise as slaves.
In simple words: Red ants in Europe keep smaller black ants as slaves, ambushing black ant nests to abduct their eggs for this purpose.

🎯 Exam Tip: For identification questions, be precise with the names of the ant species and their roles. For "why" questions, state the explicit motivation given in the text.

 

(5) Even large animals like tigers and elephants live in fear of them. Often if a python, unable to move after swallowing his dinner, happens to be in the path of the marching line, then these creatures eat both the python and the animal in its stomach. The villagers of Africa tell stories about babies who have been eaten by ants and these stories may be true. When an army of the driver ants enters a house, the people flee into the forest and stay there until the ants have passed. When the people come back, they find that every insect and spider in the house has been cleared away.

Questions:
(1) What is the benefit of driver ants to the villagers ?
(2) What happens with the arrival of driver ants ?
Answers:
(1) The benefit of driver ants to the villagers is that they consume and eliminate every insect and spider from the houses, effectively clearing them of pests.
(2) With the arrival of driver ants, the villagers immediately flee into the forest and remain there until the ant army has completely passed through.
In simple words: Driver ants benefit villagers by clearing out all insects and spiders from their homes. When driver ants arrive, people flee their houses into the forest until the ants have moved on.

🎯 Exam Tip: Distinguish between the immediate threat and the incidental benefit. Ensure each question part is answered separately and directly from the extract.

 

Say True or False

Write whether the following sentences are True or False :

 

(1) Ants work in a disorganised way.
(2) The Driver ants of America are the most ferocious kind of ants.
(3) The Red ants are most ferocious kind of ants.
(4) The Red ants found in Europe are more powerful.
(5) The black ants have to carry their masters on their backs.
(6) Cow ants give out a sweet honey-like liquid.
(7) Red ants are treated as slaves by black ants.
(8) The umbrella ants do farming.
(9) Intelligence of ants is very close to that of human beings.
(10) The driver ants are always on the move.
(11) Even large animals like tigers and elephants live in fear of the driver ants.
(12) Ants have a highly developed social sense.
Answer:
(1) False
(2) False
(3) False
(4) True
(5) True
(6) False
(7) False
(8) True
(9) True
(10) True
(11) True
(12) True
In simple words: This section tests knowledge of ant behaviors and classifications, requiring identification of statements as either true or false based on the provided text.

🎯 Exam Tip: Read each statement carefully and cross-reference it with the entire reading passage to ensure accuracy before marking it as true or false.

 

Ants Summary in Gujarati

આ ગદ્યખંડમાં લેખકે કીડીઓની અપ્રતીમ ઉદ્યમશીલતા, વ્યવસ્થાપન તેમજ સંઘભાવના (સહજીવન) વિશે સોદાહરણ ચર્ચા કરી છે. અંગત રીતે ઓછી ક્ષમતા ધરાવતી કીડીઓ સાથે મળી અશક્યને પણ શક્ય બનાવી શકે છે, એ આ ગદ્યખંડનો સાર છે.

પોતાના કરતાં પણ વધુ વજન ઉપાડી ખાડામાંથી એકબીજાને સહારે બહાર આવતી કીડીઓનો ઉદ્યમ ખરે જ પ્રશંસનીય છે. તેમનું પ્રત્યાયન (Communication Skill) પણ ગજબનું હોય છે. જેનાથી તેઓ ગમે તેવી કઠિન પરિસ્થિતિમાંથી પણ અન્ય કીડીઓની મદદથી બહાર આવી શકે છે.

તેમની બુદ્ધિક્ષમતા (Intelligence) માનવની બુદ્ધિક્ષમતાને સમાન છે એવું પણ એક વૈજ્ઞાનિક તારણ છે. સાઉથ આફ્રિકાની “અંબ્રેલા એન્ટ્સ’ માથા ઉપર ઉપાડી લાવેલાં પાંદડાં પહેલાં ચાવી જાય અને પછી તેની પથારી બનાવે, જેના પર ફૂગ થાય, જે તેમને ખાવાના ઉપયોગમાં આવે.

કેટલીક કીડીઓ “ગ્રીનફ્લાય’ને પકડી લાવી તેમને બે બાજુથી દબાવી, તેમાંથી મધ જેવું પ્રવાહી કાઢે છે અને મોજથી ખાય છે. દરેક કીડી તેને સોંપાયેલું કામ ખંતથી કરે છે. કોઈ કીડીને આળસુ રહેવા દેવાતી નથી. તેઓ રમત રમે છે, માંદાઓની સારવાર કરે છે અને મૃત કડીઓને દાટે પણ છે. આ બધું દર્શાવે છે કે તેમનામાં સુવિકસિત સામાજિક ભાવના છે. યુરોપમાં જોવા મળતી લાલ કીડીઓ અન્ય કીડીઓ(કાળી કીડીઓ)ને ગુલામ તરીકે રાખી તેમની પાસે કામ કરાવે છે.

શું આ માણસ જેવું વર્તન ન ગણાય? આફ્રિકામાં થતી 'ડ્રાયવર એન્ટ્સ' વણજારાની જેમ સતત ચાલતી જ રહે છે. આ કીડીઓ લાખોની સંખ્યામાં લાંબી કતારમાં ચાલે છે. તેમના રસ્તામાં વ્યવધાન તરીકે આવનાર વસ્તુઓ પ્રાણીઓને તેઓ ખાઈ જાય છે. ભલે ને પછી તે મહાકાય અજગર હોય.

આ કીડીઓ જોવા મળતાં ગ્રામવાસીઓ પોતાનાં ઘર ખાલી કરી ભાગી જાય છે. આ કીડીઓ ચાલી જતાં પરત ફરે ત્યારે તેમના ઘરમાંથી તમામ જંતુઓ, કરોળિયા વગેરેનો સંપૂર્ણ સફાયો થઈ ગયો હોય છે.

Glossary (શબ્દાર્થ)

pit (n.) (પિટ) a hole in the ground - ખાડો
fetch (v.) (ફેચ) go, get and bring-(જઈને) લઈ આવવું
anthill (n.) (એન્થિલ) a mound of soil, sand or dirt formed by ants or termites - કીડીનો ઉભો ઢગ, રાફડો
arduous (adj.) (આરડ્યૂઅસ) difficult, trying, hard-મુશ્કેલ, સખત મહેનત માગી લે તેવું, કષ્ટપ્રદ
steep (adj.) (સ્ટીપ) vertical slope-સીધા ચઢાણવાળું
cliff (n.) (ક્લિફ) a high, steep rock face-ઊભો ખડક, ભેખડ
obstruct (v.) (ઑબ્સ્ટ્રક્ટ) hinder or prevent progress-અવરોધવું, પ્રગતિ અટકાવવી
foothold (n.) (ફૂટહલ્ડ) a place providing support for the foot in climbing-(પર્વત વગેરે) ચડતાં ટેકા માટે પગ રાખવાનો આધાર
defeat (v.) (ડિફીટ) let down, beat-હરાવવું, નિષ્ફળ બનાવવું
convey (v.) (કન્વે) give, communicate-(સંદેશ વગેરે) આપવું, પહોંચાડવું
adeptness (n.) (ઍડૅપ્ટનેસ) skillfulness, ability, expertise - કૌશલ, ક્ષમતા, પ્રાવીણ્ય
domesticate (v.) (ડૉમેસ્ટિકેટ) tame, cultivate-પાળવું, ઉછેરવું
relish (v.) (રેલિશ) enjoy, savour, taste-આનંદ માણવો, (ખાવા, પીવાની વસ્તુઓ વગેરેની) લહેજત માણવી
bury (v.) (બરી) to place in the earth and cover with soil-જમીનમાં દાટવું/દફન કરવું
indolent (adj.) (ઈન્ડોલન્ટ) habitually lazy-આદતથી આળસુ
ambush (v.) (ઍમ્બુશ) trap, sudden attack from a concealed position-છુપાઈને છુપાઈને હુમલો કરવો
abduct (v.) (ઍબ્ડક્ટ) to remove by force-બળજબરીથી દૂર કરવું/હટાવવું
ferocious (adj.) (ફિરોશ્યસ) extremely aggressive or violent-અતિ હિંસક, ખૂંખાર
devour (v.) (ડિવોર) eat hungrily-ગળચવું, ભરખી જવું
python (n.) (પાયથોન) boa, carpet snake - અજગર
swallow (v.) (સ્વૉલો) gulp, consume-ગળી જવું, સીધેસીધું ગળામાંથી પેટમાં ઉતારી દેવું
stomach (n.) (સ્ટમક) belly, tummy - પેટ
flee (v.) (ફ્લી) run away-ભાગી જવું

Phrases and Idioms

concede to (કન્સીડ ટુ) yield/surrender to something or someone - સ્વીકારવું - માન્ય કરવું, મંજૂર કરવું
seemingly (સીમિંગ્લી) apparently - દેખીતી રીતે, ઉપલક દષ્ટિએ
give out (ગિવ આઉટ) emit, pass out-બહાર કાઢવું
be compelled to (બિ કમ્પેલ્ડ ટુ) be forced to-(કશુંક કરવા) દબાણમાં આવવું, મજબૂર થવું
on the move (ઓન ધ મુવ) wandering-રખડતાં, આગળ વધતાં
clear away (ક્લિઅર અવે) remove, take away-હટાવી દેવું, સાફ કરી દેવું

ભાષાંતર

કી રીરનો કીડીઓનો અભ્યાસ કરતા એક વિજ્ઞાનીને (તેમનું) નીચે મુજબનું વર્તન ધ્યાનમાં આવ્યું. ઘણી બધી કીડીઓ એક ખાડામાં નીચે હતી. ત્યાં તેમણે કેટલીક માખીઓ અને અન્ય જંતુઓને ખોરાક માટે મારી નાખેલાં હતાં. તે કીડીઓએ આ જંતુઓના નાના નાના કણ તેમના દર સુધી ખેંચીને લાવવા માંડ્યું.

તેમને માટે આ મહામુશ્કેલ કાર્ય હતું. ખાડાની બાજુઓનાં ચઢાણ અત્યંત સીધાં હતાં, અને કીડીઓના કદને ધ્યાનમાં લેતાં તે અતિશય ભારે બોજ વહન કરી રહી હતી. એ (એવું હતું) જાણે કે એક જૂથનો દરેક માણસ 200 પાઉન્ડનું વજન વહન કરી રહ્યો હતો અને સાથોસાથ ટેકરી પણ ચઢી રહ્યો હતો.

પેલી કીડીઓએ તુરંત એ કામને નીચે મુજબ ગોઠવી દીધું જ્યારે કેટલીક | (કીડીઓ) જેતુઓના કણ ઉપાડી ચઢી રહી હતી, ત્યારે બીજી(કીડી)ઓએ તેમની આગળ જઈ જે રેતી કે પથ્થર તેમના રસ્તામાં નડતાં હતાં તેમને હટાવી દીધાં.

કેટલીક જગ્યાએ જ્યાં પગ ટેકવવા આધાર નહોતો ત્યાં બીજી કીડીઓ એ રીતે ગોઠવાઈ ગઈ કે વજન વહન કરનાર કીડીઓ તેમના ઉપર થઈને સરળતાથી ચઢી શકે.ખાડાને મથાળે રસ્તાનો થોડોક ભાગ સંપૂર્ણપણે લપસણો તેમજ સીધા ચઢાણવાળો હતો.

અહીં ક્યાંય પગ ટેકવવાની જગ્યા નહોતી. પેલી કીડીઓ , ળાનો થોડોક ભાગ રોકાઈ ગયું. – એવું લાગતું હતું જાણે કે, અંતે તેઓ હારી ગઈ.

જે પણ કીડીઓએ આ ભાગ ચઢવાનો પ્રયાસ કર્યો, તેમાંથી માત્ર એક જ ટોચ પર પહોંચી શકી. આ કીડીએ તરત જ રાફડામાંની અનેક કીડીઓને મળીને સંદેશો આપ્યો. અને અહીં સર્જાઈ એક અજબ ઘટના. મથાળે રહેલી આ કીડીઓએ એકબીજાની પૂંઠ પકડીને ખાડામાં ઊતરવા માંડ્યું.

આ રીતે કીડીઓની એક સાંકળ રચાઈ ગઈ અને તે ધીરેથી સીધા ચઢાણવાળા ભાગેથી નીચે તરફ જવા લાગી. તે કીડીઓ જ્યારે રાહ જોતી વજન વહન કરનાર કીડીઓની પાસે પહોંચી કે એ કીડીઓએ એ કીડી-સાંકળ પર સરળતાથી ચઢવા માંડ્યું અને બહાર મથાળે પહોંચી ગઈ.

કીડીઓનું કૌશલ બતાવતા આ પ્રકારના વર્તન ઘણા અભ્યાસુઓના ધ્યાનમાં આવ્યું છે અને તેનો અભ્યાસ કરાયો છે. હવે કીડીઓના જીવન વિશે કેટલીક બાબતો શોધી કાઢી છે, જે દર્શાવે છે કે આ નાનાં પ્રાણીઓની સમજશક્તિ (બુદ્ધિ) એ માનવ સમજશક્તિની અતિ અને તેમની (બંને) બાજુઓ ધીમેથી દબાવી તેમનામાંથી મધ મેળવે છે.

જાણવા મુજબ કીડીઓ રમતો રમે છે, માંદાઓની સારવાર કરે છે અને તેમનામાંના મૃતને દફન કરે છે. તેઓ એ બાબતનું ધ્યાન રાખે છે કે તેમના દરની દરેક કીડી તેના ભાગનું કામ કરે છે અને કોઈને નકામું રહેવા દેવાતું નથી. આ બધું એ સૂચવે છે કે કીડીઓની સામાજિક સૂઝ તેમજ શાસન-પદ્ધતિ સુવિકસિત હોય છે.

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