Textbook Questions and Answers
Question (i)
Life is an amalgam of happy and sad moments. Think of such moments in your life, pair with your classmate and share both the aspects of life.
Answer:
| Happy moments | Sad moments |
| 1. Winning the first prize in a competition | (a) Losing your mobile, bicycle or wallet |
| 2. from sickness | (b) Falling sick |
| 3. for a picnic | (c) Fight / Misunderstanding with best friend |
Question (ii)
Find proverbs, idioms or phrases of similar meaning to the one given and fill them in the circles given below:
Answer:
Question (iii)
When we look at the sky, we find several objects. They stand for something or the other. Complete the following table by finding the significance of the given objects. (Answers are given directly)
Answer:
| Celestial Bodies | Association |
| 1. The Sun | (a) Power, heat, energy, commitment, etc. |
| 2. The Moon | (b) Beauty, eclipse, brightness, luminary, crescent, etc. |
| 3. The Rainbow | (c) Colour, arch, rain, dreams, etc. |
| 4. The Stars | (d) Glittering, twinkling, celebrity, ratings, etc. |
Question (iv)
Colours mentioned in the hexagons given below, are associated with something or the other. Dissuss and fill in the blanks.
Answer:
(A1)
Question (i)
Imagine your younger sister is not paying attention to her studies and is seen wasting time playing games on her cell-phone. Suggest some ways that will help her to concentrate on her studies and overcome her bad habit.
Answer:
My dear sister, these days I hardly see you studying. Most of the time you are busy with your mobile, either playing games or sending WhatsApp messages. You are lost in the world of your cell-phone. Is it fair ? Ask yourself whether you are doing the right thing. I understand, you are living in an age where the cell-phones are the latest craze. But, I think, you are grown up enough to decide what is good for you. You must learn to draw the line, ‘This far and no further.’
I suggest, you make a timetable for yourself, giving enough time for all your subjects, according to your own level of difficulties. That will definitely give you some time to relax and play games on your cell-phone. Excess of anything is bad.
Your eye-sight need to be protected also. Balancing things in life is an art and you must realise the importance of studies in life. I am always there to help you so that you can comfortably manage your studies along with your time for relaxation.
Question (ii)
You have noticed that many of your classmates are not interested in outdoor games or participating in co-curricular activities. Discuss some ways in which they will be encouraged to participate in activities.
Answer:
Dear friend, as the General Secretary of the Cultural Forum, I have observed that many of you are not interested in taking part in extra curricular activities, both intra-collegiate and inter-collegiate. I am also concerned that even the outdoor sports are being neglected. I think, it is the high time to talk to you.
Friends, I know the importance of studies at this stage of your life. But extra-curricular activities need to go hand in hand with the curriculum since they help in our all-round development. They give us opportunities to showcase our non academic abilities which are equally important in the big competitive world. Not only do they boost our confidence but they also help to enhance our theoretical knowledge.
Unfortunately, we are caught in a rat race to establish ourselves in life. Extra-curricular activities give us a lot of exposure, speech fluency, teach us time management, help us develop sense of responsibility and, according to me, most importantly broadens our horizon by giving us courage to come out of our systems.
About outdoor sports, I think, we all have heard the proverb, ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’. Co-operation, team work, discipline, fellow-feeling, follow the instructions of the captain, personality development along with the improved health-the list is endless to talk about the benefits of outdoor sports. Moreover, there are practical benefits like opportunities of getting admission in colleges, jobs through sports quota, channel to represent your country in the national and international competitions, earning recognition through awards.
Friends, I can go on talking about the extra-curricular activities and sports because I, myself is a beneficiary of all these advantages. I hope, all of you will take part in large numbers in extra-curricular activities as well as make an attempt to develop an interest in sports. All the best to all of you.
(A2)
Question (i)
Complete the web, highlighting the sad and gloomy aspects of life mentioned in the first part of the poem.
Answer:
Question (ii)
The poet encourages her brother in the second part of the poem by telling him about the brighter
side of life. Make a list of the expressions in the poem that mean encouragement.
(a) Brighter garden
(b) …………………….
(c) …………………….
Answer:
(a) Brighter garden
(b) Unfading flowers
(c) Bright bee hum
Question (iii)
The poet has described two different shades of human feelings by using imagery of various forces of Nature in the poem. Pick out the terms or phrases that describe them. Complete the table given below.
Answer:
| Nature | Feelings |
| Faded forests | Sad/gloomy |
| Unfading flowers | Excitement |
| Silent fields | Loneliness |
| Evergreen leaf | Freshness |
| Bright bee | Being active |
| Serene sky | Calmness/peace |
| frost | pain/suffering |
Question (iv)
The poem expresses feelings of serenity. Pick out expressions from the above poem that express the same…..
Answer:
(a) ‘There is another sky/Ever serene and fair,
(b) “And there is another sunshine….”
(c) “a little forest,/whose leaf is ever green,”
(d) “Unfading flowers….”
Question (v)
Compare and contrast the two opposing human feelings as expressed by the poet.
Answer:
It was possible that the poet’s brother who has staying in a different place, must have complained of sadness. The poet’s response to that was to invite him to ‘my garden’ where there was brightness forever. She deliberately used contrasting images of depression and joy from the nature to encourage and inspire her brother who was down with hopelessness. As against, silent, lonely fields, fading flowers and darkness she presented peaceful sky, bright sunshine, unfading flowers, buzzing bees, forests with evergreen leaves.
All these images represented the human feelings in two opposite worlds. The poet’s world might be an imaginary place but they could create positivity in a depressed mind.
(A3)
Question 1.
‘Never mind faded forests, Austin’. The word ‘faded’ means to become dim or faint. The word describes the forests that have become faint or dim in appearance. Now go through the poem again and complete the table.
Answer:
| Describing Word | Object | Explanation |
| 1. faded | forests | The forests have become faint or dim in appearance. |
| 2. silent | fields | The fields are lonely. |
| 3. unfading | flowers | The unfading flowers never fade with time as if they are in paradise. |
| 4. bright | Bee | The bee is happy and active expressing its hopefulness. |
(A4)
Question 1.
‘I hear the bright bee hum.’ The poet has used the word ‘hum’ that indicates the sound made by the bee. This is an example of Onomatopoeia.
The poet has used different figures of speech like alliteration, inversion and hyperbole in the poem. Identify them and pick out the lines accordingly.
(i) ‘I hear the bright bee hum’- The figure of speech is Onomatopoeia. The poet has used the word “hum” to indicate the sound made by the bee.
(ii) Metaphor:
‘There is another sky’ – Here the poet indirectly compares ‘another sky’ with ‘another place’ indicating ‘there is another place for you.’
(iii) Hyperbole:
In its unfading flowers’ – The poet makes use of an exaggerated statement. Flowers do fade with time.
(iv) Alliteration:
(a) ‘faded forest’ — Here, the sound of the letter ‘t’ is repeated for poetic effect.
(b) ‘bright bee’ – Here, the sound of the letter ‘b’ is repeated for poetic effect.
(v) Inversion:
(a) ‘where not a frost has been’
The word order is changed for poetic effect.
(b) ‘Prithee, my brother/into my garden come!’
The word order is changed for poetic effect.
(vi) Repetition:
(a) ‘There is another sky …./And there is another sunshine’.
– Expressions are repeated to show the possible alternative, arrangement.
(b) ‘Never mind faded forests, Austin,/Never mind silent fields…’
– Expressions are repeated to emphasise the poet’s intention.
(c) ‘Here is a little forest,…./ Here is a brighter garden’.
The expressions are repeated to provide hope.
(vii) Litotes : ‘Where not a frost has been’.
– A negative word ‘not’ is used in the statement to emphasize a strong positive feeling. ‘Not a frost’ is absolutely frost free.
(A5)
Question 1.
Imagine your friend is a table tennis champion who has won the semi-final in the inter-collegiate championship. Due to over confidence, she neither practises nor does she take her opponent seriously. This may result in her losing the final. Suggest some ways to make her aware of the importance of hard work and regular practice.
Answer:
Dear Sushama, congratulations on winning the semi final of the inter collegiate table tennis championship! But I never see you practicing and preparing yourself mentally and physically for the finals. I am really worried. Are you so confident of your success that you don’t even bother to attend your regular practice sessions? You must be knowing, ‘Practice makes a man perfect’. The other day I was watching the final match of Wimbledon Tennis Competition and it was amazing how the finalist Roger Federer, at the age of 37, was doing so much of hard work to win the long rallies.
Some of the strikes were excellent and this must be the result of his rigorous practice. These are legends and you must learn from them. There is no short cut to success and hard work always pays. You must take out enough time for practice to boost your confidence for the final match. Don’t take things easy and look down upon your opponent. Do it now-start regular practices. All the best!
(A6)
Question (i)
Use the following points and write an appreciation of the poem :
- About the poem, poet and title
- Theme
- Poetic style, language, poetic devices used in the poem
- Special features
- Message/values/morals in the poem
- Your opinion about the poem
Answer:
She assured him not to worry since she could suggest another place, most probably their own home where they had shared many lovely moments. This poem is a sonnet comprising of fourteen lines. Like a typical Petrarchan sonnet,the first eight lines called octave, hint at a problem or express an emotional tension. The last six lines called sestet, try to resolve the problem by relieving the tension. The poem also brings out the poet’s love for nature and here the sonnet resembles. Shakespeare’s sonnets which also has glorified nature.
Central Metaphor for the entire poem is the central symbol of sky which can be blue, dark and different for different persons. But ‘There is another sky/Ever serene and fair,’’-for all and that is the sky of paradise which is blissful. Here the poet means the sky and the places around a person’s own home which will always appear comfortable.
It is possible to resort to one’s own home in the moments of weakness, frustrations and confusions. Emily’s call into this ideal world of home makes us believe that such a world really exists. That makes the poem appear so special to the readers.
The message that the poet tried to convey was that one might change home or hometown, but the place called ‘home’ would never change and that was her purpose of using the expression ‘evergreen’ to convince the readers about eternal existence of one’s own comfortable home. Thus, Emily’s undying love for her brother, Austin who was troubled by some problems, came out through her showcasing all the brightness around the place she was recommending where her brother could life under a light that never faded.
The short poem, ‘There is Another Sky’ in just two stanza, has makes us understand the importance of home where are loved ones will be the bright sunlight in every situation of our life. Emily’s way of giving solace to her brother impress me the most, as, I believe, compression and warmth can always help a troubled person by giving strength. Emily’s brother Austin also has admitted that his sister’s words has been very supportive for him by allowing him to enter into her garden of happiness and joy.
Question (ii)
Writs a summary of the poem with the help of the points given below:
- Title
- Introductory paragraph (about the poem/ type/nature/tone)
- Main body (central idea/gist of the poem)
- Conclusion/ opinions/views/appeal.
Answer:
Refer synopsis
Question (iii)
Let’s compose a poem. Two lines are given. Add two of your own. There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair.
Answer:
There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair.
There is no darkness anywhere,
As colourful butterflies dance on flowers everywhere.
Question (iv)
Given below is a poem ‘Blue Sky’ by Mark Hastings. Imagine a poem of a similar kind by replacing the word blue. You can add any colour or object of your choice and write a poem of four lines. For example replace ‘blue’ with
1. Starry sky above me
2. Cloudy sky above me
Answer:
Bright sky above me,
Fills me with happiness and glee,
Seeing the starry sky above me,
No darkness as far as I can see.
(A7)
Question 1.
Write a letter to your younger sibling making her aware of various manmade and natural disasters and encourage her to join all the programmes, campaigns, drives etc. in school or in your locality.
Answer:
ABC Apartments,
Flat No. 4/2/1,
Ghatkopar (East),
Mumbai.
30th July, 2019.
Dear Richa,
How are you? I am writing to you after a long time. I read an article on the flood in Assam and thought of talking to you about such disasters which are natural as well as partially man-made.
Natural disasters like flood, earthquake, etc., happen quite often these days. Televisions and newspapers are flooded with such kind of reports. Sometimes, we really do not have anything to do to control natural disasters and we are puppets in the hands of nature. I still shudder to think of all those frightful pictures of the killer flood of Kerala.
But it is not uncommon that man-made disasters create havoc. In Mumbai, we quite often hear of buildings collapsing, killing so many people. These are dilapidated buildings which have got the warnings from the authority. People ignore those cautions and continue to stay in such buildings. There is no point in repenting later.
Keeping gas cylinders open is a very common example of fire due to human negligence. Who can forget about Mumbai deluge in 2005? We might be very small at that time, but we have heard stories about the disaster and the man-made cause of it. Mithi river got choked because of irresponsible throwing of non-biodegradable plastics? Have we really learnt from our mistakes?
I want to advise you to join the NSS or NCC unit of your college and participate in all their activities to create awareness among people, educate them to handle natural as well as man-made disasters. The authorities will do their job. But, we, as responsible citizens need to contribute our services in our own way. Basic humanity comes above everything and I am sure, you will take part actively in the campaigns and drives oganized by your college. At the same time, please don’t neglect your studies. You have to learn to balance your social work with your studies.
We are all fine here. Do write to me.
Yours lovingly,
Shanta
(A8)
Question 1.
The poem describes the beauty of Nature. Make a list of careers that are related to Nature, environment and forest
Answer:
- Forest Department – (Forest officer, Ranger etc.)
- Geologist
- Wild-life Photographer
- Environmental Lawyer
- nvironmental Engineer
- Botanist
- Zoologist
(A9)
Project:
Question 1.
‘The Road Not Taken’ (Robert Frost) and ‘O Captain My Captain’ (Walt Whitman) are inspirational poems. Search these poems on the internet and write down your opinion about the poems in your notebook.
Important Questions and Answers
Question 1.
The poet is addressing the poem to –
Answer:
The poet is addressing the poem to her brother, Austin who has been going through a state of confusion and depression in life at a place away from home. The poet is trying to encourage him by pointing on the existence of another evergreen and always filled with sunshine universe.
Question 2.
The poet says ‘another sky’. Guess the meaning.
Answer:
‘Another sky’ is a metaphorical reference to ‘another place’ where a sky with brighter colour is waiting for her brother to provide him joy and hope. The image of ‘another sky’ is the image of an ideal world, the paradise, which, apparently has been a great support for her depressed brother.
Question 3.
The poet depicts a different ‘garden’. Discuss.
Answer:
The ‘brighter garden’ that the poet depicted was a place where the flowers were always blooming, the playful bees were humming in happiness. The use of comparative degree (brighter) showed the purpose of the poet to present a world that was in total contrast to the gloomy and dark place where her brother was suffering alone. She assured her brother, through this poem, that the ‘brighter garden’ did not have any withered lower, silent fields or frost that represented sadness and pain.
Comprehension:
Global Understanding:
Question 1.
Complete the table by matching human feelings with the things of Nature.
Answer:
| Human feelings | Nature |
| 1. Loneliness | silent fields |
| 2. Freshness | evergreen leaf |
| 3. Being active | bright bee |
| 4. Calmness/peace | serene sky |
Interference / Interpretative / Analysis:
Question 1.
How did the poet compare and contrast ‘there’ and ‘here’? Why did he do so?
Answer:
The poet wanted her brother to understand the existence of a better place than ‘there’ where he was suffering. She requested him to come ‘here’ where he could have a brighter life. The combination of ‘there’ and ‘here’ is expressed by the poet deliberately to create an assurance in the mind of her troubled brother, of the existence of a heavenly place which might be their home. The poem is an invitation for the brother to come from ‘there’ to ‘here’ to have a peaceful life.
Personal Response:
Question 1.
Do you support the poet’s way of handling the situation? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Yes, I feel, the poet’s assurance of the existence of a better place, will definitely support her brother a lot. A person who is suffering, words of hope are always inspiring and can do wonders. The poet, a loving sister, shows very cleverly the alternative to her brother who has the option to go to a brighter place, that is their home. This types of encouragements can definitely make a person stronger to take a decision.
Poetic devices:
Question 1.
Find out an example of Hyperbole from the poem and explain it.
Answer:
‘In its unfading flowers’ – The poet makes use of an exaggerated statement. Flowers do fade with time.
Creativity:
Question 1.
Compose a poem in appreciation of your ‘home’ using the words,, paradise, warmth, comfort, alone.
Use a rhyme – scheme.
Answer:
My home is the best place, my paradise.
It always welcomes me with warmth and affection.
In my sad moments, my home is my comfort zone,
I don’t feel lonely, never feel alone.
Glossary:
- hum – make a low; steady continuous sound;
- prithee – (no longer in everyday use, archaic word)
- please (used to convey a polite request),
- serene – peaceful, calm,
- Austin – Emily’s younger brother,
- frost – When temperature is below 0°C a thin layer of ice forms on the ground and other surfaces,
- unfading – bright; colourful.