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Advice to Youth Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by Mark Twain

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Advice to Youth Summary by Mark Twain

Advice to Youth Summary, Theme, Critical Appreciation by Mark Twain

Advice to Youth Summary

“Advice to youth” (1882) is a bitterly satirical essay by Mark Twain. His style is personal, authentic and is written almost in the form of a discourse. In the essay, the reader finds a typical American turning on the Old world the sceptical eye of the new. And the result is somewhat a philistine, but vivid and amusing pictures of his mind.

In his posthumous collected works, editor’s notes have conjecturally assigned the address of the discourse to the Boston Saturday morning club. However, it finally took the shape of a universal address. In the essay, Twain’s advice to youth is primarily confined to six elements.

These include: selective obedience towards parents, respecting superiors, the wisdom of going to bed early and waking up early, lying, firearm protocol, and the importance of good books, of which his own (the Innocents Abroad, is also included. The essay impregnates a pungent satire, often garnished with bitter humour. His didacticism is bold, direct and sarcastic especially while his words of wisdom are preached to the youth.

Advice to Youth About the Author Mark Twain

Mark Twain was the pen-name of Samuel L. Clemens (1835-1910). Born in Florida, Missouri, he was in turn a pilot on the Mississippi, a silver-miner in Nevada, a journalist, and an editor. A pleasure-trip to Europe provided him with material for The Innocents Abroad (1869), which established his reputation as an American humorist of the first rank.

Twain’s work falls into three main classes, travel books, novels of the Mississippi, and romances. In the first group we have, in addition to The innocents Abroad, Roughing It (1872), an account of his own experiences in the West, A tramp Abroad (1880), which tells of further travels in Europe, an following the equator (1897), in which he writes of the world -wide lecture tour made toward the end of his life. His best work is to be found in the novels of the Mississippi. The adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and

The adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) break away from the cultured gentility of New England literature to give vivid, realistic, and racy pictures of life in the Southern states. Of the two, Huckleberry Finn is generally adjudged the greater, in that it plumbs deeper levels of human experience than the more romantic Tom Sawyer.

Life on the Mississippi (1883), though a travelogue, belongs to this group, for its first half also deals with the great waterway, as twain remembered it from his youth. The romances, which include The prince and the pauper (1881), A Connecticut Yankee in KING Arthur’s court (1889), and Joan of Arc (1896), are of a poorer quality. In these twain lacked the stimulus of personal experience.

Advice to Youth Theme

Mark Twain’s “Advice to youth” is written in a spirit typical of an American, to some extent rebellions against the old, established ways of faith as well as the practices in the society behind his didacticism, he lurks a bitter satire that openly criticizes societal hypocrisy of the older generation. He advocates for respect for superior and others where as at the same time advises to hit an offender with a brick in an opportune moment.

And at the same time he pleads that in case the offenders’ offence was not intentional, the brick-hitter must beg to be forgiven as it was a matter of misunderstanding. He also speaks for non-violence, charity and kindness much though he announces that these qualities are long forgotten.

His message “Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined” clearly expresses his rebellions view about the younger generations. The adage connotes that the youth must have fire in the belly for action-not always explosive but as and when the situation demands, they must use it. He has out and out ridiculed the age-old idea of

disciplinary rules that govern people’s life. Instead of working up early in the morning, he advises to tram a lark (perhaps sky lark, a singing bird) to sing its wake-up songs as late as 9:30 a.m making it convenient for a willful riser. About lying, Mark Twain suggests a will planned, deliberate, well ebbed lie that generate “confidence, elegance, and precise ‘and never get cough albeit the older generation believe just the opposite.

His advocacy for the protocol in handling fire-arms is also typically personal. A mock gun-fire may came a scene of hilarious amusement for the by-standers, but not for the targeted people. In the essay, the reader feels the spirit of his “The Innocent’s abroad” (1869) wherein he, a typical American is turning on the Old world the sceptical eye of the new. Thus the essay has become a philistine but vivid and amusing piece of literary out.

Mark Twain’s “Advice to youth” is believed to be an excerpt from his 750 page Autobiography which he wrote on his death bed and instructed that it be not published until 100 years after his death, is on the NY times best seller list and is being called the “Dad book of the year.” Some critics say that this irreverent, inappropriate, funny advice was delivered to a group of American young girls.

“Advice to youth” is a satirical essay by Mark Twain in 1882. However, while the exact audience of his speech is uncertain, it is most probably American. In his posthumous collected works, editor’s notes have conjecturally assigned the address to the Boston Saturday morning club. Interpreted by scholars as a critique of authority, Twain’s. “Advice to youth” may have been a topical response to the prohibition of alcohol in Kansas in 1881, a legislature action which many residents found deeply upsetting.

Advice to Youth Critical Appreciation

Mark Twain’s “Advice to youth” is an advisory and a mock-serious essay criticizing the Old order and their seamy side of moral values. Almost every sentence is paradoxical, impregnating caustic humour and satire. In the essay, twain advises the young generation to be pragmatic to the demand of the situation and act accordingly.

In doing so, he has used a variety of figures of speech when he advises to be respectful to the superiors and be non-violent, he advises the younger generations to used bricks to hit such superiors if ever they offend the youth, and seek forgiveness if such offence was unintentional. Another example of irony coupled with sarcasm is his advice to be careful while lying. He believes that lying is an art if not caught while he believes, “Truth is mighty and will prevail.”

Parallelism is also used to express his contempt for the seniors. He says “Always obey your parents, when they are present”, and it connotes that parents can be disobeyed when they are absent. Thus in every sentence and throughout the essay he has sallied with a mock-seriousness creating pungent humour often resulting into bitter satire preaching there by a necessity to think in the clear light of argument, and not blindly follow the age-old moral dictums of the old order.

Advice to Youth Title of the Story

In “Advice to youth”, Mark Twain exposes the inanity of the old, authoritative order and ridicule with his direct, bold whip of satire. Twain mercilessly hits out at the worn-out ideas that the older generation has handed down to their young successors. He criticizes the idea of truthfulness, respect, kindness, protocol of firearms and propounds the idea of wisdom through realistic wisdom.

His humour ranges from farce to plunge satire. He has shown how the older generation has grown up through the same errors and omissions that they expect their younger generation to avoid and draw a clean state. This discourse is a mock-serious one bringing out the follies and foibles of mankind and a message for younger generation to mature through the common trials and trivialities that are likely to come in the course of life’s journey. Therefore, the title is justified.

Advice to Youth Annotations and Vocabulary

Inquired — Ask for information
Didactic — Advising
Longed — Have a strong wish or desire
Tender — Gentleness, kindness, affection
Enduring — Durable
Beseechingly — Marked by earnest pleading
Urgingly — Same as above
Humouring that superstition — Affirming the belief
Do not take resort to extreme measures — Not to adopt violent means
Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined — Keep the fire in mind. Some authorities say get up with the sun, some say get up with one thing-Different opinion about
the right time to wake up.
Lark — Skylark, a singing bird
Temperate — Moderation and self restraint
Elegance — Graceful and stylish
Precision — Accuracy and exactness
Accomplishment — Successful achievements
Graceful — Elegant
Diligence — Labour
Painstaking — Laborious
Eminence — Acknowledged superiority
Tedious — Boring
Peerless — Priceless
Lofty — High Maxim ‚ A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth
The most majestic compound fracture of faced which any of woman born has yet achieved — Truth which nobody could achieve
Sewn — Joint, fasten or repair
A truth is not hard to kill, and a lie well told is immortal — A truth can be subdued with fabricated evidences, and an articulated lie lives for many years.
Anesthesia — Insensitivity
Unceasing — Non stop
Preposterous — Utterly absurd or ridiculous
Slander — Action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation.
The sorrow and suffering that have caused through the innocent but heedless handling of firearms — Careless use of guns causing damage human lives
Old and gray — Old and experienced
Battered — Injured by repeated blows or punishment
Meddle — Interfering in something that is not one’s concern
Unerring — Flawless

Prism A Collection of ISC Short Stories Workbook Answers

The Last Lesson Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

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The Last Lesson Story Questions and Answers

The Last Lesson Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

A. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread of a scolding, especially because M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles, and I did not know the first word about them. For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so warm, so bright!

The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods, and in the open field back of the sawmill, the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.

When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin- board. For the last two years all our bad news had come from there the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer – and I thought to myself, without stopping: “What can be the matter now?”

Question 1.
Why did the speaker start late for school?
Answer:
The speaker was not at all interested in taking his lessons seriously and on that very day he was also afraid to go to school because he knew that he would get scolded. So, he started late for school.

Question 2.
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Answer:
Franz was expected to prepare the lesson on participles but he did not even know the first word about them.

Question 3.
Why did Franz think of running away?
Answer:
Franz did not prepare his lesson on participles. He did not have the least idea about that lesson. So he was afraid of getting scolded by M. Hamel. So he thought of running away as he wanted to enjoy his time at the outdoors to feel and witness the beauty of nature.

Question 4.
Why was there a crowd in front of the bulletin- board?
Answer:
There was some news that created a disturbance among the students. It was guessed that there must be something alarming that might bring trouble for them. That is why there was a crowd in front of the bulletin-board to know about the matter.

B. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Then, as I hurried by as fast as I could go, the blacksmith, Wachter, who was there, with his apprentice, reading the bulletin, called after me, “Don’t go so fast, bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of time!” I thought he was making fun of me, and reached M. Hamel’s little garden all out of breath.

Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table.

But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was.

Question 1.
… “Don’t go so fast, bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of time!”- Who is the speaker here? Why did he say so?
Answer:
Here, the speaker is Wachter, who is considered as the blacksmith in the village. He said so because that day the school was not going on in its usual way. There was something wrong that broke the normal which Wachter already knew.

Question  2.
What did Franz notice?
Answer:
Franz, after entering school, noticed that there was something unusual. He saw that everything was very still with no trace of the usual commotion. It was as quiet as Sunday morning. It made him a bit tensed.

Question 3.
Write in your own words a few words about Wachter-
Answer:
He is considered as a blacksmith in a village in the French region of Alsace-Lorraine. As he hurries to school, the narrator, Franz, passes Wachter standing in front of the town hall bulletin-board. Wachter tells him not to go so fast, and Franz thinks the blacksmith is making fun of him. Later, it is unfolded the real reason behind Wachter’s words.

Question 4.
Why was Franz afraid of M. Hamel?
Answer:
Franz did not prepare his lesson on participles. He was not at all interested in learning any. As M. Hamel was their language teacher, he was afraid because he thought he would get scolded. M. Hamel was a very strict teacher so he thought he would not spare him.

C. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

But nothing happened. M. Hamel saw me and said very kindly, “Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you.” I jumped over the bench and sat down at my desk. Not till then, when I had got a little over my fright, did I see that our teacher had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days.

Besides, the whole school seemed so strange and solemn. But the thing that surprised me most was to see, on the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like ourselves; old Hauser, with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others besides. Everybody looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, thumbed at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his great spectacles lying across the pages.

Question 1.
… “Go to your place quickly, little Franz”- Who is the speaker here? Why did he say so?
Answer:
Here the speaker is M. Hamel. Franz reached late to school therefore he was late in class. As M. Hamel had an important thing to say to his students, he told him so. He did not had time for any more delay.

Question 2.
What surprised Franz the most?
Answer:
During M. Hamel’s class, the back benches used to remain empty but on that very day Franz noticed that the village people were sitting quietly on the back benches like the students including Hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and others.

Question 3.
Write a few words about Hauser.
Answer:
Hauser is an older gentleman Franz recognizes from the village. Franz is surprised to see Hauser sitting on the benches in the back of the schoolroom alongside several other adults from the village. By the end of the story, Hauser is in tears as he reads from a rudimentary language textbook and speaks simple syllables and letters aloud with the youngest students.

Question 4.
What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the school?
Answer:
Our entering the school, Franz noticed that there was unusual silence. There was no noise of opening and closing of desks. The village elders had occupied the last benches that were always empty. M Hamel was in his very fine Sunday clothes. Everybody looked sad.

D. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

What a thunderclap these words were to me! Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the town-hall! My last French lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write! I should never learn any more! I must stop there, then! Oh, how sorry I was for not learning my lessons, for seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding on the Saar! My books, that had seemed such a nuisance a while ago, so heavy to carry, my grammar, and my history of the saints, were old friends now that I couldn’t give up.

And M. Hamel, too; the idea that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was. Poor man! It was in honour of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and now I understood why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room.

It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more. It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.

Question 1.
… “What a thunderclap these words were to me!”-Who said this? Why?
Answer:
This was said by Franz, a little boy of school going age. When he reached school and entered M. Hamel’s class, M. Hamel declared that that would be their last class on French as the order had come that only German would be taught in schools. That is why he said so.

Question 2.
… “Why, I hardly knew how to write!”- Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
The speaker, Franz, never took his lessons seriously. He loved to remain playful and inattentive in class. But when he heard from M. Hamel that that would be their last class on French as by order only German would be taught in schools, the speaker regretted by saying that he hardly knew how to write in French.

Question 3.
Why were the old men of the village were sitting in the back of the room?
Answer:
When the old men learnt about the order, they felt shocked and sad as well. They too feel regretted because they too had not gone to school more. But they wanted to thank M. Hamel forty years of faithful service. So, to express their gratitude and show their respect for the country, they were sitting in the back of the room.

Question 4.
How did Franz’s feelings about Mr. Hamel and school change?
Answer:
Franz now felt ashamed and extremely sad for Mr. Hamel. He forgot all about his rod and cranky nature because he now understood his mistakes and felt ashamed for not taking his lessons seriously. Mr Hamel thus became a symbol of courage, strength and patriotism for him.

The Last Lesson Story MCQs

Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

Question 1.
What does ‘The Last Lesson’ symbolize?
a. Loss
b. Loss of freedom
c. Loss of language
d. Loss of language and freedom
Answer:
d. Loss of language and freedom

Question 2.
From which country did Alphonse Daudet belong?
a. India
b. France
c. England
d. New Zealand
Answer:
b. France

Question 3.
What human tendency does the story ‘The Last Lesson’ highlight?
a. Procrastination
b. Male Chauvinism
c. Courage
d. Cowardice
Answer:
a. Procrastination

Question 4.
Why was Franz reluctant to go to school?
a. School was boring
b. Lesson on participles was not prepared
c. He didn’t like his teacher
d. None of the above
Answer:
b. Lesson on participles was not prepared

Question 5.
What was the image of Mr M Hamel among his studepts, initially?
a. A loving teacher
b. An understanding teacher
c. A strict teacher
d. A kind and humble teacher
Answer:
c. A strict teacher

Question 6.
What does “The Last Lesson” signify?
a. Change of Government
b. Change in life
c. Change of power
d. Change of teachers
Answer:
d. Change of teachers

Question 7.
What do the marching soldiers under the windows represent?
a. The dawn of Prussia in defeat of French people
b. The defeat of Prussia
c. The victory of French people
d. None of these
Answer:
b. The defeat of Prussia

Question 8.
Who wrote the story ‘The Last Lesson’?
a. Alphonse Daudet
b. Oscar Wilde
c. Rabindranath Tagore
d. Charles Dickens
Answer:
a. Alphonse Daudet

Question 9.
Who occupied the back benches in the class?
a. Weak students
b. Teachers
c. Monitors of the class
d. Village elders
Answer:
d. Village elders

Question 10.
What did Franz find on reaching the school?
a. People were dancing
b. Strange people
c. Strange quietness
d. Police patrolling
Answer:
c. Strange quietness

Question 11.
Why was Franz surprised?
a. Because of village elders
b. Because of M. Hamel’s kind and polite behaviour
c. Because of students’ behaviour
d. Because of police patrolling
Answer:
b. Because of M. Hamel’s kind and polite behaviour

Question 12.
Why was Franz feeling regretful and sad?
a. For not learning his mother tongue
b. For reaching late
c. For not learning participles
d. For change of the Government
Answer:
a. For not learning his mother tongue

Question 13.
Whom did M. Hamel blame for not sending students to school?
a. Parents
b. Friends
c. Teachers
d. Watchman
Answer:
a. Parents

Question 14.
What did Hauser bring?
a. Sweets
b. Friends
c. Children
d. Old primer
Answer:
d. Old primer

Question 15.
Why was Franz shocked to see M. Hamel?
a. Because of his formal dress
b. Because he gave sweets
c. Because he had a flower in his hand
d. All of these
Answer:
a. Because of his formal dress

Question 16.
What bad news used to come from the Bulletin Board?
a. Lost battles
b. The draft
c. Orders of commanding officers
d. All of these
Answer:
d. All of these

Question 17.
What unusual thing did Franz notice that day?
a. Crowd in school
b. Soldiers in the school
c. Quietness in the school
d. All of these
Answer:
c. Quietness in the school

Question 18.
Which language would the students study from the next day?
a. English
b. German
c. Dutch
d. Spanish
Answer:
b. German

Question 19.
Who was M.Hamel?
a. Language teacher
b. A spy
c. Soldier
d. School Principal
Answer:
a. Language teacher

Question 20.
What does the story highlight?
a. Power
b. Money
c. Transition
d. People
Answer:
c. Transition

Question 21.
Why were the parents sending their children to the farms and mills?
a. To play
b. To meet friends
c. To meet relatives
d. To earn money
Answer:
d. To earn money

Question 22.
For how many years did M. Hamel serve the school?
a. 20 years
b. 40 years
c. 35 years
d. 30 years
Answer:
b. 40 years

Question 23.
Why did the villagers come to meet M. Hamel in the school?
a. To show gratitude
b. To gossip
c. To say goodbye
d. To complain
Answer:
a. To show gratitude

Question 24.
Why did Mr. M. Hamel call the French language the most beautiful?
a. Because it was his native language
b. Because people were from France
c. Because it was the clearest and logical
d. None of these
Answer:
c. Because it was the clearest and logical

Question 25.
What lesson was Franz expected to prepare?
a. Song
b. Dance
c. Essay writing
d. Participles
Answer:
d. Participles

Question 26.
When people are enslaved, what key do they have to the prison, according to M. Hamel?
a. Aggressiveness
b. Mother tongue
c. Power
d. Their behaviour
Answer:
b. Mother tongue

Question 27.
What did Mr. Hamel bring for his class on his last day at school?
a. New pens
b. Sweets
c. New notebook
d. Story book
Answer:
c. New notebook

Question 28.
What attitude of M. Hamel surprised Franz?
a. Soft and kind
b. Rude
c. Firm and strict
d. All
Answer:
a. Soft and kind

Question 29.
In which year was “The Last Lesson” written?
a. 1869 – 1870
b. 1870 – 1871
c. 1872- 1873
d. 1870 – 1872
Answer:
b. 1870 – 1871

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers

The Elevator Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

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The Elevator Story Questions and Answers

The Elevator Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

A. Read the following passage and answer the given questions:

It was an old building with an old elevator – a very small elevator, which could carry only three people. Martin, a thin twelve-year-old, felt nervous in it from the first day he and his father moved into the apartment. Of course he was always uncomfortable in elevators, afraid that they would fall, but this one was especially unpleasant.

Perhaps this was because of the poor lighting and the dirty walls. Perhaps it was because of the door, which never stayed open long enough, and slammed shut with a loud clanging noise. Perhaps it was the way the elevator shuddered each time it left a floor, as if it was exhausted. Maybe it was simply too small. It seemed crowded even with only two people in it.

The stairs were no better. Martin tried them one day after school. There were no windows, and the lights were not working. Martin’s footsteps echoed behind him on the cement, as though there was another person climbing, getting closer. By the time he reached his home on the seventeenth floor, he was gasping for breath.

Question 1.
Who was Martin?
Answer:
Martin was a thin, twelve-year-old boy who was of nervous temperament. He also had a fear of elevators and thus always felt uncomfortable in it because he was afraid that he might fall.

Question 2.
How was the elevator of his building?
Answer:
The elevator of his building was an old one that could cany only three people. It had poor lighting and dirty walls. The door never stayed open long enough and slammed shut with a loud clanging noise.

Question 3.
How were the stairs?
Answer:
The stairs were no better. The environment there was dull and stuffy. There were no windows and the lights were not working. Whenever Martin used to take stairs he felt gasping for breath.

Question 4.
What idea do you get from the above mentioned passage?
Answer:
The above mentioned passage talked about Martin and his discomfort about elevators. His experience
of taking the stairs is also depicted here. He did not like his experience of either of those but he had to take any of those to go up and down.

B. Read the following passage and answer the given questions:

Martin’s father worked at home. He wanted to know why Martin was out of breath. “Why didn’t you take the elevator?” he asked, frowning at Martin. You’re not only skinny and weak and bad at sports, his face seemed to say, but you are also a coward. After that, Martin always took the elevator. He would have to get used to it, he told himself, just like he got used to being bullied at school.

But he didn’t get used to it. He was always afraid that it would stop suddenly and he would be trapped inside it for hours by himself. But it wasn’t much better when there were other passengers. He didn’t like to be close to them. He also disliked the way people tried hard not to look at one another, staring at nothing.

Question 1.
How was Martin’s father?
Answer:
Martin’s father worked at home who did not pay any heed to his son’s words. He considered his son not only skinny and weak but also a coward. He thought that his son used to get afraid in almost everything so instead of listening to him, he preferred avoiding.

Question 2.
Why did Martin always took the elevator?
Answer:
Martin did not want people to make fun of him. He did not want people know about his fears or weak points. He knew that even his father thought of him a coward. So, ignoring his fear and discomfort, he always took the elevator.

Question 3.
What was Martin always afraid of?
Answer:
Though Martin always had to take the elevator even if he was not comfortable enough, he was always afraid that it would stop suddenly and he would be trapped inside of it for hours all by himself. He also disliked the way people tried hard not to look at each other, staring at nothing.

Question 4.
Why was Martin out of breath?
Answer:
Martin did not like taking the elevator. So, he once tried taking the stairs. But his experience was not good. The environment there was dull and stuffy. There were no windows and the lights were not working. So, when he finally reached his floor, he was out of breath.

C. Read the following passage and answer the given questions:

He thought about her all day. Did she live in the building? He had never seen her before, and the building was not very big. Maybe she was visiting somebody? But 7.30 in the morning was too early for visiting.

Martin felt nervous when he got back to the building after school. But why should he be afraid of an old lady? He felt ashamed of himself. He pressed the button and stepped into the elevator, hoping that it would not stop, but it stopped on the third floor. Martin watched the door slide open, revealing a green coat, a piggish face and blue eyes which were already staring at him as if she knew he would be there.

It wasn’t possible. It was like a nightmare. But there she was. “Going up!” said Martin, his voice little more than a squeak. She nodded, and stepped on. The door slammed. He watched her pudgy hand move towards the buttons. She pressed, not fourteen, but eighteen, the top floor. The elevator trembled and began to go up. The fat lady watched him.

This morning she got on at the fourteenth floor, so why did she get on at the third floor today and go up to eighteen? The elevator seemed to be moving more slowly than usual. Martin wanted to press seven, so that he could get out and walk up the stairs, but he couldn’t reach the buttons without touching her, and he didn’t want to do that.

Question 1.
Why did Martin keep think about that strange lady?
Answer:
The appearance of the strange lady made him tremble from inside. He started feeling nervous because he knew that he had to meet her again. That is why he kept on thinking about her whereabouts.

Question 2.
What happened when the elevator stopped on the third floor?
Answer:
When the elevator stopped at the third floor, the fat lady with a piggish face and blue eyes stepped on wearing a green coat. She kept on staring at Martin and pressed the button of reaching the top floor.

Question 3.
Why did Martin feel that the elevator was moving “more slowly than usual”?
Answer:
With the strange, fat lady in the elevator, Martin was feeling nervous and panicky. Various queries were flooding his mind and so he wanted to get out of this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. He did not want to look at her or was not even interested in having an interaction with her. That is why he felt that the evelator was moving very slowly.

Question 4.
Do you think that the behaviour of the lady was unusual?
Answer:
Yes, according to me, the lady’s appearance and outlook could trigger a sense of fear in mind. The way she kept on following Martin, the way she used to stare at him could make anyone nervous and scared. Though her intention was not known, yet it could be said that she was unusually unnatural.

D. Read the following passage and answer the given questions:

In the morning, when the elevator door opened, the fat lady was waiting for him. Martin stood there, unable to move, then backed away. As she saw him, her expression changed. She smiled as the door slammed.

Martin started running down the stairs. The stairs were dark and he fell. His father was silent on the way to hospital, disappointed and angry with him for being a coward and a fool. Martin had broken his leg and needed to walk on crutches. He could not use the stairs now. Was that why the fat lady had smiled? Did she know what would happen?

At least his father was with him in the elevator on the way back from the hospital. There was no room for the fat lady to get in, and if she did, his father would see her and maybe he would understand. When he got home, he could stay in the apartment for a few days. The doctor said that he had to rest as much as possible. Martin felt quite safe from the fat lady now.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” his father reached out and pressed number nine.
“What are you doing?” asked Martin, trying not to sound afraid.
“I promised to visit Mrs. Ullman,” said his father, looking at his watch as he stepped out of the elevator. “Let me go with you. I want to visit her too!” Martin pleaded, struggling to move on his crutches. But the door was already closing. “Afraid to be in the elevator alone?” said his father. “Grow up, Martin”. The door slammed shut.

Question 1.
Why did Martin start running down the stairs?
Answer:
Martin felt scared whenever he saw the old lady and she also kept on following him. So when he saw her again in the morning, he tried to escape her. So, he decided to take the stairs and started running down.

Question 2.
How did Martin injure his leg? What happened then?
Answer:
The stairs were dark so while running down, he fell and broke his leg. When his father came to know this, he took him to the hospital but he was disappointed and angry with him for being a coward and fool.

Question 3.
Why did Martin feel quite safe from the fat lady?
Answer:
When the doctor released Martin from the hospital, he felt quite safe from the fat lady because as he had a broken leg he could not take the stairs but in the elevator, he was not alone. His father was accompanying him. So he had no fear to be alone with her if she showed up.

Question 4.
Why has Martin again left alone in the elevator?
Answer:
While accompanying Martin in the elevator, his father suddenly remembered his promise of meeting Mrs Ullman that day. So he stepped out of the elevator leaving him alone in the elevator. Though Martin requested him a lot, instead of staying, he advised Martin not to be afraid. He told him to be brave and went away.

The Elevator Story MCQs

Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

Question 1.
How many people can travel in the elevator?
a. Three people
b. Four people
c. Ten people
Answer:
a. Three people

Question 2.
How older is Martin?
a. 10 years old
b. 15 years old
c. 12 years old
Answer:
c. 12 years old

Question 3.
In which flower Martin’s home was situated?
a. 8th Floor
b. 14th Floor
c. 17th Floor
Answer:
c. 17th Floor

Question 4.
Where did Martin’s father work?
a. At office
b. At home
c. At a shop
Answer:
b. At home

Question 5.
“Why didn’t you take the elevator?”- Who is mentioned as ‘you’?
a. Martin
b. Martin’s father
c. None of them
Answer:
a. Martin

Question 6.
On which floor was the elevator stopped?
a. 2nd floor
b. 14th floor
c. 8th floor
Answer:
b. 14th floor

Question 7.
Who is stuck in the elevator?
a. A small boy
b. Martin
c. A fat lady
Answer:
c. A fat lady

Question 8.
Who has blue eyes in the story ‘The Elevator’?
a. Fat lady
b. Martin
c. Martin’s father
Answer:
a. Fat lady

Question 9.
Where did Martin run?
a. To home
b. To school
c. To market
Answer:
b. To school

Question 10.
According to Martin what time is too early for visiting?
a. 7:30 a.m.
b. 7:30 p.m.
c. 8:00 a.m.
Answer:
a. 7:30 a.m.

Question 11.
Why Martin felt ashamed of him?
a. Because he afraid of his father
b. Because he afraid of the elevator
c. Because he afraid of an old lady
Answer:
c. Because he afraid of an old lady

Question 12.
“Have you ever noticed a strange lady in the elevator?” Who said this?
a. Fat lady
b. Martin
c. Martin’s father
Answer:
b. Martin

Question 13.
How many times in a day the old lady travel with Martin in the elevator?
a. One time
b. Three times
c. Two times
Answer:
c. Two times

Question 14.
“You’re afraid,”- Who said this?
a. Martin’s father
b. Fat lady
c. None of them
Answer:
a. Martin’s father

Question 15.
How was Martin’s leg fractured?
a. By playing
b. Fell from stairs
c. Fell from bus
Answer:
b. Fell from stairs

Question 16.
Who took Martin to the hospital?
a. The old lady
b. His father
c. His friends
Answer:
b. His father

Question 17.
Why did Martin feel safe from the fat lady?
a. Because the doctor said that he had to rest as much as possible
b. Because the old lady was gone
c. Because his father gives him protection
Answer:
a. Because the doctor said that he had to rest as much as possible

Question 18.
“I promised to visit Mrs. Ullman,”-Who said this?
a. Martin
b. The old lady
c. Martins father
Answer:
c. Martins father

Question 19.
Who is afraid to be in the elevator alone?
a. The old lady
b. Martin
c. Martin’s father
Answer:
b. Martin

Question 20.
In which floor was the fat lady waiting for him?
a. 10th floor
b. 17th floor
c. 11th floor
Answer:
a. 10th floor

Question 21.
“Hello, Martin,” Who said this?
a. Martins father
b. Mrs. Ullman
c. The old fat lady
Answer:
c. The old fat lady

Question 22.
Where did Martin not want to cry?
a. In front of his father
b. In front of his friend
c. In front of Mrs. Ullman
Answer:
a. In front of his father

Question 23.
Who wrote the story ‘The Elevator’?
a. Stephen Leacock
b. William Sleator
c. Alphonse Daudet
Answer:
b. William Sleator

Question 24.
Why did Martin start running down the stairs?
a. Because he saw his father
b. Because he saw Mrs. Ullman
c. Because he saw the old fat lady in the elevator
Answer:
c. Because he saw the old fat lady in the elevator

Question 25.
Who slept very little?
a. Martin
b. The old lady
c. Martins father
Answer:
a. Martin

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers

The Pedestrian Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

by
The Pedestrian Story Questions and Answers

The Pedestrian Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

A. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight o’clock of a misty evening in November, to put your feet upon that buckling concrete walk, to step over grassy seams and make your way, hands in pockets, through the silences, that was what Mr. Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do.

He would stand upon the comer of an intersection and peer down long moonlit avenues of sidewalk in four directions, deciding which way to go, but it really made no difference; he was alone in this world of A.D. 2053, or as good as alone, and with a final decision made, a path selected, he would stride off, sending patterns of frosty air before him like the smoke of a cigar. Sometimes he would walk for hours and miles and return only at midnight to his house.

And on his way he would see the cottages and homes with their dark windows, and it was not unequal to walking through a graveyard where only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in flickers behind the windows. Sudden gray phantoms seemed to manifest upon inner room walls where a curtain was still undrawn against the night, or there were whisperings and murmurs where a window in a tomblike building was still open.

Question 1.
Who was the pedestrian?
Answer:
The pedestrian was a simple and usual person named Leonard Mead who loves to have his evening walk at the roads of a city, which remains silent every evening, years after years.

Question 2.
What did Leonard love?
Answer:
Leonard loved to walk in the misty evenings in November, putting his feet upon the buckling concrete walk, stepping over the grassy seams, making his way through the silences.

Question 3.
Which year is mentioned in the story? Why was Leonard alone?
Answer:
The year 2053 is mentioned here. Leonard was alone because there was no one outside to enjoy the beauty of the evening. People were inside as they were busy in their own meaningless habit and so the streets were empty. Therefore, while walking, he sometimes spent hours and walked for miles and returned only at midnight to his house.

Question 4.
What did Leonard use to see on his way?
Answer:
On his way, while walking, Leonard used to see cottages and homes with their dark windows behind which people used to stay busy in their own world. The writer here used the imagery of the ‘gray phantoms’ to express how lifeless lives these inside- people used to live.

B. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Mr. Leonard Mead would pause, cock his head, listen, look, and march on, his feet making no noise on the lumpy walk. For long ago he had wisely changed to sneakers when strolling at night, because the dogs in intermittent squads would parallel his journey with barkings if he wore hard heels, and lights might click on and faces appear and an entire street be startled by the passing of a lone figure, himself, in the early November evening.

On this particular evening he began his journey in a westerly direction, toward the hidden sea. There was a good crystal frost in the air; it cut the nose and made the lungs blaze like a Christmas tree inside; you could feel the cold light going on and off, all the branches filled with invisible snow.

He listened to the faint push of his soft shoes through autumn leaves with satisfaction, and whistled a cold quiet whistle between his teeth, occasionally picking up a leaf as he passed, examining its skeletal pattern in the infrequent lamplights as he went on, smelling its rusty smell.

Question 1.
… “he had wisely changed to sneakers when strolling at night”—Why?
Answer:
As the street of the city were of no people, the dogs used to roam around freely without fear. Therefore he had to walk very quietly at night to avoid the dogs’ squad. Due to this, he could not even wear – hard heels.

Question 2.
Why was Leonard the lone figure in the streets of early November evening?
Answer:
In the beautiful November evenings, people were busy inside their houses with their television. Therefore, no one was outside to enjoy the beauty of the environment except Leonard. So, he was the lone figure in the streets.

Question 3.
… “There was a good crystal frost in the air” – Why?
Answer:
As it was the month of November, winter had crept into the city and made the environment cold and freezing. The wintry air carried chills in it and so it felt like “there was a good crystal frost in the air” that “cut the nose” making the lungs blaze, as if there was a Christmas tree inside.

Question 4.
What is talked about in the above passage?
Answer:
In the above passage, the loneliness of Leonard is depicted. As there was no one at the streets, he had to stroll alone every evening. The beauty of the cold November evenings is beautifully painted with the description of the cold air, branches of the trees with “invisible snow”, the falling of the autumn leaves, and so on.

C. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

“Hello, in there,” he whispered to every house on every side as he moved. “What’s up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 9? Where are the cowboys rushing, and do I see the United States Cavalry over the next hill to the rescue?” The street was silent and long and empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk in midcountry.

If he closed his eyes and stood very still, frozen, he could imagine himself upon the center of a plain, a wintry, windless Arizona desert with no house in a thousand miles, and only dry river beds, the streets, for company. “What is it now?” he asked the houses, noticing his wrist watch. “Eight-thirty P.M.? Time for a dozen assorted murders? A quiz? A revue? A comedian falling off the stage?”

Question 1.
“Hello, in there,” – Who is the speaker here? To whom did he speak?
Answer:
Here, the speaker is Leonard Mead, the lone stroller of the night. As he was the lone stroller in the streets of the city, he had no one to keep him company. So, he spoke to every house on every side as he moved, imagining those to be his listeners.

Question 2.
“What’s up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 9?”- Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
The speaker Mr Leonard said so because everyone in each house was busy in watching television every evening and so they had no intention to go outside. Leonard knew this. So, imagining each house as his companion, he said so.

Question 3.
Why was Leonard’s shadow compared with the “shadow of a hawk”?
Answer:
Leonard was the only person who was taking a walk at the evening in the streets. There was no one outside and that is why the streets were “silent and long and empty.” As he was the lone figure, his shadow was compared with the shadow of a hawk. Like a hawk, he used to stand alone and looked at the houses, seeking for company.

Question 4.
… “Eight-thirty P.M.? Time for a dozen assorted murders?”- Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
The speaker, Leonard, was a lone stroller in the streets. He used to spend his evenings, walking alone for hours, enjoying the beauty of the surroundings. He longed for company but he could not get any as everyone was busy in watching television. He wanted to know what contents they used to see every day, avoiding everything around them. So, guessing what could be the contents, he said so.

D. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

“Was that a murmur of laughter from within a moon- white house?” He hesitated, but went on when nothing more happened. He stumbled over a particularly uneven section of sidewalk. The cement was vanishing under flowers and grass. In ten years of walking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another person walking, not once in all that time.

He came to a cloverleaf intersection which stood silent where two main highways crossed the town. During the day it was a thunderous surge of cars, the gas stations open, a great insect rustling and a ceaseless jockeying for position as the scarab beetles, a faint incense puttering from their exhausts, skimmed homeward to the far directions.

But now these highways, too, were like streams in a dry season, all stone and bed and moon radiance. He turned back on a side street, circling around toward his home. He was within a block of his destination when the lone car turned a corner quite suddenly and flashed a fierce white cone of light upon him. He stood entranced, not unlike a night moth, stunned by the illumination, and then drawn toward it.

Question 1.
… “Was that a murmur of laughter from within a moon-white house?”- Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
As the speaker, Leonard, was the lone stroller, he used to seek company every evening but unfortunately, he could not get any because there was no one outside. Everyone was busy in watching television and he had been experiencing this for years. So, in mind, he sometimes hallucinated voices of people. That is why he said so.

Question 2.
For how many years was Leonard walking? How many miles did he cover?
Answer:
Leonard had been walking for ten years alone, without a single company to keep. He covered thousands of miles like this, with a hope that he might find someone at the road, someday.

Question 3.
What would happen during the days?
Answer:
During the days, number of cars used to roam in the streets, honking. The gas stations were open and there were lots of activities happening outside. Unlike the evenings, there was not a single hint of silence. It seems, that everyone had their own work to do, own duties to perform.

Question 4.
According to you, how did the speaker feel, being alone?
Answer:
No one in this world, liked to stay alone all the time. According to me, Leonard though enjoyed his walks, in mind he felt somewhat miserable being the lone stroller. He longed for company and as he did not get any, he used to talk to the houses, considering the houses to be his listeners.

E. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

A metallic voice called to him: “Stand still. Stay where you are! Don’t move!” He halted. “Put up your hands!” “But-” he said. “Your hands up! Or we’ll shoot!” The police, of course, but what a rare, incredible thing; in a city of three million, there was only one police car left, wasn’t that correct?

Ever since a year ago, 2052, the election year, the force had been cut down from three cars to one. Crime was ebbing; there was no need now for the police, save for this one lone car wandering and wandering the empty streets.

“Your name?” said the police car in a metallic whisper. He couldn’t see the men in it for the bright light in his eyes. “Leonard Mead,” he said. “Speak up!” “Leonard Mead!” “Business or profession?” “I guess you’d call me a writer.” “No profession,” said the police car, as if talking to itself.

The light held him fixed, like a museum specimen, needle thrust through chest. “You might say that,” said Mr. Mead. He hadn’t written in years. Magazines and books didn’t sell any more. Everything went on in the tomblike houses at night now, he thought, continuing his fancy. The tombs, ill-lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead, the gray or multicolored lights touching their faces, but never really touching them.

Question 1.
… “Stand still. Stay where you are!”—Who is the speaker here? Who is the person spoken to?
Answer:
Here, the speaker is a metallic voice that called to Leonard. The person spoken to is Leonard Mead, who enjoys his walk alone every evening, without any company.

Question 2.
… “Leonard Mead!” “Business or profession?” – Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
The speaker here is a metallic voice that stopped Leonard when he was enjoying his evening walk. As there was no one on the street, the metallic voice doubted Leonard’s intention. The metallic voice was coming from a police car. So, out of suspicion, the speaker wanted to know his whereabouts.

Question 3.
… “I guess you’d call me a writer.”—Who is the speaker? Why did he say so?
Answer:
Here the speaker is Leonard Mead. When Leonard was stopped by a police car and was asked about his profession, he said so. Though he could have been called a writer, he had not written in years and his magazines and books did not sell anymore. It was as if, he had no such profession.

Question 4.
… “Your hands up! Or we’ll shoot!” Why did the speaker say so?
Answer:
Here, the speaker is a metallic voice coming from a police car. The voice, seeing Leonard alone at night, doubted his intentions. As there was no one outside, the voice considered him to be an anti-social or a person with an evil intention. That is why, the speaker said so to know about his whereabouts.

The Pedestrian Story MCQs

Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

Question 1.
Where does Mr Leonard Mead like to stand?
a. Top of the hills
b. In the market
c. Comer of an intersection
d. Any other place
Answer:
c. Comer of an intersection

Question 2.
When was he alone?
a. A.D. 2053
b. A.D. 2054
c. A.D. 2052
d. A.D. 2043
Answer:
a. A.D. 2053

Question 3.
When was Mr Leonard Mead going for a walk?
a. At morning
b. At night
c. At day
d. At evening
Answer:
d. At evening

Question 4.
On a particular evening, to which way Mr Leonard Mead began his journey?
a. South direction
b. South direction towards the hidden sea
c. Westerly direction, towards the hidden sea
d. Towards graveyard
Answer:
c. Westerly direction, towards the hidden sea

Question 5.
“Hello, in there” – Who is the speaker here?
a. The writer
b. Mr. Leonard Mead
c. Every house on every side of the road
d. None of them
Answer:
b. Mr. Leonard Mead

Question 6.
“If he closed his eyes and stood very still”- Where could he imagine himself?
a. He imagined himself at Arizona desert
b. He imagined himself at Thar Desert
c. He imagined himself at play ground
d. He imagined himself at home
Answer:
a. He imagined himself at Arizona desert

Question 7.
What with was the narrator’s shadow compared?
a. Tiger
b. Unicom
c. Hawk
d. Crow
Answer:
c. Hawk

Question 8.
“What is it now?”—To whom did Mr Leonard Mead ask this?
a. To the street
b. To the houses
c. To the tree
d. To the hawk
Answer:
b. To the houses

Question 9.
What was the time when Mr Leonard Mead noticed his watch?
a. Eight-twenty P.M
b. Seven P.M
c. Eight-thirty five P.M
d. Eight-thirty P.M
Answer:
d. Eight-thirty P.M

Question 10.
From which house did the murmur of laughter come?
a. Moon-white house
b. White house
c. Black house
d. Red house
Answer:
a. Moon-white house

Question 11.
For how long was Mr Leonard Mead walking?
a. Five years
b. Nine years
c. Ten years
d. Eleven Years
Answer:
c. Ten years

Question 12.
“Stand still. Stay where you are! Don’t move!”— Who said this?
a. Mr Leonard Mead
b. The narrator
c. The writer
d. The police
Answer:
d. The police

Question 13.
How many people lived in the city?
a. Three million
b. Two million
c. Five million
d. Ten million
Answer:
a. Three million

Question 14.
How many police cars. was/were left in the city?
a. Ten
b. One
c. Twenty
d. Five
Answer:
b. One

Question 15.
In which year was the election conducted?
a. 2018
b. 2023
c. 2050
d. 2052
Answer:
d. 2052

Question 16.
Why couldn’t he see the men?
a. Because of snow
b. Because he was blind
c. Because of the bright light in his eyes
d. Because of the sunlight
Answer:
c. Because of the bright light in his eyes

Question 17.
“No profession”—Who said this?
a. Mr Leonard Mead
b. The police
c. The writer
d. None of them
Answer:
b. The police

Question 18.
From where did the gray or multicolored lights come?
a. From the television
b. From the sky
c. From the lamppost
d. From the bulb
Answer:
a. From the television

Question 19.
“I protest!”—Who said this?
a. The Police
b. The Writer
c. Mr Mead
d. None of them
Answer:
c. Mr Mead

Question 20.
What is Mr Mead’s house number?
a. Ten
b. Twelve
c. Nine
d. Eleven
Answer:
d. Eleven

Question 21.
Why was Mr Mead walking?
a. For air
b. For a person to meet
c. For food
d. For his office
Answer:
a. For air

Question 22.
Where did the people sit like the dead?
a. In front of doctor
b. In front of television
c. In front of police
d. In front of people
Answer:
b. In front of television

Question 23.
“That’s my house”—Who said this?
a. Mr Mead
b. The police
c. The writer
d. None of them
Answer:
a. Mr Mead

Question 24.
Who wrote the story “The Pedestrian”?
a. Rabindranath Tagore
b. Satyajit Ray
c. Ray Bradbury
d. Oscar Wilde
Answer:
c. Ray Bradbury

Question 25.
In which month is the story set?
a. January
b. November
c. December
d. March
Answer:
b. November

Question 26.
What time is mentioned at the beginning of the story?
a. Nine O’clock
b. Ten O’clock
c. Seven O’clock
d. Eight O’clock
Answer:
d. Eight O’clock

Question 27.
When did Mr Leonard Mead use to return his house?
a. At evening
b. At midnight
c. At morning
d. At afternoon
Answer:
b. At midnight

Question 28.
How was the voice that was coming from the police car?
a. Sweet
b. Loud
c. Metallic
d. Rough
Answer:
c. Metallic

Question 29.
In which year was Ray Bradbury born?
a. 1920
b. 1820
c. 1930
d. 1910
Answer:
a. 1920

Question 30.
In which year Ray Bradbury died?
a. 2014
b. 2012
c. 2011
d. 2015
Answer:
b. 2012

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers

The Girl Who Can Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

by
The Girl Who Can Story Questions and Answers

The Girl Who Can Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

A. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

They say that I was born in Hasodzi; and it is a very big village in the central region of our country, Ghana. They also say that when all of Africa is not choking under a drought, Hasodzi lies in a very fertile lowland in a district known for its good soil.

Maybe that is why any time I don’t finish eating my food, Nana says, “You Adjoa, you don’t know what life is about… you don’t know what problems there are in this life …” As far as I could see, there was only one problem. And it had nothing to do with what I knew Nana considered as “problems,” or what Maami thinks of as “the problem.” Maami is my mother.

Nana is my mother’s mother. And they say I am seven years old. And my problem is that at this seven years of age, there are things I can think in my head, but which, maybe, I do not have the proper language to speak them out with.

And that, I think, is a very serious problem because it is always difficult to decide whether to keep quiet and not say any of the things that come into my head, or say them and get laughed at. Not that it is easy to get any grown-up to listen to you, even when you decide to take the risk and say something serious to them.

Question 1.
Who is the speaker of the above text? Where was she born?
Answer:
The speaker of the above text is a little girl of seven years old. She was born in Hasodzi, a very big village in the central region of Ghana, Africa.

Question 2.
Who is Nana? Who is Maami?
Answer:
Nana is the grandmother of the speaker and Maami is the mother of the speaker. Though these two get along well, sometimes they argue about Adjoa and her thin legs.

Question 3.
What does Adjoa think to be a serious problem? Why?
Answer:
Adjoa is a little girl who has many thoughts buzzing in her head. She wants to find answers of these thoughts or wants to share her thoughts with someone but she does not have the proper language to speak them out with. To her, this is a serious problem because it is difficult to decide whether to keep quiet or say them and get laughed at.

Question 4.
“Not that is easy to get any grown-up to listen to you,”—Why?
Answer:
According to the speaker, grown-ups do not care much about what the kids are thinking or what they want to say. Kids’ mind thus keeps searching for answers to the questions which trouble them all the time. But they do not have any listener. That is why the speaker said those above mentioned words.

B. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Take Nana. First, I have to struggle to catch her attention. Then I tell her something I had taken a long time to figure out. And then you know what ‘ always happens? She would at once stop whatever she is doing and, mouth open, stare at me for a very long time. Then, bending and turning her head slightly, so that one ear comes down towards me, she’ll say in that voice:

“Adjoa, you say what?”After I have repeated whatever I had said, she would either, still in that voice, ask me “never, never, but NEVER to repeat THAT,” or she would immediately burst out laughing. She would laugh and laugh and laugh, until tears run down her cheeks and she would stop whatever she is doing and wipe away the tears with the hanging edges of her cloth.

And she would continue laughing until she is completely tired. But then, as soon as another person comes by, just to make sure she doesn’t forget whatever it was I had said, she would repeat it to her. And then, of course, there would be two old people laughing and screaming with tears running down their faces.

Sometimes this show continues until there are three, four or even more of such laughing and screaming tear-faced grownups. And all that performance for whatever I’d said? I find something quite confusing in all this. That is, no one ever explains to me why sometimes I shouldn’t repeat some things I say; while at other times, some other things I say would not only be all right, but would be considered so funny they would be repeated so many times for so many people’s enjoyment.

Question 1.
“Adjoa, you say what?”—Who is the speaker here? Who is the person spoken to?
Answer:
Here the speaker is an old lady, Nana, who is the grandmother of the speaker. Here, the person spoken to his Adjoa, a little girl of seven years old.

Question 2.
Why does Nana “laugh and laugh and laugh”?
Answer:
Nana does not pay attention to what her granddaughter Adjoa has to say. And when somehow she listens to her, she thinks those to be baseless and thus laugh at her.

Question 3.
Why does the narrator have to struggle to catch Nana’s attention?
Answer:
The narrator is a kid and so she has various things in mind to which she wants to find answers. She wants to discuss things to her elders but neither Nana nor Maami listens much to those, especially Nana who does not pay heed to her words. That is why she has to struggle much.

Question 4.
What is the above mentioned passage about?
Answer:
The above mentioned passage is about Adjoa’s thoughts which do not get priority to Nana, her grandmother. She is a kid and so she has many unsolved queries in mind and when she expresses those to Nana, she is mocked at by her. Nana laughs at her and ignores her.

C. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

“Legs that have meat on them with good calves support solid hips…to be able to have children.” So I wished that one day I would see, for myself, the legs of any woman who had had children.

Question 1.
Why are legs important in this story?
Answer:
in the story, Adjoa’s legs are too thin. Legs are important because her grandma thinks that those legs are meant to raise a family. When Adjoa is selected to run for the junior athletes and she becomes the best junior athlete, she realizes that legs can be useful in so many other ways.

Question 2.
What is the role of women in the story?
Answer:
According to Nana, the role of women is to create a family and take care of the children. At the end of the story, it has been established that women can contribute to society in many ways.

Question 3.
Why does Nana criticize the narrator’s legs?
Answer:
Nana worries that the narrator’s legs are too thin, and that she doesn’t have good legs and hips to have children later. Clearly this is an example of the society values created for women to behave only like child-bearers.

Question 4.
What are the limitations of the narrator’s abilities?
Answer:
If anything the narrator’s abilities when it comes to running free the narrator from the traditional outlook that Nana has when it comes to the abilities of a woman to give birth. This might be impotent as Aidoo may be suggesting that the narrator may not necessarily carry on the traditions that Nana has lived her life by.

D. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

“Some people have no legs at all,” my mother would try again with all her small courage. “But Adoja has legs,” Nana would insist; “except that they are too thin. And also too long for a woman. Kaya listen, once in a while, but only once in a very long while somebody decides- nature, a child’s spirit mother, and accident happens, and somebody gets born without arms or legs or both sets of limbs…”

Question 1.
“Some people have no legs at ail,”—Who is the speaker here? Who is the person spoken to?
Answer:
Here, the speaker is Maami, whose another name is Kaya and she is the mother of Adjoa. The person spoken to is Nana, the grandmother of Adjoa.

Question 2.
According to Nana, what is an accident?
Answer:
According to Nana, when a child is born without arms or legs or both sets of limbs then that is an accident because the nature who is also called a child’s spirit mother, decides that disabilities to be the future of the unborn child.

Question 3.
Write a few words about the character of Maami.
Answer:
Maami has not much role to play in this story. She is a hesitant and speechless character who remains static in the whole story. She loves Adjoa and supports her dreams but when it comes to save her from, the disheartened comments of her own mother, she turns timid.

Question 4.
Why does Maami and Nana argue?
Answer:
Nana is not pleased with the thin legs of her granddaughter, Adjoa because she thinks that a woman should have strong legs that would help her when she would give birth to a child. But Maami supports her daughter and does not have any issues with her legs. That is why they argue to state each other’s point of view.

E. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

School is another thing Nana and my mother discussed often and appeared to have different ideas about. Nana thought it would be a waste of time. I never understood what she meant. My mother seemed to know and disagreed.

She kept telling Nana that she, that is, my mother— felt she was locked into some kind of darkness because she didn’t go to school. So that if I, her daughter, could learn to write and read my own name and a little besides- perhaps be able to calculate some things on paper- that would be good. I could always marry later and may be…

Question 1.
Why did Maami feel “locked into some kind of darkness”?
Answer:
Maami felt “locked into some kind of darkness” she never had the opportunity to go to school and explore the unknown. She felt sad about this and always feel regretted.

Question 2.
Did Maami want her daughter to go to school?
Answer:
Yes, Maami always wanted her daughter to attend school because she wanted her to leant and explore the unknown. She wanted Adjoa to have the freedom of choices which she did not have the opportunity to get.

Question 3.
Why, according to the story, the school was a waste of time for women?
Answer:
As per the social stigma existing in the society, women are meant only to create a family and take care of theme. Education is not important. African countries were under colonial rule for a long time and the colonizers did not take my effective step for their education. So after colonization, the women especially were stuck to their earlier condition.

Question 4.
Give a brief note on the character of Nana, after reading the story “The Girl Who Can.”
Answer:
Nana is the mother Maami and grandmother of Adjoa. She is an authoritative woman who loves to silence people around her, in her own exquisite style. She thinks that she is the most knowledgeable person in the house and often argues with Maami when it comes to Adjoa.

Adjoa’s thin legs displease her as thinks that this stresses their incapability to hold a solid figure for a woman giving birth. But Adjoa makes her realise that a woman’s body has more to do than just giving birth to babies. She appreciates Adjoa’s skill as a runner in the end of the story and changes her view of life.

The Girl Who Can Story MCQs

Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

Question 1.
In which village is ‘The Girl Who Can’ set?
a. Bobrapa
b. Hasodzi
c. Asempa
d. Domiaabra
Answer:
b. Hasodzi

Question 2.
What distinguishes Hasodzi from other villages in the story?
a. Its people
b. Its market
c. Its fertile soil
d. Its chiefs
Answer:
c. Its fertile soil

Question 3.
Who is the narrator of the story?
a. Adjoa
b. Nana
c. Maami
d. Ama Ata Aidoo
Answer:
a. Adjoa

Question 4.
How old is the narrator of the story?
a. 12
b. 8
c. 7
d. 6
Answer:
c. 7

Question 5.
Who is the mother of Adjoa?
a. Maami
b. Ama Ata Aidoo
c. Nana
d. None of them
Answer:
a. Maami

Question 6.
What is the other name of Maami in the story?
a. Pokua
b. Kaya
c. Rose
d. Adjoa
Answer:
b. Kaya

Question 7.
What is the relation between Nana and Maami?
a. Friends
b. Grandmother-mother
c. Mother-daughter
d. Sisters
Answer:
c. Mother-daughter

Question 8.
Which of these amuses Adjoa?
a. Nana’s ignorance
b. No one explains to her why she shouldn’t repeat certain things
c. Nana’s laughter
d. Her struggle to catch her grandmother’s attention
Answer:
b. No one explains to her why she shouldn’t repeat certain things

Question 9.
About what doNana and Kaya constanly argue?
a. Adjoa’s legs
b. Parental issues
c. Politics
d. Adjoa’s education
Answer:
a. Adjoa’s legs

Question 10.
Which of these set of characters are Adjoa’s favourite people?
a. Her mother and father
b. Maami and Esinam
c. Kaya and Nana
d. Maami and teacher
Answer:
c. Kaya and Nana

Question 11.
“The land of sweet, soft silence”- What does this literary device best exemplify?
a. Onomatopoeia
b. Personification
c. Oxymoron
d. Alliteration
Answer:
d. Alliteration

Question 12.
“Out of the land of sweet, soft silence” What is the meaning of this expression?
a. Competing in a race
b. Being born
c. Arriving at school
d. Playing in the school
Answer:
b. Being born

Question 13.
According to Adjoa what did Nana and Maami discuss when she was born?
a. Her beauty
b. Her head
c. Her skin colour
d. Her legs
Answer:
d. Her legs

Question 14.
Which of these characters are said to have many voices?
a. Adjoa
b. Ama Ata Aidoo
c. Nana
d. Kaya
Answer:
c. Nana

Question 15.
Why is Adjoa confused about what to say and what not to say?
a. She lacks the proper language to speak them out
b. She fears Nana’s reaction
c. Her mother will scold her
d. Everyone will laugh at her
Answer:
a. She lacks the proper language to speak them out

Question 16.
What kind of legs does Nana believe every woman should have?
a. This legs
b. Fat legs
c. Short legs
d. Legs that have meat on them
Answer:
d. Legs that have meat on them

Question 17.
Why was Nana worried about Adjoa’s legs?
a. She believes thin legs can easily break
b. She believes thin legs are for lazy people
c. Thin legs are for malnourished people
d. She believes that women with thin legs cannot give birth
Answer:
d. She believes that women with thin legs cannot give birth

Question 18.
What does Nana believe about thin legs?
a. Of no use
b. For lazy people
c. Good for running
d. Good for walking
Answer:
a. Of no use

Question 19.
Which of these does Nana use to shut Kaya up in their arguments?
a. Adjoa’s school
b. Adjoa’s legs
c. Issues of Adjoa’sfather
d. Kaya’s ignorance
Answer:
c. Issues of Adjoa’sfather

Question 20.
Why was it difficult for Adjoa’s to see the legs of the older women who had children?
a. It was a taboo for older women to expose their legs
b. They wore long-wrap around all the time
c. Older women don’t bath in the river
d. The village is always bushy
Answer:
b. They wore long-wrap around all the time

Question 21.
What were Nana’s initial thoughts about education?
a. School is a waste of time
b. School was profitable
c. School was very helpful
d. Education is for the rich
Answer:
a. School is a waste of time

Question 22.
What is Adjoa’s attitude towards school?
a. Indifference
b. Enthusiasm
c. Nonchalant
d. Melancholy
Answer:
b. Enthusiasm

Question 23.
Why does Kaya feel that she is locked into some kind of darkness?
a. Their lantern went off
b. Their village has no light
c. She didn’t go to school
d. She lost her husband
Answer:
c. She didn’t go to school

Question 24.
What was Nana’s reaction to Adjoa representing her school in the district games?
a. Blissfulness
b. Confusion
c. Contentment
d. Disbelieve
Answer:
d. Disbelieve

Question 25.
What did Nana borrow from Mr. Mensah’s house during the district sports?
a. A football
b. A charcoal pressing iron
c. Story books
d. Jerseys
Answer:
b. A charcoal pressing iron

Question 26.
“The big brass bowl”-What literary device is used here?
a. Alliteration
b. Consonance
c. Personification
d. Oxymoron
Answer:
a. Alliteration

Question 27.
What did Nana do when Adjoa won the best round junior athlete?
a. She encouraged her
b. She stopped discussing her legs
c. She bought her an ice cream
d. She carried the cup on her back
Answer:
d. She carried the cup on her back

Question 28.
Where does Adjoa come from?
a. The central region of Ghana
b. The greater Accra region of Ghana
c. The eastern region of Ghana
d. The Ashanti region of Ghana
Answer:
a. The central region of Ghana

Question 29.
“They are too that and I am not asking you!” Who made this statement?
a. Kaya
b. Nana
c. Abena
d. Adjoa
Answer:
b. Nana

Question 30.
“You can hear the cloth creak when she passes by”. What does the statement exemplify?
a. Metaphor
b. Onomatopoeia
c. Metaphor
d. Personification
Answer:
b. Onomatopoeia

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers

Oliver Asks for More Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

by
Oliver Asks for More Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

Oliver Asks for More Story Questions and Answers & MCQs

A. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow:

Oliver had not been within the walls of the workhouse a quarter of an hour, when Mr. Bumble informed him that the board had said he was to appear before it forthwith. Not having a very clearly defined notion of what a live board was, Oliver was rather astonished by this information, and was not quite certain whether he ought to laugh or cry. He had no time to think about the matter.

Mr. Bumble asked Oliver to follow him into a large white-washed room where eight or ten fat gentlemen were sitting round a table. At the top of the table, seated in an armchair rather higher than the rest, was a particularly fat gentleman with a very round, red face.

‘Bow to the board,’ said Bumble. Oliver brushed away two or three tears that were lingering in his eyes; and seeing no board but the table, bowed to that.‘What’s your name, boy?’ said the gentleman in the high chair. Oliver was frightened at the sight of so many gentlemen, which made him tremble.

Question 1.
What did Mr Bumble inform Oliver?
Answer:
Mr Bumble informed Oliver that the board had asked to make Oliver appear before it.

Question 2.
How/did Oliver feel when he was told to appear before the live board?
Answer:
Oliver Twist did not have any clearly defined notion of what a live board was. So, he was astonished by this information and was not quite certain whether he ought to laugh or cry. He had no time to think about the matter.

Question 3.
Why did Oliver tremble and cry in the white washed room?
Answer:
Oliver followed Mr. Bumble into the white-washed room where the members of the board were sitting round table. They were all fat. Oliver was frightened at the sight of so many gentlemen and so he trembled. He stood trembling in silence when the gentleman in the high chair asked him what his name was. So, the beadle gave Oliver a tap on his back with his cane, which made him cry.

Question 4.
Describe Oliver’s condition after reading the above passage,
Answer:
In the above passage we can see Oliver who was a small boy, was staying in a parish workhouse. He did not know the rules of the place much, he also did not know the board members. Accompanying Mr Bumble, Oliver went to the board, terribly frightened about what would happen to him. He was anxious and confused as well.

B. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow:

‘Hush!’ said the gentleman who had spoken first. ‘You know you’ve got no father or mother, and that you were brought up by the parish, weren’t you?’
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Oliver, weeping bitterly.
‘What are you crying for?’ inquired the gentleman in the white waistcoat.
‘I hope you say your prayers every night,’ said another gentleman in a gruff voice; ‘andpray for the people who feed you, and take care of you-like a Christian.’
‘Yes, sir,’ stammered the boy.
“Well! You have come here to be educated, and taught a useful trade,’ said the red – faced gentleman in the high chair.
‘So you’ll begin to pick oakum tomorrow morning at six o’clock,’ added the surly one in the white waistcoat.
Oliver bowed low, directed by the beadle, and was then hurried away to a large ward; where, on a rough, hard bed, he sobbed himself to sleep. Poor Oliver! As he lay sleeping, unconscious of everything around him, the board had taken a decision that would change the course of his life.

Question 1.
Why was Oliver weeping bitterly?
Answer:
Oliver was asked by the board if he knew that he was an orphan. At this, Oliver wept bitterly because he knew if he had someone who would look after him, he would not have to spend his days at that parish workhouse.

Question 2.
Why was Oliver in a hurry to return to his bed?
Answer:
Oliver was confused anxious and scared after meeting the board members and hearing their Instructions. So he just wanted to escape from this situation. Therefore as soon as the meeting was over, he ran to his bed.

Question 3.
What would change the course of Oliver’s life?
Answer:
Mr Bumble took Oliver to the board where the board members had a chat with him. After meeting Oliver, the board took a decision which was unfavourable for Oliver. They decided something hard and ruthless so treat Oliver harshly. Therefore it would change the course of his life whenever it will be executed.

Question 4.
What kind of people were the members of the board? Justify your opinion.
Answer:
The members of the board were very wise and philosophical men. They were happy when they came to know that the workhouse was the regular place of public entertainment for the poorer classes. They didn’t have any mercy or sympathy towards the poor.

They were shocked when they came to know that it was all play and no work in works house. They were of the opinion that the poor should starve quickly outside the workhouse or gradually inside the house. So. they ordered to restrict the food given to the poor. If anyone demanded (or requested. for more, he would be thrown out.

C. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow:

The room in which the boys were fed, was a large stone hall, with a big copper bowl at one end, out of which the master, dressed in an apron for the purpose, and assisted by one or two women, ladled the gruel at mealtime. Of this festive composition each boy had one basinful, and no more- except on occasions of great public rejoicing, when he had two ounces and a quarter of bread besides.

The basins never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shone again. When they had performed this operation they would sit staring at the copper bowl, with such eager eyes, as if they could have devoured the big bowl itself and everything in it. At the same time they sucked their fingers most carefully to catch up any stray splashes of gruel that might have stuck thereon. Boys have generally excellent appetite.

Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months; at last they got so voracious and wild with hunger, that one boy, who was tall for his age, and hadn’t been used to that sort of thing (for his father had kept a small cook-shop., hinted darkly to his companions, that unless he had another basin of gruel per day, he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the boy who slept next to him, who happened to be a weakly – youth of tender age. He had a wild, hungry eye; and they believed him. A council was held; lots were cast who should walk up to the master after supper that evening, and ask for more; and it fell to Oliver Twist.

Question 1.
How was the room where the boys were given food?
Answer:
The room in which the boys were fed was a large stone hall with a big copper bowl at one end out of which the master, dressed in an apron for serving food, assisted by one or two women ladled the gruel at the mealtime.

Question 2.
How. did the boys polish the basins?
Answer:
The basins never get washed, So the boys polished them with their spoons till they shone again.

Question 3.
Why were the boys remained so hungry?
Answer:
The boys were not given proper food to satisfy their hunger. A small amount of food was given to them just to stay alive and active. That is why they even used to suck their fingers so that even a last drop of gruel did not get wasted. They were suffering this slow starvation for three months because they had no other place to go.

Question 4.
What duty was given to Oliver? Why?
Answer:
Oliver was given the duty of fetching some more food for a boy from the master after supper. Oliver and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months so they became voracious with hunger.

Among them, a tall boy, unable to suffer more, threatened the other boys to bring some more food or he would eat up someone who would sleep next to him. Hearing this, they got frightened and so the duty of arranging some more food went to Oliver.

D. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

‘For more!’ said Mr. Limbkins. ‘Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the board?’‘He did, sir,’ replied Bumble.

Question 1.
“Compose yourself.”- Who is the speaker here? To whom did he speak to?
Answer:
Here, the speaker is Mr Limbkins and the person spoken to is Mr Bumble.

Question 2.
What is the context of the above passage?
Answer:
Oliver asked for some more gruel for a tall boy among them who was badly in need of more food and so threatened his companions. When Oliver asked for more food, everyone including the master and other board members got shocked and decided to take a decision against Oliver.

Question 3.
How do you look at Oliver’s request, ‘Please, sir, / want some more!’? What compelled him to say this?
Answer:
Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation. They became wild with hunger. A tall boy of them announced that he would eat the boy who slept next to him unless he had enough food to eat.

A council was held and it was decided that Oliver should ask the master for more. That evening after they had eaten the served gruel, Oliver went to the master and requested him for more. Thus, the hunger of the tall boy compelled him to say this. His hunger and misery too compelled him to say this.

Question 4.
Why Mr Bumble was asked to compose himself?
Answer:
At the workhouse, when Oliver had oared to ask for more food, everyone got shocked. No one had ever imagined that someone could take a stand against their. So when that unexpected thing happened, both the marter and Mr Bumble got awestruck. When Mr Bumble went to Limbkins to state the fact, he was quite excited. That is why he was asked to compose himself.

Oliver Asks for More Story Poem MCQs

Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

Question 1.
What city is the novel centred on?
a. Dublin
b. New York City
c. London
Answer:
c. London

Question 2.
How were the board members?
a. Very angry
b. Very sad
c. Very wise and
Answer:
c. Very wise and

Question 3.
From which novel is the text ‘Oliver ask for more’ taken?
a. Oliver Twist
b. Oliver Waugh
c. Oliver Kid
Answer:
a. Oliver Twist

Question 4.
What is the name of the beadle?
a. Dorey
b. Mr. Bumble
c. Joe Bumble
Answer:
b. Mr. Bumble

Question 5.
What is meant by the word ‘strides’?
a. Keep
b. Stones
c. Steps
Answer:
c. Steps

Question 6.
Why was Oliver trembling?
a. He was sick
b. He was frightened by seeing so many gentlemen
c. He was nervous
Answer:
b. He was frightened by seeing so many gentlemen

Question 7.
What is meant by the word ‘forthwith’?
a. Immediately
b. Same
c. From
Answer:
a. Immediately

Question 8.
What was common among all the men in the board?
a. They were all old
b. They were all black
c. They were all fat
Answer:
c. They were all fat

Question 9.
Why could Oliver not see the people sitting behind the table?
a. He was blind
b. He was small
c. He was cruel
Answer:
b. He was small

Question 10.
Why did the beadle beat Oliver?
a. He did not answer
b. He was crying
c. He was not walking
Answer:
a. He did not answer

Question 11.
What is meant by the word ‘weeping’?
a. Bad
b. Ciying
c. Sad
Answer:
b. Ciying

Question 12.
Who is looking after the orphan boys?
a. The parish
b. Ngo
c. Common people
Answer:
a. The parish

Question 13.
“What is that, sir” inquired poor Oliver- What does ‘that’ refer to?
a. ‘That’ refers to the word ‘orphan’
b. ‘That’ refers to a small boy
c. None of these
Answer:
a. ‘That’ refers to the word ‘orphan’

Question 14.
What is the meaning of ‘Gruel’?
a. It is a drink
b. It is a food of oats, rice etc.
c. None of these
Answer:
b. It is a food of oats, rice etc.

Question 15.
In what kind of room the boys were fed?
a. Small stone hall
b. Nonnal hall
c. Large stone hall
Answer:
b. Nonnal hall

Question 16.
For hoW many months did Oliver Twist and his companions suffer the tortures of slow starvation?
a. 8 months
b. 3 months
c. 6 months
Answer:
b. 3 months

Question 17.
When was Oliver ordered to pick oakum?
a. At seven o’clock
b. At five o’clock
c. At six o’clock
Answer:
c. At six o’clock

Question 18.
‘Please, sir, I want some more.’ Who said this?
a. Oliver Twist
b. The Master
c. None of these
Answer:
a. Oliver Twist

Question 19.
What is the name of the gentleman in the high chair?
a. Mr. Bumble
b. Mr. Limbkins
c. Oliver Twist
Answer:
b. Mr. Limbkins

Question 20.
‘I beg your pardon, sir’- Who said this?
a. Mr. Bumble
b. Mr. Limbkins
c. None of them
Answer:
a. Mr. Bumble

Question 21.
How much money was offered for Oliver?
a. 10 pounds
b. 15 pounds
c. 5 pounds
Answer:
c. 5 pounds

Question 22.
‘That boy will be hung’- Who is the speaker here?
a. The master
b. Gentleman in the white waistcoat
c. Mr. Bumble
Answer:
b. Gentleman in the white waistcoat

Question 23.
‘I know that boy will be hung.’ Who is ‘that boy’?
a. Oliver Twist
b. Mr. Bumble
c. None of these
Answer:
a. Oliver Twist

Question 24.
In which year Charles Dickens was born?
a. 1810
b. 1815
c. 1812
Answer:
c. 1812

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 10 The Power of Music

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Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 10 The Power of Music

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 10 The Power of Music

The Power of Music Poem Comprehension Questions Answers

Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
When summer comes, we hear the hums Bhisma Lochan Sharma. 
You catch his strain on hill and plain from Delhii down to Burma
He sings as though he’s staked his life, he sings as though he’s hell-bent;
The people, dazed, retire amazed although they know it’s well-meant.

i. Who is Bhisma Lochan Sharma? What happens when summer arrives?
ii. How far is Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s voice audible?
iii. Why does it seem as if Bhisma Lochan Sharma has staked his life?
iv. How does people react hearing Bhisma Lochan ‘s voice?
Answer:
i.Bhisma Lochan is a so called budding singer whose awful voice terrorizes everything under the sun. Bhisma Lochan however, begins practicing song with the advent of summer.

ii. The voice of Bhisma Lochan Sharma is audible far and wide. Whether be on hills or in valleys from Delhi to Burma, Bhishma Lochan is awfully audible everywhere.

iii. Since Bhishma Lochan Sharma sings terrifyingly loud, it seems as if he has staked his life. Normally people do not sing so inharmoniously loud. Hence, the poet says that Bhishma Lochan perhaps has” staked his life” because his thunderous voice might shock him to death.

iv. People are simply terrified when they hear Bhisma Lochan sing terrifyingly loud. They run away to avoid the dreadful voice of Bhisma Lochan who continues singing aloud without being moved.

Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
They’re trampled in the panic rout or languish pale and sickly,
And plead/My friend, we’re near our end,oh stop your singing quickly! 
The bullock-carts are overturn ed, and horses line the roadside;
But Bhisma Lochan, unconcerned, goes booming out his broadside.

i. What happens when people try to run away to avoid Bhisma Lochan’s voice?
ii. What do they say to Bhisma Lochan? How does Bhisma Lochan react hearing their plea?
iii. How does Bhisma Lochan’s song affect the bullock cart and the horses on the road?
iv. How do they react hearing the strange voice of Bhisma Lochan?
v. What effect is produced with the picture of overturned bullock-cart and their confounded look?
Answer:
i. When people try to run away to avoid Bhisma Lochan’s voice, they often collide with one another and are even 210 stomped under their feet. In a way, a total picture of chaos is established as people desperately seek for a safer zone when they hear Bhisma Lochan sing horribly.

ii. Feeling desperately miserable hearing thunderous voice of Bhisma Lochan, people pleads with him to stop singing. This however will help them to survive and live in peace.

iii. Not only humans, Bhisma Lochan’s song horribly affects even the animals and aquatic creatures. For example, bullock-carts are overturned when Bhisma Lochan sings aloud. The horses stand in a row, renouncing their work. They all protest and with confused eyes they continue staring at Bhisma Lochan with their feet in the air.

iv. Having never heard of such dreadful voice, animals like horses and bullock are terribly shocked. While horses abandon their work and stand in a row, the bullock carts are overturned and the poor animals continue staring at Bhisma Lochan with their feet in the air. In a way, these animals protest vehemently staring at Bhisma Lochan with confused eyes.

v. The picture of overturned bullock cart and the confused look of the “wretched brutes” evoke enough mirth. Sukumar Ray intends to ridicule Bhisma Lochan Sharma for his desperate attempt to be a maestro.

But, little does he realise that he has hardly the ability to reach into such platform. His rewaj simply terrorizes all near him including the animals. The poet thus, mocks the pseudo-maestro with such pictures which indicates how awfully does Bhisma Lochan sings.

Question 3.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
The fishes dived below the lake in frantic search for silence,
The very trees collapse and shake – you hear the crash a mile hence
And in the sky the feathered fly turn turtle while they’re winging,
Again we cry, ‘We’re going to die, oh won’t you stop your singing?’

i. How do fishes react hearing Bhisma Lochon’s song?
ii. How do birds react hearing Bhisma Lochon’s dreadful hum?
iii. What other thing are affected by the terrifying hum of Bhisma Lochan?
iv. How do people react observing the calamities around?
v. What impression of Bhisma Lochan do you form based on your reading the poem?
Answer:
i. Bhisma Lochan’s dreadful hum affects the aquatic world. Fishes dive deep into the lake in search of safer zone when they hear the terrifying hum of Bhisma Lochan.

ii. The hum of Bhisma Lochan affects the birds too. Birds start losing control over their wings. They turn upside down, while Bhisma Lochan continues singing horribly loud.

iii. Other things affected by the terrifying hum of Bhisma Lochan are trees and the sky. Trees continue collapsing on the ground and the sky falls into tear when Bhisma Lochan is busy with his hum.

iv. People feel scared observing the series of calamities around. Hence, they earnestly plead with Bhisma Lochan to stop singing, fearing that the furious noise might kill them. People in fact want to live in peace. Hence, they beg Bhisma Lochan to renounce his practice which terrifies all under the sun.

v. Bhisma Lochan Sharma is a powerful caricature of a pseudo intellectual, desperately striving to be the part of the enlightened world without testifying his ability.

His dreadful voice terrorizes all around him and scares them away. This is deeply insulting for a singer as he craves for public attention. But, Bhisma Lochan is such a weird creature that he remains unmoved and continues singing horribly despite public disapproval.

Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
But now there comes a billy goat, a most
sagacious fellow,
He downs his horns and charges straight, with
bellow answering bellow.
The strains of song are tossed and whirled by
blast of brutal violence,

i. What is a billy goat? Why is he called sagacious?
ii. What does the goat do while he hears Bhisma Lochan singing?
iii. How does it affect Bhisma Lochan?
iv. How does Bhisma Lochan grants the world the golden gift of silence?
Answer:
i. A billy goat is a male goat. He is called sagacious since he know the way to stop Bhisma Lochan’s song.

ii. Irked with Bhisma Lochan’s horrible voice, the ram lowers his horns and hits the singer from behind. The nudge however was so powerful indeed that Bhisma Lochan at once bounced high up in the air and finally falls down on the ground.

iii. When the ram hits Bhisma Lochan from behind, the awful singer at once bounced high up in the air and finally falls down on the ground.

iv. Deeply injured because of the sudden nudge of the ram, Bhisma Lochan finally renounces singing. Silence thus, pervades all around and the people are saved from being tortured by the dreadful hum of Bhisma Lochan.

The Power of Music Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1.
Bhismalochan Sharma was a …………..
a. painter
b. singer
c. playwright
d. writer
Answer:
b. singer

Question 2.
Bhismalochan begins his song with the advent of ………….
a. winter
b. monsoon
c. autumn
d. summer
Answer:
d. summer

Question 3.
People plead with Bhismalochan to …………….
a. continue singing
b. stop singing
c. sing with musical instruments
d. sing softly
Answer:
b. stop singing

Question 4.
What do people do when Bhismalochan sing?
a. They sit and enjoy his song
b. The applaud to encourage the singer
c. They dance
d. They run away
Answer:
d. They run away

Question 5.
What happens to bullock cart when Bhismalochan sings?
a. They stand in a row
b. The bullock try to free themselves from the cart
c. They are overturned
d. They blow horns
Answer:
c. They are overturned

Question 6.
How do animals react hearing Bhismalochan’s song?
a. They protest and with confused eyes continue staring at Bhisma Lochan
b. They start dancing
c. They hear the singer with deep interest
d. They cry out in fear
Answer:
a. They protest and with confused eyes continue staring at Bhisma Lochan

Question 7.
How do fishes react hearing Bhismalochan’s song?
a. They come out of the water
b. They swim merrily
c. They dive into water in search of safer zone
d. They dance in water
Answer:
c. They dive into water in search of safer zone

Question 8.
What happens to the trees when Bhismalochan sings?
a. They dance merrily
b. They remain sombre
c. They collapse to the ground
d. They become colourless
Answer:
c. They collapse to the ground

Question 9.
Birds loose control of their ……….. when Bhismalochan sings.
a. emotion
b. wings
c. feathers
d. none of the above
Answer:
b. wings

Question 10.
Who finally to stops Bhismalochan from singing?
a. a cat
b. a ram
c. a dog
d. an elephant
Answer:
b. a ram

Question 11.
Bhismalochan’s song finally comes to an end with ………….
a. people’s protest
b. the advent of monsoon
c. the nudge of a ram
d. the nudge of a cow
Answer:
c. the nudge of a ram

The Power of Music Poem Annotations with Comments

Lines 1 to 8:

Hums: song
Bhisma Lochan Sharma: a fictitious character
Strain: song
You catch…..Burma: the inharmonious holler of Bhisma Lochan Sharma audible far and wide: on the hills as well as in the valleys from Delhi to Burma
Staked: bet
He sings….life: Since Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings so furiously loud it seems as if he has staked his life.
Hell-bent: determined
Dazed: shocked
Retire: leave
Amazed: shocked

Lines 9 to 20:

Trampled: stamped
Rout: disorder
Languish: weaken
Pale: colourless
Sickly: ill
Plead: request
‘My friend: refers to Bhisma Lochan Sharma
near our end: almost to die soon
overturned: turned upside down
unconcerned: undisturbed
booming: deafening
broadside: (here)sing furiously loud
wretched: miserable
brutes: animals
resent: protest
blare: loud noise
whine: complain
stare with feet: the cacophonous song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma threw the animals on the ground, they now continue staring at this weird human with their feet in the air
confounded: confused

Lines 21 to 32:

Frantic: desperate
Collapse: fall to the ground
Crash: refers to the sound of trees falling to the ground
feathered fly: birds
turn turtle: turn upside down
we: refers to people around
soared: song reached to an
intolerable pitch
grumble: protest
welkin: sky
screech: scream
mansions: tall buildings

Lines 33 to 40:

billy goat: mate goat/ram
sagacious: wise
downs: lowers
charges: hits
bellow: loud bleating
bellow answering bellow: the loud bleat of the goat is similar to that of Bhisma Lochan’s cacophonous song
whirled: circled
brutal: fierce
brutal violence: refers to the nudge of the ram with his horn.
Bhisma Lochan grants …….. silence: Bhishma Lochan is finally stopped by the “nudge” of a ram which brings an end to his dreaming of a maestro.

The Power of Music Poem Paraphrase

With the advent of summer, Bhisma Lochan Sharma begins his clamorous song, audible far and wide. Whether be on hills or in valleys from Delhi to Burma, he is awfully audible. One feels as if Bhisma Lochan has staked his life as he sings thunderously loud. Scared ot his song, people always run away, leaving Bhisma Lochan completely unmoved.

In such agitation, people often collide with one another and are even stomped under their feet. As they feel miserable, they plead with the singer to stop singing. The bullock-carts are overturned and the horses stand in a row, renouncing their work. They all protest and with confused eyes, continue staring at Bhisma Lochan with their feet in the air.

Bhisma Lochan’s song even affects the aquatic world. Fishes dive deep into the lake in search of safer zone. Trees continue collapsing on the ground and the birds start losing control over their wings. They turn upside down, while Bhisma Lochan carries on with his rewaz. Scared of such disaster, people beg him to stop singing, fearing that the furious noise might kill them. But Bhisma Lochan’s song does not cease. Instead, his song goads the sky to cry and the houses fall down due to intolerable boom.

One day, a ram on its way hears Bhisma Lochan singing furiously aloud. Annoyed of the scream, he lowers his horns and hits the singer. The powerful nudge raises Bhisma Lochan into the air and casts him onto the ground. The wounded singer finally stops singing .and silence pervades all around. Bhisma Lochan’s dream of becoming a maestro finally ends.

The Power of Music Poem Summary by Sukumar Ray

Lines 1 to 8:

With the advent of summer, Bhisma Lochan Sharma begins his clamorous song, audible far and wide. Whether be on hills or in valleys from Delhi to Burma, Bhishmalochan is awfully audible. One feels as if the Bhisma Lochan has staked his life as he sings thunderously loud. People are deeply scared. They run away to avoid the dreadful song, leaving Bhisma Lochan unmoved.

Lines 9 to 20:

In such agitation, people often collide with one another and are even stomped under their feet. As they feel miserable, they plead with Bhisma Lochan to stop singing. The bullock-carts are overturned and the horses stand in a row, renouncing their work. They all protest and with confused eyes they continue staring at Bhisma Lochan with their feet in the air.

Lines 21 to 32:

Bhisma Lochan’s song even affects the aquatic world. Fishes dive deep into the lake in search of safer zone. Trees continue collapsing on the ground and the birds start losing control over their wings. They turn upside down, while Bhisma Lochan carries on with his rewaz. Scared of such disaster, people beg him to stop singing fearing that the furious noise might kill them. But Bhisma Lochan song does not cease. Instead, goads the sky to cry and houses to fall down.

Lines 33 to 40:

A ram on its way hears Bhisma Lochan’s song. Annoyed of the scream, he lowers his horns and hits the singer. The powerful nudge lifts up Bhisma Lochan and throws him on the ground. The wounded singer finally stops singing and silence pervades all around

The Power of Music Poem Introduction

A significant poem in The Weird and the Absurd (Abol Tabol), The Power of Music by Sukumar Ray is a typical “nonsense”, a genre which developed in the hands of Lewis Carol and Edward Lear. Bengali readers were exposed to this genre by the poems in Abol Tabol which deliberately attempt to ridicule the ‘state of society and administration of early 20th-century colonial India’.

The Power of Music (“Gaaner Guto”) explores the pretention of the modern man for his attempt to be the part of the enlightened world without testifying his ability. Bhishmalochan Sharma is a representative of such “weird” class whose awful rewaj terrorizes people all around.

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 9 A Considerable Speck

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Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 9 A Considerable Speck

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 9 A Considerable Speck

A Considerable Speck Poem Comprehension Questions Answers

Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
When something strange about it made me think,
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations, it could call its own.

i. What is the poet doing at present? Where did he find the speck?
ii. What does the poet do immediately after finding the speck?
iii. What does the poet ultimately discover? What is meant by the word “period” in the fifth line of the given excerpt?
iv. What does the poet mean by “with inclinations it could call its own”?
Answer:
i. The poet was deeply engrossed in writing while he suddenly noticed a speck on the sheet of white paper where he was writing. The speck simply awes him with it sudden movement across the white sheet of paper.

ii. Immediate after discovering that it was not a mere speck of dust but a living mite trying to move across the white sheet of paper, the poem lifts up his pen and starts observing the mite closely.

iii. Ultimately the poet discovers that it was not a mere speck of dust but a living mite trying to move across the white sheet of paper where the poet was writing. In the fifth line of the given excerpt, the word “period” means full stop.

iv. The poet means to say that it was not a mere speck of dust which he saw on the white sheet of paper while he was writing. Instead, he saw a living mite with its own sense and feelings. In other words, the poet discovers that the mite had a mind of its own which is praiseworthy indeed.

Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was pot yet dry;
Then paused again and either drank or smelt—
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.

i. What did the mite do seeing the pen? Why?
ii. What did it do next?
iii. How far did the mite fly onto the page?
iv. Why did the mite pause again?
v. What did the poet discover about the mite?
Answer:
i. Seeing the pen, the mite was a bit terrified. It paused, for a while perhaps wondering whether to move ahead or retreat.

ii. The mite finally decides to move ahead. Overcoming its initial fear, it Resumes running across the paper until reaching the area where the ink has not dried up.

iii. The mite however came running across the paper until reaching the area where the ink has not dried up.

iv. Reaching to where the ink on the paper has not yet dried up, the mite stops once more. It pauses for a while, perhaps either to smell or drink the ink.

v. Observing how the mite avoids being trapped to death, the poet comes to the conclusion that the mite is quite intelligent and has a mind of its own. This is really appreciable and stands in sharp contrast to the brainless humans who run around their lives helplessly, achieving nothing.

Question 3.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn’t want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered: I could see it hesitate;
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate.

i. Why does the poet feel that the mite is devoid of feet? What proves that the mite has feet?
ii. What did the mite do to escape death?
iii. What did the mite do ultimately?
iv. Who will decide the mite’s fate? How?
v. Why was the mite allowed to survive?
Answer:
i. Due to being small in size the feet of the mite remains unnoticeable to human eyes. The poet thus, wonders whether the microscopic creature is devoid of feet. But, once the mite continues running across the page one is confirmed that the mite has feet to crawl easily.

ii. The mite, like humans, actually doesn’t want to die. The speaker observes how the terrified mite runs away from the area where the ink has not dried up. While on its way in search of a safe zone, it hesitates for a while, and then in the middle of the paper, it bends down as if to accept its fate.

iii. Ultimately the mite gives up its struggle to escape death. The poet observes how the poor creature finally bends down on the middle of the paper to accept its fate.

iv. It is the poet who will ultimately determine the fate of the mite. He might kill the mite under the nib of his pen. But, he allows the mite to live despite trespassing on his page. This is all because of the intelligence of the mite which fascinates the poet in a major way.

v. The poet is fascinated by the mite’s presence of mind. The way it tries to avoid death, is highly commendable. Such an insignificant creature, which the poet calls “microscopic,” with a rational mind should be allowed to live instead of being killed. Hence, the poet spares the life of the mite despite its being a trespasser on his page.

Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.

i. What is meant by a Collectivistic regiment? What is practiced in collectivistic culture?
ii. What contradictory idea does the poet nurture against collectivistic culture?
iii. What idealism governs the world?
iv. Why does the poet allow the mite to live?
v. What does the poet appreciate in others?
vi. What does he try to find on any sheet?
vii. What is the significance of the word “sheet” in the last line of the given excerpt?
viii. Comment on the significance of the title A considerable Speck.
Answer:
i.Collectivism is the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it. In other words, the interest of society at large is valued over individual importance and thus, promotes equal distribution of everything among the society without evaluating whether an individual deserve more or less.

ii. The poet seems to be up against the ideals of collectivism which stresses upon the importance of community over individual. In such practice, the merit of an individual is often overlooked. Frost however has high regard over the calibre of an individual which he openly admits when he says that it is not any doctrinaire principle of love which goads him to choose not to kill the mite with the nib of his pen.

Rather the sharp intelligence of the mite overwhelms him and he thus, allows the poor creature to continue living more. This amply suggests Frost’s strong dislike of collectivistic culture and his support for individualism.

iii. The world under Marxist influence is governed by the ideals of collectivism. This is a practice where the interest of society at large is valued over individual importance and thus, promotes equal distribution of everything among the society without evaluating whether an individual deserve more or less.

iv. Frost openly announces that it is not any doctrinaire principle of love which goads him to choose not to kill the mite with the nib of his pen. Rather the sharp intelligence of the mite overwhelms him and he thus, allows the poor creature to continue living more.

v. Since Frost has his own rational mind he thus, values “mind” wherever he finds it. In other words, Frost loves people who are enlightened, creative and have an independent mindset.

vi. Frost being a creative person welcomes those who are creative indeed. He says that he feels “glad” to “find / On any sheet the least display of mind”. This however suggests that Frost always looks forward to meaningful stuffs from those who are intelligent and are independent thinkers.

vii. The word sheet actually means page. It however symbolises self-empowerment. Frost being a poet with an independent mindset, welcomes self-empowered people instead of those who mindlessly follow the crowd. Such people with their own originality will definitely create meaningful work of art which Frost desperately seeks for in any sheet of paper.

viii. It is surprising enough that Frost regards a speck considerable when it is usually insignificant. The word “considerable” means substantial or significant. The oxymoronic title leaves us to wonder that how an insignificant speck on paper can be of any importance.

But, ultimately we get to know that Frost explores the intelligence of a mite which struggles a lot to stay away from death. The mite’s intelligence however transcends the insignificant creature to a “considerable” being which the title alludes to.

A Considerable Speck Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1.
The poet finds a speck on …………..
a. table
b. book
c. paper
d. plate
Answer:
c. paper

Question 2.
The speck found by the poet is actually a …………..
a. dirt
b. mite
c. food particle
d. none of the above
Answer:
b. mite

Question 3.
What did the mite do seeing the poet’s pen?
a. it moved on
b. it slowed down moving ahead
c. it retreated back
d. it paused
Answer:
d. it paused

Question 4.
When did the mite pause again?
a. when it was tired
b. when it comes to the dead end of the paper
c. when it comes near the area of the paper where the ink has not dried up.
d. when the poet poke on it
Answer:
c. when it comes near the area of the paper where the ink has not dried up.

Question 5.
What did the mite do upon reaching the area where the ink has not dried up.
a. it smelt the ink
b. it drank the ink
c. it smelt or drank the ink
d. it slept there feeling exhausted
Answer:
c. it smelt or drank the ink

Question 6.
What does the poet discover in the mite?
a. cowardice
b. boldness
c. timid nature
d. intelligence
Answer:
d. intelligence

Question 7.
Why was the mite allowed to live?
a. because the poet felt pity for the poor creature
b. because its intelligence overwhelms the poet
c. because the poet feels that it should live
d. none of the above
Answer:
b. because its intelligence overwhelms the poet

Question 8.
What is prioritised in Collectivistic society?
a. Individual
b. group
c. proletariat
d. capitalist
Answer:
b. group

Question 9.
Why is the poet up against Collectivistic society?
a. because it values community over individual
b. because it values individual over community
c. because it supports the proletariats
d. because it supports the capitalists
Answer:
a. because it values community over individual

Question 10.
What does the poet try to find on sheet of paper?
a. Whiteness
b. speck of dust
c. mite
d. intelligence displayed in the work of art
Answer:
d. intelligence displayed in the work of art

Question 11.
The title Considerable Speck is an example of …………
a. simile
b. metaphor
c. antithesis
d. oxymoron
Answer:
d. oxymoron

A Considerable Speck Poem Annotations with Comments

Lines 1 to 5:

Speck: a small piece of dirt
Beneath: under
Sheet so white: refers to the white paper
Set off: move rapidly
Idly: lazily
Poised: (here) held back
Period: full stop in American English

Lines 6 to 9:

something strange: refers to the mite
made me think: the activity of the mite made the speaker think whether the spot on the paper is a living mite
This was… blown: The speaker finally realizes that it is not a mere dust but a living mite that races across his white sheet of paper.
Unmistakably: undoubtedly
Inclinations: feelings

Lines 10 to 14:

Paused: stopped
Suspicion..pen: the mite suddenly stopped moving seeing the pen on the paper.
Racing: running
Manuscript..dry: The mite resumed running across the paper. It came to inspect the wet ink on the paper.
Loathing: hating

Lines 15 to 23:

Plainly: clearly
Intelligence: refers to the intelligence of the mite which fascinated the speaker
Set of them: set of feet
Crept: crawl
faltered: hesitated
Cower down: retreat back in fear
Desperation: nervousness
Accorded: grant someone
Whatever….. of fate: The mite now helplessly waits for his fate to be granted by the speaker

Lines 24 to 29:

Tenderer: kind, merciful, or sympathetic
Collectivistic: where individual is a just a part of strong unified groups
Regimenting: strong imposition
Swept: flowed
poor microscopic item: refers to the mite
Since.., evil of: since the mite is not a potential threat to the speaker the speaker allows it to live

Comment:

I have none of the tenderer…. being swept: The world may be governed by the ideals of collectivism which stresses upon the importance of community over individual. But, Frost however gives importance to the merit of an individual which is often overlooked in the collectivistic culture.

This is evident when he proclaims that it is not any doctrinaire principle of love which goads him to choose not to kill the mite with the nib of his pen. Rather the sharp intelligence of the mite fascinates the speaker and he allows the poor creature to continue living more.

Lines 30 to 33:

mind myself: ability to think rationally
guise: semblance
display of mind: show of intelligence and presence of mind

A Considerable Speck Poem Paraphrase

Lines 1 to 9:

A speck which initially seemed to be a small dot of dirt awes the speaker with its sudden movement across the white sheet of paper. The speaker was engrossed in writing. He lifts up his pen, while he notices the speck’s sudden movement. He realizes that it was not a mere speck of dirt but a living mite with its own sense and feelings.

Lines 10 to 14:

The mite stops for a while seeing the pen on the paper. Overcoming its initial fear, it resumes running across the paper until reaching the area where the ink has not dried up. Again it pauses for a while, perhaps either to smell or drink the ink. Feeling nauseating, it flies away.

Lines 15 to 23:

The speaker feels confident enough with his own intelligence which aids him to deal with the mite. In fact, the poor creature is so small indeed that its feet are unnoticeable. But once the mite continues running, we are confirmed of its feet which aid the creature to escape the soggy ink. The mite like humans actually doesn’t want to die. The speaker observes how the terrified mite runs away with wobbling steps and finally waits helplessly for his fate to be granted by the speaker. In other words, the mite finally gives up its struggle, creeps down and waits for its face.

Lines 24 to 29:

It is not any doctrinaire principle of love which goads the speaker to choose not to kill the mite with the nib of his pen. The world may be influenced by such principle which preaches the gospel of indiscriminate love for all. But the speaker however is up against such mindless ideals. He allows the mite to live only because the microscopic creature is intelligent like humans but harmless unlike humans.

Lines 30 to 33:

The speaker has his own rational mind. He thus values “mind” wherever he finds it. The mite, however, is valued entirely for its intelligence, displayed on the sheet of paper. Similarly, intelligence displayed in writing on any sheet of paper is always welcomed. After all, an independent thinker with his own imagination deserves to be praised like the mite.

A Considerable Speck Poem Summary by Robert Frost

A speck which initially seemed to be a small dot of dirt surprises the speaker once it moves across the white sheet of paper. The speaker was engrossed in writing. He lifts up his pen, as he notices the speck’s sudden movement.

He realizes that it was not a mere speck of dirt but a living mite with its own sense and feelings. The mite stops for a while seeing the pen on the paper. Overcoming its initial fear, it resumes running across the paper until reaching the area where the ink has not dried up. Again it pauses for a while, perhaps either to smell or drink the ink. Feeling nauseating, it flies away.

The speaker feels confident enough with his own intelligence which aids him to deal with the mite. In fact, the poor creature is so small indeed that its feet are unnoticeable. But once the mite continues running, we are confirmed of its feet which aid the creature to escape the soggy ink.

The mite like humans actually doesn’t want to die. The speaker observes how the terrified mite runs away with wobbling steps and finally waits helplessly for his fate to be granted by the speaker. In other words, the mite finally gives up its struggle, creeps down and waits for its fate.

However, it is not any doctrinaire principle of love which goads the speaker to choose not to kill the mite with the nib of his pen. The world may be influenced by such principle which preaches the gospel of indiscriminate love for all.

But the speaker however is up against such ideals which prioritises society over individual. Frost however values more of an individual calibre which goads him to spare the mite’s life. For he has his own rational mind and he values “mind” wherever he finds it. The mite however is valued only for its intelligence which transcends the insignificant, “microscopic” creature to a “considerable” being.

A Considerable Speck Poem Introduction

From Frost’s A Witness Tree, A Considerable Speck is about an insignificant mite that becomes “considerable” only after the poet discovers its intelligence. The oxymoronic title leaves us to wonder: how can a speck be of any importance? But, ultimately, we get to know that it’s an intelligent mite, which looks like a speck of dust on the white paper.

The intelligence of the mite is a sharp contrast to the brainless humans who run around their lives helplessly, achieving nothing. In this sense, the poem “ends in wisdom,” which is a typical characteristic of Frost’s poetry.

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 8 When Great Trees Fall

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Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 8 When Great Trees Fall

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 8 When Great Trees Fall

When Great Trees Fall Poem Comprehension Questions Answers

Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down in tall grasses,
and even elephants lumber after safety.

i. What does the poet mean by the word “great”?
ii. How do the rocks behave when great tree fall? Where does the great tree fall?
iii. How do the lions and elephant behave when great tree fall?
iv. How do the small things react when great tree fall?
v. Explain the metaphor of the falling tree. Why does the poet use natural setting like forest in this poem?
Answer:
i. The word great literally means enormous. The poet here refers to the enormous height of the trees in the forest which are like “great souls”, having deep impact in our lives. Like the great trees which collapse to the forest ground with menacing effect, the death of our beloved ones too has shattering effect in our lives.

ii. When “great trees” fall to the forest ground, rocks on far away hills tremble and are sometimes dislocated due to the violent tremor caused on the ground. The enormous trees that the poet refers to in the poem fall on the forest ground with shuddering effect.

iii. Gigantic trees in the forest often collapse to the ground with thunderous sound. This however terrorizes even the big animals like lions and elephants. While lions crouch low in the field, elephants on the other hand, plod along in search of shelter.

iv. Even the small things are deeply affected by the loud noise on the forest bed, caused when big trees fall on the ground. Small things actually refer to the children who feel so terrified that it seems as if their senses are entirely shattered. In a way, they too are shocked like adults when “great souls” die.

v. The tree is an extended metaphor that runs throughout the poem. The speaker intends to suggest that the loss of great people in our lives is similar to the loss of great tree in the forest. The fall of enormous trees in the forest has catastrophic effect within its orbit. Similarly we too are deeply affected by the sudden loss of great people in our lives. Hence, the poet uses the natural setting just to express the idea that death natural no matter how painful it is.

Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.

i. Who are the great souls referred to in the given excerpt? With whom are they compared to? Explain the point of comparison.
ii. How does the death of great souls affect the air around us?
iii. How do we breathe and see when great souls depart?
iv. What actually gnaws us when great souls die?
v. When our memory is suddenly sharpened? What memory does the poet speak about?
vi. What happens when our memory is suddenly sharpened?
Answer:
i. Great souls refer to our beloved ones who leave us in a state of shock because of their sudden death. These great souls are compared to the big trees that grow in the forest. When big trees suddenly fall on the forest bed, the impact is felt far and wide. Similarly, the death of great souls affects our lives since we are used to being “bound to them”.

ii. Death of our loved ones deeply affects us. We feel so depressed that it seems as if the air around us is scanty and lifeless. We feel chocked up, failing to breathe smoothly in such lifeless air around.

iii. When great souls die we are chocked with grief. In such a state the air around us seems scanty and lifeless. We thus, find difficult to breathe smoothly in such lifeless air around. Moreover, with grieving heart we look around with mournful eyes, barely able to see things clearly.

iv. Death of our beloved ones torturously reminds us about the unfulfilled desire we once thought of fulfilling with our dearest ones. When we recall such unfulfilled plans like a simple walk or some kind words we thought of saying, we deeply regret failing to do so. We are continuously gnawed up from within.

v. Our memory is suddenly sharpened soon after the death of our beloved ones. Such memories are some comforting words which remained unsaid to our dearest ones. Moreover, it may also be a promised walk with our dearest ones, no more alive.

vi. When our memory is suddenly sharpened soon after the death of our beloved ones, we are simply gnawed from within remembering the words which remained forever unsaid to our beloved ones. Perhaps those kind words could have comforted our precious souls, no more alive. Moreover, we also regret remembering things like “promised walks”, never carried out due to sudden death of our beloved ones. The sudden sharpening of our memory thus, fills us with regret and remorse.

Question 3.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
Great souls die and 
our reality, bound to them,
takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependent upon their
nurture,
now shrink, wizened.
Our minds formed
and informed by their
radiance, fall away.

i. Why does the poet use “our” instead of me while referring to the loss of our beloved ones?
ii. Who are the great souls referred to in the given excerpt? In what way are we indebted to them?
iii. How does the death of our beloved ones affect our soul?
iv. How does the death of our beloved ones affect our mind?
v. How does the world around feel like after the death of our beloved ones?
Answer:
i. The poet intends to identify her loss with others who have faced the similar crisis after losing their loved ones. Death of mortals is quite natural. Hence, the poet speaks in the voice of “we”, giving voice to the shattering experience faced by those who survive the loss of someone “great.”

ii. The “great souls” referred to in the given excerpt are those dearest to our heart. Their greatness lies in their invaluable guidance which makes our life meaningful. In fact, we remain indebted to them all because of their constant support and guidance which has helped us to grow and move ahead in life. In a way, we move on, following their footsteps after they die.

iii. Death of someone great to us deeply affects our souls. Because of being attached to them, our souls fail to accept the death of our loved ones. In such an awful state of shock, our own souls shrivel up and make us feel small.

iv. Death of someone great to us deeply affects our mind. In a state of shock, we often lose control of our mind. In other words, our minds start losing their sanity due to being overwhelmed with grief.

v. Overwhelmed with grief due to sudden death of someone great to us, the world around appears hostile. We lose the control of our minds and become directionless immediately after the death of our loved ones. In such a miserable state, the entire the world around us appears hostile and crude like that of stone ages.

Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.

i. What transformation do we see in us after a period of time?
ii. What is meant by “Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration”?
iii. With what assurance do we recover from the shock of losing our beloved ones?
iv. How do we motivate ourselves to move ahead in life?
v. Why does the poet make a striking comparison between death of humans and nature?
Answer:
i. Overcoming the grief of losing someone great in our lives, we finally start recovering. Our senses are finally restored to normality and we are constantly assured that once our beloved folks existed. Their guidance remains with us and we continue moving ahead in life I following their footsteps.

ii. The grief of losing someone great in our lives continues ‘ to heal up slowly. During such process when our mind, starts recovering from the shock we are filled up with a relaxing tremor like electric vibration which assures us ‘ that once our beloved folks existed. With such assurance, we continue moving ahead in life.

iii. It takes time to recover from the irreparable loss of; losing someone great in our lives. When our senses are I finally restored to normality, we are constantly assured that once our beloved folks existed. But now when they are no more alive, their guidance remains with us. With, such assurance, we finally recover from the shock of losing our beloved ones and continue moving ahead in life following their footsteps.

iv. The guidance of our loved ones is of great motivations for us to keep on going. Remembering their contributions in making our lives meaningful, we constantly feel that the deceased beloved of ours once existed. Such assurance, motivate us to move ahead in life following their footsteps.

v. Since it is natural for us to die, the poet brings in reference to the natural world to establish the fact that death is natural for all living being. Just as a tree collapse in the forest bed, humans too die because of nature’s ordain. The fall of trees are thus, compared to the death of humans whose death affects us in a major way.

When Great Trees Fall Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1.
The fall of great trees leave a great impact upon
a. humans
b. water
c. air
d. forest
Answer:
d. forest

Question 2.
Name two animals mentioned in the poem
a. lion and tiger
b. tiger and elephant
c. elephant and lion
d. lion and deer
Answer:
c. elephant and lion

Question 3.
What does elephant do when great trees collapse to the ground
a. they leave the forest at once
b. they eat the trees instantly
c. they scare away other animals
d. they search for shelters
Answer:
d. they search for shelters

Question 4.
Great souls referred to in the poem are
a. renowned figures of the world
b. religious men
c. those dear to our heart
d. men of great deeds
Answer:
c. those dear to our heart

Question 5.
With the death of great souls the air around us becomes
a. lifeless
b. poisoned
c. fresh
d. violent
Answer:
a. lifeless

Question 6.
Which among these do we remember immediately after the death of our loved ones
a. our last dinner with them
b. the promised walk never undertaken
c. the last song sang together
d. the last opera seen together
Answer:
b. the promised walk never undertaken

Question 7.
How does the death of our beloved ones affect our mind?
a. our mind is at once refreshed
b. our mind is not affected
c. We lose the control of our minds and become directionless
d. our mind is temporarily affected
Answer:
c. We lose the control of our minds and become directionless

Question 8.
What helps us to heal up the loss of our loved ones?
a. consolation
b. involvement
c. time
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. time

Question 9.
What motivate us to move ahead in life?
a. good music
b. the assurance that our loved ones once existed
c. self motivation
d. meditation
Answer:
b. the assurance that our loved ones once existed

Question 10.
The poem When Great Tree Fall is on the whole
a. depressing
b. amusing
c. sarcastic
d. realistic
Answer:
d. realistic

When Great Trees Fall Poem Annotations with Comments

Stanza I:

Great trees: refers to the gigantic height of trees.
Shudder: shake, tremble
Hunker down: to lower the body to the ground by bending the legs
Lumber: move in a slow, heavy, awkward way

Comment:

Great tree: The adjective “great” lends a different meaning when the speaker speaks about the fall of great trees. The word “great” is deliberately used to mean “great souls”. In fact, the poet uses metaphor to compare the death of loved ones with large and powerful trees that fall in the forest. Like enormous trees which deeply affect the forest as they collapse, the death of great souls too have similar effect on us.

Stanza II:

small things: tiny objects which includes both living and non living objects in the forest
recoil: suddenly spring or flinch back in fear or horror
eroded: collapsed
sense eroded…. fear: the loud rumbling sound of the fall of gigantic trees in the forest deeply scares every living objects. It seems as if their senses collapse out of terrible fear.

Comment:

small things: Symbolically small things refer to the children who feel equally sad like adults, losing their loved ones. In fact, they feel so miserable that it seems as if their senses are entirely shattered.

Stanza III:

great souls: refer to great men
rare: unusual
sterile: barren
light, rare, sterile: the death of our loved ones affects the air around us. We feel so depressed that it seems as if the air around us is scanty and lifeless
breathe, briefly: find difficult to breathe smoothly
eyes, …… see: the death of our loved ones is so upsetting that we look around with mournful eyes, barely able to see things clearly.
Memory…. sharpened: our memory associated with those we love is sharpened soon after their death.
Gnaw: torment
Kind ….. unsaid: we repent failing to express things we thought of expressing those we love because of their sudden death.
Promised walk….taken: We repent for failing to fulfil the commitment of a simple walk with our loved one due to his/her sudden death.

Comment:

Memory sharpened suddenly sharpened……. never taken: When our memory is suddenly sharpened soon after the death of our loved ones, we are simply gnawed from within remembering the words which remained forever unsaid to them. Moreover, we also regret remembering things like a “promised walks”, never carried out due to their sudden death.

Stanza IV:

Great souls: refers to those having great impact on our daily life
Bound to them: we are deeply attached to those having great impact on our daily life. This is because of their care and guidance that we miss after their death

Leave of us: takes leave of us after their
sudden death
Shrink: shrivel
Wizened: wrinkled
Formed and informed: developed and nurtured
fall away: We lose our grip on our minds
maddened: incensed
We are ….maddened: we do not go mad failing to receive guidance and care from those we love. Instead, we become directionless
Unutterable: unspeakable
ignorance….caves: Minds that were developed and nurtured, suddenly collapse to ignorance. The world around us appears hostile after the death of our mentor like figures.

Stanza V:

Period: span
After a period: after some time has passed
Peace blooms: peace comes in
Irregularly: not smoothly
Space fill with a kind of ……vibration: the despair caused by the death of our beloved one slowly fades out as the wound starts healing slowly. During such process when our mind starts recovering from the shock we are filled up with a relaxing tremor like electric vibration which assures us that beloved folks once existed.
senses, restored: senses restored to normality
they existed: the speaker hallucinates of hearing a whisper assuring that though our loved ones are dead now, they once existed.
Be better: because our loved ones existed and inspired us for a better living, we can continue living with anticipation for a meaningful life

Comment:

We can be. Be and be better: The poem ends in a note of optimism. Despite the feeling that the world ends after the death of someone we love, life continues. We ultimately recover with time. Our senses are finally restored to normality.

We feel consoled with the assurance that our beloved folks once existed. And now when they no longer exits, their guidance leads us ahead. We continue moving ahead in life following their footsteps.

When Great Trees Fall Poem Paraphrase

Stanza I:

The entire forest is disturbed when enormous trees collapse to the ground. Rocks on far-away hills tremble and are sometimes dislocated due to the violent tremor on the ground. Big animals like lions crouch low in the field and elephants plod along in search of shelter.

Stanza II:

The entire forest is suddenly trapped in silence when colossal trees collapse to the ground. The loud noise caused and the tremor produced on the ground deeply scares the entire forest. Moreover, the small objects feel so afraid that it seems as if their senses are entirely collapsed.

Stanza III:

Death of our loved ones deeply affects us. We feel so depressed that it seems as if the air around us is scanty and lifeless. We find difficult to breathe smoothly as our heart is heavy with sorrow. Moreover, with grieving heart we look around with mournful eyes, barely able to see things clearly.

The memories associated with our loved ones are suddenly brightened up when they meet with unexpected death. For example, we repent recalling words unsaid or a simple walk never carried out. Such unfulfilled actions fill, us with remorse and we regret failing to fulfil the promises we once made to our beloved ones, no more alive.

Stanza IV:

The sudden death of those who were mentor like figures simply leaves us directionless. Those great souls had great impact on our daily life. We were deeply attached to them all because of their care and guidance. They developed and nurtured our minds which start collapsing soon after their death. In such a state, the world around us appears hostile and crude like that of stone ages even when our sanity is not at stake.

Stanza V:

The death of our beloved ones initially leaves us in the pool of sadness. But we ultimately recover with time no matter how slowly the process begins. Our senses are finally restored to normality and we are consoled with the avowal that our beloved ones once existed. With such consolation, we continue moving ahead in life following their footsteps.

When Great Trees Fall Poem Summary by Maya Angelou

The entire forest is at once disturbed when enormous trees collapse to the ground. Rocks on the far away hills shake violently and are sometimes dislocated due to the fierce tremor on the ground. Big animals like lions crouch low in the field and elephants plod along in search of shelter. Moreover, the small objects feel so afraid that it seems as if their senses are entirely collapsed.

Death of our loved ones too has similar effect on us. We feel so depressed that it seems as if the air around us is scanty and lifeless. We find difficult to breathe smoothly as our heart is heavy with sorrow. Moreover, with grieving heart, we look around with mournful eyes, barely able to see things clearly.

The memories associated with our loved ones are suddenly brightened up when they meet with unexpected death. For example, we repent recalling words unsaid or a simple walk never carried out. Such unfulfilled actions fill us with remorse and we regret failing to fulfill the promises we once made to our beloved ones, no more alive.

However, we often feel directionless when our mentor like figures dies. Those “great souls” leaves a great impact on our daily life. We were deeply attached to them all because of their care and guidance. They developed and nurtured our minds which start collapsing soon after their death.

In such a state, the world around us appears hostile and crude like that of stone ages, even when our sanity is not at stake. But though grief feels all-consuming initially, we ultimately recover with time. The process of healing may take time; but our senses are finally restored to normality. We feel consoled with the avowal that our beloved ones once existed. With such consolation, we continue moving ahead in life following their footsteps.

When Great Trees Fall Poem Introduction

Written in 1987 after the death of her friend and fellow writer/activist, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou’s When Great Trees Fall speaks about the way we behave, immediately after losing our beloved ones. The “great souls” who have influenced our lives are like “great trees” which shudders the entire forest when they collapse to the ground.

Similarly the death of our beloved ones deeply upset our lives. But we are eventually pacified remembering their invaluable support which helps us to continue moving ahead in life, following their footsteps. Angelou’s poem thus, ends in a note of optimism which teaches us to move onward even when grief may feel all-consuming.

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 7 The Glove and the Lions

by
Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 7 The Glove and the Lions

Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 7 The Glove and the Lions

The Glove and the Lions Poem Comprehension Questions Answers

Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
King Francis was a hearty king, and loved a royal port,
And one day as his lions fought, sat looking on the court;
The nobles filled the benches, and the ladies in their pride,
And ‘mongst them sat the Count de Lorge, with one for whom he sighed:

i. What royal sport does King Francis like? Where is the at this moment?
ii. What do you know about King Francis?
iii. Describe the ambience of the royal court.
iv. Who was Count de Lorge? Why did the king sigh seeing the Count?
Answer:
i. The royal sport which King Francis enjoys is the fight of lions. Presently the king is seen sitting with his nobles in his royal court. He is eagerly waiting for the fight to begin.

ii. Not much detail is given about King Francis. Only we get to know that the King is a generous man who loves to watch the fight of lions, considered to be a royal sport during his time. Moreover, we also get to know that the king is obsessed with the charming beauty of Count de Lorge’s lady. Hence, he sighs with frustration seeing the couple seated together.

iii. The poem opens with an electrifying ambience inside the royal court of King Francis. Count, nobles and fashionable ladies are all waiting for the royal sport of lion fighting to begin. King Francis too joins them sitting above all. In a way, the entire royal court is charged with emotions with men and women in boisterous mood.

iv. Count de Lorge is a brave man, envied by King Francis. The Count is in love with a beautiful maiden whom the King admires. Hence, the King sighs seeing the couple seated together.

Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws;
They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws;
With wallowing might and stifled roar they rolled on one another;
Till all the pit with sand and mane was in a thunderous smother;
The bloody foam above the bars came whisking through the air;
Said Francis then, “Faith, gentlemen, we’re better here than there.”

i. Describe in brief the fierce fight of the lions.
ii. What came whisking through the air? Why?
iii. Explain the figure of speech employed in the second line of the given excerpt.
iv. What did King Francis say while enjoying the fierce combat of the lions?
v. What effect does it produce on the Count de Lorge’s lady love?
Answer:
i. The furious fight of the lions begins with their dreadful roar. Their jaws are exposed menacingly, while they roar ferociously. This however lends a threatening look with monstrous smile on their faces. The lions however fiercely roll on the ground and violently strike with their paws.

Their blows are as strong as beams of lumber. The wind seems to move alongside their paws while they continue battling until the hairs on their neck blind their vision. Moreover, blood unfurls all around, carried far and wide by the wind. The spectators are simply amazed watching them battling ferociously.

ii. While the lions attack themselves with their paws, blood unfurls all around, carried far and wide by the wind. This is because of the wound in their flesh from which blood stream out like fountains, spilled far and wide by the wind.

iii. The figure of speech employed in the second line of the given excerpt is simile. A simile is a figure of speech in which a comparison is explicitly made between two different or unlike things, using the words as, like, as- so, etc. The comparison made between objects of different kinds must have at least one point in common. In the second line of the given excerpt, the blows of lions are compared to beams of lumber.

iv. While enjoying the dreadful combat of the lions, the king heaves a sigh of relief. Addressing the nobles, he says that they are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are monstrously fighting.

v. De Lorge’s lady love overhears the king’s avowal and considers it as a right moment to prove her lover’s fearless nature up before the court. She plans to throw her glove into the pit of fighting lions and urge her lover to bring it back to her. This however will ensure the royal court that the beautiful maiden is too precious for the count who can risk his life for the sake of his lady’s honour.

Question 3.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
De Lorge’s love o’erheard the King, a beauteous lively dame
With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same;
She thought, the Count my lover is brave as brave can be;
He surely would do wondrous things to show his love of me;
King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine;
I’ll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine.

i. What did De Lorge’s love overhear?
ii. Describe the appearance of De Lorge’s love?
iii. What did De Lorge’s love think of doing? Why?
iv. Why does De Lorge’s lady love fancy that the occasion is divine for her plan?
v. What does she intend to prove by her action?
vi. What wondrous thing is expected to do by De Lorge?
Answer:
i. Count De Lorge’s love overhears the king heaving a sigh of relief. De Lorge’s lady love however is amused hearing the king, proclaiming that he and his retinue are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are fighting furiously.

ii. Count De Lorge’s love is overwhelmingly beautiful. The poet says that she is a cheerful young lady with sparkling eyes and ever smiling lips which remains always the same and adds richness to her beauty.

iii. Overhearing the King’s proclamation that they are safe being away from the fighting lions, Count De Lorge’s lady love plans to show how brave is her lover. She decides to drop her glove into the pit of fighting lions expecting that the Count will retrieve it for her. This however will give her a chance to prove how lover’s fearless nature up before the court. Moreover, she also intends to prove that she is too precious for the count who can risk his life for the sake of his lady’s honour.

iv. Since the king is seated in his royal court along with the nobles and young lovers, the lady love of Count De Lorge finds it a suitable chance to prove how precious she is to her love. Hence, she plans to drop her gloves into the pit of fighting lions, expecting that the Count will retrieve it for her.

v. Through her caprice, the lady of Count De Lorge intends to prove that she is so precious to her lover that he is ready to risk his life for the sake of his lady’s honour. In fact, there is no love associated with such caprice of the lady that is so risky indeed. The lady however is proud of her beauty and is under delusion that her lover can even stake his life to please her. Hence, she devises such a dangerous plan which, according to the king, establishes her “vanity”.

vi. Count De Lorge’s lady love expects that her lover will simply awe the spectators by retrieving her glove from the pit of fighting lions. In fact, with such deep assurance from her heart, the lady drops her glove in the pit of fighting lions.

Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
She dropped her glove, to prove his love, then looked at him and smiled;
He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild:
The leap was quick, return was quick, he has regained his place,
Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady’s face.
“By God!” said Francis, “rightly done!” and he rose from where he sat:
“No love,” quoth he, “but vanity, sets love a task like that.”

i. Why did the lady look at the Count with smiling face? What does it indicate of her?
ii. How did the Count react when the lady looked at him?
iii. What did the Count do after retrieving the glove?
iv. Why does King Francis approve of the Count’s action?
vi. Do you think that it is the arrogance of the Count which is established when he throws the glove at his lady’s face?
Answer:
i. After she drops her glove into the pit of the fighting lions, Count De Lorge’s lady love turns towards him with a smile on her face. This however indicates the overconfidence of the lady who thinks that retrieving the glove is just natural for the Count as he loves her.

ii. Like a chivalrous hero, Count de Lorge jumps into the pit of fighting lions soon as the lady turns towards him. The movement was so swift that the lions failed to harm the Count as he returns quickly with the lady’s gloves.

iii. Immediately after retrieving the glove of his lady love, the count takes his seat. He then throws the glove right on his beloved’s face and leaves the court at once.

iv. King Francis could well realise that it is the pride of the Count’s lady love which provoked her into risking the Count’s life. No women would ever allow her lover to jump into the pit of fighting lions and retrieve her gloves. The Count’s lady love simply throws her glove just to prove how valuable she is to her lover that he can stake his life for her. The king thus rightly supports the Count as the lady deserves her glove to be thrown at her face all because of her “vanity”.

v. It is in fact the anger of the Count which is established when he throws the glove right on his lady’s face. The lady however is proud of her beauty and is under delusion that her lover can even stake his life to win her heart. Such notion of the lady is shattered once the Count throws the glove right on his lady’s face instead of giving her gently.

The Glove and the Lions Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1.
What kind of King is Francis?
a. despotic
b. philanthropic
c. hearty
d. lusty
Answer:
c. hearty

Question 2.
Why the King is envious of Count de Lorge?
a. because he is handsome
b. because the Count is in love with a girl whom the King likes
c. because the Count is more heroic than the king
d. because the Count is liked by the King’s nobles
Answer:
b. because the Count is in love with a girl whom the King likes

Question 3.
Which royal sport does the King enjoy watching?
a. golf
b. chess
c. lion fighting
d. horse racing
Answer:
c. lion fighting

Question 4.
What came whisking through the air when the lions were fighting ferociously?
a. blood
b. sweat
c. spray of water
d. the enthusiastic cheer of the nobles watching the game
Answer:
a. blood

Question 5.
How did the king react while watching the game?
a. he cried with joy
b. he heaved a sigh of relief being far away from the pit of lions
c. he encouraged the lions to continue fighting
d. he felt scared and left the court
Answer:
b. he heaved a sigh of relief being far away from the pit of lions

Question 5.
What did Count de Lorge’s beloved overhear?
a. She overheard the king heaving a sigh of relief for being far away from the pit of lions
b. She overheard the King cheering up the lions
c. she overheard the King asking the nobles to stop the royal game
d. she overheard the king sighing for her
Answer:
a. She overheard the king heaving a sigh of relief for being far away from the pit of lions

Question 6.
What did the Count’s beloved throw into the pit of fighting lions?
a. hat
b. glove
c. handkerchief
d. stick
Answer:
b. glove

Question 7.
What is the reason behind her dangerous caprice?
a. to establish the valour of the Count
b. to establish the fact that the king is coward
c. to prove how desperately the Count loves her
d. No specific reason
Answer:
a. to establish the valour of the Count

Question 8.
What did the Count do after retrieving the glove?
a. He gently hands it over to his beloved
b. he gave it to the King
c. he threw it right on the face of his beloved
d. he kept it with himself
Answer:
c. he threw it right on the face of his beloved

Question 9.
Why did the Count react unexpectedly after retrieving the glove?
a. to surprise his lady love
b. to surprise the royal court
c. because he was angry
d. because the king sighed for his lady love
Answer:
c. because he was angry

Question 10.
Why did the king support the count?
a. because he wanted to take revenge against the lady
b. because the lady paid no attention to the king
c. because the king realised that the lady has no love for the Count
d. because the vanity of the lady is well answered by the Count
Answer:
c. because the king realised that the lady has no love for the Count

The Glove and the Lions Poem Annotations with Comments

Stanza I:

Hearty: cheerful
Royal: imperial
Royal sport: refers to the lion flighting that the king enjoys watching
Nobles: aristocrats
Ladies…pride: proud women. These women are proud because of their beauty and noble birth
‘mongst: among/amidst
Sighed: deep audible breath expressing sadness
He sighed: the king is obsessed with Count de Lorge’s beloved. Hence he sighs seeing the couple seated together
Gallant: chivalrous
Crowning: majestic
Valour: courage
royal beasts: refers to ferocious lions

Stanza II:

Ramped: rush about uncontrollably
Roared: refers to the roaring of the lions
Horrid: dreadful
Glared: look fiercely
gave blows like beams: the blows of lions are compared to beams of lumber.
wind went with their paws: wind seems to move alongside their paws.
wallowing: rolling from side to side
stifled: suppressed
mane: a growth of long hair on the neck of a lion
smother: cover
foam: bubbles
whisking: flying
here: on the benches where the king and his retinue are watching the fierce fight of lions.
there: the place where the lions are fighting

Stanza III:

Love: lady love
Beauteous: beautiful
Lively: energetic
Dame: lady
Wondrous: miraculous
occasion is divine: the occasion was right to show everyone how valorous is her lover De Lorge
drop my glove: drop her glove into the pit of fighting lions
glory: fame
glory will be mine: risking the life of her lover, she intends to earn fame.

Comment:

glory will be mine: This shows that the lady has no love for the Count. Instead, she is prone to establish that she is invaluable to her lover who can even risk his life to win her heart. That’s the reason she decides to throw her glove into the pit of fighting lions so that the count retrieves it. This will gives her a chance to prove how precious she is to her lover.

Stanza IV:

dropped her glove: she dropped her gloves into the pit of fighting lions
prove his love: to prove how valiant is De Lorge
bowed: a typical chivalric gesture
leaped: jumped
regained: get back to
not with love: his love for his beloved doesn’t provoke him to retrieves her gloves. He was annoyed instead for taking such risk
threw the gloves….lady’s face: This shows his anger because his lady love staked his life to show the royal court how precious she is to DeLorge
rightly done: the king approves of De Lorge’s action.
Vanity: pride
No Iove….Iike that: the king realises that it is the lady’s pride which provoked her to stake De Lorge’s life.

The Glove and the Lions Poem Paraphrase

Stanza I:

A noble king named Francis and his retinue are ready to enjoy the imperial sport of lions fighting. Before the fight begins, the king eyes on Count de Lorge, a noble in his royal court. The king however is obsessed with de Lorge’s beautiful lady love. Hence, he sighs seeing them together. The electrifying ambiance all around is felt when valiant men, charged with emotions are seated together and the king above them, looks down to watch the beasts begin their fight.

Stanza II:

the lions pounce on each other with dreadful roar. Their jaws are exposed menacingly, which lends a threatening look with monstrous smile on their faces. They fiercely roll on the ground and violently strike with their paws. The blows however are as strong as beams of lumber. The wind seems to move alongside their paws and they continue battling until the hairs on their neck blind their vision.

Moreover, blood unfurls all around, carried far and wide by the wind. The king watching the fierce combat, heaves a sigh of relief. Addressing the nobles, he says that they are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are monstrously fighting.

Stanza III:

De Lorge’s lady love overhears the king’s avowal. Proud of her scintillating beauty, she intends to prove her lover’s fearless nature up before the court. She is in fact well assured that De Lorge can risk his life to prove his love. After all lady is phenomenally beautiful with bright sparkling eyes and ever smiling lips. The milieu gives her a chance to prove how precious she is to her love. Hence, she drops her glove into the pit of fighting lions.

Stanza IV:

With a smile on her face, de Lorge’s beloved turns towards him. Like a chivalrous hero, de Lorge jumps into the pit of fighting lions and quickly retrieves the glove. Regaining his seat, he throws the glove right on his beloved’s face and leaves the court at once. The king watching them says that it is the lady’s pride which provoked her to stake De Lorge’s life. Obsessed with her beauty, the lady intends to prove how precious she is to her love.

The Glove and the Lions Poem Summary by Leigh Haunt

King Francis and his retinue are all ready to enjoy the imperial sport of lions fighting. Before the fight begins, the king eyes on Count de Lorge, a noble in his royal court. The king however is obsessed with de Lorge’s beautiful lady love. Hence, he sighs seeing them together. The electrifying ambience all around is felt when valiant men, charged with emotions are seated together with beautiful ladies and the king above them, looks down to watch the beasts begin their fight.

The fight begins. The lions pounce on each other with dreadful roar. Their jaws are exposed menacingly, which lends a threatening look with monstrous smile on their faces. They fiercely roll on the ground and violently strike with their paws. Stream of blood gushes out from their wounds, unfurls all around and are carried far and wide by the wind.

The lions however continue battling until the hairs on their neck blind their vision. In fact the battle seems so dreadful that the watching the fierce combat heaves a sigh of relief. Addressing the nobles, he says that they are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are monstrously fighting.

De Lorge’s lady love overhears the king’s avowal. Proud of her scintillating beauty, she intends to prove her lover’s fearless nature up before the court. She is in fact well assured from her heart that De Lorge will risk his life to prove his love. After all lady is phenomenally beautiful with bright sparkling eyes and ever smiling lips. The milieu gives her a chance to prove how precious she is to her love. Hence, she drops her glove into the pit of fighting lions and turns towards the Count.

Like a chivalrous hero, Count de Lorge jumps into the pit of fighting lions. His swift movement gives no chance to the lions to harm him. Hence, the Count safely gets back. But, instead of returning the glove as a gesture of love, he throws it on his beloved’s face and leaves the court at once. The king watching them says that it is the lady’s pride which provoked her to stake De Lorge’s life. Obsessed with her beauty, the lady intends to prove how precious she is to her love. Her caprice indeed is unpardonable.

The Glove and the Lions Poem Introduction

First published in The New Monthly Magazine (1836), Leigh Hunt’s “The Glove and the Lions” shows how often pride eats away one’s rationality. Count de Lorge’s beautiful lady love stakes her lover’s life to prove how precious she is to the Count. But, ultimately her plan backfires.

Count de Lorge demeans his lady love up before the royal court. The glove which the lady throws into the pit of fighting lions is retrieved by the Count but; thrown at her face. This reveals his anger all because of his lady’s caprice.

Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers