The Power of Music Poem Questions and Answers & MCQs
Read the extracts and answer the following questions
Question 1.
He sings as though he’s staked his life, he sings as though he’s hell-bent
a. Who is ‘he’ referred to in the above extract? When does he sing?
b. How far is his ‘strain’ carried and why?
c. What is the meaning of ‘hell-bent’? Explain the above two lines?
d. What do the people do when they hear his songs?
Answers:
a. ‘He’ is referred to Bhisma Lochan Sharma the main character of the poem. He sings when the summer season comes.
b. His ‘strain’ of song is so raucous that it can be heard on the hill and the plain. The poet says that he sings in such a shrill and violent manner that it is carried from Delhi to Burma.
c. ‘Hell-bent’ means very stubborn and determined to do something. Bhisma lochan Sharma continues to sing his song as if he has put his life to stake or risked his life. He also sings as if he is determined to sing regardless of what might happen.
d. When the people hear his song, they start leaving in shock. Though they know that he is singing with good intentions yet the shrillness of his voice makes them run and they as a result become weak, sickly and pale. They run frantically and so some of them are also crushed. At last they have nothing to do other than to plead or request him to stop his singing because the song becomes unbearable to them.
Question 2.
But Bhisma Lochan, unconcerned, goes Booming out his broadside
a. Name the poem and the poet of the above extract.
b. Who is Bhisma Lochan? What does the poet mean by ‘booming out his broadside’?
c. What concerns should Bhisma Lochan have according to the poet?
d. What does the word ‘unconcerned’ tell just about Bhisma Lochan?
Answers:
a. The name of the poem is ‘The Power Of Music’ and the poet’s name is Sukuiriar Ray.
b. Bhisma Lochan is the main character of the poem who sings songs in the summer season.‘Booming out his broadside’ means that Bhisma Lochan is singing too loudly which sounds harsh for the others.
c. According to the poet, Bhisma Lochan should be concerned about the other people who are around him. He should not disturb them with his rough, harsh voice, which makes all the people to run everywhere resulting in chaos.
d. The word ‘unconcerned’ tells us that Bhisma Lochan is least bothered about others and doesn’t care of what impact his singing has on others. The people get disturbed and Bhisma Lochan’s song bothers them too much but that doesn’t make any difference to Bhisma Lochan. He is concerned with his own pleasure.
Question 3.
They whine and stare with feet in air or wonder Quite confounded.
a. Who is ‘they’ referred to in the above extract?
b. What do they do and why?
c. How do the fishes behave?
d. How do the birds and the people behave or react?
Answers:
a. ‘They’ is referred to the horses that line and stand on the roadside in the above extract.
b. The moment the horses hear the sound of the song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma which seem to be like a blare to them, they with a feeling of resentment whine and stare with their forelegs up in the air and look around in a confused manner. Most probably they look confused because they can’t understand what the sound is of and also because they can’t tolerate the ‘blare.’
c. The fishes seem to dive below the water in search of silence. To avoid the harshness of Bhisma Lochan sharma’s song they dive below the lake so that they can find peace there.
d. The birds in the sky seem to be disturbed by the noise of Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s singing. So they lose control on their wings and turn like turtles. The people run about madly and in panic. They are shocked to listen to his song. While running many people are trampled and they become pale, weak and sickly. The people grumble and request him for silence when it becomes untolerable for them.
Question 4.
He downs his horns and charges straight, with below answering bellow.
a. Who is ‘he’ referred to in the above extract referred to?
b. Why does ‘he’ charge straight?
c. Explain the second line of the extract.
d. What happens as a result?
Answers:
a. ‘He’ is referred to a Billy Goat in the above extract.
b. He charges straight in the anger to pit an end to the untolerable singing of Bhisma Lochan Sharma.
c. The second line that is bellow answering bellow means the goat to answers Bhisma Lochan’s singing bellows by his own bellows that is by his own way of charging straight in anger. In other words he has replied Bhisma Lochan in the same way or action that he does.
d. As a result, of the charging of the Billy Goat, Bhisma Lochan Shrmaa finally falls to the ground and there is silence every where.
Question 5.
And Bhisma Lochan grants the world the golden gift of silence.
a. What happens to the trees, sky and the mansion as a result of Bhisma Lochan’s singing?
b. What happens to bullock cart and the fishes?
c. What does the “golden gift of silence” mean?
d. Which two instances in the poem are the funniest according to you?
Answers:
a. The tall trees start shaking all of a sudden and are uprooted-the sound of which can be heard till the distance of a mile. The sky itself seems to cry upon listening to his voice and the tall buildings seem to shake and may collapse any moment.
b. The bullock carts are overturned and the fishes swim deep down inside the lake to save themselves from the harsh pain of Bhisma Lochan’s singing.
c. Bhisma Lochan Sharma has been disturbing the people, animals, birds, trees, everyone with his song. ie being requested to stop his song, doesn’t even pay heed to it. At last the billy goat charges him with his horns and he falls to the ground. With this, his harsh song also comes to an end. Thus the world has been gifted with silence.
d. The two instances that are finniest according to me are:
- When people request Bhisma Lochan Sharma to stop singing as they can’t tolerate his songs.
- At the end, when the goat chases and hits Bhisma Lochan Sharma.
Treasure Chest A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers