Important SAQ
WBCHSE – CLASS-XII
Important 21 Sets
SET – I
2.
PROSE
(i) What did Mrs. Jones advise Roger at the end of the story ‘Thank You Ma’am’?
👉At the end of the story ‘Thank You Ma’am’ Mrs. Jones advised Roger to behave himself.
(ii) How did the girl describe the narrator?
👉The girl in the story ‘The Eyes Have It’ described the narrator as a very gallant young man, but he was very serious.
(iii) How was the ancestral house of Kalam?
OR
Describe the ancestral house of Kalam.
👉The ancestral house of Kalam was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick, on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
(iv) How did the Tsar meet the hermit?
👉Putting on simple clothes and leaving his bodyguard behind, the Tsar went alone to meet the hermit.
(v) Why did the Tsar put on simple clothes before meeting the hermit?
👉Before meeting the hermit, the Tsar put on simple clothes because the hermit received none but common folk.
(vi) What did Mrs. Jones ask the boy to pick up?
👉Mrs. Jones asked the boy to pick up her large purse.
(vii) What does Kalam’s father say about the relevance of prayer?
👉Kalam’s father says that there is nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather prayer makes possible a communion of the spirit between people.
(viii) What remark did the narrator make about the people with good eyesight?
👉The narrator remarked that people with good eyesight often fail to see what is right in front of them.
POETRY
(ix) What gives life to the poet’s friend in Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 18?
👉The sonnet written in praise of his friend’s beauty gives life to the poet’s friend in Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 18.
(x) Why is the soldier pale?
👉The soldier is pale because he is dead.
(xi) What is heard from the stove in ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉The shrill song of the Cricket is heard from the stove in ‘The Poetry of Earth’.
(xii) How long will the young man be remembered in Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 18?
👉In Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 18 the young man will be remembered as long as people read this sonnet.
(xiii) Which part of the tree is the most sensitive, white and wet?
👉The root of the tree is the most sensitive, white and wet.
(xiv) Where and how does the Grasshopper rest?
👉The Grasshopper rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
(xv) How does the poet bring out the innocence of the soldier in ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉In ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the poet brings out the innocence of the soldier through his smile retaining on his face.
(xvi) What causes the bark of the tree to bleed?
👉The act of hacking and chopping causes the bark of the tree to bleed.
——————
SET – II
2.
PROSE
(i) Why was the girl in ‘The Eyes Have It’ startled at the voice of the narrator?
👉In Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes Have It’ the girl was startled at the voice of the narrator because she didn’t know anyone else had been in the compartment.
(ii) What was the girl tired of?
👉The girl was tired of people telling her she had a pretty face.
(iii) Where was Kalam’s ancestral house situated?
👉Kalam’s ancestral house was situated on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
(iv) What, according to Kalam, did his father possess?
👉According to Kalam, his father possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.
(v) What would Mrs. Jones teach Roger?
👉Mrs. Jones would teach Roger right from wrong.
(vi) What did Mrs. Jones heat?
👉Mrs. Jones heated some lima beans and ham she had in the ice-box.
(vii) Why did the Tsar go out into porch?
👉The Tsar went out into porch to look for the hermit to ask the right answer of his three questions for the last time.
(viii) What did the bearded man ask the Tsar in the next morning?
👉In the next morning the bearded man asked forgiveness from the Tsar.
POETRY
(ix) What are miniature boughs?
👉’Miniature boughs’ are very small twigs of the tree.
(x) What is the source of the tree?
👉The root is the source of the tree.
(xi) How is the bed of the soldier in ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉In Rimbaud’s poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the bed of the soldier is warm, green and sun-soaked.
(xii) What is meant by the phrase ‘sun-soaked’?
👉By the phrase ‘sun-soaked’ the poet means something fully lit by the sun.
(xiii) What shall death not brag of?
👉Death shall not brag of poetry written in praise of the poet’s young male friend’s beauty.
(xiv) What do the rough winds do in summer?
👉In summer the rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.
(xv) When does the Cricket shrill?
👉The Cricket shrills from behind the fireplace when on a lone winter evening the frost has wrought a silence everywhere.
(xvi) When does the Grasshopper rest?
👉When tired out with fun, the Grasshopper rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
——————–
SET – III
2.
PROSE
(i) What could Roger manage to say before Mrs. Jones shut the door?
👉Before Mrs. Jones shut the door, Roger could manage to say ‘Thank you’.
(ii) In which station did the girl get into the train?
👉The girl got into the train at Rohana station.
(iii) What was the name of Kalam’s mother?
👉The name of Kalam’s mother was Ashiamma.
(iv) Where did the hermit live?
👉The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted.
(v) What was the third question of the Tsar?
👉The third question of the Tsar was– “What is the most important thing to do?”
(vi) What was the full name of Mrs. Jones?
👉The full name of Mrs. Jones was Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.
(vii) When did Kalam’s father generally wake up from bed?
👉Kalam’s father generally woke up from bed at 4 a.m.
(viii) What is the problem with people without eyesight?
👉People without eyesight have to take in only the essentials, whatever registers most tellingly on their remaining senses.
POETRY
(ix) Whose gold complexion is often dimmed?
👉In summer the sun’s gold complexion is often dimmed.
(x) With whom is the soldier’s smile compared?
👉The soldier’s smile is compared with that of an infant’s–gentle, without guile.
(xi) What does the phrase ‘new mown’ mean?
👉The phrase ‘new mown’ means ‘freshly cut’.
(xii) What has the poet meant by ‘summer’s lease’?
👉By ‘summer’s lease’ the poet has meant the short duration of summer.
(xiii) Where will green twigs rise from?
👉The curled green twigs will rise from the part of the chopped tree close to the ground.
(xiv) Why is the source of tree white and wet?
👉The source of the tree, the root is white because it always remains hidden inside the earth without getting sunlight, and it is wet because inside the earth it always remains absorbed in watery nutrients.
(xv) How does the poet describe the soldier’s bed?
👉The poet describes the soldier’s bed as a warm, green and sun-soaked bed.
(xvi) What happens to the birds in summer?
👉In summer the birds are faint with the hot sun.
———————
SET – IV
2.
PROSE
(i) How did the writer know that his co-passenger girl in the train wearing chappals?
👉The writer knew that his co-passenger girl in the train wearing chappals because from the way they (her slippers) slapped against her heels.
(ii) What was a ‘safe remark’?
👉A ‘safe remark’ made by the narrator about the girl’s face was she had an interesting face.
(iii) How do the distress try to propitiate the demonic forces?
👉The distress tried to propitiate the demonic forces with their prayers and offerings.
(iv) In which century was Kalam’s ancestral house built?
👉Kalam’s ancestral house was built in the middle of the nineteenth century.
(v) What made Roger fall on the sidewalk while trying to steal?
👉While trying to seal Roger fell on the sidewalk because the boy’s weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him to lose his balance.
(vi) What did Roger offer to buy from a shop?
👉Roger offered to buy from a shop some milk or something.
(vii) Who wounded the man who came to kill the Tsar?
👉The Tsar’s bodyguard wounded the man who came to kill the Tsar.
(viii) Why was the Tsar asked to consult magicians?
👉The Tsar was asked to consult magicians to know the right time to begin everything.
POETRY
(ix) What cannot kill the tree?
👉Mere hacking and chopping cannot kill the tree.
OR
A simple jab of the knife cannot kill the tree.
(x) “And then it is done.” What is done?
👉The complete destruction of the tree is done.
(xi) What reveals that the soldier is dead?
👉The discovery of the two bullet wounds in the side of the soldier reveals that the soldier is dead.
(xii) What stream from the mountaintop?
👉The sun’s rays stream from the mountaintop.
(xiii) What is untrimmed?
👉Nature’s changing course is untrimmed.
(xiv) Whose ‘gold complexion’ is referred to by Shakespeare?
👉The all important sun’s ‘gold complexion’ is referred to by Shakespeare.
(xv) Who takes up over the summer scene when the birds rest?
👉In summer when the birds are faint with the hot sun and hide in cooling trees and take rest, the Grasshopper takes up over the summer scene.
(xvi) What is wrought by the frost in winter?
👉An environment of silence is wrought by the frost in winter.
———————–
SET – V
2.
PROSE
(i) Where was the girl getting off from the train?
👉The girl was getting off at Saharanpur where her aunt was meeting her.
(ii) Why was the hermit famous?
👉The hermit was widely famous for his wisdom.
(iii) How did Mrs. Jones try to transform Roger?
👉Mrs. Jones tried to transform Roger by showing her love, affection and sympathy to him as a mother shows to her child.
(iv) What type of man was Kalam’s father?
👉Kalam’s father was a heeler and a philanthropic man who always wanted well-being of his neighbours.
OR
Kalam’s father was a very austere man.
(v) What was the menu of lunch for Kalam everyday?
👉The menu of lunch for Kalam everyday was rice and aromatic sambar, a variety of sharp, homemade pickle and a dollop of fresh coconut chutney.
(vi) How did Roger look?
👉Roger looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild boy.
(vii) What did the narrator come to know about the girl finally?
👉Finally at the end of the story the narrator came to know that though the girl had beautiful eyes, they were of no use to her because she was completely blind.
(viii) What was the season as mentioned in the story ‘Three Questions’?
👉The season as mentioned in the story ‘Three Questions’ was summer.
POETRY
(ix) Why is felling trees almost ceremonial?
👉Now-a-days felling trees is almost ceremonial because some dishonest businessmen have started cutting trees deliberately.
(x) What do you mean by ‘miniature boughs’?
👉By ‘miniature boughs’ the poet means the very small branches or twigs of the tree.
(xi) Where does the stream flow slowly?
👉The stream flows slowly through the valley leaving a long strands of silver on the bright grass.
(xii) What do you mean by ‘two red holes’?
👉By ‘two red holes’ the poet actual means ‘two bullets wounds’ visible on the side of the soldier’s body. Actually the soldier is dead.
(xiii) What does the Grasshopper symbolize in Keats’s poem?
👉In Keats’s poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’ the Grasshopper symbolizes the season of summer.
(xiv) How is silence brought in winter?
👉Silence is brought in winter by frost.
OR
Frost has brought silence in winter.
(xv) Point out the rhyme-scheme of Sonnet No. 18?
👉The rhyme-scheme of Sonnet No. 18 is abab cdcd efef gg.
(xvi) How is the beauty of summer often spoiled?
👉The beauty of summer is often spoiled by the thin layer of clouds over the sun.
———————
SET – VI
2.
PROSE
(i) Why was the girl startled at the voice of the narrator?
👉The girl was startled at the voice of the narrator because she had not known anyone else had been in the compartment.
(ii) When was the ancestral house of Kalam built?
👉The ancestral house of Kalam was built in the middle of the nineteenth century.
(iii) What would the lady like to teach the boy?
👉The lady would like to teach the boy right from wrong.
(iv) Why did the Tsar decide to go to the hermit?
👉The Tsar decided to go to the hermit to get the right answer of his three questions.
(v) Why did the bearded man ask for the Tsar’s forgiveness?
👉The bearded man wanted to kill the Tsar, but the Tsar saved his life. So he was repentant and asked for the Tsar’s forgiveness.
(vi) How much money did Mrs. Jones give to Roger?
👉At the end of the story ‘Thank You Ma’am’ Mrs. Jones gave ten dollars to Roger.
(vii) What made Rameswaram so famous?
👉The Shiva Temple made Rameswaram so famous to pilgrims.
(viii) Where did the girl say she was getting off?
👉The girl said she was getting off at Saharanpur.
POETRY
(ix) How is the strength of the tree exposed?
👉The strength of the tree is exposed when the root of the tree is pulled out entirely.
(x) Who is asked to keep the soldier warm?
👉Nature is asked to keep the soldier warm.
(xi) “And often is his gold complexion dimmed” Whose ‘gold complexion’ is often dimmed?
👉In summer the sun’s ‘gold complexion’ is often dimmed.
(xii) Who has never done with his delights?
👉In Keats’s poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’ the Grasshopper, the poet of summer, has never done with his delights.
(xiii) What will sprout from the tree’s ‘leprous hide’?
👉Leaves will sprout from the tree’s ‘leprous hide’.
(xiv) What fills the hollow full of light?
👉The sun’s rays fill the hollow full of light.
(xv) What is meant by the phrase ‘summer’s lease’?
👉By the phrase ‘summer’s lease’ the poet means the short duration of summer.
(xvi) Who has wrought silence?
👉Frost has wrought silence.
———————–
SET – VII
2.
PROSE
(i) “That always happens” What always happens?
👉Standing still in the train, seeming the trees moving always happens.
(ii) Who was the high priest of Rameswaram temple?
👉Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, a very close friend of Dr Kalam’s father, was the high priest of Rameswaram temple.
(iii) How was Mrs. Jones’s appearance?
👉Mrs. Jones was a large woman.
(iv) Who went with the Tsar to the woods?
👉No one went with the Tsar to the woods. The Tsar went alone to meet the hermit.
(v) Why was Roger unfed?
👉Roger was unfed because there was nobody in his home.
(vi) What was the third question of the Tsar?
👉The third question of the Tsar was– “What is the most important thing to do?”
(vii) When would Kalam’s father have his breakfast?
👉After returning from his small coconut grove, Kalam’s father would have his breakfast.
(viii) When do the hills look lovely, according to Ruskin Bond?
👉According to Ruskin Bond, the hills look lovely in October.
POETRY
(ix) Where are the feet of the dead soldier?
👉The feet of the dead soldier are among the flowers in the valley.
(x) What shall death not brag?
👉Death shall not brag over poetry written in praise of the poet’s young male friend’s beauty.
(xi) How does the stream look like in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉In the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the stream looks like a long strands of silver.
(xii) “And then it is done.” What act is referred to here?
👉The act of complete destruction of the tree is referred to here.
(xiii) Why is the root white?
👉The root of the tree is white because it always remains hidden inside the earth without exposing to sunlight.
(xiv) What does the poet say about the poetry of earth?
👉The poet says that the poetry of earth is never dead. It is a continuous celebration through the cycle of seasons.
(xv) What does Shakespeare compare his friend to?
👉Shakespeare compares his friend to a summer’s day.
(xvi) What does the person ‘half-lost in drowsiness’ imagine?
👉The person ‘half-lost in drowsiness’ imagines the Cricket’s song as the Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills.
———————
SET – VIII
2.
PROSE
(i) Where did Luella Bates take the boy in ‘Thank You Ma’am’?
👉In ‘Thank You Ma’am’ Mrs Luella Bates Washington Jones took the boy to her large kitchenette furnished room.
(ii) How was the house of APJ Abdul Kalam?
👉The house of APJ Abdul Kalam was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick, on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
(iii) What did the narrator want to know about the girl’s hair?
👉The narrator wanted to know about the girl’s hairstyle if she kept her hair long or short.
(iv) Why did Roger want to snatch the purse of Mrs. Jones?
👉Roger wanted to snatch the purse of Mrs. Jones because he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. So he needed money.
OR
Roger wanted to snatch the purse of Mrs. Jones because he needed money to buy a pair of blue suede shoes.
(v) Who was the priest of the Shiva temple in ‘Strong Roots’?
👉Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, a very close friend of Kalam’s father, was the priest of the Shiva temple in ‘Strong Roots’.
(vi) How did the Tsar help the hermit?
👉The Tsar helped the hermit by digging the ground for him.
(vii) Who would receive the girl at the destination?
👉Her aunt would receive the girl at the destination.
(viii) How was the hermit’s appearance?
👉The hermit was frail and weak.
POETRY
(ix) What kind of task is to kill a tree?
👉To kill a tree is not an easy task.
(x) “And then it is done.” What act is referred to here?
👉The act of complete destruction of the tree is referred to here.
(xi) Where are the feet of the soldier in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉In the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the feet of the soldier are among the flowers in the valley.
(xii) How is the soldier sleeping in the valley?
👉In the valley the soldier is sleeping peacefully in warm sunlight, open-mouthed with one hand on his breast.
(xiii) What does the phrase ‘eye of heaven’ refer to in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18?
👉In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 the phrase ‘eye of heaven’ refers to the all important sun.
(xiv) Why is the gold complexion of the sun sometimes dimmed?
👉The gold complexion of the sun is sometimes dimmed because of the thin layer of clouds over the sun.
(xv) Who wrote the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉The poet of beauty John Keats wrote the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’.
(xvi) Why are the birds faint in summer?
👉The birds are faint with the hot sun in summer.
———————
SET – IX
2.
PROSE
(i) When did people come to thank Kalam’s father?
👉After being cured, people come to thank Kalam’s father.
(ii) Why does the Tsar take the spade from the hermit?
👉The Tsar took the spade from the hermit to help him in digging the ground.
(iii) At what time did Mrs. Jones meet Roger?
👉Mrs. Jones met Roger at about eleven o’clock at night.
(iv) How many coconuts did Kalam’s father bring from the grove?
👉Kalam’s father brought about a dozen coconuts tied together thrown over his shoulder from the grove.
(v) What seemed to be tantalising to the narrator?
👉The perfume from the girl’s hair seemed to be tantalising to the narrator.
(vi) Why did the Tsar want to know the answer of his questions?
👉The Tsar wanted to know the answer of his questions because he wanted to be successful in anything he might undertake.
(vii) What, according to Mrs. Jones, would shoes obtained by devilish like mean curse?
👉According to Mrs. Jones, shoes obtained by devilish like would mean curse because it would be obtained by wrong doing.
(viii) “Have you noticed,” I ventured. Who is the speaker?
👉The narrator of the story ‘The Eyes Have It’ is the speaker of the above mentioned line.
POETRY
(ix) Why does it take so much time to kill a tree?
👉It takes so much time to kill a tree because it has grown slowly consuming the earth, and thus it has become strong.
(x) What do the ‘two red holes’ indicate?
👉The ‘two red holes’ actually indicate the ‘two bullet wounds’ visible on the side of the soldier’s body.
(xi) How did the birds avoid the hot sun?
👉The birds avoided the hot sun by hiding in cooling trees.
(xii) “Miniature boughs” What does the word ‘boughs’ mean?
👉The word ‘boughs’ means ‘branches’.
(xiii) What is the rhyme-scheme of Sonnet 18?
👉The rhyme-scheme of Sonnet 18 is abab cdcd efef gg.
(xiv) What type of sonnet is ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉Keats’s ‘The Poetry of Earth’ is an Italian or a Petrarchan sonnet.
(xv) What message is revealed through the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉The message revealed through the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ is the futility of war.
(xvi) To whom is Sonnet 18 addressed?
👉Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 is addressed to his young male friend, probably the Earl of Southampton Mr William Herbert.
——————–
SET – X
2.
PROSE
(i) Where did Mrs. Jones work?
👉Mrs. Jones worked in a hotel beauty shop.
(ii) What was the girl tired of in ‘The Eyes Have It’?
👉In Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes Have It’ the girl was tired of people telling her that she had a pretty face.
(iii) What shoes did Roger put on?
👉Roger put on tennis shoes.
(iv) “That always happens” What always happens?
👉Standing still in the train, seeming the trees moving always happens.
(v) According to Kalam, what power shapes our life?
👉According to Kalam, divine power shapes our life.
(vi) What does prayer make possible?
👉Prayer makes possible a communion of the spirit between people.
(vii) Why did the Tsar go out into the porch?
👉The Tsar went out into the porch to look for the hermit.
(viii) Whom did the bearded man escape from?
👉The bearded man escaped from the Tsar’s bodyguard.
POETRY
(ix) How is the gold complexion of the sun dimmed?
👉The gold complexion of the sun is dimmed when there is a thin layer of clouds over the sun.
(x) Where are the feet of the soldier?
👉The feet of the soldier are among the flowers in the valley.
(xi) What is meant by ‘summer’s lease’?
👉By ‘summer’s lease’ the poet means the short duration of summer.
(xii) “___he takes the lead” Who is ‘he’?
👉Here ‘he’ is the Grasshopper, the poet of summer in Keats’s sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’.
(xiii) What are ‘grassy hills’?
👉’Grassy hills’ are the hills covered with green grass.
(xiv) “He may catch cold.” Why does the poet fear so?
👉The poet fears so because the soldier is dead.
(xv) What will rise from close to the ground?
👉Curled green twigs will rise from close to the ground.
(xvi) “But this alone won’t do it.” What is meant by ‘this’?
👉By ‘this’ the poet means the act of hacking and chopping of the tree.
——————
SET – XI
2.
PROSE
(i) Where did the hermit live?
👉The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted.
(ii) How was the bearded man injured?
👉The bearded man was injured by the Tsar’s bodyguard.
(iii) Where did Mrs. Jones release Roger?
👉Mrs. Jones released Roger in the middle of her room.
(iv) How did Roger fall?
👉While taking off full blast with the purse, Roger could not balance with the weight of the purse and fell on his back on the sidewalk.
(v) Why could not APJ Abdul Kalam understand the prayer in his childhood?
👉APJ Abdul Kalam could not understand the prayer in his childhood because the prayer was chanted in Arabic.
(vi) What happens when one prays?
👉When one prays, he or she transcends his or her body and becomes a part of the cosmos, which knows no division of wealth, age, caste or creed.
(vii) What is the best time in the hills, according to the narrator?
👉According to the narrator, October is the best time in the hills.
(viii) Who was to receive the girl at Saharanpur?
👉The girl’s aunt was to receive the girl at Saharanpur.
POETRY
(ix) Why are the birds faint?
👉The birds are faint with the hot sun in summer.
(x) How does Keats describe the winter evening?
👉Keats in his sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’ describes the winter evening as a lone winter evening when frost has wrought a silence everywhere.
(xi) What is meant by ‘summer’s lease’?
👉By ‘summer’s lease’ the poet means the short duration of summer.
(xii) How does the beauty decline?
👉The beauty declines by chance or nature’s changing course untrimmed.
(xiii) What does the poet request Nature?
👉The poet requests Nature to keep the soldier warm because he may catch cold.
(xiv) What do the sunrays do?
👉The sunrays, streaming from the mountaintop, fill the hollow i.e. valley full of light.
(xv) What are ‘miniature boughs’?
👉’Miniature boughs’ are very small branches of the tree.
(xvi) How is the root to be pulled out?
👉The root of the tree is to be pulled out by roping it tied and then by pulling out, snapping out and pulling out entirely out from the earth-cave.
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SET – XII
2.
PROSE
(i) What did the narrator dare to say to the girl?
👉The narrator dared to say to the girl that she had an interesting face.
(ii) What puzzled the new traveller in the train?
👉The narrator’s asking about the girl’s hairstyle puzzled the new traveller in the train.
(iii) Where would Kalam go to pray to God?
👉Kalam would go for evening prayers with his father to a very old mosque in their locality to pray to God.
(iv) Who was Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry?
👉Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, a very close friend of Kalam’s father, was the high priest of Rameswaram temple.
(v) Why did the boy try to snatch the pocketbook?
👉The boy tried to snatch the pocketbook of Mrs. Jones because he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes.
(vi) Why was Roger unfed?
👉Roger was unfed because there was nobody home at his house.
(vii) Why did the Tsar give no reward to the learned men?
👉All the answers being different, the Tsar agreed with none of the learned men, and gave the reward to none.
(viii) How did the Tsar dress the wound of the bearded man?
👉The Tsar dressed the wound of the bearded man by bandaging it with his handkerchief and a towel the hermit had.
POETRY
(ix) How, according to Gieve Patel, has the tree grown?
👉According to Gieve Patel, the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth.
(x) What kind of task is to kill a tree?
👉To kill a tree is not an easy task.
(xi) How does the poet describe the soldier’s smile?
👉The poet describes the soldier’s smile as that of an infant’s–gentle, without guile.
(xii) What is the soldier’s pillow made of?
👉The soldier’s pillow is made of fern.
(xiii) When does the Grasshopper rest at ease?
👉When tired out with fun, the Grasshopper rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
(xiv) Who refuse to sing in the hot summer?
👉The birds refuse to sing in the hot summer.
(xv) What shakes the darling buds of May?
👉Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.
(xvi) What shall death not brag?
👉Death shall not brag of the poet’s young male friend’s eternal beauty inscribed in his eternal lines of his sonnet 18.
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SET – XIII
2.
PROSE
(i) What did the daylight coming through the carriage window seem to the narrator when the girl left?
👉When the girl left the train, the daylight coming through the carriage window seemed darkness to the narrator.
(ii) What, according to Kalam, should be severed to get freedom, happiness and peace of mind?
👉According to Kalam, one’s emotional and physical bond should be severed to get freedom, happiness and peace of mind.
(iii) How did Roger feel that he and the large woman were not alone in the large house?
👉When Roger could hear other roomers laughing and talking, he felt that he and the large woman were not alone in the large house.
(iv) For which purpose, according to the hermit, were human beings sent to life?
👉According to the hermit, human beings were sent to life to do good his or her good with whom he or she was.
(v) What was similar between Jainulabdeen and Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry?
👉Jainulabdeen and Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry were close friend to each other.
(vi) What did Mrs Jones ask Roger to do so that he would look presentable while at supper?
👉While at supper Mrs Jones asked Roger to comb his hair so that he would look presentable.
(vii) What did the blind narrator think of aunts?
👉According to the blind narrator, aunts are usually formidable creatures.
(viii) Why did the Tsar wish to know the answer of his three questions?
👉The Tsar wished to know the answer of his three questions because he wanted to be successful in anything he might undertake.
POETRY
(ix) What is meant by the expression ‘anchoring earth’?
👉The phrase ‘anchoring earth’ refers to the root of the tree which like an anchor grips the tree in the earth.
(x) How does Rimbaud describe the bed of the soldier?
👉Rimbaud describes the bed of the soldier as a warm, green and sun-soaked bed.
(xi) What does Shakespeare mean by ‘eternal summer’?
👉By ‘eternal summer’ Shakespeare means eternal beauty of his young male friend.
(xii) What is the Grasshopper never done with when he is in summer luxury?
👉When the Grasshopper is in summer luxury, he is never done with his delights.
(xiii) Why don’t humming insects disturb the soldier’s rest?
👉The humming insects don’t disturb the soldier’s rest because he is dead.
(xiv) What shall not death brag about Shakespeare’s young friend?
👉Death shall not brag about Shakespeare’s young male friend’s beauty inscribed in his eternal lines of his eternal sonnet 18.
(xv) What has the tree absorbed to have its growth?
👉The tree has absorbed years of sunlight, air and water to have its gradual growth.
(xvi) What is ever increasing in the Cricket’s song?
👉Warmth is ever increasing in the Cricket’s song.
————————
SET – XIV
2.
PROSE
(i) Why could the narrator not see any animals?
👉The narrator could not see any animals outside the window of the train compartment because he knew there were hardly any animals left in the forests near Dehra.
(ii) Where is Rameswaram situated?
👉Rameswaram is situated in the erstwhile Madras state, but now it is in Tamilnadu.
(iii) Who is Tsar?
👉A Tsar was a Russian King.
OR
In olden times Russian or Bulgarian rulers were called as Tsar.
(iv) Why couldn’t the boy run with the purse?
👉The boy couldn’t run with the purse because his weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him lose his balance, so he fell on his back on the sidewalk.
(v) Why did the thought of laughter make the narrator feel troubled and lonely?
👉The thought of laughter made the narrator feel troubled and lonely because he was playing a game of deception.
(vi) Why was Kalam’s mother’s lineage more distinguished?
👉Kalam’s mother’s lineage was the more distinguished because one of her forebears having been bestowed the title of Bahadur by the British.
(vii) What were the only things missing in the woman’s purse?
👉The only things missing in the woman’s purse were hammer and nails.
(viii) When did the hermit breathe heavily?
👉As the hermit was frail and weak, while digging the ground in front of his hut, he breathed heavily.
POETRY
(ix) “And then it is done.” What does ‘it’ signify?
👉Here ‘it’ signifies the complete destruction of the tree.
(x) Why can’t the humming insects disturb the soldier?
👉The humming insects can’t disturb the soldier because he is dead.
(xi) What does ‘darling buds’ mean?
👉Darling buds mean the beautiful buds of May.
(xii) Who takes the lead in summer luxury in ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In Keats’s poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’ the Grasshopper, the poet of summer, takes the lead in summer luxury.
(xiii) What, if unchecked, will grow to its former size?
👉If unchecked, the curled green twigs, miniature boughs, rising from the part of the chopped tree close to the ground will grow to its former size.
(xiv) What was the pillow of the soldier made of?
👉The pillow of the soldier was made of fern.
(xv) From where does the Cricket shrill?
👉On a lone winter evening the Cricket shrills from behind a fireplace.
(xvi) Which month is mentioned in Sonnet No. 18?
👉May month is mentioned in Sonnet No. 18.
——————
SET – XV
2.
PROSE
(i) When would Kalam’s father start his day?
👉Kalam’s father would start his day at 4 a.m. by reading the namaz before dawn.
(ii) How was the voice of the girl, according to the narrator?
👉According to the narrator, the voice of the girl was the sparkle of a mountain stream.
(iii) What were there in the large purse of Mrs. Jones?
👉There were everything except hammer and nails in the large purse of Mrs. Jones.
(iv) Why did Roger want to snatch the large purse of Mrs Jones?
👉Roger wanted to snatch the large purse of Mrs Jones because he needed money to buy a pair of blue suede shoes.
(v) How many beds had the Tsar dug?
👉The Tsar had dug two beds.
(vi) What did the Tsar give the wounded man to drink?
👉The Tsar brought fresh water and gave it to the wounded man to drink.
(vii) What, according to the narrator, is the best time to visit the hills of Mussoorie?
👉According to the narrator, October is the best time to visit the hills of Mussoorie.
(viii) In which family was Dr APJ Abdul Kalam born?
👉Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was born into a middle class Tamil family.
POETRY
(ix) What is the hide of a tree compared to?
👉The hide of a tree is compared to the rough and marky skin of a leprosy patient. The poet describes the bark of the tree as ‘leprous hide’.
(x) Where in lies the strength of the tree?
👉The strength of the tree lies in its roots.
(xi) Where do the sun’s rays come from?
👉The sun’s rays come from the mountaintop.
(xii) How is the bed of the young soldier in ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉In Rimbaud’s anti-war poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the bed of the young soldier is described as a warm, green and sun-soaked bed.
(xiii) When has the frost wrought a silence?
👉On a lone winter evening the frost has wrought a silence.
(xiv) Why do the birds hide in cooling trees?
👉The birds in summer hide in cooling trees because they are faint with the hot sun.
(xv) What does Shakespeare compare his friend to?
👉Shakespeare compares his friend to a summer’s day.
(xvi) What shakes the darling buds of May?
👉Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.
——————–
SET – XVI
2.
PROSE
(i) How did the Tsar pass the night at the hermit’s hut?
👉The Tsar passed the night at the hermit’s hut by sleeping soundly.
(ii) At what time does the story ‘Thank You Ma’am’ start?
👉The story ‘Thank You Ma’am’ starts at about eleven o’clock at night.
(iii) Who stammered an apology?
👉The third passenger who boarded the train at Saharanpur stammered an apology.
(iv) “You must be disappointed” Who must be disappointed?
👉The narrator of the story ‘The Eyes Have It’ must be disappointed.
(v) How did Kalam try to emulate his father?
👉Kalam tried to emulate his father in his own world of science and technology.
(vi) How did Roger look when he was caught by the lady?
👉When Roger was caught by the lady, he looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.
(vii) What was the hermit doing when the Tsar came to meet him for the last time?
👉When the Tsar came to meet the hermit for the last time, the hermit was sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before.
(viii) What was the name of Kalam’s mother?
👉The name of Kalam’s mother was Ashiamma.
POETRY
(ix) Why is the bark of a tree described as ‘leprous hide’?
👉The bark of a tree is described as ‘leprous hide’ because it looks like the rough and marky skin of a leprosy patient.
(x) How does a tree grow?
👉A tree grows slowly consuming the earth.
(xi) Describe the valley.
👉The valley was a small, green valley where a slow stream flows, and the sun’s rays, streaming from the mountaintop, fills the valley full of light.
(xii) What do the ‘two red holes’ signify?
👉The ‘two red holes’ actually signify the ‘two bullet wounds’ visible in one side of the soldier’s body.
(xiii) “And often is his gold complexion dimmed.” Whose ‘gold complexion’ is referred to here?
👉The sun’s ‘gold complexion’ is referred to here.
(xiv) What does Shakespeare compare his friend to?
👉Shakespeare compares his friend to a summer’s day.
(xv) What does Keats celebrate in the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In his sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’ Keats celebrates the ever-ending music of earth.
(xvi) “__he has never done /With his delights,” Whose ‘delights’ are spoken of here?
👉The Grasshopper’s delights are spoken of here.
———————
SET – XVII
2.
PROSE
(i) What flashed in the mind’s eye of the narrator?
👉The telegraph posts flashed in the mind’s eye of the narrator.
(ii) What kind of family does Kalam belong to?
👉Kalam belongs to a middle-class Tamil family.
(iii) Why did the boy try to snatch the pocketbook?
👉The boy tried to snatch the pocketbook of Mrs Jones because he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes.
(iv) What did the Tsar promise to do for the wounded man?
👉The Tsar promised the wounded man to restore his property.
(v) Who broke into the narrator’s reverie in the story ‘The Eyes Have It’?
👉The second fellow passenger who boarded the train at Saharanpur broke into the narrator’s reverie.
(vi) What does Kalam’s father say about the relevance of prayer?
👉Kalam’s father says there is nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather prayer makes possible a communion of the spirit between people.
(vii) Where did Mrs Jones work?
👉Mrs Jones worked in a hotel beauty shop that stayed open late.
(viii) Where did the Tsar fall asleep?
👉The Tsar fell asleep on the threshold of the hermit’s hut.
POETRY
(ix) How does the skin of the soldier appear?
👉The skin of the soldier appears pale.
(x) Who forwards the music of nature in winter?
👉The Cricket forwards the music of nature in winter.
(xi) Where, according to the poet, has his friend grown?
👉According to the poet, his friend has grown in his eternal lines of Sonnet 18 written in praise of his young male friend’s eternal beauty.
(xii) Where do the sun’s rays come from?
👉The sun’s rays come from the mountaintop
(xiii) What does the phrase ‘eye of heaven’ refer to in Shakespeare’s sonnet 18?
👉In Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 the phrase ‘eye of heaven’ refers to the all important sun.
(xiv) How does a tree grow?
👉A tree grows slowly consuming the earth.
(xv) Who takes the lead in summer luxury in Keats’s sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In Keats’s sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’ the Grasshopper, the poet of summer, takes the lead in summer luxury.
(xvi) What does the expression ‘leprous hide’ refer to in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’?
👉In Gieve Patel’s ironical poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ the expression ‘leprous hide’ refers to the rough and marky bark of the tree.
——————
SET – XVIII
2.
PROSE
(i) Why was the girl happy that it was a short journey?
👉The girl was happy that it was a short journey because she said she could not bear to sit in a train for more than two or three hours.
(ii) While emulating his father what does Kalam feel convinced of?
👉While emulating his father Kalam feels convinced of a divine power.
(iii) What did the Tsar see when he got up in the next morning?
👉When the Tsar got up in the next morning, he saw the strange bearded man lying on the bed was gazing intently at him with shining eyes.
(iv) Why was the fellow co-passenger puzzled when the narrator asked him about the girl’s hair?
👉The fellow co-passenger was puzzled when the narrator asked him about the girl’s hair because it was an unexpected question to him.
(v) What is meant by ‘Bahadur’?
👉The word ‘Bahadur’ means ‘courageous’ or ‘valiant’.
(vi) Why did Mrs. Jones wish that Roger ought to have been her son?
👉Mrs. Jones wished that Roger ought to have been her son because she felt sympathy for him and so she wanted to teach him as her son right from wrong.
(vii) Why did the Tsar approach the hermit as a common man?
👉The Tsar approached the hermit as a common man because the hermit received only common folk.
(viii) What were there behind a screen in another corner of the room of Mrs Jones?
👉In another of the room of Mrs Jones behind a screen there were a gas plate and an icebox.
POETRY
(ix) What is Shakespeare’s firm conviction in the couplet of his Sonnet 18?
👉In the couplet of his Sonnet 18 Shakespeare firmly believes that as long as people read this sonnet, this sonnet lives so long and this sonnet gives life to the poet’s young male friend.
(x) When do the birds hide in cooling trees?
👉When the birds are faint with the hot sun in summer, they hide in cooling trees.
(xi) Who can heal the bleeding bark of the tree?
👉The tree itself with the help of generous nature can heal the bleeding bark of the tree.
(xii) Why do the humming insects not disturb the rest of the soldier?
👉The humming insects do not disturb the rest of the soldier because he is dead.
(xiii) Referring to Sonnet 18 find out the activity of death.
👉Death shall not brag about the poet’s young male friend’s beauty inscribed in his eternal lines of his eternal Sonnet 18.
(xiv) What silences everything in winter?
👉Frost silences everything in winter.
(xv) What do ‘two red holes’ signify in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’?
👉In the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ ‘two red holes’ signify the two bullet wounds visible in the side of the soldier’s body.
(xvi) What does Shakespeare compare his friend to in his sonnet 18?
👉In his sonnet 18 Shakespeare compares his to a summer’s day.
——————–
SET – XIX
2.
PROSE
(i) Why did the wounded man want to take revenge on the Tsar?
👉The wounded man wanted to take revenge on the Tsar because the Tsar executed his brother and seized his property.
(ii) At which station did the blind girl get into the train?
👉The blind girl got into the train at Rohana station.
(iii) Where did the wounded man sleep?
👉The wounded man slept on the bed in the hermit’s hut.
(iv) What did Roger fear most?
👉Roger feared most of going to jail.
(v) Who was a very close friend of Kalam’s father?
👉Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the high priest of Rameswaram temple, was a very close friend of Kalam’s father.
(vi) What did the narrator want to know from the new passenger?
👉The narrator wanted to know from the new passenger about the girl’s hairstyle if she kept her hair long or short.
(vii) What were there behind the screen of Mrs. Jones’s room?
👉In another corner behind the screen of Mrs. Jones’s room there were a gas plate and an icebox.
(viii) In whom did Abdul Kalam’s father have an ideal helpmate?
👉Abdul Kalam’s father had an ideal helpmate in Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma.
POETRY
(ix) How is the dead soldier shown respect by nature?
👉The dead soldier is shown respect by nature by providing flowers among his feet.
(x) What will rise from close to the ground if a tree is hacked and chopped?
👉Curled green twigs will rise from close to the ground if a tree is hacked and chopped.
(xi) How can it be said that the soldier is sleeping in peace?
👉It can be said that the soldier is sleeping in peace because he is sleeping forever. Actually he is dead.
(xii) What shrills from behind the fireplace?
👉The Cricket’s song shrills from behind the fireplace.
(xiii) What does Shakespeare compare his friend to?
👉Shakespeare compares his friend to a summer’s day.
(xiv) Why are all the birds in ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In Keats’s sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’ all the birds are faint with the hot sun in summer.
(xv) What is the source of strength of the tree?
👉The source of strength of the tree is the root.
(xvi) ‘And often is his gold complexion dimmed.’ Whose complexion is referred to here?
👉The sun’s ‘gold complexion’ is referred to here.
——————–
SET – XX
2.
PROSE
(i) What does the thing about the girl that drew the attention of the narrator?
👉The perfume from the girl’s hair drew the attention of the narrator.
(ii) How was the author’s locality in ‘Strong Roots’?
👉In ‘Strong Roots’ the author’s locality was predominantly Muslim, but there were quite a lot of Hindu families too, living amicably with their Muslim neighbours.
(iii) “If he didn’t already know” Who is here referred to as ‘he’?
👉Here ‘he’ refers to God.
(iv) What for, according to the hermit, is man sent into this life?
👉According to the hermit, man is sent into this life to do him or her good with whom he or she is now.
(v) What instructions did the woman give to the girl in the story ‘The Eyes Have It’?
👉In Ruskin Bond’s story ‘The Eyes Have It’ the woman gave the girl detailed instructions as to where to keep her things, when not to lean out of windows and how to avoid speaking to strangers.
(vi) What can prayer make possible?
👉Prayer can make possible a communion of the spirit between people.
(vii) Where did Mrs. Luella Bates turn the boy loose?
👉Mrs. Luella Bates turned the boy loose in the middle of her large kitchenette furnished room.
(viii) What did the hermit do when he saw the Tsar?
👉When the hermit saw the Tsar, he greeted him and went on digging the ground in front of his hut.
POETRY
(ix) When does the strength of a tree get exposed?
👉The strength of a tree gets exposed when it is pulled out entirely, out from the earth-cave.
(x) What does the phrase ‘heavy undergrowth’ refer to?
👉The phrase ‘heavy undergrowth’ refers to the plentiful bushes and plants which grow in the valley.
(xi) How is the gold complexion of the sun dimmed?
👉The gold complexion of the sun is dimmed by the thin layer of clouds over the sun.
(xii) Where do the birds hide in Keats’s sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In Keats’s sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’ the birds hide in cooling trees.
(xiii) “And then it is done.” What act is referred to here?
👉The act of complete destruction of the tree is referred to here.
(xiv) How do the readers come to know that the soldier is dead?
👉At the end of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ when the readers discover two red holes visible on the side of the soldier’s body, they come to know then that the soldier is not sleeping, actually he is dead.
(xv) What does the expression ‘nature’s changing course’ suggest?
👉The expression ‘nature’s changing course’ suggests the passage of time through the cycle of seasons.
(xvi) What does the Cricket’s song seem to one in drowsiness half-lost?
👉The Cricket’s song seems to one in drowsiness half-lost the Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills.
———————
SET – XXI
2.
PROSE
(i) How was Abdul Kalam’s locality?
👉Abdul Kalam’s locality was predominantly Muslim, but there were quite a lot of Hindu families too, living amicably with their Muslim neighbours.
(ii) Why didn’t the Tsar give any reward to anyone?
👉All the answers being different, the Tsar agreed with none of the learned men, and gave the reward to none.
(iii) How did Kalam look as a boy?
👉Kalam looked like a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents.
(iv) What was the Tsar’s first question?
👉The first question of the Tsar was– “What is the most important time to begin everything?”
(v) How did Mrs Jones drag the boy up the street?
👉Mrs Jones dragged the boy up the street by holding his shirt front.
(vi) Why did Mrs Jones give the boy ten dollars?
👉Mrs. Jones gave the boy ten dollars to buy some blue suede shoes for himself.
(vii) Who would receive the girl at Saharanpur?
👉Her aunt would receive the girl at Saharanpur.
(viii) Why were the eyes of the girl of no use?
👉The eyes of the girl in the story ‘The Eyes Have It’ were of no use to her because she was completely blind.
POETRY
(ix) How, according to Gieve Patel, has the tree grown?
👉According to Gieve Patel, the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth.
(x) What is the smile of the dead soldier compared to?
👉The smile of the dead soldier is compared to an infant’s–gentle, without guile.
(xi) What shakes the darling buds of May?
👉Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.
(xii) What does Keats celebrate in the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In the poem ‘The Poetry of Earth’ Keats celebrates the ever-ending music of earth.
(xiii) What does the phrase ‘earth-cave’ mean?
👉The phrase ‘earth-cave’ means the gaping hole in the earth when the roots of the tree are to be pulled out entirely.
(xiv) What is serving as the pillow of the soldier?
👉Fern is serving as the pillow of the soldier.
(xv) What will give life to the poet’s friend forever?
👉The ever-reading of the poet’s eternal sonnet 18 will give life to his friend forever.
(xvi) What does the poet mean to suggest by ‘poetry’ in his sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’?
👉In his sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’ by ‘poetry’ the poet means to suggest ‘music–ever-ending music of earth’
