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NCERT Important Question for Class 10 Hindi Sparsh Chapter 2 मीरा के पद

पाठ्यपुस्तक के प्रश्न-अभ्यास

(क) निम्नलिखित प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिए-
प्रश्न 1.
पहले पद में मीरा ने हरि से अपनी पीड़ा हरने की विनती किस प्रकार की है?
उत्तर-
पहले पद में मीरा ने अपनी पीड़ा हरने की विनती इस प्रकार की है कि हे ईश्वर! जैसे आपने द्रौपदी की लाज रखी थी, गजराज को मगरमच्छ रूपी मृत्यु के मुख से बचाया था तथा भक्त प्रहलाद की रक्षा करने के लिए ही आपने नृसिंह अवतार लिया था, उसी तरह मुझे भी सांसारिक संतापों से मुक्ति दिलाते हुए अपने चरणों में जगह दीजिए।

प्रश्न 2.
दूसरे पद में मीराबाई श्याम की चाकरी क्यों करना चाहती हैं? स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
मीरा श्री कृष्ण को सर्वस्व समर्पित कर चुकी हैं इसलिए वे केवल कृष्ण के लिए ही कार्य करना चाहती हैं। श्री कृष्ण की समीपता व दर्शन हेतु उनकी दासी बनना चाहती हैं। वे चाहती हैं दासी बनकर श्री कृष्ण के लिए बाग लगाएँ उन्हें वहाँ विहार करते हुए देखकर दर्शन सुख प्राप्त करें। वृंदावन की कुंज गलियों में उनकी लीलाओं का गुणगान करना चाहती हैं। इस प्रकार दासी के रूप में दर्शन, नाम स्मरण और भाव-भक्ति रूपी जागीर प्राप्त कर अपना जीवन सफल बनाना चाहती हैं।

प्रश्न 3.
मीराबाई ने श्रीकृष्ण के रूप-सौंदर्य का वर्णन कैसे किया है?
उत्तर-
मीराबाई ने श्रीकृष्ण के रूप-सौंदर्य का अलौकिक वर्णन किया है कि उन्होंने पीतांबर (पीले वस्त्र धारण किए हुए हैं, जो उनकी शोभा को बढ़ा रहे हैं। मुकुट में मोर पंख पहने हुए हैं तथा गले में वैजयंती माला पहनी हुई है, जो उनके सौंदर्य में चार चाँद लगा रही है। वे ग्वाल-बालों के साथ गाय चराते हुए मुरली बजा रहे हैं।

प्रश्न 4.
मीराबाई की भाषा शैली पर प्रकाश डालिए।
उत्तर-
मीराबाई ने अपने पदों में ब्रज, पंजाबी, राजस्थानी, गुजराती आदि भाषाओं का प्रयोग किया गया है। भाषा अत्यंत सहज और सुबोध है। शब्द चयन भावानुकूल है। भाषा में कोमलता, मधुरता और सरसता के गुण विद्यमान हैं। अपनी प्रेम की पीड़ा को अभिव्यक्त करने के लिए उन्होंने अत्यंत भावानुकूल शब्दावली का प्रयोग किया है। भक्ति भाव के कारण शांत रस प्रमुख है तथा प्रसाद गुण की भावाभिव्यक्ति हुई है। मीराबाई श्रीकृष्ण की अनन्य उपासिका हैं। वे अपने आराध्य देव से अपनी पीड़ा का हरण करने की विनती कर रही हैं। इसमें कृष्ण के प्रति श्रद्धा, भक्ति और विश्वास के भाव की अभिव्यंजना हुई है। मीराबाई की भाषा में अनेक अलंकारों जैसे अनुप्रास, रूपक, उपमा, उत्प्रेक्षा, उदाहरण आदि अलंकारों का सफल प्रयोग हुआ है।

प्रश्न 5.
वे श्रीकृष्ण को पाने के लिए क्या-क्या कार्य करने को तैयार हैं?
उत्तर-
मीरा श्रीकृष्ण को पाने के लिए उनकी चाकर (नौकर) बनकर चाकरी करना चाहती हैं अर्थात् उनकी सेवा करना चाहती हैं। वे उनके लिए बाग लगाकर माली बनने तथा अर्धरात्रि में यमुना-तट पर कृष्ण से मिलने व वृंदावन की कुंज-गलियों में घूम-घूमकर गोविंद की लीला का गुणगान करने को तैयार हैं।

लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्नोत्तर

प्रश्न 1.
कवयित्री मीरा ने अपने प्रभु से क्या प्रार्थना की है? प्रथम पद के आधार पर लिखिए।
उत्तर-
कवयित्री मीरा ने अपने प्रभु श्रीकृष्ण से लोगों की पीड़ा दूर करने की प्रार्थना की है। उनके प्रभु श्रीकृष्ण ने द्रौपदी, प्रहलाद और गजराज की जिस तरह सहायता की थी और उन्हें विपदा से मुक्ति दिलाई उसी तरह मीरा अपनी पीड़ा दूर करने की प्रार्थना अपने प्रभु से की है।

प्रश्न 2.
कवयित्री मीरा ने श्रीकृष्ण को उनकी क्षमताओं का स्मरण क्यों कराया?
उत्तर-
कवयित्री मीरा श्रीकृष्ण की अनन्य भक्त एवं उपासिका थीं। उन्होंने अपने प्रभु के दयालु स्वभाव की कहानियाँ सुन रखी थीं। मीरा जानती थीं कि उनके प्रभु के लिए उनकी पीड़ा कठिन कार्य नहीं है। उन्होंने तो इस तरह का अनेक कार्य पहले भी किया है। श्रीकृष्ण उनकी पुकार को शीघ्र सुनें, इसलिए मीरा ने श्रीकृष्ण को उनकी क्षमताओं का स्मरण कराया है।

प्रश्न 3.
श्रीकृष्ण ने गजराज की मदद किस तरह की थी ?
उत्तर-
एक बार गजराज किसी बड़े जलाशय में नहाने गया। वह नहाने में व्यस्त था, तभी उसके पैर को एक मगरमच्छ ने मुँह में दबाया और उसे गहराई में खींचने लगा। असहाय हाथी गहरे पानी में सरकने लगा। अपनी मृत्यु निकट देखकर गजराज ने कमल पुष्प कँड़ में उठाया और प्रभु को मदद के लिए पुकारा। उसकी पुकार सुनकर प्रभु नंगे पाँव दौड़े आए। उन्होंने मगरमच्छ को मारकर गजराज को बचाया।

प्रश्न 4.
भगवान को नरहरि का रूप क्यों धारण करना पड़ा?
उत्तर
हिरण्यकश्यप नामक एक अत्याचारी एवं अभिमानी राजा था। वह स्वयं को ही ईश्वर मानता था; परंतु उसका पुत्र ईश्वर का परम भक्त था। हिरण्यकश्यप ने प्रहलाद को तरह-तरह से समझाया कि वह प्रभु भक्ति छोड़कर उसे (हिरण्यकश्यप) ही भगवान माने पर प्रहलाद तैयार न हुआ। उसके पिता उसे तरह-तरह की यातना दी पर प्रहलाद का विश्वास प्रभु में बढ़ता ही गया। एक बार जब उसने प्रहलाद की जान लेनी चाही तो भगवान ने नरसिंह का रूप धारण कर प्रहलाद की रक्षा की और हिरण्यकश्यप को मार दिया।

प्रश्न 5.
‘तीनू बाताँ सरसी’ के माध्यम से कवयित्री क्या कहना चाहती है? उसकी यह मनोकामना कैसे पूरी हुई ?
उत्तर-
कवयित्री मीरा अपने प्रभु श्रीकृष्ण की अनन्य भक्त थीं। वह श्रीकृष्ण की चाकरी करके उनका सामीप्य पाना चाहती थी। इस चाकरी से उन्हें अपने प्रभु के दर्शन मिल जाते। उनका नाम स्मरण करने से स्मरण रूपी जेब खर्च मिल जाता और भक्तिभाव रूपी जागीर उन्हें मिल जाती। उन्होंने अपनी इस मनोकामना की पूर्ति कृष्ण की अनन्य और भक्ति के माध्यम से पूरी की।

प्रश्न 6.
कवयित्री मीरा अपने प्रभु के सौंदर्य पर क्यों रीझी हुई हैं? स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
कवयित्री मीरा के प्रभु का रूप-सौंदर्य अत्यंत सुंदर है। उनके प्रभु के सिर पर मोर मुकुट है। उनके गले में बैजंती के फूलों की सुंदर माला सुशोभित है। वे मधुर धुन में मुरली बजाते हुए वृंदावन में गाएँ चराते हैं। इसी अद्वितीय सौंदर्य के कारण मीरा अपने प्रभु पर रीझी हैं।

दीर्घ उत्तरीय प्रश्नोत्तर

प्रश्न 1.
पाठ में संकलित पदों के आधार पर मीरा की भक्ति भावना पर प्रकाश डालिए।
उत्तर-
मीरा कृष्ण की अनन्य भक्त थीं। उनकी भक्ति में दास्य भाव अधिक दिखाई देता है। इस पाठ में संकलित पदों को पढ़ने से उनकी भक्ति का दो रूप उभरकर सामने आता है-

• दास्य रूप
• रसिक रूप।

प्रथम पद में कवयित्री अपने प्रभु से पहले लोगों का दुख दूर करने की प्रार्थना करती है। वह अपने प्रभु का गुणगान करती हुई उनकी क्षमताओं का स्मरण कराती है। इसी क्रम में वह अपने प्रभु को द्रौपदी, गजराज और प्रहलाद के प्रति किए गए कार्यों का दृष्टांत प्रस्तुत करती हुई अपनी पीड़ा दूर करने की प्रार्थना करती है।

दूसरे पद में मीरा अपने प्रभु के रूप सौंदर्य पर मोहित होती हैं। वे उनका सान्निध्य पाने का प्रयास करती हैं और उनकी सेवा करते हुए उन्हें प्रसन्न करने का हर संभव उपाय करती है।

प्रश्न 2.
मीरा अपने आराध्य श्रीकृष्ण का दर्शन और सामीप्य पाने के लिए क्या-क्या उपाय करती हैं?
उत्तर-
कवयित्री मीरा अपने प्रभु की भक्ति में डूबकर उनका सामीप्य और दर्शन पाना चाहती हैं। इसके लिए वे चाहती हैं कि श्रीकृष्ण उन्हें अपनी चाकरी में रख लें। मीरा बाग लगाना चाहती हैं ताकि श्रीकृष्ण वहाँ घूमने आएँ और उन्हें दर्शन मिल सके। वे श्रीकृष्ण का गुणगान ब्रज की गलियों में करती हुई घूमना-फिरना चाहती हैं। मीरा विशाल भवन में भी बगीचा बनाना चाहती हैं ताकि उस बगीचे में घूमते श्रीकृष्ण के दर्शन कर सके। वे श्रीकृष्ण का सामीप्य पाने के लिए लाल रंग की साड़ी पहनती हैं और अपने प्रभु से प्रार्थना करती हैं कि वे आधी रात में यमुना के किनारे मिलने की कृपा करें क्योंकि इस मिलन के लिए उनका मन बेचैन हो रहा है।

NCERT important questions for Class 10 Hindi Sparsh Chapter 1 साखी

पाठ्यपुस्तक के प्रश्न-अभ्यास

(क) निम्नलिखित प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिए-
प्रश्न 1.
मीठी वाणी बोलने से औरों को सुख और अपने तन को शीतलता कैसे प्राप्त होती है?
उत्तर-
मीठी वाणी बोलने से औरों को सुख और अपने तन को शीतलता प्राप्त होती है, क्योंकि मीठी वाणी बोलने से मन का अहंकार समाप्त हो जाता है। यह हमारे तन को तो शीतलता प्रदान करती ही है तथा सुननेवालों को भी सुख की तथा प्रसन्नता की अनुभूति कराती है इसलिए सदा दूसरों को सुख पहुँचाने वाली व अपने को भी शीतलता प्रदान करने वाली मीठी वाणी बोलनी चाहिए।

प्रश्न 2.
दीपक दिखाई देने पर अँधियारा कैसे मिट जाता है? साखी के संदर्भ में स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
दीपक में एक प्रकाशपुंज होता है जिसके प्रभाव के कारण अंधकार नष्ट हो जाता है। इसी प्रकार मन में ज्ञान रूपी दीपक का प्रकाश फैलते ही मन में छाया भ्रम, संदेह और भयरूपी अंधकार समाप्त हो जाता है।

प्रश्न 3.
ईश्वर कण-कण में व्याप्त है, पर हम उसे क्यों नहीं देख पाते ?
उत्तर-
ईश्वर कण-कण में व्याप्त है और कण-कण ही ईश्वर है। ईश्वर की चेतना से ही यह संसार दिखाई देता है। चारों ओर ईश्वरीय चेतना के अतिरिक्त कुछ भी नहीं है, लेकिन यह सब कुछ हम इन भौतिक आँखों से नहीं देख सकते। जब तक ईश्वर की कृपा से हमें दिव्य चक्षु (आँखें) नहीं मिलते, तब तक. हम कण-कण में ईश्वर के वास को नहीं देख सकते हैं और न ही अनुभव कर सकते हैं।

प्रश्न 4.
संसार में सुखी व्यक्ति कौन है और दुखी कौन? यहाँ ‘सोना’ और ‘जागना’ किसके प्रतीक हैं? इसका प्रयोग यहाँ क्यों किया गया है? स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
संसार में वह व्यक्ति सुखी है जो प्रभु प्राप्ति के लिए प्रयास से दूर रहकर सांसारिक विषयों में डूबकर आनंदपूर्वक सोता है। इसके विपरीत वह व्यक्ति जो प्रभु को पाने के लिए तड़प रहा है, उनके वियोग से दुखी है, वही जाग रहा है। यहाँ ‘सोना’ का प्रयोग प्रभु प्राप्ति के प्रयासों से विमुख होने और ‘जागना’ प्रभु प्राप्ति के लिए किए जा रहे प्रयासों को प्रतीक है। इसका प्रयोग मानव जीवन में सांसारिक विषय-वासनाओं से दूर रहने तथा सचेत करने के लिए किया गया है।

प्रश्न 5.
अपने स्वभाव को निर्मल रखने के लिए कबीर ने क्या उपाय सुझाया है?
उत्तर-
अपने स्वभाव को निर्मल रखने के लिए कबीर ने निंदक को अपने निकट रखने का सुझाव दिया है, क्योंकि वही हमारा सबसे बड़ा हितैषी है अन्यथा झूठी प्रशंसा कर अपना स्वार्थ सिद्ध करने वाले तो अनेक मिल जाते हैं। निंदक बुराइयों को दूरकर सद्गुणों को अपनाने में सहायक सिद्ध होता है। निंदक की आलोचना को सुनकर आत्मनिरीक्षण कर शुद्ध व निर्मल आचरण करने में सहायता मिलती है।

प्रश्न 6.
‘ऐकै अषिर पीव का, पढ़े सु पंडित होइ’–इस पंक्ति द्वारा कवि क्या कहना चाहता है?
उत्तर-
‘ऐकै अषिर पीव का, पढ़े सु पंडित होइ’ पंक्ति के माध्यम से कवि यह कहना चाहता है कि संसार में पीव अर्थात् ब्रह्म ही सत्य है। उसे पढ़े या जाने बिना कोई भी पंडित (ज्ञानी) नहीं बन सकता है।

प्रश्न 7.
कबीर की उद्धृत साखियों की भाषा की विशेषता स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
कबीर की साखियों की भाषा की विशेषता है कि यह जन भाषा है। उन्होंने जनचेतना और जनभावनाओं को अपनी सधुक्कड़ी भाषा द्वारा साखियों के माध्यम से जन-जन तक पहुँचाया है। इसलिए डॉ० हजारी प्रसाद विवेदी ने इनकी भाषा को भावानुरूपिणी माना है। अपनी चमत्कारिक भाषा के कारण आज भी इनके दोहे लोगों की जुबान पर हैं।

(ख) निम्नलिखित का भाव स्पष्ट कीजिएप्रश्न
प्रश्न 1.
बिरह भुवंगम तन बसै, मंत्र न लागै कोइ।
उत्तर-
इस पंक्ति का भाव है कि विरह (जुदाई, पृथकता, अलगाव) एक सर्प के समान है, जो शरीर में बसता है और शरीर का क्षय करता है। इस विरह रूपी सर्प पर किसी भी मंत्र का प्रभाव नहीं पड़ता है, क्योंकि यह विरह ईश्वर को न पाने के कारण सताता है। जब अपने प्रिय ईश्वर की प्राप्ति हो जाती है, तो वह विरह रूपी सर्प शांत हो जाता है, समाप्त हो जाता है अर्थात् ईश्वर की प्राप्ति ही इसका स्थायी समाधान है।

प्रश्न 2.
कस्तूरी कुंडलि बसै, मृग ढूँढे बन माँहि।
उत्तर-
इस पंक्ति का भाव है कि भगवान हमारे शरीर के अंदर ही वास करते हैं। जैसे हिरण की नाभि में कस्तूरी होती है, परवह उसकी खुशबू से प्रभावित होकर उसे चारों ओर ढूँढ़ता फिरता है। ठीक उसी प्रकार से मनुष्य ईश्वर को विभिन्न स्थलों पर तथा अनेक धार्मिक क्रियाओं द्वारा प्राप्त करने का प्रयास करता है, किंतु ईश्वर तीर्थों, जंगलों आदि में भटकने से नहीं मिलते। वे तो अपने अंतःकरण में झाँकने से ही मिलते हैं।

प्रश्न 3.
जब मैं था तब हरि नहीं, अब हरि हैं मैं नाँहि।
उत्तर-
इसका भाव है कि जब तक मनुष्य के भीतर ‘अहम्’ (अहंकार) की भावना अथवा अंधकार विद्यमान रहता है, तब तक उसे ईश्वर की प्राप्ति नहीं होती। ‘अहम्’ के मिटते ही ईश्वर की प्राप्ति हो जाती है, क्योंकि ‘अहम्’ और ‘ईश्वर’ दोनों एक स्थान पर नहीं रह सकते। ईश्वर को पाने के लिए उसके प्रति पूर्ण समर्पण आवश्यक है।

प्रश्न 4.
पोथी पढ़ि पढ़ि जग मुवा, पंडित भया न कोई।
उत्तर
इसका अर्थ है कि पोथियाँ एवं वेद पढ़-पढ़कर संसार थक गया, लेकिन आज तक कोई भी पंडित नहीं बन सका; अर्थात् ईश्वर के प्रेम के बिना, उसकी कृपा के बिना कोई भी पंडित नहीं बन सकता तत्वज्ञान की प्राप्ति नहीं कर सकता।

अन्य पाठेतर हल प्रश्न

लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्नोत्तर

प्रश्न 1.
ऐसी बाँणी बोलिये’ के माध्यम से कबीर कैसी वाणी बोलने की सीख दे रहे हैं और क्यों?
उत्तर-
‘ऐसी बाँणी बोलिये’ के माध्यम से कबीर मनुष्य को अपने मन का अहंकार या घमंड छोड़कर मधुर वाणी में विनम्रता भरी वाणी बोलने की सीख दे रहे हैं। इसका कारण यह है कि अपने मन का अहंकार त्यागने से हमारे शरीर को शांति और शीतलता की अनुभूति होगी तथा मधुर वाणी सुनने वालों को सुखानुभूति होती है।

प्रश्न 2.
मन में आपा कैसे उत्पन्न होता है? आपा खोने के लिए कबीर क्यों कह रहे हैं?
उत्तर-
मनुष्य की इच्छा होती है कि वह सांसारिक सुखों का अधिकाधिक उपयोग करे। इन सुखों की चाहत में वह सुख के नाना प्रकार के साधन एकत्र कर लेना चाहता है। इसके अलावा वह धन और बल का स्वामी भी बनना चाहता है। ऐसे होते ही उसके मन में आपा उत्पन्न हो जाता है। आपा खोने के लिए कबीर इसलिए कह रहे हैं कि इससे मनुष्य-मनुष्य में दूरी बढ़ती है तथा मनुष्य गर्वोक्ति का शिकार हो जाता है।

प्रश्न 3.
‘ऐसैं घटि घटि राँम है’ के माध्यम से कबीर ने मनुष्य को किस सत्यता से परिचित किया है?
उत्तर-
‘ऐसैं घटि घटि राँम है’ के माध्यम से कबीर ने मनुष्य को उस सत्यता से परिचित कराया है जिससे मनुष्य आजीवन अनजान रहता है। मनुष्य ईश्वर को पाने के लिए देवालय, तीर्थस्थान, गुफा-कंदराओं जैसे दुर्गम स्थानों पर खोजता-फिरता है और अंततः दुनिया से चला जाता है, परंतु वह ईश्वर को अपने मन में नहीं खोजती जहाँ उसका सच्चा वास है। ईश्वर तो घट-घट पर अर्थात् हर प्राणी में यहाँ तक कि कण-कण में व्याप्त है।

प्रश्न 4.
हर प्राणी में राम के बसने की तुलना किससे की गई है?
उत्तर-
राम (ईश्वर) का वास घट-घट अर्थात् हर प्राणी यहाँ तक कि कण में है, परंतु मनुष्य अपनी अज्ञानता और अहंकार के कारण यह बात नहीं समझ पाता है। मनुष्य में ईश्वर का वास ठीक उसी तरह से है जैसे हिरन की नाभि में कस्तूरी होती है और हिरन को उसका पता नहीं होता है।

प्रश्न 5.
सब अँधियारा मिटि गया’ यहाँ किस अँधियारे की ओर संकेत किया गया है? यह अँधियारा कैसे दूर हुआ?
उत्तर-
‘सब अँधियारा मिटि गया’ के माध्यम से मनुष्य के मन में समाए अहंकार, अज्ञान, भय जैसे अँधियारे की ओर संकेत किया गया है जिसके कारण मनुष्य सांसारिकता में डूबा था और ईश्वर को नहीं पहचान पाता है। यह अँधियारा प्रकाशपुंज ईश्वर रूपी दीपक को मन में देखा। यह अँधेरा उसी तरह मिट गया जैसे दीपक जलाने से अँधेरा समाप्त हो जाता है।

प्रश्न 6.
कबीर की दृष्टि में संसार सुखी और वह स्वयं दुखी हैं, ऐसा क्यों?
उत्तर-
संसार के लोगों को देखकर कबीर को लगता है कि लोग सांसारिक विषय-वासनाओं के साथ खाने-पीने और हँसी-खुशी से जीने में मस्त हैं। ये लोग सुखी हैं। दूसरी ओर कबीर है जो प्रभु प्राप्ति न होने के कारण परेशान है। वह सोने के बजाय जाग रहा है और रोते हुए दुखी हो रहा है।

प्रश्न 7.
राम वियोगी की दशा कैसी हो जाती है? स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
राम का वियोग झेल रहे व्यक्ति की दशा दयनीय हो जाती है। कोई मंत्र या उपाय उसे ठीक नहीं कर पाता है। वह इस व्यथा की अधिकता को सह नहीं पाता है और अपने प्राणों से हाथ धो बैठता है। ऐसा व्यक्ति यदि जीता भी है तो उसकी स्थिति पागलों के समान होती है। वह राम से मिलकर ही स्वस्थ हो सकता है।

प्रश्न 8.
निंदक के बारे में कबीर की राय समाज से पूरी तरह भिन्न थी। स्पष्ट कीजिए।
उत्तर-
निंदक अर्थात् आलोचकों के बारे में कबीर की राय समाज से बिलकुल भी मेल नहीं खाती थी। समाज के लोग निंदा के भय से आलोचकों को अपने आसपास फटकने भी नहीं देते हैं। इसके विपरीत कबीर का मत था कि निंदकों को अपने आसपास ही बसने की जगह देना चाहिए। ऐसा करना व्यक्ति के हित में होता है।

दीर्घ उत्तरीय प्रश्नोत्तर

प्रश्न 1.
कबीर की साखियाँ जीवन के लिए अत्यंत उपयोगी हैं। इनमें जिन जीवन-मूल्यों की झलक मिलती है, उनका उल्लेख कीजिए।
उत्तर-
कबीर की साखियाँ कबीर के अनुभव और गहनता से खोजे गए सत्य पर आधारित है। उनकी हर साखी मनुष्य को सीख सी देती प्रतीत होती है। इन साखियों में हमें कई जीवन मूल्यों की झलक मिलती है; जैसे-

• मनुष्य को सदैव ऐसी वाणी बोलना चाहिए जिससे बोलने और सुनने वाले दोनों को ही सुख और शीतलता मिले।
• मनुष्य को अहंकार का त्याग कर देना चाहिए।
• अपने आलोचकों को अपने आसपास ही जगह देना चाहिए ताकि व्यक्ति का स्वभाव परिष्कृत हो सके।
• ईश्वर प्राप्ति के लिए मनुष्य को उचित प्रयास करना चाहिए जिसके लिए यह समझना आवश्यक है कि उसका वास घट-घट में है।

प्रश्न 2.
ईश्वर के संबंध में कबीर के अनुभवों और मान्यताओं का वर्णन साखियों के आधार पर कीजिए।
उत्तर-
ईश्वर के संबंध में कबीर के अनुभव और मान्यताएँ जनमानस की सोच के विपरीत थे। जनमानस का मानना है कि ईश्वर मंदिर, मस्जिद, गुरुद्वारे, तीर्थ स्थलों या दुर्गम स्थानों पर रहता है। मनुष्य उसकी खोज में यहाँ-वहाँ भटकता हुआ जीवन बिता देता है, परंतु कबीर की मान्यता एवं अनुभव के अनुसार-

• ईश्वर हर प्राणी यहाँ तक कि कण-कण में विद्यमान है।
• ईश्वर की प्राप्ति के लिए अहंकार का त्याग अत्यावश्यक है।
• ईश्वर के वियाग में व्यक्ति जी नहीं सकता है। यदि वह जीता है तो उसकी दशा पागलों जैसी हो जाती है।
• ईश्वर के बारे में जाने बिना कोई ज्ञानी नहीं कहला सकता है।
• ईश्वर को पाने के लिए विषय-वासनाओं और सांसारिकता का त्याग आवश्यक है।

प्रश्न 3.
निंदक किसे कहा गया है? वह व्यक्ति के स्वभाव का परिष्करण किस तरह करता है?
उत्तर-
कबीर के अनुसार निंदक वह व्यक्ति है जो अपने आसपास रहने वालों की स्वाभाविक कमियों को अनदेखा नहीं करता है। वह उन कमियों की ओर व्यक्ति का ध्यान बार-बार आकर्षित कराता है। उसकी इस आलोचना से व्यक्ति गलतियों और अपनी कमियों के प्रति सजग हो जाता है। वह उन्हें दूर करने या ढंकने का प्रयास करता है और सुधार के लिए उन्मुख हो जाता है। आत्मसुधार की भावना पनपते ही व्यक्ति धीरे-धीरे अपने दुर्गुणों और कमियों से मुक्ति पा जाता है। ऐसा करने में व्यक्ति को कुछ खर्च भी नहीं करना पड़ता है। इस तरह निंदक अपने आसपास रहने वालों का परिष्करण करता है।

For Anne Gregory important Questions and Answers

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1: What was not liked by the young men?

Answer: The young men do not love the real person but love appearances. Everyone wants one should be loved for his actual personality and not by what he looks like. The young man does not like grey or yellow hair, and they do not care for inner beauty but love.

Question 2: The young woman’s hair is yellow coloured. She is ready to change her hair colour to another colour. Why would she want to do so?

Answer: The young woman is ready to do so because she wants someone to love her. Moreover, she wants that someone should love her for her inner beauty and not for the colour of her hair.

Question 3: What does the old religious man say?

Answer: The old religious man says that he has found a text which proves that only God could love us for ourselves alone and not for physical beauty. He is the one who truly loves us.

Question 4: What is the central idea of the poem, ‘For Anne Gregory’?

Answer: The poem conveys the idea that physical beauty may be important for young men or human beings, but God does not love human beings for their physical beauty. In this poem, the poet gives an example of a lover who loves the yellow hair of a young lady but does not like her ramparts. The lady disapproves his love.

Question 5: To whom is the first stanza of the poem addressed? What does the speaker say to her?

Answer: The first stanza of the poem is addressed to a lady named Anne Gregory. She had a great influence on the poet. He had great respect for her. He tells her that although she is a noble lady, yet nobody would love her for herself alone.

Question 6: What makes a young man not to love the woman referred to in the first stanza?

Answer: The woman has beautiful yellow hair. But the outer part of her ears is not attractive. The poet says that men shall never love her only for herself.

Question 7: What does the woman say she can do to make herself more desirable to young men? What does this show?

Answer: The woman says that she would dye her hair brown, black or carrot colour. This shows that young men give more importance to physical appearance than inner beauty.

Question 8: What does the religious man tell the poet about God’s love for man?

Answer: The religious man has told the poet that he has found a religious text. According to that, God loves a person, not for his or her physical qualities, but for their inner qualities.

Long Questions and Answers

Question 1: The poet in the poem, ‘For Anne Gregory’ conveys that we should give importance to the inner beauty and not the physical appearance. Elaborate with reference to the poem.

Answer: In the conversation that takes place between Anne Gregory and another speaker, the poet has tried to show that inner beauty is real beauty, whereas physical appearance is changeable and hence, unimportant. The first speaker says to Anne that young men love her for her beautiful yellow hair and may never love her for what she really is. To this, Anne replies that her hair-colour can be changed into black, brown or carrot, meaning that external beauty is all superficial and men should not love her for that. Through Anne’s reply, the poet has made clear his preference for internal beauty over physical appearance.

Question 2: How right or wrong is it to judge someone on the basis of his/her physical appearance?

Answer: Physical appearances never give the true account of a person as it can be changed with the help of clothing, make-up and other such things. Something which is not true and real should not be used to judge the person carrying it. A person must be judged on the basis of his behaviour that shows the true characteristics of his personality. This is explained by Anne in her reply to the first speaker that her beautiful hair-colour which attracts men is changeable, hence, men
should not fall in love with her based on her hair colour.

Question 3: Why do you think, the other speaker mentioned the old religious man and the text that proves that only God can love Anne for herself alone?

Answer: It is so because the speaker wanted to tell Anne that her desire that men should not see her outer beauty is not going to be fulfilled. The speaker tells Anne that only God can be so great as to avoid external beauty and look beyond it. Man, on the other hand, falls for all things that appear pretty from outside and never bothers about what lies inside.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon important Questions and Answers

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1: ‘Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears’. Identify two poetic devices used in the above line.

Answer: (i) As brave as a barrel – Simile
(ii) Brave as a barrel full of bears – Alliteration

Question 2: Why did Belinda cry for help? Who came to her help?

Answer: Belinda cried for help because she was afraid of the pirate. The custard came to her help.

Question 3: How did Belinda’s pets, other than Custard, face the pirate?

Answer: All the animals other than the dragon used to boast about their bravery and made the fun of the dragon. But when the pirate entered the house, all got scared and ran away and disappeared except Custard, the dragon.

Question 4: How did each of Belinda’s pets react at the sight of the pirate?

Answer: Each of Belinda’s pets ran away and hid. They were scared at the sight of the pirate.

Question 5: Give a brief description of the pirate in the poem, ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’.

Answer: The pirate entered from the window. He had pistols in his left and right hand. He held a bright cutlass in his teeth. His beard was black and one leg was wood.

Question 6: Who all lived in a white house with Belinda?

Answer: Belinda lived in a white house with Ink – a black kitten, Blink – a grey mouse, Mustard – a yellow dog, Custard – a dragon and a red wagon.

Question 7: Why did everyone make fun of the dragon?

Answer: Everyone in the house used to laugh at the dragon because he always cried for a safe cage, whereas others used to boast about their bravery.

Question 8: How did they say their admiration for the dragon after the death of the pirate?

Answer: They became very happy. Belinda embraced him. Mustard licked him. Ink and
Blink jumped round surrounding him. They expressed their joy in this way. No one
mourned for the pirate.

Question 9: What did they say about their bravery after the pirate’s death?

Answer: Mustard said that he would have been twice as brave if he had not got nervous. Ink and Blink said that they had been three times as brave as he. But Custard said that he agreed with them. He said that they were braver than him.

Question 10: Who among them was actually brave? How did he show his bravery?

Answer: Custard, the dragon, was the only one who was actually brave. The others were all cowards. They disappeared when they saw the pirate. But the dragon-faced him bravely and swallowed him up.

Question 11: How is ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ a ballad?

Answer: A ballad is a poem that tells a story. The theme of a ballad is an adventure, bravery, romance, etc. Then it is highly musical due to its rhyme scheme. This poem has these qualities. But it is a parody of a ballad. The poet shows these qualities in a humorous way.

Question 12: What were the pet names of Belinda’s animals?

Answer: The little black kitten was called Ink. She gave the name Blink to the little grey mouse. The little yellow dog’s pet name was Mustard. The dragon was given the pet name Custard.

Question 13: How does the poet describe Belinda and her animals’ bravery? How was Custard different from them?

Answer: The poet says that Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears. Ink and Blink followed lions down the stairs. Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage. But Custard was a coward. He kept crying for a nice safe cage.

Question 14: How did the animals make fun of the dragon?

Answer: They laughed at the dragon. Belinda teased the dragon. She tickled him very hard. Ink, Blink and Mustard called him Percival. They sat in the red wagon and laughed at the cowardly dragon.

Question 15: Belinda and the other animals have been described as brave. But on seeing the pirate, they behaved in a cowardly way. How did they react?

Answer: Belinda turned pale with fear. She cried for help. Mustard ran barking fearfully. Ink went to the bottom of the house. The little mouse ran into his hole in no time.

Question 16: How did Custard prove to be brave when the pirate came?

Answer: Custard, the dragon, jumped and snorted like an engine. He struck the pirate with his tail like iron. There were different sounds of clatter, clank and jangle. He attacked the pirate as a robin attacks a worm.

Question 17: How did the pirate react when the dragon attacked him?

Answer: The pirate looked at the dragon with an open-mouth. He swallowed some liquor from his pocket flagon. He fired two bullets. But they did not hit the dragon. The dragon attacked him and swallowed him.

Question 18: Where did Belinda live? Which animals lived with her?

Answer: Belinda lived in a little white house. Some animals also lived with her. They were: a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog and little pet dragon.

Long Questions and Answers

Question 1: Why do you think Custard, the dragon was called a coward? How was Custard able to save all his housemates from the pirate? What values should Belinda have possessed, so that Custard too could have been among her favourites?

Answer: The dragon appeared to be a coward as he always cried for a safe cage, so he was called a cowardly dragon. Later, when the pirate entered the house with pistols in his left and right hand, everyone was scared and ran away and disappeared, except Custard who faced him boldly and attacked him, hit him hard with his forceful tail and gobbled every bit of him. Belinda should have been nice to him. She should have made him feel comfortable and safe in the house, instead of laughing and making fun of him with other pets. Belinda should have been protective towards him.

Question 2: Describe the fight between the dragon and the pirate.

Answer: The dragon had big sharp teeth, and spikes on top of him and scales underneath, but everyone laughed at him as he always cried for a safe cage, whereas everyone boasted about their bravery. But when the pirate entered, all were scared and ran away, except Custard who faced him boldly, attacked him, hit him hard with his forceful tail and gobbled every bit of him. All of them later felt obliged to Custard for saving their lives.

Fog important Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

1. According to the poet, what is the fog like?
Answer: According to the poet, the fog is like a cat.

2. How does the fog come?
Answer: The fog comes slowly and silently.

3. What is the fog compared to?
Answer: The fog is compared to a cat.

4. What does the fog look over ?
Answer: The fog looks over the harbour and the city.

5. How does the poet make the fog like a living creature?
Answer: The poet makes the fog like a living creature by comparing it to a cat.

6. How does the fog move on?
Answer: The fog moves on slowly.

7. How does the poet describes the fog’s movements?
Answer: The poet describes the fog as a cat. Like a cat, the fog comes silently and slowly. It is sitting on its haunches. And then it moves on.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. The poet actually says that the fog is like a cat”, With reference to the poem, ‘Fog’ explain this statement.
Or
Think of any other animal that can best replace the cat in the poem, ‘Fog’. Write a few lines that would tell us about the resemblance of Fog with that animal.

Answer: The fog is compared to a cat. He says a cat does not make a sound when it walks so also is the fog. But its presence is apparent. Its ‘Silence’ is very much like that of a cat moving on its little feet. The way the fog sits is very much like a cat sitting on its haunches, looking here and there.

2. How does the poet make the fog like a living creature?

Answer: The poet describes the fog as a cat. He does so through a metaphor. The fog is the cat itself. As a cat jumps and lights on its soft silently, the fog also comes down noiselessly. Then it moves on like a cat.

3. How is the fog like a cat? What three things suggest it?

Answer: Three things suggest that the fog is like a cat. Like a cat, the fog comes silently. The fog is looking over the harbour and the city like a cat does so sitting on its haunches. Thirdly, it moves as the cat moves.

4. How does the poet employ the double imagery of the fog and the cat?

Answer: The poetic device of metaphor is very effectively used in the poem. The fog is converted into a cat and the cat is morphed back into the fog. The silent arrival of the fog is like a little cat. The fog stays there sitting like the cat on its haunches.

5. Describe the similarities that have been mentioned in the poem between the fog and a cat.

Answer: It is a dual image that changes and merges again in the original. The fog changes into a cat and the cat changes into the fog. Both of them come silently unseen and suddenly. Both engulf everything underneath them. The fog engulfs everything, the harbour and the city in its fold. The fog sits silently as a cat sits on its haunches. Then it disappears and moves ahead.

6. Which aspect of nature Carl Sand-burg presents in the poem ‘Fog’?

Answer: The poet presents nature in its raw and natural state. The fog comes as if from nowhere. It comes suddenly and silently like a little cat. The fog’s power is overwhelming. It engulfs everything, the city and the harbour in its all-embracing fold. Then following the law of change, it disappears, no one knows where.

7. Does the poet actually say that the fog is like a cat? Then how do we know that the fog is like a cat?

Answer: The poet compares fog to a cat. A cat comes without making any noise and goes away. In the same way, the fog comes and spreads slowly and silently over harbour and city.

8. What three things tell us that the fog is like a cat?

Answer: (i) The fog comes slowly and silently like a cat.
(ii) The cat sits on its haunches for some time looking around and then moves away as it came.
(iii) Similarly, the fog spreads over the harbour and city for some time. Finally, it moves away like a cat.

9. The fog comes on like cat feet. How does the poet compare the fog with a cat? What poetic device is used here?

Answer: The cat comes silently and slowly. In the same way, the fog also comes slowly and silently. The poetic device used here is personification. The fog has been personified.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. What metaphor has the poet used in the poem ‘Fog’? Do you think it is appropriate?

Answer: In the poem Tog’, Carl Sandburg has metaphorically compared the fog to a cat. The first strange thing about the metaphor is the comparison of a phenomenon with a living animal. Perhaps the poet wants to emphasize the silent nature and mysterious ways of the fog, so he has compared the fog to a cat. A cat does not make a sound when it walks. So also is the fog, but its presence is apparent. Its “silence” is very much like that of a cat moving on its little feet.

Then the fog stays in its place looking over the harbour and city which creates a hazy atmosphere all around. The way it sits is very much like a cat sitting on its haunches, looking here and there before it makes a move. This is as if the fog remains a silent spectator of the happenings in the city. Whatever the purpose may be, both the fog as well as a cat make their impression and make their presence felt. The comparison of the fog to a cat seems very appropriate because, reading the poem, one feels that truly, the fog approaches stealthily, just like a cat.

2. How does Carl Sandburg describe the arrival, stay and departure of fog through the image of a metaphorical cat?

Answer: The poet employs a double image. The fog is converted into a cat and the cat morphs back into the fog. The arrival of the fog is silent and sudden. It comes as if from nowhere. Its arrival is like a small cat. It sits and stays for a while. It engulfs everything in its all-embracing fold. It spreads its fold everywhere from the harbour to the city. It sits silently as a cat sits on its haunches. The fog stays but not for long. A cat never stays at one place for a long time. So, the fog moves ahead no one knows where. Carl Sandburg describes the raw aspect of nature, the all-embracing and prevailing fog. Its silent power is felt everywhere from the harbour to the city.

The Trees important Questions and Answers

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1: What is the central idea of the poem, ‘The Trees’?

Answer: The central idea of the poem is the conflict between man and nature. A plant is brought inside the house when it is a sapling. But as it grows into a tree, it gets suffocated with the limited space available. So it departs to feel free. The tree is thus, moving out to occupy the now empty forest, made so by man’s indiscriminate felling of trees. Humans must understand the negative impact of their actions on nature and mend their ways before it is too late.

Question 2: Where are the trees at present? What do their roots, and leaves do?

Answer: At present, the trees are in the house. The roots try to free themselves from the cracks of the veranda floor, and the leaves make efforts to move towards the glass, perhaps in search of light. The small branches become stiff as they try to pull themselves towards the light.

Question 3: Why is the description of the moon different in the beginning and at the end of the third stanza?

Answer: At the beginning of the third stanza, the poet says that one can see the whole moon shining in the open sky, but in the end, the moon seems to be broken like a mirror and its pieces shine in the crown of the tallest oak tree. The change is caused by the shifting of the trees outside.

Question 4: Justify the revolt of the trees and state two values which the man should possess to stop the revolt.

Answer: The trees inside the house get suffocated as they grow. They try to free themselves from the cracks of the veranda floor and the leaves stretch out as if to move towards the glass. They are justified in their revolt. Men should learn the importance of trees.

Question 5: How does the poet describe the night? How does she feel?

Answer: It is night time. The night is fresh. In the open sky, the full moon is shining. The poet feels the smell of leaves and lichen reaching inside the room. Her head is full of whispers. But she thinks that the next day these whispers will be silent.

Question 6: What is the theme of the poem, ‘The Trees’?

Answer: The theme of the poem is the disappearance of trees. This poem also brings out the idea of conflict between man and nature. Man is doing more and more harm to nature. Nature is getting angry. Man’s existence on this planet is in danger. Thus, it becomes the foremost duty of every citizen to work for the protection of the environment.

Question 7: Why are the trees described in the first stanza not useful for birds or insects?

Answer: The trees described in the first stanza are either decorative plants kept inside a house, or they are shown only in a painting or picture. Therefore, they are not useful for birds or insects. Birds cannot sit on their branches. Insects cannot hide in them.

Question 8: What happens to the roots and leaves of these trees at night?

Answer: The roots of these trees are engaged into the cracks of the veranda floor. At night, these roots try to free themselves from the cracks. The leaves try to move towards the glass. Twigs become harden and the boughs try to expand under the roof.

Question 9: How does the poet describe the growth of the trees inside the house?

Answer: These trees grow in pots and pans. So their roots feel cramped. These roots try to free themselves from the cracks of the veranda floor. The leaves need light. So they move towards the glass. The twigs are stiff and the boughs are like the newly discharged patients coming out of clinic doors.

Question 10: Why does the poet use the metaphor of newly discharged patients?

Answer: A patient feels depressed in a hospital. As soon as he recovers, he is eager to leave the hospital. He rushes towards the clinic doors. In the same way, the plants in the pots feel suffocated. They are deprived of adequate light. So they stretch themselves towards the glass door, in the hope of finding the light.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1: ‘Departure is painful’. So is the departure of the trees for the poet. What will happen after their departure?

Answer: Just like the departure of someone close to us is painful, so also is the departure of a tree. When they are planted as a sapling, they look nice and enhance the beauty of our surroundings. But as they grow and spread out their branches, they look wild and require more space for their growth. The roots create cracks in the floor and the leaves stretch out as if to move towards the glass, perhaps in need of sunlight. The soft twigs become strong and stiff. So the trees need to be removed from the house. No more do the leaves cover the sky, but the trees breathe and they are welcomed by the wind. The moon resembles a broken mirror, reflecting off the leaves. The poet reveals that she will feel lonely after the trees’ departure.

Question 2: How does the poem ‘The Trees’ make a strong plea against deforestation?

Answer: The poem, ‘The Trees’ sends home a strong message against deforestation. It highlights the importance of trees when the poet says that without trees there will be no shadow, no forest, no place for birds to sit, no place for insects to hide. As a sapling, the plant adds to the beauty of the surroundings when it spreads its branches, leaves and roots around. It gets the suit house. Thus, in the poem, the trees are welcomed by the strong winds and the moon. The poet does not want to mention the departure of the forests as she feels guilty for merely looking silently at them as they depart. This way, she subtly points out the thanklessness of man towards forests.

Question 3: Explain the phrase “the forest that was empty all these days”. After reading the poem, for whom do you think are the forests needed? Imagine yourself like a tree in a forest.

Answer: In the poem, ‘The Trees’ poet Adrienne Rich subtly drives home the message about the importance of trees. Without trees, the birds would not have a place to sit, insects will have no place to hide and the sun would not bury its feet in shadow. As saplings, we enjoy the beauty of plants as they adorn the surroundings. But slowly, the tree spreads its roots, its branches and leaves, and seems to yearn to go outside where it can live and grow without any restrictions. No more does the tree look attractive indoors. The trees are however welcomed into nature by strong winds and the moon. The poet hereby emphasises that trees need to be kept alive, but should not be ‘imprisoned’ inside the house as they look more beautiful, and tend to thrive outdoors that is where trees belong.

Animals important Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

Question 1: Why does the poet show a preference for living with the animals?

Answer: The poet says that it is better to live with animals as they show tokens of goodness. They are peaceful, self-contained and happy. Animals show innate goodness which is lacked in human beings. Animals do not grumble about their lives or cry over their sins.

Question 2: What is the relevance of ‘tokens’ in the poem, ‘Animals’? Who brings them to the poet?

Answer: Animals show tokens of goodness. They are self-contained, peaceful, thankful and happy creatures. Animals are not unhappy and indeed, bring out tokens of man’s good nature, lost long ago. Animals do not grumble about their lives.

Question 3: What is the central idea of the poem, ‘Animals’?

Answer: The central idea of the poem is the difference between human beings and animals. While they both were initially similar in their innate goodness, the man had lost it over the years, while animals remain the same. They show these tokens of goodness – peaceful, self-containment and happiness, and compel the poet to contemplate on man’s lost goodness.

Question 4: How are animals better than humans, according to the poet?

Answer: According to the poet, the animals are more humane than humans. They have no such bad qualities as humans have. In their world, all are happy, equal and content. They show their relations to the poet and he accepts them.

Question 5: What is the theme of the poem, ‘Animals’?

Answer: The theme of the poem is the superiority of animals’ life over to human beings. The poet, Whitman, compares animals with human beings. He finds animals far better than human beings. The poet finds the reasons for human suffering. Human beings are always dissatisfied. All their actions are with a selfish motive. But animals are far-far away from these bad qualities. So the poet wishes to turn and live with the animals.

Question 6: Why does the poet want to live with animals?

Answer: The poet thinks that animals are very peaceful and self-confident. They do not complain about their condition. They don’t weep for their sins. That is why, he wants to live with the animals.

Question 7: What is the difference between animals and humans regarding their attitude to their condition, sins and God?

Answer: Human beings cry about their condition. They lie awake at night in the dark and weep for their sins. They make the poet sick by discussing their duty about God. But animals do not do any of these things. That is why, the poet likes them.

Question 8: How are animals different from humans about owning things or kneeling to one another?

Answer: Human beings are mad about possessing things. But animals do not care for possession. It is madness only for humans. Animals do not kneel to others as humans do. For them, all are equal.

Long Answers Type Questions

Question 1: “Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes they lack the values which are better exhibited by the animals”. Elucidate the statement with reference to the poem, ‘Animals’.

Answer: Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes, they lack the values which are better exhibited by the animals. Human beings lack the qualities of being respectable, happy, contented and peace-loving which is still reflected in animals. Animals do not grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Animals do not have a mania for “owning things”, nor do they kneel before others like humans. Moreover, the tokens of goodness, love, respect and happiness have been dropped by human beings.

Question 2: The poem, ‘Animals’ tells us that civilisation has made humans false to their own true nature. Which values will help you revive your basic nature?

Answer: In the race of human civilisation, humans have lost their own nature. The men have dropped their innate goodness over the years. They have become selfish, jealous, restless, unhappy, cribbing and grumbling creatures. They grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins and discuss their duty towards God.

In a race to earn more luxuries and comfort, they have lost their sound sleep. They have become unhappy and most of the time unable to enjoy even small joys and happiness in life. On the contrary, animals are peaceful, self-contained, thankful and happy creatures. They are not unhappy and indeed bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago, when he possessed qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness.

Question 3: How is the poem ‘Animals’, a contrast between humans and animals?

Answer: Humans can be described as selfish, jealous, restless, unhappy, cribbing, and grumbling creatures. In contrast, animals are peaceful, self-contained, thankful and happy creatures. They do not grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Also, they don’t have a mania for “owning things; nor do they kneel before others. Animals, on the whole, are not unhappy and indeed bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago, when he possessed qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness.

Question 4: “The more I know of humans, the more I love my pet”. With reference to the poem, ‘Animals’, elaborate the statement.

Answer: Whenever the poet thinks about animals, he has a feeling of being one among them. The lost human qualities of being respectable, happy, contented, and peace-loving could be still found reflected in animals. They don’t whine about their condition; nor do they cry for their sins. They don’t make others sick by discussing their duty to God, are not dissatisfied nor have the craze to own things. They may not be respectable, but they definitely do not kneel before others or be unhappy as a whole.

For the poet, they bring the tokens of human qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness, which they themselves exhibit plainly. He thinks that perhaps the animals possessed these qualities naturally. The poet also wonders whether these tokens could have been negligently dropped by humans long ago. Whatever the case may be, while thinking about the overwhelming negativity of human beings, anyone may start loving his pet the more.

Amanda! important Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

1. What does the speaker ask Amanda not to do to her nails?
Answer: The speaker asks Amanda not to bite her nails.

2. What should Amanda not to do to her soldiers?
Answer: She should not hunch her soldiers.

3. How should Amanda sit?
Answer: She should sit straight.

4. What does Amanda wish to do in the sea?
Answer: She wishes to drift blissfully with the soft-moving waves of the sea.

5. What was Amanda to finish?
Answer: She was to finish her homework.

6. Has Amanda cleaned her shoes?
Answer: No, she has not cleaned her shoes.

7. If Amanda is an orphan, what will she do?
Answer: She will roam about in the streets.

8. How is silence described?
Answer: Silence is described as golden.

9. What is Amanda prohibited to eat?
Answer: She is prohibited to eat chocolate.

10. Why should Amanda not eat chocolate?
Answer: She should not eat chocolate as it causes acne.

11. Who was Rapunzel?
Answer: Rapunzel was fair with very long hair.

12.What did Rapunzel do with her long hair?
Answer: She let her hair fall down from the castle for her lover to climb upholding them.

13. Who is the mermaid in ‘Amanda’, what does ‘she’ wish to do?
Answer: The mermaid is Amanda herself; as imagined by Amanda. She wishes to drift blissfully on a dreamy, emerald sea, without anyone else accompanying her.

14. What is the theme of the poem — ‘Amanda’?
Answer: Too many instructions and too much control are resented by children. They get bored and fed up. Then, they listen to their parents half-heartedly and indulge in daydreaming.

15. Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!
Remember your acne, Amanda!
Why is Amanda asked not to eat chocolate?

Answer: Amanda already suffers from acne, a skin disease. If she eats chocolate it will aggravate her problem further. That is why she is asked not to eat chocolate.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is the role/ importance of punctuation marks in language? Why has the poet used the exclamation mark after Amanda? Comment on the title of the poem.

Answer: (i) Punctuation is an important part of grammar. It is used to create sense, clarity and stress in sentences. It is used to structure and organise our writing.
(ii) The exclamation mark is used after Amanda! to show the mother’s surprise on seeing Amanda. Amanda is a sulky and moody girl which upsets the mother.

2. Is the purpose of someone constantly giving instructions to Amanda being fulfilled? Explain.

Answer: No, Amanda sulks and becomes moody when her mother gives her too many instructions. She does not listen to her mother and didn’t care to follow them but she can’t dare to ignore them either so, she sulks. Parents in their endeavour to make their children well-behaved, give them too many instructions.

3. Amanda imagines herself to be Rapunzel, yet would not like to do what all she did. Identify and state the reasons for her decision.

Answer: Amanda wants to be Rapunzel to live a peaceful life in a tower, where no one gives any instruction and she doesn’t have to do any work. But she doesn’t want to escape with a prince like Rapunzel. She never wants to escape and leave such a peaceful atmosphere, with no instruction and no work to do.

4. What message does the poet want to give through the poem — ‘Amanda’?

Answer: The poet wants to convey that parents in their endeavour to make their children well-behaved, mannerly having good habits, give them too many instructions or nag (always finding fault) them. They should adopt positive measures, acceptable to children. Otherwise, they will stop listening to them and indulge in daydreaming as Amanda did.

5. Who was Amanda? What idea do you form her through the poem?

Answer: Amanda was a little school going, girl. She seems to love fairy tales, stories like Rapunzel and mermaids. She does not like too many instructions or nagging which make her sulk and become moody. Then she does not listen to her mother attentively and starts daydreaming.

6. Why does she dream to be an orphan?

Answer: She thinks orphans lead a carefree life. There is no one to pester them with instructions. They can wander in a street and make patterns in the soft dust with their bare feet. They don’t have to clean the shoes or room or do the homework.

7. Amanda imagines herself to be Rapunzel, yet would not like to do what all she did. Identify and state the reasons for her decision.

Answer: Amanda says it. In the story, Rapunzel lets down her long, beautiful hair to escape with the prince. But Amanda is fascinated by Rapunzel’s life in the tower. She never wants to escape and leave such a peaceful atmosphere, with no instruction and no work to do.

8. What made Amanda sulk and become moody?

Answer: Amanda sulks and becomes moody when her mother gives her too many instructions. She does not want to follow them but she can’t dare to ignore them either, so she sulks.

9. How does Amanda is seen behaving when the poem starts? What does the speaker ask her not to do?

Answer: When the poem beings, we find that Amanda is biting her nails. She is hunching her shoulders. She is sitting in a slouching posture. That is why the speaker asks her to behave normally. He asks her not to bite her nails and hunch her shoulders. She should sit up straight.

10. In her day-dreaming, Amanda reaches the sea. What does she imagine herself to be?

Answer: Amanda finds that the sea is relaxed and peaceful. She is the only creature in the sea. She imagines herself to be a mermaid. She is happy. She is drifting on the waves blissfully.

11. What three things the speaker ask Amanda to do which she has not done?

Answer: The speaker asks Amanda to finish her homework. Then he asks her if she has cleaned up her room. Finally, he finds that her shoes are not clean even though he had asked her to clean them.

12. How does Amanda describe her life as an orphan?

Answer: Amanda says that she is an orphan. She is free and roams the street. There is soft dust in the street under her feet. She walks silently and creates patterns on the soft dust with her bare feet. She thinks that silence is golden and freedom is sweet.

13. Why is Amanda forbidden to eat chocolate? How does Amanda behave when she is addressed by the speaker?

Answer: The speaker asks Amanda not to eat chocolate. It is because she has had acne already. Eating chocolate might create more pimples. Amanda listens to the speaker without raising her face.

14. What does Amanda say, ‘I am Rapunzel’? What does she promise not to do?

Answer: Rapunzel was a beautiful girl with long hair. She was locked up in a tower by a witch. In her imagination, Amanda thinks herself to be like Rapunzel who led a peaceful life. She promises never to let down her bright hair.

15. What does the speaker tell Amanda in the end? What is the speaker afraid of?

Answer: The speaker thinks that Amanda is sulking and moody. He thinks that Amanda is always moody. He asks her not to sulk because he is afraid that people will think that he is nagging Amanda.

16. What is the central idea of the poem?

Answer: The central idea of the poem is that children love freedom. They do not want any restrictions on their activities. Secondly, they have a dream world of their own. They like to spend most of their time in that dream world. But the elders are always destroying that dream world by ordering them around.

17. Do you think that Amanda doesn’t like to be controlled and instructed not to do one thing or the other? Give a reasoned answer.

Answer: Amanda loves her freedom. She doesn’t want it to be curtailed. She wants to lead her own kind of life. If she is asked what to do and what not, she feels that her freedom is curtailed. She doesn’t bother to answer her mother when she goes on instructing her what to do and what not.

18. List the things which Amanda’s mother doesn’t want her to do.

Answer: Her mother doesn’t want her to hunch her shoulders and bend her body down. She stops her from eating chocolates as it would not be good for her pimpled face. She wants her to stop sulking as others would think that she is being nagged by her mother.

19. Why does Amanda want to be a mermaid?

Answer:  Amanda is an escapist. She imagines herself to be a mermaid. She wants to live on an island where she is the only inhabitant. She loves freedom. She loves drifting blissfully like a mermaid on that lonely island.

20. Why does Amanda want to be an orphan?

Answer: Amanda values freedom more than anything in her life. She feels suffocated at home as she is constantly nagged by her mother there. She wants to be an orphan. Like an orphan, she likes to wander about the streets freely with bare feet.

21. Why does Amanda want to be Rapunzel?

Answer: Amanda is an escapist. She imagines herself as a fairy-like Rapunzel. She wants to live happily in her lonely tower far from the maddening crowd of the world. Like Rapunzel, she wants to take care of her beautiful golden hair.

22. Why does Amanda’s mother ask her to stop sulking?

Answer: Amanda’s mother thinks that she is moody as her mood is always shifting. If she puts on an unhappy appearance, others will blame her mother. They will think that she is being constantly nagged by her mother.

23. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

Answer: Amanda is a little girl. She, in fact, is a symbol of every child who is instructed by the parents to do or not to do this or that. If she were a mermaid she would blissfully drift in the sea.

24. What does Amanda yearn for?

Answer: Amanda is a little girl. She is asked to do or not to do this and that. She is nagged at by her parents. So Amanda yearns for freedom. She wants to lead a life without any restrictions.

25. What is the fear of the speaker that is explained in the last stanza?

Answer: In the last stanza, the speaker advises Amanda not to remain moody and sulking. The reason behind this is that she does not want to expose it before others. Otherwise, people will think that she was teased by the speaker. It was her fear.

The Ball Poem important Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

1. What has the boy lost in the water?
Answer: He has lost his ball in the water of the sea.

2. Where did the ball land finally?
Answer: The ball landed finally in the water.

3. What was the reaction of the boy at the loss of his ball? 
Answer: The boy was sad and troubled at the loss of his ball.

4. Where was the boy staring down?
Answer: The boy was staring down the harbour where his ball had gone.

5. What does ‘in the world of possessions’ means? 
Answer: It means the world of materialistic things.

6. Do you think the boy has lost something earlier?
Answer: Yes, he has lost something earlier.

7. What lesson does the boy learn? 
Answer: He learns the lesson that gains and losses are part and parcel of life.

8. Why is money called external? 
Answer: Money is called external because we can replace the lost things with its help.

9. Why are the boy’s eyes desperate? 
Answer: His eyes are desperate because he has lost his ball.

10. Who is the poet of the poem ‘The Ball Poem’?
Answer: John Berryman.

11. What is the boy learning from the loss of the ball?
Answer: The boy is learning the nature of loss in this materialistic world. He has learnt that loss is part and parcel of human life.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Express your views on the title of the poem, ‘The Ball Poem’.

Answer: When one reads the title ‘The Ball Poem’, one assumes that the poem may be a light-hearted one but perhaps about the joys of childhood. We must not feel disheartened, dejected and desperate but try to stand up and bear the loss through self-understanding.

2. Express your views on the title of the poem, ‘The Ball Poem’.

Answer: When one reads the title ‘The Ball Poem’, one assumes that the poem may be a light-hearted one, perhaps about the joys of childhood. However, as the reader reads the poem, the seriousness of the topic comes forth, as does the title’s appropriateness.

3. What is the theme of the poem —’The Ball Poem’?

Answer: In this world sometimes we lose things which we love and are attached to. We must not feel disheartened, dejected and desperate but try to stand up and bear the loss through self-understanding as the boy who lost the ball he loved was trying to learn.

4. A ball is an easily available, inexpensive thing. Then, why is the boy so sad to lose it?

Answer: No doubt the ball is an easily available and inexpensive item but the ball, the boy has lost is valuable for him. His memories of younger days are associated with it because he had been playing with it for a long time. It was not an ordinary but a special ball for him. No other ball could take its place. So, he is sad to lose it.

5. What shows that the ball was valuable for the boy?

Answer: The ball was valuable for the boy is obvious (clear) from the way he reacts after losing it He was shocked, remained fixed, trembled with grief staring at the place where the ball had fallen. All this shows that he loved the ball and it was valuable for him.

6. ‘He senses first responsibility’—what responsibility is referred to here?

Answer: The responsibility referred to here is how to stand up or bear the loss through self-understanding and trying to console oneself on his own as the boy who lost his ball was trying to do.

7. Why did the poet not console the boy?

Answer: The poet did not console the boy for two reasons—One, the boy was too shocked and grief-stricken to listen to any sense. Second, the poet also observed that the boy was trying to stand up or bear the loss on his own through self-understanding which is much more reflective and lasting. The poet’s or anybody else’s consoling would not be that effective.

8. ‘ ……starting, down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went’… Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to memories of days when he played with it?

Answer: Yes, I think the boy had that ball for a long time. The expression—`all his young days into the harbour’ suggests this. It is linked with old memories when he used to play with it, that is why he is so upset about losing it.

9. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer

Answer: I don’t think the boy has lost anything earlier. The first loss is shocking and full of grief—the line—An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy’ reflects it. Also in the `senses first responsibility’—the word first shows that it was his first loss.

10. What does the poet notice at the beginning of the poem?

Answer: The poet sees a boy playing near a harbour with a ball. The poet saw his ball bouncing. It bounced and fell into the water of the harbour. The boy lost his ball. He became very sad.

11. What was the effect of the loss of ball on the bay? 

Answer: The poet sees the boy whose ball has fallen into the harbour. He describes the effect of the loss on the boy. The boy is shaken with grief. He trembles and stares down the harbour. His past days come alive in his mind. 

12. Why does the poet decide not to give money to the boy or he buy another ball for him?

Answer: The poet says that he will not intrude upon the boy because he must learn to tolerate loss. The poet emphasises this loss. He thinks that money cannot compensate for the sense of loss. So he doesn’t give the boy money or buy another ball for him.

13. Explain the line, “And no one buys a ball back. Money is external”. 

Answer: This line means that no one can buy something that is lost forever. No one can buy the boy that very ball which he has lost. Money is an external thing. It is a medium of possessing things. But even money cannot compensate for the sense of loss suffered by a person.

14. Why does the poet say, “Balls will be lost always”? 
Answer: Hem balls are the symbol of man’s possessions. We love our things. Some things are dearer to us than the others. But nothing is permanent in life. We may lose our dear things. Then we suffer from a sense of loss. This is experienced by everyone in life. That is why, the poet says, “Balls will be lost always”.

15. What is the main idea of the poem?

Answer: The main idea of the poem is ‘the sense of loss in life’. The loss is a fact of life. The sooner man learns to tolerate it the better it is. When we lose something for the first time, we feel very sad. But later we learn to live with our loss. In this poem, the boy loses his ball. He is very sad. The poet can buy him another hall. But he does not want to do so. He wants the boy must learn the bitter truth of life that everyone can suffer the loss of something dear.

16. How did the poet witness the whole scene of the boy losing his ball?

Answer: The poet saw the boy playing with his ball. While he was playing with it, the ball bounced down the street ‘merrily’. And then the most unexpected thing happened. Rolling down the street and after taking a few bounces, finally, the ball fell down in the water of the harbour below.

17. How did the boy react after his ball fell into the water of the harbour?

Answer: The falling of the ball in the water was quite sudden. Actually, it was an unexpected loss. The boy was completely shaken but couldn’t even move a step. He stood there fixed to the ground like a statue. He constantly continued staring at the point where his ball fell into the harbour. It seemed as if he was thinking of his childhood days which had disappeared forever like the lost ball.

18. Does the lost ball stand for the metaphor of the boy’s lost childhood? How? 

Answer: The boy has lost his ball. It has fallen down into the harbour. It will not be found back again. However, through the metaphor of the lost ball, the poet wants to highlight a bigger loss. It is the loss of his childhood. Like the lost ball, the childhood days which he cherishes still now, have been lost forever. This makes the loss inconsolable.

19.  Why does the poet say: ‘No use to say ‘O there are other balls’?

Answer: The loss of the ball looks like an ordinary incident. It seems that the boy should not make such a fuss over it. Boys usually lose such balls and again buy new ones as they are not very costly. But the boy seems to be inconsolable over the loss. No money can buy the same ball that he has lost forever. Similarly, no wealth can buy back the childhood that he has lost forever.

20. Why doesn’t the poet want to intrude on ‘him’? What does he consider the safest course?

Answer: The poet doesn’t want to intrude on the inconsolable boy. There is no gain in telling him that the ball he has lost costs almost nothing. He can buy a new ball easily in a dime. Instead of sermonising, the poet leaves it on the boy to develop a new sense of responsibility. It will help him in bearing the loss.

21. What is the general rule of this ‘world of possessions’? Why is money ‘external’?

Answer: Getting and losing is a natural cycle. Many more boys before him bought and lost their balls. This process will go on forever. However, no amount of money can buy back the same ball that has been lost forever. Money is external and has its own limitations. Wealth can’t compensate such emotional losses such as the loss of one’s childhood days.

22. How is the boy learning the ‘epistemology of loss’ from the loss of his ball? What he has to learn?

Answer: The boy has to understand the nature of the loss. He has to understand what it means to lose something. Gain and loss are the two sides of the same coin. The boy has to learn how to move forward forgetting everything about the losses he has suffered in the past.

23. How can the boy stand up again? What every man must know one day? 

Answer: The boy has to understand the epistemology of loss — the knowledge and nature of the loss. This is not the problem of the boy alone. Everyone has to know it sooner or later that it is useless to weep over the loss of our dearest childhood days. One should move ahead forgetting all such losses. Life has to be lived only by moving ahead in it.

24. What is the message that John Berryman gives to the readers in ‘The Ball poem’?

Answer: In ‘The Ball Poem’ John Berryman gives a very positive message. Gain and loss, getting and losing are the essentials in the cycle of life. One should learn epistemology or the knowledge and nature of the loss. Our childhood with all its attachments and sweet memories has gone forever never to come back again. We should not weep over the losses that we have suffered. Let us learn to live and moving ahead in life forgetting all inconsolable losses.

25. Why does the poet not offer to buy the boy another ball?

Answer: The poet does not offer to buy the boy another ball because the new ball would not console him. The reason is that he had a great attachment to the lost ball. ‘He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes’.

How to Tell Wild Animals important Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

1. Where are the Asian Lions found?
Answer: The Asian Lions are found in the eastern countries of the world.

2. How does the Asian Lion look?
Answer: The Asian Lion is a large and yellow-coloured animal.

3. What is the special feature of the Bengal Tiger?
Answer: He has black stripes on his yellow body.

4. How is the Bengal Tiger described?
Answer: He is described as a noble wild beast.

5. How is the leopard’s skin?
Answer: The leopard has spots on his skin.

6. How does a leopard behave when he meets a person?
Answer: When a leopard meets a person he jumps on him at once.

7. Which animal can we meet in our yard?
Answer: We can meet the bear in our yard.

8. What does the bear do on meeting a person?
Answer: The bear hugs the person very hard when he meets one.

9. What is the special feature of the Hyena?
Answer: The Hyena always comes with merry smiles.

10. What is the special feature of the crocodile?
Answer: The crocodile weeps while eating its prey.

11. What two things does a Chameleon not have?
Answer: A Chameleon does not have ears and wings.

12. Where is the Chameleon generally found?
Answer: It is generally found in the trees.

13. What do you learn about the leopard from this poem?

Answer: The poem tells us that a leopard has spots on his skin. As soon as he sees someone he leaps over him at once and starts eating. He is so terrifying and powerful.

14. Peppered spots, tawny beast and noble wild beasts live in the jungles along with some others. Name them.
Answer: The leopard, the lion and the Bengal Tiger live along with the bear, hyenas, crocodiles and chameleons.

15. Name the different animals and birds found in the jungles of the east.
Answer: Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Bear, Hyena, Crocodiles and Chameleons.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. How does one identify a chameleon?

Answer: A chameleon resembles a lizard and is a small, wingless, fearless creature. The poet says that when there is nothing visible on the tree, there is the chameleon camouflaged with the tree.

2. What is the famous saying associated with crocodiles and what does it mean?

Answer: The famous saying associated with crocodiles is that of ‘shedding crocodile tears’. It actually means tears or expressions of sorrow that are insincere, and are said to be so named from a belief that crocodiles wept while devouring their prey.

3. What is the theme of the poem — ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’?

Answer: The theme of the poem is to create humour. The poet creates humour by suggesting dangerous ways of identifying wild animals. You can identify most of the beasts while they are attacking you. Instead of shouting for help or trying to protect yourself, you are busy identifying the attacker—the idea creates humour.

4. What does the poet say about the Asian Lion in this poem?

Answer: The poet says that the Asian Lion is a large beast. He is brownish-yellow in colour. He is found in forests of the eastern countries of the world. His roar is very loud and terrifying.

5. How does the Bengal Tiger look? What is so distinct about a hint?

Answer: The poet says that the Bengal Tiger roams in the forest and look noble. His skin is yellow and there are black stripes on it. As soon as the Bengal Tiger notices someone he tries to eat him.

6. How does the poet describe the bear?

Answer: The poet suggests that the bear can enter a human colony also. That is why you can encounter a bear even in your yard. As soon as the bear comes near a human being, he embraces him. This embrace appears loving. But in fact, it can be fatal.

7. Why does the poet say that a bear’s ‘hug’ may confuse a novice?

Answer: It is the tendency of a bear to kill his victim by embracing him. He hugs the victim so tight that he usually dies. But a novice who does not know the ways of bears may misunderstand his hug. He may think that it is a loving embrace.

8. What does the poet say about the crocodile and the hyena?

Answer: The poet describes the crocodile and the hyena humorously. The hyena seems to be laughing. In fact, it does not laugh. Only its face appears so. On the other hand, the crocodile has tears in his eyes when It eats its victim. it appears as if he is shedding tears at the death of his victim. But this is not so.

9. How will you recognise the Bengal Tiger?

Answer: He is a very grand and impressive animal. His hide is yellowish. There are black stripes all over his body. He is very agile. The moment he notices someone, he will simply eat away that creature at once. If any animal fulfils all these traits, he must be the Bengal Tiger.

10. How will you recognise the leopard?

Answer: The leopard is very agile and is always ready to pounce upon its prey. His hide is spotted all over with dark spots. If he sees you, he will pounce upon you. There will be no use of crying with pain. He will show no mercy and jump at you once again.

11.  How will you recognise a bear from other animals?

Answer:  If you are walking around your courtyard, you can meet a creature there. If he hugs you very hard, then, be sure he is the bear. His embrace is very hard and tight. If you have any doubt about it, he will give you just one more caress.

12. Can a novice distinguish among wild animals? How can hyenas be distinguished from crocodiles?

Answer:  It is very difficult for a novice to distinguish among wild animals. He can be easily confused. But it is very easy to distinguish between crocodiles and hyenas. Hyenas come with merry smiles. Crocodiles can be recognised by the tears in their eyes.

13. How will you recognise a chameleon?

Answer: A chameleon is a small creature. It looks like a lizard in appearance. It is strange that he doesn’t have any ears. Nor does he have a single wing. If you see such a creature sitting on a Tree, be sure he is a chameleon.

14. What does the bear do?

Answer: According to the poet, the bear embraces the human being tight. The description of the bear has been presented in a humorous style. The bear comes near a human being and embraces very hard. He hugs very tightly.

15. What humorous descriptions do you find in the poem?

Answer: We find some humorous descriptions about the animals in the poem. The poet has created it by the selection of words and his pattern of explaining. As the Bengal tiger is described noble, the bear hugs and the hyena smiles.

16. How would you recognise the Asian Lion?

Answer: He is found in the jungles of the eastern regions. He is a large and powerful animal. He is yellow-brownish in colour. He roars so loudly that the roar is enough to terrorise a person to death. If any animal has all these traits, he must be the Asian Lion.

Long Answer Type Questions

1.’Many animals can be identified according to the poets’ suggestion. Name the animals. Which ones would you like to identify? Are there any lessons for us from this poem?

Answer: The poet has listed down the ways of identifying seven animals in the poem, viz., and the lion, the Bengal Tiger, the leopard, the bear, the hyena, crocodiles and chameleons. As for me, I would like to identify the bear, the Bengal Tiger and the leopard. However, putting my life on the line just to identify the tiger and the leopard doesn’t seem worth the risk! So if I see a noble beast with black stripes on yellow, I’II knows the tiger, and the peppered spots will reveal the leopard. The bear hug, I wouldn’t mind! The poetess, using humour, seems to warn readers against venturing too close to these animals.

2. The poet has successfully used humour to be able to ‘tell’ or identify ‘Wild Animals’. How do you think we need lots of it in our daily life?

Answer: Humour is the fuel of life. Without it, it would become difficult to continue living. Today, the life of the common man is typically mired in stress, tension, problems and sadness. It is amazing how the smallest problems may take on epic proportions for a common person. In such a situation, it becomes necessary to have a little humour in life. It gives us the much-needed respite from our monotonous routine and helps us face life more positively. Thus, the poetess’ successful use of humour helps livin our minds and brings a smile on our faces.

3. Every animal is unique and has some special characteristics. What tricks does the poet adopt in distinguishing various wild animals?

Answer: No doubt, every animal is unique. Every wild animal has his own special trait, colour, size and characteristics. The Asian Lion is found in the jungles of the eastern regions. It is a huge and mighty creature with brownish hide. His roar is enough to terrorise a person to death. The Bengal Tiger is a ‘noble’ and impressive wild animals. He has yellowish hide and black stripes all over it. The Leopard has dark spots all over his body. He is very agile. The moment he sees its prey, he pounces upon it without showing any mercy. The bear is known by his strong and tight hug. It becomes rather difficult for a novice to distinguish among wild animals. However, hyenas and crocodiles can be easily recognised. Hyenas come smiling merrily while crocodiles appear to be weeping. The chameleon is a small creature like a lizard. He has no ears and doesn’t have even a single wing. You can find him sitting on a tree.