Question

Read the following extract and do the activities.

When God at first made Man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by;
Let us (said He) “pour on him all we can:”
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.
So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flow’d, then wisdom, honour, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all His treasures
Rest in the bottom lay.

For if I should (said He)
Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts instead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature.
So both should losers be.
Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness:
Let him be rich and weary, that at last,
If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
May toss him to my breast.

(A1) Choose the correct alternative from the following. 02
(1) The first gift that God gave man is _________
a. Wisdom b. Strength c. Beauty d. Rest
(2) The poem displays ___________ as the main theme.
a. Origin of human species
b. Origin of universe and galaxy
c. Origin of spirituality
d. Origin of earth and space

(A2) Explain the reason why rest is withheld from man by God. 02

(A3) Write the rhyme scheme of the first stanza. 01

Answer 1

(A1)
(1) The first gift that God gave man is strength.
(2) The poem displays origin of spirituality as the main theme.

(A2) Rest is withheld from man by God so that man is forced to turn the Him for help in times when he is restless and does not have peace. God receives man’s devotion and gratitude

(A3) The rhyme scheme of the first stanza is – ababa