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प्रश्न
Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.
All through the summer at ease we lay,
And daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
- Who does ‘we’ refer to?
- How did the soldiers spend the summer days?
- What could they watch from the turret wall?
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उत्तर
- “We” refers to the brave and loyal soldiers in the castle.
- They spent the summer days gazing out of the castle. They were ready to shoot the enemy at sight who were at half-a kilometer distance. But none came near. So, they were relaxed.
- They could watch the farmers mowing at a distance from inside their turret walls.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Have you ever visited a fort or a castle?
How did the enemies enter the castle?
Read the poem again and complete the summary using the words given in box.
Stanzas 1–3
‘The Castle’ by Edwin Muir is a moving poem on the (1)______ of a well guarded (2)______ The soldiers of the castle were totally stress-free and relaxed. They were (3)______ of their castle’s physical strength. Through the turrets they were able to watch the mowers and no enemy was found up to the distance of (4)______ and so they seemed no threat to the castle. They had (5)______ of weapons to protect them and a large quantity of (6)______ in stock to take care of the well-being of the soldiers inside the castle. The soldiers stood one above the other on the towering battlements (7)______ to shoot the enemy at sight. They believed that the castle was absolutely safe because their captain was (8)______ and the soldiers were loyal.
| half-a-mile | watching |
| castle | brave |
| ration | capture |
| plenty | confident |
Stanzas 4–6
Even by a trick no one but the birds could enter. The enemy could not use a (9)______ for their entry inside the castle. But there was a wicket gate guarded by a (10) ______ He (11)______ in the enemies inside the famous citadel that had been known for its secret gallery and intricate path. The strong castle became(12)______ and thin because of the greedy disloyal warder. The (13)______ was captured by the enemies for (14)______ The narrator (15)______ over the (16)______ of the useless warder and also decided not to disclose this (17)______ story to anyone. He was (18)______ and wondered how he would keep this truth to himself. He regretted not finding any (19)______ to fight with the (20)______ called ‘gold’.
| lamented | shameful |
| wicked guard | bait |
| let | gold |
| weapon | citadel |
| weak | disloyalty |
| helpless | enemy |
Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.
| Oh then our maze of tunneled stone Grew thin and treacherous as air. The castle was lost without a groan, The famous citadel overthrown, |
- Bring out the contrast in the first two lines.
- What is the rhyme scheme of the given stanza?
How can this shameful tale be told?
Read the poem and complete the table with suitable rhyming words.
All through that summer at ease we lay,
And daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
And the enemy half a mile away
They seemed no threat to us at all.
For what, we thought, had we to fear
With our arms and provender, load on load,
Our towering battlements, tier on tier,
And friendly allies drawing near
On every leafy summer road.
Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win
A foothold there, no clever trick
Could take us dead or quick,
Only a bird could have got in.
What could they offer us for bait?
Our captain was brave and we were true…
There was a little private gate,
A little wicked wicket gate.
The wizened warder let them through.
Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
The cause was lost without a groan,
The famous citadel overthrown,
And all its secret galleries bare.
How can this shameful tale be told?
I will maintain until my death
We could do nothing, being sold:
Our only enemy was gold,
And we had no arms to fight it with.
| lay | hay |
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
The wizened warder let them through.
How does the poet spend her winter?
Why is the casuarina tree dear to poet’s heart?
Name the bird that sings in the poet’s garden.
Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box to complete the summary of the poem.
Shakespeare considers the whole world a stage where men and women are only (1) ______. They (2)______the stage when they are born and exit when they die. Every man, during his life time, plays seven roles based on age. In the first act, as an infant, he is wholly (3) ______on the mother or a nurse. Later, emerging as a school child, he slings his bag over his shoulder and creeps most (4)______ to school. His next act is that of a lover, busy (5) ______ballads for his beloved and yearns for her (6) ______. In the fourth stage, he is aggressive and ambitious and seeks (7) ______in all that he does. He (8) ______solemnly to guard his country and becomes a soldier. As he grows older, with (9) ______and wisdom, he becomes a fair judge. During this stage, he is firm and (10) ______. In the sixth act, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles. His manly voice changes into a childish (11) ______. The last scene of all is his second childhood. Slowly, he loses his (12) ______of sight, hearing, smell and taste and exits from the roles of his life.
| attention | treble | reluctantly |
| actors | maturity | reputation |
| serious | faculties | composing |
| enter | promises | dependent |
Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?
‘As tho’ to breathe were life!’ – From the given line what do you understand of Ulysses’ attitude to life?
What could be the possible outcomes of their travel?
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
List the roles and responsibilities Ulysses assigns to his son Telemachus, while he is away.
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.
Lines 1-25
The poet Carl Sandburg gives a vivid description of a father’s worldly (1)______ in directing a son who is at the threshold of his (2) ______.
Here the father motivates his son to be like a hard(3) ______and withstand life’s (4)______ and sudden betrayals. (5)______is like a fertile soil. We can make our life fruitful if we are gentle, and take life as it comes. At times(6)______ overtakes harshness. The growth of a (7)______can split a rock. One should have a (8) ______and strong will to achieve. Greed for(9)______has left men dead before they really die. Good men also have fallen prey in quest for (10) ______money. Time for (11)______is not a waste. When you seek knowledge never feel ashamed to be called a(12)______for not knowing, at the same time learn from your (13) ______and never (14)______it.
| deep desire | manhood | gentleness | mistakes | easy |
| leisure | fool | life | money | repeat |
| tender-flower | rock | challenges | wisdom |
Lines 26-44
Do (15)______often, and do not hesitate to accept your shortcomings, avoid(16) ______to protect self against other people. Solitude helps to be (17)______and(18) ______ are taken in silent rooms. Instead of being one among many, be (19)______, if that is your nature. The son may need lazy days to find his (20)______abilities, to seek what he is born for. He will then know how free imaginations bring (21)______to the world, which (22)______ change. During such resentment, let him know that it is time for him to be on his own, and (23)______to achieve like Shakespeare, the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov, and Michael Faraday.
| changes | introspect | inherent | work | resents |
| white lies | creative | final decisions | different |
What are the poet’s thoughts on ‘being different’?
Why does the poet advise his son to have lazy days?
Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.
Antithesis- It is a literary device that emphasises the idea of contrast.
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
..........Free imaginations
Bringing changes into a world resenting change.
- How does free imagination help the world?
- Identify the figure of speech.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
Explain how the poet guides his son who is at the threshold of manhood, to face the challenges of life.
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.
The poet Robert Browning narrates an incident at the French Camp in the war of 1809 between France and Austria, in a (a)______version. He describes the brave action of a (b)______soldier, whose heroic devotion to duty and his (c) ______ in it is inspiring and worthy of (d) ______. During the attack of the French army on Ratisbon, Napoleon was anxious about the (e) ______. Austrians were defending Ratisbon with great (f) ______and courage. Napoleon was watching the war standing on a (g) ______near the battlefield.
All of a sudden a rider appeared from the closed smoke and dust. Riding at great speed, jumping and leaping, he approached the mound where Napoleon stood. As he came closer, the narrator noticed that the rider, a young boy, was severely wounded. But the rider showed no sign of pain and smiling in joy, jumped off the horse and gave the happy news of (h) ______to the emperor.
He exclaimed with pride that the French had (i) ______Ratisbon and he himself had hoisted the flag of France. When Napoleon heard the news, his plans (j) ______up like fire. His eyes (k) ______when he saw that the soldier was severely wounded. Like a caring mother eagle, the emperor asked if he was wounded. The (l) ______soldier replied proudly that he was killed and died heroically.
| determination | result | dramatic |
| pride | admiration | softened |
| wounded | mound | victory |
| conquered | soared | valiant |
Who took the city of Ratisbon by storm?
What did the rider do when he reached Napoleon?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
A film the mother eagles eye When her bruised eaglet breathes
- Who is compared to the mother eagle in the above lines?
- Explain the comparison.
Napoleon was a great source of inspiration to his army. Justify.
