Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Who do you think is the narrator of the poem?
Advertisements
Solution
A French soldier is the narrator of the poem.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Fill in the following empty boxes.
| Name | Location |
| Fort St. George | Chennai |
| Gingee Fort | ______ |
| Golconda Fort | ______ |
| Red Fort | ______ |
Why were the soldiers in the castle fearless?
Why didn’t the narrator want to tell the tale to anybody?
Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.
Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win.
- How safe was the castle?
- What was the firm belief of the soldiers?
Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.
We could do nothing, being sold.
- Why couldn’t they do anything?
- Why did they feel helpless?
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
With our arms and provender, load on load.
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.
The casuarina tree is tall and strong, with a creeper winding around it like a (1) ______. The tree stands like a (2) ______with a colourful scarf of flowers. Birds surround the garden and the sweet song of the birds is heard. The poet is delighted to see the casuarina tree through her (3) ______. She sees a grey monkey sitting like a (4) ______on top of the tree, the cows grazing, and the water lilies (5) ______in the pond. The poet feels that the tree is dear to her not for its (6) ______appearance but for the (7) ______memories of her happy childhood that it brings to her. She strongly believes that (8) ______communicates with human beings. The poet could communicate with the tree even when she was in a far-off land as she could hear the tree (9) ______her absence. The poet (10) ______the tree’s memory to her loved ones, who are not alive. She immortalizes the tree through her poem like the poet Wordsworth who (11) ______the yew tree of Borrowdale in verse. She expresses her wish that the tree should be remembered out of love and not just because it cannot be (12) ______.
| python | statue | nature | casement |
| nostalgic | lamenting | impressive | forgotten |
| giant | consecrates | springing | sanctified |
How does the poet spend her winter?
What has Wordsworth sanctified in his poem?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the bough among!
- Who is the giant here?
- Why is the scarf colourful?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
It is the tree’s lament, an eerie speech,…
Describe the second stage of life as depicted by Shakespeare.
Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the following lines from the poem.
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
- “All the world's a stage”
- “And all the men and women merely players”
- “And shining morning face, creeping like snail”
- “Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,”
- “Seeking the bubble reputation”
- “His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide”
- “and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble”
What does he think of the people of his kingdom?
What has Ulysses gained from his travel experiences?
‘As tho’ to breathe were life!’ – From the given line what do you understand of Ulysses’ attitude to life?
‘He works his work, I mine’ – How is the work distinguished?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
And drunk delight of battle with my peers;
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
.....the deep Moans round with many voices.
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
To follow knowledge like a sinking star.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink Life to the lees:
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
I am become a name; For always roaming with a hungry heart
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs:
the deep Moans round with many voices.
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 |
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 |
What does the phrase ‘full galloping’ suggest?
When did the narrator find that the boy was badly wounded?
Why did Napoleon’s eyes become soft as a mother eagle’s eyes?
