The Rain (Willian H. Davies)
Q. What does the writer der with the oyster?
Ans. The writer looks at the oyster carefully and then keeps it in his coat's pocket and
departs.
Q. What does the poor man hear when he is sitting under a tree? OR Which sounds
does the poet describe in this poem?
Ans: The poor man sitting under the tree listens to the sound of the raindrops falling on
the leaves of the trees. He also listens to the sound of the leaves drinking water,
Q. What does the poet mean by 'rich leaves'?
Ans: It means the leaves that are on top of the tree. These are the leaves that receive the
most of the rain water. Symbolically, they stand for the rich people of the society.
Q. What does the poet mean by 'poor leaves'?
Ans. The leaves on the lower branches of the tree are called poor leaves. They get water
drop after drop from the rich leaves. Symbolically, they stand for the poor people of
the society.
Q. How do the rich and the poor leaves symbolically represent the society?
Ans: The rich leaves like the rich people get all the benefit first. Then they let what is more
than their need flow to the poor ones drop after drop. It is a true picture of our society.
Q. Why does the poor man in the poem desire for the sun to shine bright?
Ans. The poor man in the poem is homeless. When he feels the cold nip in the air after
the heavy rain, he desires for the warmth of the sun to comfort him.
Q. What will fill each dark round drop?
Ans: A wondrous light will fill each dark round drop. It will result into the beautiful scene
of rainbow across the sky after the rain.
Night Mail (W. H. Auden)
Q. What does the Night Mail bring?
Ans: The Night Mail brings letters, cheques and postal orders for the people belonging to
all fields and classes of the society.
Q. What is the most important feature of the Night Mail?
Ans: The most important feature of the Night Mail is that its steady motion is not affected
by the difficulty of the path. It reaches its destination on time.
Q. Write a brief note on the journey of the Night Mail.
Ans: During its journey, the Night Mail passes through all kind of land. It passes by the
fields and moorland boulders. It climbs steadily on hills. The difficulties of the path do not
affect its steady motion.
Q. How do the birds react to the arrival of the Night Mail?
Ans: When the birds see the Night Mail approach, they are disturbed and turn their heads
to look at its clumsy-looking coaches from bushes.
Q. How do sheep-dogs react to the arrival of the Night Mail?
Ans: Sheep-dogs are kept to control sheep. They do not let any sheep break the herd. But
they know that they cannot turn the course of the Night Mail. Therefore, they go on sleeping.
Q. What does the title of the poem signify?
Ans: The title of the poem signifies a journey on the path to glory and success. This path is
full of hardships. Only those who have courage and determination can travel on this path.
Q. What kind of man is a rider?
Ans: The rider is a courageous man who has strong determination. He has resolved to
attain glory in spite of the difficulties on the way to it.
Q. What does the reader tell the rider?
Ans: The reader tells the rider that the path to glory and success is full of hardships. There
are fatal valleys full of furnaces that may kill the rider. There are heaps of ill-smelling garbage
whose odour will madden the rider.
Q. How does the Fearer frighten the Farer?
Ans: The Fearer frightens the Farer by telling him of the fatigue of the journey. He says
that the darkness of the dusk will not allow him to travel speedily. His senses will be so
affected as to distinguish between grass and granite.
Q. What does the Horror tell the Hearer about the supernatural dangers of the path?
Ans: The Horror tells the Hearer that the latter may be pursued by the supernatural figures.
He frightens him by saying that the mark on his face is a sign of some dangerous disease.
Q. How does the traveler respond to the threats described by the Reader, Fearer and
Horror?
Ans: The traveler of the path to glory and success is not overcome by any threats. He
takes courage and decides to set off in spite of all the hardships of the path.
In the Street of Fruit Stalls (Jan Stallworthy)
What are the feelings of the poet standing in the dark?
Ans. While standing in the dark street of fruit stalls, the poet is afraid of the danger of war as
is visible from his mention of fruit as 'cannon balls'. At the same time, he is deeply moved by
the innocent children who are unaware of such dangers.
Q. Why does the poet use 'cannon balls to describe the Fruits?
Ans: The fruit mentioned in this poem are round like the 'cannon balls'. The poet who is
afraid of the danger of war looks at the fruit as if they were 'cannon balls.
Q. Make a list of the fruits mentioned in this poem.
Ans: The poet has mentioned melon, guava and mandarin in this poem.
Q. Describe the atmosphere of the street of fruit stalls.
Ans: The sun has set and dew-drops are falling gently in the street of fruit stalls. There is
only the light of a candle in the street. Therefore, the atmosphere is dark and wet.
Q. What does the poet mean when he says the dark children'?
Ans: The poet refers to the children of poor families when he uses the word 'dark children'.
Q. Who comes to the street of the fruit stalls and why?
Ans: The 'dark children', who belong to the poor families, come to the street of the fruit
stalls. They are attracted by the fruits and they come there to enjoy their taste.
Q. How do the children cat fruit?
Ans: The children take the fruit, break it open and let its sticky silver juice wet their hands,
cheeks, noses and chins. They forget all the danger in their surroundings.
Sindhi Woman (Jan Stallworthy)
Q. What is the main idea of the poem?
Ans: In this poem, the poet describes the dignity of labour. He presents the Sindhi woman
as an example of hard work and tolerance. Her erect gait is symbolic of her strength of
character.
Q. What did the poet reflect when he saw the Sindhi woman? OR What did the poet
reflect When he saw the Sindhi woman walk erect under heavy weight? OR What is the
moral
lesson that the poet draws when he sees the Sindhi woman?
Ans. When the poet saw the Sindhi woman walk erect under heavy weight, he thought that
those who carry heavy weight walk straight. It means that the people who learn to
shoulder responsibilities stand erect.
Q3 What picture of the Karachi sluins do we get after reading the poem?
We get a dismal picture of the Karachi slums where women have to carry water for household
use. There are heaps of garbage, stones, excrement and crumbs of glass. A Sindhi woman
has to pass over them to fetch water.
Q. How does the Sindhi woman pass through the bazaar? OR How does the Sindhi
woman walk?
The Sindhi woman passes through the bazaar with a wavelike grace. She is bare-footed,
but her walk remains graceful. She walks erect under the weight of a heavy jar.
Q. What is the Sindhi woman carrying and why?
Ans: The Sindhi wonian is carrying a heavy jar on her head. In the slums of Karachi, it is
a cominon practice that women bring water for household use from long distances.
Times (Ecclesiastes)
Q. What is the message or the main idea of the poem?
Ans: This poem lays stress on the importance of time. It teaches us that everything happens
at its appropriate time,
What does the poet mean when he says that there is time for every purpose under the
heaven? OR What does the poet mean when he says that there is a season to
everything?
Ans: The poet wants to say that everything in this world happens at a specific tinie. Nature
has its own time-table and it abides by it strictly.
Ozymandias (P. B. Shelley)
Q. What is the theme/main idea of the poem? OR What feelings does the poet create
in the minds of the readers?
This poem lays stress on the fact that death is the ultimate reality. After death, a man is
remembered with reference to his deeds and behaviour. The shattered statue of the king,
Ozymandias, creates feelings of man's helplessness before death.
Q. What did the traveler see in the desert?
The traveler saw two bodiless legs standing in the desert. He also saw the shattered visage
of King Ozymandias lying halt' sunk in the sand of the desert.
Q. What was the condition of the statue of Ozymadias?
Ans: The statue of Ozymadias was in a very miserable condition. Two bodiless legs of
the statue were standing in the desert. The shattered visage of King Ozymadias was
lying half sunk in the sand of the desert:
Q. What were the impressions on the face of Ozymadias?
Ans: There were impressions of pride and arrogance on the face of Ozymandias. The
frown, wrinkled lips and sneer of cold command on his face show that he was a vain and
hard-hearted king.
Q. What was written on the pedestal of the statue of Ozymadias and what did it signify?
Ans: These words were written on the pedestal of the statue: "My name is Ozymadias, king
of kings. Look on my works, ye mighty and despair". These words signify his helplessness
before death. In spite of so many achievements, he could not compete with death.
Q. How does the traveler praise the art of the sculptor?
Ans: The traveler says that the sculptor has observed carefully the impressions of pride
and arrogance on the face of Ozymandias. He has made these feelings of the king timeless
in his art.
Q. What is the moral lesson of the poem?
Ans: "The poem teaches us a lesson that we should not take undue pride in our
achievements. We must be kind and sympathetic so that we may leave good memories of
ours after death.
The Feed (Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi)
Q. What is the theme/main idea of the poem? OR What has the poet described in this
poem?
Ans. In this poem, the poet presents the emotions of motherhood. He tells us how a
mother sparrow brings a grain of millet to feed her young ones. He also compares the effort
of a sparrow with the effort of man. The sparrow breaks the grai:1 of millet to feed
her children, but human beings break atom to bring about destruction.
Q. What does the mother sparrow hold in her beak?
Ans: The mother sparrow holds a grain of millet which she brings to feed her ten young ones
who are waiting to be fed in the nest.
Q3: Which line in the first stanza tells us that the young ones heave no feathers?
Ans: In the fourth line of the first stanza, the poet says: "From head to toe they are
beaks". This line shows that the young ones have ne feathers and they cannot fly.
Q: How many young ones are to be fed?
Ans: There are ten young ones to be fed. The mother sparrow brings a grain of millet to feed
them.
Q5: How does the mother sparrow feed her young ones?
Ans: The mother sparrow brings a grain millet and breaks it into very small pieces to feed
her young ones.
Q. What does the mother sparrow think when she feeds her young ones?
Ans: The mother sparrow thinks that she has only one grain of millet while there are ten
young ones to be fed.
Q. What is the message of the poem?
Ans: The poem gives the message that the human beings should learn a lesson from the
mother sparrow that breaks a grain of millet to feed her young ones. Bu! we break atom to
bring about destruction.
Q. What does the phrase "fissuring the atom" mean in this poem?
Ans: This phrase means that man has learnt to decompose atom. He makes use of this
ability not for constructive purposes, but for destructive intentions.
The Hollow Men (T. S. Elios)
Q. What is the theme/main idea of the poem?
Ans: In this poem, the poet takes a very dark view of human beings. He is of the view that
materialism of the modern age has deprived man of spirituality. Man of this age is a hollow
man as he has lost the warmth of the soul.
Q. Why does the poet call modern man as hollow man? OR How does the poet
criticize modern man in this poem?
Ans: In this poem, the poet criticizes modern man for his soullessness. In his materialistic
adventures, modern man has separated himself from the basic humanitarian virtues.
Q. Why do modern men fail to communicate with each other?
Ans. Understanding is one of the purposes of communication. Man of this age las become
so selfish that he does not understand his fellow beings. This lack of understanding makes
communication impossible.
Q. Why does the poet call modern men as paralyzed force?
Ans: Modern man has lost the warmth and emotions associated with the human
soul. Therefore, all his actions are based on selfishness. These actions never bring
any betterment to human beings. It makes the men of this age a paralyzed force.
Q. How do those who have passed away remember us?
Ans: According to the poet, those who have passed away will remember us as hollow, stuffed
men. They will look upon our soulless gestures and emotions and feel sorry for us.
Q. How do the whispers of the hollow men sound?
Ans: The whispers of the hollow are like sound of rats' feet in a dry cellar. He also
compares their whispers with the sound of wind passing through stiff grass.
Leisure (William H. Davies)
Q. What is the theme of the poem?
The theme of the poem is modern man's preoccupation. The poet says that modern man is
so busy that he cannot spare time for his recreation and pleasure. It is a curse of modern life.
Q. Why does the poet say that this life is poor?
The poet wants to say that modern man's list poor because it is full of worries and cares on
account of his distance from nature.
Q. What is the attitude of modern man towards different objects of nature as described
by William Davies in Leisure?
Ans: Modern man is indifferent to the beauty of nature. He does not look at simple
everyday aspects of beauty in common objects of nature.
Q. What is the message of the poem Leisure?
Ans: This poem gives us a message that we should strengthen our relation with nature. It is
the only cure of our modern day worries and cares.
Q. What does the poet mean by 'Beauty's glance' in Leisure?
Ans: In this line, the poet personifies Beauty. He means to say that even if the goddess
of Beauty comes before us, we will not pay attention to her attractive dance and smile.
Q. What are some of the simple delights we miss in our everyday life?
Ans: In our everyday life, we miss many simple delights. We miss cool shade of trees
and shining streams. We also pay no attention to attractive gestures of goddess like beautiful
woman.
Rubai’yat (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)
Q. Who was Abraham (A.S.)?
Ans: Abraham (A.S.) was a prophet of Allah who set many examples of faith in Allah
by obeying Him. He was thrown in a huge fire, but his faith in Allah did not falter.
Q. What is worse than slavery? OR Why is faithless life worse than slavery?
Ans: According to Iqbal, to have no faith is worse than slavery. It is faith in Allah that
enables man to win his physical freedom. Without faith, physical freedom means nothing.
Q. Who cannot compete with the civilization of Makkah? OR Why cannot the
European civilization compete with the civilization of Makkah?
Ans: The civilization of Europe lacks harmony and concord. Therefore, it cannot compete
with the civilization of Makkah.
Q. What has made the efforts of the Muslims fruitless?
Ans: The Muslims of this age have become senseless and selfish. They have forgotten the
true spirit of their religion. It has made their efforts fruitless.
Q. What is the moral lesson in Rubai'yat?
Ans: In Rubai'yat, Allama Iqbal teaches us the lesson of faith in Allah. He also lays stress
on the need of harmony and brotherhood among the Muslims. He teaches us how to
win favour of Allah.
Q. What is the present state of the Muslims as given in the last stanza of Rubai'yat?
Ans: In the last stanza, the poet says that the Muslims have lost the zeal of Islam. They
have become senseless and selfish. Their prayers are cold and ranks broken.
A Tale of Two Cities (John Peter)
Q. What is the theme of the poem?
Ans. The poem tells us about the destruction caused by atomic bombs. It presents a fearful
picture of two cities of Japan which were destroyed completely in World War II. The poet
wants us to check our rage and save humanity from destruction,
Q. Which cities have been referred to in the poem?
Ans: The poem refers to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the cities of Japan destroyed completely
by the atom bombs dropped on then by America in World War II.
Q. Why did the people of the two cities look powerless and helpless?
Ans: The people of the two cities looked powerless and helpless because of the destruction
caused by the atomic bomb dropped on then by the Americans.
Q. Describe the circumstances the victims had to pass through?
Ans: The victims of the atomic bombs had to pass through pain and misery. There
was destruction all around. The people could only weep and wail at their loss.
Q. Describe the scene of devastation?
Ans: The scene of devastation was horrible. Everything was burnt, smashed and
crushed. There were dead bodies all around. The wounded cried for help uselessly. It was
unbearable.
Q. What is the moral lesson of the poem A Tale of Two Cities?
Ans. The poem teaches us to live in peace and avoid war. War is an inevitable evil. One has
to take it up even if one does not want to fight it. The poem teaches us to control our passion
and avoid war.
My Neighbour Friend Breathing His Last (Bullah Shah)
Q. When does a person remember God?
Ans. A person remembers God when he is in a critical situation such as at the time of death.
At such moments, a person finds himself helpless.
Q. What is the effect of the death scene?
Ans. The scene of death terrifies the poet. His neighbor friend is about to pass away. His
helplessness before death frightens the poet.
Q. Why does a person feel helpless at the death of a friend?
Ans. When the poet sees his friend breathing his last, he feels helpless as he cannot do
anything to help his friend in this situation.
Q. Without whose love is Bullah in loss?
Ans. Bullah Shah, the great Sufi poet, arrives at the conclusion that God alone is the source
of comfort and solace in trying circumstances. Without His love, the-poet is in loss.
Q. The poet arrives at a conclusion in the last three lines of the poem. What is it?
Ans. Bullah Shah, the great Sufi poet, arrives at the conclusion that God alone is the source
of comfort and solace in trying circumstances. Without His love, the poet is in loss.
Q. What is the moral lesson of the poem?
The poem teaches us to have faith in God and try to win His love. It is the only way one. can
succeed in this world and the world hereafter.
He Came to Know Himself (Sachal Sarmast)
Q. Why does the poet put emphasis on how to know himself?
Ans. The poet put emphasis on how to know himself as it is the only way to develop a strong
relation with God. Knowledge of self brings the awareness of the greatness of God.
A. What makes on entangled in love?
Ans: One gets entangled in love when one realizes that one has been created by God to
spread the message of love in the world.
Q. Why did Mansur mount the gallows?
Ans: Mansur was a saint who loved God passionately. People mistook his love for insolence
to God and he was punished for it. He gladly mounted gallows for God's love.
Q. What is the bare truth?
Ans: It is a bare truth that those who begin to get awareness of their self, begin to consider
this world a temporary place to live in.
Q. What does the poet say about "His sojourn on earth" in the last line?
Ans: in the last line, the poet says that those who love God do not care for worldly
pleasures. They consider this world a temporary place to live in
God's Attributes (Sachal Sarmast)
Q. What is the theme of the poem 'God's Attributes"?
Ans. In this poem, the poet tells us that the attributes associated with God are not mere
names. God really possesses these qualities. If man begins to understand this fact, he can
avoid many sins.
Q. How many attributes of God have been mentioned in the poem?
In this poem, the poet has mentioned three attributes of God. He says that God is Seeing,
Hearing and Knowing.
Q. What are the effects of the attributes of God on man?
The attributes of God have corrective and reformative effects on man. If man keeps in mine
that God sees what he does, hears what he says and knows what he thinks, he will not
commit any sin.
Q. Mention three more attributes of God?
Ans. Three more attributes of God are: The Omnipotent, The Forgiving, The Beneficent.
Q. How do these attributes help in refining character of a person?
Ans. If man keeps in mine that God sees what he does, hears what he says and knows what
he thinks, he will not commit any sin. His refraining from sin will refine his character.
Q. Do you think these attributes of God are renumbered and kept in mind by us in our
daily routine work?
Ans. In our daily routine life, we do not keep in mind these attributes of God. If we kept them
in mind, there would not have been any sin or crime in this world.
The Delight Song (N. Scott Momaday)
Q. What do you understand when the poet says, “I am the shadow that follows a
child”?
Ans. The poet expresses his joy in this line. He says that he is as delighted as a child when
he sees his shadow running after him.
Q. How can the crust of the snow glitter?
The crust of the snow glitters when the bright rays of the sun fall on it.
Q. What is the effect of man's good relation with the earth and the lords?
Ans. It is man's good relation with the earth and the lords that realizes him that he is alive. It
is what ensures the delight and joy of life.
Q. What are the things that keep a person alive?
Ans. It is man's good relation with the earth and the lords that keeps him alive.