Class 10th Important Questions Answers for Poetry Section
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1. Dust of Snow (Robert Frost)
Q. What is the main theme of the poem "Dust of Snow"?
Ans
There are some simple actions that leave a great impact on the human mind. The fall of dust of snow changes the poet’s mood.
Q. What does ‘Dust of Snow’ indicate?
Ans
The falling dust of snow from a hemlock tree changes the poet’s mood. He gets rid of his sorrow and decides to spend the rest of the day in a joyful manner.
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2. Fire and Ice
Q. What do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ indicate in the poem?
Ans
The fire indicates the unending desires of man. The ice indicates hatred, which spreads rapidly in mankind. These indicate the evils of society.
Q. What is the central idea of the poem?
Ans
The central idea of the poem is that the ending desires and hatred among human beings may bring about an end to the world.
Q. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
Ans
The rhyme scheme of the poem in the first stanza is a b a a and in the second stanza it is a b a b a.
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3. A Tiger in the Zoo
Q. What is the condition of the tiger as given in the poem?
Ans
In the zoo, the tiger lives in his cage. He is angry, but he is quiet. As man has limited his strength behind the bars of the cage, he can only walk the length of the cage.
Q. How does a tiger terrorize villagers?
Ans
A tiger lurks and snarls around the houses. He makes loud noise and shows white fangs and claws to the villagers with a threat.
Q. What is the condition of the tiger at night in the cage?
Ans
The tiger looks with his brilliant eyes at the stars in the sky. He listens to the noise of the patrolling cars.
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Chapter 4. How to Tell Wild Animals
1. How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger?
Ans
The poet suggests that we can identify the lion by his large brownish-yellow color body and his loud roar. A tiger can be recognized by his black stripes on the yellow body. He looks noble.
2. What is the theme of the poem, "How to Tell Wild Animals"?
Ans
The theme of the poem is the creation of humor. The poet suggests humorous ways to identify wild animals.
3. Why are all these animals called the beasts of prey?
Ans
All these animals kill others in order to get their food. They prey so that they can survive in the jungle.
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Chapter 5. The Ball Poem
1. What does in the world of 'possessions' mean?
Ans
The "world of possession" refers to the materialistic world. It means this world is full of such people who want to possess more and more wealth, power, and things.
2. Why does the poet say, "I would not intrude on him"? Why doesn't he offer him money to buy another ball?
Ans
The poet says so because he wants the boy to understand the meaning of loss on his own. He wants the boy to learn that we should not feel sorry over the loss of worldly things.
3. What is the message of the poem, "The Ball Poem"?
Ans
The poet wants to convey through the boy that we should not feel sorry over the loss of worldly possessions.
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Chapter 6. Amanda
1. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Ans
If Amanda were a mermaid, she could move about in the green sea blissfully. She would be the sole inhabitant of the sea. There would be nobody to restrict her movement, and she would enjoy full freedom.
2. How does Amanda behave in the poem throughout?
Ans
Amanda is not sitting properly. She is biting her nails. She’s bending her upper body forward and raising her back and her shoulders.
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Chapter 7. The Trees
1. What does the poet compare their branches to?
Ans
The poet compares their branches to newly discharged patients coming out of the clinic door. These twigs seem half-dazed to a great extent like the patients.
2. What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
Ans
Silence spreads in the house when the trees move out of it. There are no whispers or lichens or rustling of leaves. It becomes free from the smell of vegetation.
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Chapter 8. Fog
1. How does the fog come?
Ans
The fog comes silently, slowly, and noiselessly on little cat feet.
2. Why does the poet compare the fog with a cat?
Ans
The poet compares the fog with a cat because just as the cat moves silently on its nimble feet, in the same way, the fog creeps in silently without being seen.
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Chapter 9. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
Ans
One human and four animals are the characters in this poem.
Belinda: The Girl
Ink: The Kitten
Blink: The Mouse
Mustard: The Dog
Custard: The Dragon
2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called cowardly dragon?
Ans
Custard cried for a nice safe cage because he thought that the house in which they lived was unsafe. The dragon is called "cowardly dragon" because he always cries for a nice safe cage.
3. What is the theme of the poem "The Tale of Custard the Dragon"?
Humorous names, acts, situations, and mocking the fair-weather friends is the theme of the poem.
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Chapter 10. For Anne Gregory
1. What colour is the young woman's hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?
Ans
The color of the young woman's hair is golden, and she says that by dyeing she can change it into brown, black, or carrot. She wants to attract young men by looking attractive.
2. What does the young man mean by "great honey coloured/Ramparts at your ear"? Why does he say that young men are "thrown into despair" by them?
The "great honey-coloured Ramparts at your ear" refers to the beautiful golden hair that falls at the woman’s ear and covers it like a wall around a fort. He says that young men are “thrown into despair” by them because they are attracted to her external looks.
3. What is the theme of the poem "For Anne Gregory"?
The theme of the poem is that a person should be loved for his/her mental and moral qualities and not for their outward beauty.