CBSE Class 9

Here we are providing The Letter Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English Literature Reader, Extra Questions for Class 10 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

The Letter Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English Literature

The Letter Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Ali in the story The Letter is a lonely man. How does the writer bring out Ali’s loneliness?
Answer:
Ali lived all alone, passing his days in wait of a letter from his only child Miriam. The writer while describing Ali’s journey to the post office says he walks his lonely way, where except for the occasional bark of a dog, the distant steps of a workman going early to work or the screech of a bird disturbed before its time, the whole town was wrapped in deathly silence.

Question 2.
In the story The Letter what are the changes that come over Ali after the marriage of his daughter Miriam?
Answer:
Ali misses his daughter once she goes away. He realises how much he loves her. It also brings to him the realisation that the world is based on love. This makes him give up hunting. He can no longer bear to see the pain of the partridges separated from their parents who have been killed. He patiently waits for his daughter’s letter and goes to the post office daily without bothering about the cold or the heat. He bears the jests and rude remarks of the clerks at the post office.

Question 3.
What made Ali a good shikari?
Answer:
Ali had the hunter’s instinct in his blood and bones. A clever shikari, his skill and love for the hunt made it impossible for him to pass a day without hunting. Due to his sharp eyesight, Ali easily spotted the earth brown partridge, almost invisible to others and the cunningly hidden hare crouching in the yellow brown scrub.

Question 4.
“The post office, one of the uninteresting buildings in the world, became his place of pilgrimage.” Who is being referred to here? Why did he come to the post office? Why has the journey been described as a pilgrimage?
Answer:
Coachman Ali is being referred to here. He went daily to the post office waiting for his daughter’s letter. A pilgrimage is a journey, which is often long and difficult, to a special place for religious reasons. Ali’s visits to the post office have been described as a pilgrimage because he went to the post office daily, braving the bitter cold and the heat, with the faith that he would receive his daughter’s letter.

Question 5.
Describe the Postmaster.
Answer:
The Postmaster was a man with a face as sad and as inexpressive as a pumpkin. He did not display any signs of liveliness or excitement. He carried out his job without compassion or feeling. He did not understand Ali’s feelings till his own daughter fell sick.

Question 6.
Why did Ali not come to the post office for several days? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Ali did not come to the post office for several days probably because he was very sick. We can conclude this from the fact that before this for the past five years he had not missed coming to the post office. Moreover, when he came, it was a struggle for him to breathe and on his face were clear signs of the approaching end.

Question 7.
Who did Ali meet on his way back from the post office? What request did he make to him?
Answer:
On his way back from the post office, Ali met one of the post office clerks, a fellow called Lakshmi Das. Ali stopped him and gave him five golden guineas. He told the clerk that he was dying and that day was his very last day. But he had neither seen Miriam nor had he received any letter from her. He told the clerk to keep the money and to keep Miriam’s letter, when it came, on his grave.

Question 8.
What brought about a change in the Postmaster’s attitude?
Answer:
The Postmaster’s attitude changed when his daughter lay ill in another town, and he was anxiously waiting for news of her. This worry and anxiety about her changed the Postmaster. His father’s heart recognised Ali’s yearning for his daughter. The haughty temper of the official left him in his sorrow and anxiety and his human heart was laid bare.

Question 9.
What difference did the Postmaster notice in Ali?
Answer:
Ali was still the meek old man, bent double with age. The tears were wet on his face as they had been when the clerk left him. But his features had been hard then, and now they were softened by lines of kindliness. He lifted his eyes and in them was a light so unearthly that the Postmaster shrank back in fear and astonishment.

Question 10.
Give a short description of Ali.
Answer:
Ali was an old man, bent double with age. He was poor and wore tom clothes. He leant heavily on his stick as he walked. He had sharp eyesight and in his youth he had been a good shikari. His sharp eyes could see the hare even when the dogs failed. He lived alone in the village ever since his daughter, Miriam, had got married and gone away with her husband to Punjab.

The Letter Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Tortured by doubt and remorse, the Postmaster sits in the glow of a charcoal sigri that night, waiting for news of his daughter. As the Postmaster, write a diary entry outlining your feelings.
Answer:
20 June 20XX
Today, as I was eagerly going through the mail waiting for my daughter’s letter, my eyes fell upon the letter Coachman Ali had been waiting for. I was shocked on seeing the letter, and my heart was filled with compassion and regret. It was not long ago that Ali had come to me and humbly asked me if I had a letter from his Miriam. I can’t forget how I had reacted. I had rebuked him and told him to go away. I hadn’t seen the pain in his eyes, his tears of helplessness. I hadn’t seen the anguish of the father whose patience had been exhausted even if his faith still held. How all of us had poked fun at him! We had called him a lunatic! How insensitive we were!
My own daughter’s sickness has brought about a major change in me. As I anxiously await news of my daughter, I can understand what poor Ali must have gone through. Now I look at every envelope differently— as though it contains a warm beating heart.

Question 2.
Rebuked by the Postmaster, Ali walks away from the post office with a heavy heart. That night, he writes his diary outlining his feelings about the day’s events and his approaching end. As Ali, write the diary entry.
Answer:
19 June 20XX
It is my love for Miriam that drives me to the post office every day. I miss her and wait for any news from her. I have been waiting at the post office daily for five long years but in vain. The post office employees make fun of me. Today I was rebuked by the Postmaster, maybe they are disturbed by my presence. I will not go there again. I know that my end is near. I will give money to Lakshmi Das to lay Miriam’s letter on my grave. I am sure the letter will come.

Question 3.
Lakshmi Das, a clerk in the post office, writes a letter to his friend describing the events that take place after Ali’s death and his role in the story. Write the letter as Lakshmi Das.
Answer:
2 March, 20XX
Dear Ram Prasad
I wish to recount a strange incident that occurred today involving an old man who died three months ago.
This incident has changed my beliefs and my attitude towards life. The incident inVolves old Coachman Ali. If you remember, I told you of this man whose daughter got married and moved away to Punjab five years ago. He would come every day to the post office to wait for a letter from his daughter.

We often made fun of him. We would call out his name just to see him get up and rush to the door. Yet, he came daily, just the same, in rain and in cold. One day, about three months ago, the Postmaster rebuked him rudely. He said the letter would be delivered to him when it came. Ali left the post office with tears in his eyes. He met me and gave me five golden guineas to lay his daughter’s letter on his grave. Ali died shortly after this.
Today, a letter came from Miriam. When I went to the post office I heard the Postmaster talking to someone. He told me Ali had come to take his letter. He was staring with wide-open eyes at the doorway. Miriam’s letter was lying near the door in the evening we went and kept the letter on Ali’s grave.
Yours sincerely,
Lakshmi Das

Question 4.
A newspaper reporter hears of the Postmaster’s strange encounter with Ali. He writes a report in the newspaper about Ali’s long wait for the letter and his strange appearance at the post office the day he receives a letter from Miriam. As the newspaper reporter, write the article Love Knows
Answer:
No Boundaries.
Heading—LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES
Byline—by staff reporter
The strength of love, gives courage to face all kinds of situations. Ali’s love for Miriam is reflected in the eagerness with which he waited for her letter. He visited the post office daily, braving the weather, the ridicule of clerks and even the Postmaster’s rebuke. He waited in vain for the letter and died before it arrived. Postmaster saw Ali after his death and spoke to him. In the end, he laid the letter on Ali’s grave. This incident is an example of the power of love.

Question 5.
It is essential to respect everyone’s feelings. Bring out this message with reference to the story
Answer:
The Letter.
The message of the story is that we should always respect everyone’s feelings and take care not to hurt others. Coachman Ali’s daughter got married and left him and then he understood the meaning of love and separation. Since then, he had been regularly visiting the post office, expecting a letter from his daughter Miriam, but returning home empty handed. One day, the post master rebuked him harshly.

Soon, the post master’s daughter fell ill and he was anxious to hear from her. As he waited for his daughter’s letter, he realised his mistake and how he had hurt Ali. He realised the pain of a father waiting for his daughter’s letter. His attitude changed. He now saw the letters as the essential expressions of a human heart, not just pieces of paper. He understood the human worth of a letter.

The Letter Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the following passages taken from The Letter and answer the questions:

Question 1.
“Beholding the wooden arch of this building, the old man was filled with the joy that the pilgrim feels when he first sees the goal of his journey. ’’

(a) What building is being referred to here?
Answer:
The post office is being referred to here.

(b) Why is the old man called a pilgrim?
Answer:
The old man comes to the post office with feelings of faith and love.

(c) Why is the building the goal of his journey?
Answer:
The old man comes to the post office to check if there is a letter for him from his daughter Miriam.

Question 2.
“But for the faith and love that warmed him, he could not have borne the bitter cold. ”
(a) Who is the ‘he’ in this line?
Answer:
The ‘he’ mentioned in this line is Coachman Ali.

(b) Why was he at the post office in the bitter cold?
Answer:
Ali came to the post office daily to wait for a letter from his daughter Miriam, despite the bitter cold and waited there till the letters had been sorted out for delivery’.

(c) What gave Ali the strength to brave the bitter cold?
Answer:
The old man loved his daughter Miriam who had gone off to the Punjab with her husband five years ago. He had faith that she would write to him. This love and faith gave him the strength to bear the bitter winter cold.

Question 3.
“The old man got up, raised his eyes to heaven in gratitude and stepping forward put his hands to the door. ”
(a) Who is the old man?
Answer:
The old man is Coachman Ali.

(b) Why did he raise his eyes to heaven in gratitude?
Answer:
The clerk sorting out the letters had called out his name. Thinking he had got a letter from his daughter Miriam (for which he had been waiting for the past five years), he thanked god and stepped forward to receive the letter.

(c) Why had the clerk called out his name?
Answer:
Every day, regardless of the weather, Ali came and sat on a bench at the post office waiting for his daughter’s letter. The clerk called out his name in jest even though there was no letter for him for the fun of seeing him jump up and come to the door.

Question 4.
“Now he understood the meaning of love and separation. He could no longer enjoy the sportsman’s pleasure and laughter at the bewildered terror of the young partridges bereft of their parents. ”

(a) Who is he?
Answer:
He is Coachman Ali.

(b) Why had he understood the meaning of love and separation now?
Answer:
Ali’s daughter Miriam had gotten married and gone away to the Punjab with her husband and he had not heard from her for the past five years.

(c) How had he reacted to hunting partridges earlier?
Answer:
Earlier, Ali had laughed at the young partridges who had been separated from their parents.

Question 5.
“That day he could not contain his impatience. ”

(a) Who is he?
Answer:
He is Coachman Ali.

(b) Why was he impatient?
Answer:
Ali had been waiting in vain for his daughter’s letter for the past five years. He knew that he was sick and approaching his end. He was impatient to have news of his daughter before he died.

(c) How did he show his impatience?
Answer:
Ali walked up to the Postmaster and asked if he had a letter for him from Miriam rather than waiting quietly.

Question 6.
“He knew at once that this was the letter the old man had been waiting for: it must be from his daughter Miriam. ”
(a) Who is ‘he’?
Answer:
The ‘he’ mentioned here is the Postmaster.

(b) Where was the old man?
Answer:
The old man had died.

(c) Which literary device has been used in these lines?
Answer:
The literary device used here is irony. Ali had waited for five years for a letter from his daughter Miriam and now when the letter arrived, Ali was dead.

Complete the table by explaining the following phrases/sentences in your own words.

Here we are providing Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English Literature Reader, Extra Questions for Class 10 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English Literature

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Who was Nimrod? Why is he mentioned in the lesson?
Answer:
Nimrod was a great hunter mentioned in the Bible. He is mentioned in a humorous tone to highlight the contrast in Mrs Packletide’s reasons for hunting a tiger. She wanted to hunt not because she was passionate about hunting but because she wanted to do something better than Loona Bimberton, her social rival.

Question 2.
What was Mrs Packletide’s real reason for hosting a party in Loona Bimberton’s honour?
Answer:
Once she had managed to kill the tiger she wanted to give the party to show off her success to Loona Bimberton and enjoy watching her bum with jealousy.

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Give a brief character sketch of the following characters, based on the clues given in the lesson:
(a) Mrs Packletide
Answer:
She was competitive by nature. She decides to go on a hunt in order to counter Loona Bimberton’s achievements. She was shrewd and manipulative. Mrs Packletide organises a hunt and offers thousand rupees to villagers to manipulate the situation. She hunts an old tiger as there was no risk involved in this task. She was vain and without a conscience. She readily poses for photographs while hiding the real facts about the hunt. She pays Mebbin to buy her silence. She was willing to go to any length to outshine. She throws a party pretending to honour Bimberton but actually to show off her achievement.

(b) Louisa Mebbin
Answer:
She is very stingy and keeps saving money. She felt that thousand rupees is too much for the old tiger. She is shrewd and mentions that they should not pay for the goat if it is not touched by the tiger. She is manipulative and blackmails Mrs Packletide and threatens to reveal facts about the hunt. She is a clevef opportunist who manages to manipulate the situation to fulfil her dream of owning a weekend cottage.

(c) Loona Bimberton
Answer:
She is .very jealous and spiteful and could not accept the success of Mrs Packletide. She refuses to attend Mrs Packletide’s party because of the bitter rivalry between the two. She is a frivolous high society lady whose life revolved around proving her supremacy over her rival. She also has an adventurous spirit and decides to take the risk of flying in an aeroplane. She is vain and hungry for publicity and ensures that she gets media coverage for her feat.

Question 2.
Louisa Mebbin writes a diary entry the day she manages to get the money from Mrs Packletide. She records her feelings about the tiger hunt; Mrs Packletide’s rivalry and the reason for the tiger hunt; the way the hunt was conducted; her observations about the tiger; her plans on how to spend the money she gets from Mrs Packletide. Write the entry as Louisa Mebbin.
Answer:
12 May 20XX
I am very happy that I got money out of Mrs Packletide. Mrs Packletide does not respect money. She gave thousand rupees to the villagers for hunting an old tiger. I enjoyed obtaining the upper hand over her by threatening to reveal the true facts of the hunt to Loona Bimberton. I enjoyed the shock and disbelief on Mrs Packletide’s face. I am now going to buy a weekend cottage for myself. I had never imagined that I would have the money to buy it one day. I would name it Les Fauves and a border of tiger lilies would look just fine in the garden.

Question 3.
The news of the successful tiger hunt is reported in all the major newspapers of the town. Write the report. Include the details of the hunt, the account of the villagers, comments from Mrs Packletide and Loona Bimberton.
Answer:
Heading—LADY KILLS TIGER Byline—by staff reporter
Mrs Packletide’s has achieved a great feat, by killing a tiger that was troubling a neighbouring village. The villagers were happy to be saved from the tiger. They are grateful to Mrs Packletide for this huge favour.
This was her first attempt at hunting. She sat on a platform in a tree waiting for the tiger. A goat was tethered ‘ to the tree to attract the tiger. As soon as the tiger was sighted, Mrs Packletide fired a shot and the tiger was killed. This is a huge feat of bravery.

Question 4.
As Mrs Packletide, write a letter inviting Loona Bimberton to a party in her honour. Include a few sentences mentioning the tiger hunt and the risk you took during the hunt and your feelings at your achievement.
Answer:
21 May 20XX
Dear Loona,
There is a party being organised to celebrate the hunting of the tiger by me. People are planning to honour me for my courage and spirit of adventure. I have kept a special gift for you. It is a tiger claw brooch which is a memento from the recent tiger hunt. As you know, it was a risky affair and required a lot of courage. I managed to kill the tiger at the first instance and lots of people appreciated my effort. Villagers are grateful to me for saving them from the tiger. I hope you will attend the party. Once you come, I will also show the tiger-skin rug that has just been made.
Regards,
Laura Packletide

Question 5.
The village headman is delighted to learn of the opportunity for the villagers to earn a thousand rupees by helping Mrs Packletide hunt the old tiger that is troubling the villagers. He writes in his diary about this opportunity, giving details of the instructions that he plans to give the villagers to ensure that the hunt is a success.
Answer:
21 May 20XX
I heard of an English woman who wants to hunt a tiger and is willing to pay a thousand rupees for that! I cannot believe that someone is ready to pay so much money for this! 1 am excited as I know that the tiger near the village is just right for this occasion. It is too old to harm anyone and will be easy to kill. We must ensure that it remains in the village. I must ask villagers to let their small animals loose as its prey. We must help the lady as much as possible. We should build her a platform at a safe height and arrange a rifle for her. We need to find a goat with a persistent bleat to attract the tiger. We must monitor the success of the hunt without hogging the limelight.

Question 6.
Mrs Packletide is shocked at Louisa Mebbin’s behaviour after the hunt. She agrees to pay her the amount demanded by Mebbin. Write a letter as Mrs Packletide, expressing her feelings at being blackmailed.
Answer:
21 May 20XX
Dear Louisa,
I can’t believe you could do such a thing to me. You were being paid for the duties that you performed. Do you not feel ungrateful and disloyal when you bit the hand that was feeding you? I hope you will not reveal the secret to Loona. After all, the weekend cottage that you now possess could not have been possible without my help. I hope that I can,rely on you to keep this secret!
Regards
Laura Packletide

Question 7.
How does Saki expose human greed and vanity in the story Mrs. Packletide s Tiger?
Answer:
Saki exposes the negative aspects of human behaviour like greed and vanity in the story. He exposes the exploitation of big-game animals as a brutal act of violence. Loona Bimberton and Mrs Packletide, the trophy-hunters, are examples of human folly and greed in an age when killing wild animals was justified as an emblem of progress.

Question 8.
In Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Saki shows the barbarity of civilized people hidden behind their claims for benevolence. Justify.
Answer:
Saki depicts the exploitation of big-game animals as a brutal act of violence. Loona Bimberton and Mrs Packletide, the trophy-hunters, are examples of human folly and greed in an age when destroying wild animals was justified as an emblem of progress. The Human exploitation of bigger animals resulted in the gradual disappearance of some species. Saki exposes the falsehood and deception that constitute civilization.

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the following passages taken from Mrs Packletide’s Tiger and answer the questions:

Question 1.
“Mrs Packletide had already arranged in her mind the lunch she would give at her house in Curzon Street, ostensibly in Loona Bimberton’s honour, with the tiger-skin rug occupying most of the foreground and all of the conversation. ”

(a) What was the real intention of Mrs Packletide in hosting the lunch?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide wanted to show off her exploits at the tiger hunt and make Loona Bimberton jealous of her achievements.

(b) Why was Loona Bimberton being honoured by the press?
Answer:
Loona Bimberton had travelled 11 miles in an airplane flown by an Algerian pilot.

(c) What did she intend to gift Loona on her birthday?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide intended to gift a tiger claw brooch to Loona.

Question 2.
“The prospect of earning thousand rupees had stimulated the sporting and commercial instinct of the villagers. ”

(a) What had stimulated the sporting and commercial instinct of the villagers?
Answer:
The thought of getting thousand rupees if they helped Mrs Packletide in hunting a tiger, had stimulated the sporting and commercial instinct of the villagers.

(b) What were the two fears that the villagers Jiad regarding the hunt?
Answer:
Firstly, the villagers were afraid that the tiger may wander off to another village and secondly, that he may die before the hunt.

(c) Why did Mrs Packletide want to hunt a tiger?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide wanted to outdo the achievements of her rival, Loona Bimberton.

Question 3.
“Mother’s carrying their babies home through the jungle after the day’s work in the fields hushed their singing lest they might curtail the restful sleep of the venerable herd-robber. ”

(a) Who does the phrase ‘venerable herd robber’ refer to? What is the literary device used in the phrase?
Answer:
The phrase refers to the tiger. It is an oxymoron.

(b) What is the tone of the writer in the line?
Answer:
The tone of the writer is humorous.

(c) What does the writer want to highlight in these lines?
Answer:
The writer wants to highlight the ridiculous lengths to which the villagers were ready fo go to ensure that the tiger stayed in the village till the hunt.

Question 4.
“With an accurately sighted rifle and a thumbnail pack ofpatience cards the sportswoman awaited the coming of the quarry. ”

(a) Who is the sportswoman and what is her quarry?
Answer:
The sportswoman is Mrs Packletide and her quarry is the tiger

(b) What arrangements were made for the person?
Answer:
A safe platform was made on a tree, a goat was tethered to a tree, a rifle was sighted for her and she had a pack of cards to pass the time.

(c) What does the mention of the cards tell us about the nature of the activity being undertaken by the woman?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide is taking the hunt in a very light hearted manner after ensuring that it was free from any kind of risk.

Question 5.
“ …the villagers anxious for their thousand rupees, gladly connived at the fiction that she had shot the beast. ”

(a) What is the ‘fiction’ being referred to in these lilies?
Answer:
It refers to the fact that the truth was something else altogether.

(b) What was the truth?
Answer:
The truth was that the tiger had actually died of a heart attack and had not been shot by Mrs Packletide.

(c) Who discovered the truth?
Answer:
Louisa Mebbin, the paid companion of Mrs Packletide discovered the truth.

Question 6.
“As for Loona Bimberton she refused to look at an illustrated paper for weeks. ”

(a) Why did Loona refuse to look at a paper?
Answer:
Loona refused to do so because it carried the news of Mrs Packletide’s tiger hunt.

(b) How did the news in the paper affect her?
Answer:
Loona Bimberton was consumed with jealousy and did not attend the luncheon party thrown by Mrs Packletide.

(c) Why did it affect her in this way?
Answer:
It affected Loona Bimberton badly because Mrs Packletide had managed to outshine her achievement.

Question 7.
“How amused everyone would be if they knew what really happened. ”

(a) Who said this to whom?
Answer:
Louisa Mebbin said these lines to Mrs Packletide.

(b) What is the speaker trying to say?
Answer:
The speaker Louisa Mebbin means to convey that she would reveal the truth about the hunt.

(c) What was the tone of the speaker?
Answer:
The tone was threatening. Louisa Mebbin was trying to blackmail Mrs Packletide.

Question 8.
“Mrs Packletide indulges in no more big-game shooting. ‘The incidental expenses ’ are so heavy. ”

(a) Why had Mrs Packletide tried to hunt a tiger?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide had wanted to outshine her rival Loona Bimberton’s achievement of having flown in an airplane, by hunting a tiger.

(b) Why was she no longer interested in shooting?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide was no longer interested in shooting as the hunt had proved to be very expensive. Not only did she have to pay the villagers, but her companion too.

(c) What does she mean by ‘incidental expenses’?
Answer:
Mrs Packletide means the expenses that she had to undergo, to buy the silence of her companion Louisa Mebbin who had threatened to reveal the truth about the hunt to her rival Loona Bimberton.

Here we are providing The Bishop’s Candlesticks Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Literature Reader, Extra Questions for Class 9 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

The Bishop’s Candlesticks Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Literature

The Bishop’s Candlesticks Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Answer the following questions briefly.

Question 1.
Although it was quite late at night why had the Bishop not returned?
Answer:
The Bishop had gone out to see Marie’s mother who was unwell. He had gone to pray with her and to call in . the doctor to see her. Thus he had not returned.

Question 2.
Why does Persome feel people pretend to be sick?
Answer:
Persome feels that people pretend to be sick to have the Bishop call on them as they are fond of him.

Question 3.
What did the Bishop give Marie as she was going out? Why? What trait of the Bishop’s character does it highlight?
Answer:
As Marie was going out, the Bishop gave her his comforter, as it was a cold and windy night. This shows the Bishop to be a caring and a generous person.

Question 4.
Why were the doors in the Bishop’s house never bolted?
Answer:
The doors in the Bishop’s house were left open so that anyone needing help could come in freely, at any time.

Question 5.
Who was Jeanette? What was the cause of her death?
Answer:
Jeanette was the convict’s wife. The cause of her death was starvation and sickness.

Question 6.
The convict says, “I am too old a bird to be caught with chaff.” What does he mean by this statement?
Answer:
The convict means that he is too experienced a person to be trapped by soft, gentle words.

Question 7.
Why was the convict sent to prison? What was the punishment given to him?
Answer:
The convict had stolen money to buy food for his dying wife. He was sentenced to a prison ship where he was chained like an animal and fed on filth. He was lashed if he complained.

Question 8.
Why is the convict eager to reach Paris?
Answer:
The convict is a runaway prisoner. If he reaches Paris, which is a big city, he can get lost there and that the police would not able to find him.

Question 9.
Before leaving, the convict asks the Bishop to bless him. What brought about this change in him?
Answer:
The Bishop’s kindness and faith in him and his forgiveness brought about a change in the conviet.

The Bishop’s Candlesticks Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
What is the theme of the play “The Bishop’s Candlesticks”?
Answer:
The play deals with the redemption of a soul through love and forgiveness. The convict, who was sent to the prison ships for stealing money to buy food for his sick wife, was treated inhumanely. He was chained and lashed with whips. This inhuman treatment turned the man into a beast who was ready to steal and kill. The kind-hearted and benevolent Bishop, always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in distress, softened the convict’s heart.

His love and compassion turned the beast into a man again. Touched by the Bishop’s forgiveness, the convict sought his blessings. Thus, the play also brings the message that the aim of punishment should be reformation of the wrongdoer through making him realise his guilt and not turning a law-abiding citizen into a criminal.

Question 2.
The convict says, “They have made me what I am, they have made me a thief.” Explain the circumstances that made the convict a thief.
Answer:
Ten years ago, the convict lived in a small cottage with his wife, Jeanette. His wife fell seriously ill. At that time the convict was without a job. Jeanette needed food and medicine. So he stole money to buy her food. He was caught and sent to the prison ships. Here he was treated very badly. He was chained and lashed with whips. He was treated not like a human being but as an animal. His name and soul were taken away from him. This inhuman treatment changed the man into a beast.

Question 3.
Describe the Bishop in your own words with examples from the lesson.
Answer:
The Bishop is a loving and self-sacrificing person. The people in the parish send for him whenever they are in trouble and he rushes to their aid in all kinds of weather, unmindful of his personal comfort. So much so that he has sold all his possessions, except for a pair of silver candlesticks given to him by his dying mother, to help the poor. His sister Persome says, “His estate is sold, his savings have gone. His furniture, everything. Were it not for my little dot we should starve!” The Bishop is a caring person and he wraps his comforter around Marie when she is about to go out into the cold night air.

The Bishop’s innocence and naivete often earn for him the anger of his sister, Persome. But he gently remarks, “If people lie to me they are poorer, not I.” Being a compassionate man, the Bishop is heard lamenting, “There is so much suffering in the world, and I can do so very little.” He is kind and generous towards the convict. The convict enters his house stealthily, threatens him with a knife, and after receiving food and hospitality from the Bishop, steals his candlesticks.

But when the gendarmes bring him back to the Bishop’s house, the Bishop claims he has given the candlesticks to the convict. It is this compassion that changes the convict. The Bishop is also a deeply religious and pious man. He advises the convict to lead a good life as “this poor body is the Temple of the Living God.”

Question 4.
The Bishop’s sister is more practical than him. Discuss the character of Persome as seen in the play.
Answer:
The Bishop’s sister, Persome was more practical in many ways as compared to her brother. She was a short tempered woman who is seen quick to rebuke and is also found getting angry at Mere Gringoire for asking money from her brother. Most of her faults seem to be borne out of her live and concern for her brother. She loves her brother to a fault and is very protective of him. She feels people take advantage of his kindness and generosity.

She is more practical because unlike her brother, the bishop who sees no merit or value in the treasures of the world but only cares for people. She, on the other hand, is shrewd because she feels she has to take of her brother and fend off people from taking advantage. She sees her brother’s act of selling the silver salt shakers as irresponsible because it was a valuable item. She also disapproves of her brother giving away all their possessions to help other people because that way they would have nothing left. She is practical in worldly and materialistic matters.

The Bishop’s Candlesticks Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
“Monseigneur, the Bishop is a… ahem!”

(a) Who is the speaker? Who is being spoken to?
Answer:
Persome is the speaker here. She is speaking to the maid, Marie

(b) Why does the speaker not complete the sentence?
Answer:
Persome does not complete the sentence as she did not wish to criticize the Bishop in front of Marie.

(c) What is the meaning of the word monseigneur?
Answer:
The word ‘monseigneur’ is a title that is given to senior Roman Catholic priests and officials.

Question 2.
“She sent little Jean to Monseigneur to ask for help. ”

(a) Who sent little Jean to the Bishop?
Answer:
Mere Gringoire sent little Jean to the Bishop.

(b) Why did she send Jean to the Bishop?
Answer:
She needed money for rent and knew that he was a generous person thus she sent him to the Bishop.

(c) What was Persome’s reaction?
Answer:
Persome was angry with Mere Gringoire’s impudence.

Question 3.
“I offered to take her in here for a day or two, but she seemed to think it might distress you. ”

(a) Who wanted to take whom in and why?
Answer:
Bishop wanted to take in Mere Gringoire because she was unable to pay the rent of her house.

(b) Define the word ‘distress’?
Answer:
It means that Mere Gringoire was under extreme difficulty and anxiety.

(c) Persome would be distressed on Mere Gringoire’s being taken in because.
Answer:
Persome felt that Mere Gringoire was taking undue advantage of the Bishop.

Question 4.
“You have your soul to lose, my son; it is of more value than my heart. ”

(a) Why do you think the convict will lose his soul?
Answer:
The bishop tells the convict that he has his soul to lose if he commits a crime.

(b) What do these lines show about the speaker?
Answer:
These lines show that he is sympathetic and loving.

(c) How did the speaker transform the listener?
Answer:
The speaker transformed the listener through kindness and love.

Question 5.
“They chained me up like a wild animal, they lashed me like a hound. 1 fed on filth, I was covered, with vermin, I slept on boards, and I complained. Then they lashed me again. ”

(a) Where was the speaker at the time? For how long was he there?
Answer:
The speaker was in prison hulks at this time. He was there for ten years.

(b) To whom do the terms “they” and “me” refer?
Answer:
The term “they” refer to the prison authorities and “me” refers to the convict.

(c) Explain the phrase ‘lashed me like a hound’?
Answer:
The convict is telling the bishop that he was treated like a dog. he was secured tightly on a leash.

Question 6.
“And so my brother is to be kept out of his bed, and go without his supper because you told him she was feeling poorly. ”

(a) Who is feeling poorly?
Answer:
Marie’s mother had been feeling poorly.

(b) Why has the brother gone to see the person who is feeling poorly?
Answer:
The brother went to see the person who is feeling poorly to pray with her.

(c) What does the speaker mean when he says kept out of bed’?
Answer:
The speaker means that his brother, the bishop, is away from his warm home and bed.

Question 7.
“You are like a child. / can’t trust you out of my sight. No sooner is my back turned than you get that little minx Marie to sell the silver salt-cellars. ”

(a) Why did the listener get Marie to sell the silver salt-cellars?
Answer:
The listener got Marie to sell the silver salt-cellars as Mere Gringoire needed money to pay her rent.

(b) What does the word minx mean?
Answer:
Minx refers to a cunning young woman.

(c) She did not want the salt-cellars sold as
Answer:
They had been in their family for years.

Question 8.
“That was when I was a man. Now I’m not a man; now I’m a number; number 15729, and I’ve lived in Hell for ten years. ”

(a) What has changed the speaker?
Answer:
The harsh treatment in prison has changed the speaker.

(b) What does ‘That was when I was a man’ refer to?
Answer:
The speaker says he used to be a man but now he has changed into a beast.

(c) What idea does the play highlight?
Answer:
The play highlights how love and kindness can change a man rather than violence.

Question 9.
“You are going to try to convert me. ”

(a) What is the speaker’s tone?
Answer:
The speaker seems to be suspicious of the bishop.

(b) Do you think the speaker is against religion? Why?
Answer:
Yes. I think he is against religion because he is suspicious of the bishop and he admits that he hates the church.

(c) What do you mean by the word ‘convert’ in this context?
Answer:
The word ‘covert’ in this context means changing one’s religion or belief.

Question 10.
“Monseigneur, I’m glad I didn’t get away with them; curse me, I am. I’m glad. ”

(a) Why is he glad he did not get away with them?
Answer:
He is glad that he did not get away with them as he has been transformed by the Bishop’s goodness.

(b) What does he ask the Bishop for before he leaves?
Answer:
He asked the Bishop to bless him before he leaves.

(c) What do you think is the speaker going through? Can you name some of the emotions associated with it?
Answer:
The speaker is remorseful and he regrets taking the bishop’s candlesticks, apologetic, repentant, contrite.

Here we are providing Villa for Sale Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Literature Reader, Extra Questions for Class 9 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

Villa for Sale Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Literature

Villa for Sale Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Answer the following questions briefly.

Question 1.
How did Juliette’s neighbourhood react to the “for sale” sign? Is the response what Juliette expected?
Answer:
The neighbours looked at Juliette in a pitying way implying that she would be disappointed in the sale of the villa. No, Juliette had expected that the day after she put up the notice, the entire world would be fighting to purchase it.

Question 2.
Juliette tells her maid, “Oh! I’m fed up with the place”. Which place is she fed up of? Why?
Answer:
Juliette is fed up of the villa. She put up a “for sale” sign outside the villa a month ago but has not been able to sell it yet.

Question 3.
Why does Juliette say, “I begin to feel as though it no longer belongs to me”?
Answer:
In the past two weeks, four people almost bought it, so she has begun to feel as though the villa no longer belongs to her as it will soon be sold.

Question 4.
Do you feel sorry for Juliette? Why/Why not?
(Encourage the students to think creatively and formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
Yes – needs money; not able to sell villa
No – needs money; not willing to work despite acting work being available

Question 5.
What does Juliette mean by, “For fifteen years everybody has had money at the same time and has wanted to sell. Now nobody has any money and nobody wants to buy.”?
Answer:
For fifteen years in the past, business was good and people had money to buy houses. There was supply as well as demand. Now, business is as bad as it can be and times are hard. Nobody has any money and nobody wants to buy.

Question 6.
According to Juliette, what could increase the demand for the villa?
Answer:
According to Juliette, people may want to buy the villa as it is quite close to Joinville, the French Hollywood.

Question 7.
What sort of relationship could exist between Juliette and the maid? Justify your answer.
Answer:
The maid and Juliette shared a cordial relationship. Juliette discusses her financial problems and fears of not being able to sell the villa at a good price with the maid. The maid also suggests Juliette take up small acting assignments to supplement her income and says she has a comic face suitable for certain types of roles.

Question 8.
Comment on the location of the villa and the behaviour of the people in the neighbourhood.
Answer:
The villa is located in France. It is quite close to Joinville, the French Hollywood. Because of its location, film acting is quite looked up to in the area. The local people want to act in films and think about nothing else as films pay well.

Question 9.
What does Gaston mean when he says, “that the garden is a myth and that the salon is impossible”?
Answer:
Gaston means that both the garden and the salon are very small in size. He feels the garden is more like a yard with a patch of grass in the middle and the salon because of its size could be an annexe to the garden.

Question 10.
According to Juliette what advantages does the villa have to please a customer?
Answer:
Juliette counts the many advantages the villa possesses to please the customers. The villa has electricity, gas, water, telephone, and drainage. The bathroom is beautifully fitted and the roof was entirely repaired the previous year. She says she will sell the villa entirely furnished with all the fixtures, just as it is, with the exception of one little picture signed by the famous painter, Carot.

Question 11.
What does Juliette mean by “The choice of a frame is not so easy when you have such a delightful pastel to place in it”?
Answer:
Juliette implies that the beautiful Jeanne needs a good setting that will complement her beauty just as the beauty of a painting is enhanced by the frame.

Question 12.
When Mrs A1 Smith says, “You ought to learn how to do business,” Gaston says, “We are learning now. We are practising.” What does Gaston mean?
Answer:
Gaston has the learnt the American way of signing deals and doing business in a hurry. He has sold Juliette’s villa to Mrs A1 Smith for three hundred thousand francs making a hundred thousand francs in the short time the owner and his wife are upstairs.

Villa for Sale Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Discuss the character of Juliette.
Answer:
Juliette is a proud person. She is in need of money but does not wish to pick up acting assignments. She puts down the maid when she suggests Juliette is right for certain comic roles. Juliette is quite mercenary. Although she is ready to accept a hundred thousand francs for the villa, which is twice what she paid for it, she tries to sell it to Gaston for two hundred thousand francs. She is not very shrewd or business-like. She is easily taken in and sells the house to Gaston without trying to find out what made him change his mind. She is desperate to sell the villa and is willing to sign a deal saying she sold it the previous day.

Question 2.
Discuss the character of the maid.
Answer:
The maid is young and carefree. She supplements her income by taking up acting assignments in films. She is caring and suggests Juliette could also act in films to supplement her income. She is also insolent and suggests Juliette will be suitable for certain roles as she has a comic face.

Question 3.
Write a brief character sketch of Gaston.
Answer:
Gaston is a chauvinistic man who makes fun of his wife and puts her down in public. He makes fun of her family and criticizes her parents and nephews and nieces. He is sarcastic and ridicules Juliette and the villa. He is domineering and does not wish to consider his wife’s opinion or happiness. He has already spent her dowry and does not feel any embarrassment admitting it. He is shrewd and calculating and as Mrs A1 Smith comes in while Jeanne and Juliette are upstairs, he sells her the villa making a hundred thousand francs and a Carot painting in the bargain.

Question 4.
Comment on the character of Jeanne.
Answer:
Jeanne is an idealistic person. She wants to buy a villa so that her parents can come and stay with her and she thinks Gaston will fall in with her wishes. She is naive enough to believe Gaston has changed his mind when he says he wants to buy the villa.

Question 5.
Juliette says Gaston is very witty. Do you agree? Discuss the humour evoked by Gaston’s utterances.
Encourage the students to think creatively and formulate their own answers.
Answer:
Yes – dry wit; remarks about house/size of garden and salon, remarks about Jeanne’s parents and relatives; comments when Juliette tries to sell the villa.
No – wit should not be confused with sarcasm and mockery; remarks about house/size of garden and salon, remarks about Jeanne’s parents and relatives; comments when Juliette tries to sell the villa.

Question 6.
According to Mrs A1 Smith, how do the French differ from the Americans? List the differences.
Answer:
Americans are people who are in a hurry. They haven’t any time to waste. On the other hand, the French are more relaxed in their;…way of working while Americans are upset by hold ups and delays.

Question 7.
As Juliette, write a diary entry the day you find out how Gaston has tricked you.
Answer:
Saturday 14th May
5 p.m.
I just met Mrs A1 Smith in the Mall. She has recently shifted into my villa (well, not mine any longer—it’s hers. And I was shocked to learn the price at which she had bought the villa from Gaston!! That snake!! He took advantage of my naivety and robbed me.

That day Mrs A1 Smith was the lady I was waiting for when Gaston and his wife came in. He insulted me. He was really rude. I had almost made up my mind not to sell him the villa but I felt very sorry for his wife. She seemed such a pretty little thing and so simple to be married to a rude man like him. Then he offered me double of the price I was expecting and I couldn’t refuse. Little did I know what he had duped me of!!

I will meet my lawyer in the morning and see if I can sue him qnd get my money back! I will teach him a good lesson—a lesson he will not forget in a hurry.

Villa for Sale Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
“But the sign has been hanging on the gate for over a month now and
I am beginning to be afraid that the day
I bought it was when I was the real fool. ”

(a) What is Juliette trying to do?
Answer:
Juliette is trying to sell her villa.

(b) Why is Juliette disappointed?
Answer:
Juliette is disappointed as she is unable to find a suitable buyer for her villa.

(c) Why does she call herself a fool?
Answer:
Juliette calls herself a fool as she had bought the villa for more than it was worth.

Question 2.
“But your parents would take possession of it, every year from the beginning of spring until the end of September. What’s more they would bring the whole tribe of your sister’s children with them. ”

(a) Who is the speaker? Whom is he speaking to?
Answer:
Gaston is the speaker. He is speaking to his wife Jeanne.

(b) What has the listener asked the speaker to do?
Answer:
The listener has asked the speaker to buy a villa for her.

(c) What does he mean by “take possession”?
Answer:
He means that Jeanne’s parents would stay with them for a long time.

Question 3.
“While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and Mamma. ”

(a) What is the discrepancy between what Gaston said earlier and what he says now?
Answer:
Earlier he did not want Jeanne’s parents to stay with them but now he is showing concern for them

(b) What does the above statement reveal about Gaston’s character?
Answer:
The above statement reveals that he is an opportunist.

(c) With what character does Gaston describe himself in this statement?
Answer:
He describes himself as unselfish.

Question 4.
“Mind you, if someone had bought it on the very day I placed it for sale, then I might have felt sorry because I would have wondered if hadn’t been a fool to sell at all. ”

(a) How long ago had the speaker put up her villa for sale?
Answer:
The speaker had put up her villa for sale more than a month ago.

(b) Why would she have considered herself a fool if she had managed to sell it on the day she put up the notice?
Answer:
She would have considered herself a fool as she would have realised the villa’s true worth too late.

(c) In what way is her remark ironic?
Answer:
Her remark is ironic as she is fooled by Gaston and loses a lot of money although the villa is sold after more than a month.

Question 5.
“All the same, Madame, when they brought you the ‘For sale ’ sign, you wouldn’t let them put it up. You waited until it was night. Then you went and hung it yourself, Madame. ”

(a) Why did Juliette put up the sign at night?
Answer:
Juliette put up the sign at night so that the villa would be hers for one more night.

(b) What did Juliette feel when she put up the sale sign?
Answer:
Juliette felt reluctant when she put up the sale sign.

(c) How much does she sell the house for?
Answer:
She sold the house for two hundred thousand francs.

Question 6.
“… now I have only one thought, that is to get the wretched place off my hands. I would sacrifice it at any price. ”

(a) Why does she call the place wretched?
Answer:
She calls the place wretched as no one wants to pay the price she is asking for.

(b) How much had the villa cost her?
Answer:
The villa had cost her fifty thousand francs.

(c) Why does Juliette wish to sell the villa?
Answer:
Juliette wishes to sell the villa as she needs the money.

Question 7.
“Because really madame, you look too comical. ”
(a) Who says this and to whom? What is the listener’s reaction?
Answer:
The maid says this to Juliette. Juliette is offended by the suggestion.

(b) What do you think the speaker means when she says, ‘comical’?
Answer:
The speaker means that Juliette is funny and amusing.

(c) Why does the speaker say this?
Answer:
She says this because of the way Juliette slicks back her hair

Question 8.
“I am going upstairs for a moment. If that is the lady, tell her I will not be long. ”

(a) Who says this and to whom?
Answer:
Juliette says this to the maid.

(b) Why does she go upstairs?
Answer:
She goes upstairs as she doesn’t want to give the customer the impression that she is waiting for her.

(c) Explain, “I will not be long”.
Answer:
It is in short for saying that she will there in a short time.

Question 9.
“Oh, if I could become a Greta Garbo! ”

(a) Who is Greta Garbo?
Answer:
Greta Garbo is a Hollywood actress from Sweden.

(b) Why does the maid mention her name?
Answer:
The maid mentions her name as she wants to become as famous as her.

(c) What is her tone when she says this?
Answer:
Her tone is of rapt admiration when she says this.

Here we are providing Song of the Rain Extra Questions Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Literature Reader, Extra Questions for Class 9 English was designed by subject expert teachers.

Song of the Rain Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Literature

Song of the Rain Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Answer the following questions briefly.

Question 1.
Who is the speaker of the poem? How does the speaker convey its value?
Answer:
The speaker of the poem is the rain. Rain conveys its value by saying it is silver threads and pearls plucked» from the crown of the Goddess Ishtar and sent to earth.

Question 2.
‘Who is Ishtar?
Answer:
According to the Babylonian mythology, Ishtar is the Goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She was the divine personification of the planet Venus.

Question 3.
Why is rain sent to earth?
Answer:
Rain is sent to earth to quench the thirst of the parched earth and to cause flowers to blossom and crops to grow in its gardens and fields.

Question 4.
What actions of rain bring pleasure to others? Why?
Answer:
When rain falls to the ground and humbles itself by falling from the sky on to the earth, all living things are happy.

Question 5.
Why do you think rain is considered divine?
Answer:
I think the rain is considered divine because rain is required for many things including drinking water and for cultivation of crops.

Question 6.
How is rain like earthly life?
Answer:
Just as a life is created by the coming together of the five elements air, earth, heat, water, and wind, the rain too is created when the earth and water are heated and water rises as vapour to the sky. When it rains, the sky and wind are stormy. At, the time of death, the elements merge into elements and the soul ascends to heaven. Similarly, when rain falls, it merges with the water only to rise again as water vapour.

Question 7.
What is the cyclic movement of rain that is brought out in the poem?
Answer:
Rain rises from the sea and is carried to the sky by the wind. It forms clouds and when clouds become heavy with water, rain falls to the earth. Once rain falls to the ground, it rises again and is carried to the skies by the wind.

Question 8.
In what way is rain’s coming to earth pleasure mixed with sorrow?
Answer:
Rain comes to earth bringing joy. It causes fields and gardens to bloom. This makes it happy but it is saddened by memories of the heavens it left to come to earth.

Song of the Rain Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Write an autobiography of rain.
Answer:
Value points:

• born out of the sea
• travels in clouds
• comes down to soothe parched fields and valleys
• causes flowers to bloom
• flows back to the sea

Question 2.
Draw parallels in rain and song.
Answer:
Value points:

• comes from heaven/poetic inspiration
• embellishes gardens/beautifies world
• both have the power to elate—physical/spiritual
• ability to quench/satisfy
• affects I millions of ways
• pangs of creation
• curing ailment
• domain of the sensitive
• gamut of emotion—tears, laughter, sigh

Question 3.
The poet uses different imageries that are quite unique such as sigh of the sea and laughter of the field. Describe as to how these inanimate things in nature are able to perform such expression and what is their significance?
Answer:
The poet uses a whole range of imageries which seems to make the inanimate alive. With the help of the poetic device called personification, the poet is able to make the rain speak about its role in our world. The sea is said to have sighed and the field to laugh.

The poet tries to make an attempt to make the people understand that the rain is a vital part of this world and it is what makes the sea as well as makes the field happy because it quenches its thirst. It is significant because using such poetic devices, the poet is able to make all things real and tangible. He creates an imaginative and creative space where all things are alive and that nature itself is alive.

Song of the Rain Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
“I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven By the gods.
Nature then takes me, to adorn
Her fields and valleys.”

(a) In the above lines, whom does the word “I” refer to?
Answer:
Here “I” refers to rain.

(b) Name the poetic device used in the first line?
Answer:
The poetic device used in the first line is personification.

(c) How does the speaker help Nature adorn fields and valleys?
Answer:
The speaker helps Nature adorn fields and valleys by causing flowers to bloom.

Question 2.
“I am beautiful pearls, plucked from the
Crown of Ishtar by the daughter of
Dawn To embellish the gardens.”

(a) What is being referred to as “pearls” in the above lines?
Answer:
Rain drops are being referred to as “pearls” in the above lines.

(b) Who is Ishtar?
Answer:
Ishtar is the goddess of fertility.

(c) Name the two poetic devices used in the above lines.
Answer:
The poetic devices used in the above lines are personification and allusion.

Question 3.
“The field and the cloud are lovers
And between them I am a messenger of mercy.
I quench the thirst of the one;
I cure the ailment of the other.”

(a) How is rain a messenger of mercy?
Answer:
The rain is a messenger of mercy as it drenches the fields and makes the cloud lighter and brighter.

(b) “I quench the thirst of the one.” Whose thirst is quenched?
Answer:
The thirst of the fields has been quenched.

(c) “I cure the ailment of the other.” Who is ailing? What is the “ailment” being referred to?
Answer:
The clouds are ailing. The “ailment” being referred to is the fact that they are swollen and heavy with water.

Question 4.
“The voice of thunder declares my arrival;
The rainbow announces my departure.
I am like earthly life which begins at
The feet of the mad elements and ends
Under the upraised wings of death.”

(a) Who/what announces the arrival of rain?
Answer:
The sound of thunder announces the arrival of rain.

(b) What do “mad elements” refer to?
Answer:
The stormy sky and the wind has been referred to as “mad elements”.

(c) What is it that ends under the upraised wings of death?
Answer:
Rain, like earthly life ends under the upraised wings of death.

Question 5.
“I touch gently at the windows with my
Soft fingers and my announcement is a Welcome song.
All can hear, but only
The sensitive can understand.”

(a) What happens when the speaker taps at the windows?
Answer:
The rain taps against the windows to create music.

(b) What does the narrator mean when he says ‘the sensitive’ in this context and what is it that only they can understand?
Answer:
The narrator is referring to those who can understand the song of the rain, they are the ones he calls ‘the sensitive’.

(c) What kind of a poem is “The Song of the Rain”?
Answer:
It is an autobiographical poem.