1.

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the Earth

let’s not speak in any language,

let’s stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.

(a) Why is the poet asking the people not to speak?

(i) It gives the people time to introspect their actions. (ii) The poet doesn’t

like talkative people.

(iii) It creates noise. (iv) There are less

chances of infection.

(b) State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.

The poet wants us to do nothing and remain inactive for one second.

(c) Complete the sentence appropriately.

“Not move our arms” in the given extract refers to __________ .

 (d) During counting to twelve, the poet wants us to remain __________ .

(e) In the given extract the poet has used

(i) heroic couplet (ii) blank verse (iii) metaphor (iv) simile

(f) Select the option that is NOT true.

(i) When we stop for a second, we get an opportunity to introspect our follies.

(ii) During this moment, we will forget our differences and experience a strength of

togetherness.

(iii) We will realize the harm we are causing to the world with our words and actions.

(iv) We should always remain lazy.

2.

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,

we would all be together

in a sudden strangeness.

(a) What does ‘it’ signify in the first line?

 (i) the surroundings (ii) total stillness (iii) being in the nature’s

lap (iv) all of the above

(b) What is the exotic moment referred to in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’? What makes

it exotic?

(c) Select the word that WILL NOT complete the sentence appropriately.

The exotic moment, according to the poet, is ___________ .

(i) exciting activity (ii) slavery

(iii) beautiful moments of thoughtful silence (iv) when language

barriers are removed

(d) State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.

If no engines work and there is no rush, a strange movement will be created.

(e) How will everyone feel at the exotic moment?

(f) Complete the sentence appropriately.

We can all feel togetherness by remaining calm and feeling _____________

strangeness.

3.

Fishermen in the cold sea

 would not harm whales

and the man gathering salt

would look at his hurt hands.

(a) Which activity does the poet not want the fisherman to do?

(i) not go out into the sea (ii) not harm the whales

(iii) not going sailing during storms (iv) kill the other sea-creatures

(b) What are some of the other men doing?

(c) The poet advocates the balance of nature ___________ .

(i) to be maintained (ii) to get destroyed (iii) to remain inactive

(iv) all of the above

(d) State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE.

Through ‘Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales’, the poet urges us not

to harm the animals.

(e) What do ‘hurt hands’ refer to in the line, ‘Men would look at their hurt hands’?

(f) Complete the sentence appropriately.

____________ is the poetic device used in 'his hurt hands'.

4.

Those who prepare green wars

wars with gas, wars with fire

victory with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their

brothers

In the shade doing nothing.

(a) What does ‘Green wars’ refer to?

(i) green colour (ii) wars against environment

(iii) wars displaying green flags (iv) wars fought in the woods

(b) What kind of wars are mentioned in the poem? What is the poet’s attitude

towards these wars?

(c) Select the word that WILL complete the sentence appropriately.

The poet is deliberating upon the type of wars i.e. ___________ .

(i) nuclear warfare (ii) surgical strikes

 (iii) hand to hand combat (iv) green wars, wars with gas, wars

with fire

(d) State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE.

The poet wants the nature exploiters to adopt a new approach towards life.

(e) What images in the poem show that the poet condemns violence?

(f) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The poetic device used in the poem is ______________.

5.

What I want should not be

confused

with total inactivity.

Life is what it is all about;

I want no truck with death.

If we were not so single-minded

about keeping our lives moving,

and for once could do nothing,

 Perhaps a huge silence

might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves with

death.

(a) The poet’s intention in the first line is to

(i) give warning to the readers (ii) give right direction to the

readers

(iii) give choice to the readers (iv) give a clarification to the

readers

(b) Who is to blame for the condition of threatening ourselves with death, according

to the poet?

(c) Select the word from the following options to complete the sentence.

The tone of the poet in the expression, “If we were not so single minded…” is

________________.

(i) regretful (ii) critical (iii) encouraging (iv) friendly

(d) State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE.

 In the expression, “I want no truck with death”, the poet assures that he does not

advocate death.

(e) What is the tone of the poet in the expression, “perhaps a huge silence, might

interrupt this sadness”?

(f) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The poet advocates death because he has a firm belief in _______________.

6.

Perhaps the Earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead

and later proves to be alive.

Now I’ll count up to twelve

and you keep quiet and I will go.

(a) What does the earth teach us?

(i) To be active (ii) Remain still but not inactive

(iii) Be in harmony with nature (iv) All of the above

(b) State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE.

The poet counts till 12 seconds to quieten us. (True/False)

(c) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The whole humanity needs to learn a lesson from ____________ .

(d) In this extract, the poet wants us to learn from ____________ .

(e) The poet is pleading to the human beings to keep quiet for just ___________ .

(i) twelve seconds (ii) forty seconds (iii) twenty seconds (iv)

ten seconds

(f) Select the option that is NOT true with reference to the context.

(i) People will get much needed time for rest. (ii) People will have

time to introspect.

(iii) There will be no rush and hurry. (iv) It will not give us an opportunity

to understand each other.