Extract Based Questions

Question.1. Read the extracts given below and answer the

questions that follow.

Read the extracts of the lesson- Keeping Quiet and answer the
questions that follow.
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)What does the poet appeal for?
Ans. The poet appeals for peace and harmony on the earth.
(b) To attain this, what does he expect all of us to do?
Ans. He expects all human beings to be silent, totally inactive and
introspect.
(c) Why does he advocate silence?
Ans. He advocates silence so that human beings could introspect about
themselves without any external disturbance.
(e)What kind of activity does the poet feel the man is involved with?
Ans. The poet feels that man is leading a very monotonous and dull
existence. He is also engaged in destructive activities that harm himself
and nature too.
2. It would be an exotic moment
(1 x 4 = 4 Marks)
Without rush, without engines,
We would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
 Fishermen in the cold sea
Would not harm whales
And the man gathering salt
Would look at his hurt hands.
(a) What does he mean by ‘exotic moment’?
Ans. By ‘exotic moment’ the poet means that this moment will be worth
cherishing as it would be extraordinary.
(b) How could man achieve this exotic moment?
Ans. In this exotic moment, man would be able to stop all activity, remain
silent and introspect. He would feel enlightened and be in harmony with
man and nature.
(c)What harm do the fishermen do and why do salt gatherer’s hands
hurt?
Ans. The fishermen kill the whales and cause their extinction while salt
gatherers’ hands hurt due to the course and rough feel of the salt causing
pain to their hands.

3. Those who prepare green wars, (1 x 4 = 4)

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 are the kinds of wars mentioned in the above lines?
Ans. The poet mentions three types of wars, i.e. green wars that man
wages against nature and the environment. He also mentions wars with
gas and wars with fire meaning that man kills other human beings with the
help of biological and nuclear weapons.
(b)What are green wars?
Ans.`Green wars’ refers to the environmental degradation caused by man’s
mindless activities.
(c)How would the wars affect our lives?

Ans. Apart from the death of thousands of innocent people, the war would
not leave anyone victorious because there would be no survivors.
(d)What could be the ideal situation?
Ans. An ideal situation would be one in which human beings would be
seen happily walking with others hence depicting a feeling of oneness,
unity and brotherhood. There will peace and universal brotherhood.
4. What I want would not be (1 x 4 = 4)
Confused
With total inactivity.
Life is what it is 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
And of threatening ourselves with death.
 What does the poet mean by inactivity?
Ans. By ‘inactivity’ the poet means a period of total silence, no work, no
disturbance. He visualizes a calm and quiet atmosphere where man
introspects and there is productive silence.
 How is inactivity different from death?
Ans. The poet only wishes for a few moments of inactivity and man be
able to reflect on his actions. Death, on the other hand, is the end of life,
which the poet does not advocate.
(c)What makes us sad and what are we single-minded about?
Ans. We are single-minded about moving on with our lives and focus only
on our ambitions and goals. The mechanised lifestyle and the feeling that
we cause a threat to our own destruction makes us feel sad.
 What does the poet mean by ‘to have no truck with death’?
Ans. The poet wants to have no association with death as death is the end
of life. He only appeals that we should be more productive and give up
endless and futile pursuits that cause unhappiness.
5. Perhaps the Earth can teach us (1 x 4 = 4)
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 can the Earth teach us?
Ans. The earth can teach us how to be in harmony with others while
remaining silent and productive.

(b) How does it teach us this lesson?

Ans. The earth continues to nurture life despite all the harm done to it by
man. It silently goes about its work and this is the lesson that we should
learn from it.
(c)How does the Earth ‘prove to be alive’?
Ans. The Earth nurtures life and ensures that the life cycle of birth, life and
death moves on and the process of regeneration goes on unhampered.
(d)What is the poet’s appeal?
Ans. The poet appeals to man to make an effort to keep silent for a few
seconds and introspect in order to make amends for a harmonious
environment.

Short Answer Type Questions of the lesson- Keeping Quiet (30 to 40

words)
1. What is the poet’s appeal to the people?
Ans. The poet appeals to all the people to count up to twelve and then to
be completely silent. During this period of silence, he urges them to remain
calm and stop all physical activity. He only wants peace during this time.
2. To attain this, what does he expect all of us to do?
Ans. The poet expects all mankind to shun all activity, remain silent and
indulge in introspection in order to understand the meaning of life, their own
destructive activities and make amends.
3. Why does he advocate silence?

Ans. He advocates silence because according to him, it is only during the

few seconds of silence and inactivity, that man will be able to take stock of
his harmful activities and then try to practise harmony and brotherhood in
the world.
4. What kind of activity does the poet feel is a man involved in?
Ans. Man is involved in a large number of destructive activities. He is
creating noise pollution, environmental pollution, destroying wildlife and
marine life. He is waging wars and is also destroying his own fellow men.
5. What does the poet mean by ‘exotic moment’ and how can man
achieve it?
Ans. By ‘exotic moment’ the poet means the moments of silence and
inactivity which will be extraordinary and memorable because man will
reflect on his activities and hence be able to make amends. This exotic
moment can only be achieved through total silence and inactivity even it is
for a few seconds.
6. What kind of a feeling would this exotic moment evoke?
Ans. This feeling may be strange because it is not easy to imagine a
situation of complete peace and silence. According to the poet, this
moment might remove our sadness of never understanding ourselves and
indulged in self-destructive activities.
7. What harm do the fishermen do and why do the salt gatherers
hands hurt?
Ans. The fishermen harm marine life by killing the whales in the seas and
hastening their extinction. The salt gatherers’ hands hurt because the harsh
and coarse feel of salt causes discomfort and pain to their hands.
8. What are the kinds of wars mentioned in the poem?
Ans. The poet mentions green wars, i.e., wars that man is waging against
nature hence causing environmental degradation, wars with gas and fire or
using harmful biological and nuclear weapons to cause maximum
destruction to life and property. War with fire refers to the conventional
mode of combat.
9. What can be the consequence of the war in our lives?
Ans. The poet observes that wars cause death and destruction. It leaves
behind no survivors and hence no victory for anyone. It is an ironical
situation which can be avoided if a man takes action and decides never to
wage wars.
10. What could be an ideal situation according to the poet?
Ans. The poet strongly maintains that the ideal situation would be when
people can happily walk hand in hand under shady trees i.e. amidst a cool
and harmonious atmosphere. They will then practise oneness, unity and
brotherhood.
11. How is inactivity different from death? What does the poet mean
by `to have no truck with death’?
Ans. According to the poet total inactivity only means a temporary
stillness, whereas death means the end of life. ‘No truck with death’ means
that the poet does not want any association with death. He only urges
mankind to halt harmful activities for a few seconds.
12. What are we single-minded about?
Ans. The poet feels that individuals only think about keeping our lives
moving at all costs, and in the process lose sight of their goals. People only
yearn for progress and fulfilment of ambitions, and that remains the only
focus while they are alive. Man is single-minded in his pursuit of wealth,
supremacy and territorial acquisition.
13. What, according to the poet, causes sadness?
Ans. Mindless destructive activities cause sadness in our lives. Behaviour
that threatens mankind leads to sadness and unhappiness.
14. What can the Earth teach us? How?
Ans. Earth can teach us to be productive and useful even when there is
silence. The Earth nurtures all living beings, plants and animals and quietly
maintains the balance in nature. It helps in the rebirth of a new life. We can
all learn to be productive yet silent.

Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions of the lesson-

Keeping Quiet – to be answered in about 100 -150 words each Value-
based questions-
Q1. What does the narrator mean by ‘green wars’? What will be the
consequence of such a war?
Ans. ‘Green wars’ means the war against the environment. In our pursuit of
progress and materialism, we forget the harm we cause to the world. Our
resources are depleting. If we don’t take measures to save our
environment, our children will not enjoy the resources available to us.
Q2. What according to Pablo Neruda would be the ultimate end of a
man if the present scenario of wars continues?
Ans. If the present scenario of conflict continues, there will be a victory but
no ‘survivors’. Pablo Neruda suggests that we must all keep still and
introspect so that there is peace and world unity. It is only during the few
seconds of silence and inactivity, that man will be able to take stock of his
harmful activities and then try to practise harmony and brotherhood in the
world.