TWO MARKS QUESTIONS ON SPRINGS

POETRY
ROMEO AND JULIET William Shakespeare
1. What does Romeo compare Juliet to?
- a rich jewel in Ethiope’s ears
- a snowy dove

2. Mention two images that Romeo uses to describe Juliet.

Like a rich jewel in Ethiope’s ears, Juliet shines on the cheek of night
Like a snowy dove among the crows , Juliet moves among her
companions.

3. What do the expressions ‘crows’ and ‘snowy dove’ refer to?

‘ Crows ’ - refers to Juliet’s companions
‘ Snowy dove’- refers to Juliet

4. What does Romeo want to do after the dance ?

– touch Juliet’s hand
- he wants to make his rude hands blessed

5. What does Romeo challenge?

- he never saw such beauty before
- he never loved anyone so much in his life

6. Mention two expressions Juliet uses to glorify Romeo.

- Romeo is day in night
- He is like a new snow on raven’s back

7. Mention two qualities of night according to Juliet

- Gentle, loving and black browed night

8. What does ‘face of heaven refer to’? Who will make it beautiful?
‘Face of heaven’ refers to the sky. Romeo will make it (the sky) beautiful.

9. Whom did people worship so far? Whom will they worship now?
People so far worshipped garish sun. Now they will worship Romeo as
star.

ON CHILDREN Khalil Gibran

1. Why does the Prophet say -‘Your children are not your children’ ?
- they are sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself
- they come through you but not from you
- though they are with you, yet they do not belong to you

2. What can the parents give their children and what they can’t?
- The parents may give love but not thoughts to their children.

3. Why can’t the parents give their thoughts to their children?

Because the children have their own thoughts.

4. What can the parents house and what they can’t? Why?
The parents can house children’s bodies but not souls. Because their
souls dwell in the houses of tomorrow.

5. What the parents can’t visit even in their dreams?

The souls of children dwell in the houses of tomorrow. These houses of
tomorrow parents can’t visit even in their dreams.

6. Why can’t the children be like parents?

The parents can be like their children. But children can’t be like their
parents. Because life moves forward. It never tarries with yesterday.

7. What do the words ‘bow’, ‘arrow’ and the ‘archer’ stand for?
Parents are the static bows. Children are flying arrows. God is the
archer.

8. Who bends the bow and why?

The archer God bends the bows (parents) so that the arrows (children)
may go swift and far.

WHEN YOU ARE OLD W.B. Yeats

1. Whom does the poet address? What does he ask her to do?
The poet addresses his missed beloved in ‘When You Are Old’. He asks
her to read the book of poems he had written on her.

2. What does the poet ask his missed beloved to do nodding by the fire?
The poet asks her to read the book of poems he wrote on her.
3. When does he ask her to read the book?
He asks her to read the book when she will be old , grey , full of sleep
and nodding sitting by the fire.

4. What does the poet ask his beloved to dream of?

The poet asks his beloved to dream of her eyes which had a soft look
and deep shadows in her youth.

5. What did many love in the lady? How was their love for her?
Many loved her ‘moments of glad grace’- her physical beauty. They loved
her beauty with false love.

6. How was the poet different from other lovers?

The poet was different from other lovers. He loved her pilgrim soul. He
loved ‘the sorrows of her changing face’ . Her decaying beauty didn’t
affect him.

7. What does the poet ask her to do sitting beside the glowing bars?
The poet asks her to bend down beside the glowing bars and murmur a
little sadly- how the false love fled and paced upon the mountains
overhead and hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

TO THE FOOT FROM ITS CHILD Pablo Neruda

1. What does the foot wish to be when unaware of reality?

The foot wishes to be a butterfly or apple.

2. Name two things that teach the foot that it can’t fly.
The stones, bits of glass, streets, ladders and paths in the rough earth
teach the foot that it can’t fly or be a fruit. (any two)

3. What does the time teach the foot?

The time teaches the foot that it can’t fly or it can’t be a fruit bulging on
the branch.

4. How does the foot feel in a shoe?

The foot is defeated, falls in the battle and feels like a prisoner
condemned to live in a shoe.
5. Where does the foot feel like a blind man?
In the darkness of the shoe the foot feels out life like a blind man.

6. How do the soft nails change gradually?

The soft nails of quartz grow hard as horn and change themselves to
opaque substance.

7. What do the tiny toes resemble later?

The tiny petaled toes grow bunched and out of trim, take on the form of
eyeless reptiles with triangular heads like worms.

8. When do the ‘volcanos of death’ appear on the foot?

In the end, the foot grows hard, grows callused and a faint volcanoes of
death appear - a coarsening is hard to accept.

9. How is the journey of ‘the blind thing’?

The blind thing – the foot still walks- with volcanos of death - without
respite - scarcely taking time to bare itslf in love or sleep.

10. Mention any two places the foot visits.

The foot visits- fields, mines, markets and ministries. (any two)

11. When does the foot stop to walk ? Where does it go in the end?
The foot walks until the whole man chooses to stop. Then it descends
underground unaware where everything was dark.

HEAVEN IF YOU ARE NOT HERE ON EARTH Kuvempu

1. Where is the heaven according to Kuvempu?

The heaven is on the earth. It is nowhere else.

2. When can there be no gods and nymphs?

If we human beings can’t be gods and nymphs, there can be no gods
and nymphs.

3. Mention any two aspects of nature that make the earth heaven.
Roaring stream, rolling surf, tender sunshine, gentle sun, the splendour
of harvest and moonlight. (any two)
4. Where does ‘heaven lies all over’ ?
Heaven lies all over those places on earth which are source of beauty.
They are- roaring stream, rolling surf, tender sunshine, gentle sun, the
splendour of harvest and moonlight.

5. How is the movement of the ‘stream’ and ‘surf’ described?

The stream rushes fast making a roaring sound. Surf rolls (dances) at
the edge of the waves.

6. How does the poet create heaven on earth?

‘Imbibing and spilling the song of nectar’- gathering the beauties of
nature and adding his poetic talent- song of nectar - the poet creates
heaven on the earth.

WATER Challapalli Swaroop Rani

1. Mention any two things water knows?

- Water knows ground’s incline
- the generations old strife between village and wada,
- difference of race between Samaria woman and Jesus the Jew,
- sub-caste difference between leather and spool,
- the agony of panchama,
- the humiliation of the wada girl,
- it knows the righteous rage of Karamchedu Suvarthamma. (any two)

2. What are the two impossible things the poetess refers in the
beginning of the poem?
The dampness at the well’s edge never dries and the untouchability
never disappears.

3. What is the agony of panchama at the village well?

Panchama had no right to draw water from the well. So he waited all day
near the well with empty pot till a shudra came and poured water into
his pot.

4. What is the humiliation of the wada girl at the well?

The wada girl waited for water with her empty pot. When a shudra
poured water into her pot, he fell water all over her and touched her.
5. Who is Karamchedu Suvarthamma?
Karamchedu Suvarthamma is a dalit woman who in her righteous rage,
opposed the Kamma landlords with her water pot.

6. What is water witness for?

Water is witness to centuries of social injustice.

7. Which is the ‘mighty movement’ mentioned in the poem? Where

did it take place?
Mighty movement mentioned in the poem is – Mahad Struggle. It took
place at the Chadar tank.

8. Mention any two episodes the sight of water brings to poetss’ mind?
- How her wada would thirst all day for a glass of water
- Water is not just H2O, it is a mighty movement
- Mahad struggle at Chadar tank for a puddle of water
- How they welcomed weekly bath as if it was a wonderous festival
- Miles of walks to reach big canal and carrying of heavy pots
- The thatched roofs of Malapalle burning to ashes for a pot of water (any
two)

9. Name any two destructive acts of water.

- Water can become the killer tsunami wave and swallow the villages.
- Water can turn villages into dry deserts
- Water can drown the villages in floods
- Water can ignite struggles and strifes between village and wada and
between the states. (any two)

10. Where does the water sit innocently ? where does it dance into?
Water sits innocently in a Bisleri bottle. It dances its way into the Pepsi
man’s bottle.

11. What is the multi-national market commodity? What is its new name?
Water is the multi-national market commodity. Its new name is ‘mineral
water’.

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DRAMA
 A SUNNY MORNING
Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quinter

1. What is the name of the book Gonzalo reads in the park? Who wrote it?
The name of the book is –‘Twenty Years Pass. He returns’
The writer is –Campoamor.

2. Name any two writers mentioned by Gonzalo.

Campoamor, Zorrilla , Becquer , Espronceda (any two)

3. How old is Gonzalo in the story? Which is his native place?

He is seventy years old. He is a native of Valencia.

4. How old is Laura? Name the villa near Valencia where Laura spent
several seasons.
Laura is about seventy. Many years ago she had spent several seasons
in a villa called Mericela.

5. Who accompanied Laura to the park? What did Laura do in the park?
Laura’s maid Petra accompanied her to the park. Laura fed the pigeons
bread crumbs while sitting on her fixed bench.

6. Who accompanied Gonzalo to the park? What did Gonzalo do in the park?
His servant Juanito accompanied him to the park. He read books there.

7. What was Laura carrying in her free hand? What purpose it served?
Laura was carrying a parasol. It also served as a cane.

8. For which two reasons Laura was happy on entering the park?
She had feared her seat would be occupied. But it was vacant. Secondly,
the morning was beautiful.

9. Why was Gonzalo in an irritative mood as he entered the park? Who

had occupied his regular bench?
Gonzalo could not find a bench for himself in the park. His regular
bench was occupied by three priests.

10. What did Gonzalo comment on the priests?

Gonzalo said that the priests were idling their time. They should be
saying mass instead.
11. What did Laura call Gonzalo? What did she comment on his nature?
Laura called Gonzalo ‘an ill-natured old man’. She said, why people
must get so fussy and cross when they reach a certain age.

12. What did Gonzalo call Laura? What did he expect her to do
instead of sitting in the park?
Gonzalo called Laura ‘a senile old lady’. He wished she ought be at home
knitting and counting her beeds.

13. What did Gonzalo use to wipe off the dust from his shoes? With
which right did Laura object it?
Gonzalo used his handkerchief to clean his shoes. Laura objected it with
a neighbour’s right.

14. What made peace between Laura and Gonzalo? How many times
Laura and Gonzalo sneeze?
A pinch of snuff made peace between Laura and Gonzalo. Both sneeze
three times each.

15. What did Gonzalo expect the authorities to do? When must they do so?
Gonzalo expected the authorities should place more benches in the
park, for sunny mornings.

16. What is Dona Laura’s real name? What was she called in the locality?
Dona Laura’s real name is Laura Llorente. She was called ‘Silver Maiden’
in the locality.

17. Who is gallant Gonzalo? Whom did he love in his youth?

Gallant Gonzalo is none other than Don Gonzalo. He loved Laura
Llorente (Dona Laura) in his youth.

18. Where did the gallant Gonzalo meet a glorious death? Whose
name he was uttering at his death?
Gallant Gonzalo joined the army and went to Africa and there he met a
glorious death. At the moment of his death he was uttering the name of
Laura.

19. How was Laura Llorente killed? Whose name had she written on
the sand?
 Laura was swept away by a huge wave. She had written Gonzalo’s name
on the sand.

20. Where is Gonzalo’s one of the estates located? When does he

visit it?
Gonzalo’s one of the estates is near Aravaca. Gonzalo goes there with
his gun and dog every Sunday for hunting.

21. Whom does Gonzalo cite as evidences for his good sight? What
proof he provides for his bravery?
Gonzalo tells Laura to ask hares and partridges he hunts, to ask about
his keen eyesight. A wild boar’s head in his study room he provides as a
proof for his bravery.

22. Why does Laura mention tiger’s skin in her boudoir?

Gonazalo mentions a wild boar’s head in his study room as a proof of his
bravery. To taunt him she says that even she has a tiger’s skin in her
boudoir.

23. At what age did Gonzalo visit America for the first time? Name
the poet whom he first met in America.
The first time when Gonzalo went to America, he was only six years old.
He first met Zorilla in America.

24. Name the poet who was a great friend of Gonzalo. Where did
Gonzalo meet him?
Gonzalo was a great friend of Campoamor. He met him at Valencia.

25. Name the royal couple Gonzalo makes mention of. Why does he
mention them?
Gonzalo mentions Ferdinand and Isabella. He makes a mention of them
to tell Laura that he is old but not centuries old.

26. What happened to Gonzalo after the duel?

After the duel, in three months Gonzalo ran off to Paris with a ballet
dancer.

27. Did Laura wait for Gonzalo throughout her life? What did she do?
No she didnt wait for him. She married two years after the duel between
Gonzalo and the merchant.
28. What are the three promises Gonzalo makes to Laura before
leaving the park?
- Gonzalo promises that he will visit the park the next day if it will be a
sunny morning.
- He promises that he will not go to his bench, instead, will share her
bench
- He also promises that he will bring bread crumbs for the pigeons.

29. Why didn’t Gonzalo reveal his identity to Laura?

Gonzalo was grotesque now. He didn’t want to spoil his image of gallant
horseman that she preserved in her memory.

30. Why didn’t Laura disclose her identity to Gonzalo?

Laura is too sadly changed now. She didn’t want to spoil the image of
black eyed girl tossing flowers, that he preserved in his memory.

31. Who are Petra and Juanito’s companions in the park?

Petra has a friendship with a guard in the park. Juanito plays havoc
with the nurse maids.

32. What does Petra offer Laura in the end? Who has sent them?
Petra offers Laura the violets. The guard has sent them for Laura.

33. Which act of Gonzalo confirm his identity to Laura?

Trembling, with great effort , he picks up the violets that Laura had
dropped. If not a lover, why would he care for them.

34. Which act of Laura confirm her identity to Gonzalo?

Laura leaving the park, turns her head to have a last glance of Gonzalo.
If not a beloved, why would she turn.

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