Questions Answers

A. Comprehension Questions

1. What is planting a flower compared to?

Answer: Planting a flower is compared to the blossoming of a friendship.

2. What does the tiniest creature need?

Answer: Even the tiniest creature needs space in the world.

3. What do the smallest gifts deserve?

Answer: Even the smallest gifts deserve a warm thank you.

4. What will happen if you fail to give importance to others?

Answer: If we fail to give importance to others, they will feel sad.

5. What do you learn from your lessons in life?

Answer: I express my friendship with others by respecting them.

6. Pick and write the rhyming words from the third stanza.

Answer: "sad’ and ‘bad’ are the rhyming words. 

7. “Having a friend is like planting a flower”

What is the figure of speech used in this line?

 Answer: The figure of speech used in this line is “simile”.

Figures of speech

1. Simile:

A ‘Simile’ is a figure of speech, in which two unlike things are compared, using the words, ‘like’ or ‘as’. It is used to bring a dramatic effect in Prose. Simile is one of the most common forms of a figure of speech and is also used in poems as well as our day-to-day talks.

Examples:

* as blind as a bat (means that someone is not willing to notice)

* like peas in a pod (means that two people are quite similar)

* as wise as an owl (refers to someone who is very smart / knowledgeable)

* quiet like a mule (refers to someone who is silent / quiet)

* as brave as a lion (refers to someone who is too brave/courageous)

Exercise

Answer the following.

1. Write a sentence using ‘as fast as the wind’.

Answer: He runs as fast as the wind.

2. Write a simile using the word ‘like’.

Answer: They fought like cats and dogs.

3. Create a simile using the word ‘as’.

Answer: As sweet as honey.

4. What does ‘as smart as a fox’ mean?

Answer: It means to be clever or cunning as a fox.

2. Metaphor:

A ‘Metaphor’ is quite similar to a ‘Simile’, as a ‘Metaphor’ also compares two unlike things. But a Metaphor has an implied or a hidden meaning between unrelated things. Here, for a Metaphor we do not use words such as ‘like’ or ‘as’. Unlike Similes which compare two things, Metaphors directly state a comparison to things that are in no way similar. We can use Metaphors to explain an idea, but its literal meaning should not be taken. It is only to be used as a symbolism.

Examples:

My father was boiling mad. (implies that he was too angry)

She is the apple of my eye. (implies that she is too dear to me)

Your brain is a computer. (implies that your brain is smart and quick)

Her voice is music to his ears. (implies that her voice makes him feel happy)

The given task was a breeze. (implies that the task was not difficult)

Exercise

1. Which of the given options is a Metaphor?

a) Life is like a chocolate box.

b) Raj is like his twin brother.

c) His words are pearls of wisdom.

d) The bus is slow as a snail.

Answer: (c) His words are pearls of wisdom

2. What does "The world is a stage” mean?

Answer: The world is like a stage where all of us are merely actors.

3. Identify the Metaphor in the sentence.

Her hair is always a rat’s nest in the morning.

Answer: Hair is always a rat’s nest.

4. Write a sentence on your own that includes a Metaphor.

Answer: He was a lion in the battle.

William Shakespeare invented over 1700 of our common words by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, adding prefixes and suffixes and devising words wholly original. 

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

I. Poem Comprehension.

1. Lets be aware as we walk on this planet

Even the tiniest creature needs room.

(a) What should we aware of?

Answer: We should be aware that even the tiniest creature needs room.

(b) What do you mean by the term ‘as we walk on this planet’?

Answer: ' It means that as long ‘as we live in this world’.

2. Lessons in life aren't always so simple Nothing you're given will ever come free

(a) Are ‘lessons in life’ simple?

Answer: No, lessons in life are not so simple.

(b) What does the second line mean?

Answer: It means that you are not going to get anything free of cost.

3. Even the smallest of gifts deserves “thank you”.

What should you say, even when receive a small gift?

Answer: We should say ‘thank you’. 

4. Know that you matter and you make a difference

What does the above line tell us?

Answer: The above line tells us that every human being is unique and important.

II. Poetic Devices.

1. Having a friend is like planting a flower

What is the poetic device used here?

Answer: Simile is used here.

2. Lessons in life aren't always so simple

Pick out the alliterated words.

Answer: Lessons - life; so - simple are the alliterated words.

3. Having a friend is like planting a flower

Show love and kindness it one day will bloom

Lets be aware as we walk on this planet

Even the tiniest creature needs room.

Mention the rhyme scheme in this stanza.

Answer: ‘abcb’ is the rhyme scheme in this stanza.

III. Short Questions and Answers.

1. How can having a friend be like planting a flower?

Answer: Both friendship and planting flowers will bloom one day, when we show love, kindness and care every day.

2. When do we feel sad?

Answer: We feel sad when people don’t remember us.

3. How does the poet explain that everyone is important?

Answer: The poet says that everyone is important and each makes a difference. Since we are important we must not allow others to shame us or make us feel bad.

4. Why do you think the second stanza has been repeated as the 4 stanza?

Answer: The message that we learn a lot of lessons in life after going through difficulty and that if anyone gives us even a very small present, it is not without effort, the importance of gratitude in life and respect for people, have been repeated.

5. To whom does ‘I’ and ‘You’ refer to?

Answer: I refers to the poet and you refers to the reader.

IV. Paragraph Questions with Answers.

1. How should we treat a flowering plant and true friendship?

Answer: The poet compares planting flowers to maintaining friendship, because both need care, kindness and love to blossom. We must understand that as we move on this planet, every living thing, even the smallest needs its own space. Nothing is free of cost, either hard work, a lot of thought or money are involved in the gift. So we must learn to thank the person, who gives a gift and respect human beings.

2. What is the importance of human beings on earth?

Answer: Every human being is unique. He/she deserves to be respected. When one is forgotten by the other, it makes him feel very sad. Every person makes a difference in life and his presence is needed. We must never put anyone to shame and no one has the authority to make others feel bad about themselves. We must respect and treat everyone well and be considerate towards others.