Question 1 - A Photograph - Hornbill - Poems (Literature) - English Class 11

Read the given extract and answer the questions

Extract:

The cardboard shows me how it was

When the two girl cousins went paddling

Each one holding one of my mother’s hands,

And she the big girl – some twelve years or so.

(A photograph)

Question (i)

What does the word 'cardboard' refer to in this extract? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The word 'cardboard' refers to the photograph in this extract.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our vocabulary skills and our understanding of the context.🧠
•  The word 'cardboard' means a stiff and thick paper that is used for making boxes or other things.📦
•  In this extract, t he poet is looking at an old photograph of her mother and her cousins on a beach.🏖️
•  The photograph is made of cardboard, which shows that it is very old and fragile.👵
•  The poet uses the word 'cardboard' to emphasize the age and the physical condition of the photograph.👀
•  Therefore, the word 'cardboard' refers to the photograph in this extract.📷

Question (ii)

How old was the poet's mother when this photograph was taken? 

• a) Ten years
• b) Twelve years
• c) Fourteen years
• d) Sixteen years

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The poet's mother was (b) twelve years old when this photograph was taken.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our comprehension skills and our knowledge of the poem.📚
•  The question asks us to choose the correct option from the given choices.🔢
•  We need to find the clue in the extract that tells us the age of the poet's mother.🔎
•  The clue is in line 4, where the poet says "And she the big girl – some twelve years or so."👧
•  This means that th e poet's mother was the oldest among the three girls in the photograph, and she was around twelve years old.👩‍👧‍👧
•  Therefore, the correct option is b) Twelve years.✔️

Question (iii)

What does the use of the word 'paddling' suggest? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The use of the word 'paddling' suggests that the girls were having fun in the water.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our inference skills and our imagination.🧐
•  The word 'paddling' means to walk or move through water with short steps and splashing sounds.💦
•  In this extract, the poet says that the two girl cousins went paddling on the beach.🏝️
•  This implies that they were enjoying themselves and playing with the waves. 🌊
•  The word 'paddling' creates a vivid image of the girls' happiness and innocence.😊
•  Therefore, the use of the word 'paddling' suggests that the girls were having fun in the water.👭

Question (iv)

Why is there no punctuation at the end of line 1 in this extract? 

• a) To show that the poet is speaking in a casual tone
• b) To create a sense of continuity between the past and the present
• c) To indicate that the poet is confused about her feelings
• d) To emphasize that the photograph is a static image

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The option that is NOT true is c) To indicate that the poet is confused about her feelings.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our analysis skills and our understanding of punctuation.🖊️
•  The question asks us to select the option that is NOT true about the lack of punctuation at the end of line 1 in this extract.❌
•  We need to examine each option and see if it matches with the poet's intention and tone.👀
•   Option a) To show that the poet is speaking in a casual tone is true because the poet uses simple words and phrases to describe the photograph.🗣️
•  Option b) To create a sense of continuity between the past and the present is true because the poet connects the photograph with her current situation and memory.🕰️
•  Option c) To indicate that the poet is confused about her feelings is NOT true because the poet does not express any confusion or doubt in this extract. She only states what she sees in the photograph.😐
•  Option d) To emphasize that the photograph is a static image is true because the poet contrasts the unchanging photograph with the changing people and time.📸
•  Therefore, the option that is NOT true is c) To indicate that the poet is confused about her feelings.❎

Question (v)

What is the rhyme scheme of this extract? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

The rhyme scheme of this extract is abcb.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our interpretation skills and our knowledge of rhyme scheme.🎵
•  The rhyme scheme is the pattern of sounds that end each line of a poem.🔊
•  To identify the rhyme scheme, we need to assign a letter to each sound and see how they repeat or change.🔤
•  In this extract, the words that end each line are: was, paddling, hands, and so.🔚
•   The words 'was' and 'hands' rhyme with each other, so we assign them the letter 'a'.🅰️
•  The words 'paddling' and 'so' do not rhyme with any other word, so we assign them different letters: 'b' and 'c'.🅱️🅲️
•  The rhyme scheme of this extract is abcb, which means that the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth lines do not rhyme.🆎 🅾️

Question (vi)

How does this extract contrast with the rest of the poem? 

Answer:

Answer written by the student:

This extract contrasts with the rest of the poem by showing the happiness and innocence of the past, while the rest of the poem shows the sadness and loss of the present.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

•  To answer this question, we need to use our evaluation skills and our understanding of contrast.👍👎
•   The contrast is the difference or opposition between two things.🆚
•  To identify the contrast, we need to compare and contrast this extract with the rest of the poem.🔍
•  In this extract, the poet describes a happy and innocent moment from her mother's childhood, when she and her cousins went paddling on a beach.😁
•  The poet uses words and phrases that create a positive and cheerful tone, such as 'went paddling', 'holding one of my mother's hands', and 'the big girl'.👏
•  In the rest of the poem, the poet expresses her sadness and loss for her mother who has died, and for her own childhood that has gone.😢
•  The poet uses words and phrases that create a negative and mournful tone, such as 'silence silences', 'terribly transient feet', and 'all of them are dead'.💔
•  This extract contrasts with the rest of the poem by showing the happiness and innocence of the past, while the rest of the poem shows the sadness and loss of the present.⏳