10th English Poem 1 Questions and Answers

Life

Get “Life” 10th English Poem 1 questions and answers for TN Board students. Includes important questions, short answers, and detailed explanations to help you prepare effectively for exams.

Read the following lines and answer the questions given below.

1. Let me but live my life from year to year, With forward face and unreluctant soul;

a. Whom does the word ‘me’ refer to?
- The word “me” refers to the poet Henry Van Dyke
b. What kind of life does the poet want to lead?
- The poet wants to lead a brave and cheerful life, accepting the future without fear.

2. Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal; Not mourning for the things that disappear

a. Why do you think the poet is not in a hurry?
- The poet is not in a hurry because he wants to accept life calmly and move steadily towards his goal.
b. What should one not mourn for?
- One should not mourn for the things that fade or disappear in life.

3. In the dim past, nor holding back in fear , From what the future veils; but with a whole , And happy heart, that pays its toll , To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.

a. What does the poet mean by the phrase ‘in the dim past’?
- The phrase ‘in the dim past’ means the forgotten or faded past.
b. Is the poet afraid of future?
- No, the poet is not afraid of the future.
c. How can one travel on with cheer?
- One can travel on with cheer by having a whole and happy heart, accepting both youth and age gladly.

4. So let the way wind up the hill or down, O’er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy: Still seeking what I sought when but a boy, New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,

a. How is the way of life?
- The way of life is uncertain with ups and downs, rough and smooth paths.
b. How should be the journey of life?
- The journey of life should be taken with joy and positivity.
c. What did the poet seek as a boy?
- As a boy, the poet sought new friendship, high adventure, and success (a crown).

5. My heart will keep the courage of the quest, And hope the road’s last turn will be the best.

a. What kind of quest does the poet seek here?
- The poet seeks a courageous and hopeful quest in life’s journey.
b. What is the poet’s hope?
- The poet hopes that the final stage of life will be the best.

6. In the dim past, nor holding back in fear , From what the future veils; but with a whole , And happy heart, that pays its toll , To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.

a. Identify the rhyming words of the given lines.
- fear – cheer
- whole – toll

7.Identify the rhyme scheme of the given lines

Let me but live my life from year to year,
With forward face and unreluctant soul;
Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;
Not mourning for the things that disappear
- Answer : a b b a

Paragraph Questions

1. Give a detailed account of all thoughts and questions in the narrator’s mind while accompanying Aditya from the tea shop to Sanyal’s house?

TITLE : The Attic

AUTHOR : Satyajit Ray.

Theme : Confusion over Aditya’s Behavior

The narrator and Aditya had visited Aditya’s village after twenty nine years.
They went to Nagen uncle’s tea shop. They met Sasanka Sanyal there.
Sanyal suddenly stood up and began to recite the poem ‘Panraksha’ by Tagore.
He noticed a sudden change in Aditya’s expression, while hearing Sanyal’s recitation.
He asked Aditya the reason for it but Aditya didn’t answer.
Aditya inquired Nagen about Sanyal.
They wanted to meet Sanyal again, Aditya expressed his wish to visit his old house.
In his house, the narrator witnessed Aditya heaving a sigh of relief, when he had got a medal in the attic.
The narrator eagerly asked the reason for it.
Aditya did not answer him there as well.
Later they went to the jeweller to find out the weight of the medal.
The narrator could not understand why Aditya behaved like that.
They went to Kabiraj’s house, where Sanyal stayed.
Aditya confessed Sanyal for his act of stealing his medal which he got for recitation.
Only then, the narrator knew the answers for all the questions in his mind

Moral : Honesty and repentance are the only ways to find true peace

2.‘Man does change with time’-What were the various changes that came about in Aditya?

TITLE : The Attic

AUTHOR : Satyajit Ray.

Theme : Man Does Change with Time

Twenty nine years ago Aditya was jealous of Sanyal, when Sanyal got a medal for recitation of a poem.
Aditya took the medal from Sanyal to show his father and never returned, it to Sanyal.
When Sanyal demanded his medal, Aditya replied that there was a hole in his pocket and it had fallen through it.
Aditya remembered everything.
But Sanyal got angry with Aditya.
Aditya justified Sanyal’s anger and grievance, since he committed the mistake.
Now he wanted to prove that he was not the same as he had been earlier.
He said to Sanyal that man changes with time.
Aditya too changed and realized his mistake.
So he gave Sanyal the cost of the medal one hundred and fifty rupees.
As Sanyal refused, Aditya handed over the silver medal to him and proved that he has changed with time.

Moral : It is never too late to undo a wrong

3.Give a brief character sketch of Sasanka Sanyal.

TITLE : The Attic

AUTHOR : Satyajit Ray.

Theme : Man Does Change with Time

Sasanka Sanyal led a cursed life, He sold his lands and his house for his daughter’s marriage.
He lost his wife and only son the year before.
He was forced to stay in Jogesh Kabiraj’s house who was his father’s friend.
In spite of his suffering, he showed his sense of self respect by paying money for his tea and biscuits in the tea shop.
He recognised Aditya at the tea shop itself.
He recited the poem for which he got the medal.
He recited it so that Aditya could remember and recognize him.
He could not forgive Aditya, who never returned the silver medal.
Sanyal became helpless due to old age and poverty.
He was a man of innocence who expressed his grievances politely.
He admitted that he got angry at the tea shop.
Finally he acknowledged that he could not control his anger and behaved indifferently.
He did not accept the money for his medal from Aditya.
He frankly asked Aditya that he Wanted his medal back.
For him, the silver medal and the recognition were more valuable than anything else.
Though Sanyal suffered a lot, he proved that he had an acute sense of self-respect.

Moral : It is never too late to undo a wrong