Class 9 English Literature Reader The Brook

Extract Based Questions. (3 Marks each)

Read the extracts given below and answer the following questions:
Question 1:
I come from haunts of coot and hern;
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley’.
(a) Who comes from the haunts of coot and hem?
(b) What does it do among the fern?
(c) Why does the word, ‘bicker’ mean here? (Board Term 1,2015 6SOOKQ5)
Answer:(a) The brook
(b) It shines.
(c) Rush quickly (CBSE,Marking Scheme,2015) (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 2:I chatter, chatter, as I flow ‘
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
(a) What is the rhyme scheme of the above stanza?
(b) Name the poetic device used in the first line.
(c) Explain the meaning of the third and fourth lines. (Board Term 1,2014 NCT-R)
Answer:(a) abab.
(b) Onomatopoeia/Personification.
(c) It means that man is mortal but the objects of nature are immortal. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 3:I chatter, chatter as I flow,
To join the brimming river,
(a) Who is T in the above lines?
(b) Which figure of speech is used in these lines?
(c) What does the expression chatter, chatter indicate? (Board Term 1,2014 ZEZDXJX)
Answer:(a) The Brook.
(b) Personification/Onomatopoeia.
(c) The continuous crackling flow of the brook. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 4:“Till last by Philip’s farm I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.”
(a) Where is Philip’s farm situated?
(b) What does the phrase brimming river mean?
(c) Which poetic device is used here? (Board Term 12013, AGRO-91; 2012, Set-28)
Answer:(a) Philip’s farm is situated close to the river into which the brook finally merges.
(b) The river is full to the brim; it is overflowing with water.
(c) Personification/Refrain. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 5:“I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom raining,
, And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling.”
(a) Name the poem from which the above stanza has been taken.
(b) What has been described in the above lines?
(c) What does ‘trout and ‘grayling’ refer to? (Board Term 12012, Set 34)
Answer:(a) The Brook.
(b) The life of the brook.
(c) Trout and grayling refers to different kinds of fishes. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 6:“I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.”
(a) How does the brook move?
(b) What is the mood of the brook as it flows towards the river?
(c) What poetic device has been used in the last two lines? (Board Term 12012, Set 37)
Answer:(a) The brook moves in swift current with tremendous noise.
(b) The brook is in a joyous mood. It seems to be talking and looking forward to joining the river.
(c) Alliteration. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 7:“I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern to bicker down a valley.”
(a) Explain: ‘I make a sudden sail’.
(b) How does the brook sparkle?
(c) Name a poetic device used in the above lines. (Board Term 12012, Set 38)
Answer:(a) It means that the brook emerges suddenly.
(b) The brook reflects the sunlight and sparkles.
(c) Alliteration/Personification. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 8:“I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance Against my sandy shallows.”
(a) Name the literary device used in this stanza.
(b) Why did the swallows touch the surface of the brook?
(c) What do ‘slipping’, ‘sliding’, ‘glooming’ and ‘glancing’ reflect? (Board Term 12012, Set 43)
Answer:(a) Alliteration.
(b) The swallows touch the surface of the brook to catch the fish.
(c) All these words reflect the various moods and movements of the brook. (1 × 3 = 3)

Question 9:“I murmur under moon and stars;
in brambly wilderness;
I lingerby my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses.”
(a) Who is ‘I’ here?
(b) What does the word ‘linger’ indicate?
(c) When does ‘I’ murmur? (Board Term 12012, Set 44)
Answer:(a) The Brook. .
(b) The word ‘linger’ indicates slow and soft movement.
(c) The brook murmurs while passing through brambly wilderness under the moon and stars. (1×3=3)

Short Answer Type Questions (30-40 Words) (2 Marks each)

Question 1:Why has the poet used the word ‘babble’ for ‘The Brook’? (Board Term 12015)
Answer:
As the brook moves, its swift current strikes against the pebbles and stones under it, producing a tremendous noise. Thus, the brook seems to be ‘talking? as it moves.Also its rapid spiral movement creates spirals of bubbles and it sounds very cheerful.

Question 2:Asa reader of’ The Brook’, you feel the music created by the words used in it You write a diary page appreciating the musical side of the poem. Write the diary page about the musical effect created by the words. (Board Term 12012, Set 28)
Answer:The brook’s varying movements create an exhilarating musical effect. “Chattering over stony ways” creates the effect of a rhythmic movement combining high and low musical notes. “I steal by lawns” creates a slow, lethargic and rhythmic movement. The “Lingering”, “Loitering” movements are followed by speedy “pace, curve and flow”.

Question 3:What are the different companions of the brook? (Board Term 12012, Set 40)
Answer:The brook carries all that comes in its way, from the blossoms to fishes, the sand, pebbles, small stones and all that comes floating by.

Question 4:Why have the lines ‘For men may come and men may go,But I go on forever’ been repeated in the poem several times? What is the significance of these lines? (Board Term 12012, Set 41)
Answer:The lines “For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever” have been repeated in the poem several times in order to lay emphasis on the brook being immortal. It is ironical that man is so arrogant though he is merely a mortal.

Question 5:How does the poet compare the life of a brook with that of a man? (Board Term 12012, Set 47)
Answer:The brook flows through the fields and meadows and joins the sea. Similarly, man takes birth, grows old and dies. Men live for a short period but the brook goes on forever.

Question 6:What are the different things found floating in the brook? (Board Term 12010, Set B1 and 2012, Set 46)
Answer:The different things that can be found in the brook are the blossoms, the lusty trout, grayling and the foamy flakes.

Question 7:How many hills and bridges does the brook pass during its journey? (Board Term 12012, Set 49)
Answer:The brook passes through thirty hills and fifty bridges during its journey before it finally joins the brimming river.

Question 8:How is the journey of the brook similar to the human life? (Board Term 12012, Set 32,52)
Answer:The brook is immortal whereas the human life is transient. The brook overcomes all hurdles on the way to its destination whereas the humans are subjected to emotional breakdowns and despair.

Question 9:“Tennyson not only describes the beautiful journey of die brook but also comments on the transitory nature of human life.” Comment. (Beard Term 12012, Set 53)
Answer:Man’s life is not eternal. He takes birth, lives and then dies. For a human being, death marks the end of his life. The brook is immortal. Though the brook merges into a river, it remains ever flowing from its origjn.to the point of merger. It goes on forever.

Question 10:What is the ‘refrain’ in the poem, ‘The brook’? What effect does it create? (Board Term 12012, Set 61)
Or
What is the symbolic meaning conveyed by ‘For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever’?
(Board Term 12010, Set B1)
Answer:The refrain of the poem is ‘For men may come and men may go, hut I go on forever’. It shows the transitory. nature of human life and the eternal life of nature. Man is mortal and continues his journey till he meets his death. The brook on the other hand is immortal. It is perennial and flows on till eternity.

Question 11:The journey of a brook is eternal and forever. Explain. (Board Term 12012, Set 68)
Answer:The brook has a constant and an eternal journey. It moves on incessantly overcoming all the difficulties that it faces on its way. Though it merges into the sea, it remains ever-flowing from its origin to the point of merger. It is immortal. It goes on forever.

Question 12:Describe a lesson of life that the brook teaches us. (Board Term 12010, Set A1)
Answer:The brook teaches us that life is full of hurdles but we should not slow down. We must continue ahead keeping our goals in mind. If we do so, we are sure to achieve happiness and fulfilment.

Question 13:What is the message given by the brook? (Board Term 12010, Set B2)
Or
What does the poet want to convey through this poem? (Board Term 12010, Set B2)
Answer:The message given to us by the brook is that man is mortal and the brook immortal. There are many hurdles in life’s long journey but we should carry on keeping our goals in mind.

Question 14:Describe four movements that the brook makes during its journey. (Board Term 12010, Set C2)
Answer:The four movements that the brook makes during its journey are swift, splashy bubbly and noisy.

Question 15:How do the expressions ‘bicker down’, ‘hurry down’, ‘slip between ridges’, ‘chatter, chatter’ help in creating the image of the young river? (Board Term 12010, Set Al)
Answer:All the expressions suggest energy, enthusiasm, frivolous behaviour that can be associated with a young person- always quarrelling, talking, hurrying, taking short cuts etc.

Question 16:flow has the poet given speed and rhythm to his poem ‘The Brook’ ? (Board Term 12010, Set C2)
Answer:The poet has given speed and rhythm to the poem ‘The Brook’ through the ample use of rhyming words and onomatopoeic words.

Question 17:Describe the brook’s journey from thirty hills to the brimming river. (Board Term 12010, Set C1)
Answer:The movement of the brook is swift, splashy, bubbly and noisy on its journey. It passes through 30 hills, ridges, twenty villages, a little town and fifty bridges till finally it joins the brimming river.

Long Answer, Type Questions (80-100 Words) (4 Marks each)

Question 1:How does the poem, The Brook, teach the value of generosity, courtesy and benevolence? Which values out of these do you think are missing and need to be imbibed by our young generation? (Board Term 1,2015 6SOOKQ5, BR7GWHM)
Answer:Value Points:

The brook is generous, it deposits silt across its bank throughout the way; it nourishes the soil and prevents soil erosion
Courteous as it never repels anything, but draws everything along.
Today’s generation misses the quality of courtesy above everything else. This needs to be imbibed

Detailed Answer: The poet draws a parallelism between the journey of a brook and the humans. The brook is generous. It deposits silt across its bank throughout the way. It nourishes the soil and prevents soil erosion. The brook is also very courteous as it never repels anything, but draws everything along. Just like the journey of the brook, humans also have to pass through various ups and downs in life. Like the brook, we too have to overcome them and move on, forgetting mutual differences. Today’s generation misses the quality of courtesy and patience above everything else. This needs to be imbibed.

Question 2:What kind of an attitude does the brook reflect in general towards the various situations that it comes across on its journey towards the river? What message do we get from it? (Board Term 1,2014 MZPD310)
Or
Bring out die parallelism between the movement of the brook and the course of human life. (Board Term 1,2014 NCT-R; 2012, Set 56)
Answer:The brook is a symbol of life. The poet has compared the brook’s journey with that of human life. Just like a human being, the brook also emerges (takes birth), grows young, becomes old and wise. In its childhood, it is very cheerful. It moves rapidly and swiftly.
In its youth, it is full of strength. It ‘frets’, ‘bickers’ and ‘chatters’ which are symbolic of young age. It is a source of life and support for other living things like fish, blossoms, etc. Then it reaches its old age. Like human beings, it becomes weak and moves slowly. It ‘slides’ by hazel covers and ‘steals’ by lawns. Now the brook flows silently. Its ultimate aim is to reach its destination, i.e., the brimming river.
The brook faces and overcomes many difficulties and hurdles in its way. Man should learn a lesson from the brook. He should not lose heart in the face of hurdles, pressures and dangers. He should not be fret and fume in the face of difficulties.

Question 3:Obstacles and hurdles are a part and parcel of man’s life. Discuss with reference to the poem ‘The Brook’. (Board Term 12013, NVZJUD2; EWAJ2JM)
Or
The brook comes across many hurdles in the course of its journey. Compare its journey with man’s life. (Board Term 12012, Set 35)
Answer:The journey of both, the brook and human beings commences with birth. Both have a desire to move forward and explore the world. Neither the life of a man nor the journey of the brook is smooth. Both come across different situations. Just as the brook passes through many ups and downs throughout its journey, man also faces many ups and downs in his life. As man moves forward, he becomes mature and finally his life comes to an end. Similarly, the brook moves forward and its journey ends when it merges in the river. The only difference between the two is that die brook is eternal whereas man’s existence is transitory.

Question 4:The Brook is a symbol of energy and determination to us. Describe in about 150 words. (Value Based Question) (Board Term 12012, Set 64)
Answer:The poem draws a parallel between the journey of the brook and the journey of human life. Similar to the journey of the brook, human life also passes through many ups and downs.The brook passes through many hills, ridges, towns, villages and bridges and reveals its mood by the sound it makes when it moves on. Similarly, man also has to overcome many hurdles and difficulties in life and struggle hard to reach his destination.Neither the life of man nor the journey of the brook is smooth. But, just as the brook goes on undaunted and heads towards its destination, human beings must also go on.

Question 5:Write a note on the brook’s journey from ‘the haunts Of coot and hem’ to the brimming river in 150 words. (Board Term 12012, Set 50)
Answer:The brook emerges from the places which are frequently visited by water birds like ‘coot and hern’.It emerges suddenly to flow down a valley with a lot of noise. During its journey it passes many hills, towns, villages and passes under bridges. It silently crosses both fertile and fallow land, lawns filled with flowers and goes through the wilderness full of thorny bushes. The brook also passes many ‘fairy fore lands’ which are covered with willow weed and mallow. It flows slowly when it passes the strange places. It then curves and flows to join the brimming river.

Question 6:Like human beings, brook also has different stages of life. Describe its various stages with suitable examples from the poem ‘The Brook’. (Value Based Question) (Board Term 12010, Set A1)
Answer:The brook goes through different stages of life as does a human being. In the way a child takes birth, the brook emerges from the haunts of coot and hern. Just like a child, the brook chatters and babbles. It is as energetic as a human being in the initial stages of its life. As human beings work to fulfil their aim in life, the brooks aim is to join the brimming river. Man faces a lot of challenges in life, likewise, the brook takes many twists and turns during its second course.
In the third course, the brook slows down and slips, slides, find steals by the lawns and grassy plots. In the same way, in old age, man becomes quiet and understanding.

Question 7:Does the title ‘The ‘Brook’ suit the poem? Comment
Answer:‘The Brook” is an autobiographical poem. The poet has used the poetic device personification in this poem. The brook narrates its journey right from the time it emerges from the ‘haunts of coot and hems’ to its end which is ‘to join the brimming river’. personification has made this narration quite interesting. The use of words like frets, bicker, chatter bring before us an image of a young angry man, whereas the movement is described by many other beautiful comparisons. The description is very vivid and makes one feel as if the brook is a living thing, narrating the story of its own life. Hence, the title “The Brook” is appropriate.

Question 8:How has the poet made use of the comparisons in ‘The Brook’?
Answer:The lines ‘For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever’ are very significant. These lines are the refrain of the poem- They depict the striking contrast between the brook whose journey is eternal and never ending and the human life which is transitory and has to come to an end one day or the other. These lines tell that man is mortal, whereas the brook, a symbol of nature, is immortal.

Question 9:How is an aura of mystery and magic created in the poem? (HOTS)
Answer:The brook enjoys a long journey. It emerges from the place which is frequently visited by water birds. From there it flows down the valley and through towns. On its way it creates a lot of noise while crossing stony paths and fields. Sometimes, the brook moves in a zig-zag manner. It’s a, source of life for the fish and flowers. The water in it is so transparent that its bottom is clearly visible. The sunbeams also seem to dance on it. When passing through thorny wilderness, it just murmurs. When the brook originates it flows rapidly but gradually it slows down. It has only one thought in its mind and that is to join the fiver which it finally meets at Philip’s farm and becomes one with the river. The description of its journey and, the places it passes by, like many a ‘fairy foreland’ give the poem its aura of mystery and magic.

Question 10:What is the central idea of the poem? Describe. (HOTS)
Answer:The central idea or the theme of the poem is the comparison l ween the eternal, continuous and never-ending journey of the brook and the transitoriness of a man’s life.
The brook overcomes many hurdles and struggles throughout its journey and keeps on moving. It never stops.
Similarly, human beings also have to face many ups and downs, They should not accept defeat, but must go on like the brook.
One must keep on moving towards one’s goal and reach, their destination.

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Class 9 English Literature Reader The Brook