1.

What is the poet’s appeal to the

people?

 Ans. The poet appeals to all the

people to count up to twelve and
then to be completely silent. During
this period of silence, he urges them
to remain calm and stop all physical
activity. He only wants peace during
this time.

2. To attain this, what does he

expect all of us to do?

 Ans. The poet expects all mankind

to shun all activity, remain silent and
indulge in introspection in order to
understand the meaning of life, their
own destructive activities and make
amends.

3. Why does he advocate

silence?

 Ans. He advocates silence

because according to him, it is only
during the few
seconds of silence and inactivity,
that man will be able to take stock
of his harmful activities and then try
to practise harmony and
brotherhood in the world.

4. What kind of activity does the

poet feel is a man involved in?

Ans. Man is involved in a large

number of destructive activities. He
is creating noise pollution,
environmental pollution, destroying
wildlife and marine life. He is
waging wars and is also destroying
his own fellow men.

5. What does the poet mean by

‘exotic moment’ and how can
man achieve it?

 Ans. By ‘exotic moment’ the poet

means the moments of silence and
inactivity which will be extraordinary
and memorable because man will
reflect on his activities
and hence be able to make
amends. This exotic moment can
only be achieved through total
silence and inactivity even it is for a
few seconds.

6. What kind of a feeling would

this exotic moment evoke?

 Ans. This feeling may be strange

because it is not easy to imagine a
situation of complete peace and
silence. According to the poet, this
moment might remove our sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and indulged in self-destructive
activities.
7. What harm do the fishermen do
and why do the salt gatherers
hands hurt?

 Ans. The fishermen harm marine

life by killing the whales in the seas
and hastening their extinction. The
salt gatherers’ hands hurt because
the harsh
and coarse feel of salt causes
discomfort and pain to their hands.

8. What are the kinds of wars

mentioned in the poem?

Ans. The poet mentions green

wars, i.e., wars that man is waging
against nature hence causing
environmental degradation, wars
with gas and fire or using harmful
biological and nuclear weapons to
cause maximum destruction to life
and property. War with fire refers to
the conventional mode of combat.

9. What can be the consequence

of the war in our lives?
Ans. The poet observes that wars
cause death and destruction. It
leaves behind no survivors and
hence no victory for anyone. It is an
ironical situation which can be
avoided if a man takes action and
decides never to wage wars.

10. What could be an ideal

situation according to the poet?

Ans. The poet strongly maintains

that the ideal situation would be
when people can happily walk hand
in hand under shady trees i.e.
amidst a cool and harmonious
atmosphere. They will then practise
oneness, unity and brotherhood.

11. How is inactivity different

from death? What does the poet
mean by `to have no truck with
death’?
 Ans. According to the poet total
inactivity only means a temporary
stillness, whereas death means the
end of life. ‘No truck with death’
means that the poet does not want
any association with death. He only
urges
mankind to halt harmful activities for
a few seconds.

12. What are we single-minded

about?

Ans. The poet feels that individuals

only think about keeping our lives
moving at all costs, and in the
process lose sight of their goals.
People only yearn for progress and
fulfilment of ambitions, and that
remains the only focus while they
are alive. Man is single-minded in
his pursuit of wealth, supremacy
and territorial acquisition.

13. What, according to the poet,

causes sadness?

Ans. Mindless destructive activities

cause sadness in our lives.
Behaviour that threatens mankind
leads to sadness and unhappiness.

14. What can the Earth teach us?

How?
 Ans. Earth can teach us to be
productive and useful even when
there is silence. The Earth nurtures
all living beings, plants and animals
and quietly maintains the balance in
nature. It helps in the rebirth of a
new life. We can all learn to be
productive yet silent.

15. How does Earth prove to be

alive?

 Ans. The earth nurtures life and

brings forth a new form. There is a
regeneration of every living thing on
this earth and all things that die, are
reborn and the cycle of life moves
on.

16. How would keep quiet affect

life in and around the sea?  [All
India 2017]

Ans. In the state of stillness and

silence, the fishermen will not harm
the already
endangered whales. In the same
way, the salt gatherers whose
hands get hurt during the salt
gathering process, will stop for a
while and rest their hands and do
some introspection.

17. What will ‘counting up to

twelve and keeping still’ help us
to achieve?

Ans. Counting up to twelve and

keeping still will help us to reach an
understanding with each other and
to introspect. We will be able to
realize the real impact of our selfish
actions on each other and, finally,
on the entire humanity.
18.  Which symbol from nature
does the poet invoke that there
can be life under apparent
stillness?

Ans. The poet uses ‘Earth’ as a

symbol to invoke that there can be
life under
apparent stillness. The Earth seems
‘still’ from outside but is alive and
vibrant deep within. Similarly, our
silence can help us to maintain a
harmonious life on Earth and stop
the destruction.

19. ‘Life is what it is all about.’

How is keeping quietly related to
life?

Ans. ‘Keeping quiet’ is related to life

because, in order to live a complete
life, one must live life Atoll India In
order to live a quality life, which is
full of happiness, peace and
satisfaction, we must develop a
habit of thinking deeply and this can
be achieved through introspection.

20. Why does one feel a sudden

strangeness on counting to
twelve and keeping quiet?

Ans. When one keeps quiet and

stops all
his selfish actions and takes a break
from the monotonous routine’ one
gets time to introspect and analyse
one’s actions. This brings a feeling
of sudden strangeness’

21. How will keeping quiet protect

our environment?        

Ans. Keeping quiet refers to as

stopping all activities for a moment
and introspect. This will help us to
analyse the kind of deeds we are
doing for our selfish purpose but
which harm nature. This moment
will make us understand the fact
that harmony with nature is very
essential for the survival of
mankind.

22.who will possibly be the effect

of ‘keeping
quiet’?                            

Ans. Keeping quiet will result in a

mutual understanding among all
human beings.
We will be able to understand the
fact that the balance between
nature and human beings is
essential for our existence on Earth.

23. Which is the exotic moment

that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping
Quiet’?

Ans. The poet refers to the exotic

moment when everyone would be
silent and still and there would be
no noise or mad race. It will evoke
an environment of peace and
quietness with no conflicts, quarrels,
agreements or wars. This moment
will bring a sense of togetherness
among all human beings.
24. What is the sadness the poet
refers to in the poem “Keeping
Quiet”?

Ans. The poet refers to the sadness

which will arise due to the total
destruction of
mankind. According to the poet, if
the people have no time to think
and retrospect, it will lead to the end
of life on earth and a huge silence
will follow.

25. How, according to Neruda,

can keeping quiet change our
attitude to life?

Ans. According to the poet, if we

keep quiet for a moment to
introspect and cease our selfish and
destructive actions, it will lead to a
change in our attitude to life.

26. Which images in the poem

‘Keeping Quiet’ show that the
poet condemns violence?

Ans. Pablo Neruda gives the

images of ‘green war’, ‘war with gas’
and ‘wars with fire’ and then
associate these wars with ‘victory
with no survivors’. This is to
emphasise the fact that wars will
bring an end to the entire human
race. This shows
that he condemns violence.

27. What are the different types of

wars mentioned in the poem?
What is Neruda’s attitude towards
them?                                               

Ans. Pablo Neruda has mentioned

‘green wars’, ‘wars with fire’ and
‘wars with gas’. The poet does not
appreciate the concept of war. He
condemns it by saying that these
wars will result in victory with no
survivors. So instead of these wars
and conflicts, we must develop the
concept of mutual understanding
and co-existence.
28. How can the suspension of
activities help?                               

Ans. The suspension of activities

will help us to introspect. It will
provide enough time from the mad
rush and selfish
actions, when we all are able to
ponder and analyse our own actions
and attitude and finally develop
mutual understanding and realise
the importance of co-existence.

29. Do you think the poet, Pablo

Neruda, advocates total inactivity
and death? Why/Why not?

Ans. The poet does not advocate

‘total inactivity because he has a
firm belief in life. He wants everyone
to live a complete life full of peace
and contentment. He wants
everyone to take a break from the
hectic schedule and introspect for a
while to improve the quality of life.
30. Why is Pablo Neruda against
total inactivity?

Ans. The poet is against total

inactivity because it means death
whereas the poet
has a firm belief in only wishes us to
take a break from the hectic,
aimless life and introspect.

31. What does the poet want all

the perpetrators of war to do?

Ans. The poet wants them to make

their conscience clean from envy
and selfish motives. They shook’
stop fighting and develop an
understanding of peace among
human beings.

32. What, according to the poet,

will be the ultimate end of a man
if the present scenario of wars
and conflict continues?
Ans. According to Neruda, if the
present scenario of war and
destruction continues, it will lead to
total destruction of humanity. We all
will perish and nobody will be left to
celebrate the victory.
33. How, according to the poet,
our state of mind will be changed
if we maintain silence and
suspend activity for a white?

Ans. The poet believes that if we all

stop for a moment to introspect and
realize the impact of our actions.
then we will be able to understand
the need to be together and develop
a mutual understanding for the
survival on earth. This realization
will bring a change in our state of
mind and our attitude towards each
other.

Important Long/ Detailed Answer

Type Questions of the lesson-
Keeping Quiet – to be answered
in about 100 -150 words
each Value-based questions-

 Q1. What does the narrator mean

by ‘green wars’? What will be the
consequence of such a war?
Ans. ‘Green wars’ means the war
against the environment. In our
pursuit of progress and materialism,
we forget the harm we cause to the
world. Our resources are depleting.
If we don’t take measures to save
our environment, our children will
not enjoy the resources available to
us.

Q2. What according to Pablo

Neruda would be the ultimate end
of a man if the present scenario
of wars continues?

 Ans. If the present scenario of

conflict continues, there will be a
victory but no ‘survivors’. Pablo
Neruda suggests that we must all
keep still and introspect so that
there is peace and world unity. It is
only during the few seconds of
silence and inactivity, that man will
be able to take stock of his harmful
activities and then try to practise
harmony and brotherhood in the
world.