Subject: English Topic: The Ball Poem

Grade: X Div. : _________ Roll No: _________ Date: ____________

Q1 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
(a) No use to say. ‘O there are other balls’:
Ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
i. Why is there no use to say ‘O there are other balls’?
a. Other balls are inexpensive. c. Other balls cannot replace the lost ball.
b. Other balls are not easily d. Other balls are expensive.
available.
ii. What comes to his mind when he stares at ‘it’?
a. He needs money to buy a new c. How he can get ‘it’ back.
one. d. He can buy a new one.
b. His young days.
iii. Why is the boy sad?
a. He has lost his ball. c. He fell down while playing.
b. He does not have money to buy d. He has lost his way.
another ball.
iv. Find the word from the passage which means ‘to enter a situation where one is not
welcome’.
a. intrude b. grief c. rigid d. trembling

(b) What is the boy now, who has lost his ball?
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing down the street, and then
Merrily over-there it is in the water!
No use to say ‘0 there are other balls’;
i. The boy who has lost ball is in the state of____________.
a. surprise b. happiness c. Shock and grief d. nervousness
ii. The ball went into the water happily_____________.
a. dancing b. bouncing c. singing d. walking

CB/X/1920 The Ball Poem page 1 of 2

 iii. The ball got lost in______________.
a. the garden b. the school c. the street d. the water
iv. Give the antonym of the word ‘merrily’.
a. sadly b. angrily c. humourously d. joyfully

Q2 Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.

(a) Express your views on the title of the poem, ‘The Ball Poem’.
(b) A ball is an easily available, inexpensive thing. Then, why is the boy so sad to lose
it?
(c) ‘He senses first responsibility’—what responsibility is referred to here?
(d) Why did the poet not console the boy?

Q3 Answer the following questions in in 100 -150 words.

(a) Should the boy be allowed to grieve for his ball? If his loss is irreparable or
irretrievable then how should one handle it? What lessons can be learnt?

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CB/X/1920 The Ball Poem page 2 of 2