Textual questions with answers

The poetic devices used in the poem are the following:

1. Alliteration –
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the
beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

“we will”, “we would”, “once on”, “we would”, “his hurt
hands”

2. Antithesis –
A literary device in which an opposition or contrast of
ideas is expressed.
“count to twelve and we will all keep still”-Count
................still – Antithesis (opposite ideas)
dead ……alive – Antitheses.

3. Repetition –
the use of the same term several times—is one of the
crucial elements in poetry. ... Repetition is the primary
way of creating a pattern through rhythm.
“without rush, without engines”, wars with (gas and fire)

4. Imagery –
the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory
experience in the reader.
“Cold Sea” image of polar region
 5. Arms – Pun (word with more than one meaning)
A pun is a literary device that is also known as a “play on
words.” Puns involve words with similar or identical sounds
but with different meanings. Their play on words also relies
on a word or phrase having more than one meaning. Puns are
generally intended to be humorous, but they often have a
serious purpose as well in literary works.
a) Meaning one – hands/physical activity
b) Meaning two – Arms (weapons )
‘Count to twelve’ – symbolizes a measure of time. The clock
has twelve markings on it, the year has twelve months and the
day has twelve hours
Let’s-repetition to create a bond with the reader and stress his
point. Eg of Anaphora

the repetition of a word or words at the beginning of

successive phrases, clauses, or lines to create a sonic effect.

‘Fishermen in the cold sea…hurt hands’-symbolic image

Images can be literal and represent the actual things being
described, or they can be figurative and carry additional
meaning. Symbolic images are those that represent
something beyond the image itself.
showing how man is ruthlessly destroying nature and harming
other species in cold blood for his selfish need and greed. The
‘hurt hands’ – the sore hands of the salt gatherer would make
him realize how he is harming himself by his mindless corrosive
activities.
 Earth can teach us as when everything… symbol, Just as
earth, the greatest creator, in its sleeping mode appears to be
dead on surface but is actually dormant and carefully preserving
the seeds of life, human beings too need to keep still and quiet to
rejuvenate and awaken the life forces within and be productive.

‘…put on clean clothes’- metaphor.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or
action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an
idea or make a comparison.
The poet says that quiet introspection will make us
comprehend/understand the destructive nature of wars. Man
would shed his blood soiled clothes and don on clean clothes i.e.
he would cleanse his soul, heart and mind, purging it of all anger
and hatred.
Brothers – symbol of mankind

In the shade- metaphor- just as shade protects us from the

harsh sun, we will protect and shelter each other as brothers,
thus live in peace and harmony.

no truck – euphemism ( an inoffensive or indirect

expression to reduce harshness in saying something)
eg- instead of saying XYZ- died we say XYZ passed away
Questions and answers
Ques.What will ‘counting up to twelve and keeping still’
help us to achieve? [Delhi 2015]
Counting up to twelve and keeping still will help us to
understand ourselves 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.

Ques: Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and

death?
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.

Ques: What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the

poem?
The poet refers to the sadness which all human beings
experience because of the lifestyle of nonstop work, stress,
aggression and destruction. This sadness comes because man
does not understand himself.

Question 4.
What symbol from nature does the poet invoke that there
can be life under apparent stillness? [Delhi 2015. Foreign
2014]
Answer:
The poet uses ‘Earth’ as a symbol to invoke that there can be life
after 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 destruction.

Keeping Quiet Short Questions and Answers

Question 1.
‘Life is what it is all about.’ How is Keeping Quiet related to
life? [All India 2015|
Answer:
‘Keeping Quiet’ is related to life because, in order to live a
complete life, one must live life to its fullest. In order to live
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.

Question 2.
Why does one feel a sudden strangeness on counting to twelve
and keeping quiet? [All India 2015]
Answer:
When one keeps quiet and stops all his selfish actions and takes
a break from the monotonous routine, one gets time to introspect
and analyze one’s actions. This brings a feeling of sudden
strangeness because we never take a break from hectic activity
and continuous talk.

Question 3.
How will keeping quiet protect our environment? [All India
2015]
Answer:
Keeping quiet refers to stopping all activities for a moment and
introspect. This will help us to analyze 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.

Question 4.
What will possibly be the effect of ‘keeping quiet’? [All India
2015]
Answer:
Keeping quiet will result in a mutual understanding among all
human beings and understanding ourselves. We will be able to
understand the fact that the balance between nature and human
beings is essential for our existence on the Earth.

Question 5.
Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping
Quiet’? |Delhi 2014]
Answer:
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.

Comprehension:

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that
follow: (Comptt. All India)
‘It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.’

1. What would be an exotic moment?

2. Why would it be exotic?
3. What would be the result of all being together?
4. Explain: ‘Sudden strangeness’.

Answer:

Answer:
1. The exotic moment would be that time when silence, peace
and calmness will prevail.
2. It would be exotic because we will not be in a rush so it will
give us time for quiet introspection, to reflect upon the futility of
our mindless actions.
3. The result of being together would result in a new experience
in which man will get a chance to have a sense of bonding and
togetherness with each other.
4. ‘Sudden strangeness’ is a strange and unusual feeling of
universal brotherhood.

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
a) What is the significance of the number ‘twelve’?
Answer : The significance of the number ‘twelve’ is that there
are 12 hours in a clock and 12 months in a year.
b) Which two activities does the poet want us to stop?
Answer : The two activities that the poet wants us to stop are
speaking in any language and moving our arms.
c) What does the poet mean by ‘let’s not speak in any
language?
Answer : The poet means that nothing should be spoken in any
language, so there are no disputes.
d) Describe the pun on the word, ‘arms’.
Answer : ‘Arms’ has two meanings – hands and weapons. So
the poet wants us to be still, i.e., not moving our hands, and also
not fight, i.e., not use any weapons.
‘It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness’.
a) Which exotic moment is referred to in these lines?

Answer : The ‘exotic moment’ referred to in these lines is the

moment when everyone keeps quiet and there is no movement.

b) Why would that moment be strange?

Answer : That moment would be strange because there will be
rush or sound of engines and it will bring the whole of humanity
together for the first time.

c) What does the poet advocate in the poem?

Answer : The poet advocates the need to introspect and think

before you act in the poem.

d) What does the poet mean by the word, ‘engines’?

Answer : By the word ‘engines’, the poet means automobiles or

machines.

“If we were not so single-minded

about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.”
a) Who does ‘we’ refer to in the above lines?
Answer : ‘We’ refers to the human beings, who are always
thinking about their own progress and advancement.
b) Why does the poet want us to ‘do nothing’ for once?
Answer : The poet wants us to ‘do nothing’ for once so that our
mind can be at peace and we get some time to introspect and
analyse our own actions.
c) What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
Answer : The poet refers to the ‘sadness’ which arises due to
the fact that people fail to understand themselves. They have no
time to introspect about their actions and their consequences.
d) How can a huge silence do good to us ?
Answer : A huge silence can do good to us because we would
be able to achieve peace in this silence. It would help us in
analysing ourselves and our actions. This would interrupt the
sadness of threatening ourselves with death.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive
Now I’ll count upto twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
a) What does the Earth teach us?
Answer : The Earth teaches us how new life springs from dead
remains, and how there is life under apparent stillness.
b) What does the poet mean to achieve?
Answer : The poet wants to achieve peace by counting upto
twelve. He wants us to introspect in a moment of silence.
c) What is the significance of ‘keeping quiet’?
Answer : Keeping quiet doesn’t mean just not speaking. It
means that we should avoid all activities which hurt nature and,
in turn hurt us.
d) What is always alive, even when everything seems to be
dead?
Answer : The Earth is always alive, even when everything else
seems to be dead as there is always some activity going on in
nature beneath its apparent stillness.

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