NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 5 The School Boy are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem Chapter 5 The School Boy.
| Board | CBSE |
| Textbook | NCERT |
| Class | Class 8 |
| Subject | English Honeydew (Poem) |
| Chapter | Chapter 5 |
| Chapter Name | The School Boy |
| Category | NCERT Solutions |
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew (Poem) Chapter 5 The School Boy
STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION
I. I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
O! what sweet company. (Page 84)
हिंदी अनुवाद-ग्रीष्म ऋतु में मुझे प्रातः जागना अच्छा लगता है। मुझे हर वृक्ष पर पक्षी चहकते नज़र आते हैं। कहीं दूर से किसी शिकारी के अपने हार्न बजाने की आवाज मुझे सुनाई देती है। मैं स्काईलार्क के साथ तान मिलाना (गाना) चाहता हूँ। प्रभात सुंदर साथियों से भरा लगता है।
Paraphrase. I like to rise from my bed in a summer morning. I find the birds singing on every tree. In the distance I hear the sound of a horn blown by a hunter. I like to sing with the skylark. The morning seems to be full of pleasant company.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The birds sing in
(a) summer
(b) winter
(c) rainy season
(d) autumn.
2. On a summer morning the poet sings with
(a) the hunter’s horn
(b) the birds
(c) the skylark
(d) the summer.
3. The summer morning is full of
(a) birds
(b) hunters
(c) music
(d) skylarks
4. The word ‘winds’ means
(a) airs
(b) sounds by blowing of horn
(c) fans
(d) songs.
Answers
1. (a) summer
2. (c) the skylark
3. (c) music
4. (b) sounds by blowing of horn
II. But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away ;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay. (Page 84)
| हिंदी अनुवाद-एक बात सारी खुशियों को खत्म कर देती है। यह स्कूल जाने की बात है। स्कूल में एक निर्दयी, थका हुआ अध्यापक बच्चों को पढ़ाता है। छोटे-छोटे बच्चे आहें भरते हुए, निराशा में अपना दिन व्यतीत करते हैं।
Paraphrase. One thing is a great kill-joy on a summer morning. It is going to school. In the school a tired and unfeeling teacher teaches the young children. So the school boys spend their day in moans and distress.
Questions
1. What is the joy of a summer morning ?
2. What is it that he hates to do in a summer morning ?
3. Whose eye is being referred to ?
4. Who shies and where ?
Answers
1. The joy of a summer morning is to watch the birds and the trees from close quarters.
2. The child hates to go to school in a summer morning.
3. The ‘cruel eye’ of the unfeeling teacher is being referred to here.
4. The child shies at school.
III. Ah ! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour.
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower. (Page 84)
हिंदी अनुवाद-स्कूल में कभी-कभी लड़का थका हुआ क्लास में बैठा रहता है। इस तरह से वह कई चिंता-भरे घंटे बिता देता है। उसे अपनी पुस्तकों में कोई मजा नहीं आता है। वह थक जाता है और उबाऊ शब्दों की बौछार उसे कुछ नहीं सिखा पाती है।
Paraphrase. In the school, sometimes the boy sits exhausted in the class. He spends many worrisome hours in this manner. He cannot enjoy reading his books. He is tired and the dull shower of words fails to teach him.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. At times the school boy sits drooping because
(a) he is always unhappy
(b) he does not want to study
(c) the atmosphere in the class is not good
(d) he has dropped something.
2. He cannot take delight in his books because
(a) he is attracted towards nature
(b) he is dull
(c) he doesn’t like to study
(d) the books are uninteresting.
3. The speaker in the poem is
(a) very happy
(b) unhappy
(c) playing
(d) enjoying
4. The word anxious means
(a) carefree
(b) playful
(c) happy
(d) worried.
Answers
1. (c) the atmosphere in the class is not good
2. (a) he is attracted towards nature
3. (b) unhappy
4. (d) worried
IV. How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring. (Page 84)
हिंदी अनुवाद- पक्षी आनंद से गाने के लिए जन्म लेता है। पर पिंजरे में बंद होकर वह ऐसा नहीं कर सकता है। उसी प्रकार सहमा हुआ बच्चा खुश नहीं हो सकता। पिंजरे का पक्षी अपने नाजुक पंख गिरा देता है और उड़ना भूल जाता है। उसी तरह स्कूल जाने । वाला लड़का खुश रहना भूल जाता है। खुशी का जीवन्त निर्झर अंदर ही सूख जाता है।
Paraphrase. A bird is born to sing happily. However, it cannot do so when it is in a cage. In the same way a fearful child cannot feel happy. A caged bird droops its tender wings and forgets to fly. In the same manner, the school boy forgets to be happy. The fresh spring of joy dries up inside.
Questions
1. What is natural for a bird ?
2. Who is being compared to a caged bird ?
3. What does the phrase tender wing’ refer to ?
4. Find the phrase which means “childhood days of joy’.
Answers
1. It is natural for a bird to sing joyfully.
2. A child in school is being compared to a caged bird.
3. The phrase ‘tender wing’ refers to the simple and playful nature of childhood.
4. The phrase youthful spring refers to the childhood days of joy’.
V. O! Father and Mother, if buds are nip’d,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and cares dismay. (Page 85)
हिंदी अनुवाद- माता-पिता को यह समझना चाहिए कि उनके बच्चे नाजुक पौधों की तरह हैं। उस पौधे का क्या होगा यदि दिन निकलते ही जिसकी कलियाँ नोच ली जाएँ और फूल हवा में उड़ा दिए जाएँ ? निस्संदेह इसका अर्थ होगा कि खिलने के समय ही पौधे को उसकी सारी खुशियों से वंचित कर दिया गया। यही बात स्कूल जाने वाले विद्यार्थी के साथ तब होती है जब दुःख और चिंताएँ उसे सताते हैं।
Paraphrase. Parents must realise that their children are like tender plants. What will happen if early in the morning a plant’s buds are plucked and the flowers blown away ? No doubt, it will be depriving the plant of all its joys at the sprouting stage. The same thing happens with a school boy when sorrows and cares dishearten him.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The poet of this poem is
(a) R.N. Tagore
(b) William Blake
(c) T.S. Eliot
(d) Zulfikar Ghose.
2. Whose parents are being referred to here?
(a) the bird’s parents
(b) all parents
(c) of the poet
(d) of the school-boy.
3. The phrase ‘tender plants’ refers to
(a) the young plants
(b) the young birds
(c) the young children
(d) the tender buds.
4. The word strip’d means
(a) deprived
(b) uprooted
(c) cut
(d) watered.
Answers
1. (b) William Blake
2. (d) of the school-boy
3. (c) the young children
4. (a) deprived
VI. How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear ? (Page 85)
हिंदी अनुवाद-उस स्थिति में (जब पौधों को कलियों और फूलों से विहीन कर दिया जाए) हम कैसे ग्रीष्म का आनंद पा सकेंगे ? और अगर ग्रीष्म के पुष्प नहीं होंगे, तब कोई फल भी पैदा नहीं होगा।
Paraphrase. In that case (when the plants are deprived of buds and flowers) how shall we ever find the joy of summer ? Now, if there will be no summer flowers, there will be no fruits either.
Questions
1. Who is the author of the poem ?
2. What is the summer a symbol of ?
3. What is meant by ‘summer fruits’?
4. Find the word in the passage which means, ’emerge’.
Answers
1. William Blake is the name of the poet.
2. The summer is the symbol of youth.
3. The phrase ‘summer fruits’ means the ‘beautiful deeds done by the youth’.
4. ‘arise’.
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
WORKING WITH THE POEM (Page 85)
Question. 1.
Find three or four words/phrases in stanza 1 that reflect the child’s happiness and joy.
Answer:
The following phrases in stanza 1 reflect the child’s happiness and joy :
(a) the birds sing
(b) distant huntsman winds his horn
(c) skylark sings with me
(d) O ! what sweet company.
Question. 2.
In stanza 2, the mood changes. Which words/phrases reflect the changed mood ?
Answer:
The following words/phrases reflect the changed mood :
(a) drives all joy away
(b) cruel eye outworn
(c) sighing and dismay
Question. 3.
‘A cruel eye outworn’ (stanza 2) refers to
(i) the classroom which is shabby/noisy.
(ii) the lessons which are difficult/uninteresting.
(iii) the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
Mark the answer that you consider right.
Answer:
(ii) the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
Question. 4.
‘Nor sit in learning’s bower
worn thro’ with the dreary shower’
Which of the following is a close paraphrase of the lines above ?
(i) Nor can I sit in a roofless classroom when it is raining.
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.
(iii) Nor can I sit in the school garden for fear of getting wet in the rain.
Answer:
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and explaining.
Read the following poem and compare it with The School Boy.
The One Furrow
When I was young, I went to school
With pencil and foot rule
Sponge and slate,
And sat on a tall stool
At learning’s gate.
When I was older, the gate swung wide ;
Clever and keen-eyed
In I pressed,
But found in the mind’s pride
No peace, no rest.
Then who was it taught me back to go
To cattle and barrow,
Field and plough :
To keep to the one furrow,
As I do now ?
—R.S. THOMAS
Comparison:
The two poems make the same point but in different ways. In the poem ‘School Boy’, the poet says that the child is unhappy. He is unhappy because he has been made to move away from nature. Instead, he has been given dull and uninspiring books.
In the poem ‘The One Furrow’, the poet says that first he studied at school. After that he entered the modern world. In both these places he found no peace or rest. So he came back to nature. He became a farmer and is now at peace.
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