CBSE Sure-Shot Poetry Short Questions Class 12 English 2023 will benefit the students in two ways. Firstly, you will get the Sure-Shot questions for your upcoming CBSE Class 12 English (Core) exam in 2022-2023. Secondly, you get small notes for quick revision and help to adopt an exam strategy just before the final examinations of English 12 (core). So, if you do CBSE Sure-Shot Poetry Short Questions Class 12 English 2023 before your senior secondary CBSE exams, you will always come out ahead and feel less stressed about the tests.
Q. V. Short answer type question (from Prose and Poetry from the book Flamingo), to be answered in 40-50 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. Five questions out of the six given are to be answered. (5×2=10 Marks)
CBSE Sure-Shot“Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” Short Questions Class 12 English 2023
CBSE Sure-Shot Poetry Short Questions Class 12 English 2023
Textual Questions: My Mother at Sixty-six(NCERT)
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Q.1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
The poet feels the pain and ache of her mother’s old age. We will all have to pass through this process of ageing. She explains all her apathy toward old age with the example of her mother, who is an old lady with an open mouth, and no shine on her face, and she is compared with a corpse and a winter moon. It is human nature that we don’t want to be old.
Q.2. Why are young trees described as “sprinting”?
The young trees are compared to young children, and both of them shine at their young age. The young trees are described as sprinting as they grow very fast when they are young. Everyone wants to be young their whole life. The poetess turns her attention from her mother toward the young trees and children who were playing outside. On the contrary, the elderly are unable to play and enjoy life like children.
Q.3. Why was the poet brought into the image of the merry children spilling out of their homes?
The poet tries to compare the young children with her mother, who is an old lady. The children are active and play on the grounds, whereas the elderly are in pain and have faces that resemble ash and the winter moon. The difference is clear and vital between old and young people. Old people are like corpses, and young children are running.
Q.4. Why has the mother been compared to the “late winter’s moon”?
The old mother has been compared to the winter moon as the winter moon does not shine properly due to winter. It means that the faces of old people don’t shine.
Q.5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
The poet tries to smile as she wants to change her thinking from old age to young age and feels that aging is a natural process.
Textual Questions: An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum (NCERT)
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Related: My Mother at Sixty- six MCQs
CBSE/HBSE Questions(2017,18,19,20):An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum
(1) How can the condition of the slum children be improved?
Ans. The condition of the slum children can be improved by opening their school in the lap of nature. The rooms should be airy and big with all the facilities like other schools.
(2) What does the poet say about polished traffic?
Ans. The poet spoke about the polished traffic of rich people who are never worried about the poor students of slum schools.
(3) How does the poet describe the faces of the children in the elementary school classroom.
The poet describes the faces of the children in the elementary school classroom are like rootless weeds. There is no shining on their faces and they are very weak.
(4) How can the condition of slum children be improved?
The condition of the slum children can be improved by opening their school in an open area.
(5) What does Stephen Spender find on the walls of the classroom? 2017
The poet finds old donation boards and old Shakespeare photographs on the sour cream walls.
Keeping Quiet Textual Questions NCERT Class 12 English
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Q.1. What will count up to twelve and keep still help us achieve? (HBSE 2014).
He wants us to stop all activities for a few seconds to reflect on our worldly problems. This moment will energise us and help us refresh our thinking to gain a new concept of friendship among human beings. He wants a world where even workers can take care of themselves.
Q.2. Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?
The poet’s emphasis on stillness doesn’t mean complete inaction in all things. He wants calmness in all things to give relief to the Earth and the people who don’t understand the importance of self-realisation. They don’t have enough time to understand their problems.
Q.3. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
The poet refers to human beings’ thoughts and actions. People don’t understand their strong and weak points. They don’t even understand what they are doing. What should they do? Therefore, sadness prevails in their lives. Everyone needs self-introspection to feel happy in their lives.
Q.4. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent stillness?
The poet wants us to believe that when there is no life, our earth will assist us in giving new life. Earth will always remain alive to help humanity. So, we should respect the earth.
A Thing of Beauty Textual Questions Complete NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English
NCERT BOOK(Page-99)
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Q.1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
Ans. The poet mentioned the things of beauty in the poem in large numbers. The poet mentioned some beautiful things such as ‘bower’, ‘sweet dreams’, ‘flowery band’, ‘noble natures’, ‘moon’, ‘trees’, ‘sun’, ‘sheep’, ‘daffodils’, ‘musk-rose, ‘fountain’, and ‘immortal drink’.
Q.2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.
Ans. The poet brings a contrast between beautiful things and negative things. By bringing contrast, he explains how can we be happy in the lap of nature? He uses suffering and painful words which increase our stress and anxiety such as, ‘morrow’, ‘wreathing’, ‘despondence’, ‘inhuman’, ‘dearth’, ‘unhealthy’, ‘darkened’, ‘dark spirits’, and ‘dooms’.
Q.3. What does the line, ” therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth” suggest to you?
Ans. The poet wishes to convey that, despite our anxieties and tensions, we still have an attachment to nature, and beautiful things always act as a band of flowers that binds us to this beautiful earth.
Q.4.What makes human beings love life despite troubles and sufferings?
Ans. Life is God-gifted and everyone wants to enjoy the gift of God. Beautiful things help us to come out of trouble and suffering. They soothe us at the time of despondence.
Q.5. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead?
“The mighty dead” are those who have distinguished themselves through brave and noble acts. They live forever, and such brave hearts never die. They become legends of our history and are always remembered. Things that live a long time are called beautiful things. We always owe them for their noble cause. On doomsday or judgment day, a sprinkle of ‘immortal drink’ will be poured on them and they will be part of heaven and rewarded with ‘grandeur’.
Ans. The poet uses the image of a heavenly “fountain of immortal drink” to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth. The poet feels that things of beauty never die. The heavenly fountain will always pour “heaven’s brink” on us.
A Thing of Beauty CBSE/HBSE Previous Years’ Exams Questions Complete NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English
Q.2. Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us? HBSE 2020
Ans. The beauty of flowers spreads the pall of despondence over our dark spirits. It means beautiful things help keep away the dark spirits. The pal is removed by the sun and moon.
A Roadside Stand Textual Questions Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English
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Q.1. The city folk who drove through the countryside hardly paid any heed to the roadside stand or to the people who ran it. If at all they did, it was to complain. Which lines bring this out? What was their complaint about?
“The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead.” This line depicts the indifferent attitude of city people towards the poor roadside dwellers. They just ask for a gallon of gas but never buy anything from their booth.
Q.2. What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand? (Most Imp.)
These small farmers only sell “wild berries” in small wooden boxes. They want a small portion of their earnings to manage their families. The booth owner ‘waits all day in almost open prayer’ to hear the sound of brakes, but all in vain, and nobody stops there to enquire about the products in the stand. ‘The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead’ just turn their vehicles around and enquire about a gallon of gas.
Q.3. The government and other social service agencies appear to help the poor rural people but do them no good. Pick out the words and phrases that the poet uses to show their double standards.
Ans.’ this pitiful kin..next to the theatre and the store. Where they won’t have to think for themselves..’ are the words and phrases to show the double standards of the people.
Q.4. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?( Most Imp.)
The poet wishes that these roadside dwellers’ problems would go away forever and that people would come and start buying their products so they could feel some of the “money” in their hands. This is the poet’s childish wish because nobody stops there, and politicians never fulfill their commitment to allot shops to them in the city.
Q.5. Which lines tell us about the insufferable pain that the poet feels at the thought of the plight of the rural poor?
The lines which reveal the poet’s insufferable pain are: “That sadness that lurks near the open window..that waits all day in almost open prayer.”
A Roadside Stand CBSE/HBSE Questions(2017,18,19,20) Complete NCERT Solution Class 12 English
Q.1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels? (2020C)
Ans. The poet feels that the situation of the poor dwellers in the city will never improve due to fake promises made by politicians. “The sadness” will remain there.
Q.2. What does the poet say about polished traffic? (2020B)
Ans. ‘The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead’ just turn their vehicles around and enquire about a gallon of gas. The poet wishes for the problems of such people to be solved in “one stroke,” and ‘asks city money to feel in hand’, but that never happens.
Q.3. Where was the roadside stand put up and what for? (2017A, 2020A)
Ans. The poet explains the miserable plea of the farmers who put their stand on the roadside to sell their farm’s berries. Unfortunately, they are unable to sell the products of the farms.
Q.4. What is the man at the stall waiting for all day? (2017B)
Ans. ‘A Roadside Stand’ describes the pathetic conditions of poor farmers who stand at their roadside stalls. They waited there the whole day, expecting that some city people would come and buy their berries, but all in vain. They just come and inquire about a gallon of gas or turning their vehicle.
Q.5. What do the rich people who drive past the stall feel about it? (2017C)
Ans. “The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead.” This line depicts the indifferent attitude of city people towards the poor roadside dwellers. They just ask for a gallon of gas but never buy anything from their booth. They just ask for the price or the way, but never worry about the existence of these poor people.
Q.6. What were the various things put up for sale at the roadside stand? (2018 B)
Ans. The poor farmers put their stands on the roadside to sell wild berries and yellow squash. They hope to sell these products to the people who drive through there.
CBSE Sure-Shot“Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” Short Questions Class 12 English 2023
The poetess, Adrienne Rich, “wrote several pieces that explicitly tackle the rights of women in society” in her poem, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers,” which addresses the pressure of married life a woman experiences in her life. “Her poems are famous for their feminist elements.” In her poem, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers,” the poetess makes her ideology clear by supporting a married woman who is under pressure from the “massive weight of her uncle’s wedding band.” Marriage responsibilities are very heavy, and women feel burdened but can still fulfil their responsibilities. It means that a married woman always has a lot of responsibilities in the family. She is never taken care of, but on the contrary, she always sacrifices all her convenience for the family.
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are a symbol of power who jump from here to there like a young tiger, making a great leap across the scene. The poetess wants to convey that the married woman’s life is full of struggle and anxiety, and she completes her life without caring for herself. Their marital stress is never relieved until they die. She used to make embroidered wall hangings. She may become old, but her art always remains young. She becomes old and unable to pull the ivory needle through her wool. Her fingers flutter, and her wrists feel the weight of the marriage band. This happens to all women. Once they are married, they can’t take the band off. Therefore, we can say that the poetess rightly explains the apathy of a married woman. She continues to serve the family her whole life, and she lives a life of continued hardships and responsibilities.
Aunt Jeniffer created the tiger’s embroidered wall hanging. Aunt Jennifer will never age as the tigers prance across the wall hanging. As a result, we can say that art is timeless.
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Questions and Answers
Q.1. How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivarlic’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s attitudes?
Ans. Tigers move in style, like knights who are brave and courageous in the green forest. They are fearless animals, like bright topaz, and they walk with style. “Chivalric” means in style. Therefore, these words are helpful in understanding the tiger’s attitudes.
Q.2. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer’s hands are ‘fluttering’ through her wool in second stanza? Why is she finding the needle so hard to pull?(HBSE 2018)
Ans. Aunt Jennifer’s hands are fluttering through her wool, which depicts her expertise in embriodery of wall hangings. She is too old to pull the needle on the screen. She sacrificed her whole life to fulfil her responsibilities towards her family.
Q.3. What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of of Uncle’s wedding’ band?
Ans. The poetess, Adrienne Rich, addresses the married women’s plea for suffering due to the marriage responsibilities of Aunt Jennifer. She fulfils her duties her whole life without taking care of herself. She always feels the pressure of the marriage band on her. She never feels free, and the poetess expresses her view of the indifferent attitude of people toward a married woman.
Q.4. Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?(HBSE 2018)
Ans. Aunt Jennifer clearly feels the burden of family life and she always fulfils her household duties throughout her life. The poetess addresses the ordeal of the marriage life of a woman, and these responsibilities are so heavy that Aunt Jennifer might feel the heat even after her death.
Q.5. What are the ‘ordeals’ Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by, why is it significant that the poet uses the word ‘ringed’? What are the meanings of the word ‘ringed’ in the poem?
Ans. Ordeals mean problems, and Aunt Jennifer always feels the burden of her domestic responsibilities. In this context, “ringed” refers to a wedding ring, which is circular in shape, and the circle of married women’s responsibilities never ends as a circle. She has to sacrifice her personal freedom for the sake of the family.
Q.6. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own character? What might the poet be suggesting, through this difference.
Ans. The poetess uses contrast between the nature of Aunt Jennifer’s character and the tigers. On one hand, Aunt Jennifer is exploited by the ‘Uncle Wedding Band’, and on the other hand, she uses the image of the strongest animal in the forest. This is an extreme contrast between the two. One is exploited, and the other terrifies the other. The tiger is the symbol of power, and Aunt Jennifer is the symbol of an exploited married woman.
Q.7. Interpret the symbols found in this poem, Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers.
Ans. The poetess employs symbols to express her thoughts on the plea of married women.
- Tigers are a symbol of strength, authority, and style.’prancing, proud and unafraid.’
- She was a symbol of exploited married women who always worked for the family, and she didn’t get any return for her deeds.
- ‘Uncle’s wedding band’: a symbol of the burden of marriage.
Q.8. Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer. What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer?
Ans. The poetess wants us to have some respect for married women. She uses the character of Aunt Jennifer to address the pathethetic situation of married women. Instead of sympathy, she clearly expresses her attitude towards man-dominated societies, who are like tigers and never spare the weak living beings.
