Extract Based Question for The Ball Poem Class 10 English First Flight with Solutions
Extract based questions for the poem The Ball Poem has been prepared by our expert teachers. Students can read and learn from these questions and these are very important in their examination. Class 10 English First Flight poem The Ball Poem extract based questions are very helpful in understanding the chapter. It also help in the revision. Students can rely on these questions and answers taken from the extract of chapter The Ball Poem poem to get good marks in their English Paper.
The Ball Poem Line by Line Explanation Class 10 English
Stanza 1
"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"
Word Meanings:
- merrily- happily
Explanation:
The poem is about a young boy who is to understand what it is to lose something which is very dear. The boy was playing with a ball which he watches going down the street and getting lost in water. The ball is symbolic of childhood memories. The poet focuses on the boy wanting the same ball back and not a new one because that was the ball with which the boy was emotionally connected. It had been with him for so long. This symbolizes that childhood memories are precious.
Stanza 2
"An 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;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions."
Word Meanings:
- rigid- stiff
- A dime- ten cents
- trembling- shivering
- intrude on- to interfere
Explanation:
The ball is symbolic of life; the only one he has been given. It is, to the boy, a mysterious connection. lie learns a hard lesson that life is strenuous and only a slight misgiving and a crushing circumstance can cause the one life he has to be swept away. Even though, there are other balls, this particular one has intrinsic value and must be carefully guarded or it can be lost.
Stanza 3
" ..... ...Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions. People will take
Balls, balls will be lost always the little boy
And no one buys a ball back. Money is external."
Word Meanings:
- external- superficial
- possessions- things that are owned
Explanation:
The boy grow up with learning to let go off things in life. From the loss of the ball episode, he learns a lot and from a boy becomes a man over the years. The poem is narrative and has different moods like the sadness of losing the ball and the seriousness in learning to explore the deep and the dark side of life. Also, the boy looks at life from a newer perspective of learning, to take up challenges and sorrows.
Stanza 4
"He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
This epistemology of loss, how to stand up
Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up"
Word Meanings:
- epistemology- study of knowledge
Explanation:
The poet is indirectly trying to tell us the we should learn how to cope up with the loss. Also, money is external i.e. we can't buy memories with money. We all should learn our responsibilities and learn to cope up with the loss. Two important lessons to be learnt from this poem: Take care and take responsibility of even the smallest thing you have as everything has its own value; and how to cope up with loss because some losses are inevitable.
The Ball Poem Extract Based Question Class 10 English
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow—Stanza 1 of The Ball Poem
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 'O there are other balls"
Questions 1: What has happened to the boy?
(i) The boy fell into the water.
(ii) The boy was happy as he was playing with his favourite ball.
(iii) The boy was sad as he had lost his ball.
(iv) The boy had slipped and had hurt himself.
Answer
(iii) The boy is sad as he has lost his ball
Questions 2: Why does the poet say "no use to say 'O there are other balls"?
(i) the boy has already started playing with the other balls.
(ii) he is lost in playing with other toys.
(iii) he is busy playing with friends.
(iv) the loss of the ball is a major loss for the boy.
Answer
(iv) the loss of the ball is a major loss to the boy
Questions 3: What according to you would the boy do?
(i) He would ask his parents to buy him a new ball.
(ii) He would jump into the water to get his ball.
(iii) He would accept the loss of his ball easily.
(iv) He would be grief stricken at the loss of his ball.
Answer
(iv) He would be grief stricken at the loss of his ball
Questions 4: Which one of the following is not the synonym of merrily.
(i) festively
(ii) solemnly
(iii) mirthfully
(iv) joyously
Answer
(ii) solemnly
Stanza 2 of The Ball Poem
"An 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;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions."
Questions 1: Why is the boy in a state of shock?
(i) he has seen a terrible accident
(ii) his parents have scolded him
(iii) he has lost his ball
(iv) the other children have snatched his ball
Answer
(iii) he has lost his ball
Questions 2: How has the loss affected the boy?
(i) He is really very angry.
(ii) He has accepted the loss of the ball gracefully.
(iii) He pesters his parents for a new ball.
(iv) He is troubled and shocked at the loss.
Answer
(iv) He is troubled and shocked at the loss.
Questions 3: What is the ball symbolic of?
(i) joys
(ii) sorrows
(iii) childhood
(iv) life
Answer
(iv) life
Questions 4: Why does the poet say 'I would not intrude on him'?
(i) he doesn't like to poke his nose into other's matters.
(ii) he wants the boy to learn the meaning of loss on his own.
(iii) he is afraid of the boy's parents.
(iv) he feels the boy will soon forget about it.
Answer
(ii) he wants the boy to learn the meaning of loss on his own.
Stanza 3 of The Ball Poem
" ..... ...Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions. People will take
Balls, balls will be lost always the little boy
And no one buys a ball back. Money is external."
Questions 1: What does the poet mean by the line 'He senses first responsibility'?
(i) the boy should learn to take care of his things on his own.
(ii) the boy should learn to stay happy
(iii) the boy should be responsible enough not to play with the ball on the road
(iv) the boy should learn to accept his mistakes.
Answer
(i) the boy should learn to take care of his things on his own.
Questions 2: What has the boy lost along with the ball?
(i) the boy has lost his confidence.
(ii) He has lost his childhood memories associated with the ball.
(iii) He has lost the faith of his parents.
(iv) He has lost all his playmates who loved to play with the ball.
Answer
(ii) He has lost his childhood memories associated with the ball
Questions 3: What does the poet want him to learn?
(i) there is no use of crying over split milk.
(ii) there is no use of wasting time on a small ball.
(iii) he should share all his things; joys or sorrows with his parents.
(iv) loss and gain is a part of life.
Answer
(iv) loss and gain is a part of life
Questions 4: Why does the poet say, 'Money is external'?
(i) money can buy everything in the world
(ii) money can buy worldly things but not everything that one loses
(iii) money is not important thing
(iv) the poet feels that the child doesn't value money
Answer
(ii) money can buy worldly things but not everything that one loses
Stanza 4 of The Ball Poem
"He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
This epistemology of loss, how to stand up
Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up"
Questions 1: What is the boy learning?
(i) that he will not get a new ball.
(ii) that nobody will fetch his ball for him.
(iii) that he can buy a new ball by saving his pocket money.
(iv) to cope up with the loss.
Answer
(iv) the boy is learning to cope up with the loss
Questions 2: Why are the boy's eyes desperate?
(i) he is looking for someone to help him.
(ii) he has lost his ball and this is his first loss.
(iii) he is unable to find his ball.
(iv) he is looking for his parents who would come and fetch the ball for him.
Answer
Answer
(ii) he has lost his ball and this is his first loss.
Questions 3: What is the meaning of the phrase 'epistemology of loss'?
(i) It means to understand the nature of loss
(ii) It means to repent for the loss
(iii) It means to compensate for the loss
(iv) It means to understand that the loss way big
Answer
(i) it means to understand the nature of loss.
Questions 4: What does every man needs to know one day?
(i) how to stand up after his loss.
(ii) that one should be very possessive about things.
(iii) that everyone experiences loss in life but one has to be strong.
(iv) that money is an important resource and we can buy anything with it.
Answer
(iii) that everyone experiences loss in life but one has to be strong.