CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 1 The Fun They Had- Download Free PDF Notes
The Road not Taken is the first poem of the class 9 textbook Beehive. Well-known American Poet Robert Frost writes this poem. The beautiful poem ‘The Road not Taken’ is about making choices and the decisions that shape our world.
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The PDF Notes contain a summary of the poem in easy language, vocabulary with meaning, textbook exercise questions with solutions, previous year questions with solutions, important questions that may come in the exam, literary devices used in the poem, rhyming scheme analysis, and many more things all compiled by expert teachers of the language.
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Chapter 1 The Fun They Had
ASSIGNMENT 2
NCERT Textbook Questions
Thinking about the Text
(Page 10)
Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.
Question 1.
How old are Margie and Tommy?
Answer:
Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.
Question 2.
What did Margie write in her diary?
Answer:
Margie wrote in her diary. “Today, 17 May, 2157, Tommy found a real book.”
Question 3.
Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Answer:
No, Margie had never seen a book before.
Question 4.
What things about the book did she find strange?
Answer:
The book had yellow and wrinkled pages.
The words of the book were still. They did not move as the words move on the
computer screen. She found these things strange.
Question 5.
What do you think a telebook is?
Answer:
A telebook is displayed on the television screen and the text of a telebook is
similar to a book.
Question 6.
Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates?
Answer:
Margie’s school was near her own bedroom. She did not have any classmate.
Question 7.
What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
Answer:
Margie learnt Geography and Mathematics. Tommy learnt History and
Mathematics.
Answer the following with reference to the story.
Question 1.
“I wouldn’t throw it away.”
- Who says these words?
- What does ‘it’ refer to?
- What is it being compared with by the speaker?
Answer: - Margie says these words.
- It refers to that real book that Tommy found.
- The speaker compares it with a telebook.
Question 2.
“ Sure, they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.” - Who does ‘they’ refer to?
- What does ‘regular’ mean here?
- What is it contrasted with?
Answer: - ‘They’ refer to the people of the old times.
- Here, regular refers to the mechanical teacher then they had.
- It is contrasted with a normal teacher of earlier times, who was a living
human being.
Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
Question 1.
What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?
Answer:
Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They were taught on computers
and television screens. They didn’t have a living person as a teacher who would
teach the pupils in a classroom.
Question 2.
Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?
Answer:
Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector because the mechanical teacher
was not functioning efficiently. It had been giving her test after test in geography
and she had been doing worse and worse.
Question 3.
What did he do?
Answer:
He slowed down the mechanical teacher’s speed upto an average ten-year level.
The mechanical teacher’s speed was controlled and adjusted according to the IQ
level of Margie.
Question 4.
Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to
help her?
Answer:
Margie had been doing badly in geography. This was because the mechanical
teacher was very fast in displaying the questionnaire. The County Inspector
adjusted its speed upto an average ten-year level. Thus, the mechanical teacher’s
speed was controlled appropriately. The County Inspector assured that the
overall pattern of Margie’s progress was quite satisfactory.
Question 5.
What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?
Answer:
Tommy’s teacher was taken away for nearly a month because the history sector
had blanked out completely. So, Tommy had nothing to do during that period. He
only relaxed and enjoyed.
Question 6.
Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
Answer:
Yes, Margie had regular days and hours for school because her mother said little
girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
Question 7.
How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
Answer:
Tommy says that the old schools were different. They had a special building and
all the kids went there to study. They laughed and shouted in the schoolyard.
They enjoyed time together and learned lessons together in a classroom.
Question 8.
How does he describe the old kind of teachers?
Answer:
He says that the old teachers did not live in the house. They had a special
building and all the kids went there. They gave homework to students. They were
not mechanical teachers, but living human beings.
The Fun They Had Extra Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type
Question 1.
What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have? Did they like them?
Answer:
The teachers of Margie and Tommy were different from the teachers of today.
They were robotic teachers. They were confined to study rooms and thought
mechanically. No, Margie and Tommy did not like them.
Question 2.
Why was Margie not doing well in geography? What did her mother do to help
her?
Answer:
Margie was not doing well in geography. Her performance was getting worse day
by day. Her mother sent for the County Inspector to help her. He told that the
geography sector in Margie’s mechanical teacher was geared up a little too quick.
Question 3.
Why did Margie get disappointed after the geography sector of her teacher was
set right?
Answer:
Margie had a robotic teacher. It had developed some technical snag in its
geographic sector. Her mother had asked for the County Inspector. Margie hoped
that her mechanical teacher would be taken away for some time. But she was
disappointed when the County Inspector set the mechanical teacher right there
and then.
Question 4.
How were Margie and Tommy assessed in their subjects?
Answer:
Margie and Tommy had tele-assignments. They used to write their answers in a
punch card. They were trained in it. They would insert their special answer
sheets in the slot made in the mechanical teacher. Then their marks were
calculated in no time.
Question 5.
Today Tommy found a real book! From where was the book found and why did it
seem peculiar to him and Margie?
Answer:
Tommy found an old book from the attic of his home. It was a peculiar object for
them because they had different books. They had telebooks while it was printed
on paper.
Question 6.
Why did Margie hate school?
Answer:
Margie never liked her school. It was monotonous for her. She had mechanical
teachers and telebooks. She hated it now more than ever. Her mechanical teacher
had been giving her test after test in geography and her performance was getting
worse day by day.
Question 7.
How was the book that Tommy found different from his own books?
Answer:
The book that Tommy found in the attic of his home was a real and old book. It
was quite different from his telebooks. The old book was printed on paper and
can be thrown after reading, but his telebooks read on the screen can be stored.
It cannot be thrown and can be used whenever required.
The Fun They Had Extra Questions and Answers
Long Answer Type
Question 1.
Compare and contrast the futuristic schools in the story with the schools of
today. Do you think futuristic schools will be a reality?
Answer:
The futuristic schools in the story are totally different from the schools of today.
The schools in the story are located in the house itself. The room next to their
bedroom is their school. There is a single mechanical teacher having various
sectors geared up according to the level of the child. There is no companion, no
playground and no fun at all. The Reaching is mechanical and monotonous.
Today’s schools have separate spacious buildings with human teachers. All the
kids from the neighbourhood come together for studies. They play, laugh and
enjoy together. There is fun in the school. Yes, I think the futuristic schools will
be a reality in future. Nowadays we have online studies and universities. These
will be futuristic schools.
Question 2.
What problem was Margie facing with her mechanical teacher? Why did she not
like it? Do you think that teachers should be flexible in their approach of
teaching?
Answer:
Margie had a mechanical teacher. It was geared up faster than her mental level. It
had been giving her a lot of homework in geography. The work was very difficult.
Her performance in tests was also worsening day by day. Her mother was not
happy with her performance.
It disappointed Margie. She hated her mechanical teacher who was geared up too
quick. It was slowed down up to an average ten-year level. Margie was not happy
when her mechanical teacher was repaired. In fact, she wanted to get rid of it.
Yes, a good teacher should be flexible in his approach. He should change his
speed and method according to the need of the child. He should not be
mechanical.
Question 3.
Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. Why did she do
sq? According to you, what makes a school a lovely place?
Answer:
Margie hated school because she was taught by a mechanical teacher. She had to
complete her homework or assignments, sitting alone in her room. The part that
she hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers.
Moreover, Margie had been doing badly in geography because her mechanical
teacher was very fast in displaying questionnaire. Indeed, it became a boring
place to her due to lack of activities.
So, she hated her school more than ever. I think, a school becomes a lovely place
only when studies become interesting, joyful and stress-free. The pupils can sit
together and enjoy each other’s company. They can also make fun and enhance
their skills. Here students are taught by human teachers, not by mechanical
teachers. To Margie, all this appears to be fun and interesting which is completely
missing in her school.
Question 4.
It’s not the little girl’s fault, Mrs. Jones. I think the geography sector was geared a
little too quickly. What, according to you, was wrong with the geography sector?
Can a machine be a good teacher?
Answer:
I think, geography sector was geared up so quickly that it was above the level of
Margie’s age and intelligence. So, she was not doing well in geography. The
mechanical teacher was giving her a lot of geography homework. It was very
difficult for her to complete the homework. So, her mother was not happy with
her performance in geography.
However, the County Inspector told her mother that it was not Margie’s fault, but
the fault was in the mechanical teacher as it was displaying the geography
questionnaire so fast that a child could not grasp at all. How can a machine be a
good teacher when it has no emotions, feelings and sentiments? It does not have
the ability to understand the psychology of a child.
Moreover, the machine only can guide a pupil according to its adjusted modes.
So, the machine can never replace the human teacher.
Question 5.
Would you like to be taught by a mechanical or a human teacher? Why?
Answer:
No, I would never like to be taught by a mechanical teacher because a mechanical
teacher cannot make teaching interesting or joyful to the pupils. I am supposed
to sit in the room alone to complete my homework. There is no enriched activity.
He guided me according to adjusted codes. This method of teaching is
monotonous and boring to me. Besides, he has no feelings and sentiments. He
does no have the ability to understand the psychology of a pupil. On the other
hand, I like today’s human teacher who looks into the overall development of the
child. In the classroom, I can enjoy fun with classmates. Moreover, today’s school
is a lovely place because here method of teaching is joyful and stress-free.
Question 6.
In which respect is your school system different from that of Margie? Which one
do you like and why?
Answer:
My school system is completely different from the school where Margie studies.
In fact, they don’t have a school at all. They are being taught in their room by a
mechanical teacher only. My school is located at a different place. I have a large
building and spacious ground. I am taught with my friends. So, I can enjoy their
company in class. I also take interest in enriched activities taught in the class.
To Margie, all this appears to be a fun which is completely missing in her
mechanical school. I have good teachers who are humans with human feelings.
My school is a lovely place for me because studies here become joyful and stressfree, whereas Margie is being taught and tested by lifeless machines. I am happy
with my school system of teaching and love it. Margie hates her school system for
being monotonous and boring, sitting in the room with the mechanical teacher.
Question 7.
‘Machines can’t replace human beings.’ Explain this in 100-150 words in
reference to the lesson ‘The Fun They Had’.
Answer:
No doubt machines can teach students more efficiently than humans do. The
mechanical teachers are robotic and they can evaluate the assignment in no time.
They can tell how a child is performing but can never tell why the child is
performing badly. In the story, ‘The Fun They Had’ Margie was doing badly in
Geography because her mechanical teacher was very fast in displaying the
questionnaire.
Moreover, it was above the level of her age and intelligence. The machine could
not understand Margie’s ability to understand his style of teaching. So, the
mechanical teacher was boring to her, and failed to develop an affectionate bond
with the child. Whereas, the human teacher can understand the psychology of a
pupil. He or she can look into the overall development of the child. Moreover,
there is a close and affectionate touch between the human teacher and the
taught. So, machines cannot replace the human teacher.
The Fun They Had Extra Questions and Answers Reference-toContext
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions.
Question 1.
It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little
boy, his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed
on paper.
(a) The book being talked about in the above lines is the book that was found
……….
Answer:
by Tommy from his attic
(b) After seeing the real book children didn’t react at all. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(c) According to the grandfather the old book was still valuable because all
stories were ………….
Answer:
printed on the paper very clearly
(d) The word that means the same as ‘bygone’ is …………
Answer:
‘old’
Question 2.
They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny
to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to
on a screen, you know.
(a) The pages were being turned by …………….
Answer:
Tommy and Margie
(b) The colour of the pages, ‘yellow and crinkly’ shows that the book was
……………
Answer:
very old
(c) The words in the book were moving here and there. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(d) The word in the above line that is opposite of ‘moving’ is ……….
Answer:
‘still’
Question 3.
She was eleven and hadn’t seen as many telebooks as Tommy had. He was
thirteen. She said, “Where did you find it?” “In my house.” He pointed without
looking because he was busy reading. “In the attic.”
(a) Margie was ………. years old.
Answer:
eleven
(b) Tommy had seen more telebooks than Margie. (True/False)
Answer:
True
(c) Tommy didn’t look up to answer Margie’s question because ………….
Answer:
he was busy reading
(d) ………. is the word in the above lines which means the same as ‘space
or room at the top of a building.’
Answer:
‘attic’
Question 4.
Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The
the mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had
been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully
and sent for the County Inspector.
(a) Margie had been performing badly especially in …………..
Answer:
geography
(b) The teachers at Margie’s school were ……………..
Answer:
mechanical
(c) With the passage of time Margie started liking her school. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(d) The word in the passage which is opposite of the word ‘gladly’ is ……….
Answer:
‘sorrowfully’
Question 5.
That was not so bad. The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to
put homework and test papers. She always had to write them out in a punch code
they made her learn when she was six years old, and the mechanical teacher
calculated the marks in no time.
(a) The ……….. was not so bad at teaching.
Answer:
mechanical teacher
(b) To …………….. and …………… was hated the most by Margie.
Answer:
submit homework, test papers.
(c) The mechanical teachers were too rapid in calculating the marks.
(True/False)
Answer:
True
(d) The word which means same as ‘detected’ is ……………
Answer:
‘hated’
Question 6.
The Inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted Margie’s head. He said
to her mother, “It’s not the little girl’s fault, Mrs. Jones. I think the geography
sector was geared a little too quickly. Those things happen sometimes. I’ve slowed
it up to an average ten-year level.”
(a) Margie’s …………….. performance was not at all her fault.
Answer:
worsening
(b) The fault was with ……………. which was adjusted too quick.
Answer:
geography sector
(c) Sometimes the mechanical teachers are not geared too quick. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(d) The word which is the same as ‘tapped or touched’ is …………..
Answer:
‘patted’
Question 7.
Actually, the overall pattern of her progress is quite satisfactory.” And he patted
Margie’s head again. Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would
take the teacher away altogether.
(a) According to the ………………. the overall pattern of Margie’s progress was
satisfactory.
Answer:
Inspector
(b) Margie was not happy as ……………
Answer:
the teacher was not taken away.
(c) ‘He’ in the passage refers to Tommy. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(d) Find a word from the extract which is the opposite of ‘unsatisfactory.
Answer:
‘satisfactory’
Question 8.
“Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”
(a) Regular teacher in the above lines refers to the
Answer:
mechanical teacher
(b) Tommy and Margie were not taught by a regular teacher. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(c) They were taught by a man. ‘They’ refers to people of ……..
Answer:
the olden times
(d) Find the synonym of ‘customary’ from the extract.
Answer:
‘regular’
Question 9.
All the kids from the whole neighborhood came, laughing and shouting in the
schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going home together at the end of
the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another with the
homework and talk about it.
(a) Margie seems to be engrossed in the thoughts of ………….
Answer:
schools of olden times
(b) Margie has actually traveled into the future. (True/False)
Answer:
False
(c) All children used to have a good time in, the …………..
Answer:
schoolyard
(d) Find a word from the extract that is similar in meaning ‘to give assistance to’.
Answer:
‘help’
IV. Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs. (100-150
words).
Question 1.
What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that
Do Margie and Tommy have in the story?
Answer:
Margie and Tommy have mechanical teachers. They need not go to school for
getting a formal education. The mechanical teacher is placed in one of the rooms
of the house and they can get the knowledge of various subjects of individually
from the mechanical teacher. They don’t have such classrooms where students
sit together. They study from the telebooks. So they don’t require books and
exercise books. The examination system is very different. They do homework in a
different way. Margie has to write them out in a punch code. She leamt it when
she was six years old. So the system of their education is technologically
advanced and not based on printed books.
Question 2.
Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have
been fun?
Answer:
Margie hated her school because she had a mechanical teacher. It was in her
house. She was supposed to sit in that room alone to complete her hometask or
assignments. The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to put
homework and test papers. She thought that the old schools must have been fun
because the students used to sit together in the classroom. They enjoyed, laughed
and shouted in the schoolyard. Children needed company to enhance their skills.
If they are isolated, they get depressed and dejected.
Question 3.
Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the
story? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
There is no doubt that today’s schools are more funny than the future school
discussed in the story. This school has nothing but a mechanical teacher with no
emotions and sentiments. It does not have the ability to understand the
psychology of a child. Moreover, it guides a pupil according to its adjusted modes.
But today’s schools work for the overall development of a child. They learn the
same thing. The teaches are real human beings. They leam how to adapt
themselves to the new surroundings and cope with strangers. The students
sit and lean together. These activities don’t give vent to the feelings of
depression, alienation and segregation.
The Road Not Taken POEM 1
The Road Not Taken
POEM 1
Short Questions (2 Marks)
Question 1 :
Describe the two paths that the
poet finds. Which road did he choose?
Answer :
The poet comes across a path splitting
into two in the middle of a forest. One path is well
used, whereas the other one does not appear to
be so at the first glance. This, therefore, looks
more promising to him and so he decides to take
the second one.
Question 2 :
Why did the poet think that the
other road had a better claim? What trait of
his personality is revealed by his choice?
Answer :
The poet thought that the other road
had a better claim because it was not much used.
He is reluctant to follow the tradition of using the
same road that other people have previously
used. This reveals him to be an adventurous
person.
Question 3 :
What do the two roads represent?
Answer :
The two roads represent the dilemma a
person faces having to make a decision. The
results of taking a decision one way or the other
usually are different. The decision affects further
events related to it.
Question 4 :
What does the poet promise
himself, although he knows he can’t keep his
promise?
Answer :
The poet promises himself that he
would come back some other time and take the
often traveled road, although knowing that he
won’t be able to keep his promise. It is because,
once a decision is taken, it leads to other
decisions. He knows that he will not be able to
come back and change his decision.
Question 5 :
Was the poet satisfied with his
decision of taking the second road? Why or
why not?
Answer :
The poet’s sigh indicates that he was
not satisfied with his decision of taking the
the second road, as it made all the difference in his
life. He thinks if he had chosen the worn-out road,
probably his life would have been different.
Question 6 :
What is the significance of the fact
that the road ‘bent in the undergrowth?
Answer :
The bend in the undergrowth obstructs
the vision of the traveler and he can’t see where
the road leads. This image expresses the idea that
the future is unknown, mysterious, and
surprising; one can’t know what it will bring.
Question 7 :
The poet takes a long time to
make his decision. What is he thinking about?
Answer :
The poet knows making the right choice
is an important decision. He wants to choose the
road that is best for him but he’s not sure which
one is that. Each time he looks at the two
diverging paths, they look different.
Question 8 :
“I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
What is the speaker saying here?
Answer :
The speaker is saying here that
whatever choice we make in life influences what
our life will be like, for better of for worse, as our
choices influence our future life.
Question 5 :
“Yet knowing how way leads on to
way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.”
What does the poet mean here?
Answer :
The poet here means that when you
make decisions, one decision leads to another and
you can’t go back. One decision takes you in one
direction and you can’t change what you have
already decided.
Long Questions (8 Marks)
Question 1 :
Do you agree that decision-making is an important factor in people’s lives?
Support your answer with context to the
poem ‘The Road Not Taken.
Answer :
As the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’
broadly emphasizes the role of decision-making
in one’s life. When one has many choices, it is
very crucial to make the right choice. The right
decision will be beneficial to the individual in the
long term. But the right decision for any individual
can be different for different people. The poet or
traveler sighs when he refers to the decision he
has made. The sigh may indicate two different
attitudes. It can be a sigh of satisfaction which
shows that he is looking back at his choice with
satisfaction and relief, that he is happy with his
decision. It may also be interpreted as a sigh of
regret which means he is sorry he made that
choice and perhaps it would have been better for
him if he had chosen the other path.
Question 2 :
How does the poet connect nature
to the human situation in the poem?
Answer :
The poem starts by describing
something in nature: woods or forest during the
autumn season. The woods has a path diverging
into two which the poet comes across. The poet
talks about which road to choose. The choice of
roads connects to the human situation where
people have to make decisions in life and can’t
come back to the same point in life or know what
the future will be on taking a certain decision.
This is a dilemma which people face regularly in
life. Sometimes one decision leads to another and
so it is impossible to retrace your steps.
Question 3 : Do you agree that the poem is
about regret? Why or why not ? Support your
answer with information from the poem.
Answer : I agree that the poem is about regret
because the poem tells us that, if you choose one
thing you have to give up something else and that
makes you feel sorry. We can see this by the title
of the poem, which talks about ‘The Road Not
Taken’, meaning that the speaker is sorry about
something he didn’t do. It can also be regretful
because the port would never what wat he had
missed by not taking the other road. Because the
poet could not choose both ways, he is sorry
about it.
Question 4 :
How is the theme of the poem
applicable to our lives?
Answer :
Decision-making plays an important
role in our lives. Making a decision is not always
easy, as we do not know whether any decision
taken will be beneficial to us in the long run or
not. Yet we have to make decisions which we
cannot retract from. As we cannot go back and
change our decisions, we have to be very wise
and careful while making nay decision. So we
must visualis the possible consequences of our
decisions and then make the decision that looks
the best decision as far as possible.
Extract Based Questions
Read the extract given below and answers
the question that follows.
Question 1:
Read the extract given below and answer the
questions that follow:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.
And sorry I could not travel both And be one
traveler, long I stood And looked down once as
far as I could To where it bent in the
undergrowth;
- At which point had the poet reached?
- Why was the traveler feeling sorry?
- Give the opposite to ‘met at a point from
the passage? (SA-1,2014-15)
Answer: - The poet is standing at a point where
two roads diverged in the yellow wood. - The poet is feeling sorry because he
could not travel both roads. - ‘Diverged’.
Question 2:
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no
the step had trodden back Oh, I kept the first for
another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted it if I should ever come back - Which road does the poet choose?
- Why was the poet doubtful about the
first road?
- Find a word from the extract that means
‘crushed’. (Board Term 1,2012, ELI013)
Answer: - The poet took the second road.
- The poet chose the second road over
the first thinking that he would come to it
some other day. Yet, he was very
doubtful that he would ever be able to
come back to it someday. - Trodden.
Question 3:
Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there Had worn
them really about the same. - Why did the poet take the other road ?
- What did the poet discover while
traveling on the other road?
- What do the given lines suggest about
the speaker? (Board Term 1,2012, ELI017)
Answer: - The poet took the other road because
he thought that it was more challenging
to travel on it as only a few had used
(trodden on) it. - The poet discovered, while traveling on
the other road, that the second was
almost equally used as the first one. - The given lines suggest that the speaker
loved challenges and difficulties.
Question 4:
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the
one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. - How did the poet make his choice about
the roads?
- What had made a lot of difference in the
poet’s life? - What does the term “road” stand for
? (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-018)
Answer: - The poet took the road which was less
traveled as it was grassy and less worn. - The poet regretted his decision as he
thought that he would have been
successful if he would have taken the
other road and so his life would have
been different. - The term “road” stands for opportunities
and choices.
Question 5:
Then took the other, just as fair,”
And having perhaps the better chance,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there Had worn
them really about the same.
- What made the poet choose such a
road? - What does the poet mean by “just as
fair”? - Find the phrase from the extract that
mean “had not been used”.(Board Term
1,2012, ELI-019)
Answer: - The poet chose such a road because
grass has grown there and none had
traveled so far on it. - “Just as fair” means that the other road
was as beautiful as the one seen earlier. - Wanted wear
Question 6:
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere
ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and 11 took the
one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
- Write the name of the poem and the
poet. - Why did the poet take the road which
was less traveled by? - Why was the poet in dilemma? (Board
Term 1,2012, ELI-021)
Answer: - The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost
- The poet took the road which was less
traveled by because he wanted to be
different from others in his life. - The poet was in a dilemma while
choosing one of the two roads.
Question 7:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood And sorry
I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I
stood And looked down one as far as I could To
where it bent in the undergrowth. - Where did the roads diverge?
- Where did the one road lead to?
- What does “yellow wood” stand for?
Answer:
- The roads diverged in the yellow wood.
- The one road led to the dense growth of
plants and animals. - “Yellowwood” stands for the autumn
season.
Question 8:
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves, no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. - Who has composed these lines?
- What does “both” refer to?
- Trace a word from the extract which
means “suspected”.
Answer: - These lines were composed by Robert
Frost.
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- “Both” refers to two roads that lead to
different directions. - Doubted.
Question 9:
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no
step had trodden back.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. - What does “both” refer to in the stanza?
- Explain “in leaves no step had trodden
back”. - Write the rhyming scheme of the
extract. (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-025)
Answer: - “Both” in the above stanza refers to two
roads which diverged in different
directions. - “In leaves, no step had trodden back”
means that both the roads were covered
with yellow leaves and nobody had
walked on them.
- abaab
Question 10:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry
I could not travel both And be one traveller, long
I stood And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth. - What problem does the poet faces ?
- Where is the poet standing ?
- Find a word from the extract that means
“separated”. (Board Term 1,2012, ELI026)
Answer: - The poet wasn’t able to decide which
road or path he should tread upon. - The poet is standing at a point where
two roads diverge in a yellow wood. - Diverged.
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Question 11:
‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood And sorry
I could not travel both And be one traveler, long
I stood And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
- Why is the poet feeling sorry?
- What is the mood of the poet?
- Find the word from the extract which
means the same as “branched
out”.(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-060)
(1×3=3)
Answer: - The poet is feeling sorry because he
could not travel both the roads. - The mood of the poet is regretful and
thoughtful. - Diverge.
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1:
Why will the choice between two roads that
seem very much alike make such a big
difference many years later in the life of the
poet?
Answer:
A choice between two roads that seem very
much alike will make such a big difference
many years later in the poet’s life since this
the particular decision, this path opened up many
different opportunities for him in the future. The
a decision that he now makes will influence him
and his life and his rest of the decisions since
the two roads are the same they still have varied
options in them.
Question 2:
Does the speaker feel that he has made the
the wrong choice in taking the road “less traveled
by”? If not, why does he “sigh”? What does he
regret?
Answer:
No, the speaker does not feel that he has made
a wrong decision by taking the road less
traveled. The poet wanted to explore both the
roads. He tells himself that he will explore one
and then come back and explore the other, but
he knows that he will probably be unable to do
so.
Question 3:
And that has made all the difference. What is
your opinion of the difference- was it for the
better or the worse? Substantiate your answer.
Answer:
The poem does not clearly state whether the
choice made by the poet made him happy or
sad. However, if examined the way of the world,
we find that the individuals who have achieved
recognition and fame have always eschewed
the beaten track. Hence, we can reason that
the poet-poet-traveller was made happy by
choosing the less-traveled path, not the beaten
track. The concluding line of the poem “And that
has made all the difference” connotes the
poet’s joy.
Question 4:
After reading the poem can you detail the tone
entire poem.
Answer:
The overall tone of the poem is one of regret.
He believes that at some time far in the future,
he will still be thinking of his two possible paths
“with a sigh”. He does not anticipate being any
less conflicted then or any more satisfied with
his choice. He realizes that his choice will have
made “all the difference” in his life, but he is
presently uncertain about what the difference
will turn out to be.
Question 5:
Was the poet doubtful or clear that he would
return to take the other path which he could not
do earlier?
Answer:
Throughout the poem and the poet’s journey he
faces an archetypal dilemma. He doubts if he
would ever be able to come back to take that
another road which might have given him some
other more lucrative options in life. The poet
believes and we all know that one road leads to
another so going back to the original path is not
easy.
Long Answer Type Questions (4 marks
each)
Question 1:
Does the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’,
symbolizes or reveals a meaning or aspect of
freedom or responsibility?
Answer:
The poem reveals the complex nature of a
seemingly simple decision. The narrator is
conflicted as he thinks about which road to
take. Even after some deliberation and the fact
that usage “Had worn them really about the
same,” he cannot help wondering, but then
doubting “if I should ever come back”. He is
even trying to convince himself that he has
made the best choice as, when he looks back
“Somewhere ages and ages hence”, he is sure
that he will be able to say that he made the best
choice and that it “has made all the difference”.
This poem highlights the fact that freedom (of
choice in this instance) brings with it its own set
of responsibilities. Hie poem also, perhaps,
indicates the futility of over-thinking some
situations. If, even trivial decisions require so
much thought, how can anyone ever make lifechanging decisions. Apparently for the narrator,
this is life-changing. At least the choice is his to
make.
Question 2:
What do the two roads symbolize in the
passage 1? What is the significance of
choosing a road?
Answer:
The two roads that the poet-traveler faces in
his walk or journey are symbolic of the choices
that we have to encounter in our life. The
journey or a simple walk itself is a metaphor for
the great journey of life. In the poem the poet,
after prolonged thought, decides to take the
road less traveled, accepting its challenges and
uncertainties. The decision is final and
irreversible and it has its own consequences,
which may be positive or negative. In real life also we
confront such critical situations where we face
life-altering options. The decision we make is
crucial. We should contemplate over the
choices before and then decide our priorities.
Once we make the decision and proceed
accordingly, we can never reverse it. Life
takes its own course, and it does not give a
second chance to alter our decision and change
our course of life. Hence, decide wisely.
Question 3:
What is the theme of the poem “The Road Not
Taken’?
Answer:
The poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ offers a
profound perception of the process of
decision making. The traveler at the crossroads
of the diverging roads is symbolic of an
individual at a decisive moment in his life’s
journey. His decision or choice of future action
is of utmost significance since the decision
decides his destiny. The poet, Robert Frost,
through this poem asserts the importance of the
right decision at the right time. In life, we have to
make our choices; sometimes we have to make
these choices without the full understanding of
the state of affairs. Even then, we should arrive
at decision only after carefully considering all
the available options. We may regret our choice
or we may be excited about our choice, but the
choice at the crucial moment will determine and
change the path of our life. Hence, the poem
stresses the need for deep and critical analysis
of the situation before we arrive at a life-transforming decision.
Question 4:
Discuss the anticipation or remorse in The
Road Not Taken’.
Answer:
There is a fair amount of irony to be found here
in the poem but this is also a poem infused with
the anticipation of remorse. Its title is not ‘The
Road Less Travelled’ but “The Road Not
Taken”. Even as he makes a choice (a choice
he is forced to make if he does not want to
stand forever in the woods, one for which he
has no real guide or definitive basis for
decision-making), the speaker knows that he
will second-guess himself somewhere down the
line— or at the very least he will wonder at what
is irrevocably lost: the impossible, unknowable
Other Path. But the nature of the decision is
such that there is no Right Path— just the
chosen path and the other path. The Road Less
Traveled is fiction the speaker will later
invent, an attempt to polarize his past and give
himself, retroactively, more agency than he
really had. What is sighed for ages and ages
hence are not so much the wrong decisions as
the moments of decision themselves—
moments that, one atop the other, mark the
the passing of a life. This is the more primal strain
of remorse.
Question 5:
What appeals to you in the poem?
Answer:
The poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert
Frost is extremely appealing as it, in simple
words and style presents the importance of
making a judicious decision at critical moments in
our life. In life we have to choose our options;
sometimes we have to make these choices
without a full awareness of the circumstances.
Even then, we should come to a decision only
after vigilantly considering all the offered
alternatives. We may regret our choice or we
may be thrilled of our choice, but the choice at
the vital moment will determine and transform
the path of our life. Hence, the poem
emphasizes the necessity for deep and serious
the reasoning of the circumstances before we
arrive at a life-transforming decision.
