SAMPLE QUESTIONS ON “KEEPING QUIET” CBSE – CLASS – XII – ENGLISH

1. Read the following extracts and answer the following
question. 
A. “Now we will count to twelve                    3
And we will all keep still
For once on the face of earth
Let’s not speak a language”
a) What is the importance of ‘twelve’?
b) What does the poet imply by
‘still’?
c) What does the poet want to mean by
not speaking any language?


B. “Let’s stop for one second,                                                         3
And not move our arms so much
It would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines,
a) What is the dual implication of
‘arms’?
b) Which poetic device is used in the
above lines?
c) What do you understand by the word
‘exotic’?
C. “Fishermen in the cold sea                  4
Would not harm whales
And the man gathering salt
Would look at his hurt hands”.
a) Name a poetic device used in the
lines.
b) How would you differentiate the
fisherman and the man gathering salt? 1+1
c) How do the words “harm’ and ‘hurt’
bring contradictory ideas?
2. Answer the following questions         10 x2= 20
1. Acquaint us with the theme of the
poem.
2. How does the poet reflect the
message of unity?
3. How does the poet reflect universal
brother hood and peace?
4. Why does the poet want us to be
silent?
5. What does the poet want to convey
by the example of earth?
6. How far do you agree the poem to be
a reflective poem?
7.  How did the poet wage a war against the war
mongers?
8. How far do you agree the poem to be
a silent attack towards the negativities of mankind?


9. Why does not the poet want his
thoughts to be mistaken as inactivity or death?
10.How does the poet criticise our
self centeredness and fear of death ?