The Comet 9th English Unit 6 Poem Book back answers

The Comet

Norman Littleford

B. Read the following lines and answer the questions

1. Rampaging through the heavens

Never stopping day or night,

a) How does the comet travel?

Ans: The comet travels without stopping day or night.

b) Which word could you replace ‘rampaging’ with?

a) charging b) rolling c) speeding d) flying.

Ans: c) speeding

2. Faster than a cheetah

With a tail that’s miles long,

a) Why is the comet compared to a cheetah?

Ans: The cheetah is the fastest animal. So, the comet is compared to the cheetah.

b) Whose tail is compared here?

Ans: ‘The tail of the comet’ is compared here.

3. With shockwave reaching to the ground

Causing the land to quake

a) What is reaching to the ground?

Ans: Shockwave produced by the comet, is reaching to the ground.

b) What is causing the land to quake?

Ans: Shockwave is causing the land to quake.

4. In the dust they leave behind,

Could have started life on the earth

Which resulted in mankind

a) What does the word ‘they’ refer to?

Ans: The word ‘they’ refers to the comet.

b) According to scientists, how did life start on earth?

Ans: According to Scientists, the life could have started from the dust left behind by the comets.

5. But I know no better spectacle

Than a comet in full flight.

a) Who does ‘I’ refer to?

Ans: ‘I’ refers to the poet, Norman Littleford.

b) What is the best spectacle mentioned in the above lines?

Ans: The sight of the comet in full flight is the best spectacle.

C. Complete the summary by filling in the given spaces with suitable / phrases given below:

The poet describes a moving comet which speeds through the heavens and never takes a break by day or night . When a comet is in full flight, it gives a spectacular scene which can never be compared to anything else for a lifetime. The comet is compared to a cheetah for its speed and a mountain as it is powerful and strong . The melts which causes a vapour from the force and leaves behind a trail as it travels on its way. If it comes very close to the atmosphere, it causes a shake which in turn produces a shock waves that reach the Earth’s surface. According to the scientists the comets leave behind chemicals in the form of dust which resulted in the emerging life on earth and mankind came into existence. But the poet is not sure whether this principle is true or not but he knows for sure that whatever the truth may be, the sight of the comet in full flight is the spectacular . .

D. Poem appreciation

If one should come too close to earth

The atmosphere will shake,

With shock wave reaching to the ground

Causing the land to quake.

1. Pick out the rhyming words.

Ans: shake, quake

2. Mention the rhyme scheme of the stanza.

Ans: a b c b

TEXTUAL : PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS

E. Answer the following questions in about 80-100 words.

1. Narrate how the poet describes the comet.

Ans: The poet describes a comet which speeds through the heavens. A comet is an icy small solar body which when passing close to the sun, warms and begins to release gases that are seen on rare occasions from the earth as a bright line in the sky, The comet never takes a break during day or night. A comet gives a spectacular scene when it is in full flight. We can compare such a sight with nothing else. The comet ix compared to the cheetah that runs fast and known for its speed. The poet also compares the comet to a powerful mountain for its strength.

2. Give a detailed account of the various effects caused by the comet to the earth.

Ans: When a comet comes very close to the earth’s atmosphere, it causes a shake which In turn produces a shock wave that reaches the earth’s surface. This sudden violent movement of the earth’s surface, sometimes causes great damage. According to the scientists, the comets leave behind chemicals in the form of dust which resulted in the emerging life on earth. Thus, Mankind came into existence.

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