Multip le Choice Questi ons (MCQs )

1. Which extended metapho r is used in the

poem?

A. The deaths of great men B. The falling of great trees

C. Nature D. Big and small animals

Answer: B. The falling of great trees

2. When do animals seek safety?

A. When the earth shakes B. When wolves howl C. When

great trees fall D. When hunters appear

Answer: C. When great trees fall

3. What positive happens when great men die?

A. Our senses are benumbe d. B. Our memory is suddenly

sharpened . C. We feel sorry for ourselves. D. We feel pity
for great men.

Answer: B. Our memory is suddenly sharpened .

4. In what state are we thrown suddenly when we
hear about the death of a great soul?

A. Sullen 8. Indifferent C. Sorrowful D. Amusing

Answer: C. Sorrowful

5. What do great men generally care for?

A. Our souls 8. Our bodies C. Our wealth D. Our health

I
Answer: A. Our souls

6. The phrase 'dark cold, caves' symbolise s

________ _____ in the poem.

A. Cheerfulnes s 8. Depth of mind C. Despair D.

Ignorance

Answer: C. Despair

7. What happens to our souls on hearing the

news of a great man who has impacted our lives
greatly?

A. We begin to cry. 8. We become mad. C. We become

silent. D. Our souls shrivel.

Answer: D. Our souls shrivel.

8. Which figure of speech is used in the line 'We
can be. Be and be'?

A. Person ification B. Irony C. Allitera tion D. Sarcasm

Answe r: C. Allitera tion

9. Which of these statem ents is NOT true?

A. When great trees fall the rocks on distant hills I

shudde r. B. When great trees fall small animals do not
bother. C. The falling of great trees causes ripples for
miles. D. We should try to be better than we are.

Answe r: B. When great trees fall small animals do not

bother.

10. The poem 'When Great Trees Fall' is on the

whole

A. Depres sing B. Realisti c and positive C. Ironical D.

Amusin g

Answe r: B. Realisti c and positive

Comp rehen sion Passages

PASSA GE-1 When great trees fall,

rocks on distant hills shudde r,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses ,
and even elephan ts
lumber after safety.

I. How is the metaph or of 'great trees' used in

the poem?
I
Answer: The metaph or of 'great trees' is used to
symboliz e the deaths of great persons. When a great
tree falls, it causes widespre ad disruptio ns, akin to the
effects felt by people when a significa nt person in their
lives dies.

II. What does the shudde ring of 'rocks' on

distant hills symbolise?

Answer: The shudder ing of 'rocks' on distant hills

symboliz es the far-reac hing impact of the death of a
great person. It signifies how the loss is felt widely,
causing even distant and seeming ly unrelate d element s
to react.
Ill. How do animals behave when great trees fall?
Why?

Answer: Animals behave with fear and seek safety when

great trees fall. Lions squat in fear in tall grasses, and
elephants walk awkwardly to seek shelter. This behavior
is due to the immediate danger and disruptions caused
by the falling of great trees, mirroring the unsettling
effect a great person's death has on people.

IV. What happens to small things when great

trees fall?
I
Answer: When great trees fall, small things recoil into
silence, their senses eroded beyond fear. This indicates
that the impact of a great tree's fall is profound and
affects even the smallest creatures, causing a state of
shock and numbness.

V. What idea does the poet give by using the

extended metaphor of the fall of 'great trees'?

Answer: By using the extended metaphor of the fall of

'great trees', the poet conveys the idea that the death of
a great person has a significant and wide-ranging
impact, causing immediate disruption but eventually
leading to a state of peace and inspiration to live better
lives, acknowledging the greatness of those who have
passed.
PASSAGE-2 When great trees fall
info rests,
small things recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

I. What does the fall of great trees symbolise in

the poem?

Answer: The fall of great trees symbolises the deaths of

great persons, conveying the impact and disruptions
caused by the loss of a significant person.
I
11. What happens to big animals when great trees
fall?

Answer: When great trees fall, big animals such as lions

and elephants seek safety, indicating a widespread fear
and the search for security in the face of sudden
changes.

Ill. What happens to small things when great

trees fall?

Answer: When great trees fall, small things recoil into

silence, their senses eroded beyond fear, highlighting
the profound impact even on the smallest creatures.
IV. Explain. 'Their senses/eroded beyond fear'.

Answer: This phrase suggests that the small creatures

are so deeply affected by the fall of great trees that their
usual sense of fear is surpassed, leaving them in a state
of numbness and shock.

V. When great men die, what kind of 'clarity' do

we have all of a sudden?

Answer: When great men die, we experience a 'hurtful

clarity', a sudden understanding of the valuable soul lost,
which brings sharp and painful realization of their
significance and our loss.
I
PASSAGE-3 When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.

I. What image from the world of nature has been

used earlier in the context?

Answer: The image of great trees falling has been used

earlier in the context to symbolise the deaths of great
persons and their impact.
11. What happens when great trees fall?

Answer: When great trees fall, there is widespread

disruption; animals seek safety, and the natural order is
momentarily disturbed, symbolising the effect of a great
person's death on society.

Ill. 'We breathe, briefly'. There is a pause after

'breathe' here. What is its significance?

Answer: The pause signifies a moment of shock or

realization, reflecting how the death of a great soul
momentarily takes our breath away, highlighting the
I
immediate and profound impact on us.

IV. What kind of 'clarity' does the poet refer to?

Answer: The poet refers to a 'hurtful clarity', a painful

yet clear realization of the loss of a valuable soul, which
brings a sharp focus on what was unsaid or undone.

V. What do we come to remember when great

men die?

Answer: When great men die, we suddenly remember

all the moments spent with them, the kind words unsaid,
and the promised walks never taken, leading to a sense
of regret and loss.
PASSAGE -4 Our memory, suddenly sharpened ,
examines,
gnaws on kind words
unsaid,
promised walks
never taken.

I. What happens when great trees fall, according

to the poet?

Answer: According to the poet, when great trees fall, it

symbolises the death of great persons, causing
widespread disruptions and affecting both the natural
and human worlds deeply. I
11. Why does it become difficult to breathe when
great souls die?

Answer: It becomes difficult to breathe when great

souls die because their loss creates a sense of emptiness
and despair, making the very air around us feel light,
rare, and sterile.

Ill. What do we come to remember suddenly

when great souls die?

Answer: Suddenly, we remember the moments spent

with the departed soul, the kind words unsaid, and the
promised walks never taken, which gnaw on us with
regret and sorrow.
IV. In what state of mind is the speaker here?

Answer: The speaker is in a state of reflection and

sorrow, contemplat ing the painful clarity and regret that
comes with the realization of what was lost with the
departure of a great soul.

PASSAGE -5 Great souls die and

our reality, bound to
them, takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependen t upon their
nurture,
now shrink, wizened.

I. What does the fall of great trees symbolize in

I
the poem, as suggested earlier in the context?

Answer: The fall of great trees symbolizes the deaths of

great persons, suggesting the significant impact and
disruptions their loss causes in both the natural world
and human society.

II. What do we remember when great souls die?

Answer: When great souls die, we remember the

moments spent with them, the kind words unsaid, and
the promises unfulfilled, leading to regret and a sense of
loss.
Ill. What happens to our 'reality' when great
souls die?

Answer: When great souls die, our reality, which was

bound to them, takes leave of us, leading to a sense of
disorient ation and loss as our souls shrink and wizen.

IV. What does the poet mean by 'wizened ' souls

here?

Answer: By 'wizened ' souls, the poet means that our

souls become shriveled , diminishe d in their capacity for
joy and vitality, reflecting the deep impact of loss.

V. What does the word 'nurture ' suggest in the

context?
I
Answer: The word 'nurture' suggests the care,
guidance , and support provided by the departed souls,
which was crucial to our developm ent and well-bein g.
PASSA GE-6 Our minds, formed
and inform ed by their
radianc e, fall away.
We are not so much madde ned
as reduce d to the unutte rable ignora nce of
dark, cold
caves.

I. How has the poet compa red the world of

nature with the human world earlier in the
contex t?

Answe r: The poet has compar ed the world of nature

with the human world by using the metaph or of great
trees falling to symboli ze the deaths of great persons,
illustrat ing the profoun d impacts these events have in
both realms.
I
II. What happen s when someo ne emotio nally
attach ed to us depart s forever ?

Answe r: When someon e emotion ally attache d to us

departs forever, our reality shifts, our souls shrink, and
we are thrown into a state of despair and ignoran ce,
reminis cent of dark, cold caves.
Ill. How are our minds affected by great souls?

Answer: Our minds, formed and informed by the

radiance of great souls, are deeply affected by their
departure, leading to a sense of loss and a reduction to
ignorance.

IV. In what state of mind are we thrown when

great souls die?

Answer: When great souls die, we are thrown into a

state not so much of madness as of profound ignorance
and despair, akin to being in dark, cold caves.

I
V. Explain the reference to the 'ignorance of
dark, cold caves'.

Answer: The reference to the 'ignorance of dark, cold

caves' symbolizes the profound sense of loss,
disorientation, and the lack of understanding that
envelops us following the death of a great soul.
PASSAGE-7 And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.

I. What is suggested by the fall of great trees

earlier in the context?

Answer: The fall of great trees is suggested to

symbolize the deaths of great persons, illustrating the
profound and wide-reaching impact these losses have.

11. How do we feel when great men die?

Answer: When great men die, we feel a profound sense

of loss, difficulty in breathing, and a painful clarity about
I
the significance of the loss, followed by a period of
mourning and reflection.

Ill. How does the poet refer to time as a healer

here?

Answer: The poet refers to time as a healer by

suggesting that after a period, peace blooms slowly and
always irregularly, indicating that healing from the loss
of a great soul is a gradual and uneven process.
IV. What kind of 'spaces' are referred to here?

Answer: The 'spaces' referred to here are emotional and

mental spaces within us that fill with a soothing
vibration, symbolizing the healing and restoration of our
senses after the loss.

V. How do we feel during those 'spaces'?

Answer: During those 'spaces', we feel a kind of

soothing electric vibration, indicating a sense of peace,
healing, and restoration of our senses, albeit never to be
the same as before.

PASSAGE-8 Our senses, restored, never

to be the same, whisper to us,
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.
I
I. How do we feel when persons attached to us
die?

Answer: When persons attached to us die, we initially

feel a profound sense of loss, difficulty in breathing, and
a period of mourning, followed by a gradual restoration
of our senses and a realization of their lasting impact.
11. When do we feel at peace when great souls
die?

Answer: We feel at peace after a period when peace

blooms slowly and irregularly, indicating that healing
from the loss is a gradual process facilitated by time.

Ill. Why do our senses never achieve the former

state of normalcy after the death of great souls?

Answer: Our senses never achieve the former state of

normalcy after the death of great souls because their
impact is so profound that our perception and senses
are permanentl y altered, whispering to us the presence
and influence of the departed.
IV. What is the significance of the repetition of
words in Lines 3-4?

Answer: The repetition of the words "They existed. They

existed. We can be. Be and be better. For they existed."
emphasizes the profound influence of the departed
souls on our lives and the inspiration they provide for us
to live better lives in their memory.

V. The ending of the poem is quite positive.

How?

Answer: The ending of the poem is quite positive

because it suggests that despite the pain of loss, the
memory and existence of great souls inspire us to be
better and to live more meaningful lives, offering a
message of hope and resilience.