0% found this document useful (0 votes)
120 views6 pages

Haunted Houses

Uploaded by

GOTOO80
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
120 views6 pages

Haunted Houses

Uploaded by

GOTOO80
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

HAUNTED HOUSES Answer: We ‘meet’ these ‘ghosts’ in the metaphorical

Evergreen workbook answers/solutions spaces of our existence—our memories and


experiences—where they influence us subtly, not
Comprehension Passages
visible to the eye but felt in the heart and mind.
PASSAGE-1
(iii) Explain the last two lines.
All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors Answer: The last two lines express that these
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide, influences are intangible, like impressions on the air,
With feet that make no sound upon thefloors felt rather than seen, as a sensed presence or impact
moving through our lives, guiding or affecting us in
(i) What kind of opening statement is made by the unseen ways.
poet?
(iv) Which figure of speech is used in Line 3?
Answer: The poet makes a metaphorical opening
statement, suggesting that all individuals carry with Answer: In Line 3, a metaphor is used, likening the
them the indelible influences of people they have intangible influences of people in our lives to
known throughout their lives, akin to how houses are ‘impalpable impressions on the air’, emphasizing their
“haunted” by the spirits of those who have lived and unseen yet felt presence.
died in them. (v) Where do they ‘throng’, as mentioned later in
the context?
(ii) In what way are all houses ‘haunted’?
Answer: The ‘haunted’ houses represent individuals’ Answer: As mentioned later, these influences ‘throng’
lives marked by the enduring presence and influences our mental and emotional spaces, particularly during
of people they have encountered, whose memories moments of reflection or decision-making, much like
and impacts linger like harmless phantoms. quiet, inoffensive ghosts filling an illuminated hall,
silently shaping our lives.
(iii) The phrase ‘harmless phantoms’ seems to be
exceptional. Why? PASSAGE-3
Answer: The phrase ‘harmless phantoms’ is There are more guests at table than the hosts
exceptional because it reframes the typical notion of Invited; the illuminated hall
haunting, portraying these enduring influences as Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
benign rather than malevolent, emphasizing their As silent as the pictures on the wall.
subtle, often unnoticed presence in our lives. (i) Who are uninvited guests at table?
(iv) What kind of the spirit-world is conceived by the Answer: The uninvited guests at the table
poet later in the context? metaphorically represent the unexpected, often
unconscious influences of people from our past,
Answer: The poet later conceptualizes the spirit-
world as a benign, ethereal layer surrounding our whose memories and impacts join us in the journey
everyday existence, where the quiet influences of of life without formal acknowledgment.
past associations float around us, enriching our lives (ii) Why are they there uninvited?
without direct visibility or acknowledgment. Answer: They are there uninvited because their
(v) Where can we, according to the poet, meet influences on us were not consciously chosen but
ghosts? naturally accrued over time, shaping our thoughts
and actions subtly, like guests who have silently taken
Answer: According to the poet, we encounter these
‘ghosts’—the lingering influences of past associations their place at the table of our lives.
—in everyday moments and places, such as at the (iii) What is surprising about these uninvited ghosts?
doorway, on the stair, and along the passages of our Answer: What is surprising about these uninvited
lives, subtly impacting our thoughts and actions. ‘ghosts’ is their benign presence, contradicting the
PASSAGE-2 typically ominous connotation of hauntings, and
highlighting how these influences can quietly enrich
We meet them at the doorway, on the stair,
Along the passages they come and go, our lives, unnoticed yet impactful.
Impalpable impressions on the air, (iv) Which figure of speech is used in the last line
A sense of something moving to and fro. here?
(i) What kind of ghosts are conceived by the poet Answer: The figure of speech used in the last line is a
earlier in the context? simile, comparing the silent influence of these
‘ghosts’ to the silence of pictures on the wall,
Answer: Earlier in the context, the poet conceived of
‘ghosts’ as the benign, invisible impressions left by underscoring their quiet yet pervasive presence in
people we’ve known, affecting our lives in quiet, our lives.
often unnoticed ways. (v) What can the speaker see and hear which others
cannot, as referred to later in the context?
(ii) Where do we ‘meet’ them? Are they visible?
Answer: The speaker, perhaps more introspective or Answer: Earlier in the context, ‘ghosts’ are conceived
sensitive, can perceive the subtle impacts and as metaphorical representations of the lasting
presences of these ‘ghosts’—the enduring influences influences and memories of people we’ve known,
of past relationships—more acutely than others, shaping our thoughts and lives in subtle, often
seeing and hearing their guidance and impact where unnoticed ways.
others may not. (ii) Where can we ‘meet’ the departed spirits?
PASSAGE-4 Answer: We ‘meet’ the departed spirits in the
The stranger at my fireside cannot see corridors of our memories and experiences, where
Theforms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear; their influence persists as if they still occupied a place
He but perceives what is; while unto me in our lives, impacting us in unseen but significant
All that has been is visible and clear. ways.
(i) What contrast is made in the first two lines here? (iii) Who do not have title-deeds to their ‘house or
Answer: The contrast made in the first two lines lands’?
highlights the difference between the speaker’s Answer: In the metaphorical sense, individuals do not
ability to perceive the subtle influences and have permanent title-deeds to their ‘house or lands’,
memories of past associations, likened to seeing and suggesting that our lives and the impacts we make
hearing ‘ghosts’, and a stranger’s inability to perceive are not owned or fixed but are part of a larger
beyond the tangible present. continuum of influence and memory.
(ii) What do you think of the extraordinary powers (iv) What do the departed spirits claim from their
of the speaker? graves?
Answer: The speaker’s ‘extraordinary powers’ Answer: From their graves, the departed spirits claim
suggest a heightened sensitivity or awareness to the a continuing connection to the living world, asserting
layered complexities of human existence, enabling a metaphorical ‘ownership’ or presence within the
them to perceive the enduring impacts of past lives they’ve touched, much like holding onto their
relationships and experiences that others might influence from beyond.
overlook. (v) Explain the phrase ‘hold in mortmain’.
(iii) What has been told by the speaker about the Answer: The phrase ‘hold in mortmain’ refers to the
unseen ‘forms’ earlier in the context? enduring grip or influence the departed have on the
Answer: Earlier in the context, the speaker described living, suggesting that their impacts and memories
the unseen ‘forms’ as the benign, invisible presences hold a place in our lives with a permanence that
of people who have left an indelible mark on our transcends legal or physical ownership.
lives, their influences felt as ‘impalpable impressions PASSAGE-6
on the air’ or a sensed presence moving through our
The spirit-world around this world of sense
existence. Floats like an atmosphere, and everywhere
(iv) ‘All that has been is visible and clear. Explain. Wafts through these earthly mists and vapours dense
Answer: ‘All that has been is visible and clear’ A vital breath of more ethereal air.
conveys the idea that the speaker possesses a (i) Why does the poet describe all houses as haunted
profound connection to their past, with the ability to earlier in the context?
clearly perceive and reflect upon the impacts of past
Answer: The poet describes all houses as ‘haunted’ to
relationships and experiences, as if these elements metaphorically express the idea that everyone carries
were still present and tangible. with them the enduring influences of people they
(v) Who is ‘He’ in Line 3? Is he a normal human have encountered, shaping their being in a manner
being? akin to spirits inhabiting a house.
Answer: ‘He’ in Line 3 refers to a stranger or any (ii) How have the ghosts been described by the
individual other than the speaker, presumably a poet?
normal human being who perceives the world in a
Answer: The ‘ghosts’ have been described by the
more conventional, less introspective manner, poet as benign and intangible presences—memories
focusing on the physical reality rather than the and influences of past relationships that hover
nuanced influences of past associations. around us, subtly shaping our lives and decisions
PASSAGE-5 without direct visibility.
We have no title-deeds to house or lands; (iii) What can the speaker see or hear?
Owners and occupants of earlier dates
Answer: The speaker can see and hear the quiet,
From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands, often unnoticed impacts of these metaphorical
And hold in mortmain still their old estates. ‘ghosts’, perceiving the nuanced layers of influence
(i) What conception of ghosts is given earlier in the and memory that shape the fabric of their existence.
context?
(iv) What kind of the world of spirits is?
Answer: The world of spirits is described as a Answer: Balance in our lives, as mentioned earlier, is
delicate, ethereal realm that surrounds and achieved through the equilibrium between the
permeates the tangible world, where the influences conflicting desires for sensual pleasures and the
of past associations float like an atmosphere, yearning for higher, more noble aspirations,
influencing the living in subtle yet profound ways. influenced by the enduring impacts of past
(v) What crosses through earthly mists and vapours? associations.
Answer: A ‘vital breath of more ethereal air’ crosses (ii) The poet uses a metaphor in the first two lines.
through the earthly mists and vapours, symbolizing Explain it.
the permeation of the spiritual influences and Answer: The metaphor in the first two lines likens the
memories of past relationships through the dense internal turmoil and conflict arising from our earthly
complexity of our tangible, day-to-day existence. wants and higher aspirations to a ‘perpetual jar’,
PASSAGE-7 suggesting that these contrasting forces continuously
shape and redefine our existence.
Our little lives are kept in equipoise
By opposite attractions and desires; (iii) What do you mean by ‘earthly wants and
The struggle of the instinct that enjoys, aspirations high’?
And the more noble instinct that aspires. Answer: ‘Earthly wants and aspirations high’ refer to
(i) Whose lives are being referred to in Line 1? the duality of human nature: the pursuit of material
and sensory pleasures versus the pursuit of lofty,
Answer: The lives being referred to are those of all
individuals, emphasizing the universal experience of altruistic, and spiritual goals, illustrating how past
being influenced by a blend of contrasting desires and influences shape our desires and motivations.
memories from past associations. (iv) What are ‘perturbations’?
(ii) What brings about balance in our short lives? Answer: ‘Perturbations’ are the disturbances or
fluctuations in our mental and emotional state,
Answer: Balance in our lives is brought about by the
interplay of opposite attractions and desires—the caused by the ongoing conflict between material
innate urge for pleasure and the aspiration for higher, desires and spiritual or higher aspirations, influenced
more noble goals, reflecting the complex influences by the memories and impacts of those we’ve
of past relationships. encountered.
(iii) Explain the last two lines. (v) What is determined by an unseen, undiscovered
planet in our sky?
Answer: The last two lines depict the internal conflict
between the instinctual pursuit of immediate Answer: The metaphorical ‘unseen, undiscovered
gratification and the aspiration towards higher, more planet’ suggests that external, unknown forces,
altruistic goals, illustrating how our lives are shaped possibly symbolizing the influence of past
by a blend of varied influences from people we’ve associations and memories, play a role in shaping our
known. internal conflicts, desires, and aspirations, influencing
our lives in profound ways.
(iv) State what fills our life with anxieties and fears,
as mentioned later in the context. PASSAGE-9
Answer: Anxieties and fears in our lives are filled by And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud
the perpetual internal conflict between earthly Throws o’er the sea floating bridge of light,
desires and higher aspirations, influenced by the Across whose trembling planks our fancies crowd
unseen force of past relationships and the uncharted Into the realm of mystery and night,-
impacts of memories. (i) When and how is a ‘bridge of light’ formed?
(v) What ‘bridge of light’ connects our world to the Answer: A ‘bridge of light’ is formed when the moon
heavenly world? emerges from behind dark clouds, casting a luminous
path across the sea. This imagery symbolizes the
Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ that connects our world
to the heavenly realm symbolizes the pathway connection between the tangible world and the realm
through which the influences of past associations and of memory and influence, illuminating the path of our
memories transcend the tangible world, guiding our thoughts towards the unknown.
thoughts and emotions towards the ethereal and the (ii) What is the function of this bridge?
unknown. Answer: The function of this bridge is to provide a
PASSAGE-8 metaphorical pathway for our thoughts and emotions
to traverse from the realm of everyday reality into
These perturbations, this perpetualjar
Of earthly wants and aspirations high, the domain of mystery, memory, and the ethereal
Comefrom the influence of an unseen star influences of those we’ve known.
An undiscovered planet in our sky. (iii) Which figure of speech is used in the first two
lines here?
(i) What brings about balance in our lives, as
mentioned earlier in the context?
Answer: The figure of speech used in the first two of light’, contemplating the ethereal and the enduring
lines is a metaphor, likening the moonlight’s influences that shape our lives and thoughts.
reflection on the sea to a ‘floating bridge of light’, Morning Star workbook answers/solutions
symbolizing the connection between the physical
Context questions and answers
world and the realm of memories and past
influences. Extract 1
(iv) Where does our fancy take us? All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
Answer: Our fancy takes us into the ‘realm of mystery The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
and night’, a metaphorical journey into the depths of With feet that make no sound upon the floors.
our memories and the unseen influences of past
relationships, exploring the ethereal and the (i) According to the narrator of the poem, why are
unknown aspects of our existence. all the houses haunted? What kind of houses are
these?
(v) Which rhyme scheme is used in this stanza?
Answer: According to the narrator, all houses are
Answer: The rhyme scheme used in this stanza is haunted because they have been lived in by men who
ABAB, a common pattern in the poem that ties the have died. These houses are not haunted in the
imagery and themes together, enhancing the lyrical traditional sense but by memories or the lingering
quality and the evocative exploration of memories influence of those who once inhabited them.
and influences.
(ii) Who are the harmless phantoms? How are these
PASSAGE-10 phantoms different from the usual image of the
So from the world of spirits there descends phantoms?
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
Answer: The harmless phantoms are the memories or
O’er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends, spirits of those who lived in the houses. They are
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss. different from the usual image of phantoms because
(i) What has the poet told us about the world of they are not frightening or malevolent; instead, they
spirits? glide silently and harmlessly through the houses.
Answer: The poet has told us that the world of spirits, (iii) What ‘errands’ are done by these phantoms?
representing the cumulative influences and memories Are their errands different from the known errands
of past relationships, exists as an ethereal realm of phantoms? How?
closely connected to our tangible world, affecting us
Answer: The errands of these phantoms are the silent
in unseen ways through a metaphorical ‘bridge of movements they make as they glide through the
light’. house. Unlike the usual malevolent or terrifying acts
(ii) Where can we ‘meet’ the departed spirits? associated with phantoms, these are peaceful, subtle
Answer: We ‘meet’ the departed spirits within the movements, reflecting their benign nature.
realms of our memories and emotions, where their (iv) At what places in the houses are these
influences linger and shape our thoughts and feelings, phantoms found as described later in the poem?
symbolized by the moments we reflect on their How do they enter the house?
impact upon our lives.
Answer: These phantoms are found on the doorways,
(iii) What is the significance of ‘So’ in Line 1? stairs, and passages of the house. They enter through
Answer: The significance of ‘So’ in Line 1 introduces a open doors, gliding through the house without
comparison or continuation, linking the metaphorical causing disturbance.
depiction of the moon’s bridge of light to the idea (v) Explain briefly how this extract suggests the title
that similarly, the world of spirits connects to ours, of the poem.
influencing our thoughts and guiding us across the
Answer: The extract suggests the title of the poem,
unseen. “Haunted Houses,” by describing how every house in
(iv) Which bridge descends from the world of spirits? which people have lived and died is metaphorically
What has it been compared to? haunted. The ghosts are memories of past occupants,
Answer: The bridge that descends from the world of and their presence continues to “haunt” the space.
spirits is a metaphorical ‘bridge of light’, likened to Extract 2
the moonlight’s reflection on the sea, symbolizing the
There are more guests at table than the hosts
pathway through which the influences of past Invited; the illuminated hall
relationships and memories enter our consciousness. Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
(v) What do we often think of? As silent as the pictures on the wall.
Answer: We often think of the mysteries of existence, (i) Why are there more guests at the table? How do
the unknown, and the profound impacts of our past these uninvited guests behave at the table?
relationships, as we traverse the metaphorical ‘bridge
Answer: There are more guests at the table because (iv) Who ‘hold in mortmain still their old estates?
the ghosts of past occupants are present. These Why?
uninvited guests are quiet and inoffensive, behaving Answer: The past occupants of the house “hold in
with silence and causing no disturbance, much like mortmain” their old estates, meaning that even in
the pictures on the wall. death, they maintain a presence or influence over
(ii) Why are they described as ‘quiet’ and their former homes, as if they still own them.
inoffensive”? State two other traits of the ghosts (v) Explain briefly two poetic devices used in this
described in the poem. extract with examples.
Answer: They are described as quiet and inoffensive Answer: One poetic device is metaphor, as “stretch
because they are peaceful and make no noise or their dusty hands” symbolizes the lingering presence
disruption. Two other traits of the ghosts are that of past occupants. Another device is personification,
they are invisible to others and glide silently through as the estates are described as being “held” by the
the house. dead, attributing human actions to non-human
(iii) Why are they ‘as silent as the pictures on the entities.
wall’? Whose ‘pictures’ are they? Extract 4
Answer: They are ‘as silent as the pictures on the Our little lives are kept in equipoise
wall’ because, like the pictures, they make no sound By opposite attractions and desires;
and do not interfere with the living. The ‘pictures’ The struggle of the instinct that enjoys,
likely refer to images of past family members or And the more noble instinct that aspires.
ancestors who once lived in the house.
(i) Whose ‘little lives’ are referred to in the first line
(iv) Which figure of speech is used in this extract? of the extract? In comparison to whom are they
Explain this figure of speech. ‘little’ and why?
Answer: The figure of speech used in this extract is Answer: The ‘little lives’ refer to human beings. In
simile, as the ghosts are compared to “the pictures on comparison to the vastness of the spiritual or cosmic
the wall” to emphasize their silence and non-intrusive world, human lives are described as ‘little’ because
presence. they are brief and insignificant in the grand scheme of
(v) In this extract, there is a reference to ‘more things.
guests’. What is said in the extract that shows that (ii) How is balance maintained in their short lives?
they are uninvited?
Answer: Balance is maintained in their short lives
Answer: The phrase “more guests than the hosts through the constant tension between opposite
invited” implies that the ghosts are uninvited. These attractions and desires—between base pleasures and
spirits are present without the hosts having called for higher aspirations, which create a sense of
them, silently attending the gathering. equilibrium.
Extract 3 (iii) What are the two types of instincts referred to in
We have no title-deeds to house or lands; this extract? Give examples of each type.
Owners and occupants of earlier dates Answer: The two types of instincts are the instinct
From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands, that enjoys, which refers to seeking physical or
And hold in mortmain still their old estates. immediate pleasures (e.g., material comforts), and
(i) Who are ‘We’ referred to in this extract? Why do the more noble instinct that aspires, which refers to
they not have ‘title-deeds to house or lands”? striving for higher, spiritual or intellectual goals (e.g.,
Answer: ‘We’ refers to the current occupants of the pursuing knowledge or moral excellence).
houses. They do not have title-deeds because the (iv) What is the reason for the struggle between the
true owners, those who lived before, still two types of instincts? How is this struggle resolved?
metaphorically hold claim to the house through their Answer: The struggle between these instincts arises
lingering presence. from the human desire to enjoy immediate pleasures
(ii) Who are the ‘Owners and Occupants of earlier while also feeling the pull of higher aspirations. This
dates? struggle is resolved by maintaining a balance,
Answer: The ‘Owners and Occupants of earlier dates’ allowing both instincts to coexist and keep life in a
are the people who lived in the house in the past and state of equipoise.
have since passed away. (v) Explain briefly the rhyme scheme used in this
(iii) Explain the line — ‘From graves forgotten stretch poem with examples. What role does it play in the
their dusty hands’ with reference to the poem. poem?
Answer: This line symbolizes the lingering presence Answer: The rhyme scheme used in this poem is
of past occupants who metaphorically reach out from ABAB, as seen in lines such as “equipoise/desires”
their forgotten graves, as their memory or influence and “enjoys/aspires.” This alternating rhyme creates
remains in the house.
a harmonious structure, reflecting the balance or allowing thoughts or memories to move between
equipoise that the poem describes. them.
Extract 5 (ii) Whose floor is referred to as ‘unsteady’? Why?
These perturbations, this perpetual jar Answer: The floor of the ‘bridge of light’ is referred to
Of earthly wants and aspirations high, as ‘unsteady’ because it represents the fragile
Come from the influence of an unseen star, connection between the spiritual and material
An undiscovered planet in our sky. worlds. It sways and bends, symbolizing the
(i) What are referred to as ‘these perturbations’? uncertainty and instability of this connection.
Who are affected by ‘these perturbations’? (iii) What are the ‘thoughts’ that wander above the
Answer: ‘These perturbations’ refer to the inner dark abyss?
conflicts and struggles between human desires for Answer: The ‘thoughts’ that wander above the dark
material things (earthly wants) and higher goals abyss are human reflections or contemplations about
(aspirations). These perturbations affect all humans, the spiritual world. These thoughts navigate the
as they navigate the tension between these two uncertain terrain between life and death, the known
opposing forces. and the unknown.
(ii) Which figure of speech is used in the line — ‘this (iv) What is the significance of this ‘bridge of light’?
perpetual jar/Of earthly wants and aspirations Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ signifies the connection
high’? Explain it briefly. between the spiritual and material worlds. It
Answer: The figure of speech used is metaphor. The represents the link between the living and the dead,
term “perpetual jar” represents the constant conflict as well as the passage of thoughts, memories, and
between earthly desires and higher aspirations, influences between these two realms.
describing this struggle as a kind of jarring or (v) Give four reasons to justify the poet’s view that
unsettling vibration. all houses are haunted.
(iii) What comes from the influence of an ‘unseen Answer:
star’? What is this ‘unseen star’ a reference to?
 All houses are inhabited by the memories of
Answer: The conflicts or struggles in human life come people who once lived there.
from the influence of this ‘unseen star.’ This ‘unseen
 The presence of past occupants is felt in the
star’ is a metaphor for an unknown or intangible atmosphere, creating a sense of haunting.
force that shapes human desires and aspirations,
possibly representing fate, destiny, or spiritual forces.  The spirits of the dead metaphorically remain,
continuing to influence the living.
(iv) Why has the narrator referred to ‘an
undiscovered planet in our sky’?  Every house carries the weight of its history,
making it ‘haunted’ by the past.
Answer: The narrator refers to ‘an undiscovered
planet’ as a metaphor for unseen or unknown
influences that guide human behavior. It suggests
that there are forces beyond our understanding that
impact our desires and aspirations.
(v) Explain briefly how this extract suggests the
existence of a supernatural element.
Answer: The extract suggests the existence of a
supernatural element by implying that unseen,
cosmic forces (represented by the star and planet)
influence human lives. These forces are intangible
and beyond human comprehension, hinting at a
mysterious, spiritual realm.
Extract 6
So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O’er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.
(i) What connects the ‘bridge of light’? How is this
bridge made?
Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ connects the world of
spirits with the material world. This bridge is made
through the influence or presence of spiritual forces,
which create a connection between the two realms,

You might also like