The Inchcape Rock

ICE BREAKERS [PAGE 103]

Ice Breakers | Q 1 | Page 103

Prepare a word register related to marine life.
Solution: sailors, salt, waves, tide, coral reefs, octopus, sea-weed, compass, starboard,
port, coast, harbour, maritime, nautical mile
Ice Breakers | Q 2 | Page 103
The functions of a lighthouse are

Solution:
• To show the direction
• To keep vigil
• To warn ships of the dangers during darkness
• To send signals to the ships by blinking the light in Morse code
Ice Breakers | Q 3 | Page 103
Discuss in pairs the various famous rocks in the world and mention the places
where they are.
Famous Rock Place
Balancing Rock Mahabalipuram

Solution:
Famous Rock Place
Balancing Rock Mahabalipuram
Aphrodite’s Rock Paphos, Cyprus
Old Harry Rocks Isle of Purbeck, England
Uluru/Ayers Rock Northern Territory, Australia

Ice Breakers | Q 4 | Page 103

 Narrate in class a story about someone who destroyed or spoilt someone else’s good
work.
Solution: There was once a grumpy man, who didn’t like anyone in his neighbourhood.
Whenever the people would organise a community event, they would invite him to help
and try to make him feel a part of the community. However, the grumpy man never
attended any of the events. He stayed in his house all the time, never talking to anyone.
Eventually, the neighbourhood stopped inviting him to any gatherings. Once when his
neighbours had organised a funfair, the grumpy man, out of spite, destroyed the entire
set-up the night before the event. The next morning, when everyone saw what had
happened, they knew that the grumpy man must have been behind it. They let him off
with a warning that the next time he caused destruction; they would report him to the
police. As the grumpy man had spoiled everyone’s good work, they all decided never to
speak to him again.
Ice Breakers | Q 5 | Page 103
Discuss in pairs and groups the following expressions. Take the help of your
teacher.
a. As you sow so shall you reap
b. Crime gets its own punishment
c. What goes around comes around
d. Tit for tat
e. Evil digs a pit for others but falls into the same
Solution: The given expressions have the traditional theory of Karma at their core
sooner or later we will have to bear the consequences of all our actions, whether good
or bad. So, instead of thinking ill of others, we should focus on being good towards
them, as we will eventually be treated the same way we treat others.
BRAINSTORMING (A1) [PAGE 107]

Brainstorming (A1) | Q 1 | Page 107

Narrate in groups the scene described in the beginning of the poem.
Solution: The scene described in the beginning of the poem is best captured in the first
two stanzas, wherein a calm scenario has been depicted. The air, the sea and the ship
are in a peaceful state. The sea-waves are so feeble that they don’t send any sound or
shock. They do not rise or fall enough to cause the Inchcape bell to ring.
 BRAINSTORMING (A2) [PAGE 107]

Brainstorming (A2) | Q 1.1 | Page 107

Complete the following statement:
The Abbot of Aberbrothok placed a bell on the Inchcape Rock because _______.
Solution: The Abbot of Aberbrothok placed a bell on the Inchcape Rock because he
wanted the ships to stay safe from collision with the Inchcape Rock that used to
be submerged in the water during high tide.
Brainstorming (A2) | Q 1.2 | Page 107
Complete the following statement:
The mariners were grateful to the Abbot of Aberbrothok because _______.
Solution: The mariners were grateful to the Abbot of Aberbrothok because he saved
them from possible shipwrecks by installing the warning bell on Inchcape Rock.
Brainstorming (A2) | Q 1.3 | Page 107
Complete the following statement:
The result of the thick haze that covered the sky was that ______.
Solution: The result of the thick haze that covered the sky was that sir Ralph and his
crew couldn’t see the sun on high.
Brainstorming (A2) | Q 1.4 | Page 107
Complete the following statement:
The Rover in frustration pulled his hair and cursed himself because ______.
Solution: The Rover in frustration pulled his hair and cursed himself because he was
going to meet his death only because of his own wicked act of cutting off the
Inchcape Bell.
Brainstorming (A2) | Q 2 | Page 107
Given below are the events that give the theme of the poem in a jumbled form. Arrange
in a proper sequence as per their occurrence.
a. The waves were so small that they did not move enough to ring the bell at the Inchcape
Rock.
b. The Abbot of Aberbrothok had placed the bell on a buoy on the rock.
c. There was a thick haze spread over the atmosphere.
d. Ralph bent over from the boat.
e. Sir Ralph cursed himself in despair and in his frustration tore his hair.
 Solution: b. The Abbot of Aberbrothok had placed the bell on a buoy on the rock.
a. The waves were so small that they did not move enough to ring the bell at the
Inchcape Rock.
d. Ralph bent over from the boat.
c. There was a thick haze spread over the atmosphere.
e. Sir Ralph cursed himself in despair and in his frustration tore his hair.

Brainstorming (A2) | Q 3 | Page 107

Describe the qualities of the Abbot of Aberbrothok in your own words.

Solution:
1. Benevolent
2. Big-hearted
3. Well-wisher
4. Caring
5. Practical
6. Clever
7. Selfless
Brainstorming (A2) | Q 4 | Page 107
‘Jealousy’ is the most incurable defect. Justify.
Solution: ‘Jealousy’ means ‘envy’ in its most negative form. It originates primarily from
lack of self-confidence and is difficult to get rid of. Another reason for jealousy is poor
self-image. The insecurity arising out of the fear of being rejected by someone leads to
jealousy too. It upsets our social circle and turns friends to foes. This can further
alienate a person, making him/her even more jealous of other people due to one’s own
sense of inadequacy. All these insecurities, which stem from jealousy, can drive a
person to cause harm to others. A lot of self-training is required to get rid of the negative
emotion of jealousy. As long as a person holds a low opinion of self, he/she can never
be immune to this defect. Even with a lot of practice, one is bound to feel this emotion at
some point in their lives. Thus, jealousy is the most incurable defect.
Brainstorming (A2) | Q 5 | Page 107
‘But the Rover’s mirth was wickedness’. Explain this line in your own words with the
help of the poem.
Solution: ‘But the Rover’s mirth was wickedness’
Explanation:
Though Sir Ralph was in a cheerful mood and his heart was full of joy, the reason
behind his happiness was a wicked plan that he had just devised.
BRAINSTORMING (A3) [PAGE 107]

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 1 | Page 107

Some words in the poem are related to different parts of a ship or a mariner’s life.
Given below is the meaning of those terms. Identify the word.
Helps in steering the ship

Solution: Helps in steering the ship - sails

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 2 | Page 107
Some words in the poem are related to different parts of a ship or a mariner’s life.
Given below is the meaning of those terms. Identify the word.
The lowest part of the ship

Solution: The lowest part of the ship - keel

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 3 | Page 107
Some words in the poem are related to different parts of a ship or a mariner’s life.
Given below is the meaning of those terms. Identify the word.
Floating object that shows direction

Solution: Floating object that shows direction - buoy

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 4 | Page 107
Some words in the poem are related to different parts of a ship or a mariner’s life.
Given below is the meaning of those terms. Identify the word.
Another name for a ship

Solution: Another name for a ship - boat/ vessel

Brainstorming (A3) | Q 5 | Page 107
Some words in the poem are related to different parts of a ship or a mariner’s life.
Given below is the meaning of those terms. Identify the word.
Sinking sound

Solution: Sinking sound - gurgling

BRAINSTORMING (A4) [PAGE 108]

Brainstorming (A4) | Q 1 | Page 108

Ballad
A ballad is a song that tells a story, and it can be dramatic, funny or romantic.
Traditionally the ballad has been considered a folkloric verse narrative which has strong
associations with communal dancing. Generally, the term is used for a narrative poem
which uses an elliptical and highly stylized mode of narration. The technique of
repetition with variation may play an important part in it.
From the 18th century onwards, collections of folk / ‘popular ballads’ began to be made.
The form was taken up by some of the most influential poets of the late 18th century as
a folkloric form of expression.
A typical ballad consists of stanzas that contain a quatrain, or four poetic lines. Some
ballads have a refrain, or a repeated chorus, just like a song does. The rhyme scheme
adds musical quality to the poem. One famous ballad is ‘The Rime of the Ancient
Mariner’ by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Solution
Brainstorming (A4) | Q 2 | Page 108
Select the appropriate figure of speech from the box given below and complete
the table.
Metaphor, Alliteration, Repetition, Personification, Inversion, Simile, Apostrophe,
Onomatopoeia

Examples Figure of Speech Explanation

1. Sir Ralph the Rover tore Alliteration The close repetition of
his hair. consonant sounds at the
beginning of words
Solution:
Examples Figure of Speech Explanation

1. Sir Ralph the Rover tore Alliteration The close repetition of

his hair. consonant sounds at the
beginning of words

2. No stir in the air, no stir Alliteration The close repetition of the

in the sea sound of ‘s’.

Repetition The words ‘No stir in the’

have been repeated in the
line.

3. On a buoy in the storm it Inversion The order of words has

floated and swung been rearranged for a
poetic effect. The correct
order should be ‘It floated
and swung on a buoy in the
storm’.

Personification The ‘Inchcape bell’ has

been given the animate
quality of ‘floating’ and
‘swinging’
 4. Down sank the bell with Inversion The order of words has
a gurgling sound. been rearranged for a
poetic effect. The correct
order should be ‘The bell
sank down with a gurgling
sound.’

Onomatopoeia The word ‘gurgling’ denotes

the sound made by the bell
as it sunk in the ocean.

5. The Devil below was Onomatopoeia The word ‘ringing’ denotes

ringing his knell. the sound made by the bell.
6. The Ship was still as she Alliteration Close repetition of syllable
could be ‘s’
Personification The ship has been
personified with the use o
the feminine pronoun ‘she’.

7. On the deck the Rover Inversion The order of words has

takes his stand, been rearranged for a
poetic effect. The correct
order should be ‘The Rover
takes his stand on the
deck’.
8. Oh Christ! Apostrophe A direct address has been
made to an entity that is not
present.

BRAINSTORMING (A5) [PAGE 108]

Brainstorming (A5) | Q 1 | Page 108

Write an appreciation of the poem, ‘The Inchcape Rock’.
Solution: Appreciation of the poem ‘The Inchcape Rock’
‘The Inchcape Rock’ by Robert Southey is a ballad of seventeen stanzas, also called
quatrains as they are made of four lines each. The primary theme of the poem is that
those who do bad things meet with a bad end at the hands of fate. The idea of ‘what
goes around, comes around’ is at the core of the poem. The ballad is composed in a
narrative style and the rhyming couplets follow the rhyme scheme ‘aabb’. The poem
also contains a lot of old English words. The poet embellishes his composition with a
number of figures of speech such as Alliteration, Antithesis, Apostrophe, Consonance,
Exclamation, Inversion, Metaphor, Onomatopoeia, Personification, Repetition, Simile,
Synecdoche, and Transferred Epithet. The highlight of the poem is the vivid imagery of
the ‘bright, shining sun’ at the beginning to that of ‘hazy sky’ at the end, or that of the
‘steady ship’, ‘light waves’, ‘green ocean’, ‘birds wheeling around’, ‘sinking ship’, etc.
that the poet employs to convey the message of poetic justice. Its smart usage makes
the readers feel like they are a part of the scene being described. The use of symbolism
also adds to the beauty of the poem where the Abbot is presented as the symbol of all
that is good, while Sir Ralph symbolizes the evil. The Inchcape Rock is symbolic of the
trap that Sir Ralph had laid down for others, which he himself fell into. Through the
poem has been composed in the 18th century, the message conveyed by it is relevant
even today − that one should steer clear of wickedness and malice towards others, as
that could be the cause of one’s own doom. The poem is didactic in nature, meaning
that it conveys a moral through the story depicted in it. The moral of this poem is ‘As
you sow, so shall you reap’. In my opinion, the poem is timeless, as its relevance can
never diminish. For as long as humans suffer from the vice of jealousy, this poem will
keep reminding them of its consequences.

Brainstorming (A5) | Q 2 | Page 108

Compose 4 to 6 lines on ‘sea’.
Solution:

Sea

The land once pricked the sea,

Your waves from the shore flee,

And here it’s me,

Grounded unlike thee.

The sea in all its patience quipped in glee,

Oh I see!
BRAINSTORMING (A6) [PAGE 109]

Brainstorming (A6) | Q 1.1 | Page 109

Expand the idea on your own on the following topic.
Pride goes before a fall
Solution: Each one of us is truly special. Our achievements in life are the result of
painstaking efforts, but one must never be blinded their achievements. Wise men have
rightly said that ‘Pride goes before a fall’, meaning a show of vanity and over-confidence
more often than not destroys a person. Basking in the glory of our success is only
natural, but what takes us higher should also make us humble. This valuable lesson is
taught to us through the popular story of ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’. Gloating in his
ability to run fast, the hare shamefully loses to a tortoise! Thus, we realize that ‘Pride
makes way for one’s undoing’.
Brainstorming (A6) | Q 1.2 | Page 109
Expand the idea on your own on the following topic.
Time and tide wait for none

Solution: The proverb ‘Time and tide wait for none’ illustrates the significance of time.
We may take time for granted but it keeps slipping away. Young or old, rich or poor,
time does not discriminate; it does not wait for anyone! Likewise, tide, too, waits for
none. Regardless of where you stand, the tide will take its course. It comes and goes
when it has to. Similarly, life goes on, and to fulfil our dreams we need to make the most
of every passing moment. We need to focus only on what matters and disregard
anything which is detrimental to our development. This is also emphasized by the
proverb, ‘Make hay while the sun shines’, which tells us to make the most of every
single moment that we have.
Brainstorming (A6) | Q 1.3 | Page 109
Expand the idea on your own on the following topic.
Man proposes, God disposes

Solution: It is said that ‘Man is the architect of his life’. Man is a constantly evolving
being, planning meticulously, and moving at a rapid pace. Even so, not all plans made
by man work out. ‘Man proposes; God disposes of’ is a proverb that tells us who the
Ultimate Master is. Man etches out various plans, but even the best-laid plans can fail.
The bright side though, is that God has his own plans. There is a time and place for
everything. The universe and everything in it have been woven into one big complex
plan. It unfolds when a higher power (God) wants it to unfold. Sometimes man’s plans
may align with God’s plans and sometimes they might not. At such times, man must
remember that God will make everything right. He will ensure that man ends up where
he was meant to be. However, this doesn’t mean that we stop taking efforts, because
after all ‘God helps those who help themselves’.

Brainstorming (A6) | Q 1.4 | Page 109

Expand the idea on your own on the following topic.
Look before you leap

Solution: If we take a shot in the dark, we are most likely to miss it. This is what the
proverb, ‘Look before you leap’ seeks to convey. It warns us about the consequences of
acting in haste and encourages us to make a well-informed choice before taking any
action. Life may present us with various situations but limited options. This may prompt
us to make certain rushed decisions. Even so, our focus must always be on making the
right choice rather than the easy one. As tempting as it may seem, there are truly no
shortcuts to success. Even a vast army can be vanquished if they underestimate the
strength and tactics of their enemy. Remember that ‘haste is waste’. Hence, it is better
to exercise caution and make a choice after considering all the facts, rather than
repenting it later!
Brainstorming (A6) | Q 2 | Page 109
The poem begins with:
‘Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flowed over the Inchcape Rock.’
It ends with:
‘Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock.’
On the basis of these lines explain the change in mood of the poem.
Solution:

The given opening lines from stanza 2 and the closing lines from stanza 15 marks a
near-dramatic shift in the mood of the poem. The former set of lines depicts a perfectly
calm sea, whose waves are so feeble that they do not even manage to move the
Inchcape Bell. The latter set of lines portrays a shift in the conditions of the same sea,
which has turned so rough that Sir Ralph’s ship has gone adrift. Though the wind has
subsided, the ship violently collides with the Inchcape Rock, which is invisible due to the
rise in water level.
BRAINSTORMING (A7) [PAGE 109]

Brainstorming (A7) | Q 1 | Page 109

(i) Read the following tree diagram and find out more information about
opportunities in ‘on and off the shore’ the Indian Navy.

(ii) Required qualifications and various fields/opportunities for women to join in the
Navy.
 (iii) Colleges that provide education in oceanography -
• National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
• National Institute of Oceanography, Mumbai
• MBA (Logistic Shipping Management), IIKM Business School, Calicut, Kerala
• Indira Gandhi College of Distance Education IGCDE Tamil Nadu.
Solution: (i) On Shore and Off Shore Opportunities in the Indian Navy:
• Executive Level:
A lot of opportunities are available at the Executive level in the Indian Navy. The various
specializations available are:
1. Gunnery & Missiles
2. Anti - Submarine Warfare
3. Navigation and direction
4. Communications
5. Aviation
6. Submarine
7. Hydrography
8. Diving
9. Law
10. Air Traffic Control
11. Naval Armament Inspection
12. Logistics
13. Information Technology
• Ocean Engineering:

This field of engineering deals with the design, research and development, testing,
analysis, operations, maintenance of structures, marine vehicles and other systems
onshore and offshore.
• Marine Research:
This branch is responsible for conducting deep-sea exploration, studying the effect of
climatic changes, atmospheric physics, land and water geology, mineralogy,
bacteriology, radio-transmission studies, underwater acoustics, conducting routine data
collection, and building facilities and expertise in different disciplines of oceanography.
[Note: The information given above is only for reference. Students are expected to visit
various websites and find out more information about the various opportunities available
with the Indian Navy.]