WBBSE 10th Class English Solutions Chapter 2 Fable
WBBSE 10th Class English Solutions Chapter 2 Fable
West Bengal Board 10th Class English Solutions Chapter 2 Fable
WBBSE 10th Class English Solutions
Introduction
About the Poet: American poet, essayist, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts. He studied at Harvard and taught for a brief time.
Emerson wrote a poetic prose, ordering his essays by recurring themes and images. His poetry, on the other hand, is often called harsh and didactic. Among Emerson’s most well known works are Essays: First Series’ (1841) and ‘Essays: Second Series’ (1844). The First Series’ includes Emerson’s famous essay, ‘Self-Reliance’.
Emerson’s other volumes include ‘Poems’ (1847), ‘Representative Men’ (1850), ‘The Conduct of Life’ (1860), and English Traits’ (1865). He died of pneumonia on April 27, 1882.
SUBSTANCE AND CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE POEM
A fable is a short story or poem that teaches a lesson. In the poem ‘Fable’, the mountain calls the squirrel a ‘Little Prig’. The mountain perhaps feels that the squirrel is inferior because it is small in size. But the poem tells us that everyone has his/her own rightful place in the world. Thus Emerson tells the readers not to judge others and try to understand that others too have qualities that we lack. For instance, the mountain can carry a forest on its back, but it cannot break a nut that the squirrel can easily do. Everyone has his or her own individual talents, and everything has its purpose in this world. No one is greater or lesser than another.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE
The poem is titled ‘Fable’. A fable is a short story or poem that teaches a lesson. In a fable, living creatures or nonliving things are given human attributes or qualities. In this poem, both the mountain and the squirrel can speak and use reasoning like human beings. The poem teaches us that size does not matter. Everyone has a particular purpose and place in this world.
PARAPHRASE OF THE POEM
In this poem, a mountain and a squirrel have a quarrel because the mountain feels it is more important. The mountain called the squirrel a Little Prig’. The squirrel replied that the mountain is no doubt very big. However, size is not all important. Many other qualities have to be taken into consideration to make a judgement about someone. The squirrel said he did not think that occupying a small place, in comparison to the huge area occupied by the mountain, was insulting. If the squirrel is not as big as the mountain, the mountain is also not as small as the squirrel. Moreover, the mountain is not as agile as the squirrel, though it can create a beautiful track for the squirrel. Different things have different qualities. The mountain can carry a forest on its back, but it cannot break a nut as easily as a squirrel does.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:
1. The quarrel was between the mountain and the
A. rabbit
B. rat
C. cat
D. squirrel
2. Bun has no doubt that the mountain is
A. small
B. big
C. noble
D. kind
3. Unlike a mountain, a squirrel can crack a—
A. nut
B. joke
C. stone
D. lock
4. The story of the poem is based on —
A. narration
B. description
C. story telling
D. a conversation
5. The quarrel was between —
A. the forest and the squirrel
B. a nut and the squirrel
C. talent and wisdom
D. the mountain and the squirrel
6. The quarrel was initiated by-
A. the squirrel
B. the mountain
C. the third one
D. both the squirrel and the mountain
7. “And the former called the latter, ‘Little Prig’.”-Here ‘former’ refers to —
A. the mountain
B. the squirrel
C. both A and B
D. neither A nor B
8. Little Prig’ refers to-
A. the mountain
B. the squirrel
C. the forest
D. a nut
9. “Bun replied” – Here ‘Bun’ is —
A. the mountain
B. the forest
C. the squirrel
D. the nut
10. The squirrel says all the weathers come together to make up —
A. the earth
B. the nature
C. the year
D. all of these
11. According to the poet, the squirrel thinks that there is no disgrace in being –
A. weak
B. happy
C. small
D. big
12. To hold one’s position in the society is —
A. prestigious
B. unprestigious
C. disgraceful
D. shameful
13. “If I’m not so large as you”-Here the comparison is between —
A. the squirrel and the nut
B. the squirrel and the mountain
C. the squirrel and the earth
D. the squirrel and the forest
14. mountain is —
A. very wise
B. quite lively
C. very big
D. very pretty
15. The poem depicts that the squirrel is not as large as the —
A. mountain
B. tree
C. forest
D. sphere
16. And not half so spry… – Here the word ‘spry’ means —
A. full of anger
B. full of sorrow
C. full of life and energy
D. full of happiness
17. The word ‘spry’ suggests that the squirrel is
A. lively
B. large
C. small
D. intelligent
18. The mountain is not even ……………… so spry as the squirrel
A. one-fourth
B. one-fourth
C. half
D. two-third
19. The thing that differs is –
A. talent
B. courage
C. strength
D. story
20. According to the poet, the mountain and the squirrel have different —
A. heights
B. sizes
C. ages
D. talents
21. “… all is well and wisely put” ― Here is an indirect hint at the—
A. supreme creator
B. mountain
C. human beings
D. squirrel
22. Unlike the squirrel the mountain can—
A. carry forests on its back
B. crack a nut
C. move about happily
D. make a sphere
23. The nut cannot be cracked by-
A. the squirrel
B. the mountain
C. the track
D. the forests
24. The squirrel cannot carry ……………. on its back.
A. mountains
B. hills
C. forests
D. people
True or False
1. The mountain called the squirrel ‘Little Bun’.
Ans. False
2. The squirrel is sprier than the mountain.
Ans. True
3. The mountain can carry forests on its back.
Ans. True
4. The mountain and the squirrel seemed to be good friends.
Ans. False; Supporting Statement: The mountain and the squirrel/Had a quarrel.
5. The squirrel has a doubt that the mountain is very big.
Ans. False
6. All sorts of things and weather make up a huge mountain.
Ans. False
7. The mountain was as spry as the squirrel.
Ans. False
8. The squirrel called the mountain ‘Little Prig.
Ans. False
9. Talents in this world are dissimilar.
Ans. True
10. The squirrel believes, disgrace depends on one’s talents.
Ans. False
11. The mountain can crack a nut at ease.
Ans. False
12. ‘Bun’ here refers to an inanimate object.
Ans. False
13. To occupy its own place, according to the squirrel, is a disgrace.
Ans. False
14. The squirrel thinks that he is as large as the mountain.
Ans. False
15. The mountain makes a beautiful track for the squirrel.
Ans. True
Complete the following expressions with information from the poem:
1. ‘Bun’ is the nick name of ………………….
Ans. ‘Bun’ is the nick name of the squirrel.
2. ‘But all sorts of things and weather’ make up ………………….
Ans. But all sorts of things and weather’ make up a year and a sphere.
3. For the squirrel, to occupy a little space is ………………….
Ans. For the squirrel, to occupy a little space is not a matter of disgrace.
4. The mountain cannot ………………….
Ans. The mountain cannot crack a nut.
Answer the following questions very briefly:
1. Who had a quarrel with the squirrel?
Ans. The mountain had a quarrel with the squirrel.
2. What is not a disgrace to the squirrel?
Ans. Occupying his place is not a disgrace to the squirrel.
3. What is it that the squirrel doesn’t deny?
Ans. The squirrel does not deny that the mountain makes a pretty squirrel track.
4. Who puts all well and wisely?
Ans. The creator, God, puts all well and wisely.
5. What did the mountain call the squirrel?
Ans. The mountain called the squirrel a ‘Little Prig’
6. How does the mountain make fun of the squirrel?
Ans. The mountain makes fun of the squirrel by calling him a little prig’.
7. What did the squirrel think about occupying its place?
Ans. It was not a disgrace to occupy his own space.
8. How, according to Bun, can a year be made up?
Ans. A year can be made up with all sorts of things and weather taken in together.
9. Who makes a track for the squirrel?
Ans. The mountain makes a track for the squirrel.
10. Name the poem and the poet
Ans. The name of the poem is ‘Fable’ and the poet is Ralph Waldo Emerson.
11. Who cannot carry forests? Who cannot crack a nut?
Ans. The squirrel cannot carry forests.
The mountain cannot crack a nut.
12. Mention two qualities of the mountain.
Ans. The mountain can make a very pretty squirrel track. Besides this, it can carry forests s on it its back.
13. What, according to the squirrel, can be said about the mountain doubtlessly?
Ans. As admitted by the squirrel, the mountain is doubtlessly very big. It can carry forests on its back. It also makes pretty squirrel tracks.
14. What point does the squirrel make to the mountain?
Ans. If the bigness of the mountain is a matter of pride then the squirrel can also be proud of being small. The big mountain cannot do things which the small squirrel can.
15. What are the limitations that a mountain has?
Ans. The mountain is not as small and spry as the squirrel. It cannot also crack a nut like him.
16. What is the ultimate moral established by the poem ‘Fable’?
Ans. The moral of the poem ‘Fable’ is that, no one on this earth is more or less important than others. Whether big or small, everyone and everything has its place on this earth.
Follow on Facebook page – Click Here
Google News join in – Click Here
Read More Asia News – Click Here
Read More Sports News – Click Here
Read More Crypto News – Click Here