Keeping Quite

CBSE Sample Questions

MCO (1 mark)

'would put on clean clothes.' What does Pablo Neruda mean by 'clean clothes'?

1. What does the poem, 'Keeping Quiet' teach us? (AI 2015C) (AD
2. white dress to reflect peace.
3. mind without courage and confidence
4. mind without confusion and fear
5. mind without hatred and prejudice

(Term I, 2021-22) U

(2 marks)

What according to Pablo Neruda in the poem Keeping Quiet' is the lesson that we should learn from mother earth? (2023)

1. Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in 'Keeping Quiet'? (Delhi 2014) R
2. What is the sadness the poet refers to in the poem 'Keeping Quiet'? (Al 2014) [II]
3. How, according to Neruda, can keeping quiet change our attitude to life? (Delhi 2014C) Ap
4. Which images in the poem 'Keeping Quiet' show that the poem condemns violence? (AI 2014C)

SAII (3 marks)

1. ....... perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves and of threatening ourselves with death.
2. What will counting upto twelve and keeping still help us achieve? (Delhi 2015) Ev

Which symbol from nature does the poet invoke that there can be life under apparent stillness? (Delhi 2015)

1. 'Life is what it is all about, ....' How is keeping quiet related to life? (AI 2015) Ap

Why does one feel 'a sudden strangeness' on counting to twelve and keeping quiet? (Al 2015)

1. How will 'Keeping Quiet' protect our environment? (AI 2015) (Ap)
2. What will possibly be the effect of keeping quiet? (Foreign 2015)

SA III (4 marks)

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions

that follow:

1. Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still. For once on the face of the Earth let's not speak in any language, let's stop for one second, and not move our arms so much.
2. What is the significance of the number 'twelve'?

Which two activities does the poet want us to

stop?

1. What does the poet mean by 'let's not speak in any language'?
2. Describe the pun in the word, 'arms'. (Al 2016)
3. How can we bring about a 'huge silence'?
4. Why is silence called 'huge'?
5. What do we do for lack of understanding?
6. What does this lack ultimately lead to?

(Foreign 2016)

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,

we would all be together

in a sudden strangeness.

1. Which exotic moment is referred to in these lines?
2. Why would that moment be strange?
3. What does the poet advocate in the poem?
4. What does the poet mean by the word, 'engines'? (AI 2015C) [EV

If we were not so single-minded about keeping our lives moving, and for once could do nothing, perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves and of threatening ourselves with death.

1. Whom does 'we' refer to in the above lines?
2. Why does the poet want us to 'do nothing' for once?
3. What is the 'Sadness' that the poet refers to in

the poem? (AI 2014C) An

LAI (5 marks)

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: What I want should not be confused with total inactivity Life is what it is about: I want no truck with death. If we were not so single-minded about keeping our lives moving and for once could do nothing Perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves

and of threatening ourselves with

death.

The poet's intention in the first line is to

1. (b) give right direction to the readers
2. (d) give a clarification to the readers

Select the option that best explains the stand of the

poet in the expression: "I want no truck with death".

1. (b) He asserts that death is inevitable.
2. (d) He expresses his desire not to die.

Select the option that aptly describes the tone of the

poet in the expression:

"If we were not so single minded".

1. regretful (b) critical
2. encouraging (d) friendly

According to the poet who is to blame for the

condition of threatening ourselves with death? (d)

1. Stressful life
2. (c) Lack of understanding

The tone of the poet in the expression

"perhaps a huge silence

might interrupt this sadness" is

1. (b) sure and confident
2. (d) hopeful but not confident

(Term I, 2021-22)

CBSE Sample Questions

MCQ (1 mark)

In 'Keeping Quiet' the poet does not want the reader to confuse his advice for ____ with total inactivity.

1. experimentation (b) relaxation
2. isolation (d) introspection (Term I, 2021-22)

2 Identify the tone of Pablo Neruda in the following line: Perhaps the earth can teach us ......

1. Confident and clear about the future events.
2. Dramatic about the prediction he made.

1. Convinced about the sequence of events to follow.
2. Uncertain, yet hopeful about the possibility. (Term I, 2021-22)

SAL (2 marks)

What does Neruda mean by 'an exotic moment

without rush' in his poem, 'Keeping Quiet'?

(2020-21)