Class 12 English Previous Year: Short Questions With Answers (Part - 1) - Keeping Quiet

Q. 1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still
For once on the face of the earth
let’s not speak any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness”
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The name of the poem is ‘Keeping Quiet’ and it is composed by Pablo Neruda.
(b) What does he hope to achieve by keeping quiet?
Ans. The poet hopes that by keeping quiet we will get an opportunity to introspect.
(c) Why does the poet suggest a few moments of peace and silence in the world?
Ans. The poet thinks that people running after political power, personal gain and war trophies have no time to understand their own self.
(d) What is the meaning of an exotic moment?
Ans. It means a strange and unprecedented situation, full of silence and introspection.

Q. 2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
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.
(a) What is the significance of the number ‘twelve’?
Ans. Value Points: – The twelve divisions in the clock / measure of time – twelve months in a year – at twelve o’clock the hands in the clock unite suggesting amity and unity – twelve zodiac signs cover all people.
Detailed Answer: Twelve is an extended counting.
(b) Which two activities does the poet want us to stop?
Ans. Value Points: Not to speak in any language and not to move our arms so much.
Detailed Answer: The poet wants us to stop talking and stop moving our arms.
(c) What does the poet mean by ‘let’s not speak in any language’?
Ans. Value Points: – Pleads to be silent and to introspect – sudden silence is an opportunity to introspect – different languages symbolise differences – silence would break barriers between communities – silence symbolic of amity and brotherhood.
Detailed Answer: By this, the poet means not to speak in any language and be silent.
(d) Describe the pun on the word, ‘arms’.
Ans. Value Points: Arms refer to weapons and to the arms of the human body.
Detailed Answer: The word ‘arms’ here has two meanings. One refers to the part of our body and the other refers to the weapons.

Q. 3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“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.”
(a) Name the poem and poet.
Ans. Poem – Keeping Quiet, Poet – Pablo Neruda
(b) Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
OR
What is the significance of ‘Keeping Quiet?
Ans. Value Points: To take stock of our mindless activities / to be able to count to twelve / to do selfanalysis / for mental relaxation / to ensure peace / to introspect / to save mankind from imminent doom.
Detailed Answer: The poet wants us to keep quiet so that we can discontinue our activities that are hurting nature and in turn all of us.
(c) What does he want us to do for a second?
Ans. Value Points: Keep quiet / not speak / not to move our arms so much / stop all activities / to do nothing / no speech, no activity.
Detailed Answer: He wants us to stop all our actions, to do nothing for sometime.
(d) What does he mean by ‘not move our arms’?
Ans. Value Points: No movement / no activity / not to harm others / no wars / no violence.
Detailed Answer: It means that we should remain still and not make any movement.

Q. 4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: [Comptt., Outside Delhi Set I/II/III, 2017] [Comptt., Outside Delhi Set I, 2015]
‘It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.’
(a) What would be an exotic moment?
Ans. Value Points: Moment of silence; stillness; when all activity will come to a standstill.
Detailed Answer: The moment when everyone would be quiet and still would be an exotic moment.
(b) Why would it be exotic?
Ans. Value Points: Unusual moment; time for introspection; everyone would be together; total silence; no rush.
Detailed Answer: It would be exotic because there will be total silence to introspect and unite.
(c) What would be the result of all being together?
Ans. Value Points: No discrimination; foster harmony, brotherhood; oneness.
Detailed Answer: As a result of being together, there will be harmony and oneness.
(d) Explain: ‘sudden strangeness’
Ans. Value Points: Moment of togetherness; silence; something unusual.
Detailed Answer: It means the sudden strangeness of silence and inactivity.
OR
(a) Which exotic moment is referred to in these lines?
Ans. The poet refers to the moment when everyone would be quiet and still.
(b) Why would that moment be strange?
Ans. That moment would be strange because we have never experienced such moments of quietness and peace earlier.
(c) What does the poet advocate in the poem?
Ans. The poet advocates that from time to time one should introspect.
(d) What does the poet mean by the word, ‘engines’?
Ans. By ‘engines’, the poet means noises, born inside us of an outside world.

Q. 5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.”
(a) What does the poet mean by ‘Green wars’? [CBSE SQP, 2017]
Ans. Value Points: War against environment.
Detailed Answer: ‘Green wars’ means war against the environment.
(b) What does the poet want to suggest?
Ans. The poet wants peace in the world. He wants all people to stand silent and still for one moment.
(c) How will a few moments of introspection affect the mood, thinking and actions of the people?
Ans. When all people will observe silence and stand quiet, there will be no harm done to whales and other creatures.
(d) Explain “victory with no survivors.” [CBSE SQP, 2017]
Ans. Value Points: None may survive to celebrate victory.
Detailed Answer: After war, although there is victory on one side but there are no survivors to enjoy that victory, as war kills people on both sides.

Q.6. What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
(a) Name the poem and the poet of the above stanza. [CBSE SQP 2018-19]
Ans. Poem- Keeping Quiet, Poet- Pablo Neruda.
(b) What does the poet mean by “inactivity”?
Ans. Complete stillness / no movement.
(c) Explain what life is all about, according to the poet?
Ans. Life is about movement / development / action / live to the fullest with happiness.
(d) What is the ultimate expectation of the poet from all human beings?
Ans. Live by maintaining harmony with earth/stop destruction/introspect and live in peace and brotherhood.

Q. 7. 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.”
(a) What should not be confused with ‘total inactivity’?
Ans. Stillness and quietness should not be confused with total inactivity.
(b) Why does the poet say ‘I want no truck with death’?
Ans. The poet clarifies that he wants no association with death.
(c) What does the poet refuse?
Ans. The poet does not mean absolute idleness which is impossible as life is meant to move ahead.
(d) What is the soul of life?
Ans. Action or activity is the soul of life.

Q. 8. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Perhaps a huge silence might
interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.
Perhaps the earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.”
(a) How does the poet interpret sadness?
Ans. He interprets “sadness” with depression, with the fear of the war clouds and with destruction.
(b) According to the poet, who can teach us?
Ans. The Earth.
(c) Why does the poet recommend silence and temporary inactivity?
Ans. A short interval of silence and stillness will relax us and give us time to plan a better tomorrow.
(d) What is always alive when everything seems dead?
Ans. Only the Earth is alive when everything else appears to be dead.

Q. 9. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Perhaps the Earth can teach us
As when everything seems dead
And later proves to be alive
Now I will count upto twelve
And you keep quiet and I will go.”
(a) What does the Earth teach us?
Ans. The Earth teaches us how new life springs up from the dead-remains.
(b) What does the poet means to achieve by counting up to twelve?
Ans. The poet wants to achieve peace by counting up to twelve.
(c) What is the significance of “keeping quiet”?
Ans. It means that we should avoid all such activities, which are hurting nature and, in turn, all of us.
(d) Which word in the passage means ‘may be’?
Ans. Perhaps

Q. 10. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
(a) What can Earth teach us?
Ans. The Earth can teach us that when everything looks calm and silent and seems dead, it is not so.
(b) How can we achieve the state of ‘seems dead’?
Ans. We can achieve the above state, by stopping to work mechanically and by taking out a little time to introspect.
(c) Give one example of how the seeming to be dead things become alive.
Ans. One example is that of the earth. It keeps within it quietly and calmly a seed, which seems dead but stores the life of a huge tree in it.
(d) Select two words from the given lines which are antonyms of each other?
Ans. Dead-alive.