NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Unit 5 My Dear Soldiers

Let us do these activities before we read (Page 199)

QI: Look around and identify the people who contribute to your life selflessly with a risk to their own lives. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.
Ans: Soldiers, firefighters, and doctors contribute to our lives selflessly by risking their lives to protect and help us.

QII: Work in pairs. Discuss at least three questions that you would like to ask the people identified in I.
Ans: 1. How do you stay brave when you face danger?
2. What made you choose this job?
3. How do you feel when you save someone’s life?

Let us discuss (Page 201)

QI: Complete the summary with an exact word from the poem. An example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.
Ans: The poem is a tribute to the soldiers of the 1. land who defend the 2. borders of their country. It highlights their untiring commitment and sacrifices as they guard the nation. The soldiers remain vigilant and dedicated, whether it's windy, snowy, or 3. scorching hot. They walk on 4. lonely stretches of land like the yogis. Their duty takes them to different terrains, including mountains, valleys, 5. deserts, and marshes. The poet acknowledges that they have given a major part of their 6. youth to protect the nation. The poet says the wind chimes show their respect to the soldiers' 7. feat. The poet concludes with prayers for their well-being and blessings.

QII: Select the correct option for the following questions.
1: The theme of the poem is _______
(i) patriotism and sacrifice 
(ii) heroism and awareness 
(iii) nature and hardship 
(iv) seasons and terrain
Ans: (i) patriotism and sacrifice

2: The tone of the poem is ______
(i) admiring (ii) sad (iii) respectful(iv) grateful (v) prayerful
A. Only (v) 
B. (i) and (iii)
C. (ii), (iii) and (v) 
D. (i), (iii), (iv) and (v)
Ans: D. (i), (iii), (iv) and (v)

QIII: Complete the following sentences by explaining why the poet has used the following poetic devices.
1: Imagery because  _________________________________________________
Ans: Imagery because it helps the reader picture the soldiers guarding in harsh weather and lonely places.

2: Simile because the soldiers are likened to _________________________________________________
Ans: Simile because the soldiers are likened to yogis walking in lonely places.

3: Metaphor because the poet uses wind chimes  _________________________________________________
Ans: Metaphor because the poet uses wind chimes to show the respect and honour for soldiers’ brave actions.

4: Repetition of the words 'you' and 'we' because  _________________________________________________
Ans: Repetition of the words 'you' and 'we' because it shows the connection between the soldiers and the people they protect.

5: Alliteration such as 'season or snowy' and to create  _________________________________________________
Ans: Alliteration such as 'season or snowy' and to create a rhythm and make the poem sound more powerful.

Let us think and reflect (Page 202)

QI. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. 

When we are all asleep
You still hold on to your deed
Windy season or snowy days
Or scorching sun’s sweltering rays
You are there guarding all the time awake
Treading the lonely expanses as yogis

1: Identify a set of opposite words from the extract.
Ans: Asleep and awake

2: Complete the sentence appropriately. The phrase 'still hold on to your deed' refers to the soldier's attitude of
Ans: The phrase 'still hold on to your deed' refers to the soldier's attitude of staying committed to their duty.

3: Identify whether the following statement is true or false. The soldiers walk across the deserted stretches of land.
Ans: True

4: Give evidence from the extract to show that soldiers face harsh weather conditions.
Ans: "Windy season or snowy days / Or scorching sun's sweltering rays" shows soldiers face harsh weather conditions.

5: Which quality of the soldiers is highlighted in this extract?
(i) modesty
 (ii) optimism 
(iii) simplicity 
(iv) dedication
Ans: (iv) dedication

QII. Answer the following questions.

1: Who is the speaker of this poem? How can you say so?
Ans: The speaker is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the poet. We can say so because his name is mentioned as the author of the poem.

2: How is the theme of the poem conveyed through imagery? Support your answer with examples from the poem.
Ans: The theme of patriotism and sacrifice is shown through imagery like "windy season or snowy days" and "treading the lonely expanses," which help us imagine soldiers working hard in tough conditions.

3: How does the poet highlight the commitment of the soldiers? Provide examples from the poem to support your answer.
Ans: The poet highlights soldiers’ commitment by saying they guard "all the time awake" and work in "windy season or snowy days," showing they never stop protecting the nation.

4: What is the significance of the line 'Prime of your youth given to the nation!!' with reference to sacrifice and service?
Ans: The line means soldiers give their young years to serve the nation, sacrificing their personal life to protect the country.

5: The poem ends with a prayer for the soldiers' well-being and blessings. Why is it important for each one of us to pray for the well-being of soldiers?
Ans: It is important to pray for soldiers because they risk their lives to keep us safe, and praying shows our gratitude and support for them.

Let us learn (Page 202)

QI: The poem mentions a few terrains (physical features of land)-valleys, deserts, and marshes. Identify the terrains from the box given below. There are two that you do not need.Ans: Mountains, delta, peninsula

QII: Study the following phrases from the poem.

• treading the lonely expanses
• climbing the heights
• scorching sun 

Such phrases are word pairs that come together in combinations and are called collocations.

Fill in the blanks by choosing the words given in the brackets that collocate appropriately.
Ans:

1. The hikers reached the peak (summit/peak) of the mountain after several days of trekking through challenging conditions.
2. The barren (empty/barren) landscape of the desert made it nearly impossible to find any water sources.
3. In the rainforest, the dense (heavy/dense) forest provides a habitat for a diverse range of wildlife.
4. Chitra is a very adventurous (heroic/adventurous) person and enjoys mountain climbing.
5. I'll try to get back in time, but I'm not making (doing/making) any promises.

Let us write (Page 205)

QI: An acrostic poem is the one in which the first letter of each line spells out a word, name or phrase when read vertically. Read the example given below and compose your own acrostic poem.

Ans: