NCERT Textbook: A Concrete Example | English Poorvi Class 8 - New NCERT PDF Download

 Page 1


A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
Let us do these activities before we read.
	I 	 Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their
names against each picture given below.
	 	 garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery,
fence, vine, wheelbarrow
	 II	 Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have?
Mention the features that you can include and the reasons for your
choice. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
	 III	 Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read
the word ‘concrete’? Does it have more than one meaning ? Share your
answers with your classmates and teacher.
Unit 1.indd   17 13-05-2025   12:04:28
Page 2


A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
Let us do these activities before we read.
	I 	 Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their
names against each picture given below.
	 	 garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery,
fence, vine, wheelbarrow
	 II	 Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have?
Mention the features that you can include and the reasons for your
choice. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
	 III	 Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read
the word ‘concrete’? Does it have more than one meaning ? Share your
answers with your classmates and teacher.
Unit 1.indd   17 13-05-2025   12:04:28
18
Let us read
Poorvi
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,		
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device,
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
puts little plants between the stones
They are so delicate and small,
they don’t mean anything at all.
I can’t think how she gets them in,
unless she plants them with a pin.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
once asked me round to see her stones.
We stood and talked about a flower
for quite a quarter of an hour.
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
“You’re standing on it,” she replied.
Reginald Arkell
Unit 1.indd   18 13-05-2025   12:04:29
Page 3


A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
Let us do these activities before we read.
	I 	 Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their
names against each picture given below.
	 	 garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery,
fence, vine, wheelbarrow
	 II	 Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have?
Mention the features that you can include and the reasons for your
choice. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
	 III	 Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read
the word ‘concrete’? Does it have more than one meaning ? Share your
answers with your classmates and teacher.
Unit 1.indd   17 13-05-2025   12:04:28
18
Let us read
Poorvi
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,		
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device,
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
puts little plants between the stones
They are so delicate and small,
they don’t mean anything at all.
I can’t think how she gets them in,
unless she plants them with a pin.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
once asked me round to see her stones.
We stood and talked about a flower
for quite a quarter of an hour.
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
“You’re standing on it,” she replied.
Reginald Arkell
Unit 1.indd   18 13-05-2025   12:04:29
Wit and Wisdom
19
Let us discuss
	I 	 Complete the following summary with exact words from the poem. One
example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates
and teacher.
	 	 The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, 
who has a unique garden filled with 1. _________. Her garden includes
a peculiar 2. _________, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual
3. _________ that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. _________
plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small 
that they are planted with a 5. _________. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the
speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. _________ that Mrs. Jones
treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. _________ flower is,
Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. _________ on it all along.
	 II 	 Select the correct option to fill in the blanks for the following sentences.
	 1.	 The tone of the poem is ____________.
	 (i)	 mocking
	 (ii)	 humorous
	 (iii)	 mournful
	 (iv)	 amusing
	 (v)	 light-hearted
	 A.	 (i), (ii), and (iii)
	 B.	 (i), (ii), and (v)
	 C.	 (ii), (iii), and (iv)
	 D.	 (ii), (iv), and (v)
	 2.	 The speaker in the poem is ____________.
	 (i)	 Mrs. Jones
	 (ii)	 the poet
	 (iii)	 a gardener
	 (iv)	 a child
	 3.	 The rhyme scheme of the poem is _________.
	 (i)	 AABBCC
	 (ii)	 ABABCC
	 (iii)	 AABCAC
	 (iv)	 ABBACC
Unit 1.indd   19 13-05-2025   12:04:30
Page 4


A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
Let us do these activities before we read.
	I 	 Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their
names against each picture given below.
	 	 garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery,
fence, vine, wheelbarrow
	 II	 Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have?
Mention the features that you can include and the reasons for your
choice. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
	 III	 Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read
the word ‘concrete’? Does it have more than one meaning ? Share your
answers with your classmates and teacher.
Unit 1.indd   17 13-05-2025   12:04:28
18
Let us read
Poorvi
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,		
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device,
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
puts little plants between the stones
They are so delicate and small,
they don’t mean anything at all.
I can’t think how she gets them in,
unless she plants them with a pin.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
once asked me round to see her stones.
We stood and talked about a flower
for quite a quarter of an hour.
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
“You’re standing on it,” she replied.
Reginald Arkell
Unit 1.indd   18 13-05-2025   12:04:29
Wit and Wisdom
19
Let us discuss
	I 	 Complete the following summary with exact words from the poem. One
example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates
and teacher.
	 	 The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, 
who has a unique garden filled with 1. _________. Her garden includes
a peculiar 2. _________, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual
3. _________ that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. _________
plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small 
that they are planted with a 5. _________. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the
speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. _________ that Mrs. Jones
treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. _________ flower is,
Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. _________ on it all along.
	 II 	 Select the correct option to fill in the blanks for the following sentences.
	 1.	 The tone of the poem is ____________.
	 (i)	 mocking
	 (ii)	 humorous
	 (iii)	 mournful
	 (iv)	 amusing
	 (v)	 light-hearted
	 A.	 (i), (ii), and (iii)
	 B.	 (i), (ii), and (v)
	 C.	 (ii), (iii), and (iv)
	 D.	 (ii), (iv), and (v)
	 2.	 The speaker in the poem is ____________.
	 (i)	 Mrs. Jones
	 (ii)	 the poet
	 (iii)	 a gardener
	 (iv)	 a child
	 3.	 The rhyme scheme of the poem is _________.
	 (i)	 AABBCC
	 (ii)	 ABABCC
	 (iii)	 AABCAC
	 (iv)	 ABBACC
Unit 1.indd   19 13-05-2025   12:04:30
Poorvi
20
	 III 	 Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer given
in the brackets.
	 1.	 The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise
her ________. (obsession with a stony garden/pride in gardening skills)
	 2. 	 The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help
readers _____________. (understand Mrs. Jones’ love for plants/visualise
the garden’s peculiar nature)
	IV 	 Pick examples of alliteration from the poem.
	V 	 A refrain is a repeated line or phrase that appears in each stanza.
Identify the refrain from the poem.
VI Irony is a literary device that emphasises the difference between what is
expected and what actually happens. It often involves a situation where
the outcome is the opposite of what is expected, creating a surprising or
a humorous effect. For example, Mrs. Jones’ excitement about her garden
contrasts with the speaker’s disappointment on how ordinary it is.
	 	 Identify the line(s) from the poem that display(s) situational irony.
	 VII 	 Complete the following sentences appropriately.
	 1.	 The word ‘concrete’ can refer to ______________ in Mrs. Jones’ garden.
	 2.	 The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or
‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ ______________ gardening habits.
	 VIII	 The title ‘A Concrete Example’ carries both literal and symbolic
(metaphorical) meaning. Such word play is called a pun. A pun is a figure
of speech that uses words with multiple meanings or words that sound
alike but have different meanings, creating a humorous effect.
	 •	 I tried arguing with my pencil but it kept making sharp points. (suggests
the idea of an actual sharp pencil point and strong argument points)
	 •	 My pencil and I had a disagreement but we finally got to the point.
(refers to solving an argument and the pencil’s tip)
Let us think and reflect 
	I 	 Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.
1. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, 
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond, 
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device, 
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
Unit 1.indd   20 13-05-2025   12:04:31
Page 5


A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
Let us do these activities before we read.
	I 	 Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their
names against each picture given below.
	 	 garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery,
fence, vine, wheelbarrow
	 II	 Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have?
Mention the features that you can include and the reasons for your
choice. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
	 III	 Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read
the word ‘concrete’? Does it have more than one meaning ? Share your
answers with your classmates and teacher.
Unit 1.indd   17 13-05-2025   12:04:28
18
Let us read
Poorvi
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,		
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device,
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
puts little plants between the stones
They are so delicate and small,
they don’t mean anything at all.
I can’t think how she gets them in,
unless she plants them with a pin.
My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
once asked me round to see her stones.
We stood and talked about a flower
for quite a quarter of an hour.
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
“You’re standing on it,” she replied.
Reginald Arkell
Unit 1.indd   18 13-05-2025   12:04:29
Wit and Wisdom
19
Let us discuss
	I 	 Complete the following summary with exact words from the poem. One
example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates
and teacher.
	 	 The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, 
who has a unique garden filled with 1. _________. Her garden includes
a peculiar 2. _________, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual
3. _________ that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. _________
plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small 
that they are planted with a 5. _________. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the
speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. _________ that Mrs. Jones
treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. _________ flower is,
Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. _________ on it all along.
	 II 	 Select the correct option to fill in the blanks for the following sentences.
	 1.	 The tone of the poem is ____________.
	 (i)	 mocking
	 (ii)	 humorous
	 (iii)	 mournful
	 (iv)	 amusing
	 (v)	 light-hearted
	 A.	 (i), (ii), and (iii)
	 B.	 (i), (ii), and (v)
	 C.	 (ii), (iii), and (iv)
	 D.	 (ii), (iv), and (v)
	 2.	 The speaker in the poem is ____________.
	 (i)	 Mrs. Jones
	 (ii)	 the poet
	 (iii)	 a gardener
	 (iv)	 a child
	 3.	 The rhyme scheme of the poem is _________.
	 (i)	 AABBCC
	 (ii)	 ABABCC
	 (iii)	 AABCAC
	 (iv)	 ABBACC
Unit 1.indd   19 13-05-2025   12:04:30
Poorvi
20
	 III 	 Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer given
in the brackets.
	 1.	 The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise
her ________. (obsession with a stony garden/pride in gardening skills)
	 2. 	 The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help
readers _____________. (understand Mrs. Jones’ love for plants/visualise
the garden’s peculiar nature)
	IV 	 Pick examples of alliteration from the poem.
	V 	 A refrain is a repeated line or phrase that appears in each stanza.
Identify the refrain from the poem.
VI Irony is a literary device that emphasises the difference between what is
expected and what actually happens. It often involves a situation where
the outcome is the opposite of what is expected, creating a surprising or
a humorous effect. For example, Mrs. Jones’ excitement about her garden
contrasts with the speaker’s disappointment on how ordinary it is.
	 	 Identify the line(s) from the poem that display(s) situational irony.
	 VII 	 Complete the following sentences appropriately.
	 1.	 The word ‘concrete’ can refer to ______________ in Mrs. Jones’ garden.
	 2.	 The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or
‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ ______________ gardening habits.
	 VIII	 The title ‘A Concrete Example’ carries both literal and symbolic
(metaphorical) meaning. Such word play is called a pun. A pun is a figure
of speech that uses words with multiple meanings or words that sound
alike but have different meanings, creating a humorous effect.
	 •	 I tried arguing with my pencil but it kept making sharp points. (suggests
the idea of an actual sharp pencil point and strong argument points)
	 •	 My pencil and I had a disagreement but we finally got to the point.
(refers to solving an argument and the pencil’s tip)
Let us think and reflect 
	I 	 Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.
1. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, 
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond, 
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device, 
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
Unit 1.indd   20 13-05-2025   12:04:31
Wit and Wisdom
21
	 (i)	 What can be inferred about Mrs. Jones’s taste in gardening from the
description of her garden being ‘full of stones’?
	 (ii)	 Identify whether the following statement is true or false.
	 	 The garden serves as a means to reveal more about Mrs. Jones herself.
	 (iii) 	 What does the poet mean by ‘crazy path’?
	 (iv) 	 What does the sundial with a ‘strange device’ suggest about
Mrs. Jones’ personality?
	 A.	 She has a fascination with unusual items.
	 B.	 She prefers traditional garden decorations.
	 C.	 She is uninterested in her garden’s appearance.
	 D.	 She likes modern and expensive items.
	 II 	 Answer the following questions.
	 1.	 How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden? Support your answer with
evidence from the poem.
	 2.	 Why do you think the speaker describes the plants as being so small
that they could be planted with a pin?
	 3.	 What do we get to know about Mrs. Jones—based on her gardening
style and her interaction with the speaker?
	 4.	 The poem portrays Mrs. Jones in a positive light. Support this statement.
	 5.	 What does the poem tell us about the way people think differently
about the world around them?
Let us learn
	I 	 Select the appropriate word from the brackets that correctly replaces
the underlined word in the sentences from the text.
	 1.	 A sundial with a strange device,
	 	 (unusual, peculiar, new, rare, external)
	 2.	 … which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
	 	 (pleasant, superior, agreeable, gentle, charming)
	 3.	 They are so delicate…
	 	 (delicious, fragile, dainty, graceful, weak)
	 4.	 “Where is this lovely thing?” I cried. 
	 (exclaimed, wept, shouted, announced, whispered)
Unit 1.indd   21 13-05-2025   12:04:31