Short and Long Answer Questions: Magnifying Glass | English Poorvi Class 8 - New NCERT PDF Download

Short Answer Questions

Q1. How does the poet describe the power of the magnifying glass in the first stanza?
Ans: The poet says that the magnifying glass can turn ordinary objects into something magical. A small scrap of chalk appears to have a myriad of shells, and an inch of moss looks like a whole forest with flowers and trees. Even a drop of water resembles a hive full of bees. The poet shows how the glass reveals hidden wonders.

Q2. What details does the poet observe about the spider through the magnifying glass?
Ans: The poet observes how the spider spins its silk thread using its spinnerets. He notices the spider’s sharp, tiger-like claws and how it traps flies in its web. Even though the flies have many eyes, they still stumble into the trap. This shows the poet’s amazement at tiny details revealed by the glass.

Q3. What is the overall message of the poem “Magnifying Glass”?
Ans: The poem highlights the beauty of small and unnoticed things when viewed closely. The magnifying glass transforms simple objects into marvelous sights and reveals the wonders of nature. The poet conveys that nothing is too tiny to be fascinating when seen with curiosity.

Q4. What is the significance of the spider in the poem?
Ans: The spider represents the wonders of the microscopic world. Through the magnifying glass, the poet observes the spider spinning its delicate silk threads and marvels at its precision. It also highlights the contrast between the spider’s skill and the helplessness of the flies that get trapped in its web. The image shows how small creatures perform incredible acts that usually go unnoticed.

Q5. How does the poet show his sense of wonder in the poem?
Ans: The poet conveys wonder by describing ordinary objects—chalk, moss, a drop of water, or a spider’s web—as magical when seen through a magnifying glass. Simple things become extraordinary, like a drop of water appearing like a hive of bees. This reflects the poet’s fascination with nature’s hidden details and his childlike curiosity about the world.

Q6. Why does the poet mention the moon at the end of the poem?
Ans: The poet refers to the moon to expand the theme of discovery and imagination. He suggests that just as a magnifying glass makes small things marvelous, powerful lenses like telescopes allow us to see distant places like the moon as if they were nearby. This ending shows the limitless potential of curiosity, imagination, and science.

Long Answer Questions

Q1. Describe how the poet uses examples from nature to show the power of the magnifying glass.
Ans: The poet brings out the magic of the magnifying glass by giving several examples from nature. He shows how chalk looks like it contains countless shells, moss looks like a forest full of flowers and trees, and even a small drop of water looks like a hive buzzing with bees. He also observes the spider, noticing its web-making, sharp claws, and how flies get caught in the trap. These examples show that the magnifying glass can reveal extraordinary details in ordinary things. The poet wants us to see nature with wonder and curiosity.

Q2. How does the poet connect the magnifying glass to imagination and discovery?
Ans: The poem suggests that the magnifying glass is not just a tool but a key to imagination and discovery. By magnifying tiny things, it reveals details that are usually hidden from the naked eye. The poet marvels at the spider’s spinning, the patterns in moss, and the life in a drop of water. In the last stanza, he even dreams of walking on the moon by using similar lenses, blending science with imagination. The poet shows that curiosity and observation can turn the smallest things into marvelous discoveries.

Q3. How does the poet use imagery to show the power of the magnifying glass?
Ans: Walter de la Mare uses vivid imagery to demonstrate how the magnifying glass transforms simple objects into magical experiences. A scrap of chalk reveals countless shells, moss becomes a forest, and a drop of water looks like a hive of bees. The spider spinning silk and the flies caught in its web are described in striking detail, showing how even tiny creatures are full of drama and wonder. The magnifying glass turns ordinary sights into marvelous spectacles. This imagery emphasizes both the beauty and mystery hidden in nature’s smallest details, waiting to be explored.

Q4. What is the central idea of the poem Magnifying Glass?
Ans: The central idea of the poem is the beauty of discovery and the hidden wonders of the natural world. The poet shows how a magnifying glass can reveal marvelous details in the smallest of things—chalk, moss, water, or a spider. By magnifying the unseen, it inspires awe and curiosity. The poem also links science with imagination, suggesting that just as a lens can show tiny details, it can also bring faraway places like the moon closer to us. Ultimately, the poem celebrates curiosity, observation, and the magic of seeing the world more closely.