Class 7 English Unit 1 Short and Long Answer Questions - Try Again

Q1: Why is King Bruce feeling sad in the beginning of the poem?
Ans: King Bruce is feeling sad because he has failed multiple times to achieve an important goal that would make his people happy. Despite being a powerful king, his repeated failures make him feel hopeless and weak. The poem describes him lying down in a lonely mood, with a sinking heart, showing how his struggles weigh heavily on him, even though he wears a crown.

Q2: What does the spider do after it falls the first time?
Ans: After falling the first time, the spider does not give up. It immediately tries again, clinging to the thin thread and crawling upward with strong effort. Despite slipping and falling back to the ground, it continues without complaining or resting for long. The poem highlights the spider’s determination, as it keeps attempting to reach its web despite the setback.

Q3: What does King Bruce think about the spider’s efforts?
Ans: King Bruce thinks the spider is foolish for continuing to try to climb the thread. After watching it fall multiple times, he believes it will give up because it works so hard but tumbles every time. His doubt mirrors his own feelings of hopelessness about his failed attempts, showing how he initially sees the spider’s persistence as pointless.

Q4: How does the spider finally reach its web?
Ans: The spider reaches its web by climbing steadily, inch by inch, with great care. After nine failed attempts, it gets close, just a foot from its cobweb door. With a final bold effort, described as a “bold little run at the very last pinch,” it successfully reaches its web. The poem emphasises its slow, determined progress as key to its success.

Q5: What does King Bruce say after the spider succeeds?
Ans: After the spider succeeds, King Bruce shouts, “Bravo, bravo!” He praises the spider for its courage, saying it “defied despair” by not giving up despite many falls. He declares that those who keep trying deserve honour. Inspired, he questions why he cannot succeed if a small spider can, showing how the spider’s success motivates him to try again.

Q1: How does the spider’s persistence influence King Bruce’s decision to try again?
Ans: The spider’s persistence has a big impact on King Bruce and helps him decide to try again. At first, Bruce feels very sad and wants to give up because he has failed many times. Then, he watches a spider trying to climb to its web. The spider falls nine times but doesn’t stop trying. On the tenth try, it finally reaches the web, climbing little by little. This impresses the king. He cheers, “Bravo, bravo!” and praises the spider for not giving up. Watching the spider makes Bruce realise that if a tiny creature can keep trying, so can he. It gives him hope and strength to make one more effort—and this time, he succeeds. The poet shows that even a small act of not giving up can inspire great change.

Q2: What challenges does the spider face while trying to reach its web?
Ans: The spider faces many difficulties while trying to reach its web. First, the web is high up near the ceiling, and the spider has to climb a thin, slippery thread. This thread is hard to hold, and the spider’s small feet get tired. It falls again and again—nine times in total—sometimes all the way to the ground or hanging below the thread. These falls make the spider dizzy and weak. But the spider never gives up. It doesn’t stop complaining or rest for long. With each try, it climbs again. The last part of the climb is the hardest, but the spider keeps going and finally reaches its web. These struggles are similar to what King Bruce faces. The spider’s success teaches that we should keep trying, no matter how hard things get.

Q3: Why does King Bruce feel hopeless, and how does this relate to his role as a king?
Ans: King Bruce feels hopeless because he has tried many times to do something important for his people but has failed each time. As a king, he feels a big responsibility to lead and help others, so his failures make him very sad. The poem shows him lying down in deep despair, feeling as sad as anyone can be. Even though he wears a crown and has power, he starts to doubt himself and thinks about giving up. He wants to do something great, but his failures make him feel weak. This shows that even a king can feel unsure and disappointed. Later, when he sees how the spider keeps trying without giving up, he feels inspired. The spider’s actions remind him that being a good king means not giving up, even when things are hard.

Q4: How does the poet create suspense in the spider’s journey to its web?
Ans: The poet builds suspense in the spider’s journey by using strong descriptions, careful timing, and emotional ups and downs that keep the reader interested. From the start, the spider’s task is shown as hard—it must climb a thin, fragile thread up to the high ceiling. Each time it falls, with words like “slippery sprawl” and “dizzy and faint,” the tension grows. Readers start to wonder if the spider will ever reach its web. The poet counts nine tries, making each one feel more important. In the final climb, the line “Ah me! ’tis an anxious minute” shows how nervous the moment is. Readers are left wondering if the spider will “lose or win it.” The spider’s slow and steady movement, along with earlier fast or clumsy falls, makes the ending unclear until the very last moment. Even King Bruce thinks the spider might give up, which adds to the tension. All these details come together to make the spider’s success feel exciting and well-earned.

Q5: What lessons about perseverance does the poem teach through the stories of King Bruce and the spider?
Ans: The poem teaches an important lesson about never giving up, using the stories of King Bruce and the spider. It shows that success often comes after many failures, like how the spider falls nine times but keeps trying and finally reaches its web on the tenth attempt. The spider’s bravery and effort show that persistence means working hard even when it’s tough. King Bruce learns from the spider that failure doesn’t mean the end, and he gets the courage to try again. The poem also shows that hope can come from small things, like a little spider helping a king. The message to readers is clear: keep believing in yourself and don’t give up, even when your goals seem hard. King Bruce’s final success proves that determination can lead to victory. By linking the struggles of a king and a spider, the poem teaches that anyone, no matter how big or small, can overcome problems by staying strong and trying again.