Textbook Solution: The Gift to Sing | Class 7 English Alive PDF Download

A. Read these lines from the poems and answer the questions.

Q1: Sometimes the mist overhangs my path,

And blackening clouds about me cling;

a. What path is the poet talking about?

Ans: The poet is metaphorically talking about the path of life or their journey through challenging or unclear situations.

b. What does 'blackening clouds' mean?

Ans: 'Blackening clouds' symbolize increasing troubles or emotional turmoil that is gathering around the poet.

c. Why do the 'blackening clouds' seem to 'cling'? What kind of sensation is being described here?

Ans: The 'blackening clouds' seem to 'cling' to create a sensation of oppression or envelopment, suggesting that these troubles are persistent and hard to escape, impacting the poet's emotional state.

Q2: With glad defiance in my throat,

I pierce the darkness with a note,

And sing, and sing.

a. How does the poet describe his urge to sing, in these lines?

Ans: The poet describes their urge to sing as 'glad defiance,' indicating a joyful and rebellious response to adversity.

b. What does the poet do to 'pierce the darkness'?

Ans: The poet 'pierces the darkness' by singing a note, using their voice as a beacon of hope and resistance against despair.

Q3: No nights are dark, no days are long

While in my heart there swells a song,

And I can sing.

a. When the poet says 'swells a song,' what image forms in your mind?

Ans: The image of a song growing or expanding in the heart, filling it with strength and joy, suggesting an overwhelming and uplifting force.

b. How are the poet's days and nights?

Ans: The poet's days and nights are neither dark nor long, implying they are filled with light and pass pleasantly due to the joy and resilience found in singing.

B. Answer the questions briefly.

Q1: What happens when the poet sings softly?

Ans: When the poet sings softly, they transform the gloom and darkness of their surroundings into a cheerful day, alleviating their emotional burdens.

Q2: When does the poet sing in defiance?

Ans: The poet sings in defiance when faced with darker, more challenging situations, using their song as a form of resistance against sorrow and adversity.

Q3: What doesn't the poet dread anymore? Why?

Ans: The poet no longer dreads the broken past or the uncertainties of the future because their heart is filled with song, providing continuous strength and joy.

C. Think and answer the questions.

Q1: What do you think the poet is trying to tell the reader? Explain.

Ans: The poet is conveying that inner joy and resilience, expressed through singing, can significantly alter one's perception of and reaction to life's challenges. They suggest that finding a personal solace, like singing, can provide strength and transform negative situations into experiences of hope and positivity.

Q2: Why do you think music, poetry, literature, and art affect people's feelings and mood?

Ans: Music, poetry, literature, and art resonate with people's emotions and thoughts, providing a means of expression, connection, and reflection. These forms of art allow individuals to explore and experience complex feelings and ideas, offer comfort, inspire change, and foster a sense of solidarity and understanding among people, influencing their feelings and mood profoundly.