Extra Questions Answers - The Brook

Q1. I come from haunts of coot and hern; I make a sudden sally And sparkle out among the fern, To bicker down a valley. 
(i) Identify 'I' in the current extract. 
(ii) It originates from.................. 
(iii) Which poetic device is used here? 

Ans. (i) 'I' refers to the brook.
(ii) The brook originates from the mountains, the favourite haunt of birds such as the coot and the heron.
(iii) The poet uses personification by giving the brook human qualities. There is also alliteration in phrases like 'sudden sally', which emphasises the brisk action of the brook.

Q2. By thirty hills I hurry down, Or slip between the ridges, By twenty thorpes, a little town, And half a hundred bridges. 
(i) The brook passes by ......................... 
(ii) How is the journey of the brook similar to that of man? 
(iii) The number of words symbolise .................
or 
(i) What is the brook's movement like? 
(ii) What do the words 'thirty hills' and 'twenty thorpes' suggest? 
(iii) What poetic device does the poet use in the first line?

Ans. (i) The brook passes by hills, ridges, villages (thorpes), a little town and half a hundred (fifty) bridges.
(ii) The brook's journey resembles human life: it begins with energy, faces many turns and obstacles, and continues onward despite difficulties.
(iii) The numbers symbolise the length and variety of the brook's journey - they give a sense of distance and experience.
or
(i) The brook's movement is swift yet continuous, hurrying, slipping and winding through the countryside.
(ii) 'Thirty hills' and 'twenty thorpes' suggest a long, eventful route through many places.
(iii) The poetic device in the first line is personification, as the brook is spoken of as if it acts like a human traveller.

Q3. Till last by Philip's farm, I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever. 
(i) Brook's destination is ......................... 
(ii) The comparison made between man and the brook is that.....................
(iii) Name the poetic device used here. 
or 
(i) What is the motive of the brook? 
(ii) Which poetic device is used in the third line? 
(iii) What is the message conveyed in the last two lines? 
or 
(i) Where is Philip's farm situated? 
(ii) What does the phrase 'brimming river' mean? 
(iii) Which poetic device is used here?

Ans. (i) The brook's destination is the brimming river.
(ii) The comparison shows that humans are mortal while the brook appears to be everlasting - it flows on beyond individual human lives.
(iii) The stanza uses personification and contains alliteration in places.
or
(i) The brook's motive is to reach and join the brimming river.
(ii) The line employs repetition (refrain) and alliteration to stress the contrast between human transience and natural continuity.
(iii) The last two lines convey that human life is temporary, whereas nature (the brook) continues through time.
or
(i) Philip's farm lies close to the river into which the brook finally merges.
(ii) A 'brimming river' is one full to the brim with water, suggesting abundance.
(iii) The lines use personification and the repeated line acts as a refrain emphasising the theme.

Q4. I chatter over stony ways, In little sharps and trebles, I bubble into eddying bays, I babble on the pebbles. 
(i) Explain, 'I chatter'. 
(ii) Name the poetic devices used here. 
(iii) Which line indicates that the brook is full of enthusiasm? 
or 
(i) How does the brook move? 
(ii) What is the mood of the brook as it flows towards the river? 
(iii) What poetic device has been used in the last two lines?

Ans. (i) 'I chatter' suggests the brook makes quick, repetitive, lively sounds as it moves over the stones; the sound is like human talk.
(ii) The stanza uses personification (giving the brook human actions) and alliteration (for example, 'babble' and 'bubbles' echoing sound patterns).
(iii) The line 'I chatter over stony ways' shows the brook's lively, enthusiastic nature.
or
(i) The brook moves swiftly and playfully, creating bubbling and chattering sounds as it encounters stones and small pools.
(ii) The brook's mood is cheerful and energetic as it flows onward.
(iii) The last two lines employ personification, making the water seem animate and talkative.

Q5. With many a curve my banks I fret By many a field and fallow, And many a fairy foreland set With willow-weed and mallow. 
(i) Explain the first line. 
(ii) The rhyme scheme of the stanza is................ 
(iii) Which word tells us that it also flows by the piece of land that extends into the sea? 
or 
(i) Who is 'I' here? 
(ii) What is the literary device used in the first line? 
(iii) What is the aim of the brook?

Ans. (i) The brook wears away or troubles its curved banks as it flows; the water's action erodes the banks where it bends, giving the image of the brook fretting at its banks.
(ii) The rhyme scheme of the stanza is abab.
(iii) The word 'foreland' refers to a piece of land projecting outwards, suggesting the brook flows by such projecting land, adding to the scenic beauty.
or
(i) 'I' refers to the brook here.
(ii) The first line uses personification, as the brook is described as fretting like a living thing.
(iii) The aim of the brook is to merge with the brimming river.

Q6. I chatter, chatter, as I How To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever. 
(i) The brook flows ...................... 
(ii) What is the relevance of the brimming river? 
(iii) Explain 'brimming'.

Ans. (i) The brook flows over stones and pebbles, making chatter-like noises as it moves.
(ii) The brimming river is the brook's final destination; it is where the brook completes its long journey by joining a larger body of water.
(iii) 'Brimming' means full to the top; a brimming river is overflowing or abundant with water.

Q7. I wind about, and in and out, With here a blossom sailing, And here and there a lusty trout, And here and there a grayling. 
(i) What does the first line suggest about the brook's movement? 
(ii) What do 'lusty trout' and 'grayling' refer to? 
(iii) What is suggested by the last two lines? 
or 
(i) How is the brook moving at this time? 
(ii) What is the brook carrying with it? 
(iii) Why is the word 'wind about' used here?

Ans. (i) The first line suggests the brook meanders, winding in and out around banks and plants.
(ii) 'Lusty trout' and 'grayling' are types of freshwater fish that live in the brook.
(iii) The last two lines show that the brook is a lively habitat where fish are found and blossoms drift on the surface, indicating life and movement.
or
(i) The brook is moving in a zigzag, meandering fashion, bending and turning as it goes.
(ii) The brook carries blossoms on its surface and supports fish beneath it.
(iii) 'Wind about' describes the brook's meandering path, emphasising its twisting route.

Q8. And here and there a foamy flake Upon me, as I travel With many a silvery water-break Above the golden gravel. 
(i) Explain the first two lines. 
(ii) Identify the poetic device used in lines three and four.
(iii) This comparison reflects the poet's..............

Ans. (i) As the brook travels, patches of white foam form on its surface; these foamy flakes appear here and there, especially where water tumbles and breaks.
(ii) The lines use metaphor and vivid imagery - the water is described as 'silvery' and the gravel as 'golden', creating a rich visual picture; there is also alliteration in 'golden gravel'.
(iii) This comparison reflects the poet's admiration and reverence for natural beauty.

Q9. And draw them all along, and flow To join the brimming river For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever.
(i) Identify 'them' in the current stanza.
(ii) Why does the poet repeat the last two lines?
(iii) Explain, 'But I go on forever'.

Ans. (i) 'Them' refers to the stones, pebbles, blossoms, fishes and other little things that the brook carries along as it flows.
(ii) The last two lines are repeated to emphasise the contrast between the transience of human life and the apparent permanence of the brook; the refrain reinforces the poem's central idea.
(iii) 'But I go on forever' means that the brook seems to continue its flow through time, suggesting endurance and continuity in nature despite human comings and goings.

Q10. I steal by lawns and grassy plots, I slide by hazel covers I move the sweet forget-me-nots That grow for happy lovers. 
(i) Explain the first two lines. 
(ii) How are the 'sweet forget-me-nots' moved by the brook? 
(iii) 'forget-me-nots' refer to ...................... 
or 
(i) What does the phrase '1 steal' means here? 
(ii) What do you mean by 'forget-me-nots'? 
(iii) What do lovers generally like?

Ans. (i) The brook moves silently and smoothly through lawns, grassy plots and under hazel bushes, as if slipping past them unnoticed.
(ii) The brook gently carries the forget-me-not flowers that grow on its banks, making them drift or sway as it flows.
(iii) 'Forget-me-nots' are a type of small flower often linked with remembrance and affection.
or
(i) 'I steal' here means the brook moves quietly and subtly along the ground.
(ii) 'Forget-me-nots' are delicate flowers often associated with love and memory.
(iii) Lovers often like small, pretty flowers such as forget-me-nots because of their symbolic meaning.

Q11. I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, Among my skimming swallows; I make the netted sunbeam dance Against my sandy shallows.
(i) Which line suggests different movements and moods of the brook? 
(ii) Identify the figures of speech used in line three.
(iii) What do you understand by 'netted sunbeam'?
or
(i) What do you understand by 'skimming swallows'?
(ii) What is the poetic device used in the first line? 
(iii) What does 'the netted sunbeam' refer to?

Ans. (i) The first line - 'I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance' - suggests the brook's changing movements and moods.
(ii) Line three, 'I make the netted sunbeam dance', uses personification by making sunbeams dance as if they were alive.
(iii) 'Netted sunbeam' refers to sunlight broken into a net-like pattern by branches and leaves; as the water ripples, these patches of light appear to dance across the shallows.
or
(i) 'Skimming swallows' are the birds that fly low over the water, skimming its surface as they catch insects.
(ii) The first line uses alliteration (repetition of initial sounds) and personification to give the brook human-like actions.
(iii) The 'netted sunbeam' is the patterned sunlight reflected on the water, which appears as a net of moving light.

Q12. I murmur under the moon and stars In brambly wildernesses; I linger by my shingly bars; I loiter round my cresses. 
(i) What does 'murmur' suggest about the brook's movement? 
(ii) Identify the poetic device used in line one. 
(iii) Explain 'linger by my shingly bars'. 
or 
(i) Who is T in the above lines? 
(ii) Why does 'I' murmur in the first line? 
(iii) What does 'linger' and 'loiter' indicate?

Ans. (i) 'Murmur' suggests a soft, low, and gentle sound, indicating the brook moves slowly and calmly under the moon and stars.
(ii) Line one uses onomatopoeia (words that imitate sound), as 'murmur' echoes the gentle noise of flowing water.
(iii) 'Linger by my shingly bars' means the brook pauses or moves slowly near its shingly (pebbly) banks, as if resting before continuing.
or
(i) 'I' in these lines refers to the brook.
(ii) The brook murmurs because its flow has slowed and it makes a soft, continuous sound.
(iii) 'Linger' and 'loiter' both indicate slower, lingering movement, showing a restful or calm stage of the brook's journey.

Q13. And out again I curve and flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever. 
(i) Which line reflects the importance of the destination? 
(ii) Identify the poetic device, apart from personification. 
(iii) Which line indicates that the brook is everlasting? 
or
(i) Whom does 'I' refer to? 
(ii) Explain, 'the brimming river'. 
(iii) What do the last two lines indicate about 'I'?  

Ans. (i) The line 'To join the brimming river' emphasises the brook's goal and the importance of reaching its destination.
(ii) Apart from personification, the stanza uses a refrain - the repeated line - which reinforces the central theme; there is also alliteration in places.
(iii) The line 'But I go on forever' clearly indicates the brook's sense of being everlasting.
or
(i) 'I' refers to the brook.
(ii) The 'brimming river' is a large, full river into which the brook flows; 'brimming' stresses its abundance of water.
(iii) The last two lines indicate that the brook is eternal in its continuous flow, unlike mortal human life.

Q14. Give at least two similarities between the brook and the human beings. or How is the journey of the brook similar to human life? or Mention briefly how we can relate the journey of a brook with that of human life?

Ans. Two clear similarities are: both the brook and humans undertake a long journey, encountering many bends, obstacles and changes; and both experience different moods and stages - movement, rest, joy and struggle - as they go through life.

Q15. Why have the lines- \"For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever\" been repeated in the poem several times? What is the significance of these lines?

Ans. The repeated lines act as a refrain to stress the contrast between human mortality and the brook's seeming permanence. By repeating them, the poet underlines the theme that people live and die, but natural processes like the brook's flow continue beyond individual lives, showing the continuity of nature.

Q16. Why has the poet introduced the poem in the form of the brook's autobiography rather than narrating it himself? 
or 
Why do you think that the poet let the brook describe its journey rather than describing it himself?

Ans. By letting the brook speak in its own voice, the poet uses personification to make the narration immediate and vivid. This approach helps readers feel closer to the brook's experience and understand its journey directly, making the poem more engaging and effective.

Q17. How does the brook 'sparkle'?

Ans. The brook 'sparkles' when sunlight or moonlight hits its surface and the water flashes like silver and gold over stones and ripples. This shining is especially noticeable at night under the moon and stars, and when sunbeams break into little patches that dance on the moving water.

Q18. Bicker means to quarrel. Why does the poet use this word here? Or how and why does the brook 'bicker'?

Ans. The word 'bicker' suggests the rapid, noisy, playful movement of the brook as it rushes over stones and through narrow places. The sound of running water, with its little splashes and quick motions, resembles a lively quarrel or chattering, so 'bicker' captures the brook's energetic, animated character.

Q19. Write a note on personification used in the current poem.

Ans. Personification gives the brook human traits: it talks, hurries, frets, longs for its destination and describes feelings and actions. Through personification the brook becomes a living speaker, which helps readers relate its movements and journey to human experience and emotions.

Q20. The poem has many examples of alliteration. List any five examples.

Ans. Examples include: 'I make a sudden sally'; 'By twenty thorpes, a little town'; 'By many a field and fallow' and 'many a fairy foreland set'; 'With willow-weed and mallow'; and 'For men may come and men may go' - each repeats an initial sound to create musical effect.

Q21. Write a note on metaphors used in the current poem.

Ans. The brook acts as a metaphor for human life, with its origin representing birth and its joining the brimming river representing death or the final merging into something larger. The brook's bends, struggles and companions symbolise life's challenges, relationships and passing moments. The comparison helps convey the poem's theme of life's journey and continuity.

Q22. How many hills and bridges does the brook pass during its journey?

Ans. The brook passes thirty hills and half a hundred (fifty) bridges on its way, suggesting a long and eventful journey.

Q23. Where does it finally meet the river?

Ans. After passing hills, bridges, ridges, towns and farms, the brook reaches Philip's farm, which lies near the brimming river; there the brook finally joins the river.

Q24. Why is the word 'chatter' repeated in the poem?

Ans. The repetition of 'chatter' emphasises the constant, lively sound of the brook. It creates a rhythmic, musical quality and personifies the brook so that its movement and noise feel conversational and animated.

Q25. 'With many a curve my banks I fret'. What does the poet mean by the statement?

Ans. The poet means that the brook, by continually flowing around bends, seems to wear away or irritate its banks. The image suggests persistent movement against obstacles and serves as a metaphor for the difficulties and frustrations encountered in life.

Q26. 'I wind about and in and out'. What kind of picture does this line create in your mind?

Ans. The line creates a vivid picture of a brook that meanders, twisting and turning through its course, sometimes curling round banks and plants and then emerging again - a lively, changing movement rather than a straight flow.

Q27. What are the different companions of the brook? 
or 
Name the different things that can be found floating in the brook. Name the different things that can be found floating in the brook.

Ans. Various companions travel with the brook: blossoms sail on its surface, fish such as trout and grayling live and swim in it, patches of foamy flakes appear as water breaks, and small pebbles and forget-me-not flowers move along its course.

Q28. What does the poet want to convey by using the words 'steal' and 'slide'?

Ans. The words 'steal' and 'slide' suggest that the brook moves quietly and smoothly, slipping past lawns, under bushes, and by sandy banks with ease and grace, as if it is gliding silently through the landscape.

Q29. 'I make the netted sunbeam dance'. What does 'the netted sunbeam' mean? How does it dance? or What does the poet mean by the line- 'I Make the netted sunbeam dance'?

Ans. 'The netted sunbeam' is sunlight that falls through leaves and branches and is broken into a pattern like a net. As the brook ripples and moves, these patches of light flash and shift, so they appear to dance across the water's surface.

Q30. What is the 'refrain' in the poem? What effect does it create? 

or 

What is the refrain in the poem The Brook'? What effect does it create?  

Ans. The refrain is 'For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever'. It reinforces the central theme by repeatedly contrasting human transience with the brook's continual flow. The refrain also gives the poem a musical rhythm and helps the idea remain memorable.

Q31. Imagine you are the brook. Having faced a number of obstructions, you have joined the brimming river. Write a diary entry about your thoughts, highlighting the importance of a destination in life.

Ans. Wednesday 11th March. 20XX. 11 pm
Dear Diary,
Today, my joy knows no bounds: at last, I have joined my destination, the brimming river. When I began in the mountains, among herons and coots, I sparkled with energy and curiosity. I travelled on, crossing hills, bridges, and fields, slipping past stones and pebbles, and meeting flowers and fish. Many obstacles tried to stop me, yet I kept moving through different moods - playing, fretting, lingering - until I reached where I was meant to be. My journey shows that a clear destination gives meaning and direction; without it, movement may feel aimless. I am content to have fulfilled my purpose.

Q32. Had the brook got exhausted midway, it would not have reached its destination. How far is this statement true about our lives? Explain.

Ans. The statement is largely true for human life as well: if we give up halfway, we are unlikely to reach our goals. Like the brook, people face obstacles and fatigue, but short rests can help; what matters is persistence. Life without movement or effort becomes stagnant, so determination and steady effort are essential to reach one's destination.

Q33. How is the current poem a symbol of life? Quote the examples of parallelism between man's life and the brook. Or bring out the parallelism between the movement of the brook and the course of human  

Ans. The poem symbolises human life through the brook's journey from origin to its final merging with the river. Parallels include: the brook's energetic beginning like a child's start in life; its twists and turns like life's ups and downs; the companions it meets (blossoms, fish) like relationships and experiences; the obstacles it encounters like life's struggles; and finally, its joining the brimming river which parallels human death or the end of life. The key difference is that the brook is presented as continuing beyond individual lives, emphasising nature's continuity.