Class 9 English Chapter 1 Extra Question Answers - The Road Not Taken

Q1. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; 
(i) Explain 'yellow wood'. 
(ii) The speaker is feeling sorry because____. 
(iii) Why is the poet confused? 
or 
(i) "_____ long I stood." Where is the poet standing? 
(ii) What is doing while he is standing? 
(iii) Why can't the poet travel on both the roads?

Ans. (i) The poet is standing amidst a jungle where the leaves of the trees have yellowed.
(ii) he can't travel both roads.
(iii) The poet seems to be confused about which road will have more potential. He is not able to make a decision.
or
(i) The poet is standing at a divergence in the woods.
(ii) He is staring down the road and wondering which road he should take.
(iii) Obviously, the poet can travel only on one road at a time as he is an individual.

Q2. Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same. 
(i) Where are these lines taken from? 
(ii) What is the rhyme scheme of these lines? 
(iii) Why did the speaker choose the other road?

Ans.  (i) These lines are taken from the poem The Road Not Taken'.
(ii) The rhyme scheme of these lines is 'abaab'.
(iii) The speaker chose the other road because it appealed to him as it was more grassy and less worn out than the other.

Q3. And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. 
(i) Which morning is the poet talking about? 
(ii) Explain the second line. 
(iii) The speaker decides to _______. 
or 
(i) What does 'both' in the above lines refer to? 
(ii) What do you mean by 'In leaves, no step had trodden black'? 
(iii) What is the poet doubtful about?

Ans. (i) The morning the speaker begins his journey on that road.
(ii) It reflects that the roads have been used by none.
(iii) take the chosen road and take the other one later.
or
(i) 'Both' refers to the two roads that diverged in different directions.
(ii) It reflects that the roads have been used by none.
(iii) The poet seems to be doubtful about his choice. 

Q4. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I? I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference. 
(i) Identify the poetic device used in the first line. 
(ii) The speaker sighs, ____ 
(iii) Identify 'that' in the last line. 
or 
(i) What does the narrator want to say about the choice? 
(ii) What does the narrator feel on his decision? 
(iii) What does the narrator think about his later life?

Ans. (i) 'Onomatopoeia' is the poetic device used in the above lines.
(ii) thinking that had he chosen the worn out road, he would have succeeded in life.
(iii) That refers to the poet's decision.
or
(i) The narrator appears to be lamenting the choice that he had made.
(ii) The narrator is not happy about his decision.
(iii) Thinking about his later life, the poet sighs. It shows that he will regret his decision.

Q5. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. 
(i) Whom does T refer to? 
(ii) Which road does the poet choose and why? 
(iii) What is the doubt the poet was referring to? 
or 
(i) What is the poet describing in this extract? 
(ii) Why does the poet doubt his come back? 
(iii) Explain the first line of the extract.  

Ans. (i) 'I' refers to the poet, Robert Frost.
(ii) The poet chose the road which was less travelled as it appealed to him.
(iii) The poet doubted whether he would ever come back to the first road.
or
(i) The poet is describing how one decision leads to another.
(ii) As one way leads to another, the poet doubts that he would ever come back.
(iii) The poet wants to convey that one decision leads to another and we seldom get a chance to change them.

Q6. Describe the two roads that the speaker comes across. or Describe the two roads that the author finds. Which road does he choose?

Ans. The poet comes across a road splitting into two in the yellow woods. He has to choose one of them. One road went into the undergrowth. The other road is not used much. It appears to be very promising to him. So, he decides to take the second road.

Q7. Which road does the speaker choose? Why? 
or 
Why did Frost think that the other road had a better claim? or What does the narrator decide to choose the path that was less travelled by?

Ans. He chooses the grassy road as it appears to be quite favourable to him. He is reluctant to follow the tradition of using the road a number of people have used previously. So, he does not take the well-trodden road. He appears to be adventurous.

Q8. What does the poet promise himself, though he can't keep his promise? 
or 
Was the poet able to travel on the road he had left for another day?

Ans. The poet promised himself that he would come back some other time and take the often travelled road, Though he knows in his heart, that he won't be able to keep his promise because a decision, once taken, can't be changed, as one decision leads to another.

Q9. Does the speaker seem happy about his decision? or Was the poet satisfied with his decision of choosing the second road? Why/why not?

Ans. The poet's sigh indicates that he is not satisfied about his decision. It is his decision of taking the unused road which has made all the difference in his life. Had he chosen the worn-out road, things would have been different for him.

Q10. The poet says, "I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference." What is the difference that the poet mentions? 
or 
The poet says, "I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference." What is 'the difference'?

Ans. He does not seem happy and satisfied and sighs as the outcome of his decision is not very positive. He regrets that he has chosen the grassy road and because of that his ambition remains unfulfilled.

Q11. justify the title 'The Road Not Taken'.

Ans. The title 'The Road Not Taken' is an apt one, as it indicates the road not travelled, which serves as a metaphor. The roads here indicate the dilemmas that we face in our lives. Our future is a result of the paths that we take.

Q12. Which road would you choose and why?

Ans. I would choose the worn-out road and not the grassy one as the well travelled path leads to a destination. But saying is one thing and doing is another. I can say so as I have read about the poet's regret. Maybe I would have also taken the grassy road if I wanted to reach a new or unknown destination. It is difficult to say anything.

Q13. Does the title of the poem seem to oppose the content of the poem? How?

Ans. Yes, the title surely opposes the content of the poem. In the poem, the speaker takes the road and later he reflects on the outcome of this choice. But he names the poem after the road he has not taken.

Q14. What do the two roads symbolise in the poem 'The Road Not Taken'? or What do the two roads stand for in the poem, 'The Road Not Taken'?

Ans. The two roads symbolise choices in life. But we are always confused about what to choose. If the options are tempting and fascinating, it almost becomes impossible to make a decision. We always try our best to make the best decision. Our decision may prove wrong or right in the long run.

Q15. Write a note on the poet's style in the poem.

Ans. The poem is narrated in the first person. Its title is misinterpreted as 'The Road Less Travelled'. Aside from the larger investigation into choice, 'The Road Not Taken' has many poetic devices like alliteration, repetition, onomatopoeia, symbolism, imagery and personification, which enhance the poem's overall tone and the speaker's voice. 

Q16. Write a note on the symbolism and personification used in the poem.

Ans. The 'road' symbolises the decision the speaker has to make in life in order to progress and continue on. Next, 'because it was grassy and wanted wear', is an example of personification as we know that a road cannot have a desire want to wear.

Q17. What conflict does the poet face in 'The Road Not Taken'?

Ans. The poet is confused about the path that he should choose. He has a choice to make but is thinking about which path to follow. He cannot tell which path would be more fruitful. Moreover, he cannot travel both paths.  

Q18. What do you understand by 'wanted wear' according to the poem, 'The Road Not Taken'?

Ans. The road has been personified by Robert Frost here. The road appears to be 'wanting wear' as nobody had walked on it. It was avoided by the travellers. The poet is quite adventurous and takes the path that others seldom take.

Q19. What does the choice made by the poet indicate about his personality in the poem 'The Road Not Taken'?  

Ans. Robert Frost chose the road which others avoided or seldom took. This indicates that the poet is brave and adventurous. He likes to take risks and make his own path rather than following others. 

Q20. Imagine yourself in place of the poet. You want to choose one of the roads. Which road would you choose and why?

Ans. If there are two roads before me, I would choose the unused and not the worn-out road. Though the worn-out road appears more alluring and welcoming, yet I would avoid it. We all know that a comfortable and smooth road can never lead to fulfilment of ambition, as the path to success is always beset with obstructions and hurdles. I know that the grassy road is not easy to cross, but if I want to be successful in life, I have to tread this difficult path. My friends may persuade me to choose the easy path, but I would hear the voice of my instinct, which would remind me of the troubles the legends had to face on the path to success.

Q21. How is the theme of the poem applicable to life? or Making choices seems to be a part of everyone's life. Yet, they need to be made. Elaborate in relation to the poem, 'The Road Not Taken'.

Ans. Decisions play an important role in our life. Making the right decision is really tough. We don't know if our decision is going to prove beneficial in the long run. Yet, we have to make a decision. Once we make a choice, we cannot go back, as one decision leads to another. To restart life from a convenient point is not easy in life.  We can't go back and correct ourselves, as we have  travelled a long distance. What we can do is that we have to be very wise and careful, while making a decision. We have to visualise the possible consequences of our decisions and then make the best decision as far as possible. 

Q22. Suppose your decision has proved wrong and you want to change your decision, but you can't. Write a diary entry, expressing your regret and helplessness.

 Ans. Wednesday 12th March, 20XX, 10 pm
Dear Diary
Today, I am shocked to see the negative consequences of my wrong decision. I chose the grassy road and deserted the other, which was worn out. The grassy road appeared to have good prospects. Today. I realise that everything that glitters is not gold. I wish I could change my decision. But a decision is not a text that whenever we want. we can replace it with a new one. Every decision leaves an indelible impression on our life. It changes the course of our life. It makes us happy or sad. But how could one predict the outcome of one's decision? I think it is destiny and not the decision which gets one success. I am quite helpless but I can't do anything, but regret. Khitij