Class 9 English Extra Question Answers - Song of the Rain

Q1. I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven By the gods. Nature then takes me to adorn Her fields and valleys. 
(a) Why does the rain call itself dotted silver threads? 
(b) How is the tone and mood of the rain in the poem? 
(c) What does nature take the rain once it falls from heaven? I am beautiful pearls, plucked from the Crown of Ishtar by the daughter of Dawn, To embellish the gardens.
OR
(a) Who plucks the pearly rain from the crown of Ishtar? 
(b) What is the significance of Ishtar in the poem? 
(c) How is the rain beautiful pearls?

Ans. (a) When raindrops fall apart from one another, in a line of succession, brightened by the sunlight, they appear like dotted silver threads.
(b) The tone and mood of the rain in the poem reflects a love for the Earth.
(c) Once, rain falls, nature takes it to beautify its fields and valleys. 

Q2. When I cry the hills laugh; When I humble myself the flowers rejoice; When I bow, all things are elated. 
(a) Explain the first two lines of the stanza. 
(b) How does the rain help all things to be elated? 
(c) When do the flowers make merry?

Ans. (a) It is the daughter of Dawn that plucks the pearly rain from the crown of Ishtar.
(b) Ishtar is the goddess of fertility. Ishtar is significant in the poem because rain helps nature to add to its fertility.
(c) When droplets fall down to the Earth from clouds, they are pearly round and pearly white in the sunshine.

Q3. The field and the cloud are lovers And between them, I am a messenger of mercy I quench the thirst of one; I cure the ailment of the other. 
(a) Explain- 'I quench the thirst of one, I cure the ailment of the other'. 
(b) How is the rain the messenger of mercy? 
(c) In what sense are the fields and clouds lovers?

Ans. (a) Rain's cry refers to downpour. When it rains on the parched hills they laugh with joy at the arrival of a long awaited rain and flowers too rejoice, for they too can bloom and make nature beautiful once again.
(b) Rain helps all things to come back to a normal existence and once again they are all made happy.
(c) Flowers make merry when the rain comes in the form of a drizzle.

Q4. The voice of thunder declares my arrival; The rainbow announces my departure; I am like earthly life which begins at The feet of the mad elements and ends Under the upraised wings of death. 
(a) How is rain similar to earthly life? 
(b) What are the mad elements from where life on Earth begins? 
(c) What are the upraised wings of death for rain?

Ans. (a) The two lovers, fields and clouds, need the rain. The field is thirsty for the clouds' mercy while the clouds suffer from the ailment that they cannot embrace the field, their lover. When the rain pours down, both the lovers are satisfied.
(b) Rain is a messenger of mercy between the field and the clouds, two lovers. It is a messenger of mercy rather than of love because rain is nature's merciful blessing for the Earth. Rain takes the messages to and from the fields and the clouds.
(c) Like two lovers who cannot exist without the other, who needs the other for its completion, the parched fields and the dark clouds are complementary. The fields want clouds for its rain and the clouds want the fields for creation. The fields want the clouds to satisfy its passion while the clouds need a warm place to fall down and create.

Q5. I emerge from the heart of the sea and Soar with the breeze. When I see a field in Need, I descend and embrace the flowers and The trees in a million little ways. (a) What does rain mean by its million ways of embracing flowers? (b) What is a field in need? (c) What is the origin of the rain and with how does it soar?

Ans. (a) Birth of rain is similar to the birth of human beings on Earth. Rain undergoes various processes and involvement of multiple elements just like the birth of beings such as animals. Rain turns back to water and then to vapour and then to solid ice before it turns to water again, similar to which is life, that turns from one stage to the other, from one state to another.
(b) The mad elements of life are probably those elements such as carbon, calcium, phosphorus, etc.
(c) The upraised wing under which rain dies is probably the wings of the wind that blows the rain to a stop. 

Q6. I touch gently at the windows with my Soft fingers, and my announcement is a Welcome song. All can hear, but only The sensitive can understand. 
(a) Explain 'I touch gently ......... welcome song.' 
(b) Explain 'All can hear...... understand.' 
(c) Pick out an instance of personification from the stanza.

Ans. (a) Rain falls down in various ways. All the million drops that fall down are different in size, speed, length and many other qualities. They reach the Earth at various times, creating various sounds.
(b) A field in need is a dry, parched summer field that awaits rain.
(c) The origin of rain in the sea and it soars up into the sky with the breeze. 

Q7. The heat in the air gives birth to me, but in turn, I kill it. As woman overcomes man with The strength she takes from him. 
(a) How does heat in the air give birth to rain? 
(b) How does rain kill the one who begot it? 
(c) Name the poet of the above extract.

Ans. (i) It means that the rain falls very gently on the windows because these are shaded. So, when the rain falls on the windows in showers, it falls like touching them with' soft fingers'.
(b) The poet believes that the wonderful beauty of rain can be enjoyed only by those who have a passionate love for Nature's phenomena. Rain falls on everyone alike but its beauty is discovered only by those who love it.
c) The word 'touch' inline 1 is a personification. The rain says it touches the windows like a person who does so. 

Q8. I am the sigh to the sea The laughter of the field The tears of heaven So with love Sighs from the deep sea affection, laughter from the colourful field of spirit, Tears from endless heaven of memories. 
(a) How is rain the sigh of the sea? 
(b) How is rain the laughter of the fields? 
(c) How is rain the tears of heaven?  

Ans. (a) It is the heat that evaporates the water into vapour, which gives birth to the rain,
(b) Rain is given birth by the heat but the rain is able to cool the air, thus killing the heat.
(c) Kahlil Gibran is the poet of the above extract.  

Q9) Why is the rain divine?

Ans. Rain is divine as it falls from heaven, from the crown of God Ishtar, and brings love and happiness for people, quenches the thirst of Earth and makes the fields fertile. 

Q10. In this universe, rain performs many functions. What are those?

Ans. Rain adorns the gardens and valleys. It makes hills laugh and embraces the flowers and trees. It quenches the thirst of Earth and makes the land fertile. It cures the clouds who are overloaded by water vapour. It provides joy to everybody and everything in nature. 

Q11. When I cry the hill's laugh; Where I humble myself the flowers rejoice; When I bow, all things are elated. Cry, humble and. bow indicate different intensity with which the rain falls. Explain the three in context

Ans. 'Cry' means when it rains heavily. 'Humble' means when it rains modest and light. 'Bow' means very light rain.

Q12. How do you think the rain quenches the thirst of the fields and cures the clouds' ailment?

Ans. When rain falls on the dry fields they become fertile and crops grow in them. Moreover, rain releases clouds from the overburden of water vapour. Clouds, after rainfall, become light and relaxed.  

Q13. Mention a few ways in which rain embraces the trees.

Ans. 'Rain embraces the trees' is a metaphor used in the poem. Rain covers the trees with water and washes away all dust and soil, due to which the leaves glisten and look fresh. Moreover, rain makes the roots of the trees strong and provides all the nutrition to them. It provides strength and energy to trees. It becomes a source of life for the trees. Rainfall also promotes the growth of new small trees which have grown like plants. It provides them with water by which they get energy to grow faster. It feels as if the rain hugs all the trees and plants, and give its love and affection to them.  

Q14. 'All can hear ...... but only the sensitive can understand'. What does the poet want to convey?

Ans. The poet wants to convey the idea that everybody hears the sound of rain when it falls. However, only a few sensitive people enjoy that sound and feel the value and need of rain in life. Rain brings joy, happiness, freshness and love for all those who realise it.

Q15. (i) Notice the imagery built around 'sigh of the sea', 'laughter of the field' and 'tears of heaven'. Explain the three expressions. 
(ii) How would you express rain as an agent of flood? A source of water for dams?

Ans. Rain rises from the sea in the form of water vapour. This water vapour forms clouds. Due to precipitation, the vapours get converted into rain and fall back to Earth. Fields get water and become fertile. This fertility supports the growth of plants on fields and everyone becomes happy. The rain becomes the drops of heaven as it brings happiness and prosperity on Earth. 

Q16. I am like earthly life... Why does the poet call the rain as earthly life?

Ans. Rain becomes an agent of a flood when it rains heavily nonstop for days together and this unexpected rain overflows the rivers and the water comes to cities, towns and villages. Earth is also unable to sustain that water. Flood causes a lot of miseries to all. Rainwater is properly channelised in the rivers and therefore rain becomes the source of water in dams. Then, as per the needs and requirement, dam water can be properly used. Dam water is used for generating electricity, irrigation and for drinking purposes. 

Q17. Explain the ending of the song.

Ans. The poet calls rain as earthly life. As on Earth, we all are born and die, similarly, rain also emerges from the sea, and then falls back to Earth before death. Life on Earth also goes through the birth and death process. 

Q18. Explain how rain is a messenger of mercy between the two lovers.

Ans. The ending of the song is like a farewell to all with love. "The rain recollects its various aspects. They are 'sigh from the sea', 'laughter from the fields' and 'tears due to endless memories of time'. 

Q19. Explain the line ' The voice of thunder declares my arrival. The rainbow announces my departure'.

Ans. The fields and the clouds are lovers and between them, the rain is a messenger of mercy. The rain quenches the thirst of one and cures the ailment of the other. The field refers to Earth whereas the cloud refers to heaven. The rain as a messenger between the two tries to connect them as it is divine. As Earth is dry, it needs water, as water is the elixir of life. Therefore, the clouds burst, resulting in rainfall and the clouds are relieved. The rain is trying to suggest that both the Earth and the Heaven need each other and they both depend on rain.

Q20. Explain the lines 'I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven' and 'lam beautiful pearls, plucked from the crown of Ishtar'.  

Ans. Rain is like earthly life, which begins at the feet of the mad elements and ends Under the upraised wings of death. The rain falls accompanied by thundering. Its sound appears as if it announces the arrival of rain. Soon after the rain falls the beautiful rainbow appears in the sky as if it is informing the Earth about the departure of the rain. The rain is as short-lived as is man's life on the Earth. It comes and goes just as the man is born and he dies. Both rain and earthly life are similar as both of them are born out of elements of nature and they both meet their death.

Q21. Rain in the hills and rain in the desert present entirely different scenarios. In the hills it revitalises the greenery and freshens the vegetation; it waters the parched land and relieves the thirsty and panting souls in the desert. This has been a year of scanty rains. Imagine how the rain would be welcomed when it pours in the hills and in the desert after a long dry spell. 
(a)What are you likely to see? 
(b) What would happen to the rainwater? 
(c) What would be the scene before and after the rain?

Ans. Rain always comes with joy after a dry spell. When the rain comes, the soil absorbs it and soon the hills and deserts change their dry look. In a hilly area, it presents a green and refreshing colour. In deserts, Earth starts changing its dull colour to greenish with vegetation coming up in the fields. The scanty vegetation of the desert looks fresh and greenish also. The temperature comes down. The dry environment becomes refreshing. Everybody enjoys the greenery and freshness all around.

Q22. Explain the significance of the ending of the poem.

Ans. The lakes are full of water after the rain. Nature takes the help of rainwater to beautify her fields and valleys. People become busy with the process of sowing crops.

Q23. The Poem. 'Song of the Rain' is the best form of personification. Illustrate this statement with examples.  

Ans. Actually, rain is regarded as a messenger of love, mercy and blessings. It quenches the thirst of the fields. It embraces all kinds. I of vegetation giving it a new lease of life. After the rain, Earth gets its power to sustain all kinds of life. The dry and uncomfortable environment is replaced by all-round greenery. Beauty and freshness. Everybody welcomes rain with an open heart and enjoys pleasant ambience.