Poem - Rain on the Roof Class 9 Worksheet English Chapter 1

Multiple Choice Questions

Q.1. Find the word from the poem Rain on the Roof which means a repeated part of a song or a poem.
(a) Refrain
(b)Fancies
(c) Shingles
(d) Patter

Ans: (a)
The refrain is referred to as a repeated line(s) of a poem or a song. In this poem, the poet refers to the repeated sound of the rain on the roof of his cottage as the refrain.

Q.2. What is the favourite activity of the poet during the rainy season?
(a) Eating snacks
(b) Lie on the bed and listen to the pitter-patter sound of the rain
(c)Roaming on the roof
(d) Listening to the music

Ans: (b)

Q.3. What does the poet attach the darkness with?
(a)Pleasant
(b)Sadness
(c) Soothing
(d)Joyful mood

Ans: (b)

Q.4. Which figure of speech has been used in the phrase darling dreamers?
(a) Anaphora
(b)Antithesis
(c)Anticlimax
(d) Alliteration

Ans: (d)
The sound of the consonant has been repeated at the beginning of two consecutive words darling dreamers which stands as an example of Alliteration.

Q.5. Where is the rain making a noise?
(a) In the lanes
(b) On the roof
(c)In the garden
(d)In the room

Ans: (b)

Q.6. Which figure of speech has been used in the phrase starry spheres?
(a) Antithesis
(b)Apostrophe
(c) Alliteration
(d)Anaphora

Ans: (c)
The repetition of the same sound at the beginning of consecutive words or nearly consecutive words is known as Alliteration.

Q.7. Whose memory comes to the poet when he listens to the rain?
(a)The memory of his dear friend
(b)The memory of his mother
(c)The memory of his beloved
(d)The memory of his father

Ans: (b)
The memory of the poet's mother comes to him as they have been separated long ago by her death.

Q.8. What does cottage-chamber mean?
(a) A separate building next to the cottage
(b)All of these
(c)Type of bed
(d)A room in the cottage

Ans: (d)

Q.9. What tinkles on the shingles?
(a)Raindrops
(b) Silver bangles
(c)Brass-bells
(d) Hailstones

Ans: (a)

Q.10. Select the correct meaning of refrain.
(a) The noise of the rain
(b) Stop making noise
(c) Sound of piano music
(d) Making refined efforts

Ans:  (a)

Very Short Answer Questions

Q1: What do the humid shadows refer to?
Ans: The humid shadows refer to the dark clouds.

Q2: What does the poet like to do when it rains?
Ans: When it rains the poet like to keep lying in his cosy bed and enjoy listening to the patter of soft raindrops.

Q3: What makes an echo in the poet’s heart?
Ans:The sound of raindrops on the roof makes an echo in the poet’s heart.

Q4: Where do the raindrop patter?
Ans: The raindrops patter on the shingles of the roof.

Q5: Is the poet, Coates Kinney, a child now?
Ans: No, he is not a child now.

Short Answer Questions

Q1: How old do you think the poet is? Justify your answer.
Ans: The poet is a young man. He remembers his mother looking down at him and his siblings, who are sleeping in their room, long ago. The poet’s mother also is no longer alive as he says she lives on in his memories.

Q2: 'And the melancholy darkness gently weeps in rainy tears.’ Explain the phrase ‘melancholy darkness’. What does it do?
Ans:“Melancholy darkness” refers to the dark rain bearing clouds. The poet imagines that the clouds covering the sky are gloomy and depressed because they are heavy and grey. The poet further imagines that the clouds are weeping and their tears are falling down as rain drops.

Q3: What does the poet like to do when it rains?
Ans:The poet likes to lie in his room in his cottage, snug in bed with his head on a pillow when it rains. It gives him the greatest pleasure.

Q4: What are the poet’s feelings as the rain falls on the shingles?
Ans:As the rain falls on the shingles, its tinkling sound creates an echo in the poet’s heart. As he listens to the patter of the raindrops on the roof, his gloom is lifted and his heart is filled with a thousand fantasies and fond memories of his mother.

Q5: “And a thousand dreamy fancies into busy heart.” When do the ‘thousand dreamy fancies’ begin in the poet’s heart?
Ans:When the poet is in his cottage and lies in his cosy bed listening to the soft music of rain on the roof, his mind is flooded with various thoughts and imaginations. The soothing sound of the gentle rain on the shingles fires his imagination

Long Answer Questions

Q1: How does the rain affect the poet? Describe.
Ans: Though at first the sight of the gathering dark clouds fills the poet’s mind with dismay and unhappiness, the gentle patter of the rain falling on his roof soon soothes him. The poet liees in his cosy bed, his head on his pillow and listens to the patter of the raindrops on the shingles. The gentle sound ills him with bliss. A thousand fantasies fill his mind. He is filled with nostalgia as he remembers his mother. He recalls how his mother had looked at him and his sleeping siblings with fondness as they lay in their beds. Hence, the rain is a bliss for the poet.

Q2: In what way are the poems The Road Not Taken and Rain on the Roof evocative of the past?
Ans: In both the poems The Road Not Taken and Rain on the Roof there is a certain nostalgia for events long gone by. In The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost talks with regret about a decision taken long ago to take a certain path in the woods. He had thought of taking the second path sometime in the future. Though he knew, even at that time, that the chances of his returning that way were slim. So his tone is one of regret.
On the other hand, the poet in Rain on the Roof is first filled with melancholy and gloom at the sight of the gathering clouds. However, the gentle patter of the rain soothes him and fills his mind with fond memories of his mother smiling down at him. Thus Kinney’s feelings of unhappiness vanish and he is at peace.

Q3: How does the poet describe the falling rain in the poem ‘Rain on the Roof?
Ans: The poet first describes the falling rain as the tears of clouds. The dark rain bearing clouds appear gloomy and depressed to him. Therefore, they are weeping. Their tears fall to earth as gentle rain. However, as he listens to the patter of rain on the shingles, it provides him immense pleasure. The poet loves to hear the melodious sound of nature. He listens to the patter of soft rain on the wooden roof and is lost in fantasies.
He considers it a rare happiness to listen to the patter of the rain on the roof. Rain brings to his mind memories . of long gone days when he was a child, and he lay sleeping in his room along with his siblings, as his mother gazed down at them with love.

Q4: What happens when the poet listens to the patter of the rain? Do you think that rain is a narrative tool in the poet’s life?
Ans: The raindrops play music on the roof and create a tinkling sound on the shingles. To the poet this music is blissful. At the beginning of the poem there is certain tinge of sadness, and the poet talks of “melancholy darkness/ Gently weeps in rainy tears’. However, as he lies in his cosy bed, a feeling of bliss washes over him. Every raindrop on the tiles of the roof creates a rhythm with the poet’s heartbeat.

The poet tries to focus on listening to the pitter-patter on the roof whereas his mind weaves the recollections of fond memories of yester years. Rain bears a subtle link with all aspects of life. It serves as a powerful narrative tool in the poet’s life as it evokes fantasies and nostalgia in the poet. He recalls his mother in a poignant manner.

Reference to Context Questions

Q1: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
When the humid shadows hover
Over all the starry spheres
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a bliss to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed
And lie listening to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!
(a) What does the phrase “humid shadows” refer to?
Ans: “Humid shadows” refer to the dark clouds that cause rain.

(b) What are “starry spheres”?
Ans: The stars that shine in the sky at night are called starry spheres.

(c) Why does the poet call the darkness melancholy?
Ans: The night is dark and gloomy. Perhaps the poet is also in a despondent mood. Where is the poet at the moment?

Q2: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
The poet is in his bed in his cottage.
When the humid shadows hover
Over all the starry spheres
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a bliss to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed
And lie listening to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!
(a) Who weeps in the form of rainy tears?
Ans: The dark rain-bearing clouds weep tears of rain in their sadness.

(b) Which line shows that the poet is happy when it rains?
Ans: What a bliss to press the pillow shows his happiness.

(c) What memories does the rain bring to the poet’s mind?
Ans: The poet remembers his mother looking down at her sleeping children before going to her room. Name the poetic device used in the above lines.

Q3: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Alliteration: Over all the starry spheres
What a bliss to press the pillow
And lie listening to the patter
Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start,
And a thousand recollections
Weave their air-threads into woof,
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof
(a) What echoes in the poet’s heart?
Ans: The patter of soft rain on the roof echoes in the heart of the poet.

(b) Explain: a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start.
Ans: This phrase refers to the various imaginary thoughts and fantasies that are aroused in the poet’s mind.

(c) What starts ‘a thousand dreamy fancies’?
Ans: The tinkling sound of the raindrops on the roof starts a thousand dreamy fancies.

(d) What is a refrain? Find lines from the poem that form its refrain.
Ans: A refrain is the repetition of lines or whole phrases in a poem, usually at the end of a stanza. It creates a musical effect and lends unity to a piece.
Example:
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof.

Q4: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start,
And a thousand recollections
Weave their air-threads into woof
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof
(a) Explain ‘shingles’. What is tinkling on the shingles?
Ans: Shingles are thin rectangular tiles, especially made of wood, that are laid with others in overlapping rows to form the roof. Rain is making a sharp sound as it hits the tiles.

(b) What finds an echo in the poet’s heart?
Ans: The tinkle of rain on the shingles finds an echo in the poet’s heart.

(c) Who is a busy being? What happens to his mind?
Ans: The ‘busy being’ refers to the poet. His mind is flooded with fantasies and memories.

(d) Explain: “A thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof’.
Ans: While weaving a fabric, the threads that run lengthwise are called warp and the threads that run across are known as woof. The poet means that numerous memories intermingle to form a beautiful picture that the poet recollects.’

Q5: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Now in memory comes my mother,
As she used in years agone,
To regard the darling dreamers
Ere she left them till the dawn:
O! Ifeel her fond look on me
As I list to this refrain
Which is played upon the shingles
By the patter of the rain.
(a) Whom does the poet remember?
Ans: The poet remembers his mother.

(b) Who are the darling dreamers?
Ans: The darling dreamers are the poet and his siblings who are fast asleep.

(c) How did the poet’s mother gaze at the dreamers?
Ans: The poet’s mother gazes her sleeping children with fondness.

(d) What does he feel? Is his mother alive?
Ans: The poet remembers his mother who died many years ago with longing.

Q6: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Now in memory comes my mother,
As she used in years agone,
To regard the darling dreamers
Ere she left them till the dawn:
O! Ifeel her fond look on me
As I list to this refrain
Which is played upon the
shingles By the patter of the rain.
(a) What is the poet doing at the moment?
Ans: The poet is lying in his bed listening to the sound of the rain,

(b) What is the memory that comes to the poet?
Ans: The poet remembers his mother standing next to their bed and gazing at her children fondly.

(c) What are the poet’s feelings for his family?
Ans: The poet loves his family. He calls his sleeping siblings “darling dreamers” and he remembers his mother very fondly.

(d) Name a poetic device used in the last line.
Ans: Onomatopoeia : Patter of rain