Worksheet Solutions: Poem - A Photograph | English Class 11 PDF Download

Fill in the Blanks

Q1: The photograph in the poem is framed with __________.
Ans: cardboard
The poem mentions that the photograph has a frame made of cardboard.

Q2: The middle girl in the photograph is __________.
Ans: the big girl - some twelve years or so
The poem describes the middle girl as the oldest and around twelve years old.

Q3: The two cousins in the picture are named __________ and __________.
Ans: Betty and Dolly
The poem mentions the names of the two cousins who are holding the mother's hands in the photograph.

Q4: The girls went paddling during a __________ holiday.
Ans: beach
The poem indicates that the girls went for paddling during a beach holiday.

Q5: The photograph was taken by the girls' __________.
Ans: uncle
The poem mentions that the uncle took the photograph.

Q6: The mother was __________ years old when the photograph was taken.
Ans: twelve
The poem gives an approximate age of the mother as around twelve years old at the time of the photograph.

Q7: The poet's favorite memory is of the __________.
Ans: beach holiday
The poem states that the beach holiday was the mother's favorite past memory, which is also the poet's favorite memory.

Q8: The poet's mother has been dead for __________ years.
Ans: twelve
The poem mentions that the mother has been dead for approximately the same number of years as her age when the photograph was taken.

Q9: The word 'circumstance' in the poem refers to __________.
Ans: death of the poet's mother
In the context of the poem, 'circumstance' is associated with the fact that the poet's mother has passed away.

Q10: The prominent feeling in the poem is __________.
Ans: nostalgia
The poem primarily conveys a sense of nostalgia as the poet reflects on the past.

Assertion and Reason Based

Q1: Assertion: The photograph depicts three girls at the beach.
Reason: The poem describes a beach holiday.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false.
Ans: (b)
The assertion is true as the photograph shows three girls at the beach. However, the reason provided is not a correct explanation of the assertion.

Q2: Assertion: The poet's mother would laugh at the snapshot.
Reason: The photograph is a source of sorrow for the poet's mother.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false.
Ans: (c)
The assertion is true as the poet's mother would laugh at the snapshot. However, the reason is false because the photograph does not bring sorrow but memories.

Q3: Assertion: The sea in the photograph remains the same.
Reason: The sea touched the girls' feet in the picture.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false.
Ans: (a)
The assertion is true, and the reason is a correct explanation. The sea touched the girls' feet, symbolizing the permanence of the sea in contrast to the changing nature of people.

Q4: Assertion: The photograph is framed with cardboard.
Reason: The photograph is old and faded.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false.
Ans: (a)
 The assertion is true, and the reason is a correct explanation. The photograph is framed with cardboard, and its age is implied by the faded appearance.

Q5: Assertion: The poet's mother cannot express her grief.
Reason: The mother is alive but unable to speak.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
(c) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(d) The assertion is false.
Ans: (c)
The assertion is true as the poet's mother cannot express her grief. However, the reason is false because the mother's inability to express grief is not due to being alive but rather due to her passing.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe the content of the photograph in the poem.
Ans: The photograph depicts three girls on a beach, with the middle girl being the eldest, holding the hands of two cousins. They are smiling as they stand still.

Q2: Who are the three girls in the photograph, and how are they related?
Ans: The three girls are the poet's mother (the eldest), and her two cousins named Betty and Dolly.

Q3: What do the girls do during their beach holiday?
Ans: The girls go paddling during their beach holiday.

Q4: Who took the photograph of the girls on the beach?
Ans: The photograph was taken by the girls' uncle.

Q5: How old was the oldest girl in the photograph?
Ans: The oldest girl in the photograph, the poet's mother, was approximately twelve years old.

Q6: What does the poet's mother do when looking at the snapshot after many years?
Ans: The poet's mother would laugh at the snapshot and share memories of their beach holiday.

Q7: What is the poet's favorite memory?
Ans: The poet's favorite memory is of the beach holiday and her mother's laughter.

Q8: How long has the poet's mother been dead?
Ans: The poet's mother has been dead for about twelve years.

Q9: Define the term 'circumstance' in the poem.
Ans: In the poem, 'circumstance' refers to the fact or situation of the poet's mother's death.

Q10: What feeling is prominently presented in the poem?
Ans: The prominent feeling in the poem is nostalgia.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe the appearance and postures of the three girls as they pose for the photograph.
Ans: The three girls stood still on the beach. The middle girl, the poet's mother, was the eldest and held the hands of her two cousins, Betty and Dolly. They were smiling and posed for the photograph.

Q2: Why would the poet's mother laugh at the snapshot?
Ans: The poet's mother would laugh at the snapshot because it would revive happy memories of their beach holiday and the peculiar way they were dressed for it, which brought joy.

Q3: What are the losses experienced by the poet's mother and the poet as mentioned in the poem?
Ans: The losses include the mother's loss of the old happy days at the beach and the poet's loss of her mother's beautiful smile as she is now deceased.

Q4: Explain the significance of the phrase "Its silence silences" in the poem.
Ans: The phrase "Its silence silences" suggests that the silence of the photograph and the unspoken memories it holds are powerful in evoking emotions and memories, and they bring about a deep sense of loss and absence.

Q5: Discuss the role of the sea in the photograph and its symbolism.
Ans: The sea symbolizes permanence and continuity in contrast to the changing nature of people. It touches the girls' feet in the photograph, highlighting the unchanging quality of the sea over time.

Q6: How does the photograph capture the passage of time?
Ans: The photograph captures the passage of time by juxtaposing the youthful image of the girls with the poet's mother's current absence, emphasizing how people change and grow older, while the photograph remains a frozen moment from the past.

Q7: Explain the use of alliteration in the poem and provide examples.
Ans: Alliteration is used to create a rhythmic and musical quality in the poem. Examples include "Silence silences," "My mother's," "Terribly transient," and "Stood still." Alliteration adds to the poetic sound and effect.

Q8: What is the central theme and message of the poem?
Ans: The central theme of the poem is nostalgia and the passage of time. The message is that while people change and memories fade, certain moments captured in photographs remain eternally cherished.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1: Discuss the theme of nostalgia and the poet's emotional journey in the poem "A Photograph."
Ans: The poem "A Photograph" primarily explores the theme of nostalgia, where the poet reflects on a treasured photograph of her mother and two cousins. The photograph becomes a time capsule that transports the poet back to a cherished past. The poet experiences an emotional journey from the joy and nostalgia of the beach holiday to the melancholy of the present, where her mother is no longer alive to share these memories. The photograph symbolizes the power of memory to transcend time and evoke deep emotions.

Q2: Analyze the poet's reflections on the photograph as a time capsule and the significance of memory in the poem.
Ans: The photograph in the poem is depicted as a time capsule that preserves a specific moment in the past. The poet can revisit that moment through the image, reliving the joy of the beach holiday and her mother's laughter. The photograph's significance lies in its ability to keep memories alive. It emphasizes how memories and the past continue to influence the present and shape the emotions of the poet.

Q3: Explore the contrast between the joyous past memories and the melancholy present in the poem.
Ans: The poem contrasts the joyous memories of the past, particularly the beach holiday and the happy moments captured in the photograph, with the melancholy present. The poet's mother has been dead for years, and the poet cannot share these memories with her anymore. The photograph serves as a bittersweet reminder of what was lost over time, evoking a sense of longing and sadness in the present.

Q4: Explain how the poem conveys the idea that time changes people and memories, but some moments remain eternally cherished.
Ans: The poem conveys the idea that time is a transformative force, changing both people and their memories. The poet's mother and the cousins have grown older or passed away, and yet the photograph preserves a moment of eternal youth and happiness. It underscores that while people and memories change, certain moments, like the one in the photograph, remain eternally cherished as a testament to the enduring power of memory and nostalgia.