Worksheet: Poem - An Elementary School Classroom in a slum | English Literature for Grade 12 PDF Download

Fill in the Blanks

Q1: The slum children are described as "like rootless weeds" because they lack proper ____________.

Q2: The boy with "rat's eyes" is timid and anxious due to ____________.

Q3: The classroom walls were painted long ago with the help of ____________.

Q4: The children's world is confined to the narrow, ____________ streets of the slum.

Q5: The map in the classroom gives false ____________ to the slum children.

Q6: The poet hopes that these children will break free from the chains of the ____________.

Q7: The poet visualizes a carefree life where slum children have the right to be ____________.

Q8: Slum children live in cramped holes, striving for survival from "fog to endless ____________."

Q9: The poet suggests that the people who strive for knowledge are the ones who ____________ history.

Q10: The boy at the back of the class dreams of playing freely like a ____________ in the garden.

Assertion and Reason Based

Q1: Assertion: The slum children feel cheated in being deprived of the sensations of the sun and love.
Reason: They live in a world of hunger and poverty.
(a) Assertion and Reason both are true, and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
(b) Assertion and Reason both are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Both Assertion and Reason are false.

Q2: Assertion: The slum children are compared to "rootless weeds" in the poem.
Reason: They lack proper nutrition and grow like neglected plants.
(a) Assertion and Reason both are true, and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
(b) Assertion and Reason both are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Both Assertion and Reason are false.

Q3: Assertion: The classroom walls are pale cream in color.
Reason: The walls were recently painted with vibrant colors.
(a) Assertion and Reason both are true, and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
(b) Assertion and Reason both are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Both Assertion and Reason are false.

Q4: Assertion: The slum children wear discarded spectacles with mended glass.
Reason: They have access to proper medical facilities for their eyesight.
(a) Assertion and Reason both are true, and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
(b) Assertion and Reason both are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Both Assertion and Reason are false.

Q5: Assertion: The slum children's world is confined to the narrow streets of the slums.
Reason: They are free to explore the beautiful valleys and fragrant flowers beyond the slums.
(a) Assertion and Reason both are true, and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
(b) Assertion and Reason both are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(d) Both Assertion and Reason are false. 

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe the appearance of the tall girl in the classroom.

Q2: What does the boy at the back of the class dream about?

Q3: Why is the boy with "rat's eyes" anxious and timid?

Q4: Explain the significance of the portrait of Shakespeare in the classroom.

Q5: Why does the poet refer to the slum children as "rootless weeds"?

Q6: What does the "open-handed map" in the classroom represent?

Q7: Why do the slum children wear spectacles with mended glass?

Q8: What is the poet's hope for the slum children regarding their future?

Q9: Why is the classroom map a source of false aspirations for the slum children?

Q10: What is the contrast between the slum children's world and the world depicted in the map?

Short Answer Type Questions 

Q1: Explain the metaphor 'rootless weeds' used to describe the slum children.

Q2: Describe the contrast between the classroom's map and the slum children's reality.

Q3: What does the phrase 'fighting the battle of life unarmed' signify in the context of the slum children?

Q4: Explain the significance of the phrase 'from fog to endless night' in the poem.

Q5: Why do the slum children view the map as 'a bad example'?

Q6: Describe the impact of the 'cloudless dawn' on the slum children's lives.

Q7: What is the poet's hope for the slum children in the future?

Q8: Explain the metaphor 'slither and slog' used in the poem.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe the physical appearance of the slum children as portrayed in the poem.

Q2: Explain the significance of the classroom's map in contrast to the slum children's reality.

Q3: Discuss the poet's plea and hope for the slum children's future.

Q4: Examine the impact of the poem's imagery on conveying the plight of the slum children.

You can access the solutions to this worksheet here.