NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill - Poem 2 - Laburnum Top

Find Out

Q1: What laburnum is called in your language.
Ans: In hindi, it is called 'Amaltaas'.

Q2: Which local bird is like the goldfinch.
Ans: 'Indian Lutino Ringneck' is local bird like the goldfinch.

Think It Out

Q1: What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem? Answer: In the beginning of the poem the tree is calm & silent & in the ending it ends with motionless & empty level.

Q2: To what is the bird’s movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?
Ans: The goldfinch’s movement is compared to that of a lizard. The basis of the comparison is the sleek, abrupt and alert movements of a lizard. The same kinds of movements are observed when the goldfinch arrives on the laburnum tree.

Q3: Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet?
Ans: The engine is the source of energy to run machine. It is compared to bird as she is too a source of energy for her family. As without engine a machine can’t work in the same without a bird her family can’t survive.

Q4: What do you like most about the poem?
Ans: I like the simpilicity and pictorial presentation of the poem. The comparison between bird's movement with machine and Lizrad made in nice way. Also chirruping & trilling of goldfinch.

Q5: What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” mean?
Answer: The phrase means that the bird’s barred or covered face becomes her identity mask recognition.

Note Down

(i) the sound words
(ii) the movement words
(iii) the dominant colour in the poem.
Ans:
(i) Chirrup, chitterings, tremor of wings, trillings, whistle-chirrup, whispering
(ii) comes, enters, starts up, flirts out.
(iii) yellow

List the following

Q1: words which sleek, alert and abrupt.
Ans: Sleek

Q2: words with the sound ch, as in chart, and tr, as in trembles in the poem.
Ans: goldfinch, branch, chetterings, Lauches, trembles, trillings, tree.

Q3: Other sounds that occur frequently in the poem.  
Ans: The other sounds that occur frequently in the poem are listed below. ‘-st’ as in still, startlement and stokes. '-ill' as in still, till, trillings and thrills. '-ing' as in ‘yellowing, twitching, chitterings, wings, trillings, showing and whisperings.