NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 8

Unit-8 : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 72

Q1 : The central idea of the poem ‘The Solitary Reaper’ is__________.
(i) well sung songs give us happiness
(ii) melodious sounds appeal to all
(iii) beautiful experience give us life-long pleasure
(iv) reapers can sing like birds
Answer :
(iii) beautiful experience give us life-long pleasure

Q2 : In the poem ‘The Solitary Reaper’ to whom does the poet say ‘Stop here or gently pass’?
(i) to the people cutting corn
(ii) to himself
(iii) to the people who make noise
(iv) to all the passers by
Answer :
(iv) to all the passers by

Q3 : The Solitary Reaper is a narrative poem set to music. This form of verse is called a__________.
(i) ballad
(ii) soliloquy
(iii) monologue
(iv) sonnet
Answer :
(i) ballad

Q4 : The poet’s lament in the poem ‘The Solitary Reaper’ is that __________
(i) he cannot understand the song
(ii) he did not know the lass
(iii) she stopped singing at once
(iv) he had to move away
Answer :
(i) he cannot understand the song

Q5 : The setting of the poem is__________
(i) Arabia
(ii) Hebrides
(iii) Scotland
(iv) England
Answer :
(iii) Scotland

Q6 : Read the second stanza again, in which Wordsworth compares the solitary
reaper’s song with the song of the nightingale and the cuckoo. On the basis of
your reading (and your imagination), copy and complete the table below. (Work
in groups of four, then have a brief class discussion.)

Answer :
A model answer has been provided for students’ reference. However, any other point of view supported by an argument or an explanation would also solve the purpose.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.

Q7 : Why do you think Wordsworth has chosen the song of the nightingale and the cuckoo for comparison with the solitary reaper’s song?
Answer :
The nightingale is known for its mellifluous voice which enchants the travellers in the Arabian land, the cuckoo sings beautifully in the spring season. The poet has compared the song of the reaper with the songs of these birds to express that the reaper’s voice was more enchanting and appealing.

Q8 : In the sixth line of the first Stanza, we read:
“… and sings a melancholy strain…”
This “s” sound at the beginning of sings and strain has been repeated. Poets often do this. Do you know why? Do you know what this “poetic repetition” is called? Can you find instances of this in The Solitary Reaper?
Answer :
Poets often repeat such sounds to make the effect more intense and ornamental. This “poetic repetition” is called alliteration.
In line 15 we find an instance of alliteration in “silence of the seas.” In line 18 we find alliteration in “perhaps the plaintive numbers flow.” Line 27 also has alliteration in “I saw her singing at her work.”

Q9 : In the first Stanza, some words or phrases have been used to show that the girl working in the fields is alone. Which are those words and phrases? What effect do they create in the mind of the reader?
Answer :
A model answer has been provided for students’ reference. However, any other point of view supported by an argument or an explanation would also solve the purpose.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.
The words and phrases that have been used to show that the girl working in the fields is alone are ‘single in the field’, ‘solitary’, ‘singing by herself’.
These words and phrases evoke curiosity in the mind of the readers about the girl and her song. Readers become curious to know why the girl is alone in the field and why she is singing a sad song.