Question 1 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I believe if a pebble is thrown upwards
I can pierce the heavens
And see the angels at play
I believe I can soar to the heights
Touch the silky coulds
And feel the stars.”
i) What will happen if a pebble is thrown upwards?
Answer : If a pebble is thrown upwards, it will pierce the heaven . The speaker believes that this way she will be able to see the angels playing. It shows the ambitious and curious side of the speaker as she wants to know what goes on in heaven.
ii) What does the speaker want to do?
Answer : The speaker wants to throw a pebble upwards towards the heaven and see the angels at play. She wants to soar to the heights and touch the clouds which seem to her as soft as silk. She also wants to feel the stars in the sky.
iii) Explain the phrase, “I can soar to the heights”.
Answer : It means that the speaker wants to achieve great heights both personally and professionally and gain respect and self-confidence. She wants to touch the silky clouds and feel the stars which are symbolic of ambition.
iv) Why does the speaker want to touch the clouds and feel the stars?
Answer : The speaker wants to touch the clouds and feel the stars because it gives her a sense of freedom and achievement. It makes her believe that she is capable of doing many things. She wishes to convey that the sky is the limit for human achievements.
v) What message does the poet convey through this poem?
Answer : Through this poem, the poet wants to convey that human beings have innate capabilities and they should explore their potential to its extent. She wants to watch the angel’s play in heaven, soar to the heights, touch the clouds and feel the stars. All these things are symbolic of her longing for freedom.
Question 2 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I believe I can do many things
Amidst the human angels
Surrounded by the world’s treasures
But I firmly believe I’ve to complete
The role assigned to me here
Where I dream and breathe.”
i) What does the speaker want to say here?
Answer : The speaker wants to say that she believes she can do many things amidst her fellow beings and all the beautiful things life offers us. But she also believes that she has to complete the role assigned to her since its her duty.
ii) Which ‘role’ is the speaker talking about?
Answer : The speaker is talking about the role assigned to her as a human being on a personal and professional level and she needs to complete that role with full dedication. She feels the importance of one’s duties and responsibilities as a true human being.
iii) Name the poem and the poet. Who are the ‘human angels’? What does the speaker wish to do amidst them?
Answer : The name of the poem is ‘I Believe’ and the name of the poet is ‘Brucellish K.Sangma’. ‘Human angels’ are the fellow human beings of the speaker with whom she can do many things in teamwork. The speaker wishes to fulfill her aspirations in collaboration with fellow human beings.
iv) Explain the phrase, “Surrounded by the world’s treasures”.
Answer : The phrase “Surrounded by the world’s treasures” means that the speaker believes that she can work with her fellow human beings surrounded by beauties of life enjoying each moment that life bestows on us. According to the poet, the world’s treasures are the material things, which provide joy, comfort and happiness.
v) What things does the speaker believe in?
Answer : The speaker believes in doing many things like piercing the heavens with a pebble, soaring to the heights, touching the clouds, feeling the stars, diving into the depths of the ocean, swimming with the sharks, adorning herself with the priceless gems and working with her fellow human beings enjoying the beautiful treasures of the world.
Question 3 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
” I believe I can dive
Right into the depthsÂ
And swim with the sharks
I believe I can claw into the earth’s belly
Pick up the priceless gems
And adorn myself with them.”
i) What does the speaker want to say here?
Answer : The speaker wants to say here that she believes she can dive into the depths of the ocean and swim with the sharks. She can dig into the depths of the earth, pick up the priceless gems and adorn herself with it. All these are symbolic of her aspirations.
ii) Explain the line, ‘swim with the sharks.’
Answer : The line ‘swim with the sharks’ means that she will work steadily and with dedication alongwith the obstacles that come in the path of her work. ‘Swim’ here refers to working and ‘sharks’ are the obstacles that will come in her path while accomplishing the tasks.
iii) What does earth’s belly refer to?
Answer : “Earth’s belly” refers to the depths of the earth where the speaker wants to go and dig out precious gems to adorn herself. It refers to the aspirations of the speaker that she wants to explore tasks which no one has ever tried out.
iv) What does the poem show about the speaker? What kind of person is she?
Answer : The speaker wants to adorn herself with precious gems by digging out the depths of the earth. Here, ‘depths of the earth’ refers to the difficult tasks which she would successfully complete and ‘precious gems’ refers to the rewards and achievements she would get after the completion of the task.
v) Why does the speaker want to adorn herself with pricelss gems?
Answer : The poem shows that the speaker is a strong personality and she does not want to remain confined within societal roles offered to her. Rather, she believes that she is capable of doing greater things and will achieve them with rewards unmatched. She says that although there may be osbtacles in her path, still she would overcome all of them happily.