CBSE Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Questions Set 01

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

(a). What themes are explored by the poet John Berryman in the poem ‘The Ball Poem’?
Answer: In ‘The Ball Poem’ Berryman explores themes of loss, growing up, coming of age, and transformation.

(b). What is the significance of the use of the words ‘All his young days into the harbour’ to describe the loss of the ball in the poem and how does this word choice contribute to the overall mood and tone of the poem? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: The little boy stood shocked when he saw his ball drifting away. His rigidness shows that he instinctively knew that it is irretrievable. With the ball, he also lost precious childhood memories for good. The dark mood and the sad tone are reflected in the choice of words: ‘ultimate shaking grief’, ‘rigid’, ‘trembling’ and ‘staring’.

(c). The boy’s reaction to the loss of the ball shows that ______.
(a) he would never feel happy again.
(b) he would never play with another ball.
(c) he would ask for a new ball.
(d) he was very attached to the lost ball and was very upset about losing it.
Answer: (d) he was very attached to the lost ball and was very upset about losing it.

(d). Identify the symbolism used in the given lines of the poem.
Answer: The ball is a symbol of the most precious possession of the boy and the loss of his childhood memories.

Extract 2

(a). The extract suggests that the poet is ______.
(a) an onlooker observing
(b) a parent recounting the incident
(c) the boy talking about himself
(d) imagining the incident
Answer: (a) an onlooker observing

(b). The poet seems to have indicated the merry bouncing of the ball to ______.
(a) create a sense of rhythm in these lines
(b) support the happiness of the experience of playing
(c) contrast with the dejected feeling of the boy
(d) indicate the cheerful mood of the boy
Answer: (c) contrast with the dejected feeling of the boy

(c). Choose the situation that corresponds to the emotion behind the exclamation mark in the poem.
1. Hey! Hey! That’s no way to dispose of the garbage. Have you no community sense? Please put it in the bin.
2. I knew it! I knew he’ll fare well in his auditions for ‘Young Chef’. Now, we prepare for the semi-finals.
3. I don’t know where I’ve placed my ID-card. Let me check the bag once more. Ah, finally!
4. I’ve been trying to call mom for the past 20 minutes and can’t get through. I don’t know how... Aarrgh! Again!
(a) option 1
(b) option 2
(c) option 3
(d) option 4
Answer: (d) option 4

(d). The poem begins with a question. Based on your reading of the poem, the speaker ______.
(a) wants the boy to answer the question
(b) expects the passers-by to respond
(c) is looking for answers in a self-help book
(d) is thinking to himself
Answer: (d) is thinking to himself

(e). Alliteration is a literary device that occurs with the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Pick the option that showcases an example of alliteration from the extract.
(a) What is the boy now
(b) who has lost his ball
(c) I saw it go
(d) and then/ Merrily over
Answer: (b) who has lost his ball

Extract 3

(a). Fill in the blank with the correct words on the basis of your understanding of the given lines.
The poet ______ thinks that ‘no one buys a ball back’ because ______.
Answer: John Berryman; the memories attached to the lost ball cannot be bought back with money.

(b). What is the poet’s mood when he lays bare a common belief about the power of money in this stanza?
Answer: The poet’s mood is pragmatic when he says that in our material world, money can’t buy everything.

(c). Complete the statement with correct facts: ‘I’ will not intrude on the boy because ______.
(a) he won’t like the intrusion
(b) ‘I’ wants him to face the situation
(c) another ball can be given to him
(d) the boy is stubborn
Answer: (b) ‘I’ wants him to face the situation

(d). Comment on the poet’s use of language in these lines in 40 words.
Answer: The stanza is rich in figurative language. The poet has made effective use of alliteration in ‘buys a ball back’, repetition in ‘Balls, balls will be lost always’, consonance in ‘lost always, little boy’ and asyndeton in ‘A dime, another ball, is worthless’.

Extract 4

(a). Comment on the poet’s use of language in these lines.
Answer: John Berryman uses stark language in "The Ball Poem," to illustrate the boy's emotional turmoil."Money is external" highlights the inadequacy of material replacements, while "epistemology of loss" poignantly captures the profound, universal lesson of resilience amidst grief.

(b). What is the speaker's attitude towards the boy's loss in the poem?
(a) Sympathetic
(b) Indifferent
(c) Critical
(d) Mocking
Answer: (a) Sympathetic

(c). From the line, "And no one buys a ball back," what inference can you make about the irreversible nature of loss?
Answer: The statement suggests that the loss has to do with more than just the ball; it also has to do with the sentimental value and emotional connection attached to it. Purchasing a new ball won't replace the old one with its memories and meaning.

(d). Fill in the blanks with an appropriate answer. The little boy's desperate eyes suggest ______.
Answer: intense emotional turmoil or deep sorrow.

Extract 5

(a). The poet uses the word ‘ultimate’ to describe the boy’s reaction. Pick the meaning that DOES NOT display what, ‘ultimate’ means in the context given.
(a) Consequent
(b) Final
(c) Conclusive
(d) Fateful
Answer: (d) Fateful

(b). How does the boy's experience with losing his ball connect to broader ideas about human life and inevitable losses?
Answer: The boy's experience of losing his ball shows that life is full of inevitable losses. It teaches us that we may lose things we love, and these experiences help us learn how to cope with loss, accept reality, and move on in life.

(c). Fill in the blank with an appropriate answer. The poet chooses not to intrude because ______.
Answer: he feels that it’s important that the boy learns an important life lesson.

(d). The poet has used the word "rigid" to describe the boy's posture after losing his ball. What does this word choice convey about his emotional state?
Answer: The word "rigid" shows that the boy becomes stiff and immovable after losing his ball. It suggests that he is deeply affected and is struggling to cope with the loss.

(e). In the line, "ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy", what does the following tell us? (a) “ultimate” - This tells us ______. (b) “fixes” – This tells us ______.
Answer: (a) that the grief experienced by the boy is profound. (b) that the grief becomes a central and unshakeable part of the boy's emotional state.

(f). Complete the following with a correct option. The use of "rigid" and "trembling" in the same line creates a powerful contrast between ______.
(a) unchangeable circumstances and visible sobbing
(b) defence mechanism and submission to a situation
(c) emotional numbness and physical quivering
(d) strong beliefs and unexpected reality
Answer: (c) emotional numbness and physical quivering

(g). State why the following is FALSE. The line "All his young days into the harbour where / His ball went" refers to losing the ball as just a material loss.
Answer: The given claim is False because the loss of the ball signifies a moment of transition, a loss of innocence, and a realisation of the complexities of life which is far more than just a material loss.

(h). Fill the blank with an appropriate phrase from those given in the brackets. The speaker chooses not to intrude on the boy. The decision of not to intrude, reflects a sensitivity to the boy's emotional state and a respect for the ______ of the grieving process. (universal occurrence / passing over / personal nature) (CBSE Practice Set-2, 2023)
Answer: personal nature

Extract 6

(a). Complete the conversation with what the boy would most likely say. Answer in one sentence. John: Oh don't worry, there are plenty of other balls to play with. Boy: ______
Answer: No, there is none like that ball.

(b). Which line first indicates that the ball is a metaphor for something else?
(a) Merrily over — there it is in the water!
(b) An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
(c) All his young days into the harbour where
(d) I would not intrude on him;
Answer: (c) All his young days into the harbour where

(c). Which literary device does the speaker use to describe the boy's sorrow? Why does the speaker use this device? Answer in one sentence.
Answer: The speaker uses visual imagery to describe the boy's sorrow because it creates a clear picture of the depth of the boy's grief. The lines 'An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down' paints a visual picture of the boy's grief and sorrow

(d). Based on the extract, what makes a possession valuable? Answer in about 40 words. (CBSE Practice Set-1, 2023)
Answer: The line 'And no one buys a ball back. Money is external' indicates that the value of a possession is not determined by its cost or monetary value. Instead, the value of a possession is determined by the emotional attachment towards it, as seen in the way the boy values his ball.

Extract 7

(a). Fill in the blank with one word. When the speaker says “People will take balls, Balls will be lost always, little boy”, his tone is ______.
Answer: resigned

(b). The poet says that money is external. What inference can be drawn from this statement? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: The inference drawn from the poet's statement that "money is external" is that material wealth cannot compensate for emotional losses. It suggests that the true value of sentimental possessions cannot be replaced or restored with monetary means.

(c). Which of the following best describes the speaker’s attitude towards material possessions?
(a) indifferent
(b) emotional
(c) casual
(d) respectful
Answer: (d) respectful

(d). Identify the poetic device used in “And no one buys a ball back’’. (CBSE 2024)
Answer: The poetic device used in the given line is Alliteration. Alliteration is a poetic device where consecutive words in a sentence or phrase begin with the same consonant sound. Example - buys a ball back.

Extract 8

(a). What does the poet mean by ‘epistemology of loss’?
(a) The boy is learning about loss
(b) The boy is estimating his loss
(c) The boy has got over his hurt
(d) The boy has understood his loss
Answer: (a) The boy is learning about loss

(b). How does the poet come across in this poem?
Answer: The poet comes across as a sensitive, wise and understanding person. He sympathises with the boy but chooses not to intervene, so that the boy can learn about loss on his own.

(c). Fill the blank with one word. The poet uses the phrase ‘how to stand up’ to mean ______. in context to the boy.
Answer: cope

(d). The phrase ‘how to stand up’ is an example of which poetic device?
Answer: Metaphor

Extract 9

(a). What is the significance of the use of the word "trembling" and how does this word choice contribute to the overall mood and tone of the poem? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: ‘Trembling’ shows the boy’s shock and deep grief. Along with ‘rigid’, it creates a tense, sad mood and gives the poem a sombre, sympathetic tone.

(b). Why does the speaker choose not to intrude?
Answer: The speaker wants the boy to learn on his own how to cope with loss, as this lesson is important for growing up.

(c). Fill in the blank with an appropriate word. The phrase "ultimate shaking grief" suggests that the boy's sorrow is ______. and ______.
(a) temporary, fleeting
(b) profound, overwhelming
(c) Subtle, barely noticeable
(d) confusing, ambiguous
Answer: (b) profound, overwhelming

(d). The boy is very young in this poem. As a mature, balanced grown-up, what would he think about his ‘ultimate shaking grief’?
Answer: As a mature grown-up, he would realise that losing a ball was a small loss. But he would also understand that it taught him his first lesson about loss and responsibility, and he would value that experience.

Extract 10

(a). What is the boy doing?
Answer: The boy was playing with the ball.

(b). What has happened to the ball?
Answer: The ball has fallen into the water.

(c). What is the state of the boy’s mind?
Answer: The boy is feeling sad and helpless.

Extract 11

(a). What has happened to the boy?
Answer: The boy was very sad as he had lost his ball.

(b). Why does the poet say, ‘No use to say – ‘O there are other balls’’?
Answer: The poet says so because the boy loved that ball and nothing else can bring joy to him.

(c). What did the poet see?
Answer: The poet saw the ball bouncing towards the water.

(d). What has the boy lost?
Answer: The boy has lost his ball in the water.

(e). The expression ‘what, what is he to do’ denotes …
(a) loss of ball
(b) further action of boy
(c) boy’s grief over loss of ball
(d) feels happy
Answer: (c) boy’s grief over loss of ball

(f). Where did the ball go?
(a) Across the street
(b) Into water
(c) In a drain
(d) Far off in a jungle
Answer: (b) Into water

(g). Which word is synonym of ‘happily’?
(a) Friendly
(b) Hopefully
(c) Merrily
(d) Sadly
Answer: (c) Merrily

(h). What does the expression – “no use to say - ‘O there are other balls’ mean”?
(a) It is a big loss
(b) Insignificant loss
(c) Will buy new ball
(d) Loss is of major consequence
Answer: (d) Loss is of major consequence

Extract 12

(a). Who is ‘I’?
Answer: The poet

(b). What lesson does the boy learn after he loses his ball?
Answer: The boy learns that loss is inevitable and that one must learn to live with it.

(c). Why does the boy feel ‘ultimate shaking grief’ when he loses his ball?
Answer: This is because he has lost his ball.

(d). Why is the ball precious to the child?
Answer: The ball was precious to him because he was very attached to it and hence, was very upset about losing it.

Extract 13

(a). What does the boy feel on losing the ball?
Answer: The boy feels deep grief at losing something he loved and was attached to.

(b). What lesson does the loss of the ball teach him?
Answer: The loss of the ball teaches him his first lesson of responsibility in a world of possessions: things are lost, and one must learn to bear the loss.

(c). Why is another ball worthless for him?
Answer: It is worthless for him because no new ball can replace the ball he loved and the memories attached to it.

(d). Find a word from the stanza that means ‘useless’.
Answer: Worthless

Extract 14

(a). How has the boy lost the ball?
Answer: The boy has lost the ball while playing.

(b). Explain: ‘Money is external’.
Answer: It means money can’t create a sense of belonging.

(c). Why does the poet say that no one buys a ball back?
Answer: The poet says so because money cannot buy back what is lost; a new ball cannot bring back the lost ball or the memories attached to it.

(d). Find a word from the stanza that means ‘of the outside’.
Answer: External

Extract 15

(a). What kind of a person has the boy become on losing the ball?
Answer: The boy has become responsible, mature and caring on losing the ball.

(b). What is so universal about the loss of the ball?
Answer: All men lose something in life.

(c). What is the boy learning?
Answer: The boy is learning what it means to lose something and how to bear the loss.

(d). Find a word from the stanza that means ‘nature or knowledge’.
Answer: Epistemology

(e). The poet of the poem from which the above lines are taken is:
(a) John Berryman
(b) Carl Sandburg
(c) Adrienne Rich
(d) none of these
Answer: (a) John Berryman

(f). The boy is learning how to:
(a) forget his ball
(b) deal with a loss
(c) survive the loss of something dear and continue with life
(d) accept that whatever goes doesn’t come back.
Answer: (c) survive the loss of something dear and continue with life

(g). The poet doesn’t intrude on the boy because he knows that ______.
(a) the boy is learning
(b) the boy is angry
(c) the boy is crying
(d) the boy is excited
Answer: (a) the boy is learning

(h). The ball, in this poem, is a metaphor of ______.
(a) something that we earn
(b) something that we hate
(c) something that we love
(d) something that we lose
Answer: (c) something that we love

(i). What is universal about losing the ball?
(a) all of us lose
(b) everyone has a ball
(c) everyone has a toy
(d) everyone plays when young
Answer: (a) all of us lose