GSEB Class 9 English Solutions Poem 1 The River

Comprehension

Question 1. Give the opposites.
Answer: The list of opposites provided is:
(1) louder X softer
(2) faster X slower
(3) broad X narrow
(4) deep X shallow
(5) wider X narrower
In simple words: This question asks for pairs of words that mean the complete opposite of each other. For example, "louder" is the opposite of "softer."

Exam Tip: To find opposites, think about words that represent a contrasting state or quality. Sometimes, adding prefixes like "un-" or "dis-" can create an opposite.

Question 2. Add a rhyming word.
Answer: Here are the words with additional rhyming words:
(1) dancing, glancing, prancing.
(2) leaping, sweeping, reaping
(3) motion, ocean, commotion
In simple words: For each group, we added a word that makes a similar sound at the end, which is called rhyming. Like how "glancing" and "prancing" rhyme with "dancing."

Exam Tip: When identifying rhyming words, focus on the sound of the word's ending, rather than just its spelling.

3. Answer the Questions.

Question 1. What is the destination of the river?
Answer: The ocean is the river's final destination.
In simple words: The river's journey ends in the ocean.

Exam Tip: Always identify the key subject (river) and its action or outcome (destination) to answer directly.

Question 2. Why does the poet compare the river with a child in the first stanza?
Answer: The poet believes that like a playful child, the river shines brightly as it flows, moves over small stones, and looks through flowers and plants.
In simple words: The poet compares the river to a child because it sparkles, dances over pebbles, and looks through plants, just like a child at play.

Exam Tip: Look for descriptive words and actions in the poem that suggest childlike qualities when analyzing comparisons.

Question 3. Describe the movement of the river.
Answer: The river swells and rushes along more loudly and quickly. It tumbles and jumps over the rocks, sweeping past the rose-banks like an energetic youth.
In simple words: The river moves fast and noisily, growing bigger, splashing over rocks, and quickly passing by the flowery banks.

Exam Tip: Use vivid verbs and adverbs from the poem to describe movement effectively, making sure to include details like sound and speed.

Question 4. Why does the poet compare the sea with eternity?
Answer: The sea can never be fully measured. It continues without end. Therefore, the poet compares it with eternity.
In simple words: The poet compares the sea to eternity because it is huge, unending, and cannot be measured, just like forever.

Exam Tip: Understand the qualities attributed to the sea (immeasurable, endless) and how these relate to the concept of eternity.

Question 5. What does the word 'still' mean In 'Seeming still – yet still in motion'?
Answer: In the phrase 'Seeming still – yet still in motion', the word 'still' has two different meanings:
(1) In 'seeming still', it means motionless or quiet.
(2) In 'yet still in motion', it signifies 'even now' or 'nevertheless'.
In simple words: The word 'still' is used two ways here: first, it means not moving, and second, it means 'even though' or 'even now it is moving'.

Exam Tip: When a word is repeated in a phrase, check if it has different meanings in each instance, as poets often use words with multiple senses.

Read the Following Stanzas and Answer the Questions.

(1) River, river, little river
Bright you sparkle on your way;
O'er the yellow pebbles dancing,
Through the flowers and foliage glancing,
Like a child at play.

Question 1. What does the river do over the pebbles?
Answer: The river moves dancing over the pebbles.
In simple words: The river playfully glides over the small stones.

Exam Tip: When asked about actions, identify the verb describing the subject in relation to the object mentioned.

Question 2. Through what does the river glance?
Answer: The river looks through the flowers and foliage.
In simple words: The river passes by and seems to look at the flowers and leaves.

Exam Tip: Pay close attention to prepositions like "through" to understand the interaction described in the poem.

Question 3. To whom is the river compared?
Answer: The river is compared to a playful child.
In simple words: The river is like a child who is playing.

Exam Tip: Identify similes or metaphors in the stanza that draw a comparison between the river and another entity.

Question 4. Write the rhyming words in the stanza.
Answer: The rhyming words are way-play, and dancing-glancing.
In simple words: Words that sound similar at their ends, like "way" and "play," are the rhyming words in this part.

Exam Tip: Read the stanza aloud to better hear the rhyming patterns, which usually occur at the end of lines.

(2) River, river, swelling river!
On you rush through rough and smooth;
Louder, faster, brawling, leaping,
Over rocks, by rose-banks sweeping
Like impetuous youth.

Question 1. What does 'swelling river' mean?
Answer: 'Swelling river' signifies a river that is expanding or growing.
In simple words: A 'swelling river' means the river is getting bigger and fuller.

Exam Tip: Understand that "swelling" refers to an increase in size or volume, often due to more water.

Question 2. How does the river flow over the rocks?
Answer: The river flows louder, faster, making noise, and jumping over the rocks.
In simple words: Over the rocks, the river moves with great speed and sound, splashing and leaping.

Exam Tip: Look for action verbs and adverbs that describe the river's motion and sound as it interacts with obstacles like rocks.

Question 3. How does the river flow by the rose-banks?
Answer: The river is moving quickly past the rose-banks.
In simple words: The river quickly flows by the banks where roses grow.

Exam Tip: Identify the specific action of the river in relation to the rose-banks, which is "sweeping" or moving past them.

Question 4. To whom is the river compared?
Answer: The river is compared to a careless young person.
In simple words: The river is likened to a youth who acts without much thought.

Exam Tip: The comparison "Like impetuous youth" directly states the object of comparison.

Question 5. Write the rhyming words in the stanza.
Answer: The rhyming words are smooth-youth, and leaping-sweeping.
In simple words: The words in this part that have similar ending sounds are "smooth" and "youth", and "leaping" and "sweeping".

Exam Tip: Rhyming words often share similar vowel sounds and ending consonant sounds.

(3) River, river, brimming river !
Broad and deep, and still as time;
Seeming still, yet still in motion,
Tending onward to the ocean,
Just like mortal prime.

Question 1. What does 'brimming river mean?
Answer: 'Brimming river' signifies a river that is overflowing or completely full.
In simple words: A 'brimming river' means it is completely full of water, almost spilling over.

Exam Tip: "Brimming" implies being filled to the very top edge, suggesting abundance or fullness.

Question 2. Towards what is the river flowing?
Answer: The river is flowing towards the ocean.
In simple words: The river is moving towards the sea.

Exam Tip: Identify the specific destination mentioned in the stanza for the river's movement.

Question 3. To whom is the river compared?
Answer: The river is compared to a middle-aged man.
In simple words: The river is likened to a person who is in the middle stage of their life.

Exam Tip: Look for phrases that describe the river's characteristics (broad, deep, seeming still yet in motion) and connect them to stages of human life.

Question 4. Write the rhyming words in the stanza.
Answer: The rhyming words are time-prime, and motion-ocean.
In simple words: The words that rhyme in this section are "time" with "prime", and "motion" with "ocean".

Exam Tip: Focus on identifying pairs of words that share similar terminal sounds within the stanza.

Question 5. Explain 'Seeming still, yet still in motion.
Answer: 'Seeming still, yet still in motion' indicates that the river appears to be motionless or calm, but it is actually moving gently and quietly.
In simple words: This means the river looks calm and not moving much, but it is actually still flowing softly.

Exam Tip: Analyze contrasting ideas presented in a phrase to fully understand its meaning; here, "seeming still" (appearance) versus "still in motion" (reality).

(4) River, river, headlong river !
Down you dash into the sea,
Sea that line hath never sounded,
Sea that sail hath never rounded,
Like Eternity.

Question 1. Where does the river dash into?
Answer: The river rushes into the sea.
In simple words: The river quickly flows into the ocean.

Exam Tip: "Dash into" directly tells you the action and destination of the river.

Question 2. To what is the sea compared?
Answer: The sea is compared to Eternity.
In simple words: The sea is likened to endless time or forever.

Exam Tip: Identify the final line of the stanza, which often contains the ultimate comparison or conclusion.

Question 3. Why does the poet compare the sea to Eternity?
Answer: The poet compares the sea to Eternity because the sea's depth can never be measured, and it continues to flow without end.
In simple words: The poet sees the sea like eternity because it's so deep it can't be measured and it never stops flowing.

Exam Tip: Connect the attributes of the sea (immeasurable depth, endless flow) to the characteristics of eternity.

Question 4. Write the rhyming words in the stanza.
Answer: The rhyming words are rounded-sounded.
In simple words: In this part, the words "rounded" and "sounded" rhyme with each other.

Exam Tip: Focus on the words at the end of lines, as they are most commonly the rhyming elements in poetry.

The River Summary in Gujarati

નદી, નદી, નાનકડી નદી !
આનંદથી ચમકતી તારા માર્ગમાં;
પીળા કાંકરા પર નાચતી-કૂદતી,
ફૂલો અને પાંદડાઓમાંથી જોતી-જોતી,
જાણે કે એક રમતું બાળક.

નદી, નદી, ઊછળતી નદી !
ખાડાટેકરાવાળા અને સમતલ રસ્તે તું દોડતી જાય છે.
વધુ મોટા અવાજ સાથે, ઝડપથી, ખળખળ વહેતી,
કૂદતી, પથરા ઉપરથી, કાંઠા પર ગુલાબ(ના છોડ)ની હારને સ્પર્શતી
ઝડપથી
જાણે કે ઉન્મત્ત યૌવન"

નદી, નદી, છલકતી નદી !
વિશાળ અને ઊંડી, અને સમયની જેમ સ્થિર;
સ્થિર લાગે, તોપણ ગતિમાં (વહેતી),
સમુદ્રની દિશામાં આગળ વહેતી,
જાણે કે જીવનના શ્રેષ્ઠ સમયમાં માણસ.

નદી, નદી, ઉતાવળી નદી !
દરિયામાં તું ધસી જતી,
દરિયો – જેની ઊંડાઈ અમાપ છે,
દરિયો – જેનો પ્રવાસ નિરંતર છે,
જાણે કે અનંતકાળ.

Word Meanings

to sparkle (સ્પાર્કલ) ચમકવું

pebble (પેબલ) કાંકરો

foliage (ફૉલિઈજ) પાંદડાં

to glance (ગ્લાન્સ) જોવું

to swell (સ્વેલ) મોટું થવું, વધવું, ઉછળવું

to rush (રશ) દોડવું

rough (રફ) ખાડાટેકરાવાળું

smooth (સ્મૂધ) ખાડાટેકરા વિનાનું, સમતલ

to brawl (બ્રૉલ) ખળખળ વહેવું

to leap (લીપ) કૂદવું

rock (રૉક) પથરો

bank (બૅન્ક) કિનારો, કાંઠો

to sweep (સ્વીપ) ઝડપથી પસાર થવું

impetuous (ઈમ્પેટ્યુઅસ) અવિચારીપણે વર્તતું, ઉન્મત્ત

youth (યૂથ) યુવાન, યૌવન

brimming (બ્રિમિંગ) ભરેલું, છલકતું

broad (બ્રૉડ) પહોળું, વિશાળ

deep (ડીપ) ઊંડું

still (સ્ટિલ) ગતિ વિનાનું, શાંત, સ્થિર

to seem (સીમ) લાગવું

in motion (ઇન મોશન) ગતિમાં

to tend (ટેન્ડ) અમુક દિશામાં જવું

onward (ઑન્વર્ડ) આગળ

ocean (ઓશન) સમુદ્ર

mortal (મોર્ટલ) માણસ

prime (પ્રાઈમ) શ્રેષ્ઠ ભાગ, શ્રેષ્ઠ સમય

headlong (હેડલોંગ) એકદમ ઉતાવળથી કરેલું, વગર વિચાર્યું

to dash into (ડેશ ઈન્ટુ) -માં ધસી જવું

hath (હૅથ) હોવું

to sound (સાઉન્ડ) દોરી નાખીને દરિયાની ઊંડાઈ માપવી

sail (સેલ) દરિયાનો પ્રવાસ

to round (રાઉન્ડ) વાળવું, પૂર્ણ કરવું

eternity (ઈટરનિટિ) અનંતકાળ, શાશ્વતી