GSEB Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 9 The Snake Trying Solutions

Thinking about the Poem

1. Answer The Following Questions Briefly:

Question 1. What is the snake trying to escape from?
Answer: It is attempting to get away from the hit of a stick.

Exam Tip: For simple questions like this, always provide a direct and concise answer based on the text.

Question 2. Is it a harmful snake? What is its colour?
Answer: No, the snake is not dangerous even for young kids. It has a green shade.

Exam Tip: When a question has multiple parts, ensure you answer each one fully to avoid losing marks.

Question 3. The poet finds the snake beautiful. Find the words he uses to convey its beauty.
Answer: He mentions that its bent forms appear lovely and elegant.

Exam Tip: Always quote specific words or phrases from the text when asked to illustrate a point about the author's description.

Question 4. What does the poet wish for the snake?
Answer: The poet desires for the snake to get away safely without injury.

Exam Tip: Focus on the poet's perspective and feelings as expressed in the poem for such questions.

Question 5. Where was the snake before anyone saw it and chased it away? Where does the snake disappear?
Answer: The snake was resting beside the sandy shore. It vanishes into the small waves among the tall grasses.

Exam Tip: Pay close attention to details about location and actions of characters mentioned in the poem.

2.

Question 1. Find out as much as you can about different kinds of snakes (from books in the library, or from the Internet). Are they all poisonous? Find out the names of some poisonous snakes.
Answer: There exist many types of snakes. These include King Cobra, Black Mamba, Python, Rattlesnake, American Copperhead, Corn snake, Boa Constrictor, Eastern Coral snake, Black Rat snake, Burmese Python, Anaconda, Water Moccasin snake, Green Tree Python, and others. Not all of them carry venom. The harmful ones are Indian Cobra, Blue Krait, Russel's Viper, Rattlesnake, Death Adder, Philippine Cobra, Tiger snake, Black Mamba, Taipan, and Eastern Brown snake.

Exam Tip: When listing examples, try to categorize them (e.g., poisonous vs. non-poisonous) if the question prompts it, for clarity.

Question 2. Look for information on how to find out whether a snake is harmful.
Answer: There are several methods to determine if a snake is dangerous. The venomous snakes typically possess:
• Slit eyes (excluding coral snakes)
• Triangle-shaped head
• A dip between their eyes and nostrils
• Distinct designs on their body
• A rattling sound from their tail

Exam Tip: For questions requiring identifying characteristics, list them clearly, preferably using bullet points or numbered lists if appropriate.

Question 3. As you know, from the previous lesson you have just read, there are people in our country who have traditional knowledge about snakes, who even catch poisonous snakes with practically bare hands. Can you find out something more about them?
Answer: Here are some details regarding snake charmers:
• The snake-charmers are part of the Nath group and follow Lord Shiva or Bhole Nath.
• Their abilities to capture snakes are learned from a young age.
• Snakes often rest outside in the snake-charmers' communities. Small containers, filled with sand, are also prepared for the snakes in those places.

Exam Tip: When asked for additional information, organize your points clearly using bullet points or a numbered list.

Gseb Class 9 English The Snake Trying Additional Important Questions And Answers

Reading Comprehension

Read The Following Stanzas And Answer The Questions Given Below Them:

Question 1.
The snake trying to escape the pursuing stick,
with sudden curvings of thin
long body. How beautiful
and graceful are his shapes
He glides through the water away
from the stroke. O let him go over the water into the reeds to hide without hurt.
Questions:
(1) What is the snake trying to escape from?
(2) What do the words 'with sudden curvings of thin long body' suggest?
(3) Where, as the poet suggests, should the snake be allowed to go?
Answer:
(1) The snake is attempting to flee from someone who is chasing to hit it with a stick.
(2) The phrase 'with sudden curvings of thin long body' implies that as the snake moves ahead in its winding manner, its body performs twisting actions. This image is formed by these words.
(3) As the poet recommends, the snake ought to be permitted to cross the water into the tall grass to conceal itself.

Exam Tip: For passage-based questions, always refer back to the provided text to ensure your answers are accurate and supported.

Question 2.
Small and green
he is harmless even to children.
Along the sand
he lay until observed
and chased away, and now
he vanishes in the ripples
among the green slim reeds.
Questions:
(1) The poet wishes that the snake should slip away without being hurt. Why?
(2)"... and now he vanishes in the ripples ...'. What does the word 'now' in this line suggest?
(3) Why does the poet use the adjective 'green' before 'slim reeds'?
Answer:
(1) The poet desires for the snake to slide away without injury because it is not dangerous even for kids, so it should not be struck or harmed.
(2) The snake had been resting on the sand—perhaps enjoying the sun—but currently, when a person pursues it with a stick, it glides away due to fright.
(3) To many creatures, nature has provided color protection. The natural hues or patterns of certain animals blend with their environment, thereby hiding them from hunters. Here, the snake is 'green', and it vanishes into 'green' reeds, making it nearly impossible to find and harm it.

Exam Tip: Analyze individual words or phrases as requested, linking them back to the overall theme or imagery of the poem.

Figures Of Speech

Choose The Most Appropriate Figures Of Speech In The Following Lines:

Question 1. 'The snake trying to escape the pursuing stick'.
(a) Allegory
(b) Transferred Epithet
(c) Metaphor
(d) Metonymy
Answer: (b) Transferred Epithet
In simple words: Here, the word "pursuing" describes the stick, but it's really the person holding the stick who is pursuing. This means the emotion is moved from the person to the object.

Exam Tip: Understand the definitions of different figures of speech to correctly identify them in given lines. Transferred epithet occurs when an adjective describing a person or thing is transferred to another.

Question 2. 'How beautiful and graceful are his shapes!
(a) Anastrophe
(b) Exclamation
(c) Interrogation
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (d) Both (a) and (b)
In simple words: The sentence structure is inverted (Anastrophe), and the exclamation mark shows strong feeling (Exclamation).

Exam Tip: Recognize that a single line can exhibit multiple figures of speech simultaneously, so consider all possibilities.

Question 3. '...into the reeds to hide without hurt'.
(a) Alliteration
(b) Repetition
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification
Answer: (a) Alliteration
In simple words: The repetition of the 'h' sound in "hide" and "hurt" at the start of close words is Alliteration.

Exam Tip: Alliteration involves the repetition of an initial consonant sound in multiple words within a phrase or sentence.

Answer The Following Questions In Three To Four Sentences Each:

Question 1. What is the snake trying to do?
Answer: It is attempting to get away.

Exam Tip: For short answer questions, provide a clear and direct response, usually within one or two sentences.

Question 2. What is it trying to escape from?
Answer: It is attempting to get away from the chasing stick.

Exam Tip: Be precise with the details of what the snake is fleeing from, as mentioned in the poem.

Question 3. How is it trying to escape?
Answer: It is attempting to get away by quickly bending its long, slender body.

Exam Tip: Describe the snake's actions and movements accurately, using descriptive language from the text.

Question 4. What does the poet think about the shapes of snake?
Answer: He believes they are lovely and elegant.

Exam Tip: State the poet's perspective clearly, using adjectives that reflect his appreciation for the snake's form.

Question 5. Where does the snake go and why?
Answer: The snake moves across the water to protect itself from being hit.

Exam Tip: Answer both parts of the question, indicating both the destination and the reason for its movement.

Question 6. Where was he lying?
Answer: He was resting beside the sand.

Exam Tip: Provide specific details about the snake's initial location before it was disturbed.

Question 7. What happened when he was observed?
Answer: He was pursued and forced to leave.

Exam Tip: Clearly state the immediate consequence of the snake being seen by a person.

Question 8. Where does he vanish?
Answer: He disappears among the tall grasses.

Exam Tip: Mention the specific place where the snake finds concealment as described in the poem.

Question 9. Which colour are the reeds?
Answer: The tall grasses possess a green shade.

Exam Tip: Provide direct answers to factual questions from the poem.

The Snake Trying Summary In English

The Snake Trying Introduction:
Answer: William Wrightson Eustace Ross (June 14, 1894-August 26, 1966) was a Canadian earth scientist and verse writer. He became the first published poet in Canada to create Imagist Poetry, and later the first to produce 'Surrealist' verse, both of which have caused some to name him 'the initial modern Canadian Poet'.

Exam Tip: When summarizing biographical information, highlight key achievements and roles clearly.

The Snake Trying Summary:
Answer: This verse talks about a snake attempting to avoid being struck by a stick. It is fairly common for people to hit a snake or flee from it because, for most individuals, a snake represents a highly risky creature that can cause death with a single bite. This snake is small and green and poses no threat even to young ones. The snake rested on the sand until it was noticed by someone. When that individual tries to strike the snake, its body forms graceful curves, and it tries to escape the attack. The snake attempts to flee through the water. As it does this, it makes lovely ripples in the water and vanishes among the green, thin reeds, seemingly blending its green, slender form with the reeds.

Exam Tip: A good summary captures the main idea, key events, and the central message of the poem concisely.