Maharashtra Board Class 7 English Unit 1 Chapter 1.1 Past Present Future Poem Solutions

1. Read the poem aloud using proper rhythm and intonation.

Question 1. Read the poem aloud using proper rhythm and intonation.
Answer: Students should practice reading the poem aloud, focusing on the correct rhythm and intonation to convey its meaning and emotion.
In simple words: Practice reciting the poem with good flow and expression.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on clear pronunciation and appropriate pacing to demonstrate comprehension of the poem's structure and mood.

2. Link the items in the three columns properly.

Question 1. Link the items in the three columns properly.
Answer:

In simple words: Match the descriptions in columns A, B, and C to correctly associate the past, present, and future as depicted in the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding the metaphorical representations of time periods is key to scoring in such linking questions.

3. Find the meaning of the following words. thee, mournfully, spray, mighty

Question 1. Find the meaning of the following words. thee, mournfully, spray, mighty
Answer:
- thee - you (archaic/old usage)
- mournfully - sadly
- spray - a flowering branch
- mighty - physical strength
In simple words: This question asks for the definitions of specific words used in the poem, enhancing vocabulary comprehension.

🎯 Exam Tip: Knowing the meaning of archaic words like 'thee' helps in better understanding older texts and poems.

4. Write the adjectives that are used to describe the following. evening, spray, sea

Question 1. Write the adjectives that are used to describe the following.
Answer:
- evening - soft, mild
- spray - green, flowery
- sea - mighty, glorious, dazzling
In simple words: Identify the words that describe 'evening,' 'spray,' and 'sea' as used in the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Adjectives add detail and imagery to descriptions, making the text more vivid.

5. Write one line about each of the following with the help of the poem.

Question 1. Wind in the autumn evening
Answer: It sighs expressing sadness.
In simple words: The wind in the autumn evening represents a feeling of sorrow.

🎯 Exam Tip: Personification, as seen here with the wind, is a common poetic device to give human qualities to inanimate objects.

Question 2. Young bird on the spray.
Answer: Sits on the flowery branch gathering all its physical and mental strength to explore the blue sky.
In simple words: The young bird on the branch symbolizes preparing for new opportunities and exploring the unknown.

🎯 Exam Tip: This imagery highlights themes of hope, growth, and preparation for the future.

Question 3. The Sea.
Answer: Vast is the sea beneath the cloudless sun and as it stretches endlessly, it displays might, glorious and dazzling beauty.
In simple words: The sea beneath a clear sky signifies vast, unending possibilities and powerful beauty.

🎯 Exam Tip: The sea often represents infinity and the boundless potential of the future in poetry.

Language Study:

A simile Is an imaginative comparison of two different things which have something in common. A simile always includes the words 'as' or 'like'. For example: as tall as a tree, as lovely as a flower A metaphor is an imaginative expression that refers to someone/something as another person/thing. It shows thai the person or thing has some quality of that other person or thing. The words 'as' or 'like' are not used in a metaphor. For example : He is a gem of a person. Time is money. Books are our friends. The clouds are white sheep.

Question. There are three metaphors in the poem. Can you find them?
Answer: The three metaphors are:
(i) 'What is the past like to thee? An autumn evening soft and mild' Here the past is compared to an autumn evening.
(ii) 'Tell me, what is the present hour? A green and flowery spray.' Here the present is compared to a green and flowery spray.
(iii) 'And what is the future, happy one? A sea beneath a cloudless sun.' Here the future is compared to a sea beneath a cloudless sun.
In simple words: Identify the three instances where the poem directly compares abstract concepts (past, present, future) to concrete images without using "like" or "as."

🎯 Exam Tip: Distinguishing between similes and metaphors is a common question, remember metaphors make a direct comparison by stating one thing *is* another.

Answer The Following Questions:

Question 1. What is the central idea of the poem?
Answer: The central idea of the poem is the child's definition of different periods of time which is presented in the form of a dialogue between the poetess and the child.
In simple words: The poem's main theme is how a child perceives and describes the past, present, and future through a conversation.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identifying the central idea shows overall comprehension of the poem's message and structure.

Question 2. What does the past stand for according to the child?
Answer: According to the child, the past was a pleasant time but they are moments which cannot be revisited as they would never return back.
In simple words: For the child, the past is a happy time that is gone forever and cannot be experienced again.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note how the past is characterized by both pleasantness and finality, a key aspect of the poem's message.

Question 3. How does the child define the present time?
Answer: For the child, the present is a time where he/she prepares for the future which is unknown, but also exciting so it is the time to gather strength.
In simple words: The child sees the present as a vital moment for building strength and preparing for future opportunities.

🎯 Exam Tip: The active and preparatory nature of the present hour is a core concept in the child's perspective.

Question 4. How is the present moment viewed with optimism by the child?
Answer: The child compares the present time to a green and flowery branch on which a bird is all set to take off and explore the unlimited possibilities which awaits it. This tells us that the present is something which is viewed with optimism by the child as he believes that once we gather strength, nothing is impossible.
In simple words: The child is optimistic about the present, seeing it as a moment of readiness and potential, like a bird about to fly towards endless opportunities.

🎯 Exam Tip: The bird metaphor clearly illustrates the child's hopeful and action-oriented view of the present.

Question 5. How do you define time?
Answer: According to me, time is the most precious gift we possess. It is up to us to make utmost use of it. We should plan and prioritise to make use of most of the time in hand. How true is the Estonian proverb! "Wasting time is robbing oneself"
In simple words: Time is a valuable resource that should be managed wisely, as wasting it means losing opportunities.

🎯 Exam Tip: Personal reflection questions like this encourage students to connect literary themes to their own understanding and experiences.

Reading Skills And Poetic Device

Read the following extract and do the activities.

Simple Factual Questions:

Question 1. Fill in the blanks with any four describing words from the extract.
Answer:
ℹ️ चित्र व्याख्या (Diagram Explanation): यह आरेख 'वर्णनात्मक शब्द' (describing words) को एक केंद्रीय अवधारणा के रूप में दर्शाता है, जिससे चार उदाहरण शब्द शाखाओं के रूप में निकलते हैं: 'soft', 'green', 'mild', और 'young'। यह दर्शाता है कि ये शब्द किसी चीज़ का वर्णन करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किए जाने वाले विशेषण हैं।
- soft
- green
- mild
- young
In simple words: The question asks to list four adjectives that describe elements in the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identifying descriptive words (adjectives) is crucial for analyzing a poem's imagery and sensory details.

Question 2. Choose the correct alternative and complete the sentence: For the child in the poem the past was
(i) a pleasant time.
(ii) an unpleasant experience.
Answer: (i) a pleasant time.
In simple words: The child remembered the past as a good and pleasant time.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to how each time period is characterized in the poem to select the correct option.

Complex Factual Questions:

Question 1. What is the theme of the poem?
Answer: The theme of the poem is about time and the child's definition about the different periods of time.
In simple words: The poem explores how a child understands and describes the concepts of past, present, and future.

🎯 Exam Tip: The theme is the underlying message or main idea, often relating to human experience or a universal concept.

Question 2. How is this poem presented?
Answer: This poem is presented as a dialogue between the poetess and a happy child.
In simple words: The poem is structured as a conversation between the poet and a cheerful child.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding the poem's format (dialogue) helps in interpreting the different perspectives presented.

Question 3. What is the one characteristic of the past? Which is emphasised in the poem?
Answer: One characteristic of the past which is emphasised in the poem is that we can never go back to it.
In simple words: The poem highlights that the past is irreversible and permanently gone.

🎯 Exam Tip: The poem's description of the past as 'a pleasant time which has ended' directly implies its irrecoverable nature.

Question 4. How should we make use of the present time?
Answer: We should make use of the present time by using it to gather strength and courage to face the future.
In simple words: The present moment should be used to build inner strength and confidence for future challenges.

🎯 Exam Tip: The poem suggests the present is a period of preparation and empowerment for what lies ahead.

Poetic Device:

Rewrite The Metaphors As Similes:

Question 1. The past is an autumn evening soft and mild.
Answer: The past is like an autumn evening soft and mild.
In simple words: Change the direct comparison of the past to an autumn evening into a comparison using "like."

🎯 Exam Tip: To convert a metaphor to a simile, simply insert 'like' or 'as' into the comparison.

Question 2. The present is a green and flowery spray.
Answer: The present is like a green and flowery spray.
In simple words: Transform the metaphorical comparison of the present to a green spray into a simile using "like."

🎯 Exam Tip: Similes explicitly state the comparison, making them easier to identify than metaphors.

Question 3. The future is a sea beneath a cloudless sun.
Answer: The future is like a sea beneath a cloudless sun.
In simple words: Rephrase the metaphorical description of the future as a sea into a simile using "like."

🎯 Exam Tip: Practice converting between metaphors and similes to deepen your understanding of figurative language.

Question 4. Give the rhyme scheme of the first stanza.
Answer: The rhyme scheme of the first stanza is (a b a c).
In simple words: Identify the pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line in the first stanza.

🎯 Exam Tip: To find the rhyme scheme, assign a letter to the end sound of each line, changing the letter for each new sound.

Question 5.i. Name and explain the figures of speech. With a wind that sighs mournfully
Answer: Personification - Wind is given human qualities,
In simple words: The figure of speech is personification because the wind is described as 'sighing,' which is a human action expressing sadness.

🎯 Exam Tip: Personification occurs when an inanimate object or abstract concept is given human characteristics or abilities.

Question ii. What the past is like to thee? 'An Autumn evening soft and mild.
Answer: Simile - Direct comparison of past with an autumn evening.
In simple words: The past is directly compared to an autumn evening, which is a simile.

🎯 Exam Tip: The phrase 'What the past is like to thee?' explicitly sets up a simile, even if the 'like' is in the question rather than the descriptive phrase itself.

Formative Assessment

Question 1. Complete the following stanza to compose a poem on the topic: The time gone by.......
Answer: (This is a creative writing activity for students to complete based on their understanding of the poem's themes.)
In simple words: Students need to write a new stanza for a poem, starting with "The time gone by...", using their creativity and understanding of the poem's themes about time.

🎯 Exam Tip: When composing a poem, focus on maintaining a consistent theme, rhythm, and imagery.

Past, Present, Future Introduction:

Past, Present, Future written by Emily Bronte is a dialogue between the poetess and a happy child. They discuss what each period of time means to the child, a child with the ability to see beauty and optimism around it.

Past, Present, Future Summary In English

The poetess Emily Bronte begins the poem by asking a happy child what the past is like to him/her. In response the child compares the past as an autumn evening which is soft and mild with a sad wind sighing in the background.

In response to the query about the present hour the child compares it to the pleasant green and flowery branch wherein a young bird gathers courage and power to mount and fly above the blue sky. In other words the child finds the present filled with hope, courage and aspiration to scale great heights; the time to gather strength.

On being asked about the future the child compares it with a sea under a cloudless sun, a sea which is mighty, glorious, dazzling and never ending. Through these words the child implies about the thrilling and never ending possibilities which awaits for him/her.

Glossary:

1. autumn (n) - the season which follows summer when leaves fall from the trees
2. mild (adj) - not severe or not very harsh
3. mournfully (adv) - with sad feelings
4. spray (n) - a flowering branch
5. mount (n) - to ascend, get ready for take off
6. glorious (adj) - marvellous
7. dazzling (adj) - extremely bright
8. stretching (v) - to be made longer
9. infinity (n) - endlessness
10. sighs (v) - to let out a long breath slowly to express sadness
11. thee (pro) - you
12. mighty (adj) - possessing great power or strength; very powerful
13. beneath (prep) - under