Maharashtra Board Class 7 English Unit 1 Chapter 1.3 In Time of Silver Rain Poem Solutions

Question 1. Find the pairs of rhyming words used at the end of the lines in the poem.
Answer:

In simple words: The table lists words from the poem and their corresponding rhyming words, helping to identify the sound patterns.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding rhyming words is crucial for analyzing poetic structure and rhythm. Practice identifying more such pairs from other poems.

Question 2. Read the poem aloud using proper intonation.
Answer: (This question requires an oral activity and does not have a written answer.)
In simple words: This activity focuses on reading the poem aloud with correct expression and tone, improving pronunciation and comprehension.

🎯 Exam Tip: Reading aloud with proper intonation enhances understanding of a poem's mood and meaning, which can be beneficial for literary analysis.

Question 3. If you were to draw a landscape on the basis of this poem, what elements will you show in It? What colours will you use?
Answer: If I were to draw a landscape on the basis of this poem, I would show elements like a patch of lush green grass stretching far and wide, small flowers growing all over the plain tossing their heads, brightly coloured butterflies happily fluttering, a rainbow stretching across the sky. I would also show a tree-lined road, and under the blue sky I would show boys and girls walking down the road enjoying themselves in the rain. I would use all sorts of colours. Green being prominent, I would also use shades of bright colours to depict life, liveliness and joy in nature during spring.
In simple words: A drawing based on the poem would feature vibrant spring scenes, including green grass, colourful flowers, butterflies, a rainbow, trees, and joyful children in the rain, using a wide palette of bright colours.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a visual based on text, be specific about elements and colours. This shows detailed comprehension and imagination.

Question 4. The special arrangement of short lines makes you think about every detail. If you write the sentences In the usual manner, It does not have the same effect. For example, the first stanza would be something like 'The earth puis forth new life again: green grasses grow and flowers lift their heads and the wonder of life spreads all over the plain in time of silver rain.' Now try the following: Write one or two sentences about something beautiful, using your own experience or imagination. Then rearrange the words In the sentences In a poetic form. You may write about a beautiful day, a beautiful night, a stream, a crop standing in a field, a graceful bird or animal, etc.
Answer:

• A beautiful night
• The people were enjoying
• When the clouds were making noise and thundering.
• But I was sitting along with no one aside.
• My feelings were at night just like a sea tide.
• It started raining and I cried
• It started raining and I cried

In simple words: The exercise demonstrates how poetic line breaks emphasize details. The answer uses personal experience to describe a beautiful night and then structures it with short, impactful lines.

🎯 Exam Tip: Poetic form relies on line breaks to create rhythm and emphasis. When rearranging prose into poetic form, consider where natural pauses or strong images occur.

Question 5. Fill in the following blanks with reference to the poem.
'In time of rain when spring and life are ..........., the butterflies lift ........... wings to catch a
cry and trees put forth
leaves to sing in
beneath the sky as
boys and girls too ......... singing down the roadway'.
Answer: In time of rain when rain and life are **new**, the butterflies lift **silken** wings to catch a **rainbow** cry and trees put forth **new** leaves to sing in **joy** beneath the sky as **passing** boys and girls too **go** singing down the roadway.
In simple words: The poem describes spring rain bringing new life, with butterflies lifting silken wings, trees growing new leaves, and boys and girls happily singing on the road.

🎯 Exam Tip: Fill in the blank questions test your recall of specific words and phrases from the poem. Reviewing the poem thoroughly helps ensure accuracy.

6. Think And Answer:

Question a. Is the poet talking about heavy rains in the rainy season or ram that has come after a long time?
Answer: The poet is talking about rain that has come after a long time.
In simple words: The poem implies the rain is a refreshing arrival after a period of dryness, rather than a typical monsoon downpour.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to contextual clues in the poem, such as "new life" and "spring", to infer the poet's intended message about the rain's timing.

Question b. Are the boys and girls happy that it is raining?
Answer: Yes, the poet says that the boys and girls are singing as they pass down the roadway in the rain, so they are obviously happy that it is raining.
In simple words: The children's singing indicates their joy and excitement about the rain.

🎯 Exam Tip: Direct textual evidence, like "singing down the roadway," is the best way to support your answers about character feelings or actions.

Question 7. Find out the following with the help of your teacher and the internet. Seasonal Rains (monsoon) in India and other countries. Rain in countries like UK which experience spring-summer-autumn-winter.
Answer: We get seasonal rain monsoon the starting of June. sometimes it will receive very high rainfall in some coastal areas states like Kerala - Goa - Karnataka - Odisha etc. These states receive high rainfall from starting to ending of June. Some states have received monsoon in the July. And it continues with heavy rains and winds also. In United Kingdom the month of June, July and August which is the summer season, and it is very hottest season with long sunny days. Autumn can be dry but sometimes occasional rains and winds also come.

• Average rainfall in the months of winter December to February is 80 mm.
• Average rainfall in the month of spring March to May is 55 mm.
• Average rainfall in the month of Summer June to August is - 60 mm.
• Average rainfall in the month of autumn September to November is 85 mm.

In simple words: Monsoon rains in India typically begin in June, varying by region, while the UK experiences less defined seasonal rain, with different average rainfall amounts across winter, spring, summer, and autumn.

🎯 Exam Tip: For research-based questions, gather specific data points and organize them clearly. Compare and contrast information from different regions for a comprehensive answer.

Question 8. Talk about your favourite season. (A one-minute activity.)
Answer: My favourite season is winter as with the cold that it brings, it also brings an opportunity to sit by the fire-place and read my favourite book. The snow-clad landscapes look divine and radiate peace. What a pleasure it is to eat in this season! Keeping myself warm under the quilt and sharing roasted peanuts with my siblings is a pastime that brings immense joy.
In simple words: My favourite season is winter because it offers cozy moments by the fireplace, peaceful snow-covered landscapes, and enjoyable family time with warm food.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a personal preference, use vivid adjectives and connect your feelings to specific sensory details to make your description engaging.

Question 9. Language Study: Alliteration: When the same sound occurs at the beginning of two or more words in the same line, it is called alliteration. Example: Nayna needs new notebooks. Find an example of alliteration from the poem. Collect other examples of alliteration.
Answer: (This question serves as an explanation of Alliteration, the answer part comes later with explicit questions.)
In simple words: Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in consecutive or closely placed words, often used for poetic effect.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding literary devices like alliteration helps in appreciating a poem's musicality and emphasis. Practice identifying them in various texts.

Think And Answer.

Question 1. Why does the poet say that life is new when it rains?
Answer: The poet says that life is new when it rains because after the hot and dry summer, the flora and fauna come back to their former, lively and wonderful forms. People feel refreshed by rain as it provides a relief. Rain restores the energy and colour of the nature that get drained out during the harsh summers.
In simple words: The poet sees new life in the rain because it rejuvenates nature, bringing back lush greenery and vibrant energy after the dryness of summer, and offers relief to people.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked "why," provide reasons directly linked to the text's themes, such as nature's renewal and human feelings of refreshment.

Answer The Following Questions.

Question 1. What is the poem about?
Answer: The poem is about the changes that take place in nature at the onset of spring, especially when it rains. It also talks about the joy that spring brings along with it.
In simple words: The poem describes the transformations and happiness that spring rain brings to nature and people.

🎯 Exam Tip: When summarizing a poem's theme, identify the main subject and the central emotion or message conveyed by the poet.

Question 2. What do the boys and girls do in happiness?
Answer: The boys and girls sing in happiness as they pass down the roadway.
In simple words: The boys and girls express their happiness by singing while walking on the road.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always refer back to the poem's lines to confirm specific actions or descriptions of characters.

Question 3. Give two examples of imagery used by the poet.
Answer:
1. Butterflies lift their wings to catch a rainbow cry.
2. Green grasses grow and flowers lift their heads.
In simple words: The poem uses imagery like butterflies catching a rainbow and flowers lifting their heads to create vivid pictures in the reader's mind.

🎯 Exam Tip: Imagery involves words that appeal to the senses. Look for phrases that create clear mental pictures, sounds, smells, tastes, or feelings.

Reading Skills And Poetic Device

Read The Following Extract And Do The Activities.

Simple Factual Questions:

Question 1. Fill in the web with all that happens in nature during the time of new rain.
Answer:
ℹ️ चित्र व्याख्या (Diagram Explanation): यह चित्र वर्षा के आगमन पर प्रकृति में होने वाले परिवर्तनों को दर्शाता है। इसमें दिखाया गया है कि नई वर्षा के साथ पृथ्वी पर नया जीवन आता है, हरी घास उगती है, पेड़ों पर नई पत्तियां आती हैं, और तितलियां अपने रेशमी पंखों को उठाती हैं। यह सब प्रकृति के पुनर्जीवित होने और खुशहाली का प्रतीक है।
In simple words: During new rain, nature experiences a rebirth where new life emerges, green grass grows, trees sprout fresh leaves, and butterflies lift their silken wings, all signifying rejuvenation.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to extract information from an extract, identify key actions and subjects mentioned in relation to the central theme.

Complex Factual Questions:

Question 1. Which elements of nature are mentioned in the given extract?
Answer: The elements of nature that are mentioned in the given extract are grass, trees, butterflies, rainbow, sky and flowers.
In simple words: The extract mentions grass, trees, butterflies, a rainbow, the sky, and flowers as elements of nature.

🎯 Exam Tip: For factual recall, list all explicit mentions of natural elements from the provided text to ensure completeness.

Question 2. Why do the butterflies lift their silver wings?
Answer: Butterflies lift their silver wings to catch a rainbow.
In simple words: The butterflies lift their wings with the aim of catching a rainbow, symbolizing their interaction with the renewed nature.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pinpoint the specific action and its stated purpose from the poem to answer "why" questions accurately.

Question 3. Which line in the poem tells us that the spring season has just begun?
Answer: The line "In time of silver rain when spring and life are new” tells us that the spring season has just begun.
In simple words: The phrase "when spring and life are new" directly indicates the beginning of the spring season.

🎯 Exam Tip: Quote the exact line from the poem that provides the requested information to show precise understanding.

Question 4. Who go singing down the roadway?
Answer: The boys and girls go singing down the roadway.
In simple words: Boys and girls are depicted singing as they walk along the roadway.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify the specific characters performing an action as stated in the text.

Question 5. Describe in your own words what happens during the time of silver rain.
Answer: During the time of silver rain, the face of the earth completely changes. The earth puts forth new life, green grasses are seen on the surface. The flowers lift their heads in happiness. The butterflies lift their silky wings and trees put forth new leaves. The boys and girls are happy and go round singing. Thus everywhere we can see new life.
In simple words: During the silver rain, the earth transforms with new life: green grass, happy flowers, silky-winged butterflies, new leaves on trees, and joyful singing children, symbolizing widespread renewal.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing events in your own words, synthesize information from the text, focusing on the main actions and their overall impact.

Poetic Device:

Question 1. Pick out an example of Alliteration from the extract.
Answer: Green grasses grow.
In simple words: "Green grasses grow" is an example of alliteration because the 'g' sound is repeated at the beginning of each word.

🎯 Exam Tip: Alliteration is easy to spot by looking for words starting with the same sound in close proximity within a line or phrase.

Question 2. Give rhyming words of your own.
Answer:

• life - knife
• rain - main
• grow - throw
• spring - bring

In simple words: Rhyming words share similar ending sounds, such as 'life-knife' or 'rain-main', creating a musical quality in poetry.

🎯 Exam Tip: Rhyming involves matching vowel and consonant sounds at the end of words. Practice creating your own rhymes to understand sound patterns better.

Question 3. Name and explain the figures of speech in the following lines.

Question i. And overall the plain The wonder spreads
Answer: Inversion: The word order has been changed. The correct order is "And the wonder spreads all over the plains".
In simple words: This line uses inversion, a figure of speech where the usual word order is reversed for poetic effect or emphasis.

🎯 Exam Tip: Inversion is often used to maintain rhythm or rhyme, or to place emphasis on a particular word. Always compare to natural sentence structure.

Question ii. Of life, Of life, Of life!
Answer: Repetition: The words 'Of life' are repeated thrice for better poetic effect.
In simple words: The phrase "Of life" is repeated to emphasize the theme of life and its importance in the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Repetition emphasizes words or ideas, drawing the reader's attention to their significance or creating a particular emotional impact.

Question ii. And flowers lift their heads.
Answer: Personification: The flowers are given the human quality of lifting their heads.
In simple words: This line uses personification by attributing the human action of "lifting heads" to inanimate flowers.

🎯 Exam Tip: Personification involves giving human characteristics or actions to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. Look for non-human subjects performing human-like actions.

Question iv. The butterflies lift silken wings To catch a rainbow cry
Answer: Personification: The butterflies are given the human quality of catching.
In simple words: Butterflies are personified as having the human ability or intent to "catch" a rainbow.

🎯 Exam Tip: In personification, the key is to identify the human-like quality or action assigned to a non-human entity.

Question v. And trees put forth New leaves to sing In joy beneath the sky
Answer: Personification: Leaves are given the human quality of singing for a better poetic effect.
In simple words: The act of "singing in joy" is given to the new leaves, which is a human characteristic.

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing personification, clearly state which non-human element is given what specific human trait or action.

Question vi. As down the roadway Passing boys and girls Go singing, too
Answer: Inversion: The word order has been changed. The correct word order is 'As passing boys and girls, too, go singing down the roadway'.
In simple words: This line demonstrates inversion, as the normal sentence structure is altered, placing "down the roadway" before the subjects and verb for poetic flow.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identifying inversion helps in understanding how poets manipulate syntax for aesthetic or rhythmic purposes, which can sometimes make meaning clearer or more impactful.

Question 4. Give the adjective used to describe 'rain'.
Answer: 'Silver' is the adjective used to describe 'rain'.
In simple words: The word "silver" is used to describe the rain, implying its glistening appearance.

🎯 Exam Tip: Adjectives modify nouns, providing more detail. Look for words directly preceding or following "rain" that describe its quality.

Question 5. Give the rhyme scheme of the first verse.
Answer: abacdad
In simple words: The first verse follows an 'abacdad' rhyme scheme, meaning the ending sounds of the lines follow this specific pattern.

🎯 Exam Tip: To determine a rhyme scheme, assign a letter to the end sound of each line. If a sound repeats, use the same letter; if it's new, use a new letter.

In Time Of Silver Rain Summary In English

The poem is an expression of joy and beauty of nature that spring brings, along with it filling our hearts with wonderment at the newness of life.

Paraphrase:

In the poem "In Time of Silver Rain" the poet Langston Hughes paints a vivid imagery of rains during springtime. He elaborates in his simple yet effective style, the majestic spread of life in nature. Grass and flowers stretching across green vistas act as symbols of newness in nature. The coming of rain in springtime invites butterflies that flutter around in the hope of catching a rainbow. The trees give birth to new leaves to express their joy. The happiness in nature is so contagious that it extends to human beings as well. The boys and girls sing merrily as they walk down the road in the rains at the onset of spring season.

Glossary:

• 1. spring (n) - a season
• 2. put forth (v) - to bring out
• 3. beneath (prep) - under
• 4. joy (n) - happiness
• 5. forth (adv) - away, forwards
• 6. spreads (v) - disperses widely, scatters
• 7. silken (adj) - like silk