Maharashtra Board Class 7 English Unit 2 Chapter 2.1 From a Railway Carriage Poem Solutions

Question 1. Read the poem aloud with proper rhythm. What does the rhythm remind you of?
Answer: The rhythm of the poem reminds me of the rhythm of the train.
In simple words: This question asks you to recite the poem aloud and then share what the movement and sound in the poem make you think of, typically linking it to the motion of a train.

🎯 Exam Tip: For questions asking for personal interpretation like 'what does it remind you of?', connect your answer to the central theme of the poem.

Question 2. Find pairs of rhyming words from the poem.
Answer: witches - ditches, battle - cattle, plain - rain - again, eye - by, scrambles - brambles, gazes - daisies, road - load, river - ever.
In simple words: You need to identify words that sound alike at the end of lines within the poem to create rhyming pairs or groups.

🎯 Exam Tip: Practice identifying rhyming words quickly to score well in poetic device questions.

Question 3. Write The Following:

Question 1. The sights seen through a railway carriage mentioned in the first stanza.
Answer: The sights seen through a railway carriage mentioned in the first stanza are bridges, houses, hedges, ditches, horses and cattle in the meadows.
In simple words: This question asks you to list all the things the poet saw from the train window specifically in the first section of the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always refer to the specific stanza mentioned when answering questions about poem content.

Question 2. The sights mentioned in the second stanza.
Answer: The sights seen in the second stanza are hills, plains and painted stations.
In simple words: Identify and list the specific images and scenes described by the poet in the second part of the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to stanza divisions to ensure accurate answers related to specific poem sections.

Question 3. The sights mentioned in the third stanza.
Answer: The sights mentioned in the third stanza are a child clambering and scrambling to gather brambles, a tramp gazing at the train in wonder and green creepers for stringing the daisies.
In simple words: This question asks you to recall and list the specific scenes and activities observed by the poet in the third part of the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: For descriptive questions, include all details mentioned in the poem for a complete answer.

Question 4. Think And Answer:

Question 1. Why are the sights said to 'fly'?
Answer: The sights are said to 'fly' because the poet is sitting in a fast-moving train and all the beautiful scenes he gets to see as glimpses just rush past him and disappear because of the speed of the train.
In simple words: The sights seem to 'fly' past because the train is moving very fast, making the view outside a blur of quickly vanishing images.

🎯 Exam Tip: Relate descriptive words to the physical action or object they refer to for better understanding.

Question 2. Does the last line make you happy or sad? Why?
Answer: The last line 'and gone forever' makes me feel sad because all the pleasure and happiness got from enjoying the beauty of nature comes to an end and disappears forever as the railway carriage speeds ahead.
In simple words: The final line evokes sadness because it implies the fleeting nature of beauty and joy, as the train quickly moves past everything.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about emotions, always justify your feeling with a reason from the text.

Question 5. List the lines that begin with 'Here' or 'And here'. Also list the sentences or phrases that begin with 'And there'. These phrases and sentences tell us about things that appear one after the other as the carriage moves. Can we tell which ones are closer to the train and which ones are at a distance? How?
Answer: The lines that begin with 'Here' or 'And here'. 'Here' is an adverb which suggests 'closeness' of an object.
1. Here is a child.
2. Here is a tramp.
3. Here is a cart.
4. Here is a mill.
The above phrases show closeness to the train. 'There' is an adverb which suggests 'distance' of an object.
• And there is the green.
• And there is a river.
The above phrases show distance from the train.
In simple words: 'Here' indicates objects very close to the train, while 'there' indicates objects that are farther away, helping to visualize depth from the moving carriage.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand how adverbs like 'here' and 'there' create spatial awareness and visual distance in poetry.

Question 6. Read The Following:

Question 1. Read the following: Charging along like troops in a battle Fly as thick as driving rain Using your imagination, write one or two comparisons each with:
(i) like...
(ii) as... as
Answer:
(i) like...
1. This house looks like a castle.
2. Her cheeks are red like a rose.
3. He runs like a horse.
4. The child chattered like a magpie.
(ii) as... as
1. He is as smart as a fox.
2. He is as big as an elephant.
3. He is as funny as a monkey.
4. Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
In simple words: This question asks you to create similes, which are comparisons using 'like' or 'as', to describe objects or actions vividly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding and creating similes is crucial for appreciating poetic devices and enhancing descriptive writing.

Question 7. Write about the sights you may see from a bus or an aeroplane. You may write it in the form of a short poem.
Answer: The Red Bus
I'm out sightseeing in the red bus
With people around making a lot of fuss
I know I'm going to see wonderful sights
That'll soar me to the heights
The greenery
The scenery
Oh! The wonderful luxury
Of travelling in the red, red bus.
In simple words: This task requires you to imagine a journey by bus or aeroplane and express the views and experiences in a short, creative poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: For creative writing tasks, focus on vivid imagery, rhyme, and rhythm to make your poem engaging.

Answer The Following Questions.

Question 1. What is the speed of the railway carriage compared to?
Answer: The speed of the railway carriage is compared to the speed of fairies and witches.
In simple words: The poem compares the train's speed to magical beings like fairies and witches, highlighting its incredible swiftness.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identifying similes and metaphors is key to understanding poetic comparisons.

Question 2. Why is the child clambering and scrambling?
Answer: The child is clambering and scrambling to collect brambles.
In simple words: The child is actively climbing and moving awkwardly to gather brambles, likely for their berries or just out of play.

🎯 Exam Tip: Specific details about characters' actions often reveal their motivations in a poem.

Question 3. What does the rhythm of the poem remind you of?
Answer: The rhythm of the poem reminds me of the rhythm of the train.
In simple words: The poem's cadence and flow mimic the steady, repetitive sound and motion of a moving train.

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing rhythm, consider how the poem's structure and word choices create a specific auditory experience.

Question 4. Have you travelled during a rainy day? What was your experience?
Answer: Yes, I have travelled during the rainy season. Travelling on a rainy day is an awesome experience. You actually come in contact with nature's beauty. The smell of the wet earth, the greenery, the colourful flowers, the waterfalls, etc. We get to see nature at its best.
In simple words: This question asks you to share your personal experience of traveling on a rainy day, focusing on the sensory details and beauty encountered.

🎯 Exam Tip: Personal experience questions require vivid descriptions and reflection on sensory details to score well.

Reading Skills And Poetic Device

Read The Following Extract And Do The Activities.

From A Railway Carriage Answers Class 7 Simple Factual Questions:

Question 1. Complete the web diagram with words from the extract.
Answer:
ℹ️ चित्र व्याख्या (Diagram Explanation): यह वेब आरेख 'प्रकृति के तत्व' को केंद्रीय बिंदु के रूप में दिखाता है। इस केंद्रीय बिंदु से, चार अलग-अलग शाखाएँ निकलती हैं जो प्रकृति के विभिन्न तत्वों को दर्शाती हैं: 'पहाड़ियाँ', 'कँटीली झाड़ियाँ', 'डेज़ी फूल' और 'बारिश'. यह आरेख कविता में वर्णित प्राकृतिक दृश्यों को वर्गीकृत करता है।
In simple words: The web diagram illustrates "Elements of Nature" as a central theme, branching out to include "hills", "brambles", "daisies", and "rain" as specific examples from the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: When completing diagrams, ensure all labels are accurately placed according to the provided information.

Question. What flies as thick as driving rain? (Choose the right alternative)
(i) Bridges and houses.
(ii) Hill and plain.
(iii) Hedges and ditches.
Answer: (ii) Hill and plain.
In simple words: This question asks you to identify what the poem compares to the thickness of driving rain, which is the fast-moving sight of hills and plains.

🎯 Exam Tip: For multiple-choice questions, carefully read all options and compare them against the poem's text.

Complex Factual Questions:

Question 1. How do the sights of the hills and plains move?
Answer: The sights of the hills and plains move as thick as driving rain.
In simple words: The hills and plains appear to move quickly and densely, similar to how heavy rain falls.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to descriptive comparisons used in the poem, as they often explain the movement or appearance of objects.

Question 2. What does the poet see the child doing?
Answer: The poet sees the child clambering and scrambling and gathering brambles all by himself.
In simple words: The poet observes a child climbing and struggling to collect brambles, working alone.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note specific actions of characters to answer questions about their activities accurately.

Question 3. To what is the charging train compared?
Answer: The charging train is compared to troops in a battle.
In simple words: The fast-moving train is likened to soldiers advancing rapidly in a battle, emphasizing its speed and power.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identifying similes and metaphors is key to understanding poetic comparisons.

Poetic Device:

Question 1. Pick out two pairs of rhyming words from the 1st stanza.
Answer: witches - ditches, battle - cattle.
In simple words: Find two sets of words that have similar sounds at the end of lines in the first section of the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus only on the specified stanza when identifying poetic elements like rhyming words.

Question 2. Name the figure of speech for the following line. "Faster than fairies, faster than witches”
Answer:
• Repetition: The word 'faster' is repeated for poetic effect, or
• Antithesis: The opposite words 'fairies' and 'witches' are used in the same line for better poetic effect.
In simple words: This line uses both repetition of 'faster' and antithesis by contrasting 'fairies' and 'witches' to emphasize incredible speed.

🎯 Exam Tip: Be able to identify multiple figures of speech in a single line if applicable, and explain their effect.

Question 3. Pick out a word from the extract which means 'a woman having evil magical powers'.
Answer: Witch.
In simple words: The question asks for a word that refers to a female character possessing dark supernatural abilities.

🎯 Exam Tip: Vocabulary questions require precise definitions and direct recall from the text.

From A Railway Carriage Summary In English

'From a Railway Carriage' written by R. L. Stevenson describes the scenes he sees through the window of a fast moving train. He is so amazed at the speed of the train and tries to grasp every glimpse he sees because they are out of sight the very next moment. The train moves with such great speed that everything he sees seems to be moving.

Introduction:

'From a Railway Carriage' written by Robert Louis Stevenson is a poem in which he shares his experience of a railway journey with us.

Glossary:

1. fairy (n) - a small imaginary being of the human form that has magical powers, especially good ones

2. witch (n) - a woman thought to have magical powers especially evil ones

3. hedge (n) - a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs

4. ditch (n) - a narrow channel dug at the side of a road or field, to hold or carry away water

5. meadow (n) - a piece of grassland, especially one used for hay

6. clamber (v) - climb or move in an awkward and laborious way, using both hands and feet

7. scramble (v) - make one's way quickly over rough ground by using one's hands as well as feet

8. tramp (n) - a person who travels from one place to another on foot in search of work, a homeless person

9. lumping (v) - carry a heavy load somewhere with difficulty

10. glimpse (n) - quick look, (v) - to catch sight of briefly

11. bramble (v) - any rough, wild tangled prickly shrub, specifically the blackberry bush

12. carriage (n) - a passenger train

13. cart (n) - a horse-drawn vehicle with four wheels, used for transportation

14. cattle (n) - domesticated animals like cow and bull

15. gaze (v) - to look at something for a long time

16. mill (n) - a building with a machine to grind grain into flour

17. plain (n) - flat land having trees and grass

18. sights (n)- things that one sees

19. stringing (v) - with strings

20. troop (n) - a group of soldiers

21. meadow (n) - a field with grass and often wildflowers in it.

22. daisy (n) - a small flower with white petals and a yellow centre, which often grows in the grass.