Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Unit One Chapter 1.3 Have you ever seen PDF Download

1.3 Have You Ever Seen...?

Warming Up!

Words that have the same spelling, but differ in meaning when used in different contexts are called homographs. For example:

(a) A temple fair attracts a lot of crowd.

Her performance in the test was fair.

(b) A rose is the king of flowers.

The sun rose with a golden glow.

Think of 5 homographs and list them below. Then write 2 sentences of your own, to bring out the difference in meanings.

Teacher's Note

Homographs are words that look the same but have different meanings. For example, the word "bank" can mean a river bank or a money bank. This is just like how the Hindi word "हल" can mean a plough or a condition.

Exam Trick

Remember: Homographs = Same spelling, different meaning. Write both meanings clearly in your answer. The examiner wants to see that you understand both uses of the word.

Points to Remember

Homographs have the same spelling but different meanings.
The context tells you which meaning is correct.
Examples are: fair (just or a show), rose (flower or past tense of rise).
You must know both meanings for the exam.
Always write sentences to show the difference.

When words with the same spelling or pronunciation are used in such a way that they convey more than one meaning, the figure of speech involved is called pun. A pun is a play upon words. For example:

A : Hello! How's life ?

B : Hell, O! It's a strife.

Find other examples of pun with the help of your parents or teacher.

(1) ___________________________________________________________________________

(2) ___________________________________________________________________________

(3) ___________________________________________________________________________

(4) ___________________________________________________________________________

Teacher's Note

A pun is a funny use of words that have the same sound but different meanings. In Hindi films, actors often make puns in jokes to make people laugh.

Exam Trick

Remember: Pun = Play on words. Look for words that sound the same but have different meanings. The humor comes from the double meaning.

Points to Remember

A pun is a clever play on words.
It uses words that sound the same but mean different things.
Puns are used to make people laugh.
They show cleverness with language.
You can find puns in jokes and funny stories.

In poetry, when a question is asked, not to get an answer, but to emphasise a point or fact, it is an example of Interrogation.

For example: When can their glory fade? Isn't it time for the autumn's glow?

From a popular book of poems or the internet, write down 3-4 examples of Interrogation used in poetry.

(1) ___________________________________________________________________________

(2) ___________________________________________________________________________

(3) ___________________________________________________________________________

(4) ___________________________________________________________________________

Teacher's Note

Interrogation is when we ask a question that is not meant to get a real answer. In many Indian poems, poets ask questions to make us think and feel strongly about something.

Exam Trick

Remember: Interrogation = Question without an answer. The question is asked to make a point. Read the poem again to understand what the poet wants to say.

Points to Remember

Interrogation is a question asked in poetry.
It does not ask for a real answer.
It is used to emphasize a point or idea.
It makes the reader think deeply.
Examples: "Why is the sky blue?" or "Don't you agree?"

Have You Ever Seen...?

Have you ever seen a sheet on a river bed?

Or a single hair from a hammer's head ?

Has the foot of a mountain any toes ?

And is there a pair of garden hose ?

Does the needle ever wink its eye ?

Why doesn't the wing of a building fly?

Can you tickle the ribs of a parasol ?

Or open the trunk of a tree at all ?

Are the teeth of a rake ever going to bite ?

Have the hands of a clock any left or right ?

Can the garden plot be deep and dark?

And what is the sound of the birch's bark?

- Anonymous

Parasol: umbrella

Plot: The word plot is also used to mean 'an evil or wicked plan'.

Birch: a tree

Hose: 1. a flexible tube 2. a pair of stockings or tights.

English Workshop

From each line in the poem, pick out the word that is a homograph. Write its meaning in the context of the phrase used in the poem. Then write the other meaning implied in the question.

Teacher's Note

This poem is very clever and funny because it uses homographs. In the poem "Have You Ever Seen...?", each line has a word with two meanings. This is like when we say "the arm of a chair" but arms are really parts of our body.

Exam Trick

Remember: Read each line carefully. The poem asks silly questions about things that cannot really do these things. Find the homograph in each line and write both meanings.

Points to Remember

Every line in this poem has a homograph.
The poem asks funny, impossible questions.
Homographs make the poem funny and clever.
The second meaning is always about a part of something (like "head of hammer", "foot of mountain").
This poem teaches us how to use homographs in creative writing.

Write 2 lines from this poem which you find most humorous. Justify your choice.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Find from the poem, three examples of each:

(a) Interrogation

(1) _________________________________________________________________

(2) _________________________________________________________________

(3) _________________________________________________________________

(b) Pun

(1) _________________________________________________________________

(2) _________________________________________________________________

(3) _________________________________________________________________

(c) Personification

(1) _________________________________________________________________

(2) _________________________________________________________________

(3) _________________________________________________________________

(d) Alliteration

(1) _________________________________________________________________

(2) _________________________________________________________________

(3) _________________________________________________________________

Teacher's Note

This poem uses many literary devices at the same time. In Indian poetry and stories, writers often use these devices to make their writing more interesting and fun to read.

Exam Trick

Remember: Read the poem line by line slowly. Look for sentences that ask questions (interrogation), words that give human qualities to things (personification), and words that repeat the same sound (alliteration).

Points to Remember

Interrogation asks questions to make a point.
Pun uses words with double meanings for humor.
Personification gives human qualities to objects or animals.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same beginning sound in nearby words.
Good poetry uses many of these devices together.

Form groups of four or five. Think, discuss and add at least one more stanza, using the same style and devices as the poet has used. It should include homographs, interrogation and the same rhythm and rhyme-scheme.

Have/Does/Are ____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Teacher's Note

Creating your own stanza is a great way to learn how poets use homographs and other devices. Try to make silly, funny questions just like the poet did.

Exam Trick

Remember: Follow the same pattern. Start with "Have/Does/Are", use homographs, ask funny questions, and make the lines rhyme. Keep the same rhythm as the original poem.

Points to Remember

Use homographs to create clever double meanings.
Ask silly, impossible questions in your stanza.
Make sure your lines rhyme like the original poem.
Use the same rhythm and beat as the other lines.
You can work with friends to make it better.

Read the following sentences carefully. Then fill in the blanks using appropriate words from the brackets, to make puns.

(struck, numbered, too tired, developed, put down, homeless, old fashioned, reaction)

(1) She had a photographic memory but never __________________ it.

(2) He was struggling to figure out how lightning works when it __________________ him.

(3) Every calendar's days are __________________ .

(4) A bicycle cannot stand on its own because it is __________________ .

(5) I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It's impossible to __________________ the book .

(6) I'd tell you a chemistry joke but I know I wouldn't get a __________________ .

(7) What do you call Watson when Sherlock isn't around? __________________ .

(8) I would tell a history joke, but it's too __________________ .

Teacher's Note

Puns are very common in English jokes and humor. Understanding puns helps us enjoy English jokes and wordplay. Many Indian comedians also use puns in Hindi and English.

Exam Trick

Remember: Read each sentence carefully. Think about what each word in the brackets means. Find the word that creates a funny double meaning when placed in the blank.

Points to Remember

Each word from the brackets has a double meaning.
The same word can mean different things in different contexts.
Puns are created by using these double meanings cleverly.
Read the sentence twice to find the hidden joke.
Good puns make us laugh and think at the same time.

Read: 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll.

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