CBSE Class 10 English Fire and Ice MCQs Set A

Some say the world will end in fire 
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.

(a) The people of the world think that the world will end in .......................... .
(i) fire and tsunami
(ii) earthquake and cyclone
(iii) melting of glaciers
(iv) fire or ice

Answer  :  D

Question : What enough to destroy the world is
(i) dictatorship
(ii) affection
(iii) love
(iv) hatred

Answer  :  D

(b) The poet’s opinion is that the world will end in .......................... .
(i) fire
(ii) ice
(iii) earthquake
(iv) tsunami

Answer  :  A

(c) Find the word from the passage which means same as ‘endless greed’.
(i) favour
(ii) desire
(iii) perish
(iv) destruction

Answer  :  B

(d) Who is the poet of this poem ?
(i) R.L. Stevenson
(ii) Sarojini Naidu
(iii) William Wordsworth
(iv) Robert Frost

Answer  :  D

Question : What is the name of the poet?
(a) Sylvia Plath
(b) W.B Yeats
(c) Robert Frost
(d) Robert Burns

Answer  :  C

Question : What does the poet compare fire with?
(a) hatred
(b) desire
(c) hot
(d) both 1 and 3

Answer :  B

Question : Meaning of perish is –
((a) Love
(b) Build
(c) Destruction
(d) Hate

Answer :  C

Question : What is ‘fire’ a symbol of?
(a) love and new desires
(b) lust and endless desires
(c) love and beginning of a new thing.
(d) Revolution

Answer :  B

Question : What is ‘Ice’ a symbol of?
(a) Lust
(b) Love
(c) Desire
(d) Hatred

Answer :  D

Question : The world may end ether in fire on in –
(a) Ice
(b) Rain
(c) Storm
(d) Earthquake

Answer :  A

Question : What would be a better option to end the earth?
(a) fire
(b) ice
(c) both are equally competent
(d) none

Answer :  C

Question : Name the poetic device used in the line “I hold with those who favour fire”.
(a) Assonance
(b) Alliteration
(c) None
(d) Both

Answer :  D

Question : What will the world end in?
(a) Fire and Ice
(b) Fire
(c) Ice
(d) None of the Above

Answer :  A

Question : Where has he used personification?
(a) fire
(b) ice
(c) earth
(d) both 1 and 2

Answer :  D

Question : Why do some people say that the world will end in ice?
(a) because love among people is increasing fast.
(b) because hatred among people is increasing fast.
(c) because lust among people is increasing fast.
(d) None of the Above

Answer :  B

Question : ——- is the better option to destroy the world.
(a) Rain
(b) Strom
(c) Fire
(d) Ice

Answer :  D

Question : he cause of man’s destruction is
(a) family
(b) gold
(c) lust
(d) money

Answer :  C

Question : Name the poetic device used in the line “To say that for destruction ice is also great”.
(a) Metaphor
(b) Imagery
(c) Alliteration
(d) Oxymoron

Answer :  B

Question : What would suffice if the world were to perish twice?
(a) ice
(b) fire
(c) hatred
(d) both 1 and 2

Answer :  D

Question : Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire?
(a) because love among people is increasing fast.
(b) because hatred among people is increasing fast.
(c) because the lust for material things is increasing quickly.
(d) None of the Above

Answer :  C

Question : What is the rhyming scheme of the poem?
(a) abaa bcbcb
(b) aaba bcbcb
(c) aaab bcbcb
(d) abab bcbcb

Answer :  A

INTRODUCTION—

This short poem outlines the familiar question about the fate of the world, wondering if it is more likely to be destroyed by fire or ice. People are on both sides of the debate.

SUMMARY—

‘Fire and Ice’ is a short poem by Robert Frost. In this poem, the poet refers to two predictions of how the world will end. Some say it will end in fire while others say it will end in ice. According to the poet ‘fire’ stands for desire, greed, avarice or lust. The more you try to satisfy them, the more they grow. There is no end to it. They spread rapidly like fire and engulf your whole life. One becomes selfish and sometimes cruel also. On the other hand, ‘ice’ according to the poet, stands for hatred, coldness and rigidity. One becomes insensitive and indifferent towards the feelings of others. The poet says that both fire and ice are growing with such a rapid speed that the world would soon perish either way, in fire or in ice.

Explanation of the Poem

1. Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
Explanation: The poet says that there are two notions in the society about the destruction of the world. The first of these theories states that fire will cause the disaster to happen. He equates fire with human passion and desire. The poet frankly confesses that he agrees with those people who believe that the world will be burnt by fire.
 

2. But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Explanation: In these lines, the poet stops discussing the first theory and goes on to talk about the second theory
– the theory about the destruction of earth by ice. He does not disagree with the first theory about fire. He simply considers what might happen if the earth were to be destroyed a second time. He is sure that the second time ice will be enough to destroy the earth as nearly and effectively as the fire. He then compares ice with hatred. Poetic Devices
Symbolism : Fire symbolises human desires, whereas ice stands for hatred.
Alliteration : Some say the world will end in fire.
I hold with those who favour fire.
Rhyme Scheme : abaa ababa

Extract Based Questions

Read the following extracts and answer the questions/complete the sentences that follow :

Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.

I. (a) The people of the world think that the world will end in .......................... .
(i) fire and tsunami
(ii) earthquake and cyclone
(iii) melting of glaciers
(iv) fire or ice

Answer : D

(b) The poet’s opinion is that the world will end in .......................... .
(i) fire
(ii) ice
(iii) earthquake
(iv) tsunami

Answer : A

(c) Find the word from the passage which means same as ‘endless greed’.
(i) favour
(ii) desire
(iii) perish
(iv) destruction

Answer : B

(d) Who is the poet of this poem ?
(i) R.L. Stevenson
(ii) Sarojini Naidu
(iii) William Wordsworth
(iv) Robert Frost

Answer : D

II. (a) Greed, passion and desire are signified by .......................... .
(i) water
(ii) wind
(iii) fire
(iv) ice

Answer : C

(b) The indifference, hatred and rigidity are signified by .......................... .
(i) wind
(ii) ice
(iii) water
(iv) fire

Answer : B

(c) What is the rhyming scheme of the lines ?
(i) abaa
(ii) aabb
(iii) abba
(iv) abab

Answer : A

(d) The poet favours the opinion of the people who think the world will end in .......................... .
(i) fire
(ii) ice
(iii) earthquake
(iv) cyclone

Answer : A

But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great.

I. (a) Who has written the above lines ?
(i) Robert Frost
(ii) Ruskin Bond
(iii) Adrienne Rich
(iv) Carl Sandburg

Answer : A

(b) Hatred, coldness and rigidity are the symbol of ................... .
(i) water
(ii) fire
(iii) ice
(iv) wind

Answer : C

(c) Find the word from the passage which means the same as ‘to die’.
(i) destruction
(ii) favour
(iii) desire
(iv) perish

Answer : D

(d) The poet thinks of what ?
(i) love
(ii) hatred
(iii) destruction
(iv) development

Answer : B

II. (a) Who knows enough of hate ?
(i) many
(ii) poet
(iii) few
(iv) none

Answer : B

(b) What is great for destruction ?
(i) ice
(ii) water
(iii) fire
(iv) wind

Answer : A

(c) What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza ?
(i) aabb
(ii) abaa
(iii) abab
(iv) abba

Answer : C

(d) If the ................... had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate.
(i) world
(ii) universe
(iii) earth
(iv) people

Answer : A

Question : “Fire and Ice” was first published in 1920. Briefly explain how the WW I might have influenced the theme of the poem . 
Ans. The poem was published shortly after WW I and weighs up the probability of two different scenarios represented by the elements of the poem’s title. The speaker believes fire to the world ender. Ironically, he also adds that ice- representing hate-world ‘also’ be ‘great’ to bring the end of the world.

Question : Create a tag line / slogan / catch-phrase for the poem. 
Ans. ‘Icy hatred or Fiery desire. Both suffice the world to burn. So humans………. Humans,
Beware it’s not at all fun.