CBSE Class 10 English Fire and Ice Worksheet

FIRE AND ICE- ROBERT FROST 
Gist
Fire and ice is a compact poem written by Robert Frost. It expresses the profound idea that the world would end in either of two ways- by fire or by ice. People are divided in this issue. Some believe that fire will become the cause of the end and others think that ice will end the world. Both the components are compared with self-destructing human emotions: hatred and desire. He says that from what he is aware about “fiery desires”, he would favor the ones who say that it would be fire. But later he says that Ice or hatred, created by cold reasoning is also equally capable of destroying the world.
Therefore, if Earth was to end twice, ice would be just as good as fire. If fire would lead to rapid destruction, ice would lead to silent damage.

Read the given extracts to attempt the questions 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.
(Fire and Ice)

Question. The poet says Some say the world will end in fire. What does it mean in this extract?
(a) Hatred amongst people is growing fast.
(b) Love amongst people is growing fast.
(c) Desires amongst people are growing fast.
(d) Greed amongst people is growing fast.
Answer. (c) Desires amongst people are growing fast.

Question. According to the extract, what is the poet most likely to agree with?
(1) Sinful desires and lust will destroy mankind.
(2) People are turning helpful day by day.
(3) Love is rapidly growing in the world.
(4) Only God can cause man’s downfall.
(5) Growing affection can be the reason of downfall of mankind.
(a) (1), (2) and (5)
(b) (2) and (4)
(c) Only (1)
(d) (3) and (5)
Answer. (c) Only (1)

Question. Ice and fire are similar to each other though they have contradictory traits. With reference to the extract, pick the option that best brings out the meaning of above statement.
(a) Both have destructive nature.
(b) Both have their own uses.
(c) Both support mankind
(d) Poet respects elements of nature.
Answer. (a) Both have destructive nature.

Question. According to the extract, “Some” refers to?
(a) The Poet’s Team
(b) The Common People
(c) Different Researchers
(d) Different Archaeologists
Answer. (b) The Common People

Question. What do we learn from the poem?
(a) Human emotions are predictable.
(b) Human emotions can prove destructive.
(c) Poet feels humans to be nature friendly.
(d) Poet does not like human beings.
Answer. (b) Human emotions can prove destructive.

Read the given extracts to attempt the questions that follow:

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.
(Fire and Ice)

Question. The poet says ‘And would suffice’. What does it mean in this extract?
(a) Hatred is also sufficient to destroy mankind.
(b) Hatred won’t be sufficient and only desires can end the world.
(c) Greed and lust are sufficient to harm people.
(d) Humankind is eternal.
Answer. (a) Hatred is also sufficient to destroy mankind.

Question. Why does the poet feel ice is also great, according to the extract?
(1) Sinful desires are growing among mankind.
(2) Vengeance and lust are destroying people.
(3) Hatred is growing among people.
(4) Self-pride is man’s first friend.
(5) Ice symbolizes hatred.
(a) (1), (2) and (5)
(b) (2) and (4)
(c) Only (1)
(d) (3) and (5)
Answer. (d) (3) and (5)

Question. Which word from the extract is synonymous to‘deteriorate’ or ‘fall apart’?
(a) Suffice
(b) Perish
(c) Ice
(d) Hatred
Answer. (b) Perish

Question. The poet wants to convey the message that _____
(a) Everything in this world is transitory.
(b) Life is immortal.
(c) Death can be escaped.
(d) Everything in the world will stay same forever.
Answer. (a) Everything in this world is transitory.

Question. According to the extract, ‘I’ refers to?
(a) John Keats
(b) Robert Frost
(c) Annie Frost
(d) Leslie Norris
Answer. (b) Robert Frost

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. 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.

Question. What does ice stand for?
Answer.Ice stands for coldness or hatred. 

Question. What do you mean by ‘perish’?
Answer.Perish means to die or to be destroyed.

Question. What does ‘it’ refers to in the first line?
Answer.‘It’ refers to the world.

Question. What would be two causes of destruction?
Answer.Ice or fire would be the cause of destruction. 

2. 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.

Question. What is the contradictory opinion of public?
Answer.The contradictory opinion of public is the debate whether the world will end in fire or ice.

Question. What is the poet’s opinion about the world?
Answer.According to the poet, the world will end in fire.

Question. Who wrote these lines?
Answer.Robert Frost

Question. How are ice and fire similar to each other though they have contradictory traits?
Answer.Both ice and fire are similar in the in the sense that both of them would destroy everything in the world. 

Short Answer Questions :

Question. What does ‘ice’ stand for? How is it sufficient to bring destruction?
Answer. Ice symbolizes hatred. Hate is just as powerful as desire. While desire consumes quickly, hate can occur and linger in people’s minds and hearts for years and sometimes even lifetimes. Hate can, thus, be very destructive and sufficient to bring destruction. 

Question. Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire?
Answer.The poet takes side with those who believe that the world will be destroyed by fire. Frost connects fire with desire. According to the poet, desire is powerful and would be a quick end. Moreover, the fact that he has had personal experience with desire leads him to first conclude that the world will end in fire.

Question. Which age old question does the poem revolves around?
Answer.The poem revolves around the age old question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice.People are divided in this issue. Some believe that fire will become the cause of the end and others think that ice will end the world. Here, fire symbolizes human desire and ice symbolizes hatred.

Long Answer Question

Question. What do the metaphors of Ice and Fire convey to the reader? Elaborate. What is the message given by the poet?
Answer.Frost presents the two of the darkest traits of humanity; the capacity to hate and the capacity to be consumed by lust or desire. Of the two, he attributes the greater of the two evils, is desire. In giving desire the foremost position with regard to the destruction of the world, Frost is providing a powerful statement on the subject of greed and jealousy, saying that above all trait of humanity that is most likely to lead to its demise. Desire represents the greatest problem that attributes to the cause of the war. Frost then attributes hatred with the same capacity to do harm. However, he lessens the relative importance of hatred but still presents it as having the ability to lead to the destruction of the world if it were to happen for a second time. 

Unseen Passage Class 10 English

Read the following passage and choose the correct answer:

On July 11th 1987, the world population touched five billion. The united nation population fund (UNFPA) resolved to observe this day every year as world population day, to sensitise nation against this ticking time bomb. A major fallout of the population explosion is poverty, while the available resources remain the same, the number of people dependent on it increase enormously. The gulf between the haves and the haves-not’s widen and poverty increase.

Education becomes a privilege that poor people cannot afford and they have to start working at menial jobs to make two ends meet. But if only they could also learn to read and write. Education may not ensure a job at multinational company but it will certainly improve the standard of living of people by opening up a world of opportunities for them. With education, the importance of issues like sanitation and personal hygiene are also understood and appreciated better. With education, they will also understand the need for family planning and preventive healthcare.

What can students do to make the World Population Day meaningful? They could organise awareness generating activities in schools and colleges, for a start.

1. “Ticking time bomb” refers to
a. World population
b. Increasing population
c. UNFPA
d. Explosion

2. According to the author poverty increase as a result of
a. Lack of education
b. Decrease of resources
c. Over-dependence resources
d. Gap between the rich and the poor.

3. Many people are not educated because they
a. Have no time
b. Have to work
c. Have no money
d. Have no interest in studies

4. Which of the following statements is true in the context of the passage?
a. Education means getting a highly paying job
b. Education leads to greater awareness
c. Education develops as interest in reading
d. Education is a way of earning money.

5. Preventive healthcare means:
a. Cleanliness in personal lie and surroundings
b. Going to the doctor regularly
c. Exercise and proper diet.
d. Ensuring that one does not fall ill

Read the following passage carefully:

Whatever name we prefer to give to the Supreme Being – Jehovah, Allah, Buddha, Shakti, Vishnu or Krishna – the concept of a Supreme Creator is that He is of extraordinary attributes, and is universally attractive. The name Krishna means “ The All- Attractive One”, “Sarva akarshati iti Krishna” – this describes the attractive nature of the Lord and so describes the Absolute Truth, the supreme of Godhead, in full.

The Lord administers the world through the laws of material nature – gross, such as the law of gravitation and subtle, such as the law of karma. But when predominance of materialism over spirituality disturbs the universal order, the Lord descends ‘to deliver the pious, annihilate the miscreants and re-establish divine principles,” says the Bhagavadgita.

Krishna descends not just to maintain law, but to awaken love. The love that our heart longs for through relationships with various persons, finds fulfilment only when it is reposed in the Supreme. When we love Krishna, our love is never interrupted, never betrayed, never let down, never disappointed.

On the basis of your reading of the passage complete the sentences that follows:

a) The Supreme Creator has_______
b) When materialism takes over the world, God_________
c) The purpose of Lord’s descent is__________
d) Pick the word form the passage that means “to destroy”________
e) Our love with other humans gets fulfilment only when_________