Page 1 - HOME ASSIGNMENT- A ROADSIDE STAND

HOME ASSIGNMENT-A ROADSIDE STAND(CHAPTER-21)

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow

1. The little old house was out with a little new shed
In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread,
But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.

(i) Where was the stand situated ?
(ii) Explain, "too pathetically pled" ?
(iii) Find words from the stanza that mean (a) corner. (b) becoming dry and faded.

2. It is in the news that all these pitiful kin
Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in
To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,
Where they won’t have to think for themselves anymore,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,
Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way

(i) Why would not these poor people have to think for themselves ?
(ii) How will the innocent rural people be soothed out of their wits ?
(iii) Who are destroying sleep and how ?
(iv) Find the words or phrase that mean (a) generous. (b) flesh eating animal.

3. The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts,
Or crook-necked golden squash with silver warts,
Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene,
You have the money, but if you want to be mean,
Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.

(i) How did the trafic pass ?
(ii) Why did one turn out of sorts ?
(iii) Where are the two things that were sold in the stand ?
(iv) What should one do if one wants to mean ?