Paraphrasing
Stanza 1:
It is only a little twig
With a green bud at the end
But if you plant it,
And water it,
And set it where the sun will be above it,
It will grow into a tall bush
With many flowers,
And leaves which thrust hither and thither
Sparkling.
Paraphrasing: In these lines, the poetess tells us that if we plant a simple looking twig, with a green bud, water it regularly and at a place where there is enough sunlight; the twig will grow into a tall bush. Beautiful flowers will hang in bunches on its branches. The leaves will dance around and sparkle in the bright sunlight.
Stanza 2:
From its roots will come freshness, And beneath it the grass-blades Will bend and recover themselves, And clash one upon another In the blowing wind.
Paraphrasing: In these, she continues by saying that the roots of the now blossoming bush will be filled with freshness. Abundant grass will grow beneath it, and the grass blades will dance in the blowing wind and fall over each other.
Stanza 3:
But if you take my twig And throw it into a closet With mousetraps and blunted tools, It will shrivel and waste. And, some day, When you open the door, You will think it an old twisted nail, And sweep it into the dust bin With other rubbish...
Paraphrasing: In the final lines, the poetess switches the mood of the poem. She says that if you keep the same twig and throw it in a closet, with other metal tools, it will wither and become useless. It will go to waste and will look like a rusty bent nail when you discover it some day. You would throw it into a bin along with the rest of the trash.
A: Understanding the Poem
1. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What is needed for the twig to become healthy and strong?
Ans: The twig should be planted, watered, and set where the Sun will be above it, to become healthy and strong.
b. In what ways will the twig develop if it is cared for?
Ans: If cared for, the twig will develop into a tall bush with many flowers and sparkling leave.
c. What is a closet and what might be found there?
Ans: A closet is a large cabinet or area like a cupboard, for storage; in it there may be odds and ends such as a mousetrap and blunted tools.
d. Is the closet mentioned in the poem used much? How do we know?
Ans: The closet is not used much; there are mousetraps in it (a mousetrap is not used very often), and the tools are blunt (again, showing that they are seldom used).
e. Will the twig grow in a closet? Why?
Ans: The twig will not grow in a closet, because it is too dark and there is little fresh air inside.
f. What is the twig compared to in the second stanza?
Ans: The twig is compared to an old, rusty, and twisted nail.
This question is more difficult. Discuss it first.
g. Do you think the poetess has a message (or messages) for the reader?
Ans: Look after and encourage something, even if it is small and appears useless. The poetess is also telling us to nurture and look after young living things—children, for example—and by doing so they will blossom into wonderful beings. If children are neglected and uncared for, they will not reach their full potential.
2. Find where these expressions are used in the poem. Read the lines a number of times, and try to understand the meanings of the expressions. Explain the meanings in your own words.
a. It is only a little twig
Ans: It is nothing more; it appears insignificant.
b. And set it where the sun will…
Ans: Plant it in a spot with sufficient sunlight
c. Thrust hither and thither
Ans: grow (sprout) strongly and healthily all over the place.
d. Recover themselves
Ans: regain their upright position
e. Clash one upon another
Ans: brush against, collide with each other.
3. Answer the following questions with reference to context.
a. ‘With mousetraps and blunted tools,
It will shrivel and waste.’
a. What does ‘it’ refer to?
Ans: The word ‘it’ refers to the twig.
b. Where are the mousetraps and blunted tools?
Ans: The mousetraps and blunted tools are in the closet.
c. What might ‘it’ look like later if it is left with the mousetraps and blunted tools?
Ans: The twig might look like an old, twisted nail
B. WORKING WITH WORDS
1. Find words of the opposite meaning in the poem.
a. large/little
b. short/tall
c. below/above
d. few/many
e. staleness/freshness
f. sharpened/blunted
g. strengthen/waste (shrivel)
h. straight/twisted
i. still (not moving)/blowing
j. close/open
2. Think of suitable adjectives to go with these nouns.
a. dusty, dark, rarely-used closet
b. rusty, twisted, iron nail
c. blowing, cold, harsh wind
d. green, lush grass-blades
e. long, twisted, thirsty, withered roots
f. rustling, green/red/yellow/brown, new/old leaves
C. LEARNING ABOUT LANGUAGE SENTENCES
SENTENCES
1. Which of the following are complete sentences? Which are not complete? Give a reason for your answer each time.
a. She laughed pleasantly. (Complete: there is a subject and a predicate; there is a finite verb. It makes complete sense.)
b. The large, black dog… (Incomplete: There is no verb of any kind; there is no predicate.)
c. Walking along slowly (Incomplete: There is no finite verb; there is no subject; we do not know who or what is performing the action.)
d. Sit down. (Complete: There is a finite verb; there is a subject and a predicate. The subject is understood... ‘You’.)
e. The engine’s whistle (Incomplete: there is no finite verb; there is no predicate.)
f. They played cricket on Sunday (Complete: there is a finite verb; there is a subject and a predicate.
NOUNS
2. Underline the proper nouns in the following sentences.
a. Raheel and Hanif are going to Karachi on Tuesday.
b. They are going on the train, which leaves Lahore at two o’clock.
c. From Karachi they are going to fly to Dubai on an Emirates plane.
d. They will stay with their friends, Mr., and Mrs. Jenkins at 5, Park Lane, Dubai.
3. Make a list of the common nouns in the following passage.
day, children, hill, bicycles, top, grass, rocks, road, river, way, village, figures, toys, land
4. Which of the following are proper nouns? Make a list and don’t forget to put in the capital letters.
Pakistan, Saturday, Venus, Stalin, Anwar, Madrid, Captain Khan, Nile, Mr Jacob, Fiat, Majid, Islam, United Nations, Minar-e-Pakistan
5. Try to make adjectives from these proper nouns. Remember to start the adjectives with a capital letter.
a. Brazilian b. Elizabethan c. Martian d. Spanish
E. COMPOSITION
Write a paragraph or two about what you might do with a pencil.
It is only an ordinary lead pencil, but one pencil has the potential to draw a mile line long, absorb several sharpenings, delete its own errors, and beat out an infinite variety of drum solos. Pencils play a crucial role in developing children’s writing skills. Pencils are utilized in geometrical instruments for drawing and constructing circles, triangles, parallelograms, and so on. Artists use pencils to make sketches or full-fledged drawings with varying shades of blackness. Color pencils are a fun way for children to experiment with art. Pencils are useful for making rough sketches before a final draft. Pencils are a great way to take quick notes that can be corrected. Writing with pencils leads to forming good handwriting for children in the early years.
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