Spring Quiet - New Gems English Reader - Class 6 - English

The birds are _______________ in the bushes.  

a. living   
b. nesting
c. singing
d. playing  

‘A cool green house’ means _______________.  

a. a cool and airy green house.  
b. a cool green canopy formed by the arching boughs of trees.  

  _______________ tells the poet that she can live safely in the covert.  

a. The wind 
b. The robin  

In the covert, one can hear the echo of the _______________.  

a. stream.
b. sea  

‘Which sayeth softly: “Here dwell in safety, Here dwell alone....”’  
a. Who sayeth softly?  
b. What all can be found ‘here’?  
c. What can be heard ‘here’?

Explain these phrases from the poem.  
a. budding boughs
b. whispering air 
c. mossy stone  
d. the sun shineth most shadily  

Do you think the poet is fond of animals and nature? Give reasons for your answer.  

Find one word from the poem for each of these words and phrases.  
1. Pleasant smells _______________
2. A small river _______________
3. Distant _______________ 
4. Trap _______________ 
5. Flowering _______________ 
6. Live in a place _______________ 

From the poem, identify an example of:  
1. Alliteration (the repetition of a consonant or consonant sound in a group of words. For example, ‘furrow followed free’)  
2. Paradox (a statement that seems to contradict itself. For example the beginning of the end’)  

Underline verbs that are in the future tense. Mention the form of the tense in brackets.  
1.            The rolling plains will look lovely when the sun rises over the horizon. (Simple future)  
2.            The peacocks will be dancing in the rain. (_____)  
3.            Several birds will have taken over the nesting spots in the hollows of trees.                 (_____) 
4.            By next Tuesday, I will have been staying at this seaside resort for a week. (_____)  
5.            I will maintain a nature journal where I will record all that I observe during my nature walks.  (_____) 
6.            The robin will be singing in the holly – bush. (_____)  

Rewrite these sentences by changing the tense of the verbs from the simple future to the future continuous. 
1.            Two grey squirrels will search for nuts under the tree.  
               Two grey squirrels will be searching for nuts under the tree.  
2.            Jasmine will write a poem for the school magazine.  
3.            Sudarshan will pain a landscape in watercolour.  
4.            I will shift to Rishi valley, away from the noise and clutter of the city.  
5.            Suman will mend the dress that got tom by the barbed wire. 
6.            Gurpreet will travel far and wide to gather more information about bluebirds and starlings.  

Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form of the verbs given in brackets.  
1.            I _____ the task that you gave me before the deadline. (do – future perfect)  
2.            The troupe of dancers _____ for several days before the event. (practise – future perfect continuous)  
3.            I _____ the snow in the driveway by this afternoon. (clear – future perfect)  
4.            Jennifer _____ more than a mile by the time she reaches the campsite. (walk –future perfect continuous)  
5.            Juhi _____ next boxes in her garden for sparrows before World Sparrow Day.  (put up – future perfect)  
6.            The trekkers _____ the steep mountainside for two hours before dusk. (climb – future perfect continuous)  

The poet imagines what she will do when the spring season comes. Imagine you will be going to the hills to attend a nature camp during the summer holidays. Make a ‘To Do’ list for the trip and the stay at the camp. You can use this format to make you list.  
                                                                TRIP TO NATUE CAMP – TO DO LIST  
Things to pack:                                                                  Special items that need to be taken:  
-              trekking shoes, clothes                                                   - binoculars  
-              __________                         - __________ 
Safety measures:                                                                              Camp activities to participate in:  
-              First – aid box, mosquito repellents                          - rock climbing  
-              __________                       - __________ 
Other things to do:  
-              Interacting with local people, making notes on the flora and fauna of the place 
-              ________________________

Where in the whitethorn 
Singeth a thrush, 
And a robin sings 
In the holly-bush.

1. What is the significance of the specific bird species mentioned in this stanza?
2. Why do you think the poet chose to mention the birds singing in specific plants, the whitethorn and holly-bush?
3. How does the imagery of birds singing in plants contribute to the overall theme of the poem?

What does the poet mean by "We spread no snare"? How is it significant to the overall theme of the poem?