The poem "Homeless" by Vikram Seth expresses the emotions of the poet, who is envious of people who have a house of their own. The poem explores the feelings of displacement, rootlessness, and the constant struggle to find a place to call home. The speaker talks about how he and .......................
Homeless - New Oxford Modern English - Class 8 - English
Unlock this entire course for just
₹849
🚀
Renews every month. Cancel anytime
Back Exercises - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
Find out what is meant by each of the following phrases. Use them in sentences of your own. Note that the order of each of the adverbs is fixed.
Example: by and large cannot be written large and by.
a. again and again | b. on and on | c. far and wide |
d. round and round | e. in and out | f. to and fro |
g. by and by | h. far and away | i. over and over |
j. here and there | k. off and on | l. now and again |
m. by and large | n. out and out | o. first and foremost |
p. through and through | q. more or less | r. up and about |
a. again and again: repeatedly
Example sentence: The child asked for candy again and again.
b. on and on: continuously or without stopping
Example sentence: The lecture went on and on for hours.
c. far and wide: everywhere; in all places
Example sentence: The news of the new store spread far and wide.
d. round and round: in a circular motion or repeatedly going in circles
Example sentence: The carousel goes round and round.
e. in and out: entering and exiting a place or repeatedly going back and forth
Example sentence: The cat likes to go in and out through the pet door.
f. to and fro: moving back and forth in a linear motion
Example sentence: The pendulum swings to and fro.
g. by and by: eventually or at some point in the future
Example sentence: The sun will set, and by and by it will be night.
h. far and away: by a large margin or by a great distance
Example sentence: She was far and away the best player on the team.
i. over and over: repeatedly
Example sentence: The song played over and over on the radio.
j. here and there: in various places or randomly
Example sentence: The children scattered their toys here and there.
k. off and on: intermittently or irregularly
Example sentence: It rained off and on throughout the day.
l. now and again: occasionally or sometimes
Example sentence: The couple likes to eat out at fancy restaurants now and again.
m. by and large: generally or mostly
Example sentence: By and large, the movie had positive reviews from critics.
n. out and out: completely or thoroughly
Example sentence: He was an out and out liar.
o. first and foremost: as the most important thing or priority
Example sentence: First and foremost, we need to ensure everyone's safety.
p. through and through: completely or thoroughly
Example sentence: She is a professional through and through.
q. more or less: approximately or to a certain extent
Example sentence: The estimate was more or less accurate.
r. up and about: out of bed and moving around after an illness or injury
Example sentence: The patient is finally up and about after recovering from surgery.
With the help of your dictionary find out what name we give to each type of person described below.
1. A person who says one thing and does another
2. One skilled in the knowledge of or dealing with plants/herbs
3. A person who looks on the bright side of life
4. A woman whose husband is dead
5. A woman whose husband is dead
6. One who gives others (goods, money, etc.)
7. An unmarried man
8. One who journeys to a holy place
9. One who is extremely intelligent
10. One who looks o the dark side of things
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Exercises and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Fill in the blanks with may or might. Follow the instructions given in brackets.
Example: The football match ……………………….. be cancelled. (probability)
The football match may be cancelled.
a. If we watch TV too long, we …………………………. Get into trouble. (possibility)
b. If she saves enough, she …………………………. Just make it to madras. (weak possibility)
c. …………………………. You live a long life and have many children. (wishes)
d. …………………………. I have some sugar in my tea, if you have any in the house? (a polite suggestion)
e. They asked if they …………………………. Borrow our car.
f. Pratap …………………………. not come to the play this evening as he is busy. (Probably not)
g. …………………………. You have a long and prosperous life! (wishes)
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Exercises and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Reconstruct the following pairs of sentences, so that they become one, with an adjective clause, introduced by which, who, that or whose.
Example: I wish.
I had a place to live.
I wish that I had a place to live.
a. I am jealous.
Other people have homes.
b. People say are theirs alone.
They say are theirs alone.
c. I live with strangers.
They do not want me to be there.
d. I would like a home.
The home is my private space.
e. He stays with strangers.
Their homes are like shells.
f. He hoped to watch the seasons.
Seasons change slowly.
g. The man has knowledge and possessions.
he wishes to pass on.
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Exercises and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Can you imagine what it is like to be homeless? What do you think about the fact that some people have nothing while others have more than they need? What can be done to prevent homelessness?
Either:
Write a short essay saying what you would do to end the issue of homelessness.
Or
Write a few paragraphs in which you describe what it might be like to be homeless.
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Exercises and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Extra Questions - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
I envy those Who have a house of their own,
Who can say their feet Rest on what is theirs alone,
Who do not live on sufferance In stranger’s shells,
As my family has all our life, And as I probably will.
I envy those Who have a house of their own,
Who can say their feet Rest on what is theirs alone,
Who do not live on sufferance In stranger’s shells,
As my family has all our life, And as I probably will.
a. Name the poem and poet.
b. Who does the poet envy?
c. How do those people feel?
d. Explain ‘stranger’s shells’.
e. Where does the poet and his family lived all their lives?
a. The poem is 'Homeless' and the poet is Vikram Seth.
b. The poet envies those who have their own house as they do not live in rented apartments.
c. Those people feel secure and contented, as they have a permanent place to stay and they don't have to leave their homes.
d. ‘Stranger’s shells’ refer to houses or places not owned by the poet, temporary accommodations where he feels like a stranger.
e. The poet and his family have lived all their lives in temporary accommodations or rented places, places that they do not own.
Powered by Chatterbot AI
A place on earth, untenured, Soil, grass, brick, air;
To know I will never have to move;
To review the season from one lair.
When night comes, to lie down in peace;
To know that I may die as I have slept
That things will not revert to a stranger’s hand;
That those I love may keep what I have kept.
a. What place does he refer to?
b. What does he want to do in his place?
c. What does the author wish to do ‘when night comes’?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Extra Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Back Questions - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
Who is homeless?
The speaker in the poem is homeless.
Powered by Chatterbot AI
Who is envied?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓List three things that the homeless character wishes to have now.
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓What are the three future events that the homeless character wishes for?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓How is the homeless character treated by others?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓What does the word ‘untenured’ mean? Is anyone or anything’s place on earth permanent?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓What does Seth mean when he uses the metaphor ‘Strangers’ shells’?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Do you like the poem? Say why you like or dislike the poem.
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Who can say that their feet
rest on what is theirs alone.
i. List the pronouns used in these lines.
ii. Which words has Seth used that are often used in questions?
iii. Explain what these lines could mean.
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓To know that I’ll never have to move
to review seasons from one lair.
i. What does Seth mean by ‘lair’? Use a dictionary to explore the different meanings of this word.
ii. What does Seth mean by ‘review seasons’?
iii. Discuss the meaning of the lines as separate sentences and as one continuous sentence. Can they be interpreted differently?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓That things will not revert to a stranger’s hand
That those I love, may keep what I have kept.
i. Have you noticed that Seth has used the same technique in these lines and the ones above? What is the technique called?
ii. Explain what is meant in these lines.
iii. Could Seth be talking about things other than material goods? What things might a person have that they would like to pass on to ‘those they love’?
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Back Questions and everything else
Unlock now 🔓We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Line-by-line explanation in Hindi and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Quiz - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
Vocabulary - Flashcards - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
Learn Vocab & Speaking Together!
Grow your vocabulary while improving your speaking skills in one set up - simple, convenient, effective.
Talk to Vikram Seth
Build your English conversation skills by talking with Vikram Seth about their works, their lives and anything else you wish!
Download the app now
About the Author - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
Vikram Seth is an Indian poet, novelist, and travel writer. Born in Kolkata in 1952, he studied at Oxford University and later settled in India. Seth is best known for his novel "A Suitable Boy," which has been adapted into a television series. He has also published several collections of poetry and travel writing. Seth's writing often explores themes of love, identity, and cultural clashes. He has won numerous awards for his literary works, including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Summary - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
Unlock the full summary
Themes - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
The Pain of Homelessness
The poem ‘Homeless’ by Vikram Seth deals with the pain and agony of being homeless. The speaker expresses his envy towards those who have a home of their own and can say that their feet rest on what is theirs alone. He, on the other hand, has never had a permanent home and has always lived in strangers’ shells. The pain of not having a place to call home is highlighted through the poet’s words.
The Need for a Sense of Belonging
The poem also highlights the need for ....
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Themes and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Symbols - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
There are no obvious symbols used in the poem 'Homeless' by Vikram Seth. However, some interpretations of the poem could suggest the following symbols:
- House/Home: The concept of having a home and the lack of it could be seen as a symbol of security, stability, and comfort.
- Feet: The mention of "feet"
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Symbols and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Poetic Devices - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
The poem "Homeless" by Vikram Seth uses several poetic devices, including:
- Enjambment: The use of enjambment, or running one line into the next without punctuation, creates a flow and continuity between lines.
- Repetition: The repetition of the phrase .....
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Poetic Devices and everything else
Unlock now 🔓Vocabulary - Homeless | New Oxford Modern English | Class 8 Literature | English
- Envy - a feeling of wanting to have what someone else has.
- Untenured - without a guarantee of a permanent position or status.
- Sufferance - the state of ....
We've got so much more in store, just for you! 🤩
Sign up to unlock Vocabulary and everything else
Unlock now 🔓All this awesome.
Now on your phone.
