"Songs for the People" by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper is a passionate plea for the use of music to unite and uplift, regardless of age or social standing. The poem begins with the speaker expressing a desire to create songs that resonate.........
Songs for the People - ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) - Class 8 - English
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Back Exercises - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Literature | English | Class 8
Match the words from the poem with their antonyms.
1. stray | a. accord, agreement |
2. restful | b. harmony |
3. jangle | c. energetic |
4. weary | d. settle |
5. discord | e. noisy |
Match the words from the poem with their antonyms.
1. stray | d. settle |
2. restful | e. noisy |
3. jangle | b. harmony |
4. weary | c. energetic |
5. discord | a. accord, agreement |
What other words come to your mind when you hear/read these words? Think and complete the web diagrams.
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Sign up nowUnderline the dependent clause and circle the independent clause in each sentence.
1. Although the world may be worn and weary, it needs music, pure and strong.
2. I would sing for the poor and aged, when shadows dim their sight.
3. The poet wants to write for all and not only the young and the old.
4. Whoever reads this poem, she / he is moved by its words.
5. Don't forget to reflect on the poem before you move to the next lesson.
6. Whenever you get time, find out more about the poet.
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Sign up nowAdd subordinate clauses to the main clauses to make complete sentences.
1. We will be late for the flight ___________________
2. Sara did well in her exams ___________________
3. It began to rain ___________________
4. Ramya was determined to start her own business ___________________
5. You can seek my help ___________________
6. Raghu likes carrying an umbrella ___________________
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Sign up nowAdd main clauses to these subordinate clauses to make complete sentences.
1. Since I last wrote a poem ............................
2. If you are annoyed by the noise, ................................
3. ........................................ because the area has been flooded.
4. While Naina completed her homework ...............................................
5. ..........................................unless they take adequate steps.
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Sign up nowThink of someone you admire or are inspired by for her/his thoughts or actions. Write a character sketch of the person. Use these guidelines.
- Say who the person is. Describe the person briefly.
- State the person's likes, dislikes and thoughts.
- Write about the special characteristics the person has.
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Sign up nowBack Questions - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Literature | English | Class 8
Fill in the blanks with the correct options to complete a brief summary of the poem.
In 'Songs for the People', Harper invokes the idea of the poet as a ______ (song-maker / painter) and imagines making songs to end __________ (drought and famines/war and crime), for __________ (children / friends), for the _________ (rich and the poor / poor and the aged), to make people's hearts _________ (hard / tender) and fill the world with __________ (peace/tension).
In 'Songs for the People', Harper invokes the idea of the poet as a song-maker and imagines making songs to end war and crime, for children, for the poor and the aged, to make people's hearts tender and fill the world with peace.
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Explain the meanings of these lines from the poem.
1. Songs to stir like a battle cry
2. Before their footsteps stray
3. Sweet anthems of love and duty
4. When shadows dim their sight
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Sign up nowWhat is required to encourage human beings to have strength of spirit?
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Sign up nowWhat sort of songs does the poet want to sing for children? Why?
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Sign up nowWhat is required to quieten the noisy disputes or conflicts?
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Sign up nowWrite lines from the poem that prove that the poet wants to make songs for each and every one.
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Sign up nowWrite at least four describing words for the poem.
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Sign up nowThe poet wants to create music for a number of reasons. Do you agree with her views? Why?
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Sign up nowExtra Questions - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Literature | English | Class 8
Let me make the songs for the people,
Songs for the old and young;
Songs to stir like a battle cry
Wherever they are sung.
Let me make the songs for the people,
Songs for the old and young;
Songs to stir like a battle cry
Wherever they are sung.
1. Who does the speaker wish to make songs for?
2. What kind of emotion does the speaker hope to evoke with their songs?
3. Where does the speaker envision these songs being sung?
1. The speaker wishes to make songs for the people, encompassing both the old and the young.
2. The speaker hopes to evoke a strong, stirring emotion with their songs, akin to a battle cry.
3. The speaker imagines these songs being sung wherever people are, indicating a universality to their message.
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Let me sing for little children,
Before their footsteps stray,
Sweet anthems of love and duty,
To float o'er life's highway.
1. Why does the speaker want to sing for the children?
2. What themes does the speaker want to convey in the anthems for the little children?
3. How does the speaker describe the journey of life in these lines?
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Sign up nowQuiz - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
About the Poet - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was an African-American poet, author, and social reformer. Highly committed to the cause of women's rights and the abolition of slavery, Harper used her writings as a medium to voice her perspectives on race and social reform. Her works include novels, short stories, and poetry. A pioneer for civil rights, Harper notably refused to give up her seat in the white section of a Philadelphia trolley car in 1858, a full century before the famous Rosa Parks incident. Coupling her literary skills with her passion for social justice, Harper remains an influential figure in both literary and social history.
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Unlock now 🔓Summary - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
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Themes - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
1. Power of Music:
The poem strongly highlights the power of music as a unifying force. It emphasizes the ability of music to speak to all individuals, irrespective ......
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Unlock now 🔓Symbols - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
1. Songs: Songs in this poem are symbolic of a powerful tool of communication. They are vehicles through which the poet hopes.......
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Unlock now 🔓Poetic Devices - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
1. Simile: The use of similes is evident when the poet compares songs to a...
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Unlock now 🔓Vocabulary - Songs for the People | ICSE Gem's English Reader (Silver Jubilee Edition) | Class 8 Literature | English
1. Anthems - a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause.
- Sentence: The national anthem was played at the beginning of the sports event.
2. Aged - old or elderly.
- Sentence: The aged gentleman walked slowly, leaning on his cane for support.
3. Mansions - a large, impressive house.
- Sentence: The ............................
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