GSEB Solutions Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

Gujarat Board GSEB Class 12 English Textbook Solutions Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.

Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

GSEB Class 12 English Keeping Quiet Text Book Questions and Answers

Think it Out

Question 1.
What will counting up to twelve and j keeping still help us achieve?
Answer:
Counting up to twelve takes very short time. Keeping still for this brief interval of time! gives us a momentary pause to introspect and review the course of action. It is generally observed 5 that most of the ills and troubles of the world | are caused by our rush or hurry. Violence is! caused by anger. Keeping quiet and still will give J us necessary respite and ensure peace.

Question 2.
Do you think the poet advocates total \ inactivity and death?
Answer:
No, he doesn’t advocate either total 1 inactivity or death. He makes it quite clear j that ‘stillness’ should not be confused with total! inactivity or equated to it. Total inactivity brings death. But Neruda has ‘no truck with death. His 5 stillness means halting of harmful and hostile human activities.

Question 3.
What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
Answer:
Man’s sadness is formed out of his S own actions and thoughts. It is quite ironic that man who understands so much fails to understand himself and his action. Rash actions prove harmful and disastrous. Man is the creator of all disasters. He is always threatening himself with death because of his thoughts and actions. This is the tragedy of his life.

Question 4.
What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent stillness?
Answer:
The poet wants to prove that there can be life under apparent stillness. The poet invokes the earth as a living symbol to prove his point. The earth never attains total inactivity. Nature remains at work all the time even under apparent stillness. It keeps earth alive. This idea is beautifully illustrated by the following lines: “as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive.”

Try this out:
Question 5.
Choose a quiet comer and keep still physically and mentally for about five minutes. Do you feel any change in your state of mind?
Answer:
Extension Activity: For self-study.

GSEB Class 12 English Keeping Quiet Additional Important Questions and Answers

Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:

Question 1.
Why does Pablo Neruda urge us to keep still?
Answer:
Stillness is essential for calm reflection and quiet introspection. We hear the voice of conscience in moments of silence. The poet is convinced that most of human ills and miseries are caused by man’s hurry and rush to do things. The poet wishes that we may withdraw ourselves from our undesirable actions and keep still for a moment.

Question 2.
Why shouldn’t we ‘speak in any language’ and ‘not move our arms so much’?
Answer:
People of the world speak in different languages. They indulge in unnecessary debates and disputes. Most of these arguments lead to destructive wars. The poet urges people to stop speaking in any language. They must speak through their hearts. So far men have moved their arms only to harm others. Therefore, the poet wants that they should not move their arms so much. Let these arms rest for once. Let a feeling of mutual understanding, be created among human beings.

Question 3.
Pablo Neruda says: “we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.” When can we experience such a moment? Why will that be an exotic moment?
Answer:
Non-stop activity, unnecessary rush and noise have made our lives unpleasant and full of misery, pain and troubles. We must stop rushing, hurrying, worrying and running. Even the noise of engines and machines must stop for once. Then all of us will enjoy the sudden strangeness of that moment. It will be a unique moment. In that exotic or fascinating moment, we shall feel totally relaxed, physically as well as mentally.

Question 4.
What does the poet ask the fisherman and the man collecting salt to do? What does he exactly want to convey by this?
Answer:
Pablo Neruda is against any kind of violence. He addresses the fishermen and asks them not to harm whales living in the cold seas of the polar regions. He is also against any kind of self-torturing. The man who is gathering salt has hurt his hands. He asks this man to look after himself and take care of his injured hands.

Question 5.
What alternative does Pablo Neruda suggest instead of indulging in wars?
Answer:
Instead of indulging in wars, the people must come out in their best dresses with their brothers. They should go out for a walk under the shady trees and enjoy themselves doing nothing. This would bring the feeling of togetherness among them.

Question 6.
How does the poet distinguish ‘stillness’ from ‘total inactivity’? Why does Neruda say ‘I want no truck with death’ ?
Answer:
Pablo Neruda is in favour of stillness or silence. We remain still and quiet for some time. On the other hand, total inactivity is a permanent suspension of work. It is just like death. ‘Stillness’ should not be confused with ‘total inactivity’. Life goes on as usual. There can’t be anything like total inactivity. The poet refuses to associate with death or deal with it.

Question 7.
Why does the poet feel that we should not be ‘so single-minded’?
Answer:
People are generally single-minded. They want to focus on only one thing. They want to keep their lives going. They are ever busy in their pursuit. The poet wishes that they should not be so much absorbed with always remaining on the move. They must have some respite or rest. They too need peace or silence.

Question 8.
How might a huge silence interrupt the sadness of men?
Answer:
Men never understand themselves. Nor are they ever sure of their actions. They face another tragedy. Due to their own actions, they are threatening themselves with death. This realisation makes them helpless and sad. Only a huge (long) silence might interrupt this sadness and do them some good.

Question 9.
‘Under the apparent stillness, there is life’. Justify this statement giving an example from the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’.
Answer:
Neruda does not equate stillness with total inactivity. He believes that under this apparent stillness there is life. We can learn it from the earth. When everything seems dead, the earth still remains alive. The earth is never dead. The life on the earth goes on as usual under the apparent stillness.

Question 10.
Justify the title ‘Keeping Quiet’.
Answer:
The title of the poem is quite appropriate and logical. It suggests the necessity of quiet introspection. The people of the world are overactive and always on the move. Their activities have caused untold troubles and sufferings. Keeping quiet will do them a lot of good. It will save them from many harmful and violent activities’ Moreover, it will help in reflecting over the fate of man and help in creating a feeling of mutual understanding among human beings.

Figures of Speech
Choose the Figures of Speech in the following lines:

Question 1.
‘and we will all keep still’.
A. Internal Rhyme
B. Simile
C. Alliteration
D. Synecdoche
Answer:
A. Internal Rhyme

Question 2.
‘without rush, without engines.
A. Metaphor
B. Repetition
C. Internal Rhyme
D. Personification
Answer:
B. Repetition

Question 3.
‘in a sudden strangeness.
A. Repetition
B. Synecdoche
C. Alliteration
D. Apostrophe
Answer:
C. Alliteration

Question 4.
‘Wars with gas, wars with fire’.
A. Personification
B. Synecdoche
C. Anastrophe
D. Repetition
Answer:
D. Repetition

Question 5.
‘Perhaps the Earth can teach us’.
A. Metaphor
B. Repetition
C. Internal Rhyme
D. Personification
Answer:
D. Personification

Reading Comprehension (Textual)
Read the following stanzas and answer the questions given below them:

Question 1.
‘Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still. For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in any language, let’s stop for one second, and not move our arms so much.
Questions:
1.‘Let’s not spoken in any language’, says the poet. Why?
2. What should we not do for a second?
Answer:
1. The people of the world have been indulging in wars and bloodshed on minor excuses. If they keep quiet, they may not indulge in reasoning, disputes and quarrels. So, let them keep quiet and not speak in any language. This will ensure peace and prosperity.

2. We should cease all activities for a second. Man has used his arms only to kill and destroy others. Therefore, let them not move their arms so much as to harm others.

Question 2.
‘It would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines, we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales and the man gathering salt would look at his hurt hands.
Questions:
1. What will happen if there is no rush or running of engines?
2. How would all of us feel at that moment?
Answer:
1. There will be peace all around if there is no rush or the sound of the running of engines and machines.
2. All of us will enjoy the unusualness and sudden strangeness of that moment.

Question 3.
‘Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing. What I want should not be confused with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about; I want no truck with death.
Questions:
1. What sort of wars are mentioned in the above lines?
2. According to the poet, what should it not be confused with? What does the poet refuse to deal with?
Answer:
1. Green wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with the fire are the different kinds of wars.
2. The poet is advocating for silence or stillness. Stillness should not be confused with total inactivity. Total inactivity brings death. The poet refuses to associate (or deal) with death. Thus, he is not advocating for death.

Question 4.
‘If we were not so single-minded about keeping our lives moving, and for once could do nothing, perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves and of threatening ourselves with death.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive. Now I’ll count up to twelve and you keep quiet and I will go’.
Questions:
1. What do people pursue single-mindedly? Which is the better course the poet suggests?
2. When can a huge silence do us good?
Answer:
1. People pursue single-mindedly on keeping their lives moving. The poet suggests that it would be better if they give themselves rest for some time. For once they may do nothing.
2. A huge silence can do us a lot of good when we are disappointed at not understanding ourselves or threatening ourselves with death.

Keeping Quiet Summary in English

Keeping Quiet Introduction:
Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was the ‘pen name’ and later, ‘legal name’ of this famous Chilean poet – diplomat – politician. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in the year 1971. He wrote in green ink which was his personal symbol for desire and hope. His writings are simple, wherein lies their beauty.

Keeping Quiet Summary:
‘Keeping Quiet’ is a peaceful poem written by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. The poet asks humanity to count numbers from one to twelve – twelve being the number of hours shown in a clock or the number of Zodiac signs. He requests everyone not to speak because languages create barriers between people. The moment when everyone stops moving their body will be very special and different as we have never experienced such a moment before.

The poet says that in this period of inactivity the fishermen would not harm the whales, the salt gatherers will not hurt their hands, those who are busy destroying the nature will adopt a new approach towards life, The men who are preparing for wars and victory based on deaths of innocent people will join their enemy and stand in unity with them, doing nothing. No one will harm himself or any other person. Everyone will unite and ponder upon his acts and realize the results of his deeds.

The poet clarifies his idea and says further that he does not want that people should stand idle. He wants that there should be no war because he does not want to see trucks laden with dead bodies of the soldiers. He is promoting Universal brotherhood and peace.

The poet says that everyone is working continuously, to achieve one’s goals. People are threatened by death and the fear forces them to work endlessly so that they can achieve everything quickly. In this mad rush, they do not realize the repercussions of their acts. He wants us to pause and. come out of the mad rush. He wants us to be happy about our achievements and celebrate them. He wants us to overcome the fear of death and to relax for a while. We should know the results of our deeds and celebrate our achievements.