Flamingo

Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

Now we will count to twelve would put on clean clothes

and we will all keep still and walk about with their brothers
for once on the face of the earth, in the shade, doing nothing.
let's not speak in any language;
let's stop for a second, What I want should not be confused
and not move our arms so much. with total inactivity.

It would be an exotic moment Life is what it is about...

without rush, without engines;
we would all be together If we were not so single-minded
in a sudden strangeness. about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
Fishermen in the cold sea perhaps a huge silence
would not harm whales might interrupt this sadness
and the man gathering salt of never understanding ourselves
would not look at his hurt hands. and of threatening ourselves with
death.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire, Now I'll count up to twelve
victories with no survivors, and you keep quiet and I will go.

Explanation Line by line

Lines 1-2

         Now we will count to twelve

         and we will all keep still. 

Explanation

At the heart of this poem is inclusivity. The poem seeks to rise above racial and linguistic
differences. This attempt towards inclusion is seen in the opening lines of the poem. The
speaker employs the collective “we” to begin the exercise of keeping quiet: Now we will
count to twelve and we will all keep still. The count till twelve may  be interpreted as
signifying the twelve-hour mark of the clock from which the two hands circle in a
monotonous manner,  very much like the daily activities of life.

Lines 3-6

              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.

Explanation
 
Noteworthy is  the fact that Keeping Quiet is as much about staying silent as it is about
staying still which is why the poem advocates for a ceasing of words ( “let’s not speak in
any language) and actions ( “let’s not move around so much“) . Language brings differences.
The great number of languages on the “face of the Earth” seem to highlight the ways in
which we are different from others. The use of the words “any language” suggests that the
speaker recognizes the limits of language and envisions a state beyond the domain of
language itself – the realm of silence. Keeping Quiet then is also about letting our
differences dissipate in the silence of our similarities.
The moving of arms not only harks back to the ceaseless movement of the hands of the
clock but also to the gestures of restlessness and aggression which the modern world is
obsessed with.

Lines 7-10

              It would be an exotic moment

              without rush, without engines,
              we would all be together
               in a sudden strangeness

Explanation

One must remember that Extravagaria, the collection of poems in which Keeping Quiet was

featured is a later work of Neruda’s and has an overall universal tone. The collection was a
product of well garnered experiences and    frequent travelling. (Neruda served as the
Chilean Ambassador in Spain, Mexico and France). This hectic pace of a busy life is what
makes silence an ‘exotic moment‘. Like the clock, our lives have become utterly mechanical,
dominated by “rush” and “engines“. A moment of silence will not only be delightful and rare
(exotic moment) but also a ‘strange’ one. This is because we have internalized rush to such
an extent that silence, though enjoyable has become unfamiliar to us because silence has
become rare in the modern world. Keeping Quiet is one powerful way of escaping the
mechanistic motion of the modern life.

Lines 11-14

Explanation

       Fishermen in the cold sea                     

      would not harm whales                     
     and the man gathering salt                   
    would look at his hurt hands.
In line with his political ideology, Neruda was intensely aware of the exploitative economic
structures of the capitalist economy which has exploited man and animals alike. This aspect
of his writing is felt in lines  11- 14.

Neruda was painfully aware of the history of exploitative colonial practices used by
European settlers in their bid to extract resources from the Americas. He was also equally
aware of the exploitative neocolonialist practices carried out in his own times by large
(mostly American) corporations. In fact, he has written a poem titled “Standard Oil
Company” speaking against the oil drilling practices of   corporate giants which posed a
great threat to marine life. Neruda was vocal about his support for conservation of marine
resources and marine life which is reflected in many of his poems.

Man’s greed not only leads to the exploitation of other creatures but of fellow human
beings who are oppressed by the unjust economic system.  Neruda strongly sympathized
with the working class and very well understood the strong class divisions that had
fractured the Chilean society. The sufferings of both the workers in the salt mines and the
sea creature in the ocean would end for a moment if only everybody kept quiet. The theme
of environmental conservation and Social Justice makes its presence   strongly felt in this
stanza.

Lines 15-21

            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

Explanation

These lines highlight the devastating consequences of war. It seems that all the troubles in
the world, from the plight of the whales to the horrors of war result from
someone’s inability to keep quiet. Somebody, in some corner of the world takes an
unnecessary action which jeopardizes the fate of everybody else. By writing about those
who “prepare wars“, the speaker hints at the manufactured nature of war which is
intended  to satisfy specific interests of interested parties and devastate the lives of others.
The damage done by the conventional, chemical and biological weapons (green wars, wars
with gases, with fire) can be stopped only if and when governments and nations teach
themselves to keep quiet. Neruda had been a witness to the atrocities committed during
the Spanish Civil War under the regime of dictator General Franco. He had seen war in close
quarters and very well knew what “victory with no survivors” looked like. Significant is the
assassination of the writer and his dear friend Federico García Lorca by the Fascist forces.
Neruda had this to say about the Spanish Civil War:
    “The war began for me when my friends started disappearing”. 
If only we could keep quiet, people waging such wars would put on clean clothes, free of the
bloodstains and  guilt and would be able to walk hand in hand with the ‘brothers’ in the
shade, in  silence and in peace.

Lines 22-26

               What I want should not be

               confused
               with total inactivity.
               Life is what it is about;
              I want no truck with death.

Explanation

The poet makes it clear that what he’s advocating shouldn’t confused with total
inactivity for total inactivity means death and he has nothing to do with death.  In his own
words: I have no truck with death

Lines 27-34
  
    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.

Explanation

These are perhaps among the most insightful  of lines in the poem where a stark reality of
the modern life is highlighted : of being intensely caught up in the web of rush and
activity to the extent of not understanding ourselves. It is the tragedy of the modern world
where people are too busy to live. If everybody kept quiet for a single moment, a huge
silence may interrupt the sadness of being too busy to understand ourselves. Our inability to
keep quiet results in our failure to understand ourselves and others. The monotonous
rush of life makes individuals threaten oneself with death and their failure to keep quiet
make nations threaten each other with wars. Thus, the silence which results from keeping
quiet isn’t only an exotic one. It is also an introspective one. It is a soothing silence that can
heal the self-inflicted wounds of humanity.
The poem ends on a positive note by saying that perhaps we can learn  the  importance of
keeping quiet from nature :
       Perhaps the Earth can teach us
       as when everything seems dead
        and later proves to be alive.
These lines bring to light a very important fact: that mere movement and rush should not
be confused with life. Perhaps this is the mistake we have been committing all our lives. We
have confused movement with life. Perhaps this is why we need to keep quiet: to know the
difference between mindless movement and meaningful living. Perhaps this realization may
help us appreciate life and perhaps this is the reason why the poet helps us remain with this
realization before quietly exiting the scene,  letting us fully understand and appreciate what
it means to keep quiet :

      Now I’ll count up to twelve

       and you keep quiet and I will go.

Central Idea of the poem

‘Keeping Quiet’ by Pablo Neruda is a deceptively simple poem about the need for a little bit
of soul-searching which may help us make peace with ourselves and others. It tells us how a
moment of silent introspection will make us realise the utter futility of our aggressive
endeavours.

The poem opens in an arresting dramatic way. The poet introduces a game of hide and seek,
but it is a reversed one. The players would all count to twelve and then keep still in silence
for one second. They would stop all their babbling tongues and moving arms. Instead of
searching outside, they would look inside and do some introspection. It would be an exotic
moment that takes us back to the days before the Tower of Babel. They would all be
speaking the same language – silence. They would all be together in a sudden strangeness.

For a moment everyone would stop the daily game of hide and seek; the mad pursuit, the
rat race, the greed that destroys oneself and the others. Those who prepare new wars will
realise the futility of victory with no survivors. In that moment of realisation war mongers
will shed off their blood-stained clothes and begin to walk about with their brothers in the
shade.

But the poet reminds us that he is not speaking about death. He is not speaking about total
inactivity either. It is all about life and action. If we could stop for one moment, we may be
able to interrupt the sadness of never understanding ourselves and others. We may be able
to stop threatening ourselves with death. Just a moment of inactivity, introspection, and
silence may prove to be the greatest act towards enjoying life to its fullest extent. Perhaps
the earth can teach us how the seeds of life remain cold and dormant for a while, only to
sprout up with joyous vigour again.

Having given the instructions for the game, the poet now says that it’s time to begin:
“Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.”

Analysis of the poem

‘Keeping Quiet’ leaves a message of universal brotherhood and peace. It urges the readers
to stop all sorts of aggression, including those towards the environment. If we think of
ourselves as the hands of the clock on the face of this earth, moving in our routine ways,
won’t it be a good thing to stop at twelve and do some introspection? Surprisingly, the
differences of the three hands will fade away and I, you, and nature will become one.

The poet compares the single-minded pursuit of human beings to the routine movements of
the hands of a clock. Double meanings and paradoxes abound in the poem. The face of the
earth becomes the face of the clock. ‘Not move our arms so much’ refers at the same time
to human arms, the hands of a clock, and to weapons. ‘Green wars’ denote new wars and
biological weapons. ‘Shade’ may refer to peace and ‘underprivileged or black’. ‘I will go’ at
the end of the poem also refers to ‘I’, the ego, that will vanish at the moment of true
awareness.

The poetic devices used in the poem are the following:

1. Alliteration – “we will”, “we would”, “once on”, “we would”, “his hurt hands”
2. Antithesis – “count to twelve and we will all keep still”
3. Repetition – “without rush, without engines”
4. Imagery – “Cold Sea”

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

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.

a. What is the significance of the number ‘twelve’ ?

Answer: The number ‘twelve’ signifies the twelve divisions of time. It is a measure of time.

b. Which two activities does the poet want us to stop?

Answer: The poet wants us to keep quiet and not speak. He does not want us to move our
arms.

c. What does the poet mean by ‘let’s not speak in any language’?
Answer: The poet pleads us to be silent and introspect.

d. Describe the pun in the word, ‘arms’.

Answer: ‘Arms’ refers to weapons and the arms in the human body.

2. It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
a. What does ‘It’ refer to?
Answer: ‘It’ refers to the moment when there is peace and quietness which the poet
considers would be exotic.

b. Who is the poet addressing to?

Answer: The poet is addressing his readers.

c. What would be the moment like?

Answer: The absence of hustle and bustle of life would create a feeling of peace and quiet
which would make us united.

d. What does ‘exotic’ mean?

Answer: It means ‘unique’ as the moment would be mysteriously different from the usually
prevailing situation.

3. Fishermen in the cold sea,

would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
a. What are ‘fishermen’ symbolic of?
Answer: ‘Fishermen’ symbolise proficient hunters of all kinds. These people have been
indiscriminately exploiting nature and Mother Earth for their own vested interests.

b. What message does the poet seem to give in these lines?

Answer: The message that Neruda wishes to convey is that the desire of man for more and
more progress and advancement has done more destruction than development. Man seems
to have no concern and care for his brethren.

c. What image does Neruda portray in the last lines?

Answer: The image that Neruda seems to create in the last lines is one of the incessant
sufferings. In order to make life more comfortable, he pays no heed to the sufferings he has
to undergo. The men, who gather salt do not look at their hurt palms because they are more
busy making life more comfortable for themselves and for their family.

d. What basic idea does the poet emphasise upon?

Answer: It is the environmental protection through man’s introspection and action.

4. 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.

a. Who are ‘those’ here?

Answer: Here, ‘those’ are the politicians, scientists, statesmen and those overambitious
powers to be, who in their zeal for dominance are involved in initiating and aggravating
wars.

b. What are ‘green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire’?
Answer: These are the nuclear and chemical weapons which have been created by man and
used in waging wars against countries. In fact, these wars have brought mankind to its fatal
end. These wars are also against the environment.

c. What does Neruda mean by ‘victory with no survivors’?

Answer: The victory that may be gained with the help of nuclear and chemical warfare
would actually leave no one alive in that area. There is no point of winning such a war which
cannot be savoured as there would be no survivors.

d. Which poetic device is used in the third line of the extract?

Answer: It is Paradox as opposite ideas are explained by this phrase.

5. What I want should not be

confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.

a. What does Neruda imply by ‘total inactivity’?

Answer: ‘Total inactivity’ would imply that mankind should channelize his activities towards
construction and he should put an end to his destructive activities. It certainly does not
mean no action because life is an on-going process.

b. What is life about?

Answer: Life cannot be brought to a standstill under any circumstances. It is an on-going
process and it has to move on.

c. What does Neruda mean when he says, ‘I want no truck with death’?
Answer: Neruda says that when he talks of counting upto twelve, meditating and
introspecting, he is not advocating death-like silence. To bring all activities to a halt is only to
facilitate introspection, and not to bring life to a standstill. Life is an on-going process and
humanity should move on.

d. What is the underlying thought of the poet here?

Answer: We should not act physically but we must introspect.

6. 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.

a. What is man ‘single-minded’ about?

Answer: Man is single-minded about his own progress and advancement. He is so focussed
on his own development that he forgets to visualise the pros and cons of reckless
development. The consequences and impact of materialistic progress should be taken into
consideration.

b. Explain, ‘sadness of never understanding ourselves’.

Answer:
Mankind, in its race for materialistic success has sacrificed his emotional needs at some
point of time. People are so engrossed in fulfilling their ambitions and successfully
completing their duties that they tend to forego their inner mental satisfaction. Thus, they
tend to become sad and isolated.

c. How has mankind threatened itself with death?

Answer: The race for more arms and ammunitions and the desire to overpower and
dominate over more and more areas and countries is what has threatened mankind with
death. The mass destruction of nature is also one main reason for large-scale death of
humanity.

d. What does ‘keeping our life moving’ mean?

Answer: It means making progress without a second thought.

7. 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.

a. What does the earth teach us?

Answer: The earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains and how there is life
under apparent stillness.

b. What does the poet mean to achieve by counting up to twelve?

Answer: The poet wants to achieve peace by counting up to twelve. He wants us to
introspect in a moment of silence.

c. What is the significance of ‘keeping quiet’?

Answer: Keeping quiet doesn’t mean being idle. It means that we should avoid all such
activities, which are hurting the nature, and in turn, us.

d. What is the poetic device used in the first line?

Answer: Personification because earth is depicted like an instructor to us.

Textbook Questions and Answers

Question and Answers
Q1- What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve?
A1-If we count up to twelve and keep still, it will give us some time to analyze our deeds. It
will allow us some moments to think about the result of our activities. People in the world
are involved in wars and are also damaging the environment in order to achieve their aims.
Unfortunately this is taking all of us toward our own end. So, we need to think in order to
achieve peace and harmony.
 
Q2- Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?
A2- No, the poet doesn’t advocate total inactivity and death. He clarifies this in his poem
that he wants all the people to just stop for a while in order to analyze their activities and
their consequences. He wants human beings not to support war and damage to the
environment.
 
Q3- What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
A3- The sadness is the result of our own actions and deeds. According to the poet we all are
in a hurry of achieving various tasks in our life. This rush sometimes proves dangerous for
us. As we don’t analyze our actions, so we land ourselves in a number of problems. These
problems then become the reason for our sadness as referred to in the poem.
 
Q4- What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under
apparent stillness?
A4- The poet takes the example of earth to prove that there can be life under apparent
stillness. The earth never gets inactive. We experience the change in the seasons which
brings so many different things with it. In winters, things come to a standstill as the water
bodies freeze; the trees shed their leaves, etc. But as soon as the spring season comes, it
brings with it the lovely flowers, flowing rivers and a new life is given to the nature. So, the
poet wants to convey that we should stay calm but that doesn’t mean that it will bring total
inactivity and stillness.

Other Important Questions

Question 1 : How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea?
Answer : Keeping quiet would affect life in and around the sea in two ways. By keeping
quiet, the fishermen will not kill whales for some time. Also, the salt gatherers will get some
time to heal their hurt hands.

Question 2 : How is the Earth a source of life when all seems dead on it?
Answer : In the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ the Earth is a source of life because it is never in a
state of total inactivity even when there is silence all around. Nature continues to work even
when everything is still and silent.

Question 3 : How is the total inactivity on the Earth in the winter months full of life?
Answer : The poet has tried to bring out the fact that during winter months everything
seems still and dead, but some activity goes on even then. For instance, a seed appears to
be ‘dead’ but later on trees are born from such seeds.
Question 4 : “Life is what it is all about”; ……………How is keeping quiet related to life?
Answer : Keeping quiet is related to life as it helps one to introspect one’s actions. It , also
gives one the much needed break from one’s busy schedules.

Question 5 : Why does one feel ‘a sudden strangeness’ on counting to twelve and keeping
quiet?
Answer : One feels sudden strangeness on counting to twelve and keeping quiet as
everything become quiet and still. This silence is unusual and strange as mankind has never
experienced it before.

Question 6 : How will ‘keeping quiet’ protect our environment?

Answer : Keeping quiet and staying still would protect our environment as the fishermen
would not catch whales and green wars would come to an end temporarily.

Question 7 : What does the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ teach us?

Answer : The poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ teaches us to take out some time from our busy
schedules to introspect ourselves. It also teaches us to stop being self-centered and selfish
and be happy by understanding ourselves.

Question 8 : Which symbol from nature does the poet invoke that there can be life under
apparent stillness?
Answer : The poet uses the symbol of seed from nature to explain his idea that there can be
life under apparent stillness. A seed may appear to be dead and inactive, but one day, the
same seed may sprout and become a fruit bearing tree.

Question 9 : What will counting upto twelve and keeping still help us to achieve?
Answer : This activity would create a moment of togetherness among all; a condition which
is foremost for the survival of humanity. It will also give us time to analyse our actions and
their consequences.

Question 10 : Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’?
Answer : The poet refers to the moment of stillness and quietness as an exotic moment. It
would be an exotic moment, as such a tranquility will initiate peace and brotherhood and
consequently, no violence.

Question 11 : What is the sadness that the poet refers to in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’?
Answer : The poet refers to the sadness which surrounds man due to not having any time
for himself, the pain of not understanding what he or what his fellow human beings want
from him.

Question 12 : Which images in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ show that the poet condemns
violence?
Answer : The images of fishermen not harming the whales in the sea and wars leaving
behind no survivors to celebrate the victory show that the poet condemns violence.

Question 13 : How, according to Neruda, can keeping quiet change our attitude to life?
Answer : Keeping quiet and suspending all our activities for a brief moment will give us time
to introspect and analyse our own actions. We will develop a new understanding of our
surroundings and this would change our attitude to life.

Question 14  : What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem? What is
Neruda’s attitude towards these wars?
Answer : Green wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with fire are the different kinds
of wars mentioned in the poem. Neruda feels that such wars may bring victory , but there
would be no survivors left to celebrate the victory.

Question 15 : How can suspension of activities help?

Answer  : The poet believes that suspension of activities will allow man to introspect, which
in turn would help them in analysing their own actions, in solving many of their problems
and in mending their destructive ways.

Question 16 : Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death in the poem
‘Keeping Quiet’? Why/Why not?
Answer : No, the poet clearly states that his asking for stillness should not be confused with
total inactivity or death as he perceives life to be a continuous process way.

Question 17 : According to the poet, what is it that human beings can learn from nature?
Answer : Life under apparent stillness is the thing which man can learn from nature. The
Earth is never in a state of total inactivity. Nature carries on its work even where there is
stillness all around.

MCQs

Question 1.
The poet uses conversational style and personal pronouns as ‘you’, ‘we’ and `I’ because
(a) he wants to be intimate with mankind
(b) he tries to read out to the readers
(c) he wants to establish contact easily
(d) third person is ineffective
Answer
Answer: (b) he tries to read out to the readers

Question 2.
The last line of the poem is
(a) and later proves to be alive
(b) life is what it is about
(c) I want no truck with death
(d) and you keep quiet and I will go
Answer
Answer: (d) and you keep quiet and I will go

Question 3.
Man needs to learn a lesson from
(a) moon
(b) stars
(c) earth
(d) sun
Answer
Answer: (c) earth

Question 4.
According to the poet wars that are fought have no
(a) soldiers
(b) weapons
(c) fighter planes
(d) survivors
Answer
Answer: (d) survivors

Question 5.
‘Cold sea’ is a poetic device
(a) personification
(b) transferred epithet
(c) metaphor
(d) alliteration
Answer
Answer: (b) transferred epithet

Question 6.
Without rush, without engines’ refers to
(a) no noise
(b) no hurry to go to the office
(c) no travelling
(d) no holidaying
Answer
Answer: (a) no noise

Question 7.
The poet wants the entire humanity to
(a) keep talking
(b) keep running
(c) keep laughing
(d) keep still
Answer
Answer: (d) keep still

Question 8.
‘Have no truck with death’ means
(a) will not die of the truck accident
(b) remove poverty and illiteracy
(c) have no association or deal with death
(d) will not drive a truck
Answer
Answer: (c) have no association or deal with death

Question 9.
The poet advocates the balance of nature to be
(a) maintained
(b) destroyed
(c) temporarily disturbed
(d) ignored
Answer
Answer: (a) maintained

Question 10.
What does man threaten himself with?
(a) death
(b) birth
(c) robbery
(d) suicide
Answer
Answer: (a) death

Question 11.
Where would they be walking?
(a) in the park
(b) along the river
(c) in the shade
(d) on the road
Answer
Answer: (c) in the shade

Question 12.
The types of wars the poet talks about are
(a) green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire
(b) verbal wars
(c) technological warfare
(d) nuclear wars
Answer
Answer: (a) green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire

Question 13.
Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm
(a) seahorses
(b) mermaids
(c) whales
(d) tortoises
Answer
Answer: (c) whales

Question 14.
What kind of a moment would it be when everyone is silent
(a) terrible
(b) painful
(c) exotic
(d) unforgettable
Answer
Answer: (c) exotic

Question 15.
The poet appeals to the readers to keep quiet for
(a) twenty seconds
(b) 1 hour
(c) thirty seconds
(d) twelve seconds
Answer
Answer: (d) twelve seconds

Question 16.
What can human beings learn from nature?
(a) beauty
(b) keeping quiet
(c) to be happy
(d) working with silence
Answer
Answer: (d) working with silence

Question 17.
What symbol from nature the poet uses to prove that keeping quiet is not total inactivity?
(a) Sun
(b) Soil
(c) earth
(d) Nature and earth
Answer
Answer: (d) Nature and earth

Question 18.
How will silence benefit the man and nature?
(a) both will be friends
(b) man will know nature better
(c) man will be healthy
(d) man will stop hurting nature and both will heal themselves
Answer
Answer: (d) man will stop hurting nature and both will heal themselves
Question 19.
While gathering salt, what will happen to the man if he keep silent for a moment?
(a) he will stop dropping it
(b) he will look at the ground
(c) he will walk carefully
(d) he will think of the harm the salt is doing to his hands
Answer
Answer: (d) he will think of the harm the salt is doing to his hands

Question 20.
Why is the poet asking everyone not to speak any language?
(a) to avoid noise
(b) to avoid loud voices
(c) to avoid people
(d) to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings
Answer
Answer: (d) to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings

Question 21.
What would everyone feel at that exotic moment?
(a) happy
(b) content
(c) dancing
(d) strange blissful oneness
Answer
Answer: (d) strange blissful oneness

Question 22.
What will happen if there are no engines and no crowd?
(a) noise will be lessened
(b) no crowd on roads
(c) no traffic rush
(d) it will create a perfect, happy moment
Answer
Answer: (d) it will create a perfect, happy moment

Question 23.
What does the poet want people to do for one second?
(a) to sing
(b) to close eyes
(c) to stand quietly
(d) to be silent and motionless
Answer
Answer: (d) to be silent and motionless
Question 24.
What is always alive even when everything seems to be dead or still?
(a) mountains
(b) rivers
(c) Sun
(d) Earth and nature are always alive
Answer
Answer: (d) Earth and nature are always alive

Question 25.
What is the sadness in the poem that the poet speaks about ?
(a) violence because of unthoughtful ness of the people
(b) unnecessary movements
(c) speaking aloud
(d) fighting
Answer
Answer: (a) violence because of unthoughtful ness of the people

Question 26.
What should not be confused with total inactivity or death?
(a) no movement
(b) a statue
(c) talking people
(d) Stillness and silence
Answer
Answer: (d) Stillness and silence

Question 27.
Not move our arms’ what does this expression refer to?
(a) sit quietly
(b) stand quietly
(c) to be inactive
(d) sitting still without any movement
Answer
Answer: (d) sitting still without any movement

Question 28.
What does number 12 represent?
(a) hours of the day and months of a year
(b) earth
(c) clock
(d) cricket players
Answer
Answer: (a) hours of the day and months of a year

Question 29.
How will keeping quiet protect our environment?
(a) by creating peace and brotherhood feelings
(b) no noise will be there
(c) people will not fight
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (a) by creating peace and brotherhood feelings

Question 30.
What is the rhyming scheme used in the poem?
(a) enclosed rhyme
(b) Monorhyme
(c) sonnet
(d) Free verse
Answer
Answer: (d) Free verse

Question 31.
According to the poet what creates barriers?
(a) interactions
(b) reactions
(c) fighting
(d) languages
Answer
Answer: (d) languages

Question 32.
What is the essence or message of the poem ?
(a) introspection and retrospection to be more peaceful and be in harmony
(b) to prosper
(c) to be happier
(d) to reach out more people
Answer
Answer: (a) introspection and retrospection to be more peaceful and be in harmony

Question 33.
What does the style of the poem symbolise, that the poet used to write with?
(a) desires
(b) happiness
(c) hope
(d) desire and hope
Answer
Answer: (d) desire and hope

Question 34.
What does counting upto 12 signify and how will it help?
(a) hours of the day
(b) months of a year
(c) it will help to create peace and harmony
(d) all
Answer
Answer: (d) all

Question 35.
What does the title of the poem suggest?
(a) Inactivity
(b) noise
(c) unhappiness
(d) Maintenance of silence
Answer
Answer: (d) Maintenance of silence

Question 36.
How does the poet perceive life?
(a) as stillness
(b) as silence
(c) a noisy place
(d) a continuous evolution of nature
Answer
Answer: (d) a continuous evolution of nature

Question 37.
What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem?
(a) War against humanity
(b) War against nature
(c) War with gases and fire
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these

Question 38.
Which images in the poem show that the poet condemns or hate violence?
(a) fishermen not harming whales
(b) wars leaving behind no survivors to celebrate
(c) poet’s refusal to deal with death
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these

Question 39.
What does hurt hand refer to ?
(a) Growing needs of the man
(b) growing greed of man
(c) unfulfilled desires
(d) growing insensitivity of man to pain
Answer
Answer: (d) growing insensitivity of man to pain

Question 40.
What is the poet expecting from fishermen?
(a) to find more fish
(b) to go deeper into the sea
(c) to think and stop harming the fish
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) to think and stop harming the fish