I.1        What do the following phrases mean to you?

Ans.     i) humid shadows – humid shadows refers to the dark clouds that bring rain.
ii) starry spheres – starry spheres refer to the sky at night time when it is full of stars.
iii) what a bliss – what a bliss refers to the happiness of the poet when he listens to the raindrops falling on the roof.
iv) a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start – this refers to the various imaginary thoughts and fantasies that come in the poet’s mind.
v) a thousand recollections weave their air – threads into woof – means that the poet recollect many memories in the rainy season that join together to form a beautiful picture just like weaving of threads to farm a pattern.

  1. What does the poet like to do when it rains?

Ans. When it rains, the poet likes to lie with his head pressed against the pillow of his cottage chamber bed and listen to the sound of the soft rain.

  1. What is the single major memory that comes to the poet? Who are the “darling dreamers” he refers to?

Ans. The single major memory that comes to the poet is that of his mother. The “darling dreamers” are those ‘kids’ who remember their mothers like the poet.

  1. Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?

Ans. No, the poet is not a child now. He is grown up man. His mother is not living. He rememberS her when he is inside his cosy cottage and enjoys the patter of rain on the roof.

II1.  When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the poet’s did?

Ans.    Yes, my mother used to tuck me in when I was a child.

  1. Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the poem?

Ans.     Yes, I like rain. When it rains steadily, I love to sit at home, listen to the pitter patter of the raindrops and enjoy tea with some snacks.

  1. Does everybody have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the poem?

Ans.  No, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains.

   Look around you and describe how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter etc. during rain

Ans.  There are many slum dwellers, beggars and homeless people who look for some dry place to lay their heads. They take shelter at the railway platforms, bus terminals, under the bridges, inside the construction buildings. Some cover their small hurts with plastic sheets to prevent the rainwater coming inside. We can see animals seeking shelter under trees and the tin roofs of the roadside shops.

[Note – Answers 1, 2, 3 can be written by students in their own words based on their own experiences]